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Biden, congressional leaders meet to avert US default

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

By Zeke Miller, Seung Min Kim, Josh Boak and Lisa Mascaro | Associated PressWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders are holding their first in-person meeting Tuesday to try to avert an unprecedented U.S. government default.The president welcomed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Oval Office. Their initial challenge on Tuesday is to agree on what exactly they’re talking about as they hold their first substantive meeting in months.With the government at risk of being unable to meet its obligations as soon as June 1, raising the specter of economic chaos, Republicans are coming to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default.Biden, on the other hand, is set to reinforce his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostageR...

Kurtenbach: Does the Warriors’ star trio have another magical playoff run to make?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The partnership of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green transformed the Warriors’ organization and the league.But now they’re facing something even more powerful than their NBA rivals:Their own basketball mortality.The Warriors rode those Hall of Famers to incredible heights. But one more loss could bring a giant fall.So do the Warriors’ Big Three – each pulling his own weight – have one more incredible run in them?Nothing less than that will do now that they’re down 3-1 to the Lakers.This is a new feeling for the Warriors, who have not lost a Western Conference playoff series since 2014 and are undefeated in the conference playoffs under coach Steve Kerr.They know how to beat LA. They just can’t seem to do it.Aging is ruthless.And yet, the Warriors’ problems are more complicated than that. There have been stretches in this series where the Dubs’ quality is undeniable. They won Game 2 by 27 points.But those bursts havenR...

As drought grips Spain, dozens arrested for illegal wells

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

By Al Goodman | CNNSpanish police have arrested 26 people in recent months for an alleged scheme to use water from illegal wells to grow subtropical fruit, as the country grapples with damaging heat and drought.A Spanish Civil Guard statement said a four-year investigation had uncovered 250 illegal wells and ponds in the in a drought-stricken area Axarquia district east of Malaga, along the Mediterranean coast.In addition to the dozens arrested, 44 people are under investigation in the alleged scheme, which is estimated to have caused nearly $11 million in damages.The southern Andalusia regional government has strict water use restrictions for the area, which has been gripped by “a prolonged and exceptional drought” since June 2021.More recently, key food producing regions of southern Spain, near Seville and Corboda, and in northeastern Spain near Barcelona, have seen low rainfall and high temperatures combine to diminish many local water reservoirs, the Spanish central ...

Why aren't people riding BART? Hint: It's not remote work.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- On Tuesday morning, the Bay Area Council revealed the results of a new survey about BART. The transit agency has struggled with low ridership and safety concerns since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago.BART ridership is down by about 60% and the Bay Area Council, which helped create BART in the 1950s, wanted to know what it would take to get riders back on board. Man who allegedly used clock to record women while they were changing charged by SF DA Over the past few months, the Bay Area Council conducted interviews with 1,000 people from around the Bay Area, asking a wide variety of question about BART. What they found is that the public has an evenly split opinion of the transit system with 49% viewing it favorably and 49% having a negative opinion.One of the survey's most revealing takeaways was that remote work was not the main reason most respondents said they were not riding. The survey found that it's primarily safety and securi...

Martinez Amtrak station still closed; mercury spill larger than first thought

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

A mercury spill that closed the Amtrak station in Martinez on Monday was bigger than initially thought and may have spread to the platform and inside the train station, officials from Contra Costa Health (CCH) told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The station remains closed as of midday Tuesday and Amtrak is using the old train station a few blocks away at Ferry Street and Marina Vista Avenue. Man who allegedly used clock to record women while they were changing charged by SF DA CCH deputy director Matt Kaufmann said the county is bringing in a contractor later Tuesday to help with the cleanup. County officials initially estimate there was a pound to 1.5 pounds of mercury spilled. "We have not confirmed that (amount)," Kaufmann said. "What we can say is we are able to monitor for mercury in the air, which is really the primary concern. What we have found is about 1,000 times less than it would be to be considered immediately dangerous to life and health." Kauf...

Ecuador legislature moves forward on president’s impeachment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s opposition-led National Assembly voted Tuesday to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Guillermo Lasso over embezzlement allegations, while his defense team argued that the procedure violated the legislative body’s own rules.The vote to move forward with the impeachment process required a majority of lawmakers present, and 88 of the 116 lawmakers at the session voted in favor. The debate came three days after a majority-led legislative committee declined to adopt a report produced by its own members that had cleared Lasso of the allegations.Assemblywoman Viviana Veloz, a member of the opposition, urged lawmakers to allow the process to continue “so that once and for all, it is absolutely clear, this trial has a political nature.”Tuesday’s vote means that Lasso’s accusers and his defense will be allowed to present evidence before the National Assembly. To remove the president, at least 92 of the Assembly’s 137 members...

Airbnb posts $117 million 1Q profit as revenue grows by 20%

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

Airbnb said Tuesday that it earned $117 million in the first quarter, as rentals and revenue jumped again during an ongoing recovery in travel and a trend of more people working remotely.It was the first time that the short-term rental giant earned a profit in the first three months of the year, a seasonally slow period for travel. The San Francisco-based company’s profit compared with a loss of $19 million a year earlier and worked out to 18 cents per share.Revenue climbed 20% to $1.82 billion, beating Wall Street’s forecast of $1.79 billion, according to a FactSet survey.Nights and experiences booked, a closely watched measurement for Airbnb, increased 19% to 121 million, and the company valued the bookings made in the quarter at $20.4 billion, a 19% increase.In a letter to shareholders, Airbnb said its revenue and the gross value of bookings are both double what they were before the pandemic.Airbnb is getting a lift from people who are traveling while they take advant...

Iovance Biotherapeutics: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

SAN CARLOS, Calif. (AP) — SAN CARLOS, Calif. (AP) — Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc. (IOVA) on Tuesday reported a loss of $107.4 million in its first quarter.On a per-share basis, the San Carlos, California-based company said it had a loss of 50 cents.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 84 cents per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on IOVA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/IOVASource

LegalZoom: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — LegalZoom.com Inc. (LZ) on Tuesday reported a loss of $2.4 million in its first quarter.The Glendale, California-based company said it had a loss of 1 cent per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 7 cents per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 6 cents per share.The online platform for legal services posted revenue of $165.9 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $155 million.For the current quarter ending in June, LegalZoom said it expects revenue in the range of $166 million to $168 million.The company expects full-year revenue in the range of $630 million to $650 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LZ at h...

Mets’ Scherzer misses start against Reds due to neck spasms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was scratched from his scheduled start against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night due to neck spasms.Left-hander David Peterson was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to start the opener of a three-game series.The start would have been Scherzer’s second since a 10-game suspension by Major League Baseball for violating the prohibition on foreign substances during an April 19 game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed six runs and eight hits over 3 1/3 innings at Detroit in his return on May 3, leaving the 38-year-old right-hander 2-2 with a 5.56 ERA in five starts this season.Scherzer was limited to two starts for the Washington Nationals between June 30 and Aug. 22, 2019, because of a mid-back strain and a rhomboid strain.Scherzer started feeling a problem after throwing a light bullpen on Sunday.“It started feeling barks, so I got some treatment during the game,” he said Tuesday. “When I wo...