Skip to Main Content

Northern Star

 

Advertisement

 

 
Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media since 1899

 

Ensure student journalism survives. Donate today.

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Debris found in fuel tanks of 70% of inspected 737 Max jets

February 22, 2020

CHICAGO (AP) — Debris has been found in the fuel tanks of 70% of grounded Boeing 737 Max jets that have been inspected by the company, Boeing confirmed on Saturday.Inspectors found the debris in 35 out of about 50 jets that were inspected. They are...

Key Atlantic Coast Pipeline permit heads to Supreme Court

By DENISE LAVOIE, SARAH RANKIN, and ALAN SUDERMAN | February 22, 2020

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — When plans for the 605-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline were first unveiled in 2014, supporters of the natural gas project brimmed with enthusiasm and promises.The pipeline would bring natural gas from West Virginia to growing markets...

Man guilty of killing 2 who tried to stop his slurs on train

February 21, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man accused of fatally stabbing two people who prosecutors say tried to stop his racist tirade against two young black women on a Portland, Oregon, commuter train was convicted of murder Friday after an emotional trial that featured...

Deere sees some stability on farms in bruising trade fight

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN | February 21, 2020

Deere had a surprisingly strong first quarter after an extended period in which it was bruised by the ongoing trade war between the United States and China.

“Farmer confidence, though still subdued, has improved due in part to hopes for a relaxation of trade tensions and higher agricultural exports,” CEO John May said in a prepared statement Friday.

China announced Friday that it suspended more punitive tariffs on imports of U.S. industrial goods in response to a truce in its trade war with Washington. Under their “Phase 1” agreement signed in January, Washington agreed to cancel additional tariff hikes and Beijing committed to buy more American farm exports.

China's retaliatory tariffs have clobbered exports of soybeans and other commodities, hurting farmers, and in turn, farming equipment manufacturers.

The Trump administration has provided $27 billion in aid to farmers to ease the pain of his trade war. And in a tweet Friday, he promised to expand the bailout if farmers need it as they await the economic benefits of his recent trade deals with Mexico, Canada and China. He said the aid would be financed by revenue from his tariffs on foreign goods — taxes that are paid by American importers.

Deere, based in Moline, Illinois, has posted three consecutive quarters of falling profits and slowing sales growth with trade tensions between the world's two largest economies ongoing.

For the three months ended Feb. 2, Deere & Co. earned $517 million, or $1.63 per share. The per-share earnings easily beat the $1.28 that industry analysts had expected, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research, and it topped last year's quarterly profit of $498 million, or $1.54 per share.

Adjusted revenue —which excludes financial services revenue— was $6.53 billion, also beating Wall Street's estimate of $6.2 billion.

The quarterly performance is in contrast to a year ago, when Deere cautioned on anxious farmers and rising costs.

Looking ahead, the companystill foresees fiscal 2020 earnings of $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion,unchanged from its previous guidance.

Shares of Deere & Co. jumped more than 6% at the opening bell.

—————

Portions of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/DE

Mom helps 2 men rescue truck driver days after giving birth

February 21, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana woman who had given birth just a few days earlier said her instincts kicked in when she stopped along a highway to help save a driver who was on fire after his tanker truck loaded with jet fuel burst into flames.Holly...

The Latest: Warren says Bloomberg NDA refusal disqualifying

February 20, 2020

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on presidential campaign developments (all times local.):6:30 p.m.Elizabeth Warren says that if Mike Bloomberg isn’t willing to release his former employees from any non-disclosure agreements they’ve signed, he should...

‘Black in Space’ looks at final frontier of civil rights

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS | February 20, 2020

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — In 1959, Ronald Erwin McNair walked into a South Carolina library. The 9-year-old aspiring astronaut wanted to check out a calculus book, but a librarian threatened to call the police if he didn't leave. McNair was black.Years...

Uber resumes operating in Colombia after three-week hiatus

By MANUEL RUEDA | February 20, 2020

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Uber restarted operations in Colombia on Thursday after shutting down its app for almost three weeks.In a statement, the platform said it had found “new alternatives” to work legally in the South American country.Uber said...

Passengers leave ship docked off Japan after quarantine ends

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and FOSTER KLUG | February 19, 2020

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — About 500 passengers left the Diamond Princess cruise ship Wednesday at the end of a much-criticized two-week quarantine that failed to stop the spread of the new virus among passengers and crew.The quarantine's flop was underlined...

Fire at Minnesota recycling plant affecting air quality

February 19, 2020

BECKER, Minn. (AP) — Officials are monitoring the air quality in Becker where a fire at a metal recycling plantcontinues to burn.Firefighters continued to fight the stubborn blaze Wednesday after working all day and through the night Tuesday at Northern...

Boeing asks lawmakers to suspend preferential tax rate

By RACHEL LA CORTE | February 19, 2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state lawmakersintroduced bills Wednesday,at The Boeing Co.’s request, to suspend the aerospace giant's preferential business and occupation tax rate unless the United States and European Union reach an agreement on...

Russia will replace 2 cosmonauts set for launch to space

February 19, 2020

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's space agency said Wednesday that two cosmonauts scheduled to launch to the International Space Station will be replaced with alternates for medical reasons.Roscosmos said crew members Nikolai Tikhonov and Andrei Babkin will be...