Opinion

A proposed legal settlement that could cost Ford Motor Co. as much as $1 billion prompted a judge Monday to postpone a class-action trial on allegations that faulty ignition switches caused millions of cars and trucks to stall. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A group of homeless advocates has taken over a vacant four-story downtown building to remind officials about the need for affordable housing in one of the country’s most expensive cities. -more-

Pudge, Izzy, Echo and Paris are ready for their close-ups. The feisty, furry rabbits are the pride and joy of the new Berkeley 4-H Club’s four charter members. Accompanied by their human handlers, on Thursday, the rabbits were getting ready to strut their stuff at the Monterey County fair today and the San Mateo County Fair on Saturday. -more-

Fifteen teens from Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s “School of Theatre” interviewed elders at the North Berkeley Senior Center last week to find inspiration for monologues that they will write over the next week and perform at the senior center Aug. 15. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — While San Francisco International Airport struggles to overcome environmental objections to a runway expansion plan, other Bay Area airports are picking up the slack by handling more flights and more passengers. -more-

LOS ANGELES — The flood of artificial light that washes the stars from the sky has left one in five human beings unable to see the Milky Way at night, according to a new study of the global effects of light pollution. -more-