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Sen. McConnell appears to freeze during remarks again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

By Morgan Rimmer | CNNSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze for about 30 seconds on Wednesday while speaking with reporters after a speech in Covington, Kentucky.The incident is similar to an episode McConnell experienced at the US Capitol late last month and is likely to raise additional questions about the fitness of the 81-year-old to lead the Senate Republican caucus.Wednesday’s episode occurred when a reporter asked the Republican leader if he was planning to run for reelection in 2026. McConnell had to ask him to repeat the question several times, chuckled for a moment, and then paused, closing his mouth and staring straight ahead.Someone at his side then asked him, “Did you hear the question, senator, running for reelection in 2026?” McConnell did not respond.“I’m sorry you all, we’re gonna need a minute,” the aide told reporters. A member of the senator’s detail spoke quietly to him for a moment, and McConnell was able to whisper an answer to him.McConnel...

Ex-Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, accused of sex abuse, not fit for trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

By Steve LeBlanc | Associated PressDEDHAM, Mass. — The once-powerful Roman Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick will not stand trial on charges he sexually assaulted a teenage boy decades ago, as a Massachusetts judge dismissed the case against the 93-year-old on Wednesday because both prosecutors and defense attorneys agree he suffers from dementia.McCarrick, the ex-archbishop of Washington, D.C., was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after an internal Vatican investigation determined he sexually molested adults as well as children. The McCarrick scandal created a crisis of credibility for the church, primarily because there was evidence Vatican and U.S. church leaders knew he slept with seminarians but turned a blind eye as McCarrick rose to the top of the U.S. church as an adept fundraiser who advised three popes.During Wednesday’s hearing, Dr. Kerry Nelligan, a psychologist hired by the prosecution, said she found significant deficits in McCarrick’s memory during two...

Review: The Monokei Standard makes sacrifices to offer high-end features at affordable price

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

Excellent mechanical keyboards usually cost hundreds of dollars. They feature aluminum casings, brass weights, gaskets and several types of foam. That’s on top of other bells and whistles such as knobs or OLED screens. Taken altogether, the pricey device delivers a distinct sound accompanied by a memorable typing experience.The Monokei Standard tries to capture that feeling at a more affordable price. The company does this by using less expensive materials while retaining features found in higher-end products. The result is a good mechanical keyboard that punches above its weight class.Monokei has some collaborations with popular franchises such as Jujutsu Kaisen. (Gieson Cacho/Bay Area News Group) A TKL FORMAT WITH QUIRKSThe Standard is a TKL, or a tenkeyless, meaning it has all the keys of a full standard keyboard except for the number pad usually on the right. This allows it to fit on more desks and prevents the gaming or workspace from feeling overwhelmed by the size....

Judge holds Rudy Giuliani liable for defaming election workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

By Eric Tucker | Associated PressWASHINGTON — A federal judge on Wednesday held Rudy Giuliani liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by two Georgia election workers who say they were falsely accused of fraud, entering a default judgment against the former New York City mayor and ordering him to pay tens of thousands of dollars in lawyers’ fees.U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said the punishment was necessary because Giuliani had ignored his duty as a defendant to turn over information requested by election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea’ ArShaye Moss, as part of their lawsuit.Their complaint from December 2021 accused Giuliani, one of Donald Trump’s lawyers and a confidant of the former Republican president, of defaming them by falsely stating that they had engaged in fraud while counting ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. In a statement Wednesday, the women said they had endured a “living nightmare” and an unimaginable “wave...

It’s not just crime: What’s really going on with San Francisco’s shrinking retail district

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

By Samantha Delouya | CNNLos Angeles — In many ways, San Francisco’s downtown is in dire straits. The city’s Union Square neighborhood — once bustling with shoppers, diners, and tourists — has suffered from declining foot traffic and shuttered storefronts.Stores in the area now have papered-over windows and “Retail for Lease” signs, according to Google Street View, which was last updated in June.While in-person activities in many major cities in the United States have rebounded since the start of the Covid pandemic, San Francisco’s recovery has been strained. The downturn of the city’s Union Square is a microcosm of that struggle.Mapping the exodusUnion Square has historically been a major commercial hub in the heart of San Francisco’s downtown. It serves as a venue for many public events and is seen as a go-to tourist attraction in the city due to its high-end shops, departments stores and hotels. But lately, many well-known chains have announced exits from the area, including CB2,...

Vintage car involved in crash in Morgan Hill, possible injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

(KRON) -- There was an accident in Morgan Hill Thursday involving what appears to be a vintage car and an SUV, according to Cal Fire. Firefighters with Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit responded to the crash at East Dunne Avenue and Murphy Avenue. Patients were transported from the scene and firefighters are making all resources available. East Dunne Avenue is closed between Murphy Avenue and Condit Road. Driver leads CHP on chase, crashes in East Bay Photos posted to Cal Fire's social media account show at least two vehicles involved in the crash, one of which was a restored vintage station wagon of some kind.There were no exact details provided on injuries or how many vehicles were involved.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Major weekend closure on westbound I-80 starts Thursday night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

(BCN) -- Westbound Interstate Highway 80 will be fully closed for repaving work starting Thursday night, Caltrans officials said. The closure will start 9 p.m. Thursday, between the westbound I-80/Interstate Highway 780 interchange in Vallejo and state Highway 4 in Hercules, and will conclude around 5 a.m. Tuesday. The closure includes the closures of all westbound traffic lanes on I-80 on the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge, also known as the Carquinez Bridge. Eastbound I-80 traffic lanes will remain open, Caltrans officials said. 1 arrested in connection to viral photo of woman flashing AK-47 This is part of a series of closures on I-80 earlier announced by Caltrans to do repaving work. Caltrans recommends that drivers traveling west on I-80 exit onto eastbound I-780 in Vallejo and continue on eastbound I-780 to southbound Interstate Highway 680. Travelers can use southbound I-680 to reach westbound Highway 4, westbound state Highway 24, or westbound Interstate Highway 58...

Robinson, Ridder are keys to Falcons hopes for a turnaround in Smith’s 3rd season as coach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10)EXPECTATIONS: Team owner Arthur Blank says this is year three of a three-year plan with coach Arthur Smith and added he expects an improvement from the seven-win finishes in each of Smith’s first two years. There is pressure on second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder, in his first full season as the starter, to end the team’s streak of five straight losing seasons. There could be as many as six new starters on defense following aggressive spending in free agency.NEW FACES: CB Jeff Okudah, OLB Bud Dupree, S Jessie Bates III, TE Jonnu Smith, DT David Onyemata, DE Calais Campbell, OLB Kaden Elliss, QB Taylor Heinicke, CB Mike Hughes, WR Scotty Miller, WR Mack Hollins, CB Tre Flowers.KEY LOSSES: G Elijah Wilkinson, CB Isaiah Oliver, QB Marcus Mariota, DE Abdullah Anderson, CB Michael Ford, WR Damiere Byrd, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, CB Rashad Fenton, OT Chuma Edoga, ILB Nick Kwiatkowski, OT Germain Ifedi, TE Anthony Firkser, DE Matt Dickerson, G Colby Gossett...

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are ready to try again in pursuit of a Super Bowl trip

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

DALLAS COWBOYS (13-6)EXPECTATIONS: The Cowboys are way overdue for their next trip to the NFC championship game. The most recent time Dallas made it that far was the 1995 season, when the franchise won its fifth Super Bowl title. The past two seasons could be considered progress. The Cowboys lost a wild-card game at home to San Francisco two years ago before beating Tom Brady and Tampa Bay in that round last season. The 49ers eliminated Dallas again, this time in the divisional round. Anything short of that will be a setback this season. Mike McCarthy is taking over play-calling duties in his fourth year as Dallas coach, an intriguing development going into QB Dak Prescott’s eighth season. While RB Ezekiel Elliott is gone, WR Brandin Cooks gives Prescott a legitimate deep threat to go with No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb. Pass rushing star Micah Parsons is in his third season as the club’s best defensive player. Dallas traded for Cooks and CB Stephon Gilmore, who gives the Co...

Pennsylvania men charged with trafficking homemade ‘ghost guns,’ silencers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:53 GMT

HATFIELD, Pa. (AP) — A man who allegedly trafficked “ghost guns” and silencers he assembled at his Philadelphia-area home has been charged along with two friends, authorities said Wednesday.Tony Phan Ho, 32, and Ritha “Kay” Ngoy, 36, both of Hatfield, and Michael Phan Nguyen, 32, of Lansdale, were all charged with operating a corrupt organization, conspiracy and weapons counts, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said.Federal investigators began tracking Ho in May, when they learned a shipment of silencer components had been sent to his home, according to court documents. Montgomery County detectives and federal authorities intercepted the package and interviewed Ho.According to the documents, Ho initially told investigators a friend had accidentally ordered the silencers, but then later said he had purchased the components himself. Ho added that he sometimes builds the upper components of firearms for friends and family as a way to make money. He denied assembling full...