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The East Bay man charged in last year’s attack against Nancy Pelosi’s husband goes to trial in San Francisco

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ | Associated PressSAN FRANCISCO — The man accused of breaking into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home, bludgeoning her husband with a hammer and seeking to kidnap her goes on trial Thursday.Opening statements are scheduled in the federal trial of David DePape who prosecutors say assaulted then-82-year-old Paul Pelosi, sending shockwaves through the political world just days before last year’s midterm elections. The attack in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022, also highlighted how conspiracy theories and misinformation that spread online can fuel political violence.DePape pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. Paul Pelosi is expected to testify next week.In the courtroom Thursday were Christine Pelosi, one of the Pelosis’ daughters, as well as Gypsy Taub, DePape’s ex-girlfriend, and Taub’s and DePape’s two teenage sons. Taub called DePape’s name softly a...

Woman wounded, child uninjured in Oakland shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

OAKLAND — A 35-year-old woman was shot Wednesday night while sitting in a parked vehicle in East Oakland, but her 3-year-old daughter who was a passenger was not injured, authorities said.The woman, an Oakland resident, was in stable condition at a hospital recovering from a wound to her arm.The shooting happened about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday in the 7700 block of Bancroft Avenue.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Police: Man riding stolen motorcycle dies in fiery Oakland crash Crime and Public Safety | Fremont man arrested in connection with October homicide Crime and Public Safety | Another Bay Area child dead from fentanyl, another parent behind bars. ‘They don’t mean for their kid to die.’ Crime and Public Safety | Alameda County D.A. pledges accountability in Santa Rita Jail death — but no charges announced Crime and Public Safety | Police seek suspect after fatal shooting insid...

US-bound plane takes off with missing window panes as crew fails to spot damage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill | CNNAn Airbus A321 aircraft took off from London Stansted Airport last month with four damaged window panes, including two that were missing, according to UK air accident investigators.Nine passengers and 11 crew members were on board the plane bound for Orlando International Airport in Florida on October 4, when the damage, apparently caused by high-powered lights used during a filming event the previous day, was discovered after takeoff.The aircraft had reached an altitude of at least 14,000 feet by the time it was turned around, reads a special bulletin by the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB.) The plane landed back at Stansted Airport safely shortly afterward.‘Increased cabin noise’The report, published on November 4, details the incident, noting that it could have resulted in “more serious consequences” if “window integrity” had been “lost at higher differential pressure.”It describes how passengers had noticed that the aircraft appeared ...

Will California ever have another buyer’s market for homes?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

It’s been almost a dozen years since California housing has been in “buyer’s market” conditions.Industry folklore infers that buyers are in control of the market when house hunters can pick from listing inventory that equals six months or more of sales. If supply is three months or less, the homebuying logic says it’s a “seller’s market.” In between, a so-called “balanced” market is in play.So to hunt for buyer’s markets, my trusty spreadsheet applied those curious definitions to California Association of Realtors stats tracking sales of single-family homes plus some related economic data going back to 1990.Let’s start by noting that California’s supply of homes for sale was 2.8 months in September. That’s a seller’s market, according to real estate mythology.You have to go back to February 2012, when supply was 7.5 months, to find the last time California buyers were in control of the market, ...

Larry Magid: White House order provides guidance on AI safety

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

On October 30, President Biden issued an executive order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. As expected, the nearly 20,000-word document committed the federal government to manage the risks from its own use of AI but also set some standards for private sector use and development of AI. The White House also posted a 1,900-word fact sheet that summarizes the order.Related ArticlesBusiness | Magid: Beware of ‘smishing’ scams Business | Magid: Smartphone essentials for traveling abroad Business | Magid: UN Internet Governance Forum focuses on AI Business | Magid: Pixel Watch 2 adds health features, improves performance Guiding principlesThe administration established eight guiding principles. Some apply to both government and the private sector while others focus on the federal government’s own use of AI.In summary, the Biden administration says that artifi...

Cruise layoffs announced Thursday: reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Driverless ride hailing service Cruise announced Thursday it will be laying off an unspecified number of workers, according to reports. The layoffs are set to impact contract workers who clean and charge the vehicles in its driverless fleet, along with those who handle customer support, according to CNBC."Cruise has made the difficult decision to reduce a portion of the contingent workforce that supported driverless ridehail operations," said a Cruise company spokesperson in a statement to CNBC.It was first reported on Wednesday that Cruise layoffs were on the way. According to Forbes, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt told company executives that layoffs were necessary during an hour-long meeting Monday. Dorsey’s Block, formerly Square, to slash 1,000 jobs That meeting, Forbes reported, was to discuss damage control measures following a series of damaging headlines about the General Motors backed autonomous vehicle service. In San Francisco, there has been a steady str...

Selected Bay Area cities to get over $60M in funds to tackle housing crisis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

(BCN) -- Over $60 million in funding will be distributed to selected cities in the Bay Area to address the housing crisis California is facing, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said this week.The funding is from the second batch of a $156.4 million Homekey Round 3 grant, the governor's office said in a statement Tuesday.Under this program, the state funds local government agencies to help them purchase hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings and other properties and convert them into long-term and permanent housing for homeless people. BART ‘Safe & Clean Plan’ Listening Tour asks for direct rider feedback at the stations The following areas will receive funding from the grant:Oakland ($15,536,403)San Leandro ($9,328,250)Hayward and Union City ($9,677,000)Salinas ($8,054,000)San Francisco ($18,226,702)According to the governor's office, the first two batches of Homekey Round 3 awards have funded 1,266 homes, bringing the total homes financed across three rounds of the program to 1...

Burnley and South Africa striker Lyle Foster takes time away from soccer due to mental-health issues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

BURNLEY, England (AP) — Burnley striker Lyle Foster is taking an indefinite period away from soccer because of mental-health problems.The South Africa international is in the care of specialists, Burnley said Thursday, after he told the Premier League club he has had a recurrence of issues around his mental well-being.Burnley manager Vincent Kompany said the club was offering Foster “access to all the expertise and clinical support that he needs.”“We are wishing him to be in a better place by the time he is ready to come back to us,” Kompany said.Foster joined Burnley from Belgian club Westerlo in January and helped the northwest team gain promotion to the Premier League. He has scored three goals in seven league appearances this season and was sent off in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest in September.The 23-year-old Foster’s last appearance was in the 3-0 loss at Brentford on Oct. 21.Burnley said more than 75% of professional soccer players have experienced some kind of ment...

Pitt and Syracuse return to Yankee Stadium a century after their first meeting in the Big Apple

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh (2-7, 1-4 ACC) vs. Syracuse (4-5, 0-5), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)Line: Pitt by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Pitt leads 43-32-3.WHAT’S AT STAKE?The Orange need to win two of their last three to become bowl eligible for a second straight year, which could be a tough ask considering Syracuse is riding a five-game losing streak, all but one of them by at least 17 points. Pitt will miss a bowl for the first time since 2017, though a win over their longtime rival at Yankee Stadium would provide a nice moment in a season in which they have been few and far between. KEY MATCHUPSyracuse’s offensive line against Pitt’s blitz. The Panthers might not be having a vintage season defensively — they’re not going to finish in the top five in sacks for the first time since 2018 — but they can still get after the quarterback, particularly one as vulnerable as whomever is under center for Syracuse, be it Garrett Shrader ...

No. 5 Washington faces next challenge in difficult final month hosting No. 13 Utah

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:42 GMT

No. 5 Washington (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12, No. 5 CFP) vs. No. 13 Utah (7-2, 4-2, No. 18), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)Line: Washington by 9½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Washington leads 13-2.WHAT’S AT STAKE?The latest obstacle in Washington’s quest for the College Football Playoff is yet another ranked opponent in a brutal November stretch run. Washington passed its first test last Saturday outlasting Southern California 52-42 in Los Angeles. Utah rebounded from its loss to Oregon two weeks ago by thumping Arizona State 55-3 last week. A win by the Utes blows open the race for the Pac-12 championship game while a loss likely ends their hopes at a three-peat as conference champs.KEY MATCHUPWashington QB Michael Penix Jr. vs. Utah’s top-ranked defense. Utah has the top overall defense, top pass defense and top scoring defense in the Pac-12, and rank in the top 10 nationally in run defense and scoring defense. Now here comes Penix and the Huskies offense that’s been held un...