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Grassley on Biden audio recordings: ‘Maybe they don’t exist’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

By Annie Grayer and Sara Murray | CNNSen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa claimed on the Senate floor earlier this week that the foreign national who allegedly bribed then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter has 17 audio recordings of their conversations but questioned whether those tapes even existed in an interview with CNN days later.“I don’t even know where they are. I just know they exist, because of what the report says. Now, maybe they don’t exist. But how will I know until the FBI tells us, are they showing us their work?” Grassley said Thursday.And Grassley is not the only Republican questioning the validity of the supposed tapes.House Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, who is overseeing the GOP investigation into the Biden family business dealings and has been quick to make the alleged bribery scheme a focus of his work, admitted to not knowing whether the tapes were legitimate.“We don’t know if they’re legit or not, but we know that the foreign national claims he ...

Lawmakers pass state budget with transit aid — when will we know if Gov. Newsom is on board?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

California lawmakers met their June 15 deadline Thursday and passed a state budget bill that includes provisions to bail out transit agencies facing a “fiscal cliff” with federal COVID-19 aid running out — and ensures state lawmakers will get their paychecks.Now the question is whether Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose $306.5 billion proposed total budget unveiled in May didn’t include a transit bailout, will sign on. Lawmakers are optimistic something can be negotiated over the next few weeks before the new fiscal year begins in July.“I say in the next 12 days transportation will stay there,” said Sen. Dave Cortese, a Democrat representing San Jose.Newsom’s office had no response Thursday. But on Monday, a day after lawmakers in the Senate and Assembly reached accord over their budget bill, the governor’s office said “we recognize the role transit plays in the state and have welcomed conversations with the Legislature on the subject.R...

GLAAD: Twitter is worst social media for LGBTQ+ safety

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

By Barbara Ortutay | Associated PressSAN FRANCISCO — All major social media platforms do poorly at protecting LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment — especially those who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming, the advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday. But Twitter is the worst.In its annual Social Media Safety Index, GLAAD gave Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter low or failing scores, saying the platforms don’t do enough to keep their users safe. That said, most improved from a year ago.Twitter, which was acquired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk last October, was the only exception. GLAAD’s scorecard called it “the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people” and the only one that saw its scores decline from last year — to 33% from 45% a year ago.Twitter’s communications staff was eradicated after Musk took over the company and for months inquiries to the press office have been answered only with an automated reply of a poop emoji, ...

San Jose Councilmember Dev Davis leading ‘longevity walks’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

San Jose City Councilmember Dev Davis wants the city’s residents to be healthier and live longer — and she’s not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. Davis has started a series of “longevity walks,” leading groups by foot on paths around the city.On Tuesday, a group of more than 50 people — including Councilmembers Omar Torres and Domingo Candelas, City Manager Jennifer Maguire and San Jose State President Cynthia Teniente-Matson — went on a short walk from City Hall to the San Jose State campus. The walk was educational, too, with the group stopping to learn about the history of Tower Hall and the stories behind the statues of Tommie Smith and John Carlos and the Arch of Dignity.“We want to live longer here, and the best way to do that is just by walking,” said Davis, who previously led walks from City Hall to the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Community Center on The Alameda in late May and around Westfield Valley Fair in April. &...

June temps briefly rose above a key climate threshold

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

Associated PressBERLIN — Worldwide temperatures briefly exceeded a key warming threshold earlier this month, a hint of heat and its harms to come, scientists worry.The mercury has since dipped again, but experts say the short surge marked a new global heat record for June and indicates more extremes ahead as the planet enters an El Niño phase that could last years.Researchers at the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Thursday that the start of June saw global surface air temperatures rise 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels for the first time. That is the threshold governments said they would try to stay within at a 2015 summit in Paris.“Just because we’ve temporarily gone over 1.5 degrees doesn’t mean we’ve breached the Paris Agreement limit,” cautioned Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus program. For that to happen the globe needs to exceed that threshold for a much longer time pe...

Manfred comments on A's reverse boycott, move to Vegas; Oakland mayor responds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

(KRON) -- In the eyes of many, the Oakland A's "reverse boycott" was a success as attendance tripled from the season average. Over 27,000 fans packed the Coliseum Tuesday night when prior to that average attendance was 8,555.Despite the large crowd Tuesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made comments that might've upset some A's fans. "It was great. It is great to see what is this year almost an average Major League Baseball crowd in the facility for one night," Manfred told multiple outlets during a press conference Thursday in New York. "That's a great thing."Manfred compared the Coliseum's biggest turnout for an A's game to what an average MLB crowd is on a regular basis. Naturally, many A's fans on Twitter flooded the comments section of the commissioner's soundbite. A’s stadium bill passes Nevada State Assembly and Senate ESPN's Joon Lee tweeted Manfred's comments, which have garnered two million impressions and more than a thousand replies. Many of those comments were not in...

Three vehicles involved in major accident on I-80 in Vallejo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

(KRON) -- The Vallejo Fire Department is responding to a major accident involving three vehicles on the westbound I-80 at Highway 37. Extrication is being performed by Vallejo FD firefighters, according to a tweet from the department. Drivers are advised to avoid the area.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho tied for LPGA Tour lead in Michigan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho birdied the par-5 18th for a 6-under 66 and a share of the first-round lead Thursday in the Meijer LPGA Classic.Kupcho birdied four of the five par-5 holes in a bogey-free round at Blythefield Country Club. She was tied with Ayaka Furue, Frida Kinhult, Lindsey Weaver-Wright and Cheyenne Knight.“I think it kind of sets up really well for my game,” Kupcho said. “Five par 5s, I like par 5s at all golf courses, so certainly helps. I think I just feel really comfortable in general. Played pretty well here even aside from the wind.”Kupcho is making her second title defense of the year, but the first came in the relocated major Chevron Championship on a new course Texas.“It’s definitely a lot different defending this versus Chevron,” Kupcho said. “Just knowing the golf course, knowing where most of the pin placements are going to be, it’s just a whole level of comfort.”Knight also had a bogey-free round.“This course you can make a lo...

Acusan a Jack Teixeira con seis cargos por supuestamente publicar documentos clasificados en línea

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

(CNN) — El miembro de la Guardia Nacional Aérea acusado de publicar documentos clasificados en las redes sociales fue acusado formalmente de seis cargos de retención y transmisión deliberada de información clasificada relacionada con la defensa nacional, anunció el jueves el Departamento de Justicia.Jack Teixeira, un aviador subalterno que trabajaba en el Ala de Inteligencia 102 de la Guardia Nacional Aérea de Massachusetts, fue arrestado en abril y acusado en virtud de la Ley de Espionaje. Supuestamente tomó información clasificada de la Base de la Guardia Nacional Aérea de Otis y está acusado de publicar la información en Discord, una popular plataforma de redes sociales entre los jugadores.“Teixeira también publicó imágenes de documentos clasificados en la plataforma de redes sociales, que tenían marcas de clasificación estándar, incluidas las designaciones “SECRET”, “TOP SECRET” y SCI, lo que indica que contenían información altamente clasificada del gobierno de Estados Un...

DeChambeau: ‘Not as much tension’ at US Open after PGA Tour-LIV partnership

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:16:51 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bryson DeChambeau can feel the mood lightening in the locker room and on the course just one week after the PGA Tour and LIV Golf ceased hostilities.DeChambeau shot a 67 in his opening round at the U.S. Open on Thursday, leaving the long-hitting 2020 champion tied for third among the morning half of the draw behind record-setters Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, who each shot 62.This Open at Los Angeles Country Club is the first major since the stunning announcement of the partnership between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The Saudi Arabia-backed competition attracted dozens of top players — DeChambeau among the most prominent — to its highly controversial endeavor with lavish payouts over the last two years, but last week’s seismic move put golf in flux once again.Nobody knows exactly what the sport will look like in the near future, with LIV apparently planning to continue its own competitions in some form. But DeChambeau senses that the us-against-them me...