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Senate confirms two more military leaders despite GOP block

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

By Clare Foran, Kristin Wilson and Morgan Rimmer | CNNThe Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Gen. Randy George to be chief of staff of the Army and Gen. Eric Smith to be commandant of the Marine Corps – key votes that follow a monthslong hold of more than 300 military promotions by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Gen. C.Q. Brown to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The trio of high-profile confirmations comes as tensions have continued to rise over Tuberville’s tactic – a protest by the Alabama senator over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. He has vowed to continue his hold as long as the policy remains in place.On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer assailed the Alabama Republican’s tactics in a fiery speech as Tuberville had threatened to file a motion himself on the Senate floor, something traditionally only afforded to the Senate majority leader.“Sen. Tuberville is forcing us to confront his obstruction he...

Several Bay Area counties issue new mask mandates in hospitals amid COVID-19 surge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

Several Bay Area counties have issued new masking mandates for health care workers as officials confront seasonal upticks in the rates of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses such as influenza.Health officials in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Sonoma issued orders this week requiring health care personnel to wear masks in hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, surgery centers and other facilities where patients receive care indoors. In Santa Clara County, a health order issued in March requiring masking in patient areas of health care facilities remains in effect.The orders go into effect Nov. 1.“Each year we see that higher rates of influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses that can cause severe respiratory infections occur annually between late fall and spring,” said Dr. Karen Smith, Sonoma County’s health officer, in a press release. “Patients and residents in our health care and congregate facilities, especially young children,...

Mega Moolah Slot Review (Canada Edition) – RTP, Jackpots & Free Spins Bonus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

 Sponsored ContentBoasting four exciting progressive jackpots, it’s easy to see why Mega Moolah is one of the most popular slot titles in Canada. To determine what else makes it popular, we decided to conduct a Mega Moolah slot review.Our experts have picked the game apart, and we’re here to detail everything that curious players need to know — bonus features, RTP rate, jackpots, and much more.We will also tell you where you can find the best bonuses to play this slot game in Canada.So, if you’re ready for a reel good time, keep reading our Mega Moolah review.Best Canada Sites to Play Mega MoolahNeospin: Best overallJackpot City: Massive jackpot prizesSpin Casino: Top pick for mobile playersPlayOJO: No wagering requirementsLucky7even: Exciting tournamentsJokersino: Lower bonus wageringLucky8: Elite VIP clubSkyCrown: Best bonusesCasinonic: High RTP slotsWild Sultan: Best for instant cashbackMega Moolah Pros:Randomly triggered jackpot wheelWilds attached to 2x multipliersProgress...

East Bay Asian-themed shopping center lands buyer from San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

PLEASANTON — An Asian-themed shopping center in Pleasanton has been bought in a deal that shows some retail categories remain popular despite post-coronavirus economic uncertainties.Pacific Pearl, a retail complex whose anchors include 99 Ranch Market, the nation’s largest Asian supermarket chain, was bought by a group headed up by San Diego-based Tourmaline Capital and its president, Jonathan Cheng, according to documents filed on Sept. 20 with the Alameda County Recorder’s Office.The buyer group paid about $48.2 million for the retail center, located at 2733 Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton, the county real estate records show. Tourmaline Capital is a real estate firm that buys and operates retail and mixed-use properties on the West Coast.“A regional drawing, grocery-anchored, Asian-themed and food-centric center” is how a marketing brochure prepared by Lockehouse Real Estate Group describes the retail complex.The Pacific Pearl center totals about 110,...

California sues Bay Area crisis pregnancy centers for offering ‘unproven’ abortion-pill reversal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

California sued Bay Area crisis pregnancy centers Thursday for offering an abortion pill reversal procedure that Attorney General Rob Bonta said is unproven and largely experimental.The lawsuit against Heartbeat International, a national anti-abortion group, and RealOptions Obria, which operates pregnancy centers in San Jose, Oakland, Redwood City and Union City, accuses them of deceptive and fraudulent advertising of the abortion pill reversal procedure in violation of California’s false advertising and unfair competition laws.“Those who are struggling with the complex decision to get an abortion deserve support and trustworthy guidance — not lies and misinformation,” Bonta said. “We are launching today’s lawsuit to put a stop to their predatory and unlawful behavior.”Heartbeat International and RealOptions Obria representatives were not immediately available for comment.Abortion pills have become a central front in the nation’s battl...

Police on scene of 'critical incident' near Toyota Center in Albany

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

ALBANY, Calif. (KRON) -- The Albany Police Department and Berkeley Police Department are responding to a "critical incident" in the area of Interstate 80 between Buchanan and Harrison streets, according to an alert from Berkeley PD.KRON4 is at the scene where there is a heavy police presence at the Toyota Service Center.Police are asking the public to avoid the area.(Photo: Gayle Ong)This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Wildfire smoke still hanging over San Francisco Bay Area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is extending a Spare the Air Alert through Friday due to continued wildfire smoke impacts across the region."These wildfires continue to generate a large amount of smoke which is being transported into the Bay Area," air district officials wrote.After a very smoky Wednesday, air quality is still in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range on the U.S. EPA’s Air Quality Index throughout the Bay Area Thursday.KRON4 Meteorologist John Shrable said current conditions are "comparatively better than yesterday." Shrable said, "Smoke and haze will continue today."The smoke plumes are being generated by wildfires burning near the California-Oregon border, including: Deep Fire, South Fork Complex, SRF Lightning Complex, Happy Camp Complex, and Smith River Complex.Newly-generated smoke billowing from these wildfires will be blown north toward Oregon as wind directions shift on Friday, Shrable said. In the Bay Area, skie...

Vivek Ramaswamy accuses Trump of making a ‘false promise’ in not repealing Obamacare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy swiped at former President Donald Trump on Thursday for failing to repeal and replace the health care overhaul championed by his predecessor, President Barack Obama. “I am never somebody who will make a false promise,” Ramaswamy said at an event in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. “My friend Donald Trump promised us: repeal and replace Obamacare. Eight years later, did it happen? No, it did not. It is a false promise if it is contingent on Congress.”It was a rare dig at Trump by Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old businessman who is a fierce defender of the former president even while running against him for the 2024 Republican nomination. Ramaswamy has referred to Trump as the best president of the 21st century and at times has drawn criticism from other campaigns for his praise of Trump. Ramaswamy is among a pack of candidates trailing Trump and generally falling behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in national polls. Some polls suggest that he is perfo...

GoFundMe refunds donations to poker player who admits to lying about cancer for tournament buy-in

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The fundraising platform GoFundMe said Thursday it has refunded money to donors after a poker player admitted to lying about a terminal cancer diagnosis and accepted thousands of dollars in donations so he could play in a World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas.GoFundMe said it has also banned Rob Mercer from the platform and removed the poker player’s fundraising campaign from its website.“GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform and takes swift action against those who exploit the generosity of our community,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.Mercer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he made up a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis for his GoFundMe page in June, the newspaper reported Wednesday. The California resident was trying to raise enough funds to meet the $10,000 buy-in for the No-limit Hold’em World Championship. He received contributions worth between $30,000 and $50,000, including a stay at a...

Novels from US, UK, Canada and Ireland are finalists for the Booker Prize for fiction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:20 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Novels from Ireland, the United States, Canada and Britain that explore families, communities and a world in crisis make up the six finalists for the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction.The shortlist announced Thursday for the 50,000 pound ($61,000) award includes Canadian author Sarah Bernstein’s absurdist allegory “Study for Obedience”; U.S. writer Jonathan Escoffery’s “If I Survive You,” a set of interlinked stories about a Jamaican family in Miami, and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Paul Harding’s historical novel “This Other Eden,” based on a real interracial island community in the 19th century.Two Irish writers are on the shortlist: Paul Lynch, for post-democratic dystopia “Prophet Song,” and Paul Murray, for tragicomic family saga “The Bee Sting.” The finalists are rounded out by British writer Chetna Maroo’s “Western Lane,” the story of a young athlete grappling with a family tragedy.Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, who chairs the judging panel, said th...