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France’s Constitutional Council approves higher retirement age; protesters take to streets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

By Elaine Ganley | Associated PressPARIS — France’s Constitutional Council on Friday approved an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, in a victory for President Emmanuel Macron after three months of mass protests over the legislation that have damaged his leadership.The move threatened to enrage unions and other critics of the pension plan, including protesters gathered in spots around France on Friday evening as the decision came down.Macron’s political opponents vowed to maintain pressure on the government to withdraw the bill.The council rejected some other measures in the pension bill, but the higher age was central to Macron’s plan and the target of protesters’ anger.Macron can enact the bill within 15 days.In a separate but related decision, the council rejected a request by left-wing lawmakers to allow for a possible referendum on enshrining 62 as the maximum official retirement age. The council will rule on a similar request next ...

Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker indicted for leaking grand jury report

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

A criminal grand jury has indicted Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker for allegedly lying to a Santa Clara County civil grand jury about leaking a confidential civil grand jury report last year that criticized Becker and four other councilmembers’ relationship with the San Francisco 49ers.Lying to a grand jury is felony perjury. Becker has also been charged with a misdemeanor for leaking the confidential document.“Councilmember Becker violated the public’s trust,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “That an elected official would commit perjury and lie under oath before the grand jury strikes at the very heart of our justice system and requires accountability.”The scathing grand jury report, which was titled “Unsportsmanlike Conduct,” was supposed to be released on Oct. 10, however, a draft of the report was published in several media outlets, including this one, on Oct. 7.On October 5, the civil grand jury sent a draft report to t...

Suspect in murder of Cash App founder appears in court

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

Nima Momeni, the suspect in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, appeared in a San Francisco court Friday morning for an arraignment, one day after police announced his arrest.When Momeni entered the courtroom, members of his family sitting in the front row held up heart signs with their hands. Momeni, who was not cuffed, acknowledged them and smiled back.Momeni’s arraignment is set to continue on April 25. He will be held without bail in the meantime.Lee was stabbed to death in the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco early in the morning of April 4th. The moments following the stabbing attack were captured on surveillance video and in a 911 call to authorities, according to a local Bay Area news portal.The surveillance footage, reviewed by the online news site The San Francisco Standard, shows Lee walking alone on Main Street, “gripping his side with one hand and his cellphone in the other, leaving a trail of blood behind him.”In announcing his ar...

Reunion! Trio heads to Bay Area for shows devoted to their heroes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

After far too many years away from Bay Area stages, guitarist Bruce Forman is back, playing with all the poise and improvisational daring-do that made him a San Francisco mainstay from the mid-1970s through the late aughts.A February four-night run at Keys Jazz Bistro brought back memories of his North Beach ubiquity back when he could be found at lamented clubs like Milestones, Keystone Korner, the Jazz Workshop, and Jazz at Pearl’s, dispensing high-velocity bebop runs with casual panache. But his upcoming gigs with bass master John Clayton and drum maestro Jeff Hamilton, the musical confidants who co-lead the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, are designed to trigger an even deeper well of historical reminiscing.Assembled to pay tribute to their mentors — guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Shelly Manne, who recorded a series of popular albums for Los Angeles-based Contemporary Records in the 1950s as the Poll Winners — The Reunion! Trio plays Bach Da...

Bob Lee murder suspect to remain in custody following Friday court appearance

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A 38-year-old tech executive who lives in Emeryville will remain in custody after briefly appearing in court Friday to be arraigned in the killing of Cash App founder Bob Lee. Nima Momeni was arrested at his residence in the early hours of Thursday morning and booked into San Francisco Jail on one count of murder for allegedly stabbing the tech mogul.A San Francisco judge determined that the arraignment will continue at 9 a.m. on April 25 and Momeni will remain in custody until that hearing. At that point, the prosecution's detention without bail order will be heard.Breaking news The suspect accused of killing tech icon Bob Lee just made his first court appearance in San Francisco. @kron4news #BobLee pic.twitter.com/SnsznXMAiV— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) April 14, 2023San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' office has charged Momeni with murder as well as a special enhancement for using a knife. The DA's office wants to hold Momeni without bail wi...

Antioch officers called Black people 'gorillas' in texts, documents show

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KRON) -- Documents released by the Contra Costa County District Attorney on Thursday showed a long list of racist text messages sent by members of the Antioch Police Department. The texts, described by police chief Steve Ford as "racially abhorrent," included racial slurs and officers comparing Black people to animals such as gorillas and water buffalo. Bob Lee murder suspect to remain in custody following Friday court appearance "This report documents some of the derogatory, homophobic, and sexually explicit language and photographs shared by members of the Antioch Police Department that demonstrates their racial bias and animus towards African Americans and other people of color in the community," Senior Inspector Larry Wallace wrote. Fourteen officers are named in the 21-page report:Sergeant Josh EvansSergeant Rick HoffmanOfficer Jonathan AdamsOfficer Morteza AmiriOfficer Scott DugganDetective Robert GerberOfficer Aaron HughesOfficer Brayton MilnerOfficer Calv...

Does California have more homelessness than other states?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- California has more people experiencing homelessness than any other state in the nation, according to a report from Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report takes a detailed look at homelessness across the country. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of people experiencing homelessness in the nation grew by less than 1%, the report says. California has more than double the number of homeless people of the next state on the list, New York. California was home to an estimated 39 million as of 2022, according to Census Bureau data. That's roughly double the population of New York. Estimates of people experiencing homelessnessCalifornia -- 171,521 peopleNew York -- 74,178 peopleFlorida -- 25,959 peopleWashington -- 25,211 peopleAs for which areas have the most homelessness, Los Angeles topped the list. Five other California cities also had significant homeless populations. Three cities were in the Bay Area, where ...

France’s constitutional council approves higher pension age

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France’s Constitutional Council on Friday approved an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, in a victory for President Emmanuel Macron after three months of mass protests over the legislation that have damaged his leadership.The move threatened to enrage unions and other critics of the pension plan, including protesters gathered in spots around France on Friday evening as the decision came down. Macron’s political opponents vowed to maintain pressure on the government to withdraw the bill.The council rejected some other measures in the pension bill, but the higher age was central to Macron’s plan and the target of protesters’ anger. Macron can enact the bill within 15 days.In a separate but related decision, the council rejected a request by left-wing lawmakers to allow for a possible referendum on enshrining 62 as the maximum official retirement age. The council will rule on a similar request next month.Security forces stood behind a metal fen...

Cuba expects to resume US deportation flights this month

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — Cuba plans to resume accepting deportation flights from the United States this month, a Cuban official said, echoing U.S. concerns about the highest levels of Cuban migration in six decades.Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, said flights are expected before the U.S. ends coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions on asylum on May 11, which is widely projected to increase the number of people seeking entry to the U.S. at the U.S.-Mexico border.The diplomat spoke in an interview with The Associated Press at the Cuban ambassador’s residence outside Washington after what he called “a productive meeting” to discuss migration.“We have a lot of common understanding, both parties, the United States and Cuba, about the nature of the problem,” he said.Fernandez de Cossio said there was no agreement on the frequency of flights, which will depend on U.S. and Cuban capacity. But he said there was no reason they can’t return to pre-pa...

Daniss Jenkins follows Pitino to St. John’s as grad transfer

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:11:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Guard Daniss Jenkins is following coach Rick Pitino from Iona to St. John’s and joining the Red Storm program as a graduate transfer.St. John’s announced the signing of the Dallas native on Friday. It’s the first since Pitino was hired last month by the Big East Conference school to rebuild a once-proud program.“Daniss Jenkins is a lightning quick guard who is a tremendous leader on and off the court,” Pitino said in a statement. “He is someone we will rely on heavily to lead us into next season.”Jenkins was the only Iona player to start all 35 games this past season, helping the Gaels win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and make the NCAA Tournament. Iona was beaten in the opening round by eventual national champion UConn.The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists, which led the MAAC and ranked top-50 in Division I.This will be the fourth college for Jenkins. He played his first two seasons at the U...