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An Oakland murder trial was underway, but then defense attorney questioned his client’s mental competency

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

OAKLAND — Criminal proceedings against an East Bay man were suspended just days into his murder trial, after he made a verbal outburst that caused his lawyer to openly doubt his mental competency, court records show.Charles Beal, 32, was on trial last week on charges of murdering 33-year-old Ukono Hall in a shooting that police say was motivated by a love triangle. Beal’s lawyer, Todd Bequette, was cross-examining an Oakland police evidence technician when Beal made a “verbal outburst” and demanded a new lawyer, according to the minute order for the Sept. 27 court hearing.Later in the hearing, Bequette formally declared a doubt to Beal’s mental competency for trial. The move freezes legal proceedings at least until medical professionals can evaluate Beal. If he’s found incompetent for trial, he’ll almost certainly be ordered transferred to a mental institution so doctors can “restore” his competency.Hall was fatally shot 11 p.m. ...

Hayward Unified cuts ties with teacher whose students exposed his antisemitic lessons — but he’s still getting paid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

The Hayward Unified School District has cut ties with a teacher whose lessons excused Hitler and spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, more than 10 months after students gathered evidence, then brought forward their disturbing complaints and demanded action.The district removed Mt. Eden High School English teacher Henry Bens from the classroom in February after an outcry from students and some of his fellow educators. But he has continued to receive his paycheck during his suspension over the last seven months — and on Wednesday, he signed a “separation agreement” that will keep him on the payroll through next January, said district spokesperson Michael Bazeley.During the 2021-22 academic year, Bens’ salary was $113,815 a year, according to the district. As of early October, Bens’ teaching credential remained valid and is not set to expire until next April.Late last month, an internal investigation found that Bens had both taught with antisemitic mate...

House GOP devolves into round of angry retribution

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

By Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju | CNNAs Kevin McCarthy was on the brink of losing his speakership, some of his allies delivered a not-so-veiled threat to GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina: If you vote to oust McCarthy, the party might not be willing to help raise money for your race.The warning to Mace, which was described by a source familiar with the conversation, is a sign of just how seriously the speaker drama has rankled the Republican party, with money often used as a powerful carrot – or stick – in Washington.Yet Mace, a Republican who could face a competitive race and will need a well-funded campaign war chest to win reelection, ultimately joined seven other GOP lawmakers and all Democrats to sink McCarthy. And it’s not the only repercussion she could now be facing for her career-defining moment of defiance: Sources told CNN that there’s discussion among members on the Republican Governance Group about voting to kick her out of the moderate-leaning group.It’s just one o...

Warriors’ chemistry top of mind as Paul, Curry shoot after practice and Wiggins talks absence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors’ post-practice routine typically features Steph Curry getting shots up by himself with assistant coach Bruce Fraser feeding him the ball. This year, someone is joining in.Chris Paul was spotted running drills and taking shots alongside Curry after each of the Warriors’ practices to kick off training camp. Two former rivals joining forces and brain powers; it’s one of many glimpses into how intent the Warriors are to coalesce a once-discombobulated locker room. Even before training camp began, Curry and Paul were organizing all-team mini-camps from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to start building that bond.It’s no secret the Warriors’ disjointed locker room last year was a primary reason for their mediocre record and early playoff exit. That dysfunction can be traced back to Draymond Green’s preseason punch of Jordan Poole, but compounding the chemistry issues were injuries and an unexplained two-month Andrew Wiggins ab...

Despite organizational hiccups, India ready to welcome back Cricket World Cup after 12 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

By CHETAN NARULA | Associated PressNEW DELHI (AP) — When 2019 finalists England and New Zealand meet again to open the Cricket World Cup this week, it will mark the tournament’s return to India after 12 years.But preparations for this year’s tournament — in which the home side will start among the favorites and won the event when it was last played in India in 2011 — haven’t gone smoothly.The event experienced numerous organizational and planning issues which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the host body, often had difficulties managing.The 13th edition of the tournament was first scheduled for February-March 2023, but it was delayed to its current Oct. 5-Nov. 19 schedule after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a ripple effect for the hosting of 2021 and 2022 Twenty20 World Cups.In the meantime, the BCCI delayed formalizing tax agreements with the Indian government — an issue that had plagued the 2011 ODI and the 2016 T20 World Cups, both hosted in Ind...

Man who allegedly went on SF Market Street rampage identified

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A San Francisco man is accused of going on a violent rampage on Market Street in the Financial District and attacking random victims. Effrim Baker, 60, was nabbed by police while witnesses and bystanders helped victims in the area of Market, 4th, and Battery streets Sunday morning. Police said Baker was unprovoked when he attempted to kill three people and attacked an elderly man in a wheelchair."The attacks happened within minutes of each other. Officers simultaneously investigated multiple crime scenes. The SFPD was able to stop the violent offender from continuing his unprovoked attacks against the public. The SFPD would like to thank the witnesses and bystanders who assisted the victims at their time of need," the San Francisco Police Department wrote.The first victim was found at 7:34 a.m. Sunday. Officers found the elderly man sitting in his wheelchair and bleeding from his face. "A witness to the incident reported that the victim, who was traveling in ...

DC’s public libraries launch scavenger hunt for banned books

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

Washington readers are being encouraged to search the city for six books that have been pulled from the shelves of schools and libraries in states like Texas and Florida. The scavenger hunt is one way the D.C. Public Library System is celebrating national Banned Books Week.“Libraries, as the great protectors of the First Amendment, want to raise awareness that book challenges are bad, book banning is bad,” said Richard Reyes-Gavilan, executive director of D.C. Public Library.Reyes-Gavilan said the D.C. Public Library Foundation has purchased hundreds of copies of six books which have been banned in other states. They’re being hidden in places around the city, from bookstores to coffee shops to bars and, of course, libraries.He said the District has a unique platform when it comes to speaking out against censorship of books because many of the city’s visitors might come from states where titles are being removed from shelves.“I’m sort of more interested in the...

Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno leaves Game 2 of Wild Card Series after backswing hits his helmet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno left Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series at Milwaukee after he was struck by a backswing.When Milwaukee’s Brice Turang struck out swinging to lead off the second inning, his bat hit Moreno’s helmet. The game was delayed for several minutes to allow Moreno to get examined.After Moreno took a few warmup pitches, he stayed in the game for the remainder of the second. But José Herrera took over at catcher in the bottom of the third.Moreno homered in the Diamondbacks’ 6-3 Game 1 victory over the Brewers on Tuesday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBSource

Rays’ 13-0 start a memory after losing 2 straight to Rangers for quick postseason exit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays looked like the team to beat when they started the season 13-0 while outscoring opponents 101-30.Two days into the postseason, the Rays quickly were dispatched for the third straight year.Texas advanced to an AL Division Series by beating the Rays 7-1 on Wednesday for a two-game sweep.The potent offense that spearheaded Tampa Bay to first place from opening day through mid-July faded down the stretch.“It’s frustrating, but it’s part of the game,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.Curtis Mead’s seventh-inning RBI single stopped Tampa Bay’s 33-inning postseason scoreless streak dating to last year, The streak was the second longest in MLB history, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers 34-inning run from 1966-74. Tampa Bay hit .161 in four playoff games over two years.“I’m glad we scored a run because if not we’d have been talking about that a lot,” Cash said. “Look, our bats just didn’t come to life.”T...

Too much Taylor? Travis Kelce says NFL TV coverage is ‘overdoing it’ with Swift during games

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:52 GMT

Maybe there’s too much Taylor, not enough Travis.Travis Kelce agreed Wednesday with the idea that NFL TV coverage has been “overdoing it” with the amount of times Taylor Swift has been on screen while attending his Kansas City Chiefs’ games the last two weeks.Swift was in a suite Sunday night at MetLife Stadium for the Chiefs’ victory over the New York Jets in prime time. Jason Kelce, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, told his brother during their “ New Heights ” podcast that cameras showed live shots of the suite no fewer than 17 times during the game.“Damn, that’s crazy,” Travis Kelce said. “That’s like once a drive.”Travis did say that it’s fun when the cameras show which famous people are at a game. Swift was in the suite with actors Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Hugh Jackman.“But at the same time, I think they’re overdoing it a little bit for sure, especially my situation,” Travis added.Ian Trombetta, the NFL’s senior vice president of...