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Vatican concludes former Minnesota archbishop acted imprudently but committed no crimes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A lengthy Vatican investigation into misconduct allegations against Archbishop John Nienstedt, the former leader of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, concluded that he took “imprudent” actions but did not violate church law, the archdiocese announced Friday.However, the archdiocese also said Nienstedt remains barred from public ministry following the investigation. Nienstedt was one of the first U.S. bishops known to have been forced from office for botching sex abuse investigations. He stepped down in 2015 after Minnesota prosecutors charged the archdiocese with having failed to protect children from harm by a pedophile priest who was later convicted of molesting two boys. Nienstedt was later accused of his own inappropriate sexual behavior involving adult males and minors.His successor, Archbishop Bernard Hebda, in 2016 forwarded allegations to the Vatican that Nienstedt invited two minors to a hotel room in 2005 during a youth rally in Germany to c...

‘Floatel’ ship arrives in B.C. waters to house LNG construction workers in Squamish

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

SQUAMISH, B.C. — A ship that will house more than 600 workers at a natural gas construction project north of Vancouver arrived in British Columbia waters this week after a 40-day journey from Estonia, where it had been in use by Ukrainian refugees.Bridgemans Services Group, the company contracted to provide the so-called “floatel,” or floating hotel, for workers at the Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish, B.C., shared a photo of the MV Isabelle in Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet on Wednesday.The statement says the “luxury” ship was set to receive “final touches” at a North Vancouver shipyard, including games tables and equipment for a fitness facility, before making its way up Howe Sound to the site of the former pulp and paper mill seven kilometres southwest of Squamish.The ship recently housed people fleeing war in Ukraine,and the company building the LNG export facility says it has since undergone an “extensive refit” to its environ...

Recalled meat snack trays sold at Sam’s Club are linked to salmonella poisoning in two dozen people

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

At least two dozen people in 14 states have been sickened, including five who were hospitalized, by salmonella poisoning tied to recalled meat snack trays sold at some Sam’s Club stores, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Fratelli Beretta USA, a New Jersey meat processing company, recalled more than 11,000 pounds of Busseto Foods brand ready-to-eat charcuterie meat products this week because they may be tainted with salmonella.The meat trays are labeled “Bussetto Food Charcuterie Sampler Prosciutto, Sweet Soppressata and Dry Copa,” with lot number LO75330300 and a best-by date of April 27. They have establishment numbers EST. 7543B inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection and EST. #47967 on the package. Illnesses were reported between Nov. 20, 2023, and Dec. 18, 2023. Salmonella infections can be dangerous for young children, older people and those with weakened immune systems. Consumers should check their refrigerators f...

Ohio governor signs order barring minors from gender-affirming surgery as veto override looms

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A week after vetoing legislation that would have banned all forms of gender-affirming care for minors in Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Friday barring Ohioans from receiving transgender surgeries until they’re 18.The bill passed by both chambers along party lines last year would have banned gender-affirming surgeries, as well as hormone therapies, and restricted mental health care for transgender individuals under 18. While DeWine’s order does ban such surgeries for minors, it does not put limits on hormone therapies or the type of mental health care minors can receive. It takes effect immediately.“A week has gone by, and I still feel just as firmly as I did that day,” DeWine said, doubling down on his decision to veto the broader restrictions. “I believe the parents, not the government, should be making these crucial decisions for their children.”In announcing his veto last week, the governor said medical professionals he consulted...

Jarislowsky Fraser to back Browning West request for Gildan shareholder meeting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

MONTREAL — Investment manager Jarislowsky Fraser says it will support a move by U.S. investment firm Browning West to replace five directors at Gildan Activewear Inc. in an ongoing fight over who should lead the company.Charles Nadim, head of research and portfolio manager, Canadian equities, at Jarislowsky Fraser says the firm intends to support Browning West and its intent to requisition a special meeting of Gildan shareholders.The dispute with the company comes after Gildan’s board replaced Glenn Chamandy as chief executive late last year with Vince Tyra. Chamandy has said he was terminated without cause after four decades with the company. Browning West wants to replace five incumbent directors, appoint Michael Kneeland as chair and reinstate Chamandy as chief executive.In addition to Jarislowsky Fraser, which is Gildan’s largest shareholder, Turtle Creek Asset Management Inc. has said it will back the Browning West nominees.For its part, Gildan’s board has sai...

Connecticut military veteran charged with making threats against member of Congress, VA

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut military veteran has been arrested on allegations he threatened government officials, including showing up at a Congress member’s office wearing a tactical vest with knives, federal authorities said Friday.Aubrey Wayne Rose Jr., 43, of Hartford, was charged with making threats against members of Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Haven and other government employees over the course of several months in 2023. No one was injured in any of the incidents.Rose is detained pending a hearing Monday in federal court in Hartford. His public defender did not immediately return an email seeking comment Friday.According to court documents, Rose told federal agents he has post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a traumatic brain injury from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and he believed the Defense Finance Accounting Service was not calculating his benefits correctly.After sending emails to government officials in Ma...

Canada blocks citizenship for Russian activist convicted for blog posts opposing war

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

OTTAWA — Federal officials are blocking a pro-democracy activist from Canadian citizenship because a Russian court convicted her for blog posts opposing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.Maria Kartasheva is appealing the decision by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and says she fears being deported to a Russian prison.Kartasheva left Russia in 2019 because of rising authoritarianism, and is now a tech worker in Ottawa who co-founded a grassroots activist group for democracy in Russia.As first reported by CBC News, Kartasheva, 30, learned via her family that in late 2022 she was charged by Russian authorities with a wartime offence of disseminating “deliberately false information” about Russia forces. The charges related to two blog posts she wrote while living in Canada.Kartasheva notified Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada about the charges and uploaded translated court documents last May. Days later the department gave her an invitation to her c...

Nude man nabbed by police after ‘cannonball’ plunge into giant aquarium at Bass Pro Shop in Alabama

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

LEEDS, Alabama (AP) — A man crashed his car outside a Bass Pro Shop in Alabama, stripped down to his birthday suit and plunged into the giant aquarium inside the store, police said.The ordeal happened Thursday night in front of shocked shoppers in the town just outside Birmingham, Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin said.The 42-year-old Alabama man did a “cannonball” leap into the aquarium and then stood under a waterfall. He left the water to yell at two officers, then dove back into the aquarium, police said.The man eventually climbed over the side of the aquarium and fell to the concrete floor below. Police then apprehended him, the news site Al.com reported.He faces several charges including public lewdness, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.The man was in the water for about five minutes before officers arrived, Irwin said.Associated Press, The Associated Press

Smashing Pumpkins looking for additional guitarist

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

CHICAGO — If you play guitar and are interested in joining one of the most acclaimed and commercially successful rock groups ever, now is your chance.The Smashing Pumpkins posted on social media Friday afternoon that the band is in search of an additional guitarist."The application process is open to anyone who might be interested," the band said.The band's core consists of original members Billy Corgan, James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin. They tour with bassist Jack Bates and multi-instrumentalist Katie Cole.The new guitarist is a likely replacement for Jeff Schroeder, who announced he was leaving the band after 16 years in October. Just like this announcement, Schroeder was a fan of the band at the time."The opportunity seemed to come out of nowhere. I was at UCLA working on my doctorate in comparative literature when a close friend messaged me and said The Smashing Pumpkins were looking for a guitar player. Being a huge fan of the band, the audition was something I threw myself into....

Over 11K pounds of charcuterie meat products sold in 8 states recalled

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:30 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) - A New Jersey company is recalling over 11,000 pounds of ready-to-eat charcuterie meat products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Fratelli Beretta USA Inc., located in Mount Olive, is recalling about 11,097 pounds of its Brusseto Foods brand meat products due to possible salmonella contamination, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Wednesday.According to the announcement, the product -- “Busseto Foods Charcuterie Sampler Prosciutto, Sweet Sopressata, and Dry Coppa” -- was produced on Oct. 30, 2023. The affected products, sold as a twin pack with two 9-ounce packages, have the lot code L075330300 and a “best by" date of April 27, 2024, along with the establishment number “EST. 7543B” inside the USDA mark of inspection and “EST. #47967.” They were shipped to Sam’s Club locations in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.The recall was issued after a sample collected by th...