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A French bishop is accused of attempted rape in latest scandal to hit Catholic Church in France

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A French bishop has been given a preliminary charge of attempting to rape an adult man a decade ago, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Monday. It is the latest of a growing number of accusations of sexual abuse by clergy in France.The Bishops’ Conference of France said the accused bishop, Georges Colomb, contests the charge and deserves the presumption of innocence. He has asked the Vatican to step aside from his duties as bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes in western France to prepare his defense.French investigative website Mediapart reported that senior figures in the Catholic Church were aware of the accusations for years.The allegations didn’t reach prosecutors until May of this year. That’s when lawyers for the Archdiocese of Paris and a Catholic group called the Foreign Missions of Paris, shortened to MEP in French, submitted a report of a rape attempt by Colomb in 2013, according to the prosecutor’s office.Colomb headed the MEP from 2010 to 201...

US auto safety regulators reviewing some Hyundai, Kia recalls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

U.S. regulators are reviewing some Hyundai and Kia recalls related to brake-safety units to determine if they should have been done sooner.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation is reviewing 16 Hyundai and Kia recalls conducted since 2016 that involve more than 6 million vehicles for potential antilock braking system module fires.The recalls all involve the antilock braking system modules or hydraulic electronic control units made by the equipment supplier Mando. The office said that the purpose of the review was “to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.”The Associated Press

Attentive Energy investing $10.6M in supply chain, startups to help New Jersey offshore wind

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) — A company proposing an offshore wind farm in New Jersey is investing $10.6 million in projects to help grow the industry’s supply chain and support ocean-based technology startup businesses in the state.Attentive Energy is one of four projects proposed in New Jersey’s most recent round of solicitations for offshore wind projects. It is a collaboration between Houston-based Total Energies, and Corio Generation, with offices in Boston and London.During an event at Brookdale Community College, Damian Bednarz, the company’s president, said Attentive Energy will invest $6.6 million in SeaAhead. That is a company that supports ocean-related technology firms; it will establish a business incubator program in New Jersey.Attentive Energy will invest another $4 million in technical support for small businesses at 11 regional small business development centers across the state.A key goal of the company is to localize and diversify the supply chain for ...

Police investigate after shell casings found at Ossington Station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

Toronto police are investigating after shell casings were found at Ossington Station.Officers responded to the area at 12:40 p.m. Monday after receiving a call about a person with a gun at the station.Police say they found shell casings on the bus platform outside the station.No injuries have been reported.Police say the suspect fled in a vehicle, possibly an Acura.Subway trains and buses are bypassing Ossington station.Toronto police at the scene after shell casings were found at Ossington Station on Nov. 20, 2023. (Rob Ramlackhan/CityNews)

Michigan continues overhaul of gun laws with extended firearm ban for misdemeanor domestic violence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Democrats who have transformed gun laws in the state in the wake of multiple mass school shootings are now making it more difficult for individuals with convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence from gaining access to guns.Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Monday that prohibits individuals convicted of a misdemeanor related to domestic violence from possessing firearms for at least an eight-year-period. State law currently includes firearm restrictions for those with felonies related to domestic abuse, but no law had existed for misdemeanor domestic violence.“These bills are based on a simple idea: if you have been found guilty in court for violently assaulting your partner, you should not be able to access a deadly weapon that you could use to further threatened, harm or kill them.” Whitmer said at a bill signing in Kalamazoo. “It’s just common sense.”The eight-year ban for misdemeanor domestic violence convictions is only the latest ...

Toronto releases 5-year mental health and harm reduction treatment strategy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

The City of Toronto has released its five-year mental health and harm reduction strategy with a focus on mental health and treatment.During a press conference on Monday, councillors Chris Moise and Ausma Malik outlined the seven main actions of “Our Health, Our City” aimed at mitigating substance use-related harms and fostering mental health and well-being.“This strategy is a testament to the dedication of a united front in addressing mental health, substance use and related challenges. Our health, our city is not just a document. It is a commitment to the well-being of every Torontonian,” said Moise.The actions include: Promoting mental health and wellbeingPreventing and reducing harms and deaths related to substance useExpanding access to the full continuum of high-quality, evidence-based and client-centred services to address mental health and/or substance use issues, including harm reduction and treatment supportsAdvancing community safety and well-being ...

Loans pave way for Abu Dhabi-backed fund to take over UK’s Telegraph newspaper

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

An Abu Dhabi-backed investment fund said Monday it has paved the way to take ownership of Britain’s Telegraph newspaper and The Spectator magazine after striking a deal with the publications’ previous owners to repay debts owed by them. RedBird IMI — a joint venture between RedBird Capital, led by former CNN chief Jeff Zucker, and Abu Dhabi’s International Media Investments — said it has agreed to provide loans to Britain’s Barclay family and ensure the family’s debts to Lloyds Bank are paid. The Barclay family owned the right-leaning newspaper and magazine nefore they were put into receivership. The family also previously owned London’s luxurious Ritz Hotel before selling it in 2020.Earlier in the year, Lloyds Bank hired a restructuring specialist as receivers to control and help launch a sale process for the media business in order to repay debts worth some 1 billion pounds ($1.25 billion). Various media firms have been reported to be interested...

Ukraine sacks top cybersecurity officials in corruption probe involving software purchases

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine fired its top two civilian cybersecurity officials on Monday as prosecutors announced an embezzlement investigation involving software purchases from 2020-2022 in which the head of the state intelligence service was allegedly involved.The sacked officials include Viktor Zhora, who is well-known internationally as the face of Ukraine’s much-heralded, Western-aided efforts to defend against incessant Russian hacking campaigns.Fired with Zhora was his boss, Yurii Shchyhol, head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection service, a senior cabinet official, Taras Melnychuk, announced on Telegram.Neither man was named in a statement by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which said the head of state intelligence and his deputy and “the general director and employee of a state-owned enterprise” were among the suspects and that the Special Communications service was involved in the scheme.Ukraine has been plagued by corrupti...

Feds to appeal court ruling that struck down cabinet order labelling plastics toxic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the federal government will appeal a recent Federal Court ruling that struck down a cabinet order underlying Ottawa’s ban of some single-use plastics.The decision on Nov. 16 said Ottawa had overstepped by labelling all “plastic manufactured items” as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.The toxic designation is required for the government to regulate the use of substances in Canada.Without it, the ban on six single-use plastic items, including straws, grocery bags and cutlery, won’t be able to stand.The court’s ruling did not suggest that the government could not label specific types of plastic items as toxic, but said there was no evidence that all of the thousands of products in that category are potentially harmful to people or the environment.Guilbeault says the government remains committed to fighting the scourge of plastic pollution and is exploring all options for moving forwar...

Fallen Chicago firefighter laid to rest Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:23:32 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago firefighter who died after battling a blaze on the city's North Side last week was laid to rest Monday. 39-year-old Andrew Price died after he fell through a light shaft while battling a fire that broke out at a tavern in Lincoln Park on Monday.According to CFD, a procession from the North side of Navy Pier to the east end will take place around 8:30 a.m.  NTSB: Preliminary investigation reveals design flaw likely to blame for CTA Yellow Line crash Private visitation will begin at 9 a.m. before public visitation begins at 10 a.m. CFD will then hold a walkthrough starting at 11:30 a.m. A service will then take place at noon at Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom.Following the service, a graveside assembly will be held outside on the east end of the pier and the procession will then move in reverse, from the east end to the north. 3 people, including police officer, injured in car crash on South Side Price, who was known as “Drew” by co-workers, join...