Ex-Winnipeggers who accused Nygard of sex crimes not surprised by Epstein link

Two former Winnipeg residents who accused Peter Nygard of rape and a therapist who supports survivors weren’t surprised when the convicted sex offender’s name emerged in new Epstein files Tuesday.

The U.S. Justice Department released a letter revealing the FBI and New York prosecutors’ attempt to interview disgraced former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in separate criminal investigations into former fashion mogul Nygard and infamous pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

“Everybody keeps asking me, amongst my friends, how I feel about things. How I feel about things is how completely unsurprising any of it is,” KC Allan, a former model who accused Nygard of raping her in 1979, when she was 17, told the Free Press.

“I find a lot of the interest in the Epstein files to be prurient, and I’m not sure how far it advances the notion of justice for these victims. I find it offensive that we’re all so excited to learn that so and so was in a hot tub with (Epstein). I feel like it has become entertainment versus justice.”

Wally Daudrich eyes legislature seat after losing Manitoba Tory leadership bid

WINNIPEG - Wally Daudrich, who finished a close second in this year's Manitoba Progressive Conservative leadership race, is now hoping to run for a legislature seat.

Daudrich is seeking the Opposition party's nomination in the Turtle Mountain constituency — a Tory stronghold where incumbent Doyle Piwniuk has announced he will not seek re-election in 2027.

Daudrich owns a northern hotel and ecotourism company in Churchill and lives outside Morden, close to the Turtle Mountain constituency.

Daudrich garnered the most votes in the Tory leadership contest in April, but lost to Obby Khan under a point system the Tories use to weigh support in different constituencies.

Investigators sift through wreckage after a deadly Pennsylvania nursing home explosion

BRISTOL, Pa. (AP) — Construction crews and drones searched the rubble of a Pennsylvania nursing home Wednesday, a day after a powerful explosion killed at least two people, collapsed part of the building and left several residents unaccounted for.

Emergency responders from across the region had evacuated residents and dug through debris on Tuesday amid flames, smoke, a strong smell of gas and even a second explosion, Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference that evening.

The blast at the 174-bed nursing home in Bristol Township, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, happened shortly after a utility crew responded to reports of a gas odor at the facility, authorities said. Investigators are examining whether a gas leak caused the explosion, a finding officials cautioned remains preliminary.

The town’s fire chief, Kevin Dippolito, said at the Tuesday news conference that five people were still unaccounted for, but he cautioned that some may have left the scene with family members.

Manitoba data missing from Health Canada flu report

Health Canada says it has received no flu data from the Manitoba government this month as it tracks one of the worst influenza seasons in the country in years.

The Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report offers a weekly overview of key trends in respiratory viruses by using data from multiple sources across Canada. Its latest interactive map shows flu activity almost coast to coast for the week ending Dec. 13 — except for Manitoba and Nova Scotia, that reported “no data.”

Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said it’s the first time she has noticed Manitoba is absent from the map.

“I do review this data fairly routinely, and this is the first time looking at the interactive data map and seeing no data being submitted,” Carr said Tuesday.

EU warns of possible action after the US bars 5 Europeans accused of censorship

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's executive on Wednesday warned that it would take action against any “unjustified measures” after the U.S. State Department barred five Europeans it accuses of pressuring U.S. technology firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.

The Europeans were characterized by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “radical” activists and “weaponized” nongovernmental organizations. They include the former EU commissioner responsible for supervising social media rules, Thierry Breton.

Breton, a businessman and former French finance minister, clashed last year on social media with tech billionaire Elon Musk over broadcasting an online interview with Donald Trump in the months leading up to the U.S. election.

The European Commission, the EU’s powerful executive branch and which supervises tech regulation in Europe, said that it “strongly condemns the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions” and that it has requested clarification about the move. French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned it.

Union warns about staffing ahead of change to breast cancer screening

Manitoba has lowered the age for breast cancer screening to 45 from 50, but the union for mammographers has warned that without more staff, the system could be overwhelmed.

On Tuesday the province announced it will begin accepting appointments for younger women as of Jan. 2, 2026.

Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals president Jason Linklater applauded the announcement, but questioned how the province will be able to accommodate the increased patient load.

“Breast cancer screening saves lives, and when screening age is lower and cancer is caught, there’s certainly greater success in treatment and better outcomes, but staffing will be a big barrier,” Linklater said.

What's open, what's closed, what's up in Winnipeg over Christmas

Here's a round-up of hours of business for services and things to do on Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew drops promise to regulate gas prices

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says he's not going to fulfil a 2023 election campaign promise to regulate gas prices.

The promise, outlined in the New Democrats' campaign platform, was to give the Public Utilities Board, which currently sets rates for electricity, natural gas and other services, "new powers to review, investigate and regulate retail gasoline prices in Manitoba."

After reviewing fuel regulations in the four Atlantic provinces, and a discussion with some of his counterparts in that region, Kinew says he has decided to drop the idea.

The concern appears to be that companies in regulated environments might apply for higher prices than needed to ensure they're protected against any sudden, unexpected change.

Season’s messages of love and joy at St. Vital group home for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities

There’s a promise of warmth inside before anyone opens the door.

On the deck, a table wearing a thin layer of fresh snow has been transformed into a greeting.

“Happy Winter,” it reads, etched by hand and punctuated with a smiling face — a small, cheerful signal that there’s a sense of home that extends beyond the four walls of this house.

It’s four days before Christmas and the mood is festive. There are sounds of easy conversation and laughter as soon as the door opens and a visitor is welcomed inside, out of the cold.