200 million eggs recalled because of salmonella concerns

200 million eggs recalled because of salmonella concerns

RALEIGH, N.C.

More than 200 million eggs distributed to restaurants and grocery stores in nine states have been recalled because of bacterial contamination.

A notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration website Friday said the eggs shipped from a North Carolina farm may be tainted with salmonella. The bacteria can cause nausea, diarrhea and, in rare cases , death. Twenty-two illnesses have been reported.

“Consumers with these eggs shouldn’t eat them,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said on Twitter. “Throw them away or return them to place of purchase for credit or refund.”

The notice said Indiana-based Rose Acre Farms was voluntarily recalling the eggs “through an abundance of caution.” A company spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking further comment Sunday.

The eggs reached consumers in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, according to the notice.

NC sees possible tornado, central US in icy grip from storms

MINNEAPOLIS

A deadly storm system churning through the central U.S. has blanketed parts of the Upper Midwest in heavy snow and ice and battered areas farther south with powerful winds and even tornadoes.

About 200 flights were canceled Sunday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where two runways were open but nearly 13 inches of snow combined with strong winds were making it difficult to keep the runways open and the planes de-iced, spokesman Patrick Hogan said.

On Saturday, the storm caused the cancellation of nearly 470 flights at the airport.

The wintry grip on the Twin Cities continued to keep the boys of summer off the diamond, forcing the postponement of the third straight Twins-White Sox game. The Yankees and Tigers were rained out Saturday in Detroit and had planned to play a double-header on Sunday, but the first game of Sunday’s twin bill was also postponed, leaving just the night game.

Two northeastern Wisconsin communities, Tigerton and Big Falls, received more than 2 feet of snow over the weekend, the National Weather Service in Green Bay reported. Parts of the state that were already blanketed were getting a second helping of snow on Sunday.

Elsewhere, authorities said they declared a local state of emergency in Greensboro, N.C., after an apparent tornado caused damage in several locations around that city.

Greensboro police said in a tweet that there also had been one storm-related fatality in Greensboro, but they gave no immediate details of that death. They did not elaborate on the damages. But earlier media reports said high winds damaged at least seven homes and destroyed one mobile classroom.

Starbucks CEO apologizes to two black men arrested

PHILADELPHIA

Starbucks sells itself as a community gathering spot as much as a coffeehouse, a welcoming place with comfortable chairs for lingering, trendy music and Wi-Fi.

That’s one reason the arrest of two black men who were sitting in a Starbucks struck a nerve for so many: They were doing exactly what people do at most any of the chain’s 28,000 stores worldwide.

The CEO of Starbucks Co., Kevin Johnson, called the arrests a “reprehensible outcome” and said he wants to personally apologize to the men, saying the company “stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling.” But that didn’t stop protesters from gathering Sunday outside the store in downtown Philadelphia where the arrests occurred.

As people ordered coffee inside, the Rev. Jeffrey Jordan led a crowd of a couple dozen in chants of “I am somebody, and I demand equality now.”

The arrests, which occurred Thursday, were captured on video that quickly gained traction on social media.

Procrastinators rejoice: Still time to file taxes

If you woke up in a panic realizing that Sunday was April 15, relax. You’ve got until Tuesday to file and pay your taxes without facing a penalty.

April 15 fell on Sunday this year and Monday is Emancipation Day, a holiday in Washington D.C. That gives taxpayers nationwide until April 17 to get the job done.

Procrastinators can take some solace in knowing that as of Friday 40 million Americans hadn’t filed their taxes, according to the IRS.

US pastor faces terror charges in fraught trial in Turkey

IZMIR, Turkey

An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara.

Andrew Craig Brunson, a 50-year-old evangelical pastor from North Carolina, is facing up to 35 years in prison on charges of “committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member” and “espionage.” The trial begins today in western Izmir province.

Brunson was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for a masterminding a failed military coup that year. The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, denies the claim.

Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years, has denied all allegations, saying that he solely worked as a pastor.

The Turkish government has clearly linked Brunson’s case with its determination to force the U.S. to extradite Gulen – and some see the pastor as a diplomatic pawn.

Kentucky Gov. Bevin apologizes for child sex-abuse remarks

FRANKFORT, Ky.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has apologized for saying that children were sexually abused because they were left home alone while teachers rallied to ask lawmakers to override his vetoes.

Bevin issued his apology in a nearly four-minute video posted online Sunday.

On Friday, Bevin’s explosive comments were part of his statement criticizing teachers for leaving work to protest at the Capitol. More than 30 school districts closed Friday.

Bevin’s comments came shortly after Republican lawmakers voted to override his vetoes of an operating budget that included increased spending for public education with the help of an accompanying tax increase.

Bevin apologized several times in Sunday’s video. He says “it is not my intent to hurt anybody in this process, but to help us all move forward together.”

Syria’s allies say airstrikes undercut political resolution

DAMASCUS, Syria

The leaders of Russia, Iran and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon said Sunday that Western airstrikes on their ally, Syria, have complicated prospects for a political settlement to the country’s seven-year conflict.

A day after the U.S., Britain and France bombarded sites they said were linked to a chemical weapons program, Syrian President Bashar Assad appeared briefly on state TV, seemingly unfazed by the military action – and even reportedly in high spirits.

Assad told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the strikes were accompanied by a campaign of “lies and misinformation” against Syria and Russia in the U.N. Security Council.

Moscow and Damascus are waging the same “battles” against terrorism and “to protect international law based on respect of the sovereignty of countries and the wills of people,” Assad said in comments carried by state media, an apparent jab at the three Western allies.

Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin, who met with Assad, said he appeared upbeat and believed the airstrikes would unify the country.

Russia and Iran have called the action a “military crime” and “act of aggression.” The U.N. Security Council rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the “aggression” by the U.S., France and Britain.

Associated Press