Even as the top leader of the Anglican Church in North America faces a church trial for alleged sexual misconduct, a church court has acquitted another bishop of charges of failing to carry out his duties.

The court exonerated Bishop Stewart Ruch III of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest after a lengthy secret trial. He faced charges over his oversight of clergy and lay people accused of sexual and other misconduct.

Ruch did not face accusations of sexual misconduct himself. But two sets of people, including bishops, priests and lay people, brought formal charges known as presentments.

They accused him of violating ordination vows, conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, disobedience or willful contravention to church canons (laws) and habitual neglect of duties.

The death of Pope Francis brought change to the Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion adherents and is now led — for the first time — by an American pope. The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke before a crowd horrified many and prompted somber conversations about political violence.

And when trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre died by suicide, it brought additional scrutiny to the investigations of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They were among the noteworthy and influential people who died in 2025 where the deaths themselves had a widespread impact.

The deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife became a source of both sadness and mystery after their bodies were found in their home in February. Authorities ultimately determined that Hackman, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, died of heart disease, likely unaware that Betsy Arakawa had died from hantavirus a week earlier.

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