thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Turkey deploying special forces to border amid migrant surge

ANKARA , Turkey - Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over .
Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes .
Thousands of migrants have arrived at the Pazarkule border gate — near the Greek border village of Kastanies — in the past week after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open , triggering clashes with Greek border guards .
On Wednesday , one person was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greek police and border guards opened fired on the migrants making a push to cross the border , Turkish authorities said .
The Greek government , however , rejected the assertion as “ fake news.
” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Turkey was determined to carry the migrant ’ s death to the European Court of Human Rights .
“ Our Foreign Ministry will make it an international issue , ” he told Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk in an interview a day before he travelled to the border area .
The minister asserted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greece since Feb. 27 , when Turkey made good on a threat to open its borders and allow migrants and refugees to head for Europe .
Around 20-25 % of those who reached Greece were Syrian nationals , Soylu said .
There was no evidence to support the claim that as many had crossed into Greece .
Greek authorities said that in the 24 hours between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning , they blocked 6,955 attempts to cross the Greek-Turkish land border , and arrested 24 people , mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning , Greek authorities said there had been 34,778 attempts to cross the border , and 244 people had been arrested after crossing .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’ s decision to open its gateways to Europe has raised concerns within the European Union , which is holding a foreign ministers ’ meeting in Zagreb , Croatia .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement before heading to the meeting that it was important that Greece not be left alone and that a “ united European answer ” be found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As always , the weakest always pay the highest price for the current condition .
Therefore , we must use our possibilities to quickly help especially unprotected children , ” Maas said .
He added : “ For us it ’ s clear : the EU must continue to financially and increasingly support the efforts of Turkey when it comes to the admission of refugees and migrants.
” Greece has also come under migration pressure from the sea , with Greek islands , which are a short distance from Turkey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child died when the dinghy he was in capsized off the coast of the Greek island of Lesbos earlier this week .
Soylu , the interior minister , said he had received instructions from Erdogan for Turkish authorities to continue to prevent migrants from crossing by sea to avert drownings .
Turkey ’ s announcement that its border to Europe was open came amid a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive into Syria ’ s northwestern Idlib province , where Turkish troops are fighting .
The offensive has killed dozens of Turkish troops and sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sealed border .
Greece ’ s government has called the situation a direct threat to Greece ’ s national security and has imposed emergency measures to carry out swift deportations and freeze asylum applications for one month .
Associated Press writers Elena Becatoros in Athens , and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Tulare, California police: 6 shot, 1 killed after funeral

TULARE , Calif. - Police in Tulare , California are looking for a lone gunman who opened fire on a @ @ @ @ @ man and wounding five others , including a little girl .
Tulare Police Sgt .
@ @ @ @ @ man was killed , and the 7-year-old girl was shot multiple times .
News outlets @ @ @ @ @ 10:30 p.m. Wednesday , as a group of more than 50 people gathered following the @ @ @ @ @ died in a car crash .
Witnesses said a single person walked up and fired @ @ @ @ @ .
The scene was chaotic as officers arrived , and the entire department is helping @ @ @ @ @ Hinojosa said .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest @ @ @ @ @ Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists @ @ @ @ @ email inbox .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Black voters power Joe Biden’s Super Tuesday success

DETROIT - Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign spent the past month on the verge of collapse after disappointing finishes in the overwhelmingly white states that launched the Democratic primary .
As he watched the turmoil unfold from Gadsden , Alabama , Robert Avery thought the race would change dramatically when it moved into the South .
“ He knows us , he cares about us , “ the 71-year-old community organizer said .
“ People have given us no credit as to knowing what ’ s going on or being involved , and that ’ s the furthest thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avery ’ s instinct was right .
After a brutal February for Biden , black voters throughout the South transformed Biden ’ s White House bid over the course of three days .
A back-of-the-pack operation surged to front-runner status powered by support from black voters , starting with Biden ’ s commanding win Saturday in South Carolina and coming into full focus on Super Tuesday as he racked up wins in Virginia , North Carolina , Alabama and Tennessee .
Biden is now in a tight race with progressive rival Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader after strong performances in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada last month .
Activists said Biden ’ s success is a reminder that the path to victory in the Democratic contest runs straight through their communities .
“ You can ’ t win the Democratic presidential nomination without winning the South , and you can ’ t win the South without the black vote , and you can ’ t win the black vote without winning the black women ’ s vote , ” said Melanie Campbell , president and CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We believe all roads to the White House must come through the South.
” Black voters strongly aligned behind Biden over other candidates , according to AP VoteCast surveys across eight Super Tuesday states .
In Alabama , where African American voters made up a majority of the Democratic primary electorate , roughly 7 in 10 supported the former vice-president .
That support held across ages and gender .
In other states , like Texas , Virginia and North Carolina , black voters made up a smaller but sizable share of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of both black men and women supported Biden , Sanders did pull about even with Biden among black voters under 45 .
Biden will be looking to carry that momentum into next week ’ s six primaries that will include states like Michigan and Mississippi , which are also home to significant populations of black voters .
More than 78 % of residents in Detroit , Michigan ’ s largest city , are African American .
The former vice-president ’ s success also poses warning signs for Sanders .
The Vermont senator ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part because he couldn ’ t line up enough support from black voters in the South to win the Democratic nomination .
Since 2016 , Sanders has focused on building relationships with black leaders and voters .
He frequently speaks of a multiracial coalition that will help him win the nomination and the White House .
But Tuesday ’ s results — combined with his distant second-place finish in South Carolina — suggest he could face similar challenges in 2020 .
Sanders has warned in recent days that the party ’ s elite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Biden allies pointed to their success with a diverse set of voters on Tuesday to rebut that .
“ I just did not know that African Americans in the South were considered part of the establishment , ” said Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond , Biden ’ s campaign co-chairman .
“ African Americans voters have made a conscious decision that we fought and earned through civil rights , ” Richmond said , because they understand the importance of “ nominating a person that they know , nominating a person that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political science professor at Howard University , said the race shifted in Biden ’ s favour after he nabbed an endorsement from South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn , the highest-ranking black member of Congress .
Carter said Clyburn is a beloved and trusted figure in the black community , and she believes it potentially gave black voters in states like Alabama and Virginia the necessary push to support Biden .
“ Older black voters are an important constituency for Democrats , ” Carter said .
“ I think people underestimate the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Joe Biden had that .
I think this sort of narrative that it ’ s just about black people voting their fears is perhaps not necessarily the case .
Black people are not just pragmatic , they ’ re strategic.
” Trudy Lucas , the religious affairs and external relations manager at National Action Network South Carolina , agreed .
“ We listen to Jim Clyburn , and we ’ ve been doing that for years now , ” Lucas said .
That rings true for Sheryl Threadgill-Matthews , a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who voted for Biden .
Threadgill-Matthews said it initially wasn ’ t an easy choice , but as candidates began to drop out of the race , her choice became clear .
“ I really think across the nation that people will start to galvanize , ” Threadgill-Matthews said .
“ I grappled with it initially , but when I thought about his record and the integrity that he ’ s always shown through his vice presidency , I decided to vote for him .
I think Biden would be a candidate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press writer Bill Barrow in Los Angeles contributed to this report .
Kat Stafford is a member of The Associated Press ’ Race and Ethnicity team .
Follow her on Twitter at https : //twitter.com/kat__stafford Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”

Kat Stafford And Hannah Fingerhut - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--How winning turned Joe Biden into a confident candidate

LOS ANGELES - Joe Biden strode confidently to the podium , shutters clicking , a bank of cameras beaming to a national audience .
“ Those of you who have been knocked down , those of you who have been knocked out , this is your campaign , ” Biden said Wednesday .
“ We welcome all of those who want to join us .
We ’ re building a movement.
” The former vice-president has found his stride and his voice as he becomes a front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination .
Gone is the sometimes mumbling , almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowds full of voters lamenting the state of the union .
“ What in God ’ s name is happening ?
” he ’ d ask , after deviating from anything approaching prepared remarks .
Instead , there ’ s a confident candidate , jabbing at Bernie Sanders , his chief rival for the Democratic nomination , yet reserving his biggest swings for the Republican president he hopes to topple in the fall .
“ If we give this man another four years in the White House , he will forever and fundamentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden said Wednesday .
But Biden also tries to seem above the trenches , promising to unify a fractious Democratic Party and a general electorate roiled by Donald Trump ’ s presidency .
It ’ s part scrappy Joey Biden , the kid from Scranton , Pennsylvania , who learned to navigate a severe stutter but still talks of the searing humiliation .
It ’ s part Delaware senator , the deal-maker promising to replace Washington churlishness with comity , dignity and diplomacy .
It ’ s part two-term vice-president , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiber of my being ” that he can return in the top spot this time and “ heal the nation.
” And it ’ s part devoted husband and father , wearing personal loss as public grief .
Of course , Biden ’ s Super Tuesday surge was aided in part by the unceremonious fall of billionaire Mike Bloomberg , who entered the race because Biden appeared headed toward an uninspiring finish .
Similarly , he benefited from party moderates ’ fears about Sanders , whose democratic socialist identity mainstream Democrats see as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two competitors , Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg , to drop out and endorse Biden , with former candidate Beto O ’ Rourke making it an endorsement trifecta on Super Tuesday eve .
Nonetheless , the former vice-president put himself in position to take advantage of those dominoes , tapping personal and political strengths and muting at least some of his weaknesses to make a comeback unparalleled in modern presidential campaigns .
Those close to him describe a candidate and campaign jolted into abandoning a “ Rose Garden ” campaign — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run by using the trappings of the office — that had come off as cautious and , worse , presumptuous .
“ I wouldn ’ t disagree with that Rose Garden description , ” said Rep. Cedric Richmond , one of Biden ’ s campaign co-chairmen .
“ It was very vice-presidential ... cautious , ” said another campaign chair , Eric Garcetti .
The Los Angeles mayor recalled giving Biden some tough encouragement after he finished fourth in Iowa .
“ I said , ‘ Just be you .
Get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be Joe , ’ ” Garcetti recalled , and “ ’ start talking about the future more than the past.
’ ” It wouldn ’ t happen in New Hampshire , where Biden acknowledged in a debate that he ’ d probably “ take a hit here , too.
” He did , finishing fifth .
But then the race turned to Nevada and South Carolina .
The former vice-president always had been comfortable in front of working-class audiences and with African Americans and Latinos .
In Nevada , he relished “ back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and down the Las Vegas Strip .
He was the only candidate at the Clark County party dinner to thank the workers who made the event happen , and the only one to mention the worst gun massacre in modern American history that had occurred just 1,000 feet away in 2017 .
“ We will beat the NRA , ” he roared .
He finished a distant second .
But it was enough to keep his “ firewall ” intact in South Carolina , where his decades of long relationships with political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his service as Barack Obama ’ s vice-president yielded a deep reserve of goodwill .
“ He was sort of our third senator , ” said South Carolina Democrat Boyd Brown .
That was exactly his welcome at Scott ’ s barbecue , a small but famous joint in Hemingway , South Carolina .
Days before his primary romp , Biden bounded into the restaurant as customer and solicitor .
He wanted sandwiches for the staff and votes for himself .
It was a smaller gathering than those endless Iowa town halls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first caucus state .
More of the recommendations Garcetti and others gave him came through as he campaigned for seven days straight in South Carolina , and then three more before his Super Tuesday celebration .
“ People need to believe in their politicians , ” Garcetti said .
“ I said to him : ‘ Don ’ t assume everybody knows your story.
’ ” Biden tapped that advice in a CNN town hall in an exchange with the Rev .
Anthony Thompson , whose wife , Myra , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mother Emanuel church in Charleston .
Thompson asked Biden about his faith .
“ I kind of know what it ’ s like to lose family , ” Biden said , recalling both the 1972 car wreck that killed his first wife and young daughter , and then the death of his adult son Beau to cancer during his second term as vice-president .
“ I don ’ t know how you ’ ve dealt with it , Reverend , ” Biden continued .
“ I ’ ve only been able to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of my being ” and because faith “ gives me some reason to have hope and purpose.
” The devoted father showed himself again days later in Dallas , where Buttigieg came to campaign with and endorse his former rival , twice his age .
Biden heaped praise upon the 38-year-old Buttigieg , saying the military veteran “ reminds me of Beau , ” a note the former vice-president said is his “ highest compliment.
” Biden also capitalized in recent weeks in black churches .
“ The black church is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affirmative nods at Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston , South Carolina .
A week later , he was in Selma , Alabama , to commemorate the Voting Rights March and Bloody Sunday of 55 years prior .
He was greeted with a standing ovation and sat on the dais alongside the ministers , while Bloomberg sat below on a pew and Sanders wasn ’ t in attendance at all — a metaphorical preview of the Super Tuesday returns that showed Biden winning clear majorities of black voters in state after state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more importantly , Joe knows us , ” said Rep. Jim Clyburn , the South Carolina Democrat , when he endorsed his longtime friend .
Those moments on the campaign trail counter the litany of other instances that Biden would prefer to forget — his misspeaking , the factual errors , sometimes growing testy with reporters or occasionally even voters — and that circulate online , often courtesy of aggressive Republican Party operatives .
There are still plenty of “ here ’ s the deal ” and “ look , folks , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the verbal crutches Biden won ’ t ever escape .
And Biden ’ s aides and top supporters know there are likely more fumbles to come , more that Republicans will exploit .
Yet now they have a candidate who doesn ’ t just believe in his own case .
He ’ s got results to show voters are starting to believe it , too .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--UK watchdog slams Save the Children over misconduct claims

LONDON - Britain ’ s charity watchdog has accused Save the Children U.K. of bungling its response to sexual harassment allegations against senior staff , saying the organization let down both the women who complained and the public .
The Charity Commission said Thursday that there were “ serious weaknesses ” in the way Save the Children handled the claims of harassment and inappropriate behaviour .
Several women complained in 2012 and 2015 of misconduct by then-Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth and another senior staff member , Brendan Cox .
The Charity Commission said the organization was evasive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made misleading public statements .
Save the Children also failed to inform UNICEF about the allegations against Forsyth before he took a job at the U.N. agency .
He resigned from UNICEF in 2018 after the earlier allegations became public .
“ Save the Children U.K. let complainants and the public down .
It must work hard now to rebuild its reputation , ” said the watchdog ’ s chief executive , Helen Stephenson .
Save the Children said it “ accepted in full ” the findings , and apologized to the women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Iran says virus deaths reach 107 amid 3,513 confirmed cases

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - Iran will set up checkpoints to limit travel between major cities and urged citizens on Thursday to reduce their use of paper money to fight a spreading outbreak of the new coronavirus , which has killed at least 107 people across the Islamic Republic .
The announcement in Iran came as Palestinian authorities said the storied Nativity Church in the biblical city of Bethlehem , built atop the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born , will close indefinitely later in the day over coronavirus fears .
The church was expected to draw tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month for the upcoming Easter holiday .
These mark the latest disruptions of life across the Mideast from the new virus , which has seen over 3,740 confirmed cases .
Iran ’ s Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced his country ’ s new restrictions at a televised press conference .
He added that schools and universities will remain closed through Nowruz , the Persian New Year , on March 20 .
He said people should stay in their vehicles at gas stations and allow attendants to fill their gas tanks to avoid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy have the world ’ s highest death tolls outside of China .
The Palestinian Health Ministry meanwhile said it was preventing all tourists from entering the West Bank .
The ministry did not specify for how long .
Most tourists to the West Bank visit the biblical city of Bethlehem , where the Nativity Church is located , and Jericho .
The measures come after suspicions that four Palestinians had caught the new coronavirus .
A Palestinian official said the four had tested positive for the virus but that the tests were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn ’ t authorized to discuss the issue with the media .
They would be the Palestinian territories ’ first cases if confirmed .
The Palestinian Health Ministry also said churches and places of worship in Bethlehem will be closed for two weeks .
Earlier Thursday , the United Arab Emirates warned its citizens and its foreign residents not to travel anywhere abroad amid the ongoing worldwide coronavirus outbreak , a stark warning for a country home to two major long-haul airlines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection Ministry warning comes as its capital , Abu Dhabi , sent 215 foreigners it evacuated from hard-hit Hubei in China to a quarantine set up in its Emirates Humanitarian City .
They include citizens of Egypt , Sudan and Yemen .
Health officials warned that those travelling abroad could face quarantine themselves at the discretion of authorities .
The UAE is home to some 9 million people , with only about 1 million estimated to be Emirati citizens .
The UAE is home to Emirates , the government-owned airline based at Dubai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ busiest for international travel .
Abu Dhabi also is home to Etihad , the country ’ s national carrier .
Both airlines have encouraged staff to take time off as international travel has dropped due to the virus .
The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted Islamic worship in the Middle East , as Saudi Arabia on Wednesday banned its citizens and other residents of the kingdom from performing the pilgrimage in Mecca , while Iran cancelled Friday prayers in major cities .
Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah , West Bank , contributed .

Amir Vahdat And Jon Gambrell - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--US worshippers grapple with virus burdens others have borne

NEW YORK - A rising number of churches across the United States are making changes in response to the coronavirus outbreak , including a decision by numerous Catholic dioceses to suspend the serving of wine during Communion .
Thus far , there ’ s been no indication of any widespread cancellations of worship services .
However , Jamie Aten , a psychologist who is executive director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College , said it would be wise for faith leaders to start preparing for that eventuality .
“ Some faith communities already stream services or communicate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aten noted .
“ Though there aren ’ t any perfect solutions and such discussions can be difficult to have , it ’ s better to have them now and not later.
” Among the Catholic bishops ordering changes was Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle , whose region is the worst hit in the U.S .
The Washington state health department has confirmed more than 30 cases of the coronavirus in the Seattle area , and at least 10 deaths .
In a letter to parish leaders , Etienne said wine should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and church-goers should receive the Communion wafer in their hand , not on their tongue .
The archbishop urged Catholics to stay home from Mass if they are sick ; to practice good hygiene , including frequent hand washing ; and to avoid hand-to-hand contact during moments in the church service when churchgoers traditionally shake hands with those near them in the pews .
Many other dioceses around the U.S. are taking similar steps - even in areas such as Pittsburgh where no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed .
Among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were those in Atlanta , Boston , Joliet , Illinois , San Antonio and Newark and Paterson , New Jersey .
In Chicago , the Catholic archdiocese not only suspended the serving of Communion wine from a chalice , it also ordered priests , deacons and other personnel to wash their hands before Mass and use an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Communion .
“ Assure the faithful that if they are sick or are experiencing symptoms of sickness , they are not obliged to attend Mass , and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend , ” the archdiocese told its priests .
Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe , New Mexico , was among the bishops ordering that the Communion wafer be placed in the recipient ’ s hand , not on the tongue , for the time being .
“ How we receive , while very personal to the individual communicant , is not crucial , ” Wester wrote on the diocese website .
“ Receiving Communion in the hand is every bit as respectful as receiving on the tongue.
” The U.S. Conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member bishops some suggested steps that could be taken in response to the outbreak , but it has left it up to individual bishops to decide if and how to implement those steps .
Some dioceses said they would leave some decisions to the discretion of their parish priests .
The virus outbreak was prompting changes in many other faiths as well — in the U.S. and around the world .
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday banned its citizens and other residents of the kingdom from performing the pilgrimage in Mecca , while Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several imams in the U.S. advised Muslim worshippers that it is religiously permissible to pray at home rather than attend Friday group prayers , which are generally considered obligatory for adult men .
After the prayers , Muslim congregants typically greet one another with hugs , handshakes and cheek kisses .
Now , some mosque leaders are halting the custom of shaking the imam ’ s hand after prayer and are advising worshippers to find alternative greetings .
“ For the time being , it may be worth avoiding touch and switching to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respectful nod , and a warm smile , ” Omar Ricci , spokesman of the Islamic Center of Southern California , wrote in an email to congregants .
Sally Hiller , a Virginia-based deaconess with Lutheran Church Missouri Synod , wrote to regional colleagues with detailed suggestions for worship services .
“ Consider putting smaller bottles of hand sanitizer in each pew , ” she wrote .
” As you greet one another or exchange greetings during the sharing of peace , consider a simple head bow , a wave , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak worsens , Hiller said churches should ensure that a communication system is in place that could spread the word if services are cancelled or church-run schools are shut down .
In the event of school closures , she said plans should be in place to offer online classes .
“ If you are going to use e-learning , develop procedures and practice it before you launch into it , ” Hiller wrote .
“ Communicate with your families – often.
” The actions in the U.S. , and elsewhere , mirror some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were the first to grapple with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak .
In Hong Kong , the Catholic Church suspended public Masses two weeks and urged churchgoers to watch them online .
A Protestant church in Seoul shut its doors and switched entirely to online worship services .
Not everyone is taking drastic steps .
At the Church of the Redeemer , an Anglican congregation in Nashville , Tennessee , pastor Thomas McKenzie advised churchgoers that he planned to continue offering wine during Communion , with the chalice being carefully wiped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Scientists have shown that the risk of transmitting disease in this way is very low , ” McKenzie wrote .
He also indicated his church would continue to hold services even if the outbreak worsened .
“ Please know that we will worship on Sunday morning no matter what , ” he wrote .
“ Some other church events might be cancelled -- as we sometimes do in bad weather -- at the request of local authorities .
However , we Anglicans have long continued to worship even in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , floods and , yes , disease.
” Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--The Latest: Swiss officials confirm first coronavirus death

BANGKOK - The Latest on the virus outbreak ( all times local ) : Authorities in Switzerland say a 74-year-old woman infected with COVID-19 has died , the first death due to the new virus reported in the country .
The Federal Office of Public Health said Thursday that the death was reported by authorities in the western canton of Vaud .
The woman had been hospitalized since Tuesday and died during the night .
As of Wednesday afternoon , 58 infections had been confirmed in Switzerland .
Sri Lankan health authorities say they have decided to quarantine all Sri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea and Iran for 14 days .
They will be quarantined at a centre to be set up at a state-run hospital formally used to treat leprosy patients on the outskirt of the capital , Colombo .
Soldiers are now converting the hospital into a quarantine centre .
Sri Lanka officially eliminated leprosy in 1995 and the facility was used to keep country ’ s only 16 patients , who will now be transferred to another hospital .
More than 104,000 Sri Lankans reside in Italy , with more than 60 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard by the virus .
More than 20,000 Sri Lankans reside in South Korea .
The coronavirus outbreak couldn ’ t have come at a worse time for millions of Hindu revelers who are preparing to celebrate Holi , the festival in which people smear each others faces with colorful powder .
India ’ s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top Hindu nationalist leaders are now saying they won ’ t attend any festival celebrations on March 10 in view of the coronavirus outbreak and are advising people to exercise restraint .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holi as experts have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of the virus .
The message is reaching community leaders who are cancelling street celebrations as well large gathering of people in condominiums .
Across India and Nepal and in countries with Indian migrants , Hindus celebrate Holi , the joyous festival of colour , smearing one another with red and yellow colour powders and spraying each other with squirt guns .
Water-filled balloons are also used to colour each other .
China says a visit by its president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called off because both countries are focusing on combating the virus outbreak .
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian says the two sides will be in close communication about a new time for the visit .
“ The two countries both agree that President Xi Jinping ’ s state visit to Japan must take place under the most appropriate timing , environment and atmosphere , and must be a complete success , ” Zhao said at a daily news briefing on Thursday .
The visit had been expected in April .
China has striven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come under U.S. tariffs meant to punish them for their trade practices .
However , mutual suspicion runs high on both sides , driven in China primarily by memories of Japan ’ s brutal occupation of parts of the country last century and China ’ s claim to islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--China-made phones, tablets tainted by coerced Uighur labour

NANCHANG , China - In a lively Muslim quarter of Nanchang city , a sprawling Chinese factory turns out computer screens , cameras and fingerprint scanners for a supplier to international tech giants such as Apple and Lenovo .
Throughout the neighbourhood , women in headscarves stroll through the streets , and Arabic signs advertise halal supermarkets and noodle shops .
Yet the mostly Muslim ethnic Uighurs who labour in the factory are isolated within a walled compound that is fortified with security cameras and guards at the entrance .
Their forays out are limited to rare chaperoned trips , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover their heads , and they must attend special classes in the evenings , according to former and current workers and shopkeepers in the area .
The connection between OFILM , the supplier that owns the Nanchang factory , and the tech giants is the latest sign that companies outside China are benefiting from coercive labour practices imposed on the Uighurs , a Turkic ethnic group , and other minorities .
Over the past four years , the Chinese government has detained more than a million people from the far west Xinjiang region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internment camps and prisons where they go through forced ideological and behavioural re-education .
China has long suspected the Uighurs of harbouring separatist tendencies because of their distinct culture , language and religion .
When detainees “ graduate ” from the camps , documents show , many are sent to work in factories .
A dozen Uighurs and Kazakhs told the AP they knew people who were sent by the state to work in factories in China ’ s east , known as inner China — some from the camps , some plucked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools .
Most were sent by force , although in a few cases it wasn ’ t clear if they consented .
Workers are often enrolled in classes where state-sponsored teachers give lessons in Mandarin , China ’ s dominant language , or politics and “ ethnic unity.
” Conditions in the jobs vary in terms of pay and restrictions .
At the OFILM factory , Uighurs are paid the same as other workers but otherwise treated differently , according to residents of the neighbourhood .
They are not allowed to leave or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also working there , who are considered less of a threat by the Chinese government .
“ They don ’ t let them worship inside , ” said a Hui Muslim woman who worked in the factory for several weeks alongside the Uighurs .
“ They don ’ t let them come out.
” “ If you ’ re Uighur , you ’ re only allowed outside twice a month , ” a small business owner who spoke with the workers confirmed .
The AP is not disclosing the names of those interviewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible retribution .
“ The government chose them to come to OFILM , they didn ’ t choose it.
” The Chinese government says the labour program is a way to train Uighurs and other minorities and give them jobs .
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday called concern over possible coerced labour under the program “ groundless ” and “ slander.
” However , experts say that like the internment camps , the program is part of a broader assault on the Uighur culture , breaking up social and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes to be assimilated into the dominant Han Chinese culture .
“ They think these people are poorly educated , isolated , backwards , can ’ t speak Mandarin , ” said James Leibold , a scholar of Chinese ethnic policy at La Trobe University in Melbourne .
“ So what do you do ?
You ‘ educate ’ them , you find ways to transform them in your own image .
Bringing them into the Han Chinese heartland is a way to turbocharge this transformation.
” OFILM ’ s website indicates the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lenses and fingerprint scanners .
It touts customers including Apple , Samsung , Lenovo , Dell , HP , LG and Huawei , although there was no way for the AP to track specific products to specific companies .
Apple ’ s most recent list of suppliers , published January last year , includes three OFILM factories in Nanchang .
It ’ s unclear whether the specific OFILM factory the AP visited twice in Nanchang supplies Apple , but it has the same address as one listed .
Another OFILM factory is located @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different street .
Apple did not answer repeated requests for clarification on which factory it uses .
In an email , Apple said its code of conduct requires suppliers to “ provide channels that encourage employees to voice concerns.
” It said it interviews the employees of suppliers during annual assessments in their local language without their managers present , and had done 44,000 interviews in 2018 .
Lenovo confirmed that it sources screens , cameras , and fingerprint scanners from OFILM but said it was not aware of the allegations and would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 audit by the Reliable Business Alliance in which OFILM scored very well .
All the companies that responded said they required suppliers to follow strict labour standards .
LG and Dell said they had “ no evidence ” of forced labour in their supply chains but would investigate , as did Huawei .
HP did not respond .
OFILM also lists as customers dozens of companies within China , as well as international companies it calls “ partners ” without specifying what product it offers .
And it supplies PAR Technology , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it most recently shipped 48 cartons of touch screens in February , according to U.S. customs data obtained through ImportGenius and Panjiva , which track shipping data .
PAR Technology in turn says it supplies terminals to major chains such as McDonald ’ s , Taco Bell , and Subway .
However , the AP was unable to confirm that products from OFILM end up with the fast food companies .
McDonald ’ s said it has asked PAR Technology to discontinue purchases from OFILM while it launches an immediate investigation .
PAR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Subway and Taco Bell did not respond .
A report Sunday from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute , researched separately from the AP , estimated that more than 80,000 Uighurs were transferred from Xinjiang to factories across China between 2017 and 2019 .
The report said it found “ conditions that strongly suggest forced labour ” consistent with International Labor Organization definitions .
The AP also reported a year ago that Uighur forced labour was being used within Xinjiang to make sportswear that ended up in the U.S. Beijing first sent Uighurs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 2000s , as part of a broad effort to push minorities to adopt urban lifestyles and integrate with the Han Chinese majority to tighten political control .
At first the program targeted young , single women , because the state worried that Uighur women raised in pious Muslim families didn ’ t work , had children early and refused to marry Han men .
But as stories of poor pay and tight restrictions trickled back , police began threatening some parents with jail time if they didn ’ t send their children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The program was halted in 2009 , when at least two Uighurs died in a brawl with Han workers at a toy factory in coastal Guangdong province .
After peaceful protests in Xinjiang were met with police fire , ethnic riots broke out that killed an estimated 200 people , mostly Han Chinese civilians .
An AP review of Chinese academic papers and state media reports shows that officials blamed the failure of the labour program on the Uighurs ’ language and culture .
So when the government ramped up the program again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xi Jinping in 2012 , it emphasized ideological transformation .
A paper drafted by the head of the Xinjiang statistics bureau in 2014 said the Uighurs ’ poor Mandarin made it hard for them to integrate in inner China .
It concluded that Xinjiang ’ s rural minorities needed to be broken away from traditional lifestyles and systematically “ disciplined ” , “ trained ” and “ instilled with modern values.
” “ The local saturated religious atmosphere and the long-time living habits of ethnic minorities are incompatible with the requirements of modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It outlined a need to “ slowly correct misunderstandings about going out to choose jobs.
” Before Uighurs were transferred for jobs , the paper continued , they needed to be trained and assessed on their living habits and adoption of corporate culture .
“ Those who fail will not be exported , ” it said .
The paper also described government incentives such as tax breaks and subsidies for Chinese companies to take Uighurs .
A 2014 draft contract for Xinjiang labourers in Guangdong province obtained by the AP shows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 428.52 ) per worker , with an additional 1000 RMB ( $ 142.84 ) for “ training ” each person for no less than 60 class hours .
In exchange , companies had to offer “ concentrated accommodation areas , ” halal canteens and “ ethnic unity education and training.
” But it was a tough sell at a time when Chinese officials were grappling with knifings , bombings and car attacks by Uighurs , fueled by explosive anger at the government ’ s harsh security measures and religious restrictions .
Hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Uighur and Han Chinese .
A labour agent who only gave his surname , Zhang , said he tried brokering deals to send Xinjiang workers to factories in the eastern city of Hangzhou , but finding companies willing to take Uighurs was a challenge , especially in a slowing economy .
“ Their work efficiency is not high , ” he said .
The size of the program is considerable .
A November 2017 state media report said Hotan prefecture alone planned to send 20,000 people over two years to work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , they would “ realize the dreams of their lives.
” The Uighurs at OFLIM were sent there as part of the government ’ s labour program , in an arrangement the company ’ s website calls a “ school-enterprise co-operative.
” OFILM describes the workers as migrants organized by the government or vocational school students on “ internships ” .
OFILM confirmed it received AP requests for comment but did not reply .
The AP was unable to get inside the facility , and on one visit to Nanchang , plainclothes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on foot .
But posts on the company website extoll OFILM ’ s efforts to accommodate their Uighur workers with Mandarin and politics classes six days a week , along with halal food .
OFILM first hired Uighurs in 2017 , recruiting over 3,000 young men and women in Xinjiang .
They bring the Uighurs on one- or two-year contracts to Nanchang , a southeastern metropolis nearly two thousand miles from Xinjiang that local officials hope to turn into a tech hub .
OFILM is one of Nanchang ’ s biggest employers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the city and close ties with the state .
Investment funds backed by the Nanchang city government own large stakes in OFILM , corporate filings show .
The Nanchang government told the AP that OFILM recruits minorities according to “ voluntary selection by both parties “ and provides equal pay along with personal and religious freedom .
OFILM ’ s website says the company “ answered the government ’ s call ” and went to Xinjiang to recruit minorities .
The Uighurs need training , OFILM says , to pull them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve.
” Mandarin is heavily emphasized , the site says , as well as lessons in history and “ ethnic unity ” to “ comprehensively improve their overall quality.
” The site features pictures of Uighurs playing basketball on factory grounds , dancing in a canteen and vying in a Mandarin speech competition .
In August , when OFILM organized celebrations for Eid Qurban , a major Islamic festival , Uighur employees did not pray at a mosque .
Instead , they dressed in orange uniforms and gathered in a basketball court for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love the Motherland – Thank the Party.
” An OFILM post said a “ Uighur beauty ” dazzled with her “ beautiful exotic style.
” State media reports portray the Nanchang factory workers as rural and backwards before the Communist Party trained them , a common perception of the Uighurs among the Han Chinese .
“ The workers ’ concept of time was hazy , they would sleep in till whenever they wanted , ” a Party official is quoted as saying in one .
Now , he said , their “ concept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In the reports and OFILM posts , the Uighurs are portrayed as grateful to the Communist Party for sending them to inner China .
Despite the wan expressions of three OFILM workers from Lop County , a December 2017 report said they gave an “ enthusiastic ” presentation about how they lived in clean new dormitories “ much better than home ” and were visited by Communist Party cadres .
“ We were overjoyed that leaders from the Lop County government still come to see us on holidays , ” one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quoted as saying .
“ Many of us were moved to tears.
” THEY TOOK MY CHILD TO INNER CHINA Minorities fleeing China describe a far grimmer situation .
H. , a wealthy jade merchant from Lop County , where OFILM now gets Uighur workers , began noticing the labour transfer program in 2014 .
That ’ s when state propaganda blaring through television and loudspeakers urged young Uighurs to work in inner China .
Officials hustled families to a labour transfer office where they were forced to sign contracts , under threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H. , identified only by the initial of his last name out of fear of retribution , was worried .
The government was not only reviving the labour program but also clamping down on religion .
Acquaintances vanished : Devout Muslims and language teachers , men with beards , women with headscarves .
Toward the end of 2015 , when H. greeted his 72-year-old neighbour on the street , the man burst into tears .
“ They took my child to inner China to work , ” he said .
Months later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zharqynbek Otan , a Chinese-born ethnic Kazakh , said that after he was released from an internment camp in 2018 , neighbours in his home village also told him their sons and daughters were forced to sign contracts for 6 months to five years to work at factories near Shanghai .
If they ran from the factories , they were warned , they ’ d be taken straight back to internment camps .
Nurlan Kokteubai , an ethnic Kazakh , said during his time in an internment camp , a cadre told him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work in inner Chinese factories in need of labour .
“ He told us that those young people would acquire vocational skills , ” Kokteubai said .
Not all workers are subject to the restrictions at OFILM .
One ethnic Kazakh said her brother made power banks in central China for $ 571.36 a month and didn ’ t take classes .
But another said two of his cousins were forced to go and work in cold , harsh conditions .
They were promised $ 428.52 a month but paid only $ 42.85 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four Uighurs who complained were detained in camps after returning to Xinjiang , scaring others .
Uighurs and Kazakhs in exile say it ’ s likely those working in inner China are still better off than those in camps or factories in Xinjiang , and that in the past , some had gone voluntarily to earn money .
A former worker at Jiangxi Lianchuang Electronics , a lens maker in Nanchang , told The Associated Press the 300 or so Uighurs there were free to enter or leave their compound , although most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He and a current worker said they were happy with their working conditions , their salary of about 5,000 RMB ( $ 714.20 ) a month , and their teachers and Mandarin classes in the evenings .
But when presented a list of questions in Uighur about the labour transfers , the former Jiangxi Lianchuang worker started to look very nervous .
He asked for the list , then set it on fire with a lighter and dropped it in an ashtray .
“ If the Communist Party hears this , then ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mimicking a suspect being handcuffed .
“ It ’ s very bad .
”

Dake Kang And Yanan Wang - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Israel demolishes homes of 2 alleged Palestinian attackers

JERUSALEM - The Israeli military on Thursday said its forces demolished the homes of two Palestinians accused of being behind a deadly blast in the West Bank last year .
Israel says Walid Hanatsheh and Yazan Mughamis were part of a cell that carried out the attack in August , which killed 17-year-old Israeli Rina Shnerb and injured her father and brother as they hiked down to a spring in the occupied West Bank .
Hanatsheh and Mughamis , along with other alleged members of the cell , are currently facing trial in an Israeli court .
Bulldozers tore down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bir Zeit .
At the second home in the city of Ramallah , soldiers used jackhammers to destroy the interior walls of the apartment .
During the operation early Thursday , the military said dozens of Palestinians burned tires and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli forces .
It said its forces responded with “ riot dispersal means , ” which usually means tear gas and stun grenades .
Israel says demolishing the family homes of alleged militants deters violence .
Critics say the tactic amounts to collective punishment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this report from Ramallah , West Bank .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Dogs, cats can’t pass on coronavirus, but can test positive

HONG KONG - Pet cats and dogs can not pass the new coronavirus on to humans , but they can test positive for low levels of the pathogen if they catch it from their owners .
That ’ s the conclusion of Hong Kong ’ s Agriculture , Fisheries and Conservation Department after a dog in quarantine tested weakly positive for the virus Feb. 27 , Feb. 28 and March 2 , using the canine ’ s nasal and oral cavity samples .
A unidentified spokesman for the department was quoted in a news release as saying .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be a source of infection of COVID-19 or that they become sick.
“ Scientists suspect the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 that causes the disease originated in bats before passing it on to another species , possibly a small wild mammal , that passed it on to humans .
However , experts from the School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong , the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong and the World Organisation for Animal Health ( OIE ) have unanimously agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection and it is “ likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission.
“ The dog , and another also in quarantine which has tested negative for the virus , will be tested again before being released .
The department suggested any pets , including dogs and cats , from households where someone has tested positive for the virus should be put into quarantine .
In general , pet owners should maintain good hygiene , including washing hands before and after handling animals , their food and supplies and no kissing them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with pets and a veterinarian ’ s advice should be sought if changes in a pet ’ s health conditions are detected .
“ Apart from maintaining good hygiene practices , pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets , “ the spokesman said .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Airstrike in northwest Syria kills 15 ahead of Moscow summit

BEIRUT - An airstrike on a rebel-held village in northwestern Syria hit a poultry farm where several displaced families were taking shelter early Thursday , killing at least 15 people including children and wounding several others , opposition activists said .
The activists blamed Russian warplanes for the strike on Maaret Musreen village , which is home to thousands of internally displaced people .
The strike came hours ahead of a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the escalation in Syria ’ s northwestern Idlib province , which comes amid a monthslong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting in Idlib — Syria ’ s last remaining rebel stronghold — has killed hundreds and displaced nearly a million people , many of whom have fled north toward the border with Turkey .
Turkey and Russia are the two main power brokers in Syria and each supports rival sides in the nine-year conflict .
Violence worsened in Idlib in recent weeks , with Turkey sending thousands of troops into the area to support Syrian insurgents holed up there .
But Erdogan hasn ’ t been able to stop Syrian President Bashar Assad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early December .
Syrian and Turkish troops have engaged in deadly battles , leaving at least 58 Turkish soldiers dead since the beginning of February as well as scores of Syrian soldiers .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday ’ s airstrike hit a poultry farm used a settlement for internally displaced Syrians , killing 15 people including women and children .
It said 18 others were wounded .
The opposition ’ s Syrian Civil Defence , also known as the White Helmets , also blamed Russian warplanes for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed , including five women and two children .
Photos of the strike posted by the Civil Defence showed paramedics using a bulldozer to remove a ceiling that had apparently collapsed over people .
The group said it had finished recovering bodies from under the rubble by Thursday morning .
Step news agency , an activist collective , said 16 people were killed including five children and also said that 18 people were wounded .
Such discrepancies on casualty figures are not uncommon in the immediate aftermath of attacks in Syria .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--NASA worker accused in death of Maryland National Guardsman

SPRINGFIELD , Va. - A NASA employee has been charged with murder in the death of a Maryland National Guardsman whose family members say had an ongoing dispute with the suspect .
Michael Hetle , 52 , was arrested Tuesday after the fatal shooting of Specialist Javon Prather , 24 , Fairfax County police said in a news release .
Hetle and Prather were neighbours in Springfield , Virginia , news outlets reported .
The men had argued for years , according to Prather ’ s mother , Shavon Prather .
“ ( Hetle ) would call the HOA ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was dog poop in their backyard , ” Prather told The Washington Post .
“ He would call and complain when they put out trash .
Anything he could do to scold them and to get them in trouble.
” Prather said her daughter-in-law witnessed the shooting .
Fairfax County police didn ’ t give a motive for the fatal shooting .
Hetle was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony .
He was being held without bond .
It was unclear whether he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf .
“ Michael Hetle is a career civil servant who works at NASA Headquarters in Washington in the agency ’ s Enterprise Protection Program , ” NASA said in a statement to news outlets .
Hetle also served as a police officer in Bellevue , Wash. , until 2003 , news outlets reported .
He was involved in two deadly shootings while on duty — one in 2000 and another in 2001 — and was cleared of any wrongdoing in both .
Prather had been an infantryman for the Maryland National Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a tweet .
Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan retweeted the message and sent condolences to Prather ’ s loved ones .
“ We ’ re deeply saddened by the passing of Specialist Javon Prather , ” Hogan wrote .
“ The First Lady and I ask all Marylanders to join us in sending our heartfelt prayers to Javon ’ s family , friends , & to all those who loved him .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--High-speed train derails in eastern France; three injured

PARIS - One of France ’ s vaunted high-speed trains derailed Thursday morning on a trip to Paris , seriously @ @ @ @ @ managed to slam on the emergency brakes and bring the train to a halt , @ @ @ @ @ people were slightly injured — the conductor and one of the 300 passengers , train @ @ @ @ @ train was travelling from Colmar in eastern France to the capital and was racing along @ @ @ @ @ mph ) when it jumped the tracks .
The seriously injured train driver was evacuated @ @ @ @ @ French media they felt a bang before the train , which stayed upright , slowed @ @ @ @ @ will determine whether the train struck an earth bank that collapsed close to the track @ @ @ @ @ Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Global shares rise after surge in US on stimulus measures

TOKYO - Shares in Europe and Asia advanced Thursday , tracking an overnight surge on Wall Street as governments and central banks take more aggressive measures to fight the virus outbreak and its effects on the economy .
Benchmarks rose in almost every market , though U.S. futures pointed to a weak open .
France ’ s CAC 40 added 0.5 % in early trading to 5,490.52 , while Germany ’ s DAX was up nearly 0.6 % to 12,194.33 .
Britain ’ s FTSE 100 inched up 0.2 % to 6,830.92 .
U.S. shares were set to drift lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26,731 .
S & P 500 futures were down 0.9 % at 3,085.70 .
The gains on Wall Street more than recouped big losses from a day earlier as wild , virus-fueled swings around the world ’ s markets extend into a third week .
Health care stocks led gains after former Vice-President Joe Biden solidified his contender status for the Democratic presidential nomination .
Investors see him as more business-friendly than Senator Bernie Sanders .
The rally ’ s momentum accelerated around midday after House and Senate leadership reached a deal on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle the coronavirus outbreak .
The measure ’ s funds would go toward research into a vaccine , improved tests and drugs to treat infected people .
The upward momentum carried into Asian trading , where Japan ’ s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 % to finish at 21,329.12 .
Australia ’ s S & P/ASX 200 added 1.1 % to 6,395.70 .
South Korea ’ s Kospi gained 1.3 % to 2,085.26 .
Hong Kong ’ s Hang Seng added 2.1 % to 26,762.43 , while the Shanghai Composite jumped 2.0 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climbed 0.5 % to 38,593.25 .
Shares were also higher in Taiwan and Southeast Asia .
Shares in Chinese blue chips rose Thursday in Hong Kong , suggesting “ investors ’ confidence was restored by the surge in U.S. markets .
We don ’ t have the panic selling evident last week when the market fell sharply , “ said Francis Lun , a stock analyst in Hong Kong .
“ Despite the spectre of coronavirus lurking over the world ’ s economy , all appears well with the world , judging by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Jeffrey Halley of Oanda said in a commentary .
“ China ’ s rate of new infections has plunged , even as coronavirus makes its presence felt in the far-flung corners of the globe.
” Investors expect other central banks will follow up on the Federal Reserve ’ s surprise move Tuesday of slashing interest rates by half a percentage point in hopes of protecting the economy from the economic fallout of the new coronavirus .
Even though many investors say they know lower interest rates will not halt the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central banks and other authorities do what they can to lessen the damage .
The Bank of England has a meeting on March 26 on interest rates .
The European Central Bank and others have already cut rates below zero , meanwhile , which limits their monetary policy firepower .
But economists say they could make other moves , such as freeing up banks to lend more .
ENERGY : Benchmark crude oil rose 19 cents to $ 46.97 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
It fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a barrel .
Brent crude oil , the international standard , gained 25 cents to $ 51.38 a barrel .
CURRENCIES : The dollar fell to 107.27 Japanese yen from 107.55 yen on Wednesday .
The euro fell to $ 1.1127 from $ 1.1131 .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Russia-Turkey talks a last chance to avert Idlib calamity

ANKARA , Turkey - A summit between the Turkish and Russian leaders on Thursday may be the last chance to work out a deal that avoids further calamity in Syria ’ s northwest .
Faced with mounting losses for his troops in Syria ’ s Idlib province and a potential wave of refugees fleeing the fighting , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is eager for a cease-fire , and Vladimir Putin is ready to bargain .
With a looming new migration crisis at Europe ’ s borders , all eyes will be on Moscow , where the two main power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can hammer out yet another deal carving up northern Syria , tailored to their own agendas .
Whatever deal they can work out , it will likely bring only a temporary halt in the punishing Moscow-backed onslaught by the military of Syrian President Bashar Assad , which threatens continued suffering for the 3 million people trapped in Idlib .
“ The main problem in Idlib is the desire of Assad ... to establish full control of the area and block the border with Turkey , while also having pushed 3 million of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out onto Turkish soil , ” said Vladimir Frolov , an independent Russian foreign affairs analyst .
The fight in Idlib , the last opposition-controlled region of Syria , has already been catastrophic for the population .
Nearly a million people have fled their homes since Dec. 1 , when the latest government offensive began , in the biggest single wave of displacement since Syria ’ s civil war began nine years ago .
With nowhere to go , many have crowded up against the border with Turkey , which already hosts 3.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let new ones in .
It has also brought Turkey , a NATO member , dangerously close to war with Russia .
In the past month , Syrian and Turkish troops have repeatedly clashed on the ground and in the skies , killing scores on both sides .
For Turkey , which sent thousands of troops to Syria in the past few weeks , the intervention has been disastrous : 58 Turkish troops killed in the past month , including 33 in one airstrike last week .
Outraged , Erdogan threw open Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would no longer hold back migrants and refugees wishing to go to Europe .
Some European leaders have accused him of using refugees to blackmail the West into backing Turkey .
Analysts say the move showed Erdogan ’ s desperation , especially after failing to get the desired assistance from NATO , and is likely to backfire as dramatic scenes reminiscent of the 2015 migrant crisis play out at the gates of Europe .
“ The Turkish side was compelled by necessity in the hope that the pressure created as such would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ahmet Kasim Han , professor of International Relations at Istanbul ’ s Altinbas University As his isolation deepens , Erdogan is likely to settle for less than what he aspires to at Thursday ’ s talks .
Asked about his expectations , he told reporters Tuesday that the main topic will be to “ rapidly achieve a cease-fire in the region.
” Moscow , too , appears keen on restoring some kind of status quo in Idlib .
“ We expect to reach a shared view of the cause of the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a set of measures to overcome it , ” Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .
Erdogan and Putin met repeatedly the past few years to co-ordinate their moves in Syria .
In September 2018 , they struck a de-escalation deal on Idlib that averted a Syrian offensive .
The agreement created a security zone free of heavy weapons and monitored by Turkish troops to halt fighting .
But the deal ultimately collapsed .
In October , a deal between the two leaders carved up the zone further east along the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ void after President Donald Trump ’ s abrupt order to withdraw U.S. forces there .
Erdogan ’ s top motivation now is to prevent a new wave of refugees into Turkey .
His main leverage with Putin is Moscow ’ s desire for strong ties with Turkey to counterbalance U.S. influence in the region .
Putin has signalled Russia ’ s willingness to accommodate Turkish security concerns .
Having already secured Moscow ’ s interests and those of his Syrian allies by recapturing key cities and securing the country ’ s gas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appease Erdogan to some extent on Idlib .
After last week ’ s deadly airstrike on Turkish troops , Russia stepped aside to allow Turkish drones and aircraft to pummel the Syrians temporarily , giving Turkey a chance to save face .
But on Monday , Russia stepped back in , helping the Syrians to retake the strategic town of Saraqeb , which sits on the main Damascus-Aleppo highway .
Russian military police quickly moved into the town , in a clear sign to Turkey not to attempt to retake it .
Soner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Near East Policy , said the Moscow talks will likely come up with a deal based on the current situation on the ground , reflecting the major gains made by the Syrian government forces — thought it won ’ t be to the liking of Turkey , which wants Assad ’ s forces to roll back .
“ Assad will take a good chunk of Syria .
Erdogan will end up with a good chunk of the population , ” he said .
Erdogan wants to return to the boundaries of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks .
It will be difficult for Russia to say yes to all of these demands .
To get that , Erdogan would have to convince Putin that he ’ s risking deep damage in ties with Turkey — or even direct conflict .
Numan Kurtulmus , deputy leader of Erdogan ’ s ruling party , summed up the president ’ s thinking in an interview Tuesday with CNN-Turk television .
“ The Russians must see that Turkey and Russia have great investments in this region .
I don ’ t believe they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the sake of a regime that is on the verge of collapse.
” Han said Erdogan is playing an “ escalated game of chicken.
“ “ The fundamental assumption of this brinkmanship is that Russia would not want to enter a conflict with Turkey , ” he said .
Karam reported from Beirut .
Associated Press writers Daria Litvinova and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed .

Suzan Fraser And Zeina Karam - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Ex-Nazi living in U.S. for decades to be deported

MEMPHIS , Tenn. - The U.S. government said Thursday that it is deporting a 94-year-old German ex-Nazi who has been in the United States for decades .
An immigration judge ordered Friedrich Karl Berger ’ s deportation on Feb. 28 after a two-day trial in Memphis , authorities said .
Berger has been living in Tennessee , and it ’ s unclear when he will be removed .
The government says Berger was an armed guard at a concentration camp near Meppen , Germany , in 1945 .
The immigration judge found that the prisoners Berger guarded were held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labour .
Berger also was accused of guarding prisoners during a forced evacuation to a main camp that took two weeks and left 70 prisoners dead as they travelled in inhumane conditions , according to two government news releases .
Berger acknowledged that he never requested a transfer from the concentration camp guard service and that he still gets a pension from Germany .
He has been living in the U.S. since 1959 .
The U.S. Department of Justice ’ s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions unit launched an investigation into Berger in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center also investigated .
In August 2018 , American authorities deported a 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard who had lived quietly in New York City for decades .
The man died in Germany about five months later .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Judge sharply rebukes Barr’s handling of Mueller report

WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Thursday sharply rebuked Attorney General William Barr ’ s handling of the special counsel ’ s Russia report , saying Barr had made a “ calculated effort “ to spin the investigation ’ s findings in favour of President Donald Trump and had shown a “ lack of candour.
” U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton delivered the criticism in a 23-page ruling in which he said he would review an unredacted version of the Mueller report before deciding what additional information from the document should be publicly disclosed under a Freedom of Information Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released a 448-page redacted version of Mueller ’ s report , which examined ties between Russia and the 2016 presidential campaign and potential obstruction of justice by the president .
BuzzFeed News and the Electronic Privacy Information Center later sued for access to the entire document .
In his ruling , Walton said he needed to review the document itself because he could not trust that the Justice Department ’ s redactions of the report were made properly and in good faith .
Walton said it would be “ disingenuous “ to presume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney General Barr ’ s actions and representations ” throughout the process .
The actions cited by the judge include the release last March of a four-page summary of Mueller ’ s findings .
Mueller complained that Barr had not adequately captured the seriousness of his report ’ s conclusions , and Mueller criticized an April press conference by Barr that preceded the public release of the report .
The judge said he struggled to reconcile Barr ’ s public characterizations of the report — which included his statement that Mueller found “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Russia — with what the document actually said .
Those inconsistencies , Walton wrote , “ cause the Court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Mueller Report in favour of President Trump despite certain findings in the redacted version of the Mueller Report to the contrary.
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Video of black man’s arrest spurs outrage, NYPD probe

NEW YORK - Video showing New York City police officers arresting a young black man sparked outrage and elicited questions about the amount of force used to make the arrest in a city where mistrust of police remains high more than five years after Eric Garner ’ s death from an officer ’ s chokehold .
Fitzroy Gayle , 20 , pleads for help in the video , recorded by a woman who then tweeted it , as several officers wrestle him into submission Wednesday evening on a Brooklyn sidewalk .
When Gayle asked a lone plainclothes officer why he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appear to answer before uniformed backup rushed in .
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said Thursday he was ordering an internal investigation .
“ This was painful to watch , ” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted .
“ We still need to get all the facts about this case and a full investigation is underway , but I don ’ t like what I saw .
It doesn ’ t reflect what we ’ re building in New York City.
” The city ’ s largest police union responded on Twitter , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric “ and accusing him of “ inflaming the situation ” with a rush to judgment .
The man in the video had fled officers who approached him and another man as they were smoking marijuana in a park around 7 p.m. , Shea said .
The officers were responding to an automated alert to gunshots , Shea said .
Both men were later apprehended , but there is no indication they were linked to the gunfire , he said .
Gayle was arrested and charged with resisting arrest , obstructing governmental administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whom police have not identified , was issued a summons .
The episode is under internal review .
Shea said there were “ some disturbing points “ to the video .
One of the officers could be seen standing on the man ’ s ankle , he said , offering a possible explanation for why Gayle screamed during the scrum .
Photos of Gayle taken after the arrest showed abrasions to his knee but no apparent injuries to his face or upper body , the commissioner said .
“ The end is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A better outcome would have seen officers approaching the men followed by “ discussion and no running “ from police , he said .
” No physical resistance at all .
No arrest needed.
” Gayle ’ s lawyer , Sanford Rubenstein , said the video demonstrates “ that the era of stop and frisk is not over in New York City .
The police officers involved in this brutal assault must be brought to justice.
” Rev .
Kevin McCall , a civil rights activist in Brooklyn , said Gayle ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Gonzalez to open his own investigation into the officers ’ conduct .
McCall also said Shea should suspend the officers .
The arrest came on the heels of renewed spotlight on stop , question and frisk , a policing strategy once championed by former Mayor Mike Bloomberg , who expressed regret for its overuse as he launched his now-suspended campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination .
At its peak , stop and frisk resulted in millions of police stops of mostly black and Hispanic New Yorkers .
A federal judge ruled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city drastically decreased its use the following year .
Data released last month showed such encounters increased by 22 % last year .
NYPD officers conducted 13,459 stop and frisk procedures in 2019 , up from 11,008 in 2018 .
Black people and non-white Hispanic people were 88 % of those stopped and 90 % of those frisked , and 88 % of those against whom force was used , according to an analysis by the New York Civil Liberties Union .
The organization said the data did not indicate a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 66 % of the 2019 stops resulted in neither an arrest nor a summons .
Video clips of Wednesday night ’ s arrest had been viewed or shared millions of times on Twitter and was the latest episode in recent months to spark outrage about perceived overuse of force or unjust arrests by police .
In October , bystander video showed a white police officer punching a black teenager during a brawl on a Brooklyn subway platform , leading hundreds of people to march in protest .
A few weeks later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a group of black trick-or-treaters on Halloween in Brooklyn and detaining three of them for several hours .
In November , officers detained two women for selling churros without a license at subway stations , sparking backlash on social media after a video of one of the encounters went viral .
Last August , the police department fired the officer whose chokehold led to Garner ’ s dying gasps of “ I can ’ t breathe , ” a mantra that gave voice to a national debate over race and police use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Garner , who was black , and the white officer drew outrage and was viewed millions of times .
Aaron Morrison is a member of the AP ’ s Race and Ethnicity team .
Follow him on Twitter at https : //twitter.com/aaronlmorrison .

Aaron Morrison And Michael R. Sisak - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Tourist mecca Las Vegas sees 1st case of coronavirus

LAS VEGAS - Health officials in Las Vegas said Thursday the tourist destination has its first case of coronavirus — a man in his 50s who recently returned from a trip to Washington state .
The patient has been hospitalized in an isolation unit , said Dr. Fermin Leguen , acting chief of the Southern Nevada Health District , which includes the city of 2.6 million residents that draws more than 40 million visitors a year .
He said the diagnosis was made late Wednesday based on lab results after the man sought treatment for respiratory distress .
The case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states including Washington , Oregon , California , Arizona and Utah with cases of the virus that causes the illness called COVID-19 .
Washington state has been hit hardest , with 11 deaths .
Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak urged residents and tourists to remain calm and follow guidance from health officials about ways to stem the spread of the virus .
“ We must all do our part to prepare and prevent – not panic , “ the governor said .
“ Nevada and our local health authorities are taking this situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks in anticipation of a presumptive case.
” Sisolak signed an emergency order prohibiting price-gouging by state-regulated health insurers or the imposition of out-of-pocket costs for insured people who visit a doctor ’ s office , urgent care centre or emergency room to be tested for the virus .
He said he doesn ’ t want medical costs associated with COVID-19 to be a barrier to virus testing and treatment .
“ Additionally , the regulation prohibits insurers from charging Nevadans for the COVID-19 test itself or an immunization as one becomes available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the top public health doctor in Las Vegas , said people seeking testing or treatment should call health providers first and not go directly to hospitals or emergency rooms .
He declined to describe the Nevada man ’ s condition .
He called it “ hard to say ” if his illness was life-threatening .
He also declined to identify the man , the hospital where he is being treated , or specify where he lives in the Las Vegas area .
Investigators are tracing people who had contact with the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including family members and a child of school age .
The patient also made a recent trip to Texas .
“ We have not been in touch with every single person , ” said Kimberly Hertin , a district health investigator .
Leguen called the diagnosis “ presumptive ” but put it at 95 % certain , pending confirmation of tests sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
He said it appeared the man contracted the virus elsewhere , not locally .
Melissa Peek-Bullock , state epidemiologist , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the outbreak .
“ While the first presumptive case of novel coronavirus is concerning , it is important to remember that most Nevada residents are at low risk of contracting COVID-19 at this time , ” she said .
Leguen said about 200 people were being monitored throughout the state .
Coronavirus is part of a family of viruses that can cause a common cold or more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome , or SARS .
COVID-19 first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan , China .
The discovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nevada was not a surprise , said Brian Labus , assistant professor of public health at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , and former senior epidemiologist at the health district .
“ This is a tourist hub .
People bring things here all the time and take things home as well , ” Labus said .
“ It ’ s likely that this virus is pretty much everywhere and it just took time to find it.
” Labus said the discovery of more cases would not be a surprise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ he said .
“ You don ’ t know what ’ s on a surface that someone touched before you did.
” Share prices dropped for MGM Resorts International , Caesars Entertainment , Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands and closed down for the day following the announcement .
Tourism officials with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority , the Nevada Resort Association and several large casino companies declined immediate comment .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Amid opioid, vaping suits, Kansas looks to curb local action

TOPEKA , Kan. - Business groups and Kansas ’ Republican attorney general are pushing for a state law that could prevent cities , counties and local school districts from suing big corporations such as opioid and vaping products manufacturers .
Attorney General Derek Schmidt has worried that a raft of private lawsuits complicates efforts by states to broker broad legal settlements .
An arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce contends that trial attorneys are pushing local officials into a wave a litigation amounting to a “ shakedown.
” The proposal would give Schmidt ’ s office oversight of local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s modeled after a law Texas enacted last year .
The idea was among suggestions made by the U.S. Chamber ’ s Institute of Legal Reform in a report last year , and there are similar proposals in at least a few other states , including Arizona , Florida and Tennessee .
The Kansas measure faces opposition from local officials and the state ’ s Bar Association , and it has riled trial attorneys .
“ It is a big business sponsored bill that is intended to basically give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporations , ” said Jon Kieffer , a Kansas City attorney involved in multiple lawsuits against vaping products maker Juul Labs Inc .
The Kansas measure would require any “ public entity ” to get a waiver from the attorney general ’ s office before hiring outside attorneys under contingency fee contracts , which pay the lawyers from the monetary damages won .
The attorney general would have to determine that such a contract “ would not impede legal interests of the state.
” More than a dozen Kansas counties and cities filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 local school districts represented by Kieffer ’ s firm are pursuing federal lawsuits against Juul .
In both cases , the Kansas communities are part of a broader national wave of lawsuits .
“ It ’ s a shakedown where they amass leverage through more volume , “ said Harold Kim , the Institute for Legal Reform ’ s president .
“ Their strategy is to overwhelm defendants.
” The Kansas House Judiciary Committee has yet to vote on Schmidt ’ s proposal , but the chamber ’ s Republican leaders exempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevented it from being considered further by the GOP-controlled Legislature this year .
They did that last week , the day after Schmidt and the attorneys general of 38 other states announced they are investigating Juul .
The Kansas Chamber of Commerce , the Kansas Farm Bureau and other agribusiness groups argued that Schmidt ’ s measure would make it easier to reach global legal settlements .
Kim said such a law would combat a growing “ revenue grab ” by local governments and attorneys that makes the nation ’ s business climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 2019 report also said payments to private attorneys reduces the funds available to cover actual damages — an argument Schmidt also has made .
Schmidt said with the vaping investigation , the states are aiming for a broad solution , “ not just sort of a whack-a-mole approach , community by community.
” “ What I hope we can avoid is this race-to-the-courthouse approach where a large number of small-scale suits get filed and in order to reach a broad , national settlement , it ’ s necessary to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said in an interview .
Judiciary Committee Chairman Fred Patton , a Topeka Republican and an attorney , said he believes the state is likely to see a bigger recovery in a single lawsuit over , for example , vaping .
“ If it ’ s a statewide concern — I mean , if every school district is suffering and every city ’ s suffering — then it may make some sense to have the attorney general file suit on behalf of everybody , ” he said .
But Kieffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the nation in lawsuits against Juul , said the state doesn ’ t face the same problems or costs from companies ’ misconduct .
For example , he said , schools are wrestling with extra costs that include hiring extra personnel or modifying their buildings to stop vaping .
He said a state isn ’ t likely to face those costs and might not deal with the costs associated long-term health problems for years .
The Kansas Bar Association argued that allowing clients to commit to using part of their monetary damages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has access to the courts .
“ We just come back to the fundamental principle of , when you do wrong , you need to be held accountable , ” said Callie Denton , executive director of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--International balloon fiesta to be focus of new exhibition

ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. - A colorful spectacle often described as one of the world ’ s most photographed events will celebrate its 50th year in 2021 so organizers of the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and officials at the international balloon museum are wasting no time planning for the celebration .
They announced Thursday that they have already amassed $ 400,000 through donations and state and local funds .
They also will be kicking off a campaign to raise significantly more money over the next year to pay for a new permanent exhibition dedicated to telling the story of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballooning capital of the world .
It will feature historical artifacts , virtual experiences , scale models , storytelling and an interactive digital timeline that will trace the fiesta from its humble beginnings in a shopping mall parking lot in 1972 .
Today , the nine-day event in October draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots and has an economic impact of nearly $ 187 million for the Albuquerque area .
Millions more are funneled to the state and local governments through tax revenues that result from related spending and lodging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with history , charting the progression of the earliest flights to record-breaking attempts and other airborne missions to remote parts of the globe .
It also highlights the science , technology and weather forecasting behind ballooning .
It was time , officials said , to put together a permanent exhibit that weaves together the art , history and culture that has been inspired by the yearly gathering .
It will be a daunting — but fun — task for museum officials as they have decades of material to pour over , countless stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marilee Schmit Nason , curator of collections at the balloon museum , brought out some of the programs and pins from past fiestas along with a jacket that then-Gov .
Bruce King wore during the 20th fiesta back in 1991 and the plaque awarded to the pilot who won the first world championship hosted at the fiesta in 1973 .
Among the other prize possessions are two posters that fiesta founder Sid Cutter had printed to advertise the inaugural event .
They feature Warner Bros. characters Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ iconic posters .
They ’ re just incredible , ” said Schmit Nason , who got hooked on ballooning in college after seeing some drift over campus one morning .
She got her first chance to fly in the late ‘ 70s after volunteering to crew for an out-of-town team .
“ I flew in a mass ascension and it was the neatest thing , “ she said .
” When I was in the balloon , I thought this is like being in one of those lava lamps — they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down at another.
” As part of the exhibition effort , officials are asking for community members for five of their favourite family photos from visits to the fiesta over the decades .
They will be used in the digital timeline .
Laurie Magovern , the executive director of the Balloon Museum Foundation , was a year old when her family took her to the fiesta .
She said it has become part of New Mexico ’ s fabric and a destination for the world ’ s ballooning community .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of adults with smiles and dropped jaws , laughing and hugging , “ she said .
” Creating that kind of spirit and energy is every unique .
”

Susan Montoya Bryan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--Arizona House nixes new short term rental rules

PHOENIX - The Arizona House has rejected a proposal that would have allowed cities to add some regulations for short term rental homes like those available through vacation rental sites Airbnb and VRBO .
The House rejected the measure from Republican Rep. John Kavanagh on a 35-25 vote Thursday .
Gov .
Doug Ducey pushed a law in 2016 that forbid cities from regulating vacation rentals .
The bill was prompted by complaints across the state over short-term rental properties turning into party homes .
Kavanagh ’ s proposal would have allowed cities and towns to pass rules in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They include limiting the number of people who could stay in a home , requiring use of on-site parking if available and a ban outside smoking .
Cities could also require installation of sound meters .
He said the proposal is intended to make properties invisible to nearby neighbours so there will be no phone calls to the police Republican Sen. John Allen opposed the proposal and called it “ a direct assault on property rights.
” Support and opposition came from members of both parties .
Airbnb lobbied heavily against the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making their way through the Senate .
One would tax properties at commercial rates and the other adds regulations to companies renting out homes .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-05--The Latest: Dems haven’t requested Secret Service protection

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential election ( all times local ) : The Secret Service says no Democratic presidential candidate has yet requested protection .
The agency said in a statement Thursday that “ recent media reporting characterizing the U.S. Secret Service as unprepared for candidate protection is categorically false.
” It says it is ready to step in once a candidate formally requests protection .
The issue arose after protesters briefly interrupted Joe Biden ’ s Super Tuesday celebratory remarks to supporters in Los Angeles .
Women holding signs reading “ Let Dairy Die ” stormed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night , flanked by his wife and sister .
Biden moved to the side as security removed the women .
A photo of Biden ’ s wife , Jill , pushing one of the protesters away from her husband went viral .
Biden ’ s campaign press secretary , Symone Sanders , ran up onto the stage and helped drag one of the protesters away .
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has cancelled a trip to Mississippi to campaign in Michigan .
The Vermont senator was scheduled to speak Friday at Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum .
But his campaign announced Thursday that Sanders will travel instead to Michigan , where he is scheduled to hold rallies Friday night and Sunday .
Both Michigan and Mississippi hold primaries on Tuesday .
Mississippi ’ s population is over one-third African American , a demographic that has heavily favoured former Vice-President Joe Biden , Sanders ’ rival for the Democratic nomination .
African Americans make up about 15 % of Michigan ’ s population .
Biden is scheduled to campaign in Mississippi on Sunday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders ’ campaign says it ’ s sending senior staff members and surrogates to Mississippi to campaign on his behalf .
Amy Klobuchar is going to Michigan to campaign for her former Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden .
The Minnesota senator dropped out of the 2020 race on the eve of Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden .
Fellow former candidates Pete Buttigieg , Beto O ’ Rourke and Mike Bloomberg soon followed .
Klobuchar will visit with union members in Detroit on Friday before hosting a Women for Biden event in Southfield , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak at a get-out-the-vote event in Grand Rapids .
Biden won 10 of 14 states on Super Tuesday , including delegate-rich Texas .
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders captured four states , including the biggest prize of all , California .
Elizabeth Warren says she will not be running for president in 2020 but guarantees that she will stay in the fight .
Speaking to reporters Thursday outside her home in Cambridge , Massachusetts , Warren said she ’ d likely endorse one of the two major candidates left in the race , Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not today.
” “ I need some space and I need a little time right now , ” she said , standing next to her husband , Bruce Mann , and golden retriever , Bailey .
Warren ’ s voice cracked when she talked about meeting so many little girls while campaigning around the country for the past year and knowing they “ are going to have to wait four more years , ” at least , to see a woman in the White House .
The Massachusetts senator was the Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She suspended her campaign Thursday , two days after a disappointing Super Tuesday that included a third-place finish in her home state .
Warren added : “ I have no regrets at all .
This has been the honour of a lifetime.
” Elizabeth Warren has ended her Democratic presidential bid after a disappointing finish in Super Tuesday states .
That ’ s according to a person familiar with her plans who wasn ’ t authorized to speak about Warren ’ s intentions and talked to The Associated Press on Wednesday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator ’ s campaign had the markers of success : robust poll numbers , impressive fundraising , a national organization .
But she was squeezed out by Bernie Sanders , who had an immovable base of voters she needed to advance .
In the end , she didn ’ t even win her home state — she finished third behind Joe Biden , who won it , and Sanders .
Her exit from the race on Thursday came days after Amy Klobuchar dropped out .
It leaves the Democratic field with just one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gabbard .


thetorontostar--2020-03-05--California aims to avoid ‘Camageddon’ during freeway closure

BURBANK , Calif. - It could be “ Carmageddon II , ” and its coming to a major freeway near Los Angeles on the last weekend of April .
The question , as Southern Californians fire up their traffic apps , is whether this latest freeway shutdown — of busy Interstate 5 — might be subtitled “ The Traffic Strikes Back.
” Or , as transportation officials hope , “ The Motorist Awakens ( And Takes an Alternate Route . )
” The major link connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco is scheduled to be closed for 36 hours in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , a Saturday .
If all goes as planned it will reopen at 3 a.m. April 27 , just ahead of the Monday rush hour .
“ This will be the largest freeway closure in Los Angeles since September 2012 when we closed Interstate 405 in both directions , ” John Bulinski , the state Department of Transportation ’ s local director , said Thursday .
He was referring to the 2012 event that came to be known widely as Carmageddon for fears it would cause traffic chaos .
In the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have gridlocked the entire city that weekend never materialized as people got the word and stayed away .
That ’ s what officials were hoping will happen again when they scheduled a news conference Thursday on a hilltop parking lot overlooking a section of Interstate 5 that , not surprisingly , was jammed with traffic .
“ There is large potential to affect not only traffic in the Burbank area but in the greater Los Angeles area , ” said Capt .
Tai Vong of the California Highway Patrol .
“ So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on the I-5 Freeway in this area during the closure , please just stay away .
” We ’ ve been through this ... with Carmageddon , “ Vong continued , noting how in 2012 the hundreds of thousands of people who normally use Interstate 405 every day just went elsewhere .
“ And the mass traffic chaos everybody predicted never materialized.
” As Interstate 405 was , Interstate 5 is being closed as construction workers tear down a bridge so they can widen the freeway and add a pair of carpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will provide 13 miles of continuous carpool lanes through a notoriously congested roadway that 230,000 vehicles traverse daily .
As they did in 2012 , transit officials will be posting freeway signs 50 miles or more away warning people to exit the 5 before they get to Burbank .
Officials rattled off a number of alternate routes that will get motorists around Burbank or even get them there , although it may take a little longer than usual .
If they don ’ t take the routes , officials say , they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will block all of them , making it difficult to impossible to get to stores , hospitals and even the Hollywood Burbank Airport .
“ We are a little concerned , ” said Jay Desai , one of the managers of Bob ’ s Discount Furniture , which overlooks the section of freeway that will be closed .
The store doesn ’ t plan to close , however , but is getting the word out to customers to take other ways in .
Edgar Sanchez , who washes windows in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away that weekend or plan another way in .
“ It ’ s always best to plan ahead and find solutions rather than problems , ” he said .