thetorontostar--2020-03-18--3 more Biden victories increase pressure on Sanders to quit

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida , Illinois and Arizona , increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign .
The former vice-president ’ s third big night in as many weeks came Tuesday amid tremendous uncertainty as the Democratic contest collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that has shut down large swaths of American life .
Polls were shuttered in Ohio , and although balloting went ahead as scheduled in the three other states , election workers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s quest for his party ’ s nomination now seems well within reach .
His trio of wins doubled his delegate haul over Sanders , giving the former vice-president a nearly insurmountable lead .
Top Democratic leaders and donors have also increasingly lined up behind Biden as the best option to square off against President Donald Trump in November .
Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware , Biden seemed ready to move past the primary .
He paid tribute to the Vermont senator for advancing key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change .
“ Sen .
Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues .
Together they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country , “ Biden said .
“ So let me say , especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders , I hear you .
I know what ’ s at stake .
I know what we have to do.
” With the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands , Sanders hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 3 .
He made no immediate move on Tuesday to contact Biden , according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidates .
During remarks early in the night , Sanders said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak .
Trump , meanwhile , formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination after facing minimal opposition .
But much of the action was on the Democratic side , where higher vote totals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even the coronavirus couldn ’ t contain .
Turnout in Florida ’ s Democratic primary surpassed the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago .
Sanders ’ path to the nomination is quickly narrowing , and some Democrats are now calling on him to drop out in the name of party unity .
Top advisers have said he ’ s considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country .
Still , the race increasingly favours Biden .
He maintained strength on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been the hallmark of his campaign .
He also appeared to chip away at Sanders ’ previous advantage with Hispanics that helped him win Nevada and California early in the race .
In Florida , Latinos made up roughly 20 % of Democratic primary voters , and they largely sided with Biden .
The former vice-president received the support of 62 % of Puerto Rican voters and 57 % of Cubans , according to AP VoteCast , a broad survey of primary voters .
The public health and economic havoc wreaked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential contest unfolds .
Rallies and other big events have been cancelled .
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez urged states with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting , as well as polling station hours — trying to ensure the primary isn ’ t further hampered going forward .
“ The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy , and we must do everything we can to protect and expand that right instead of bringing our democratic process to a halt , ” Perez said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Four states — Louisiana , Georgia , Kentucky and Maryland — have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries , and others may yet do so .
That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29 , when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls .
But island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there , too .
That means there is nowhere for Sanders to gain ground on Biden anytime soon , even if he could find a way to mount a sudden surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top advisers chided party officials for going forward with voting on Tuesday .
“ The Democratic Party rightly berates the GOP for ignoring scientists ’ warnings about climate change , “ David Sirota tweeted .
” The same Dem Party just ignored scientists ’ warnings & pushed to continue in-person elections during a lethal pandemic , rather than delaying until there is vote by mail.
” There were problems across the country on Tuesday .
In Illinois , for instance , there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Allen , a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners , said the board asked Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting , but the governor refused .
Pritzker countered that state law doesn ’ t give him the authority to make the sweeping changes that elections officials wanted .
“ Let me tell you this : It is exactly in times like these when the constitutional boundaries of our democracy should be respected above all else .
And if people want to criticize me for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor said .
There weren ’ t problems , everywhere , though .
Mel Dockens , a 49-year-old small-business owner , voted in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and said it was a tough choice .
But he went for Biden because he thought Sanders ’ progressive views might turn off some Democratic voters .
“ It ’ s all about electability , ” Dockens said .
“ It ’ s not that I don ’ t trust Bernie Sanders , but I trust ( Biden ) a little more.
” Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katie Foody in Chicago , and Seth Borenstein and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game.
” 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 .

Will Weissert And Brian Slodysko - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Greek police use tear gas on migrants at Turkish border

THESSALONIKI , Greece - Clashes broke out overnight on Greece ’ s border with Turkey early Wednesday , after about 500 migrants attempted to break down a border fence and enter Greece .
Greek police said they used tear gas to repel the push to break down the fence south of the Kastanies border crossing .
They said Turkish authorities also fired tear gas at the Greek border .
The clashes began at 2 a.m. and lasted for roughly two hours .
An estimated 2,000 migrants are still camped out on the Greek-Turkish border , weeks after Turkey declared its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refugees living in the country to try crossing into European Union member Greece .
Tens of thousands of people headed to the border despite Greece ’ s insistence that its eastern border , which is also the EU ’ s external border , was shut .
The move came after months of threats by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would open his borders and allow millions of refugees into Europe unless the EU provided more support for refugee care in Turkey .
The EU says it is adhering to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides billions of euros in funds in return for Turkey caring for more than 3.5 million refugees from neighbouring Syria .
The violence on the border came hours after Erdogan held a four-way video conference with the leaders of France , Germany and Britain to discuss the migrants crisis .
A statement from Erdogan ’ s office said the four leaders also discussed ways of resolving the Syria conflict and providing humanitarian aid in Syria ’ s troubled Idlib province .
It didn ’ t immediately provide further details .
Tuesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Merkel , French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was arranged after the European leaders cancelled plans to travel to Istanbul over the coronavirus crisis .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Suspected Jemaah Islamiyah leader on trial in Indonesia

JAKARTA , Indonesia - The suspected leader of Indonesia ’ s al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network went on trial Wednesday on charges of terrorism that could result in a death sentence .
Prosecutors told the East Jakarta District Court that Para Wijayanto became leader of the banned organization in 2009 .
The group was blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people , mostly foreign tourists .
Wijayanto and his wife were arrested last July by counterterrorism police at a hotel in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi , following the arrest of nine people believed to be members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting in Iraq and Syria .
The nine other suspects were tried separately in the same court on Wednesday .
“ The defendant and his friends have been involved in an evil conspiracy to commit terrorist crimes , ” prosecutor Ade Solehudin said .
“ They made preparations , plans and provided assistance for terrorist attacks.
” Solehudin said Wijayanto , a civil engineer who received military training at a jihadi camp in the southern Philippines in 2000 , also was involved in sectarian conflict in Poso , a hotbed of Islamic militancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the indictment , Solehudin said that since 2013 , Wijayanto has recruited and trained members of Jemaah Islamiyah ’ s military wing , sending some to Syria to fight with the al-Qaida-affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra .
He faces a possible death penalty if convicted .
Police said Wijayanto , who has eluded capture since 2003 , was involved in the making of bombs used in a series of attacks including a 2004 bombing at the Australian Embassy that killed nine .
Wijayanto became leader of Jemaah Islamiyah , replacing another militant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sentenced to 15 years in prison , police said .
A court banned Jemaah Islamiyah in 2008 , and the group was weakened by a sustained crackdown on militants by Indonesia ’ s counterterrorism police with U.S. and Australian support .
A new threat has emerged in recent years inspired by Islamic State group attacks abroad .
The country ’ s last major militant attack was in May 2018 , when two families carried out suicide bombings in Indonesia ’ s second-largest city , Surabaya , killing a dozen people including two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one of the attacks .
Police said the father of the girls was the leader of a militant Jemaah Anshorut Daulah cell .
A radical cleric who founded that group , Aman Abdurrahman , was sentenced to death in 2018 for inciting attacks including a 2016 suicide bombing at a Starbucks in Jakarta .
After the charges against Wijayanto were read , the panel of three judges adjourned the trial until April 1 , when the defence will respond .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Global markets sink despite promises of economic aid

BEIJING - Global stock markets sank Wednesday in a third day of wild price swings after President Donald Trump and other world leaders promised aid to get their economies through the coronavirus outbreak .
European markets were down about 5 % after broad losses across Asia , while trading in Wall Street futures was suspended once again as losses hit the maximum 5 % limit .
The White House proposal could approach $ 1 trillion in spending to ward off the pressure of business closures to contain the virus .
The Federal Reserve has announced more measures to keep financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Trump wants to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks to help support them while more parts of the economy come closer to shutting down .
The moves add to efforts from governments around the world that include trillions of dollars worth of loans for businesses , tax deferrals , mortgage relief and grants .
Trump ’ s proposal would include $ 250 billion for small businesses and $ 50 billion for airlines .
That is a good start but investors need to see the number of infections slow before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The number of new cases reported in China , where the virus emerged in December , is declining but infections in the United States , Europe and elsewhere are increasing .
There are “ green shoots of risk appetite emerging , and some further concerning aspects , ” said Chris Weston of Pepperstone Group in a report .
“ I am not going to call a bottom in the risk story by any means.
” The FTSE 100 in London dropped 5.1 % to 5,024 and Frankfurt ’ s DAX skidded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s CAC 40 shed 5.6 % to 3,769 .
On Tuesday , European markets swung from gains to losses and back to gains .
In Asia , the Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.8 % to 2,728.76 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo shed 1.7 % to 16,726.55 .
Hong Kong ’ s Hang Seng skidded 4.2 % to 22,291.82 .
The Kospi in Seoul slumped 4.9 % to 1,693.95 .
Australia ’ s S & P-ASX 200 plunged to 5,320.20 .
On Wall Street , the future for the benchmark S & P @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped trading , which happens automatically when it suffers a loss of at least 5 % .
The future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was likewise halted , last trading down 3.9 % .
On Tuesday , the S & P rose by an unusually wide daily margin of 6 % , regaining just under half the previous day ’ s history-making loss .
The Dow advanced 5.2 % .
For most people , the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough , and those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Severe illness including pneumonia can occur , especially in the elderly and people with existing health problems , and recovery could take six weeks in such cases .
On Monday , the Dow lost nearly 3,000 points after Trump said a recession may be on the way .
The S & P is off 25.3 % from last month ’ s record .
The virus has spread so quickly that its effects haven ’ t shown up in much U.S. economic data yet .
On Tuesday , a report showed retail sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gain .
A separate report a day earlier showed manufacturing in the state of New York contracting .
“ The global recession is here and now , ” S & P Global economists wrote in a report Tuesday .
In energy markets , U.S. benchmark crude lost $ 1.59 to $ 25.36 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
It lost $ 1.75 to $ 26.95 on Tuesday .
Brent crude , the international standard , fell $ 1.06 to $ 27.67 per barrel in London .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 107.67 late Tuesday .
The euro retreated to $ 1.0984 from $ 1.0996 .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Traffic piles up in Europe as virus lockdowns close borders

BERLIN - Desperate travellers in cars and trucks choked European borders on Wednesday , creating traffic jams up to 17 miles long as they sought to get back home before borders slammed shut or deliver critical supplies to help nations cope with calamity of the quickly spreading coronavirus .
Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases , seeking to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans trying to return home .
Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross the immigrant-phobic country in carefully controlled convoys , then Romanians had a turn .
But by early Wednesday on the Austrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backed up for 28 kilometres ( 17 miles ) and cars for 14 kilometres ( nearly 9 miles ) as rules allowing only Hungarians or transport trucks through the country ’ s borders kicked back in .
European Union leaders have been working on how to make sure that food , medical supplies and other essential goods keep flowing but so far borders have been clogged .
Looking ahead , they ’ re also trying to figure out ways to allow seasonal agricultural workers , needed to keep the production of food going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially closed borders .
Nations around the world were facing the same issues , with the U.S. and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries .
In Southeast Asia , the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders , while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island .
President Donald Trump ’ s administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southern border illegally , according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasn ’ t been finalized .
The coronavirus that has infected nearly 200,000 people worldwide , killing 7,900 of them , is now present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection .
In far-flung Hawaii , the governor encouraged travellers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days , while the governor of Nevada — home to Las Vegas — ordered a monthlong closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown , the U.S. , Britain and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totalling hundreds of billions of dollars , while longtime International Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $ 5 billion loan .
Major Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday after early gains after Wall Street jumped on Trump ’ s promise of aid .
In Brussels , Ursula von der Leyen , the European Commission president , said there had been “ a unanimous and united approach ” to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU for 30 days .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders agreed in a conference call to the commission ’ s proposal for an entry ban to the bloc — along with Norway , Switzerland , Iceland and Britain — with “ very , very limited exceptions.
” Germany will implement the decision immediately .
But so far , EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed .
On Wednesday , thousands of trucks remained backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland , after Warsaw ordered strict measures that include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The line of trucks was 60 kilometres ( 37 miles ) long on Tuesday night .
“ The Polish and Lithuanian governments have opened a second crossing , but that did not help much , ” said border police spokesman Rokas Pukinsas .
Elsewhere , droves of Malaysians endured hourslong traffic jams as they sought to get into Singapore before the border closure .
More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore to work and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown .
Malaysia ’ s restricted movement order came after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 673 , making it the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia .
The self-governing island of Taiwan said Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and Taiwanese would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days .
In Thailand , Bangkok ’ s notorious red light districts were due to go dark Wednesday after a government order closing bars , schools , movie theatres and many other venues .
Even tourists on Ecuador ’ s iconic Galapagos islands — 1,000 kilometres ( 620 miles ) off the South American mainland — have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended and they missed the last trip out .
“ I was in tears this morning , ” Lamontaine said .
“ I couldn ’ t get any answers from the airline .
I had no money and didn ’ t know whether I was going to keep my job.
” Galapagos Gov .
Norman Wray said the 2,000 foreigners who remain on the archipelago in the next week may be able to leave on charter or government-approved flights .
So far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mostly in China .
The virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough , for most people , but severe illness is more likely in the elderly and people with existing health problems .
In Italy , the hardest hit nation after China , infections jumped to 27,980 on Tuesday .
With 2,503 deaths , Italy accounts for a third of the global death toll .
Spain , the fourth-most infected country , saw its cases soar by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll that included 17 elderly residents of a Madrid nursing home .
Among them was the 86-year-old diabetic grandmother of Ainhoa Ruiz .
“ We feel totally helpless and devastated because my grandma spent her last week only with her husband and caretakers but no other relatives , ” Ruiz said .
Some bright spots emerged .
Wuhan , the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected late last year and which has been under lockdown for weeks , reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surpassed 100 , and officials urged older Americans and those with health problems to stay home .
They also recommended all gatherings be capped at 10 people .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days .
A shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area , requiring most residents to leave their homes only for food , medicine or exercise for three weeks , is the most sweeping lockdown in the U.S. Janitor Miguel Aguirre , his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a normally bustling street near City Hall .
He showed up to work because he needed the money but his supervisor texted him to leave .
He brought his two daughters because schools had closed .
He already lost his second job at a hotel when tourism conferences were cancelled .
“ If we don ’ t work , we don ’ t eat , ” said Aguirre .
Blake reported from Bangkok .
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis ; Elliot Spagat in San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clendenning in Phoenix ; Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ; Jim Gomez in Manila , Philippines ; Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul , South Korea ; Lorne Cook in Brussels ; Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin ; Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco ; Ed White in Detroit ; Sylvie Corbet in Paris ; Aritz Parra in Madrid ; Adam Geller in New York ; Mike Corder in Amsterdam ; Jill Lawless and Maria Cheng in London ; Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius , Lithuania ; Colleen Barry in Milan ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

David Rising And Chris Blake - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Norwegian musher wins Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - Norwegian musher Thomas Waerner easily won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska , one of the few U.S. sporting events not cancelled by concerns over the new coronavirus .
“ This is awesome , ” he told reporters at the finish line .
“ This is something special.
” It took him 9 days , 10 hours , 37 minutes and 47 seconds to travel nearly 1,000 miles ( 1,609 kilometres ) across Alaska .
Waerner immediately thanked the 10 dogs in harness , petting and rubbing each , ending his with lead dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog got a snack .
Waerner called K2 “ an amazing dog .
He has this inside engine that never stops.
” Bark , he said , is the tough one .
“ He ’ s the one just charging through everything .
It doesn ’ t matter what comes , he will just go through it , storms or whatever .
So they two together are an amazing team.
” Fans didn ’ t employ social distancing as they poured out of bars and hotels to cheer Waerner as he drove the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down Front Street to the finish line under the famed burled arch .
He will earn a minimum of $ 50,000 and a new pickup truck for winning the race .
The actual cash amount will depend on how many mushers finish the race , a factor in how the prize money is divvied out .
The 47-year-old musher won the Iditarod in only his second attempt .
He finished 17th in 2015 , when he was named Rookie of the Year .
Waerner took command of this year ’ s race in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurmountable lead .
The closest musher to Waerner was three-time champion Mitch Seavey , who was about five hours behind .
Wearner becomes the third Norwegian to win the Iditarod .
Joar Leifseth Ulsom won the 2018 race and Robert Sorlie twice won the Iditarod , in 2003 and 2005 .
Wearner , who lives in Torpa , Norway , won the 745-mile ( 1,200-kilometre ) Finnmarkslopet , the longest sled dog race in Europe , in 2019 .
The Iditarod began March 8 just north of Anchorage for 57 mushers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They crossed two mountain ranges and mushed on the frozen Yukon River before reaching the Bering Sea .
Since the race started , 11 mushers have withdrawn from the race .
Fears over the new coronavirus prompted big changes along the trail for race officials .
They asked fans not to fly to Nome for the finish after the city , like many in Alaska , closed public buildings .
In some other villages , which serve as checkpoints along the nearly 1,000-mile ( 1,600-kilometre ) course , official check-in points were moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In one case , the checkpoint was held on the Yukon River .
An animal welfare group took credit for two sponsors with Alaska ties announcing they would drop sponsorship .
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claims more than 150 dogs have died horrible deaths running the Iditarod since it began in 1973 .
The Iditarod disputes that number but has declined to provide its own count despite numerous requests by The Associated Press .
Alaska Airlines announced before the race started it would end its four-decade long financial support , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s corporate giving strategy .
On Monday , Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said its Anchorage Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership would no longer sponsor the race .
PETA pressures race sponsors to drop out , often conducting protests outside corporate headquarters , like it says it did in Seattle at the airline and in Detroit for the automaker .
The Anchorage dealership was one of the Iditarod ’ s top-tier sponsors and has for 30 years provided a large chunk of the winner ’ s prize , a new pickup .
Officials have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s purse , but the cash prizes have shrunk the last few years .
Seavey won $ 71,250 for winning the 2017 race , while 2019 champion Pete Kaiser only received $ 51,299 .
“ This is a money-spending sport , ” Waerner said when accepting a $ 2,500 check from a sponsor Monday for being the first musher to reach the checkpoint in White Mountain , Alaska .
Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Iran reports largest spike in coronavirus as 147 more die

TEHRAN , Iran - Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the new coronavirus on Wednesday , saying that another 147 had died in a nearly 15 % spike that raises the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide .
It marks the biggest 24-hour rise in deaths since officials first acknowledged cases of the virus in Iran in mid-February .
The rise in deaths comes as the number of cases continues to grow each day , with some 17,361 people having been infection nationwide , according to a briefing Wednesday by Iran ’ s deputy health minister , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shadow over the Persian New Year , Nowruz , a normally joyous holiday that begins on Friday .
Health officials have urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places .
But many seem to be ignoring the warnings , raising the risk of further outbreaks .
Some food markets in the capital , Tehran , were still packed on Wednesday , and highways were crowded with traffic as families travelled between cities .
Iran also announced it would close mosques for communal Friday prayers for a third consecutive week .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have also cancelled Friday prayers in mosques .
Raisi criticized people for not adhering to the warnings , saying on national television the virus is very serious .
“ This is not a good situation at all , ” he said as he implored people to stay home .
Iran ’ s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday defended his government ’ s response to the coronavirus outbreak in the face of of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a speech to his Cabinet , Rouhani said the government was “ straightforward “ with the nation , saying it announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on Feb. 19 .
“ We spoke to people in a honest way .
We had no delay , ” he added .
The government has come under heavy criticism for what has been seen as a slow and inadequate response .
For weeks , government officials implored clerics to shut down crowded holy shrines to stymie the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shrines this week .
“ It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites , but we did it .
It was a religious duty to do it , ” Rouhani said .
The new coronavirus has spread to more than 100 countries , infected more than 195,000 people worldwide and killed more than 7,800 .
For most people , it causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
In Israel , meanwhile , the Health Ministry said 90 more people had tested positive , bringing the country ’ s overall number to 427 , a day after authorities issued a new series of guidelines that put Israelis in near-shutdown mode .
Israel has ordered tens of thousands into home quarantine , turned hotels into hospitals and was setting up drive-thru testing centres .
In a nationwide address Tuesday night , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of catastrophic consequences if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is a huge crisis .
We are only at the start of the campaign.
” Most controversially , the Israeli government has instructed the shadowy Shin Bet internal security service to start deploying the agency ’ s phone surveillance technology to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Israel by tracking the moves of the infected .
The step has sparked widespread criticism from lawmakers and civil rights groups .
In Iraq , a week-long curfew went into effect in Baghdad where streets were largely empty of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were closed .
Only pedestrians were allowed on the streets to buy necessary foodstuffs and medicine .
Armed Iraqi police were seen patrolling the city and setting up roadblocks .
Still , some pilgrims in Iraq defied the curfew order to observe the annual Shiite Muslim commemoration of the death of Imam Mousa al-Kazim .
Thousands typically make the journey on foot to the revered imam ’ s shrine in the Khadimiya area outside of Baghdad .
Several men , women and children walked solemnly down Baghdad ’ s Saadoun Street on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shrine .
Police stationed nearby did not intervene to stop them .
Demonstrators in Tahrir Square , the hub of Iraq ’ s anti-government protest movement , issued a collective statement that they were suspending protest activities to help stop the spread of the virus .
Iraq has had 11 deaths among 154 confirmed cases of the virus , which causes the COVID-19 illness .
In Egypt , authorities started to close shops to encourage people to stay at home .
Coffee shops and restaurants were shuttered on Wednesday in Cairo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while plain-clothed security forces urged people to go home .
“ I am financially ruined , how can I earn my living now , ” said Mohammed Gamal , a worker in a coffee shop that was shut down .
Egypt , which has reported nearly 200 cases and six deaths from the virus , has suspended flights , closed schools , is quarantining more than 300 families in a Nile Delta village , and imposed a lockdown in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada .
As global stock markets remain volatile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Commodities Authority announced early Wednesday that local exchanges would only be able to fluctuate 5 % before being shut down .
Meanwhile , the leaders of the world ’ s 20 biggest economies may hold an extraordinary virtual meeting next week about advancing a co-ordinated response to the pandemic .
Saudi Arabia , which currently leads the G20 presidency , said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting of leaders .
In Pakistan , Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi , who this week visited China along with the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is protectively quarantining himself on his physician ’ s advice .
Batrawy reported from Dubai , United Arab Emirates .
Associated Press writers Aron Heller in Jerusalem , Samya Kullab in Baghdad , Munir Ahmed in Islamabad , Pakistan and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report .
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 .

Nasser Karimi And Aya Batrawy - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Coronavirus rocks already strained ties between US and China

WASHINGTON - Badly strained ties between the United States and China are deteriorating further with the two sides hurling harsh accusations and bitter name-calling over responsibility for the spread of the novel coronavirus .
The global pandemic is just one in a series of irritants that has rocked the relationship between Washington and Beijing since the Trump administration began to step up long-simmering confrontations on issues ranging from territory to trade to high-tech telecommunications .
The virus , however , has exposed an even deeper rift , one that widened yet again on Tuesday when China announced the expulsion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move underscored the growing mutual mistrust and hostility between the world ’ s two largest economies .
Since the virus has spread , President Donald Trump and his top aides , including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , have stepped up their criticism of China , noting consistently that the outbreak was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 .
They have referred to the virus as the “ Wuhan virus ” or the “ Chinese virus ” on multiple occasions , disregarding World Health Organization terminology that avoids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone , Trump discussed the Chinese source of virus outbreak during at least two events and denied there was any stigma attached to the label .
Yet , at a State Department news conference , Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the “ Wuhan virus “ and suggested the Chinese are attempting to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response by highlighting its tough measures that have helped contain the outbreak .
Pompeo also suggested that an “ after action ” report would corroborate his claim , indicating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the pandemic is over .
Experts are not unsympathetic to that position .
“ They made some blunderous mistakes in the early six or seven weeks , and then they came down hard with a gargantuan quarantine , “ said J. Stephen Morrison , director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies .
“ And they now control the narrative that this has been hugely successful and they suppress whatever additional dissident thoughts there may be on exactly what ’ s going on , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a meeting with hotel executives at the White House , Trump took pains to make clear that the virus originated in China , asking pointed questions of Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson about where the impact was first felt .
“ And this all started in China ?
That ’ s where you first saw the problem and where you first got hit ?
” Trump asked .
Pompeo has led a worldwide campaign to try to stop countries from allowing the Chinese high-tech giant Huawei to get access to next-generation wireless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chinese investment .
On Tuesday , he spoke of a “ special responsibility ” that China had shirked when it discovered the virus outbreak in Wuhan .
“ We know that the first government to be aware of the Wuhan virus was the Chinese government , ” Pompeo told reporters .
“ That imposes a special responsibility , to raise the flag to say : ‘ We have a problem , this is different and unique and present risks.
’ And it took an awful long time for the world to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting there , residing inside of China.
” Having already been targeted by Trump in a trade war and by Pompeo and others for repression of Muslim and other religious and ethnic minorities in western Xinjiang Province , the Chinese have taken particular offence to the constant repetition , complaining vociferously and suggesting that the U.S. military may have actually introduced the virus to Wuhan .
“ Recently , some American politicians have linked the new coronavirus with China to stigmatize China .
We express strong indignation and opposition to it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We urge the U.S. to immediately correct its mistakes and stop unwarranted accusations against China.
” That , in turn , has prompted angry U.S. protests with the State Department hauling in China ’ s ambassador to the United States to complain and Pompeo calling the top Chinese diplomat to re-register the anger .
“ The disinformation campaign that they are waging is designed to shift responsibility , ” Pompeo said , before quickly adding that “ now is not the time for recriminations.
” Yet recriminations seem to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was putting out information which was false — that our military gave this to them , “ Trump said .
” That was false .
And rather than having an argument I said I have to call it where it came from .
It did come from China .
So I think it ’ s a very accurate term .
But no , I didn ’ t appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them.
” Shortly after Trump ’ s comments , the Chinese foreign ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York Times , Wall Street Journal and Washington Post .
China said the move was a reciprocal response to the Trump administration ’ s designation of five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions and restricting the number of Chinese who could work for them .
China described its steps as “ necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S. “ “ I regret China ’ s decision today to further foreclose the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frankly , would be really good , really good for the Chinese people in these incredibly challenging global times .
Where more information , more transparency are what will save lives .
This is unfortunate , “ he said .
” I hope they will reconsider.
” For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
In mainland China , where the virus first exploded , more than 81,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 69,000 have recovered .
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 .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--A cruel paradox: Beating virus means causing US recession

WASHINGTON - No one knows how long it will last or how much it will hurt .
But the U.S. economy is either sliding into a recession for the first time since 2009 or is already in one — a sudden victim of the coronavirus outbreak .
The vast changes deemed necessary to defeat the virus — people and companies no longer engaging with each other — are bringing everyday business to a halt and likely delivering a death blow to the longest economic expansion on record .
The interplay between the outbreak and the steps meant to vanquish it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more painfully that ordinary economic life shuts down , the faster the health crisis can be solved and the faster people and businesses may gain the confidence to return to normal life .
Conversely , a prolonged period of fighting the virus would delay an economic rebound and imperil many small businesses .
Much , too , will depend on how swiftly and aggressively the Federal Reserve , Congress and the Trump administration deliver financial aid to tens of millions of economic victims — from hourly workers with no more income to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay but no customers .
Solving the health crisis by shutting down the economy , though , will have to come first .
“ The more rapidly you want to contain the virus , then the more severe the lockdown has to be and the more severe the disruption to economic activity is , ’ ’ said Gregory Daco , chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics .
“ The hope is , the more severe the lockdown , the sharper the rebound will be.
’ ’ The “ Lockdown Paradox , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term , at least , Daco foresees excruciating economic pain : He expects the American economy to shrink at a staggering 12 % annual rate in the April-June quarter .
That would be the most dismal quarter on record dating back to 1947 .
After a second-half rebound , Daco thinks the economy will post zero growth for 2020 as a whole .
Experts say the economy has sunk with stunning speed .
And the United States is hardly alone : By all estimations , Europe is enduring its own recession , accelerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the United States , waves of layoffs seem inevitable , especially in industries most vulnerable to an economic standstill : Travel , entertainment , hotels , restaurants , retail stores — the heart of the service sector , which makes up most of the U.S. economy .
Unemployment is sure to rise , perhaps sharply , in the months ahead .
“ We are already in recession , ’ ’ said Robin Brooks , chief economist at the Institute of International Finance , an association of financial companies .
Brooks reckons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the broadest gauge of economic output — will fall at a 0.2 % annual rate in the January-March quarter and then by 3.6 % in the April-June period .
Even President Donald Trump , ever celebratory of the economy ’ s performance on his watch , conceded this week that the U.S. “ may be ’ ’ heading toward a downturn .
Statistics that will capture the economic damage from the virus and the efforts to contain it are just beginning to surface .
For now , Brooks fears “ all the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing , the quarantining and the uncertainty aren ’ t in the hard data yet.
’ ’ The early evidence is sobering : The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Monday that manufacturing activity in New York state plunged this month to the lowest level since the Great Recession year of 2009 .
On Tuesday , hotel executives , whose bookings have swiftly dried up , took their worries to the White House .
“ I personally lived through many crises , starting with the S & L , the 9-11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Hilton ’ s CEO , Christopher Nassetta .
“ I ’ ve been doing this for 35 years .
Never seen anything like it.
” Chip Rogers , president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association , noted that hotels last year were , on average , roughly 67 % full .
“ We ’ re probably under 20 % nationwide and headed south , “ he said .
” If , by the end of the year , we get up to 35 % and nothing else happens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost.
” The speed with which the virus broke out of China and traversed the globe caught forecasters off guard .
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Sunday that the Fed won ’ t even bother to issue its usual quarterly economic forecasts this week .
Its economic view , after all , depends on how the virus outbreak evolves , “ and that ’ s just not something that ’ s knowable , ” Powell acknowledged to reporters .
“ So actually writing down a forecast in that circumstance didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , economists had expected more or less a repeat of what had happened when SARS hit China and Southeast Asia in 2003 : Short-lived damage , largely isolated to China and Hong Kong , that left the United States relatively unscathed .
China does pack four times more weight in the global economy than it did 17 years ago .
And it ’ s far more tightly integrated into the world economy .
Still , the main problem for the U.S. economy this time , it was thought , would be disrupted supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhones , Easter eggs and beachwear , for example , among others , would be delayed .
Yet the rapid spread of the virus and the disease it causes , COVID-19 , heightened the economic threat to the United States .
Suddenly , the outbreak was everywhere .
In response , the economy started shutting down as Americans sought to isolate themselves to avoid contagion .
Airlines cancelled flights .
The NBA and NHL called off their seasons .
There would be no March Madness .
Fast-food restaurants closed their dining rooms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Workers stayed away from offices and hunkered down at home instead of spending money at bars , restaurants , stores , movie theatres .
Compounding the threat , oil prices started to tumble in the face of weakening global growth .
That was especially so after Russia and Saudi Arabia staggered into an oil war , refusing to co-operate on production cuts to stabilize the oil market .
Plummeting prices , though welcome to motorists , threatened to discourage investment by U.S. energy companies that contributes to economic growth .
Trouble in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on deeply indebted oil and gas exploration and drilling companies .
This trend intensified fears over the health of the corporate bond market where companies go to borrow .
As the economic outlook darkened , financial markets began to crumble — brought down , too , by the U.S. government ’ s fumbling initial response to the crisis .
Despite a strong rebound Tuesday , the Dow Jones Industrial Average remains down more than 8,300 points , or 28 % , since Feb. 12 .
Tumbling markets are more than a symptom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , too .
Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody ’ s Analytics , calculates that every $ 1 of wealth lost to falling stock prices reduces by nearly a nickel spending by consumers , who drive about 70 % of U.S. economic activity .
After a slow start , U.S. policymakers are moving aggressively to limit the damage .
The Fed on Sunday slashed its benchmark rate to nearly zero and said it would buy $ 700 billion in bonds to try to ease credit market disruptions and keep long-term rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would take steps to ease the flow of the short-term credit that businesses use for payrolls and other everyday costs .
In a recognition of the gravity of the threat , the Trump administration is backing a roughly $ 850 billion emergency stimulus package , which would include sending checks directly to American households to help tide them over during the disruption .
Will it all work ?
Zandi at Moody ’ s Analytics said the economy ’ s return to health depends not just on what happens to the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the mindset of ordinary consumers and business owners whose lives have been upended by the health crisis .
“ How long it takes for businesses to feel confident enough to allow their employees to get back to work and travel and for tourists to get back on planes and cruise ships ... whether the collective psyche holds together , ’ ’ he says .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Olympic torch relay began in 1936 at Hitler’s Berlin Games

TOKYO - The torch relay was not always a fixture of the modern Olympics , which began in 1896 .
The relay tradition started at Adolph Hitler ’ s 1936 Berlin Olympics — the Games of the XI Olympiad — and was the brainchild of Carl Diem , who was the head of the organizing committee .
The Tokyo Olympic relay is scheduled to begin its Japan leg on March 26 in northeastern Fukushima prefecture .
Tony Perrottet , in his 2004 book “ The Naked Olympics ” — published to coincide with the 2004 Athens Olympics — captured the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relay .
“ Ironically , considering its repellent origins , the torch race has come to symbolize international brotherhood today , and remains a centerpiece of our own pomp-filled Olympic opening ceremonies , ” Perrottet wrote .
He added : “ The Nazis knew a good propaganda symbol when they saw one.
” Perrottet recounts how the Olympic flame was run from Greece to Germany over 12 days , ending with the lighting of a “ colossal brazier in the Berlin stadium before the Führer ’ s approving gaze.
” Each of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturer Krupp , Perrottet wrote .
The first person to set off on July 20 , 1936 , was Greek athlete Konstantin Kondylis .
The torch meandered through Greece , Bulgaria , Yugoslavia , Hungary , Austria , Czechoslovakia and Germany with each runner covering a kilometre — or .62 miles .
Perrottet wrote that Hitler admired the images of Greek gods and goddesses and wanted the Olympics to promote his idea of the supremacy , the perfection , of the German nation .
“ Hitler took considerable personal interest in the ritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The Nazi propaganda machine covered the torch relay slavishly , broadcast radio reports from every step of the route , and filled the Games with the iconography of ancient Greek athletics.
” The first Olympic flame appeared at the 1928 Amsterdam Games , and then again in 1932 in Los Angeles .
“ Very little is known about the 1928 and 1932 flames , but they were lit on site and not at Olympia , ” Dr. Bill Mallon , a former president of the International Society of Olympic Historians , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was no relay until 1936 , and it ’ s been continuous since then .
The Olympics were cancelled during World War II ( Tokyo was to hold the 1940 Games ) and resumed in London in 1948 .
There have been modifications along the way .
The flame for the Summer Olympics has always been lit in Ancient Olympia , Greece , but Winter Olympic torches have not always been lit there .
For the 1952 and 1960 Winter Olympics , it was lit in Morgedal , Norway .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lit in Rome .
More recently , for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer , Norway , the torch was lit in Greece and a second torch was lit in Norway .
Having two flame origins did not please the tradition-steeped Greeks .
The relay was “ commercialized ” at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when relay sponsor AT & T sold “ kilometre legs ” of the event to allow people to run with the torch .
Coca-Cola became the sponsor in Barcelona in 1992 .
“ Greece was not happy with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let Los Angeles light their flame in Olympia , ” Mallon wrote .
“ It was enough of a problem that Peter Ueberroth ( chairman of the organizing committee ) and Juan Antonio Samaranch ( IOC president ) actually made contingency plans for the relay in case the Greeks held to their threat .
They eventually backed off and the flame was lit in Ancient Olympia in 1984.
“ The 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay ran into trouble as well .
The Chinese relay , in addition to a domestic route , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the way by anti-China and pro-Tibet protests at half the stops .
Taiwan also boycotted the relay when China wanted to include it on its domestic route — implying Chinese sovereignty over the self-governing island .
China ’ s authoritarian government has viewed Taiwan as a renegade province since the two separated in the 1949 civil war .
Taiwan , which is also known as the Republic of China , governs itself as an independent state .
The chaos at the time led IOC President Jacques Rogge to say the Olympics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the Beijing Olympics ended , the IOC did away with the international portion of the relay .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Amid virus, Congress’ leaders resist call for remote voting

WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders are resisting calls to let lawmakers vote remotely , a dispute pitting the scourge of the coronavirus against two centuries of tradition that underscores Washington ’ s struggle to adapt to recommendations that evolve daily about how to handle the pandemic .
Advocates of the voting change cite the health perils of air travel at a time when health experts want people to avoid crowds .
They argue that as infections spread , it may become all but impossible for many lawmakers to journey to the Capitol because of the growing risk of getting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical presence was the only way to make sure that a person was present and voting , “ No .
2 Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin , D-Ill. , said Tuesday .
“ I think that technology gives us other options and we better exercise them.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , put his foot down firmly against letting senators vote electronically from wherever they might be .
“ We ’ ll not be doing that , “ McConnell told reporters in a Capitol TV studio in which the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of spreading the virus .
He suggested his chamber might extend roll call votes beyond the traditional 15 minutes and allow senators to vote in small groups , rather than all at once .
“ We will deal with the social distancing issue without fundamentally changing Senate rules , ” McConnell said .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , whose hometown of San Francisco is among many Bay Area communities whose residents have been ordered to stay home , has also opposed the idea , according to lawmakers who ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid a confusing jumble of government decrees aimed at halting the coronavirus ’ spread , edicts that often grow stricter by the day and vary by jurisdiction .
Schools and restaurants have been closed in many states but not all , and people are being ordered to stay home for two weeks or more in some communities but not others .
That inconsistency was on clear display Tuesday , the day Senate Republicans and Democrats typically hold separate party lunches .
GOP senators moved their meal to a larger room in a Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major hearings on topics ranging from the sinking of the Titanic to Watergate have been held .
Democrats chose to simply have a lunchtime conference call .
The idea of remote voting , while not new , would present hurdles , such as assuring that the system is secure .
Lawmakers would also have to overcome a reluctance to be seen as shirking their jobs if they ’ re not present for votes .
It would also be a sharp break from history .
Currently members must cast votes during roll calls in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For example , the Senate not only requires that each member “ declare his assent or dissent to the question “ but even forbids any effort to suspend that rule .
Supporters say remote voting would reduce infections that members might incur and spread to their families and coworkers ; help lawmakers understand the coronavirus ’ impact on their communities ; and let them show they are practicing the behaviour the nation ’ s leaders want the public to adopt .
“ There ’ s no reason not to model for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow Americans to do right now , “ said Rep. Katie Porter , D-Calif. Last week , Pelosi rebuffed House Democrats at a closed-door meeting who ’ d suggested letting lawmakers leave the Capitol and vote electronically from their home districts , participants in the session said .
“ We are the captains of the ship .
We are the last to leave , ” Pelosi said , according to a person who described the private meeting on condition of anonymity .
Porter , a freshman , said she encountered resistance from Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week on the House floor .
Porter is circulating a letter calling for a rules change to allow remote voting during the emergency , along with Reps. Eric Swalwell , D-Calif. , and Van Taylor , R-Texas .
“ While Congress is an institution with a proud history , we can not stand on tradition if it puts lives — and our ability to be the voice of our constituents — at risk , ” the letter says .
Porter said Tuesday that when she handed Pelosi a copy of the proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in half.
“ Porter said that as of Tuesday evening , the letter had 45 cosponsors , including at least two Republicans .
“ I respectfully think that the goal is to evacuate the ship , to get everybody off safely , “ Porter said in an interview .
Nationwide , restrictions are tightening as the number of reported infections and deaths mount daily .
While some officials initially advised against events with crowds exceeding 1,000 , that number has gradually dropped .
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested avoiding gatherings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
In the United States , about 6,500 people have been diagnosed and more than 110 have died .
Because ideas about responding to the outbreak change so swiftly , no one is certain whether the opposition Pelosi and McConnell have voiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What seems unrealistic today may not seem so unrealistic tomorrow , “ said Rep. Gerald Connolly , D-Va .
Lawmakers have discussed having fewer committee hearings or holding them remotely .
Many members of Congress have already curtailed face-to-face meetings with visitors , and many of their staffs are already working from home .
Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois , top Republican on the House Administration Committee , said lawmakers have met daily with Congress ’ doctors and other officials to discuss how the House should function during the crisis .
Davis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently cleaning the buttons on the electronic devices members use to record their votes .
But others say even with such steps , it ’ s travel to Washington that ’ s the toughest problem to overcome .
“ The harder part is getting people there , getting folks that have to fly from all over the country , or just getting folks in their 70s , 80s or 90s driving from New York or driving from Florida , “ said Rep. Don Beyer , D-Va .
According to a 2018 report by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average age of the House the previous year was nearly 58 .
It was almost 62 in the Senate , which the study said made that chamber among the oldest in its history .
Associated Press writer Padmananda Rama contributed to this report .
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 .

Alan Fram And Matthew Daly - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Philippines lifts deadline for foreigners to leave north

MANILA , Philippines - The Philippines lifted a deadline for thousands of foreign travellers to leave the northern third of the country , including the capital , after quarantining the region due to an increase in coronavirus infections , officials said Wednesday .
The monthlong quarantine declared by President Rodrigo Duterte requires people to stay mostly at home and restricts land , air and sea travel on Luzon , the main island in the archipelago of more than 100 million people .
The restrictions caused confusion and traffic jams , and the suspension of public transport stranded many health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked foreign travellers , including tourists , to leave Luzon within 72 hours because all flights from the region would eventually be suspended .
An inter-agency group dealing with the health crisis , however , said the deadline had been lifted and foreigners could leave Luzon anytime .
“ We don ’ t want to give them pressure because it ’ ll be more difficult for them , so we opened up , ” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles told a late-evening news conference .
Foreign travellers in Luzon may face limited options for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more businesses decide to close .
Some airlines have cancelled international flights , complicating the problems of outbound travellers .
A medical student from India , Abhishek Mishari , said he and dozens of fellow Indians wanted to go home but could not because of virus-related restrictions in India .
“ We ’ re just stuck here ... we are just afraid of the coronavirus spreading over here , ” he said outside Manila ’ s international airport .
The Philippines has reported 202 cases of the virus that causes COVID-19 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed Tuesday that one of its officials was among those sickened .
Seventeen people have died , the most in Southeast Asia .
While the virus can be deadly , particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems , for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover .
The drastic moves announced by Duterte on Monday night caught many by surprise .
Only one member of a family can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , but many establishments were closed and long lines of people waited in front of supermarkets in metropolitan Manila .
Aside from the containment effort , Duterte declared all of the Philippines in a state of calamity for six months to allow a faster release of emergency funds .
Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila and Kiko Rosario in Bangkok contributed to this report .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Joeal Calupitan And Aaron Favila - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--New Zealand passes landmark law to decriminalize abortion

WELLINGTON , New Zealand - Margaret Sparrow was 21 years old when she drank a concoction to induce an abortion , at a time when the procedure was both illegal and socially unacceptable in New Zealand .
Now age 84 , Sparrow was delighted Wednesday when lawmakers passed a landmark bill that treats the procedure as a health issue rather than a crime .
“ It ’ s been a long time coming , ” said Sparrow , a doctor who has spent her life advocating for the reproductive rights of women .
While views about abortions have generally become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sparrow ’ s experience , the law , while updated in 1977 , had not fully reflected that change .
Until Wednesday ’ s vote , the procedure was still regulated under the Crimes Act , requiring women to prove to a doctor that their pregnancy presented a danger to their physical or mental health before they could get an abortion .
Justice Minister Andrew Little said that requirement forced most women to lie about their mental health and caused unnecessary delays which added health risks .
The new law removes those obstacles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 weeks pregnant to get an abortion and those over 20 weeks to get one with approval from a health practitioner .
Lawmakers voted 68 to 51 in favour of the bill .
Conservative lawmaker Simeon Brown , who opposed it , said an unborn child had a heartbeat and felt pain , and should be considered a person who is treated with dignity and respect .
Jackie Edmond , the chief executive of Family Planning , New Zealand ’ s largest referrer of women to abortion services , said she was thrilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally being trusted to make their own health decisions .
“ It ’ s fantastic Parliament has addressed something that they should have addressed 40 years ago , ” Edmond said .
Sparrow said the law stayed on the books for so long because people found a work-around and lawmakers worried about the political consequences of opening up a debate about it .
That changed when Jacinda Ardern was elected prime minister in 2017 and followed up on a campaign promise to bring the issue to a vote .
Sparrow said it wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of having an abortion that motivated her work over the decades but more recognizing that there was an unfilled need for women .
She began her career helping students get access to contraception and for several years helped send people to Australia to get abortions before the first New Zealand clinic opened .
She said the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade gave people hope for change in New Zealand .
Sparrow , who has received one of New Zealand ’ s top honours for her work , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her work is not done yet .
“ It will be safer for women and better for access , ” she said .
“ The next stage is making sure its implemented .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Best strategies against virus: Track, isolate, communicate

Singapore , a tiny city-state of less than 6 million people , had one of the earliest and biggest clusters of cases of the coronavirus in early February , before it began its rapid , inexorable expansion around the globe .
Within weeks , the country ’ s tally of infections with the highly contagious virus that causes COVID-19 was overtaken by skyrocketing caseloads in South Korea , several European countries and the U.S .
Some strategies are proving more effective than others in containing the pandemic : pro-active efforts to track down and isolate the infected , access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and clear , reassuring messaging from leaders .
East Asia ’ s experience with the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome , which also originated in China , has likewise helped .
Since testing rates vary widely , it ’ s hard to know for sure .
But with the global number of infections approaching 200,000 , Singapore appears to be among the handful of places that tick all those boxes , though recent spikes in new cases show that any lapses can have dire consequences .
Singapore ’ s first case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 66-year-old man from Wuhan , the Chinese city where the disease was first detected in December .
By mid-February , the number of recovered patients in the Southeast Asian city-state was outpacing new ones .
That changed in early March after 47 cases were tracked to a Feb. 15 dinner gathering .
As of Wednesday , Singapore had 266 confirmed cases and no deaths from the virus .
As new infections increased , the government tightened quarantine controls .
Taiwan , a self-governed island off the coast of mainland China , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most recent cases were residents returning from overseas travel .
Hong Kong has reported 167 cases and four deaths .
Its leader , Carrie Lam , on Tuesday warned against all outbound travel and said any people arriving from outside greater China will face 14-day home quarantines or medical surveillance .
Of the 13 cases found in the tiny gambling enclave of Macao , 10 have recovered .
Casinos have been closed for weeks to battle the outbreak .
Cambodia , which has confirmed three dozen cases , last weekend moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , Spain , Germany , Italy and Iran after several new cases were found among travellers .
Thailand , likewise , appears to have kept cases under control with aggressive public health campaigns intended to minimize infections , though new cases jumped recently as stepped-up testing found clusters linked to a boxing tournament and an evening gathering at a bar .
So far , 177 cases have been confirmed among 70 million Thais , even though it ’ s a top destination for travellers , especially from China .
The virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms but can also cause severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people who get it survive .
Assuming the numbers reported to the World Health Organization are accurate , many of the countries with lower caseloads are relatively isolated geographically : Singapore , New Zealand , Nepal , Bhutan , Sri Lanka , Mongolia .
Some others may be latecomers in testing and reporting : Russia , Indonesia , Vietnam .
For Singapore , Taiwan and Hong Kong , the experience of battling the 2003 SARS outbreak , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800 , helped ensure residents took the risks seriously , experts say .
“ Almost everyone played ball and followed accordingly , ” said Leong Hoe Nam , an infectious diseases specialist at Singapore ’ s Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital .
“ SARS was our baptism by fire and we were forced to learn everything by swimming in the deep end of the pool.
” After the SARS outbreak , when 238 people were infected and 33 died in Singapore , the city revamped its already excellent health care system , writing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up “ fever centres ” to isolate suspected cases , invested in equipment and improved training in handling infectious diseases , Leong said .
So when the first case of COVID-19 was discovered , Singapore was ready to act , he said .
From Feb. 1 , Singapore blocked entry and transit for new visitors who had travelled to mainland China within 14 days .
These restrictions have since expanded to include visitors with recent travel to Iran , northern Italy or South Korea .
When the number of local cases without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China surged , the government raised its alert to “ orange , “ the second-highest level , on Feb. 7 .
The Singapore Air Show , a huge event that draws thousands , scaled back the number of participants and barred most exhibitors and visitors from China from attending .
Good hygiene and avoiding handshakes were recommended .
The National Public Health Laboratory , set up after SARS , was prepared to fast-track testing , using advanced diagnostics and newly developed COVID-19 test kits .
Rapid testing and isolation of suspected cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police , surveillance videos and ATM records , have helped prevent a worse local outbreak , said Tikki Pangestu , a visiting professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and former director of WHO ’ s research policy and co-operation department .
Once a COVID-19 case is confirmed , Singapore embarks on “ diligent contract tracing , ” said Pangestu .
It ordered workers arriving from countries with endemic virus infections to stay home .
Worship services were suspended in favour of livestreaming after a cluster was found at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staggered recess .
So far , 5,700 people have been quarantined .
In Thailand , too , public health workers have gone door-to-door to track down contacts , said Thanarak Plipat , deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department of the Health Ministry .
“ We must go see them ourselves .
This is an old public health way .
We do our best , ” he said .
It has mostly worked .
But newly confirmed clusters show one dinner , one boxing match or one religious gathering can undo weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to have done relatively well at slowing the spread , but infections there have jumped to 9,360 .
In South Korea , where more than 270,000 people have been tested , newly discovered cases are dropping sharply , but clusters are still popping up , at a call centre , at a church where worshipers shared a spray bottle of salt water to “ disinfect “ each other .
This week , Malaysia has reported a surge in cases linked to a religious gathering in its capital at the end of February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have confirmed new cases linked to that gathering .
It ’ s unclear if strategies used in an authoritarian society like Singapore can prevail in bigger places where people expect greater personal freedoms .
But as virus controls expand to unprecedented levels in many other countries , the policies are looking prescient .
Singapore is a small island with strong public trust in the government , “ a strong healthcare system , excellent information systems and plenty of money , ” said Pangestu .
“ Many other countries , especially developing ones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong , lauded for adopting a calming , clear approach early on , said in a televised talk last week that the situation was under control but the government was planning ahead , trying to free up hospital beds to be prepared for any surge in cases .
Singaporeans “ feel we are all in this together , “ Lee said , “ and we don ’ t leave anyone behind.
” The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

Ee Ming Toh And Elaine Kurtenbach - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Clean water access for India’s poor spawns virus concerns

NEW DELHI - Dharam Singh Rajput can ’ t afford to buy hand sanitizer , which could help ward off transmission of the coronavirus in his community .
The Rajput family could opt for something more basic — soap and water — to achieve hand hygiene .
But sometimes there is no clean running water in their neighbourhood , which sits next to open sewage canals and mounds of garbage in the heart of New Delhi , India ’ s capital .
“ The kind of water we have access to has the potential to cause more diseases instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to wash our hands , ” Rajput said .
Experts say keeping hands clean is one of the easiest and best ways to prevent transmission of the new coronavirus , in addition to social distancing .
But for India ’ s homeless and urban poor who live in thousands of slums across major cities and towns , maintaining good hygiene can be nearly impossible .
About 160 million — more than the population of Russia — of India ’ s 1.3 billion people don ’ t have access to clean water .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his family at risk during the virus outbreak .
“ It could prove disastrous for people who don ’ t have access to clean water , ” said Samrat Basak , the director of the World Resource Institute ’ s Urban Water Program in India .
With India being the world ’ s second-most populous country , and having weak health care facilities and growing concerns that there may be an undetected communal spread of the virus , the risks associated with the lack of clean water aren ’ t being overstated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % of urban Indians do not have facilities with water and soap at home .
What could make things worse , experts say , is that social distancing is nearly impossible in many Indian cities that are among the world ’ s most densely populated areas .
So far , the government has apparently been able to keep a lid on community transmission of the virus .
Authorities have confirmed 147 cases and three deaths , all linked to foreign travel or direct contact with someone who caught the disease abroad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems , for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover .
India ’ s government has made fervent appeals to the public to practice social distancing and good hand hygiene .
India also was one of the first countries to essentially shut its borders and deny entry to all but a select few foreigners .
But in a country as big as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inevitable , experts say .
“ Clean water is the first line of defence , ” said V.K .
Madhavan , India chief executive at WaterAid , a global advocacy group for water and sanitation .
“ If there is no access to clean water , the situation could worsen.
” Hundreds of thousands of people wait in line every day to fill buckets from government water trucks .
Hospitals and schools struggle with clean water supplies .
People are forced to wash utensils and clothes in dirty water .
About 600 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to government think-tank NITI Aayog .
The water crisis hits the poor particularly hard since wealthy people can pay for water from private sources that those living in slums can ’ t afford .
The mortality rate due to inadequate or unsafe water is also high .
About 200,000 people die each year in India from diseases related to unclean water .
Insufficient water also leads to food insecurity .
“ When clean drinking water runs out , people will have no choice but to rely on unsafe water , ” said Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It could expose India ’ s huge population to extreme vulnerability.
” Government promises to provide clean water to many Indians have so far failed despite efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that have been internationally lauded .
“ Access to clean water is a basic human right , ” said Madhavan .
“ No one should fear losing their life because they couldn ’ t practice the first line of defence , which is hand washing.
” ___ Associated Press videojournalist Shonal Ganguly contributed to this report .
The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Alaska governor creating economic team amid virus response

JUNEAU , Alaska - Gov .
Mike Dunleavy announced Tuesday that a one-time political rival will help lead a new team tasked with looking at ways to aid Alaska ’ s economy amid concerns with the new coronavirus , and the governor ordered all restaurants , bars and other places from serving food closed to dine-in service statewide for the remainder of the month , Former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich , a Democrat whom Dunleavy defeated in the 2018 gubernatorial race , and former Gov .
Sean Parnell , a Republican , will lead the so-called Alaska Economic Stabilization Team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected officials and economic leaders will also be involved .
Meanwhile , the state is suspending visitation at its Pioneer Homes ; a company that provides air service to rural Alaska communities is changing its protocols ; and a cruise line plans to dock an idled ship in Mexico rather than Alaska , as previously planned .
These are among the latest developments related to the new coronavirus .
The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people .
But severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive in Alaska , according to figures released Tuesday evening .
Dunleavy ’ s office said the new team will work with his administration on an economic plan as the state prepares for the impact of the virus .
There are worries about the tourism , fishing and oil sectors , along with the service industry and other businesses .
The state , which has struggled with a longstanding deficit , relies on oil and earnings from the Alaska Permanent Fund to help pay for government .
North Slope oil prices have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and markets of late have been volatile .
Dunleavy spokesman Jeff Turner said Begich and Parnell are two recognized leaders in Alaska .
They represent different ends of the political spectrum , and Dunleavy wanted the effort to be as bipartisan as possible , Turner said .
Dunleavy late Tuesday ordered all restaurants , bars , breweries and other places that serve food be closed for dine-in service from 5 p.m. Wednesday until 5 p.m. April 1 .
Dunleavy ’ s order came nearly 36 hours after Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz first instituted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest city .
Businesses can still offer drive-up or drive-thru services along with delivering food .
Dunleavy also ordered all entertainmnet facilities closed to the public , including theatres , gyms , bowling alleys and bingo halls .
Dunleavy ordered anyone entering Alaska who had visited an area with widespread community spread of the virus , like China or Europe , within the last 14 days must stay home and avoid contact with other family members .
The person must also not go to work or school for a 14-day period after returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget-writing committee has included in a spending measure $ 15 million for public health and emergency programs related to the new coronavirus .
The funding was requested by Dunleavy ’ s administration , which also proposed using $ 8.5 million in cruise ship funds to help communities visited by cruise ships guard against COVID-19 .
The Senate Finance Committee also accepted that request .
Dunleavy ’ s budget office said the $ 15 million could be used for things like temporary housing for individuals under quarantine or who need to be isolated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective equipment ; transportation to housing or for medical assistance ; and personnel .
If the bill passes the full Senate , it would return to the House for consideration .
The Legislature previously approved about $ 4.1 million in state funds and authorized receipt of federal funds to help respond to the virus .
Visitors , including family members , will not be allowed at Alaska ’ s Pioneer Homes for now , according to direct care supervisor Heidi Hamilton .
Plans will be made for residents to maintain contact with loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hamilton , in a letter , said residents can leave the state-supported elder-care facilities , but it ’ s recommended they limit close contact with others and avoid crowds .
Hamilton said residents will be screened for signs of illness and risk of exposure while out .
It ’ s not clear how long the restrictions will remain in place , Hamilton said .
While the decision is heartbreaking , it ’ s also necessary , she said .
“ The risk to the residents ’ health is just too great to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamilton wrote .
RavnAir Group , which provides air service to many rural Alaska communities , said it will begin “ verbal risk screening ” of passengers and employees and implement new cleaning protocols for its aircraft .
The company , in a statement , said it is asking passengers if they ’ ve come from a foreign country or a U.S. state experiencing an outbreak , if they ’ ve been exposed to anyone who has or may have the virus , and if they have symptoms of a serious illness or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessment for symptoms , the company said , adding that it turned away four people Tuesday using the protocol and directed them to medical facilities .
Holland America Line announced it will bring the Westerdam to Puerto Vallarta , Mexico , instead of Juneau , Alaska .
The company , in a statement , said the decision on where to dock the Westerdam was reassessed when it last week announced plans to halt operation of its ships for 30 days amid port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19 .
Holland America planned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks starting around the end of March .
The ship left the Philippines earlier this month with no passengers , and has about 700 crew or contract staff on board who tested negative for the COVID-19 virus in mid-February , the company said .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--At least 13 US journalists facing expulsion from China

BEIJING - At least 13 American journalists stand to be expelled from China in retaliation for a new limit imposed by the Trump administration on visas for Chinese state-owned media operating in the U.S .
The Chinese government announced Wednesday that Americans working at three major U.S. newspapers would have to surrender their press cards within 10 days .
They will all but certainly have to leave the country , as their visas are tied to their media credentials .
The number of affected journalists at the three papers — The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 and could be higher depending on how broadly the group is defined , said the Foreign Correspondents ’ Club of China , or FCCC .
It would be by far the largest expulsion of foreign journalists from China in recent memory .
“ There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the world ’ s two preeminent economic powers , ” the FCCC said in a statement .
The U.S. announced earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists .
It cited increasingly harsh surveillance , harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China .
The Chinese outlets employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the U.S. and include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network , the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV .
The foreign ministry announcement said that American citizens working for the three newspapers with credentials expiring this year must surrender their press cards within 10 days .
They will also be barred from working in the semi-autonomous territories of Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Until this announcement , China had expelled nine foreign journalists since 2013 , the FCCC said .
The dramatic step , which shocked foreign journalists in China , is the latest retaliatory move in a series of disputes between the two governments .
They remain enmeshed in a tariff and trade war despite a recent truce and have traded angry words over the coronavirus pandemic that first emerged in China and has spread worldwide .
Chinese state media published editorials after the foreign ministry announcement blaming the U.S. side .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be limited to the field of media , but will create negative overall effects and new uncertainties to the relationship , ” the ruling Communist Party ’ s People ’ s Daily newspaper said in an editorial .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disputed the comparison between the U.S. and Chinese actions , telling reporters in Washington that they enjoy press freedoms that don ’ t exist in China .
“ The individuals that we identified ... were part of Chinese propaganda outlets , “ he said .
“ We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law .
These aren ’ t apples to apples , and I regret China ’ s decision today to further foreclose the world ’ s ability to conduct free press operations.
” The People ’ s Daily editorial said Chinese reporters in America have “ always adhered to U.S. laws and regulations , journalistic ethics and the principles of objectivity , fairness , truth and accuracy.
” Editors of all three American newspapers condemned the Chinese action .
Dean Baquet , executive editor of The New York Times , said it was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut itself off from some of the world ’ s top news organizations and called on the Chinese and American governments to move quickly to resolve the dispute .
“ The health and safety of people around the world depend on impartial reporting about its two largest economies , both of them now battling a common epidemic , ” he said , referring to the coronavirus pandemic .
Associated Press Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington and Media Writer David Bauder in New York contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-03-18--Watchdog says Israel’s West Bank settlements surged in 2019

JERUSALEM - Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank surged ahead in 2019 , a watchdog group said in a report Tuesday , maintaining a rapid pace that has drawn strength from the friendly policies of the Trump administration .
Peace Now , a monitoring group that opposes the settlements , said that Israel ’ s average annual construction rate has risen 25 % since President Donald Trump took office in 2017 .
Perhaps more significantly , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s government last year approved plans to build thousands of new homes , laying the groundwork for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming years .
That included an explosion in plans for new settlement projects approved early this year .
“ In my opinion , they ’ re trying to take advantage of the window of opportunity that they have under the Trump administration , knowing that it might change in a few months , ” said Hagit Ofran , a researcher for the group .
“ There was no such supportive administration for the settlements previously , ever.
” Most of the world considers the West Bank , captured by Israel in the 1967 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Israeli settlements illegal obstacles to peace .
In a break from his Republican and Democratic predecessors , Trump has taken a much softer line toward the settlements .
Surrounded by a group of advisers with close ties to the settlement movement , Trump ’ s administration declared last year that it did not consider the settlements to be illegal under international law .
Then , in January , he unveiled a Mideast plan that envisions placing large parts of the West Bank , including all of the settlements , under permanent Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international backing , seek all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem , also captured in 1967 , as parts of a future independent state .
With nearly 500,000 settlers now living in the West Bank , and over 220,000 more in east Jerusalem , the Palestinians say the chances of establishing a state in those territories are quickly dwindling .
They have rejected the Trump Mideast plan , saying it would extinguish any remaining hopes of independence .
According to the Peace Now figures , Israel began construction on 1,917 new homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That marked a slight dip from 2,100 construction starts in 2018 .
But overall , Israel has begun construction on an average of 2,267 homes per year since Trump took office , compared to an annual average of 1,807 units during the Obama administration .
The construction was scattered throughout the West Bank , including small settlements deep inside the territory .
That new annual construction could house roughly an addition 9,000 people per year in settlements , based on Peace Now ’ s estimate of four people per a household .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several stages of bureaucratic planning before construction begins .
According to Peace Now , Israel last year advanced plans to build nearly 8,457 new homes , putting them on track to potentially be built in the coming years — up from 5,618 units last year and 6,742 in 2017 .
By comparison , Israel advanced plans for a total 4,611 new homes during the final two years of the Obama administration , when ties with the U.S. were strained .
Peace Now gathers its data from official Israeli sources and by conducting aerial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using different sets of measures , have also reported rapid growth in the settler population during the Trump era .
Oded Revivi , mayor of the settlement of Efrat and the chief foreign envoy of the Yesha settler council , said it was “ no secret ” that the Trump administration has been more tolerant of construction .
Whether the thousands of units in the pipeline are built , he said , will depend on who leads Israel ’ s next government and who wins the U.S. presidential election in November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ players , Netanyahu and Trump , I predict the figures you will see in 2020 , or more accurately 2021 , will actually be higher than 2019 , ” he said .
Netanyahu , fighting for his political life , took a number of pro-settlement steps while campaigning for re-election early this year .
Immediately after Trump unveiled his Mideast plan , Netanyahu vowed to begin annexing the settlements .
When the White House balked , he pushed forward a flurry of new settlement plans as he tried to cater to his hard-line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this year , Israel pushed ahead plans for an additional 7,500 homes — nearly half of them in the sensitive “ E1 ” area , according to Peace Now .
Developing that area , jutting deep into the West Bank east of Jerusalem , would hinder Palestinian hopes of creating a contiguous state .
Israel has previously refrained from building in E1 due to opposition by prior U.S. administrations .
Israel also moved ahead with plans to build over 1,500 units in a contentious area of east Jerusalem .
Despite these steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 2 election ended in deadlock .
Netanyahu ’ s rival , Benny Gantz , is now trying to form the country ’ s next government but also appears to face long odds of success .
If neither man can cobble together a governing coalition , the country could plunge into a fourth consecutive election , placing Netanyahu ’ s future into question as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges .
Trump ’ s future , meanwhile , also is suddenly in question following widespread criticism of the slow U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus could also play a role in the growth of the settlements in the coming months .
An economic slowdown , for instance , could potentially slow demand in the Israeli housing market , including in settlements .
In the West Bank , there are also risks from Israelis and Palestinians — who are covered by two different health systems and governments — coming together .
Revivi ’ s settlement , for example , is next to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem , and residents often come into contact with one other .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , work in the settlements .
“ With all the potential of catching the virus , all these things become a much more relevant issue that needs to be discussed , determined , decided upon and definitely acted upon , ” Revivi said .