thetorontostar--2020-01-15--House leaders march Trump impeachment articles to the Senate

WASHINGTON - In a dramatic procession across the U.S. Capitol , House Democrats carried the formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate late Wednesday , setting the stage for only the third trial to remove a president in American history .
Trump complained anew it was all a “ hoax , ” even as fresh details emerged about his efforts in Ukraine .
The ceremonial pomp and protocol by the lawmakers prosecuting the case against Trump moved the impeachment out of Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s Democratic-run House to the Republican-majority Senate , where the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aiming for swift acquittal .
“ Today we will make history , ’ ’ Pelosi said as she signed the documents , using multiple pens to hand out and mark the moment .
“ This president will be held accountable.
“ Moments later the prosecutors walked solemnly through the stately hall , filing into the Senate back row as the Clerk of the House announced the arrival : “ The House has passed House Resolution 798 , a resolution appointing and authorizing managers of the impeachment trail of Donald John Trump , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transform itself into an impeachment court at noon Thursday .
The Constitution calls for Chief Justice John Roberts to preside at the trial , administering the oath to senators who will serve as jurors and swear to deliver “ impartial justice.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged to have the Senate “ rise above the petty factionalism ” and “ factional fervour and serve the long-term , best interests of our nation.
’ ’ He called it “ a difficult time for our country.
” Technically , the House was simply notifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles , with a more formal presentation Thursday .
Opening arguments are to begin next Tuesday after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday .
Earlier Wednesday , the House voted 228-193 , almost entirely along party lines to deliver the charges .
The split reflected the deeply divided nation at the start of this presidential election year .
It came one month after the House impeached Trump alleging he abused his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden , using military aid to the country as leverage .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensuing probe .
“ This is what an impeachment is about , ?
Pelosi said before the vote .
“ The president violated his oath of office , undermined our national security , jeopardized the integrity of our elections.
” Trump ’ s political campaign dismissed the House effort as “ just a failed attempt to politically damage President Trump leading up to his reelection.
” The top Republican in the House , Kevin McCarthy of California , said Americans will look back on this “ sad saga ” that tried to remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakest case.
” The president ’ s team expects acquittal with a Senate trial lasting no more than two weeks , according to senior administration officials unauthorized to discuss the matter and granted anonymity .
That ’ s far shorter than the last presidential impeachment trail , of Bill Clinton , in 1999 , or the first one , of Andrew Johnson , in 1868 .
As McConnell sets the rules for the trial , Trump has given mixed messages about whether he prefers lengthy or swift proceeding , and senators are under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call more witnesses for testimony .
The seven-member prosecution team was led by the chairmen of the House impeachment proceedings , Reps. Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee and Jerry Nadler of the Judiciary Committee , two of Pelosi ’ s top lieutenants .
“ The president gravely abused the power of his office , ” Nadler said .
“ He did all this for his personal political gain.
” Ahead of Wednesday ’ s session , Schiff released new records from Lev Parnas , an associate of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange with another man about surveilling later-fired Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch .
Schiff said the new evidence should bring more pressure on McConnell , who is reluctant to allow witnesses to testify and prefers swift acquittal .
“ The challenge is to get a fair trial , ” Schiff said in an interview with The Associated Press .
“ It shouldn ’ t be a challenge — if the senators are really going to live up to their oath to be impartial , they ’ ll want a fair trial .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from.
” Trump ’ s trial will be only the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history , and it comes against the backdrop of a politically divided nation in an election year .
The managers are a diverse group with legal , law enforcement and military experience , including Hakeem Jeffries of New York , Sylvia Garcia of Texas , Val Demings of Florida , Jason Crow of Colorado and Zoe Lofgren of California .
Two are freshmen lawmakers — Crow a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Demings is the former police chief of Orlando and Jeffries is a lawyer and member of party leadership .
Lofgren has the rare credential of having worked on the congressional staff investigation of then-President Richard Nixon ’ s impeachment — he resigned before the full House voted on the charges — and then being an elected lawmaker during Bill Clinton ’ s .
For the roll call , all but one Democrat , Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota , voted to transmit the articles .
All Republicans voted against .
One former Republican-turned-independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined Democrats .
McConnell faces competing interests from his party for more witnesses , from centrists who are siding with Democrats on the need to hear testimony and conservatives mounting Trump ’ s defence .
Senate Republicans signalled they would reject the idea of simply voting to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Trump , as Trump himself has suggested .
McConnell agreed he does not have the votes to do that .
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is leading an effort among some Republicans , including Mitt Romney of Utah , Lisa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee to consider Senate witnesses .
She told reporters she was satisfied the rules will allow votes on that .
Romney said he wants to hear from John Bolton , the former national security adviser at the White House , who others have said raised alarms about the alternative foreign policy toward Ukraine being run by Giuliani .
Those four senators could force votes .
Republicans control the chamber , 53-47 , and are all but certain to acquit Trump .
But it takes just 51 votes during the trial to approve rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take only 51 senators to vote to dismiss the charges against Trump .
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and other Republicans want to subpoena Biden and his son , Hunter , who served on the board of a gas company in Ukraine , Burisma , while his father was vice-president .
McConnell prefers to model Trump ’ s trial partly on the process used for Clinton ’ s impeachment trial in 1999 .
It , too , contained motions for dismissal or calling new witnesses .
McConnell is hesitant to call new witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable senators who are up for reelection in 2020 in a bind with tough choices .
At the same time , he wants to give those same senators ample room to show voters they are listening .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller , Alan Fram , Matthew Daly , Andrew Taylor , Mary Clare Jalonick , Laurie Kellman , and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Student fatally shot at Texas high school; suspect arrested

BELLAIRE , Texas - A 19-year-old student was shot to death Tuesday at a Texas high school , and a suspect was arrested hours later , officials said .
Grenita Lathan , interim superintendent of the Houston Independent School District , confirmed the shooting victim at Bellaire High School had died .
She gave no other information and took no questions .
A suspect and another person police said was connected to the case were arrested about 3 1/2 hours after the shooting Tuesday night , according to statements from the school district and Bellaire police .
They said no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including further details about where the shooting occurred in the school complex , whether the suspect was a student or what led to the arrest .
The district announced classes had been cancelled Wednesday , after Latham originally said they were going on as scheduled .
Emergency crews were seen performing CPR as the student was carried on a stretcher to an ambulance outside the school , KPRC-TV reported .
There were conflicting media reports about whether the shooting happened inside or outside the school .
The city , a suburb south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there was a shooting and said the suspect is still at large .
It advised resident to avoid the area around the school or remain in their homes .
Officials gave no update on the suspect ’ s status later at a news conference .
Television footage from the school showed students gathered outside and police cars and an ambulance with their lights blazing .
This story has been corrected to reflect that the student killed was 19 , not 16 , and that the superintendent ’ s last name is Lathan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada
Postal Code


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--California targets highly paid corporate executives

SACRAMENTO , Calif. - California is considering raising taxes on some of the country ’ s largest companies , but the size of the tax increase would depend on how much its highest-paid executive make compared to its employees .
The bigger the gap , the bigger the tax increase .
The bill by Democratic state Sen. Nancy Skinner passed out of its first committee hearing on Wednesday , keeping it alive a head of a Jan. 31 deadline to pass the Senate .
The proposal would only apply to companies that post at least $ 10 million of taxable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That would apply to about 2,000 companies nationwide , including the Walt Disney Co. , headquartered in Burbank .
Heiress Abigail Disney , granddaughter of Roy Disney — the brother of Walt Disney and one of the company ’ s co-founders — supports the bill .
She has no formal role at the company , but she has been advocating for higher wages for the company ’ s workers .
“ At the happiest place on Earth , they are paid so poorly that they rely on food banks , sleep in cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that even a small problem could send them into a death spiral , ” Disney told state lawmakers on Wednesday .
Abigail Disney ’ s comments about the company ’ s workers stem from a visit she made to some Disney Land employees at an offsite union office in Anaheim .
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger received more than $ 65 million in 2018 , according to media reports , a higher-than-usual figure because of a one-time stock award connected to the company ’ s acquisition of 21st Century Fox .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ median pay of a Disney employee , according to a study from Equilar .
In 2018 , shareholders voted to reject Iger ’ s pay package in a non-binding vote .
Last year , the company responded by cutting $ 13.5 million of Iger ’ s future potential earnings .
A spokesman for the Walt Disney Co. said the company committed to a minimum wage of $ 15 an hour , health insurance for a little as $ 6 a week , childcare subsidies and an initial investment of $ 150 million to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
“ The truth is , Disney has made significant investments to provide for the upward mobility of our employees , ” according to a statement from the company .
Many of the state ’ s business groups oppose the law , including the California Business Roundtable , which represents large companies .
President Rob Lapsley said the bill would keep companies from coming the state .
“ I ’ m not here today to defend CEO pay .
What I am here today to do is to defend jobs , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay out of it .
What ( the bill ) is sending is a broader signal that the Legislature is intending to be able to regulate every aspect of free enterprise in this state.
” California would not be the first government in the U.S. to try this , but would be the the largest .
In 2016 , city officials in Portland , Oregon , approved a 10 % tax on publicly traded companies that pay their CEOs 100 to 250 times the average worker .
Some lawmakers signalled they want some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in the Senate .
One question is whether the state should make money off the tax .
Lawmakers could write the bill so it rewards companies that have smaller gaps between their CEO ’ s salary and the average pay of their workers .
As written , state officials estimate the legislation could bring in up to $ 4.1 billion .
Skinner says it ’ s reasonable for the state to make money off the tax because the rising income inequality means more workers are relying on public assistance .
“ California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost for the services that employees then turn to because they don ’ t have a wage that can provide their families needs , ” Skinner said .
Republican state Sen. John Moorlach questioned why the Legislature would seek to meddle with the salaries of big companies when athletic coaches at some of the state ’ s public universities make millions of dollars .
“ Are we going to be looking at our own house , ” Moorlach said .
Skinner said public employees in California “ by and large ... have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them do not face “ the types of problems our low-wage workers are facing.
” Abigail Disney told lawmakers the issue was a problem of corporate culture “ 50 years in the making.
” “ If your entire reputation as a company relies on the idea of its clean floors , you had better be willing to pay your workers enough to do the job well and with dignity , ” Disney said .
“ Because dignity is not a perk .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Tennessee Supreme Court schedules 2 more execution dates

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday scheduled dates to execute two more death row inmates , but justices still haven ’ t ruled on the attorney general ’ s requests to set seven more .
Continuing Tennessee ’ s trend toward capital punishment , the court scheduled Oscar Franklin Smith to be put to death on June 4 and Harold Wayne Nichols to be executed on Aug. 4 .
The state was second only to Texas in the number of executions it carried out in 2019 .
The country as a whole has been moving away from putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of Karen Pulley in Hamilton County .
Smith was convicted of murder in the 1989 triple slayings of his estranged wife Judy Lynn Smith and her two sons from a previous marriage , Chad and Jason Burnett in Nashville .
Tennessee resumed executions in August 2018 , and four of the six prisoners put to death since have chosen the electric chair , a method no other state has used since 2009 .
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery requested all nine execution dates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he sought to reinstate a death sentence for Abu-Ali Abudur ’ Rahman , a black man who was resentenced to life in prison in August after raising claims that racism tainted the jury selection process .
The state Supreme Court has since stayed his execution date of April 2020 .
The next scheduled execution is Feb. 20 , when the state plans to put inmate Nicholas Sutton to death .
Sutton was sentenced to death in 1985 for fatally stabbing fellow inmate Carl Estep after a confrontation over a drug deal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ already serving a life sentence for killing his grandmother when he was 18 .
He had also been convicted of murdering Charles Almon and John Large in North Carolina when he was 18 .
Sutton ’ s clemency request says he has transformed from a killer to someone who saved the lives of prison employees and fellow inmates .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Draft ferry study lays out options for system’s future

JUNEAU , Alaska - A study commissioned by Alaska Gov .
Mike Dunleavy ’ s administration recommends running ferries as day boats where possible and providing long-term contracts to private companies to help fill service gaps .
The draft study by Northern Economics , released by the state transportation department Wednesday , found selling or leasing system assets to private entities is not feasible if minimum service levels are stipulated .
Even without such stipulations , companies could have difficulty breaking even on existing routes , according to the draft .
The draft looked at other options , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s operating subsidy to $ 24 million .
It found a public corporation model could work under that parameter with higher passenger fares , lower crew wages and service changes that would leave some communities without ferries for extended periods .
Northern Economics was asked to analyze options to reduce the state ’ s financial obligations for the ferries , an important transportation link for many coastal communities not connected to the road system .
While Dunleavy proposed a roughly $ 95 million cut for the current-year budget , the Legislature agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million , which deputy transportation commissioner Mary Siroky called a “ huge policy statement ” that changed the way the marine highway system was to work .
Siroky told the Marine Transportation Advisory Board , meeting in Anchorage on Wednesday that the report can help in determining the “ new paradigm ” for the system .
Sen. Jesse Kiehl , a Juneau Democrat , in an interview said the policy decision made by the legislature was to keep the system going .
“ We couldn ’ t get the kind of funding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Rep. Sara Hannan , a Juneau Democrat , said she will argue this session that the cuts were “ devastating beyond what we recognized them to be ” and that additional funding should be restored .
The draft suggests any changes to service levels , schedules or fares be made keeping in mind how that would affect state financial support .
It cites data that indicated increasing the number of sailings in Lynn Canal in southeast Alaska had appeared to increase revenue more than it increased costs .
The draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it difficult to offer 12-hour or 14-hour day-boat service to higher-volume routes and whether any dropped communities could be candidates for service from private operators .
“ With a stable operating environment , private operators may be able to develop profitable services to these , as well as potentially other unserved communities , ” the draft states .
“ Even if these services were partially subsidized by the state , the overall subsidy provided for ferry services could likely be reduced.
” Meadow Bailey , a transportation department spokeswoman , said by email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s financial obligation and liability to the system will require increases in revenues , cost reductions or a combination of the two .
She expects the legislature , administration and advisory group to work together on future decisions .


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Homer man dies in home explosion; fire marshal investigates

HOMER , Alaska - A water heater is the suspected source of an explosion that killed a Homer man Tuesday night , Alaska State Troopers said .
Gary Thomas , 68 , died in the explosion inside a home just outside of Homer .
The state fire marshal is conducting an investigation to confirm the source and determine the cause of the explosion , said trooper spokesman Ken Marsh by email .
A preliminary investigation pointed to the water heater , he said .
Thomas ’ wife had reported him overdue and the Homer Police Department and Thomas ’ friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ phone to a home off East End Road northeast of Homer and a friend spotted Thomas ’ vehicle outside the home .
A Homer police officer entered and found Thomas ’ body .
Police alerted troopers to investigate .
Troopers called in the state fire marshal to determine which appliance was involved and how the explosion occurred .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Texas officer’s shooting, chase ends with suspect dead

FOREST HILL , Texas - The shooting of a North Texas police officer and the theft of her patrol car early Wednesday led to a chase that ended with a crash and the suspect dead .
The events began about 2:30 a.m. outside a convenience store on Interstate 20 in Forest Hill , Texas , a Fort Worth suburb .
Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Ennis says the suspect shot Officer Naquirra Williams in the forearm and stole her patrol car .
Responding officers chased the stolen car for about 10 miles ( 16.09 kilometres ) north on U.S. 287 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the suspect until the car crashed , according to tweets posted by Charley Wilkison , executive director of the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas .
There was more gunfire until the suspect was found dead in the wrecked car from a gunshot wound , Ennis said .
It was not immediately clear who fired the shot .
Williams was hospitalized in stable condition after surgery , said Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus .
The suspect ’ s identity has not been released .
Get more of the Star in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Commission investigating Florida high school massacre sued

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. - Student and civil rights groups are suing the commission investigating the 2018 Florida high school massacre , saying it illegally adjourned a recent meeting before the public could speak and held the meeting at an inaccessible location .
The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Tallahassee against the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission on behalf of March for Our Lives Florida , the Florida Student Power Network , Dream Defenders and individual students .
The SPLC said in the lawsuit that the commission violated state law when it adjourned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its agenda said public comments would be heard .
The lawsuit said the commissioners knew several students and others from the groups planned to comment and , by adjourning early , deprived them of their right to be heard .
Also , the SPLC said the commission violated a state law requiring that meetings be held in accessible locations by holding its October session at a resort 30 miles ( nearly 50 kilometres ) outside Orlando that charges up to $ 32 for parking and can not be reached by public transportation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arena near Fort Lauderdale that doesn ’ t charge participants for parking and is on bus routes .
The commission was formed after the Feb. 14 , 2018 , shooting that left 14 students and three staff members dead .
“ After finding out I would not be able to speak at the meeting , I was infuriated , ” March for Our Lives Florida member Kinsey Akers said in a statement .
The group advocates for tighter gun laws .
“ I could not believe the Commission would go to such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be protecting.
” An attorney for the commission declined comment .
The commission is charged with investigating the massacre ’ s causes and making recommendations to prevent future shootings .
Members include law enforcement leaders , school board members , a legislator and the fathers of two slain students .
The voting members are appointed by the governor and legislative leaders .
The lawsuit complains that none of the current members are minorities and students have never been appointed .
They allege some of its recommendations , such as requiring armed guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to arm trained teachers , have made schools less safe .
Those recommendations were adopted by the Legislature .
“ Evidence shows that more guns lead to more deaths .
We need voices on the Commission who can speak to these issues , ” Akers said .
Barbara Petersen , president emeritus of the First Amendment Foundation and an expert on the state ’ s open meeting laws , said it is unclear whether the commission violated statutes by adjourning early .
Her group is not involved in the lawsuit .
She argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a moral obligation to hear from the public , particularly given why it was formed .
She said members should have adjourned and then come back to hear comments .
“ There is a very high public interest in their decisions , particularly given the horrible , horrific tragedy that happened , ” Petersen said .


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Weinstein lawyers: ‘Circus’ atmosphere, juror tweets unfair

NEW YORK - As if picking a jury for Harvey Weinstein ’ s rape trial wasn ’ t complicated enough , some potential jurors have been posting on social media about their involvement in the case , violating court rules that could land them behind bars , the judge said Wednesday as the selection process stretched into a seventh day .
Meanwhile , Weinstein ’ s lawyers renewed their demand that the trial be moved out of New York City , citing “ flash mob ” protests in the streets whose chants can be heard 15 stories up in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photographers that have turned the case into “ a “ media and entertainment circus.
” The defence , having lost an earlier change of venue request , said the “ carnival-like atmosphere ” surrounding jury selection , coupled with the frenzy over supermodel Gigi Hadid ’ s appearance in the jury pool and prospective jurors ’ social media comments showed Weinstein won ’ t get a fair shake in his hometown .
Burke has been warning prospective jurors not to discuss the trial on social media since jury selection started on Jan. 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s turned last week ’ s postings by people in the running for the jury into a cautionary tale during his introductory remarks as he ’ s welcomed new groups of 120 or so potential jurors into his Manhattan courtroom .
“ The court was alerted recently that a few prospective jurors from last week went on Facebook and Twitter as if I hadn ’ t just said not to , what was it , a hundred times ?
A thousand times ?
Was anything I said ambiguous ?
“ Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batch of prospective jurors not to do the same .
In all , more than 600 potential jurors have been summoned for the high-profile case .
Many were eliminated from contention early on after indicating they couldn ’ t be fair and impartial .
Fewer than 200 will be back for additional questioning beginning Thursday .
Burke said he expects a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates to be seated in time for opening statements and testimony on Jan. 22 .
He told prospective jurors that he expected the trial to finish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Judge James Burke on Monday that she thought she could “ keep an open mind on the facts , “ the defence and prosecutors agreed later that having her on the jury would be too much of a commotion .
Weinstein , 67 , is accused of raping a woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and sexually assaulting another in 2006 .
The former studio boss behind such Oscar winners as “ Pulp Fiction ” and “ Shakespeare in Love ” has said any sexual activity was consensual .
Walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what to expect — and what not to do — the judge said anyone posting about their jury service in the Weinstein case faces being held in contempt of court and consequences including up to 30 days in jail .
He warned them not to speak about the case with anyone .
Weinstein ’ s lawyers raised the social media issue in court papers last week .
They cited postings from several people they said were prospective jurors as they made an unsuccessful push to conduct the remainder of jury selection in private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news media and the public .
One man purportedly in the running for Weinstein ’ s jury tweeted about leveraging “ serving on the jury of a high-profile case ” to promote a novel he wrote .
Another potential juror reacted with a laughing emoji when someone asked if she ’ d been picked , according to Weinstein ’ s lawyers .
The disgraced movie mogul and his lawyers spent the first hour of Wednesday ’ s court session behind closed doors , working with prosecutors to whittle down the pool of prospective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each was asked to fill out .
The survey asked , among other things , if they could ignore media coverage and decide the case based only on evidence heard in court .
They were also asked if they or someone they knew had been a victim of sexual violence .
About 70 of the 120 prospective jurors summoned to court Wednesday were asked to return Thursday , though some could find themselves sent home rather quickly once the lawyers get a chance to read through their questionnaires .
The remainder of Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons , most of them because they indicated they could not be fair and impartial .
Mazdack Rassi , a production studio co-founder whose fashion editor wife appeared on Weinstein-produced “ Project Runway : All Stars , ” was rejected after saying he knew the producer and his family and didn ’ t think he could be impartial .


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--3 African nations reach preliminary deal in Nile dam dispute

WASHINGTON - Officials from Egypt , Ethiopia and Sudan say they have reached a preliminary agreement aimed at clearing the way for the filling and operation of a $ 5 billion dam project on the Nile River .
The foreign ministers and water resources officials of the three countries concluded three days of meetings in Washington Wednesday with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and World Bank President David Malpass .
The project , called the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam , is around 70 % complete and promises to provide much needed electricity for Ethiopia ’ s 70 million people .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reservoir behind the dam could significantly reduce the amount of Nile water available to Egypt .
The discussions this week were aimed at developing the rules and guidelines that would mitigate drought conditions based on the natural flow of the Nile and water release rates from the dam ’ s reservoir .
In a joint statement , officials from the three countries said that they had agreed that the filing of the damn should be done in stages during the rainy season , which generally runs from July to August .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue into September under certain conditions with the goal of achieving the early generation of electricity while providing mitigation measures for Egypt and Sudan in case of severe droughts .
“ The ministers agree that there is a shared responsibility of the three countries in managing drought and prolonged drought , ” the officials said in their joint statement .
The joint statement said these preliminary decisions on the damn ’ s operation will not become final until the countries agree on all points in a final operating agreement .
The countries plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28-29 with the goal of reaching a final agreement on the dam ’ s filing and operation .
“ The ministers recognize the significant regional benefits that can result from concluding an agreement ... with respect to trans-boundary co-operation , regional development and economic integration , ” the joint statement said .
In an address to the United Nations General Assembly last fall , Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said he would never allow Ethiopia to impose a “ de facto situation ” by filing the dam without an agreement on its operation .

Martin Crutsinger - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--No charges for shooter who killed man at Christmas party

LEXINGTON , S.C. - A man who fatally shot another man at a company Christmas party won ’ t face criminal charges because he acted in self-defence , authorities in South Carolina said Wednesday .
Lexington police told news outlets that no charges will be filed against Glenn Wilbur Rowe Jr. , 46 , in the death of Wesley Warren-Camp , 26 .
On Dec. 20 , police were called to Southern Dreams Realty where they found Warren-Camp with a fatal gunshot wound to the chest .
Police said Warren-Camp and his father , William Douglas Camp Jr. , got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rowe tried to break up .
Calvin Lee Brown , 51 , fired several rounds into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd , police said .
When Rowe and his wife attempted to leave , Warren-Camp pulled Rowe out of his car and began assaulting him , police said .
Camp also began attacking Rowe , repeatedly hitting him in the face and body , police said .
Rowe attempted to escape but couldn ’ t .
He then pulled out a gun while Warren-Camp was on top of him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police said .
The 11th Circuit Solicitor ’ s Office determined Rowe “ acted lawfully in self defence in the shooting death , ” and no charges will be filed .
Rowe suffered a broken eye socket along with cuts to the face and head with bruises on his body .
Camp turned himself in Wednesday and was charged with second-degree assault and battery .
Brown also turned himself in Wednesday and was charged with driving under the influence , unlawful use of a firearm and discharging a firearm in town limits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown have an attorney who can comment on their behalf .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Smelly Rio de Janeiro water supply has residents on edge

RIO DE JANEIRO - There ’ s a creeping sense of alarm in Rio de Janeiro after more than a week of foul tasting and smelling tap water in dozens of neighbourhoods .
Rumours are flying , and residents are hoarding bottled water .
People in the metropolitan area have taken to social media to show glasses of water that appears reddish or brownish .
Several supermarkets visited by the Associated Press on Wednesday had run out of bottled water .
There have been rumours — denied by officials — that the state water utility , Cedae , would cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , or that tests have determined the water unfit for consumption .
Mariana Bretas , 29 , received a viral text message saying people must plug their ears with cotton when showering .
“ I don ’ t know if it ’ s true , but we ’ re getting scared , ” Bretas said after buying five litres of water .
Cedae has said the peculiar water is due to geosmin , an organic compound that is innocuous , and that the water meets health ministry requirements .
Even so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activated carbon at the start of treatment to curb geosmin .
At a press conference on Wednesday , Cedae officials reiterated that geosmin was the cause of the smell and taste , and insisted there was “ nothing alarming ” about its levels in the city ’ s water reserves .
The number of cases of diarrhea , gastroenteritis and vomiting in two health clinics of Rio ’ s west zone doubled between Dec. 20 and Jan. 5 over the same period last year , but it ’ s too early to associate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly after holiday season parties , the state health secretariat said in an emailed statement .
Rio Gov .
Wilson Witzel ’ s patience has worn thin ; On Tuesday night he called for analysis of the water ’ s quality as well as of the utility ’ s management .
“ The disorder the population has been suffering due to the problem with water provided by Cedae is inadmissible , ” Witzel said on Twitter .
“ The company must accelerate its ultimate solution to improve water quality and sewage treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumer can not be harmed.
” Maurício Oliveira da Silva , a 51-year-old resident of Complexo de Alemao , a group of slums in Rio ’ s north zone , said colored water had been coming out of the tap for several days until it improved on Wednesday .
Still , he accused the government of lack of interest in some of the state ’ s areas .
“ We feel abandoned , ” da Silva said , adding that poorer folks like himself couldn ’ t afford to buy gallons of bottled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As for the water ’ s colour , Cedae officials on Wednesday attributed it to the piping systems of individual homes , something for which the company can ’ t be held responsible .
“ In my house , I always drink Cedae ’ s water , ” the company ’ s president Helio Cabral assured journalists .
Geosmin is produced by different bacteria , including cyanobacteria , commonly known as blue-green algae .
Its sharp , earthy flavour and pungent smell are more noticeable to some people than others .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journey , a water quality specialist with the United States Geological Survey in Columbia , South Carolina .
“ If it ’ s just a geosmin problem it ’ s not a human health issue at all , ” Journey said .
“ It ’ s usually just an esthetic issue .
It doesn ’ t taste very good.
” However , cyanobacteria also can produce toxins such as microcystin , which forced a shutdown of the drinking water system in Toledo , Ohio , in 2014 , after blue-green algae formed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. agency concluded that utilities detecting geosmin in their water should test for the presence of toxins formed by cyanobacteria , which have no taste or smell , Journey said .
Those toxins can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting , she said .
The level of cyanobacteria in Cedae ’ s most recent testing is below that at which protocol requires additional testing for potentially harmful toxins , but anyway the company has begun carrying out such analysis daily , according to the company ’ s press department .
Waterways contaminated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but such discoloration typically fades as water is treated for drinking , Journey said .
Utilities in the southeastern U.S. , where geosmin is a recurring problem , often use powdered activated carbon filtration systems , she said .
Like a sponge , carbon absorbs the geosmin and removes it from the water .
Cedae ’ s Cabral denied media reports that the head of the water treatment station that provides water to Rio ’ s Baixada Fluminense area had been dismissed , but rather said he ’ d merely changed departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility is one of the largest in the world and receives water from the Paraiba do Sul River , but also several sewage-contaminated streams , which Cedae does an insufficient job of treating , said Joao Paulo Machado Torres , a professor of environmental biophysics at Rio ’ s federal university who has previously studied the city water system .
“ Service is so bad that the situation is unhealthy , ” Torres said .
At one market in Rio that still had supply of water , Natalia Villas Boas , a 65-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 38 litres of bottles .
“ People are saying the water is contaminated and it has a very weird smell , ” said Villas Boas .
“ I don ’ t want to risk getting any infection .
”

David Biller, Diane Jeantet And John Flesher - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Virgin Islands suit alleges decadeslong abuse by Epstein

HAVANA - A lawsuit filed by prosecutors in the Virgin Islands says multimillionaire sex offender Jeffery Epstein used two private islands in the U.S. territory to engage in a nearly two-decade conspiracy to traffic and abuse girls .
At one point , the suit filed Wednesday alleges , Epstein and associates organized a search party to catch a 15-year-old victim trying to swim away , and kept her passport to keep her captive .
The lawsuit seeks to confiscate hundreds of millions of dollars from Epstein ’ s estate in the Virgin Islands , including private islands Little St. James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit values at $ 86 million .
“ The complaint speaks for itself and lays out allegations of a pattern and practice of human trafficking , sexual abuse and forced labour of young women and female children as young as 13 years old , ” Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise N. George told reporters Wednesday .
The lawsuit alleges that even after Epstein ’ s August suicide in federal detention in New York , his associates “ continued to conspire to prevent detection of the Epstein Enterprise ’ s criminal wrongdoing and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are ongoing , ” the lawsuit says .
The trust controlling Epstein ’ s $ 577 million estate is based in the Virgin Islands .
The co-executors of Epstein ’ s estate said Wednesday the estate “ is being administered in accordance with the laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
” They released a statement challenging the lawsuit ’ s claim that Epstein victims must keep their claims confidential in order to participate in a voluntary compensation fund .
“ The suggestion that the program was intended to conceal any information or to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfounded , directly contrary to the details of the proposed program and false.
” From 2001 to 2018 , Epstein and associates flew girls from other countries to the Virgin Islands , then moved them by boat and helicopter to Epstein ’ s property on Little St. James .
Epstein bought the neighbouring island to protect his illegal activity from being seen , the lawsuit claims .
The lawsuit says the girls were between 12 and 17 , although George said the youngest were 13 .
Many were lured with the promise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epstein and his associates kept a computerized list of underage girls in or close to the Virgin Islands , the suit says .
Although he was required to register as a sex offender in the Virgin Islands after pleading guilty in a Florida case , Epstein successfully turned away Virgin Islands officials and U.S .
Marshals from Little St. James , saying its dock was his front door .
He arranged to meet the law enforcement officials at his office on the island of St. Thomas , the lawsuit says .
Along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , the lawsuit describes a victim who was hired to provide massages , then forced to perform sex acts on Little St. James .
She attempted to escape but was caught by a search party and threatened with physical restraint and other harm if she didn ’ t co-operate , the lawsuit says .
“ The conduct of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates shocks the conscience and betrays the deepest principles and laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands , “ George said .
“ The Virgin Islands is not , and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human trafficking or sexual exploitation .
”

Michael Weissenstein - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-15--Donald Trump goes on trial — but what kind of trial will it be?

WASHINGTON DC— “ Today , we will make history , ” House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said , before using what appeared to be more than a dozen different pens to put her signature on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump in an elaborate ceremony in the U.S. Capitol building .
Then , the seven impeachment managers , accompanied by the clerk and sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives , carried the two blue file folders containing the articles through the Old Hall of the House and across the Capitol rotunda , finally physically delivering them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be received , ” Sen. Chuck Grassley , presiding at the time , said .
And with that bit of ceremony , the responsibility for the proceedings against Trump passed to the Senate , which will conduct a trial to determine whether he can remain in office and seek a second term .
It was 5:39 p.m. on Jan. 15 , 2020 , if you ’ re inclined to mark the time for the purposes of history .
Pelosi was clearly in the mood to do so , as she finally let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At a press conference earlier in the day , she cited poets and statesmen from Longfellow to Lincoln who had noted the particulars of time as the signposts of history , placing this presidential discipline in a timeline that included the Civil War and the American Revolution .
“ On Dec. 18th , the House of Representatives impeached the president of the United States , ” she said .
“ An impeachment that will last forever.
” Pelosi named the seven managers appointed by the House to present the case in the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on the House floor in the early afternoon .
They ’ ll be led by committee chairs Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler , who have led the impeachment investigations in the House , and who stood immediately on either side of Pelosi as she spoke .
They will serve , essentially , as the prosecution in the trial , and she said they had been chosen in part for their skill and comfort in a courtroom experience .
What exactly they ’ ll get to do is still up in the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trial ?
Will there be witnesses to question ?
Will new information and evidence not contained in the indictment be sought , or even allowed ?
Sen. Mitch McConnell , who leads the Republican majority that controls the Senate , and therefore the rules of the trial which will be set over the next few days , has long been emphatic that he opposes hearing from witnesses , and would prefer to wave off the charges and clear the president as quickly as possible .
But as of Wednesday morning , four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either like to hear from witnesses such as former National Security adviser John Bolton , or that they are open to it .
If they were to vote with the Democrats , that would be enough to force the issue .
In the meantime , things continue to evolve : in the 24 hours before the procession put the case in McConnell ’ s care , the House Intelligence Committee made new evidence public in the form of texts and documents submitted by an indicted associate of Trump ’ s personal lawyer Rudy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show disturbing — possibly menacing — surveillance of American ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch , before she was fired by Trump .
This is the kind of new revelation Pelosi hinted at as the advantage of having waited weeks since Trump was impeached to deliver the articles to the Senate .
It is now up to senators , she and Nadler said , to pursue these pieces of information in trying the case , or be accused of participating in a coverup Republicans were more dismissive Wednesday .
Trump ’ s press secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , “ The speaker lied when she claimed this was urgent and vital to national security because when the articles passed , she held them for an entire month in an egregious effort to garner political support .
She failed and the naming of these managers does not change a single thing .
President Trump has done nothing wrong.
” McConnell , in a speech on the Senate floor , said the impeachment puts the nation on a “ dangerous road ” where any future president might be impeached simply because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person.
” The next few days , beginning Thursday at noon , are expected to be taken up by procedural elements in the Senate to prepare for the trial , which is expected to formally begin on Tuesday .
The Senate will work on it six days a week until its conclusion .
The White House said Wednesday it hopes the trial would last no longer than two weeks , but many expect it will last as many as five weeks .
That schedule means it will collide with a busy political calendar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Address , scheduled for Feb. 4 , and the Iowa caucuses that kick off the presidential election primary season on Feb. 3 .
Four Democratic senators are running for president and participating in the Iowa caucuses , and will be held away from actively campaigning there by their obligations as jurors .
Trump , who was announcing phase one of a new trade deal with China as the House held its vote , greeted the news with a tweet saying this was “ another con job by the Do Nothing Democrats .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--India asks China to avoid raising Kashmir dispute at U.N.

NEW DELHI - India on Thursday asked China to avoid raising the Kashmir dispute at the United Nations Security Council , insisting it is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan .
The government issued a statement Thursday , a day after China requested a review by the U.N. Security Council of the U.N. observer mission in Kashmir .
`` China should reflect on a global consensus on Kashmir and avoid raising it at the United Nations , “ India ’ s External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar told reporters in New Delhi .
Most countries on the 15-member council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dispute and resolve it between themselves .
But on Wednesday , China ’ s U.N. ambassador warned against further escalation of strife between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region and expressed hope that a Security Council meeting called by Beijing might help both countries seek a solution through dialogue .
Kumar said India has raised the matter with China in the past .
The latest flareup in conflict was sparked by a decision by India ’ s Hindu nationalist-led government to end the semi-autonomous status of Muslim-majority Kashmir on Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with New Delhi sending tens of thousands more troops to the already heavily militarized region , imposing a sweeping curfew , arresting thousands and cutting off virtually all communications .
Authorities have since eased several restrictions , lifting roadblocks and restoring landlines and cellphone services , but Internet service is yet to be restored in the Kashmir valley .
Also Thursday , India ’ s External Affairs Ministry said India will invite Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to attend the 19th council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As per the established practices and procedures within SCO , all eight members of SCO as well as four observer states and other international dialogue partners will be invited ( by India ) , ’ ’ the ministry said .
India and Pakistan both became full members of the SCO in June 2017 .
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia , China , Kyrgyz Republic , Kazakhstan , Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to promote multilateral economic co-operation .
Get more of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--‘You called me a liar,’ Warren told Sanders post-Iowa debate

WASHINGTON - Elizabeth Warren accused Bernie Sanders of calling her a liar before a national television audience during a tense , post-debate exchange in which she refused to shake his outstretched hand , according to audio released Wednesday by CNN .
The Democratic presidential rivals are strong progressives who had steadfastly refused to attack each other for more than a year on the campaign trail .
But that changed Monday , when Warren said that , during a private meeting between the two in 2018 , he disagreed with her that a woman could win the presidency .
Sanders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , and did so again during Tuesday night ’ s presidential debate , which was hosted by CNN and the Des Moines Register and held in Iowa , whose first-in-the-nation caucuses are Feb. 3 .
Warren stood by her account and said it was time to confront the larger issues of sexism in politics .
That exchange lasted only a few minutes .
But after the debate was over , Warren , a Massachusetts senator , approached Sanders , who put out his hand for her to shake .
Instead , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefly in tense tones .
Neither campaign would confirm what was said Tuesday night , but CNN released the audio Wednesday .
As she is refusing his extended hand , Warren repeats , “ I think you called me a liar on national TV.
“ Sanders gently brushes her with his hand , then says , “ Let ’ s not do it right now.
” “ You want to have that discussion ?
” he continues .
“ We ’ ll have that discussion.
“ Warren replies , “ Anytime.
” Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a liar , ” before concluding , “ All right , let ’ s not do it now.
” The exchange was interrupted by fellow candidate and environmentalist Tom Steyer , who said , “ I don ’ t want to get in the middle of it ” and greeted Sanders as the senator walked away .
In Las Vegas on Wednesday , Steyer said his attempt to offer a greeting and thanks to both senators turned awkward .
“ Look , what goes on between those two senators is between them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a private matter , which is why I wouldn ’ t comment on it before .
I honestly think it ’ s between them , “ he said .
Warren ’ s and Sanders ’ aides have for days attempted to de-escalate the feud as some progressives worry that ill will between the cause ’ s two leading voices will ultimately hurt both of them and could benefit more moderate Democratic presidential hopefuls like former Vice-President Joe Biden and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg .
Release of the audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues — at least for now .
Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in Las Vegas contributed to this report .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--German parliament votes against new system for organ donors

BERLIN - German lawmakers on Thursday decided against tackling a shortage of donor organs with a reform that would have made most people potential donors unless they objected .
After a debate that cut across party lines , parliament voted 379-292 against the proposal .
At present , doctors in Germany can transplant organs only from people who actively declare their willingness , for example by carrying a donor card or making a living will .
More than 1,000 people in the country of 83 million die each year while waiting for transplants .
Under a new system proposed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people would automatically have been considered as donors unless they opted out by putting themselves on a register saying they objected — which they could do at any time .
Relatives could also tell officials that the deceased made clear they didn ’ t want to donate .
Spahn argued that 22 out of 28 European Union countries have similar systems in which “ organ donation is not the exception but the rule.
” He has said previously that everything officials have tried so far hasn ’ t led to a rise in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers said that the proposal raised legal and ethical concerns over people ’ s right to determine their own destiny .
It is calling for people to be asked about their intentions when they pick up identity cards , which are obligatory in Germany and have to be renewed every 10 years .
The group said it wants to ensure that organ donation remains “ a conscious and voluntary decision that can not be forced by the state.
” A vote on that proposal was underway .
Get more of the Star in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Iran’s president says ‘no limit’ to nuclear enrichment

TEHRAN , Iran - Iran ’ s president said Thursday that there is “ no limit ” to the country ’ s enrichment of uranium following its decision to abandon its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal in response to the killing of its top general in a U.S. airstrike .
In a speech before the heads of banks , Rouhani said the nuclear program is in a “ better situation ” than it was before the nuclear agreement with world powers .
President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement in May 2018 , in part because it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed groups across the region and its ballistic missile program .
The U.S. has since imposed “ maximum ” sanctions on Iran ’ s economy .
Iran continued to abide by the agreement until last summer , when it began openly breaching some of its limits , saying it would not be bound by the deal if it saw none of its promised economic benefits .
After the Jan. 3 airstrike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani , the architect of Iran ’ s regional military operations , it said it would abandon all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , however , it has only modestly increased its nuclear activity .
In recent months it has boosted its enrichment of uranium to 4.5 % — higher than the 3.67 % limit set by the agreement but far from the 20 % enrichment it was engaged in before the deal .
Uranium must be enriched to 90 % to be used in a nuclear weapon .
Britain , France and Germany have spent months trying to salvage the deal , but have not found a way to continue trading with Iran amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , they triggered a dispute mechanism in the nuclear deal to try to bring Iran back into compliance .
That process could lead to the snapback of international sanctions .
In his speech before the bankers , Rouhani acknowledged that the sanctions had caused economic pain but said such considerations could not be separated from foreign policy and national security .
He also acknowledged the steadily rising tensions with the United States .
“ A single bullet can cause a war , and not shooting a single bullet can lead to peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his administration is seeking greater security .


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--UN body welcomes ‘milestone’ in Qatar labour reforms

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - The U.N. labour organization said Thursday that Qatar has abolished exit visa requirements for virtually all migrant workers , hailing the move as a “ milestone ” in reform efforts ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup .
The International Labor Organization said new legislation allows nearly all migrant workers in Qatar to leave the country without first obtaining permission from their employers .
The exit visas were part of the “ kafala ” system , which critics say restricts workers ’ rights and leads to abuses .
Qatar changed its labour laws in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most private sector workers to obtain exit permits .
The latest legislation expands those rights to domestic workers and those working in the public sector , the oil and gas industry , those employed at sea and those working in agriculture .
The labour organization said the requirement remains in place for members of the armed forces and those in key positions at companies .
“ The ILO warmly welcomes these changes , which will benefit many migrant workers in Qatar , “ said Houtan Homayounpour , the the head of the ILO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of exit permits is an important milestone in the government ’ s labour reform agenda.
” Rights groups have long accused Qatar and other oil-rich Gulf nations , which rely heavily on migrant workers , of labour abuses .
Qatar ’ s hosting of soccer ’ s world tournament in 2022 has shined a light on its practices and appears to have encouraged reforms .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--UN report lays out agonies faced by Syrian children amid war

GENEVA - In Syria ’ s civil war , girls as young as nine have been raped and forced into sexual slavery .
Boys have been tortured , forced into military training and ordered to carry out killings in public .
Children have been targeted by sniper fire and used as bargaining chips to extract ransoms .
Those gruesome facts have been the focus of a new report by U.N.-backed investigators into the Syrian war , which for the first time looks solely on the plight of the children caught up in the conflict .
The group , known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been scrutinizing and chronicling human rights violations since shortly after the conflict broke out in 2011 .
The investigators said in their report released Thursday that the abuse and violence against Syrian children goes well beyond just getting caught in the crossfire of warring sides .
“ After eight years of conflict , children in Syria have experienced unabated violations of their rights : they continue to be killed , maimed , injured and orphaned , bearing the brunt of violence perpetrated by warring parties , ” the report said .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children — the commission stopped counting the victims years ago , citing its inability to verify the figures in a country where they have been blocked from entry .
The report did , however , say that 5 million children have been displaced internally and outside Syria , “ robbed of their childhood ” by violations from all sides .
Extremists from the Islamic State group subjected girls as young as nine to “ sexual slavery “ while boys were recruited to fight in areas run by al-Qaida-linked militant .
Airstrikes have devastated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bashar Assad ’ s government , which bears responsibility for respect of human rights on its territory under international law , ignored such commitments , the report said .
It cited pro-government fighters as “ regularly targeting children using sniper fire ” and deploying cluster munitions , thermobaric bombs and chemical weapons , “ often against civilian objects such as schools and hospitals.
” The report analyzed the period from September 2011 to October 2019 through more than 5,000 interviews with Syrian children , as well as witnesses , survivors , relatives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As with its previous reports , the three-member Commission of Inquiry listed recommendations for the warring sides , Syria ’ s government and the international community .
But there are concerns the report will like many others in Syria ’ s civil war , now in its ninth year , go unheeded and bring about few concrete results .


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--LA-bound flight returns to Newark after flames seen by wing

NEWARK , N.J. - A United Airlines jetliner headed for Los Angeles returned to New Jersey ’ s Newark Liberty @ @ @ @ @ flames were seen near a wing .
Video showed flames soon after Flight 1871 had @ @ @ @ @ told WABC-TV it appeared fire was coming from an engine .
“ I didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ , ” passenger Gabrielle Guzy said .
“ My sister said she thought it was @ @ @ @ @ was fire from the engine .
I kept reassuring myself we ’ d be OK @ @ @ @ @ in the air for a minute.
“ In a statement , United said the flight @ @ @ @ @ mechanical issue.
” The airline said the flight landed safely and passengers deplaned normally .
@ @ @ @ @ get the passengers to Los Angeles .
Get more of the Star in your inbox @ @ @ @ @ from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories @ @ @ @ @ lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Iraq’s top cleric to have surgery after accident at home

BAGHDAD - Iraq ’ s most revered Shiite cleric will undergo a surgery for a fractured bone following an accident in his home , his office said Thursday .
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani , who turns 90 later this year and whose opinion is often sought during troubled times , fractured a thigh bone when he slipped while bathing before evening prayers on Wednesday night , according to two officials close to the cleric , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details with the media .
The surgery is considered risky for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iraq following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general and a popular protest movement against the country ’ s ruling elite .
Al-Sistani was taken to a hospital in southern Iraq outside of his home in the holy city of Najaf on Thursday morning to undergo the operation .
“ The problem is not with the operation , the problem is with old age , ” said one official .
News of the surgery sparked a flurry of well-wishes on social media .
Al-Sistani , who ’ s opinion holds sway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in calming tensions in recent months as the country faced crisis after crisis beginning with mass protests seeking to unseat the political establishment and the recent U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani .
The subtle messaging in his weekly sermons and commentary have steered politics during the difficult times .
He emerged as a key supporter of the protest movement , calling for electoral reforms and the rights of the people .
His withdrawal of support for the government of Adel Abdul-Mahdi triggered the premier ’ s resignation in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
Sign up for our newsletters to get today 's top stories , your favourite columnists and lots more in your inbox Sign Up Now

Qassem Abdul-Zahra - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Few statehouses feature memorials to actual historical women

COLUMBUS , Ohio - Ohio ’ s Statehouse would join a small number of others around the country with outdoor monuments dedicated to real women in U.S. history under a proposal expected Thursday to create a memorial to Ohio women who fought for voting rights .
Currently , all statues of historical figures outside the Statehouse are of men , including Christopher Columbus , President William McKinley ( a former Ohio governor ) , and seven Civil War generals including Ulysses S. Grant .
“ Who are these seven men ?
“ asks a trivia question for tourists at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is topped by a statue of a woman from ancient Rome whose sons were prominent in the military and politics .
Around the corner , “ Peace , ” a winged female figure , stands on the north side of the Statehouse , remembering Ohio ’ s civil war soldiers “ And The Loyal Women Of That Period.
” Another statue of a generic woman , also representing peace , sits below a statue of McKinley .
On Thursday , members of the Women ’ s Suffrage Centennial Commission planned to propose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Square Review and Advisory Board .
It ’ s time to include real women on the Statehouse grounds , especially those who fought for such an important right , said State Sen. Stephanie Kunze , a co-chair of the commission .
Such a statue would both honour their work and inspire the girls and young women of today , she said .
“ It ’ s deserving to honour the women who fought for the right to vote during this 100th anniversary , and then to really look forward to see what else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next 100 years , ” said Kunze , a Republican from Hilliard in suburban Columbus .
If the memorial is approved , fundraising would likely top $ 1 million and construction could follow after a five-year waiting period .
Nationally , statues of real women are relatively rare on the grounds of statehouses .
Connecticut ’ s Statehouse features a statue of former Gov .
Ella Grasso , the state ’ s first female governor elected in her own right , while Utah has a statue of Martha Hughes Cannon , the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A statue of Esther Hobart Morris , Wyoming ’ s first female justice of the peace , stood for years in front of the state capitol but was moved inside after last year ’ s renovation , with some calls for it to be returned outside after its own renovation .
In Hawaii , the Capitol features a statue of Queen Liliuokalani , the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom .
The Arkansas Capitol has a statue featuring the Little Rock Nine , the black students who integrated Central High School , six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi also have monuments to Confederate women featuring figurative representations .
“ Forward , ” an allegorical female statue , stands outside the Wisconsin state capitol .
“ As Long as the Waters Flow , ” a 13-foot representation of a Native American woman , stands prominently outside the Oklahoma Capitol .
Minnesota has a memorial to women ’ s suffrage that honours 25 women who fought for voting rights , with an expansive garden that includes their names but no statues .
Inside statehouses , Alabama has a statue of Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lottie Holman O ’ Neill , the first woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly , and Oklahoma has a statue of Kate Barnard , the second woman ever to be elected to a statewide public office in the United States ( Oklahoma commissioner of charities and corrections in 1907 ) .
Nebraska ’ s hall of fame inside the Capitol building includes busts of Willa Cather and Mari Sandoz , and Maryland will soon have an indoor statue of Harriet Tubman .
Over the years , the country hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who contributed to what it means to be American , said Lisa Benton-Short , a geography professor at George Washington University .
“ There ’ s a lot of our story that ’ s missing , and it ’ s missing from those key spaces , ” she said .
The Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial , unveiled in 2014 on the South Side of the Ohio Statehouse , was the Capitol ’ s last new outdoor memorial .
At the time , some questioned its appropriateness because it includes a representation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others worried about triggering a race to erect other memorials .
In the end , though , it was easily approved .

Andrew Welsh-Huggins - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--3 African countries trying out 1st malaria vaccine in babies

TOMALI , Malawi - A pinch in the leg , a squeal and a trickle of tears .
One baby after another in Malawi is getting the first and only vaccine against malaria , one of history ’ s deadliest and most stubborn of diseases .
The southern African nation is rolling out the shots in an unusual pilot program along with Kenya and Ghana .
Unlike established vaccines that offer near-complete protection , this new one is only about 40 % effective .
But experts say it ’ s worth a try as progress against malaria stalls : Resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in cases has levelled off .
With the vaccine , the hope is to help small children through the most dangerous period of their lives .
Spread by mosquito bites , malaria kills more than 400,000 people every year , two-thirds of them under 5 and most in Africa .
Seven-month-old Charity Nangware received a shot on a rainy December day at a health clinic in the town of Migowi .
She watched curiously as the needle slid into her thigh , then twisted up her face with a howl .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said her mother , Esther Gonjani , who herself gets malaria ’ s aches , chills and fever at least once a year and loses a week of field work when one of her children is ill. “ They explained it wasn ’ t perfect , but I feel secure it will relieve the pain.
” There is little escaping malaria -- “ malungo ” in the local Chichewa language -- especially during the five-month rainy season .
Stagnant puddles , where mosquitoes breed , surround the homes of brick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tea plantations or fields of maize and sugar cane .
In the village of Tomali , the nearest health clinic is a two-hour bike ride away .
The longer it takes to get care , the more dangerous malaria can be .
Teams from the clinic offer basic medical care during visits once or twice a month , bringing the malaria shot and other vaccines in portable coolers .
Treating malaria takes up a good portion of their time during the rainy season , according to Daisy Chikonde , a local health worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will reduce the burden , ” she said .
Resident Doriga Ephrem proudly said her 5-month-old daughter , Grace , didn ’ t cry when she got the malaria shot .
When she heard about the vaccine , Ephrem said her first thought was “ protection is here.
” Health workers explained , however , that the vaccine is not meant to replace antimalarial drugs or the insecticide-treated bed net she unfolds every night as the sun sets and mosquitoes rise from the shadows .
“ We even take our evening meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ she said .
It took three decades of research to develop the new vaccine , which works against the most common and deadly of the five parasite species that cause malaria .
The parasite ’ s complex life cycle is a huge challenge .
It changes forms in different stages of infection and is far harder to target than germs .
“ We don ’ t have any vaccines against parasites in routine use .
This is uncharted territory , ” said Ashley Birkett , who directs PATH ’ s Malaria Vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GlaxoSmithKline develop the shot , brand-named Mosquirix .
The bite of an infected mosquito sends immature parasites called sporozoites into the bloodstream .
If they reach the liver , they ’ ll mature and multiply before spewing back into the blood to cause malaria ’ s debilitating symptoms .
At that point , treatment requires medicines that kill the parasites .
Mosquirix uses a piece of the parasite — a protein found only on sporozoites ’ surface — in hopes of blocking the liver stage of infection .
When a vaccinated child is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parasite and start making antibodies against it .
Scientists also are searching for next-generation alternatives .
In the pipeline is an experimental vaccine made of whole malaria parasites dissected from mosquitoes ’ salivary glands but weakened so they won ’ t make people sick .
Sanaria Inc. has been testing its vaccine in adults , and is planning a large , late-stage study in Equatorial Guinea ’ s Bioko Island .
And the U.S. National Institutes of Health soon will start initial tests of whether injecting people periodically with lab-made antibodies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make them , could offer temporary protection during malaria season .
Think of them as “ potentially short-term vaccines , ” NIH ’ s Dr. Robert Seder told a recent meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene .
For now , only babies in parts of Malawi , Kenya and Ghana are eligible for the Mosquirix vaccine .
After the vaccine was approved in 2015 , the World Health Organization said it first wanted a pilot roll-out to see how well it worked in a few countries — in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine be given more widely across Africa .
“ Everyone is looking forward to getting it , ” said Temwa Mzengeza , who oversees Malawi ’ s vaccine programs .
Those eager for the shots include her husband , whom she had to stop from trying to get them , she said .
Mzengeza used to come down with malaria several times a year until she started following her own advice to sleep under a net every night .
Unlike many other kinds of infections , people can get malaria repeatedly , building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pilot program that began last year , 360,000 children in the three countries are meant to be vaccinated annually .
The first dose is given at about age 5 months and the final , fourth booster near the child ’ s second birthday .
Experts say it is too early to know how well the vaccine is working .
They ’ re watching for malaria deaths , severe infections and cases of meningitis , something reported during studies but not definitively linked to the vaccine .
“ To do something completely new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researcher Don Mathanga , who is leading the evaluation in Malawi .
The rainy season has brought new challenges , making some rural roads impassable and complicating efforts to track down children due for a shot .
So far in Malawi , the first dose reached about half of the children targeted , about 35,000 .
That dropped to 26,000 for the second dose and 20,000 for the third .
That ’ s not surprising for a new vaccine , Mzengeza said .
“ It will pick up with time.
” At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s southern highlands , workers see signs of hope .
Henry Kadzuwa explains the vaccine to mothers waiting at the clinic .
He said there was a drop in malaria cases to 40 in the first five months of the program , compared to 78 in the same period in 2018 .
Even though he wishes his 3-year-old daughter , Angel , could receive the vaccine , “ it ’ s protecting my community .
It also makes my work easier , ” Kadzuwa said .
The Migowi area has one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a worn paper register in the clinic ’ s laboratory lists scores of cases .
At the clinic , Agnes Ngubale said she had malaria several years ago and wants to protect her 6-month-old daughter , Lydia , from the disease .
“ I want her to be healthy and free , ” she said .
“ I want her to be a doctor.
” And she has memorized the time for Lydia ’ s second dose : “ Next month , same date.
” The Associated Press Health and Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content

Cara Anna And Lauran Neergaard - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Democrats to investigate 'profoundly alarming’ texts that suggest threat to Ukraine ambassador

WASHINGTON - A close associate of President Donald Trump ’ s personal lawyer says he delivered an ultimatum in May to the incoming president of Ukraine that no senior U.S. officials would attend his inauguration and all American aid to the war-torn country would be withheld if an investigation into Joe Biden wasn ’ t announced .
Lev Parnas , an associate of Rudy Giuliani , made several potentially explosive claims in a televised interview Wednesday night with MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow .
The day after Parnas said he delivered the message , the U.S. State Department announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending the inauguration of Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskiy .
Parnas alleged that Trump ordered Pence to stay away at the behest of Giuliani to send a clear message to the incoming Ukrainian administration that they needed to take seriously the demand for an investigation into Biden , a Democratic presidential candidate seen as a potential threat to Trump ’ s 2020 reelection .
Parnas said every communication he had with Zelenskiy ’ s team was at the direction of Giuliani , whom he regularly overheard briefing Trump about their progress by phone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on , “ said Parnas , a Soviet-born Florida businessman facing a raft of criminal charges related to campaign finance violations .
” He was aware of all my movements .
I wouldn ’ t do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani , or the President.
” If true , Parnas ’ account undercuts a key Republican defence of Trump deployed during the ongoing impeachment fight — that Trump ’ s withholding of vital military aid to Ukraine last summer wasn ’ t a quid pro quo for Biden investigations because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being held up .
“ I feel sorry for him , ” Giuliani said Wednesday in a text message to an AP reporter .
“ I thought he was an honourable man .
I was wrong.
” Asked directly if Parnas was lying , Trump ’ s lawyer replied , “ I ’ m not responding yet.
” Parnas said he also heard Giuliani and another Trump-aligned defence lawyer , Victoria Toensing , briefing Attorney General William Barr by phone about their efforts to pressure the Ukrainian government to announce the investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s business dealings .
“ Barr was basically on the team , ” Parnas said .
The Justice Department said in September that Trump had not spoken to Barr about having Ukraine investigate the Bidens and that the attorney general had not discussed Ukraine with Giuliani .
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Wednesday that Parnas ’ claims were “ 100 % false.
” The new accusations came as House Democrats made public a trove of documents , text messages and photos from Parnas ’ smartphones that appear to verify parts of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month ruled that Parnas could provide the materials to Congress as part of the impeachment proceedings .
Democrats voted in December to impeach Trump for abuse of power and for obstruction of Congress .
A House committee chairman said Wednesday his panel will investigate what he says are “ profoundly alarming ” text messages among the newly disclosed materials that have raised questions about the possible surveillance of former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch before she was ousted by the Trump administration last spring .
The messages show that a Robert F. Hyde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connecticut , disparaged Yovanovitch in messages to Parnas and gave him updates on her location and cellphone use .
Rep. Eliot Engel , a New York Democrat who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee , said Wednesday that the messages are “ profoundly alarming “ and “ suggest a possible risk ” to Yovanovitch ’ s security in Kyiv before she was recalled from her post .
“ These threats occurred at the same time that the two men were also discussing President Trump ’ s efforts , through Rudy Giuliani , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Engel said .
He said the committee staff flagged the information for the State Department ’ s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and is seeking assurances that proper steps have been taken to ensure the security of Yovanovitch and committee staff .
He said he also wanted to know what , if anything , the State Department knew about the situation .
“ This unprecedented threat to our diplomats must be thoroughly investigated and , if warranted , prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law , ” Engel said .
Democrats released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared to send articles of impeachment to the Senate for Trump ’ s trial .
The documents could add pressure on the Senate as it debates whether to hear witnesses in the trial .
The text and phone records show Parnas communicating with Giuliani multiple times a day before Yovanovitch ’ s removal , as well as a handwritten note that mentions asking Ukraine ’ s president to investigate “ the Biden case.
” Among the documents is a screenshot of a previously undisclosed letter from Giuliani to Zelenskiy dated May 10 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was elected but before he took office .
In the letter , Giuliani requests a meeting with Zelenskiy “ as personal counsel to President Trump and with his knowledge and consent.
” The Associated Press reported in October that Zelenskiy had huddled three days earlier , on May 7 , with a small group of key advisers in Kyiv to seek advice about how to navigate the insistence from Trump and Giuliani for a probe into the Bidens .
He expressed his unease about becoming entangled in the American elections , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three-hour meeting .
They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue , which has roiled U.S.-Ukrainian relations .
One of the documents released by Democrats is a handwritten note on stationery from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Vienna that says “ get Zalensky to Annonce that the Biden case will be Investigated.
“ Parnas told Maddow he took the notes as he was speaking by phone to Giuliani , receiving precise instructions about the demands Trump wanted to convey to Zelenskiy ’ s team .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to investigate the Bidens .
Hunter Biden served on the board of a gas company based in Ukraine .
The documents were sent to the House Judiciary Committee by three other House panels “ to be included as part of the official record that will be transmitted to the Senate along with the Articles of Impeachment , ” according to a statement .
Some of the materials were made public while others were blacked out and marked as sensitive .
Parnas and his business partner , Igor Fruman , both U.S. citizens who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were indicted last year on charges of conspiracy , making false statements and falsification of records .
Prosecutors allege they made outsize campaign donations to Republican causes after receiving millions of dollars originating from Russia .
The men have pleaded not guilty .
In several of the documents , Parnas communicated with Giuliani about the removal of Yovanovitch .
The ambassador ’ s ouster , ordered by Trump , was at the centre of the Democrats ’ impeachment inquiry .
Yovanovitch testified in the House impeachment hearings that she was the victim of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the July call told Zelenskiy that Yovanovitch was “ going to go through some things.
” She had been recalled from her diplomatic post roughly three months earlier .
On April 23 , just before Yovanovitch was directed to return to the United States , Giuliani texted Parnas , “ He fired her again.
” Parnas texted back , “ I pray it happens this time I ’ ll call you tomorrow my brother.
” Parnas also received messages from Hyde , who referred to Yovanovitch as a “ bitch.
” After texting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detailed updates that suggested he was watching her .
In one text , Hyde wrote : “ She ’ s talked to three people .
Her phone is off .
Her computer is off.
” He said she was under heavy security and “ we have a person inside.
” Hyde texted Parnas that ‘ ’ they are willing to help if we/you would like a price , ” and “ guess you can do anything in Ukraine with money ... is what I was told.
” Lawrence Robbins , an attorney for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the messages .
In a Twitter post Tuesday , Hyde called Parnas a “ dweeb ” and suggested the messages about surveilling the ambassador were a joke .
He said he welcomed an investigation .
Parnas , in turn , also said Wednesday that Hyde ’ s texts shouldn ’ t be taken seriously .
The text messages show that Parnas consulted Giuliani in January 2019 after the U.S. denied a visa to former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin .
Giuliani replied : “ I can revive it.
” The following day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to work I have no 1 in it.
” Giuliani then predicted “ he will get one , ” before giving Parnas the phone number for Jay Sekulow , the leader of the president ’ s personal legal team .
Sekulow is expected to be part of Trump ’ s legal team during the impeachment trial .
Trump has repeatedly denied knowing Parnas and Fruman , despite numerous photos that have emerged of the men together .
Among the materials released from Parnas ’ phone this week were more photos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s son Donald Trump Jr. , first daughter Ivanka Trump , and her husband , Jared Kushner .
Asked by Maddow about Trump ’ s denials of knowing him , Parnas said he had spoken one-on-one with the president numerous times .
“ He lied , ” Parnas said of the president .
“ I mean , we ’ re not friends .
Me and him didn ’ t watch football games together , we didn ’ t eat hot dogs .
But he knew exactly who we were , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers Michael Balsamo , Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller contributed to this report .

Michael Biesecker, Mary Clare Jalonick And Eric Tucker - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Mississippi: Wide search for new leader of troubled prisons

JACKSON , Miss .
- Mississippi will conduct a nationwide search for a new commissioner to lead a state prison system that ’ s reckoning with a recent outburst of deadly violence and longstanding problems with vacant jobs and damaged facilities .
Republican Gov .
Tate Reeves will hold a news conference Thursday afternoon to announce the group that will conduct the search .
Reeves ’ spokeswoman , Renea Eze , said the group will be led by Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs , who is a former state lawmaker .
Reeves served the past eight years as lieutenant governor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is replacing some state agency directors and keeping others .
Pelicia Hall had been commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections since 2017 .
She announced Dec. 31 that she would leave the job in mid-January , which coincides with the transition from former Republican Gov .
Phil Bryant to Reeves .
Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 3 , five inmates were killed and an undisclosed number of others were injured in violence inside the prisons .
More than two dozen inmates sued the state Tuesday , saying understaffed prisons are “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to live in decrepit and dangerous conditions .
All of the plaintiffs have been inmates in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman .
Because of damage caused during the unrest , hundreds of prisoners were moved from one unit at the Parchman to another unit there that closed years ago because of decrepit conditions .
The state then entered an emergency contract to move 375 of those inmates to a private prison nearby .
Hall said in a news release Monday that even after moving the 375 inmates , the state would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other maximum-security inmates who had been housed at Parchman ’ s Unit 29 , which was damaged in the violence .
Hall and her predecessors repeatedly told Mississippi legislators that prisons have too few guards because the pay is low and working conditions can be dangerous .
As lieutenant governor , Reeves was one of the top budget writers .
State corrections officials are seeking an additional $ 67 million for the budget year that begins July 1 at the three state-run prisons .
That would allow them to hire 800 more guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current $ 25,650 to $ 30,370 , and increase pay for current employees .
Officials also are requesting $ 22.3 million to renovate Unit 29 .
Bryant sought some increased prison funding , but not as much as $ 67 million .
Top legislators are recommending that Mississippi spend even less next year than this year .

Emily Wagster Pettus - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Imam in Uganda is mocked for mistakenly marrying a man

KAMPALA , Uganda - A gay rights activist in Uganda says criticism of a local imam who unknowingly married a man in a Muslim ceremony highlights intolerance in the East African country .
The imam , who says he did not know his partner was male , has been suspended from clerical duty and his partner charged with committing an “ unnatural ” offence .
On social media , many Ugandans have mocked the imam as a suspected homosexual who is not being truthful .
Frank Mugisha , who runs the group Sexual Minorities Uganda , said Thursday the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ “ The imam could be right when he says he didn ’ t know , ” he said .
“ Ugandans should respect people ’ s privacy .
They are not necessarily homosexuals.
“ Mugisha said it was not clear whether the imam ’ s partner is transgender , one reason his group had decided not to release a statement regarding the case .
It was not possible to talk to the imam or his partner , who was arrested days after the ceremony for alleged theft of a TV in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the marriage took place weeks ago .
The local Daily Monitor newspaper reported that a female police officer reported the suspect as male after conducting a body search .
The newspaper report included the account of a cleric at the imam ’ s mosque who said the imam needed counselling after his bride “ refused to undress while they slept.
” Gay sex is criminalized in Uganda , where there have been efforts in recent years to enact stiffer penalties targeting homosexuals , including death by hanging .
Many Ugandans believe homosexuality is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-gay law enacted in 2014 was later overturned by a panel of judges amid international pressure and threats of aid cuts .
In enacting that law , President Yoweri Museveni accused “ arrogant and careless Western groups ” of trying to recruit Ugandan children into homosexuality , although he did not identify the groups .
According to Human Rights Watch , 32 African nations have varying laws criminalizing homosexuality .
In many cases the anti-gay laws are left over from the colonial era .


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--Germany’s foreign minister in Libya to push peace efforts

BERLIN - Germany ’ s foreign minister arrived in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Thursday and met with one of the country ’ s rival leaders in a bid to push forward troubled efforts to secure a cease-fire in the North African country .
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas extended an official invitation to Libyan Gen. Khalifa Hifter to attend the upcoming conference in Germany , according to a military spokesman with Hifter ’ s forces .
The gathering in Berlin on Sunday is trying to bring together many of the countries that have interests in Libya ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ouster and killing of Libya ’ s longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi , the country has sunk further into chaos and turmoil and is now divided between two rival administrations , the Tripoli one in the west and the one based in the country ’ s east , supported by Hifter ’ s forces .
Hifter ’ s forces have been on the offensive since April , laying siege in an effort to capture Tripoli and battling with militias aligned with the U.N.-supported government based in the Libyan capital .
Hifter claims his march @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a weak government that had allied itself with “ terrorist ” militias .
Meeting Maas on Thursday , Hifter agreed to attend the Berlin conference , Brig .
Gen. Khaled al-Mahjoub told The Associated Press over the phone .
“ Libya ’ s main problem is well-know to the world , it lies in the existence of militias , ” said Mahjoub , adding that Hifter ’ s forces hope the Berlin conference can set a clear timetable for the dismantling of militias loyal to the Tripoli government .
The German top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hifter ’ s stronghold , came two days after Libya ’ s rival leaders left Moscow without reaching an agreement .
Russia and Turkey proposed a cease-fire last week and Libyan Prime Mniister Fayez Sarraj , the head of the Tripoli government , and Hifter went to Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian and Turkish diplomats and military officials .
Sarraj and Hifter , who didn ’ t meet directly , considered a draft document spelling out details of a truce proposed jointly by Russia and Turkey that began Sunday .
Sarraj @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hifter requested more time to consider it and then left Moscow without signing .
Maas spoke to Sarraj last week and said earlier he would meet Hifter on behalf of the European Union ’ s foreign ministers .
“ Our message is clear : no one can win this conflict militarily , ” Maas said before leaving Berlin .
“ A window is now opening to free the conflict from international influence and so open the way to a political process and inter-Libyan negotiations on a post-war order ” under U.N. supervision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take this opportunity to put the future of Libya back in Libyan hands , ” Maas added .
“ This now requires readiness for a real cease-fire and both parties ’ participation in the dialogue formats proposed by the United Nations.
” Sarraj ’ s government says Hifter is “ an aggressor ” seeking to turn Libya into “ a military dictatorship.
” The Tripoli government wants Hifter ’ s forces to withdraw from areas they seized since April , a demand Hifter is not expected to comply with .
Associated Press writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .


thetorontostar--2020-01-16--China welcomes US deal, says ‘core concerns’ must be met

BEIJING - China ’ s government welcomed an interim trade deal with Washington and said Thursday the two sides need to address each other ’ s “ core concerns.
” The “ Phase 1 ” agreement shows Beijing and Washington “ can find appropriate and effective solutions to relevant issues through dialogue , ” said a foreign ministry spokesman , Geng Shuang .
China agreed to increase purchases of U.S. exports by $ 200 billion over two years and to stop pressuring companies to hand over technology .
Washington dropped plans for additional punitive tariffs on Chinese goods in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trade surplus that threatens to depress global economic growth .
“ It is imperative that both parties work together , uphold the principles of equality and mutual respect , strictly abide by the agreement , address each other ’ s core concerns , and work hard to implement the Phase 1 agreement , ” Geng said .
Geng gave no details but Beijing wants tariffs imposed earlier on most of China ’ s exports to the United States to be rolled back , which the deal signed Wednesday fails to do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain in place even after a final agreement is reached to ensure Beijing carries out its promises .
President Donald Trump said earlier he planned to fly to Beijing to start a second stage of talks , but economists say their remaining disputes are so complex that an agreement is unlikely to be reached until after the U.S. presidential election in November .
Asian stock markets were mixed after the signing .
China ’ s main market index closed down 0.5 % while Hong Kong advanced and Tokyo was little-changed .
Investors welcomed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by questions about how China can carry out promises to buy tens billions of dollars of American soybeans , oil and other farm and energy exports .
“ This has put a pause on things , ” said Stephen Innes , a market strategist for AxiTrader .
“ Throwing a number out there is one thing , but how do we get there ?
” China could buy more U.S. soybeans while purchasing less from other suppliers , which will hit those economies .
“ Where is China getting soybeans now ?
Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importing from Brazil ?
” Innes said .
That would depress prices in Brazil and other markets , making it more attractive for other countries to buy soybeans , coal and other exports from them instead of from the United States , said Timme Spakman and Iris Pang of ING .
“ Higher ( U.S. ) exports to China will probably , in part , be offset by lower U.S. exports to the rest of the world , ” they said in a report .
Prices of soybeans , cotton and wheat fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting traders don ’ t expect a quick uptick in overall U.S. sales .
China promised to buy U.S. oil and liquefied natural gas valued at $ 52.4 billion , but that will be complicated by Beijing ’ s decision to leave tariffs of up to 25 % in place .
Importers would have to pass that on to customers or pay themselves .
At the same time , growth in Chinese demand is expected to slow .
U.S. gas exports will face competition from Russian supplies arriving via a new pipeline .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place , U.S. LNG exports to China are going to be a very difficult prospect , ” said Gavin Thompson of Wood Mackenzie in a report .
Analysts warn the agreement doesn ’ t cover the most contentious disputes over Chinese industrial subsidies and barriers to trade in services .
“ This continued gap ensures that bilateral technology tensions will remain high in 2020 , ” said Michael Hirson , Jeffrey Wright , Paul Triolo of Eurasia Group in a report .