thetorontostar--2020-03-12--Brazilian who met Trump has virus; no plans to test Trump

WASHINGTON - A senior Brazilian official who attended weekend events with President Donald Trump in Florida has tested positive for the coronavirus , marking the first time that someone known to have the virus was in close proximity to the president .
Trump does not plan to be tested or go into self-quarantine , the White House said .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s communications director , Fábio Wajngarten , tested positive just days after travelling with Bolsonaro to a meeting with Trump and senior aides in Florida .
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being assessed , which will dictate next steps.
” “ Both the President and Vice-President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time , “ Grisham said .
Wajngarten joined Bolsonaro on a three-day trip to the U.S. and on Saturday was at Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago club , where he posted a photo of himself posing beside Trump .
A video from the event also showed him standing directly behind both presidents as they addressed a crowd .
Bolsonaro and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kimberly Guilfoyle , who is dating the president ’ s son Donald Trump Jr .
While Trump was not taking any apparent action in response , two Republican lawmakers announced they will self-quarantine for two weeks after coming in contact with Bolsonaro ’ s delegation .
Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida , who met Bolsonaro in Miami , and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , who was at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday , announced Thursday that they will isolate themselves .
Graham ’ s office said he had been tested for the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , demurred when asked whether the president should be in self-isolation .
Fauci has been the face of the administration ’ s response to the public health emergency “ Questions like that I leave up to the physicians in charge of the president ’ s health , “ he said .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that he was quarantining himself at home after his wife exhibited flu-like symptoms .
He said they were awaiting coronavirus test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daughter Ivanka Trump , son-in-law Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , Brazil ’ s foreign minister Ernesto Araujo and Bolsonaro ’ s son Eduardo , who is a federal lawmaker , among others .
Vice-President Mike Pence went to Mar-a-Lago that evening .
“ We had dinner in Florida at Mar-a-Lago with the entire delegation , “ Trump told reporters on Thursday in the Oval Office .
“ I don ’ t know if the press aide was there .
But we did nothing very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was in repeated contact with people who themselves had contact with people who tested positive for the virus .
Trump ’ s newly named chief of staff , Mark Meadows , emerged from self-quarantine Thursday .
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida travelled back to Washington with Trump on Air Force One on Monday but isolated himself on the flight after being informed that he had been in contact with a person who later was confirmed to have had the virus .
It was not immediately clear what precautions the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Trump on Wednesday cancelled his political travel for the coming weeks , but he has disregarded the advice of medical and public health professionals to stop shaking hands .
Grisham said in a statement that “ the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families , and all White House staff healthy.
” For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
In mainland China , where the virus first exploded , more than 127,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 68,000 have so far recovered .
Wajngarten initially denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tested for the virus , saying on his social media account that his health was fine .
He is now in self-quarantine at home , according to the statement .
A statement from Bolsonaro ’ s communications office on Thursday said that Wajngarten ’ s test results had come back positive and that the presidency was adopting preventive measures to ensure Bolsonaro ’ s health .
Bolsonaro ’ s son confirmed in a Thursday tweet that his father had been tested for the coronavirus and said he isn ’ t showing symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a focus since a 2018 stabbing on the campaign trail .
Since the assassination attempt , he has already undergone four surgeries with a fifth upcoming .
In December , he was taken to the hospital after slipping in the bathroom of the presidential residence and banging his head .
Grisham said that under U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines , “ there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms , and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine.
” Biller reported from Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colvin contributed to this report from Washington .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

David Biller And Zeke Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-12--Trump signs bill to help telecoms replace Huawei equipment

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law a bill that provides $ 1 billion to help small telecom providers replace equipment made by China ’ s Huawei and ZTE .
The U.S. government considers the Chinese companies a security risk and has pushed its allies not to use Huawei equipment in next-generation cellular networks , known as 5G .
Both companies have denied that China uses their products for spying .
The Federal Communications Commission has already voted to bar U.S. phone companies from using government subsidies for equipment from the two Chinese companies .
This bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the major U.S. network providers don ’ t use the Chinese equipment .
The White House said that using untrustworthy vendors to build communications infrastructure threatens national security by exposing networks to actors who are potentially influenced by foreign entities .
The legislation creates a reimbursement program that small telecom providers can use when removing and replacing equipment manufactured by entities deemed to pose unacceptable national security risks .
The bill is aimed at telecom providers with fewer than 2 million customers .
“ The administration will not risk subjecting America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are controlled by authoritarian governments or foreign adversaries , “ the White House said in a statement .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-12--Omar marries political consultant, months after affair claim

MINNEAPOLIS - U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota has married a political consultant who worked for her , months after the two were accused of having an affair , which she denied .
A marriage license filed in Washington , D.C. , shows Omar married political consultant Tim Mynett on Wednesday .
Omar announced her new marriage Wednesday night on Instagram , with a photo of her and a bearded man smiling and displaying wedding rings .
“ Got married !
From partners in politics to life partners , so blessed , ” the post says , without identifying Mynett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Commission show Omar ’ s campaign paid Tim Mynett or his firm nearly $ 600,000 since July 2018 .
Though it may raise eyebrows , family members , including spouses , can be on the campaign payroll as long as the family member provides services at a fair market value .
Larry Jacobs , a politics professor at the University of Minnesota ’ s Humphrey School of Public Affairs , said the work needs to be reasonable and there has to be actual work being done .
Jacobs said constituents may question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Remember the story began with her denying a relationship , and now she ’ s marrying that person , ” Jacobs said .
“ I think there are legitimate questions that constituents might ask about whether Congresswoman Omar has been fully truthful in her discussion of this relationship , and the nature of her marriage to a previous husband , “ whom Omar divorced last fall .
A relationship between Omar and Mynett was publicly alleged in August , when Mynett ’ s then-wife , Beth Mynett , filed for divorce and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an affair .
In response , Tim Mynett filed his own court document denying that he told his wife he was in love with Omar and was ending his marriage to be with the congresswoman .
When Omar was asked at the time whether she was separated from her then-husband or dating someone , she told WCCO-TV , “ No , I am not.
” She has since declined to discuss her personal life .
In October , she filed for divorce from Ahmed Hirsi , citing an “ irretrievable breakdown ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November .
According to Beth Mynett ’ s divorce filing , Tim Mynett is a founder of E Street Group and met Omar while working for her .
His LinkedIn page says he is still a partner at the firm .
A message left with the company to confirm his employment and determine whether he is still working directly for Omar was not immediately returned .
A spokesman for Omar also did not immediately return a message seeking to confirm whether Mynett still works for her .
Data on OpenSecrets.org shows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biggest moneymaker , bringing in more than $ 523,000 in the 2020 election cycle alone .
Sheila Krumholz , executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics , said it ’ s notable that Omar ’ s campaign is the firm ’ s top client , and that they are now family .
“ I think it begs some questions , which might be easily explained , ” she said .
“ Since there isn ’ t a prohibition on paying family members , it usually comes down to understanding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a concern to the constituents and donors.
” According to FEC filings , Omar ’ s campaign paid Mynett or his firm for services including fundraising consulting , internet advertising , website development and digital communications .
Several payments were also for travel expenses .
A spokesman with the Office of Congressional Ethics said he ’ s not permitted to either confirm or deny whether it is investigating .
Omar has been dogged by questions about her personal life since she first ran for state representative in 2016 , with conservatives alleging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man at once , and that the other man was her brother .
She has called those claims “ disgusting lies.
“


thetorontostar--2020-03-12--Worst day on Wall Street since 1987 as virus fears spread

NEW YORK - The escalating coronavirus emergency sent the stock market Thursday into its worst slide since the Black Monday crash of 1987 , extending a sell-off that has now wiped out most of Wall Street ’ s big gains since President Donald Trump took office .
The S & P 500 plummeted 9.5 % , for a total drop of 26.7 % from its all-time high , set just last month .
That puts it way over the 20 % threshold for a bear market , officially ending Wall Street ’ s unprecedented bull-market run of nearly 11 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,352 ponts , or 10 % , its heaviest loss since its nearly 23 % drop on Oct. 19 , 1987 .
European markets fell 12 % in one of their worst days ever , even after the European Central Bank pledged to buy more bonds and offer more help for the economy .
The rout came amid a cascade of cancellations and shutdowns across the globe — including Trump ’ s suspension of most travel to the U.S. from Europe — and rising worries that the White House and other authorities around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t counter the economic damage from the outbreak any time soon .
“ We ’ re starting to get a sense of how dire the impact on the economy is going to be .
Each day the news doesn ’ t get better , it gets worse .
It ’ s now hit Main Street to a more significant degree , ” said Liz Ann Sonders , chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab .
Stocks fell so fast on Wall Street at the opening bell that they triggered an automatic , 15-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
The so-called circuit breakers were first adopted after the 1987 crash , and until this week hadn ’ t been tripped since 1997 .
The Dow briefly turned upward and halved its losses at one point in the afternoon after the Federal Reserve announced it would step in to ease “ highly unusual disruptions ” in the Treasury market .
But the burst of momentum quickly faded .
Trump often points proudly to the big run-up on Wall Street under his administration , warning a crowd at a rally last August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate , you got ta vote for me , ” or else your 401 ( k ) will go “ down the tubes.
” Just last month , the Dow was boasting a nearly 50 % increase since Trump took the oath of office on Jan. 20 , 2017 .
By Thursday ’ s close , the Dow was clinging to a 6.9 % gain , though it was still up nearly 16 % since just before Trump ’ s election in November 2016 .
The Dow officially went into a bear market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day down more than 20 % from its all-time high .
For the S & P 500 , this is the fastest drop since World War II from a record high to a bear market .
The combined health crisis and retreat on Wall Street heightened fears of a recession .
“ This is bad .
The worst and fastest stock market correction in our career , “ Chris Rupkey , chief financial economist at MUFG Union , said in a research note overnight .
” The economy is doomed to recession if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next 30 days off .
The stock market knows it.
” The coronavirus has infected around 128,000 people worldwide and killed over 4,700 .
The death toll in the U.S. climbed to 39 , with over 1,300 infections .
For most people , the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illnesses , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the virus in a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the NCAA cancelled its men ’ s and women ’ s basketball tournaments , major league baseball postponed opening day , and Disneyland announced it is shutting down .
Even Mount Everest closed .
Closer to Wall Street , New York ’ s Metropolitan Museum of Art , Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera shut their doors , and Broadway theatres planned to go dark .
In a sombre prime-time address Wednesday night from the White House , Trump announced the new travel ban as well as measures to extend loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief to individuals and businesses hurt by the crisis .
But the travel restrictions represented another heavy blow to the already battered airline and travel industries , and the other measures did not impress Wall Street .
“ What markets are waiting for are efforts to contain the virus in a very aggressive way , ways we ’ ve seen in other countries , ” said Nela Richardson , investment strategist at Edward Jones .
“ Short of that , nibbling around the edges , maybe doing something that can help a firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an employee , doesn ’ t hurt , but it ’ s not the bull ’ s-eye , and it ’ s not as targeted as the markets would like to see.
” Michael McCarthy of CMC Markets said : “ The market judgment on that announcement is that it ’ s too little , too late.
” The damage was worldwide and eye-popping .
Among the big moves : — Travel stocks again were among the hardest hit .
Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises both lost roughly a third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airlines put its loss for the year at nearly 58 % .
— Oil continued its brutal week , with benchmark U.S. crude at $ 31.50 per barrel .
— In Asia , stocks in Thailand and the Philippines fell so fast that trading was temporarily halted .
Japan ’ s Nikkei 225 sank 4.4 % to its lowest close in four years , and South Korea ’ s market lost 3.9 % .
Also alarming were complaints in recent days by investors that trading in the Treasury market wasn ’ t working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t immediately clear , traders said they were seeing surprisingly large gaps in prices being offered by buyers and sellers .
That threatened to cause the market to seize up .
In a surprise move , the Fed said it would pump in at least $ 1.5 trillion to help calm the market and facilitate trading .
After earlier thinking that the virus could remain mostly in China and that any dip in the economy would be followed by a quick rebound , investors are seeing the damage and disruptions mount , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspending games and authorities in the U.S. and beyond banning large gatherings and closing schools .
“ Anyone who tells you they know how long this is going to last is wrong , ” said Adam Taback , chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank .
“ The uncertainty here is trying to figure out how you get this virus under control , and is that a matter of days , weeks or months.
” Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Stan Choe And Alex Veiga - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-12--Arkansas court says death row inmate can drop appeal

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
- The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a death row inmate convicted of killing a police officer during a traffic stop is mentally competent to drop his appeal .
Justices in a 6-1 ruling rejected the appeal of Jerry Lard , who was convicted in the fatal shooting of Trumann police Officer Jonathan Schmidt .
Lard was a passenger in a car Schmidt pulled over during an April 2011 nighttime traffic stop .
Arkansas doesn ’ t have any executions scheduled .
The last of the state ’ s lethal injection drugs expired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replaced them .
“ Today ’ s Arkansas Supreme Court decision is another step towards justice for Officer Jonathan Schmidt , his family and the entire Trumann Police Department , “ Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said in a statement .
“ As we are well aware in Arkansas , we must protect our men and women in blue who selflessly hold the line every day for Arkansans.
” An attorney for Lard cited a psychologist who found that the inmate had a “ mild ” intellectual disability and was ineligible to be put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lower court was wrong to accept Lard ’ s request to waive his post-conviction relief and accept his death sentence .
The state Supreme Court justices upheld the lower court ’ s ruling that Lard could waive his relief .
But they said it was too early to take up claims that the inmate was ineligible to be put to death because an execution date has not been set .
During Lard ’ s trial , his attorneys didn ’ t deny that he killed Schmidt .
But they said Lard was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spared execution .
In a dashboard video released after Lard ’ s 2012 trial , Lard is shown firing at Schmidt ’ s face , and the officer can later be heard off-camera pleading for his life .
The court in 2014 upheld Lard ’ s conviction , rejecting arguments that a judge shouldn ’ t have allowed testimony about comments Lard made in jail and photos of a tattoo on his back .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-13--EU seeks unified action against virus as case count mounts

BRUSSELS - European Union interior ministers on Friday were trying to co-ordinate their response to the novel coronavirus as cases spread throughout the 27-nation bloc and countries took individual measures to slow the disease down .
With Italy at the epicenter of Europe ’ s outbreak , some of its neighbours , like Austria and Slovenia , have begun taking steps to restrict traffic at their borders , raising questions about the movement of food and medical equipment .
But other nations , like the Czech Republic and Poland , are taking action too .
“ The problem is on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swedish Interior Minister Mikael Damberg told reporters in Brussels , but he said “ we hope that all countries that take new measures also inform other European countries.
” “ The transportation system must work when it comes to food and to health care materials and these kinds of things that are important to all European countries so that we don ’ t make problems for each other handling the crisis , ” Damberg said .
The coronavirus is now present in all 27 EU countries .
More than 22,000 cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1,000 people have died on the continent .
Individual EU member countries are responsible for health and public safety , and the bloc ’ s institutions have a very limited role to play in halting the spread of the disease .
Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic , who is chairing the talks because his country currently holds the EU ’ s rotating presidency , said “ this crisis shows that as a European Union we need to have models to act in a more co-ordinated way.
” “ If we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much better for all of us , ” he said .
“ A lot of people are of course concerned now , and the responsibility for us is to limit contagion and protect capacity , ” said EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson .
“ All measures should be co-ordinated , operational , proportionate and effective.
” Many EU meetings have been cancelled due to the virus , with these talks being among the rare exceptions .
Two ministerial sessions , between health and interior ministers , were held via video-conference this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss the 30-day travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump on Europeans leaving the 26-nation ID check-free zone , known as the Schengen Area , to the United States .
EU leaders have lamented that the move was taken without consultation involving a disease that knows no borders .
The Schengen area includes many EU members but also other countries including Switzerland , Norway and Iceland .
The measures announced by Trump don ’ t apply to the United Kingdom , Ireland or any of the Balkan countries .
He has branded COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that European travellers “ seeded ” infection clusters in the United States .
“ I hope Mr Trump understands that you can ’ t make a deal with a virus , ” said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn .

Lorne Cook And Samuel Petrequin - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Ethiopia won’t be forced by US on dam, foreign minister says

ADDIS ABABA , Ethiopia - Ethiopia refuses to be pressured by the United States into signing a deal with Egypt and Sudan over its controversial dam on the Nile River , says Ethiopia ’ s foreign minister .
In an interview with The Associated Press , Gedu Andargachew said the three countries need to resolve their differences without outside pressure .
“ In the talks held in Washington , D.C. , around mid- February , we were pressured to quickly reach an agreement and sign a deal before resolving outstanding issues , ” Gedu said , adding that his delegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethiopia would not sign an accord under such duress .
“ Then U.S. officials drafted and sent us an agreement , which we also opposed because the U.S. only has an observer status , “ he said .
” We are of the opinion that an agreement reached under pressure is not in the best interest of anyone party to the talks.
” Tensions are rising over the impasse between Ethiopia and Egypt over the $ 4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that Ethiopia is building on the Nile River , Africa ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Addis Ababa did not attend the latest round of talks held in Washington on Feb. 26 , citing the need for further domestic consultations .
When Ethiopia did not attend the Washington meeting , Egypt ’ s foreign ministry criticized what it called “ Ethiopia ’ s unjustifiable absence … at this critical stage in the negotiations ” and added “ Egypt will use all available means to defend the interests of its people.
” Following the unsuccessful Washington meeting , U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would be finalized soon , ” according to a statement issued by the White House .
This prompted speculation that Trump is favouring Egypt in the dispute .
Ethiopia is now drafting its own proposal on how to resolve the standoff and it will be presented to Egypt and Sudan soon , said Gedu .
“ We won ’ t subscribe to an agreement just because the U.S. and the World Bank came forward with it .
We need to take time and sort out sticking points , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dam is getting increasingly bitter .
Ethiopia ’ s top military officers visited the site of the dam Thursday and issued a statement in which they vowed to “ retaliate if there are any attacks on the dam , ” a veiled warning to Egypt not to try to sabotage the dam .
Ethiopia ’ s construction of the mega-dam , which will be Africa ’ s largest and produce 6.4 gigawatts of power and is now around 71 % complete , has been contentious for years .
Ethiopia says the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help to pull many of its 100 million people out of poverty , while Egypt warns that filling the dam ’ s reservoir too rapidly in the coming years will threaten its fair share of Nile River waters .
Ethiopia seeks to fill the dam in seven years , but Egypt proposes it should be done more slowly , over a period of 12 to 21 years , to minimize the reduction of the flow of Nile waters .
Egypt relies on the Nile River for agricultural irrigation and water for its population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the World Bank were brought in to the talks after Egypt ’ s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi last year pleaded with Washington and the international community to help find a solution to the long-running dispute .
“ Egyptian water experts and politicians know too well that our dam will not harm their interests .
It will only generate electricity and won ’ t consume any water , ” said Gedu .
“ We are building this dam inside our territory , with our water resource and using our own money , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
” More than 65 million Ethiopians don ’ t have access to electricity .
This is not acceptable .
We are trying to pull them out of darkness using the power generated from this dam.
” Gedu said the main disagreement “ stems from Egypt ’ s refusal to accept the rights other countries have on the river .
There are attempts to enforce colonial agreements but that will never be accepted by Ethiopia .
I know the Nile River is God ’ s gift for Egypt .
The same is true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to terms with that .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Religious services curbed across Mideast over virus fears

JERUSALEM - Religious authorities moved to cancel or limit weekly prayer gatherings across the Middle East on Friday to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as they encouraged the faithful to pray for those afflicted by the global pandemic .
Christian , Muslim and Jewish leaders in Jerusalem said services would continue to be held in the Holy Land but moved to limit indoor gatherings after the Israeli Health Ministry said they should not exceed 100 people .
At the Western Wall in Jerusalem , the holiest site where Jews can pray , authorities will limit entrance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that accommodate up to 100 people .
But the Western Wall Heritage Foundation , which oversees the site , said there would be no restrictions on worship in the main plaza as it constitutes a “ wide , open space.
” In recent days the foundation has encouraged people to join in special prayers for victims of the virus , which has infected nearly 130,000 people worldwide and caused more than 4,700 deaths .
Israel ’ s chief Sephardic rabbi , Yitzhak Yosef , meanwhile ordered Jews to stop visiting the Western Wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their homes “ until the wrath passes and mercy comes from heaven.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes .
But the rapid spread of the virus has caused worldwide alarm , tanking financial markets , disrupting travel and leading to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic endowment that oversees the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem , the third holiest site in Islam , said Friday prayers would be held as normal but encouraged people to pray in the outer courtyards and refrain from crowding inside the mosques .
It advised the elderly and sick not to enter crowded mosques .
The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem called on churches to enforce the Health Ministry ’ s guidelines , including with Sunday services .
It invited everyone to pray for “ those directly and indirectly affected by this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday prayers in major cities , and on Friday Kuwait said all public prayers would be cancelled until further notice .
Egypt has ordered all mosques to limit Friday prayers , including the weekly sermon , to no more than 15 minutes .
The prayers usually last around an hour .
Iraq , which has reported more than 80 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and eight deaths so far , has scrapped Friday prayers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala and in the country ’ s predominantly Kurdish region in the north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleric , Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani , whose Friday sermon from Karbala provides guidance for millions , last week urged people to abide by a ban on mass prayers .
In Lebanon , Friday prayers have been temporarily suspended in all Shiite mosques .
The country ’ s top Sunni authority has said it is forbidden for anyone with a contagious disease to attend prayers and has urged elderly people and those with weakened immune systems to pray at home .
The moves to limit prayers come on the heels of several cancellations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide .
Dubai announced that a major horse race planned for March 28 would be held without spectators .
The Dubai World Cup is the world ’ s richest purse for horse racing , with a $ 12 million prize last year .
Dubai ’ s crown prince , Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum , separately announced a $ 400 million stimulus plan for the city-state whose real-estate market and tourism industry have been hard-hit by the virus .
Dubai International Airport , the busiest for international travel and home to long-haul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plummet .
Tiny , energy-rich Qatar shut down all cinemas , theatres , museums , children ’ s play areas , gyms and wedding halls overnight .
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the island nation of Bahrain meanwhile released nearly 1,500 prisoners , around 900 of whom were pardoned .
The move appeared aimed at preventing the virus from spreading inside detention facilities .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear if those released included opposition activists detained as part of Bahrain ’ s yearslong crackdown on all dissent .
In Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Velayati was quarantined at home after testing positive for the virus .
He is a close , trusted adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , the 80-year-old supreme leader of the Islamic Republic , who was recently seen wearing disposable gloves at a tree-planting ceremony , apparently out of caution about the virus .
The outbreak has reached Iran ’ s top officials , with its senior vice-president , Cabinet ministers , members of parliament , Revolutionary Guard members and Health Ministry officials among those infected .
Iran has reported more than 10,000 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it among the worst outbreaks worldwide .
There are concerns that the number of infections is much higher .
In Israel , concerns about the virus may lead to a brief respite from the yearlong political deadlock between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival , former military chief Benny Gantz , after three inconclusive elections .
Netanyahu , who is set to face trial on corruption allegations next week , has called for an emergency national government to combat the pandemic , and Gantz has said he is open to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks in the coming days .
Israel has reported more than 100 cases , with the numbers ticking up in recent days .
It has imposed a number of tough restrictions to slow the spread of the virus , placing tens of thousands of people into protective home quarantine , ordering all Israelis who return from overseas into quarantine and barring almost all tourists from entering the country .
Associated Press writers Isaac Scharf ; Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates ; Noha ElHennawy in Cairo ; Bassem Mroue in Beirut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , contributed .


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Nepal cancels spring mountain climbing season due to virus

KATHMANDU , Nepal - Nepal ’ s government announced Friday that it was suspending climbing permits for Mount Everest and all of the other peaks in the country due to concern over the spread of the coronavirus .
The decision effectively shuts down the world ’ s tallest mountain since China already closed its side of Everest over similar fears .
Everest straddles the border between Nepal and China and can be climbed from both sides .
Shutting down the popular spring climbing season across the country was a precautionary measure to block any possibility of the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official with Nepal ’ s Department of Tourism , which issues climbing permits .
The government also said it was cancelling all visas on arrival for tourists and that those arriving after Saturday would be subject to 14 days of self-quarantine .
Visitors will also no longer be able enter through land borders and must travel through the only international airport , which is situated in the capital , Kathmandu .
Nepal has eight of the highest peaks in the world and the adventurers who head to the country to climb them are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government and the thousands of workers who support the expeditions .
So are trekkers and other tourists who flock to the Himalayan nation .
Even before the closure , expedition operators in Nepal had said cancellations for the spring climbing season had been pouring in .
There had been concerns about the new virus and how it could spread among climbers living for weeks on the mountains in shared tents in extreme temperatures .
Fever , coughs and colds are already common among climbers .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as fever and cough .
Some , especially older adults and those with existing health problems , develop more severe illnesses such as pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
Nepal so far has had one confirmed case of the virus .
The Nepali student who returned home for a holiday from China has already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been ordered to wrap up the academic year by next week and close down , while citizens have been advised to stay away from crowded gatherings and avoid unnecessary travel .

Binaj Gurubacharya - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Spain looks at Italy for clues to deal with new coronavirus

MADRID - Over 60,000 people have been confined to four towns in Spain ’ s first mandatory lockdown as infections for the new coronavirus increase sharply , putting a strain on health services and pressure on the government for more action .
The situation in and around the Spanish capital , Madrid , with nearly 2,000 positive cases of the new virus and hospitals rapidly filling up , is a source of particular concern for authorities , as Spain follows hot on the heels of Italy in the coronavirus pandemic .
The country had more than 3,800 cases by Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has closed museums and sports centres , sent home nearly 10 million students and has asked people to work remotely , while limiting crowds at public events in high risk areas in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 .
But questions are being asked about whether the measures are enough in the light of the experience in Italy , where authorities have acknowledged that escalating restrictions have been unable to contain the virus .
The Madrid vice-president said Friday that the region is in dire need of medical supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reshuffle the region ’ s health system that included pooling intensive care units from both public and private hospitals , and even considering creating additional hospital rooms in hotels .
At least two hotel chains have offered their premises .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Greece’s first female president is sworn in

ATHENS , Greece - Greece ’ s first female president , a former high court judge , was formally sworn in to office Friday , nearly two months after the country ’ s parliament voted overwhelmingly to elect her .
The swearing-in ceremony for Katerina Sakellaropoulou took place in an almost empty parliament , as part of measures being taken to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus .
Only a handful of lawmakers and a limited number of journalists were present .
Greece has shut down schools , universities , cinemas , theatres , gyms and nightclubs , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and avoid large gatherings in an effort to contain the virus outbreak .
The country so far has 117 confirmed cases and one death .
The presidential swearing-in ceremony was being covered live on state television .
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis nominated Sakellaropoulou as a non-partisan candidate who would enjoy broad support from across the political spectrum .
All major parties voted in favour , with Sakellaropoulou being elected to the largely ceremonial post in a 261-33 vote in January , well above the 200 votes required .
Six lawmakers were absent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in senior positions in politics , and Mitsotakis had been criticized for selecting a nearly all-male Cabinet after he won general elections in July 2019 .
In the current Greek Cabinet , all but one of the 18 senior positions are held by men .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Florida could be knockout punch for Sanders’ 2020 campaign

MIAMI - Florida has never been known as a place of stability , especially in its politics .
And yet stability is what has been on the minds of many Democrats in the state who say they ’ ll vote for former Vice-President Joe Biden in Tuesday ’ s presidential primary election instead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
“ I like some of Sanders ’ ideas , but he ’ s a little too extreme for me , ” said Jeanne Hilburn , a 76-year-old retired teacher who lives in the suburbs of Tampa .
“ A lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stability.
” As the race for the Democratic nomination enters a penultimate phase , with Sanders ’ campaign on the brink of collapse and Biden ’ s ascendant , attention is turning to places like Florida , which is holding its primary on Tuesday along with Ohio , Illinois and Arizona .
Florida has 219 delegates , the biggest prize of next week ’ s election .
Few places hold the electoral cachet of Florida , which has been among the most coveted swing states in the last three decades , including during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is a vital state for President Donald Trump , who would have almost no path to reelection without it .
Biden ’ s advisers are banking on a decisive Florida victory that sends a clear message that he is much better positioned to win the state and deny Trump a second term .
In 2016 , Trump defeated Hillary Clinton here by 1.2 percentage points .
“ Florida , as always , is pivotal in the outcome , ” said Nikki Fried , who is the state ’ s agriculture commissioner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
“ We are the ultimate swing state.
” Sanders ’ support in Florida has always been tenuous .
In the 2016 primary , he lost to Clinton by a nearly 2-to-1 margin .
This year , Sanders angered a potentially large voting bloc — Cuban Americans — by praising Fidel Castro for implementing a literacy program in the communist nation .
“ There is nothing positive you can say about the conditions in Cuba .
If he doesn ’ t understand that , it is hard to conceive that he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suarez , who was the first Cuban-born mayor of Miami and is now running as an independent in the county mayoral race .
“ It ’ s gon na be a massacre.
” That leaves many Florida Democrats looking beyond the primary to November .
Several groups have banded together to register people to vote and mobilize for November .
One of the four groups , Organizing Together 2020 , is led by Fried .
It will hire employees , register voters , train volunteers and then turn everything over to the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the groups is For Our Future , a super PAC that is made up largely of Mike Bloomberg ’ s campaign apparatus .
A strong turnout in the Florida primary could give hope to Democrats , though it would be difficult to draw any conclusions for November given the state ’ s high number of independents .
And , to be sure , the coronavirus outbreak could keep some voters away from the polls and muffle any message from the turnout .
Democrats know it will be a challenge to sway voters here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 13.6 million voters are registered independents , which means they can ’ t vote in Tuesday ’ s primary but are eligible to cast ballots in the general election .
“ Florida is an interesting state .
Depending on where you ’ re at , we can be very conservative , or we can be very progressive , ” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman , a Democrat .
“ We also have a strong moderate and independent streak .
Biden , I think he ’ ll do well here with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are looking for an alternative to President Trump.
“ Ashley Walker , of Organizing Together , said a priority is grassroots door-knocking in counties that were close in 2016 , like Pinellas , home to St. Petersburg , which Trump won by 5,500 votes , and in Pasco , a suburban county just north of Tampa where voters moved to Republican candidates in the 2018 Senate and gubernatorial races .
Walker says the aim is to siphon off votes there .
“ The margins matter .
We ’ re probably not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to need to close the margins so we lose less badly , ” she said .
“ And in those counties that go back-and-forth between red and blue , like Pinellas , it ’ s especially important to get organized early .
To build relationships early.
” Similarly , Biden ’ s supporters have been paying visits to Spanish-language TV shows and broadening “ diaspora outreach ” efforts in South Florida .
John Kerry , the former secretary of state and the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004 , spoke about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign at a restaurant in Doral , the hub of Venezuelan exiles .
“ We feel good about where we are in the state , but we are not taking anything for granted , ” said Carmen Torres , of Florida Hispanics for Biden .
Democrats don ’ t have a lock on the Latino vote in Florida , particularly among the nearly 2 million residents who are originally from Cuba , Venezuela and Nicaragua , where authoritarian socialist regimes have soured many exiles toward any left-leaning politicians .
A third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , according to AP Vote Cast , a wide-ranging survey of the elecotrate .
But the survey said a majority , 56 % , of Cuban American midterm voters expressed approval of the way Trump was handling his job as president .
Daisy Baez , a former Democratic state lawmaker , is leading a group called “ Dominicanos con Biden ” to rally her fellow Dominican Americans to support the former vice-president .
A similar effort to rally Venezuelans will roll out on Sunday .
“ We wanted to address our message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We needed to piece it down in smaller parts.
” As Sanders ’ chances diminish , Biden may also need to win over his challenger ’ s fervent supporters if an endorsement follows .
Some may not follow suit .
Nick Mora , 24 , a Florida International University Student , marched alongside 20 students on a recent afternoon on campus to persuade others to vote early for Sanders .
Mora acknowledged Sanders ’ defeat earlier this week was disappointing but said they were not ready to give up yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden does not have the same policy proposals as Bernie , “ Mora said .
“ I feel like the progressive movement is being pushed down , and there ’ s not much we can do about it if we vote for Joe Biden , so we are still trying to fight till the end.
” Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”

Tamara Lush And Adriana Gomez Licon - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Sweden sees risk of military escalation in Baltic region

COPENHAGEN - Sweden ’ s external military intelligence service said Friday the security policy situation in the Baltic Sea region “ has deteriorated over time , ” meaning there is “ an increased risk of military incidents and confrontation that can , in the worst case , lead to a situation escalating.
” The Military Intelligence and Security Service , known by its Swedish acronym MUST , said “ the dynamics between the United States , China , Russia and the European Union also affects the security policy situation in the Baltic Sea region.
” In its annual report for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ continues to be characterized by increased military activity .
This means a growing risk of military incidents and confrontation that may , at worst , escalate.
” MUST noted that “ generally speaking Russia remains militarily inferior to the United States and NATO ” but stressed that Russia “ has the ability to be militarily superior regionally , and for a limited time.
” The reason for that is that NATO and Europe are dependent on American strengthening in the event of a conflict and that this would have to be relocated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Estonia ’ s foreign intelligence agency said the likelihood of a military attack from neighbouring Russia remains low .
Still , the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service said , any confrontation with Russia and the West could quickly turn into “ a threat situation “ for the three Baltic countries — Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Italy’s coronavirus ground zero sets virtuous example

CODOGNO , Italy - For three weeks , children ’ s play has not echoed in the main piazza of the town of Codogno , overlooked by a statue of the town ’ s patron St. Blaise , a 4th-Century physician .
But over that period , too , the silence has been pierced increasingly less often by ambulance sirens , which in the early days roared through every couple of hours .
The northern town that recorded Italy ’ s first coronavirus infection has offered a virtuous example to fellow Italians now facing an unprecedented nationwide lockdown — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Infections of the new virus have not stopped in Codogno , which still has registered the most of any of the 10 Lombardy towns in Italy ’ s original red zone , but they have slowed .
In the town of 16,000 located near the Po River about 60 kilometres ( 40 miles ) southwest of Milan , most everyone knows someone among the nearly 200 infected with the virus , or the 34 who have died .
When news went out this week that there had been zero new infections in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of eradication were exaggerated .
But the trend appears to be real — and one of the reasons that led Premier Giuseppe Conte to impose a series of draconian new measures across the countries this week .
Five new infections were registered Wednesday , compared with 35 a day at the start of the outbreak , said Mayor Francesco Passerini , who like most people in the town wears a mask and who has mourned at a distance with friends who lost their fathers .
“ It is a war .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility of winning , ” Passerini said .
“ Unlike with our grandfathers , who went physically into battle for our freedom , we are being required to show responsibility — responsibility and calm.
” Those whose lives the virus has claimed include Umberto Falchetti , 86 , who helped turn the MTA car components business founded by his father into one of the city ’ s major industrial concerns , supplying Fiat Chrysler and Renault , among others .
“ He was healthy , he had no conditions , “ his daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press by telephone .
He died within a week of coming down with a fever .
Over three weeks , residents have grown accustomed to their isolation from the world , and from each other .
They mostly wear masks when they do go out — not as a requirement but “ as an act of attention above all to avoid contagion to others , ” Passerini said .
Handshake greetings are replaced with new forms of acknowledgment — a steady gaze , say .
“ We need to make it our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the still-awkward passage of customs .
Even with the masks , residents steadfastly abide by the 1-meter distance rule , as they wait outside a bank to pay bills , a pharmacy to have their prescriptions filled , or a bakery for a few provisions .
While the rest of Italy has had to adjust to rapidly changing measures , the pace within Codogno has never really changed since the first diagnosis was confirmed on Feb. 21 — not even when police and army barricades came down earlier this week when Lombardy became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a sigh of relief , there was some concern over the risk that all of the sacrifices were in vain , ” Passerini said of the opening .
“ We are continuing with our virtuous behaviours .
We have gotten used to them , with the hope that this emergency ends as soon as possible , not only in Codogno but in the rest of the country and Europe.
” So while people can no longer attend Mass or swap news at a café , a local parish radio station has stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmitting Mass and prayer , along with bulletins from the civil protection agency and messages from the mayor .
Trains no longer stop at the station -- no one is going anywhere anyway .
And shops for non-essentials like apparel and bicycles that opened long enough to post signs instructing customers that they must wear a mask to enter , are shuttered anew .
“ Codogno has been in the spotlight since the very first day , ” said Rosy Ronisvalle , who stopped at a newsstand her way home from the pharmacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her 4-year-old daughter .
“ We have behaved well.
” But it has been with great personal sacrifice .
Ronisvalle improvised meals after shops — including supermarkets — were ordered closed Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. , leaving her with an empty refrigerator , and arranged play for her 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter , who have not been outside since .
Beside protecting them , she must also protect her mother , who has recently finished chemotherapy and who had been scheduled for urgent surgery until the lockdown made travel outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation is delicate , and doctors ( initially ) said , ‘ Let ’ s operate right away , we don ’ t have time to lose , ’ ” Ronisvalle said .
“ Now , unfortunately , there is a lot of time to lose because of the demands on hospitals .
There are not enough beds in intensive care for her , because after being operated on , obviously she would have to go into intensive care.
” They are now awaiting surgery to be scheduled .
“ This is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , ” she said .


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Pentagon: US strikes Iran-backed group that hit Iraq base

WASHINGTON - The U.S. launched airstrikes in Iraq , targeting the Iranian-backed Shiite militia members believed responsible for the rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops at a base north of Baghdad , the Pentagon said .
U.S. officials said multiple strikes by U.S. fighter jets on Thursday hit five locations and mainly targeted Kataib Hezbollah weapons facilities inside Iraq .
A Defence Department statement said the strikes targeted five weapons storage facilities “ to significantly degrade their ability to conduct future attacks.
” The strikes marked a rapid escalation in tensions with Tehran and its proxy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Iran carried out a massive ballistic missile attack against American troops at a base in Iraq .
They came just hours after top U.S. defence leaders threatened retaliation for the Wednesday rocket attack , making clear that they knew who did it and that the attackers would be held accountable .
“ The United States will not tolerate attacks against our people , our interests , or our allies , ” Defence Secretary Mark Esper said .
“ As we have demonstrated in recent months , we will take any action necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region.
” The Pentagon statement said the facilities hit in the precision strikes were used to store weapons used to target the U.S. and coalition forces .
It called the counterattack “ defensive , proportional and in direct response to the threat ” posed by the Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups .
U.S. officials said the locations of the strikes were largely around the Baghdad region .
One U.S. official said there were two strikes at Jurf al-Sakher , one in Karbala , one at Al-Musayib , and one at Arab Nawar Ahmad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties would be lower than 50 , and said the main effort was to hit the weapons .
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because some details about the operations had not yet been made public .
An official with the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Units told The Associated Press that two Iraqi federal police personnel were killed in Jurf al-Sakher .
An Iraqi military statement said the aerial “ aggression ” occurred at 1:15 a.m. in the areas of Jurf al-Sakher , Al-Musayib , Najaf and Alexandria on the headquarters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and commandos of the 9th division of the Iraqi army .
Esper told reporters at the Pentagon earlier Thursday that President Donald Trump had given him the authority to take whatever action he deemed necessary .
“ We ’ re going to take this one step at a time , but we ’ ve got to hold the perpetrators accountable , ” Esper said .
“ You don ’ t get to shoot at our bases and kill and wound Americans and get away with it.
” At the White House , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be coming , telling reporters , “ We ’ ll see what the response is.
” And Army Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , told Pentagon reporters the U.S. knows ” with a high degree of certainty ” who launched the attack .
On Capitol Hill earlier in the day , Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie , the top U.S. commander for the Middle East , told senators the deaths of U.S. and coalition troops created a “ red line ” for the U.S. , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a good understanding of where our red line is.
” Asked if any counterattack could include a strike inside Iran , Esper said , “ We are focused on the group that we believe perpetrated this in Iraq.
” Two U.S. troops and one British service member were killed and 14 other personnel were wounded when 18 rockets hit the base Wednesday .
The U.S. military said the 107 mm Katyusha rockets were fired from a truck launcher that was found by Iraqi security forces near the base after the attack .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ group they believe launched the rocket attack , but Kataib Hezbollah , an Iranian-backed Shiite militia group , was the likely perpetrator .
And the U.S. strikes , which came in the middle of the night in Iraq , targeted that group .
Kataib Hezbollah was responsible for a late December rocket attack on a military base in Kirkuk that killed a U.S. contractor , prompting American military strikes in response .
That in turn led to protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad .
They were followed Jan. 3 by a U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful military officer , Gen. Qassem Soleimani , and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , a leader of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq , of which Kataib Hezbollah is a member .
In response to the Soleimani killing , Iran launched a massive ballistic missile attack on Jan. 8 , at al-Asad air base in Iraq , that resulted in traumatic brain injuries to more than 100 American troops .
McKenzie told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning that the killing of Soleimani and the increase in U.S. troops and assets in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. will defend its interests there .
He said the U.S. has re-established a level of deterrence for state-on-state attacks by Iran .
However , he said : “ What has not been changed is their continuing desire to operate through their proxies indirectly again us .
That is a far more difficult area to deter.
” On Thursday , Esper and Milley said they spoke with their British counterparts about the attack , but declined to provide details .
Asked why none of the rockets was intercepted , Milley said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of defending against that type of attack .
He also said the 14 injured personnel were a mix of U.S. and allied troops as well as contractors , and they will also be monitored for possible traumatic brain injury in the wake of the blasts .
Associated Press writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--European shares rebound after turbulent Asian session

BANGKOK - European markets were mostly higher Friday after a turbulent trading session in Asia .
Shares rose in Paris and London but fell 6.1 % in Japan following Wall Street ’ s biggest drop since the 1987 Black Monday crash .
Friday the 13th brought wild swings for some markets as governments stepped up precautions against the spread of the new coronavirus and considered ways to cushion the blow to their economies .
Benchmarks in Japan , Thailand and India sank as much as 10 % early in the day , but India ’ s Sensex gained 3.3 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Thailand SET fell 1.3 % after its 10 % plunge triggered a temporary suspension of trading .
Markets worldwide have been on the retreat as worries over the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis deepen and the meltdown in the U.S. , the world ’ s biggest economy , batters confidence around the globe .
But there were signs that government action was beginning to resonate with panicked investors as some ventured back into markets in search of bargains .
In France , the CAC 40 gained 1.5 % to 4,106.68 while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 9,232.84 .
Britain ’ s FTSE picked up 2.7 % to 5,380.91 .
U.S. markets looked set for a stronger start , with the future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 2.6 % at 21,456.00 .
The future for the S & P 500 advanced 2.7 % to 2,522.20 .
Australia ’ s S & P/ASX 200 jumped 4.4 % to 5,539.30 after state and territorial leaders agreed to raise spending to counter the impact of the viral outbreak that has spread from central China across the globe , infecting 128,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reserve Bank made it very clear this morning the levers of fiscal policy need to do their job here , ” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said after a meeting of top officials on Friday .
“ We need to put budgets to work to keep people in work , ” said Morrison , whose federal government has already pledged $ 11.4 billion in stimulus .
Losses narrowed in mainland China , where communities are recovering from the worst of the virus .
The Shanghai Composite index fell 1.2 % to 2,887.43 .
Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , to 24,032.91 .
The overnight sell-off on Wall Street helped to wipe out most of the big U.S. gains since President Donald Trump took office in 2017 .
The S & P 500 plummeted 9.5 % , for a total drop of 26.7 % from its all-time high , set just last month .
That puts it way over the 20 % threshold for a bear market , officially ending Wall Street ’ s unprecedented bull-market run of nearly 11 years .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 2,352 points , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since its nearly 23 % drop on Oct. 19 , 1987 .
European markets fell 12 % in one of their worst days ever , even after the European Central Bank pledged to buy more bonds and offer more help for the economy .
“ Between the lack of a strong U.S. fiscal response and the latest travel ban for arrivals from Europe to the U.S. , global markets appear to have been tipped over into a sell-everything mode , “ Jingyi Pan of IG said in a commentary .
Not all markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down by double-digits from just weeks earlier .
Thailand ’ s SET has lost nearly 40 % and the Philippines ’ benchmark is down more than 30 % .
Overriding concerns about the actual impact on business and trade is pessimism over how the crisis is being handled , with the “ sum of all fears are culminating with the view that policymakers remain well behind the curve , “ said Stephen Innes of AxiCorp .
Despite the slight improvements in some markets , gloom prevailed in Asia on Friday .
Tokyo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in nearly four years .
South Korea ’ s Kospi sank 3.4 % to 1,771.44 .
Taiwan ’ s benchmark lost 2.8 % , while most Southeast Asian markets fell 1-2 % .
Chemicals and pharmaceutical companies were among the biggest gainers , while real estate developers and retailers saw big losses .
The worldwide rout has come amid cascading cancellations and shutdowns across the globe — including Trump ’ s suspension of most travel to the U.S. from Europe — and rising worries that the White House and other authorities around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t counter the economic damage from the outbreak any time soon .
The coronavirus has killed more than 4,700 , but for most people causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illnesses , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the virus in a few weeks .
Initially , many hoped the virus would be contained in China .
But as the damage and disruptions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis and Wall Street ’ s retreat have heightened fears of a recession .
Just last month , the Dow was boasting a nearly 50 % increase since Trump took the oath of office on Jan. 20 , 2017 .
It officially went into a bear market on Wednesday , finishing down more than 20 % from its all-time high .
For the S & P 500 , this is the fastest drop since World War II from a record high to a bear market .
In other trading , the oil market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago as Saudi Arabia and Russia clashed over output cuts , was holding steady .
U.S. benchmark crude erased early losses , gaining $ 1.25 , or 4 % , to $ 32.75 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange .
Brent crude , the standard for international oil pricing , picked up $ 1.26 , or 3.8 % , to $ 34.48 per barrel .
The U.S. dollar rose to 105.94 Japanese yen from 104.63 yen late Thursday .
The euro strengthened to $ 1.1195 from $ 1.1181 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Elaine Kurtenbach - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Accused of abusing 349 children, French surgeon faces trial

SAINTES , France - A retired surgeon accused of sexually abusing as many as 349 young children over decades – primarily his patients , in their hospital rooms — is facing justice at last , in the worst such case to come to light in France .
The trial opening Friday in the western city of Saintes is only the beginning , however .
It concerns four people allegedly targeted by Joel Le Scouarnec , 69 , including two of his nieces .
Other legal complaints against the doctor have piled up since the original investigation wrapped up , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial .
The first case reached investigators in 2017 , when a 6-year-old neighbour told her mother that Le Scouarnec exposed himself and molested her across the fence between their properties .
In searching Le Scouarnec ’ s home , investigators uncovered more than 300,000 images of child and other pornography — as well as extensive notebooks where the surgeon detailed sexual violence against both girls and boys from 1989 to 2017 .
Next to each child ’ s name were comments on the nature of the sexual acts inflicted , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he had “ already acted out ” with children , including his nieces .
He said he set limits for himself , and denied any full penetration .
He claimed his diaries included an element of fantasy .
The regional prosecutor , Laureline Peyrefitte , told a news conference in December that the number of “ potential victims of Le Scouarnec ’ s actions “ had reached 349 by that point .
Gendarmes questioned 229 of the people named in the notebooks , and by this month , 200 had filed formal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Associated Press .
Many incidents occurred too long ago to prosecute , however .
Investigators say that under cover of medical acts , the doctor sexually took advantage of children as soon as they were alone in their hospital room .
They say his strategy was to pass off sexual violence as a professional gesture , and to target patients so young they might not remember or understand what was happening .
He also targeted older children in the operating room , when they were asleep or under anesthesia , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young , or unconscious , Le Scouarnec was able to act without aggression or threats , prosecutors say .
And so many years later , there is no way to trace for sperm or DNA .
Critics ask why nothing came out before .
The surgeon had already been sentenced in 2005 to a four-month suspended prison sentence for possession and importation of a child pornographic image .
The trial opening Friday concerns the neighbour , two nieces , and a child who was hospitalized at age 4 for acute pancreatitis in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouarnec faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted .

Nicolas Vaux-Montagny - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Virus darkens stages, silences orchestras across the US

NEW YORK - The stage at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle is quiet .
There is no music coming from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the members of Pearl Jam won ’ t tour .
There is no one to admire the treasures at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York .
The ongoing fears surrounding the coronavirus have shuttered places where Americans — and foreign visitors — have long gathered to escape the world and also to engage with it .
Almost everything that draws crowds has now sent them all away .
Wisconsin resident Ellen Moodie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , twice rejected .
She came for the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden , but that was cancelled .
So she tried to catch a Broadway show , but those too were were cancelled .
She admitted to being a little disappointed .
“ We would love to see a show but understand the situation , ” she said .
The list of venues where Americans can no longer find entertainment or diversion continues to climb — so far scrapped or shuttered are everything from Coachella to Carnegie Hall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts .
Bob and Diane Erickson , of Cambridge , Minnesota , were taking no chances Thursday , hitting all of Nashville ’ s major tourist destinations that were unaffected thus far , including The Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium .
“ We ’ re just kind of watching it , ” said Bob Erickson .
“ And frankly , it ’ s going to get bigger.
” The closures of museums and theatres and concerts come even as families find their kids locked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and arts institutions worry about keeping the lights on without ticket sales .
“ It ’ s the people that are down here , trying to earn that dollar that it ’ s going to affect the most , ” said Mike Beliles , of Wilmington , North Carolina , who was visiting Nashville .
“ It ’ s the people who are trying to make ends meet and they aren ’ t able to work.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
Apprehension of the virus has claimed an astonishingly varied list of events stretching beyond the traditional arts , from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to the New York International Auto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the NBA season and NCAA basketball tournaments were felled by coronavirus , but smaller and less raucous get-togethers were also abandoned , too .
Around the country , bookstore appearances by James McBride , Louise Erdrich and many others were postponed or cancelled during what is usually one of publishing ’ s busiest seasons .
The prize-winning author and illustrator Gene Luen Yang called off the tour for his graphic novel “ Dragon Hoops.
” The Brooklyn Public Library in New York suspended or postponed all public programs until at least the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the vice-president of arts and culture , called the move “ only responsible action we could take.
” He said the virus is making those in the world of culture humble .
“ Its a bitter lesson , that we are not the rulers of the universe .
We got very comfortable thinking we could overcome everything .
Sometimes we have to learn that there are stronger powers .
It ’ s larger than culture , it ’ s universal , ” he said .
“ We have to change course .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn this message .
This is a huge and important lesson , especially in the Western world.
” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on Thursday banned gatherings of 500 or more in the city , effectively forcing the hand of Broadway producers who had previously said that Broadway would be “ open for business ” unless advised not to by the government .
Shows are now slated to resume the week of April 13 .
Would-be theatre attendees were turned away in the theatre district , some shaking their heads in disbelief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch one but it ’ s all cancelled , ” said Quinn Heath , 24 , who was visiting from Boston .
Closing all Broadway theatres for a month is unprecedented , said Laurence Maslon , an arts professor at New York University ’ s Tisch School of the Arts .
“ Nothing comes close to this amount of time ever.
” Other theatres far from Broadway have closed their doors , including the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Southern California , which cancelled or postponed all productions and programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the run of “ Guys and Dolls ” at the Ford ’ s Theatre in the nation ’ s capital .
The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle closed the doors on “ Sister Act , ” citing the state ’ s mandated cancellation of public gatherings , and is now asking for donations to recover $ 1 million in losses .
The 1,600-seat Curran Theater in San Francisco decided to scrap performances of “ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
” Actors ’ Equity Association , which represents more than 51,000 actors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shutter Broadway “ important ” and urged lawmakers to come to the aid of workers in the arts .
“ Today ’ s decision means tremendous uncertainty for thousands who work in the arts , including the prospect of lost income , health insurance and retirement savings , ” the group said .
“ For every middle-class actor you see onstage , there are dozens of other workers behind the scenes and in an administrative capacity.
” The virus ’ arrival came just as Americans shake off the winter blues and plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows .
But no more .
“ This is one of the hearts of the season where we have really a lot going on , ” said New York Philharmonic president Deborah Borda .
“ It is going to be an enormous financial challenge involving millions of dollars for all of these institutions.
“ The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Associated Press reporters Kristin M. Hall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jim Mustian , David Martin and Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report .
Mark Kennedy is at http : //twitter.com/KennedyTwits .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Big city, big worry: New Yorkers fret as bustling city slows

New Yorkers will awake Friday to find the coronavirus has left their famously bustling city with no Broadway , no basketball games , no big gatherings , and a populace unnerved by an ever-worsening crisis .
A dizzying series of temporary coronavirus-related closures announced Thursday included some of the city ’ s cultural jewels : The Metropolitan Opera , Metropolitan Museum of Art , the American Museum of Natural History and Carnegie Hall .
It wasn ’ t just high culture .
The St. Patrick ’ s Day parade will not step off next week .
Concerts were cancelled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which temporarily shut down its city headquarters Wednesday after two employees tested positive , continued to air its local Thursday night broadcast — from Los Angeles .
Restaurants , subway cars and sidewalks were noticeably emptier .
Without a flake of snow , the city began to take on the thinned-out look it gets after winter blizzards , with people telecommuting to work or avoiding public places .
Colleges across the city were closed or having students attend class online .
“ People are scared to come outside , ” said Justin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Central Park , who said several of his pedicab drivers — reliant on tourists for their living — quit Thursday to drive for Uber ’ s food delivery service .
“ It ’ s crazy .
How am I going to survive this ?
” The virus , as of Thursday afternoon , had been confirmed in more than 320 people in New York state , including 95 in the city , and had caused one death in the metropolitan area .
But after weeks of assuring residents that fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New York ’ s governor and mayor abruptly shifted course .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading , gatherings with more than 500 people would temporarily be banned in the state , starting in most places at 5 p.m. Friday , though evening shows on Broadway were called off a day sooner .
Many gatherings in smaller event spaces would have to cut capacity in half .
The restrictions , imposed by an emergency order , don ’ t apply to schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malls and mass transit , and there were exceptions for other types of businesses , like casino floors .
People are also still free to go to work .
Mayor Bill de Blasio , while pointing out the outbreak could last six months or longer , counselled against giving up .
“ I think it is dangerous to stop living life .
You know , this is a crisis , but it is a crisis that will one day end ... We got ta keep living life , ” he said “ People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a point of hopelessness.
” Yet it was clear the slowdown would be painful for a city that relies on the economic engines of tourism , entertainment and Wall Street .
Restaurants and nightspots around the city are reporting drop-offs of 20-80 % over the last week , particularly in the tourist-friendly area around Times Square , said Andrew Rigie , the executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance .
David Turk , who owns a Manhattan catering business , said the fallout for him started a week ago .
First , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week , everything booked through May was either cancelled or postponed .
Turk remembers the dark days after 9-11 , but “ that had a beginning and an end to it .
This has no foreseeable end to it , “ he said .
” It ’ s the uncertainty that ’ s really driving the fear for a lot of us running small business.
” Throughout the day Thursday , New Yorkers ’ sense of unease was compounded by false rumours , spread on social media , that an even larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass quarantines , bans on private vehicles and a cancellation of train service .
“ It ’ s just not true , ” Cuomo said on 1010 WINS radio in the early evening .
“ This is all crazy rumours now .
Anxiety is high , I understand it .
People are nervous about the coronavirus .
But no , subways are not closing down .
Roads are not closing .
New York City is not closing down.
” Parents citywide fretted about whether New York City ’ s public school system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be shut down , as happened in nearby New Rochelle , a suburb that has been an epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S. De Blasio said he hopes to avoid a closure of either the schools or mass transit .
He said health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the crisis would face hurdles in getting to work without the transit system and with children home from school .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover .
Still , the total number of people with the illness in the city is unknown due to the relative scarcity of tests .
And for some , the danger is all too real .
On Tuesday , John Brennan , a New Jersey resident and a horse trainer at Yonkers Raceway , just north of the city , was killed by the virus .
Two days later , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Owners Association President Joseph Faraldo , said he was quarantined in his New York City home waiting for his own test results .
“ He could have infected the entire paddock , because he had contact with everybody , ” said Faraldo , who fell ill himself a week ago .
He said he was tested Wednesday at a medical facility in Queens and expected to get the results back by Friday .
“ I think I was pretty lucky , “ he said .
“ I wasn ’ t there more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of questions and I told them I was in the company of a person who had died from this .
They were very nice.
” The institutional closings come amid signs that New Yorkers are acting on their own to avoid crowds .
Ridership on the subway and commuter rail lines has plunged , state officials said .
At the National September 11 Memorial and Museum , security officers reported some of the sparsest crowds they ’ ve seen as they prepared to shutter the popular museum Friday .
The coronavirus dominated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where joggers were intent on maintaining some semblance of normalcy .
Danielle Xuereb , 38 , of Manhattan , had been preparing to run a half-marathon but learned it was cancelled .
“ I ’ ve been working from home and will probably continue to and probably lay low for a week or two , ” she said .
“ Maybe not go to my normal yoga classes .
I guess my main concern is how long this will all last.
” Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela , Marina Villeneuve , David Porter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
Villeneuve and Hill reported from Albany , New York , and Porter reported from Newark , New Jersey .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Michael Hill, Jennifer Peltz And Jim Mustian - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--Utah passes new abortion rules as Legislature wraps up

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah lawmakers passed new regulations on abortion this year , including a measure approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature Thursday that would ban most abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned .
It comes as abortion opponents around the country hope the Supreme Court will reconsider the landmark ruling with new conservative justices .
If the Utah measure goes into effect , it could mean felony charges for a physician or a woman who ended her own pregnancy .
Also headed for GOP Gov .
Gary Herbert ’ s desk is a requirement for abortion clinics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains .
Several states are considering similar measures .
Supporters say they allow for more dignity , but opponents argue they chip away at abortion rights .
Another proposal requiring a woman be shown an ultrasound before she could get an abortion failed after all six female senators , both Republicans and Democrats , walked out in protest .
Herbert , who generally opposes abortion , said it sent a message .
“ I think it was a loud message and one I think we , as men , ought to take hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are we getting all the information we need to ?
” he said .
He didn ’ t say whether he would sign or veto any of the bills .
Utah barred abortion after 18 weeks last year , becoming one of several states to adopt strict bans .
Like the other measures it has been blocked amid litigation .
Many conservatives hope one of those court cases could lead to the overturning of the 1973 case legalizing abortion .
If that happens , the new measure says Utah would ban all abortions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat to the health of the mother .
Supporters say it would prepare the state to end elective abortions if the legal landscape changes .
“ This bill is meant to discourage the taking of a human life , ” said Republican Rep. Karianne Lisonbee .
Democratic Rep. Suzanne Harrison argued that it would only make it more difficult to get a safe abortion .
“ This extreme bill will hurt women , ” she said .
“ To be clear , women will die.
” The measure regulating fetal remains , meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar Indiana law signed by then-Gov .
Mike Pence .
The Utah requirements also apply to miscarriages at medical facilities .
Supporters say they create space if people need to grieve , but opponents say the measures stigmatize abortion and can make it harder to provide the procedure .
Here ’ s a look at other work by lawmakers this year : — Revisions to an anti-gerrymandering law that voters passed in 2018 would drop requirements that lawmakers argued could undermine their constitutional powers .
The changes were part of a compromise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine transparency built into the original law .
— Another compromise on education funding would change a provision of the Utah Constitution that requires income tax revenue be used for education .
Lawmakers say the change is needed to bolster a faltering sales tax base and add stability , though critics worry it could ultimately undermine education spending in a state where it ’ s a chronic concern .
The change would have to be approved by voters .
— Lawmakers also passed a bill removing the threat of jail time for consenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people come out of shadows and report problems without fear of prosecution .
Some worried , though , it could empower abusers .
— Another measure would require pornography producers to put warning labels on obscene content .
Supporters said it would help address the widespread availability of porn online , though the adult entertainment industry has said it could violate the First Amendment .

Lindsay Whitehurst - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-13--In role reversal, Asia seeks to stop virus from coming in

BEIJING - From quarantining arriving travellers from overseas to nabbing those sneaking in with fevers , China and other parts of Asia are scrambling to prevent the new coronavirus from coming back to where it first broke out .
Just as the spread of the disease is stabilizing in much of Asia , following a major outbreak in China and sizable ones in South Korea and Japan , it is popping up in new hot spots around the world .
Those three countries announced expanded border controls this week that mimic many of the bans and restrictions placed on China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
China , which didn ’ t have enough protective equipment for its medical workers a few weeks ago , is now donating supplies to Italy , Iran , South Korea and other affected places .
The outbreak is far from over in Asia and could well explode again when restrictions put in place to stymie it are lifted .
But the panic that seized the region has shifted to the Mideast , Europe and the Americas as those areas deal with the rapid spread of the virus for the first time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus in the previous 24 hours , and three were imported from Italy , the United States and the United Kingdom .
The number has dropped sharply form a month ago , when the daily figure was in the thousands .
Nearly 90 imported cases have been identified in recent weeks .
National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said this week that the peak of outbreak has passed in China , but that “ the fast development of the epidemic overseas has introduced uncertainties.
” Just a week ago , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to block or restrict visitors coming from the country .
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha , in a rare moment of bluntness , called the moves an unsophisticated reaction by nations with inept quarantine abilities .
Now , as new infections have eased at home , South Korea is stepping up border controls to prevent the virus from being reintroduced by travellers from overseas .
Starting Sunday , the country will extend special screening measures to passengers from France , Germany , Spain , Britain and the Netherlands , as well as those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous two weeks .
Besides having their temperature checked and filling out health questionnaires , they will download a smartphone app to report their health status daily to authorities .
The screening already applied to visitors from mainland China , Hong Kong , Macao , Japan , Italy and Iran .
South Korea also bans people coming from Hubei , the province in China with by far the most infections and deaths .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with existing health problems , develop more severe illnesses such as pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover .
Beijing , which has identified 18 imported cases in the past week , announced it would require anyone arriving from overseas to quarantine for 14 days .
Previously , only those from places with serious outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with eight imported cases confirmed so far , said late Thursday that people coming from Italy , France , Germany , Spain , Iran , South Korea , Japan and the U.S. would have to do the same .
Police in Beijing say they are investigating a family of eight that returned home from Italy , four of whom had contracted the virus .
They allegedly took cold medicine to lower their fevers and falsified their health declaration forms , police said .
The case is one of at least three in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zhejiang province , six people who worked in a restaurant in Italy and developed coughs , headaches and fevers before returning are under investigation for failing to report their health condition when entering China , according to Chinese media reports .
In the north , the Epidemic Prevention and Control Center in Zhengzhou city said a 30-year-old construction worker who had travelled to Milan via Abu Dhabi falsely reported his foreign travels .
It didn ’ t specify how he did so .
He has been put in isolation with a fever and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuating its citizens from one virus-hit country , Iran , echoing earlier flights organized by other nations to bring back their nationals from Wuhan , the capital of Hubei province , after China cut off commercial air and rail service in a lockdown of the region to restrict the spread of the virus .
A charter flight with 164 passengers arrived in the city of Chengdu this week , following two flights bringing back 311 Chinese citizens to the city of Lanzhou in Gansu province last week .
The earlier flights led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gansu reporting 36 imported ones since they landed .
“ We will ... take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens , ” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said this week .
China has dispatched medical teams to Iran , Iraq and Italy and said it would contribute $ 20 million to the World Health Organization in support of its efforts to combat the virus .
The Chinese Embassy in Rome said this week that China had offered to send doctors and lung ventilators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which bristled at a blanket U.S. ban imposed on non-citizens arriving from China , has chosen to quarantine people rather than ban anyone .
President Donald Trump has expanded that ban to several European countries , drawing sharp criticism from the European Union .
Japan ’ s moves to control the epidemic struck a raw nerve in South Korea , where resentment persists over Japan ’ s colonization of the Korean Peninsula in the first half of the 20th century .
After Japan imposed a 14-day quarantine on visitors from South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ending visa-free entry for Japanese citizens and putting them under special screening measures at points of entry .
South Korea has confirmed about 8,000 cases , the fourth highest in the world after China , Italy and Iran .
Kim reported from Seoul , South Korea .
Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this story .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Ken Moritsugu And Kim Tong-Hyung - The Associated Press