thetorontostar--2020-03-03--Tensions rise as US death toll from coronavirus reaches 9

SEATTLE - Tensions over how to contain the coronavirus escalated Tuesday in the United States as the death toll climbed to nine and lawmakers expressed doubts about the government ’ s ability to ramp up testing fast enough to deal with the crisis .
All of the deaths have occurred in Washington state , and most were residents of a nursing home in suburban Seattle .
The number of infections in the U.S. overall climbed past 100 , scattered across at least 15 states , with 27 cases in Washington alone .
“ What is happening now in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening abroad , ” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , noting that in China , where the outbreak began more than two months ago , older and sicker people are about twice as likely to become seriously ill as those who are younger and healthier .
Most cases have been mild .
The nursing home outbreak apparently seeded the first case in North Carolina , authorities said .
A Wake County resident who had visited the Washington state nursing home tested positive but is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the North Carolina governor ’ s office .
In suburban Seattle , 27 firefighters and paramedics who responded to calls at the nursing home were tested for the virus Tuesday using a drive-thru system set up in a hospital parking area .
Thirty-year-old firefighter Kevin Grimstad took care of two patients Jan. 29 at Life Care Center in Kirkland .
He is among 10 from the Kirkland Fire Department who developed symptoms after calls to the nursing facility .
Grimstad , his wife and 6-month-old son have taken turns recovering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re all feeling better , but wish they knew more about the virus .
“ It ’ s crazy .
A couple of weeks ago , it seemed like a foreign thing and now we ’ re getting tested , ” Grimstad said .
“ If I was exposed a month ago , the problem is more widespread than we know.
” In the nation ’ s capital , officials moved on a number of fronts .
A bipartisan $ 7.5 billion emergency bill to fund the government ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
The Federal Reserve announced the biggest interest-rate cut in over a decade to try to fend off damage to the U.S. economy from the factory shutdowns , travel restrictions and other disruptions around the globe .
On Wall Street , stocks rallied briefly on the news , then went into another steep slide , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 785 points on the day , or 2.9 % .
“ We have seen a broader spread of the virus .
So , we saw a risk to the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said .
Also , the Food and Drug and Administration sought to ease a shortage of face masks by giving health care workers the OK to use an industrial type of respirator mask designed to protect construction crews from dust and debris .
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill expressed skepticism about U.S. health officials ’ claims that testing for the new virus should be widely available soon .
CDC test kits delivered to states and cities in January proved faulty .
Authorities have said labs across the country should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million tests by the end of the week .
But testing so far has faced delays and missteps , and “ I ’ m hearing from health professionals that ’ s unrealistic , ” Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state said at a Senate hearing .
The chief of the Food and Drug Administration , Dr. Stephen Hahn , said the FDA has been working with a private company to get as many as 2,500 test kits out to labs by the end of the week .
Each kit should enable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
But health officials were careful about making promises .
“ I am optimistic , but I want to remain humble , ” said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC .
In Washington state , researchers believe the virus may have been circulating undetected for weeks .
That has raised fears that there could be hundreds of undiagnosed cases in the area .
But some people who want to be tested for the virus in the state are encountering confusion , a lack of testing options and other problems as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
“ The people across my state are really scared .
I ’ m hearing from people who are sick , who want to get tested and don ’ t know where to go , ” Murray said .
“ It ’ s unacceptable that people in my state can ’ t even get an answer as to whether or not they are infected.
” One lab was already testing for coronavirus in Washington state and a second was scheduled to begin doing so Tuesday .
Amid the rising fears , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training on conducting remote lessons via computer in case schools have to be shut down for an extended period , while a private school said it would conduct online-only classes through the end of March .
“ We do not feel it is prudent to wait until there is a known case to take action , ” the school , Eastside Prep in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland , said on its website .
A Department of Homeland Security facility just south of Seattle instructed all its employees to work from home after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing home at the centre of the outbreak .
Elsewhere around the world , the crisis continued to ebb in China , where hundreds of patients were released from hospitals and new infections dropped to just 125 on Tuesday , the lowest in several weeks .
But the crisis seemed to shift westward , with alarmingly fast-growing clusters of infections and deaths in South Korea , Iran and Italy .
Worldwide , more than 92,000 people have been sickened and 3,100 have died , the vast majority of them in China .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China shows is that early containment and identification of cases can work , but we now need to implement that in other countries , ” said Dr. Nathalie MacDermott , an infectious-diseases expert at King ’ s College London .

Gene Johnson And Carla K. Johnson - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--Trump says he spoke to a Taliban leader, had ‘good talk’

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader , making him the first U.S. president believed to ever speak directly with the militant group that harboured al-Qaida before the 9-11 attacks and is responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan .
“ We had a very good conversation with the leader of the Taliban today , and they ’ re looking to get this ended , and we ’ re looking to get it ended .
I think we all have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We had , actually , a very good talk with the leader of the Taliban.
” Tuesday ’ s call , which the Taliban said lasted 35 minutes , came days after the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement calling for the withdrawal of American troops — allowing Trump to make progress on a key campaign pledge to extract the U.S. from what he calls “ endless wars ” and paving the way for all-Afghan talks to begin on Tuesday .
Trump suggested the phone call was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first conversation with a leader of the Taliban , Trump said , “ I don ’ t want to say that.
” Earlier , Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that the president had spoken on the phone with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar , a co-founder of the Taliban and head of their political office in Qatar .
“ The relationship is very good that I have with the mullah , ” Trump said .
“ We had a good long conversation today and , you know , they want to cease the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cease violence also.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo witnessed the agreement , which was signed last Saturday in Doha , Qatar , by chief negotiators from the two sides .
According to the deal , all 13,000 U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban meet their obligations to America .
Those promises are tied to fighting terrorism , preventing Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorists , denouncing terrorist groups , severing past links with the likes of al-Qaida and helping fight the Islamic State group affiliate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides of the conflict starting March 10 , most likely in Oslo , Norway .
But so far there ’ s no confirmation that important next step will take place .
The U.S. withdrawal is not tied to Afghanistan ’ s warring sides figuring out how to talk to each other , let alone coming to an agreement on what peace among them will look like .
Already there are hurdles .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has refused to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners , which the agreement said would happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations next week .
The Ghani administration claims those releases will be part of negotiations .
The Taliban are to release up to 1,000 Afghan government and military captives .
Trump said it ’ s still unclear what the Afghans will do when and if they sit with the Taliban and attempt to draft a peaceful political future for the nation .
“ The country really has to get it ended .
We ’ ve been there for 20 years .
Other presidents have tried and they were unsuccessful , “ he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Afghan Taliban also released a statement , saying the phone call took place shortly after 9:30 a.m. EST .
SITE Intelligence Group , which monitors communications from militant organizations , said the Taliban statement claimed the call was held in the presence of a number of members of the Taliban negotiating committee and Zalmay Khalilzad , the U.S. envoy who negotiated the deal .
According to the statement , the phone conversation was about how both sides will implement the agreement .
Baradar assured Trump that if the United States honoured the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban will have “ positive bilateral relations , “ the statement said .
The statement said the Taliban leader told Trump : “ Mr .
President !
Take determined actions in regards to the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and do not allow anyone to take actions that violate the terms of the agreement thus embroiling you even further in this prolonged war.
” The White House provided no additional details about what was said on the call .
In the past , people have wrongly believed that President Ronald Reagan had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1983 , Reagan hosted five “ Afghan freedom fighters ” in the Oval Office .
At the time , the U.S. was backing these Afghan fighters battling the Soviet Union .
The Taliban was not formed until the 1990s .
In the 1980s , the U.S. was among those who encouraged hundreds of Arab fighters to travel to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Afghan mujahedeen , or holy warriors , against the Soviet Union ’ s forces there .
Today , many of those fighters make up the Taliban leadership , while others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
As the war came to a close in 1988 , many of the Arab fighters united to follow the wealthy Saudi leader Osama bin Laden to create al-Qaida , which orchestrated the attacks on the United States on Sept. 11 , 2001 .
Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad , Pakistan , contributed to this report .

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thetorontostar--2020-03-03--Pastor of tornado-damaged Nashville church looks to recovery

NASHVILLE - The tornado that toppled the bell tower at East End United Methodist Church in Nashville about 1 a.m. Tuesday also caused a gas leak at the parsonage next door , forcing the Rev .
Judi Hoffman to evacuate to a hotel .
Lying awake in the strange bed , thinking about the damage to her beautiful historic church , Hoffman recalled that just two Sundays ago the congregation held a “ Celebrate Recovery ” service for people recovering from addiction .
“ We will recover , “ she said of the church Tuesday morning .
” I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pastor is already planning the next steps .
Sunday ’ s service will take place in a park next to what remains of the 113-year-old building , she said .
Along with the bell tower , the tornado destroyed a large , recently refurbished stained glass window depicting Jesus as the good shepherd and left the building uninhabitable .
Returning to the churchyard Tuesday morning , Hoffman said she was inspired to see people she didn ’ t even know helping clear debris .
“ They are rallying around us , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unbelievable.
” The church has sheltered neighbours during previous disasters , including a 1998 tornado that came through the same neighbourhood , sparing East End but flattening another historic church nearby , St. Ann ’ s Episcopal .
“ I actually went and picked up bricks at St. Ann ’ s back in the day , ” Hoffman said .
Neighbour Paula Wade lives across the street from East End and was a member of St. Ann ’ s in 1998 .
“ It was so long ago , but the sound of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound — there ’ s just nothing like it , ” Wade said .
“ Then to look out and see the church , it was just heartbreaking .
It brings back everything that happened at St. Ann ’ s .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--AP VoteCast: Health care top issue in Alabama

WASHINGTON - Voters in Alabama ’ s Democratic primary ranked health care as the most important issue facing the country , well above climate change , the economy , race relations , foreign policy and many other social issues .
More than a third named health care , an issue that has intensely divided the field of Democratic candidates .
Roughly 2 in 10 had the economy on their minds , according to a wide-ranging AP VoteCast survey of the Democratic primary electorate in Alabama .
Here ’ s a snapshot of Democratic voters in Alabama — who they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on preliminary results from AP VoteCast , a survey of 1,110 voters , conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago .
DO THEY WANT A BIG CHANGE ?
Voters in Alabama ’ s Democratic primary were closely divided over whether they wanted a candidate who would bring fundamental change to Washington or one who would restore the political system to how it was before Donald Trump was elected in 2016 .
Slightly more voters said they preferred a candidate who will pursue practical , centrist policies to one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VOTERS WANT About 8 in 10 said it was very important that a nominee can beat Trump , care about people like them and be a strong leader .
Roughly 7 in 10 said it was very important that a candidate have the best policy ideas , while about as many said the same of one who has “ the right experience.
” A Democratic nominee ’ s willingness to work across the aisle was considered very significant by about 7 in 10 voters .
A wide majority say they will definitely vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general election .
Still , about 2 in 10 say their decision will depend on which Democrat is on the ballot in November .
Voters in Alabama are mostly confident that the process for selecting a presidential nominee is fair , though just about 3 in 10 say they are very confident .
Roughly a quarter have little to no confidence , while about 4 in 10 say they are somewhat confident .
The campaign to date has featured a contentious debate among candidates over the best way to tackle health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important facing the country by more than a third of voters .
There is majority support for a government-run health care system for all Americans , with about 6 in 10 voters saying they are in favour .
Roughly a third are opposed .
But support for a public option , where every American could buy into a government-run insurance plan if they want to , is even higher .
More than 8 in 10 are in favour .
Close to 6 in 10 voters are in favour of either proposal , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public option but oppose a single-payer system .
CLIMATE CHANGE , THE ECONOMY AND OTHER ISSUES About 1 in 10 voters said climate change is the most important issue facing the nation .
A majority— about 6 in 10 — expressed support for a tax on the use of carbon-based fuels , such as coal , oil and natural gas .
Roughly 2 in 10 called the economy the top issue .
But a significant majority described the economic system in this country as unfair .
That includes about 4 in 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 1 in 10 named race relations as most important .
Small shares of voters considered immigration , gun policy or abortion most important .
AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News .
The survey of 1,110 voters in Alabama was conducted for seven days , concluding as polls closed .
Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish .
The survey is based on interviews with a random sample of registered voters drawn from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 4.3 percentage points .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”

Hope Yen And Hannah Fingerhut - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--Police: Accused syringe attacker had semen-filled needles

CHURCHTON , Md .
- A man accused of stabbing a woman with a syringe at a Maryland grocery store will be tested for blood-borne viruses after authorities found syringes in his car filled with semen .
District Court Judge John P. McKenna ordered Thomas Byron Stemen , 51 , to be tested for HIV and “ any other identified causative agents of AIDS “ and hepatitis C , the Captial Gazette reported .
A Feb. 18 video from a grocery store in Churchton shows a man following a woman into the cart area and bumping into her .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her leg as she backs out of the store .
The man appears to follow her outside .
Stemen was arrested on Feb. 25 after Anne Arundel County police received a tip .
Stemen was charged with first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment .
Authorities said Stemen stabbed the woman in the buttocks with the syringe and attempted to do the same to two others .
The woman wasn ’ t identified but police said she received medical treatment .
She told news outlets she was put on preventative medications for 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jason Miller requested the blood test stating the victim may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis C. Stemen ’ s attorney Assistant Public Defender Mary Jo Livingston asked McKenna to reject the blood test request stating Stemen ’ s medical privacy rights would be violated .
McKeena said Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman will have to inform Stemen and the victims of the results .
He said the order wouldn ’ t disclose private medical information .
Anne Arundel County spokeswoman Sgt .
Jacklyn Davis said tests are pending to determine whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Stemen .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-03--A disconnect between Trump and health officials on virus

WASHINGTON - Whom to believe on the coronavirus threat — the president saying one thing or the public health officials standing beside him and saying something a little different ?
President Donald Trump ’ s breezy talk Tuesday of a virus that ’ s “ got the world aflutter ” contrasts with the gravity and caution conveyed by federal scientists as Americans look to the government not just for reassurance , but for realism .
Public-health leaders are walking a fine line in laying out the facts without angering a president who speaks in rosier tones than they do about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100 people from coast to coast .
No , the scientists say , a vaccine is not just around the corner , although Trump has repeatedly suggested it is .
Yes , they say , the U.S. appears to be more prepared than some other countries afflicted or threatened by the virus , but it ’ s too early to know how the plans will hold up .
No , a “ cure ” is not in the offing for an infectious disease for which there is no treatment .
For days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driving the new coronavirus away in short order .
He has reserved some of his strongest words of concern for the economy as the stock market — the principal talking point for his reelection effort — has zigzagged like a fever chart .
He has said a vaccine may be available “ relatively soon , ” a treatment sooner and even a cure may be possible .
Intent on calming the waters , Trump last week spoke of virus cases in the U.S. “ going very substantially down , not up , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going up .
And he said all initially identified victims were recovering , when at least four were seriously ill .
Since then , the disconnect has continued between Trump ’ s aggressive optimism and the measured words of the federal health bureaucracy in sizing up the coronavirus risk .
“ It ’ s got the world aflutter but it ’ ll work out , ” Trump told a meeting of the National Association of Counties on Tuesday .
En route to the National Institutes of Health in suburban Maryland , Trump held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus across the U.S. isn ’ t “ inevitable at all , ” a stance at odds with that of government scientists .
Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander , chairman of the Senate health committee , agreed with many Democrats in asserting that the nonpolitical public-health officials are the ones who should be listened to .
“ My advice to the president and the vice-president is let the professionals do the talking , ” he said .
Democrats in Congress say Trump , with his talk about an imminent vaccine and even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t exist .
“ It is pretty extraordinary that we have to have our medicine and health professionals counter-messaging the president ... that they have to correct the record.
” Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn. , told a hearing Tuesday .
Dr. Tom Frieden , who led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2009 through 2017 , said some of the difference in the messaging between Trump , who has no background in science , and the government ’ s medical experts “ has been in the emphasis or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving the expert information , ” Frieden said in an interview .
He said that despite Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence turning themselves into the public face of the outbreak , Trump had the experts speak from the podium both times he held briefings about the virus .
“ That ’ s really important.
“ Testifying before the Senate on Tuesday , Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health made it clear that neither a coronavirus treatment nor a vaccine can be ready quickly .
Fauci indicated potential treatments may come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are fundamentally different , ” he said .
Pharmaceutical company Gilead is testing a potential treatment and Fauci said , “ We ’ ll know in a few months if it works.
” Based on data from China , Fauci said about 80 % of people who get infected “ do really quite well ” and recover without any medical treatment .
But about 10 % to 15 % get seriously ill , particularly those in high-risk groups such as the elderly or patients with other medical problems .
While a treatment may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fauci said a vaccine would take at least a year to a year-and-a-half .
Testing for a vaccine has to proceed in stages , to make sure it ’ s safe to use on people and that it works .
“ We ’ d be giving this to normal people to prevent infection , so you must be sure , ” said Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Pence ’ s visit on Capitol Hill with Fauci and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from senators of both parties .
The vice-president ’ s message was “ we ’ re on top of it , ” said Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana .
But Kennedy said he ’ s been told conflicting information in various administration briefings , though this one was “ much improved.
” Democrats said there were more questions than answers in the latest one .
Senators told Pence the administration must provide accurate information to head off “ confusion and panic , ” said Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii .
Said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The more we listen to the head of those agencies , I think the better .
Because if the administration talks too much people think that it ’ s taking credit .
But if the Democrats talk too much they ’ ll think they ’ re playing politics.
” The new virus , first detected in China , has infected more than 90,000 people globally and caused over 3,100 deaths .
Officials have found more than 100 cases and six deaths in the U.S. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro , Laurie Kellman and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Darlene Superville And Calvin Woodward - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--4 Mexican bishops referred to superiors in sex abuse cases

MEXICO CITY - The Vatican ’ s representative in Mexico said Tuesday that four Catholic bishops had been referred to their superiors for alleged connections to cases of sexual abuse as part of the church ’ s efforts to gather information about efforts to cover up abuse .
Nuncio Franco Coppola did not provide details on the bishops ’ roles , but noted that in January and December an email address opened to receive abuse allegations took in dozens of allegations , mostly accounts of cover ups .
Coppola made the comments at a news conference to announce that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators to Mexico later in March .
Victims of clerical sex abuse have expressed skepticism over the Vatican investigative commission that will collect statements and information about abuse in Mexico , though most said they would meet with Pope Francis ’ investigators .
“ Only by speaking with them can you demand results , ” said Biani López-Antúnez , who was abused by a Legion of Christ school director in Cancun between the ages of 8 and 10 years old .
“ The results of this visit must be measured only based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m already tired of the fake action that operates at all levels of the Church.
” The Vatican announced Tuesday that two investigators — Charles Scicluna , archbishop of Malta and deputy secretary for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Jordi Bertomeu — will be in Mexico City March 20-27 .
They will meet with bishops , leaders of religious orders and victims who want to speak with them .
They promise confidentiality .
Mexico , which has the second highest number of Catholics in the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverups for years .
Meanwhile more and more victims like López-Antúnez are speaking up in the face of Vatican claims of “ zero tolerance ” to say that they are still waiting for justice .
The Mexican Episcopal Conference says the commission is coming at its request .
It is made up by the same church officials who went to Chile in 2018 to investigate one case and returned with 2,600 pages of statements from more than 60 victims .
It led Pope Francis to ask forgiveness and led to legal action .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the “ seriousness ” of the situation and because Mexico has such a large Catholic presence that it could become a model — “ a good example or a bad example “ — for other countries .
The investigators are allotting 30 minutes each to those who want to speak with them , so they recommend that they arrive with documents and written statements , Coppola said .
The investigators will also meet with anyone from clergy to victims .
Rogelio Cabrera , president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference said the investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t even know who will go to speak with them or what topics they will discuss , ” he said .
It was not clear what collaboration the church officials will have with Mexican authorities , but the conference ’ s secretary Alfonso Miranda said that they had met with Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero so “ that each authority does its duty , the state prosecutors as well as each bishop in his diocese.
” “ There has to be intervention from some other external authority to determine criminal responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission , it ’ s very difficult for something to happen , ” said Alberto Athié , a former Mexican priest who has campaigned for more than 20 years for victims of clerical abuse .
If not , the commission could become just another example of the Vatican going through the motions but not getting to the bottom of it .
For that reason , Athié believes a proposal before the Mexican Senate to create an independent investigative commission is critical , because it could “ reconstruct the truth and turn over to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” including the abusers and those who covered up their actions .
The number of victims in Mexico is unknown .
The best known case in Mexico is that of Rev .
Marcial Maciel , founder of the Legion of Christ religious order .
The Vatican took over the Legion in 2010 after revelations that Maciel , sexually abused dozens of his seminarians , fathered at least three children and built a secretive , cult-like order to hide his double life .
The Mexican Episcopal Conference said in January that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past decade , but it did not provide a number of victims .
Jesús Romero Colín , a psychologist and director of Inscide , a nongovernmental organization that supports victims of sexual abuse , said there could be thousands .
Romero Colín himself was abused by a priest in his church when he was 11 years old .
“ In my case , there were 20 victims and I was the only one who came forward , ” he said .
“ Of 50 victims that have come to our organization , only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priests who abused 100 or 130 victims.
” Romero Colín ’ s case is an exception .
His abuser , Carlos López Valdez was the first priest convicted in Mexico of pederasty and is currently serving a 63-year prison sentence .
He said he will meet with the investigators .
“ The important thing is that the survivors have a direct line to the Vatican , we skip all the intermediaries , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--VoteCast: Calls for change divide voters in two swing states

WASHINGTON - The Associated Press is surveying voters in eight of the 14 states holding Democratic presidential primaries on Tuesday .
Here ’ s a snapshot of voters in Alabama , Massachusetts , North Carolina and Virginia — who they are and what matters to them — based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast , conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago .
A majority of Alabama ’ s Democratic primary voters are African American .
Voters overall give former Vice-President Joe Biden an edge over other candidates as the one best able to handle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , voters were closely divided over whether they wanted a candidate who would bring fundamental change to Washington or one who would restore the political system to how it was before Donald Trump was elected in 2016 .
But they showed a slight preference for a candidate who will pursue practical , centrist policies to one pursuing bold liberal policies .
Voters in Alabama are mostly confident that the process for selecting a presidential nominee is fair .
Though just about 3 in 10 say they are very confident , only about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters in Massachusetts ranked both health care and climate change as the most important issues facing the country .
Close to 6 in 10 voters said they wanted a candidate who would bring fundamental change to Washington , while fewer said they would prefer to restore the political system to how it was before Trump was elected .
But it was clear that change in Washington doesn ’ t look the same to everyone .
A majority said they preferred a candidate who will pursue practical , centrist policies to one pursuing bold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina — a general election battleground — were closely divided over whether they wanted a candidate who would transform Washington rather than return it to the way it was before Trump took office .
But an overwhelming share -- close to 9 in 10 -- did say it ’ s very important that a nominee is able to defeat Trump in November .
About as many considered strong leadership highly important .
A wide majority say they will definitely vote for the Democratic candidate against Trump in the general election .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will depend on which Democrat is on the ballot in November , a share that might matter in the context of a competitive general election .
About 4 in 10 voters in Virginia , another November battleground , said they made a late decision about who to vote for in the primary .
Health care stood out to about a third of voters in Virginia ’ s Democratic primary as the top issue facing the nation .
Roughly 2 in 10 each had climate change and the economy on their minds .
Roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were behind a public option health insurance plan , but not “ Medicare for All.
” About half of voters favoured both proposals .
AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News .
The surveys were conducted for seven days , concluding as polls closed .


thetorontostar--2020-03-03--2012 Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting survivor dies of wounds

MADISON , Wis. - A man who survived being shot in the face during a white supremacist ’ s deadly 2012 attack on a Sikh temple near Milwaukee has died of complications stemming from his injuries .
Baba Punjab Singh died Monday , bringing the victim death toll in the temple attack to seven and making it the worst mass shooting in Wisconsin since 2005 .
White supremacist Wade Michael Page burst into the Sikh temple on Aug. 5 , 2012 , and shot 10 people , killing six and wounding four , including Singh .
Page killed himself during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the temple parking lot .
“ I think , collectively as a community , ( Singh ’ s death ) reopens a lot of wounds that might have scabbed over , ” said Pardeep Kaleka , whose father , temple president Satwant Singh Kaleka , was killed in the shooting .
“ But we express condolences to his family and just hope that they over the next couple weeks can have some closure.
“ Page shot Singh through the cheek , causing a brain injury that left Singh completely paralyzed and struggling with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Medical Examiner ’ s office .
He could communicate only by blinking once for “ no ” and twice for “ yes , ” Kaleka said .
Singh had been living in a Milwaukee nursing home since the shooting .
His injuries left him susceptible to urinary tract infections and pneumonia , and he was in and out of hospitals dealing with complications , the medical examiner ’ s report said .
He was admitted to a hospital in West Allis , another Milwaukee suburb , on Sunday with suspected pneumonia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report .
He died Monday afternoon .
The medical examiner ’ s office listed the cause of death as “ complications of gunshot wound of the head “ and the manner of death as homicide .
Singh ’ s son , Raghuvinder Singh , said in a statement that his father spent his life as a Sikh religious teacher who travelled the country delivering kathas , which are speeches about the lessons and history of the Sikh faith .
He said each time he visited his father in the hospital , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in chardi kala , which is the Sikh spirit of eternal optimism .
Each time , he said , his father would blink twice for “ yes.
” “ My father ’ s injuries and his passing , along with the other lives that were lost that day , are a reminder of the toxic hate that still plagues our country , “ Raghuvinder Singh said .
“ But I want ( him ) to be remembered by the values inspired by Sikhi , that he exemplified every day — including love , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service to others .
... Our hope is that his life serves as a reminder of an essential truth of our faith : that the number of our breaths is written by God , but it falls to us to do our best in how we use them.
” The temple attack is now the deadliest mass shooting in Wisconsin since 2005 , when Terry Michael Ratzmann killed seven fellow congregants at the Living Church of God in Brookfield , another Milwaukee suburb .
He killed himself after the shooting .
Prosecutors never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he blamed the church for his depression and financial problems .
Anthony Ferrill , 51 , gunned down five co-workers at Milwaukee ’ s Molson Coors brewery complex on Feb. 26 before turning his gun on himself .
His motive remains unknown .
“ It ’ s been a rough week for everybody , ” Kaleka said .
“ The Sikh community is all right .
We ’ re hanging in there .
We ’ re going to be brave for the world.
” Associated Press writer Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee contributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been corrected to indicate that Singh died Monday , not Tuesday .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Lonely Mona: Once again, virus fears close the Louvre

PARIS - Once again , the “ Mona Lisa ” is all alone .
The Louvre , the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ home to Leonardo da Vinci ’ s famous painting , did not open as scheduled @ @ @ @ @ fret about catching the coronavirus .
The Paris museum ’ s staffers have stayed off @ @ @ @ @ fear of infection .
Several hundred people who lined up outside the Louvre were greeted @ @ @ @ @ “ Due to exceptional circumstances , the museum will open later.
” Management presented a @ @ @ @ @ to try to coax employees back to work .
Among the proposals are wider distributions @ @ @ @ @ frequent staff rotations so employees can wash their hands .
Most of the museum ’ @ @ @ @ @ year came from abroad .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Iran cancels Friday prayers in major cities amid outbreak

TEHRAN , Iran - Friday prayers in Iran have been cancelled across all provincial capitals amid the country ’ s growing coronavirus outbreak , state television said .
Friday is the main congregational day of prayer in Islam , and traditionally an important event for Iran ’ s clerical rulers .
The report Wednesday comes as Tehran and other areas cancelled Friday prayers last week over the outbreak .
Iran earlier announced that the new coronavirus has killed 92 people amid 2,922 confirmed cases across the Islamic Republic , the highest death toll in the world outside of China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new figures at a news conference in Tehran , raising Iran ’ s death toll from the new illness to higher than Italy ’ s , where there has also been a serious spike in infections .
There are now over 3,140 cases of the new virus across the Mideast .
Of those outside Iran in the region , most link back to the Islamic Republic .
The virus has sickened top leaders inside Iran ’ s civilian government and Shiite theocracy .
Iran stands alone in how the virus has affected its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the epicenter of the outbreak .
Worldwide , the virus has infected more than 90,000 people and caused over 3,100 deaths .
Experts worry Iran may be underreporting the number of cases it has .
“ The virus has no wings to fly , ” Jahanpour said .
“ We are the ones who transfer it to each other.
” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile acknowledged that the virus was in nearly all of Iran ’ s 31 provinces while speaking at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday .
“ This disease is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a transcript .
“ It encompasses almost all of our provinces and is , in a sense , a global disease that many countries in the world have become infected with , and we must work together to tackle this problem as quickly as possible.
” Meanwhile Wednesday , Saudi Arabia ’ s Deputy Health Minister Abdel-Fattah Mashat was quoted on the state-linked news site Al-Yaum saying that groups of visitors to Mecca from inside the country would now also be barred from performing the pilgrimage , known as the umrah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of foreign residents going as large groups .
Individuals and families in the kingdom can still travel to Mecca .
Saudi Arabia last week closed off the holiest sites in Islam to foreign pilgrims over the coronavirus , disrupting travel for thousands of Muslims already headed to the kingdom and potentially affecting plans later this year for millions more ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan and the annual hajj pilgrimage .
Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy and Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , contributed .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--AP VoteCast: Late deciders aid Biden, young loyal to Sanders

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden ’ s surprise victories on Super Tuesday were powered by Democratic voters who broke his way just days before casting their ballots — a wave of late momentum that scrambled the race in a matter of hours .
The late deciders helped Biden win Massachusetts , Minnesota , North Carolina , Texas and Virginia , among several other states .
In some states , they made up roughly half of all voters , according to AP VoteCast surveys of voters in eight state primaries .
And the surveys show they lined up behind the former vice-president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the voters waited to make up their minds , Biden won two-thirds of the late deciders .
The surveys show the power of a well-timed surge in a race that has been defined by a crowd of candidates and confused voters agonizing over the best challenger to President Donald Trump in November .
Biden ’ s big win in South Carolina on Saturday revived his struggling campaign and within 72 hours pushed three of his rivals toward the exit and swung the opinions of voters in distant states .
Yet Vermont Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact .
By organizing aggressively and banking early votes from his liberal , young and Latino coalition , Sanders won Colorado and California .
About 80 % of Sanders voters in California said they picked their candidate before the final stretch .
Here ’ s a snapshot of Democratic voters in Alabama , California , Colorado , Massachusetts , Minnesota , North Carolina , Texas and Virginia — who they are and how they voted — based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast surveys , conducted for The Associated Press by NORC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice-president ’ s coalition came into clear focus Tuesday .
He did well with moderates and conservatives , voters older than 45 and African Americans .
In many states , he enjoyed an advantage among women and college graduates .
He ran strong with voters who attend church at least once a month .
And he successfully channeled sentimental attachments to former President Barack Obama .
About half of North Carolina voters , for example , wanted a president who would restore politics to a pre-Trump era — and Biden won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s little doubt Biden ’ s ties to black voters were critical to his rebound .
Biden cleaned up in Alabama on Tuesday night by winning close to 70 % of African Americans , a majority of Democratic voters in that state .
Perceptions about electability may also be key to Biden ’ s support .
In Minnesota , for example , where Biden benefited from home-state Sen. Amy Klobuchar ’ s exit from the race , about 60 % of voters said it would be harder for a nominee with strong liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even in his California loss , there were signs of newfound energy for Biden .
Of voters there who picked their candidate in the last three days , Biden had a slight advantage .
Biden also flashed some crossover appeal in places that matter .
In Virginia , a state likely to be a top battleground in November , Biden won more than half of voters who say they voted in the 2016 Republican primary .
Mike Bloomberg won close to 20 % .
The Vermont senator is holding on to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters under 30 .
In states with sizable populations of each , he fared well .
In Virginia and North Carolina , where majorities were older and more likely to identify as moderate , Sanders came up short .
Sanders ’ strength with Latinos was clearest in California , where the group made up about 30 % of the vote .
Sanders won close to half of that group in California — roughly double Biden ’ s share .
Sanders has benefited from a youth movement .
In California and Colorado , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 .
His voters there are also somewhat more likely than Biden ’ s to feel as though they ’ re falling behind financially .
He won about 40 % of Texas and Minnesota voters who said that recent economic gains had bypassed them .
Aside from their youth , Sanders supporters stand out for their skepticism of most other candidates in the race .
At least half of his voters in North Carolina said they would be unhappy with Biden or Bloomberg as the nominee .
Majorities of them in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same .
More than $ 500 million in spending on ads could not buy Bloomberg much love .
Bloomberg fared better among voters older than 65 compared with those younger , and similarly among those who think of themselves as moderate or conservative more so than liberals .
But even among these groups , he was edged out by Biden .
The former New York mayor was the Democrat voters were least enthusiastic about nominating .
More than half of voters in Minnesota , Colorado and Massachusetts — his birthplace — said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic candidate .
Roughly half in California , North Carolina and Virginia would also be displeased .
By comparison , majorities in each of those states said they would be satisfied if Sanders was the nominee .
Only in Alabama and Texas would a majority be satisfied by Bloomberg .
The Democratic contests do appear to be drawing some potential swing voters .
Close to 20 % of voters or more said they are waiting to see who wins the nomination before deciding how they ’ ll vote in November .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP surveyed .
The share was somewhat smaller — 15 % — in Minnesota , a state Trump is trying to flip .
Most of this group identified as moderates or conservatives , a sign that they might be open to Trump or consider not voting for any candidate in November .
Another closely watched group is suburbanites — a constituency that could make up more than half the general election electorate .
Sanders and Biden battled it out for those voters on Tuesday , neither jumping ahead with a clear advantage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News .
The surveys were conducted for seven days , concluding as polls closed .

Josh Boak And Hannah Fingerhut - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--S. Korea hunts sick beds as West braces for long virus fight

BANGKOK - South Korea struggled to find enough beds for its sick , Italy grappled with a rising number of deaths and concern grew over an expanding outbreak in the United States on Wednesday as the new virus that tormented China expanded elsewhere .
As the number of new cases drops precipitously in China , attention has shifted to South Korea , Italy and Iran , sites of major clusters of contagion that the World Health Organization says account for 80 % of new cases outside China .
“ People are afraid and uncertain .
Fear is a natural human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO ’ s leader , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus .
“ But as we get more data , we are understanding this virus and the disease it causes more and more.
” WHO said the death rate from COVID-19 was about 3.4 % , making it more fatal than the common flu , though data suggest it ’ s not as easy to catch .
In Daegu , the South Korean city at the centre of that country ’ s outbreak , a shortage of hospital space meant about 2,300 patients were being cared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hospital bed .
Attending a meeting on quarantine strategies in Daegu , Prime Minister Chung Se-Kyun assured his country , saying “ We can absolutely overcome this situation .
... We will win the war against COVID-19.
” South Korea reported 435 new infections Wednesday , far smaller than its high of 851 a day earlier .
A total of 5,621 people in South Korea have contracted the virus and 32 have died .
Italy reported 45 fatalities Tuesday , bringing its total to 79 .
The outbreak in Italy has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but fear over the virus ’ spread led even the Vatican to insist Pope Francis was not infected .
The pontiff became ill last week , but the Vatican said Francis only had a cold .
The expanding problem in Europe and beyond has led some governments to try to control supplies of necessities .
The governments of the Czech Republic , Russia and Germany announced bans Wednesday covering various protective gear like masks .
India , meantime , tightened the export of 26 key drug ingredients used in pharmaceutical manufacturing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caseload rose to 28 Wednesday from an earlier tally of just 5 .
China reported 119 new cases Wednesday , all but five in the outbreak ’ s epicenter of Wuhan .
In a sign of the shifting threat , Beijing ’ s health commissioner said two new cases in the Chinese capital were apparently infected abroad , in Iran and Italy .
The state-run Xinhua News Agency said Hubei province , where Wuhan is located , was expected to gradually shut down its hastily built temporary hospitals , where thousands of beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline is real , ” WHO outbreak expert Maria Van Kerkhove said of China .
The country has reported 80,270 infections and 2,981 fatalities .
It has about 85 % of the world ’ s cases and 95 % of deaths from the COVID-19 illness .
Doctors working in Wuhan told reporters by video conference Wednesday that hospitals there have an increasing number of empty beds but cautioned there is always the possibility of a new spike of infections .
“ The war is not over , ” said Dr. Cao Bin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The disease is not only a Wuhan disease , and not only a China disease , but also a global disease.
“ The outbreak was blamed for market instability around the globe .
Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street continued its zigzag performance , despite an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve .
Businesses of all types were experiencing pain as travel and tourism were spurned and worried consumers changed their habits .
“ People are afraid to touch anything or take anything from us , ” said Maedeh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upscale mall in the Iranian capital of Tehran .
“ Everyone is at a loss.
” Iran ’ s count of infected people rose by more than 600 Wednesday to 2,922 , including members of the government .
Some 92 people have died in Iran , the highest death toll outside of China .
In Spain , dozens of health workers were quarantined or being monitored after at least five were infected with the new virus .
In France , the Louvre did not open as scheduled Wednesday as workers fret about catching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom , Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned cases could spread , unveiling a 25-page plan for a worst-case scenario in which retired doctors and nurses would be called back to work and police could stop investigating minor crimes to help deal with an outbreak .
“ We ’ re committed to doing everything possible ... to prepare for all eventualities , ” Johnson said .
In the U.S. , more than 120 cases have been reported .
Nine people have died , all in and around Seattle , Washington .
On Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an agreement Wednesday on a $ 7.5 billion emergency bill to fund work on a virus vaccine and other measures .
Hinnant reported from Paris .
Contributors include Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul , South Korea ; Yanan Wang and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing ; Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi ; John Leicester in Paris ; and Maria Cheng in London .
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 @ @ @

Matt Sedensky And Lori Hinnant - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--What’s Happening: Bed shortage in S Korea, firms cut travel

BERLIN - As the new coronavirus continues spreading , South Korea is hopeful it can curb its outbreak but struggles to find enough hospital beds and companies worldwide halt business travel These are some of the latest developments Wednesday : The South Korean city of Daegu is short thousands of hospital beds for sick patients with the virus .
Still , Prime Minister Chung Se-Kyun is expressing confidence that the the country can cope with the outbreak as new infection numbers Wednesday almost halved compared to the day before .
North Korea claims no one in the country is infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t convinced .
The reclusive nation shares a nearly 1,450-kilometre ( 900-mile ) border with China , where the virus first appeared , and a dismal health system .
The government views public reports on infectious disease to be a matter of state secrecy , raising concerns that North Korea might be hiding cases , harming global efforts to contain the outbreak With schools and universities across China shut because of the virus outbreak , many instructors are teaching online to keep courses going and students from falling behind .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hampering those efforts when the topics turn to subjects that are considered sensitive .
Many companies are cutting back on business travel , with some even stopping all staff trip .
Online retailer Amazon told its 800,000 workers to postpone any non-essential travel , while Swiss food giant Nestle instructed its 291,000 employees to halt international travel until mid-March .
Many companies and organizations are opting instead for virtual meetings and even making major announcements online about topics such as new product presentations .
Workers at the Louvre museum in Paris stayed off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about catching the coronavirus .
The world-famous museum , home to Leonardo da Vinci ’ s “ Mona Lisa ” painting , has been shut since Sunday while management tries to convince workers to return by pledging anti-virus measures such as distributing sanitizing gel more widely and scheduling more frequent rotations so employees have time to wash their hands .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sign Up Now Follow all AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Pastor of tornado-damaged Nashville church looks to recovery

NASHVILLE - The tornado that toppled the bell tower at East End United Methodist Church in Nashville about 1 a.m. Tuesday also caused a gas leak at the parsonage next door , forcing the Rev .
Judi Hoffman to evacuate to a hotel .
Lying awake in the strange bed , thinking about the damage to her beautiful historic church , Hoffman recalled that just two Sundays ago the congregation held a “ Celebrate Recovery ” service for people recovering from addiction .
“ We will recover , “ she said .
” I have no doubt we will come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next steps .
Sunday ’ s service will take place in a park next to what remains of the 113-year-old building , she said .
Along with the bell tower , the tornado destroyed a large , recently refurbished stained glass window depicting Jesus as the good shepherd and left the building uninhabitable .
Returning to the churchyard Tuesday morning , Hoffman said she was inspired to see people she didn ’ t even know helping clear debris .
“ They are rallying around us , ” she said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheltered neighbours during previous disasters , including a 1998 tornado that came through the same neighbourhood , sparing East End but flattening another historic church nearby , St. Ann ’ s Episcopal .
“ I actually went and picked up bricks at St. Ann ’ s back in the day , ” Hoffman said .
Neighbour Paula Wade lives across the street from East End and was a member of St. Ann ’ s in 1998 .
“ It was so long ago , but the sound of the sirens , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just nothing like it , ” Wade said .
“ Then to look out and see the church , it was just heartbreaking .
It brings back everything that happened at St. Ann ’ s .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--The Latest: London Book Fair cancelled due to coronavirus

BANGKOK - The Latest on the virus outbreak ( all times local ) : The London Book Fair has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The fair , which usually draws more than 25,000 writers , agents and publishers to one of the international publishing industry ’ s biggest gatherings , had been due to take place at London ’ s Olympia conference venue March 10-12 .
Organizer Reed Exhibitions said Wednesday that it had decided “ with reluctance ” to cancel the event .
The decision came after several major publishers , including HarperCollins and Penguin Random @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the disease , citing the risk to staff .
Also Wednesday , organizers announced that Asia ’ s biggest casino industry trade show has been postponed because of the virus .
Global Gaming Expo Asia , originally scheduled to be held on May 19-21 in Macao , will be held at the end of July .
More than 13,000 people attended last year ’ s expo , jointly organized by the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the social network is stepping up its efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization free advertising .
Zuckerberg said in a post on his Facebook account that the company is working with national health ministries and global organizations like the World Health Orgnization , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF to get out timely and accurate information on the virus .
Zuckerberg said Facebook will also give “ support and millions more in ad credits ” to other unspecified organizations .
Facebook has previously taken other measures to fight virus hoaxes and misinformation , including removing false claims and conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to the World Health Orgnization or their local health authority for the latest information .
A Beijing-based intensive care doctor now working in Wuhan – the city at the epicenter of China ’ s coronavirus outbreak – says designated hospitals in the city are seeing an increasing number of empty beds after a large number of virus patients were discharged .
Du Bin added , however , that there ’ s always the possibility of another spike in new cases .
Du said Wednesday that a major cause of deaths in younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of certain high-dosage treatments that ended up causing more harm than good .
Cao Bin , a doctor specializing in respiratory research who is also currently in Wuhan , told reporters , “ The war is not over.
” Cao said Chinese researchers have led initial clinical trials of two antiviral drugs and will soon share the results of the trials with the World Health Organization .
Germany has joined several other countries in banning the export of medical equipment such as respiratory masks , gloves and protective suits in most cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced a shortage of such equipment as concerns over the widening coronavirus outbreak have mounted .
In Germany itself , 240 infections have been confirmed so far .
Germany ’ s interior ministry said Wednesday that exemptions from the export ban will be allowed only under strict conditions , such as for “ concerted international aid actions.
” Russia ’ s government on Wednesday banned the export of masks , respirators and other protective gear along with anti-virus medicines until June 1 .
It also noted that the ban doesn ’ t cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trade said the move is intended to prevent an “ artificial deficit ” of protective goods , which are being increasingly sold abroad as global demand has soared .
The Czech government also said it is banning exports of respirators and will start regulating their sale at home , saying it needs them for health workers and others .
The Czech Republic has five confirmed cases of the new virus .
The Louvre did not open as scheduled on Wednesday , and several hundred people who lined up outside were greeted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceptional circumstances , the museum will open later.
” The world ’ s most visited museum has been closed since Sunday because of workers ’ worries about the potential spread of the new virus .
Management laid out a series of new measures to prevent contamination , trying to coax the staffers back to work .
The proposed steps include the wider distribution of disinfectant gels and more frequent rotations so staff can wash their hands .
Most of the Paris landmark ’ s 9.6 million visitors last year came from other countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mona Lisa and other treasures welcomes tens of thousands of people every day .
The European Central Bank says it ’ s restricting all nonessential travel by members of its executive board and employees through April 20 as a precautionary measure amid the global coronavirus outbreak .
The central bank for the 19-nation eurozone said Wednesday that visits to its Frankfurt headquarters and its public visitor centre are being suspended for the same period .
It is postponing or cancelling conferences that were due to be held at the bank – but says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its governing council are unaffected , and that the next one will go ahead March 12 as planned .
The ECB stressed that the move was a precaution and there have been no recorded cases yet of bank employees being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 .
India says its number of confirmed coronavirus cases has jumped to 28 , up from just five .
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says an earlier COVID-19 patient who had travelled to Italy led to the confirmation of six other infections .
Another cluster of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of Italian tourists who had entered India on Feb. 21 .
India also announced Wednesday that it has imposed universal screening of all passengers on international flights .
Meanwhile , South Korea reported 435 new cases , pushing its total to 5,621 — the second-highest total after China .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Lawyer says award-winning Iran filmmaker summoned to prison

TEHRAN , Iran - An Iranian filmmaker who just won the Berlin Film Festival ’ s Golden Bear has been summoned to serve a one-year prison sentence over his movies , his lawyer said Wednesday .
Mohammad Rasoulof ’ s sentence came from three films he made that authorities found to be “ propaganda against the system , “ his lawyer Nasser Zarafshan told The Associated Press .
Rasoulof ’ s sentence also included an order than he stop his filmmaking for two years as well , the lawyer said .
The filmmaker received the order via a text message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rasoulof will not turn himself into authorities and will appeal the order , especially given the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Iran , the lawyer said .
Authorities already sent 54,000 prisoners on temporary furlough over concerns about the virus spreading through the country ’ s prison system .
There was no immediate state media report about Rasoulof ’ s summons , nor any comment from judiciary officials .
Rasoulof just won the Berlin Film Festival ’ s top prize for his film “ There Is No Evil.
” The film tells four stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death penalty in Iran and dealing with personal freedom under tyranny .
Rasoulof wasn ’ t there to accept the award Saturday due to a travel ban imposed on him by Iranian authorities .
Organizers left an empty chair and name sign for Rasoulof at the news conference for his entry .
Germany ’ s dpa news agency reported that Rasoulof ’ s daughter , Baran , accepted the Golden Bear award on his behalf .
Rasoulf has faced problems before for his work in Iran .
In 2011 , Rasoulof and fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for filming without a permit .
The pair received six years in prison and were banned from filmmaking for 20 years on charges that included “ making propaganda ” against the ruling system , but Rasoulof ’ s sentence was later reduced to a year on appeal .
His film “ Goodbye ” won a prize at Cannes in 2011 , but the director wasn ’ t allowed to travel to France to accept it .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-04--In congressional primaries, Sessions in AL Senate GOP runoff

WASHINGTON - Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions ’ bid for redemption evolved into a struggle for political survival as he was forced into a runoff for the Republican Senate nomination from Alabama , a seat he owned for 20 years before his rocky stay in the Trump administration .
In all , Super Tuesday voters in four states — including North Carolina , Texas and California — picked dozens of candidates for Election Day ’ s contest for control of Congress .
The races were giving party leaders an initial look at whether 2020 voters were reacting to the combative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a preference for centrist or ideological candidates .
North Carolina Democrats chose establishment-backed moderate Cal Cunningham over a progressive challenger to battle incumbent GOP Sen. Thom Tillis , who was easily renominated .
That set the stage for a pivotal November showdown that will help decide which party runs the Senate next year .
And in Texas , MJ Hegar , backed by national Democrats , was advancing to a runoff for her party ’ s nod to oppose GOP Sen. John Cornyn , who cruised to renomination .
Hegar ’ s runoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early Wednesday .
Sessions , 73 , was hoping the sour relationship he endured with Trump as his first attorney general wouldn ’ t derail his Alabama comeback bid .
He faces a March 31 faceoff against Tommy Tuberville , a political novice and former Auburn football coach .
In incomplete results , Sessions trailed Tuberville slightly and lagged behind the combined total for Tuberville and Rep. Bradley Byrne , his next nearest rival , by nearly 2-1 — a clear danger sign for a household name like Sessions .
Alabama requires a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half the primary ’ s votes .
Sessions was one of the most conservative senators when he became Trump ’ s first attorney general in 2017 .
Their relationship crumbled and Sessions resigned the next year after he enraged Trump by recusing himself from the Justice Department ’ s probe of Russian assistance to Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign .
Sessions cast himself as a Trump loyalist anyway .
Trump remained virtually silent , which didn ’ t help Sessions .
His rivals touted their own fealty to the president , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God sent us Donald Trump.
“ The GOP primary winner will be favoured in November ’ s election in the deep-red state against Sen. Doug Jones , a Democrat .
Jones defeated former Alabama State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore in a 2017 special election after Moore was accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour with teenagers decades ago when in his 30s .
Moore limped this time a weak fourth-place finish .
The congressional contests were undercards to the day ’ s Democratic presidential primaries in 14 states and one territory .
Moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinvigorated fight against avowed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders , all but winnowing the field to a two-candidate competition over confronting Trump in November .
Still , Tuesday ’ s races marked the start of months of congressional primaries .
North Carolina ’ s Tillis is one of the GOP ’ s most vulnerable incumbents as it defends its 53-47 Senate majority .
He alienated conservatives by briefly opposing Trump ’ s move to defy Congress and channel federal funds to building a wall along the Mexican border .
Tillis ’ fate will hinge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since endorsed him , fares in the swing state come November .
Cunningham , 46 , is a former state senator who served as an Army lawyer in Iraq and Afghanistan and whose centrist stances were attractive to party leaders .
His closest competitor was liberal state Sen. Erica Smith , who waged a long-shot effort to become the first African American woman elected to the Senate from the South .
She was badly outspent , despite $ 3 million dispersed on her behalf by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine Cunningham .
Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn was nominated for a fourth term and seems difficult for Democrats to dislodge in November .
Hegar , the Democrat , lost a surprisingly close 2018 House race and was backed by her party ’ s hierarchy after former Democratic Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke declined to challenge Cornyn .
She was an Air Force helicopter pilot who was wounded in Afghanistan .
Her challengers included longtime state Sen. Royce West and Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez , a liberal political organizer endorsed by progressive luminaries like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a district wriggling from the Mexican border to San Antonio , eight-term Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar , one of the House ’ s most conservative Democrats , was trying to hold his sprawling South Texas district against liberal challenger Jessica Cisneros .
Around Fort Worth , 12-term GOP Rep. Kay Granger foiled a challenge from conservative Chris Putnam .
Granger , who has helped cut budget compromises as top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee , was criticized as too moderate by Putnam , who drew support from the anti-spending Club for Growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will defend his district , which stretches west from Austin and San Antonio , against Democrat Wendy Davis .
He will be favoured against Davis , who is best known for her 13-hour 2013 filibuster against an anti-abortion bill in the state Senate .
Former Rep. Pete Sessions , defeated in his Dallas district in 2018 after 11 terms , made a GOP runoff for a more Republican-leaning open seat around Waco .
And former Trump White House physician Ronny Jackson reached a Republican runoff for a North Texas district .
California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ largest , featured all-party primaries Tuesday .
Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles might face a liberal challenger when each contest ’ s top two finishers meet in November .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Biden claims 9 Super Tuesday victories, including Texas

WASHINGTON - A resurgent Joe Biden scored victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday , revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier .
But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he — and his embrace of democratic socialism — would drive the Democrats ’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future .
And suddenly , the Democratic Party ’ s presidential field , which featured more than a half-dozen candidates a week ago , transformed into a two-man contest .
Biden and Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for America ’ s future , were battling for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. territory held a series of high-stakes elections that marked the most significant day of voting in the party ’ s 2020 presidential nomination fight .
It could take weeks — or months — for the party to pick one of them to take on President Donald Trump in the November general election .
But the new contours of the fight between Biden and Sanders crystallized as the former vice-president and the three-term Vermont senator spoke to each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite ends of the country Tuesday night .
“ People are talking about a revolution .
We started a movement , “ Biden said in Los Angeles , knocking one of Sanders ’ signature lines .
Without citing his surging rival by name , Sanders swiped at Biden from Burlington , Vermont .
“ You can not beat Trump with the same-old , same-old kind of politics , ” Sanders declared , ticking down a list of past policy differences with Biden on Social Security , trade and military force .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s victories were powered by Democratic voters who broke his way just days before casting their ballots — a wave of late momentum that scrambled the race in a matter of hours .
In some states , the late-deciders made up roughly half of all voters , according to AP VoteCast , surveys of voters in several state primaries .
He drew support from a broad coalition of moderates and conservatives , African Americans and voters older than 45 .
Sanders ’ success proved he could deliver in perhaps the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His success was built on a base of energized liberals , young people and Latinos .
But he was unable to sufficiently widen his appeal to older voters and college graduates who make up a sizable share of Democratic voters , according to AP VoteCast .
The other two high-profile candidates still in the shrinking Democratic field , New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , were teetering on the edge of viability .
Warren finished in an embarrassing third place in her home state , and Bloomberg planned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a half-billion dollars to score one victory — in American Samoa .
The balance of Super Tuesday ’ s battlefield — with Biden winning at least eight states and Sanders four — raised questions about whether the Democratic primary contest would stretch all the way to the July convention or be decided much sooner .
Biden ’ s strong finish punctuated a dramatic turnaround in the span of just three days when he leveraged a blowout victory in South Carolina to score sweeping victories on Tuesday that transcended geography , class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any doubt , he cemented his status as the standard-bearer for the Democrats ’ establishment wing .
The former vice-president showed strength in the Northeast with a victory in Massachusetts .
He won delegate-rich Texas in the Southwest , Minnesota in the upper Midwest and finished on top across the South in Virginia , Alabama , North Carolina , Tennessee and Arkansas — in addition to Oklahoma .
Sanders opened the night as the undisputed Democratic front-runner and was in a position to claim an insurmountable delegate lead .
And while he scored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , he scored just three other decisive victories , winning his home state of Vermont , along with Utah and Colorado .
Biden racked up his victories despite being dramatically outspent and out-staffed .
Moderate rival Bloomberg , for example , poured more than $ 12 million into television advertising in Virginia , while Biden spent less than $ 200,000 .
The Democratic race has shifted dramatically as Biden capitalized on his commanding South Carolina victory to persuade anxious establishment allies to rally behind his campaign .
Former rivals Amy Klobuchar and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the days leading up to Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden .
In Biden and Sanders , Democrats have a stark choice in what kind of candidate they want to run against Trump .
Sanders is a 78-year-old democratic socialist who relies on an energized coalition of his party ’ s far-left flank that embraces his longtime fight to transform the nation ’ s political and economic systems .
Biden is a 77-year-old lifelong leader of his party ’ s Washington establishment who emphasizes a more pragmatic approach to core policy issues like health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Super Tuesday states , there were early questions about Sanders ’ claims that he is growing his support from his failed 2016 presidential bid .
Biden bested him in Oklahoma , though Sanders won the state against Hillary Clinton four years ago .
In Virginia , where Democratic turnout this year surpassed 2016 ’ s numbers by more than 500,000 votes , Sanders ’ vote share dropped significantly .
And in Tennessee , Democratic turnout was up more than 30 % from 2016 , but Sanders ’ raw vote total was only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
Meanwhile , Bloomberg was trying to look beyond the primary to the November election against Trump , who racked up easy victories in lightly contested Republican primaries across the country .
“ We have the resources to beat Trump in swing states that Democrats lost in 2016 , ” Bloomberg said Tuesday night while campaigning in Florida .
The billionaire former New York mayor , who threw more than a half a billion dollars into the Super Tuesday states , will reassess his campaign on Wednesday , according to a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations .
Warren was also fighting to be optimistic .
Facing a roaring crowd in Michigan before news of her disappointing home-state finish was announced , she called on her supporters to ignore the political pundits and predictions as her advisers insist she ’ s willing to go all the way to a contested convention in July even if she doesn ’ t claim an outright victory anywhere .
“ Here ’ s my advice : Cast a vote that will make you proud .
Cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren declared .
She added : “ You don ’ t get what you don ’ t fight for .
I am in this fight.
” With votes still being counted across the country , The Associated Press has allocated 453 delegates to Biden , 382 to Sanders , 50 to Warren , 44 to Bloomberg and one for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard .
The numbers are expected to shift as new states report their numbers and as some candidates hover around the 15 % vote threshold they must hit to earn delegates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is a majority of the 3,979 pledged delegates available this primary season .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Brian Slodysko in Washington and Kathleen Ronayne in Los Angeles contributed to this report .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”

Steve Peoples And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--US strikes Taliban forces, in first hit since peace deal

KABUL - The U.S. conducted Wednesday its first airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan since signing an ambitious peace deal with the militant group .
U.S. military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet that the “ defensive ” strike was the first U.S. attack against the militants in 11 days .
He said the attack was to counter a Taliban assault on Afghan government forces in Nahr-e Saraj in the southern Helmand province .
Leggett added that Taliban forces had conducted 43 attacks on Afghan troops on Tuesday in Helmand .
According to a spokesman for the province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least two police officers were killed and one other wounded in the Washir district of southern Helmand .
Leggett called on the Taliban to stop the attacks and uphold their commitments based on the peace agreement signed on Feb. 29 between their leaders and U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha , Qatar , which lays out a conditions-based path to the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan .
President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader , making him the first U.S. president believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan .
The Afghan Interior Ministry says that four civilians and 11 troops were killed Wednesday in a wave of Taliban attacks across the country in the past 24 hours .
According to ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi , Afghan forces killed at least 17 Taliban during these clashes .
The Afghan Defence Ministry earlier said that seven soldiers were killed when Taliban attacked a checkpoint in northern Kunduz province .
Kandahar police spokesman Jamal Naser Barekzai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer was killed and one wounded in a string of Taliban attacks across the province .
The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks so far or commented on the U.S. airstrike Wednesday .
However , Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP Wednesday that a week of reduction in violence that started midnight on Feb. 21 had ended .
Based on the U.S.-Taliban deal , peace negotiations between the warring Afghan sides are supposed to begin on March 10 .
However , the Afghan government has already rejected releasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a precondition which the militants say was part of the U.S. agreement .
Leggett said that U.S. forces are responsible for defending their Afghan allies according to agreements between U.S. and Afghan governments .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Takeaways from Super Tuesday: Joe Biden’s big bounce

DENVER - Super Tuesday is the biggest day on the primary calendar , and the results seem very likely to reshape the Democratic presidential race in ways few people could have predicted a couple of weeks ago .
Here are some takeaways from the results .
It is hard to overstate the speed and depth of the comeback of former Vice-President Joe Biden .
He was embarrassed in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada and left many Democrats looking for an alternative .
A decisive victory in South Carolina left him buoyant but also highly vulnerable heading into Super Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to California .
He had little money and only limited organization in place .
Mike Bloomberg had placed a $ 500 million bet that Biden would falter .
Sen. Bernie Sanders had built his own kind of firewall — not in a small state like South Carolina , but in the biggest of them all , California .
But Sanders ’ perceived strength and Bloomberg ’ s weakness drove many Democrats into Biden ’ s arms .
In a remarkable 24 hours , Biden secured the endorsements of three former competitors who appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he harnessed the elusive power of momentum .
Biden ’ s night started with an emphatic , 30-point victory in Virginia , a state where the profile of the electorate includes many of the college-educated suburban voters who powered Democratic victories in the 2018 midterm elections .
Bloomberg spent more than $ 12 million in television ads in Virginia and millions more on field organization .
Biden spent about $ 200,000 .
Biden built on that throughout the night , in North Carolina , Minnesota , Massachusetts and across the South .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the contest almost certainly now between him and Sanders , who ran strong in the two largest states , winning California and finishing second to Biden in Texas .
They seem destined for a long , state-by-state fight defined by their starkly different visions of what Democrats need to defeat President Donald Trump .
Sanders claimed the night ’ s largest trophy , California , a state where he had committed substantial time and effort , while Biden had only a minimalist campaign .
It was a measure of how strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he remains so formidable .
It was also a place where he assembled a coalition that included young voters and Latinos , something he was able to do in Texas , the second biggest delegate prize of the night , as well .
Winning California was critical for Sanders , who had long held a strong lead in the polls there .
But he lost in a number of states his campaign had been banking on , from Minnesota to Massachusetts .
The Sanders campaign has gambled that , with a divided electorate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to power him to plurality victories across the country .
That theory showed flaws on Super Tuesday .
And there were warning signs beyond his big losses in the south , a region where Sanders has always struggled .
He lost Minnesota and Oklahoma , two mostly white states that he won during his 2016 insurgent run against Hillary Clinton .
That suggests Sanders is seeing erosion in his white support from his prior races .
Even in his home state of Vermont , Sanders didn ’ t perform as well as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself in much the same place as four years ago , a defiant insurgent with passionate support facing off against the favourite of the party establishment .
His national footprint , loyal following and strong fundraising mean he ’ s still in a solid position despite the Super Tuesday bruising .
But Sanders may need a different approach going forward other than railing against the leaders of the party whose voters will determine whether he ’ s their nominee .
Bloomberg has often described himself as a data-driven manager .
By any measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the billionaire former mayor of New York .
He is highly unlikely to win a state and is not on track to accumulate a serious number of delegates .
According to AP VoteCast , a majority of Democrats in several states would be disappointed if Bloomberg were the nominee .
Even in Virginia , where he helped fund gun control efforts and elect women to state legislative and congressional seats , he dramatically underperformed .
He has no clear path ahead , and given that his reason for running was predicated on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not readily apparent .
He is competing with Biden for anti-Sanders votes , while the Biden campaign worries that Bloomberg ’ s unorthodox strategy is depriving him of delegates he would need to overtake Sanders .
In Florida on Tuesday Bloomberg insisted he ’ s staying in , but it will get harder for him to make that argument if he starts approaching the status of John Connally , another big-spending party switcher who flopped in the 1980 GOP primary and only netted a single delegate .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an embarrassing third in her home state , Massachusetts .
Her once ascendant campaign has been on a consistent downward trajectory , languishing at the bottom of the field in many states — sometimes even below Bloomberg , the object of her repeated scorn .
She was in Michigan on Tuesday night , delivering her standard stump speech as if nothing had changed .
Her supporters hope she accumulates enough delegates to be a player and possible consensus nominee at a brokered convention .
But candidates run for president , not convention broker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COUNT Candidates don ’ t become the nominee by winning states , they do it by winning delegates .
And it may be days — or weeks — before we know exactly where everyone stands in that ranking .
Much of that is because California , with its whopping 415 delegates , counts extremely slowly .
The state has a permissive voting system that requires ballots mailed in on election day to be counted , and the tallying could stretch into April .
Many in California voted early , before Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the count drags .
But Sanders ’ backers are usually a late-voting cohort — on election night in 2016 he was losing the state to Clinton by double digits but was only down by about 7 % in the final results released weeks later .
So it ’ s hard to know how to parcel out the state ’ s bounteous rewards .
Other states like Colorado may take multiple days to finish their count and reward delegates .
It ’ s likely this hurts Sanders long term — the western states where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the eastern ones where Biden romped reported results quickly , helping solidify the image of the former vice-president ’ s comeback .
VOTERS GET OFF THE FENCE The Democratic electorate has spent 15 months in paralysis as voters agonized over which of a sprawling , diverse field was most likely to beat Trump .
On Tuesday , about one-third of Democrats had to make a decision .
Many of those who waited until the last minute picked Biden .
From about a quarter of voters in Texas to just over half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday electorate hadn ’ t made up their minds until the final days , according to AP VoteCast .
In North Carolina and Minnesota , about half went to Biden .
In Virginia , two-thirds did .
Biden won all three states .
In many states , these late deciders were somewhat older , slightly more likely to have graduated college and more likely to identify as moderate or conservative .
They were helped by strong signals from the Democratic establishment .
Biden ’ s centrist rivals , former South Bend , Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Klobuchar , dropped out and endorsed him , and the former vice-president racked up nods from dozens of Democratic luminaries in the 72 hours after his commanding win in South Carolina on Saturday night .
For much of the cycle , Democrats indicated they hadn ’ t made up their minds on whom to support .
If they continue to lock in on Biden in the states that vote after Super Tuesday , it could provide a critical advantage .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Nicholas Riccardi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Syrian, Turkish armies engage in new deadly clashes in Idlib

ANKARA , Turkey - Turkey said that two more of its soldiers were killed Wednesday in a Syrian government attack in northwestern Syria , as steady clashes between the two national armies continued to rack up casualties .
Turkey has sent thousands of troops into the area to support Syrian insurgents holed up there , but hasn ’ t been able to stop the Russian-backed Syrian government offensive to retake the Idlib province .
A Syrian opposition war monitor said nine Syrian soldiers were also killed in Turkish drone attacks in the northwestern area .
The Turkish Defence Ministry ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on its troops also wounded six soldiers .
It did not provide further details .
The assault came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to depart for Moscow where he says he aims to broker a cease-fire in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Turkey and Russia are the two main power brokers in Syria and each of them support rival sides in the nine-year conflict .
“ We expect to reach a shared view of the cause of the current crisis , its consequences and agree on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said about the upcoming meeting with the Turkish leader .
Russian officials have said they hold Turkey responsible for the collapse of a cease-fire agreement reached in Sochi , Russia in 2018 .
They say Ankara has failed to honour the deal and rein in militants who continued attacking Syrian and Russian targets .
Earlier Wednesday , Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov assailed Turkey for shielding “ terrorists ” in Idlib , a statement that reflected Moscow ’ s forceful posture ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Konashenkov pointed out that under the 2018 agreement with Russia , Turkey was obliged to ensure that militants in Idlib pull 15-20 kilometres ( 10-12 miles ) away from the de-escalation zone along with their heavy weapons .
Instead of that , he argued , al-Qaida-linked militants “ and other terrorist groups pushed moderate rebels north toward the border with Turkey.
” Konashenkov also assailed the West for turning a blind eye to Turkish military action in Syria “ in violation of international law ” and treating Turkish threats to destroy Syrian army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian opposition activists reported intense clashes near the government-held town of Saraqeb that sits on a major highway that links Syria ’ s two largest cities , Damascus and Aleppo .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , an opposition war monitor , said Turkish drone attacks near Saraqeb killed nine Syrian soldiers .
Clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces in northwestern Syria have killed more than 50 Turkish troops in the past month , including 33 soldiers killed Thursday in a single airstrike .
Isachenkov reported from Moscow .
Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report .

Suzan Fraser And Vladimir Isachenkov - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Egyptian army says high-profile Islamic militant executed

CAIRO - Egypt executed on Wednesday one of its most high-profile militant leaders , the military said , after his conviction for his role in planning scores of deadly attacks against the country ’ s security forces .
Hisham el-Ashmawi , a former Egyptian special forces officer turned Islamic militant , was sentenced to death by a military court in November in two separate cases for his participation in scores of militant attacks on government targets .
A civilian court also Monday sentenced him to death along with 36 other militants on terror-related charges .
Col. Tamer el-Rifai , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page that el-Ashmawi was executed Wednesday by hanging .
He posted a photo of the militant in a long beard and wearing a bright orange jumpsuit that is usually worn by those sentenced to death .
He said el-Ashmawi was convicted in 14 crimes including a 2014 ambush that killed 22 Egyptian military border guards near the border with Libya , and the 2013 assassination attempt against the interior minister at the time , Mohammed Ibrahim .
El-Ashmawi was captured in October 2018 in the Libyan city of Derna , a longtime bastion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter , an Egyptian ally .
He was handed over to Egypt in March .
The militant leader has been a valuable target for Egyptian security forces eager to obtain valuable intelligence for its years-long fight against militants .
Ashmawi helped found Ansar Beit al-Maqdis , a jihadi organization based in Egypt ’ s northern Sinai province that has seen an insurgency waged there for years .
His military expertise — he left the Egyptian army in 2011 — transformed the tiny group into a well-organized guerrilla band that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Sinai .
Beit al-Maqdis swore allegiance to the extremist Islamic State group in November 2014 and took to renaming itself as “ Welayet Sinai , ” or the province of Sinai .
El-Ashmawi , however , did not declare his allegiance to IS , which was then at the peak of its power and controlled about a third of both Iraq and neighbouring Syria .
In an audio recording released in 2015 that is believed to be authentic , el-Ashmawi allied himself with the Islamic State group ’ s rival , al-Qaida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After fleeing to Libya , he tried to establish himself among Islamic militants and extremists in the country ’ s east .
He created al-Mourabitoun , a militant group blamed for most of the attacks in Egypt ’ s remote Western Desert , such as a 2017 ambush that killed nearly 30 Christian pilgrims on their way to a monastery .
Such attacks have been part of an Islamic insurgency spearheaded by the IS affiliate .
The insurgency gained strength after the 2013 military overthrow of a freely elected but divisive Muslim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces and courts sweeping powers in response to Islamic militant attacks .
Human rights observers say the crackdown has resulted in an abandonment of due process and violations of international law .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Lego earnings rise, expects to avoid big hit from virus

COPENHAGEN - Lego said its earnings rose last year and that it has so far avoided major damage from the new coronavirus and plans to keep opening stores in China , the epicenter of the outbreak .
After the Danish toy company posted Wednesday a 3 % rise in net profit to 8.3 billion kroner ( $ 1.2 billion ) , CEO Niels B. Christiansen said the group is weathering the virus outbreak ’ s disruption to supply chains .
“ In the short run , it is hard to say , but it seems we are not that vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Christiansen told The Associated Press .
Lego produces in Mexico for its American markets , in China for its Asian market and the production for Europe comes from factories in the Czech Republic and in Denmark .
Christiansen said the manufacturer of the famous colored building blocks was sticking to its plan to open an additional 80 stores in around 20 cities in China , which “ remains a strategic growth market.
” Lego has 570 stores around the world carrying the toymaker ’ s logo .
On top of that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence on partner platforms and recently renewed its partnership with China ’ s tech giant Tencent as part of plans to engage consumers and shoppers .
Lego , which is Based in Billund , western Denmark , and is the privately held , said its 2019 full-year revenue grew 6 % to 37.9 billion kroner ( $ 5.7 billion ) .
That is “ despite significant investments in long-term growth initiatives , ” the CEO said .
Lego saw consumer sales globally grew 5.6 % in 2019 compared with 2018 .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while others had a negative growth , ” Christiansen said .
Consumer sales grew in all markets : by single digits in America and western Europe and double digits in China .


thetorontostar--2020-03-04--Exhibit to mark a century of female activism in Virginia

RICHMOND , Va. - The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is set to open an exhibit that honours celebrates a century of female activism in the state .
“ Agents of Change : Female Activism in Virginia from Women ’ s Suffrage to Today ” is scheduled to open Sunday .
The exhibit will feature artifacts from the museum ’ s collections , new acquisitions made through a major collecting initiative and rarely seen loans from private individuals .
It is intended to honour change-makers who have brought about positive change in their communities , Virginia and the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collections Curator Karen Sherry said the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 marked the culmination of a concerted fight for women ’ s suffrage and heralded a new age of female participation in American civic life .
She said the stories in the exhibit underscore the importance of civic engagement .
Along with the exhibition , a newly created photograph will also be on display .
It is a re-creation of an iconic photo of suffragists from 1915 featuring modern day female activists from Virginia .
The photo will be displayed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a limited-edition print series .
The exhibition will run through Sept. 27 .
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