thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Technicality extinguishes sparkler record attempt in Wyoming

GILLETTE , Wyo .
- An attempt in Wyoming to break a world record for the most sparklers lit simultaneously failed on a technicality .
Guinness World Records officials ruled each participant was required to light his or her own sparkler during the attempt in Gillette , The Gillette News Record reports .
The attempt in August was part of the Pyrotechnics Guild International ’ s 50th annual convention .
The event had an apparatus for lighting multiple sparklers , which was built by students and instructors at Gillette College .
Volunteers with torches lit sparklers and distributed them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2,500 sparklers were lit .
The current record is 1,713 .
Basic guidelines are listed on the Guinness website , but the specific guidelines were not received prior to the attempt .
Christen Burdette of the the Campbell County Convention and Visitors Bureau centre said Guinness officials were impressed and complimented the event organized by the bureau and the Gillette Main Street organization , but unfortunately the effort was not viable .
“ It ’ s a bummer , but that just means we have to do it again , ” Burdette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Recently discovered mineral named for LSU professor

BATON ROUGE , La .
- A Louisiana State University geology professor now has a scientific namesake — a newly discovered variety of tourmaline .
Barbara Dutrow said she ’ s surprised and thrilled by the honour .
“ A lifelong passion has been to discover and decode the geologic information embedded in tourmaline ; this recognition is a highlight of our discoveries !
” she said in a news release Friday from LSU .
The statement said Italian researchers named dutrowite for her because of her contributions to mineral sciences , especially her research showing that tourmalines — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their geological history .
Some of Dutrow ’ s articles in scientific journals have had titles such “ The tourmaline diaries : An eye-catching mineral and it s many facets , “ ” Tourmaline : A geologic DVD ” and “ Tourmaline as a petrologic forensic mineral.
” The International Mineralogical Association accepted the name in December .
Christian Biagioni of the University of Pisa and other researchers in Italy , Sweden and Austria recommended the name in October , papers provided by Dutrow showed .
They cite “ her contributions to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supergroup minerals and staurolite.
” Tourmalines come in a wide variety of colours .
Dutrowite was discovered in the Apuan Alps of Tuscany , Italy , near the Grotta del Vento ( Cave of the Wind ) .
It formed about 20 million years ago from compression and heating of a volcanic rock called rhyolite during the collision of the African and European tectonic plates , according to the release .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Teammates appear to stop Marega leaving after racist abuse

LISBON , Portugal - FC Porto striker Moussa Marega , who tried to walk off the field after being the target of racist abuse from fans , faced apparent attempts Sunday by his own teammates and opposition players to prevent him from leaving .
Marega , who is black and plays for Mali , was visibly angered by monkey noises targeting him after he scored Porto ’ s second goal in a 2-1 win at Guimarães in the Portuguese football league .
But when Marega started to walk off the field , several players from both Porto and Guimarães appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sérgio Conceição also went on the field and spoke with Marega .
It took Marega several minutes to leave the field when he was substituted .
Marega held his thumbs down at the crowd as he went into the tunnel to the changing rooms .
The crowd responded with loud jeers .
The attitude of the other players has drawn criticism on social media .
Marega received a yellow card following his goal in the 61st minute when he appeared to respond to the abuse by pointing at his skin and by picking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the pitch .
After the match Marega expressed his anger with a post including an expletive on a social media account , calling the fans who insulted him “ idiots who come to the stadium to make racist screams.
“ “ And I also thank the referees for not defending me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin colour , ” Marega wrote .
“ I hope I never meet you on a football field again !
YOU ARE A SHAME !
!
!
!
” His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , during and after the game .
“ We are indignant with what has happened .
Moussa was insulted from warmups ( before kickoff ) , ” Conceição said after the match .
“ We are a family .
One ’ s nationality , colour , or height does not matter .
We are human beings .
We deserve respect and what happened was despicable.
” Both clubs issued statements condemning the racist abuse , without commenting on the attitudes of the players toward Marega .
“ All of FC Porto and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was led to take a drastic attitude in the wake of repeated racist insults , ” Porto ’ s statement said .
“ FC Porto strongly condemns the racist behaviour this afternoon , which is one of the low moments in the recent history of Portuguese football and will have to be properly penalized.
” Guimarães said it would investigate the incident .
“ ( The club ) will not fail to censor any and all manifestations of violence , racism or intolerance , ” it said .
It added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the game played at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques , acting firmly and consequently , in full co-operation with the competent judicial entities .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Rival Democrats accuse Bloomberg of trying to ‘buy’ election

CARSON CITY , Nev. - With the Nevada caucuses less than a week away , Democratic presidential candidates campaigning Sunday were fixated on a rival who wasn ’ t contesting the state .
Bernie Sanders , Joe Biden , Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg all targeted billionaire Mike Bloomberg , accusing him of buying his way into the election and making clear they were eager to take him on in a debate .
“ He thinks he can buy this election , ” Sanders said of the former New York mayor at a rally in Carson City , Nevada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ news for Mr. Bloomberg — the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections !
” Their attacks are a sign of how seriously the field is starting to take Bloomberg as he gains traction in the race and is on the cusp of qualifying for Wednesday ’ s Democratic debate in Las Vegas .
Bloomberg has bypassed the traditional early voting states including Nevada , focusing instead on the 14 states that vote in the Super Tuesday primary on March 3 .
He has spent more than $ 417 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide , an unprecedented sum for any candidate in a primary .
The focus on Bloomberg comes amid anxiety among many establishment-aligned Democrats over the early strength of Sanders , who won last week ’ s New Hampshire primary and essentially tied for first place in Iowa with Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana .
Sanders is hoping to notch a victory in Nevada on Saturday as moderates struggle to unite behind a candidate who could serve as a counter to the Vermont senator , who has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of millions of dollars that Bloomberg has pumped into the Super Tuesday states has only heightened the sense of uncertainty surrounding the Democratic race .
At Sanders ’ rally , the crowded cheered as the Vermont senator joked that Bloomberg is “ struggling , he ’ s down to his last $ 60 billion “ and derided him for skipping the early primary states .
It marked an escalation of the salvo Sanders launched Saturday against the former mayor , when he ticked off a litany of conservative positions Bloomberg has taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage hike and his opposition to a number of Barack Obama ’ s policies while president .
On Saturday , Sanders suggested the former mayor ’ s past conservatism and controversial comments make him a weak candidate against President Donald Trump , charging that Bloomberg , “ with all his money , will not create the kind of excitement and energy we need ” to beat Trump .
And on Sunday , he was joined by the current mayor of New York , Bill de Blasio , who just this week endorsed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack of his own on his predecessor , telling the crowd , “ I ’ m sorry to report to you the chief proponent of stop and frisk is now running for president.
” Klobuchar , speaking on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation , ” accused Bloomberg of avoiding scrutiny by blanketing the airwaves and sidestepping debates or tough televised interviews .
“ I think he can not hide behind the airwaves and the money , “ she said .
“ I think he has to come on the shows .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the debate stage.
” Klobuchar said she ’ s raised $ 12 million since her better-than-expected finish in third place in New Hampshire .
She ’ s maintained her campaign through a series of strong debate performances and argued that Bloomberg being on stage with his rivals would level the playing field .
“ I ’ m never going to beat him on the airwaves , but I can beat him on the debate stage , ” she said .
Biden , speaking on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny as the race continues , pointing to his record on issues relating to race .
“ $ 60 billion can buy you a lot of advertising , but it can ’ t erase your record , ” he said .
Biden knocked Bloomberg ’ s past support of stop-and-frisk policing policies and his comments suggesting cracking down on racist mortgage lending practices contributed to the financial crisis , as well as his 2008 refusal to endorse Barack Obama for president .
Bloomberg has been airing ads that tie him closely to Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
Buttigieg likened Bloomberg to Trump when asked about reports that Bloomberg made sexist comments towards women and fostered a culture of sexism at his company .
“ I think he ’ s going to have to answer for that and speak to it , ” Buttigieg said .
He later added : “ Look , this is a time where voters are looking for a president who can lead us out of the days when it was just commonplace or accepted to have these kinds of sexist and discriminatory attitudes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something different.
” But even as the front-running candidates kept one eye on their Super Tuesday showdown with Bloomberg , they also focused on the more immediate task of winning over minority voters , who will play a pivotal role in the contests in Nevada and South Carolina .
Biden reminded older parishioners at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in North Las Vegas of 1960s television footage of black protesters in Birmingham , Alabama , being attacked by police dogs and sprayed with fire hoses on the orders of city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s racists are not “ Bull Connors , not out in overalls .
They ’ re wearing fine suits , and they ’ re living in the White House.
” The former vice-president is relying on his strength among black voters and an explicit appeal to Latinos and other minorities to deliver him a strong showing in the coming contests after posting disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire , which both feature electorates that are whiter on average than the national population .
Biden has been hammering home the need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of colour , repeating again Sunday that “ there can be no Democratic nominee , none , without the voice of Latinos and African Americans being heard.
“ Nevada and South Carolina are also a key test for Buttigieg and Klobuchar , who have thus far ridden on momentum from stronger-than-expected finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire , respectively , but have both faced questions about their appeal to minority voters .
On Sunday , when asked to name a mistake he had made as mayor , Buttigieg acknowledged that he failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly for communities of colour .
“ I was laser-focused on making sure we did the right thing legally ...
I didn ’ t always hear the voices who were talking about the story behind the story , ” Buttigieg said .
“ I was a data guy.
” Later that day , at a luncheon for the Nevada Legislative Black Caucus , Buttigieg said he was proud of his work with black leaders in his city to deliver affordable housing and improve the black unemployment rate , but he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do.
” Jaffe reported from Washington .
Associated Press writers Jonathan Cooper and Bill Barrow in Las Vegas contributed to this report .

Alexandra Jaffe And Nicholas Riccardi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Glamour, glitz at London Fashion Week despite stormy weather

LONDON - Gale force winds and a deluge of rain may be causing havoc to much of Britain , but for the fashion crowd the show must go on .
Storm Dennis didn ’ t stop models , celebrities and fashion insiders from donning their finest to attend London Fashion Week on Sunday , which showcased new season styles from designers including Victoria Beckham , Roland Mouret , Roksanda and Emilia Wickstead .
American streetwear designer Tommy Hilfiger also made a guest appearance , showing neon yellow tracksuits and luxury sportswear in a collaboration collection with Formula One racing driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beckham family turned out in style to support Spice Girl-turned-designer Victoria Beckham , who staged her catwalk show at central London ’ s grand Banqueting Hall .
Her sons Romeo and Cruz shared the front row with father and former soccer star David Beckham , while 8-year-old Harper got a comfy seat in her father ’ s lap .
On the catwalk , models wore checked shirts , smart tailored coats , culottes and velvet blazers , all paired with skin-tight , thigh-high leather boots in shades from blue to bright red .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boot to throw things off in a little bit of a strange way.
” Elsewhere , French designer Roland Mouret turned to 1980s London under Margaret Thatcher for inspiration .
There were double-breasted blazers , exaggerated shoulders and androgynous suits ; a sugary pink boxy blazer , worn with matching culottes , stood out in a mostly austere palette of greys , khakis and monochrome .
The fashion industry has come under increasing scrutiny from green groups , and Mouret — who counts Meghan , the Duchess of Sussex , among his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to calls for more transparent and environmentally-friendly practices .
Sustainable fashion “ is at the heart of my collection in a time where the process of creating clothes carries with it a personal responsibility , ” he said , and emphasized that he aimed for the brand to be carbon neutral within the year .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Boyfriend of British TV presenter heartbroken by her death

LONDON - The boyfriend of Caroline Flack , the former British TV host for the controversial reality show “ Love Island , ” said Sunday that his “ heart is broken “ at her death as criticism mounted over her treatment by some British media .
British commercial television network ITV said it would not air Sunday ’ s edition of the show but that it would return on Monday with a tribute to its former host .
Flack , 40 , was found dead Saturday at her home in east London after taking her own life , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love Island ” from its launch in 2015 before stepping down in December after being charged with assaulting her 27-year-old boyfriend , Lewis Burton .
Flack denied the charge and was to stand trial next month .
She was also not allowed to have any contact with Burton , a bail restriction he objected to .
Burton also did not want Britain ’ s Crown Prosecution Service to go ahead with the trial .
Over the past few months , Flack had been the focus of several negative articles and was trolled across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Sunday , the story of her suicide dominated the front pages of British newspapers .
Beside a picture of them together , Burton said on Instagram that he was in “ so much pain.
“ He added : “ I promise I will ask all the questions you wanted and I will get all the answers nothing will bring you back but I will try make you proud everyday.
” The sixth season of “ Love Island “ is currently airing and ITV said in a statement that it will not broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Saturday , the commercial network did not air a package of unseen footage from the previous week .
“ After careful consultation between Caroline ’ s representatives and the ‘ Love Island ’ production team , and given how close we still are to the news of Caroline ’ s tragic death , we have decided not to broadcast tonight ’ s ‘ Love Island ’ out of respect for Caroline ’ s family , ” ITV said in a statement .
ITV said the show will return on Monday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Caroline who will be forever in our hearts.
” “ Love Island ” puts young , attractive contestants in a tropical paradise , where they must pair up or risk being exiled .
Critics claim the program places vulnerable young people under intense scrutiny and pressure , which is magnified by blanket coverage of the show by tabloids and TV talk shows .
Two former “ Love Island ” contestants , Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis , died by suicide in 2018 and 2019 .
Until her arrest , Flack had enjoyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning children ’ s television shows .
She also hosted companion shows to the popular ITV programs “ I ’ m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here !
” and “ The X Factor.
” Flack ’ s career blossomed further after she won the BBC show “ Strictly Come Dancing ” in 2014 , the British version of “ Dancing With The Stars.
” While hosting “ Love Island , ” Flack made her West End stage debut in 2018 , playing Roxie Hart in the musical “ Chicago.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tributes from fellow TV hosts and criticism of her treatment by the media .
The Sun tabloid , for example , removed negative online articles about her soon after her death was announced .
Talent agent Jonathan Shalit told BBC radio that Flack received “ more negative press than a terrorist or a paedophile ” over the trial .
“ These people might be famous , but they ’ re still vulnerable individuals , ” Shalit said .
By Sunday evening , an online petition calling for a government inquiry into “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social media platforms in their efforts to protect members of the public from harm ” had garnered more than 191,000 signatures .
The Crown Prosecution Service has also come under criticism for pushing ahead with the trial in the face of Burton ’ s opposition , particularly from Flack ’ s management ’ s company .
“ The CPS should look at themselves today and how they pursued a show trial that was not only without merit but not in the public interest , ” said Francis Ridley of Money Talent Management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distress to Caroline .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--The Latest: Nevada’s lieutenant governor endorses Biden

LAS VEGAS - The Latest on the 2020 presidential campaign ( all times PST ) : Joe Biden has picked up another endorsement from a top Nevada politician , with Lt. Gov .
Kate Marshall announcing that she will back the former vice-president ’ s White House bid .
Marshall joins two of the state ’ s four U.S. House members , Reps. Dina Titus and Steven Horsford , in backing Biden .
Marshall plans to campaign with Biden on Monday in Reno .
Biden has spent the weekend campaigning alongside Titus and Horsford in and around Las Vegas ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is key to Biden ’ s hopes for a comeback after finishing fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire .
Nevada also is the first contest where organized labour and nonwhite voters hold significant sway , both counted by Biden as constituencies .
Marshall cited Biden ’ s experience and temperament in explaining her decision .
She tells The Associated Press that he will “ put people over party , build consensus , and get big things done.
” Massachusetts Sen Elizabeth Warren is battling a cold as she tries to rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren was barely audible before a crowd in Reno , saying the bad news was she had finally caught a cold after posing for more than 100,000 pictures with supporters .
The good news , she said , is she would “ persist.
” In a hoarse , cracking voice , Warren gave a truncated version of her standard stump speech .
Her weary tone injected poignancy into her reminiscences about being a young working mother on the verge of quitting her job for lack of child care who was saved by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think of how close I got to getting knocked off the track , ” Warren said .
Today , she lamented , women have an even harder time finding affordable child care .
Pete Buttigieg is wooing voters of colour as he looks to show he can repeat his strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire in states that more closely mirror the country ’ s diversity .
Buttigieg told a largely African American audience at a luncheon for the Nevada Legislative Black Caucus on Sunday that he worked with black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver affordable housing and improve the black unemployment rate .
The former mayor has faced criticism for the racial disparity in marijuana arrests in South Bend and decisions that led him to have no African American leaders in his administration during a crucial stretch of his tenure .
More than a quarter of South Bend residents are black .
Asked at a rally earlier Sunday to name a mistake he ’ d made in office , Buttigieg said he failed to recognize the pain that his decisions caused , particularly for communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday with African American comedian Keegan-Michael Key .
The president of a civil rights organization once led by Martin Luther King Jr. says that Tom Steyer is the presidential candidate perhaps best suited to speak directly to some of the concerns weighing on black voters ’ minds .
Charles Steele is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference .
He doesn ’ t officially endorse presidential candidates , but Steele told The Associated Press during a trip to Columbia on Sunday that he ’ s impressed with Steyer ’ s commitment to discussing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including reparations and funding for historically black colleges and universities .
Steele says he thinks Steyer is the candidate who can motivate and excite voters who might be feeling complacent about the 2020 election .
Steyer has been investing heavily in efforts to garner support from South Carolina ’ s black voters , who comprise the majority of the Democratic primary voting electorate .
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is being unusually direct in attacking some of his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination .
In a speech in Carson City , Nevada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billionaire and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , who is spending hundreds of millions of his own money on ads .
Sanders said Bloomberg is “ trying to buy the presidency ” and that Bloomberg was bored and decided he wanted to be president .
Sanders also singled out by name former vice-president Joe Biden and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg as two other candidates who raise money from billionaires .
He also slammed what he called the corporate , media , GOP and Democratic establishments for trying to stand in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters to see the 2020 presidential election as an opportunity similar to the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century , and he implicitly compared President Donald Trump to white racist politicians of the Jim Crow era .
The former vice-president spoke Sunday to worshipers at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in North Las Vegas .
He reminded older parishioners of television footage of black protesters in Birmingham , Alabama , being attacked by police dogs and sprayed with fire hoses on the orders of city official Bull Connor .
Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bull Connors , not out in overalls .
They ’ re wearing fine suits , and they ’ re living in the White House.
” Biden said voters can stand up and “ take back this country in a way that just like we did back in the ‘ 50s and ’ 60s , and this time we can make more progress.
” He cited the need for progress on health care and gun laws .
Biden will depend heavily on black , Latino and other nonwhite voters in Saturday ’ s Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary after faring poorly in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire .
Pete Buttigieg says he ’ d immediately reverse restrictions on family planning funds for Planned Parenthood and would seek to overturn a federal ban on funding for abortion .
The former South Bend , Indiana mayor told Planned Parenthood supporters outside Las Vegas on Sunday that his health care plan would “ support , reimburse and fund ” abortion and family planning .
He says a growing number of state laws that target abortion providers are making it harder for poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in rural areas to get health care .
Buttigieg also says the federal government should pay for needle exchange programs that give intravenous drug users clean needles to prevent the spread of diseases like HIV .
He says too often , aggressive law enforcement hampers progress by public health authorities who try to limit the spread of diseases among drug users .
South Carolina ’ s leading congressional Democrat says he ’ s carefully watching efforts by several campaigns aiming to cut into former Vice-President Joe Biden ’ s support in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN on Sunday that California climate activist and billionaire Tom Steyer , who has been campaigning heavily to black voters , is doing “ an incredible job.
” Clyburn says Steyer has money and it “ makes a difference.
” Clyburn also said former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg “ is doing very good.
” Clyburn , who had previously said Buttigieg may have trouble with older black voters because he is gay , said Sunday , “ We mature .
And I think their political calculations are changing quite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working for Buttigieg ‘ s South Carolina campaign .
Biden has led polling in the state , the first to feature a heavily black electorate .
But recent surveys show his support in that demographic falling nationally .
Asked directly if South Carolina is Biden ’ s “ firewall , ” where success or failure could make or break his campaign in the states that follow , Clyburn said , “ Well , I don ’ t know .
We will see.
” Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says he ’ s proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was addressing comments from conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh about whether voters would elect him because he ’ s been “ kissing his husband ” on stage after debates .
Buttigieg says America should have politics that welcomes everybody and that “ I ’ m not going to be lectured on family values from the like of Rush Limbaugh , or anybody who supports Donald J. Trump as the moral as well as the political leader of the United States.
” Limbaugh said this past week that he envisioned Democrats concluding that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been covered , that America ’ s still not ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage president.
” Buttigieg said he came out as gay during a general election as mayor of South Bend , Indiana , and received more support from voters than he did in his first race .
Buttigieg spoke on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ’ ’ and ” Fox News Sunday.
’ ’ He noted that while he loves his husband , that on stage , “ we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Amy Klobuchar says her Democratic presidential campaign has raised $ 12 million over the past week , citing greater voter interest after her performance in New Hampshire .
The Minnesota senator tells ABC ’ s “ This Week ” that she is benefiting from a surge of people who have discovered her campaign after the New Hampshire debate on Feb. 7 and a better-than-expected third-place finish in the state ’ s primary .
She ’ s billing the fundraising support as momentum that will allow her to be competitive on the airwaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday contests in early March .
Klobuchar says when she announced her candidacy , many people counted her out , but as voters get to know her , they relate to what her campaign is focused on .
She says that campaign message is about “ bringing back decency to the White House , and most importantly , having a president that can actually put herself in the shoes of other people in this country .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Searchers recover bodies of 2 killed in Colorado avalanche

VAIL , Colo. - Searchers have recovered the bodies of two Colorado men who died after being caught in a weekend avalanche in central Colorado , the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported Sunday .
Three men were riding snowbikes Saturday afternoon when they were caught in the slide about 10 miles ( 16 kilometres ) north of Vail .
One man was able to dig himself out and called for help at about 4:45 p.m , the Eagle County Sheriff ’ s Office said .
The other men were carried into a gully at the bottom of a drainage area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were fully buried , the Avalanche Information Center said in a statement .
Hunter Schleper of Vail told KCNC-TV that he and his friends dug for five hours trying to find the victims .
Schleper posted on Facebook that they located the riders under 20 feet ( 6 metres ) of snow .
But Vail Mountain Rescue told them to stop their efforts Saturday evening because of low visibility and avalanche danger .
The Eagle County Sheriff ’ s Office announced a “ search and recovery mission ” Sunday morning .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avalanche centre said .
The sheriff ’ s office identified the victims as Dillon Block , 28 , and Cesar Almanza-Hernandez , 30 , both of Gypsum .
Four people have died in avalanches in Colorado this winter , the centre said .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--All too aware of clergy abuse, seminarians keep the faith

WYNNEWOOD , Pa. - The seminarians walk along a hallway lined with photos of classes of priests who came before them .
Some are pious alumni who have become their teachers and mentors ; others climbed the Catholic hierarchy to be revered as bishops and cardinals .
But there are others : Raymond Leneweaver , Class of 1962 , subject of at least 14 victims ’ reports of abuse , who even made matching T-shirts for those he raped and molested .
And Edward Avery , Class of 1970 , who pleaded guilty to molesting a 10-year-old altar boy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Class of 1972 , who admitted to molesting a boy in a seminary shower , according to grand jurors .
The 156 young men who call St. Charles Borromeo Seminary home are deeply aware of both the sacred and the profane .
They appear unflinchingly optimistic , reverent and committed , yet they prepare to enter ministry at a time when scandals have driven the faithful from pews , shaken the church ’ s highest tiers and cast doubt on the motivations of those who say they ’ re answering a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it probably made the desire to respond to God ’ s call even more urgent , ” says Tucker Brown , a 27-year-old seminarian for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who finished medical school but felt drawn to the priesthood when it came time to apply to residencies .
“ It was really a desire to be what a priest is supposed to be , to be a spiritual father and really a source of healing.
” Classmates repeat similar sentiments around the bucolic campus of St. Charles , where buildings are dotted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ papal visits and chapels vibrate with blasts of the organ .
Though the sins of the church may be more muted at this 188-year-old seminary , those preparing to lead Catholicism through its next chapter know they ’ ll be charged with inspiring those wary of putting trust in the clergy again .
“ In a strange and demanding and convicting way , it ’ s almost like a challenge to be the priest that other priests weren ’ t for the people , ” says Daniel Rice , a 24-year-old seminarian for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is expected to be ordained in 2022 .
“ I want to step up and be the priest that the people actually need.
” The landmark 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report and a cascade of subsequent revelations around the globe brought back with ferocity a sexual abuse crisis that never fully went away .
News of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick ’ s abuse of seminarians drove it even closer to home for future priests .
Together with growing secularism and the public ’ s loss of confidence in the church and the men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer applicants and felt obliged to caution those who still showed up .
“ You ’ re running into a burning building : That ’ s what you ’ re signing up for , ” the Rev .
Thomas Berg , a theology professor at St. Joseph ’ s Seminary in Yonkers , New York , says he has told seminarians .
But while enrolment at St. Charles and other Catholic seminaries is down from a half-century ago , it ’ s been remarkably steady in recent years .
Some 4,853 men were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. last school year , according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate , or CARA .
That was a slight increase over the prior two years and not markedly different from a decade earlier .
St. Charles ’ current student body includes men from five religious orders and more than a dozen dioceses around the U.S. and as far-flung as Sri Lanka .
Though the increases have been small , St. Charles has seen its enrolment grow for five straight years .
“ People think there would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thomas Gaunt , who leads CARA .
“ There is not , which is surprising.
” Or , as Bishop Timothy Senior , the rector of St. Charles , puts it : “ In spite of everything that ’ s happened in the last few years , they ’ re here.
” Like many who came before them , the men of St. Charles speak with conviction of their calling .
Eyes widen as they foresee being beside congregants in defining moments , of baptizing babies and burying the dead .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” but acknowledge they must look beyond the fraternity to ensure the future of the church and its people .
“ You don ’ t just assume that everyone is a holy man , ” says Deacon Alec Sasse , 26 , a seminarian from Lincoln , Nebraska , who took it upon himself to read the 887-page Pennsylvania grand jury report and who is due to be ordained a priest in May .
“ We have our eyes open for that stuff.
” Bishops in the U.S. have mandated that seminary applicants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and medical assessments .
Vatican guidelines call for screening to weed out gay applicants .
Critics express doubt that any one psychological test could effectively identify predators and say the church is wrongly linking homosexuality and pedophilia .
Senior says testing is combined with other screening tools , including increased oversight at the seminary , regular reviews and a greater understanding of warning signs that could point to future problems .
“ A lot of people slipped through that never should have .
And bad things happened that should never have happened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with greater scrutiny , have identified that sooner ?
I can ’ t judge .
I wasn ’ t there .
But it ’ s certainly incumbent upon us to try to get it right now.
” Mostly , seminarians are focused on the tasks at hand : Immersing themselves in prayer and study , making it to ordination and living up to the vows they make .
They speak with hope of the church moving past its crises , focusing largely on the examples they will set versus institutional changes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to make every moment count , ” says Jordan Evans , a 24-year-old seminarian from the Diocese of Arlington .
“ Change happens when you give yourself to the people that are in front of you … If you want to change the culture , it ’ s the holiness of each moment , of each interaction , of each friendship.
” The current batch of men at St. Charles is among the last who will call this site home .
The seminary has been running a $ 5 million annual deficit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold its 72-acre property to the company that runs a nearby hospital in a $ 43.5 million deal .
Rare books from the seminary ’ s library and valuable portraits by the influential artist Thomas Eakins have been sold off .
St. Charles has until 2024 to find a new location .
For now , though , life continues .
Men in black rise for predawn prayers and shuffle off to classrooms where Bibles are scattered on the tables and politeness reigns .
They belt out thunderous refrains of “ Happy Birthday ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basketball teams they ’ ve named Late for Morning Prayer , and St. Charles Moving Co .
They pass through a tunnel that returns them to their tiny dorm rooms , where they may wrestle in silence with their calling or be stirred with anticipation over the thought of being called “ Father.
” They think , too , of the wounds left to heal , ones they know could last a generation or more , and which they stand to inherit .
“ Those men that wear the same thing that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to do , ” says Sasse .
“ I really consider myself to be part of a next generation of men that are hopefully really going to usher in a new level of healing .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Americans who left cruise trade one quarantine for another

TOKYO - Americans Cheryl and Paul Molesky decided to trade one coronavirus quarantine for another .
The couple from Syracuse , New York , made the decision to cut short a 14-day quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama , near Tokyo , to be flown back to the United States .
But they knew that if they were allowed to leave the ship , they ’ d have to spend another two-week quarantine period at a U.S. military facility to make sure they don ’ t have the new virus that ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were on the cruise ship .
The Japanese defence ministry said around 300 of them had been making plans to leave .
Some Americans disembarked Sunday night and boarded buses to take them to Tokyo ’ s Haneda Airport .
The U.S. State Department said later that two charter flights carrying cruise ship passengers had departed Tokyo and were on their way to the United States .
Canada , Hong Kong and Italy said they were planning similar flights of passengers .
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said Washington was evacuating the Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board the Diamond Princess were at a high risk of exposure to the virus .
The Americans were being flown to Travis Air Force Base in California and Lackland Air Force Base in Texas .
After arriving in the U.S. , all of the passengers will need to go through another 14 days of quarantine — meaning they will have been under quarantine for a total of nearly four weeks .
Other governments , including Canada and Hong Kong , also will require the passengers to undergo a second 14-day quarantine .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Cheryl Molesky told NHK TV in Japan .
“ It ’ s just a little bit disappointing that we ’ ll have to go through quarantine again , and we will probably not be as comfortable as the Diamond Princess , possibly.
” “ The biggest challenge has been the uncertainty , ” she added .
Molesky also said she was getting concerned about the rising number of patients on the ship .
“ It ’ s a little bit scary with the numbers going up of the people being taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , so I think its time to go .
I think its time to cut our losses and take off , ” she said .
Japan on Sunday announced another 70 infections on the Diamond Princess , raising the ship ’ s total number of cases to 355 .
Overall , Japan has 413 confirmed cases of the virus , including one death .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health , said Sunday on CBS ’ “ Face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gotten infected , and those showing symptoms will not be able to get on the evacuation plane .
“ If people on the plane start to develop symptoms , they ’ ll be segregated within the plane , ” Fauci said , adding that the additional 14-day quarantine is because of the “ degree of transmissibility on that cruise ship is essentially akin to being in a hot spot.
” He added that an infected person who shows minimal symptoms could still pass the virus to someone else .
Asked how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , Cheryl Molesky sighed , and her husband said , “ If we have to go through that , we will go through that.
” The couple spoke to the NKH TV before passengers were allowed off the ship , and it wasn ’ t immediately known if they were able to board the flight to the U.S. Everyone was expected to receive a checkup before being allowed on the chartered flight , and the embassy said that those who showed symptoms of sickness would not be permitted to board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already tested positive for the virus will not be among those evacuated on the flights .
Some American passengers said they would pass up the opportunity to take a flight to the U.S. because of the additional quarantine .
There also was concern about being on a long flight with other passengers who may be infected or in an incubation period .
One of the Americans , Matthew Smith , said in a tweet Sunday that he saw a passenger with no face mask talking at close quarters with another passenger .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If there are secondary infections on board , this is why .
... And you wanted me to get on a bus with her ?
” he said .
He said the American health officials who visited their room was apparently surprised that the couple had decided to stay .
They wished the couple luck , and Smith said he told them , “ Thanks , but we ’ re fine.
” Associated Press videojournalist Emily Wang in Tokyo contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Steyer foundation mulling SC investments - after the primary

COLUMBIA , S.C. - Ahead of this month ’ s crucial South Carolina primary , the wife of presidential candidate Tom Steyer said that the foundation she runs is interested in considering an investment proposal from one of the state ’ s largest black church congregations .
But she said the foundation wouldn ’ t act on it until after the primary .
During services on Sunday morning at Brookland Baptist Church , Pastor Charles B. Jackson , Sr. mentioned applying for a grant from Steyer ’ s foundation in conjunction with renovations at Lakeview Empowerment Center , where many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held .
The church is in West Columbia , which is adjacent to Columbia , the capital city .
“ It is the kind of work that Tom and I have historically funded in communities , ” Steyer ’ s wife , Kat Taylor , told The Associated Press on Sunday .
“ The TomKat Foundation would be happy to consider a proposal after the primary.
” The state ’ s Feb. 29 primary is the first contest in the South on the 2020 election calendar and serves as an important gauge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of the Democratic electorate in South Carolina , and Brookland - among the largest black congregations in the state - has been a regular stop for many of the Democrats competing for their party ’ s nomination .
Its banquet and conference centre , adjacent to the main church building , has hosted events featuring Sens .
Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders , among others .
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day , Steyer , former Vice-President Joe Biden and former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg were among those attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was stumping in South Carolina Sunday on her husband ’ s behalf .
Asked about the pastor ’ s remark , Taylor said she had recently toured the facility but that the foundation had not made any offer to fund the renovations , a move she said would be inappropriate during the primary campaign , due to Brookland ’ s influence and the possible appearance of impropriety .
“ Our singular focus is on winning the nomination and positioning Tom to be the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump , ” Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to do anything inappropriate , and neither would Pastor Jackson or Brookland Baptist Church want us to do that.
” The foundation is completely separate from Steyer ’ s campaign , which has been investing in making inroads with South Carolina ’ s black voters who have been thought of as a “ firewall ” of support on which former Vice-President Joe Biden ’ s campaign is relying .
Steyer has flooded South Carolina airwaves with millions of dollars in ads , building a robust staff of more than 100 employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign events than any other candidate still in the race .
More than that , though , state director Jonathan Metcalf said Steyer ’ s campaign has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct investment in various entities throughout the state , including more than $ 200,000 with the South Carolina Democratic Party and more than $ 100,000 with other local Democratic parties throughout the state .
“ It was in our mandate from the start , with Tom , ” Metcalf said , noting the candidate ’ s interest in funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP during an open house at the home she ’ s renting in Columbia for the duration of her husband ’ s presidential effort .
Last week , the campaign announced that Taylor would be stepping down from her role as CEO of Beneficial State Bank to become more involved in campaigning efforts , particularly in South Carolina and the Super Tuesday states , and have a base of operations on the East Coast .
“ We wanted to be more in community , ” Taylor said .
Meg Kinnard can be reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Former U.S. Justice Department lawyers press for Barr to step down

WASHINGTON—More than 1,100 former federal prosecutors and Justice Department officials called on Attorney General William Barr on Sunday to step down after he intervened last week to lower the Justice Department ’ s sentencing recommendation for U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s longtime friend Roger Stone .
They also urged current government employees to report any signs of unethical behaviour at the Justice Department to the agency ’ s inspector general and to Congress .
“ Each of us strongly condemns President Trump ’ s and Attorney General Barr ’ s interference in the fair administration of justice , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from across the political spectrum , wrote in an open letter Sunday .
Those actions , they said “ require Mr. Barr to resign.
” After prosecutors on Monday recommended a prison sentence of up to nine years for Stone , who was convicted of obstructing a congressional inquiry , Trump lashed out at federal law enforcement .
Senior officials at the department , including Barr , overrode the recommendation the next day with a more lenient one , immediately prompting accusations of political interference , and the four lawyers on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Justice Department said the case had not been discussed with anyone at the White House , but that Trump congratulating Barr on his decision did little to dispel the perception of political influence .
And as the president widened his attacks on law enforcement , Barr publicly reproached the president , saying that Trump ’ s statements undermined him as well the department .
“ I can not do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me , ” Barr said during a televised interview Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department continue to worry about political interference from the president despite public pushback by Barr , long considered a close ally of Trump ’ s .
Even as the lawyers condemned Barr on Sunday , they said they welcomed his rebuke of Trump and his assertions that law enforcement must be independent of politics .
But Barr ’ s “ actions in doing the president ’ s personal bidding unfortunately speak louder than his words , ” they said .
The letter comes days after some Democratic senators pressed for Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City Bar Association said that it had formally reported the attorney general ’ s behaviour to the Justice Department ’ s inspector general .


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Man facing prison term for plot to obtain $1M in stolen TVs

GREENBELT , Md .
- Federal prosecutors in Maryland are recommending a prison sentence of more than five years for a man who pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain hundreds of stolen televisions worth more than $ 1 million .
Prosecutors explained in a court filing on Saturday why they are recommending a 65-month sentence for Saul Eady .
A defence attorney is seeking a three-year prison sentence for Eady , who pleaded guilty in November 2019 to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud .
The government ’ s calculation of sentencing guidelines in Eady ’ s case calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 71 months .
U.S. District Judge George Hazel isn ’ t bound by those guidelines when he sentences Eady at a Feb. 24 hearing scheduled in Greenbelt , Maryland .
Eady was one of eight defendants charged in a September 2018 indictment .
He is set to be the first defendant sentenced in the case .
His sister , Saulina Eady , also was charged in the indictment .
In Saturday ’ s court filing , prosecutors said Saul Eady was a member of the West Coast operation of an international fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents to convince three U.S. companies to ship them electronics equipment without payments upfront .
Eady and others received more than 300 stolen televisions in California , stored them in rental units in Los Angeles and were paid in cash after the merchandise was resold , according to a court filing that accompanied his guilty plea .
The filing doesn ’ t name the victims of the scheme , but it describes them as a Maryland-based defence contractor that made communications equipment , a wholesale audio-video distributor in Virginia and a Washington state-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Police: 1 dead, 4 wounded in Connecticut club shooting

HARTFORD , Conn. - Gunfire erupted at a Connecticut nightclub early Sunday morning , killing a man and wounding four other people , police said .
A 28-year-old man died in the shooting at the Majestic Lounge in Hartford ’ s South End , police Lt. Paul Cicero said .
Two other males and two females were wounded , with two of them in surgery Sunday morning and two in stable condition , he said .
None of their names were released .
Police officers had been stationed outside the club because of previous problems there and reported the shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but were confronted with a large number of people running toward the exits , Cicero said .
“ Everybody started pushing their way out to get away from the gunfire , ” he said .
“ It was kind of pandemonium.
” Officers , however , were able to provide immediate medical care to the victims , he said .
There were no suspects in custody .
Officials said there was little information to release because the investigation was in the very early stages .
A message seeking comment was left Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mayor Luke Bronin said Sunday that illegal handguns were involved in the shooting .
He said there have been problems at the nightclub in the past , but nothing in recent weeks .
City officials will be assessing what steps they can take to prevent violence at the club in the future , Bronin said .
“ Hartford Police Officers who were at the club responded immediately , running in the direction of gunfire , and their heroic efforts may have prevented further loss of life , ” Bronin said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed for hours during the emergency response and investigation .
Officials left the scene around 7 a.m. “ We ’ re not going to have anything for quite a bit of time , ’ Cicero said , responding to a question about when more information will be released .
” This is a very complex investigation.
“


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Another Mississippi inmate dies; no signs of injuries

JACKSON , Miss .
- A 42-year-old inmate has died in Mississippi , making him at least the 18th prisoner to die in the state ’ s troubled prison system since late December , corrections officials said Sunday .
An officer serving breakfast on Sunday found David Lee May unresponsive in his cell at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County , the Mississippi Department of Corrections said .
A department statement said officials tried to resuscitate the inmate , but he later was pronounced dead .
According to the news release , there were no obvious signs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a cell .
He had been sentenced in 2017 to life for two aggravated assaults .
An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death .
The death comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of Mississippi ’ s troubled prisons system .
The Justice Department announced Feb. 5 that its civil rights division was opening an investigation of Mississippi prisons after a string of inmate deaths .
At least 18 Mississippi inmates have died since late December .
Most of them died at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence that also left an undisclosed number of inmates injured .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Assad’s forces make advances, further securing Aleppo region

DAMASCUS , Syria - Syrian troops have made significant advances against the last rebel held enclaves in the country ’ s northwest , state media said on Sunday , consolidating the government ’ s hold over the key Aleppo province .
The Syrian government advance also appeared to put the provincial capital of Aleppo out of the firing range of opposition groups for the first time in years , another sign of Syrian President Bashar Assad ’ s growing control of the area .
The armed opposition had been driven out of Aleppo city ’ s eastern quarters in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while battling government forces who were in charge in the western part .
Rebel groups had continued to harry government forces , however , from outside the city with mortar rounds .
State news agency SANA reported 30 villages and towns around the city in the western Aleppo countryside were captured on Sunday .
Rami Abdul-Rahman , the head of the Britain-based war monitor Syria Observatory for Human Rights , confirmed the report .
The state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV said government troops were still besieging remnants of opposition fighters in a small part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of northern Aleppo region , which straddles the border with Turkey , is administered by Turkey and allied Syrian factions .
Another segment of the province further west is controlled by Kurdish-led forces , allied with the United States .
Both parts have not been part of the government offensive .
The fighting in the Aleppo region and nearby Idlib province has unleashed a humanitarian crisis .
Over 800,000 civilians out of nearly 4 million living in the enclave have been displaced , living in open fields and temporary shelters for the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed opposition is now squeezed into a shrinking area of nearby Idlib province , where the government is also on the offensive .
“ The Syrian people are determined to liberate all Syrian territories , ” President Assad said according to the Syrian state news agency on Sunday .
Assad was speaking during a meeting with visiting Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani .
Both Iran and Russia have heavily backed Assad in the civil war .
The Syrian leader also claimed “ terrorists “ in northwestern Syria were using residents as “ human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop Syrian troops from advancing into the territory .
Syria ’ s government considers all the opposition in the nine-year war as “ terrorists ” and has repeatedly levelled accusation that they take residents of areas they control as hostages .
But many of the displaced in Syria ’ s Idlib province have fled the fighting in other parts of the country , choosing to live in areas outside of government control .
Turkey has sent thousands of troops and equipment into the opposition enclave , in an attempt to stall the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition , has called for an end to the Syrian government offensive .
It also fears that the displaced may overwhelm its borders .
Turkey is already home to more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees .
The United Nations has also called for a cease-fire .
Larijani , meanwhile , reiterated his country ’ s support for Syria in fighting terrorism .
Iran has played a key role in supporting Assad ’ s war efforts , sending financial support as well as fighters to back up Syrian military operations .
Support from Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces to regain control of much of the territories they had lost to armed groups who worked to topple him .
Over 400,000 people have been killed and half of Syria ’ s population displaced since peaceful protests in 2011 turned into a civil war stoked by foreign interventions .

Albert Aji And Sarah El Deeb - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-02-16--Ring lost in Maine is found in Finland 47 years later

BRUNSWICK , Maine - A high school class ring that was lost in Maine in 1973 has been found in a forest in Finland .
Debra McKenna , 63 , lost the ring in Portland when she was a student at Morse High School , the Bangor Daily News reported .
She said the ring was largely forgotten until a sheet metal worker found it under 8 inches ( 20 centimetres ) of soil in a Finnish forest 47 years later .
The ring belonged to McKenna ’ s late husband Shawn , who she dated all throughout high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 40 years until Shawn died in 2017 after a six-year battle with cancer .
Shawn gave McKenna the ring before he left for college , and she accidentally left it in a department store .
McKenna said she cried when the ring arrived in the mail at her Brunswick home last week .
“ It ’ s very touching in this world of negativity , to have decent people step forward and make an effort.
” McKenna said .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Popular Rwandan gospel musician found dead in police cell

KIGALI , Rwanda - A popular Rwandan gospel musician who in 2015 was found guilty of conspiracy to murder or harm President Paul Kagame was found dead in a police cell Monday in the capital , Kigali , authorities said .
Kizito Mihigo , 38 , an ethnic Tutsi survivor of the 1994 genocide that killed more than 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus who tried to protect them , killed himself in the morning hours , a police statement said .
The official account of a suicide was expected to be met with skepticism in a country where the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Described by many as Rwanda ’ s biggest cultural icon and a devout Catholic known for songs promoting healing and forgiveness , Mihigo had been pardoned in 2018 but was re-arrested last week .
Police asserted that he had been trying to flee to neighbouring Burundi to join groups fighting the Rwandan government .
“ He has been in police cell for three days as police investigated why he was crossing the border illegally and cases of bribery , ” police spokesman Eric Kabera said in a statement .
He didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .
Police said Mihigo had been allowed to meet family members and his lawyer .
It was not immediately known whether he had been in a solitary cell .
A family member declined to comment .
The news of the death was met with disbelief .
The Rwanda Investigations Bureau tweeted on Thursday that the country ’ s security organs had handed over Mihigo , saying the charges against him included illegally crossing to Burundi , joining terrorist groups and corruption .
Mihigo was arrested in 2014 and sentenced the following year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was found guilty of conspiracy to murder or harm Kagame and other top leaders .
He was also convicted of complicity to overthrow the government and conspiracy to form alliances with negative groups to destabilize the country .
He pleaded guilty to all charges , leading the judge to say he was given a lenient sentence because he had made the court ’ s work easy .
He was pardoned in 2018 by Kagame alongside Rwanda ’ s leading opposition leader , Victoire Ingabire .
But last week , police said his attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the presidential order , meaning the revocation of the pardon .


thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Amid protests, Greece suspends migrants detention plan

ATHENS , Greece - Greece ’ s government says it is suspending an emergency plan to build migrant detention camps on Greek islands near the Turkish coast to allow for negotiations with local authorities who strongly oppose the move .
Notis Mitarakis , the migration affairs minister , said Monday the plan announced last week has been put on hold until demands by authorities on the islands of Lesbos , Chios , Samos , Leros and Kos are discussed .
The government says it wants to replace existing overcrowded camps with closed facilities and has already issued land appropriation orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed construction — setting up roadblocks on Lesbos — amid fears that the new sites would place an additional burden on their small communities .
Under a 2016 agreement between the European Union and Turkey , Lesbos and the four other islands have been used as natural barriers for migrants and refugees trying to reach the mainland of EU member Greece .
That has resulted in serious overcrowding at the existing island camps and living conditions for migrants that U.N. officials have called horrific .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Britain issues ‘severe’ flood warnings as rivers keep rising

COPENHAGEN - More than half a dozen roads and several passes in Norway were closed Monday because of strong winds @ @ @ @ @ southwestern Denmark city of Kolding and its surrounding were flooded as gale force winds and @ @ @ @ @ across Europe .
Emergency services in the city at the end of the Kolding Fjord @ @ @ @ @ the Jutland peninsula were pumping out water from basements and using sand bags to try @ @ @ @ @ In Estonia , some 1,200 households were without electricity , the Baltic News Service reported @ @ @ @ @ Dennis , that started over the weekend , prompted widespread travel disruptions across Europe and @ @ @ @ @ more damage than the previous weekend ’ s Storm Ciara .
No casualties were reported @ @ @ @ @ region .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Body of Pakistani reporter found hours after he went missing

KARACHI , Pakistan - The body of a Pakistani journalist was found dumped in a canal just hours after he went missing while on his way to work , police said Monday .
His family said he was brutally killed but that they have no idea who was behind the slaying .
The 56-year-old Aziz Memon had worked as a reporter and cameraman for a local TV station in southwestern Sindh province .
He went missing while going to work on Sunday .
Police chief Mohammad Farooq said the body was found in a canal in Mehrabpur village and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one immediately claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing of Memon .
His brother , Abdul Hafeez , said Memon had received threats last year after reporting that a politician from the area had paid bribe money to locals to attend an opposition rally .
The International Federation of Journalists and its affiliate , the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists , have asked the government to investigate .
Pakistan is considered a dangerous place for journalists and those involved in attacks on journalists are rarely punished .
The country has also witnessed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists , journalists and members of civil society over the past years .
Journalists , who have taken on military dictators and been beaten and jailed in the pursuit of a free press , say they now face a form of censorship that is more subtle but no less chilling , spearheaded by the security services , to quash critical coverage .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Portugal leaders rally around Porto player over racist slurs

LISBON , Portugal - The president and the prime minister of Portugal added their voices Monday to a national outcry over racist abuse aimed at a black FC Porto soccer player who walked off the field after hearing monkey chants .
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he “ vehemently condems any display of racism.
” Prime Minister Antonio Costa said “ all and any acts of racism are a crime and are intolerable.
” “ No human being should be subjected to this humiliation , ” wrote Costa , whose father was from Mozambique .
“ We can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a striker from Mali , was visibly angered by monkey noises targeting him after he scored Porto ’ s second goal in a 2-1 win at Guimarães in the Portuguese league on Sunday .
Several Porto and opposition players attempted to dissuade him from walking off the field in the 71st minute , when he demanded to be substituted .
Marega wrote on his Instagram account that “ idiots ” went to the stadium to shout racist insults .
He also lashed out at the referee , who gave Marega a yellow card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing .
He said the referee should have defended Marega .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--2020 Watch: Who can show strength with voters of colour?

LAS VEGAS - Presidential politics move fast .
What we ’ re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign : With Iowa and New Hampshire behind them , the Democrats ’ 2020 field lurches toward a decidedly more diverse set of voters and , with them , huge new tests for the leading candidates .
After winning ( or tying ) in Iowa and in New Hampshire , Bernie Sanders is looking to Latinos to build a delegate lead that could make him difficult to catch after Super Tuesday .
Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar are fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of colour don ’ t reflect reality on the ground .
And it ’ s put-up-or-shut-up time for Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren , who need a strong showing to prove they still belong in the race .
Oh , and if Mike Bloomberg qualifies for Wednesday ’ s debate , he ’ ll be forced to perform under the brightest lights of his career .
Who can show strength with voters of colour ?
Biden ’ s shockingly bad finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire have forced voters and pundits alike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice-president ’ s strength with people of colour .
Like most Democratic primary voters , minority voters care most about picking someone who can defeat President Donald Trump .
And Biden certainly hasn ’ t inspired confidence on that front .
Can anyone take advantage ?
On paper , Buttigieg and Klobuchar have the most to gain as black and brown voters weigh in .
And Sanders is looking to Latinos to prove he , not Biden , is best positioned to assemble a winning coalition .
The question of minority support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 contest .
And Nevada will begin to answer it on Saturday .
Will the elephant be in the room ?
Bloomberg has risen in the polls and become one of Washington ’ s favourite candidates largely on the strength of his saturation level TV ads , resume and bank account .
If he qualifies for Wednesday ’ s debate — he needs one more show of strength in polling — he will be forced to perform on a debate stage far grander than when he was running for mayor of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so look for his rivals to go after him early and often .
Even before new questions surfaced about allegations of sexual harassment at his company , the 78-year-old billionaire former Republican had a lot to prove .
Will we see another caucus meltdown ?
After a drama-free primary election in New Hampshire , we ’ re back to another quirky caucus system in Nevada run by a state political party .
Tensions are understandably high given the caucus disaster in Iowa ( which STILL hasn ’ t reported final results two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party abandoned its plans to use an app like the one that caused trouble in Iowa and has scrambled to come up with a new system to tabulate results .
Party officials insist they ’ re confident about the changes .
We ’ ll forgive you if you ’ re skeptical .
Does the moderate muddle get worse ?
Some establishment-minded Democrats tell us they ’ re increasingly concerned that the glut of centre-left Democrats is essentially clearing the way for Sanders to win the nomination .
There are at least four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders alternative : Buttigieg , Klobuchar , Biden and Bloomberg .
And as we saw in 2016 with Trump , the longer they stay in the race and split up the anti-Sanders vote the easier it will be for Sanders to win contests with a relatively low percentage of the vote .
Remember : He needed only 26 % to win New Hampshire .
Democrats who prefer a centre-left nominee need the moderate lane to consolidate in a hurry , although it would be a surprise to see any of the leading moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no serious primary contest on the Republican side , but Trump found a way to generate extraordinary Republican turnout in Iowa and New Hampshire this month , shattering recent incumbent presidents ’ turnout totals .
Trump has hosted local rallies before each of the first two contests , as he will do in Nevada later this week .
Yet we suspect the turnout has more to do with the Trump campaign ’ s vaunted data operation , which appears to be light years ahead of where it was four years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong showing would be cause for concern for Democrats who have claimed a consistent enthusiasm advantage in the Trump era so far .
It ’ s later than you think in the Democrats ’ 2020 nomination fight .
By the end of Super Tuesday , in just 15 days , more than one third of all delegates will be awarded .
Smart campaign operatives tell us that delegate allocation rules will make it extremely difficult for anyone to catch a candidate who emerges from Super Tuesday with a significant lead .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic primary could be effectively over far sooner than any of the candidates will admit .
2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Syria military hails advance against rebels in ‘record time’

DAMASCUS , Syria - Syria ’ s military announced on Monday that its troops have regained control of territories in northwestern Syria “ in record time , ” vowing to continue to chase armed groups “ wherever they are.
” The announcement came hours after troops consolidated the government ’ s hold over the key Aleppo province , capturing over 30 villages and hamlets in the western countryside in one day and securing the provincial capital that had for years remained within range of opposition fire .
Troops were removing barriers and roadblocks on Monday in villages and districts that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state TV reported .
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , a war monitoring group , reported clashes in Jabal Sheik Akeel , northwest of the city of Aleppo , the provincial capital .
The armed opposition was driven out of the city ’ s eastern quarters in late 2016 , which they had controlled for years while battling government forces in charge in the western section .
However , rebel groups continued to target government forces from outside the city with mortar rounds .
They also controlled large parts of western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Idlib province , the opposition ’ s last major stronghold .
The new advances , along with securing a key highway that ran through rebel territory , are set to facilitate movement between northern and southern Syria , including the city of Aleppo , Syria ’ s commercial centre before the war .
The Shaam Network , an opposition media platform , said the advances cut the rebels ’ supply line , effectively driving them out of the area .
The developments sparked late night celebrations in the city , with state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dancing in the streets packed with vehicles .
Since December , Syrian troops have been on the offensive , biting bit by bit at the crowded rebel enclave , home to over 3 million people .
The offensive displaced more than 800,000 people , sparking one of the largest humanitarian crisis in the nine-year war .
Gen. Ali Mayhoub , spokesman for the Syrian Armed Forces , said in a televised speech that Syrian troops were continuing their ground advances to “ eradicate what is left of terrorist groups ” in Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advances in “ record time.
” The armed opposition is now squeezed into a shrinking area of nearby Idlib province , where the government is also on the offensive , as well as the sliver of adjacent territory in western Aleppo .
Also , parts of northern Aleppo region , which straddles the border with Turkey , is administered by Turkey and allied Syrian factions .
Another segment of the province further west is controlled by Kurdish-led forces , allied with the United States .
Those two parts have not been part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backs the opposition , has sent thousands of troops and equipment into the opposition enclave , in an attempt to stall the Syrian government ’ s advance .
Ankara has also called for an end to the Syrian government offensive .
Already home to more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees , Turkey fears a new wave may overwhelm its borders .
The United Nations has also called for a cease-fire .
Support from Russia and Iran has enabled Syrian troops to regain control of much of the territories they had lost to armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over 400,000 people have been killed and half of Syria ’ s population displaced since peaceful protests in 2011 turned into a civil war .
Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Port operator DP World to delist from Dubai stock exchange

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - Port operator DP World said Monday it will delist from the Nasdaq Dubai stock exchange , returning the company to full state-ownership in a move that will help the Dubai government ’ s investment company repay more than $ 5 billion to banks .
DP World , the world ’ s fourth-largest port operator , runs operations across the world from as far east as Brisbane , Australia , to as far west as Prince Rupert , Canada .
DP World also has expanded aggressively into East Africa , where the Emirati government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Free Zone World , which already owns 80.45 % of DP World , will acquire the remaining 19.55 % of shares of the port operator listed on Nasdaq Dubai , a stock filing by the company said .
Port and Free Zone World is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai World , a government investment company .
As part of the deal , DP World ’ s parent company will pay Dubai World $ 5.15 billion to assist it in repaying its outstanding obligations to banks .
This way , DP World can implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dubai World ’ s creditors , the filing said .
DP World said it will be acquired for $ 16.75 per share , a nearly 29 % premium on its closing price Sunday of $ 13 a share .
The move sent the company ’ s stock price soaring 10 % in trading on Monday .
The stock filing said that as part of the deal , DP World will borrow an additional $ 8.1 billion in addition to its current debt .
DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said “ returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the demands of the public market for short term returns.
” The company said in a press release that the disadvantages of maintaining a public listing outweigh the benefits , and that delisting from Nasdaq Dubai “ is in the best interest of the company.
” In August , DP World reported strong financials for the first half of 2019 , with revenue and profits up .
The company ’ s full-year profits in 2018 reached $ 1.29 billion .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--EU split over naval mission amid Libya arms embargo concerns

BRUSSELS - A number of European Union countries are blocking a decision to resume a naval operation in the Mediterranean Sea over concerns that it might encourage migrants to set out from the Libyan coast in search of better lives in Europe , the EU ’ s top diplomat said Monday .
The naval mission , Operation Sophia , was launched in 2015 amid a wave of irregular migration from North Africa to Europe .
The aim was to crack down on migrant smugglers and enforce a U.N. arms embargo on Libya .
But tension over how to distribute migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member states , and claims that the naval presence might encourage smugglers , led Italy to block the deployment of further ships last year .
It currently functions almost exclusively using aircraft and pilot-less drones .
“ There are people who believe that more assessment has to be done to be sure that it ’ s not going to produce a pull effect , ” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels as he arrived to chair a meeting of the bloc ’ s foreign ministers .
“ My analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am not convinced of that .
But some believe it , ” Borrell said .
He cast doubt over whether the issue would be resolved this month , despite increasing international calls for help in ensuring that the arms embargo on Libya is respected .
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 , when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi , who was later killed .
Borrell said “ the situation on the ground is very , very bad.
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Disgraced religious order tried to get abuse victim to lie

MILAN - The cardinal ’ s response was not what Yolanda Martinez expected -- or could abide .
Her son had been sexually abused by one of the priests of the Legion of Christ , a disgraced religious order .
And now she was calling Cardinal Valasio De Paolis -- the Vatican official appointed by the pope to lead the Legion , and to clean it up -- to report the settlement the group was offering , and to express her outrage .
The terms : Martinez ’ s family would receive 15,000 euros from the order .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recant the testimony he gave to Milan prosecutors that the priest had repeatedly assaulted him when he was a 12-year-old student at the order ’ s youth seminary in northern Italy .
He would have to lie .
The cardinal did not seem shocked .
He did not share her indignation .
Instead , he chuckled .
He said she shouldn ’ t sign the deal , but should try to work out another agreement without attorneys : “ Lawyers complicate things .
Even Scripture says that among Christians we should find agreement.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pope Benedict XVI ’ s personal envoy was wiretapped .
The tape -- as well as the six-page settlement proposal -- are key pieces of evidence in a criminal trial opening next month in Milan .
Prosecutors allege that Legion lawyers and priests tried to obstruct justice , and extort Martinez ’ s family by offering them money to recant testimony to prosecutors in hopes of quashing a criminal investigation into the abusive priest , Vladimir Resendiz Gutierrez .
Lawyers for the five suspects declined to comment .
The Legion says they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that at the time , the Legion didn ’ t have in place the uniform child protection policies and guidelines that are now mandatory across the order .
De Paolis is beyond earthly justice -- he died in 2017 and there is no evidence he knew of , or approved , the settlement offer before it was made .
But the tape and documents seized when police raided the Legion ’ s headquarters in 2014 show that he had turned a blind eye to superiors who protected pedophiles .
In addition , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned about Resendiz ’ s crimes in 2011 , he approved an in-house canonical investigation but didn ’ t report the priest to police .
And when he learned two years later that other Legion priests were apparently trying to impede the criminal investigation into his crimes , the pope ’ s delegate didn ’ t report that either .
And a few hours after he spoke with Martinez , De Paolis opened the Legion ’ s 2014 assembly where he formally ended the mandate given to him by Benedict to reform and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been “ cured and cleaned , ” he said .
In fact , his mission hadn ’ t really been accomplished .
Benedict had entrusted De Paolis , one of the Vatican ’ s most respected canon lawyers , to turn the Legion around in 2010 , after revelations that its founder , the late Rev .
Marcial Maciel , had raped his seminarians , fathered three children and built a cult-like order to hide his crimes .
There had been calls for the Vatican to suppress the Legion .
But Benedict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part that the order was too big and too rich to fail .
Instead , he opted for a process of reform , giving De Paolis the broadest possible powers to rebuild the Legion from the ground up and saying it must undergo a profound process of “ purification ” and “ renewal.
” But De Paolis refused from the start to remove any of Maciel ’ s old guard , who remain in power today .
He refused to investigate the coverup of Maciel ’ s crimes .
He refused to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even when serial rapists remained in the Legion ’ s ranks , unpunished .
More generally , he did not come to grips with the order ’ s deep-seated culture of sexual abuse , coverup and secrecy — and its long record of avoiding law enforcement and dismissing , discrediting and silencing victims .
As a result , even onetime Legion supporters now openly question his reform , which was dismissed previously as ineffective by the Legion ’ s longtime critics .
“ They always try to control victims , minimize them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exaggerating things , ” said Alberto Athie , a former Mexican priest who has campaigned for more than 20 years on behalf of clergy sexual abuse victims , including victims of the Legion .
“ Then , if they don ’ t achieve that level of control , they go to the next level , looking for their parents , trying to minimize them or buy them off , silence them .
And if that doesn ’ t work , they go to trial and try to do what they can to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these other Legion priests are coming forward in droves with stories of sexual , psychological and spiritual abuse , and how the Legion ’ s culture of secrecy and coverup has remained intact .
“ They say they ’ re close to the victims and help their families , ” Martinez told The Associated Press at her home in Milan .
“ My testimony is this didn ’ t happen.
” Martinez , a 54-year-old mother of three , chokes up when she recalls the day she received the phone call from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March of 2013 , and her eldest son had been receiving therapy on the advice of his high school girlfriend .
Martinez thought she was about to learn that she would be a grandmother ; she thought her boy had gotten the girl pregnant .
Instead , Dr. Gian Piero Guidetti told Martinez and her husband that during therapy , their son had revealed that he had been repeatedly sexually molested by Resendiz starting in 2008 , when he was a middle schooler at the Legion ’ s youth seminary in Gozzano , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Guidetti , himself a priest , told them he was required by his medical profession to report the crime to prosecutors .
His complaint , and the testimony of Martinez ’ s son , sparked a criminal investigation that resulted in Resendiz ’ s 2019 conviction , which was upheld on appeal in January .
Resendiz , 43 , who was convicted in absentia and is believed to be living in his native Mexico , has until the end of March to appeal the conviction and 6 1/2-year prison sentence to Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach his lawyer were unsuccessful . )
The investigation , however , netted evidence that went far beyond Resendiz ’ s own wrongdoing .
Documents seized by police and seen by AP in the court file showed a pattern of coverup by the Legion and the pope ’ s envoy that stretched from Milan to Mexico , the Vatican to Venezuela and points in between .
Personnel files , for example , made clear Resendiz was known to the Legion as a risk even when he was a teenage seminarian in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priest anyway in 2006 and immediately sent to oversee young boys at the Gozzano youth seminary .
“ He ’ s a boy with strong sexual impulses and low capacity to control them , ” Resendiz ’ s novice director , the Rev .
Antonio Leon Santacruz , wrote in an internal assessment Jan. 9 , 1994 .
“ Given his psychological character , he ’ s inclined to not respect rules without great difficulty and the psychologist thinks it will be difficult for him to undertake consecrated life given he has little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as he ’ s being watched , but as soon as he can , he breaks them and has no remorse.
” A year later , on Resendiz ’ s 19th birthday , the seminarian wrote a letter to Maciel -- addressing it as all Legionaries addressed the man they regarded as a living saint : “ Nuestro Padre , ” “ Our Father.
” “ I ’ m having various problems in the field of purity and the truth is I ’ m having a hard time , because temptations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ I ’ m praying to the Holy Virgin every day for grace and asking her for strength to not offend again ; I say again because I have had the disgrace of falling , but with the help of God I will fight to form that pure , priestly heart.
” When Martinez saw such letters in the court file , her heart fell .
“ My son wasn ’ t even born yet , ” she said .
“ How can you put someone like that in charge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Rev .
Aaron Smith , said the Legion has overhauled its training process for seminarians since Resendiz ’ s era , applying more scrutiny before ordination .
“ Things are different today , ” he said in emailed response to questions .
While Milan prosecutors first heard about Resendiz ’ s pedophilia in March 2013 when the therapist reported it , the crimes were old news to both the Vatican and the Legion .
The Legion has admitted it received a first report of abuse by Resendiz on March 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a student at Gozzano .
The Legion says that boy , an Austrian , had first told a Legion priest of Resendiz ’ s abuse .
That priest recommended he report it to a church ombudsman ’ s office in Austria that receives abuse complaints , which he did , Smith said .
Separately , the Legion got wind of another possible victim in Venezuela , where Resendiz had been sent from Gozzano in 2008 , after he abused Martinez ’ s son .
Italian police were never informed by the Legion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor Italy requires clergy to report suspected child sex abuse .
When police finally did get wind of the case in March 2013 , they uncovered elaborate efforts to keep Resendiz ’ s crimes quiet .
According to one email seized by Italian police -- written March 16 , 2011 , or 10 days after the Austrian claim was first received by the order -- a Legion lawyer recommended to one of the Legion ’ s most powerful behind-the-scenes superiors , the Rev .
Gabriel Sotres , that a Legion priest visit with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the visit , prosecutors wrote in summarizing the email exchanges , “ was to speak to the ( victim ’ s ) older brother and convince him to not tell their parents and not go to police because this could cause serious problems not only for the Legion but also Father Vladimir , all the other priests involved and the victim and his family.
” Smith , the Legion spokesman , didn ’ t deny the prosecutors ’ account but said that “ encouraging a child to keep something from their parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conduct.
” Later in 2011 , the Legion arranged for Resendiz to be transferred from Venezuela to Colombia , and prepared a legal strategy to limit the possible damage if the Venezuelan case escalated .
The emails were sent to several Legion leaders , including Sotres , who remain in top positions today .
In fact , in the Legion ’ s current leadership assembly under way in Rome to choose new superiors and priorities , at least 13 of the 89 priests were involved in some way in dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including two priests who are defendants in the upcoming Milan trial .
According to the seized emails , the plan proposed by a Legion lawyer involved reporting only Resendiz ’ s name to Venezuelan police to comply with local reporting laws , leaving out that he was a priest , that he was accused of a sex crime against a child , and the name of the Legion , prosecutors said in summarizing the emails .
The report would also note that he no longer lived in Venezuela .
The Legion has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his work with young people in Venezuela within days of receiving the initial Austrian report .
But the emails seized indicate that the restrictions weren ’ t necessarily enforced : One from Dec. 20 , 2012 suggests that Resendiz was hearing confessions in schools and celebrating Mass in Colombia , news that prompted the leadership to ultimately recommend he be sent for psychological counselling in Mexico and later assigned to an administrative position “ where they don ’ t know his situation.
” Eventually , as part of the church ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to the Legion and Vatican authorities , and only about other boys he abused , not Martinez ’ s son .
“ I sincerely recognize my terrible behaviour as a priest , ” he wrote the Vatican official in charge of the sex crimes office in 2012 , Cardinal Gerhard Mueller .
“ Truly I lived in hell when these sad facts occurred .
I recognize the gravity of the acts that I committed and I humbly ask the church for forgiveness for these sad and painful facts .
I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I recognize that I lacked the courage to admit to the problem and advise my superiors of the danger.
” The Vatican defrocked him on April 5 , 2013 -- just a few weeks after Italian prosecutors first heard about Martinez ’ s son .
By October of that year , the Legion was nearing the end of De Paolis ’ mandate and clearly wanted to avoid the possibility that the Resendiz case could explode publicly and jeopardize the plan to resume their independence from the Vatican .
Martinez and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coping with the trauma of her son ’ s abuse .
“ He would have nightmares .
He wouldn ’ t let me touch him ... , ” Martinez said .
“ He couldn ’ t stand anyone being close to him.
” Once , he was prevented from throwing himself in front of a subway train .
Martinez had been in regular touch with the Legion priest closest to the family , the Rev .
Luca Gallizia , her husband ’ s spiritual director .
He was serving as the family ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all other priests and members of Martinez ’ s Regnum Christi social circle severed contact -- apparently on orders from the leadership .
Gallizia travelled to Milan to meet with Martinez on Oct. 18 , 2013 bringing a proposed settlement to compensate the family .
They met in a room off the parish playground of the Sant ’ Eustorgio basilica where Martinez worked .
When Martinez read it later that night with her husband , she was shocked .
“ It was a second violation , because for all intents and purposes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny the facts .
And for us it was a stab in the back because it was brought to us by our spiritual father .
...
He knew everything about us , because my husband confided in him .
And that made it even more painful.
” The Legion declined to comment on the proposed settlement , citing the upcoming trial .
The document the Legion wanted Martinez ’ s family to sign states that her son ruled out having been sexually abused by Resendiz , and regardless didn ’ t remember .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or text message contact with him , and that his ensuing problems were due to the fact that he left the seminary and was having trouble integrating socially into his new public high school .
The document set out payments for the son ’ s continuing education and therapy and required “ absolute ” secrecy .
If the family were called to testify , they were to make the same declarations as contained in the settlement -- denying the abuse .
A few months later , the Legion realized it had erred in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed a revised settlement acknowledging the abuse occurred .
Now , though , it required the family to pay back double the 15,000 euro settlement offer if they violated the confidentiality agreement .
It was then that Martinez called De Paolis .
“ Both my lawyer and I , our jaws dropped , ” she told the Vatican cardinal .
The pope ’ s envoy said he was surprised as well .
“ Yes , but this , this is how it ’ s done in Italy , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s not a very nice agreement , signing a lie , ” Martinez told the cardinal .
“ Aside from the fact that I don ’ t want any money , I ’ m not signing the letter.
” Maria Verza contributed to this story from Mexico City .

Nicole Winfield And MaríA Verza - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-02-17--French TGV maker Alstom in talks to buy Bombardier rail unit

PARIS - French train maker Alstom said Monday it is in talks to buy the rail business of Canadian engineering firm Bombardier , as it tries to bulk up to compete with big rivals , particularly from China .
Alstom , which makes the French TGV high-speed trains , said in a brief statement that the discussions are ongoing and no decision has been made yet .
The move would give more heft to Alstom after its bid to merge with Germany ’ s Siemens was blocked by European Union regulators worried that it would make it a dominant presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nix that deal was criticized by some European governments who want to create large European companies in various sectors that are capable of competing with state-backed companies in China and as well as U.S. multinationals .
Buying Bombardier Transportation , for example , would help Alstom compete with China ’ s CRRC , which has been growing its business outside of its home country .
Bombardier Transportation is focused on commuter trains and last year made almost CA $ 11 billion ( $ 8.5 billion ) in sales .
A takeover could cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports including by the Wall Street Journal , which cited people saying a preliminary agreement had already been reached .
Shares in Bombardier have dropped some 70 % since a peak in 2018 , while Alstom ’ s have risen 30 % in the same period .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Nepal’s former parliament speaker acquitted of rape charges

KATHMANDU , Nepal - A court in Nepal acquitted on Monday the former speaker of parliament on charges he raped a government worker at her home while he was intoxicated last year .
Krishna Bahadur Mahara , a senior Communist Party leader , has been in jail since he was arrested in October following the woman ’ s accusation .
The court ruled that there was no evidence backing the allegation .
The woman accused Mahara of entering her house at night while her husband was away and assaulting her .
Mahara denied the charge and said the woman had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was likely angry as a result .
Mahara was elected speaker of the House of Representative last year after the Communist Party of Nepal won a majority of the seats in elections in November 2017 .
Mahara was a leader of the Maoist rebels who fought a violent campaign against the government between 1996 and 2006 .
The Maoists entered United Nations-monitored peace talks in 2006 , ending their armed revolt , and joined mainstream politics .
He played a key role in the peace talks with the government .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister and home minister .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-17--Japan confirms 99 more cases of new virus on cruise ship

TOKYO - Japanese officials have confirmed 99 more people infected by the new virus aboard the quarantined cruise ship Diamond @ @ @ @ @ to 454 , the Health Ministry said Monday .
The ministry has been carrying out @ @ @ @ @ on the ship , docked in Yokohama , a port city near Tokyo .
The @ @ @ @ @ the ship was due to end Wednesday .
Outside China , the ship has had @ @ @ @ @ of the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus that emerged in China late last year @ @ @ @ @ Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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