thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Pentagon sees Taliban deal as allowing fuller focus on China

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration ’ s peace deal with the Taliban opens the door for an initial American troop withdrawal that Defence Secretary Mark Esper sees as a step toward the broader goal of preparing for potential future war with China .
Esper has his eye on “ great power competition , ” which means staying a step ahead of China and Russia on battlefields of the future , including in space and in next-generation strategic weapons like hypersonic missiles and advanced nuclear weapons .
He sees China in particular as a rising threat to American predominance on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare for the China challenge , Esper wants to do less in Afghanistan , Iraq and other places .
It ’ s less about moving troops directly to Asia from elsewhere in the world , and more about reducing commitments in lower-priority regions so that more military units can train together at home on skills related to conventional warfare .
Predecessors in the Pentagon have had similar hopes , only to be drawn back to crises in the greater Middle East .
In the past year alone , the U.S. has sent an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mainly due to worries about Iran .
With President Donald Trump ’ s emphasis on ending America ’ s wars against extremists and insurgents , including in Afghanistan , Esper wants to bring home as many troops as he thinks he prudently can so they can prepare for “ high end ” warfare .
Stephen Biddle , a policy analyst and a Columbia University professor of international and public affairs , is skeptical that the Pentagon will be able to fully shift away from Afghanistan and other regional hot spots like Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same thing — also with China ’ s rise in mind — in the 2011-2014 period .
“ The trouble was the Islamic State burst onto the scene , ” in Iraq and Syria , Biddle said in an interview , and “ lo and behold it was right back to a focus on the Middle East and small wars.
“ In remarks Saturday in Kabul , Esper kept the focus on prospects for a complete U.S. withdrawal , while cautioning that the United States “ will not hesitate ” to strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the Taliban falters in its promise to prevent extremist groups to use Afghan soil to launch attacks on the homelands of the U.S. or its allies .
“ We still have a long way to go , ” Esper said .
Reducing U.S. troops levels in Afghanistan to zero is “ our ultimate objective , ” he said , but added that it will take “ many months.
“ Late last year , Esper said he would be willing to reduce troop levels even if no deal could be made with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that because what I want to do is reallocate forces to ” the Asia-Pacific region , he said at the Ronald Reagan National Defence Forum in December .
He said he wants to do the same thing in the Mideast , Africa and Europe .
“ All of these places where I can free up troops where I could either bring them home to allow them to rest and refit and retrain or/and then reallocate them ( to the Asia-Pacific region ) to compete with the Chinese , to reassure our allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
The Pentagon has not publicly spelled out a precise timetable for troop reductions in Afghanistan , but Esper has said the peace deal signed Saturday in Doha , Qatar by American officials and Taliban representatives triggers the start of a drawdown from the current total of nearly 13,000 to about 8,600 , similar to the number Trump inherited when he entered the White House three years ago .
The reduction won ’ t happen immediately ; it will be carried out over a period of several months and could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if peace prospects turn sour .
“ The whole thing is dependent upon conditions and dependent upon Taliban behaviour , ” Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan , told a House committee on Wednesday .
A U.S. withdrawal , while conditioned on Taliban compliance , raises questions not just about the country ’ s stability but also the prospects for continuing to combat non-Taliban extremists such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan .
Some in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wyoming , are pressing Pentagon officials for assurances that they will not co-operate or co-ordinate with the Taliban as a counterterror partner .
It would be “ lunacy , ” Cheney said Wednesday , to trust the Taliban , which was running Afghanistan and harbouring al-Qaida when U.S. forces invaded in October 2001 .
As part of the negotiated deal with Washington , the Taliban promised not to let al-Qaida use the country as a staging ground for attacking the United States or its allies .
If the peace process succeeds and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might opt for an “ over-the-horizon ” counterterrorism force .
In that case , U.S. special operations troops would be stationed in one or more nearby countries such as Uzbekistan and slip in and out of Afghanistan when necessary to monitor or to attack al-Qaida or IS fighters .
It was the Taliban ’ s close association with al-Qaida , after the terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden carried out the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the United States , that prompted President George W. Bush to invade Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan ebbed and flowed over the years .
Early on , the Americans hoped that a small force could keep a lid on al-Qaida and train an Afghan army .
But from about 2,500 troops at the end of 2001 , the force jumped to about 22,000 five years later .
President Barack Obama ballooned the number from about 34,000 at the start of his first term to 100,000 .
By the time he left the White House the number had dropped to 8,400 .
Trump entered office in January 2017 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was persuaded , nonetheless , in August 2017 to add several thousand troops as part of what he called a new strategy for the region .
That included designating Zalmay Khalilzad , a former U.S. ambassador to Kabul , to lead negotiations with the Taliban that eventually produced Saturday ’ s deal and a chance for the United States to move beyond Afghanistan .


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Charges dropped against man shot by Chicago cop at station

CHICAGO - A man shot and seriously wounded by a Chicago police officer in a downtown train station won ’ t face charges , as prosecutors on Sunday dropped the criminal case stemming from an incident captured on bystander video and shared widely .
Cook County prosecutors moved to drop resisting arrest and criminal narcotics charges against Ariel Roman at the request of Chicago police , which was approved Sunday by a judge , according to the Chicago Tribune .
Interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck said he asked Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx to drop the charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a statement .
“ Given the totality of circumstances and the department ’ s significant level of concern around this incident , it would be insensitive to advocate for these charges , ” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said .
“ While we will not rush to judgment , the level of concern over the tactics used in this incident is significant.
” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said footage of Friday ’ s shooting was “ extremely disturbing ” and that she supported Beck ’ s rare request for prosecutors to be sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came the same day that Lightfoot and the department announced a safety plan for the city ’ s rail system amid a spike in crime , including more officers on trains and at stations .
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability was investigating the use of force , while the state ’ s attorney and FBI conducted the underlying criminal review .
Guglielmi said the department was co-operating fully .
Foxx ’ s office said they agreed with Chicago police ’ s request to drop the charges .
Roman ’ s attorney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underwent surgery after he was shot in the abdomen and buttocks , and that he will likely need more operations .
He remained hospitalized Sunday but was no longer in critical condition .
Roman ’ s family was pleased with the decision to dismiss all charges , said Schmidt Rodriguez .
In a statement , she said Roman “ remembers everything about the incident that took place and is fully committed to co-operating with the various investigations.
” The shooting happened Friday afternoon .
An officer who spotted a man jumping from one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ordinance and called for backup , and two officers chased and grabbed the man .
The video shows a male officer on top of the suspect at the base of an escalator , struggling to keep the man still .
The suspect can be heard saying , “ I didn ’ t do nothing to you , ” as the officer trying to hold him down says , “ stop resisting , ” several times .
They stand up , and a female officer appears to try to pepper spray the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show his hands .
The man refuses to be handcuffed .
Stun guns can be seen on the floor .
With the man still struggling to get away , the female officer shouts , “ Give him your hands , ” and a gunshot rings out .
As the man flees up the escalator with the officers in pursuit , a second shot is fired .
Police have said only one officer fired a weapon , striking Roman twice , but the department has not named either of the officers involved .

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thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Biden warmly welcomed in Selma as Dems court black voters

SELMA , Ala. - Joe Biden received a warm reception Sunday in this crucible of the civil rights movement as he and other Democratic presidential hopefuls appealed for black support in a town where demonstrators were once beaten for marching for the right to vote .
Themes of fighting voter suppression , providing the poor with a way up and defeating President Donald Trump took centre stage at events marking the 55th anniversary of “ Bloody Sunday , ” the day in 1965 white police attacked black marchers in Selma .
This year ’ s commemoration came two days before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dozen states in the Super Tuesday cluster of primary elections .
Just hours after strong support by black voters in South Carolina lifted Biden to his first primary victory , the former vice-president spoke during the morning worship at historic Brown Chapel AME Church .
An excited buzz and cheers arose as Biden entered the sanctuary , and many in the congregation stood to applaud as he moved toward the pulpit .
Quoting the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. , former President Barack Obama and the Bible , Biden said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
“ We ’ ve been dragged backward and we ’ ve lost ground .
We ’ ve seen all too clearly that if you give hate any breathing room it comes back , ” he said .
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , who split endorsements of leading black political groups in Alabama with Biden , received a lukewarm reception during a 10-minute talk at the pulpit .
Bloomberg highlighted his ability as mayor of New York to work with activist Al Sharpton , seated a few feet away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on with just listening and letting the status quo continue , ” Bloomberg said .
As he spoke , about 10 audience members stood and turned their backs toward him .
Rep. John Lewis , who was beaten in the Bloody Sunday fracas , made a surprise appearance at the apex of the Edmund Pettus Bridge to start an annual re-enactment of the ‘ 65 march .
Lewis ’ schedule has been limited since he announced earlier this year he had advanced cancer .
Speaking to a massive crowd crowd that included Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the throng to “ never give in.
” “ Speak up , speak out , get in the way , “ Lewis said .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg was among the candidates who joined crowd of thousands on the bridge even though he ended his campaign just hours later .
Warren and Sen. Amy Klobuchar appeared at a late afternoon forum .
Tom Steyer also was in town despite suspending his campaign after a poor showing in South Carolina .
Rep. Terri Sewell , the lone black member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged hundreds of people attending a community breakfast to vote for Biden and enable “ a return to civility.
” “ Joe Biden not only knows me , he knows you , ” she said .
On March 7 , 1965 , Alabama state troopers beat and tear-gassed hundreds of voting-rights demonstrators trying to march from Selma to Montgomery , the capital .
Only 25 at the time and years away from joining Congress , Lewis led the marchers and was among the injured .
The confrontation set the stage for the massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks later and helped inspire passage of the Voting Rights Act that year .
The years since have been tough on Selma , where shuttered businesses and vacant , dilapidated homes stand just blocks from magnificent antebellum mansions .
The city and surrounding Dallas County typically have some of the highest jobless rates in the state .
The town ’ s population is steadily declining , and census statistics show 41 % of the estimated 17,800 people who remain live in poverty .
About 82 % of the town ’ s residents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are mostly segregated by race with blacks attending public schools and whites attending private academies .
Crime , much of it linked to gangs , is a constant problem , authorities say .
Selma Mayor Darrio Melton endorsed Biden as someone who could help .
“ Joe understands the issues families in Selma and communities across the country face , ” he said .
Located about 50 miles west of Montgomery , Selma has deep ties to both civil rights and the Civil War .
Aside from being the site of Bloody Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a Confederate general and U.S. senator who advocated for white supremacy .


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--The Latest: Sanders says he is stronger candidate than Biden

WASHINGTON - The Latest on the Democratic presidential primary contest ( all times EST ) : Bernie Sanders says Joe Biden is “ a friend ” but that it ’ s time to be honest about which of the two can beat President Donald Trump .
The mention of Biden ’ s name caused boos among a crowd of Sanders ’ supporters at a rally in San Jose , California .
Sanders told the crowd “ nope , ” as a way of rejecting the boos , then went on to detail what he called bad votes by Biden over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day after Biden ’ s decisive victory in South Carolina ’ s primary , which may help his campaign rebound .
Though he relied largely on contrasts he ’ s made with Biden in the past .
Sanders says Trump would run ads pointing out Biden ’ s support for bad trade deals and past support for efforts that could have frozen Social Security and Medicare .
He also reminded the crowd of Biden ’ s vote for the Iraq war .
Sanders is holding two rallies in California on Sunday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates of any state , at 415 .
Mike Bloomberg found a rough reception to his remarks at a “ Bloody Sunday ” memorial service at a church in Selma , Alabama .
The pastor who introduced him noted the mayor initially declined an invitation to visit the church before eventually agreeing to come to the event , and praised Bloomberg for changing his mind .
Bloomberg took the stage and said that , after campaigning in dozens of cities , “ I have tried to listen and I have tried to learn.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t agree with everything I heard , but I certainly gave people the opportunity to change my mind.
” The former New York mayor focused his remarks on injustices faced by the black community and his policies to address racial inequality .
But near the end of his speech nearly a dozen people stood up and turned their backs to him .
Bloomberg has faced sharp criticism from his opponents and some activists over his use of stop-and-frisk policing tactics while mayor , as well as his racially charged comments justifying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an apology of his use of stop-and-frisk , and has released a handful of policies aimed at eliminating the racial wealth gap and reforming the criminal justice system .
He has not competed in any of the early primary states and has yet to prove his appeal among black voters .
He will be on the ballot for the first time on Tuesday .
Bernie Sanders ’ delegate lead over Joe Biden has shrunk from 30 to 8 after Biden ’ s big win in the South Carolina primary .
With 54 delegates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has picked up 35 to Sanders ’ 13 .
That ’ s according to the AP delegate count .
Six delegates remain to be allocated pending final vote totals .
Heading into key Super Tuesday contests , Sanders leads the overall race for delegates with 58 while Biden has 50 .
Pete Buttigieg has 26 delegates , Elizabeth Warren has 8 and Amy Klobuchar has 7 .
More than one-third of the total delegates needed to win the nomination are at stake on Tuesday .
Elizabeth Warren wants to use stricter federal regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banks and asset managers from making investments that exacerbate climate change .
The Massachusetts senator finished a disappointing fifth in Saturday ’ s South Carolina primary but unveiled a detailed plan Sunday titled “ Stop Wall Street from Financing the Climate Crisis.
” In it , she warns that investments in the fossil fuel industry that are now common throughout the financial sector could abruptly lose value if the U.S. transitions to a “ clean ” economy — posing risks of destabilization .
To combat that , she plans to use the Financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to require higher capitalization standards on financial institutions based on their climate-related risks , while mandating that they report annually how much fossil fuel equity and debt is created or held as assets .
Warren also would seek to strengthen federal rules to make it harder for pension fund and other asset managers to invest in carbon-intensive ventures , and require banks and other financial firms to employ more climate change experts on their boards of directors .
Joe Biden says he has no plans to pressure other Democratic presidential candidates to drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidate the vote against progressive favourite Bernie Sanders .
He tells CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” that “ everyone knows ” it will be more difficult for Democrats to win back the Senate and maintain control of the House if Sanders is at “ the top of the ticket , “ but it ’ s up to the candidates to decide .
The former vice-president won the South Carolina primary by a huge margin Saturday , but polls suggest Sanders could still have an advantage in several large Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg , former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar remain in the race .
Biden acknowledged the possibility of a contested first ballot at the Democratic convention .
He confirmed that he ’ d still seek the nomination even if he went into the convention trailing Sanders in pledged delegates .
Sanders has argued that the plurality delegate leader should become the nominee .
Sanders , Biden noted , didn ’ t take that position in 2016 , when he urged so-called “ superdelegates ” to hand him the nomination despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes and securing more pledged delegates .


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Car pins sleeping man to wall in Southern California home

RIVERSIDE , Calif. - A man sleeping in his bedroom was pinned against a wall when a car smashed through the house in Southern California , authorities said .
The man suffered only minor injuries after the vehicle barrelled over a power pole , through two yards and into the home in Riverside around 1 a.m. Saturday , fire officials said .
The car almost completely entered the structure , rendering it uninhabitable , the Press-Enterprise reported .
There was nothing between the wall and the car except the resident , Fire Department Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst said .
Firefighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool normally employed to cut open smashed vehicles , to free the man .
“ ( He ) got very lucky , ” Vanderhorst said .
Police arrested the driver of the car , a 22-year-old man .
He could face charges including driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and DUI with a blood-alcohol level higher than .08 causing injury , both felonies , the newspaper said .
Damage to the house was estimated at $ 200,000 .
Four adults were displaced and went to stay with with relatives .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Officials respond to damage at Vicksburg battlefield park

VICKSBURG , Miss .
- The mayor of Vicksburg says federal officials are responding to his call for attention to road and erosion damage that have closed nearly a third of Vicksburg National Military Park after a winter of heavy rains .
The Vicksburg Post reports that a National Park Service incident management team is expected to be at the park this week to stabilize some areas and make plans for more permanent repairs .
The park is the site of one of the Civil War ’ s most significant battles and a linchpin of tourism in Vicksburg .
Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has long cultivated ties with Republican leaders .
He wrote a personal letter to President Donald Trump warning about the damage to the park and Vicksburg National Cemetery .
Flaggs wrote that an older section of the cemetery that includes unknown burials and U.S .
Colored Troops are endangered , with some covered by mudslides .
“ The White House responded to the mayor ’ s letter the same day and within 24 hours had a representative from the Secretary of the Interior in talks with Mayor Flaggs ’ office , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign .
The group raises private funds to preserve the park and other sites associated with General Ulysses S. Grant ’ s capture of the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River .
Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith visited the park on Feb. 21 and said she would make repairs one of her top priorities .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Buttigieg drops out of race as Biden claims momentum

COLUMBIA , S.C.—Joe Biden fought to unite the Democratic Party ’ s moderate wing behind his candidacy after scoring a comeback victory in South Carolina ’ s Democratic primary that forced leading moderate rival Pete Buttigieg out of the race on Sunday .
Biden vowed to improve his campaign operation , his fundraising haul — and even his own performance — as the race pushes toward Super Tuesday .
He warned of a “ stark choice ” between him and Sanders , while making the case he is the candidate that can win up and down the ballot and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I feel good , ” Biden said on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” “ I can win and I can bring along Democratic victories.
” Biden saturated the airwaves with back-to-back interviews after Saturday ’ s win , which came on the strength of African American support and at a perilous moment in his 2020 bid .
He needed an emphatic rebound after underwhelming performances in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada .
The race now pivots to the 14 states from Maine to California that vote on Tuesday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary in a race increasingly becoming a match-up between the two powerhouses representing divergent paths for the party .
Top rival Bernie Sanders led in fundraising hauls announced Sunday with an eye-popping $ 46.5 million ( U.S. ) for February , his campaign said .
The senator said it ’ s not the total amount that should impress but the enthusiasm of working people fueling his candidacy .
“ No campaign out there has a stronger grassroots movement than we do , ” Sanders said on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Trump.
” Pressure is mounting to prevent a prolonged battle that could stretch into summer as seven candidates remain in the Democrats ’ quest to find the strongest possible nominee to take on President Donald Trump in November .
The lagging candidates are being pushed to justify their campaigns or step aside so Biden can engage in a more direct match-up against Sanders , who heads into the coming week eager to surpass his rivals in amassing delegates for the nomination .
Buttigieg was the first to fall .
The former mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put together a surprisingly strong presidential bid , informed his campaign Sunday evening that we was leaving the race .
That ’ s according to three people with knowledge of Buttigieg ’ s decision who requested anonymity because they weren ’ t authorized to speak publicly .
There were few signs that anyone else was leaving the race .
Billionaire Mike Bloomberg , who will be on the ballot for the first time next week , said Sunday he ’ s not going anywhere before Tuesday ’ s primaries .
“ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Selma , Alabama , where many of the White House hopefuls gathered for ceremonies commemorating civil rights heroism .
He has spent more than $ 500 million advertising in the states set to vote this month .
Bloomberg received a mixed reception as he spoke from the pulpit of Selma ’ s Brown Chapel AME Church .
Ten parishioners stood and turned their backs to the New York billionaire as he talked about his desire to increase black home ownership and wealth .
That was after the pastor told the congregation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend because he had to “ beat Donald Trump.
” Elizabeth Warren ’ s team spoke brazenly of pushing into a floor battle at the Democratic National Convention this summer if no candidate emerges from primary season with a majority , as seems increasingly likely .
“ The convention in Milwaukee is the final play , ” wrote campaign manager Roger Lau in a memo .
Warren brought in $ 29 million last month and Biden trailed with $ 18 million , but the former vice-president said he raised $ 5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is more than any previous day in his bumpy campaign .
Biden declined to ask rivals to bow out .
“ It ’ s not for me to tell another candidate to get out of the race , ” Biden said on “ Fox News Sunday.
” Even with the victory , the shortcomings of Biden ’ s campaign remain , including a lack of robust funding and organization that have drawn concern from top allies .
He is barely running any television advertising in Super Tuesday states .
Bloomberg announced his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday night on two television networks .
He didn ’ t say how much he paid for the air time , which is unprecedented in recent decades .
And both Sanders and Bloomberg have many more staff and volunteers than Biden .
Levelling his own direct attack on Sanders , Biden declared , “ The people aren ’ t looking for revolution .
They ’ re looking for results.
” Biden won about three times as many delegates in South Carolina as Sanders , his nearest rival , giving a momentary respite to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socialist would finish February with four consecutive top finishes that would make it difficult for anyone to overtake him .
The Associated Press declared Biden the winner just after the polls closed in South Carolina .
The AP based the call on data from AP VoteCast , a survey of the electorate conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago .
The survey showed a convincing win for Biden .
But Biden made an aggressive round of media appearances on Sunday in an effort to counter Bloomberg ’ s massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure endorsements from prominent Democrats and , shortly after the Saturday results were in , he got the backing of former Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe .
Biden downplayed the lack of an endorsement from former President Barack Obama , whose name he often invokes on the campaign trail to voters nostalgic for his administration .
Biden said on ABC he has to earn this “ on my own.
” The South Carolina primary was the first major test of the candidates ’ appeal among black voters .
That courtship continued Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that vote on Super Tuesday , including Alabama , Tennessee , North Carolina and Virginia , have substantial black populations .
One of the candidates who spent recent weeks wooing black voters , billionaire activist Tom Steyer , ended his campaign on Saturday after a disappointing third-place finish .
He spent more than $ 24 million on television advertising in South Carolina -- more than all of his rivals combined -- but never found a clear lane in the crowded contest .
Trump weighed in on Twitter early Sunday , taunting Bloomberg — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president suggested the billionaire ’ s advisers are simply on a “ gravy train ” leading him down a “ dark and lonely path “ without hopes of winning the nomination .
Aides to Bloomberg ’ s campaign said earlier they still believe the former New York mayor can win in a handful of states that vote on Super Tuesday , including Arkansas , Alabama , Oklahoma , Virginia and North Carolina .
Through four contests , Sanders has a healthy , but shrinking , delegate lead .
The AP has allocated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including two added Sunday as South Carolina ’ s remaining votes dribbled in .
Biden vaulted past Buttigieg into second place with at least 50 delegates — shrinking Sanders ’ lead from what had been 30 delegates before South Carolina to eight .
Buttigieg , Warren and Klobuchar remain stuck at 26 , eight and seven , respectively .
Trump was paying close attention to the Democratic race .
“ How could you be easier to beat than Joe ?
That guy can ’ t put two sentences together , ” Trump told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conference in suburban Washington .
“ But you know he is more down the middle .
Everyone knows he ’ s not a communist and with Bernie there a real question about that.
” Biden won 64 % of the votes cast by African Americans .
He also did well with older voters , women , moderates and conservatives and regular churchgoers , according to AP VoteCast .
Sanders earned the support of roughly 14 % of African American voters , while billionaire businessman Tom Steyer won 15 % .
There was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama ’ s two-term vice-president helped him win over African Americans .
VoteCast found that 45 % voters in South Carolina wanted to return to the politics of the past , compared with about a third in Iowa and New Hampshire .
That includes the 52 % of African American voters who said they want a Democratic presidential nominee who would emulate the Obama presidency .
Speaking at a North Carolina Democratic Party fundraising gala , Perez noted that to win the nomination , a Democrat must win 1,991 delegates — and only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the party ’ s first four primaries .
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez cautioned Democrats that it ’ s still early in their presidential primary .
“ We have a long way to go , ” he said .
This story has been corrected to show that a pastor in Selma , Alabama , told his congregation that Bloomberg initially declined to attend because he had to “ beat ” Trump , not “ meet ” Trump .

Steve Peoples, Meg Kinnard, Bill Barrow And Lisa Mascaro - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Brawl bloodies former state police chief, hospitalizes man

NEW ORLEANS - The former superintendent of the Louisiana State Police suffered minor injuries in a French Quarter scuffle the day before Mardi Gras .
WWL-TV reports one of Mike Edmonson ’ s companions was hospitalized for head trauma .
Edmonson told the television station that he , along with Beaumont , Texas , attorney Stuart Yoes and Texas business owner Russell Allen were partying on Bourbon Street on Monday .
Allen told police that at least one of the men asked a woman to flash them in exchange for beads , prompting a man accompanying the woman to attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Yoes was knocked to the ground , and Allen said Yoes was hospitalized for several days with brain bleeding .
“ It was a devastating and unprovoked punch against a man who wasn ’ t expecting it , ” Edmonson said .
“ Just horrible .
Blood started pouring out immediately.
” Yoes was released from the hospital on Friday and bound for Houston to see a neurologist , Edmonson said .
Robert Harris Jr. of Texas was arrested and jailed on counts of second-degree battery against Yoes and simple battery against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered a cut near his eyes and minor scrapes but declined medical attention .
A police report said Edmonson tried to “ separate both parties during the verbal argument ” but was hit when two other members of the woman ’ s group entered the fray .
“ I was just trying to calm things down , ” Edmonson said .
“ I ’ m still not sure why I grabbed the guy .
I just didn ’ t want anything worse to happen .
I jumped in and the rest is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released after posting $ 4,500 bail , court records show .
He is due in court on March 6 to respond to a motion by the district attorney ’ s office to increase his bail .
Harris could not be reached for comment .
After a 36-year career with the State Police , Edmonson retired as superintendent in 2017 amid criticism of his use of free lodging and other perks .
Among those perks were directing hotel rooms meant for troopers to family and friends during Mardi Gras .
The Louisiana Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found no criminal wrongdoing .


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Virus spreads to over 60 countries; France closes the Louvre

PARIS - Coronavirus cases surged in Italy , and France closed the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday as the deadly outbreak that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe , threatening its tourism industry .
The number of countries hit by the virus climbed past 60 , and the death toll worldwide reached at least 3,000 .
New fronts in the battle opened rapidly over the weekend , deepening the sense of crisis that has already sent financial markets plummeting , emptied the streets in many cities and rewritten the routines of millions of people .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the virus popping up on every continent but Antarctica .
Australia and Thailand reported their first deaths Sunday , while the Dominican Republic and the Czech Republic recorded their first infections .
Italian authorities announced that the number of people infected in the country soared 50 % to 1,694 in just 24 hours , and five more had died , bringing the death toll there to 34 .
France raised its number of reported cases to 130 , an increase of 30 from the day before , and said it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advised Americans against travelling to the two northern Italian regions hit hardest , among them Lombardy , which includes Milan .
Major American airlines began suspending flights to Milan .
American Airlines announced Sunday it will waive fees for changing all flights over the next two weeks .
The travel restrictions against Italy and the rising alarm in France could deal a heavy blow to the countries ’ tourism industries .
Spring , especially Easter , is a hugely popular time for schoolchildren to visit France and Italy .
“ We had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy in recent days , ” Bernabo Bocca , president of Italy ’ s hotel association , said in a statement Saturday .
“ Now , the final blow has arrived.
” Tourism accounts for 13 % of the economy in Italy , with its world-class art museums , archaeological sites and architectural treasures .
More than 5.6 million Americans visit Italy every year , representing 9 % of foreign tourists .
Iran , Iraq and South Korea , among other places , also saw the number of infections rise .
Cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the first death in the United States reported on Saturday — a man in his 50s in Washington state who had underlying health problems but hadn ’ t travelled to any affected areas .
Panic-buying of daily necessities emerged in Japan , where professional baseball teams have played spring-training games in deserted stadiums .
Tourist attractions across Asia , Europe and the Mideast were deserted .
Islam ’ s holiest sites have been closed to foreign pilgrims .
And governments have closed schools and banned big gatherings .
The United Nations said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an emergency fund to help countries with fragile health systems contain the virus .
“ We must act now to stop this virus from putting more lives at risk , ” U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said .
The aid “ has the potential to save the lives of millions of vulnerable people.
” In France , the archbishop of Paris told parish priests to put the Communion bread in worshippers ’ hands , not in their mouths .
In South Carolina , the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston asked its parishioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or shake hands during the sign of peace .
French officials also advised people to forgo the customary kisses on the cheek upon greeting others .
The Louvre , home of the “ Mona Lisa ” and other priceless artworks , closed after workers expressed fear of being contaminated by the stream of visitors from around the world .
Staffers were also concerned about museum workers from Italy who had come to the Louvre to collect works by Leonardo da Vinci that were loaned for an exhibition .
The Louvre , the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9.6 million visitors last year , almost three-quarters of them from abroad .
“ We are very worried because we have visitors from everywhere , ” said Andre Sacristin , a Louvre employee and union representative .
“ The risk is very , very , very great.
“ While there are no known infections among the museum ’ s 2,300 workers , “ it ’ s only a question of time , ” he said .
The shutdown followed a government decision Saturday to ban indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lim from Singapore .
He and his wife , Jeanette , chose Paris to celebrate their first wedding anniversary and bought tickets in advance for the Louvre .
“ We waited for about three hours before giving up , ” he said .
“ It was incredibly disappointing.
” China , where the outbreak began two months ago , on Sunday reported a slight uptick in new cases over the past 24 hours to 573 , the first time in five days that the number exceeded 500 .
They remain almost entirely confined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its capital , Wuhan .
South Korea reported 210 additional cases and two more deaths , raising its totals to 3,736 cases and 20 fatalities .
South Korea has the second-largest number of infections outside China , with most of the cases in the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby areas .
South Korea ’ s president used a speech marking the 101st anniversary of an anti-Japanese independence uprising to call for national unity to overcome the crisis .
Iran ’ s death toll climbed to 54 as the number of confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 978 .
The new figures represent 11 more deaths than reported on Saturday .
Around the world , many cases of the virus have been relatively mild , and some of those infected apparently show no symptoms at all .
Barry reported from Milan .
Associated Press writers Foster Klug and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo ; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul , South Korea ; Nasser Karimi in Tehran , Iran ; Joe McDonald in Beijing ; Zarar Khan in Islamabad ; and Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed to this report @

John Leicester And Colleen Barry - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Dominican Republic, France report Caribbean virus cases

SANTO DOMINGO , Dominican Republic - Health officials in the Dominican Republic and France on Sunday reported the first confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the tourist-rich Caribbean , while British cruise ship passengers who had been trapped at sea due to virus fears were finally set to come home .
Dominican Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas said a 62-year-old Italian man had arrived in the country on Feb. 22 without showing symptoms .
He was being treated in isolation at a military hospital and “ has not shown serious complications.
” France , meanwhile , reported a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first in one of France ’ s overseas territories .
The announcements came shortly before the Braemar cruise ship , which had been denied entry to the Dominican Republic due to the virus fears , at last found a place to dock — the Dutch terrritory of St. Maarten .
Fred .
Olsen Cruise Lines said Sunday that two chartered airliners would carry passengers back to Britain .
Other passengers , who had been scheduled to board the vessel on Friday in the Dominican Republic , were being flown to St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had barred the ship due to reports that a few of those aboard had a flu-like illness , but the cruise line said none had symptoms consistent with the new virus .
It was one of at least three cruise ships turned away from Caribbean ports over the past week due to concerns over possible viral infections , though no passengers on any of the ships has been confirmed to have the disease .
The broader Latin America region has reported several other cases of the COVID-19 illness since midweek .
Mexico ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported the nation ’ s fifth case on Sunday , describing the patient as an 18-year-old woman who had been studying in Milan , Italy .
Ecuador ’ s government confirmed five new cases Sunday , with officials stating that all are related to a woman who recently returned from Italy and marked the nation ’ s first case .
Brazil has reported two cases .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Genetic clues hint at hidden virus cases in Washington state

SEATTLE - The coronavirus may have been circulating for weeks undetected in Washington state , a preliminary finding that could mean hundreds of undiagnosed cases , researchers said Sunday after analyzing genetic samples from two people .
Washington state , home of the nation ’ s first confirmed infection , saw the nation ’ s first death from the virus this weekend .
State and local authorities stepped up testing for the illness as the number of new cases grew nationwide , with new infections announced in Illinois , Rhode Island and Washington state .
Authorities in the Seattle area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the COVID-19 virus , both men in their 60s who were in critical condition .
Those cases brought the numbers to six in Seattle ’ s King County .
A man in his 50s died in Washington on Saturday and health officials said 50 more people in a nursing facility in Kirkland , Washington , are sick and being tested for the virus .
Elsewhere , authorities announced Sunday a third case in Illinois and Rhode Island ’ s first case as worried Americans swarmed stores to stock up on basic goods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and toilet paper .
The hospitalized patient in Rhode Island is a man in his 40s who had travelled to Italy in February .
As the fallout continued , Vice-President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sought to reassure the American public that the federal government is working to make sure state and local authorities are able to test for the virus .
Both said during a round of TV talk show appearances Sunday that thousands more testing kits had been distributed to state and local officials , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should know we have the best public health system in the world looking out for them , ” Azar said , adding that additional cases will be reported and the overall risk to Americans is low .
As the cases ticked up , some Americans stocked up on basic supplies — particularly in areas with diagnosed cases — and began to take note of the impact on daily life .
Stores such as Costco sold out of toilet paper , bottled water and hand sanitizer outside Portland , Oregon , where a case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices were cancelled into the coming school week .
Some churches said they would not offer communion because of fears of viral spread .
As Americans prepared , researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington on Sunday said they had evidence the virus may have been circulating in the state for up to six weeks undetected — a finding that , if true , could mean hundreds of undiagnosed cases in the area .
They posted their research online , but it was not published in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trevor Bedford , an associate professor who announced the preliminary findings on the virus in Washington state , said on Twitter late Saturday that genetic similarities between the state ’ s first case on Jan. 20 and a case announced Friday indicated the newer case may have descended from the earlier one .
The Jan. 20 case was the first known case in the U.S. “ I believe we ’ re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow case definition requiring direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
Bedford did not immediately reply to an email requesting an interview Sunday .
Scientists not affiliated with the research said the results did not necessarily surprise them and pointed out that for many people — especially younger , healthier ones — the symptoms are not much worse than a flu or bad cold .
“ We think that this has a pretty high rate of mild symptoms and can be asymptomatic .
The symptoms are pretty non-specific and testing criteria has been pretty strict , so those combinations of factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulating for a bit without us knowing , ” said Justin Lessler , an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
Dr. Adam Lauring of University of Michigan called the findings “ high quality work ” from scientists who ’ ve done similar work with the flu virus for years .
“ They show their data and they show their work , ” Lauring said .
“ It ’ s more than a series of tweets “ because the researchers back up what they found with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
” If there ’ s something wrong , someone will find it.
” Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University School of Medicine said the findings are from respected researchers in genomic sequencing and they make sense because of the geographic proximity of the two cases .
“ This is a good time to reinforce the things we all should be doing to stop the spread of flu .
Wash your hands .
Don ’ t touch your face .
If you have a cold , stay home ...
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , “ he said .
Pence , named by the president to be the point-person overseeing the government ’ s response , said more than 15,000 virus testing kits had been released over the weekend .
And , the administration is working with a commercial provider to distribute 50,000 more , he said .
The vice-president said testing was among the first issues raised by governors he ’ s spoken with so far .
Several states have begun their own testing , including Washington state , Oregon and Illinois .
Azar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested for coronavirus and the capability exists to test 75,000 people .
He forecast a “ radical expansion of that ” in the coming weeks .
Pence and Azar spoke a day after President Donald Trump approved new restrictions on international travel to prevent the spread within the U.S. of the new virus , which originated in China .
There are now more than 80,000 cases worldwide and about 3,000 deaths .
Two Americans are now known to have died of the virus , one in Washington state and one in China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , although travel there by Americans already is severely limited , as well as heavily affected regions of Italy and South Korea .
Trump tweeted Sunday that any travellers from those countries will be screened when they arrive in the U.S .
The number of known coronavirus cases in the U.S. had reached 70 as of Sunday .
Trump said Saturday at a White House news conference that he was thinking about closing the southern border with Mexico as a precaution .
Azar said Sunday that Mexico has few coronavirus cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the circumstances there to prompt serious consideration of a border shutdown .
The president , Azar said , “ was trying to say everything ’ s on the table.
” “ We will take whatever measures are appropriate and necessary to protect the American people , but we don ’ t forecast doing that any time soon , ” he said of closing the border .
Pence noted that an infectious disease expert is joining an existing White House coronavirus task force on Monday .
Last week , Pence announced the addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador-at-large and medical doctor who is the administration ’ s global HIV/AIDS response co-ordinator , to the virus panel .
Despite calls by Trump and Pence for political unity in the face of the viral threat , the issue has become mired in the partisan rancour in Washington , with both Republicans and Democrats accusing each other of mining the issue for political gain .
Trump , at a political rally last week , accused Democrats of “ politicizing ” the issue and said their criticism of his handling of the public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the White House on Saturday , Trump said he was not trying to minimize the threat from the virus .
“ Again , the hoax was used in respect to Democrats and what they were saying , “ he said Saturday .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , who emerged victorious Saturday night from South Carolina ’ s primary , criticized the administration over the availability of testing kits .
Biden also panned the administration ’ s decision to have political appointees Pence and Azar , neither of whom are scientists by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead of an expert like Dr. Anthony Fauci , the National Institutes of Health infectious disease chief .
Biden claimed the administration doesn ’ t have testing kits .
Pence and Azar said thousands of kits had been distributed .
Azar said he didn ’ t know what Biden was talking about when the former vice-president said testing kits didn ’ t exist .
Azar said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had developed a lab test for coronavirus with “ historic speed.
” Pence was interviewed on CNN ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azar commented on “ Fox News Sunday , “ CBS ’ “ Face the Nation ” and ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” Biden commented on CNN .
This story has been corrected to reflect that the hospitalized patient in Rhode Island is a man , not a woman , who travelled to Italy in February .

Carla K. Johnson And Gillian Flaccus - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--NH students told to stay home after return from Italy

NEW LONDON , N.H. - Thirty-five Kearsarge Regional High School students who travelled to Italy during February vacation were told Sunday to stay home for a week in the unlikely event they were exposed to the new COVID-19 virus while abroad .
Superintendent Winfried Feneberg wrote in an email that the decision was made “ out of an abundance of caution.
” The school will utilize technology to ensure the students can continue their studies , he said .
The students travelled to France , the United Kingdom and Italy , the latter of which has reported more than 1,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None of the students are showing any symptoms of illness , a spokesman said .
Feneberg asked the students and staff who were on the trip not to return to school until March 9 .
By that date , 14 days will have passed since the students were in Italy .
The announcement came on the same day Rhode Island disclosed its first confirmed case of the virus .
The person who tested positive travelled to Italy in mid-February .
Infections of the virus in Italy rose 50 % Sunday and the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two regions in northern Italy .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Faith before basketball for Yeshiva University champions

NEW YORK - Each of the mighty Maccabees has his role on the men ’ s basketball team .
Gabriel Leifer sinks three-pointers ; Daniel Katz is the defence wizard ; Simcha Halpert makes the perfect alley-oop passes to Ryan Turell who soars for dunks .
Kids pretend to be them in pickup games .
The home crowd sings in Hebrew and roars when they score .
But before tipoff , the team always gathers around Tyler Hod , a senior guard and their unofficial rabbi .
Reading passages from the Torah , Hod shares a story , all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and off the court in a pregame ritual that ends when they huddle and yell : “ Amen !
” Yeshiva University ’ s basketball team can ’ t play on the Sabbath , on Jewish Holidays or fast days .
They ’ ve also faced anti-Semitic taunts and ethnic slurs from opponents and spectators .
But they continue to beat their rivals , many proudly wearing the skullcap that identifies them as Jewish .
The best team in the Jewish Orthodox institution ’ s history won the Skyline Conference on Sunday with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Maccabees extended their record winning streak to 27 games , beating Purchase College 86-74 and qualifying for the NCAA Division III tournament .
The championship is the second time in three years the school has won the title .
Its first ever conference championship came in 2018 .
They reached the final in 2019 .
“ It ’ s important for us to capitalize on what we ’ re going for and not just play to the last day of conference but play to the last day of the last game of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on a day that began with practice right after dawn , followed by morning prayer , and that ended with a traditional Shabbat dinner .
“ That ’ s what we want to do : win the national championship.
” It ’ s an improbable rise for a team that had a spotty record competing in the Skyline Conference championship until it stepped into the spotlight when it won it two years ago .
This season , the Maccabees , named after the ancient Jewish rebel warriors , have been unstoppable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ school history , the longest winning streak and their first national ranking .
Halpert also moved into third on the school ’ s all-time scoring list , ahead of Hod ’ s father , Lior Hod , a 1987-1988 team captain who records the games from the stands with a handheld camera ; while Turell became the first sophomore to reach 1,000 points .
It began with Elliot Steinmetz , a former YU player , who in 2014 took the coaching job with one goal : recruiting the best Jewish players nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream of bringing Jewish basketball to the forefront and making us relevant , ” Halpert said .
His brother , Eitan , also plays for the Macs .
“ And we really bought into it.
” This season they played one of their toughest games against Sarah Lawrence winning when Leifer hit a three-pointer a few seconds before the buzzer .
In the locker room , their coach reminded them that it goes beyond basketball .
“ You see all these kids who want to take a picture with you - they remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Steinmetz said about the legion of young fans who snap selfies with the players after the games .
“ You have an opportunity to represent your university and something bigger ... you have an opportunity for something extremely special.
” The players come from across the U.S .
Some turned down offers at Ivy League and Division I schools to play for Yeshiva .
They also vary in their observance of their faith - from Hod who will go to rabbinical school after he graduates this year , to Ofek Reef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes on the court without the skullcap , wearing tattoos and a Star of David-shaped earring , and who enthralls the crowds when he defies gravity and dunks over taller rivals .
All of them , though , are united by their Jewish identity and their love of basketball .
“ I have a close connection to God , ” said Turell , a 6-foot-7-point guard from Los Angeles , who turned down an opportunity to attend West Point .
“ To be able to follow my religion and to play basketball at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is amazing .
It ’ s the best of both worlds.
” Many of the players met at high school tournaments , or at a Jerusalem camp run by Tamir Goodman , who was dubbed in 1999 by Sports Illustrated magazine as “ The Jewish Jordan.
” He retired at the age of 27 after playing in college in the U.S. , and professionally in Israel .
“ When I watch YU play , there are two levels of pride : on the macro , these guys are inspiring the whole world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And on the micro : I ’ m proud because I worked really hard with several of those guys in Jerusalem during camps and in the gym .
I have tears in my eyes .
It ’ s like one of my kids playing.
” It ’ s a brotherhood : Some lived together for years in dorms and then moved to the same building after they married .
On the road , they ’ ll find a room to wrap the leather straps of tefillin and pray together .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drills early in the morning , listening to rap .
They attend Jewish classes on top of their other coursework and sometimes they relax with a slice of kosher pizza and playing “ Fortnite ” or the NBA 2K videogame .
Their families chat on WhatsApp and fly or drive long distances to watch them .
“ What is important is not just that the Macs are winning - it is the way they are winning : with selflessness , teamwork and great sportsmanship , ” said Rabbi Ari Berman , the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embodiment of our mission to bring our positive Jewish values out into the world.
” The Macs also see themselves as ambassadors for their Jewish identity at a time of an alarming series of recent anti-Semitic attacks across the U.S .
Growing up in Baltimore , Katz remembers coins being thrown at him from the bleachers .
Even today , some have faced hateful chants and jeers from the stands .
“ We got a couple of road games far away , and the crowds have been very loud , ” said Halpert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sharpshooter .
“ There was one time that they were chanting : “ Hitler was right !
” ...
It ’ s the 21st century .
There ’ s no room for that kind of hate in any capacity .
I try not to harp on it so much , but we ’ ve heard a lot of things .
I just tell the guys : we ’ re just here to play ball.
” For years , their coach told them to ignore the taunts and anti-Semitic slurs .
Steinmetz said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked his players to report it .
Security has also increased with New York police officers at the games .
But it has not deterred the loyal fans of the Macs .
Rabbi Yigal Sklarin , and his nine-year-old son Yonatan , are among the hundreds who fill the Max Stern Athletic Center for home games and follow them on the road .
“ We don ’ t have a television at home , so we only know Yeshiva University Maccabees basketball , ” Sklarin said .
“ He can name more players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NBA , ” he said smiling at his son in the stands .
“ When he plays at home on his basketball , he acts out like he ’ s the Macs .
He ’ ll take his free throws like Ryan Turell .
He ’ ll go : ‘ It ’ s Simcha , to Ryan to Gabe for the dunk ’ ...
It ’ s like you ’ re on your backyard saying : ‘ Michael Jordan for three ’ - he says : ‘ Simcha , for three !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

Luis Andres Henao - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Iraq’s PM-designate withdraws from post, prolonging deadlock

BAGHDAD - Iraq ’ s prime minister-designate announced his withdrawal from the post Sunday night after failing to secure parliamentary support for his Cabinet selection , prolonging the political deadlock in the country amid multiple economic , health and security challenges .
Prime Minister designate Mohammed Allawi blamed political parties he did not name , saying they “ were not serious about implementing reforms that they promised to the people ” and accusing them of placing obstacles in the way of a new and independent government .
“ If I agreed to offer concessions , I would be prime minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save the country from sliding toward the unknown and resolve the current crisis .
But the negotiations hit repeated snags , ” he said in a short address to the nation , explaining his decision to withdraw .
He accused some parties of negotiating “ purely for narrow interests.
” Allawi ’ s withdrawal a month after he was selected for the post plunges the country in more uncertainty at a critical time and as the country weathers troubled times , including ongoing anti-government protests and the constant threat of being ensnared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he spoke , two mortar shells landed in Iraq ’ s Green Zone where the U.S. Embassy and government offices are located , without causing any injuries , two security officials said .
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations .
Iraq on Sunday marked five months since a popular uprising against the country ’ s corrupt political class erupted in Baghdad and southern provinces .
Iraqis took to the streets in the thousands on Oct. 1 to decry rampant government corruption , unemployment and poor services .
Demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying he was the choice of the political elite and not the street .
Iraq also faces multiple challenges including on the economic and security fronts , and the most recent challenge of containing the coronavirus , with a failing health system and 19 confirmed cases so far .
Allawi ’ s withdrawal came after he twice failed to secure a quorum for parliament to meet to vote on his Cabinet selection .
Allawi ’ s cabinet formation process was beset with political turmoil as opposing factions threatened to withdraw support over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers -- unusual in the country ’ s power-sharing system — while in the streets of Baghdad , anti-government protesters camped in a central square for five months said they would reject his authority if early elections weren ’ t held .
An ambitious government program proposed by Allawi that included reforms and anti-corruption measures was criticized by protesters who said it was not enough .
He was selected as premier designate on Feb. 1 , two months after Adel Abdul-Mahdi , now caretaker prime minister , resigned under pressure from anti-government protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Parliament session was marred by delays and political infighting as Allawi insisted he would select his own ministers — a move that alienated Kurdish and Sunni parties in particular and sparked threats of boycott .
With Allawi ’ s withdrawal , Prime Minister Barham Saleh now has 15 days to appoint a replacement .

Qassim Abdul-Zahra - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--More chaos for Serie A after new decree on virus measures

MILAN - Italian soccer was thrown further into chaos on Sunday after the government issued a new decree extending the suspension of all sporting events in regions affected by the virus outbreak until March 8 .
The ban will affect Serie A matches for the third straight round of fixtures .
The matches concerned next weekend are : Atalanta vs. Lazio ; Bologna vs. Juventus ; Inter Milan vs. Sassuolo ; and Hellas Verona vs. Napoli .
Governing body Lega Serie A announced earlier on Sunday that it has called an emergency assembly for Wednesday to “ examine the consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had on the fixture list.
” The total number of people infected with the new coronavirus in Italy has risen to 1,694 , a 50 % jump from just 24 hours earlier .
Five more people infected with the virus have died , bringing the deaths in Italy to 34 .
Lombardy , which includes Milan , accounts for over half of the cases , while Veneto and Emilia-Romagna have 15 % and 17 % , respectively .
All three regions have had the ban on sporting activities extended .
Schools will also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Four matches from last weekend were postponed and six from this weekend .
The six from the latest round were first set to be played behind closed doors before it was decided to postpone them until May 13 , much to the consternation of several clubs .
There is little time for make-up dates considering all elite soccer competitions must be completed by May 24 because of the upcoming European Championship .
Juventus , Napoli and Atalanta are currently involved in the Champions League , while Inter and Roma are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Napoli and AC Milan are also in the Italian Cup semifinals , which are due to be played on Wednesday and Thursday in Turin and Naples .
The ban on sporting events was set to end in Turin on Sunday , while there had never been a suspension imposed in Naples , which is in the south of Italy .


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Ernesto Cardenal, Nicaraguan poet and priest, dies at 95

MANAGUA , Nicaragua - Ernesto Cardenal , the renowned poet and Roman Catholic cleric who became a symbol of revolutionary verse in Nicaragua and around Latin America , and whose suspension from the priesthood by St. John Paul II lasted over three decades , died Sunday .
He was 95 .
Known for his trademark black beret and loose white peasant shirts , the author of works such as “ Epigrams ” and “ Zero Hour ” was one of the most important and honoured poets in Nicaraguan history .
Cardenal penned verse that went around the globe , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lucidity that inspired amazement and admiration in the literary world .
“ Our beloved poet has begun the process of integrating with the universe , with the greatest intimacy with God , ” his personal assistant , Luz Marina Acosta , said Sunday .
Bosco Centeno , a close friend of Cardenal , told The Associated Press the poet was hospitalized in Nicaragua ’ s capital of Managua a couple of days ago with a heart problem .
Cardenal received numerous awards during his lifetime including the Reina Sofia poetry prize in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German Book Trade in 1980 .
Argentine poet Jorge Boccanera once said of Cardenal ’ s writing that he “ loses his life and at the same time discovers it in a profound delivery ; in consecrating and offering himself in that dialogue of soul and blood.
” Cardenal was also an essayist and sculptor , and the herons he fashioned from stone and metal are highly prized in Central American cultural circles .
Born Jan. 20 , 1925 , to a wealthy family in the colonial city of Granada southeast of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Colombia and later became enamoured of the leftist Liberation Theology movement that swept through Latin America during the 1960s , centred on ministering to the poor and liberating the oppressed .
On the Solentiname Islands in Lake Nicaragua , he founded a community of peasants , poets and painters in 1966 that came to symbolize artistic opposition to the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza , who was overthrown in 1979 by Sandinista rebels .
Cardenal actively supported the revolution and served as culture minister during the first government of former Sandinista guerrilla Daniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of then-Pope John Paul II , who firmly held that clerics should not hold political office .
The pontiff was also staunchly anti-communist and opposed some parts of Liberation Theology .
In 1983 , John Paul publicly upbraided Cardenal at Managua ’ s international airport at the beginning of a tense visit .
When Cardenal knelt in front of the pope and moved to kiss his hand , the pontiff withdrew it and pointed his finger at him in a moment caught in a widely circulated photograph .
“ You should regularize your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later that year he suspended Cardenal from the priesthood along with his brother Fernando , who was then serving as minister of education .
Only late in life was Cardenal ’ s suspension lifted by Pope Francis : In February 2019 , as Cardenal was in the hospital , the Vatican noted that he had accepted the punishment , refrained from pastoral activity and long ago abandoned the political arena .
The Vatican ’ s ambassador to Nicaragua visited him at the hospital and joined him in celebrating Mass , a moment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ very moving ” and said made him “ very happy.
” While Cardenal never held political office again , that didn ’ t mean he shied away from speaking his mind , and the erstwhile supporter of Ortega distanced himself from his former Sandinista sympathizers over his disagreement with the ex-guerrilla ’ s partisan leadership .
After Ortega returned to the presidency in 2007 , Cardenal denounced what he called the beginning of “ a family dictatorship.
” And in 2018 , when anti-government protests broke out that posed the biggest challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on power , Cardenal quickly aligned himself with the opposition .
“ What we want is for there to be a different government , a democratic republic , ” he said in a handwritten message of support , adding that dialogue with the Ortega camp would be useless .
“ Now suddenly across the country the young people have risen up in protests , taking the streets , ” Cardenal said , “ something that was unexpected because the youth had seemed to be sleeping , or that a sepulchral slab had fallen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back on Ortega , Sandinista officialdom turned its back on him .
Cardenal faced legal problems he attributed to “ political persecution ” for his criticisms of Ortega and Rosario Murillo , Ortega ’ s first lady and currently vice-president .
And in 2015 , when Cardenal turned 90 , he was feted in Mexico — where he had lived and studied theology as a young man — as the Sandinista government had nothing but silence for a man it viewed as a turncoat .
Cardenal continued to hold a dim view of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling his canonization in 2014 a “ monstrosity.
” He was more supportive of Francis and his calls to build a better world for those on the margins of society .
“ I try to live with the message of the gospel , ” Cardenal once said , “ which is a political message , which is changing the world so that there is a better world after 100,000 years of inequality .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--SC results reveal challenge for Sanders among black voters

COLUMBIA , S.C. - Bernie Sanders ’ presidential ambitions were undone in 2016 when he couldn ’ t line up enough support from black voters to win the Democratic nomination .
As he tries again in 2020 , results from South Carolina suggest he ’ s still struggling to appeal to the voters who make up the backbone of the Democratic Party .
Former Vice-President Joe Biden won 64 % of African American voters in South Carolina , compared to just 14 % who sided with Sanders , according to AP VoteCast , a wide-ranging survey of more than 1,400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary .
There were also warning signs among younger voters of colour on whom Sanders has relied to offset older voters who were expected to support Biden .
Black voters under 45 were roughly split between Biden and Sanders , a sign that the Vermont senator ’ s following among younger voters had limits .
Sanders held on to voters under 30 overall .
In the four years since Hillary Clinton defeated him by 47 percentage points in South Carolina , Sanders has focused on building relationships with black leaders and voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will help him win the nomination and the White House .
But some black leaders say Sanders will struggle to build support if his campaign remains focused on hard-line progressive issues such as single-payer health care .
“ This is not an extreme left-wing party , and , if we ’ re going to win , you ’ re going to have to be able to attract people to you from more than one corner of the Earth , ” said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn , a South Carolina Democrat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clyburn endorsed Biden in the final days before his home state ’ s primary , backing that some black voters said was influential in their decision to vote for the former vice-president .
Sanders has proven he can win voters of colour .
He scored a resounding victory in the Nevada caucuses with support from Latino voters .
His next test comes on Tuesday when voters go to the polls in 14 states .
Several states , including Alabama , Tennessee , North Carolina and Virginia , have substantial populations of black voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including California and Texas , have large numbers of Latinos as well .
Sanders was the only leading presidential candidate who didn ’ t attend ceremonies on Sunday in Selma , Alabama , commemorating a pivotal march during the 1960s civil rights movement .
But he has spent the past several years working to strengthen his relationship with minorities .
Like a lot of Democratic presidential candidates , Sanders has prioritized visits to historically black colleges and universities .
He ’ s also promised to overhaul a “ racist ” federal criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black Americans and punishes them and other minorities much harsher than whites .
Sanders has courted activists , hoping to win their endorsements .
He visited Goldsboro , North Carolina , last week to meet the Rev .
William Barber and address a gathering at his Greenleaf Christian Church .
“ The measurable difference between how Sen. Sanders is doing , especially anecdotally , than what he was doing in 2016 — his endorsements are one measure of that , ” said Nina Turner , a former Ohio state senator who is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his highest-profile African American supporters .
“ People — when he is around , they respond to him in the same way , and it ’ s not about how they identify , ” Turner said .
“ It ’ s that they identify him as the person who has the vision that they need to make their lives better.
” Jennifer Epps-Addison , co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy Action , which has endorsed Sanders , said Sanders has gone out of his way to woo black activists and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has done the work , “ Epps-Addison said .
“ Our network has been very critical of Sen. Sanders , particularly on issues of race , in the past .
But he has sat with folks , he has built a movement.
” She added that Sanders has won the support of “ folks who have dedicated their lives to the liberation of black people in the United States , and they are surrounding Sen. Sanders and saying , ‘ This is our campaign because we have real power in this movement.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his standing with black Americans will have to improve if their candidate is going to win the Democratic nomination , much less defeat President Donald Trump in November .
Clinton ’ s failure to secure turnout among African Americans in 2016 at the levels that helped carry President Barack Obama to reelection four years prior was a key factor in her defeat .
But Sanders ’ campaign also points to polling in some early states and nationally that it says shows Sanders appealing to young people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the South Carolina primary , saying , “ Biden did very well last night .
But we did win among younger African Americans.
” “ I think if you look at the national polling , in some cases we are beating him nationally and certainly among younger people , ” Sanders said on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” That followed Sanders taking a subtle shot at Biden during a rally Saturday night in Virginia , when he declared that “ old-fashioned politics , the same old , same old type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anybody , that doesn ’ t energize anybody.
” Older voters of all races tend to vote in much higher numbers than their younger counterparts , which is why Sanders has stressed for weeks that he ’ ll need record voter turnout to prevail in November — should he make it through the primary .
“ I ’ m a 50-year-old black woman , and I tend to be middle of the road .
I don ’ t veer too far to either side , but I ’ m voting what I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just me , ” said Dalhi Myers , a councilwoman from Richland County in South Carolina , who switched her backing from Biden to Sanders earlier this year .
“ I think what ’ s best for all of us is electrifying enough people ... who will go to the polls.
” Many of Sanders ’ arguments for broad-based reform — including a complete revamp of the nation ’ s health care system — may seem extreme to someone who , like Myers , considers herself more of a centrist .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the knowledge that sweeping structural changes would need to make their way through Congress in order to be implemented , should win the day .
“ I ’ m not a left-wing liberal .
I ’ m not even a left-wing Democrat , ” Myers said .
“ But I am a realist.
” Weissert reported from Washington .
Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report .

Will Weissert And Meg Kinnard - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Super Tuesday’s results don’t always match primaries’ design

SACRAMENTO , Calif. - After Democrats saw Walter Mondale lose 49 states to President Ronald Reagan in 1984 , party leaders came up with a plan : create a one-day “ Super Tuesday ” primary where Southern states could vote en masse to produce a more moderate — and “ electable ” — nominee , preferably from the region .
In the 1988 Democratic primary , Massachusetts Gov .
Michael Dukakis and the Rev .
Jesse Jackson , two of the race ’ s more liberal contenders , emerged as the day ’ s big winners .
Dukakis went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George H.W .
Bush .
“ It backfired , ” said Jack Pitney , a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College who wrote a book on the 1988 election .
“ They misjudged what the South was.
” This year ’ s collection of Super Tuesday states includes California and Texas along with several swing states from all regions of the country , suggesting a test of national appeal .
But will the most liberal candidate in the race , Sen. Bernie Sanders , prevail , or will strong , more moderate competitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Super Tuesday , the campaign shifts from retail to wholesale .
Gone are the intimate events and the focus on a single state at time , replaced by national news hits and television ad buys designed to communicate with huge slices of the electorate all at once .
It ’ s a day when it becomes extremely difficult to compete without cash .
And it typically plays a major role in setting a candidate on the path to the nomination .
“ If somebody can win a clear victory , sweep Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the nominee , ” said Bill Carrick , who ran the 1988 campaign of Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt , one of the more moderate choices who performed poorly on Super Tuesday .
“ If they ’ ve lost Super Tuesday , it ’ s very hard to recover.
” This year there are echoes of 1988 , with a cluster of moderate candidates trying to blunt the rise of Sanders , who won New Hampshire and Nevada and finished in a virtual tie for first in Iowa .
Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alter the dynamics , but Sanders will still enter Tuesday ’ s contest as the best-positioned candidate .
More than a third of the total delegates will be at stake as the following states hold primaries : Alabama , Arkansas , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Texas , North Carolina , Virginia , California , Minnesota , Maine , Massachusetts , Vermont , Utah and Colorado .
But this year ’ s Super Tuesday comes with a $ 500 million twist .
Mike Bloomberg , the billionaire former mayor of New York , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Super Tuesday states and beyond , often having the airwaves to himself .
His two lacklustre debate performances may have hurt his chances , but he is trying to rewrite the orthodoxy of the primary process by spending the most when the most delegates are at stake in hopes of stopping Sanders .
He skipped the first four voting states entirely .
Sanders has run television ads in every Super Tuesday state except Utah .
But Bloomberg is outspending him more than 10 to 1 on in California and Texas .
Sanders has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the “ first 5 “ states , and is hoping for victory and a load of delegates with it .
The only other candidate to spend more than token amounts in either state is Tom Steyer , who spent more than $ 25.8 million in his home state of California and about $ 3 million in Texas before dropping out of the race following a poor showing in South Carolina .
With Super Tuesday falling just three days after the South Carolina primary this year , campaigns that hope to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as effectively as possible .
Virginia , North Carolina and Tennessee also offer larger delegate hauls , and several candidates have visited in hopes of earning free media coverage or have purchased television and digital buys .
Longtime observers of Super Tuesday , in particular , said this year ’ s contest is as unpredictable as any before it .
“ In some election years , it pretty much determines the outcome , “ said Barbara Norrander , a professor in the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
“ Other times , Super Tuesday kind of narrows it down to the front two or the front three.
” Indeed , 1988 ’ s Super Tuesday proved a bad showing for Gephardt , who had won the early voting states of Iowa and South Dakota .
He split the moderate vote with Tennessee Sen. Al Gore .
Jackson won five states , in a major showing among black voters in the South , while Dukakis picked up delegate-rich Florida and Texas .
Four years later , a strong showing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton on the path to becoming the nominee .
In 2000 , Gore won every state on Super Tuesday , his status as vice-president helping him beat back New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley to win the nomination easily .
It was “ the proof that Gore ’ s operation and his campaign had resonance among a broad swath of the Democratic nominating electorate , ” said Michael Feldman , a former Gore aide .
“ Iowa is a specific thing , New Hampshire is a specific thing , but Super Tuesday was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) on a national scale among broad swaths of voters , where the message and the candidate , and the idea of the campaign , is what carries the day.
” The biggest Super Tuesday was in 2008 .
That year , states were jockeying for more influence by moving their primaries earlier and earlier , causing Super Tuesday to swell to more than 20 states and be held in early February .
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama came out of the day nearly even on delegates , but Obama had built a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Norrander said , and Obama eventually won the nomination .
In 2016 , when a collection of Southern states again held primaries that day , Clinton ’ s dominance with black voters helped her best Sanders by more than 150 delegates .
Although Super Tuesday has shifted and changed over the years , Carrick said , there ’ s one enduring message from its early failure : “ Manipulating the political calendar for some politically desirable outcome you ’ re looking for — it just hasn ’ t worked.
“ Catch up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--North Macedonia police find 78 migrants crammed in a van

SKOPJE , Macedonia - Police in North Macedonia said a mobile border patrol on Sunday found 78 migrants , including six minors , crammed in a van during a routine checkup in the central part of the country and arrested two men , suspected for illegal migrant trafficking .
Police said 41 Pakistanis , 26 Afghans , five Syrians , four Egyptians and two Turkish nationals were found in a van after a mobile border patrol stopped the vehicle near the town of Shtip , some 90 kilometres south of the capital Skopje .
Police said the driver , 46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Macedonian nationals , have been arrested on suspicion of trafficking .
The migrants are believed to have entered North Macedonia illegally from Greece .
They are expected to be transferred to a detention centre in the border town of Gevgelija pending deportation back to Greece .
North Macedonia was part of what became known as the “ Balkan route ” for migrants and refugees seeking to make their way to more prosperous countries of the European Union .
Although that route has been shut for years , thousands still pay large sums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders .
North Macedonia police and border authorities have increased patrolling on the border with Greece , after Turkey opened its border to outgoing migrants .
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Konstantin Testorides - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-01--Turkey, Syria fighting escalates; refugees mass at EU border

KASTANIES , Greece - Thousands of migrants and refugees massed at Turkey ’ s western frontier Sunday , trying to enter Greece by land and sea after Turkey said its borders were open to those hoping to head to Europe .
In Syria , Turkish troops shot down two Syrian warplanes after the Syrian military downed a Turkish drone , a major escalation in the direct conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces .
Turkey ’ s decision to ease border restrictions came amid a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive into Syria ’ s northwestern Idlib province .
That offensive has killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge of nearly a million Syrian civilians fleeing the fighting toward Turkey ’ s sealed border .
Turkey backs the Syrian rebels fighting in Idlib province , and has sent thousands of troops into the area .
Idlib is the last opposition-held stronghold in Syria , and is dominated by al-Qaida linked fighters .
A Turkish official said the fighting in Idlib was directly linked to Turkey ’ s decision to open the gates for refugees to Europe .
He said Ankara had changed its focus to preparing for the possibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing refugees who intend to migrate to Europe.
” “ Europe and others must take robust action to address this monumental challenge , ” said Fahrettin Altun , the communications director for Turkey ’ s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
“ We can ’ t be expected to do this on our own.
” Erdogan ’ s decision open his country ’ s borders with Europe made good on a longstanding threat to let refugees into the continent .
His announcement marked a dramatic departure from a previous policy of containment , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey more support in dealing with the fallout from the Syrian war to its south .
Under a 6 billion euro deal in 2016 , Turkey agreed to stem the tide of refugees to Europe in return for financial aid , after more than a million people entered Europe in 2015 .
Turkey has since accused the EU of failing to honour the agreement , and Erdogan has frequently threatened to allow refugees into Europe unless more international support was provided .
Turkey already hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Middle East .
Turkey borders Greece and Bulgaria , both European Union members .
On the Greek-Turkish land border , Greek army and police patrols using tear gas and stun grenades to thwart attempts by thousands to push into the country overnight .
Officials said the situation was much calmer Sunday morning .
But in the afternoon , authorities used tear gas and water cannons to push back another crowd attempting to cross .
Migrants threw rocks and other objects , and one policeman was injured .
Greek authorities said they stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another 5,500 on Sunday .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis convened the defence and foreign affairs committee Sunday evening .
Afterward , a government spokesman said Greece was starting a one-month freeze on accepting asylum applications from migrants who enter illegally .
Europe ’ s border agency Frontex said it was “ redeploying equipment and additional officers to Greece.
” A Greek government official said the Turkish authorities also fired teargas at the Greek border , using drones flying close to the border .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter with the media .
Stavros Zamalides , the president of the Greek border community of Kastanies , said Turkish soldiers used wire cutters to actively help people cross .
The United Nations migration organization reported at least 13,000 people had massed on Turkey ’ s land border by Saturday night , the vast majority apparently from Afghanistan .
In Istanbul , a steady stream of buses , taxis , cars and minibuses were ferrying hundreds more throughout Sunday to Edirne , a town near the border with Greece .
The vehicles weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ route .
Those boarding the buses — the vast majority Afghans — said they were heading to Greece and eventually hoped to get to Germany .
On the Greek islands , more than 500 people had arrived from the nearby Turkish coast by Sunday evening , a clear increase in the usual number of people who arrive on eastern Aegean islands from Turkey .
Existing migrant camps on the islands are already dramatically overcrowded , and tensions there have mounted .
In a small harbour on Lesbos , angry local residents refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and babies — to disembark from a dinghy that had just arrived .
Groups who arrived on other parts of the island remained there for hours because locals prevented buses from reaching them to transport them to the main camp .
On Sunday night , a former staging area used for new arrivals on Lesbos was set on fire .
More than 19,300 people already live in and around island ’ s migrant camp , which has a capacity of 2,840 .
Protests by island residents last week over the situation degenerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Chios .
Greece said it was using “ all available means ” to tell migrants that the country ’ s borders were closed , including text messages to foreign mobile phones in the border area .
In Syria , fighting escalated on the ground and in the skies between Turkish and Syrian troops .
Russia , a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad ’ s government , remained largely on the sidelines through the weekend even as a Turkish-led counter offensive blunted and in some cases reversed Syrian government advances .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Reconciliation Center in Syria , Rear Adm. Oleg Zhuravlev , , warned Turkey that its aircraft could be in danger if they fly over Syria .
“ In view of the sharp exacerbation of tensions in the air space over Idlib , the Syrian government was forced to declare it closed , ” Zhuravlev said in a statement released late Sunday .
“ In this situation , the Russian troops ’ command can ’ t guarantee security of flights of Turkish aircraft in the skies over Syria.
” Syria ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pilots in the two jets shot down Sunday had ejected and landed safely .
Turkey ’ s Defence Ministry said it had hit the two SU-24 aircraft as well as Syrian air defence systems after one of its aerial drones was downed .
Earlier Sunday , Syria said northwestern airspace was closed and any aircraft or drone that entered “ will be treated as hostile and shot down.
” The Syrian announcement followed two days of Turkish drone strikes in Idlib province .
Syrian activists said the strikes killed more than 50 Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has lost 54 soldiers in February , including 33 killed Thursday in a single airstrike .
Outraged , Erdogan announced his country ’ s European borders were open Saturday .
The crisis in Idlib stems from a Syrian government offensive with Russian military support , which began Dec. 1 .
Turkey is worried it might come under renewed international pressure to open its now-sealed border with Syria and offer refuge to hundreds of thousands more Syrian civilians .
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar , speaking from a military headquarters near the Syrian border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government forces rather than Russian troops .
He called on Moscow to persuade Assad to withdraw to 2018 cease-fire lines on the edges of Idlib .
Referring to losses inflicted on Syria , he said Turkey had “ neutralized ” more than 2,200 Syrian troops , 103 tanks and eight helicopters .
The operation is Turkey ’ s fourth in the war-torn country since 2016 .
Altun , the Turkish communications director , claimed 80,888 migrants had left Turkey for Europe “ in the past several days.
“ There was no evidence to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Ministry tweeted that these numbers were “ false and misleading.
” Wilks reported from Ankara , Turkey .
Robert Badendieck in Istanbul , Albert Aji in Damascus , Syria , Elena Becatoros in Athens and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report .

Costas Kantouris And Andrew Wilks - The Associated Press