thetorontostar--2020-10-28--Jon Stewart will be back in the host’s chair for Apple TV+

LOS ANGELES - Jon Stewart is returning to TV , more than five years after bowing out as host of “ The Daily Show ” and with a new home at Apple TV+ .
Stewart will host an hour-long , current affairs series that will explore topics of national interest as well as his advocacy work , the streaming service said Tuesday .
He has been a passionate supporter of military veterans and 9-11 first responders , last year pressing Congress to approve legislation to help the latter and their families .
He and his wife , Tracey , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to debut in 2021 — so if Stewart wants to weigh in on a presidential race , as he relished doing on his long-running Comedy Central show , he ’ ll have to wait until the 2024 contest .
Each season of the show will have a companion podcast to “ continue the discussion , ” Apple TV+ said .
The platform also has a deal with Stewart and his production company that gives it first shot at other projects .
Stewart , writer and director of the recent film “ Irresistible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is also an executive producer for CBS ’ “ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
” Stewart will be an executive producer along with host of his new Apple TV+ show , with the title yet to be announced .


thetorontostar--2020-10-28--Tokyo festival opens with grueling boxing ‘Underdog’ film

TOKYO - Masaharu Take ’ s films have always focused on painful stories about Japan ’ s “ under-class , ” people who are often overlooked in a nation stereotyped as monolithically well-to-do .
The heroes of his latest work , “ Underdog , ” couldn ’ t be more beaten down , stoically hardworking yet hopelessly under-class : They are boxers .
“ Most of them will lose .
Most of them will never become champions , ” said Take , who is also directing the Netflix hit “ The Naked Director.
” “ I feel an adoration for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courage that they have , that I don ’ t have , and that ’ s what I ’ ve been imagining and thinking about.
” Take , who loved Sylvester Stallone ’ s “ Rocky ” and was profoundly influenced by “ Raging Bull , ” directed by Martin Scorsese , scored success six years ago with “ 100 Yen Love , ” which also had boxing as a motif .
It starred a clumsy introverted woman who finds purpose and pride , as well as physical fitness , through boxing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most brutal sport we could put the character through , we came up with boxing , ” he told The Associated Press recently .
Take ( pronounced TUH-kay ) returns to the boxing theme with a vengeance with “ Underdog , ” a grueling work telling not just one but three stories of boxers over nearly five hours .
Dancer Mirai Morimoto gives an all-out performance as the washed out formerly No .
1 ranked Akira , gaining muscle as well as fighter moves for the role .
A comedian , played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time in life when a TV producer ’ s idea of entertainment is to pit him against a real boxer .
Takumi Kitamura portrays a reformed delinquent whose dream is to fight Akira .
“ Underdog ” premieres as the opener for the Tokyo International Film Festival , which starts Saturday and runs through Nov. 9 .
The three protagonists ’ gut-wrenching tales of struggle and emotional loss drive the plot , and the fights in the ring work like cathartic celebrations of Take ’ s filmmaking .
The men are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dreams .
But the film shows defeat sometimes can be glorious .
The festival ’ s screenings will be socially distanced among other coronavirus measures , and a scaled-down red-carpet gala will stream online .
The festival also features the Cannes Jury Prize-winning director Koji Fukada screening several of his films , including his latest , “ The Real Thing , ” his first adaptation of a comic book , and an official selection at Cannes .
Fukada says independent Japanese filmmakers have a hard time , even those collecting accolades abroad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , a fraction of the funding in South Korea or France .
Theaters in Japan are controlled by major studios looking for blockbusters .
In contrast , South Korea and France pool a portion of ticket sales to support independent filmmaking .
“ Japan has no systemic way to support the film industry , ” Fukada told reporters recently at the Foreign Correspondents ’ Club in Tokyo .
Take agrees making films in Japan is so difficult he fears the best actors and crew will flee to working abroad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netflix , in contrast , wonderful .
Take acknowledged “ The Naked Director , ” whose hero makes pornography films , has been slammed as misogynist but he defended the work as “ a challenge ” to raise questions .
“ It ’ s a challenge to depict how women have been oppressed .
We want to show more respect for the women , ” said Take .
He stressed the main character had respect for the actresses , and the second season , which he is working on now , will show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men were.
” “ This is such a worthwhile , and very difficult , challenge .
We may get criticized , but films should not avoid this challenge .
And they can ’ t be made otherwise , ” Take said .
Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https : //twitter.com/yurikageyama

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thetorontostar--2020-10-28--US, Israel extend science accords into West Bank settlements

JERUSALEM - The United States and Israel amended a series of scientific co-operation agreements on Wednesday to include Israeli institutions in the West Bank , a step that further blurs the status of settlements widely considered illegal under international law .
Until now , three U.S.-Israeli science co-operation agreements excluded projects in areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war — including the West Bank , east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights .
Israeli and American officials signed protocols amending the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation , the Binational Science Foundation , and Binational Agricultural Research and Development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank settlement of Ariel .
Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war , and in the decades since have built dozens of settlements that are now home to some 500,000 Israelis .
The Palestinians seek the West Bank and east Jerusalem as part of a future independent state .
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and supports the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 boundaries .
Breaking with decades of American policy , the Trump administration recognized Jerusalem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Embassy there .
It also recognized Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights , which was captured from Syria in the 1967 war .
In another reversal , the administration also said the U.S. does not consider settlements illegal .
In a statement , the U.S. Embassy in Israel said that “ these geographic restrictions are no longer consistent with U.S. policy , ” and that updating the agreements to remove them “ further strengthens the special bilateral relationship ” between the two countries .
“ This geographic restriction within the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no place within our evolving region , ” U.S .
Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said at a ceremony at Ariel University .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , a strong proponent of the settlements , thanked Friedman for his efforts “ to right past wrongs.
” In the West Bank , the Palestinian Authority condemned the step as a “ dangerous precedent.
” “ This step is an actual American participation in the occupation of Palestinian lands , ” said Nabil Abu Rdeneh , spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas .
Amending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West Bank settlements and “ further blurs the Green Line , ” said Brian Reeves , spokesman for Israel ’ s Peace Now organization , referring to the boundary between Israel and the West Bank .
Eugene Kontorovich , director of international law at the Kohelet Policy Forum , a conservative Jerusalem think-tank , said the decision would have long-lasting repercussions .
“ This historic international agreement cements U.S. policy that Israeli settlements are not illegal , and puts money behind it , ” he said .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Belgian court acquits 3 doctors in landmark euthanasia case

BRUSSELS - A Belgian court on Friday acquitted three doctors of charges of manslaughter by poisoning in a case that has been seen as a key test of Belgium ’ s euthanasia laws .
The three doctors were involved in the euthanasia of a 38-year-old patient , Tine Nys , who suffered with mental problems and died in 2010 .
Her family took the case to court , arguing that the euthanasia should never have happened , claiming her mental state was not hopeless and treatment was still possible .
Nys had struggled with psychiatric problems for years and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is such a relief .
This has been with us for 10 years , “ psychiatrist Lieve Thienpont , one of the acquitted doctors , told VRT network .
The 12 jurors took eight hours to weigh the question of guilt and when they came to their verdict early Friday , over 100 remaining attendees in the court room broke out in wild applause .
Belgium is among a few countries that allow doctors to kill patients at their request , and one of two that allow it for people with a mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases a year in Belgium , very few are permitted for psychological issues .
The criminal complaint by the family was only granted on appeal after it was first rejected by a lower court .
It was something that riled the defence lawyers , some of whom thought there were conservative political forces at work to bring the case to the court where a citizens ’ jury would rule on the case .
“ This is relief for all doctors who have to carry out such tough tasks , “ said defence lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have gone the other way , so many doctors would have been in real deep trouble , ” he said , implying few would want to risk assisting in euthanasia if it meant that they could face manslaughter charges .
Even if the two-week court case laid bare sloppy procedures by some doctors and imperfections in the law , it did in the end protect the principles of the practice .
“ People will continue to hold on to the right of a dignified death when death is inescapable , “ Thienpont @ @


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Some Americans to leave China, many stay after US advisory

BEIJING - Some Americans plan to leave China after the U.S. government advised about a spreading virus outbreak , but many others are staying .
The State Department issued a travel advisory Friday saying Americans in China “ should consider departing.
” That followed the evacuation earlier this week of about 200 Americans from Wuhan , the locked-down city at the centre of the outbreak .
A second flight is planned next week .
In addition to tourists , tens of thousands of Americans live and work in China in business and teaching .
Some have been in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher , said he is “ really scared ” and trying to arrange for his 8-year-old daughter and ex-wife to leave Wuhan for the United States .
He lives in Changsha , about 400 kilometres ( 250 miles ) south of Wuhan .
“ In 10 years living here in China , I ’ ve never seen anything like this , not even close , ” he said .
“ The fact that our governments are taking such drastic and dire measures right now really tells me that the situation is probably worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe , or what the numbers would indicate.
” He spoke from a train as he returned from Beijing , where he had come to get his daughter an emergency passport so she and his ex-wife can get on an upcoming U.S. government-chartered evacuation flight from Wuhan .
He planned to stay in China with his Chinese girlfriend .
“ If I leave , she ’ s going to be all alone in a city that ’ s not her hometown , so if I left her right now that would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ I couldn ’ t do that to her.
” Iacampo .
who has lived in China for two years , said she has no plans to leave and is more worried about the flu .
“ I ’ m honestly more concerned with travelling than with being here , ” the 25-year-old kindergarten teacher said .
“ Looking at the numbers , especially compared to things like the flu that put me in danger , I ’ m not especially concerned.
” The Arkansas native said her school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lunar New Year holiday by a week to Feb. 10 and friends are less willing to go out .
“ I ’ m wearing masks out and about , ” she said .
“ But generally speaking my daily life hasn ’ t had to change.
” Wester , a businessman who has lived in China for 19 years , is staying in Beijing and “ self-quarantining myself , ” which feels safer than facing airports crowded with strangers .
“ I can control my own behaviour , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is standing in all those lines that they are not being irresponsible.
” Wester is chief executive of True Run Media , an advertising company that produces magazines , websites and events in Beijing and Shanghai .
He and his wife are staying home with their 12-year-old daughter .
Her school is closed but she is keeping busy writing blog entries for his company , including a series on meals that can be made with three basic ingredients .
Wester , who lived in China during the 2002-03 SARS outbreak , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s popular WeChat messaging service to try to dispel false information and calm fears .
“ I ’ ve been reading about this and trying to calm people down , ” he said .
“ It feels like a full-time job.
” Layman said she and her husband have no plans to leave .
The couple are showing her sister , who is visiting from the United States , around Beijing .
They bicycled in the city and went to Tiananmen Square and brew pubs .
“ We haven ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions like washing our hands and wearing masks , ” said Layman , who has been a teacher in Beijing since mid-2018 .
“ I ’ m trying to not spread or get into a state of panic , ” said Raymond , 28 .
“ But I don ’ t know if the severity is such that I should either leave or stay put and hunker down in my apartment.
” Raymond , who has lived in Beijing for four years and teaches drama at a school , is reluctant to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he has stayed indoors for a week , going out only to buy food .
“ I have family back in the States and they ’ re all urging me to leave China now , ” said Raymond .
“ I almost bought a plane ticket yesterday .
So I really am teetering on the edge.
” Flanagan , a school counsellor in China since 2011 , is in the United States and has no plans to return soon .
Almost all the passengers were wearing masks when she flew out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one passenger sneezed , “ everyone gave her death-stares , ” she said .
Flanagan , 36 , is working remotely with her students to prepare for English proficiency exams , though they have been cancelled because of the outbreak .
“ This is probably going to be a while , ” she said .

Joe McDonald, Sam McNeil And Dake Kang - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza after militants fire 3 rockets

JERUSALEM - The Israeli military said on Friday that it launched “ wide-scale ” airstrikes on militant targets in the Gaza Strip shortly after Palestinian militants fired three rockets into Israel , two of which were intercepted .
There were no reports of casualties or major damage from the exchange of fire overnight , which came amid heightened tensions after President Donald Trump released his Mideast plan , a U.S. initiative aimed at ending the conflict that heavily favours Israel and was rejected by the Palestinians .
Palestinians have called for large protests after Friday prayers , including at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacred to Muslims and Jews .
The plan contains mixed messages about the fragile understandings governing the holy site , which could provoke a backlash there .
Gaza has been relatively calm in recent months as Egyptian and U.N. mediators have worked to shore up an informal truce between Israel and Hamas , the Islamic militant group that rules the coastal territory .
Hamas has curbed rocket fire and rolled back weekly protests along the frontier that had often turned violent .
In return , Israel has eased the blockade it imposed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loyal to the Palestinian Authority in 2007 .
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have rejected the Trump plan , which would allow Israel to annex all of its Jewish settlements , along with the Jordan Valley , in the occupied West Bank .
The Palestinians were offered limited self-rule in Gaza , parts of the West Bank and some sparsely populated areas of Israel in return for meeting a long list of conditions .
Hamas has vowed that “ all options are open ” in responding to the proposal , but is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel .
Palestinian militants have fought three devastating wars with Israel since the Hamas takeover .
Palestinians have held small , scattered protests in recent days condemning the Trump initiative , and larger demonstrations are expected after Friday prayers , including at the Jerusalem holy site known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif , or Noble Sanctuary , and to Jews as the Temple Mount .
It is the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia , and is home to the iconic gold Dome of the Rock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the location of the First and Second Jewish Temples in antiquity .
The Western Wall nearby , the only remnant of the Second Temple , is the holiest place where Jews can pray .
The hilltop shrine is managed by an Islamic trust under Jordanian stewardship , and day-to-day affairs are governed by informal understandings with Israel known as the “ status quo.
” Non-Muslims are allowed to visit during certain hours , but Jews can not pray there .
In recent years , increasing numbers of religious and ultra-nationalist Jews have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinians that Israel intends to one day partition it , as it has done to a similar site in the West Bank town of Hebron that is sacred to both faiths .
Israel has repeatedly said it has no intention of changing the status quo and accuses Islamist groups of spreading unfounded rumours to incite violence .
The Trump plan , which heavily favours Israel , says the status quo should “ continue uninterrupted.
” But the plan also says “ people of every faith should be permitted to pray on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is fully respectful to their religion , taking into account the times of each religion ’ s prayers and holidays , as well as other religious factors.
” Palestinians view the sprawling esplanade as the last bit of territory that is fully theirs and the Dome of the Rock as a symbol of their national cause .
Muslim worshippers have clashed with police there on numerous occasions in recent years in response to perceived infringements .
A provocative visit to the site by Ariel Sharon , a right-wing politician who went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Palestinian intifada , or uprising , in 2000 .
The site is part of the famed Old City in east Jerusalem , which Israel captured , along with the West Bank and Gaza , in the 1967 war .
The Palestinians view east Jerusalem as their capital and want all three territories to form their future state .
Trump ’ s Mideast plan would create a disjointed Palestinian state with a capital on the outskirts of east Jerusalem , beyond the separation barrier built by Israel .
The rest of Jerusalem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel ’ s capital .
The plan would allow Israel to annex large parts of the West Bank almost immediately , while Palestinian statehood would be heavily restricted and subject to several preconditions that the Palestinians have always rejected .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Johnson hails UK’s ‘new beginning’ as Brexit day arrives

LONDON - Britain begins the day as a member of the European Union .
Its status at the end of the day — as a proud nation that has reclaimed its sovereignty , or a diminished presence in Europe and the world — will still be up for debate .
Britain officially departs the EU at 11 p.m. local time Friday , midnight in Brussels ( 2300 GMT , 6 p.m. EST ) .
The departure comes 3 1/2 years after the country voted by a margin of 52 % -48 % to walk away from the club that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the first time a country has left the EU , and many in the bloc regard it as a sad day .
In Brussels , European Council President Charles Michel and EU Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen are due to sketch out the EU ’ s first steps as a group of 27 , rather than 28 .
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet in the morning with his Cabinet in the pro-Brexit town of Sunderland , in northeast England .
He is scheduled to deliver a televised address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling Brexit “ not an end but a beginning.
” According to his office , he will describe it as “ a moment of real national renewal and change.
” The government hopes the moment will be marked in a dignified , nontriumphalist fashion , with red , white and blue lights illuminating government buildings and a countdown clock projected onto the prime minister ’ s 10 Downing St. residence .
Some Brexit supporters will be holding more raucous celebrations .
Arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage and his band of devotees will gather for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Parliament Square to mark a moment that even Farage sometimes doubted would ever come .
Others do not feel like indulging in any festivities .
Lawyer Alice Cole-Roberts said Friday morning she expects “ more and more frustration “ as Brexit unfolds .
“ It ’ s a very sad day , “ she said .
“ I ’ m very upset that we are leaving the European Union and I simply wish it didn ’ t happen.
” Britain was never a wholehearted EU member , but actually leaving the bloc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It gradually gained strength within the Conservative Party , which has a wing of fierce “ euroskeptics ” — opponents of EU membership .
Former Prime Minister David Cameron eventually agreed to hold a referendum , saying he wanted to settle the issue once and for all .
It hasn ’ t worked out that way .
Since the 2016 vote , the U.K. has held fractious negotiations with the EU that finally , late last year , secured a deal on divorce terms .
But Britain is leaving the bloc arguably as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By and large , Britain ’ s big cities voted to stay in the EU , while small towns voted to leave .
England and Wales backed Brexit , while Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain .
In Edinburgh , the EU flag will not be lowered outside the Scottish Parliament on Friday night .
Lawmakers there voted to keep it as a symbol of their opposition to Brexit .
Scotland ’ s pro-EU government will also light up two government buildings in the blue and yellow of the EU flag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russell urged the EU to “ leave a light on for Scotland ” so that it could eventually return .
The governing Scottish National Party wants Scotland to become an independent EU member country , separate from the U.K. “ It is a stark fact that tomorrow we leave , dragged out against our will , despite the clear instruction of the Scottish people , ” Russell said Thursday .
London , which is home to more than 1 million EU citizens , also voted by a wide margin to stay in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has linked the Brexit vote to a rise in xenophobic abuse , said Britain ’ s capital would remain “ a truly global , European city.
” “ We continue to be a beacon for progressive ideas , for liberal values and for decency and diversity , ” Khan said in a statement .
“ And we will continue to welcome people from around the world , regardless of the colour of their skin , the colour of their passport or the colours of their national flag.
” Britain ’ s departure is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks the end of the first stage of the Brexit saga .
When Britons wake up on Saturday , they will notice very little change .
The U.K. and the EU have given themselves an 11 month “ transition period ” -- in which the U.K. will continue to follow the bloc ’ s rules -- to strike new agreements on trade , security and a host of other areas .
Negotiations are due to start in March , and the early signs are not encouraging .
Britain says it will not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return for unfettered trade .
The bloc insists there can be no trade deal unless Britain agrees to a “ level playing field ” and does not undercut EU regulations .
Johnson ’ s government hopes to negotiate a deal with the EU alongside a free trade agreement with the United States .
That ’ s also likely to be contentious .
Opposition politicians are already raising concerns about issues ranging from food-safety standards - especially the U.S. practice of chlorine-washing chicken to kill germs - to drug prices .
U.S. Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in London on Thursday , said the U.S. would put Britain “ at the front of the line ” in its trade relationships after Brexit .
Follow AP ’ s full coverage of Brexit and British politics at : https : //www.apnews.com/Brexit

Jill Lawless And Raf Casert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Pompeo visits Ukraine as impeachment trial hangs in balance

KYIV , Ukraine - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened a visit to Ukraine on Friday facing a delicate balancing act as he tries to boost ties with a critical ally at the heart of the impeachment trial while not providing fodder for Democrats seeking to oust President Donald Trump .
The highest-ranking American official to visit Ukraine since the impeachment process began last year , Pompeo ’ s was meeting with Ukraine ’ s president and other top officials .
Trump is alleged to have pressed them to open a corruption probe into former Vice-President Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid and a White House visit .
That process began last year with revelations about a July 25 phone call between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
Pompeo ’ s meetings in Kyiv come as t he GOP-majority Senate prepared to vote on whether to hear witnesses who could shed further light on Trump ’ s actions toward Ukraine .
The vote appeared likely to fail , however , as a key Republican said he would vote against allowing new testimony , boosting odds the Senate will vote to acquit in a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Ukraine is unwavering , and I ’ m intent on underscoring this as I meet with Ukrainian government leaders to discuss ways we can advance our strategic partnership and reinforce Ukraine ’ s position as a free and democratic state , ” Pompeo said in a tweet after arriving , In addition to Zelenskiy , Pompeo is meeting Ukraine ’ s prime , foreign and defence ministers as well as civic leaders , and touring several Ukrainian Orthodox churches .
Trump is accused of obstructing Congress and abuse of office for withholding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical military aid to the country in exchange for an investigation into Biden , a political rival , and his son , Hunter .
Ukraine has been an unwilling star in the impeachment proceedings , eager for good relations with Trump as it depends heavily on U.S. support to defend itself from Russian-backed separatists .
Trump , who has still not granted Zelenskiy the White House meeting he craves , has offered that support to some degree .
Although the military assistance was put on hold , it was eventually released after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to light .
The Trump administration has also supplied Ukraine with lethal defence equipment , including Javelin anti-tank weapons .
Pompeo plans to stress the importance of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship , a sentiment long shared by Republicans and Democrats who see the former Soviet republic as a bulwark against Russian ambitions .
But it ’ s a view that now has partisan overtones , with Democrats arguing that withholding aid from such a critical ally for political purposes is an impeachable offence .
The Senate is to vote on hearing impeachment witnesses later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former national security adviser John Bolton , whose forthcoming book reportedly says that Trump withheld the aid in exchange for a public pledge of a probe into the Bidens .
That would back witnesses who testified before the House impeachment inquiry .
Ukraine has been a delicate subject for Pompeo , who last weekend lashed out at a National Public Radio reporter for asking why he has not publicly defended the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine , Marie Yovanovitch .
She was removed from her post after unsubstantiated allegations were made against her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rudolph Giuliani .
Pompeo has been criticized for not publicly supporting Yovanovitch , her now-departed successor as chief of the Kyiv embassy , William Taylor , and other diplomats who testified before House impeachment investigators .
Yovanovitch and Taylor have been attacked by Trump supporters and , in some cases , have been accused of disloyalty .
In the NPR interview , Pompeo took umbrage when asked if he owed Yovanovitch an apology , and maintained that he had defended all of his employees .
In an angry encounter after the interview , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Ukraine , according to NPR .
That comment prompted Taylor and Pompeo ’ s former special envoy for Ukraine , Kurt Volker , who also testified to the impeachment panel , to write opinion pieces discussing the importance of the country to U.S. national security and why Pompeo should be explaining its role to Americans as their top diplomat .
Pompeo brushed aside his reported comment , telling reporters aboard his plane that “ of course , the American people care about the people of Ukraine “ and said his message to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same he gives to those at other embassies .
“ The message is very similar to every embassy that I get a chance to talk to when I travel , ” he said .
“ I almost always meet with the team and tell them how much we love them , appreciate them , appreciate their family members and their sacrifice.
” He said he would “ talk about the important work that the United States and Ukraine will continue to do together to fight corruption inside of that country and to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian people need to ensure that they have a free and independent nation.
” Pompeo twice postponed earlier planned trips to Ukraine , most recently in early January when developments with Iran forced him to cancel .
Pompeo said he plans to discuss the issue of corruption but demurred when asked if he would specifically raise the Bidens or the energy company Burisma , for which Hunter Biden worked .
“ I don ’ t want to talk about particular individuals .
It ’ s not worth it , ” he told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list in Ukraine of corrupt individuals and a long history there .
And President Zelenskiy has told us he ’ s committed to it .
The actions he ’ s taken so far demonstrate that , and I look forward to having a conversation about that with him as well.
” Pompeo travelled to Kyiv from London , which was the first stop on a trip to Europe and Central Asia that will also take him to Belarus , Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--U.S. advises against travel to China; virus declared global emergency

BEIJING - The U.S. advised against all travel to China as the number of cases of a worrying new virus spiked more than tenfold in a week , including the highest death toll in a 24-hour period reported Friday .
The virus has infected almost 10,000 people globally in just two months , a worrying sign of its spread among people that prompted the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a global emergency .
The State Department ’ s travel advisory told Americans currently in China to consider departing using commercial means , and requested that all non-essential U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
China as of Friday morning counted 9,692 confirmed cases with a death toll of 213 , including 43 new fatalities .
The vast majority of the cases have been in Hubei province and its provincial capital , Wuhan , where the first illnesses were detected in December .
No deaths have been reported outside China .
The National Health Commission reported 596 cases have been “ cured and discharged from hospital.
” WHO noted most people who got the illness had milder cases , though 20 % experienced severe symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fever and cough and in severe cases , shortness of breath and pneumonia .
Meanwhile , China ’ s foreign ministry said it will send charter flights to bring home residents of Hubei from overseas .
It gave few details , but said those from Hubei and especially Wuhan would be sent directly back as soon as possible in light of the “ practical difficulties “ they were encountering .
China has placed more than 50 million people in the region under virtual quarantine , while foreign countries , companies and airlines have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and quarantined those who recently passed through Wuhan .
The virus is believed to have a two-week incubation period , during which those infected can pass on the illness even if they show no symptoms such as fever and cough .
Since China informed WHO about the new virus in late December , 18 countries have reported cases , as scientists race to understand how exactly the virus is spreading and how severe it is .
Experts say there is significant evidence the virus is spreading among people in China and WHO noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially concerned that some cases abroad also involved human-to-human transmission .
It defines an international emergency as an “ extraordinary event ” that constitutes a risk to other countries and requires a co-ordinated international response .
“ The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China but because of what is happening in other countries , “ WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva .
“ Our greatest concern is the potential for this virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This declaration is not a vote of non-confidence in China , “ he said .
“ On the contrary , WHO continues to have the confidence in China ’ s capacity to control the outbreak.
” A declaration of a global emergency typically brings greater money and resources , but may also prompt nervous governments to restrict travel and trade to affected countries .
The announcement also imposes more disease reporting requirements on countries .
On Friday , the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said it was authorizing the departure of family members and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the consulates in the cities of Chengdu , Guangzhou , Shanghai , and Shenyang .
Staff from the Wuhan consulate departed earlier this week .
The decision was made “ out of an abundance of caution related to logistical disruptions stemming from restricted transportation and availability of appropriate health care related to the novel coronavirus , “ the embassy said .
The level 4 “ Do Not Travel “ advisory is the highest grade of warning .
Mike Wester , a businessman in Beijing who has lived in China for 19 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave .
“ I feel safer self-quarantining myself here at home than I do risking travel , ” said Wester .
He pointed to potential risks from crowds at airports and being required to remove a mask for passport and security checks .
Speaking by Skype from Utah , Kelly Flanagan , 36 , a school counsellor in China since 2011 , said she is planning to stay out of China as she watches the virus spread .
“ This is probably going to be awhile , ” said Flanagan , who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health concerns .
From the U.S. she is working remotely with her students to help them pass English proficiency exams .
Japan and Germany also advised against non-essential travel and Britain did as well , except for Hong Kong and Macao .
Tedros said WHO was not recommending limiting travel or trade to China , where transport links have shut down in places and businesses including Starbucks and McDonald ’ s temporarily closing hundreds of shops .
“ There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese President Xi Jinping had committed to help stop the spread of the virus beyond its borders .
China ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Zhang Jun said Thursday evening in New York that “ we are still at a very critical stage in fighting the coronavirus ” but stressed that the epidemic is still mainly confined to China and urged the international community against any overreaction .
He said China appreciated “ the friendly gesture made by the international community ” in providing medical equipment , and “ what are needed urgently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and other protective medical supplies including glasses .
Although scientists expect to see limited transmission of the virus between people with close contact , like within families , the instances of spread to people who may have had less exposure to the virus is worrying .
In Japan , a tour guide and bus driver became infected after escorting two tour groups from Wuhan .
In Germany , five employees of German auto parts supplier Webasto became ill after a Chinese colleague visited .
The woman had shown no symptoms of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ That ’ s the kind of transmission chain that we don ’ t want to see , ” said Marion Koopmans , an infectious diseases specialist at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands and a member of WHO ’ s emergency committee .
On Friday , Thailand said a taxi driver became its first case of person-to-person spread .
The Southeast Asian country , a popular travel destination for Chinese , has counted 19 cases in all .
The new virus has now infected more people in China than were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARS , or severe acute respiratory syndrome , a cousin of the new virus .
Both are from the coronavirus family , which also includes those that can cause the common cold .
Associated Press writers Joe McDonald and Sam McNeil in Beijing , Maria Cheng in London , Jamey Keaten in Geneva , Edith Lederer at the United Nations , Elaine Ganley in Paris , Frank Jordans in Berlin and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--The Latest: Singapore to bar all visitors from China

BEIJING - The Latest on the outbreak of a new virus from China ( all times local ) : Singapore will bar all visitors from China , becoming the first Southeast Asian nation to tighten border controls to stop the spread of a new virus .
The health ministry says from Saturday , all Chinese travellers as well as foreigners who have visited China in the past two weeks will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore .
It says short-term and multiple-visit visas previously issued to those with Chinese passports will also be suspended .
Singaporeans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but will be subject to a 14-day quarantine .
Singapore had previously barred Chinese travellers only from Hubei province , the epicenter of the outbreak .
The ministry said the expanded move was prudent as the virus has spread .
More than 3 million Chinese tourists flock annually to Singapore , a popular holiday and shopping destination .
The Singapore government earlier said it is trying to track down at least 2,000 visitors from Hubei who arrived this month after the city reported 13 cases , all visitors from Wuhan .
Thai health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new type of virus and say one of them is a taxi driver who is the country ’ s first to become ill through human-to-human contact .
The new cases reported Friday bring Thailand ’ s total to 19 cases .
All of the others are Chinese visitors or people who travelled to Wuhan , the epicenter of the outbreak .
Thailand is a major destination for tourists from China , more than 10 million of whom visited the country last year .
Local spread of the illness is a growing concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more easily , making it harder to contain .
The World Health Organization cited such cases when it declared the outbreak a global emergency Thursday .
Germany ’ s foreign ministry is urging citizens to postpone non-essential travel to China and explicitly discouraging any travel to Hubei province , the epicenter of an outbreak of a novel coronavirus .
Officials say Berlin plans to send a military jet to pick up dozens of Germans from the city of Wuhan on Saturday .
They will be flown to Frankfurt and kept in quarantine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has confirmed five cases of 2019-nCoV , as the new virus that originated in central China is officially called .
All five cases involve employees of German auto parts supplier Webasto who came into contact with a visiting employee who had travelled from Shanghai .
China has reported 9,692 confirmed cases with a death toll of 213 as of Friday , and the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global emergency .
Corrects that visiting employee had travelled from Shanghai , not Wuhan .
Alarm is growing among the estimated thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese city of Wuhan , the epicenter of an outbreak of a new coronavirus .
An association of Ethiopian students says in a statement released Friday that students are demanding “ to be repatriated back to Ethiopia as quickly as possible.
” The estimated 300 Ethiopian students in Wuhan have submitted the request to embassy representatives , who are communicating with Chinese officials about a growing concern over food shortages .
The statement says that the stranded students are “ shocked ” by the outbreak but “ luckily no Ethiopian has so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cameroon and elsewhere have expressed similar worries as richer nations begin evacuating some of their citizens .
Pakistani authorities say that they are halting all flights to and from China with immediate effect in light of the outbreak of a new virus .
The government Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Abdul Sattar Khokhar says that “ under this decision all flight to and from China will remain suspended until February 2.
” He says this affects 22 weekly flights , including two Pakistan International Airlines flights .
The move panicked relatives of Pakistanis stranded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health official Zafar Mirza said that Islamabad had no immediate plan to evacuate any of some 30,000 nationals living in China .
Mirza says four Pakistani students in China have been diagnosed with the new virus and their conditions are listed as stable .
About 500 Pakistani students were in Wuhan — the site of the outbreak — at the time it surfaced .
Mirza said although the virus has killed 170 people in China , authorities in Beijing have done a good job of containing it by taking swift measures .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new virus , including human-to-human transmissions , bringing its number of infections to 11 .
South Korea ’ s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the new cases included three people who had contacted the country ’ s fifth and sixth patients .
Another case involves a 62-year-old woman who returned from a visit to the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Qingdao on Jan. 23 .
Wuhan is the epicenter of the outbreak .
The agency earlier Friday reported a 28-year-old man as the seventh case .
He returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 62-year-old woman .
China has reported 9,692 confirmed cases with a death toll of 213 as of Friday , and the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global emergency .
Kimchi probably isn ’ t a wonder drug against a new virus that has sickened thousands in Asia .
South Korea ’ s Health Ministry said Friday the Korean staple dish made from fermented cabbage , chili peppers and garlic would provide no protection against the new type of coronavirus originating from China .
In a press release aimed at correcting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears , the ministry also says eating kimchi imported from China wouldn ’ t necessarily put a person at greater risk of infection .
The ministry says the best protection against the virus , which is spread through close personal contact and droplet infection , is to wash hands frequently .
During the SARS epidemic of 2003 , some South Korean researchers claimed that kimchi possibly explained the country ’ s relatively low number of cases , saying that a type of bacteria created during the fermentation process would have been helpful in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly led to a boost in kimchi sales across Asia , most experts saw the argument as dubious .
The Japanese Foreign Ministry is urging its citizens not to travel to China because of the possibility of the further spread of a new virus .
Japan had previously warned people not to travel to the epicenter of the virus in Wuhan in China .
Officials in China and around the world are trying to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus .
The U.S. has also advised against travel to China .
China has reported 9,692 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 213 as of Friday , and the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global emergency .
Japan and South Korea have sent planes to fly back home more of their nationals from the Chinese city of Wuhan , the epicenter of a new virus that has sickened nearly 10,000 people .
A chartered flight carrying more than 360 South Koreans arrived at an airport in Seoul on Friday .
The evacuees underwent screenings for fever before boarding buses to quarantine facilities established in the central towns of Asan and Jincheon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ place the evacuees in their neighbourhoods , throwing eggs and other objects at visiting government officials .
A third charter plane from Japan meanwhile brought back 149 evacuees .
South Korea on Friday confirmed its seventh case , a 28-year-old man who visited Wuhan and developed a fever .
Japan has 11 cases , and both countries have reported human-to-human transmissions .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Let’s move on: EU wants to keep big role after Brexit

BRUSSELS - As the United Kingdom prepared to bring to an end its 47-year EU membership , the bloc ’ s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playing a prominent role “ in the ever-louder cacophony of the world , “ despite the loss of a powerful affiliate .
In a text published by several European media outlets , EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen , Parliament president David Sassoli and Council president Charles Michel expressed their regrets to see Britain leave but also sounded eager to turn the page , saying the U.K. ’ s departure marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking later at news conference , von der Leyen described the EU as “ global economic powerhouse ” and Michel said EU leaders will devote all their “ energy to building a stronger and more ambitious European Union.
” The U.K. officially leaves the continental alliance at midnight Brussels time .
“ How much stronger we are when we are together , “ the presidents of the three EU institutions wrote .
“ This is why the Member States of Europe will continue to join forces and build a common future .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turbulent geopolitics , size matters .
No country alone can hold back the tide of climate change , find the solutions to the digital future or have a strong voice in the ever-louder cacophony of the world .
But together , the European Union can.
” The main immediate task for the EU after Brexit is now to negotiate new agreements with Britain in a vast array of topics including trade , data sharing and security .
Until at least the end of the year , EU rules and laws will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain in the single market .
Both parties hope they can find a satisfactory agreement for their future relationship kicking in after this transition period ends .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is adamant that he won ’ t agree to extend the Brexit transition beyond the end of 2020 , even if a deal has not been struck .
But EU officials and several member states have warned it would be difficult to secure a comprehensive agreement in time , and that Britain should rather stay close to EU standards in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The more the UK will diverge from the EU standards , the less the access to the single market they will have , “ Michel summed up .
The trio of officials then boasted about the EU ’ s collective strength as the world ’ s biggest single market and their determination to assume leadership on topics such as climate change in the coming years .
As part of her Green Deal , von der Leyen has promised to make Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050 .
As some Brexit-supporting British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union Jack flag , marched out of the European Parliament with their luggage to take the Eurostar train back to London , Sassoli , von der Leyen and Michel sent a friendly message to the first country ever to leave the bloc .
“ Whilst the U.K. will cease to be an EU member , it will remain part of Europe .
Our shared geography , history and ties in so many areas inevitably bind us and make us natural allies , “ they said .
“ We will continue to work together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a common purpose and shared mutual interests .
But we will do it in different ways .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--McConnell’s Democratic rival McGrath endorses Biden for 2020

WASHINGTON - Amy McGrath , a former Marine combat aviator who has raised more than $ 16 million in her effort to challenge Sen. Mitch McConnell in November ’ s election , said Friday that she was endorsing Joe Biden for president .
The former vice-president campaigned in Kentucky for McGrath in her unsuccessful 2018 race for a U.S. House seat .
Now she is trying to win the Democratic Senate nomination and unseat McConnell , one of the most powerful men in Washington .
McGrath said Biden was “ respected and beloved by Democrats and Republicans alike ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back together .
“ Honour and integrity are at the heart of everything Marines do , ” McGrath said in a statement .
” It ’ s why I believe so strongly that Joe Biden is the president who can return honour and integrity to the Oval Office.
“ McGrath joins a growing group of centrist-leaning House members who are backing the former vice-president as he tries to consolidate enough votes in the moderate wing of his party to secure the Democratic nomination .
Among those is Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s at the Naval Academy .
Biden ’ s campaign welcomed the endorsement from McGrath .
“ We are honoured to welcome Amy to Team Joe in the fight for the soul of our nation and look forward to taking down Mitch McConnell and taking back the Senate , ” said Greg Schultz , Biden ’ s campaign manager .
Biden has said he considered McConnell , with whom he served for decades in the Senate , a friend he could work with as president .
The remark drew criticism from some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s obstruction of President Barack Obama ’ s agenda .
President Donald Trump is popular in the state , and McConnell is one of the officials most key to the president ’ s success .
The Senate majority leader is known for his powerful political organization in the state and is considered a solid favourite .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game.
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Wildfire creates state of emergency in Australian capital

CANBERRA , Australia - The Australian capital region declared a state of emergency on Friday because of an out-of-control forest fire burning erratically to its south .
It ’ s the first fire emergency for the Australian Capital Territory area since 2003 when wildfires killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a single day .
The threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra ’ s southern fringe that has razed more than 21,500 hectares ( 53,000 acres ) since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing light on Monday , the Emergency Services Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sets a clear expectation for our community that we need you to be vigilant , ” Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman told reporters .
“ This is the worst bushfire season in the ACT since 2003.
” The fire is burning at emergency level -- the highest on a three-tier scale of danger -- and embers have created dangerous spot fires nearby , agency officials said .
Residents of southern Canberra suburbs and surrounding villages have been advised to prepare to either protect their homes or evacuate .
Roads were blocked to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire posed too much danger for residents to evacuate or return to their homes .
The fire is the most dangerous of dozens of blazes burning Australia ’ s drought-stricken southeast .
Unprecedented fires across southern Australia have claimed at least 33 lives since September , destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed more than 10.6 million hectares ( 26.2 million acres ) .
The fire danger is forecast to escalate across the southeast in the Australian Capital Territory and the states of New South Wales and Victoria as summer temperatures rise over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives Canberra ’ s local government additional powers to block roads , direct people ’ s movements , control their property and undertake firefighting work on private land .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Trump trial could end soon; Alexander says no to witnesses

WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee will oppose calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial , all but dashing Democratic efforts to hear more testimony and boosting odds the Senate will vote imminently to acquit without new testimony , in a matter of days .
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said late Thursday she would vote to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial , building momentum for the Democrats ’ effort .
But Alexander then said in a statement there was “ no need for more evidence , ” giving the Trump team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its direction .
Collins , a centrist senator announced her decision after the Senate concluded a long question-and-answer session with the House Democrats prosecuting the charges and Trump ’ s lawyers defending him .
A vote on the witness question , expected Friday , could lead to an abrupt end of the trial with Trump ’ s expected acquittal .
Or it could bring days , if not weeks more argument as Democrats press to hear testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton and others .
It would take four GOP senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Democrats to tip the outcome .
Collins said in a statement , “ The most sensible way to proceed would be for the House Managers and the President ’ s attorneys to attempt to agree on a limited and equal number of witnesses for each side .
If they can ’ t agree , then the Senate could choose the number of witnesses.
” But Alexander said that “ there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offence.
” Collins , Aexander and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were playing an over-sized role in the final hours of debate with pointed questions ahead of crucial votes .
Another Republican senator , Mitt Romney of Utah , has made clear he will vote for witnesses .
Murkowksi drew a reaction during the debate when she asked simply : “ Why should this body not call Ambassador Bolton ?
” Alexander of Tennessee captured attention just before the dinner break when he questioned partisanship in the proceedings thus far .
In response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lofgren of California , a congressional staffer during Watergate and now a House prosecutor , told the senators that the Nixon impeachment also started as a partisan inquiry .
A bipartisan consensus emerged only after Republicans — including staunch Nixon supporters — saw enough evidence to change their minds , she said .
“ They couldn ’ t turn away from the evidence that their president had committed abuse of power and they had to vote to impeach him , ’ ’ Lofgren said .
Richard Nixon resigned before he was impeached .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ join Democrats in voting to impeach Trump , she said the Senate — “ the greatest deliberative body on the planet ’ ’ — has a new opportunity .
Alexander , after his question Thursday night , consulted with a key staff aide to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell .
As the senators broke for dinner Alexander and Murkowski met privately .
Trump was impeached by House last month on charges that he abused his power like no other president , jeopardizing Ukraine and U.S.-Ukraine relations .
Democrats say Trump asked he vulnerable ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2016 election interference , temporarily halting American security aid to the country as it battled Russia at its border .
The second article of impeachment says Trump then obstructed the House probe in a way that threatened the nation ’ s three-branch system of checks and balances .
Thursday ’ s testimony included soaring pleas to the senators-as-jurors who will decide Trump ’ s fate , to either stop a president who Democrats say has tried to cheat in the upcoming election and will again , or to shut down impeachment proceedings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partisan attack .
“ Let ’ s give the country a trial they can be proud of , ” said Rep. Adam Schiff , the lead prosecutor for House Democrats .
Americans , he said , know what it takes for a fair trial .
He offered to take just one week for depositions of new witnesses , sparking new discussions .
Trump attorney Eric Herschmann declared the Democrats are only prosecuting the president because they can ’ t beat him in 2020 .
“ We trust the American people to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herschmann said .
“ Enough is Enough .
Stop all of this.
” McConnell was toiling to keep Friday ’ s vote on schedule even as the trial was unearthing fresh evidence from Bolton ’ s new book and raising alarms among Democrats and some Republicans about a Trump attorney ’ s controversial defence .
In a day-after tweet , Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz , complained about the portrayal of his Wednesday night testimony when he said a president is essentially immune from impeachment if he believes his actions to be in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some inside the White House , who felt Dershowitz ’ s claim was unnecessary and inflammatory — irking senators with a controversial claim of vast executive powers .
But those officials left it to Dershowitz to back away , wary that any public White House retreat would be viewed poorly by the president .
“ I said nothing like that , ” the retired professor tweeted Thursday .
His words Wednesday night : “ Every public official that I know believes that his election is in the public interest .
And if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help him get elected is in the public interest , that can not be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.
” Asked about it as one of the first questions Thursday , Democrat Schiff , said , “ Have we learned nothing in the last half century ?
” Schiff drew on the lessons of the Nixon era to warn of a “ normalization of lawlessness ” in the Trump presidency .
“ That argument - if the president says it it can ’ t be illegal - failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Schiff told the senators .
“ But that argument may succeed here , now.
” “ This is not a banana republic , ” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries , D-N.Y. , rejecting the White House counsel ’ s suggestion there was nothing wrong with seeking foreign election interference .
Democrats played a video showing the many times Trump has campaign .
The president has argued repeatedly that his dealings with Ukraine have been “ perfect.
” Republicans Collins , Romney and Murkowski all have expressed interest in hearing from Bolton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 53-47 with a Republican majority , at least four GOP senators must join all Democrats to reach the 51 votes required to call witnesses , decide whom to call or do nearly anything else in the trial .
Chief Justice John Roberts , presiding over the chamber and fielding senators ’ questions for the trial , could break a tie , but that seems unlikely .
The chief justice did exercise authority Thursday with a stunning rebuttal to a question posed by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky designed to expose those familiar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s phone call with Ukraine ’ s new president led to the impeachment inquiry .
Roberts had communicated through his staff to McConnell ’ s office that he did not want to read the whistleblower ’ s name , according to a Republican unauthorized to discuss the private conversation and granted anonymity .
“ The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted , “ he said .
Senators have dispatched with more than 100 queries over two days .
The questions came from the parties ’ leaders , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and even bipartisan coalitions from both sides of the aisle .
Trump ’ s team says the House ’ s 28,000-page case against the president and the 17 witnesses — current and former national security officials , ambassadors and others who testified in the House proceedings — are sufficient .
Instead , Trump ’ s lawyers focused some of their time Thursday refloating allegations against Biden and his son , Hunter Biden , who served on the board of a gas company in Ukraine while his father was vice-president .
Rep. Val @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question said the Bidens have little to tell the Senate about Trump ’ s efforts to “ shake down ” Ukraine for his own campaign .
Democrats argued Bolton ’ s forthcoming book can not be ignored .
It contends he personally heard Trump say he wanted military aid withheld from Ukraine until it agreed to investigate the Bidens — the abuse of power charge that is the first article of impeachment .
Trump denies saying such a thing .
The White House has blocked its officials from testifying in the proceedings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attorney to “ significant amounts of classified information “ in the manuscript , including at the top secret level .
Bolton resigned last September — Trump says he was fired — and he and his attorney have insisted the book does not contain any classified information .
Associated Press writers Alan Fram , Andrew Taylor , Matthew Daly , Laurie Kellman and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report .

Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker And Zeke Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Tokyo Olympic organizers try to dampen cancellation rumours

Tokyo Olympic organizers are trying to shoot down rumours that this year ’ s 2020 Games might be cancelled or postponed because of the spread of a new virus .
Japan has so far reported no deaths from the coronavirus that has killed more than 200 people in China .
Japanese organizers have hesitated to say much for several days , but on Friday they addressed the rumours .
So did the International Olympic Committee , which also has said little .
The Olympics open on July 24 , just under six months away .
“ We have never discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement to The Associated Press .
“ Tokyo 2020 will continue to collaborate with the IOC and relevant organizations and will review any countermeasures that may be necessary.
” Rumours of a cancellation have spread in Japan with reports that the Swiss-based IOC has met with the World Health Organization about the outbreak .
The WHO has called the virus a global emergency .
“ Preparations for Tokyo 2020 continue as planned , “ the IOC said in a statement .
“ It is normal practice for the IOC to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as necessary , in the lead up to the games and this naturally includes the WHO.
” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike , speaking earlier in the week to the heads of 62 municipalities , warned about the dangers .
Japan has also urged citizens not to travel to China .
“ We must firmly tackle the new coronavirus to contain it , or we are going to regret it , ” she said .
Rumours have spread online with thousands of comments on Twitter under the hashtag in Japanese “ Tokyo Olympic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like this before , and carries insurance for such possibilities .
It has cancelled Olympics during wartime , and faced boycotts in 1980 and 1984 .
It also held the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City just months after the 9-11 attacks in the United States .
The mosquito-borne Zika virus also cast a shadow over the run-up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro .
The larger problem for the Olympics could come with qualifying events in China and elsewhere being cancelled or postponed .
International federations will have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra challenges and screening .
World Athletics , the governing body of track and field , announced earlier in the week it was postponing the world indoor championships in Nanjing , China , until next year .
The event had been scheduled for March 13-15 .
Travel , screening and allaying fears are certain to be more complicated if the outbreak continues .
The 11,000 athletes expected to compete at the Tokyo Olympics will also face pressure to stay safe .
Sponsors and television networks who have invested billions of dollars will also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Demand for Olympic tickets in Japan is unprecedented , exceeding supply by at least 10 times .
Organizers say 7.8 million tickets are being issued for the Olympics .
Organizers say they are spending about $ 12,6 billion to put on the games .
But a national audit bureau says the costs are twice that much .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Indian police rescue 23 children, kill alleged captor

LUCKNOW , India - Authorities rescued 23 children and killed the man who allegedly held them hostage for nearly 11 hours after inviting them to his home for his daughter ’ s birthday party in northern India , police said Friday .
Officer Mohit Agarwal said two police officers were injured after the man , identified as Subhash Batham , fired at them on Thursday night as they tried to enter his home in Kasaria village in Uttar Pradesh state .
The exchange of gunfire occurred after efforts to negotiate Batham ’ s surrender over the phone had failed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suspect in a murder case who was out on bail .
The incident occurred in Farrukhabad , a small town 300 kilometres ( 200 miles ) southwest of Lucknow , the state capital .
Batham ’ s motive for taking the children hostage was not immediately known .
He kept them in the basement of his home , police said , and was drunk when the police encounter occurred .
At the state of the hostage crisis , Batham handed a six-month-old girl over to a neighbour from his balcony .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to speak to him , according to the Press Trust of India news agency , citing Home Secretary Awanish Awasthi .
Batham demanded to speak to a state lawmaker representing his area , but refused to communicate with the man when he arrived at the scene .
Bantham ’ s wife was also killed .
Awasthi said she died in the exchange of gunfire , but PTI reported that angry villagers beat her to death when she tried to escape .
An autopsy will determine the cause of death , Agarwal said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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Biswajeet Banerjee - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Eurozone economy barely grows in Q4 as France, Italy shrink

BRUSSELS - The eurozone economy , made up of the 19 countries that use the euro , barely grew in the final quarter of 2019 as both France and Italy contracted , official figures showed Friday .
In its first estimate for the quarter , statistics agency Eurostat said the eurozone grew by only 0.1 % from the previous three-month period .
That was below expectations for a 0.2 % quarterly increase and largely due to the fact that France shrank by 0.1 % and Italy by 0.3 % , according to their respective national statistics agencies .
The paltry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eurozone has lost steam amid worries over a trade war between the U.S. and China that is having knock-on effects around the world .
It ’ s also due to domestic factors .
In France , widespread strikes have hurt business while Italy ’ s economy has struggled to grow at all for years .
Elsewhere , Eurostat found that the annual rate of inflation across the eurozone rose to 1.4 % in January from 1.3 % the previous month .
However , the core rate , which strips out volatile items such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.1 % in January from 1.3 % .
By whatever measure , inflation in the eurozone remains below the European Central Bank ’ s goal of just below 2 % .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Mauritania arrests 10 gay men after purported gay wedding

NOUAKCHOTT , Mauritania - Authorities in Mauritania have arrested 10 men after a video appeared on social media of a gay couple appearing to take part in a traditional wedding ceremony , human rights groups said .
Police later determined the gathering was a birthday party but the men remain in custody with no trial date set yet .
Mauritania practices strict Islamic law known as Shariah and homosexuality is criminalized .
If convicted , the men could face the death penalty though executions have not been carried out in more than a decade , according to Amnesty International .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the individual and collective freedom of these young people who have the right to display their difference and intimate preferences , “ said Brahim Bilal , the president of a human rights organization in Mauritania .
Video of the festive ceremony prompted an outcry to what was suspected of being the first gay marriage in Mauritania .
The Nouakchott public prosecutor ’ s office then opened an investigation , and the police arrested the 10 young men .
The case marks a rare enforcement of Islamic law : In 2018 Human Rights Watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people being jailed or sentenced to death for homosexual acts in Mauritania .
Same-sex acts are illegal in more than 33 African countries and can lead to death sentences in parts of at least four , including Mauritania , Sudan , northern Nigeria and southern Somalia , according to Amnesty International .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--EU court says it cannot rule on Slovenia-Croatia border row

BRUSSELS - The European Union ’ s top court announced Friday that it can not rule on a decades old border dispute between member countries Slovenia and Croatia because the row falls under international law and not EU law .
Croatia and Slovenia proclaimed independence simultaneously from Yugoslavia in June 1991 .
Almost three decades later , and after years of negotiations , they still can not agree on where the border between them lies .
Now , Slovenia ’ s appeal to the European Court of Justice has failed too .
The Luxembourg-based court said that it “ lacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Slovenia and Croatia ” and urged them “ to strive sincerely to bring about a definitive legal solution to the dispute consistent with international law.
” Slovenia had argued that Croatia violated EU laws when it refused to implement a 2017 international arbitration ruling in the long-running border standoff .
Slovenian officials insist on the implementation of that border arbitration decision and have said they will not re-negotiate the issue with Croatia .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Former FBI translator to learn fate for doctored transcript

ALEXANDRIA , Va. - A former FBI translator will learn Friday whether he faces a prison sentence after he admitted @ @ @ @ @ name came up on intercepts of phone calls placed by a terrorism suspect .
Abdirizak @ @ @ @ @ , pleaded guilty in November to making false statements .
He will be sentenced in @ @ @ @ @ Wehelie , 68 , admitted he marked himself down as an “ unidentified male ” @ @ @ @ @ surveillance left a message on Wehelie ’ s cellphone in 2012 , while Wehelie was @ @ @ @ @ for the FBI .
The person who called Wehelie was under investigation at the time @ @ @ @ @ al-Shabab , a militant Somali group designated as terrorists by the U.S. Wehelie is asking @ @ @ @ @ call for a term of zero to six months .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Japan urges citizens not to travel to China because of virus

TOKYO - The Japanese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged its citizens not to travel to China because of the possibility of the further spread of a new virus .
Japan had previously warned people not to travel in Hubei province , where most of the thousands of cases have occurred .
In expanding the advisory against non-essential travel throughout China , the ministry cited concerns about the disease spreading and noted other countries such as the U.S. were giving similar advice .
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said Japan will ban entry of foreigners infected with the new coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new virus as a special infectious disease will take effect Saturday , a week earlier than planned .
The designation allows health officials to order hospitalization of patients and take other measures and follows the World Health Organization ’ s declaration of the illness as a state of emergency .
China has reported thousands of infections and more than 200 deaths from the coronavirus since it was detected in December .
Japan ’ s 14 cases include two person-to-person transmissions , a tour guide and driver who escorted Chinese tourists from Wuhan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ordered the tour bus company that employed the two patients to have all its employees take medical checks .
Japan has evacuated hundreds of citizens from Wuhan this week .
A third chartered flight brought back more than 190 people from Wuhan earlier Friday , after evacuating 416 on two earlier flights .
Associated Press writer Foster Klug contributed to this report .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-31--China locked down 50 million people and has to keep them fed

BEIJING - Carrying permits demanding “ fast passage , ” truck drivers rushed a 560-ton shipment of disinfectant from eastern China to Wuhan , the locked-down city of 11 million people at the centre of a vast effort to contain a new viral disease .
Outside the metropolis in central China , the cargo was shifted to local trucks with drivers in masks and protective suits , part of a tightly controlled flow of food and other supplies through checkpoints that have blocked most access to Wuhan since Jan. 23 .
As global anxiety about the new virus rises , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving Wuhan and nearby cities at the centre of the outbreak .
That in turn requires a massive effort to keep them supplied with food and other necessities .
“ Wuhan is not an isolated island , ” declared a state newspaper , the Yangtze Daily .
Few governments could attempt such drastic restrictions on a population bigger than South Korea ’ s or Australia ’ s .
They are made possible by the ruling Communist Party ’ s extensive controls on society and experience combating the 2002-03 SARS epidemic .
Some trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities to collect food .
Photos in state media show them lined up at checkpoints , their drivers wearing face masks .
Police , shrouded in white protective suits , examine the drivers for the virus ’ s telltale fever .
Those without passes are turned back .
Schools , cinemas and restaurants are closed in Wuhan , an industrial centre with a population 1 1/2 times that of New York City .
To keep people at home and reduce chances for infection , subway and bus services are shut down and private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government of Hubei province , where all the cities are located , has promised adequate supplies of vegetables , rice , meat and medical supplies .
It said authorities were working with retailers to bring food from as far away as Yunnan province in the southwest and Hainan island in the South China Sea .
A crackdown on hoarding and price-gouging by merchants was announced after food costs spiked .
“ Please do not panic , do not hoard , so as not to cause waste , ” said a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases of the virus , which can cause pneumonia and other severe respiratory symptoms .
So far 213 have died .
The shipment of disinfectant last Saturday was moved by drivers from two trucking companies in the eastern province of Jiangsu , according to the manager of one of the companies , Huai ’ an Hazardous Goods Transport Co. With official passes , the 18 teams of drivers cut the normal 20-hour travel time to 15 hours , according to the manager , Liu Hankang .
“ Enterprises must take on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government has released no details of how it is enforcing travel curbs on smaller roads and villages on the outskirts of the vast locked-down area .
Residents contacted by phone said most supermarkets still have adequate food supplies .
“ They can meet our needs for the time being , ” said a 40-year-old father of two in Wuhan who would give only his surname , Cai .
Residents are wary of talking to reporters after authorities said eight doctors were punished in December for warning about the emergence of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extensive surveillance network involving thousands of video cameras , smartphone tracking , monitoring of social media and other technology developed with the help of Western tech companies to protect the party ’ s monopoly on power .
Hospitals are straining to cope with thousands of virus patients while doctors also treat other cases .
State media say police in protective gear are stationed at hospitals to separate people arriving with fevers and other possible virus symptoms from other patients .
Rui Zhong , a Wuhan native who lives in Washington , D.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cousin died in the city in the past 10 days after a delay in the arrival of an ambulance .
A 73-year-old man with a lung problem , he died on the way to the hospital , Zhong said .
“ It ’ s hard to know for sure : could he have been saved ?
“ said Zhong , who works at the Woodrow Wilson Center .
“ But my family will always wonder.
” The cause of death was never determined .
“ The doctors didn ’ t look at it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was cremated.
” The city is racing to build a 1,000-bed hospital for virus patients .
It is due to open Monday , 10 days after construction began .
A second hospital with 1,500 beds is to open shortly after that .
Parents contacted by phone say their children , forced to stay home , are doing homework and watching TV .
A restaurant chef in Jingzhou , another Hubei city , said his 12-year-old son was getting restless .
“ He wanted to go out , but I had to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who would give only his surname , Nong .
Police in Jingzhou were stopping pedestrians on empty streets to check their temperature and ask their addresses , Nong said .
“ We grow our own vegetables , but the stocks can last only for another 10 days or so , ” said Nong .
“ I guess the village committee will need to offer us supplies if we are still banned from going out.
” Liu Xiaoran , a Wuhan University journalism student , said she and her parents had Lunar New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important family event of the year , with relatives over WeChat , a popular messaging service .
She said her grandparents refuse to leave home or receive visitors .
Liu said one woman she knows begged for help online after four of her five family members were quarantined in three different hospitals .
She asked for beds in the same hospital or else help travelling to the different facilities to look after them , a task made harder by Wuhan ’ s closure of bus and subway service .
When she goes out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , try not to touch anywhere , keep a distance from others and disinfect with alcohol right after coming home , ” said Liu , 21 .
“ I feel nervous , especially when I go somewhere with a lot of people , such as drugstores or supermarkets.
” Other cities are imposing their own travel controls .
Some apartment complexes in Beijing bar anyone but residents from entering .
People in two villages on the Chinese capital ’ s outskirts say they have set up their own barriers to prevent outsiders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a global business centre of 25 million people , has extended the end of the Lunar New Year holiday by 10 days to Feb. 9 to encourage the public to stay home and avoid spreading infection .
In Wuhan , public schools were ordered to start teaching online Feb. 10 after the new semester was postponed .
Wuhan University is organizing online classes .
“ For the healthy , it ’ s like what you call a ‘ snow day , ’ staying inside , “ said a Wuhan University professor who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear of retribution .
” For the people that are struggling , the hospitals are under strain.
” AP researchers Shanshan Wang and Yu Bing and video journalist Olivia Zhang in Beijing and writer Christina Larson in Washington , D.C. , contributed to this story .


thetorontostar--2020-01-31--Voters’ 2nd choices could be decisive in close Iowa caucuses

DES MOINES , Iowa - Democratic presidential candidates seeking victory in next week ’ s Iowa caucuses are navigating a field that is so jumbled that voters ’ second choice could matter almost as much as their first , adding fresh uncertainty and confusion to the final days of the race .
Lower-polling candidates including Amy Klobuchar , Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer have been approached by multiple campaigns in recent days eager to form an alliance that could reshape Monday ’ s election .
Joe Biden ’ s team has been in communication with lower-polling rivals , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy .
The former vice-president ’ s campaign dismisses such reports of potential deal-making as dramatized accounts of business as usual .
But the delicate overtures are a test of the leading campaigns ’ ability to assemble a winning coalition and the capacity of second-tier candidates to stay relevant .
And it could be decisive in determining who leaves Iowa with the momentum that will be needed to sustain a long campaign ahead .
“ The second-place phenomenon , at least in Iowa , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ said Iowa state Sen. Zach Wahls , who supports Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
In contrast to a traditional election , the caucus system works like this : Voters gather at dozens of caucus locations across the state and start the night by pledging support for their preferred candidate .
After the initial vote count is taken , voters backing candidates who earn less than 15 % are free to shift to other candidates or go home .
While a dozen Democrats are still running for president , just four — Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buttigieg — have consistently polled above the 15 % threshold in Iowa .
Still , any of the four could see their support fall short , depending on who shows up to caucus .
As is the case with Biden and others , Warren sees an opportunity to draw significant support from Klobuchar , who has not reached the 15 % threshold in polls to date , even as the Minnesota senator ’ s standing appears to have improved in recent weeks .
“ It ’ s certainly no secret that Sen. Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the field within Democratic primary voters , ” Wahls said .
“ I can tell you anecdotally that she is the second choice of a lot of Klobuchar supporters.
” Klobuchar ’ s team , aware that she ’ s viewed as a source of second-choice votes from several campaigns , downplayed the possibility of a potential deal when asked about conversations with rival campaigns .
“ We ’ ve got no plans to cut any deals with anybody because we ’ re going to be viable , ” Klobuchar campaign manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ve got no plans to tell our supporters what to do.
” Klobuchar ’ s Iowa adviser Norm Sterzenbach said the campaign was more focused on trying to win over supporters of other campaigns .
“ Caucusgoers are going to go to their second choice because that ’ s who they like , not because of anything we tell them to do , ” he said .
“ I just think it ’ s a waste of energy for us to focus our time on trying to make deals.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an understatement .
Just four days before the Iowa contest , polling suggests that more than half of the state ’ s likely Democratic voters are open to changing their minds .
Forty-five per cent of all likely Democratic caucusgoers named a first choice but said they could be persuaded to support another candidate , and 13 % did not indicate a first choice , according to the CNN/Des Moines Register poll conducted earlier this month .
At the same time , history holds few examples of final-days deals between rival campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be in 2004 , when North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich struck a deal to support each other .
While Edwards was already surging at the time , the pact was more aimed at hurting former Vermont Gov .
Howard Dean .
In the end , Edwards finished a strong second behind Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and Kucinich finished a distant fifth .
Dean finished a disappointing third .
Should history repeat itself in 2020 , top-tier campaigns see major opportunity in Klobuchar , who appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the viability threshold .
They ’ re also eyeing Tulsi Gabbard , Steyer and Yang , who have been mired in the single digits for months .
Yang acknowledged this week that multiple campaigns have reached out to his team about potential alliances .
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday , he said he ’ s not planning to urge his supporters to head to a specific second choice if he doesn ’ t make it past the first round of voting .
“ Right now we have no guidance for our caucusgoers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be viable , “ he said , downplaying his ability to direct his voters toward any specific candidate , even if he wanted to .
“ The people that support my campaign are very diverse in their leanings , “ he added .
“ I frankly think I ’ d have a hard time getting them to do anything that they weren ’ t naturally inclined to do.
” Yang conceded that Sanders , if anyone , might be best-positioned to inherit his support .
And there was anecdotal evidence suggesting Yang was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engineer who attended a Sanders campaign event in Iowa City , said he was still deciding between businessman Yang and Sanders .
He guessed he may get the chance to caucus for both if the proceedings go multiple rounds .
“ I like Andrew Yang because he has a different approach , and he sees an economic approach to the future .
I like the fact that he ’ s an outsider , ” Cornejo said .
“ Bernie has been around for a while , and there ’ s some stability in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the trust.
” A Biden aide , meanwhile , privately acknowledged regular conversations with other campaigns , but downplayed reports that Biden was actively trying to cut any deals .
The aide , who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal strategy , expressed confidence in Biden ’ s ability to pull from other candidates and pointed to polls suggesting some overlap with Klobuchar and Buttigieg .
While Biden would not confirm his own campaign had conferred with the Yang or Klobuchar teams , he acknowledged that horse-trading is routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s looking and says , OK , if your guy doesn ’ t win or your person doesn ’ t win , who are you gon na go with ?
” Biden said in Iowa on Thursday .
“ We are a movement of vote your conscience .
We don ’ t have a strategy of telling people to ‘ Go here .
Go there , ’ “ Rebik said .
“ And , in the off chance that that doesn ’ t work out for us , we expect our voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their gut and go for their second choice.
” Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut in Washington and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines , Iowa , contributed to this report .

Steve Peoples And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-02-03--Drone sighting disrupts air traffic at Madrid airport

Madrid ’ s international airport was closed for over one hour on Monday due to the reported sighting of drones , authorities in Spain said .
The airport manager , AENA , tweeted that 26 flights had been diverted to other airports by the time air traffic restrictions were lifted at 14.15 p.m. ( 1315 GMT ) .
It said that a security committee had been set up to study the incident .
The Transport Ministry announced the closure of the airspace around the Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport in Madrid after Enaire , Spain ’ s air navigation authority , reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
Spain ’ s Civil Guard said an investigation had been opened after two pilots had reported seeing some drones near the airport , which is located just east of the city centre .
Enaire , which activated a special procedure to halt landings and takeoffs and diverting flights to other airports , warned in a tweet : “ A drone is not a toy , it ’ s an aircraft.
“ With an average of 1,200 flights per day , the Adolfo Suárez-Barajas international airport in northeastern Madrid is the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the busiest in Europe .
Nearly 62 million passengers went through the airport last year , AENA said .
At the end of 2018 , more than 140,000 travellers were stranded or delayed after dozens of drone sightings shut down London ’ s Gatwick airport , Britain ’ s second-busiest , for parts of three consecutive days .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-03--UK to announce new rules for militants after street stabbing

LONDON - The British government plans to announce new rules for the imprisonment of convicted terrorists after an Islamic militant who was recently released from prison stabbed two people in south London , the second such attack in less than three months .
Home Secretary Priti Patel , who is in charge of the police , said the government would release its plans Monday .
Following Sunday ’ s attack and a Nov. 29 attack in which two people were killed in central London , the government said it would effectively stop the early release of convicted extremists , double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which they are released back into the community .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the difficulty is how to apply retrospectively to the cohort of people who are currently in the system .
He said the country does doesn ’ t want to return to a system where released offenders are subject to laborious surveillance .
“ It is time to take action to ensure , irrespective of the law we are bringing in , people in the current stream don ’ t qualify automatically for early release , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amman strapped on a fake bomb and stabbed two people on a busy London street Sunday before being shot to death by police .
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D ’ Orsi said Amman had been convicted of publishing graphic terrorist videos online and had stockpiled instructions on bomb making and knife attacks .
Police on Monday continued to search a hostel that Amman had moved into less than two weeks ago and raided another property outside of London .
Officers had been trailing Amman at the time of Sunday ’ s attack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to head off the bloodshed in the commercial and residential south London neighbourhood of Streatham , where Amman struck outside a major pharmacy on a busy shopping afternoon .
The incident in London recalled a November stabbing attack carried out by another man who had served prison time for terrorism offences .
Two people were killed in that attack .
Counter-terrorism officials have warned of the threat posed by militants unless the government couples prison sentences with effective de-radicalization programs .
More than 70 people convicted of terror offences have been released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more than 200 others are currently in prison convicted of terrorist offences .
London ’ s opposition Mayor Sadiq Khan said Sunday ’ s attack was clearly foreseeable in the wake of the London Bridge murders .
“ One of the questions I ’ ve got for the government is what are we doing about those 70-odd people who have been released from prison ?
” he asked .
I an Acheson , who led an independent review of Islamist extremism in the criminal justice system , told the BBC that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are going to have to accept that we have to be much more skeptical and robust about dealing with the risk of harm , ’ ’ he said .
“ We may need to accept that there are certain people who are so dangerous they must be kept in prison indefinitely.
” The former head of U.K. counter-terrorism policing , Mark Rowley , told the BBC there was some logic in giving convicted militants indeterminate prison sentences .
Rowley said unless current law was changed “ police and security services are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are prioritizing .
”


thetorontostar--2020-02-03--Probe of Lebanese-American who worked for Israel postponed

BEIRUT - A Lebanese judge postponed Monday the questioning of a Lebanese-American who confessed he ’ d worked for Israel during its occupation of Lebanon , state-run National News Agency reported .
The agency said that because Amer Fakhoury is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer , the investigative judge ’ s questioning session will be postponed until Feb. 17 .
Fakhoury ’ s family said doctors have told them his condition is life threatening .
In addition to an infection and a bleeding disorder , doctors believe he ’ s developed an aggressive form of lymphoma .
Fakhoury was detained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. in September .
He had worked as a senior warden at the Khiam Prison in southern Lebanon .
It was run by an Israeli-backed militia , known as the South Lebanon Army , until Israel ended its 18-year occupation of the area in 2000 .
The two countries technically remain at war .
Several former inmates at Khiam Prison filed a lawsuit against Fakhoury after he returned to Lebanon , blaming him for cases of torture .
Human rights groups have said in the past that Khiam prison was a site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was abandoned following the Israeli withdrawal .
Israel denies the allegations .
Hundreds of former Lebanese members of the SLA militia had fled to Israel , fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon .
Others stayed and faced trial , receiving lenient sentences .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-03--Dubuque considering splitting $1.8M dock cost with company

DUBUQUE , Iowa - Dubuque officials are considering sharing the cost of building a $ 1.8 million dock that would let river cruise ships stop to let passengers explore the city .
A 20-year agreement between the city and Viking Cruises calls for them to split the cost of constructing the dock on the Mississippi River near Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark .
“ It ’ s really a positive step forward , ” assistant city engineer Bob Schiesl told the Telegraph Herald on Friday .
“ We ’ ve been in discussions and negotiations with Viking for a period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice that we ’ re at this point.
” City Council members will consider at their meeting Tuesday scheduling a Feb. 17 public hearing on the project .
Viking officials told the newspaper they “ are actively working with our partners to launch on the Mississippi River , but at this point in time , we do not have any details to share regarding product specifics or a launch timeline.
” Once Viking launches its Mississippi River cruises , the company would have exclusive rights to the dock for its boats .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dock when Viking boats are not .
The dock would be removed from the water and stored in the winter .
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thetorontostar--2020-02-03--California Highway Patrol: Multiple shot on Greyhound bus

LEBEC , Calif. - Multiple people were injured early Monday in a shooting on a Greyhound bus in California , the California Highway Patrol siad .
Fort Tejon CHP spokesman Rich Anthes couldn ’ t confirm to news outlets the number of victims or their conditions , but the agency said the shooter was a passenger on the bus .
The bus was heading north on Interstate 5 , Anthes said .
Further details weren ’ t immediately released .
The Kern County sheriff ’ s and fire departments responded to the scene near Lebec in Kern County , north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
according to local news outlets .
Photos from the scene showed the bus parked at a Valero gas station at the base of the Grapevine section of the freeway .
An email and call to CHP wasn ’ t immediately returned .
Greyhound didn ’ t immediately release a statement on the shooting .
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