thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Nantes fans remember Sala; Neymar pays tribute to Bryant

PARIS - Nantes fans paid an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala before Sunday ’ s home game against Bordeaux , a year after the Argentine striker ’ s death in a plane crash shook the soccer world .
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar paid a tribute of his own to NBA great Kobe Bryant after scoring against Lille .
Sala died after the single-engine aircraft carrying him from Nantes to his new club Cardiff crashed near the Channel Island of Guernsey on Jan. 21 last year .
His body was recovered from the wreckage two weeks later .
He was 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a striker .
The pilot , David Ibbotson , also died .
A giant picture of Sala was displayed on the centre circle before the French league game at Stade de la Beaujoire and footage of him playing in the traditional yellow and green of Nantes was shown on a giant screen to gentle background music .
Fans looked on in respectful silence , some holding up jerseys with Sala ’ s name on the back .
Fans then broke out into chants of “ Emiliano Sala , Emiliano , Emiliano , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the refrain .
Just before kickoff a minute ’ s applause was held as a giant picture of Sala ’ s face was shown on the screen .
After nine minutes of Sunday ’ s game the crowd chanted Sala ’ s name at length .
Sala wore the No .
9 shirt for Nantes with great pride , and the number has since been retired by the club .
Nantes players wore a special blue and white jersey in the colours of Argentina ’ s national team for the game against Bordeaux @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career after coming to France 10 years ago after doing well at the Proyecto Crecer youth academy in San Francisco , Argentina .
Nantes said profits made from selling the commemorative blue and white outfit will be allocated to Sala ’ s former clubs in Argentina .
Bordeaux won 1-0 with veteran forward Jimmy Briand scoring .
Nantes had its Brazilian midfielder Andrei Girotto sent off early in the second half .
Nantes is in sixth place and Bordeaux is 10th .
The fans chanted Sala ’ s name again for several minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He ’ s still in our thoughts , “ Nantes captain Abdoulaye Touré said .
“ We wanted to win this match for him but we didn ’ t manage to.
“ Sala netted 48 goals in 133 games and was a fan favourite because of his hard work and unselfishness .
His imposing stature , heading prowess and ability to play back to goal prompted Cardiff - which was then in the Premier League - to agree a club-record 17 million euros ( $ 19.3 million ) to sign him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had received an online document from the Welsh soccer federation to complete transferring the player ’ s registration from France .
Since Sala ’ s death , Nantes and Cardiff have been involved in a dispute over transfer fee payments .
Last year , Cardiff filed a court appeal seeking to overturn a FIFA order that it must pay Nantes a 6 million euro ( $ 6.7 million ) first payment for Sala .
FIFA ruled in favour of Nantes and warned Cardiff it faces a transfer ban of three trading windows if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is settled .
After scoring a penalty against Lille , Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar held up two fingers on his right hand and four fingers on his left to make Bryant ’ s famed No .
24 jersey for the Los Angeles Lakers .
Bryant , basketball ’ s 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Lakers , died in a helicopter crash Sunday .
He was 41 .
Neymar , who said after the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he held his fingers up to the camera on the side of the field .
He then clasped his hands together in a prayer sign .
Earlier , Neymar had scored a superb goal in the 28th minute as league leader PSG won 2-0 to move 10 points ahead of second-place Marseille .
Speaking to French broadcaster Canal Plus after the game , Neymar explained why he dedicated his second goal of the night to Bryant .
He scored in the first half but at this point he hadn ’ t found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he learned in the locker room at halftime .
“ I went to look at the messages on social media at halftime , I found out that Kobe was dead , ” Neymar said on TV through a translator .
“ It ’ s very saddening for the world of sport and for all of us .
Not only for basketball fans but for everything he did for the sport .
I knew him and made this celebration for him , for his number .
I hope he rests in peace.
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the heaviest defeat for Qatari owners QSI since they took over the club in June , 2011 .
Lille matched PSG in the first half and went close to scoring when Brazilian winger Luiz Araujo ’ s fizzing strike drew a fine save from goalkeeper Keylor Navas .
But Neymar gave goalkeeper Mike Maignan no chance , curling a shot into the top right corner from the edge of the penalty area after expertly chesting down a high pass and swapping quick passes with midfielder Marco Verratti .
Neymar slotted in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handball .
Karl Toko Ekambi netted on his Lyon debut in a 3-0 home win against last-place Toulouse .
The Cameroon striker , who joined from Spanish side Villarreal , completed the scoring in the 77th as fifth-place Lyon maintained its unbeaten start to 2020 .


thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Duchess of Cambridge takes images for Holocaust Memorial Day

LONDON - The Duchess of Cambridge is participating in Holocaust Memorial Day observances with photographs she took of survivors for an exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau .
The former Kate Middleton , an avid photo buff , described the survivors in her portraits as “ two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet.
’ ’ The photos were released Sunday night .
The first image is of 84-year-old Steven Frank , originally from Amsterdam The camp survivor is pictured alongside his granddaughters Maggie and Trixie Fleet , aged 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that of 82-year-old Yvonne Bernstein , originally from Germany , who hid in France .
She is pictured with her granddaughter Chloe Wright , aged 11 .
The portraits will be part of an exhibition that will open later this year .
“ Whilst I have been lucky enough to meet two of the now very few survivors , I recognize not everyone in the future will be able to hear these stories first hand , ’ ’ the duchess said in a statement .
“ It is vital that their memories are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that what they went through will never be forgotten.
’ ’ The images , taken at Kensington Palace earlier this month , are a part of a project involving the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust , the Jewish News and the Royal Photographic Society .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Zelenskiy marks Auschwitz anniversary honouring survivors

KRAKOW , Poland - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy paid tribute Sunday evening to Holocaust survivors , telling them on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the death camp ’ s liberation that they are an example to humanity .
Zelenskiy spoke of the importance of protecting humanitarian values and freedom against the hatred that threatens civilization in a short speech at a dinner in Krakow organized by the World Jewish Congress .
He received a standing ovation for his words .
“ You are truly amazing .
You are strong and incredibly courageous .
So you are an example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said through an interpreter .
“ The Holocaust is named the dark period in the history of humanity .
And you are the rays of sunshine that penetrated the darkness.
” Zelenskiy , who is of Jewish descent and has family members who perished in the Holocaust , is to attend commemorations Monday at the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau former death camp , where 1.1 million people were murdered by Nazi German forces .
Most of the victims were Jews .
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is also expected to attend commemorations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A small lower-level delegation of U.S. officials arrived at the dinner after Zelenskiy spoke .
“ Hatred needs to be done away with .
It needs to be uprooted .
We need to get rid of hatred because this is the single greatest power that is ruining our civilization , ” Zelenskiy said .
“ We need to stand guard and protect humanism and freedom .
We must stop evil before it actually threatens humanity.
” He also paid tribute to the Ukrainian gentiles who risked their own lives to save Jews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Kobe Bryant, daughter perish in copter crash, 3 others dead

CALABASAS , Calif. - NBA legend Kobe Bryant , his 13-year-old daughter and three others were killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday , his sudden death at age 41 touching off an outpouring of grief for a star whose celebrity transcended basketball .
The chopper went down in Calabasas , about 30 miles ( 48 kilometres ) northwest of downtown Los Angeles .
Authorities confirmed that five people died , with no survivors .
Bryant , an all-time basketball great who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers , was among the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Associated Press .
A different person familiar with the case confirmed that Bryant ’ s 13-year-old daughter Gianna also was killed .
Word of Bryant ’ s sudden death at age 41 rocketed around the sports and entertainment worlds , with many taking to Twitter to register their shock , disbelief and dismay .
“ There ’ s no words to express the pain Im going through , ” tweeted Lakers teammate Shaquille O ’ Neal , who won three NBA titles with Bryant .
“ ( at ) kobebryant I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
... IM SICK RIGHT NOW.
” “ Man I don ’ t even know where to start , ” tweeted Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid .
“ I started playing ball because of KOBE after watching the 2010 finals .
I had never watched ball before that and that finals was the turning point of my life .
I WANTED TO BE LIKE KOBE .
I ’ m so FREAKING SAD right now !
!
!
!
” Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history , finishing two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scorer with a sublime all-around game and a relentless competitive ethic .
He held that spot in the league scoring ranks until Saturday night , when the Lakers ’ LeBron James passed him for third place during a game in Philadelphia , Bryant ’ s hometown .
“ Continuing to move the game forward ( at ) KingJames , ” Bryant wrote in his last tweet .
“ Much respect my brother.
” Bryant had one of the greatest careers in recent NBA history and became one of the game ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16-time NBA champion Lakers franchise .
He was the league MVP in 2008 and a two-time NBA scoring champion , and he earned 12 selections to the NBA ’ s All-Defensive teams .
He teamed with Shaquille O ’ Neal in a combustible partnership to lead the Lakers to NBA titles in 2000 , 2001 and 2002 .
He later teamed with Pau Gasol to win two more titles in 2009 and 2010 .
Bryant retired in 2016 after scoring 60 points in his final NBA game .
“ Kobe Bryant was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court — and awed us with his intellect and humility as a father , husband , creative genius , and ambassador for the game he loved .
He will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles , and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes , ” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti .
President Donald Trump reacted to the reports of Bryant ’ s death soon after they began to surface , tweeting : “ That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his living room in Calabasas when he heard “ what sounded like a low-flying airplane or helicopter.
” “ Ït was very foggy so we couldn ’ t see anything , ” he said .
“ But then we heard some sputtering , and then a boom.
” The fog then cleared a bit and Storm could see smoke rising from the hillside in front of his home .
Juan Bonilla of Calabasas said he was working on his roof Sunday morning when he heard a helicopter flying low nearby .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s helicopter on a training mission .
He heard nothing amiss with the engine or rotors and said he did not see any mechanical issue with the chopper .
It was foggy Sunday morning , but he said visibility didn ’ t seem to be low at the time of the crash .
Firefighters worked to douse flames that spread through about an acre ( .40 hectares ) of dry brush , said Art Marrujo , a dispatch supervisor with the Los Angeles County Fire Department .
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sikorsky S-76 .
The National Transportation Safety Board sent a “ go team ” of investigators to the site .
The NTSB typically issues a preliminary report within about 10 days that will give a rough summary of what investigators have learned .
A ruling on the cause can take a year or more .
“ They will look at man , machine and environment , ” said Gary C. Robb , an aviation attorney in Kansas City who wrote a textbook on helicopter-crash litigation .
“ They will look at the pilot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , any indication of a training issue ?
They ’ ll scour his or her record , ” Robb said .
“ They will look at this helicopter from stem to stern .
They will take the engine to the NTSB metallurgical laboratory outside Washington , D.C. , and examine it to see if there was something that malfunctioned in flight.
” Investigators will also consider what role might have been played by weather , terrain , radio towers or bird strikes , he said .
Robb said he has handled many cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine as having a good reputation .
“ It is generally regarded as a good helicopter with a good safety record , ” he said , “ but parts fail , parts break .
Anything can happen.
” Along with his work boosting women ’ s sports , Bryant opened a production company and entered the entertainment field in retirement .
He won an Academy Award in 2018 for his contributions to “ Dear Basketball , ” an animated short about his relationship to the game .
He also produced content for ESPN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with attacking a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort .
He had said the two had consensual sex .
Prosecutors later dropped the felony sexual assault charge against Bryant at the request of the accuser .
Associated Press writers Chris Weber in Los Angeles and David Koenig in Dallas and AP photographer Mark J. Terrill in Calabasas contributed to this story .


thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Polls close in Italian regional votes dominated by Salvini

MILAN - Polls have closed in a hotly contested regional election where Italy ’ s right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini campaigned hard to unseat 70 years of left-wing governments with the aim of shaking the weak coalition in Rome .
Exit polls Sunday evening by Italian state broadcaster RAI gave an edge to the centre-left candidate in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna , Stefano Bonaccini , with 47 % to 51 % of the vote .
That compared with the centre-right candidate from Salvini ’ s League , with 44 % to 48 % of the vote .
Turnout in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last regional vote .
Analysts said a victory by Salvini ’ s right-wing populist League in Emilia-Romagna would prompt a crisis in Rome , where the 5-Star Movement is in a shaky coalition with the Democratic Party .
The government was formed last summer after Salvini , who was vice-premier and interior minister , made a failed grab for power , collapsing the previous 5-Star-League government and losing his posts .
Salvini , who remains Italy ’ s most popular politician in opinion polls despite the misstep , has made clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national government in Rome and take power nationally .
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte has said that his government is determined to complete its mandate until 2023 , no matter the outcome of Sunday ’ s vote .
The Democratic Party incumbent , Bonaccini , found himself in the role of underdog in Emilia-Romagna despite a strong local economy and a favourable job rating .
He ran against a little-known League politician , Lucia Borgonzoni , who lost the 2016 Bologna mayoral race .
A victory for Salvini in the region that has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a blow to the Democratic Party , which has been weakened by divisions in its own ranks .
A vote was also being held in the southern region of Calabria , which Salvini briefly represented as a senator , part of his bid to reform the once-secessionist Northern League into a national party .
Salvini ’ s push for a victory in Emilia-Romagna spawned a grass-roots protest movement called the Sardines that has ballooned nationally with the aim of countering Salvini ’ s rhetoric , which crticis say is hostile to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement was born in Bologna , the region ’ s capital , in November and more than 40,000 protested there a week before the election .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Bloomberg vows steadfast commitment to US aid for Israel

NEW YORK - Michael Bloomberg on Sunday made his case for the presidency to fellow Jewish Americans , vowing not to revisit U.S. aid to Israel -- an approach that contrasts Bloomberg with several of his Democratic rivals , including his only fellow Jewish candidate in the race , Bernie Sanders .
Bloomberg , at a speech announcing a coalition of Jewish American supporters in Florida , vowed he would “ never impose conditions ” on U.S. military aid to Israel if elected .
Sanders and rivals Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg have all left open the option of leveraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from annexation and settlement expansions in the West Bank .
“ As president , I will always have Israel ’ s back , ” said Bloomberg , who served three terms as mayor of New York .
It wasn ’ t the only distinction Bloomberg drew with Sanders , a U.S. senator from Vermont .
In a line that drew laughs from the audience , he said he was the only Jewish candidate in the race not looking to “ turn America into a kibbutz , ” referring to communal Jewish farming co-operatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1960s , and has championed a democratic socialism that Bloomberg opposes .
Bloomberg ’ s wide-ranging speech touched on rising acts of violence against American Jews , criticism of President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal , a strong defence of Israel and the importance of protecting all marginalized groups from hatred and threats .
“ This time is a time of great anxiety in the Jewish community , both around the world , and here at home — as ancient hatreds are given fresh currency with new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are confronted by signs that we thought we would never see outside of old black-and-white newsreels : synagogues attacked , Jews murdered , Nazis marching brazenly and openly by torchlight.
” But Bloomberg made only passing reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict , saying he “ will not wait three years ” to release a peace plan for the region .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , embattled amid an indictment on corruption charges , and his political rival Benny Gantz were set to meet with Trump in Washington this week as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Middle East peace plan .
Former Vice-President Joe Biden , like Bloomberg , has already ruled out the idea of leveraging U.S. military aid to Israel , which has expanded settlements in the West Bank that the Trump administration recently decided to no longer consider a violation of international law .
Every Democrat vying to challenge Trump supports an eventual two-state solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to coexist peacefully in the region .
Bloomberg ’ s approach to rising anti-Semitism put him more squarely in line with the rest of the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former mayor laid blame at Trump ’ s feet for rising discriminatory episodes targeting Jews as well as other minority groups .
“ Anti-Semitism is the original conspiracy theory , ” Bloomberg said .
“ And a world in which a president traffics in conspiracy theories is a world in which Jews are not safe.
” Trump has faced criticism for invoking anti-Semitic tropes , such as his remark last year that Jewish Americans who voted Democratic were “ disloyal ” to their religion .
Bloomberg accused Trump of “ trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own electoral purposes.
“ But in pairing his sharp criticism of Trump with an acknowledgment that “ there is no single answer ” for a recent rise in anti-Semitism , Bloomberg outlined what he described as discrimination against Jews “ on both the right and the left.
” Trump signed an executive order last month that empowers the Education Department to pursue a broader swath of potential anti-Semitism complaints on college campuses .
That order responds to concern about the discriminatory aftereffects of liberal pro-Palestinian organizing on campuses , but left-leaning Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of the Israeli government ’ s policies .
Bloomberg did not address Trump ’ s order in his speech but his campaign indicated that , despite his commitment to fighting on-campus anti-Semitism , he shares the free speech concerns of the order ’ s critics .
The former mayor said Sunday that he would expand the Education Department ’ s anti-bullying campaign “ so we can put an end to harassment in schools – including on college campuses.
” While Bloomberg ’ s speech focused on threats to American Jews , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hated writ large , ” against black , Muslim and LGBTQ Americans as well as immigrants .
“ Leadership sets a tone .
It is either inclusive or exclusive , divisive or uniting , incendiary or calming , ” he said .
“ I choose inclusion .
I choose tolerance .
I choose America .
”

Kathleen Ronayne And Elana Schor - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-01-26--The Latest: ‘Chornobyl’ wins best score soundtrack Grammy

LOS ANGELES - The Latest on the Grammy Awards , being presented Sunday at Los Angeles ’ Staples Center ( all times local ) : Hildur Guðnadóttir is taking home a Grammy for music she first thought no one would care to hear .
The female composer won best score soundtrack for the HBO miniseries “ Chornobyl ” during the pre-telecast ceremony Sunday .
The soundtrack already won her an Emmy late last year .
And in January she became the first woman in 19 years to win best original score for “ Joker ” at the Golden Globes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the images of the film , and I was happy with how the music worked with the narrative and characters in this series , ” she said backstage of the “ Chornobyl ” soundtrack .
“ But I never thought anyone would ever listen to the soundtrack record , honestly .
I ’ ve very surprised to be here today.
” She is also up next month for an Academy Award for “ Joker.
” If she wins an Oscar , she could have three of the four EGOT awards , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience “ surreal ” and an “ adventure.
” She said she might have plans to go on Broadway , which could present some pressure for her to win a Tony Award .
“ Now , I feel a lot of pressure , ” she said with a chuckle .
“ That ’ ll be the next step .
The next project , I guess.
” The former first lady won her first Grammy Award on Sunday for best spoken word album for the audio book of her 2019 memoir “ Becoming.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept the award handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the Grammys pre-telecast ceremony .
Her husband , former president Barack Obama , has two Grammys in the same category , one for his 2005 audio book “ Dreams of My Father ” and another for his 2007 audio book “ The Audacity of Hope.
” Beyoncé ’ s “ Homecoming ” has won the Grammy Award for best music film .
The Netflix film weaves together Beyoncé ’ s 2018 performances at the Coachella music festival , which included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities .
Producer Steve Pamon in accepting the award said those working to graduate from the institutions are their inspiration .
He also praised Beyoncé for her leadership on the project .
The superstar did not attend the pre-telecast ceremony where her Grammy win was announced .
The Grammy Awards pre-telecast ceremony opened with a moment of silence for Kobe Bryant .
Interim Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. opened the ceremony where dozens of Grammys are handed out before the main show , telling attendees , “ As most of you may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tragic helicopter accident today.
“ “ Since we are in his house , I would ask you to join me in a moment of silence , ” Mason said .
Artists arriving at the show reacted to Bryant ’ s death and his influence .
British artist Labrinth said : “ It was insane news to hear this morning .
He ’ s been part of my life for a very long time .
...
I couldn ’ t believe it.
” Lizzo , Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X are walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most exciting days of their careers as they attend their first-ever Grammy Awards on Sunday , where they are the top-nominated acts .
But 10 days before arguably the biggest night in music , the industry erupted when the Recording Academy announced it had put its recently hired CEO , Deborah Dugan , on administrative leave for misconduct .
Dugan and her lawyers fired back at the academy , claiming that the awards show is rigged .
That energy puts a dark cloud over nominees like Lizzo , Eilish and Lil Nas X @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top prizes .
The Grammy Awards are being presented Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles .
The main telecast begins at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS .


thetorontostar--2020-01-26--UK introduces new fast-track visa to attract scientists

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a new fast-track visa to attract more of the world ’ s best scientists to the U.K. in hopes of creating a global science “ superpower.
” Johnson paired the announcement of the Global Talent route program with a pledge of 300 million pounds ( $ 392 million ) for research into advanced mathematics .
The money will help fund researchers and doctoral students whose work in math underpins myriad developments such as safer air travel , smart phone technology and artificial intelligence .
The new visa route will have no cap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to the U.K. under the program .
It starts next month .
“ The UK has a proud history of scientific discovery , but to lead the field and face the challenges of the future we need to continue to invest in talent and cutting edge research , ’ ’ Johnson said in a statement .
“ That is why as we leave the EU , I want to send a message that the U.K. is open to the most talented minds in the world , and stand ready to support them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain is facing its biggest immigration shake-up in decades after it leaves the EU Friday .
After Brexit , EU citizens will lose the automatic right to live and work in the U.K. , and Britons to settle in the bloc ’ s 27 remaining nations .
That has sparked fears Britain may face shortages in key job areas .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Defence resumes in key impeachment week; Dems seek witnesses

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defence team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal .
The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
The Capitol Hill manoeuvring will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3 .
What to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday at 1 p.m. EST : After a two-hour opening argument Saturday , Trump ’ s defence team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump ’ s lawyers don ’ t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them , but there will be arguments from some familiar faces .
Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz , former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics .
Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minor to warrant the president ’ s removal from office under the Constitution .
“ Even if true , they did not allege impeachable offences , “ Dershowitz told ” Fox News Sunday.
“ The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter , who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma , while the elder Biden was vice-president .
An extended focus on Joe Biden , one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders , could mean blowback from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate .
Once Trump ’ s team concludes , senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president ’ s legal team .
Their questions must be in writing .
Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud .
He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle .
Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time .
Sen. John Barrasso , R-Wyo.
, told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of questions .
“ We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose , what the order may be of those of those questions , ” he said .
WILL THEY OR WON ’ T THEY Under the Senate rules passed last week , senators will get another chance to vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q & A time is elapsed .
Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might be called and which documents might be subpoenaed .
Democrats have called for testimony from Trump ’ s former national security adviser , John Bolton , and his acting chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney .
An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House , which claims both men have “ absolute immunity “ from being called to testify before the Senate , even in an impeachment trial .
Still , Bolton has said he would appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial , Trump has called for the testimony of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump ’ s July telephone call with Ukraine ’ s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry .
But some Republicans , including Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses .
If the vote fails , the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump , giving the president the result he ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the week .
Senate rules also call for four hours of deliberations before voting .
Since senators are required to sit silently during the trial , expect a closed session where they can deliberate in private .
Trump ’ s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump ’ s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine .
A recording obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine .
The recording is of 2018 meeting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had with donors .
including two now-indicted associates of his personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani .
The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine , “ How long would they last in a fight with Russia ?
” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine , Marie Yovanovitch .
The recording contradicts the president ’ s statements that he didn ’ t know the Giuliani associations , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman .
They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are allowed , the recording could take centre stage in the Senate proceedings .
The trial is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses , and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens .
Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren , Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race .
While they are trapped in Washington , Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New Jersey to repay the favour to Rep. Jeff Van Drew , who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat .
And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday , days before the caucuses .
Meanwhile , Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal , whenever it may come , promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office .
“ Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump tweeted Sunday .
“ He has not paid the price , yet , for what he has done to our Country !
” Schiff , D-Calif. , is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager .
Asked on NBC ’ s `` Meet the Press ’ ’ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat , Schiff replied , “ I think it ’ s intended to be.
’ ’ Rep. Jerrold Nadler , one of the House managers for the Senate trial , will miss Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s illness .
In a statement , the New York Democrat said he would be in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife ’ s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer .
As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee , Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president .
Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro , Eric Tucker , Laurie Kellman and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Houston mayor, others help residents after deadly blast

Houston ’ s mayor and others say they will work to provide assistance to residents whose homes were damaged after a massive explosion at a warehouse that killed two workers and injured 20 others .
Mayor Sylvester Turner on Saturday walked through the impacted neighbourhoods in northwest Houston and spoke with residents who were cleaning up after Friday ’ s explosion .
Cleanup and repair efforts continued Sunday .
“ These people ’ s lives have been devastated by the Houston explosion .
We are not going to forget about them , ” Turner said .
The explosion happened about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watson Grinding and Manufacturing , which makes valves and provides thermal-spray coatings for equipment in various industries , authorities said .
Employees Frank Flores and Gerardo Castorena were killed .
In a statement released Saturday , Castorena ’ s family said , “ It ’ s with a heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to a loving father , son , brother , and friend yesterday morning .
We do ask for privacy as we grieve during this time .
Thank you all to those for your kind words and support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Authorities say an additional 20 people were injured — two other warehouse workers and 18 others from neighbouring homes and businesses .
The explosion ’ s cause is being investigated .
More than 200 homes in surrounding neighbourhoods were damaged as the force of the blast shattered windows , knocked down ceilings , bent garage doors and moved some homes off their foundations .
Dozens of volunteers were out helping residents on Saturday .
More than 80 of the volunteers were from Restore Houston , a network of area churches dedicated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flooding during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 .
“ We ’ ll be doing some work on homes , boarding up windows , tarping some roofs , but more importantly we ’ ll be loving on our neighbours and making sure they are aware that they are not alone in this , ” Josef Klam , a pastor with Chapelwood United Methodist Church , told the Houston Chronicle .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Sharpton vows to support family of man shot by state trooper

NEW HAVEN , Conn. - The Rev .
Al Sharpton vowed Sunday to fight for answers for the family of a 19-year-old Connecticut man killed by a state trooper earlier this month .
” You don ’ t have a right to take away his life , and if you do , we have an obligation to stand up and question what happened , ” the 65-year-old civil rights activist said at a memorial service Sunday for Mubarak Soulemane at the First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven , Connecticut .
Soulemane ’ s relatives , friends and high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muhammad , said Sunday police “ never took the time investigate that he was a son , brother , uncle ... a human being.
” State police said Soulemane tried to steal a cellphone and then carjacked a vehicle in Norwalk on Jan. 15 before leading troopers on a chase on Interstate 95 into West Haven .
Officials said Soulemane struck two state police cruisers and a civilian ’ s vehicle before troopers stopped his vehicle by boxing it in .
Recordings from state police body cameras show troopers surrounding Soulemane ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window before shooting him with a stun gun , which didn ’ t work .
Trooper Brian North then fired his handgun seven times through the driver ’ s door window when Soulemane displayed a knife , state police said .
“ Something about this doesn ’ t smell right to me , ” Sharpton said Sunday .
Relatives , clergy and civil rights advocates have called on federal authorities to investigate and state police to improve training on how to de-escalate tense situations .
It was the third fatal shooting by police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Soulemane ’ s family said he was a community college student who had mental health problems .
State court records show he had two pending criminal cases .
Investigators with the chief state ’ s attorney ’ s office recently took command of the investigation from state police .
North was placed on administrative duty in accordance with protocols when officers are involved in a shooting .
He also can not have any interactions with the public and is not allowed to drive a marked police vehicle , per conditions worked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family and James Rovella , commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection , which oversees state police .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Death toll from Brazilian rainstorms rises to 53

RIO DE JANEIRO - The death toll caused by record rainfall in southeastern Brazil jumped to 53 Sunday and officials expressed alarm about continuing storms .
At least 44 people had died in the state of state of Minas Gerais and nine more in neighbouring Espirito Santo , according to local disaster officials , who said 19 people remained missing .
Some 20,000 people had been evacuated due to the threat of floods and landslides .
The capital of Minas Gerais state , Belo Horizonte , recorded 171 millimeters ( 6.7 inches ) in one 24-hour period from Thursday to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
State Gov .
Gustavo Zema declared a state of emergency in 99 cities , a measure meant to facilitate federal disaster aid .
He also decreed three days of official mourning for those killed in the floods and landslides .
Authorities in Espirito Santo said they were on maximum alert “ due to the forecast of more rain for Sunday .
In the city of Alegre , officials warned that a dam was in danger of breaking and urged people living below to evacuate .
Another 2,000 people were evacuated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Itaperuna .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Police ID 2 women killed in shooting at Little Rock home

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
- Authorities on Sunday identified two women who were killed at their Little Rock home @ @ @ @ @ injured a 2-year-old boy .
Little Rock police said I ’ Quira Tate , 21 @ @ @ @ @ 24 , were fatally shot after a male suspect entered their home and started shooting @ @ @ @ @ The 2-year-old boy was shot in the upper body .
He was taken to a @ @ @ @ @ boy was later released .
Police say no suspect has been identified .
Police said @ @ @ @ @ the home was a witness and was not injured .
Investigators believe the shooting was @ @ @ @ @ disturbance .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-26--Man dies when Maryland officers respond to call for help

OWINGS MILLS , Md .
- A Maryland man has died after an encounter with police officers that involved a stun gun , police told multiple media outlets .
Four Baltimore County officers were placed on paid leave Wednesday in connection with the death of Gamel Antonio Brown of Owings Mills .
Brown , 30 , was pronounced dead at a local hospital where he had gone into cardiac arrest after officers used a Taser while responding to a call Tuesday , police said previously .
Tasers , the only brand of stun guns used by law enforcement officers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Three of the four officers are all multiyear veterans working in the Franklin Precinct while the fourth officer is a probationary officer assigned to the precinct ’ s field training program .
Police said officers were dispatched to a home for an injured person .
When they encountered Brown at the home , his demeanour changed and he became volatile and combative .
Officer Jennifer Peach , a police department spokeswoman , said the department was not yet releasing any more information about Brown ’ s death , including who called 911 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His race was not disclosed .
In previous years , Baltimore County police ranked second among Maryland agencies with the highest number of Taser uses .
According to a 2016 investigation by the Baltimore Sun , the department reported 367 Taser discharges between 2012-2014 .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Palestinian PM rejects Trump peace plan ahead of unveiling

JERUSALEM - Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday denounced the long-anticipated Trump administration peace proposal ahead of its unveiling this week , saying it “ doesn ’ t constitute a basis for resolving the conflict.
” Shtayyeh spoke to his Cabinet as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Washington for the announcement of President Donald Trump ’ s plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
Shtayyeh said the plan violates international law and “ comes from a party that has lost its credibility to be an honest broker in a serious and genuine political process.
” The Palestinians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already rejected it , saying the Trump administration is biased in support of the Israelis .
The Trump administration took several steps in recent years that angered the Palestinians .
They ranged from recognizing the contested city of Jerusalem as Israel ’ s capital and moving the U.S. Embassy there , to closing Palestinian diplomatic offices in Washington and cutting funding to Palestinian aid programs .
Reports in Israeli media have speculated the plan will be extremely favourable to Israel , including the possible annexation of large pieces of territory which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Palestinian official said that President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected overtures from mediators in recent weeks to arrange a phone call with Trump .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a classified diplomatic issue .
Trump and Netanyahu are slated to meet Tuesday to discuss the much-vaunted “ Deal of the Century.
“ The White House invited the Israeli prime minister and his main opponent , Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz , to Washington on Monday to announce the plan just weeks before Israel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
In the run-up to the March 2 vote , Netanyahu has called for annexing the Jordan Valley and Jewish settlements across the West Bank .
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war .
Annexing Israel ’ s settlements in the occupied West Bank would appeal to Netanyahu ’ s hard-line nationalist supporters , but would torpedo the viability of an independent Palestinian state and likely infuriate neighbouring Jordan .
Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994 , the second between Israel and its Arab neighbours after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Netanyahu ally , said during a visit to settlements in the Jordan Valley that his office had started preparing the legal groundwork for annexation of the region , so that “ when he returns to the country we can already extend ( sovereignty ) and start working effectively in the government and in the Knesset .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Turkish rescuers seek last quake victim; death toll hits 40

ANKARA , Turkey - Turkish emergency teams on Monday pulled out a body from the rubble of a collapsed building , raising the death toll from the powerful tremor that hit eastern Turkey to 40 .
Hope was fading for one last missing victim still trapped in the same building .
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck Friday night also injured more than 1,600 others , authorities said .
At least 45 survivors have been pulled out of the rubble alive .
Rescue teams on Monday drilled through the rubble in the eastern city of Elazig , trying to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as relatives waited nearby , NTV television reported .
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu later said rescuers had recovered one of the bodies and were still trying to reach the other person .
The body of a third missing person was pulled out of the collapsed structure overnight .
The quake destroyed 76 buildings and damaged more than 1,000 others , forcing survivors to take refuge in tents , mosques , schools , sports halls and student dormitories .
Authorities warned people not to return to homes that could be unsafe .
Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city that lies 565 kilometres ( 350 miles ) east of Ankara .
It was followed by close to 950 aftershocks — 21 of them of them measuring magnitude 4 or higher .
As overnight temperatures dropped to -5 degrees Celsius ( 23 degrees Fahrenheit ) , emergency teams set up more than 9,500 tents for displaced residents and distributed hot meals .
Soylu said authorities were setting up insulated container homes to house up to 1,000 families left homeless by the quake .
Work to construct some 2,000 permanent homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s urbanization minister said .
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 86 people injured by the quake remained hospitalized on Monday , 18 of them in intensive care .
Over the weekend , rescuers pulled out Ayse Yildiz , 35 , and her 2-year-old daughter Yusra from the rubble of another toppled apartment building in Elazig .
They had been trapped for 28 hours .
Another couple who survived were reunited with a Syrian student who had helped to dig them out .
“ He is our hero and angel , ” a weeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her husband Zulkuf said the student went to extraordinary lengths to get them out , especially when his wife ’ s leg was trapped by debris .
With other workers holding the student by his legs , he stretched toward the woman and freed her .
Turkey ’ s Emergency and Disaster Management Presidency said close to 4,000 workers and 22 dogs have been involved in the search-and-rescue operation .
Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey , which sits atop two major fault lines .
The city of Elazig has been hit by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earthquake killed 51 people there in 2010 .
Turkey ’ s worst quake in decades came in 1999 , when a pair of strong earthquakes struck northwest Turkey , killing around 18,000 people .


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Authorities battle Atlantic storm to intercept cocaine yacht

LISBON , Portugal - An international drug operation involving authorities from six countries captured a yacht carrying almost 2 metric @ @ @ @ @ middle of an Atlantic storm .
Portugal ’ s navy and air force took part @ @ @ @ @ a street value of more than 70 million euros ( $ 77 million ) , @ @ @ @ @ conditions , ” a Portuguese police statement said Monday .
The Portuguese operation was supported @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. , Britain , France and Spain .
Intelligence-gathering that helped locate and intercept @ @ @ @ @ the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre -- Narcotics , based in Lisbon .
Two foreign @ @ @ @ @ were arrested in the operation , Portuguese police said .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Germany ponders evacuating citizens from Wuhan amid outbreak

Germany ’ s foreign minister says his country is considering evacuating its citizens from Wuhan , the central Chinese city at the centre of a outbreak of a pneumonia-like virus that has killed 80 people so far .
Heiko Maas told reporters Monday that the German government ’ s crisis response committee would meet shortly with medical experts to evaluate the situation .
The foreign ministry currently advises Germans to refrain from or postpone “ non-essential travel ” to China .
He said the German embassy is in touch with its citizens in Wuhan , which a spokeswoman said number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are examining and preparing for all options.
” A consular team is expected to arrive in Wuhan later Monday to provide Germans there with assistance .
Malaysia ’ s government has announced it will ban travellers from the central Chinese city of Wuhan and other parts of surrounding Hubei province beginning immediately .
A statement issued Monday by the Prime Minister ’ s Department said Malaysia would stop issuing visas for Chinese travellers from those areas .
The statement said the decision was made after consultations with experts and following advice of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures will resume once the “ situation returns to normal.
” The government also warned people not to spread any false information that might alarm the public .
Mongolia ’ s official news agency says the country ’ s Cabinet on Monday closed border crossings with China and suspended university classes to prevent the spread of a new viral disease .
There are no confirmed cases in Mongolia of the coronavirus cases that first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan and have now spread to at least a dozen countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cabinet cited the “ high risk ” of the disease spreading across the country ’ s southern border .
The Cabinet also ordered public tours , children ’ s playgrounds and other public activities in the sprawling , sparsely populated North Asian nation to close .
The report said border crossings with China were closed to vehicles and pedestrians .
Universities and other higher education institutions were ordered closed until March 2 .
That followed an earlier order for public schools and kindergartens to close effective Monday through March 2 .
Chinese health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,744 people and killed 80 as of midnight Sunday .


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Democrats demand Bolton testify at Trump’s impeachment trial

WASHINGTON - The stakes over witness testimony at President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial are rising now that a draft of a book from former national security adviser John Bolton appears to undercut a key defence argument .
Bolton writes in the forthcoming book that Trump told him that he wanted to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid from Ukraine until it helped him with politically charged investigations , including into Democratic rival Joe Biden .
Trump ’ s legal team has repeatedly insisted that the Republican president never tied the suspension of military assistance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Biden and his son .
The account immediately gave Democrats new fuel in their pursuit of sworn testimony from Bolton and other witnesses , a question expected to be taken up later this week by the Republican-led Senate .
The trial resumes Monday afternoon with arguments from Trump ’ s defence team .
Bolton ’ s account was first reported by The New York Times and was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the manuscript on the condition of anonymity to discuss the book , “ The Room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memoir , “ ahead of its release March 17 .
When the Times report went online Sunday night , the seven House Democratic managers immediately called on all senators to insist that Bolton be called as a witness and provide his notes and other relevant documents .
Sen. Chuck Schumer , the Senate ’ s top Democrat , issued the same call .
Trump denied the claims in a series of tweets early Monday .
“ I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet .
” In fact , he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination .
If John Bolton said this , it was only to sell a book.
” Trump said people could look at transcripts of his call and statements by Ukraine President Vlodymyr Zelinskiy that there was no pressure for such investigations to get the aid .
Bolton , who acrimoniously left the White House a day before Trump ultimately released the Ukraine aid on Sept. 11 , has already told lawmakers that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s order barring aides from co-operating in the probe .
“ Americans know that a fair trial must include both the documents and witnesses blocked by the President — that starts with Mr. Bolton , “ the impeachment managers said in a statement .
First , though , Trump ’ s legal team will begin laying out its case in depth , turning to several high-profile attorneys to argue against impeachment .
The lawyers revealed the broad outlines of their defence in a rare but truncated Saturday session , at which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment case to try to undo the results of the last presidential election and drive Trump from office .
The legal team is expected to pick up on that theme and also dive into areas that received negligible attention during the Democrats ’ presentation , including the now-concluded investigation into ties between Russia and Trump ’ s 2016 campaign .
Trump ’ s lawyers aren ’ t expected to take as much time for their arguments as the Democrats , whose impeachment managers spoke for about 24 hours over three days .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Acquittal is likely in a Senate where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority , with a two-thirds vote needed for conviction .
Still , they see an opportunity to counter the allegations , defend the powers of the presidency and prevent Trump from being weakened politically ahead of November ’ s election .
Trump faces two articles of impeachment .
One accuses him of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden , his Democratic rival , while his administration withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from the country .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directing aides to not co-operate with the impeachment inquiry .
The legal team will portray Trump as having been harassed by investigations from federal agents — and Democrats — since he took office and will seize on the FBI ’ s recent acknowledgment of surveillance errors during the Russia probe .
The lawyers have already hinted that they will focus attention on Biden just as he campaigns for a first-place finish in next week ’ s Iowa caucuses .
Monday ’ s presentation is expected to include appearances by Alan Dershowitz , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct , and Ken Starr , the independent counsel in the Whitewater investigation that led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton .
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is also expected to make arguments .
Many legal scholars reject Dershowitz ’ s arguments , saying the Founding Fathers meant for impeachable offences to incorporate a broad range of conduct by presidents .
Dershowitz told The Associated Press last week that he understood that some critics thought his argument was “ bonkers ” but encouraged them to listen nonetheless .
Democrats argued their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days last week , warning that Trump will persist in abusing his power and endangering American democracy unless Congress intervenes to remove him before the 2020 election .
On Saturday , the president ’ s attorneys said there was no evidence that Trump made the military aid contingent on the country announcing an investigation into Biden .
They also accused Democrats of omitting information that was favourable to Trump ’ s case .
Once Trump ’ s team concludes , senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team .
Their questions must be in writing , and Chief Justice John Roberts , who has been presiding over the trial , will read them aloud .
Sen. John Barrasso , R-Wyo.
, told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions .
“ We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose , what the order may be of those of those questions , ” he said .
After the question-and-answer time has elapsed , the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consider new witnesses and evidence — a question that could be more politically complicated with the account in Bolton ’ s book .
Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time .
Democrats have been especially seeking testimony from Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney .
An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House , which claims both men have “ absolute immunity ” from being called to testify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment trial .

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


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Bryant’s helicopter flew in fog that grounded other choppers

CALABASAS , CALIF.—The helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others that crashed into a rugged hillside outside Los Angeles was flying in foggy conditions considered dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their choppers .
The helicopter plunged into a steep hillside at about 9:45 a.m. Sunday with an impact that scattered debris over an area the size of a football field and killed all aboard .
The accident unleashed an outpouring of grief from admirers around the world who mourned the sudden loss of the all-time basketball great who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant jerseys and chanting his name , gathered outside the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles , home of the Lakers and site of Sunday ’ s Grammy Awards where Bryant was honoured .
The 41-year-old Bryant , who perished with his 13-year-old daughter , Gianna , was one of the game ’ s most popular players and the face of the 16-time NBA champion Lakers .
The cause of the crash was unknown , but conditions at the time were such that the Los Angeles Police Department and the county sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles County medical examiner , Dr. Jonathan Lucas , said the rugged terrain complicated efforts to recover the remains .
He estimated it would take at least a couple of days to complete that task before identifications can be made .
Bryant ’ s helicopter left Santa Ana in Orange County , south of Los Angeles , shortly after 9 a.m. and circled for a time just east of Interstate 5 , near Glendale .
Air traffic controllers noted poor visibility around Burbank , just to the north , and Van Nuys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the helicopter for other aircraft , they cleared the Sikorsky S-76 to proceed north along Interstate 5 through Burbank before turning west to follow U.S Route 101 , the Ventura Highway .
Shortly after 9:40 a.m. , the helicopter turned again , toward the southeast , and climbed to more than 2000 feet ( 609 metres ) .
It then descended and crashed into the hillside at about 1400 feet ( 426 metres ) , according to data from Flightradar24 .
When it struck the ground , the helicopter was flying at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and descending at a rate of more than 4000 feet per minute , the data showed .
The chopper went down in Calabasas , about 30 miles ( 48 kilometres ) northwest of downtown Los Angeles .
Bryant ’ s Mamba Sports Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks was holding a basketball tournament on Sunday .
Federal transportation safety investigators were on their way to the scene .
Among other things , they will look at the pilot ’ s history , the chopper ’ s maintenance records and the records of its owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jennifer Homendy at a news conference .
Kurt Deetz , a pilot who used to fly Bryant in the chopper , said the crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues .
“ The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn ’ t happen , ” he told the Los Angeles Times .
Justin Green , an aviation attorney in New York who flew helicopters in the Marine Corps , said pilots can become disoriented in low visibility , losing track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a pilot flying an S-76 would be instrument-rated , meaning that person could fly the helicopter without relying on visual cues from outside .
The National Transportation Safety Board typically issues a preliminary report within about 10 days that will give a rough summary of what investigators have learned .
A ruling on the cause can take a year or more .
Colin Storm was in his living room in Calabasas when he heard what sounded to him like a low-flying airplane or helicopter .
“ It was very foggy so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ But then we heard some sputtering and then a boom.
” The fog cleared a bit , and Storm could see smoke rising from the hillside in front of his home .
Firefighters hiked in with medical equipment and hoses , and medical personnel rappelled to the site from a helicopter , but found no survivors , Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said .
News of the charismatic superstar ’ s death rocketed around the sports and entertainment worlds , with many taking to Twitter to register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Words can ’ t describe the pain I am feeling .
I loved Kobe — he was like a little brother to me , ” retired NBA great Michael Jordan said .
“ We used to talk often , and I will miss those conversations very much .
He was a fierce competitor , one of the greats of the game and a creative force.
” Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history , finishing two decades with the Lakers as a prolific shotmaker with a sublime all-around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He held that spot in the league scoring ranks until Saturday night , when the Lakers ’ LeBron James passed him for third place during a game in Philadelphia , Bryant ’ s hometown .
He was the league MVP in 2008 and a two-time NBA scoring champion , and he earned 12 selections to the NBA ’ s All-Defensive teams .
He teamed with Shaquille O ’ Neal in a combustible partnership to lead the Lakers to consecutive NBA titles in 2000 , 2001 and 2002 .
His Lakers tenure was marred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was accused of raping a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort .
He said the two had consensual sex , and prosecutors later dropped the felony sexual assault charge at the request of the accuser .
The woman later filed a civil suit against Bryant that was settled out of court .
Bryant went on to win two more titles in 2009 and 2010 , and retired in 2016 .
Among those killed in the crash were John Altobelli , 56 , longtime head coach of Southern California ’ s Orange Coast College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and daughter , Alyssa , who played on the same basketball team as Bryant ’ s daughter , said Altobelli ’ s brother , Tony , who is the sports information director at the school .
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley tweeted that the dead also included Christina Mauser , a girls basketball coach at a nearby private elementary school .
Her husband , Matt Mauser , founded the Tijuana Dogs , a popular Orange County band .
In a Facebook post he said : “ My kids and I are devastated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom today in a helicopter crash .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Czech Republic to send troops to Africa anti-terror mission

PRAGUE , Czech Republic - The Czech government on Monday approved a Defence Ministry plan to deploy up to 60 @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anti-terror mission in Africa .
It has been working to root out Islamic @ @ @ @ @ .
The government said Mali , Niger and Chad approved the Czech deployment .
The @ @ @ @ @ fight Islamic militants .
The plan to deploy Czech forces in the mission until the @ @ @ @ @ parliamentary approval .
The Czechs already have some 120 troops in Mali as a part @ @ @ @ @ mission .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Greece: 14 injured in suspected migrant smuggling car crash

THESSALONIKI , Greece - A car carrying Syrians crashed early Monday in northern Greece , police said , injuring all 14 people in the vehicle that is believed to have crossed the border clandestinely .
Police said the car had been travelling along an old highway in northern Greece toward the country ’ s second-largest city of Thessaloniki around 2 a.m. when it failed to stop for a police check .
The car ’ s driver then lost control of the vehicle and crashed .
Greek police said all were from Syria : 11 men , one woman and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teenagers , were treated for their injuries in a hospital and released .
The other six remained hospitalized , including the suspected driver , a 22-year-old man .
Thousands of migrants and refugees still arrive in Greece from neighbouring Turkey each year .
Most come by sea to the nearby Greek islands but others use the land border , wading , swimming or rowing across the river that divides Turkey and Greece .
They then pack into smugglers ’ cars and head to Greece ’ s cities .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Afghan passenger plane crashes in Taliban-held eastern area

KABUL - A passenger plane from Afghanistan ’ s Ariana Airlines crashed Monday in a Taliban-held area of the eastern Ghazni province , local officials said .
Arif Noori , spokesman for the provincial governor , said the plane went down around 1:10 p.m. local time ( 8:40 a.m. GMT ) in Deh Yak district , which is held by the Taliban .
Two provincial council members also confirmed the crash .
However , Ariana Airlines told The Associated Press that none of its planes have crashed in Afghanistan , according to Mirwais Mirzakwal , the company ’ s acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement on its website saying all its aircraft were operational and safe .
The conflicting accounts could not immediately be reconciled .
The number of people on board and their fate was not immediately known , nor was the cause of the crash .
The mountainous Ghazni province sits in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains and is bitterly cold in winter .
The Taliban control or hold sway over around half the country .
The last major commercial air crash in Afghanistan occurred in 2005 , when a Kam Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the capital , Kabul , crashed into the mountains as it tried to land in snowy weather .
The war however has seen a number of deadly crashes of military aircraft .
One of the most spectacular occurred in 2013 when an American Boeing 747 cargo jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram air base north of Kabul en route to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates .
All seven crew member were killed .
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigation found inadequately-secured cargo had shifted during flight , causing damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the airplane uncontrollable.
” Afghanistan ’ s aviation industry suffered desperately during the rule of the Taliban when Ariana , its only airline at the time , was subject to punishing sanctions and allowed to fly only to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage flights .
Since the overthrow of the Taliban ’ s religious regime , smaller private airlines have emerged , but the industry is still a nascent one Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the latest news from the Star .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Slovenia’s PM steps down, urges EU nation to hold early vote

LJUBLJANA , Slovenia - Slovenia ’ s prime minister announced his resignation on Monday and urged the country to hold an early general election .
Prime Minister Marjan Sarec said he ’ s resigning because of the crumbling support for his minority government in the small European Union nation of 2 million .
Sarec said he will submit his resignation to the country ’ s parliament .
Lawmakers then can try to form a new government , but Sarec said he believed an early election was a better option .
“ I can not fulfil people ’ s expectations at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the STA news agency .
“ But I can fulfil them after the elections.
” Sarec , a former actor and comedian , became the head of Slovenia ’ s government in 2018 .
He gathered a liberal coalition sidelining a right-wing party that won most votes at a parliamentary election in June 2018 .
However , Sarec ’ s five-party coalition has been shaky after a leftist party recently withdrew parliamentary support for the minority government .
Sarec said he wants to go into an early election and “ let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ said the STA report .
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thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Italy’s regional voters thwart hopes of right-wing forces

ROME - Italian voters thwarted right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini ’ s hopes of turning an election in a key northern region into a springboard for regaining national power , with the centre-left holding on to a crucial longtime stronghold .
Nearly complete results Monday of Sunday ’ s election for the governorship of the prosperous Emilia-Romagna region had his League party candidate winning only 43.7 % support to the 51.4 % garnered by the incumbent governor from the centre-left Democrats .
The Democrats are the junior coalition partner in a wobbly national coalition government led by Premier Giuseppe Conte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the populist 5-Star Movement , which is Conte ’ s main coalition partner .
The 5-Stars , the largest party in Italy ’ s national Parliament , tanked at some 3.5 % of the vote .
Their poor showing , the latest slump in fortunes since their triumph in the 2018 national election , could likely worsen the infighting in the 5-Stars and weaken their clout with Conte , who has vowed to stay in power till the next parliamentary election is due in 2023 .
It didn ’ t help coalition goodwill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing one candidate for governor in Emilia-Romagna , the 5-Stars refused to ally with the Democrats in that region , siphoning away potential voters for the left .
In southern Calabria , the only other Italian region voting Sunday , a centre-right candidate triumphed in a runway victory on a ticket backed by Salvini ’ s anti-migrant League party , the far-right Brothers of Italy party and the conservatives of former three-time Premier Silvio Berlusconi ’ s Forza Italia party .
In Calabria , with most votes counted , Jole Santelli ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % for the Democratic candidate .
The 5-Stars were polling at only 7.3 % .
The usually exuberant Salvini sounded a bit humbled Monday but hardly stalled in his quest to return his party to national government and become Italy ’ s next leader .
He pledged to rebound in six more regional elections to be held in the coming months .
League candidates or those backed by them have triumphed in eight of nine regional contests , including some in which they wrested control from the centre-left .
“ Eight out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ ’ Salvini told a news conference .
” I ’ m a perfectionist , I ’ d have preferred “ nine .
Still , he shrugged off the disappointment in Emilia-Romagna .
“ We have broad shoulders , we ’ ll forge on , ” Salvini promised , declaring he had waged a “ splendid battle ” in Emilia Romagna , where the left has dominated for 70 years , earning the region the nickname “ the Red Belt.
” Gov .
Stefano Bonaccini , a Democrat , had led a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other social services are generally considered to be excellently run .
“ Good government wins , ’ ’ tweeted former Democratic Premier Paolo Gentiloni , who is now a European Union commissioner .
Determined that Emilia-Romagna would be key to a return to national power , Salvini had campaigned incessantly in there , practically eclipsing his own candidate ’ s visibility .
The loser , Lucia Borgonzoni , was a little-known League politician .
Last summer , Salvini abruptly pulled his party out of Conte ’ s first government , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 5-Stars .
He had banked the manoeuvr would trigger an early election that would catapult him into the premiership .
Instead , Conte returned to power after his government collapsed by forging a deal between the 5-Stars and their arch-rival , the Democrats .
Berlusconi , whose own political fortunes had been steadily slumping , particularly relished the victory in Calabria , since the winner Santelli came from the Forza Italia fold .
Berlusconi has disparaged the populist 5-Stars as dangerous for democracy and he gloated over their terrible showing Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ pitiful ” showing , Berlusconi said , claiming they are “ condemned to irrelevance ” on the national scene .


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Defence resumes in key impeachment week; Dems seek witnesses

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defence team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal .
The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Those decisions on witnesses may be complicated by reports that Trump said he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it aided political investigations into his Democratic rivals , That ’ s from former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft of his forthcoming book .
The report by The New York Times was later confirmed by The Associated Press .
The revelation challenges the defence offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his impeachment trial .
The Capitol Hill manoeuvring will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3 .
What to watch as the Senate impeachment trial resumes Monday at 1 p.m. EST : After a two-hour opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump ’ s lawyers don ’ t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them , but there will be arguments from some familiar faces .
Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz , former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics .
Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue that the charges against Trump are too minor to warrant the Republican president ’ s removal from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if true , they did not allege impeachable offences , “ Dershowitz told ” Fox News Sunday.
“ The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter , who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma , while the elder Biden was vice-president .
An extended focus on Joe Biden , one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders , could mean blowback from even some of the GOP members of the Senate .
Once Trump ’ s team concludes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president ’ s legal team .
Their questions must be in writing .
Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud .
He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle .
Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time .
Sen. John Barrasso , R-Wyo.
, told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions .
“ We will meet as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pose , what the order may be of those of those questions , ” he said .
WILL THEY OR WON ’ T THEY Under the Senate rules passed last week , senators will get another chance to vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q & A time is elapsed .
Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time .
If that happens , expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subpoenaed .
Democrats have called for testimony from Trump ’ s former national security adviser , John Bolton , and his acting chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney .
An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House , which claims both men have “ absolute immunity “ from being called to testify before the Senate , even in an impeachment trial .
Still , Bolton has said he would appear if issued a subpoena by the Senate .
While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump ’ s July telephone call with Ukraine ’ s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry .
But some Republicans , including Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses .
If the vote fails , the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump , giving the president the result he ’ s been looking for as soon as the end of the week .
Senate rules also call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since senators are required to sit silently during the trial , expect a closed session where they can deliberate in private .
Trump ’ s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump ’ s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine .
A recording obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine .
The recording is of 2018 meeting at the Trump Hotel in Washington that Trump had with donors .
including two now-indicted associates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine , “ How long would they last in a fight with Russia ?
” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine , Marie Yovanovitch .
The recording contradicts the president ’ s statements that he didn ’ t know the Giuliani associations , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman .
They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance charges .
If new evidence and witnesses are allowed , the recording could take centre stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses , and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens .
Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren , Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race .
While they are trapped in Washington , Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching lawmaker who backed him in the House .
Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeff Van Drew , who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat .
And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday , days before the caucuses .
Meanwhile , Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal , whenever it may come , promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office .
“ Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN , and probably a very sick man , ” Trump tweeted Sunday .
“ He has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he has done to our Country !
” Schiff , D-Calif. , is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager .
Asked on NBC ’ s `` Meet the Press ’ ’ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat , Schiff replied , “ I think it ’ s intended to be.
’ ’ Rep. Jerrold Nadler , one of the House managers for the Senate trial , will miss Monday ’ s proceedings because of his wife ’ s illness .
In a statement , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife ’ s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer .
As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee , Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president .
Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro , Eric Tucker , Laurie Kellman and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--Countries evaluate evacuation of citizens in virus epicenter

TOKYO - Countries with citizens in the central Chinese city that ’ s the epicenter of a viral outbreak are planning evacuations as the number of illnesses grow and China takes drastic measures to try to stop the spread of the virus .
A look at steps being taken : — CHINA : The government cut transportation links to and from the city of Wuhan on Jan. 22 and has since expanded those controls to several nearby cities .
Anyone travelling from Wuhan is required to register and quarantine themselves for 14 days — the virus ’ maximum incubation period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Hubei province and told Hong Kong residents returning from the area to quarantine themselves at home .
— JAPAN : Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said 560 Japanese citizens are confirmed in Hubei and chartered evacuation flights are being prepared to leave “ as soon as possible .
“ The Japanese Embassy in Beijing said the initial evacuation is limited to those in Wuhan .
Evacuees are expected to include employees of Honda Motor Co. , Tokyo Electron , Aeon Co. and other Japanese companies operating in Wuhan .
Prime Minister Shinzo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus as an infectious disease subject to forced hospitalization and isolation .
Such preventative measures appear to be preparation for the evacuation .
— UNITED STATES : The U.S. Consulate in Wuhan plans a charter flight Tuesday to evacuate its personnel and some other Americans .
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing said the limited capacity on the flight to San Francisco meant priority will be given to to individuals “ at greater risk from coronavirus.
” — FRANCE : Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said French citizens who want to leave Wuhan will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France in the middle of the week , and then held in quarantine for 14 days .
French automaker PSA , which produces Peugeot and Citroen cars , said it was evacuating its expatriate employees and their families from Wuhan and quarantining them in another city .
It didn ’ t elaborate .
— SRI LANKA : The embassy in Beijing has applied for a Sri Lankan Airlines plan to be allowed to land at the Wuhan airport to airlift home 32 Sri Lankan students and their family members .
The foreign ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back all other Sri Lankan students throughout China .
About 860 Sri Lankan students are in China .
— AUSTRALIA : Foreign Minister Marise Payne said her government is “ exploring all opportunities ” to help with evacuation of a number of Australians reportedly in Wuhan .
She did not elaborate .
Australia does not have consular presence in Wuhan .
— GERMANY : German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that his country is considering evacuating its citizens from Wuhan , with a government crisis response committee meeting soon with medical experts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of German citizens in Wuhan is in the double digits .
The foreign ministry currently advises Germans to refrain from or postpone “ non-essential travel ” to China .


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--2020 Watch: Can the establishment stop Bernie Sanders?

DES MOINES , Iowa - Presidential politics move fast .
What we ’ re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign : After almost one year of primary drama , the Iowa caucuses are just a week away .
Expect to hear a frenzy of expectation spinning and closing arguments focused on electability .
At the same time , simmering tensions within the Democratic Party are apparent .
Establishment officials are struggling to mask their concern about Bernie Sanders ’ strength with polls showing the self-described democratic socialist running strong in both Iowa and New Hampshire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid to emerge as the establishment favourite , yet he continues to struggle to generate excitement on the ground .
Nobody knows how this will shake out .
We ’ ve seen a rash of establishment-minded Democrats speak out against Sanders in recent weeks , but polls suggest it ’ s done little to stop his rise .
The Vermont senator was at or near the top of several early state and national primary polls over the weekend .
We ’ ve heard everyone from Pete Buttigieg to Rahm Emanuel raising concerns about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and help vulnerable down-ballot Democrats this fall , even as passionate progressives rally behind him .
For now , establishment Democrats are girding for a fight .
And the ghosts of 2016 are screaming .
Elizabeth Warren ’ s seemingly stalled campaign raises the serious possibility that the only remaining women running for president in 2020 may be forced from the race before Super Tuesday .
It would be silly to write off Warren at this point given her national following and strong organization in key states , yet it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the progressive primary compared with Sanders .
Those looking for another woman to step up have Amy Klobuchar , who seems to be generating some buzz but remains an underdog with little money or organization to sustain a campaign should she exceed expectations in Iowa .
If the glass ceiling is to be broken in 2020 , things need to change quickly .
What are the expectations ?
Winning presidential primaries has as much to do with expectations as actual vote totals .
And with new rules raising the possibility of three separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be more nuanced than ever .
Backed by inconsistent polling , Biden , Warren and Buttigieg have been careful not to let expectations surge too high , while Sanders ’ team seems unafraid to predict outright victory .
The Des Moines Register final pre-caucus poll will go a long way in setting the political world ’ s final expectations once it ’ s released .
When will the senators be released ?
Trump ’ s impeachment has already made history .
It ’ s also made life difficult for three of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa caucuses .
Buttigieg and Biden have essentially had the state to themselves for much of the last week .
When will it end ?
The Senate trial could be over by week ’ s end , but that ’ s still long enough to give the non-senators almost another week alone with Iowa Democrats — at the most important time of the yearlong process .
Perhaps we should be used to inconsistent messaging from the Republican president , but we were struck over the weekend when the Trump campaign attacked Sanders as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ocasio-Cortez ’ “ extreme socialist agenda and socialist vision for America.
” This comes after Trump made repeated overtures to Sanders and his supporters in recent days , siding with the Vermont senator in his feud with Warren and suggesting establishment Democrats were intentionally hurting his campaign with the impeachment schedule .
Of course , few believed Trump ’ s concern was genuine , but it ’ s another reminder that the president ’ s vaunted political machine has yet to determine its messaging relative to the leading Democratic candidates .
Democrats insist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 primary and will come together behind the ultimate nominee .
It may not be so simple .
Tensions are rapidly escalating between Sanders and the Democratic establishment .
At the same time , gender-based tensions between Warren and Sanders threaten to alienate female voters if the women are pushed out of the race early .
There ’ s no doubt that opposition to Trump will heal some wounds , but we ’ re inclined to believe smart Democrats who tell us that opposition to Trump alone is not enough to unify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-01-27--China extends holiday to contain virus as death toll rises

BEIJING - China on Monday expanded sweeping efforts to contain a viral disease by extending the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home and avoid spreading infection as the death toll rose to 81 .
Hong Kong announced it would bar entry to visitors from the province at the centre of the outbreak following a warning the virus ’ s ability to spread was growing .
Travel agencies were ordered to cancel group tours nationwide , adding to the rising economic cost .
Increasingly drastic anti-disease efforts began with the Jan. 22 suspension of plane , train @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of 11 million people in central China where the virus was first detected last month .
That lockdown has expanded to a total of 17 cities with more than 50 million people in the most far-reaching disease-control measures ever imposed .
The end of the Lunar New Year holiday , China ’ s busiest travel season , was pushed back to Sunday from Thursday to “ reduce mass gatherings ” and “ block the spread of the epidemic , ” a Cabinet statement said .
The government of Shanghai , a metropolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business centre , extended the holiday by an additional week within the city to Feb. 9 .
It ordered sports stadiums and religious events closed .
Tens of millions of people had been due to crowd into planes , trains and buses to return to work after visiting their hometowns or tourist sites for the holiday .
Schools will postpone reopening until further notice , the Cabinet said .
The death toll rose Monday when the southern island province of Hainan in the South China Sea reported its first fatality , an 80-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 17 .
Hubei province , where Wuhan is located , has accounted for 76 of the deaths reported so far .
There have been one each in Shanghai and the provinces of Hebei in the north , Heilongjiang in the northeast and Henan in central China .
The spread of the illness is being watched around the globe , with a small number of cases have appeared in other countries .
South Korea confirmed its fourth case Monday .
Cases also have been confirmed in Thailand , Taiwan , Japan , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nepal , France , Canada and Australia .
The U.S. cases are in Washington state , Chicago , southern California and Arizona .
China also reported five cases in Hong Kong and two in Macao .
On Monday , China ’ s No .
2 leader , Premier Li Keqiang , visited Wuhan to “ guide epidemic prevention work , ” the Cabinet website said .
Photos on the site showed Li , in a blue smock and green face mask , meeting hospital employees .
Later , the premier , wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , visited a supermarket .
Shoppers , also wearing masks , cheered to him , “ Happy New Year !
” “ To get the epidemic under control in Wuhan and the good health of people in Wuhan will be good news for the whole country , ” Li told the crowd .
“ We wish the people of Wuhan a safe , healthy and long life .
Let ’ s go , Wuhan !
” Elsewhere , the Potala Palace in Lhasa , the Tibetan capital , closed indefinitely to tourists on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former imperial palace in Beijing closed Friday until further notice and other major tourist sites also have shut down .
The U.S. Consulate in Wuhan , said it was arranging to evacuate its diplomats and some American citizens on Tuesday .
The French government said it would fly its citizens in Wuhan to France and quarantine them there .
Japan was preparing to fly its nationals out of Wuhan .
French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen , which has a factory in Wuhan , said it was moving foreign employees and their families by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The disruption to industry and consumer spending threaten to depress Chinese economic growth that Beijing is struggling to shore up after it sank to a multi-decade low of 6.1 % last year .
That could spread shockwaves to Asian economies that rely on China as a source of tourists and export markets .
Chinese regulators called on banks and insurers in a statement Monday to support to people and companies affected by the outbreak .
The biggest impact will be on travel , hotels and restaurants but Chinese retail spending , factory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak and quarantines last , forecasters say .
The outbreak is a “ notable downside risk ” to growth , though it “ could potentially be a high impact but short-lived event , ” said Tommy Wu and Priyanka Kishore of Oxford Economics in a report .
They pointed to the example of the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak , when economic activity plunged but recovered relatively quickly .
The impact should be “ less severe ” than SARS because of faster official reaction and “ increased transparency , ” they said .
Abroad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Vietnam , Singapore and Philippines with big tourism industries that rely on Chinese travellers “ seem most at risk , ” said Wu and Kishore .
The National Health Commission said 2,744 cases were confirmed by midnight Sunday .
The youngest patient is a 9-month-old girl in Beijing .
China ’ s health minister , Ma Xiaowei , said the country was entering a “ crucial stage “ as “ it seems like the ability of the virus to spread is getting stronger.
” President Xi Jinping has called the outbreak a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepping restrictions on travel and public gatherings while rushing medical staff and supplies to Wuhan .
The epidemic has revived memories of the SARS outbreak that originated in China and killed nearly 800 people .
Then , Chinese authorities were criticized for reacting slowly and failing to disclose information .
The government has responded more aggressively to the latest outbreak .
The National Health Commission said anyone travelling from Wuhan is required to register with community health stations and quarantine themselves at home for 14 days — the virus ’ maximum incubation period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had earlier contact with Wuhan .
In the eastern city of Nanjing , 48 airline passengers arriving from Bangkok who were found to have left Wuhan during the outbreak were put into a 14-day quarantine , state TV reported on its website .
Hong Kong announced it would bar entry to travellers from Hubei , starting Monday .
Hong Kong residents returning from the area will be allowed into the territory but were told to quarantine themselves at home .
Two of Hong Kong ’ s most popular tourist attractions , Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also Sunday , Wuhan banned most vehicle use , including private cars , in downtown areas .
The city will assign 6,000 taxis to neighbourhoods to help people get around if they need to .
Wuhan is building two hospitals , one with 1,500 beds and another with 1,000 , for the growing number of patients .
The first is scheduled to be finished next week .
The National Health Commission said it is sending extra medical teams to Wuhan .
The Chinese military dispatched 450 medical staff , some with experience in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The virus is from the coronavirus family that includes the common cold but also more severe illnesses like SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome .
The new virus causes cold- and flu-like symptoms , including cough and fever , and in more severe cases , shortness of breath and pneumonia .
The virus is thought to have spread to people from wild animals sold at a market in Wuhan .
On Sunday , authorities banned trade in wild animals and called on the public to refrain from eating meat from them .