jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Matriculation exams to start while thousands of students are quarantined

The Israeli nationwide matriculation examinations are set to begin Monday , with approximately 190,000 students in the 11-12 grades scheduled @ @ @ @ @ Haaretz reported .
The exams started later than originally planned due to the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ until the end of July .
Around 400 students who were supposed to take the @ @ @ @ @ Monday are quarantined and wo n't be able to attend .
The mathematics matriculation exam @ @ @ @ @ , and currently , some 3,000 students will not be able to take it , @ @ @ @ @ Haaretz .

The Israeli nationwide matriculation examinations are set to begin Monday, with approximately 190,000 students in the 11-12 grades scheduled to take the exams, Haaretz reported.
The exams started later than originally planned due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will probably extend until the end of July.
Around 400 students who were supposed to take the first exams in chemistry on Monday are quarantined and won't be able to attend. The mathematics matriculation exam is scheduled for next week, and currently, some 3,000 students will not be able to take it, according to the reports by Haaretz.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Trump would consider meeting Venezuela's Maduro but has 'turned them down'

`` I would maybe think about that .
... Maduro would like to meet .
And I 'm never opposed to meetings , '' Trump told online news site Axios on Friday , a move that would upend his `` maximum pressure '' campaign aimed at ousting the Socialist president .
`` But at this moment , I 've turned them down , '' Trump added .
Trump had expressed an openness in 2018 to meeting Maduro , who had also made overtures for talks , but nothing materialized and the United States instead ratcheted up the pressure .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearest sign yet of what some US officials have privately said was growing frustration over his administration 's failure to unseat Maduro through sanctions and diplomacy .
Trump also indicated flagging confidence in Guaido .
The United States and most other Western countries have recognized Guaido as the OPEC nation 's interim president since January last year , regarding Maduro 's 2018 reelection as a sham .
But Maduro has retained the support of the military as well as the backing of Russia , Cuba , China and Iran .
Asked whether he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump was quoted by Axios as initially saying : `` Not particularly , '' but then went on to say : `` I could have lived with it or without it , but I was very firmly against what 's going on in Venezuela . ''

President Donald Trump said in an interview published on Sunday that he would consider meeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and played down his earlier decision to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate leader.
"I would maybe think about that. ... Maduro would like to meet. And I'm never opposed to meetings," Trump told online news site Axios on Friday, a move that would upend his "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at ousting the Socialist president. "But at this moment, I've turned them down," Trump added. Trump had expressed an openness in 2018 to meeting Maduro, who had also made overtures for talks, but nothing materialized and the United States instead ratcheted up the pressure.
But Trump's latest comments were possibly the clearest sign yet of what some US officials have privately said was growing frustration over his administration's failure to unseat Maduro through sanctions and diplomacy.
Trump also indicated flagging confidence in Guaido. The United States and most other Western countries have recognized Guaido as the OPEC nation's interim president since January last year, regarding Maduro's 2018 reelection as a sham.
But Maduro has retained the support of the military as well as the backing of Russia, Cuba, China and Iran.
Asked whether he regretted having thrown his weight behind Guaido, Trump was quoted by Axios as initially saying: "Not particularly," but then went on to say: "I could have lived with it or without it, but I was very firmly against what's going on in Venezuela."
Trump said that at the point he made his decision, "I think that I wasn't necessarily in favor, but I said — some people that liked it, some people didn't. I was OK with it. ... I don't think it was very meaningful one way or the other."


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Beijing reports 13 new COVID-19 cases for June 22 vs 9 a day earlier

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Beijing's municipal health authority reported on Tuesday 13 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the city for June 22, up from nine a day earlier.The city of more than 20 million people reported its first case in the latest wave on June 11. The resurgence has been linked to a wholesale food center in the southwest of Beijing. So far, 249 people in the city have been infected in the outbreak.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Mexico's confirms 4,577 new coronavirus infections and 759 deaths

The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases .

Mexico on Monday reported 4,577 new infections and 759 additional deaths from the coronavirus, the health ministry said, bringing the total number in the country to 185,122 cases and 22,584 deaths.
The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Coronavirus patient was on Temple Mount for 9 hours at Friday prayers

Friday is one of the busiest days of the week on the Temple Mount , as many Muslims come to @ @ @ @ @ site .

Friday is one of the busiest days of the week on the Temple Mount, as many Muslims come to worship on Fridays at the site.
A confirmed coronavirus patient was present at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 12, according to Israel's Health Ministry.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--903 Palestinians infected with coronavirus in West Bank

Two Palestinians have died due to the coronavirus in the West Bank .

Two Palestinians have died due to the coronavirus in the West Bank.
Some 903 Palestinians have been confirmed as infected with the coronavirus in the West Bank as of Monday. 515 cases are active cases and 385 patients have recovered.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Coronavirus: 274 new patients in one day

The coronavirus cabinet has determined that the health system should prepare for as many as 4,000 intubated patients during the second coronavirus wave, at least half of them who would be infected with the novel virus. At the same time, the cabinet approved increasing fines on people who do not wear masks in public spaces from NIS 200 to NIS 500, and empowering local inspectors to administer these fines.The cabinet ministers also determined to immediately evaluate the list of communities to be declared red or restricted zones, and that the country will focus on continuing to protect at-risk groups, such as senior citizens.“We are facing a systematic increase in morbidity. We see this not only here, but I regret that we also see it around the world,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “All the necessary preventative measures will be taken.”The six-hour meeting came on the backdrop of a sharp spike in coronavirus patients.As of Monday night, there have been a total of 21,082 people infected with coronavirus – an increase of 348 since the night before. The number of patients in serious condition continues to climb, reaching 44, among them 29 who are intubated.Also, more people died overnight Sunday, bringing the total to 307. There are currently 5,007 active cases of the virus in Israel.Over the past few days, the numbers have been particularly high. According to Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy, some 1,700 people were diagnosed with coronavirus last week alone. Last Thursday, 349 people were diagnosed with coronavirus, and in a 24-hour period over the weekend, 294 more people were diagnosed.Specifically, the ministers approved a proposal by the Health, Finance and Defense ministries to set up an outbreak scenario, which would include equipping the health system with enough ventilators to treat at least 4,000 patients: 2,000 with coronavirus and 2,000 who suffer from other illnesses.The Defense Ministry explained in a statement that it presented the coronavirus cabinet with an “extreme scenario” model based on international data. In that scenario, Israel could see up to 2,500 coronavirus patients on ventilators, 7,500 in hospital, 125,000 infected and many hundreds dead.“This is not a forecast but the operational scenario recommended by the Defense Ministry for the state in terms of the tools it should have prepared,” a statement by the ministry explained.The Prime Minister’s Office further added: “The definition will guide the government on the preparedness and equipping of the health system. This scenario is focused on capacity building and not a prediction of patients.”ALONGSIDE THE increased fine for not wearing masks, the cabinet decided that a “National Enforcement Administration” will be established under the authority of the Public Security Ministry, whose function will be the coordination and guidance of all enforcement agencies. Local authority inspectors will receive training and be part of the enforcement team. A meeting will be held between the heads of the municipalities and the Foreign Affairs, Finance and Public Security ministers to move this idea forward.The inspectors will also be charged with ensuring that businesses follow the Health Ministry’s “Purple Ribbon” safety standards.The Police said they administered more than 1,500 fines in the previous day.During the meeting, Netanyahu addressed the recordings of a previous coronavirus cabinet meeting that were leaked to the media, which highlighted the conflict between the prime minister and the Shin Bet regarding using the agency’s technology to track coronavirus patients. Netanyahu believes the Shin Bet is needed for effective contact tracing and the agency does not want to be involved in this unless “there is no alternative solution.”Netanyahu said that, “First of all, I would like to start with the grave incident of the recording of a coronavirus committee meeting that was broadcast in the media. In all my years as prime minister, I do not remember such a thing, neither from a cabinet meeting nor from the coronavirus cabinet – a discussion with the head of the Shin Bet. This is very grave,” he said.“This cannot be ignored,” he continued. “I ask all the relevant authorities, including the attorney-general, to enable a thorough investigation. We cannot allow such a thing to take root. We cannot allow this to recur.”Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said that he would consider Netanyahu’s request.The cabinet ministers also determined that testing will immediately be done in areas designated as red or restricted zones, and that the country will focus on continuing to protect at-risk groups, such as senior citizens.The cabinet also called for examining, with the Civil Service Commissioner, the option of returning public service workers to a capsule model.Finally, it approved allowing summer school programs and camps to open.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Golden Globe awards postponed to February 2021 due to coronavirus

LOS ANGELES - The annual Golden Globe awards ceremony for film and television has been postponed to February 2021, organizers said on Monday.The Golden Globes ceremony, which kicks off Hollywood's awards season, will now take place on Feb 28 instead of its usual slot on the first Sunday in January. The decision follows the postponement by two months of the Oscars to April 25 because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the entertainment industry.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Palestinian vehicles vandalized, Hebrew graffiti painted on house

Israel Police are preparing to enter the area to investigate the incident .

Israel Police are preparing to enter the area to investigate the incident.
Palestinian vehicles were vandalized and Hebrew words were graffitied on a house in the Palestinian village of Baytillu on Monday, according to Israel Police.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--WHO says Sunday's coronavirus cases the highest yet in a single day

GENEVA - The world recorded more than 183,000 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the most in a single day since the outbreak started, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.He said the next big challenge was to increase production and distribution of dexamethasone, the first drug shown to lower the risk of death in severely ill COVID-19 patients.Global infections surpassed 9 million on Monday, as Brazil and India grappled with a surge in cases and the United States, China and other hard-hit countries reported new outbreaks, according to a Reuters tally


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Palestinian shot after throwing Molotov cocktails at civilian vehicles

A Palestinian was shot by IDF soldiers after he and another Palestinian threw Molotov cocktails at civilian vehicles near Deir Abu Masha'al, located north of Modi'in-Maccabim-Reut in the West Bank. The second Palestinian escaped from the scene.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Britain reels from latest terrorism-linked stabbing, American among dead

The English town of Reading held a minute's silence on Monday for the victims of a stabbing that killed three people including an American in the latest terrorism-linked attack.Three people were also hospitalized after a man wielding a five-inch knife went on the rampage in a park on Saturday, randomly stabbing people enjoying a sunny, summer evening.A Western security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the suspect was a 25-year-old Libyan called Khairi Saadallah.Calling the incident terrorism, police said a 25-year-old had been arrested but they were not hunting others. "What we saw here on Saturday evening in Reading was the actions of one lone individual," Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel saidPatel later told parliament that the risk from lone attackers was growing, and that if further government action was needed to stop such incidents, she would not hesitate to act.The Philadelphia Inquirer said one of the dead was U.S. citizen Joe Ritchie-Bennett, 39, who had lived in Britain for 15 years. U.S. ambassador Woody Johnson sent condolences to families of victims. "To our great sorrow, this includes an American citizen," he said on TwitterTeacher James Furlong, 36, who was friends with Ritchie-Bennett according to media reports, was also killed. "He was beautiful, intelligent, honest and fun," his parents said.The third victim has not yet been identified.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--No second wave of coronavirus - US White House adviser Kudlow

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Monday there is no second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, even though there are some flare-ups in states such as Florida, and it is unlikely there will be widespread shutdowns across the country."There are some hotspots. We're on it," Kudlow said in an interview with CNBC. "We know how to deal with this stuff now. It's come a long way since last winter and there is no second wave coming."


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Chabad school in Tzfat closed after teacher confirmed with COVID-19

A Chabad school in Safed was closed on Monday after a teacher was confirmed as infected with the coronavirus. Staff and students who were in contact with him entered quarantine.


jerusalempost--2020-06-22--Virgin Atlantic to renew Tel Aviv flights on August 9

The daily route first opened in September 2019 before being suspended in early March as coronavirus cases increased and Israel @ @ @ @ @ entry .
Last month , Virgin Atlantic said it intends to double the capacity on @ @ @ @ @ , launching a second daily flight between London Heathrow and Ben-Gurion Airport .

The daily route first opened in September 2019 before being suspended in early March as coronavirus cases increased and Israel implemented restrictions on foreign national entry.
Last month, Virgin Atlantic said it intends to double the capacity on the route by March 2021, launching a second daily flight between London Heathrow and Ben-Gurion Airport.
Virgin Atlantic will renew flights between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport on August 9, the airline said Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Int Criminal Court members defend court in face of US sanctions

THE HAGUE - Over half the member states of the International Criminal Court defended the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal on Tuesday in a diplomatic response to a U.S. threat of sanctions against its employees earlier this month.A joint statement drafted by Costa Rica and Switzerland was backed by 67 out of 123 of the ICC's members, the first effort to show a united front among members from all continents."We reconfirm our unwavering support for the court as an independent and impartial judicial institution," it said. The ICC was an "integral part" of the international judicial order and "a central institution in the fight against impunity."US President Donald Trump's administration says it opposes the ICC because it fears what it calls politically motivated prosecutions of the United States and ally Israel.Trump signed an executive order two weeks ago authorizing the blocking of assets and travel restrictions against ICC employees involved in an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by US forces.ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to investigate possible crimes committed between 2003 and 2014, including alleged mass killings of civilians by Taliban insurgents, as well as the alleged torture of prisoners by Afghan authorities and, to a lesser extent, by US forces and the CIA. The ICC investigation was given the go-ahead in March.In announcing Trump's executive order, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "We cannot, we will not stand by as our people are threatened by a kangaroo court."Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said the joint statement "sends the crucial message that ICC member states "have the court’s back" and "will not be cowed in their commitment to seeing justice."“This statement is highly significant because ICC member states globally, including key US allies, are speaking up."The ICC is a court of last resort, stepping in only when a state is unable or unwilling to prosecute grave crimes.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Elad, neighborhoods in Tiberias designated as coronavirus red zones

The affected neighborhoods in Tiberias are : Ramat Tivaria B , Ramat Tivaria C , Neighborhood 200 , Tivaria Illit @ @ @ @ @ affected areas will remain red zones for seven days starting on Wednesday at 8 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ at 8 a.m .
The prime minister stated after the committee meeting that additional cities @ @ @ @ @ red zone designation on Wednesday .
`` The surest way to stop this outbreak is @ @ @ @ @ to wear masks and keep distance , '' said Netanyahu .

The affected neighborhoods in Tiberias are: Ramat Tivaria B, Ramat Tivaria C, Neighborhood 200, Tivaria Illit and Ben Gurion.
The affected areas will remain red zones for seven days starting on Wednesday at 8 a.m. until Wednesday, June 1 at 8 a.m.
The prime minister stated after the committee meeting that additional cities would be considered for the red zone designation on Wednesday.
"The surest way to stop this outbreak is for all citizens of Israel to wear masks and keep distance," said Netanyahu.
The city of Elad and a number of neighborhoods within Tiberias have been designated as red zones by a Knesset committee headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--US coronavirus task force members: Trump hasn't asked us to slow testing

Testifying before the House Energy & Commerce Committee , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Robert Redfield , and the Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ Brett Giroir all said that the president had not asked them to slow down the @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday the US was currently seeing a disturbing surge of infections in a number @ @ @ @ @ Florida and Arizona .
He said one reason infections were rising in those states was @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Right now the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in @ @ @ @ @ surges we are seeing in Florida , Texas , Arizona , and other states , @ @ @ @ @ have raised concerns that the reopening of the US economy could lead to a fresh @ @ @ @ @ number of US states including Texas and Arizona have relaxed social distancing rules while grappling @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus patients filling hospital beds .

Four top US public health officials and members of Donald Trump's coronavirus task force said on Tuesday that he has not asked them to slow down testing for the virus after the president suggested at a rally that it was a "double-edged sword."Testifying before the House Energy & Commerce Committee, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, and the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Brett Giroir all said that the president had not asked them to slow down the testing.Trump has repeatedly said that better US testing has led to a higher number of identified coronavirus cases across the country, and at a political rally on Saturday he said he had asked for a slowdown in testing. The White House made clear on Monday that no such request was made.Fauci also said on Tuesday the US was currently seeing a disturbing surge of infections in a number of states like Texas, Florida and Arizona. He said one reason infections were rising in those states was an increase in community spread."Right now the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address those surges we are seeing in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states," he said.US health officials last week warned that states seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases may need to reimpose strict restrictions similar to what was implemented in March.Giroir said the country would be able to produce 180 million N95 respirators per month by fall.N95 masks are essential for protecting healthcare professionals from the coronavirus and are in short supply in many places, leading the Trump administration to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost supply.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--459 new coronavirus cases, 1 death in past 24 hours

Several more Israeli cities were designated as red zones and put on lockdown on Tuesday, as the number of coronavirus patients surged to 504 in a single day.As of Tuesday night, there have been 21,512 Israelis known to have had the virus. Currently, there are 5,335 patients, including 40 in serious condition.The city of Elad and a number of neighborhoods in Tiberias have been designated as restricted zones by the Ministerial Committee on Declaring Restricted Zones, which is headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . The affected Tiberias neighborhoods are Ramat Tiberias Bet, Ramat Tiberias Gimmel, the 200 neighborhood, Tiberias Illit and Ben-Gurion.The declaration will be valid for seven days, from 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, until 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1.The committee considered closing some other cities and will discuss their designation on Wednesday at a follow-up meeting, Netanyahu said.“The surest way to stop the pandemic is for all citizens to wear masks and maintain distance,” he added.In Tiberias, there are 60 active patients, about 133.5 for every 100,000 people, the Health Ministry said, adding that the rate of infection hit 122.2% in the last few days.Elad has 83 active patients, about 174.6 for every 100,000 people, and the morbidity rate in the last seven days is 102.4%.Entry and exit from the restricted areas will be prohibited, except in extreme cases and for work, or to allow high-school students to take their matriculation exams.“The second wave of coronavirus is marked by a widespread, non-targeted outbreak of the virus,” said Dr. Erez Barenboim, director of Assuta Ashdod Medical Center. “The attempt to reduce the spread through closing one or the other community is less effective in this round than before. As long as there is no vaccine, the most effective tool is personal responsibility: wearing masks, social distancing and hygiene.”Much more discipline and enforcement is needed, he said.“It is a matter of life or death,” Barenboim said.If the rate of infection, which is about 8% per day, continues, then Israel could have some 1,000 coronavirus patients by early July, according to a report by the IDF Intelligence Corps.Among the other cities being discussed for closure is Bat Yam, which has 179 sick people.Other cities with a high rate of infection are Bnei Brak (581 cases) and Tel Aviv (474).Currently, there are infected people in 75 cities across Israel, according to the Health Ministry.The Education Ministry reported 789 students and faculty members were sick with coronavirus on Tuesday morning, some 21,969 were in isolation and 216 schools were closed.Middle and high schools have already ended classes. Preschools and elementary schools finish on June 30.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Trump to issue executive order on US historical monuments

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will issue an executive order regarding US historical monuments, as the movement to remove statues and other memorials activists consider racist gains momentum across the country, part of wider national protests over racial injustice.Many of the statues and monuments targeted by crowds in recent weeks pay homage to the rebel Confederacy from the nation's Civil War. Democrats and other critics say such symbols wrongly honor those who perpetuated slavery. Calls to take them down follow a wave of protests after the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis, that has sparked ongoing demonstrations and calls to address racism in policing and other reforms.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Brazil judge orders Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public

Federal judge Renato Borelli said Bolsonaro is subject to a fine of 2,000 reais ( $ 387 ) per day @ @ @ @ @ a federal district ordinance meant to slow the COVID-19 outbreak .

A Brazilian judge ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public, according to a court decision made public on Tuesday, after the right-wing populist attended political rallies in the capital without any face covering.
Federal judge Renato Borelli said Bolsonaro is subject to a fine of 2,000 reais ($387) per day if he continues to disobey a federal district ordinance meant to slow the COVID-19 outbreak.
($1 = 5.1672 reais)


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--India to expel half of Pakistan's embassy staff for allegedly spying

`` They have been engaged in acts of espionage and maintained dealings with terrorist organizations , '' the Indian foreign @ @ @ @ @ .
India will cut staff in its own embassy in Islamabad by the same amount @ @ @ @ @ A spokesman at Pakistan 's embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a @ @ @ @ @ expelled two Pakistani diplomats on May 31 after they were held for alleged spying , @ @ @ @ @ baseless . ''
Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals are strained and tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats @ @ @ @ @ espionage , are common .
Neither country has a permanent ambassador in place and in @ @ @ @ @ has accused the other of the illegal detention and torture of diplomats .

India said on Tuesday it intended to expel half the staff in Pakistan's embassy in New Delhi over what it said was spying by officials there.
"They have been engaged in acts of espionage and maintained dealings with terrorist organizations," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
India will cut staff in its own embassy in Islamabad by the same amount, the statement added.
A spokesman at Pakistan's embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
India expelled two Pakistani diplomats on May 31 after they were held for alleged spying, claims Islamabad said were "baseless."
Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals are strained and tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, often on charges of espionage, are common.
Neither country has a permanent ambassador in place and in the last month, each has accused the other of the illegal detention and torture of diplomats.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Three injured, one dead in shooting near Ma'aleh Adumim

Three east Jerusalemites were injured and one died after a shooting incident took place near Ma'aleh Adumim , reports Walla @ @ @ @ @ taken to the Ma'aleh Adumim police station by emergency medics who arrived quickly to the @ @ @ @ @ claimed to be shot by Palestinians .

Three east Jerusalemites were injured and one died after a shooting incident took place near Ma'aleh Adumim, reports Walla News.
The four were taken to the Ma'aleh Adumim police station by emergency medics who arrived quickly to the scene.
The east Jerusalemites claimed to be shot by Palestinians.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Netanyahu holds meeting on rise of coronavirus cases in Israel


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Russia calls for immediate ceasefire in Libya conflict

Russia 's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in Libya , adding that Turkey and @ @ @ @ @ approach to the settlement of that conflict .
Lavrov said all external players should create @ @ @ @ @ the warring factions in Libya , something that Turkey and Egypt also agreed with , @ @ @ @ @ phone with the foreign ministers of those countries .

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in Libya, adding that Turkey and Egypt agreed with Moscow's approach to the settlement of that conflict.
Lavrov said all external players should create conditions for inclusive dialog between the warring factions in Libya, something that Turkey and Egypt also agreed with, after Lavrov held talks by phone with the foreign ministers of those countries.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--US Republican lawmakers urge Trump to reconsider Germany troop reduction

The six lawmakers led by House Foreign Affairs Committee senior Republican Michael McCaul said in a letter that the U.S. military footprint in Germany served Washington 's strategic interests beyond Europe and into the Middle East and Africa , which have seen the growing influence of Russia and China .
Trump said earlier this month he would cut the number of US troops in Germany to 25,000 , faulting the close US ally for failing to meet NATO 's defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade .
His plans , which would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and would be a remarkable rebuke to one of the closest US trading partners , had immediately drawn ire from Democrats and Republicans alike .
`` This is not the time to take any action that might cause the Putin regime to question the credibility of the NATO deterrent or might lead our NATO allies and partners to doubt the U.S. commitment to our collective security , '' the lawmakers wrote in the letter , a copy of which was seen by Reuters .
The lawmakers also warned that Moscow and Beijing sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its allies , and said they were troubled to see that many U.S. allies had not been consulted on the plans to reduce U.S. troop numbers in Germany .
Trump accused Germany of being `` delinquent '' in its payments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and vowed to stick with the plan unless Berlin changed course .
NATO in 2014 set a target that each of its 30 members should spend 2 % of GDP on defense .
Most , including Germany , do not .

The six lawmakers led by House Foreign Affairs Committee senior Republican Michael McCaul said in a letter that the U.S. military footprint in Germany served Washington's strategic interests beyond Europe and into the Middle East and Africa, which have seen the growing influence of Russia and China.
Trump said earlier this month he would cut the number of US troops in Germany to 25,000, faulting the close US ally for failing to meet NATO's defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade.
His plans, which would mean a reduction of about 9,500 troops and would be a remarkable rebuke to one of the closest US trading partners, had immediately drawn ire from Democrats and Republicans alike.
"This is not the time to take any action that might cause the Putin regime to question the credibility of the NATO deterrent or might lead our NATO allies and partners to doubt the U.S. commitment to our collective security," the lawmakers wrote in the letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.
The lawmakers also warned that Moscow and Beijing sought to sow divisions between the United States and its allies, and said they were troubled to see that many U.S. allies had not been consulted on the plans to reduce U.S. troop numbers in Germany.
Trump accused Germany of being "delinquent" in its payments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and vowed to stick with the plan unless Berlin changed course. NATO in 2014 set a target that each of its 30 members should spend 2% of GDP on defense. Most, including Germany, do not.
A group of Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives urged President Donald Trump on Tuesday to reconsider his decision to cut the number of US troops in Germany, saying their presence is the backbone of NATO's deterrent against Russian aggression.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Former South Africa president Zuma appears in court for graft trial

South Africa 's former president Jacob Zuma appeared in court on Tuesday to face multiple charges of racketeering , fraud , corruption and money laundering , as a decade-old trial delayed by procedural bickering resumed .
Zuma is being tried on 16 charges relating to a $ 2 billion arms deal with French defense firm Thales in 1999 , when Zuma was deputy president .
The charges were reinstated in March 2018 , a month after the ruling African National Congress ( ANC ) party kicked him out of office after a presidency marked by graft allegations and sovereign credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in power between 2009 and 2018 , rejects all allegations as a politically motivated witch-hunt .
But the case is a rare example of an African judicial system seeking to prosecute a former leader for alleged wrongdoing .
Zuma wore a dark grey suit at the court in Pietermaritzburg and looked tense , frequently clicking his jaw .
Much of Tuesday 's pre-trial hearing was focused on fixing a date for the trial to continue after multiple efforts by Zuma to cancel or delay it .
Judge Dhaya Pillay did not set a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She adjourned the proceedings until Sept. 8 .
The court in November rejected Zuma 's application for a permanent stay of prosecution , and in February issued an arrest warrant for him .
Zuma is accused of accepting 500,000 rand ( $ 34,000 ) annually from Thales from 1999 , in exchange for protecting the company from an investigation into the deal .
Thales , known as Thompson-CSF at the time , has said it had no knowledge of any transgressions by any of its employees in relation to the award of @ @ @

South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma appeared in court on Tuesday to face multiple charges of racketeering, fraud, corruption and money laundering, as a decade-old trial delayed by procedural bickering resumed.
Zuma is being tried on 16 charges relating to a $2 billion arms deal with French defense firm Thales in 1999, when Zuma was deputy president.
The charges were reinstated in March 2018, a month after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party kicked him out of office after a presidency marked by graft allegations and sovereign credit rating downgrades.
The former leader, in power between 2009 and 2018, rejects all allegations as a politically motivated witch-hunt. But the case is a rare example of an African judicial system seeking to prosecute a former leader for alleged wrongdoing.
Zuma wore a dark grey suit at the court in Pietermaritzburg and looked tense, frequently clicking his jaw.
Much of Tuesday's pre-trial hearing was focused on fixing a date for the trial to continue after multiple efforts by Zuma to cancel or delay it.
Judge Dhaya Pillay did not set a date for the trial proper to start. She adjourned the proceedings until Sept. 8.
The court in November rejected Zuma's application for a permanent stay of prosecution, and in February issued an arrest warrant for him.
Zuma is accused of accepting 500,000 rand ($34,000) annually from Thales from 1999, in exchange for protecting the company from an investigation into the deal.
Thales, known as Thompson-CSF at the time, has said it had no knowledge of any transgressions by any of its employees in relation to the award of the contracts.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Kyrgyz ex-president sentenced to 11 years in prison

A court in Kyrgyzstan sentenced former President Almazbek Atambayev to 11 years and two months in prison on Tuesday on @ @ @ @ @ former leader of the Central Asian nation has denied .

A court in Kyrgyzstan sentenced former President Almazbek Atambayev to 11 years and two months in prison on Tuesday on corruption charges, which the former leader of the Central Asian nation has denied.
The court found Atambayev guilty of ordering a convicted criminal released from prison, in a case his supporters have dismissed as driven by a political conflict between Atambayev and his successor, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Russia says it's unrealistic for China to join US-Russo arms talks - Ifax

Russia said on Tuesday it was unrealistic to expect China to join arms controls talks being held between Moscow and @ @ @ @ @ Sergei Ryabkov was reported as saying by the Interfax news agency .
The United States @ @ @ @ @ to join such talks .
Ryabkov was speaking a day after he met the US @ @ @ @ @ control in Vienna .
The two men discussed global security issues , and a possible @ @ @ @ @ arms control treaty in particular , the Russian Foreign Ministry said .

Russia said on Tuesday it was unrealistic to expect China to join arms controls talks being held between Moscow and Washington, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was reported as saying by the Interfax news agency.
The United States has long called on Beijing to join such talks.
Ryabkov was speaking a day after he met the US special presidential envoy for arms control in Vienna.
The two men discussed global security issues, and a possible extension of the START nuclear arms control treaty in particular, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Seattle plans to dismantle occupied protest zone after shootings

Seattle authorities , alarmed by two weekend shootings , plan to start dismantling six blocks of streets in a part of the city occupied by activists protesting against police brutality and racial inequality across the United States .
A teenager was killed and at least two other people were wounded in the shootings in what is known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest ( CHOP ) zone .
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said city authorities were working to bring the CHOP zone to an end and that the Seattle Police Department ( SPD ) would soon move back in to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandoned in the area .
`` SPD will be returning to the East Precinct .
We will do it peacefully and in the near future '' , Durkan told a news conference on Monday .
Durkan condemned the violence , writing on Twitter that it was `` unacceptable '' .
She said such violence distracted from changes in policing demanded by demonstrators .
US President Donald Trump has said the demonstrations in the Seattle protest zone are being run by `` anarchists '' .
Anti-racism protests and demonstrations against police brutality have spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , George Floyd , died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Protesters have also demanded authorities take down monuments honoring pro-slavery Confederate figures and the architects of Europe 's colonies .

Seattle authorities, alarmed by two weekend shootings, plan to start dismantling six blocks of streets in a part of the city occupied by activists protesting against police brutality and racial inequality across the United States.
A teenager was killed and at least two other people were wounded in the shootings in what is known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said city authorities were working to bring the CHOP zone to an end and that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) would soon move back in to a precinct building its forces had largely abandoned in the area.
"SPD will be returning to the East Precinct. We will do it peacefully and in the near future", Durkan told a news conference on Monday.
Durkan condemned the violence, writing on Twitter that it was "unacceptable".
She said such violence distracted from changes in policing demanded by demonstrators.
US President Donald Trump has said the demonstrations in the Seattle protest zone are being run by "anarchists".
Anti-racism protests and demonstrations against police brutality have spread around the world since an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him in Minneapolis on May 25.
Protesters have also demanded authorities take down monuments honoring pro-slavery Confederate figures and the architects of Europe's colonies.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--UK COVID-19 death toll tops 54,000 including suspected cases

The United Kingdom 's suspected COVID-19 death toll has hit 54,089 , according to a Reuters tally of official data @ @ @ @ @ 's status as one of the worst hit in the world .
The Reuters tally @ @ @ @ @ mentioned on death certificates in England , Wales and Northern Ireland up to June 12 @ @ @ @ @ 14 in Scotland .
It also includes more recent hospital deaths .

The United Kingdom's suspected COVID-19 death toll has hit 54,089, according to a Reuters tally of official data sources that underline the country's status as one of the worst hit in the world.
The Reuters tally comprises fatalities where COVID-19 was mentioned on death certificates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to June 12, and up to June 14 in Scotland. It also includes more recent hospital deaths.
Unlike the lower death toll published daily by the government, the death certificate figures include suspected cases.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Singapore president dissolves parliament ahead of election

Singapore 's parliament has been dissolved , the prime minister 's office said on Tuesday , an indication that the @ @ @ @ @ will be declared soon .
President Halimah Yacob has dissolved parliament on the advice of @ @ @ @ @ , the statement said .

Singapore's parliament has been dissolved, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday, an indication that the date of the general election will be declared soon.
President Halimah Yacob has dissolved parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the statement said.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Taiwan raps China for military activity, says it should fight virus

China should focus on fighting the resurgent coronavirus in Beijing rather than `` disturbing '' Taiwan with military drills near the Chinese-claimed island , Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Tuesday .
China 's air force has buzzed Taiwan at least eight times in the past two weeks , Taiwan 's military says , sending fighters and bombers into Taiwan 's air defence identification zone where they have been warned off by patrolling Taiwanese jets .
`` China is very big , and has never given up the use of force to deal with Taiwan .
China has always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent their aircraft and ships around Taiwan , really disturbing Taiwan , '' Su said , adding that Taiwan only wants to be a `` contributor to regional peace '' .
`` At this time it seems a second wave is happening in China 's Beijing .
China , as a large country , should put its national strength into looking after people , reducing the impact of the epidemic and safeguarding regional peace .
That would be better . ''
A new cluster of infections linked to a sprawling wholesale food centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese capital , a city of more than 20 million people .
The new coronavirus was first reported in China 's Wuhan late last year .
China claims Taiwan as its own territory , and has previously said its drills near the island are routine and designed to show its determination to protect its sovereignty .
Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China .
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control .
One of China 's most senior generals last month said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other way of stopping Taiwan becoming independent .

China should focus on fighting the resurgent coronavirus in Beijing rather than "disturbing" Taiwan with military drills near the Chinese-claimed island, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Tuesday.
China's air force has buzzed Taiwan at least eight times in the past two weeks, Taiwan's military says, sending fighters and bombers into Taiwan's air defence identification zone where they have been warned off by patrolling Taiwanese jets.
"China is very big, and has never given up the use of force to deal with Taiwan. China has always, with such a serious epidemic, sent their aircraft and ships around Taiwan, really disturbing Taiwan," Su said, adding that Taiwan only wants to be a "contributor to regional peace".
"At this time it seems a second wave is happening in China's Beijing. China, as a large country, should put its national strength into looking after people, reducing the impact of the epidemic and safeguarding regional peace. That would be better."
A new cluster of infections linked to a sprawling wholesale food centre erupted almost two weeks ago in the Chinese capital, a city of more than 20 million people. The new coronavirus was first reported in China's Wuhan late last year.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and has previously said its drills near the island are routine and designed to show its determination to protect its sovereignty. Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. One of China's most senior generals last month said China would attack if there was no other way of stopping Taiwan becoming independent.
China is deeply suspicious of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who it accuses of being a separatist intent on declaring formal independence. Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Coronavirus: 377 new patients in last day

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jerusalempost--2020-06-23--China says it has agreed with India to take steps to ease border tensions

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also described recent media reports of 40 Chinese casualties in the conflict as `` @ @ @ @ @ Indian government minister said on Sunday that China had lost at least 40 soldiers in @ @ @

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also described recent media reports of 40 Chinese casualties in the conflict as "fake news". An Indian government minister said on Sunday that China had lost at least 40 soldiers in the clash.
China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that China and India have agreed to take measures to ease tensions along a disputed stretch of their border, where a clash last week left 20 Indian soldiers dead.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Russia's coronavirus case tally approaches 600,000

Russia on Tuesday reported 7,425 new cases of the novel coronavirus , pushing its nationwide case total to 599,705 , @ @ @ @ @ tally .
The country 's coronavirus crisis response center said 153 people had died in @ @ @ @ @ bringing the official death toll to 8,359 .

Russia on Tuesday reported 7,425 new cases of the novel coronavirus, pushing its nationwide case total to 599,705, the world's third highest tally.
The country's coronavirus crisis response center said 153 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 8,359.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Despite reports, Hadassah chief not in hospital

A spokesperson for Prof. Zeev Rotstein told The Jerusalem Post that despite reports by the Hebrew news station Channel 13, the head of Hadassah Medical Center was not hospitalized on Monday night.Rotstein visited Sheba Medical Center for a routine followup check after suffering from a minor stroke earlier this month.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Beijing says it will respond if Washington keeps targeting Chinese media

China said on Tuesday that it will have to respond if Washington does not stop targeting Chinese media organizations operating @ @ @ @ @ Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks after the United States said it @ @ @ @ @ Chinese media outlets as foreign embassies , alleging they are mouthpieces for Beijing .

China said on Tuesday that it will have to respond if Washington does not stop targeting Chinese media organizations operating in the United States.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks after the United States said it will start treating four major Chinese media outlets as foreign embassies, alleging they are mouthpieces for Beijing.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Hong Kong records sixth coronavirus death

A 72-year-old man died in Hong Kong from coronavirus on Tuesday , taking the death toll from COVID-19 in the @ @ @ @ @ television Cable TV said .
Hong Kong has avoided the large numbers of infections seen @ @ @ @ @ the world , but on Monday it reported its biggest spike in months , with @ @ @ @ @ the total to 1,162 .

A 72-year-old man died in Hong Kong from coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the death toll from COVID-19 in the city to six, local television Cable TV said.
Hong Kong has avoided the large numbers of infections seen in other big cities around the world, but on Monday it reported its biggest spike in months, with 30 imported new cases taking the total to 1,162.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--School in Ramat Gan closed after student diagnosed with coronavirus

A school in Ramat Gan , named 'Mordei HaGetaot ' was closed Tuesday morning after a student was diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ News .
Her sister , who attends the pre-school '161 ' was also diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ was shut down yesterday following her diagnosis .

A school in Ramat Gan, named 'Mordei HaGetaot' was closed Tuesday morning after a student was diagnosed with the coronavirus, reports Walla News.
Her sister, who attends the pre-school '161' was also diagnosed with the coronavirus. '161' was shut down yesterday following her diagnosis.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--North Korea seen reinstalling border loudspeakers

North Korea is reinstalling loudspeakers blaring propaganda across the border in its latest step away from inter-Korean peace agreements , prompting the South 's military to explore similar moves , a South Korean military source said on Tuesday .
Tension between the two Koreas has risen in recent weeks after the North blew up a joint liaison office on its side of the border , declared an end to dialogue and threatened military action .
North Korea 's military was seen putting up loudspeakers near the demilitarised zone ( DMZ ) .
Such systems were taken down after the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cease `` all hostile acts , '' the military official said .
`` We 're also considering reinstalling our own loudspeakers , '' he said .
`` But the North has n't begun any broadcast yet , and we 're just getting ready to be able to counteract at any time . ''
A spokeswoman at Seoul 's defence ministry declined to confirm North Korea 's moves but reiterated at a regular briefing that Pyongyang would `` have to pay for the consequences '' if it continues to defy joint efforts to foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades pumped out propaganda from huge banks of speakers as a form of psychological warfare .
The South aired a blend of news , Korean pop songs and criticism of the northern regime , while the North blasted the South and praised its own socialist system .
Commercial satellite imagery of the liaison office site on Monday showed that the building remained standing , but had been heavily damaged .
Analysts at U.S.-based 38 North , which tracks North Korea , said last week that the explosion `` was clearly not a controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levelled and there was significant collateral damage to the adjacent buildings . ''
The North began taking its recent actions as it denounced North Korean defectors in the South sending propaganda leaflets across the border .
Several defector-led groups have regularly sent flyers , food , $ 1 bills , mini radios and USB sticks containing South Korean dramas and news , usually by balloon or in bottles in rivers .
One group , led by Park Sang-hak , who fled the isolated state in 2000 , said on Tuesday it flew 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on South Korea and 2,000 $ 1 bills .
South Korea 's government has pursued legal action to stop such activities , citing safety concerns for residents in border towns , but controversy remains over whether it violates the country 's protections for freedom of expression .
Seoul 's Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs issued a statement vowing a stern response to the leaflet launches by Park 's group .
Pyongyang 's state media said on Monday angry North Koreans have also prepared some 12 million leaflets to be sent back .

North Korea is reinstalling loudspeakers blaring propaganda across the border in its latest step away from inter-Korean peace agreements, prompting the South's military to explore similar moves, a South Korean military source said on Tuesday.
Tension between the two Koreas has risen in recent weeks after the North blew up a joint liaison office on its side of the border, declared an end to dialogue and threatened military action.
North Korea's military was seen putting up loudspeakers near the demilitarised zone (DMZ). Such systems were taken down after the two Koreas signed an accord in 2018 to cease "all hostile acts," the military official said.
"We're also considering reinstalling our own loudspeakers," he said. "But the North hasn't begun any broadcast yet, and we're just getting ready to be able to counteract at any time."
A spokeswoman at Seoul's defence ministry declined to confirm North Korea's moves but reiterated at a regular briefing that Pyongyang would "have to pay for the consequences" if it continues to defy joint efforts to foster peace.
The two countries have for decades pumped out propaganda from huge banks of speakers as a form of psychological warfare. The South aired a blend of news, Korean pop songs and criticism of the northern regime, while the North blasted the South and praised its own socialist system.
Commercial satellite imagery of the liaison office site on Monday showed that the building remained standing, but had been heavily damaged.
Analysts at U.S.-based 38 North, which tracks North Korea, said last week that the explosion "was clearly not a controlled detonation, as the building was not levelled and there was significant collateral damage to the adjacent buildings."
The North began taking its recent actions as it denounced North Korean defectors in the South sending propaganda leaflets across the border.
Several defector-led groups have regularly sent flyers, food, $1 bills, mini radios and USB sticks containing South Korean dramas and news, usually by balloon or in bottles in rivers.
One group, led by Park Sang-hak, who fled the isolated state in 2000, said on Tuesday it flew 20 balloons containing 500,000 leaflets, 500 booklets on South Korea and 2,000 $1 bills.
South Korea's government has pursued legal action to stop such activities, citing safety concerns for residents in border towns, but controversy remains over whether it violates the country's protections for freedom of expression.
Seoul's Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs issued a statement vowing a stern response to the leaflet launches by Park's group.
Pyongyang's state media said on Monday angry North Koreans have also prepared some 12 million leaflets to be sent back.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--One dead in shooting in Arab city in northern Israel

Three people were injured in a shooting that took place in the Arab city of Baqa al-Gharbiyye in northern Israel @ @ @ @ @ were shot , two were in severe condition and one injured lightly .
All three @ @ @ @ @ Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera.One of the severely injured died after arriving at the hospital @ @ @ @ @ opened an investigation .
This incident is among a series of shootings having taken place @ @ @ @ @ in that area .

Three people were injured in a shooting that took place in the Arab city of Baqa al-Gharbiyye in northern Israel.
One of the severely injured died after arriving at the hospital. Of the three that were shot, two were in severe condition and one injured lightly. All three were transferred to the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera.One of the severely injured died after arriving at the hospital.
Following the shooting police opened an investigation. This incident is among a series of shootings having taken place in the last few weeks in that area.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Bus drivers blocking access to government quarters in Tel Aviv protest

Dozens of bus drivers are blocking the Ayalon highway , and stopping traffic in Tel Aviv in protest of the @ @ @ @ @ Transportation companies have decided to further the protests , blockading other areas , such as @ @ @ @ @ Azrieli junction in Tel Aviv .
Areas of the the Menachem Begin thoroughfare and the @ @ @ @ @ also blocked off .
Busses are blocking the central axis in order to prevent access @ @ @ @ @ Large stickers have been affixed to the busses , with a picture of Finance Minister @ @ @ @ @ `` 30,000 drivers are stood in place .
The transportation indsutry is crashing ! ''

Dozens of bus drivers are blocking the Ayalon highway, and stopping traffic in Tel Aviv in protest of the state of the industry.
Transportation companies have decided to further the protests, blockading other areas, such as the government quarters at the Azrieli junction in Tel Aviv. Areas of the the Menachem Begin thoroughfare and the HaArba'a Street are also blocked off.
Busses are blocking the central axis in order to prevent access to the government quarters. Large stickers have been affixed to the busses, with a picture of Finance Minister Israel Katz, captioned, "30,000 drivers are stood in place. The transportation indsutry is crashing!"


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Japan says US hasn't requested more money to host American troops

The United States has not asked Tokyo to pay more to keep its troops in the country , Japan 's defence minister said , after a report cited former National Security Adviser John Bolton as saying he conveyed President Donald Trump 's demand for an $ 8 billion annual payment .
`` Negotiations over the cost of hosting ( American troops ) have not started yet , '' Defence Minister Taro Kono told a regular news conference on Tuesday .
`` The Japanese government has not received any request from the United States with regard to this issue . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. troops stationed in Japan expires in March 2021 .
Kono was asked about a Kyodo News report citing Bolton 's upcoming book `` The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir '' , in which he writes that he relayed Trump 's request to a senior Japanese government official for the $ 8 billion payment during a trip to Japan last July .
The memoir is due for publication on Tuesday .
Asked whether he thought the current cost of hosting the U.S. military was appropriate , Kono said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asset that contributes to this region 's peace and stability .
An arrangement that is lucrative for one side wo n't last long . ''
Kono said he could not comment specifically on what Bolton had written since he had been unsuccessful so far in getting a copy of the book .

The United States has not asked Tokyo to pay more to keep its troops in the country, Japan's defence minister said, after a report cited former National Security Adviser John Bolton as saying he conveyed President Donald Trump's demand for an $8 billion annual payment.
"Negotiations over the cost of hosting (American troops) have not started yet," Defence Minister Taro Kono told a regular news conference on Tuesday. "The Japanese government has not received any request from the United States with regard to this issue."
The current agreement that covers the 54,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan expires in March 2021.
Kono was asked about a Kyodo News report citing Bolton's upcoming book "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir", in which he writes that he relayed Trump's request to a senior Japanese government official for the $8 billion payment during a trip to Japan last July. The memoir is due for publication on Tuesday.
Asked whether he thought the current cost of hosting the U.S. military was appropriate, Kono said: "The Japan-U.S. alliance is a public asset that contributes to this region's peace and stability. An arrangement that is lucrative for one side won't last long."
Kono said he could not comment specifically on what Bolton had written since he had been unsuccessful so far in getting a copy of the book.
Bolton's reported claim is in line with a Foreign Policy report last year that Trump sought a quadrupling of annual payments to around $8 billion as part of his efforts to push its allies to hike their defence spending.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Chinese firm to begin human testing for potential coronavirus vaccine

China has approved a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products ' unit to begin human testing , @ @ @ @ @ filing on Tuesday .
The potential vaccine , co-developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical and @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese Academy of Sciences , has received a certificate from the National Medical Products @ @ @ @ @ .
Chinese researchers and companies are testing six experimental shots in humans , and more @ @ @ @ @ in different stages of clinical trials globally against the virus that has killed over 470,000 @ @ @ @ @ of the them have passed large-scale , late-stage phase 3 clinical trials , a necessary @ @ @ @ @ market .

China has approved a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products' unit to begin human testing, the company said in a filing on Tuesday.
The potential vaccine, co-developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical and the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has received a certificate from the National Medical Products Administration to launch clinical trials.
Chinese researchers and companies are testing six experimental shots in humans, and more than a dozen vaccines are in different stages of clinical trials globally against the virus that has killed over 470,000 people.
However, none of the them have passed large-scale, late-stage phase 3 clinical trials, a necessary step before entering the consumer market.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Washington state makes face masks mandatory

The governor of Washington state on Tuesday ordered residents to wear face masks in public as officials across the country sought new means to control the coronavirus pandemic while easing clamp-downs on residents and reopening the economy.The move by Washington Governor Jay Inslee came as Arizona, California, Mississippi and Nevada reported record numbers of new cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Texas set a record on Monday.Washington state, site of one of the first known outbreaks of COVID-19, saw its positive tests rise by 35 percent last week."This is about saving lives. It’s about reopening our businesses. And it’s about showing respect and care for one another," Inslee, a two-term governor who earlier this year sought the Democratic nomination for president, said of the face-mask rule.While the United States appeared to have curbed the outbreak for several weeks in May, overall cases rose 25% last week, with 10 states reporting a greater than 50% rise in new infections, according to a Reuters analysis.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Deaths from coronavirus surpass 100,000 in Latin America

MEXICO CITY - The number of people who have died from coronavirus in Latin America surpassed 100,000 on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally of registered deaths, while Mexico announced a record one-day total for new infections.In recent weeks Latin America has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic, with a spike in cases and deaths even as the tide of infection recedes elsewhere on the planet.Mexico on Tuesday registered 6,288 new infections and 793 additional deaths from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the health ministry said, bringing the totals for the country to 191,410 cases and 23,377 deaths.Mexico has been the worst hit-nation in the region after with Brazil, where a judge on Tuesday ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public after the right-wing populist attended political rallies without one in the middle of the world's second-worst coronavirus outbreak.Brazil on Tuesday registered an additional 1,374 deaths from the virus and 39,436 new cases, pushing the death toll from the novel coronavirus to 52,000 people in in Latin America's biggest economy. More than 1.1 million have been infected.The virus also appears to be on the rise in Central America, where Guatemala on Tuesday recorded more than 700 new infections for the first time. Additional 35 deaths were registered in Guatemala, taking it deaths total to 582.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Trump: These will be the most corrupt elections in US history

US President Donald Trump told his audience in Phoenix Arizona on Tuesday night that "these will be the most corrupt elections in the history of the country."Trump argued that, if voting by mail will be allowed in the upcoming US elections, "who will be getting all these votes?" He asked the crowd, "think!"Trump further said that if the US was able to hold regular elections during two World Wars, there is no reason he can see there won't be a way to conduct safe elections, in person, during coronavirus.The 3,000 seat church seemed to be completely full, and the Students For Trump organization tweeted that the house is 'Absolutely Packed.'CNN noted that few, if any of the students, were wearing masks at the event, during a time of a global pandemic, and that the Grand Canyon State recorded 3,591 cases in the past 24 hours.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Gabon lawmakers vote to decriminalise homosexuality

LIBREVILLE - Lawmakers in Gabon's lower house of parliament on Tuesday voted to decriminalise homosexuality, becoming one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa to reverse a law that punishes sexual relations between people of the same sex.Forty-eight members of parliament backed the proposed initiative by the government to revise an article of the 2019 law that criminalised homosexuality. Twenty-four voted against, while 25 others abstained."Forty-eight lawmakers have shaken an entire nation and its customs and traditions," one member of parliament who voted against the revision, told Reuters.Same-sex marriage is still not allowed in the central African state, where homosexuality is still broadly seen as a taboo.Gabon is one of 73 countries or jurisdictions worldwide that criminalises sex between men, and sex between women, with punishments of up to six months imprisonment and a fine of 5 million FCFA($8,715), according to London-based rights group Human Dignity Trust. ($1 = 573.7 CFA)


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Brazil registers 39,436 additional coronavirus cases, 1,374 deaths

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil recorded 39,436 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours as well as 1,374 new deaths resulting from the disease, the country's Health Ministry said on Tuesday.Brazil has registered more than 1.1 million cases since the pandemic began, while cumulative deaths reached 52,645, according to the ministry.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--Pentagon chief technology officer, deputy to resign on July 10

The Pentagon’s chief technology officer Mike Griffin, an outspoken advocate for space-based missile defense systems, and his deputy will resign effective July 10 to set up their own company, the director of the Missile Defense Agency said.Griffin, the Defense Department’s undersecretary of defense for research and engineering since 2018, and his deputy, Lisa Porter, announced their decision at a staff meeting on Tuesday, Vice Admiral Jon Hill said, confirming a report by Inside Defense news service.Griffin oversees the activities of Hill's Missile Defense Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit and the DoD Laboratory enterprise.He was previously chief executive of Schafer Corporation, a professional services provider in the national security sector, and also served as NASA administrator.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--N.Korea suspends military action plans against S.Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has chaired a meeting of the ruling party's Central Military Commission and decided to suspend military action plans against South Korea, official KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday.There have been rising political tensions between the rival Koreas over plans by groups in the South to fly propaganda leaflets, which the North has claimed violate an agreement between the two aimed at preventing military confrontation.


jerusalempost--2020-06-23--IDF soldiers thwart terror attack near Ramallah, one Palestinian injured

IDF soldiers on patrol near the West Bank city of Ramallah spotted terrorists throwing Molotov Cocktails and opened fire in response on Tuesday night.One Palestinian was injured and taken to receive medical care and another arrested after soldiers chased him, IDF Spokesperson reported.The other Palestinians escaped and the soldiers are searching after them.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Givat Asaf terrorist given four life sentences

The Judea Military Court on Wednesday sentenced Asem Barghouti to four life sentences for the Givat Assaf shooting attack in 2018.The court also ordered punitive damages of over NIS 15 million to the families of the various victims.Granting large punitive damages is part of a new trend of a “legal price tag” to deter terror and prisoner exchanges.Soldiers Yuval Mor-Yosef and Yosef Cohen were murdered by Barghouti on December 13, 2018, in a shooting attack outside the West Bank settlement of Givat Assaf.In addition, a baby was born prematurely and died days later due to another of his shooting attacks.Three life sentences were given for the murders and the fourth for other attempted murder convictions.Barghouti was arrested in January 2019 by a joint operation of the IDF, Israel Police and the Shin Bet in the West Bank village of Abu Shukheidim, north of Ramallah, at the home of one of his associates.Barghouti, originally from the village of Kobar north of Ramallah, comes from a Hamas-affiliated family and had already spent 11 years in Israeli prisons for security-related crimes, including plans to abduct soldiers.According to the Shin Bet, Barghouti had been planning additional attacks against Israeli targets and was found with a Kalashnikov rifle, large amounts of ammunition and night vision equipment.He carried out the Givat Assaf attack just days after he and his brother, Salah Barghouti, shot seven Israelis in a drive-by-shooting attack near the settlement of Ofra, north of Givat Assaf.Salah Barghouti was killed during an arrest attempt on December 11, 2018.“The arrest by the Israel Security Agency and soldiers from the Yamam Brigade was the culmination of an intelligence and operational effort that began immediately after the attack, during which the Shin Bet and the IDF used intelligence, operational and technological capabilities to locate the terrorist,” the Shin Bet said in the statement, adding that dozens of operatives and collaborators of Hamas in the West Bank have been arrested."The families of the victims and I welcome the decision of the court and hope that the terrorist will never again walk free," family lawyer Maurice Hirsch said. "To avoid the terrorist enjoying the fat salaries paid to him by the PA, I am calling on Israel's defense minister to immediately return to enforce the new legislation passed recently in Judea and Samaria that would prevent banks operating in the PA from acting as a conduit through which the blood money is paid."Anna Ahronheim contributed to this story.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Education Ministry reports 839 coronavirus patients, 209 closed schools

The Health Ministry also reported a record number of people screened on Tuesday : 19,188 .
The country ’ s rate of infection stands at 2.3 % .
Earlier this week , a series of recordings from coronavirus cabinet meetings that were released to N12 , revealed statements by Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman in which he argued against the use of the technology unless the country is in a situation where “ there is large-scale infection and there is no alternative solution .
“ I really , really , really request ” that the country does not legislate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against coronavirus at this stage , ” he said .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing to restart the surveillance program to help stop the coronavirus spread , despite privacy concerns .
On Monday , the coronavirus cabinet started a discussion on the subject , but the attorney general said it was a discussion appropriate for the cabinet and the ministers agreed to push the talk off until Sunday .
The increasing daily number of cases caused the meeting to be moved up .
N12 reported that Blue and White and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch the surveillance program and that the law may be read to the Knesset plenary as early as Wednesday .
However , even if the law does pass today , the program would not be able to be implemented immediately .
Argaman was invited to voice his opposition to the cabinet .
The Ministerial Committee on Declaring Restricted Zones will also meet Wednesday to determine if additional cities should be closed , such as Modi ’ in Illit and Bat Yam , where the infection rates are high .
In light of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Or Yehuda announced Wednesday that prayers will return to open spaces .
`` We all remember well that one of the most significant contagion centers in the first wave was in the synagogues , and none of us want to return to this place , '' Mayor Liat Shochat said .
`` We have one goal in mind , which is to reduce the morbidity across the city . ''
At the same time , the Education Ministry reported that there are 839 students and teachers with coronavirus and 20,392 in isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed an order Wednesday extending the emergency recruitment of up to 250 reservists , most of them from the Home Front Command .
The orders , he said , are valid through the end of July .
The order was already in place but set to expire on June 30.Recruitment will be carried out only as needed and in line with developments in the spread of the coronavirus pandemic .
A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center focused on spikes specifically in the ultra-Orthodox communities of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red zone on Tuesday ) , Modi ’ in Illit , Beitar Illit and Beit Shemesh .
There were 69 people diagnosed with coronavirus in those communities in one day , on June 22 , the report said.In light of the spread , the mayor and head rabbi of Or Yehuda announced Wednesday that prayers will return to open spaces .
`` We all remember well that one of the most significant contagion centers in the first wave was in the synagogues , and none of us want to return to this place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have one goal in mind , which is to reduce the morbidity across the city .
`` At the same time , the Education Ministry reported that there are 839 students and teachers with coronavirus and 20,392 in isolation .
Some 209 schools are closed .

The cabinet and the Knesset voted on Wednesday to advance legislation that would enable the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to use its digital tools to to track coronavirus patients. The bill passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum by a vote of 44 to 33, but still must pass additional readings in a Knesset committee and the plenum next week in order to become law.At the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he wants to accelerate the development of an app to allow for effective contact tracing. However, he admitted that "this will take time – weeks and I hope not months. Until then, we are seeking to supplement" our efforts with the Shin Bet surveillance tool.He said that he hopes the coronavirus spread will slow and there will not be a need to use it.At press time on Wednesday evening, the Health Ministry reported an increase of 265 patients within the last day, bringing the number of active cases to 5,520. The number of people with serious cases is 46, including 28 who are intubated.The Health Ministry also reported a record number of people screened on Tuesday: 19,533.Netanyahu has been pushing to restart the surveillance program to help stop the coronavirus spread since last weekend, despite privacy concerns. On Monday, the coronavirus cabinet started a discussion on the subject, but the attorney-general said it was a discussion appropriate for the cabinet. The ministers agreed to push the talk off until Sunday. However, the increasing daily number of cases caused the meeting to be moved up.The Ministerial Committee on Declaring Restricted Zones also met Wednesday to determine if additional cities should be closed, such as Modi’in Illit and Bat Yam, where the infection rates are high. At press time, no decision had yet been made, other than to reduce the narrowing of the red zone in Tiberias to three stress, effective immediately.A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center focused on spikes specifically in the ultra-Orthodox communities of Bnei Brak, Elad (named a red zone on Tuesday), Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit and Beit Shemesh. There were 69 people diagnosed with coronavirus in those communities in one day, on June 22, the report said.In light of the spread, the mayor and head rabbi of Or Yehuda announced Wednesday that prayers will return to open spaces."We all remember well that one of the most significant contagion centers in the first wave was in the synagogues, and none of us want to return to this place," Mayor Liat Shochat said. "We have one goal in mind, which is to reduce the morbidity across the city."Likewise, Beit Shean called on its residents not to invite outside guests and to leave the city as little as possible, in order to ensure the infection rate there stays low. Four people have been infected in the city in the last three days, the Health Ministry showed.The city is also stepping up enforcement.“I ask everyone to obey the instructions and not make it more difficult for the inspectors and police,” the mayor said.A separate report report by the Gartner Institute that advises the Health Ministry revealed how Israelis are catching coronavirus: 31% were infected in gatherings and it is still unclear who infected them; 61% came in contact with a known sick person; 2% caught it at a senior living facility; 1% on a flight from abroad’ and 5% are still under investigation.At the same time, the Education Ministry reported that there are 839 students and teachers with coronavirus and 20,392 in isolation. Some 209 schools are closed.Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed an order Wednesday extending the emergency recruitment of up to 250 reservists, most of them from the Home Front Command. The orders, he said, are valid through the end of July.The order was already in place but set to expire on June 30. Recruitment will be carried out only as needed and in line with developments in the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.In addition, Gantz instructed his ministry to prepare to open additional coronavirus hotels for those who contract the virus and cannot quarantine at home. One additional hotel was opened at the Sde Hermon School near in Kibbutz Snir in northern Israel. The command is already operating six others across the country.Finally, the coronavirus cabinet drafted updated procedures for dealing with the virus in the public sector. Civil service agencies are being asked to authorize some employees to work from home, to limit public reception and rather to help the public through digital means when possible, as well as to move back to a “capsule” system that would require staff to work in limited numbers at a time.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Indonesia reports 1,113 new coronavirus infections, 38 new deaths

Health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said there were 38 more deaths reported , with total fatalities now at 2,573 .

Indonesia reported 1,113 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, taking its total number of cases to 49,009.
Health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said there were 38 more deaths reported, with total fatalities now at 2,573.
Indonesia's coronavirus death toll is the highest in East Asia outside of China.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Russia's coronavirus case tally passes 600,000

Russia on Wednesday reported 7,176 new cases of the novel coronavirus, pushing its nationwide case total to 606,881, the world's third highest tally.The country's coronavirus crisis response center said 154 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 8,513.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Turkey: Soldier shot and two injured on Iran's border

One Turkish soldier was shot to death and two others were injured on Turkey's southeastern border with Iran, after fire was shot from across the border, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported Wednesday morning.The Turkish soldiers were patrolling a village near the border when the incident took place. The Turkish military has been waging war against the PKK Kurdish militant group in the area over the past few decades.The circumstances leading to the incident are still being investigated.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 9.26 million, death toll at 475,880

More than 9.26 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 475,880 have died, according to a Reuters tally.Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Gantz calls up reserves as coronavirus cases spike


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--East Jerusalem youth caught with 3,000 fireworks on him

A teenager from East Jerusalem was arrested after caught carrying 3,000 fireworks on Wednesday morning, according to reports by Maarive.The suspect, an 18-year-old from East Jerusalem was caught with 120 packages containing around 3,000 fireworks, which the Police suspect were meant for distribution purposes.The suspect is currently being investigated by the Police.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Israel begins to charge purchase tax for spare car-parts

The Israel Tax Authority began to collect taxation for imported spare car-parts which can reach 19%, Army Radio reported on Wednesday morning.As Israel faces the ramifications the coronavirus outbreak had on its own economy as well as its trading partners, the radio suggested this tax might be one way the state is hoping to generate income in these lean times.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--South Korea's first female trade minister bids for WTO top job

South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee on Wednesday announced her bid to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), aiming to be the first female leader at the WTO.The nominations process began earlier this month to find a successor to Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, who will vacate the post a year early at the end of August."The international community is increasingly becoming more protectionist...in order for the WTO to overcome the current crisis, the role of a middle power to mediate conflicts among member states is important," Yoo said in a statement ahead of a press conference."Korea will be able to serve as a bridge, based on its growth experience through trade."Yoo is the first woman to hold the position of South Korea's trade minister since it was created in 1948, and if selected, would be the first female WTO director-general.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Mishan nursing home begins quarantine, worker reported to have COVID-19

A Mishan nursing home in Jerusalem began quarantine after a staff member was reported to have COVID-19, Army Radio reported on Wednesday morning.The report follows concerns a surge of confirmed coronavirus patients might mean a second wave of COVID-19 in the country.It was reported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking into having Shin Bet use its capacities to track down movements of Israelis via their mobile phones in an effort to cut the infection rate.Those who object to the move claim it will offer hostile persons a chance to learn how such advanced technology is used by the security service.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Singapore PM's estranged brother joins opposition party as election looms

The Singapore prime minister's brother, Lee Hsien Yang, said on Wednesday that he had joined an opposition party competing against his sibling at the upcoming July 10 election but that he was undecided on whether he would run as a candidate.Lee Hsien Yang, the son of Singapore's modern-day founder, Lee Kuan Yew, has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with his brother over his late father's house. He told Reuters he had joined the new Progress Singapore Party (PSP).Lee has criticised his brother Lee Hsien Loong's People's Action Party (PAP), which their father founded and which has governed the city-state since its independence in 1965.Last year, Hsien Yang said that the PAP had "lost its way" and that he "supported the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party."


jerusalempost--2020-06-25--Mexico registers 947 new deaths from coronavirus and 5,437 new cases

Mexico 's health ministry on Wednesday reported 947 new deaths from the coronavirus and 5,437 new cases .
The figures @ @ @ @ @ 196,847 cases and 24,324 deaths .

Mexico's health ministry on Wednesday reported 947 new deaths from the coronavirus and 5,437 new cases.
The figures bring Mexico's totals to 196,847 cases and 24,324 deaths.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Magnitude 5.9 quake strikes New Zealand's Milford Sound area

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Milford Sound in the southwest of New Zealand 's South Island on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ .
Thousands of people in the area reported on Geonet to have felt the earthquake @ @ @ @ @ at a depth of 5 kilometres ( 3 miles ) , but there were no @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand lies on the seismically active `` Ring of Fire '' , a 40,000-km @ @ @ @ @ volcanoes and ocean trenches girdling much of the Pacific Ocean .

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Milford Sound in the southwest of New Zealand's South Island on Thursday, government seismic monitor Geonet said.
Thousands of people in the area reported on Geonet to have felt the earthquake, which was very shallow at a depth of 5 kilometres (3 miles), but there were no immediate reports of damages.
New Zealand lies on the seismically active "Ring of Fire", a 40,000-km (24,855-miles) arc of volcanoes and ocean trenches girdling much of the Pacific Ocean.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 9.33 million, death toll at 478,126

More than 9.33 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 478,126 have died @ @ @ @ @ tally.Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases @ @ @ @ @ December 2019 .

More than 9.33 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 478,126 have died, according to a Reuters tally.Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--WHO director for Americas says 226,000 have died of COVID-19 in region

Nearly half of all COVID-19 cases globally can be found in the Americas and the numbers continue to climb , @ @ @ @ @ regional director for the Americas , Carissa Etienne , said on Wednesday .
As of @ @ @ @ @ been more than 4.5 million COVID-19 cases and 226,000 deaths reported in the Americas , @ @ @ @ @ briefing from Washington .
In Latin America and the Caribbean alone , cases have tripled @ @ @ @ @ to 2 million .
There is now widespread transmission in Central America and in South @ @ @ @ @ weekend , Brazil surpassed 1 million COVID-19 cases , joining the United States as the @ @ @ @ @ world with cases in the seven digits .

Nearly half of all COVID-19 cases globally can be found in the Americas and the numbers continue to climb, the World Health Organization's regional director for the Americas, Carissa Etienne, said on Wednesday.
As of June 23, there have been more than 4.5 million COVID-19 cases and 226,000 deaths reported in the Americas, she said in a virtual briefing from Washington.
In Latin America and the Caribbean alone, cases have tripled from 690,000 one month ago to 2 million.
There is now widespread transmission in Central America and in South America, as of this weekend, Brazil surpassed 1 million COVID-19 cases, joining the United States as the only other country in the world with cases in the seven digits.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Chicken, bread, watermelon now for a shekel at some Israeli supermarkets

Eyal Ravid , CEO of Victory , announced on Wednesday that sliced bread and challah will be sold at the @ @ @ @ @ starting on Thursday .
The sale is not conditional on purchases and is limited to @ @ @ @ @ The company set aside NIS 1 million in order to do the sale which will @ @ @ @ @ in order to help out the public which is dealing with the economic effects of @ @ @ @ @ Levy , the chain which originally invented the product for a shekel sale , will @ @ @ @ @ 1 per kilogram with purchases worth NIS 100 and watermelon for NIS 1 per kilogram @ @ @ @ @ period .

Eyal Ravid, CEO of Victory, announced on Wednesday that sliced bread and challah will be sold at the chain for just NIS 1 starting on Thursday. The sale is not conditional on purchases and is limited to one loaf per person. The company set aside NIS 1 million in order to do the sale which will continue for the coming period in order to help out the public which is dealing with the economic effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Rami Levy, the chain which originally invented the product for a shekel sale, will be offering chicken for NIS 1 per kilogram with purchases worth NIS 100 and watermelon for NIS 1 per kilogram without conditions for the coming period.
Israeli consumers will now be able to enjoy challah and sliced bread for just a shekel and chicken and watermelon for just a shekel per kilogram, with new sales announced by the Victory and Rami Levy supermarket chains, according to Calcalist.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Knesset plenum advances Shin Bet surveillance bill

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jerusalempost--2020-06-24--California city bans predictive policing in US first

His administration will work with the police to `` help eliminate racism in policing , '' the seaside city 's @ @ @ @ @ on his Facebook page , following a vote on Tuesday evening .
Used by police @ @ @ @ @ almost a decade , predictive policing relies on algorithms to interpret police records , analyzing @ @ @ @ @ send officers to target chronic offenders , or identifying places where crime may occur .
@ @ @ @ @ racist patterns of policing - low-income , ethnic minority neighborhoods have historically been over policed @ @ @ @ @ as crime hotspots , leading to the deployment of more police to those areas .

California's Santa Cruz has become the first U.S. city to ban predictive policing, which digital rights experts said could spark similar moves across the country."Understanding how predictive policing and facial recognition can be disproportionately biased against people of color, we officially banned the use of these technologies in the city of Santa Cruz," Mayor Justin Cummings said on Wednesday.
His administration will work with the police to "help eliminate racism in policing," the seaside city's first male African-American mayor said on his Facebook page, following a vote on Tuesday evening.
Used by police across the United States for almost a decade, predictive policing relies on algorithms to interpret police records, analyzing arrest or parole data to send officers to target chronic offenders, or identifying places where crime may occur.
But critics says it reinforces racist patterns of policing - low-income, ethnic minority neighborhoods have historically been over policed so the data shows them as crime hotspots, leading to the deployment of more police to those areas.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Gantz orders preparations for new coronavirus quarantine hotels


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--US to end funding for COVID-19 testing sites end of this month - report

The Trump administration is planning to end federal funding and support for coronavirus testing sites at the end of this month, CNBC reported on Wednesday, citing NBC News.


jerusalempost--2020-06-24--Coronavirus: 265 new patients in the last day

The cabinet and the Knesset voted on Wednesday to advance legislation that would enable the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to use its digital tools to to track coronavirus patients. The bill passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum by a vote of 44 to 33, but still must pass additional readings in a Knesset committee and the plenum next week in order to become law.At the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he wants to accelerate the development of an app to allow for effective contact tracing. However, he admitted that "this will take time – weeks and I hope not months. Until then, we are seeking to supplement" our efforts with the Shin Bet surveillance tool.He said that he hopes the coronavirus spread will slow and there will not be a need to use it.At press time on Wednesday evening, the Health Ministry reported an increase of 265 patients within the last day, bringing the number of active cases to 5,520. The number of people with serious cases is 46, including 28 who are intubated.The Health Ministry also reported a record number of people screened on Tuesday: 19,533.Netanyahu has been pushing to restart the surveillance program to help stop the coronavirus spread since last weekend, despite privacy concerns. On Monday, the coronavirus cabinet started a discussion on the subject, but the attorney-general said it was a discussion appropriate for the cabinet. The ministers agreed to push the talk off until Sunday. However, the increasing daily number of cases caused the meeting to be moved up.The Ministerial Committee on Declaring Restricted Zones also met Wednesday to determine if additional cities should be closed, such as Modi’in Illit and Bat Yam, where the infection rates are high. At press time, no decision had yet been made, other than to reduce the narrowing of the red zone in Tiberias to three stress, effective immediately.A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center focused on spikes specifically in the ultra-Orthodox communities of Bnei Brak, Elad (named a red zone on Tuesday), Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit and Beit Shemesh. There were 69 people diagnosed with coronavirus in those communities in one day, on June 22, the report said.In light of the spread, the mayor and head rabbi of Or Yehuda announced Wednesday that prayers will return to open spaces."We all remember well that one of the most significant contagion centers in the first wave was in the synagogues, and none of us want to return to this place," Mayor Liat Shochat said. "We have one goal in mind, which is to reduce the morbidity across the city."Likewise, Beit Shean called on its residents not to invite outside guests and to leave the city as little as possible, in order to ensure the infection rate there stays low. Four people have been infected in the city in the last three days, the Health Ministry showed.The city is also stepping up enforcement.“I ask everyone to obey the instructions and not make it more difficult for the inspectors and police,” the mayor said.A separate report report by the Gartner Institute that advises the Health Ministry revealed how Israelis are catching coronavirus: 31% were infected in gatherings and it is still unclear who infected them; 61% came in contact with a known sick person; 2% caught it at a senior living facility; 1% on a flight from abroad’ and 5% are still under investigation.At the same time, the Education Ministry reported that there are 839 students and teachers with coronavirus and 20,392 in isolation. Some 209 schools are closed.Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed an order Wednesday extending the emergency recruitment of up to 250 reservists, most of them from the Home Front Command. The orders, he said, are valid through the end of July.The order was already in place but set to expire on June 30. Recruitment will be carried out only as needed and in line with developments in the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.In addition, Gantz instructed his ministry to prepare to open additional coronavirus hotels for those who contract the virus and cannot quarantine at home. One additional hotel was opened at the Sde Hermon School near in Kibbutz Snir in northern Israel. The command is already operating six others across the country.Finally, the coronavirus cabinet drafted updated procedures for dealing with the virus in the public sector. Civil service agencies are being asked to authorize some employees to work from home, to limit public reception and rather to help the public through digital means when possible, as well as to move back to a “capsule” system that would require staff to work in limited numbers at a time.