jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Coronavirus: 844 dead since the start of the pandemic

The number of people who died from coronavirus has reached 844, the Health Ministry said.To date, there are 21,682 people sick with the virus, including 417 in serious condition, among them 116 who are intubated.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Tel Aviv mayor: If there are elections tomorrow, I am jumping in

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai has announced that if Israel holds elections again , he will run .
In an @ @ @ @ @ Huldai said that he will run because he “ can not go on ” and @ @ @ @ @ what is happening in the country , especially in regard to social , economic and @ @ @

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai has announced that if Israel holds elections again, he will run. In an interview to Kan news, Huldai said that he will run because he “cannot go on” and because he is horrified by what is happening in the country, especially in regard to social, economic and moral problems.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Trump secures votes needed for re-nomination at Republican convention

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US President Donald Trump has secured sufficient votes to be re-nominated as Republicans' pick ahead of the Nov. 3 election against Democrat Joe Biden.Trump is being formally nominated by a roll call vote of states at a party convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Mali junta says decision on transitional govt to be decided "by Malians"

Talks between West African mediators and Mali's junta ended on Monday without any decision being reached on the makeup of a transitional government, a military spokesman said.Colonel Ismael Wague said the mediation team would report to regional heads of state on progress made ahead of a summit on Mali this week, but the final decision on the interim administration would be decided "by Malians."


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Police officer suspected of attacking a protester interrogated, released

A police officer who was recorded attacking a protester was interrogated and released on Monday .
The officer is suspected @ @ @ @ @ her face at the protest outside the prime minister ’ s official residence on Saturday @ @

A police officer who was recorded attacking a protester was interrogated and released on Monday. The officer is suspected of striking a woman across her face at the protest outside the prime minister’s official residence on Saturday night.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Commanders of 'peeping officer' received complaints, did not act

New evidence shows that the commanders of the officer accused of hiding cameras in the sleeping quarters and showers of @ @ @ @ @ him and did not act , according to Ynet news .
The investigation has uncovered @ @ @ @ @ cameras in the sleeping quarters and showers and had compromising pictures of soldiers in his @ @ @ @ @ years .
As more interviews were conducted , it became apparent that female soldiers had @ @ @ @ @ that were ignored by his commanders .
The soldiers also said that the officer would @ @ @ @ @ and make sexist comments .

New evidence shows that the commanders of the officer accused of hiding cameras in the sleeping quarters and showers of female soldiers received complaints about him and did not act, according to Ynet news.
The investigation has uncovered that the officer hid multiple cameras in the sleeping quarters and showers and had compromising pictures of soldiers in his possession for upwards of two years.
As more interviews were conducted, it became apparent that female soldiers had filed complaints against the officer that were ignored by his commanders. The soldiers also said that the officer would go through their underwear drawers and make sexist comments.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--At least 90 feared trapped in a building collapse south of Mumbai

At least 90 people were feared trapped in the debris of a five-story building which collapsed south of India's financial capital of Mumbai on Monday, according to police in Maharashtra state.The building, which comprised around 47 flats, caved in on Monday evening, a police statement said.Authorities said 28 people were pulled out by rescue teams amid heavy monsoon rains and local residents had joined the operation at the disaster site in Mahad, an industrial town about 200 km (125 miles) south of Mumbai.The number of dead is yet to be ascertained.Local TV channels showed footage of the debris with locals and police trying to salvage the trapped people. The TV footage also showed at least one ambulance leaving the area as people surrounding it made frantic phone calls.Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has assured the local administration of all possible support for speedy rescue and relief work, his office said on Twitter.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Russian opposition leader Navalny shows indications of poisoning

A clinical examination of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in a medically induced coma in a German hospital after collapsing on a plane in Siberia, has found indications of poisoning, the Charite hospital in Berlin said on Monday.Navalny, a long-time opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, fell ill while campaigning in Siberia on Thursday and was airlifted to Germany for treatment on Saturday."The team of doctors examined the patient in detail after his arrival. The clinical findings indicate poisoning by a substance from the group of active substances called cholinesterase inhibitors," the hospital said in a statement.Navalny is still in an artificial coma at the hospital's intensive care unit. "His health is serious, but there is currently no acute danger to his life," the statement said.Doctors said the substance found in Navalny was not yet know but was some kind of cholinesterase inhibitor. They have started another broad analysis, adding that the effect of the toxic substance in the body had been proven several times by independent laboratories.Navalny is now treated with the antidote atropine but the outcome remains uncertain as long-term effects, especially in the nervous system, cannot be ruled out at this point, the statement said.A German government spokesman said earlier on Monday that authorities had placed Navalny under guard in hospital after determining that he had most likely been poisoned while campaigning in Siberia.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Syria UN committee 'on hold' after three members positive for COVID-19

The Syrian Constitutional Committee, which opened its first session in nine months in Geneva on Monday, is "currently on hold" after three members tested positive for COVID-19, a UN statement said.The office of UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen did not identify which three of the 45 members of the so-called small body of the Constitutional Committee were infected. One third is nominated by the Syrian government, one third by the opposition, and one third is from civil society."Following a constructive first meeting, the Third Session of the Constitutional Committee is currently on hold. The Office of the Special Envoy will make a further announcement in due course," it said, adding that Swiss authorities had been informed and contact-tracing was under way.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Pompeo, Raab to meet in Jerusalem while on official visits

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will meet on Monday night in Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post has confirmed.Both are currently visiting the State of Israel on official visits; Pompeo met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi earlier on Monday, where the recent UAE-Israel peace deal was discussed, while Raab plans to press the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships for renewed peace talks.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Bomb squad neutralizes suspicious item attached to a bunch of balloons

A bunch of balloons with a suspicious item attached to them suspected of being incendiary balloons landed near a town @ @ @ @ @ Council on Monday , according to Ynet News .
A police bomb squad arrived on @ @ @ @ @ item .
There were no injuries and no damage was done .

A bunch of balloons with a suspicious item attached to them suspected of being incendiary balloons landed near a town in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council on Monday, according to Ynet News. A police bomb squad arrived on the scene and neutralized the item. There were no injuries and no damage was done.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--WHO cautious on COVID-19 plasma as US issues emergency authorization

The World Health Organization on Monday was cautious about endorsing the use of recovered COVID-19 patients' plasma to treat those who are ill, saying evidence it works remains "low quality" even as the United States issued emergency authorization for such therapies.So-called convalescent plasma, which has long been used to treat diseases, has emerged as the latest political flashpoint in the race to find therapies for COVID-19.The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday authorized its use after President Donald Trump blamed the agency for impeding the roll-out of vaccines and therapeutics for political reasons.The technique involves taking antibody-rich plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and giving it to those who are suffering from severe active infections in hopes they will recover more quickly.Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, said only a few clinical trials of convalescent plasma have produced results, and the evidence, at least so far, has not been convincing enough to endorse it beyond use as an experimental therapy. While a few trials have showed some benefit, she said, they have been small and their data, so far, inconclusive."At the moment, it's still very low-quality evidence," Swaminathan told a news conference. "So we recommend that convalescent plasma is still an experimental therapy, it should continue to be evaluated in well-designed randomized clinical trials."Evidence is conflicting: One Chinese study showed plasma from people who have recovered from coronavirus failed to make a difference in hospitalized patients, while another, pooled analysis showed it can lower the risk of death.One challenge, Swaminathan added, was plasma's variability, since it is drawn from many different people, producing a product that is less-standardized than monoclonal antibodies crafted in the lab.World Health Organization senior adviser Bruce Aylward added that beyond plasma's efficacy, there were also potential safety risks that must be vetted."There are a number of side effects," Aylward said, ranging from mild fevers to severe lung injuries or circulatory overload. "For that reason, the clinical trial results are extremely important."The US National Institutes of Health this month announced it was giving several million dollars toward a mid-stage convalescent plasma trial.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Canada presses Iran for answers on downed Ukrainian jetliner

Canada is pressing Iran for additional answers over the downing in January of a Ukrainian jetliner, after an announcement by Tehran on Sunday provided "limited and selected information."Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said it accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 on Jan. 8, mistaking it for a missile at a time when tensions were high between Iran and the United States.Many of the 176 victims killed in the crash were Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or had Canada as their final destination.Tehran said an analysis from the black boxes of the Ukrainian plane shows it was hit by two missiles 25 seconds apart and that passengers were still alive for some time after the impact of the first blast."This preliminary report only provides limited and selected information regarding this tragic event," Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau and Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement on Sunday night."The report only mentions what transpired after the first missile strike but not the second and only confirms information that we already know."The ministers asked why the "missiles were launched in the first place and why the airspace was open."Earlier on Sunday, Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) questioned why commercial airlines continued operating in the area affected by the conflict.Under UN rules, Iran retains overall control of the investigation while the United States and Ukraine are accredited as the countries where the jet was respectively built and operated. Canada has also played a role as the home of many of the victims on the downed plane.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Russia to expel Austrian diplomat after Vienna orders Russian diplomat out

Russia will expel an Austrian diplomat, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday, after Vienna ordered one of Russia's diplomats to leave the country over what an Austrian newspaper said was a case of economic espionage.An Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman said earlier that Vienna was expelling a Russian diplomat for breaching the Vienna Convention governing diplomats' privileges and immunities.


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--Israel and UAE health ministers put out joint statement

Israel ’ s Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and UAE 's Health Minister Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Oweis spoke Monday and @ @ @ @ @ and all health issues .
The ministers decided to appoint someone in each office to @ @ @ @ @ the countries , with an emphasis on cooperating on the response to corona .
The @ @ @ @ @ an immediate delegation of business people from both countries in order to begin joint endeavors @ @ @ @ @ create an exchange program for students as soon as coronavirus regulations will allow it .
@ @ @ @ @ peace with the UAE gives the citizens of Israel and of the UAE an excellent @ @ @ @ @ and fruitful relationship .
The UAE ’ s Health Minister is a true partner of @ @ @ @ @ friend in the UAE .
”

Israel’s Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and UAE's Health Minister Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Oweis spoke Monday and agreed to cooperate on any and all health issues.
The ministers decided to appoint someone in each office to be responsible for communication between the countries, with an emphasis on cooperating on the response to corona.
The ministers also decided to plan an immediate delegation of business people from both countries in order to begin joint endeavors and decided to work to create an exchange program for students as soon as coronavirus regulations will allow it.
Edelstein said that “the peace with the UAE gives the citizens of Israel and of the UAE an excellent opportunity to create a close and fruitful relationship. The UAE’s Health Minister is a true partner of Israel and Israel has a friend in the UAE.”


jerusalempost--2020-08-24--State Prosecutor appeals leniency of sentence for Moshe Ivgy

Israel ’ s State Prosecutor submitted an appeal against the leniency of actor Moshe Ivgy ’ s sentence on Monday @ @ @ @ @ .
Ivgy was sentenced to six months community service and told to pay NIS 10,000 @ @ @ @ @ decision to submit the appeal was made by advocate Amit Aisman of the Haifa District @ @ @

Israel’s State Prosecutor submitted an appeal against the leniency of actor Moshe Ivgy’s sentence on Monday, according to Ynet news. Ivgy was sentenced to six months community service and told to pay NIS 10,000 to the plaintiffs.
The decision to submit the appeal was made by advocate Amit Aisman of the Haifa District State Prosecutor.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Syria's Assad designates Arnous to form a new government, presidency says

BEIRUT - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad designated Hussein Arnous to form a new government, the Syrian presidency said on Tuesday, following a parliamentary election in July.Hussein Arnous was prime minister in the outgoing government, appointed by Assad in June to replace Imad Khamis as Syria grappled with a major economic crisis and plunging currency.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Egypt orders arrests after Instagram account exposes gang rape

Egyptian authorities have ordered the arrests of a group of men accused of being involved in a gang rape at a Cairo hotel amid a rare debate about sex crimes that started on social media and has fuelled a growing #MeToo movement.Lack of action over the 2014 incident, that was reported to have involved six men from powerful families, caused an uproar after being disclosed in July by an Instagram account with more than 180,000 followers that aims to expose sex attackers.The case came after the same Instagram account, Assault Police, named a university student from a wealthy family accused of raping and blackmailing multiple women. He was subsequently arrested with the case now under investigation.The publicity over the two cases has prompted hundreds of women to share stories online of sexual violence and abuse, with women's rights activists hoping this would be a turning point for Egypt to start taking sex crimes seriously."The public prosecution orders the arrest of the accused in assaulting a girl in the Fairmont Hotel in 2014, placing them on travel bans," Egypt's public prosecution said in a statement.The prosecution launched an investigation into the case this month after several people came forward to give statements about the incident after a party at the five-star hotel, leading to questioning of the victim and a number of witnesses.The Instagram account that exposed the two cases closed after its administrators received repeated death threats but it has since been reactivated.The state-run National Council for Women said in a statement that the public prosecution's decision sent a message of reassurance and comfort to women who have long felt disadvantaged in the conservative, Muslim-majority nation.The 2014 incident has been one of the most controversial cases of sexual violence in recent years in Egypt where campaigners say a deep-rooted bias means women often face more blame for behavior deemed provocative than men for sex crimes.In what activists see as a move undercutting women's rights, prosecutors have recently charged several women for "inciting debauchery" with songs and dances in TikTok videos.Last week Egypt's parliament gave its final approval to a law to protect the anonymity of victims of sexual harassment or assault to encourage women and girls to report such attacks without fearing social stigma.Reda Eldanoubki, a lawyer and executive director of the Women's Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness, said if convicted the accused men could face hefty jail sentences."We hope that women amid this momentum would make more gains in their endeavors to be legally protected against sexual violence in all its forms," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Greece says wants dialogue with Turkey but will defend sovereign rights

Greece is ready for a dialogue to help dissolve tensions with Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean but the country will also defend its sovereign rights, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.After meeting his German counterpart Heiko Maas in Athens, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias also said that Turkey continues with "provocations" and "violations of international law" despite calls by its neighbours and allies to de-escalate tensions.Dendias said the issue doesn't only concern the two NATO allies but the European Union as a whole.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Despite Gaza COVID lockdown, balloon terror continues in southern Israel

Incendiary and explosive balloon launches continued on Tuesday , despite a 48-hour lockdown that was ordered throughout the Gaza Strip @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases .
At least two fires were reported in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council @ @ @ @ @ a town in the council and another sparked in a greenhouse in the area .
@ @ @ @ @ control

Incendiary and explosive balloon launches continued on Tuesday, despite a 48-hour lockdown that was ordered throughout the Gaza Strip due to the discovery of coronavirus cases.
At least two fires were reported in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, with one sparked within a town in the council and another sparked in a greenhouse in the area. Both fires were brought under control


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Kremlin says no reason for now to investigate Alexei Navalny's illness

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it saw no need for now to investigate the circumstances of opposition politician Alexei Navalny illness and that a German clinic's initial diagnosis of poisoning was not yet conclusive.German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday called on Russia to investigate the suspected poisoning of Navalny and to hold the perpetrators accountable after German doctors found indications of a toxic substance in his body.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call the German clinic had not conclusively identified the substance behind Navalny's illness. He added it was unclear why the German doctors were "rushing" to use the word poisoning.But he said that if poisoning was definitely established as a reason, then an investigation would be launched.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Russia says armored vehicle attacked during patrol in Syria - Ifax

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that a Russian armored vehicle was attacked during a joint Russian-Turkish patrol in Syria's Idlib province, the Interfax news agency reported.The ministry added that two servicemen had been injured in the attack.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Three killed, 41 wounded in Taliban truck bomb in Afghanistan

Taliban insurgents set off a truck bomb on Tuesday in an attack on Afghan army commandos, killing three people and wounding 41, the defence ministry said, despite steps towards peace talks with the US-backed government.The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in the northern province of Balkh, saying on Twitter they had attacked the commandos.The defence ministry said two members of the commando force were killed and six wounded, while the rest of the casualties were civilians.The blast came as a Taliban delegation visited the Pakistani capital to discuss a peace process underpinned by an agreement between the Taliban and the United States on the withdrawal of U.S. forces in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and a promise to open power-sharing talks with the government.But despite what many Afghans see as the best hope for peace since the latest phase of Afghanistan's war began in 2001, the level of violence has remained high.Diplomats and officials say the violence is sapping the trust needed for talks.The government has asked repeatedly for a ceasefire before negotiations start in Qatar's capital of Doha, a request the Taliban have refused.Diplomats say Pakistan, which has long had influence over different Afghan factions, including the Taliban, has in recent months been pushing for a reduction in violence.It was not immediately clear what issues would be discussed in the talks between the Taliban and the Pakistanis in Islamabad.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Coronavirus in Israel: 1,888 new cases - 424 in serious condition

There were 1,888 people diagnosed with coronavirus in the last day, the Health Ministry reported Tuesday morning.There are 424 people in serious condition, including 120 ventilators.The death toll has hit 856.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Public transport to run at 75% capacity during peak school travel times

Public transportation will be allowed a capacity of 75% of the seats on buses to be occupied between 6-9:30 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. to accommodate returning school students, a joint statement by the Transportation and Health Ministries announced on Monday.The agreement was made between Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein to allow the increase as the new school year begins September 1, and as such there will be an increase in traffic.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Rohingya hold 'silent protest' on anniversary of exodus to Bangladesh

Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh held a "silent protest" on Tuesday to mark the third anniversary of clashes between Rohingya insurgents and Myanmar security forces that set off a huge movement into Bangladesh of people seeking safety.More than 1 million Rohingya live in the world's largest refugee settlement in southern Bangladesh, with little prospect of returning to Myanmar, where they are mostly denied citizenship and other rights.The refugees said that because of the novel coronavirus they would not hold a mass gathering to mark what they call "Remembrance Day." Authorities say 88 cases of the virus have been found in the camps and six people have died.Three years ago, Rohingya insurgents raided 30 police posts and an army base in Myanmar's Rakhine State, killing at least 12 members of the security forces.The Myanmar military crackdown that followed forced 730,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, joining more than 200,000 already there."We were forcibly driven out from our motherland to the world's largest refugee camp," Rohingya groups said in a statement.The United Nations said the crackdown by the Myanmar military was carried out with genocidal intent.Myanmar denies genocide, saying its forces were engaged in a legitimate campaign against the Rohingya insurgents, and it was the insurgents who were responsible for most of the violence, including the torching of villages.The refugees said Rohingya had faced "hidden genocide" in Myanmar for decades and they appealed to the United Nations and other organizations to declare what happened in 2017 genocide."Please stand with innocent Rohingya, and then hopefully we can return to our home," they said in the statement.In some rare good news for the refugees, Bangladesh said on Monday it would soon lift a ban on high-speed mobile internet in the camps that authorities imposed last year citing concern that social media would be used to stir panic.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--60-year-old killed in assault at Jerusalem yeshiva

The suspect in the murder is a 40-year-old who also lives at the yeshiva .
A court will rule on @ @ @ @ @ .

The suspect in the murder is a 40-year-old who also lives at the yeshiva. A court will rule on extending his arrest on Tuesday.
A 60-year-old living at a yeshiva in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem passed away on Monday after being severely injured in an assault over the weekend.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--AstraZeneca starts trial of antibody treatment for COVID-19

AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it started early stage trials for an antibody-based treatment for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ also ploughs on with its vaccine candidate .
The trial will evaluate if AZD7442 , @ @ @ @ @ antibodies , is safe and tolerable in up to 48 healthy participants between the ages @ @ @ @ @ in the United Kingdom with the backing of the United States .

AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it started early stage trials for an antibody-based treatment for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, as the British drugmaker also ploughs on with its vaccine candidate.
The trial will evaluate if AZD7442, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, is safe and tolerable in up to 48 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 55 years in the United Kingdom with the backing of the United States.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Portland police declare 'riot' as protesters light fire at offices

Police in Portland , Oregon late on Monday declared a `` riot '' after protesters lit a fire at the @ @ @ @ @ US city 's North Lombard Street and North Campbell Avenue area .
`` Failure to @ @ @ @ @ to arrest and/or the use of crowd control munitions including but not limited to tear @ @ @ @ @ , the police said on Twitter adding that personnel were responding to the fire .

Police in Portland, Oregon late on Monday declared a "riot" after protesters lit a fire at the police association offices near the US city's North Lombard Street and North Campbell Avenue area.
"Failure to leave now will subject you to arrest and/or the use of crowd control munitions including but not limited to tear gas and impact weapons", the police said on Twitter adding that personnel were responding to the fire.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Coronavirus cabinet votes to extend existing gathering directives

The coronavirus cabinet voted this morning by telephone to extend the existing emergency regulations for gathering, which were set to expire Tuesday at midnight, according to Israeli media.There are still many questions that remain on the table.


jerusalempost--2020-08-25--Qatari envoy to visit Gaza amid lockdown, heightened tensions

The envoy will look at humanitarian projects in the Strip and work on de-escalation efforts between Israel and Gaza .

The envoy will look at humanitarian projects in the Strip and work on de-escalation efforts between Israel and Gaza.
Qatari envoy to Gaza Mohammed Al-Emadi will visit the Strip on Tuesday amid the coronavirus lockdown and heightened tensions between Gaza and Israel, according to Palestinian reports.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Violent 24 hours in Rio de Janeiro, as shootouts plague city

A family held hostage by drug traffickers .
A violent police shootout on a busy street .
A mother killed while shielding her three-year-old daughter from gunfire .
Even for residents accustomed to violence , the last 24 hours have been grim in Rio de Janeiro , as a series of shootouts broke out across the city among warring criminal gangs and police .
It started late Wednesday , when heavily armed members of one of Brazil 's largest criminal organizations , Comando Vermelho or Red Command , were driving though the wealthy neighborhood of Lagoa and their car broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They exited the car armed and were spotted by passing police officers .
Over 40 shots were exchanged , resulting in two arrests and multiple injuries .
But the gang , which was trying to wrest control of the Sao Carlos neighborhood in central Rio from an enemy organization , was undeterred .
By evening , an intense shootout ensued there with images of the fighting aired widely by local broadcasters .
One local resident , 25-year-old Ana Cristina da Silva , was walking to a bar where she worked with her three-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossfire , police said .
Da Silva wrapped herself around her daughter and was hit by a stray bullet .
By the time firefighters brought da Silva to a local hospital , she was dead , according to police .
On Thursday afternoon , after a related shootout with police , one suspect fled into a nearby condominium , taking a family hostage , police said .
Later , the suspect freed the family and turned himself in .
The state of Rio , which includes Rio city and its metropolitan area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's notoriously violent police force killed 1,814 people during that period , according to public data .
In May , after a 14-year-old boy at a pool party was killed in a botched raid , provoking widespread protest , Brazil 's Supreme Court put in place restrictions on police operations in the state .
Police and local officials complain their hands are unduly tied .
Organizations that have denounced police violence say both violent crime and police killings have remained relatively low in the months since that order was put into place .

A family held hostage by drug traffickers. A violent police shootout on a busy street. A mother killed while shielding her three-year-old daughter from gunfire.
Even for residents accustomed to violence, the last 24 hours have been grim in Rio de Janeiro, as a series of shootouts broke out across the city among warring criminal gangs and police.
It started late Wednesday, when heavily armed members of one of Brazil's largest criminal organizations, Comando Vermelho or Red Command, were driving though the wealthy neighborhood of Lagoa and their car broke down, according to local media.
They exited the car armed and were spotted by passing police officers. Over 40 shots were exchanged, resulting in two arrests and multiple injuries.
But the gang, which was trying to wrest control of the Sao Carlos neighborhood in central Rio from an enemy organization, was undeterred. By evening, an intense shootout ensued there with images of the fighting aired widely by local broadcasters.
One local resident, 25-year-old Ana Cristina da Silva, was walking to a bar where she worked with her three-year-old daughter when they were caught in the crossfire, police said.
Da Silva wrapped herself around her daughter and was hit by a stray bullet. By the time firefighters brought da Silva to a local hospital, she was dead, according to police.
On Thursday afternoon, after a related shootout with police, one suspect fled into a nearby condominium, taking a family hostage, police said. Later, the suspect freed the family and turned himself in.
The state of Rio, which includes Rio city and its metropolitan area, registered 3,025 murders in 2019. Rio's notoriously violent police force killed 1,814 people during that period, according to public data.
In May, after a 14-year-old boy at a pool party was killed in a botched raid, provoking widespread protest, Brazil's Supreme Court put in place restrictions on police operations in the state.
Police and local officials complain their hands are unduly tied. Organizations that have denounced police violence say both violent crime and police killings have remained relatively low in the months since that order was put into place.
"Rio has over 1,400 'comunidades,'" said police spokesman Mauro Fliess, referring to often-poor, crime plagued neighborhoods. "And four criminal gangs are fighting for control of the area, fist to fist, with weapons of war."


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Teenager in Wisconsin shootings charged with six criminal counts

Kyle Rittenhouse , the 17-year-old who was arrested in connection with shootings in Wisconsin that led to the death of @ @ @ @ @ another , has been charged with six criminal counts , according to the criminal complaint @ @ @ @

Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who was arrested in connection with shootings in Wisconsin that led to the death of two people and injury of another, has been charged with six criminal counts, according to the criminal complaint disclosed on Thursday.
The charges against Rittenhouse in Kenosha County include first degree reckless homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum and first degree intentional homicide in the death of Anthony Huber, according to the complaint.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Kamala Harris condemns looting, violence in wake of police shooting

US presidential nominee Joe Biden 's running mate Kamala Harris on Thursday denounced the looting and acts of violence that followed the police shooting of a Black man , as Republicans sought to paint the two Democrats as weak on crime .
Hoping to win a second term in November and trailing Biden in opinion polls , President Donald Trump has used this week 's Republican National Convention to promise a `` law and order '' response to protests against racial injustice .
In Kenosha , Wisconsin , relative calm returned after multiple nights of looting and two violent deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday fired seven shots at the back of 29-year-old Jacob Blake , paralyzing him .
Harris , a US senator who previously served as California 's attorney general , said she supported peaceful protesters .
`` We should not confuse them with those looting and committing acts of violence , including the shooter who was arrested for murder .
And make no mistake , we will not let these vigilantes and extremists derail the path to justice , '' Harris said in a speech from a university auditorium in Washington streamed online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among them 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse , who was arrested on Wednesday on homicide charges in connection with Tuesday night 's shootings in which the two people were killed .
Trump said on Wednesday he was sending federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Kenosha .
He planned to attack Biden at Thursday 's final night of the convention .
Biden countered by saying Trump was to blame for the way the coronavirus pandemic and racial strife had spread across the United States .
`` These guys are rooting for violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Biden said on CNN .
`` To prove the issue 'be scared of Joe Biden , ' they 're pointing to what 's happening in Donald Trump 's America . ''
( Reporting by Michael Martina ; Editing by Howard Goller )

US presidential nominee Joe Biden's running mate Kamala Harris on Thursday denounced the looting and acts of violence that followed the police shooting of a Black man, as Republicans sought to paint the two Democrats as weak on crime.
Hoping to win a second term in November and trailing Biden in opinion polls, President Donald Trump has used this week's Republican National Convention to promise a "law and order" response to protests against racial injustice.
In Kenosha, Wisconsin, relative calm returned after multiple nights of looting and two violent deaths in response to an officer who on Sunday fired seven shots at the back of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, paralyzing him.
Harris, a US senator who previously served as California's attorney general, said she supported peaceful protesters.
"We should not confuse them with those looting and committing acts of violence, including the shooter who was arrested for murder. And make no mistake, we will not let these vigilantes and extremists derail the path to justice," Harris said in a speech from a university auditorium in Washington streamed online.
Protests drew an array of rifle-toting civilians, among them 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who was arrested on Wednesday on homicide charges in connection with Tuesday night's shootings in which the two people were killed.
Trump said on Wednesday he was sending federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Kenosha. He planned to attack Biden at Thursday's final night of the convention.
Biden countered by saying Trump was to blame for the way the coronavirus pandemic and racial strife had spread across the United States.
"These guys are rooting for violence. That's what it's all about," Biden said on CNN. "To prove the issue 'be scared of Joe Biden,' they're pointing to what's happening in Donald Trump's America." (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Howard Goller)


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Rockets fired at Green Zone for second time in matter of hours

Rockets were fired towards the Green Zone in Baghdad where the US embassy is located for a second time within @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night , according to Iraqi media .
Three rockets landed in an empty square @ @ @ @ @ Rocket launchers were found by security forces in an area west of Baghdad .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ fired towards the area .
No injuries or damage were reported .

Rockets were fired towards the Green Zone in Baghdad where the US embassy is located for a second time within a matter of hours on Thursday night, according to Iraqi media.
Three rockets landed in an empty square in the Green Zone. Rocket launchers were found by security forces in an area west of Baghdad.
Earlier, a Katyusha rocket was fired towards the area. No injuries or damage were reported.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Saudi-Led coalition intercepts a ballistic missile launched towards Najran

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen said on Thursday it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched @ @ @ @ @ .
The statement , carried by the Saudi state news agency SPA , added the @ @ @ @ @ way to target civilians .
Yemen has been locked in conflict since 2014 when the @ @ @ @ @ the capital , and then much of the country ‘ s north .
Fighting escalated @ @ @ @ @ Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi .

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen said on Thursday it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards the city of Najran.
The statement, carried by the Saudi state news agency SPA, added the missile was launched in a way to target civilians.
Yemen has been locked in conflict since 2014 when the Iran-aligned Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and then much of the country‘s north. Fighting escalated in March 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--40 new coronavirus cases reported in Gaza

Some 117 of the cases are still active , with 80 cases outside of quarantine centers at border crossings .
@ @ @ @ @ to the virus in the Strip .

Some 117 of the cases are still active, with 80 cases outside of quarantine centers at border crossings. Three people have died due to the virus in the Strip.
Some 40 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases since the beginning of the outbreak to 192.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Molotov cocktails thrown towards residential building in East Jerusalem

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Police officers were called to the scene of a residential building in East Jerusalem where individuals reportedly threw Molotov cocktails towards the structure.Police forces have started scanning the area in an attempt to locate the individuals involved and have opened an investigation regarding the circumstances that led to the incident.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Arizona, Alabama, Michigan sending National Guard troops to Kenosha

The US National Guard will send troops from three additional states, Arizona, Alabama and Michigan, to Kenosha to assist with operations there, the head of Wisconsin's National Guard Major General Paul Knapp told a news conference on Thursday."They will be here and hopefully be assisting us as early as tomorrow night in some cases," he said.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--France reports 6,111 new COVID-19 infections, second-highest level ever

France on Thursday recorded 6,111 new confirmed coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours , the highest level since lockdown @ @ @ @ @ , since the 7,578 high set on March 30 during lockdown and at the height @ @ @ @ @ French health ministry said the total number of confirmed infections now stood at 259,698 .
@ @ @ @ @ recorded 5,429 new infections , which was a new post-lockdown record .

France on Thursday recorded 6,111 new confirmed coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the highest level since lockdown ended and the second-highest ever, since the 7,578 high set on March 30 during lockdown and at the height of the epidemic.
The French health ministry said the total number of confirmed infections now stood at 259,698. On Wednesday, the country recorded 5,429 new infections, which was a new post-lockdown record.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Spain diagnoses 3,781 new coronavirus cases, some regions stabilise

Spain diagnosed 3,781 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours , with the Madrid region most affected by the @ @ @ @ @ health ministry data showed on Thursday .
Retroactively updated numbers from the previous day showed @ @ @ @ @ , nearly double the initially reported amount , but off Friday 's highs of more @ @ @ @ @ its late-March peak of new cases .
Spain has the highest prevalence of the virus @ @ @ @ @ at a cumulative total of 429,507 , infections have risen sharply since Spain lifted a @ @ @ @ @ , but deaths have been much lower than the nearly 900 per day during the @ @ @ @ @ now around June 's levels .
The ministry on Thursday reported eight new deaths , @ @ @ @ @ to 28,996 .

Spain diagnosed 3,781 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, with the Madrid region most affected by the resurgence of the epidemic, health ministry data showed on Thursday.
Retroactively updated numbers from the previous day showed more than 6,000 new cases, nearly double the initially reported amount, but off Friday's highs of more than 9,000 that nearly equalled its late-March peak of new cases.
Spain has the highest prevalence of the virus in Western Europe.
Now at a cumulative total of 429,507, infections have risen sharply since Spain lifted a three-month lockdown in late June, but deaths have been much lower than the nearly 900 per day during the epidemic's peak and are now around June's levels.
The ministry on Thursday reported eight new deaths, bringing the total death toll to 28,996.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Coronavirus in Israel: 1,387 new cases, 883 dead, 115 on ventilators

Ukraine imposed a temporary ban on most foreigners from entering the country until September 28 – Yom Kippur on the Jewish calendar – and extended lockdown measures until the end of October to contain a recent spike in coronavirus cases .
Coronavirus commissioner Prof. Ronni Gamzu called the decision “ responsible and correct ” and “ in the spirit of the time.
” He said it would “ preserve the health of thousands of people in Israel and Ukraine.
” He added that he hopes , when the virus dissipates , that it will be possible to once again pray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the backdrop of a bitter battle in Israel around whether hassidim should be allowed to travel to Ukrainian city of Uman this Rosh Hashanah to visit the burial place of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov .
On Wednesday , the Health Ministry reported that 1,952 people were diagnosed with the novel virus the day before – the highest daily number in almost a month .
Moreover , some 1,214 people were diagnosed between midnight and press time .
In Ukraine , the daily tally of new infections jumped to around 2,000 last week with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The total number of infections reached 110,085 on Wednesday , with 2,354 deaths .
While the death toll is almost three times that of Israel 's , the daily and total infection figures are similar , although Ukraine has more than four times the population .
“ The rise in coronavirus infections we have seen in recent weeks is forcing us to act more decisively , ” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said .
ON WEDNESDAY morning , coalition chairman MK Miki Zohar ( Likud ) lashed out at Gamzu , warning him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flights to Uman would happen and he should prepare for this “ instead of sending letters to Ukraine in opposition to the prime minister ’ s point of view.
” But despite the mean comments , Gamzu held his ground .
At a ceremony marking the opening of the new Shield of Israel headquarters in Airport City on Wednesday , he said that “ the responsible act is not to travel to Uman.
” Gamzu said he is `` not sure ” whether some citizens of Israel , as well as some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand what he and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein are trying to do by cutting the infection rate in the country .
“ The hard way is not always popular ; it is complex , it is complicated and it takes time , ” the commissioner said .
Shmyhal said that Wednesday ’ s decisions were partly in response to a plea from Israel to prevent an influx of hassidic Jews traveling to the central Ukrainian town for the annual pilgrimage , fearing it may become a virus hot spot .
“ We must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our foreign partners , ” Shmyhal said .
MEANWHILE , there is still no agreement on how many people will be able to pray together in synagogues and how those prayers will look on the holiest days of the year .
There is also no date for a coronavirus cabinet meeting , which needs to be held with schools opening next week and the holidays beginning on September 18 .
Edelstein said at the ceremony that , “ with all the sorrow it will cause , and with an understanding for the needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility is not to gather in large groups around the holiday table , but to try to hold back.
” He added that “ we expect the heads of local authorities and synagogue rabbis to disperse the congregations into as many quorums as possible in order to prevent gatherings.
” Gamzu once again called on the public to partner with him in stopping the spread of the infection .
“ It depends on everyone ’ s personal responsibility , ” he said .
“ Please – no gatherings , no forbidden weddings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morbidity .
It is the task of all of us .
Be proud of what you do.
” On Tuesday , some 15 people died of coronavirus – one of the highest numbers in a single day since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel .
Another four died on Thursday , bringing the death toll to 883 .
Although the numbers had been stable for several weeks , in recent days there has been an upward trend .
Gamzu said not to panic , however , and that he has checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are managing .
REGARDING TRAVEL to Greece , the number of Israelis who can travel to the popular Israeli tourist destination will double from 600 to 1,200 starting next week , the Foreign Ministry said .
The travelers will now be able to visit anywhere they want rather than specific islands .
As before , tourists will need to be screened for coronavirus 72 hours in advance of their travels and again on arrival .
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said that so far , no Israeli tourists have brought coronavirus into the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expand the number .
Specifically , the new plan will go into effect on August 31 and will last until September 15 , ahead of Rosh Hashanah , at which time it will be re-evaluated .
“ Doubling the number of tourists to Greece is good news for the citizens of Israel , ” said Transportation Minister Miri Regev .
“ We continue to work to enable Israeli tourists to go to other countries .
”

Ukraine imposed a temporary ban on most foreigners from entering the country until September 28 – Yom Kippur on the Jewish calendar – and extended lockdown measures until the end of October to contain a recent spike in coronavirus cases.
Coronavirus commissioner Prof. Ronni Gamzu called the decision “responsible and correct” and “in the spirit of the time.” He said it would “preserve the health of thousands of people in Israel and Ukraine.”
He added that he hopes, when the virus dissipates, that it will be possible to once again pray in Uman.
The announcement came against the backdrop of a bitter battle in Israel around whether hassidim should be allowed to travel to Ukrainian city of Uman this Rosh Hashanah to visit the burial place of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov.
In recent years, as many as 30,000 people travel there to pray on the Jewish New Year, including 15,000-20,000 Israelis. But this year, in the shadow of coronavirus , health officials cautioned that travel to Uman from Israel and back would lead to a massive spike in infection in the Jewish state.
On Wednesday, the Health Ministry reported that 1,952 people were diagnosed with the novel virus the day before – the highest daily number in almost a month. Moreover, some 1,214 people were diagnosed between midnight and press time.
In Ukraine, the daily tally of new infections jumped to around 2,000 last week with a record high of 2,328 on Saturday. The total number of infections reached 110,085 on Wednesday, with 2,354 deaths. While the death toll is almost three times that of Israel's, the daily and total infection figures are similar, although Ukraine has more than four times the population.
“The rise in coronavirus infections we have seen in recent weeks is forcing us to act more decisively,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Gamzu felt so strongly about stopping these Israelis from traveling to Uman that last week he sent a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him to halt the event, which led Construction and Housing Minister Ya’acov Litzman, head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism Party, to demand that Gamzu resign.
ON WEDNESDAY morning, coalition chairman MK Miki Zohar (Likud) lashed out at Gamzu, warning him during an interview with KAN News that the flights to Uman would happen and he should prepare for this “instead of sending letters to Ukraine in opposition to the prime minister’s point of view.”
But despite the mean comments, Gamzu held his ground. At a ceremony marking the opening of the new Shield of Israel headquarters in Airport City on Wednesday, he said that “the responsible act is not to travel to Uman.”
Gamzu said he is "not sure” whether some citizens of Israel, as well as some members of the government and Knesset, understand what he and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein are trying to do by cutting the infection rate in the country.
“The hard way is not always popular; it is complex, it is complicated and it takes time,” the commissioner said.
Shmyhal said that Wednesday’s decisions were partly in response to a plea from Israel to prevent an influx of hassidic Jews traveling to the central Ukrainian town for the annual pilgrimage, fearing it may become a virus hot spot.
“We must protect our citizens and show responsibility to our foreign partners,” Shmyhal said.
MEANWHILE, there is still no agreement on how many people will be able to pray together in synagogues and how those prayers will look on the holiest days of the year. There is also no date for a coronavirus cabinet meeting, which needs to be held with schools opening next week and the holidays beginning on September 18.
Edelstein said at the ceremony that, “with all the sorrow it will cause, and with an understanding for the needs of many people, this year the responsibility is not to gather in large groups around the holiday table, but to try to hold back.”
He added that “we expect the heads of local authorities and synagogue rabbis to disperse the congregations into as many quorums as possible in order to prevent gatherings.”
Gamzu once again called on the public to partner with him in stopping the spread of the infection.
“It depends on everyone’s personal responsibility,” he said. “Please – no gatherings, no forbidden weddings, no parties and things that raise our morbidity. It is the task of all of us. Be proud of what you do.”
On Tuesday, some 15 people died of coronavirus – one of the highest numbers in a single day since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel. Another four died on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 883.
Although the numbers had been stable for several weeks, in recent days there has been an upward trend. Gamzu said not to panic, however, and that he has checked in with the hospitals, and they are managing.
REGARDING TRAVEL to Greece, the number of Israelis who can travel to the popular Israeli tourist destination will double from 600 to 1,200 starting next week, the Foreign Ministry said. The travelers will now be able to visit anywhere they want rather than specific islands.
As before, tourists will need to be screened for coronavirus 72 hours in advance of their travels and again on arrival.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said that so far, no Israeli tourists have brought coronavirus into the country, which is why Greece was willing to expand the number.
Specifically, the new plan will go into effect on August 31 and will last until September 15, ahead of Rosh Hashanah, at which time it will be re-evaluated.
“Doubling the number of tourists to Greece is good news for the citizens of Israel,” said Transportation Minister Miri Regev. “We continue to work to enable Israeli tourists to go to other countries.”
Reuters contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Incendiary balloons spark 26 fires in southern Israel

Incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip caused 26 fires across southern Israel on Thursday.Most of the fires were small, and firefighters were able to put them out. Israel has been dealing with incendiary balloons igniting fires in southern Israel on a daily basis for several weeks now.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Chemical fire erupts in hurricane-hit Louisiana

Pictures posted on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing from an industrial facility .
Bel Edwards , in a @ @ @ @ @ Westlake , Moss Bluff and Sulphur to take shelter .
Police halted traffic on Interstate @ @ @ @ @ Westlake due to the smoke.The road is the major link connecting Louisiana to Texas and @ @

The road is the major link connecting Louisiana to Texas and Mississippi. Pictures posted on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing from an industrial facility. Bel Edwards, in a tweet, asked residents of Westlake, Moss Bluff and Sulphur to take shelter. Police halted traffic on Interstate I-10 into the city of Westlake due to the smoke.The road is the major link connecting Louisiana to Texas and Mississippi.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards on Thursday asked residents in three southwest communities to stay indoors with windows and doors shut as a chemical plume rose from a fire at an plant in an area hit by Hurricane Laura.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--US COVID-19 deaths approach 180,000, cases continue to fall

There are signs of an improving outlook .
Last week , deaths fell 17 % from the prior week and below an average of 1,000 a day for the first time in weeks , according to a Reuters analysis .
However , while US metrics on cases , deaths , hospitalizations and test positivity rates are all heading downward , health experts fear there could be another surge as schools reopen and colder weather forces more gatherings indoors .
US confirmed cases are now over 5.8 million - the highest total number of cases in the world .
The US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
On a per capita basis , the United States ranks 12th in the world for the number of deaths , with 54 deaths per 100,000 people , and tenth in the world for cases , with 1,774 cases per 100,000 residents , according to a Reuters analysis .
US consumer confidence dropped to a more than six-year low in August as households worried about the labor market and incomes , casting doubts on the sustainability of the economy 's recovery from the COVID-19 recession .
The ebb in confidence followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefit supplement on July 31 .
For weeks now , Republicans and Democrats have been deadlocked over the size and shape of a fifth coronavirus-response bill , on top of the approximately $ 3 trillion already enacted into law .

There are signs of an improving outlook. Last week, deaths fell 17% from the prior week and below an average of 1,000 a day for the first time in weeks, according to a Reuters analysis.
However, while US metrics on cases, deaths, hospitalizations and test positivity rates are all heading downward, health experts fear there could be another surge as schools reopen and colder weather forces more gatherings indoors.
US confirmed cases are now over 5.8 million - the highest total number of cases in the world. The US death toll is also the highest in the world.
On a per capita basis, the United States ranks 12th in the world for the number of deaths, with 54 deaths per 100,000 people, and tenth in the world for cases, with 1,774 cases per 100,000 residents, according to a Reuters analysis.
US consumer confidence dropped to a more than six-year low in August as households worried about the labor market and incomes, casting doubts on the sustainability of the economy's recovery from the COVID-19 recession.
The ebb in confidence followed the expiration of a $600 weekly unemployment benefit supplement on July 31.
For weeks now, Republicans and Democrats have been deadlocked over the size and shape of a fifth coronavirus-response bill, on top of the approximately $3 trillion already enacted into law.
US deaths from the novel coronavirus were approaching 180,000 on Thursday after a surge of new cases in June and July, particularly in hotspots like California, Florida, and Texas.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Belarus detains 20 journalists preparing to cover protests – witness

Belarusian police detained around 20 journalists preparing to cover a protest in central Minsk on Thursday and confiscated their telephones and identity documents, a Reuters witness said.It was not immediately clear why they were detained. Large and sustained nationwide protests have followed a presidential election on Aug. 9 that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's opponents say was rigged.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Border Police evacuate seven illegal settler buldings in West Bank

Borer Police forces evacuated on Thursday several illegal buildings that were built near the Palestinian villages of Sinjil and Abwein in the West Bank, according to the police spokesperson.Settlers and Hilltop Youth objected the evacuation and resisted the forces, while barricading themselves. During the evacuation, one suspect was arrested for returning to the scene several times after being evacuated and repeatedly attacking the officers.A Border Police officer was lightly injured and was treated by a paramedic at the scene.The forces evacuated and demolished seven structures in total, and confiscated the materials used for their construction.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Petah Tikva alleged terrorist's arrest extended by 5 days, court rules

The Palestinian suspect who allegedly stabbed and murdered Shay Ohayon in Petah Tikva on Wednesday will remain incarcerated for an additional five days so that police can complete their investigation, the Petah Tikva District Court ruled on Thursday.The court has placed a gag order on details of the investigation.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Hasidic org members protest against gov't attempts to ban Uman pilgrimage

Dozens members of the Breslov Hasidic group took to the streets of Safed on Thursday in a spontaneous protest against the government's attempts to prevent the annual pilgrimage to Uman in light of the coronavirus pandemic.The protesters, who view Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the one responsible for the ban on entering Ukraine, knew that Netanyahu is currently in Safed on vacation and held the protest in the hopes of drawing his attention.An online campaign that began Thursday morning is reportedly using the slogan "Netanyahu is bad for believers."


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Ousted Mali president Keita has been freed by coup leaders

`` He was freed this morning , ( and ) he has returned to his home , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ .

"He was freed this morning, (and) he has returned to his home," he said, without giving further details.
Coup leaders in Mali have released ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from detention, a spokesman for the junta Djibrilla Maiga said on Thursday.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Prime suspect of Eilat gang-rape admits to filming the attack

The prime suspect in the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old in Eilat admitted to interrogators on Thursday that he filmed the rape, Walla! reported. He still denies however that he took an active role in raping the teenage girl.His arrest and that of another suspect have been extended by six days.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Main suspect in Eilat gang-rape denies all allegations

The main suspect in the gang-rape of a sixteen-year-old girl in the Red Sea Hotel in Eilat denied all accusations @ @ @ @ @ , according to Ynet .
`` None of it happened .
I was only trying @ @ @ @ @ the suspect claimed .

The main suspect in the gang-rape of a sixteen-year-old girl in the Red Sea Hotel in Eilat denied all accusations ahead of a court session, according to Ynet.
"None of it happened. I was only trying to help her," the suspect claimed.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Peace talks between Afghan officials, Taliban to start in September

Abdullah Abdullah , a prominent politician and the chairman High Council for National Reconciliation said the Afghan officials were ready @ @ @ @ @ Taliban from September .
His comments come at a time when prospect of peace talks @ @ @ @ @ the issue of last batch of Taliban prisoner release .

Peace talks between warring Afghan sides will begin in September said the country's top peace negotiator on Thursday in Kabul, a crucial diplomatic process needed to end about two decades of war in Afghanistan.
Abdullah Abdullah, a prominent politician and the chairman High Council for National Reconciliation said the Afghan officials were ready to hold talks with the Taliban from September.
His comments come at a time when prospect of peace talks between were looking bleak over the issue of last batch of Taliban prisoner release.
US President Donald Trump's team has been pushing both sides to resolve difference and sit across the negotiating table, paving way to end one of America's longest war.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Taliban kill four survivors of Afghanistan flash floods

Taliban fighters killed four civilians on Thursday during clashes with Afghan forces in the central province of Parwan, amid rescue work after flash floods claimed more than 150 lives, officials said.It was the latest violence amid peace talks between the warring sides that have been delayed over the issue of prisoner releases, as part of efforts to end the US-led war in Afghanistan, which has spanned nearly two decades."Taliban fighters opened fire on civilians fleeing areas worst hit by the flash floods," said Abdul Shukoor Qudoosi, a district official in Bagram, home to the country's biggest US military base and the site of the clashes."Taliban were clashing with Afghan forces, and they killed civilians who were in an autorickshaw near an army checkpoint," Qudoosi said, adding that it appeared as if the Islamist militants mistook the passengers for Afghan soldiers.One Afghan soldier was killed and two were injured.A Taliban spokesmen was not immediately available to comment.The death toll from the floods rose to 150, with at least 250 people injured, as survivors and rescue workers sifted the debris of more than 1,500 homes destroyed to the north of the capital, Kabul.Authorities moved more than 900 families out of parts of the mountainous province that had been devastated by the floods, which were triggered by exceptionally heavy rain this week."The search is still on, as many people, we fear, are still buried under the rocks and rubble," said Tamim Azimi, a spokesman for the ministry of disaster management."The situation is very grim, the scale of loss is intense."Security forces, officials and survivors have trudged through deep mud in the search for survivors while the effort to clear the disaster area has stretched more than 28 hours, hampered by blocked and damaged roads.The dead included many children, survivors said. The death toll was expected to rise as families prepared for mass burials, while mounds of rubble remain to be cleared.Afghanistan regularly suffers from drought but can be lashed by very heavy rain during the south Asian monsoon season.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Putin says Belarus asked Russia to create reserve police force for him

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko had asked him to set up a reserve police force, but promised not to use it unless the crisis got out of control, the Interfax news agency reported.Putin said Russia saw no need for now to use Russian forces in Belarus over the political crisis following a disputed Aug. 9 presidential election, and that Moscow felt the situation was normalizing, the RIA news agency reported.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Russia launches probe into hospitalization of Kremlin critic Navalny

Russia's Interior Ministry said on Thursday it was launching an investigation into the hospitalization of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny over what his allies suspect was a poisoning.Navalny, 44, is in a medically induced coma in a Berlin hospital where he was airlifted on Saturday after collapsing during a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow.The German clinic treating him said its initial medical examination pointed to poisoning, though Russian doctors who had treated Navalny in a Siberian hospital have contradicted that diagnosis.The transportation unit of the Siberian branch of the Interior Ministry said it was carrying out the preliminary probe after Nalavny's flight made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk.It said it had inspected the hotel room where Navalny had been staying in Tomsk and the routes he had taken in the city, as well as analyzed video surveillance footage from the area.It added that it had not found any drugs or other potent substances.The Kremlin said this week it wanted the circumstances surrounding Navalny's condition to come to light and that it hoped the incident would not hurt its relations with the West.Germany, France and other countries have called on Russia to investigate. European Union ministers are set to discuss Navalny's condition this week.French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday he was bemused by Russia not taking a transparent approach over the possible poisoning of Navalny.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--French govt expects COVID-19 vaccines from end of 2020 or early 2021

New coronavirus vaccines could be available from the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021, a presentation by French Health Minister Olivier Veran suggested on Thursday.French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday the government must move fast to head off a deadly new COVID-19 wave as the virus's reproduction level has jumped, with infections surging in the Paris region and among young people.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Ukraine bars entry of dozens of Haredi Jews - report

Ukrainian authorities refused entrance to 32 haredi Jews who came with the intention of visiting Rebe Nachman of Bresolv 's @ @ @ @ @ to Ynet .
The refused passengers spent the night at the airport ahead of their @ @ @

Ukrainian authorities refused entrance to 32 haredi Jews who came with the intention of visiting Rebe Nachman of Bresolv's grave in Uman, according to Ynet.
The refused passengers spent the night at the airport ahead of their planned deportation.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Canada ready to join Lebanon blast probe if credible and transparent

Canada has offered to join Lebanon's investigation into this month's seismic Beirut port blast but under conditions that ensure a credible and transparent probe that "gets to the bottom of things", the visiting foreign minister said on Thursday.Lebanese President Michel Aoun initially promised a swift investigation into why highly explosive material stored unsafely for years detonated on Aug. 4, killing at least 180 people and injuring some 6,000, but later said the process would take time.Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said after meeting Aoun that Ottawa was ready to assist "under conditions" that would be defined. He did not elaborate."The Lebanese people expect that if Canada participates in this investigation it is because it is going to be credible, transparent and get to the bottom of things to get justice," he said in televised remarks.Beirut has said that France and the United States' FBI are helping investigate the explosion that wrecked the port and swathes of the city, compounding an economic meltdown.Champagne, like other Western officials, said Lebanon must form a government that can implement long-demanded reforms and fight corruption to unlock foreign financial assistance."Everyone understands that the international aid must be accompanied by serious reforms," Champagne said. "I think that the biggest of the reforms is that impunity must end."The outgoing government that took office in January with the support of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and its allies resigned over the blast. No progress has been made in forming a new administration amid political rivalries and factional interests under the sectarian power-sharing system.France's foreign minister said on Thursday that Lebanon risked disappearing due to inaction of its political elite, who had been the target of protests even before the blast as the financial crisis pummeled the currency and spread poverty.Lebanon's talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout have stalled.


jerusalempost--2020-08-27--Turkey says to hold military drills in eastern Mediterranean

Turkey said on Thursday it will hold firing exercises in the eastern Mediterranean on Sept 1-2, the latest in a series of military drills which have fueled tensions with Greece.The two NATO states have been locked in a bitter dispute over control of eastern Mediterranean waters which escalated after Ankara sent a seismic survey vessel to the disputed region this month in a move which Athens called illegal.They are at odds over claims to potential hydrocarbon resources based on conflicting views about the extent of their continental shelves in waters dotted with mostly Greek islands.The Turkish navy issued the latest advisory, known as a Navtex, on Thursday saying it will hold the shooting exercises in the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Iskenderun, northeast of Cyprus.As the dispute widened, France said on Wednesday it was joining military exercises with Italy, Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the deployment of French military aircraft in Greek Cyprus violated treaties regarding the control and administration of the island after independence from Britain in 1960.Aksoy said that France's stance was dangerously encouraging Greece and Cyprus to further escalate tensions in the region.Cyprus was divided in 1974 following a Turkish invasion triggered by a Greek-inspired coup. The island's Greek Cypriots live mostly in the south, and Turkish Cypriots in the north.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Car torched in suspected price tag attack in West Bank

An investigation has been opening into what is suspected to be a price tag attack after a torched car was @ @ @ @ @ Nablus , along with a house in the area that was found spray-painted with the @ @ @ @ @ is not worthless . ''
The IDF and police forces are preparing to enter the @ @ @ @ @ , where the vehicle was found , to investigate the incident .

An investigation has been opening into what is suspected to be a price tag attack after a torched car was found near the city of Nablus, along with a house in the area that was found spray-painted with the phrase, "Jewish blood is not worthless ."
The IDF and police forces are preparing to enter the village of Kfar Asira al-Qabalia, where the vehicle was found, to investigate the incident.
This is a developing story.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--UN rights office says Blake shooting was "excessive"

The UN human rights office said on Friday that the images of the shooting of Black man Jacob Blake in Wisconsin appeared to show that the police officer had used "excessive" force that was likely discriminatory in nature.Sunday's shooting, captured on video, showed Blake was shot in the back by a white police officer as three of his young children watched. The footage has gone viral and set off angry protests."From the images available that we've seen at this point, the police appear to have used force against Jacob Blake that would seem to be excessive," Rupert Colville said at a virtual briefing in Geneva, saying the use of force did not appear to comply with international standards."It also seems highly possible that the force used against Blake could be discriminatory in nature," he added.Colville is the spokesman for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet whose voice carries moral authority, although her office cannot force states to comply with its recommendations.The shooting of Blake has triggered unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with a teenager shooting three demonstrators including two fatally on Tuesday night.Asked to comment on the incident, Colville described it as an unfortunate example of "insufficient and lax" gun control measures in the United States, saying it has issued repeated warnings to prevent such events."It should be inconceivable to have a 17-year-old running out with an automatic rifle in a position to shoot people in such a tense situation," he added.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Saudi-led coalition says destroys Houthi drone

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it intercepted and destroyed on Friday an explosives-laden drone launched by the Iran-aligned group in the direction of Saudi Arabia, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Landmine kills 13 in southern Afghanistan

The blast happened in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province when people were traveling to an open-air market , @ @ @ @ @ for weekend sales .
Bahir Ahmad Ahmadi , a spokesman for Kandahar provincial governor said @ @ @ @ @ pieces , and could not be identified .

At least 13 people were killed on Friday when their vehicle set off a landmine in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province, local officials said, blaming Taliban fighters for the attack.
The blast happened in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province when people were traveling to an open-air market, where hundreds of villagers gather for weekend sales.
Bahir Ahmad Ahmadi, a spokesman for Kandahar provincial governor said the villagers were blown to pieces, and could not be identified.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the landmine blast.Taliban fighters say they use roadside bombs and landmines to attack security forces, but civilians are frequently hurt or killed.Years of conflict have left Afghanistan strewn with landmines, which are often picked up by curious children.In 2018, at least 1,415 Afghan civilians were killed or injured by landmines and unexploded munitions.Children made up one third of overall casualties that year, and 80% of those casualties were caused by unexploded munitions, according to the United Nations Mine Action Service.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Russia expels Norwegian diplomat over spy case

In a tit-for-tat move, Russia is expelling a diplomat from the Norwegian embassy in Moscow, Norway's foreign ministry said on Friday."Our embassy in Moscow has been informed by the Russian foreign ministry that one of our diplomats is no longer welcome in Russia," it said in a statement emailed to Reuters. "This is completely unfounded." The diplomat had broken no rules, it added.Norway earlier this month said it had expelled a Russian diplomat on suspicion of espionage. Moscow said the accusation was groundless.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--France's Macron to head to Beirut to pressure Lebanese political elite

`` The president has said it he will not give up .
He made a commitment to do what needs @ @ @ @ @ apply the necessary pressure to put this program in place , '' the official told @ @ @ @ @ visit to Beirut next Monday and Tuesday .

French President Emmanuel Macron will head to Beirut next week to pressure local politicians into pressing ahead with the creation of a government that can implement urgent reforms, a French presidential official said on Friday.
"The president has said it he will not give up. He made a commitment to do what needs to be done and to apply the necessary pressure to put this program in place," the official told reporters ahead of Macron's visit to Beirut next Monday and Tuesday.
The official added it was time for Lebanese political parties to temporarily step aside and ensure a government of change was put into place.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Coronavirus in Israel: More than 2,000 new cases - death toll nears 900

More than 2,000 people were diagnosed with coronavirus on Thursday, the Health Ministry reported Friday.Specifically, 2,068 out of 36,372 tests that were taken.The death toll continues to rise - reaching 891 people on Friday morning.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Litzman: If High Holy Day lockdown goes into effect, UTJ will resign

Ya'acov Litzman , Chairman of the United Torah Judaism ( UTJ ) Party and Housing and Construction Minister , announced @ @ @ @ @ lockdown is placed on Israel during the High Holy Days then his party will consider @ @ @ @ @ according to Israeli media .
`` Approving demonstrations on Balfour Street , alongside opening cultural @ @ @ @ @ in synagogues and preventing travel to Uman destroyed public confidence in the system , '' @ @ @ @ @ newspaper Hamodia .

Construction and Housing Minister Ya’acov Litzman threatened on Friday that if a lockdown is placed on Israel during the High Holy Days his United Torah Judaism Party would consider resigning from the government.Litzman lashed out at coronavirus commissioner, Prof. Ronni Gamzu for continuing to allow protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while considering steps limiting the religiously observant.“Approving demonstrations on Balfour Street [outside the Prime Minister’s Residence], alongside opening cultural centers while continuing restrictions in synagogues and preventing travel to Uman destroyed public confidence in the system,” Litzman told the Hassidic newspaper, Hamodia.Gamzu responded to Litzman in an interview with the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, saying: “He does not see all of the people of Israel. He just sees one sector. I have an obligation to everyone. He has never understood this.”Sources in UTJ said Litzman was speaking only for himself and was not representing the entire party.But Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar said he was taking the threat seriously.“A solution must be found,” said Zohar, who sparred with Gamzu last week.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine candidate approved for emergency use in China

Sinovac Biotech Ltd's coronavirus vaccine candidate CoronaVac was approved in July for emergency use as part of a programme in China to vaccinate high-risk groups such as medical staff, a person familiar with the matter said.China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a unit of state-owned pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), also said it had obtained emergency use approval for a coronavirus vaccine candidate in social media platform WeChat on Sunday.CNBG, which has two vaccine candidates in phase 3 clinical trials, did not say which of its vaccines had been cleared for emergency use.China has been giving experimental coronavirus vaccines to high-risk groups since July, and a health official told state media in an interview aired last week that authorities could consider modestly expanding the emergency use programme to try to prevent possible outbreaks during the autumn and winter.Officially, China has given little details on which vaccine candidates have been given to high-risk people under the emergency use programme and how many people have been vaccinated.State media reported in June, prior to the emergency use programme, that employees at state firms travelling overseas were allowed to take one of the two vaccines being developed by CNBG, while China's military had also approved the use of CanSino Biologics' vaccine candidate.Seven vaccines against the coronavirus are in final trial stages around the world, and four of them are from China.But no vaccine has yet passed the final stage of trials proving it is safe and effective - conditions usually required to be met to get regulatory approval for mass use. COVID-19 has killed over 800,000 people worldwide.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Ukraine has frozen dialogue with Belarus

Ukraine has frozen contact with Belarus and joined the European Union in condemning the recent elections in its northerly neighbour as not free or fair, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Friday.Kuleba added that there was no reason to break off diplomat relations entirely.Ukraine has so far been guarded in its language when commenting on the political turmoil engulfing Belarus since an Aug. 9 presidential election sparked mass protests and strikes against veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Lebanese presidency to convene consultations on Monday to designate new PM

The Lebanese presidency will convene consultations with parliamentary blocs on Monday to designate a new prime minister, the presidency said, after the government quit earlier this month following the catastrophic explosion at Beirut port.The president is required to designate the candidate with the greatest level of support among MPs.Sunni politician Saad al-Hariri is so far the only serious name floated for the post. But he said earlier this week he was not a candidate after several major parties said they did not support his return to the job.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Education Ministry files order to prevent Teacher's Union from striking

The hearing will take place in the Labor Court on Sunday .

The hearing will take place in the Labor Court on Sunday.
Four days before the start of the school year, the Education Ministry filed on Friday an order to prevent the Teacher's Union from striking, according to Israeli media.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Russia's coronavirus cases surpass 980,000

Russia reported 4,829 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, bringing its nationwide tally to 980,405, the fourth largest caseload in the world.Russia's coronavirus taskforce said 110 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing its official death toll to 16,914.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Russia summons Norwegian ambassador over expulsion of Russian diplomat

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned Norway's ambassador to the country over the expulsion of a Russian diplomat by Oslo, the RIA news agency reported.Norway earlier this month said it had expelled a Russian diplomat on suspicion of espionage. Moscow said the accusation was groundless.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Border Police officer injured in clashes in east Jerusalem

A Border Police officer was injured , and damage was caused to two vehicles during operational activities amid clashes with @ @ @ @ @ Palestinian neighborhood of east Jerusalem .
The officer was injured after a concrete slab was @ @ @ @ @ of the houses amid the clashes , as Palestinians threw stones and Molotov cocktails at @ @ @ @ @ .
Fireworks were also fired directly at the officers who fired a number of bullets @ @ @ @ @ writing there have been no reports of injuries from the bullets .

A Border Police officer was injured, and damage was caused to two vehicles during operational activities amid clashes with Palestinians in Isawiyeh, a Palestinian neighborhood of east Jerusalem.
The officer was injured after a concrete slab was thrown at him from one of the houses amid the clashes, as Palestinians threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the direction of the officers. Fireworks were also fired directly at the officers who fired a number of bullets.
At the time of writing there have been no reports of injuries from the bullets.
This is a developing story.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Six dead after Hurricane Laura strikes Louisiana

Hurricane Laura tore through Louisiana on Thursday , killing six people and flattening buildings across a wide swatch of the state before moving into Arkansas with heavy rains .
Laura 's powerful gusts uprooted trees - and four people were crushed to death in separate incidents of trees falling on homes .
The state 's department of health said late Thursday that there were two more fatalities attributed to the hurricane - a man who drowned while aboard a sinking boat and a man who had carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator in his home .
In Westlake , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Laura , and the flames continued to send a chlorine-infused plume of smoke skyward nearly 24 hours after landfall .
Laura caused less mayhem than forecasts predicted - but officials said it remained a dangerous storm and that it would take days to assess the damage .
At least 867,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana , Texas and Arkansas remained without power on Thursday afternoon .
`` This was the most powerful storm to ever make landfall in Louisiana , '' Governor John Bel Edwards told a news conference .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions . ''
Laura 's maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour ( 241 kph ) upon landfall easily bested Hurricane Katrina , which sparked deadly levee breaches in New Orleans in 2005 , and arrived with wind speeds of 125 mph .
The NHC said Laura 's eye had crossed into southern Arkansas late Thursday afternoon and was heading to the northeast at 15 mph ( 24 kph ) .
The storm could dump 7 inches ( 178 mm ) of rain on portions of Arkansas , likely causing flash floods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depression by the NHC at 10 p.m. , and the forecaster said it will move to the mid-Mississippi Valley later on Friday and then to the mid-Atlantic states on Saturday .
Laura 's howling winds leveled buildings across a wide swath of the state and a wall of water that was 15 feet ( 4.6 m ) high crashed into tiny Cameron , Louisiana , where the hurricane made landfall around 1 a.m. A calamitous 20-foot storm surge that had been forecast to move 40 miles ( 64 km ) inland was avoided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Edwards said .
That meant a mighty gush of water was not fully pushed up the Calcasieu Ship Channel , which would have given the storm surge an easy path far inland .
Tropical-force winds were felt in nearly every parish across Louisiana - and Edwards warned that the death toll could climb as search and rescue missions increase .
Residents of Lake Charles heard Laura 's winds and the sound of breaking glass as the storm passed through the city of 78,000 with winds of 85 mph and gusts up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
National Guard troops cleared debris from roads in Lake Charles on Thursday afternoon .
There were downed power lines in streets around the city , and the winds tipped a few semi-trucks onto their sides .
The windows of the city 's 22-storey Capital One Tower were blown out , street signs were toppled and pieces of wooden fence and debris from collapsed buildings lay scattered in the flooded streets , video footage on Twitter and Snapchat showed .
Lake Charles resident Borden Wilson , a 33-year-old pediatrician , was anxious about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Louisiana .
`` I never even boarded up my windows .
I did n't think to do that .
This is the first hurricane I 've experienced .
I just hope my house is fine , '' he said in a telephone interview .

Hurricane Laura tore through Louisiana on Thursday, killing six people and flattening buildings across a wide swatch of the state before moving into Arkansas with heavy rains.
Laura's powerful gusts uprooted trees - and four people were crushed to death in separate incidents of trees falling on homes. The state's department of health said late Thursday that there were two more fatalities attributed to the hurricane - a man who drowned while aboard a sinking boat and a man who had carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator in his home.
In Westlake, a chemical plant caught fire when hit by Laura, and the flames continued to send a chlorine-infused plume of smoke skyward nearly 24 hours after landfall.
Laura caused less mayhem than forecasts predicted - but officials said it remained a dangerous storm and that it would take days to assess the damage. At least 867,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas remained without power on Thursday afternoon.
"This was the most powerful storm to ever make landfall in Louisiana," Governor John Bel Edwards told a news conference. "It's continuing to cause damage and life-threatening conditions."
Laura's maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour (241 kph) upon landfall easily bested Hurricane Katrina, which sparked deadly levee breaches in New Orleans in 2005, and arrived with wind speeds of 125 mph.
The NHC said Laura's eye had crossed into southern Arkansas late Thursday afternoon and was heading to the northeast at 15 mph (24 kph). The storm could dump 7 inches (178 mm) of rain on portions of Arkansas, likely causing flash floods.
Laura was downgraded to a tropical depression by the NHC at 10 p.m., and the forecaster said it will move to the mid-Mississippi Valley later on Friday and then to the mid-Atlantic states on Saturday.
CHEMICAL PLUME
Laura's howling winds leveled buildings across a wide swath of the state and a wall of water that was 15 feet (4.6 m) high crashed into tiny Cameron, Louisiana, where the hurricane made landfall around 1 a.m.
A calamitous 20-foot storm surge that had been forecast to move 40 miles (64 km) inland was avoided when Laura tacked east just before landfall, Edwards said. That meant a mighty gush of water was not fully pushed up the Calcasieu Ship Channel, which would have given the storm surge an easy path far inland.
Tropical-force winds were felt in nearly every parish across Louisiana - and Edwards warned that the death toll could climb as search and rescue missions increase.
CLEANUP BEGINS
Residents of Lake Charles heard Laura's winds and the sound of breaking glass as the storm passed through the city of 78,000 with winds of 85 mph and gusts up to 128 mph in the hour after landfall.
National Guard troops cleared debris from roads in Lake Charles on Thursday afternoon. There were downed power lines in streets around the city, and the winds tipped a few semi-trucks onto their sides.
The windows of the city's 22-storey Capital One Tower were blown out, street signs were toppled and pieces of wooden fence and debris from collapsed buildings lay scattered in the flooded streets, video footage on Twitter and Snapchat showed.
Lake Charles resident Borden Wilson, a 33-year-old pediatrician, was anxious about his return home after evacuating to Minden, Louisiana.
"I never even boarded up my windows. I didn't think to do that. This is the first hurricane I've experienced. I just hope my house is fine," he said in a telephone interview.


jerusalempost--2020-08-29--Chinese national arrested in US probe, possible software transfer to China

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WASHINGTON- A Chinese national who is a researcher at a California university was arrested and charged with destroying a computer hard drive during an FBI investigation into the possible transfer of sensitive software to China, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday.Guan Lei, 29, of Alhambra, California, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, was arrested after he was seen throwing a damaged hard drive into a dumpster outside his apartment in July, the department said in a statement."Guan is being investigated for possibly transferring sensitive U.S. software or technical data to China’s National University of Defense Technology" and falsely denying his association with the Chinese military on his visa application and in interviews with federal agents, the Justice Department said.The statement did not say when the investigation started.Guan made an initial court appearance on Friday and an arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 17, the statement said. The felony offense of destruction of evidence carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.


jerusalempost--2020-08-29--Mexico records 5,824 new coronavirus cases, 552 more deaths

MEXICO CITY - Mexico's health ministry on Friday reported 5,824 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 552 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 585,738 cases and 63,146 deaths


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Brazil registers 855 new deaths from COVID-19 -health ministry

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil registered 855 deaths from COVID-19 in the prior 24 hours, the health ministry said on Friday, taking the total death toll to 119,504.Brazil, which has the second largest outbreak behind only the United States, registered an additional 43,412 new confirmed cases of coronavirus to reach 3,804,803 total cases


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--25-year-old Kfar Qasem resident dies of gunshot wound

A 25-year-old resident of Kfar Qasem, in northern Israel, died of a gunshot wound on Friday night, Israel police reported.According to the report, the man was taken to a clinic in Kfar Qasem, before being transferred to Beilinson Hospital, where doctors were unable to save him.An investigation has been opened into the incident by Israel Police.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Trump willing to sign a $1.3 trln coronavirus relief bill

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is willing to sign a $1.3 trillion coronavirus relief bill, a top aide said on Friday, but Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the sum was not enough to meet the needs of the American people.Trump said later that Pelosi was only interested in bailing out states run by Democrats, casting doubt on chances of reviving stalled talks for another round of fiscal stimulus.The new figure was put forward by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, marking a $300 billion increase from an initial $1 trillion offer from the White House and Senate Republicans.Three weeks after talks on Capitol Hill broke down without a deal on legislation to help Americans suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, Meadows said the Republican president was "right now willing to sign something at $1.3 trillion."Hours later, Pelosi in a statement repeated her call for a $2.2 trillion bill and said Meadows' offer would not meet the needs of American workers and families.Pelosi said, among other things, the Republicans "are rejecting the funding needed for testing and tracing to crush the virus and safely reopen schools and the economy."She said she hoped the Republicans would accept the Democratic offer and resume negotiations.Asked about talks between Pelosi and Meadows about another stimulus package, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on a flight to Washington from New Hampshire: “My impression is she wants to give no stimulus, all she wants is bailout for badly run Democrat states.”He said another stimulus package would be good.The Democratic-led House in May passed a $3.4 trillion coronavirus relief bill, which was not taken up by the Republican-dominated Senate.Pelosi said on Thursday after a 25-minute phone call with Meadows that Democrats were willing to go down to $2.2 trillion and demanded that the Trump administration accept that figure before negotiations could resume.The $1.3 trillion has been offered in private, Meadows said. Negotiations have involved Pelosi, Meadows, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Turkey's Erdogan, NATO chief discuss eastern Mediterranean

President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg about developments in the eastern Mediterranean and told him Turkey will continue to protect its rights and interests everywhere, Erdogan's office said on Friday.Earlier, the EU's top diplomat said the European Union is preparing sanctions against Turkey that could be discussed at the bloc's next summit on Sept. 24 in response to Turkey's row with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Incendiary balloons spark 24 fires in southern Israel

Incendiary balloons caused 24 fires in southern Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media. Fire fighting forces, including JNF, put out fires in Kissufim and Shokeda, and reported that the fires were small and that they posed no danger, according to Kan News.


jerusalempost--2020-08-28--Violent clashes break out between locals and Hasidic pilgrims in Uman

Violent clashes took place on Friday between Uman locals and Hasidic pilgrims who recently arrived in the Ukrainian city to visit Rabbi Nachman Breslev's grave site.Uman mayor Oleksandr Tsebriy addressed the incidents and said that he believes they do not represent the general atmosphere in the city. However, he did say that the city's residents, who fear the spread of the coronavirus, would prefer not to have visitors in the city this year.