jerusalempost--2020-01-27--UAE says impact of China virus on oil demand should not be 'exaggerated'

Suhail al-Mazrouei said he was confident in the ability of China and the international community to bring the current outbreak @ @ @

The United Arab Emirates' Minister of Energy said on Monday the oil market should not overreact to the possible impact of an outbreak of coronavirus in China on demand.
Suhail al-Mazrouei said he was confident in the ability of China and the international community to bring the current outbreak under control.
"It is important that we do not exaggerate projections related to future decreases in oil demand due to events in China, and the market does not over-react based on psychological factors, driven by some traders in the market," he said in a statement.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--China extends holiday, businesses shut as coronavirus toll rises to 81

The government has lengthened the week-long Lunar New Year holiday by three days to Feb. 2 in a bid to contain the virus which has killed 81 .
The total number of confirmed cases on Monday jumped about 30 % to more than 2,700 .
But many big businesses are going one step further , telling employees to work from home until Friday , Feb. 7 and not return to their offices until Monday , Feb. 10 .
Alibaba said the measure applied across all its divisions , including to workers in Hong Kong , Taiwan and Macau as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 people worldwide , most of whom are in China .
The Shanghai government also imposed a similar measure , announcing that all companies in the city would not be allowed to start work before Feb. 9 , as did the nearby city of Suzhou , home to a big industrial park for pharmaceutical firms and tech companies .
The decision by the Shanghai government will affect companies such as Tesla Inc , General Motors and Volkswagen which either own factories or operate them in the city through ventures with local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most stringent , requiring employees who travelled during the holidays to quarantine themselves and work from home for 14 days .
Staff who had not travelled could start working from the office from Feb.10 , though that date could change , according to an internal note seen by Reuters .
Bytedance declined to comment .
Wuhan , a city of 11 million and the epicentre of the outbreak , is already in virtual lockdown and severe limits on movement are in place in several other Chinese cities .
E-commerce firm Pinduoduo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garden have also advised employees returning from Wuhan or Hubei province to quarantine themselves at home .
Haidilao International Holding , operator of a popular hotpot restaurant chain , said it would shut stores across China from Sunday to Friday - one of the biggest temporary closures by a nationwide chain to date .
Other brands such as Starbucks Corp have closed shops in Hubei province .
Walt Disney Co 's Shanghai Disney Resort said last week it will close until further notice .
In Hong Kong , where the holiday break is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday ceremony for the first trading day of the Lunar New Year , citing the increasing risks of the coronavirus infection .
The decision comes after Hong Kong banned residents of Hubei from entering the territory from Monday .
As companies brace for the virus to hit business , China 's financial regulators said they were encouraging banks to lower lending rates for sectors heavily affected by the outbreak .

Chinese corporate giants including Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings Ltd said they have asked staff to work from home for one week after an extended Lunar New Year break ends, seeking to limit the spread of a new flu-like virus.
The government has lengthened the week-long Lunar New Year holiday by three days to Feb. 2 in a bid to contain the virus which has killed 81. The total number of confirmed cases on Monday jumped about 30% to more than 2,700.
But many big businesses are going one step further, telling employees to work from home until Friday, Feb. 7 and not return to their offices until Monday, Feb. 10.
Alibaba said the measure applied across all its divisions, including to workers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau as well as in mainland China. It employs more than 100,000 people worldwide, most of whom are in China.
The Shanghai government also imposed a similar measure, announcing that all companies in the city would not be allowed to start work before Feb. 9, as did the nearby city of Suzhou, home to a big industrial park for pharmaceutical firms and tech companies.
The decision by the Shanghai government will affect companies such as Tesla Inc, General Motors and Volkswagen which either own factories or operate them in the city through ventures with local partners.
Tiktok owner Bytedance was among the most stringent, requiring employees who travelled during the holidays to quarantine themselves and work from home for 14 days. Staff who had not travelled could start working from the office from Feb.10, though that date could change, according to an internal note seen by Reuters. Bytedance declined to comment.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million and the epicentre of the outbreak, is already in virtual lockdown and severe limits on movement are in place in several other Chinese cities.
E-commerce firm Pinduoduo, UBS Group AG and property developer Country Garden have also advised employees returning from Wuhan or Hubei province to quarantine themselves at home.
Haidilao International Holding, operator of a popular hotpot restaurant chain, said it would shut stores across China from Sunday to Friday - one of the biggest temporary closures by a nationwide chain to date.
Other brands such as Starbucks Corp have closed shops in Hubei province. Walt Disney Co's Shanghai Disney Resort said last week it will close until further notice.
In Hong Kong, where the holiday break is shorter, the stock exchange cancelled a Wednesday ceremony for the first trading day of the Lunar New Year, citing the increasing risks of the coronavirus infection.
The decision comes after Hong Kong banned residents of Hubei from entering the territory from Monday.
As companies brace for the virus to hit business, China's financial regulators said they were encouraging banks to lower lending rates for sectors heavily affected by the outbreak.
The Chinese-ruled gambling hub of Macau said it would bar anyone who has been in Hubei province within 14 days of their arrival from entering the city's casinos.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Afghanistan's Ariana airline boss denies reports one of its planes crashed

`` There has been an airline crash but it does not belong to Ariana because the two flights managed by @ @ @ @ @ Kabul and Herat to Delhi are safe , '' Mirzakwal told Reuters .

Ariana Afghan Airlines' acting CEO Mirwais Mirzakwal on Monday denied reports by Afghan officials that one of its planes had crashed.
"There has been an airline crash but it does not belong to Ariana because the two flights managed by Ariana today from Herat to Kabul and Herat to Delhi are safe," Mirzakwal told Reuters.
Earlier, three senior Afghan government officials said one of the state-owned airline's planes had crashed in Afghanistan's central Ghazni province.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Ariana Airlines plane crashes in central Afghanistan

Arif Noori , a spokesman for the provincial governor 's office in Ghazni city , said : `` A Boeing @ @ @ @ @ Afghan Airline , has crashed in the Sado Khel area of Deh Yak district of @ @ @ @ @ local time . ''

A plane operated by Afghanistan's state-owned airline Ariana crashed in the country's central Ghazni province, senior Afghan officials said on Monday.
Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor's office in Ghazni city, said: "A Boeing plane belonging to the Ariana Afghan Airline, has crashed in the Sado Khel area of Deh Yak district of Ghazni province around 1:10 p.m. local time."
The number of casualties was unclear, a second official told Reuters.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Two Iraq protesters killed as anti-government unrest persists

At least 75 protesters were wounded , mainly by live bullets , in clashes in Nassiriya overnight when security forces attempted to move them away from bridges in the city , police and health source said .
On Monday morning , clashes resumed in central Baghdad as police fired tear gas at demonstrators , Reuters reporters said .
Security officials said the two protesters in Nassiriya were killed late on Sunday by unknown gunmen in four pickup trucks who attacked the main protest camp and set fire to demonstrators ' tents before fleeing the scene .
Anti-government protests erupted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent .
Security forces and unidentified gunmen have shot protesters dead .
Nearly 500 people have been killed in the unrest .
After a lull in unrest earlier this month , demonstrations resumed in Baghdad and southern cities and protesters have controlled three key bridges in Baghdad and maintain camps and road blocks in several cities in the south .
The protests are an unprecedented leaderless challenge to Iraq 's Shi'ite Muslim-dominated elite , which emerged after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 .
Demonstrators are demanding that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fair elections be held and corruption rooted out .
The government has responded with violence and piecemeal reform .
The international community has condemned the violence but not intervened to stop it .
Operations by security forces to remove the protest camps started after populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Saturday he would halt the involvement of his supporters .
Sadr had backed the demands of protesters for the removal of corrupt politicians and for the provision of services and jobs soon after the demonstrations began in October , but stopped short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in .
Demonstrations continued in Baghdad where security forces used tear gas against protesters in central Baghdad .
Protests also continued in many southern cities on Monday , resisting repeated attempts by security forces to end their protests .
Protesters in Nassiriya broke into a police office on Monday and set fire to at least five police vehicles parked inside before they left the location , police and Reuters witness said .
Nassiriya protesters also started building more permanent structures using bricks to replace sit-in tents burned during the attack by the unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Five Katyusha rockets hit Baghdad 's Green Zone , which houses government buildings and foreign embassies , late on Sunday , without reporting casualties , a military statement said .

Unidentified gunmen shot dead two protesters in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya after security forces began a crackdown on months-long demonstrations against the country's largely Iran-backed ruling elite.
At least 75 protesters were wounded, mainly by live bullets, in clashes in Nassiriya overnight when security forces attempted to move them away from bridges in the city, police and health source said.
On Monday morning, clashes resumed in central Baghdad as police fired tear gas at demonstrators, Reuters reporters said.
Security officials said the two protesters in Nassiriya were killed late on Sunday by unknown gunmen in four pickup trucks who attacked the main protest camp and set fire to demonstrators' tents before fleeing the scene.
Anti-government protests erupted in Baghdad on Oct. 1 and quickly turned violent. Security forces and unidentified gunmen have shot protesters dead. Nearly 500 people have been killed in the unrest.
After a lull in unrest earlier this month, demonstrations resumed in Baghdad and southern cities and protesters have controlled three key bridges in Baghdad and maintain camps and road blocks in several cities in the south.
The protests are an unprecedented leaderless challenge to Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim-dominated elite, which emerged after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Demonstrators are demanding that all parties and politicians be removed, free and fair elections be held and corruption rooted out. The government has responded with violence and piecemeal reform. The international community has condemned the violence but not intervened to stop it.
Operations by security forces to remove the protest camps started after populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Saturday he would halt the involvement of his supporters.
Sadr had backed the demands of protesters for the removal of corrupt politicians and for the provision of services and jobs soon after the demonstrations began in October, but stopped short of calling all his followers to join in.
Demonstrations continued in Baghdad where security forces used tear gas against protesters in central Baghdad. Protests also continued in many southern cities on Monday, resisting repeated attempts by security forces to end their protests.
Protesters in Nassiriya broke into a police office on Monday and set fire to at least five police vehicles parked inside before they left the location, police and Reuters witness said.
Nassiriya protesters also started building more permanent structures using bricks to replace sit-in tents burned during the attack by the unknown armed group, Reuters witnesses said.
Five Katyusha rockets hit Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies, late on Sunday, without reporting casualties, a military statement said.
Security sources told Reuters that at least one rocket landed inside the U.S. embassy compound and wounded three people.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Germany mulling evacuation of citizens from China due to coronavirus

`` We are now also considering a possible evacuation of all Germans who are willing to leave , '' Maas @ @ @ @ @ adding that a team from the German embassy in Beijing would arrive in Wuhan - @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak began - later in the day to help Germans there .

Germany is considering evacuating German citizens from the Chinese region affected by coronavirus, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday.
"We are now also considering a possible evacuation of all Germans who are willing to leave," Maas told a news conference, adding that a team from the German embassy in Beijing would arrive in Wuhan - the Chinese city where the coronavirus outbreak began - later in the day to help Germans there.
Maas said Germans should avoid all travel to China that was not absolutely necessary.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Meghan's father to Meghan: Would be great to see you, even in court

Harry , the British monarch 's grandson , and Meghan , duchess of Sussex , agreed with the queen this month that they would no longer work as royals after their surprise announcement that they wanted to carve out `` a progressive new role '' which they hope to finance themselves .
`` I think they 've hurt the queen , I think they 've hurt the royals , and it just does n't work , '' Markle told ITV 's Good Morning Britain program .
`` I 'm a little embarrassed for them and feeling really sorry for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the royals is going to cause far more problems . ''
Harry has spoken of his sadness at being forced to give up his royal duties in a deal with the queen , saying there was no other option if he his wife Meghan were to seek an independent future away from stifling media intrusion .
Under the arrangement , Harry will remain a prince and the couple will keep their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they begin a new life split between Britain and North America , where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This decision to make a break from the royals is very confusing , I do n't think anyone understands or can figure out how this happened or why it happened - it makes no sense , '' Markle said .
Markle , who lives in Mexico , has given a number of TV interviews in which he has criticized his daughter , saying they were the only way he could communicate with her .
Meghan has not publicly commented on the situation with her father , but friends of hers told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to get in touch with her and she was devastsated by his actions .
He missed the couple 's glittering wedding in 2018 due to health problems and has been estranged from his daughter since then .
He said he had never met Harry or his grandson , the couple 's baby son Archie .
The Sussexes are now in Canada as they plan their future .
However , Markle could face Meghan in court .
She is suing The Mail on Sunday newspaper over its publication of a private letter she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her copyright and human rights .
The paper aims to use his evidence in the legal battle .
`` If it comes to meeting them in a courtroom , that 's great - at least I finally get to see them , but I do n't want to face off or have a battle with them , '' Markle said .
He added that he had asked the newspaper to publish the letter .
Harry has accused the tabloid press of bullying his wife , likening their treatment to that which his mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple say some negative coverage has been fueled by racism .
However , Markle said he did not think that Meghan had faced racist media coverage in Britain : `` I do n't buy that . ''
`` I really miss my daughter , '' Markle added , saying she had `` ghosted '' him .
`` I love my daughter and I certainly would love my grandson and I 'd love Harry if I met him , I 'm sure , '' he said , adding that the prince , sixth-in-line to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to visit him to ask for his daughter 's hand in marriage .

Meghan Markle's estranged father Thomas said on Monday that he was prepared to face his daughter in court and that she and her husband Prince Harry had hurt Queen Elizabeth by abruptly stepping back from royal duties.
Harry, the British monarch's grandson, and Meghan, duchess of Sussex, agreed with the queen this month that they would no longer work as royals after their surprise announcement that they wanted to carve out "a progressive new role" which they hope to finance themselves.
"I think they've hurt the queen, I think they've hurt the royals, and it just doesn't work," Markle told ITV's Good Morning Britain program. "I'm a little embarrassed for them and feeling really sorry for the queen."
"The break from the royals is going to cause far more problems."
Harry has spoken of his sadness at being forced to give up his royal duties in a deal with the queen, saying there was no other option if he his wife Meghan were to seek an independent future away from stifling media intrusion.
Under the arrangement, Harry will remain a prince and the couple will keep their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they begin a new life split between Britain and North America, where they will spend the majority of their time.
"This decision to make a break from the royals is very confusing, I don't think anyone understands or can figure out how this happened or why it happened - it makes no sense," Markle said.
Markle, who lives in Mexico, has given a number of TV interviews in which he has criticized his daughter, saying they were the only way he could communicate with her.
Meghan has not publicly commented on the situation with her father, but friends of hers told People Magazine last year Markle had not tried to get in touch with her and she was devastsated by his actions.
He missed the couple's glittering wedding in 2018 due to health problems and has been estranged from his daughter since then. He said he had never met Harry or his grandson, the couple's baby son Archie.
The Sussexes are now in Canada as they plan their future.
"I REALLY MISS MY DAUGHTER"
However, Markle could face Meghan in court. She is suing The Mail on Sunday newspaper over its publication of a private letter she sent to him, in breach of her copyright and human rights. The paper aims to use his evidence in the legal battle.
"If it comes to meeting them in a courtroom, that's great - at least I finally get to see them, but I don't want to face off or have a battle with them," Markle said. He added that he had asked the newspaper to publish the letter.
Harry has accused the tabloid press of bullying his wife, likening their treatment to that which his mother Princess Diana suffered. Supporters of the couple say some negative coverage has been fueled by racism.
However, Markle said he did not think that Meghan had faced racist media coverage in Britain: "I don't buy that."
"I really miss my daughter," Markle added, saying she had "ghosted" him.
"I love my daughter and I certainly would love my grandson and I'd love Harry if I met him, I'm sure," he said, adding that the prince, sixth-in-line to the British throne, should have come to visit him to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage.
When asked what he would say now to Prince Harry, he said: "Man up and come down and see me."


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--62-year-old man arrested for indecent exposure in Holon

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A 62-year-old man in Holon, a suburb of Tel Aviv, was arrested on suspicion of committing public indecency. The man allegedly pulled down his pants and exposed himself to a woman walking down the street. He was taken to the Tel Aviv Magistrate Court and the police are seeking to extend his arrest.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Britain offers to help its citizens leave China due to coronavirus

`` We are working to make available an option for British nationals to leave Hubei province , '' the British @ @ @ @ @ .

Britain has offered to help its citizens leave China's Hubei Province where the coronavirus outbreak began.
"We are working to make available an option for British nationals to leave Hubei province," the British Foreign Office said on Monday.
The Foreign Office said British citizens should call +86 (0) 10 8529 6600 if they required assistance.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Lebanese protesters throw rocks at police near parliament

Some protesters have rejected a new cabinet formed last week and accuse the political elite of ignoring demands that include @ @ @ @ @ corruption .
MPs are expected to vote on a budget that was first drafted by @ @ @ @ @ quit in October , prompted by the protests .

Lebanese protesters hurled rocks and metal barricades at security forces blocking a road near parliament on Monday ahead of a budget debate as Lebanon grapples with a deep financial crisis.
Some protesters have rejected a new cabinet formed last week and accuse the political elite of ignoring demands that include an independent government and fighting corruption.
MPs are expected to vote on a budget that was first drafted by the Saad al-Hariri-led government that quit in October, prompted by the protests.
Parliament's finance and budget committee has introduced changes since then. Its chairman, Ibrahim Kanaan, told Reuters on Friday the latest projection was for a budget with a deficit of 7% instead of the originally hoped-for 0.6%, reflecting the crisis.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Russian tour operators stop selling tours to China over coronavirus

Russian tour operators have stopped selling tours to China due to the coronavirus outbreak there and are only bringing Russian tourists back, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Association of Russian Tour Operators told Reuters on Monday.The move followed recommendations from Russia's tourism watchdog, he said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Iranian passenger plane slides off runway into highway, passengers safe

`` The Caspian Airlines Boeing Flight No .
6936 with 135 passengers had left Tehran for Mahshahr on early Monday @ @ @ @ @ of runway when landing at Mahshahr airport with no casualties , '' state news agency @ @ @ @ @ quoting local aviation officials , said a technical issue delayed the plane 's landing which @ @ @ @ @ The plane did not catch fire and all passengers safely left the plane , '' @ @ @ @ @ Mohammad Reza Rezaei told IRNA .
On Saturday , an Iranian airplane en route from @ @ @ @ @ emergency landing at a Tehran airport because of a technical problem , the semi-official Mehr @ @ @ @

A Caspian Airlines plane slid off the runway onto a highway on landing at an airport in southwestern Iran on Monday, but all passengers were evacuated without injury, Iranian state media reported.
"The Caspian Airlines Boeing Flight No. 6936 with 135 passengers had left Tehran for Mahshahr on early Monday morning. It ran out of runway when landing at Mahshahr airport with no casualties," state news agency IRNA reported.
IRNA, quoting local aviation officials, said a technical issue delayed the plane's landing which caused the accident.
"The plane did not catch fire and all passengers safely left the plane," managing Director of Khuzestan Airports Mohammad Reza Rezaei told IRNA.
On Saturday, an Iranian airplane en route from Tehran to Istanbul made an emergency landing at a Tehran airport because of a technical problem, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Iran's airlines have been plagued by crashes, which Iranian rulers blame on U.S. sanctions that block the airlines from replacing their aging fleets or purchasing spare parts from the West.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Man breaks into apartment, drinks wine, falls asleep in bedroom

On Monday, Israel Police reported that over the weekend it received a report of a man in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, breaking into an apartment, drinking a bottle of wine and falling asleep in the bedroom.The suspect, a 32-year-old Sudanese man, was arrested and police are expected to extend his detainment today.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--European shares slump as coronavirus fears worsen

Death toll from the outbreak in China rose to 81 and the virus spread to more than 10 countries including @ @ @ @ @ United States .
Some health experts questioned whether China can contain the epidemic .
The @ @ @ @ @ % by 0808 GMT after hitting a record high in the previous session .
Shares @ @ @ @ @ % , dragged down by their exposure to China , and fell the most among @ @ @ @ @ that were trading in the red .

European shares dropped sharply in early trading on Monday as growing concerns over the potential economic damage from a fast-spreading coronavirus sapped demand for riskier assets.
Death toll from the outbreak in China rose to 81 and the virus spread to more than 10 countries including France, Japan and the United States. Some health experts questioned whether China can contain the epidemic.
The pan-European STOXX 600 declined 1.5% by 0808 GMT after hitting a record high in the previous session.
Shares of mining firms slumped 3.1%, dragged down by their exposure to China, and fell the most among all the major European subsectors that were trading in the red.
France's CAC lagged regional bourses as luxury goods makers such as LVMH, Hermes and Gucci owner Kering, which are heavily reliant on Chinese demand, fell between 2% and 3%.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Companies in Shanghai cannot resume work before Feb 9 due to coronavirus

SHANGHAI - The Shanghai government has said companies in the city are not allowed to resume operations before Feb. 9, an official at the municipality announced at a press conference on Monday.The measure is applicable to government and private companies but is not applicable to utilities and some other firms such as medical equipment companies and pharmaceutical companies, the official said.China's cabinet has announced it will extend the Lunar New Year holidays to Feb. 2, to strengthen the prevention and control of the new coronavirus, state broadcaster CCTV reported early on Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Macau to deny entry to visitors from Hubei unless they can show they are virus-free

Macau said on Monday it will deny entry to visitors from China's Hubei province or those who visited the province 14 days prior to arrival unless they can provide documentation showing they are not infected with the virus that broke out in the province.Macau's government also said it is banning anyone who had been to Hubei province within 14 days of their arrival in the island from the premises of the city's casinos.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Mayor of China's Wuhan says city's governance 'not good enough' as virus spreads

Zhou Xianwang made the remarks in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV .

The mayor of Wuhan, the city where China's coronavirus outbreak originated, said on Monday the city's management of the virus was "not good enough."
Zhou Xianwang made the remarks in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV.
The death toll from the outbreak in China rose to 81 on Monday, as the government extended the Lunar New Year holiday and more big businesses shut down or told staff to work from home in an effort to curb the spread.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--China allots nearly $9 bln to contain spread of virus

China's finance ministry and National Health Commission have extended 60.33 billion yuan ($8.74 billion) to help contain a spreading virus, according to a statement on the ministry's website.The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 81 on Monday, as the government extended the Lunar New Year holiday and more big businesses shut down or told staff to work from home in an effort to curb the spread.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Body of Israeli tourist missing in New Zealand found

The body of an Israeli tourist who was reported missing in New Zealand on Sunday was found on Monday by submarine teams an local rescue teams in the Whanganui River, in the Whanganui National Park. His family was notified, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv reported.The tourist was reportedly a 24-year-old from Pardes Hanna in northern Israel, according to Tatzpit Press Service.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Trump administration violated law by withholding Ukraine aid - US watchdog

The Trump administration violated federal law last year by withholding security aid for Ukraine that had been appropriated by Congress, a US congressional watchdog said in a report released on Thursday."Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law. OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA)," the US Government Accountability Office said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. "The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA.""I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book," the president said in a tweet.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Rouhani: Iranians should not let Trump harm national unity

Iranians should not allow U.S. President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" approach to harm national unity ahead of parliamentary elections, President Hassan Rouhani said in speech broadcast live on his official website."We should not let Trump succeed in creating gaps between the establishment and people ... We should remain united ... Don't turn your back on (Feb. 21) elections. Let's have a high turn out," he said.Iran's hardline Guardians Council, which vets all election candidates, has so far disqualified some 9,000 of the 14,000 who registered to run in the elections. Moderates say in most cities they have no candidates to enter the race.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Small suspected homemade bomb explodes at Hong Kong hospital

The incident came after a group of protesters on Sunday set alight the lobby of a newly built residential building in Hong Kong that authorities had planned to use as a quarantine facility , as fears grow over a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China .
Hong Kong has been convulsed with demonstrations over the past seven months centered on its relationship with mainland China , with anger fueled by what protesters see as growing interference from Beijing .
The device exploded in a toilet cubicle at the Caritas Medical Centre at about 2.30 a.m. local time , police said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit `` found a suspicious bomb inside a toilet , 15 centimeters long , 10 centimeters in diameter , '' police said .
`` They took away the pieces of the suspicious bomb for further examination and evacuated around 20 people to a safe place .
No one was injured.
`` The motive for the hospital explosion was not known .
There have been calls by pro-democracy legislators , activists and a medical staff union in recent days for Hong Kong to shut the border with the mainland to prevent the coronavirus from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents of China 's Hubei province , the center of the virus outbreak , from entering the city .
Chief Executive Carrie Lam last week dismissed a border closure as inappropriate and impractical .

A suspected small-scale homemade bomb exploded at a general hospital in Hong Kong on Monday, causing the temporary evacuation of some patients but no injuries, police said.
The incident came after a group of protesters on Sunday set alight the lobby of a newly built residential building in Hong Kong that authorities had planned to use as a quarantine facility, as fears grow over a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China.
Hong Kong has been convulsed with demonstrations over the past seven months centered on its relationship with mainland China, with anger fueled by what protesters see as growing interference from Beijing.
The device exploded in a toilet cubicle at the Caritas Medical Centre at about 2.30 a.m. local time, police said in a statement.
The explosive ordnance disposal unit "found a suspicious bomb inside a toilet, 15 centimeters long, 10 centimeters in diameter," police said.
"They took away the pieces of the suspicious bomb for further examination and evacuated around 20 people to a safe place. No one was injured. "
The motive for the hospital explosion was not known.
There have been calls by pro-democracy legislators, activists and a medical staff union in recent days for Hong Kong to shut the border with the mainland to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
Hong Kong on Sunday barred residents of China's Hubei province, the center of the virus outbreak, from entering the city. Chief Executive Carrie Lam last week dismissed a border closure as inappropriate and impractical.
Hong Kong has so far confirmed eight cases of people infected with the virus, which has killed 80 people in mainland China.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--China's Hainan province confirms its first fatality from coronavirus

Patients carrying the virus were also detected in Hong Kong , Taiwan , Japan , Vietnam and Thailand .
France reported its first three cases late Friday night .
An analysis by Imperial College London estimated a total of 1,723 cases in the Chinese city of Wuhan , the center of the outbreak , last week .
The only lab in China designated for researching some of the world 's most dangerous pathogens is located in the city , 20 miles away from the Huanan Seafood Market which is believed to be the outbreak 's epicenter .
According to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 that a SARS-like virus might escape the lab , possibly infecting the area 's residents .
Starbucks closed all of its outlets in Hubei province for the week-long Lunar Chinese New Year , Reuters reported .
Australia declared on Saturday its first confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus in the state of Victoria , with the patient hospitalized in stable condition in a suburb of Melbourne , Victoria health officials said on Saturday .
According to Financial Review , six people in Australia were in quarantine on Friday and tested for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed three cases of coronavirus infection , according to Reuters .
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the three individuals infected were related to the 66-year-old man that was confirmed by Singaporean health authorities to have tested positive for the virus .
The newly-identified coronavirus can cause pneumonia , which has been deadly in some cases .
It is still too early to know just how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads between people .
Five cases of the virus have been diagnosed in the United States , according to Reuters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention ( CDC ) , 100 potential cases are being investigated across the country .
A woman in her sixties from Chicago who had recently been to Wuhan was diagnosed with coronavirus , as well as a man in his thirties from Washington State , near Seattle.Another case of the virus was reported last week in Mexico , in the city of Reynosa that borders the United States .
Ivory Coast also reported a potential case of the virus in the city of Abidjan.Israel has asked its citizens to be on guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ministry calling citizens to refrain from unnecessary trips to the area of the outbreak , in an official release published on Thursday .
The ministry also told citizens to avoid contact with living or dead animals and people who show shortness of breath.The authorities told Israelis to pay attention to hygiene and use hand sanitizers .
In its press release , the Health Ministry could not rule out a possibility of the virus reaching Israel .

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jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Australia confirms fifth coronavirus case from last flight out of Wuhan

The coronavirus , which is believed to have originated in a wildlife market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan , has killed 80 people , all of them in China , and infected more than 2,700 , the vast majority in China .
The woman traveled on a direct flight to Sydney from Wuhan and developed symptoms within 24 hours and went to an emergency department , New South Wales Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters .
`` The patient was immediately put into isolation , '' Chant said .
Officials were tracing `` a couple of very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chant said .
Australia 's first four cases were confirmed on Saturday , with one in Melbourne and three in Sydney , with health officials saying they were expecting more , given the volume of travel between Australia and China .
Australian officials said on Monday they are working with Chinese authorities on how to evacuate about 100 Australian children and young people out of Wuhan .
`` We are working on a number of fronts , firstly to make sure ... that there is support for those Australians and we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , to try to secure their ability to return to Australia , '' Health Minister Greg Hunt told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio on Monday morning .
Foreign Minister Marise Payne told the 3AW talk radio that the government did not have a `` definite '' number of Australians in Wuhan , or in Hubei province , as there were a significant number with dual citizenships , some of whom may not have traveled on Australian passports .

Australia confirmed on Monday its fifth case of a new coronavirus, with health officials saying the case involved a 21-year-old woman who was on the last flight out of the Chinese city of Wuhan to Sydney before China imposed a travel ban.
The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in a wildlife market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has killed 80 people, all of them in China, and infected more than 2,700, the vast majority in China.
The woman traveled on a direct flight to Sydney from Wuhan and developed symptoms within 24 hours and went to an emergency department, New South Wales Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters.
"The patient was immediately put into isolation," Chant said.
Officials were tracing "a couple of very low-level contacts" related to the woman, Chant said.
Australia's first four cases were confirmed on Saturday, with one in Melbourne and three in Sydney, with health officials saying they were expecting more, given the volume of travel between Australia and China.
Australian officials said on Monday they are working with Chinese authorities on how to evacuate about 100 Australian children and young people out of Wuhan.
"We are working on a number of fronts, firstly to make sure ... that there is support for those Australians and we are also working on, as are other countries, to try to secure their ability to return to Australia," Health Minister Greg Hunt told Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio on Monday morning.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne told the 3AW talk radio that the government did not have a "definite" number of Australians in Wuhan, or in Hubei province, as there were a significant number with dual citizenships, some of whom may not have traveled on Australian passports.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Education organizations cancel IELTS, GRE, TOEFL tests across China

SHANGHAI - Educational testing organizations have canceled the IELTS, GRE, and TOEFL tests across China for the remainder of January and all of February, according to social media posts published on official accounts on Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Pompeo furious over Iranian attacks on US facilities in Iraq

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday expressed outrage in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi at the continued assaults by Iran's armed groups targeting U.S. facilities in Iraq, including Sunday's rocket attack against the U.S. Embassy, the State Department said."The Secretary underlined once again that these attacks demonstrate a wanton disregard for Iraqi sovereignty and a failure to rein in these dangerous armed groups," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Iran announces satellite launch plans, US counters is a cover for missile

An Iranian minister has tweeted that the country is preparing a site for launching a satellite, but the US has said this is just a cover for ballistic missile development.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Iraqi PM to Pompeo: there must be de-escalation in the region

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi stressed, in a phone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, the importance of de-escalation in the region, according to a statement from his office.The PM also condemned attacks that targeted the US embassy in Baghdad and pledged to boost Iraqi protection of it.Abdul Mahdi also stressed the importance of respecting Iraq's sovereignty by everyone.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--EU's Barnier: UK has underestimated the cost of leaving the bloc

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator on Monday warned Britain that the bloc would "never, never, never" compromise on the integrity of its single market, adding London had underestimated the costs of leaving.Some British politicians have suggested that Brussels might be flexible on its rules in order to protect trade flows, but Barnier told an audience in Belfast the single market was the bloc's most valuable asset and would not be compromised.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Germany joins France, UK, US in evacuating citizens from China

Germany will become the latest country to evacuate its citizens from China's coronavirus-struck Wuhan region, with the German air force repatriating 90 Germans living in the area, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Monday.The epidemic, which originated in Wuhan city, has claimed 81 lives in China so far and has affected more than 2,800 people globally, most of them in China. Germany will join France, Portugal, Spain, Britain and the United States which have various plans to evacuate staff and citizens.Der Spiegel said Germany and China had been engaged in discussions over whether Berlin could deploy military aircraft to carry out the evacuation, with Beijing wanting civilian aircraft to be used instead. "The crisis team has decided that the government is in principle ready to evacuate German citizens who are not ill," a German Foreign Ministry official said. "Operational questions still need to be settled, including with the Chinese side."Military sources told Reuters a troop transport plane would be made available if German citizens were flown out.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Militants attack Syria's Banias oil refinery with underwater explosives

Militants attacked Syria's Banias refinery near the Mediterranean coast, sending divers to plant explosives on underwater pipelines, Syria's oil ministry said on Monday.The extent of the damage was not immediately clear, though state media reported that technicians were evaluating the damage and making repairs.Petroleum Minister Ali Ghanem told state-run TV that there would be no disruption to the refinery's operation.Banias has capacity to process more than 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Prince Andrew approached by FBI for Epstein probe interview

The FBI has approached Britain's Prince Andrew for an interview in connection with its investigation into the activities and death of Jeffrey Epstein, a U.S. law enforcement source said on Monday.Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman publicly confirmed the approach to Andrew at a meeting of a group which supports battered women, the source said. The source added that to date prosecutors had received "zero cooperation" from the prince.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Ayman Odeh tweets response to Peace Plan in Trump's language

Joint List leader Ayman Odeh decided to react to developments in Washington on Twitter on Monday in what he said was US President Donald Trump's language.Odeh tweeted: "Bad deal. VERY BAD. No peace with Annexation. CORRUPT BIBI doesn't want peace. CHEATING TRUMP doesn't want peace. They only care about immunity!!! Sad."


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Iran foreign minister: Trump's Middle East peace plan 'delusional'

Iran's foreign minister called U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for the Middle East "delusional" in a tweet on Monday."Instead of a delusional 'Deal of the Century' — which will be D.O.A.— self-described 'champions of democracy' would do better to accept Iran's democratic solution proposed by Ayatollah @khamenei_ir: A referendum whereby ALL Palestinians —Muslim, Jew or Christian — decide their future," Zarif wrote.Trump said on Monday that the White House would release his long-delayed Middle East peace plan at noon (1700 GMT) on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Saudi minister: Israeli passport holders 'not welcome'

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Israelis were not welcome to visit the kingdom after Israel decreed that Saudi citizens could visit its territory under certain circumstances, CNN reported on Monday.“Our policy is fixed. We do not have relations with the state of Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the kingdom at the current time,” the U.S. broadcaster quoted Prince Faisal bin Farhan as saying.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Beijing city reports first coronavirus death

China's capital Beijing reported its first death caused by the new coronavirus on Monday, the state television station CCTV said.The 50-year-old, who had been to Wuhan, center of the coronavirus outbreak, had been confirmed infected with the virus on Jan. 22, CCTV reported.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Trump says US, China in close contact on coronavirus outbreak

We are in very close communication with China concerning the virus .
Very few cases reported in USA , but @ @ @ @ @ have offered China and President Xi any help that is necessary .
Our experts are @ @

US President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States and China were in close contact regarding the newly identified coronavirus outbreak, which has infected thousands in more than 10 countries and killed at least 81."We are in very close communication with China concerning the virus. Very few cases reported in USA, but strongly on watch. We have offered China and President Xi any help that is necessary. Our experts are extraordinary!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.
We are in very close communication with China concerning the virus. Very few cases reported in USA, but strongly on watch. We have offered China and President Xi any help that is necessary. Our experts are extraordinary! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 27, 2020


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Turkey calls off rescue efforts after earthquake toll reaches 41

Turkey called off rescue operations on Monday in eastern areas hit by Friday's earthquake after emergency workers recovered the body of a final person they were searching for in a collapsed building, bringing the death toll to 41, authorities said.The magnitude 6.8 quake caused 37 deaths in Elazig province, about 550 km (340 miles) east of Ankara, and four in neighboring Malatya. More than 1,600 others were hurt, including 86 still being treated in hospitals, though none were in serious condition, the government said.Forty-five people had been rescued from under ruined buildings, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Authority (AFAD) said.Authorities have warned residents not to enter damaged buildings because of the danger of collapse and further aftershocks, leaving many without a home in a region where temperatures fell to -6C (21F) on Monday morning.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Health Ministry prepares for coronavirus, but not due to an emergency

`` Right now – and the emphasis is on right now – there is no verified patient in Israel with @ @ @ @ @ are prepared for that as well . ''
The ministry noted that unnecessary travel to @ @ @ @ @

"Right now – and the emphasis is on right now – there is no verified patient in Israel with the coronavirus, but we are prepared for that as well."
The ministry noted that unnecessary travel to China is still discouraged.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Magnitude 5.4 quake hits southern Iran

Magnitude 5.4 quake hits southern Iran

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Fars province in southern Iran on Monday, Iranian state TV reported.State TV did not report any information on possible damage or casualties from the quake, which hit near the town of Khane Zenian.Assessment teams have been dispatched to the quake site, which is not a very populous area, the head of rescue for Iran's Red Crescent, Morteza Salimi, told state TV.Posts on social media said that the earthquake had been felt by residents of the provincial capital Shiraz, approximately 50 km (30 miles) away from the epicenter of the quake.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Egypt jails 37 for joining Islamic State

An Egyptian court sentenced 37 people on Monday to jail terms including life imprisonment for joining or supporting Islamic State's Sinai Province affiliate, judicial sources said.Militants loyal to Islamic State have been waging an insurgency in the north of the Sinai Peninsula and other parts of the country that has killed hundreds of soldiers, police and residents.A Cairo criminal court sentenced eight defendants to life terms and 29 to terms ranging from one to 15 years, after prosecutors accused them of planning attacks, promoting the group's ideology in prisons and financing its cells, the judicial sources said. Seven were acquitted. The defendants, all of whom pleaded not guilty, can appeal against the sentence at the court of cassation, Egypt's top civilian court.Separately, another Cairo criminal court referred the cases of three men accused over a 2018 failed assassination attempt against Alexandria's security chief to Egypt's top religious authority, paving the way for possible death sentences, judicial sources said. Prosecutors said the defendants were part of a militant group called Hasm, which the government describes as an armed wing of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The group denies any link with any militant activity.


jerusalempost--2020-01-27--Inquiry into London's deadly Grenfell fire begins asking who was to blame

The 23-story tower , owned by the wealthy west London borough of Kensington and Chelsea , was destroyed on the night of June 14 , 2017 , in Britain 's worst fire in a residential building since World War Two .
The disaster shocked the nation , prompting an outpouring of grief as well as soul-searching over allegations by survivors that neglect of their ethnically mixed , largely low-income community had played a part .
In its first phase , now complete , the public inquiry led by retired judge Martin Moore-Bick examined in forensic detail the sequence of events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The second phase will look into events in the years leading up to the fire , in particular a recent refurbishment during which flammable cladding was fitted to the external walls , the key factor in the rapid spread of the fire .
Witnesses who will give evidence in the phase two public hearings will include representatives from the architects , contractors and sub-contractors who carried out the refurbishment , and from the makers and sellers of the cladding .
In a statement introducing phase two , the inquiry 's lead counsel Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies involved in the refurbishment , only the Kensington and Chelsea local authority , which commissioned it , had admitted any failings .
In written statements submitted by their lawyers , the companies involved had refused to admit any mistakes or sub-standard work , Millett said , describing their attitude as `` a merry-go-round of buck-passing . ''
`` One finds in these detailed and carefully crafted statements no trace of any acceptance of any responsibility for what happened at Grenfell Tower , '' he said .
The main contractor in charge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rydon .
The cladding supplier was the U.S. firm Arconic Inc , while the makers of the insulation material used as part of the cladding system were Celotex Corp , a U.S. subsidiary of France 's Saint-Gobain .
London 's Metropolitan Police , who are conducting their own investigation into the fire , have said they were considering possible criminal charges including gross negligence manslaughter , corporate manslaughter and breaches of the Health and Safety Act .
But the police have said they would not announce any decisions on charges until the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take into account its findings .

A public inquiry into the 2017 fire at London's Grenfell Tower, which killed 72 people, began to zero in on Monday on how the densely populated social housing block was allowed to become a tinder box and who was to blame.
The 23-story tower, owned by the wealthy west London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was destroyed on the night of June 14, 2017, in Britain's worst fire in a residential building since World War Two.
The disaster shocked the nation, prompting an outpouring of grief as well as soul-searching over allegations by survivors that neglect of their ethnically mixed, largely low-income community had played a part.
In its first phase, now complete, the public inquiry led by retired judge Martin Moore-Bick examined in forensic detail the sequence of events on the night of the blaze.
The second phase will look into events in the years leading up to the fire, in particular a recent refurbishment during which flammable cladding was fitted to the external walls, the key factor in the rapid spread of the fire.
Witnesses who will give evidence in the phase two public hearings will include representatives from the architects, contractors and sub-contractors who carried out the refurbishment, and from the makers and sellers of the cladding.
In a statement introducing phase two, the inquiry's lead counsel Richard Millett said that out of all the bodies involved in the refurbishment, only the Kensington and Chelsea local authority, which commissioned it, had admitted any failings.
In written statements submitted by their lawyers, the companies involved had refused to admit any mistakes or sub-standard work, Millett said, describing their attitude as "a merry-go-round of buck-passing."
"One finds in these detailed and carefully crafted statements no trace of any acceptance of any responsibility for what happened at Grenfell Tower," he said.
The main contractor in charge of the refurbishment was privately owned British firm Rydon. The cladding supplier was the U.S. firm Arconic Inc, while the makers of the insulation material used as part of the cladding system were Celotex Corp, a U.S. subsidiary of France's Saint-Gobain .
London's Metropolitan Police, who are conducting their own investigation into the fire, have said they were considering possible criminal charges including gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and breaches of the Health and Safety Act.
But the police have said they would not announce any decisions on charges until the public inquiry had concluded, because they needed to take into account its findings.
Phase one of the inquiry, now complete, established that the fire had started in a fourth-floor flat due to a faulty refrigerator, before breaking out to the external cladding and engulfing the tower, re-entering the building via the windows.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Japan confirms first case of coronavirus not related to Wuhan travel

BREAKING : Japan is reporting its first case of an individual who has not been to Wuhan , China , @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The case is one of two new infections reported Tuesday .

A person in Japan who had not visited the Chinese city of Wuhan has contracted the new coronavirus, Japan's health ministry said Tuesday."Japan is reporting its first case of an individual who has not been to Wuhan, China, but has contracted the novel coronavirus. The case is one of two new infections reported Tuesday," The Japan Times tweeted on Tuesday.
BREAKING: Japan is reporting its first case of an individual who has not been to Wuhan, China, but has contracted the novel coronavirus. The case is one of two new infections reported Tuesday. — The Japan Times (@japantimes) January 28, 2020
The infected man is a tour bus driver in his 60s in the city of Nara, who had contact with visitors from Wuhan between Jan. 8-16, the ministry said on its website. He began showing symptoms on Jan. 14 and was hospitalized on Jan. 25 before being diagnosed, according to the statement.Another man in his 40s who lives in Wuhan was also confirmed to have contracted the virus, the ministry said.The new infections bring the total number of confirmed Japanese cases to six. Click here to follow the coronavirus outbreak on The Jerusalem Post's interactive map.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Thailand confirms 14 coronavirus cases, to screen all travelers from China

BANGKOK - Thailand announced plans on Tuesday to screen all arrivals from China for symptoms of the coronavirus and confirmed six more infections among such visitors, taking its tally to 14, health officials said.Thai tourist authorities meanwhile said the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand was expected to fall by 2 million to 9 million this year due to the coronavirus oubreak in China.Thais were also advised to avoid non-essential travel to China, Sukhum Kanchanapimai, the health ministry's permanent secretary, told a news conference.The death toll from the outbreak now stands at 106, although there have been no fatalities outside China.Thailand has the second-largest number of cases outside China, though it is far lower than the 4,515 infections in China.Five of the patients among Thailand's new cases, aged between 6 and 70, came from China's Hubei province, and belonged to the same family, health official Tanarak Plipat told reporters. The sixth was from Chongqing city in southwestern China.One passenger from among the family of seven traveling together was taken to hospital after showing symptoms on arrival, added Tanarak, the deputy director-general of the department of disease control.The other four family members were quarantined after showing symptoms following monitoring, he added."Now we will expand screening to all Chinese from China and prepare equipment to screen 100%," Sukhum said.Thailand had earlier screened passengers only from China's central city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, its southern city of Guangzhou and northeastern Changchun across five airports, from Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok to those at Chiang Mai, Don Mueng, Phuket and Krabi.The Tourism Authority of Thailand said it expected the number of Chinese tourists to fall by 2 million to 9 million this year due to the coronavirus oubreak.Tourism has been hit hard by China's ban on all group tours as China is Thailand's biggest source of visitors.Reduced travel from China could result in 50 billion baht ($1.52 billion) of lost tourism revenue, the tourism ministry estimates.TAT will propose to the government measures to help the industry, TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn told a news conference. Click here to follow the coronavirus outbreak on The Jerusalem Post's interactive map.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--German auto supplier Webasto says two employees infected with coronavirus

FRANKFURT - German car parts supplier Webasto on Tuesday said a second employee had become infected with the coronavirus following the visit of another employee, from China, to the company's headquarters in Stockdorf, Bavaria."The auto supplier Webasto confirms that the person infected with the Coronavirus is from Starnberg and an employee at the company headquarters in Stockdorf," Webasto said.Webasto on Monday had said a Chinese employee from Shanghai had tested positive for the virus upon his return to China following his visit to the company headquarters.The company, which has 11 locations in China, including in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus, has banned travel to and from China for the next fortnight. Click here to follow the coronavirus outbreak on The Jerusalem Post's interactive map.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--WHO chief confident in China's ability to contain coronavirus, urges calm

SHANGHAI - The World Health Organization's director-general said on Tuesday he is confident in China's ability to control and contain the spread of a new coronavirus, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.At a meeting with authorities in Beijing, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he approved of the Chinese government's measures to curb the outbreak so far, according to a statement posted on the foreign affairs ministry's website.The death toll from the virus has climbed to 106 in China and cases are being reported in a growing number of other countries.The WHO called the epidemic "an emergency in China" on Jan. 23, but stopped short of declaring it a global public health emergency.Tedros said he does not advocate the evacuation of foreign nationals currently in China, and urged people to stay calm.Several countries including the United States, France, Japan, South Korea, and Morocco have said they will evacuate some citizens from Wuhan, a city of 11 million in central China and the epicenter of the outbreak.Wuhan, where the virus emerged late last year, apparently in a market illegally selling wildlife, has been put on a virtual lockdown with bans on almost all transport and public gatherings.Tens of millions of others in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, live under some form of travel curbs in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.The coronavirus can cause pneumonia, but it is too early to know just how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads.Some health experts have questioned whether China can contain it.Chinese health officials say the incubation period could range from one to 14 days, and the virus is infectious during that time. The WHO estimated an incubation period of two to 10 days.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Current US government is the worst in America's history - Iran president

DUBAI - The current US government is the worst in the history of America, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV on Tuesday.Rouhani also said Iran's upcoming parliamentary elections in February will have an effect on regional and international politics.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Germany identifies first case of coronavirus

Four people who work at the same company in southern Germany have been infected with the coronavirus, and one of them contracted it from a colleague visiting their workplace in China, officials said on Tuesday.
The cases raise concerns about the spread of the flu-like virus that broke out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of last year and has killed 106 people and infected more than 2,800 people. It spreads in droplets from coughs and sneezes and has an incubation period of up to 14 days.
In one of the first cases of person-to-person transmission outside China, a 33-year-old man apparently contracted the virus on Jan. 21 during a training session with a Chinese colleague, the ministry said. The three additional patients were being monitored in isolation at a clinic in Munich.
"A total of around 40 employees at the company have been identified as potential close contacts. As a precaution, the people concerned are to be tested on Wednesday," Bavaria's Health Minister Melanie Huml said in a statement.
German car parts supplier Webasto earlier on Tuesday said an employee at its headquarters in Stockdorf, Bavaria, had become infected following the visit of an employee from China.
A day earlier it said an employee from Shanghai tested positive for the virus upon returning to China.
Confirmation of any sustained human-to-human spread of the virus outside of China, as well as any documented deaths, would bolster the case for reconvening the World Health Organisation's Emergency Committee to consider again whether to declare a public health emergency of international concern.
The independent panel last week twice declined to declare an international emergency.
Outside of China there have now been 45 confirmed cases in 13 countries, with no deaths so far, the WHO's spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.
The WHO said a case in Vietnam involved human-to-human transmission outside China and a Japanese official has said there was a suspected case of human-to-human transmission there too.
WUHAN CONNECTION
Andreas Zapf, president of Bavaria's office for health and food safety, said on Tuesday the first person infected was 33 years old, lived in the district of Landsberg about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Munich and had come into contact with a Chinese lady on Jan. 21.
Zapf said the Chinese woman was from Shanghai but her parents, who are from the Wuhan region, had visited her a few days earlier.
He added that she had arrived in Germany on Jan. 19, appearing not to have any symptoms, but began to feel ill on her flight home on Jan. 23. She sought medical treatment after landing and tested positive for coronavirus.
When that information was relayed back to the German company, a male employee said he felt like he had flu over the weekend and was on Monday advised to get medical treatment.
The head doctor at the clinic where the man is being treated told a news conference the patient was awake and responsive and he did not think the man's life was at risk.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said the risk to people's health in Germany from the coronavirus remained low.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Moscow governor signs Naama Issachar's pardon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to stop in Moscow on his way back to Israel from Washington, and he may bring Naama Issachar with him on Thursday.Moscow Governor Andrew Yuryevich signed a pardon request from Issachar, the 26-year-old American-Israeli serving a 7.5-year sentence for possession of 9.5 grams of cannabis found in her luggage in April 2019 during a stopover in Moscow en route from India to Israel. The document Yuryevich signed on Tuesday was forwarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin Netanyahu and Putin are expected to meet on Thursday.While in Washington, the prime minister was presented with US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians. He plans to discuss “diplomatic developments and the Deal of the Century,” meaning Trump’s plan, Netanyahu’s spokeswoman said on Tuesday.In response to the Deal of the Century released by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday Russia released a statement on Tuesday urging Israelis and Palestinians to “negotiate directly.”The timing of Issachar’s preliminary pardon and Netanyahu’s announcement has sparked speculation that the young woman may be allowed to return home to Israel after her months-long ordeal. But the Prime Minister’s Office has not confirmed the matter.Netanyahu formally asked Putin for a pardon for Issachar in recent weeks, and Issachar submitted her plea for a humanitarian pardon on Sunday.During his visit to Jerusalem last week for the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, Putin met with Issachar’s mother and told her “everything will be alright.”“It’s clear that Naama comes from a very good family,” Putin said. “I know the honorable prime minister’s stance... All that is being taken into consideration at the time of making a decision.”According to Yaffa Issachar, Putin told her: “I will return your girl home,” but he did not specify when.While Naama Issachar has been in prison in Moscow since last spring, her case came to light in Israel in the last months of the year. At the time, Israel was holding Russian hacker Alexei Burkov ahead of an extradition trial. The Americans had requested he be extradited to the US to be tried for over $20m. in computer fraud. Russia then submitted a competing extradition request. A court determined that Burkov should be sent to the US.Burkov, 29, pleaded guilty to fraud in Virginia last week.Israeli diplomatic sources said Russia never explicitly tied Issachar’s fate to that of Burkov, though it is widely understood that the cases were viewed as related.After Burkov’s extradition to the US, Israel sought to make other gestures to curry favor with Putin. Last month, Israel ruled in favor of the pro-Putin side in a dispute between branches of the Russian Orthodox Church over which controls the Alexander Courtyard in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.Maariv contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--South Korea to send charter flights to evacuate citizens from Wuhan

SEOUL - South Korea plans to send charter flights this week to evacuate its citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of a virus outbreak in China, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Tuesday.The planes will arrive in the city as early as Thursday, he told a ministerial meeting aimed at discussing efforts to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Balloons with suspicious objects land in southern Israel

Two balloons with suspicious objects attached to them were found in the Shaar HaNegev region in southern Israel on Tuesday morning. One landed in an agricultural field and the other was in a greenhouse.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Kazakhstan restricts visas for Chinese citizens over coronavirus

NUR-SULTAN - Kazakhstan will require medical certificates from Chinese citizens seeking visas and has stopped issuing electronic visas to them on arrival as a protective measure against the spread of a new coronavirus, deputy foreign minister Shukhrat Nuryshev said on Tuesday.Nuryshev told reporters the government has asked Beijing to allow 98 Kazakh students to leave the city of Wuhan, which has been locked down and is considered to be the epicenter of the outbreak.There are no plans to completely close the border with neighboring China, he said, as that would stop Kazakh citizens from returning home. Overall, 1,300 Kazakhs remain in China, Nuryshev said, half of them tourists visiting resorts in Hainan.Out of those who have already returned from China, four people have been hospitalized with suspected respiratory infections and are being tested, healthcare minister Yelzhan Birtanov told the same briefing.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Edelstein will not be in discussion regarding the immunity committee

Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein will not participate in discussions to be held today in the Knesset regarding forming the committee dealing with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's immunity request. Edelstein will not lead the discussion nor will he participate in the vote.Edelstein told sources in the Knesset that he warned from the start that all discussions on the matter of the immunity at this time will become election propaganda. "I have conducted myself with all the necessary formalities, but that doesn't mean I have to take part in forbidden propaganda by the opposition done on the Knesset's time," He said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Japan to send charter flight to Wuhan to bring citizens home as virus spreads

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters the flight can carry around 200 passengers , but added about 650 Japanese citizens @ @ @ @ @ to Japan .
Motegi said the government is making arrangements for additional flights that will @ @ @ @ @ as Wednesday .

Japan's government will send a chartered flight to Wuhan, the epicentre of a virus outbreak in China, on Tuesday night to evacuate its nationals wishing to return home.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters the flight can carry around 200 passengers, but added about 650 Japanese citizens are hoping to come back to Japan.
Motegi said the government is making arrangements for additional flights that will leave for Wuhan as early as Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--China's Hubei province says 100 dead, 2,714 total cases in virus outbreak

The health commission of China's Hubei province said on Tuesday that 100 people had died from a coronavirus outbreak as of Jan. 27, according to an online statement.The number of confirmed cases in the province rose to 2,714.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--China encourages people to reconsider timing of overseas travel

China's National Immigration Administration encouraged citizens to reconsider the timing of overseas travel to reduce cross-border movement to help contain the new coronavirus, it said in a statement published on its official WeChat account on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Syrian army captures 15 villages from pro-Turkish rebels - report

The Syrian Arab Army captured 15 villages in the countryside of Maarat al-Numan south of Idlib from pro-Turkish rebel forces @ @ @ @ @ said Monday evening .
According to Al-Mayadeen , the Syrian Army also encircled the Turkish-held @ @ @ @ @ the area .

The Syrian Arab Army captured 15 villages in the countryside of Maarat al-Numan south of Idlib from pro-Turkish rebel forces, Pan-Arabist Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen said Monday evening.
According to Al-Mayadeen, the Syrian Army also encircled the Turkish-held village of Maar Hattat in the area.


jerusalempost--2020-01-29--China says death toll from coronavirus outbreak rises to 132

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China stands at 5,974 as of end-Tuesday , the authority said in @ @ @

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China stands at 5,974 as of end-Tuesday, the authority said in a statement.
China's National Health Commission said on Wednesday the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the country had risen to 132 as of end-Tuesday, with another 1,459 new cases confirmed.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Qatar appreciates efforts on solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict

CAIRO- The Qatari foreign ministry said on Wednesday they appreciate the American efforts to find solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict as long as they are within the framework of international legitimacy, according to state TV al Jazeera.The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs added peace cannot be achieved without safeguarding the rights of Palestinians by establishing a sovereign state on the 1967 borders


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Death toll from flooding in Brazil mining state rises to 52

The losses were most concentrated in the state capital , Belo Horizonte , with 13 dead , according to the @ @ @ @ @ people have been displaced or evacuated from their homes , rescue workers said .
Last @ @ @ @ @ the wettest 24-hour period since precipitation records began being kept 110 years ago , with @ @ @ @ @ 6.8 inches ) from Thursday to Friday , according to the government 's meteorological agency @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday showed collapsed houses and others that had been submerged in 2 meters ( 6.6 @ @ @ @ @ while residents continue to battle thick mud after heavy rain .
The flooding comes a @ @ @ @ @ to the collapse of a tailings dam in the town of Brumadinho , also in @ @ @ @ @ than 250 people in one of the world 's worst mining disasters .
The National @ @ @ @ @ alerted mining companies on Monday to carefully monitor their tailings dams through Friday due to @ @ @ @

The losses were most concentrated in the state capital, Belo Horizonte, with 13 dead, according to the latest numbers.
Some 33,000 people have been displaced or evacuated from their homes, rescue workers said.
Last week, Minas Gerais recorded the wettest 24-hour period since precipitation records began being kept 110 years ago, with accumulated rainfall of 172mm (6.8 inches) from Thursday to Friday, according to the government's meteorological agency Inmet.
Televised images on Tuesday showed collapsed houses and others that had been submerged in 2 meters (6.6 feet) of water, while residents continue to battle thick mud after heavy rain.
The flooding comes a year after rains allegedly contributed to the collapse of a tailings dam in the town of Brumadinho, also in Minas Gerais, killing more than 250 people in one of the world's worst mining disasters.
The National Mining Agency (ANM) alerted mining companies on Monday to carefully monitor their tailings dams through Friday due to the heavy rainfall.
SAO PAULO - The death toll from last week's heavy rains in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has risen to 52 people, with 65 people reported injured and two more missing, the state civil defense agency said on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Saudis call for direct negotiations between Palestinians, Israel

The Saudi Foreign Ministry responded to President Donald Trump 's Middle East peace plan , encouraging the start of direct @ @ @ @ @ and Israelis under the auspices of the United States and `` to resolve any disagreements @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The ministry pointed to the Arab Peace initiative in 2002 that stressed that @ @ @ @ @ the conflict has not brought peace or security to any party , and that comprehensive @ @ @ @ @ strategic option . ''
The Kingdom stressed its support for `` all efforts aimed at @ @ @ @ @ resolution to the Palestinian cause , '' in a tweet on Tuesday .

The Saudi Foreign Ministry responded to President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan, encouraging the start of direct peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis under the auspices of the United States and "to resolve any disagreements with the plan through negotiations."
The ministry pointed to the Arab Peace initiative in 2002 that stressed that "a military solution to the conflict has not brought peace or security to any party, and that comprehensive and just peace is a strategic option."
The Kingdom stressed its support for "all efforts aimed at reach a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause," in a tweet on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Pompeo agrees to testify on Iran, Iraq policy - US House committee

Representative Eliot Engel , chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee , said he spoke to Pompeo on Tuesday and @ @ @ @ @ at a hearing separate from the committee 's annual budget hearing .
Engel , in @ @ @ @ @ would announce a date for the hearing soon .
Members of Congress - including some @ @ @ @ @ - have been pushing Trump 's administration for more information about the killing by a @ @ @ @ @ month of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani .
Lawmakers have also been working to pass @ @ @ @ @ rein in Trump 's ability to deploy U.S. forces abroad without congressional consent .
The @ @ @ @ @ to schedule at least two public hearings with Pompeo , including one that would have @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 29 , but he had declined to appear .

Representative Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he spoke to Pompeo on Tuesday and he had agreed to appear at a hearing separate from the committee's annual budget hearing.
Engel, in a statement, said he would announce a date for the hearing soon.
Members of Congress - including some of Trump's fellow Republicans - have been pushing Trump's administration for more information about the killing by a drone strike in Iraq this month of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
Lawmakers have also been working to pass war powers legislation that would rein in Trump's ability to deploy U.S. forces abroad without congressional consent.
The foreign affairs panel had tried to schedule at least two public hearings with Pompeo, including one that would have taken place on Wednesday, Jan. 29, but he had declined to appear.
A Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives committee said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to testify at a public hearing on Iran and Iraq policy, after threatening a subpoena over previous refusals to appear.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--EU official urges Palestinians and Israelis to show commitment to peace

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High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel said that the EU will study the Deal of the Century proposed by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening and that it “urges both sides to show a sincere commitment to a two state solution,” Chanel 13 reported.The Deal of the Century as released on Tuesday supports Israel annexing large parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley and the creation of a Palestinian State with its capital in East Jerusalem, the deal also includes land exchanges between Israel and the future Palestinian state. It is unclear if the residents of these communities will retain their Israeli citizenships or be expected to become citizens of the new state.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Egypt: Israelis and Palestinians should study the US Deal of the Century

Egypt responded to the Deal of the Century presented on Tuesday by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House by saying both Israelis and Palestinians should study it, Reuters reported.Cairo called on both sides to open channels of dialogue and resume talks with the Us serving as a mediator.The Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, and the Hamas terror group, which controls the Gaza Strip, reject the deal completely.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Turkey: Deal of the Century means to kill the two state solution

In an official response to the US Deal of the Century proposed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the American plan means to “kill [the] two state solution and steal Palestinian lands, ” Reuters reported.According to the plan, Israel will be able to annex the Jordan Valley and parts of the West Bank immediately with the intention a Palestinian state will be created in the space of four years.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Russia to Deal of Century: Israelis and Palestinians should talk

In response to the Deal of the Century released by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday Russia released a statement urging Israelis and Palestinians to “negotiate directly.”Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meant to fly to Moscow after he leaves Washington and in Israel it is widely believed he intends to bring Israeli woman who is currently in Russian prison Naama Issachar.Issachar is currently in prison after having been found guilty of brining a small amount of cannabis into Russia during her flight back home from India. She is seen by many Israelis as a victim of Russian brutality and her case gained massive amounts of media attention.The Deal of the Century stipulates that the US backs Israel in its annexation of large parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, the plan also calls for the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in “East Jerusalem.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--UK advises against 'all but essential' travel to mainland China after coronavirus outbreak

Britain on Tuesday advised against 'all but essential' travel to mainland China excluding Hong Kong and Macau due to the outbreak of the coronavirus."The FCO continue to advise against all travel to Hubei Province, and now advise against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China (not including Hong Kong and Macao)," UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--200 protesters demonstrate in Jerusalem after Trump peace plan reveal

Two hundred protesters staged an illegal demonstration in Jerusalem, the police said in a statement.The police arrested two suspects at the scene for causing a disturbance.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Friedman: Israel is free to annex settlements at any moment

US Ambassador in Israel David Melech Friedman said on Tuesday that Israel is free to annex Jewish settlements in the @ @ @ @ @ Bank at any moment , i24 news reported .

US Ambassador in Israel David Melech Friedman said on Tuesday that Israel is free to annex Jewish settlements in the Jordan Valley and the West Bank at any moment, i24 news reported.
#BREAKING: US envoy to Israel says that Israel is free to annex settlements at any momenthttps://t.co/lwrbmw8c5P — i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) January 28, 2020


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Jordan says two-state solution only path to Mideast peace

`` Jordan supports every genuine effort aimed at achieving just and comprehensive peace that people will accept , '' Ayman @ @ @ @ @ issued after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration 's proposed peace plan .
Safadi @ @ @ @ @ negotiations that solve all final status issues , including protecting Jordan 's interests , and @ @ @ @ @ consequences of unilateral Israeli measures ... that aim to impose new realities on the ground @ @

Jordan's foreign minister said on Tuesday the only path to a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace was the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 lines and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"Jordan supports every genuine effort aimed at achieving just and comprehensive peace that people will accept," Ayman Safadi said in a statement issued after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's proposed peace plan.
Safadi called for serious and direct negotiations that solve all final status issues, including protecting Jordan's interests, and warned against the "dangerous consequences of unilateral Israeli measures ... that aim to impose new realities on the ground."


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Syrian government forces enter town south of Idlib city

Assad 's campaign to regain Idlib province , the last rebel bastion in a nearly nine-year-long civil war , has sparked a new exodus of thousands of civilians towards the border with Turkey , which backs some insurgent groups fighting Assad .
People were fleeing towns in southern Idlib , a Reuters witness said .
Some headed towards camps for internally displaced persons or rebel-held towns near the Turkish border .
`` When the air strikes began we fled our village and the area .
We can no longer stay , '' said 39-year-old Mohammed Haj from the Jabal al-Zawiya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know where to go , we just got in our car and left . ''
Heavy clashes broke out between rebels and government forces in Maarat al-Numan after the forces entered the town south of Idlib city , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said , after earlier reporting that the troops backed by Russian air strikes had taken full control .
Syrian state news agency SANA earlier said the army had `` liberated most of the town 's districts . ''
Maarat al-Numan , the second largest town in Idlib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highway linking the capital Damascus with Aleppo in northern Syria .
The renewed fighting comes despite a Jan. 12 ceasefire deal between Turkey and Russia , which back opposing sides of the conflict .
Turkey 's Defence Ministry said Turkish forces would retaliate `` in the strongest way , without hesitation '' against any attack on its observation posts in Idlib by Assad 's forces .
Turkey already hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees and fears millions more could soon cross the frontier .

Syrian government forces entered a town south of Idlib city on Tuesday in a significant advance for President Bashar al-Assad as he seeks to recapture rebel-held territory in the country's northwest, a war monitor and state media said.
Assad's campaign to regain Idlib province, the last rebel bastion in a nearly nine-year-long civil war, has sparked a new exodus of thousands of civilians towards the border with Turkey, which backs some insurgent groups fighting Assad.
People were fleeing towns in southern Idlib, a Reuters witness said. Some headed towards camps for internally displaced persons or rebel-held towns near the Turkish border.
"When the air strikes began we fled our village and the area. We can no longer stay," said 39-year-old Mohammed Haj from the Jabal al-Zawiya region south of Turkey. "We don't know where to go, we just got in our car and left."
Heavy clashes broke out between rebels and government forces in Maarat al-Numan after the forces entered the town south of Idlib city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, after earlier reporting that the troops backed by Russian air strikes had taken full control.
Syrian state news agency SANA earlier said the army had "liberated most of the town's districts."
Maarat al-Numan, the second largest town in Idlib province, is located on the main highway linking the capital Damascus with Aleppo in northern Syria.
The renewed fighting comes despite a Jan. 12 ceasefire deal between Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides of the conflict. Turkey's Defence Ministry said Turkish forces would retaliate "in the strongest way, without hesitation" against any attack on its observation posts in Idlib by Assad's forces.
Turkey already hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees and fears millions more could soon cross the frontier.
"Today and yesterday there was a big exodus. There is heavy shelling in the areas south of Idlib," said Salman Eid, a 28-year-old from Talat al-Karama. "People took their children and belongings and are going to the camps."


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Britain says US Middle East peace plan could be positive step

`` The leaders discussed the United States ’ proposal for peace between Israelis and Palestinians , which could prove a @ @ @ @ @

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson said the U.S. Middle East plan could be a positive step after a phone call on Tuesday between Johnson and President Donald Trump.
"The leaders discussed the United States’ proposal for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, which could prove a positive step forwards."


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--US Embassy issues security warning for travel in Jerusalem, West Bank

The US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a travel warning for the areas of Jerusalem and the West Bank, due to the widespread demonstrations called for following the unveiling of the "Deal of the Century."The warning included "the areas of Jerusalem’s Old City surrounding the Damascus Gate, Herod’s Gate, Lion’s Gate and Chain Gate, Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount, and in the West Bank, to include but not limited to Bethlehem, Jericho, Qumran, Wadi Qelt, Al Auju, St. Geroniumus/Khogla Monastery, St. George Monastery, Nabi Musa, the Inn of the Good Samaritan and the parts of the Dead Sea that lie within the West Bank."US government officials and their families were expressly forbidden from traveling in any of the aforementioned areas, and US citizens are also encouraged to remain vigilant and exercise caution.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--France has a fourth confirmed coronavirus case - France Info radio

France had a fourth confirmed coronavirus case, France Info radio said on Tuesday.The patient was a Chinese tourist who has been hospitalised in Paris in serious condition, the radio report said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Hamas slams Trump’s speech as ‘Aggressive nonsense’

A Hamas official in Gaza slammed the Tuesday speech by US President Donald Trump about the Deal of the Century meant to being peace between Israelis and Palestinians and called it “aggressive nonsense,” Reuters reported."Trump's statement is aggressive and it will spark a lot of anger," Sami Abu Zuhri, told Reuters."Trump's statement about Jerusalem is nonsense and Jerusalem will always be a land for the Palestinians ... The Palestinians will confront this deal and Jerusalem will remain a Palestinian land," Abu Zuhri added.Trump claims that, under his plan, the lands the Palestinians will be able to build a state on will double and that the entire world will be willing to help Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to make this proposed peace a reality.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--US says nothing off the table on China travel curbs amid virus outbreak

The United States , which has confirmed five coronavirus cases , currently urges Americans to reconsider going to China because @ @ @ @ @ warning against travel to the Hubei province , where the respiratory illness is believed to @ @ @ @ @ Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he hoped that a team of U.S. health @ @ @ @ @ China .

The United States is considering new steps to counter a coronavirus that has killed over 100 people in China and nothing was off the table in terms of travel restrictions for China, the U.S. health secretary said on Tuesday.
The United States, which has confirmed five coronavirus cases, currently urges Americans to reconsider going to China because of the outbreak, after warning against travel to the Hubei province, where the respiratory illness is believed to have originated.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he hoped that a team of U.S. health experts will be allowed into China.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Tel Aviv hands over the Eurovision key to Rotterdam

The city of Tel Aviv gave the Eurovision key to the city of Rotterdam as that is the site of the upcoming Eurovision contest.The keys were given by deputy-mayor Zippi Brand, who wished success to the next city to host the contest.Rotterdam was chosen after Dutch singer Duncan Laurence won the 2019 Tel Aviv contest with ‘Arcade’.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--MK Tibi: Who said Palestinians must solve Trump’s problems?

Arab-Israeli MK Ahmad Tibi told Channel 12 News on Tuesday evening that US President Donald Trump is facing legal issues with his impeachment trial and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing his indictment, and so both leaders are “using the Palestinian issue” to their benefit.“Who said the Palestinians should solve the problems these two gentlemen face?” he asked.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--US military recovers remains from Afghanistan plane crash

On Monday , the U.S. military said an E-11A aircraft had crashed in the province of Ghazni , but disputed claims by the Taliban militant group that they brought it down .
Earlier on Tuesday , Afghan forces and Taliban fighters clashed in a central region where the U.S. military plane crashed as the government tried to reach the wreckage site in a Taliban stronghold .
The U.S. defense official , speaking on condition of anonymity , said multiple attempts had been made to recover the remains but they had been hampered by the terrain and weather .
The official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two service members who were on the plane .
Ghazni provincial police chief , Khalid Wardak , told Reuters that two bodies were airlifted by U.S. forces from the crash site on Tuesday .
Zabiullah Mujahid , a Taliban spokesman , said Afghan forces backed by U.S. military support had tried to capture the area around the crashed aircraft and clashed with fighters of the Islamist militant group .
The attempt was repelled , he told Reuters , but the Taliban would allow a rescue team access to recover bodies from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground counted six bodies at the site of the U.S. airplane crash , '' he said , adding that while there could have been more , the militant group could not be certain , as fire had reduced everything to ashes .
Speaking on condition of anonymity , U.S. officials said the plane was carrying fewer than five people when it crashed , with one official saying initial information showed there were at least two .
The crashed jet , built by Bombardier Inc , is used to provide communication capabilities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Taliban and the United States have been in talks to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan .

The United States on Tuesday recovered the remains of individuals from a U.S. military aircraft that crashed in Afghanistan and was in the process of confirming their identities, U.S. and Afghan officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
On Monday, the U.S. military said an E-11A aircraft had crashed in the province of Ghazni, but disputed claims by the Taliban militant group that they brought it down.
Earlier on Tuesday, Afghan forces and Taliban fighters clashed in a central region where the U.S. military plane crashed as the government tried to reach the wreckage site in a Taliban stronghold.
The U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said multiple attempts had been made to recover the remains but they had been hampered by the terrain and weather.
The official said the remains were believed to be of two service members who were on the plane.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
Ghazni provincial police chief, Khalid Wardak, told Reuters that two bodies were airlifted by U.S. forces from the crash site on Tuesday.
Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said Afghan forces backed by U.S. military support had tried to capture the area around the crashed aircraft and clashed with fighters of the Islamist militant group.
The attempt was repelled, he told Reuters, but the Taliban would allow a rescue team access to recover bodies from the crash site.
"Taliban fighters on the ground counted six bodies at the site of the U.S. airplane crash," he said, adding that while there could have been more, the militant group could not be certain, as fire had reduced everything to ashes.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, U.S. officials said the plane was carrying fewer than five people when it crashed, with one official saying initial information showed there were at least two.
The crashed jet, built by Bombardier Inc, is used to provide communication capabilities in remote locations.
The incident came as the Taliban and the United States have been in talks to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.
Trump has long called for an end to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, which began with an American invasion triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that al Qaeda launched from then-Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.


jerusalempost--2020-01-28--Turkey says to retaliate against any attack by Syrian government on Idlib observation posts

Turkey's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that it would retaliate "in the strongest way, without hesitation" against any attack on its observation posts in Syria's northwestern Idlib province by President Bashar al-Assad's forces.Syrian government forces entered a town south of Idlib city on Tuesday, in a significant advance for Assad as he seeks to recapture rebel-held territory in the country's northwest, a war monitor and pro-government media said.