jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Knesset dispersal bill postponed

Knesset dispersal bill postponed

Opposition factions decided to remove from Wednesday's Knesset agenda bills that would disperse the Knesset, initiate an election and prevent a candidate under indictment from running, because they lacked a majority and they're still waiting for Blue and White to agree to back them.Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has said he will decide the government's fate the third week of November and would not let the opposition dictate his timetable.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Justice minister moves forward with new Sharia court in Rahat

The process to establish the court should be completed by the end of next year .
Nissenkorn told the Knesset @ @ @ @ @ court in Beersheba provides services for Rahat residents .
`` This situation does not allow @ @ @ @ @ litigants in the Sharia courts , so I decided to act in order to develop @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Nissenkorn .
`` We will continue to make the justice system accessible @ @ @ @ @ in Israel . ''

The process to establish the court should be completed by the end of next year.
Nissenkorn told the Knesset plenum that currently a Sharia court in Beersheba provides services for Rahat residents.
"This situation does not allow for a comprehensive response to litigants in the Sharia courts, so I decided to act in order to develop the system of these courts," said Nissenkorn. "We will continue to make the justice system accessible everywhere and to every citizen in Israel."
Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn announced on Wednesday that he intends to move forward with the establishment of a Sharia court in the city of Rahat in southern Israel.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--UAE, Israel health ministries agree to cooperate on medical issues

The two countries will work together on emergency medicine , digital health , cybersecurity and medical technology , among other @ @ @ @ @ be formed for the various fields in which cooperation will take place .

The two countries will work together on emergency medicine, digital health, cybersecurity and medical technology, among other issues. Joint teams will be formed for the various fields in which cooperation will take place.
The health ministries of the UAE and Israel agreed to sign a cooperation deal on medical issues during a video call on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Netanyahu to hold discussions on possible night curfew, school openings

The discussions will also address the Education Ministry 's proposed plan to reopen more of the education system .

The discussions will also address the Education Ministry's proposed plan to reopen more of the education system.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold discussions on the possibility of implementing a night curfew and the next steps in Israel's exit plan from the national coronavirus lockdown, as health officials warned that the drop in infection rates was stopping.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Knesset approves NIS 2,000 grant for unemployed

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The Knesset approved a NIS 2,000 grant for those who have been unemployed for over 100 days on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Oil container explodes in Jerusalem, man injured seriously

An oil container exploded on Ahinoam Street in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sanhedria on Wednesday , injuring one man .
@ @ @ @ @ the hospital by Magen David Adom and Israel Fire and Rescue Services extinguished a fire @ @ @ @ @ blast .
The background of the incident is being investigated by Israel Police .

An oil container exploded on Ahinoam Street in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sanhedria on Wednesday, injuring one man.
The man was transferred to the hospital by Magen David Adom and Israel Fire and Rescue Services extinguished a fire that broke out after the blast. The background of the incident is being investigated by Israel Police.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Israeli judoka wins gold medal in European Championship

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jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Coronavirus in Israel: 663 infected, 1.6% of tests positive

Of those infected , 304 are in serious condition and 126 are on ventilators .
The death toll rose to @ @

Of those infected, 304 are in serious condition and 126 are on ventilators. The death toll rose to 2,683.
Some 663 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Israel on Tuesday, with 1.6% of the 40,199 tests conducted returning positive, according to a Wednesday morning update by the Health Ministry. This is the first time the percentage of positive tests has fallen under 2% since Thursday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--WeWork's chief legal officer, Jennifer Berrent, in talks to leave

The plans have not been finalized , said the sources who declined to comment on the reason for her departure @ @ @ @ @ of anonymity .
Berrent did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comment .
@ @ @ @ @ in addition to her legal role when the company planned to go public last year @ @ @ @ @ is majority owned by Japan 's SoftBank Group Corp , then yanked its plans after @ @ @ @ @ model and erratic management .
The discussions were first reported by Bloomberg news .

WeWork's chief legal officer and former co-president, Jennifer Berrent, is in talks to leave the office-sharing startup in the first quarter of 2021, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The plans have not been finalized, said the sources who declined to comment on the reason for her departure. They spoke on condition of anonymity.
Berrent did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comment.
She was WeWork's co-president in addition to her legal role when the company planned to go public last year. The company, which is majority owned by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, then yanked its plans after harsh criticism over its business model and erratic management.
The discussions were first reported by Bloomberg news.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--US reports more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases for 7th day in a row

With case numbers still being filed by a handful of states , the U.S. had reported at least 134,000 new @ @ @ @ @ It has reported an average of 120,000 cases every day for the past week .
@ @ @ @ @ at 1,450 , the first time it has risen above 1,400 since mid-August .
Hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ to climb rapidly , reaching 61,471 by late Tuesday , the highest ever during the @ @

The United States reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases for the seventh day in a row on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, while the number of deaths surged to their highest daily count since August.
With case numbers still being filed by a handful of states, the U.S. had reported at least 134,000 new infections by late Tuesday. It has reported an average of 120,000 cases every day for the past week.
The daily death toll stood at 1,450, the first time it has risen above 1,400 since mid-August.
Hospitalizations of infected people also continued to climb rapidly, reaching 61,471 by late Tuesday, the highest ever during the pandemic.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Education Ministry extends scholarship registration period

Students now have until Novermber 15 to submit their application for an access code and until December 3 to fill @ @ @ @ @

Students now have until Novermber 15 to submit their application for an access code and until December 3 to fill out the application form.
Israel's Education Ministry announced on Wednesday evening that they were extending the registration period for student scholarship applications.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Jerusalem mall opens shops, violates Health Ministry restrictions

The Rav Shefa Mall located in Jerusalem's Romema neighborhood reportedly opened some of its shops Wednesday evening in violation of Health Ministry guidelines, Ynet reported.According to the report, many shops, including shops that do not provide essential products, opened up as usual, despite coronavirus restrictions still prohibiting malls and shopping centers from opening.The mall serves a mostly ultra-Orthodox population and consists of a closed structure with three floors.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--'Countdown to catastrophe' in Yemen as UN warns of famine - again

Millions of men, women and children in war-torn Yemen are facing famine - again, top United Nations officials warned on Wednesday as they appealed for more money to prevent it - again."We are on a countdown right now to a catastrophe," U.N. food chief David Beasley told the U.N. Security Council. "We have been here before ... We did almost the same dog-and-pony show. We sounded the alarm then."The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of the people in need of help."If we choose to look away, there's no doubt in my mind Yemen will be plunged into a devastating famine within a few short months," Beasley told the 15-member council.A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-allied Houthi group. UN officials are trying to revive peace talks to end the war as the country's suffering is also worsened by an economic and currency collapse and the COVID-19 pandemic.In late 2017, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned that Yemen was then facing "the largest famine the world has seen for many decades with millions of victims"."We prevented famine two years ago," Lowcock told the Security Council on Wednesday. "More money for the aid operation is the quickest and most efficient way to support famine prevention efforts right now."He said the world body had received less than half of what it needed - about $1.5 billion - this year for its humanitarian operations in Yemen. Last year it received $3 billion."When I think about what famine would mean, I am really at a loss to understand why more is not being done to prevent it," Lowcock said. "It is a terrible, agonizing and humiliating death ... Yemenis are not 'going hungry'. They are being starved."


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Coronavirus in Israel: 16 new coronavirus deaths, 665 test positive

The Health Ministry reported Wednesday evening that 665 people were diagnosed with coronavirus since the previous day out of the 41,498 people who were screened.Some 305 patients were in serious condition Wednesday night, including 132 intubated patients. The death toll rose to 2,699 with 16 new deaths.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Iran installs advanced centrifuges at underground Natanz plant, IAEA says

Iran has installed a first cascade of advanced centrifuges in the underground Natanz uranium enrichment plant that its deal with major powers says can only be used for first-generation IR-1 machines, a report by the UN atomic watchdog said.Iran had previously informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it would transfer three cascades of the uranium-enriching machines from an above-ground pilot plant at the Natanz nuclear site to the underground one after an above-ground centrifuge workshop burned down in an apparent act of sabotage.Iran has installed and connected the cascade of IR-2m centrifuges but has not fed the cascade with uranium hexafluoride gas, the feedstock for centrifuges, the confidential IAEA report, obtained by Reuters, said on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Bahrain names crown prince as new PM - state news agency

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has named crown prince Salman al-Khalifa as the new prime minister, the state news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a royal decree.The decree takes effect immediately, it reported.Bahrain's late Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa died earlier on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Majdal Shams, Mas'ade, Bukata lockdowns extended by 5 days

Ministers are considering opening up additional commerce and implementing a night curfew as the next stage in Israel’s lockdown exit strategy.A meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several top ministers and the head of the National Security Council ended inconclusively on Wednesday, as the country grapples with ways to manage the spread of coronavirus During the discussion, participants considered alternative ways to enable the further opening of commerce, returning of children to school and restricting areas with high infection.Finance Minister Israel Katz, who has been pushing since the start of the exit strategy to open stores, said that malls and other establishments should be allowed to resume operation as originally planned – on Sunday, November 15. He agreed that if the malls could open, the country could impose a night curfew as suggested by the NSC from 10 pm to 5 am each day.But Health Minister Yuli Edelstein stood firm and said that nothing more should be opened until the country reaches the necessary indices.“If we have not reached the necessary reproduction rate, nothing should be opened,” Edelstein stressed.Netanyahu straddled the positions of Katz, the NSC and Edelstein, recommending that commerce be allowed to operate in open spaces alongside a night curfew.The concept of a night curfew was first raised by Science and Technology Minister Yizhar Shay, though several health officials said at the time that night curfews are ineffective.Shay proposed on Wednesday to increase the list of red cities that are locked down, as well as enforcements and fines.“The infection rate is not good,” Shay said. “So, there are a number of ideas. We looked at what a number of countries are doing in Europe, who implemented partial or night closures, to understand the results there.”The coronavirus cabinet is expected to meet on Thursday to further discuss the options.Earlier in the day, the Education Ministry released its final proposal for opening schools for children through sixth grade, plus classes for students in grades 11 and 12. The proposal is also expected to be finalized by the cabinet.The new plan would put first and second graders back into their classrooms without capsules five days per week for five hours each day. Third and fourth grades would learn without any changes, with pupils learning in set groups of up to 20 five days per week for five hours each day.Fifth and sixth grades would learn in set groups of up to 20 students, at least three days per week for at least 14 hours each week. No transfers will be allowed between groups. And, 11th and 12th grades would learn in groups of up to 20, at least two days per week.Education Minister Yoav Gallant has said he wanted to cancel the Hanukkah school vacation to enable parents to continue working during that time but to do so, he will need the approval of the Teachers Union. He said that if the association does not agree, he will work toward providing “camps” during the break.Meanwhile, IKEA said Wednesday that it will again delay opening on Thursday, after discussions with the Health Ministry yielded no results.The efforts to reopen stores and discussions to reopen schools come as health officials continue to warn that coronavirus infection rates are no longer falling as quickly as they were and may even begin rising again.Some 665 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Israel on Tuesday, with 1.6% of the 41,498 tests conducted returning positive, according to a Wednesday evening update by the Health Ministry.Of the sick, 305 were in serious condition and 132 were on ventilators. The death toll rose to 2,699 - 16 people died between the ministry’s Wednesday morning and evening reports.The infection rate in the Arab sector remains high.On Wednesday, the Ministerial Committee for Declaring Restricted Zones extended the closures on Majdal Shams, Mas’ade and Bukata for another five days.A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center warned that an additional slowing in the improvement of infection rates could be seen at the weekend as a result of the relaxation of Health Ministry regulations implemented earlier this month.The data from the past two weeks “clearly indicate” a stop in the decrease in infection rates as well as an increase in the reproduction number across the country, compared to previous weeks, according to the center, which warned that if the current trends continue, then a renewed increase in infection rates should be expected soon.All members of the Yamina Party, including parliamentary assistants and advisers who took part in the faction’s meeting on November 9 will be required to enter quarantine, according to a statement by the party.Party member Matan Kahana had attended the meeting before he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The party members will remain in quarantine until the Health Ministry conducts a thorough epidemiological inquiry.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Yamina Party to enter quarantine following contact with confirmed patient


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Bill for freezing MK salaries approved by Knesset in first reading

The Knesset on Wednesday approved in a first reading a bill for freezing the salaries of MKs, Walla! News reported.The bill, proposed by Blue and White MK Eitan Ginzburg, will freeze the salaries of MKs between 2021 and 2022, preventing any increase.The bill was approved by a majority of 65 MKs who voted in favor with no opposers. It will now be handed over to a Knesset's committee that will prepare it for second and third readings.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Saudi authorities say Greek, Saudi nationals wounded in Jeddah attack

Local authorities of the Saudi governorate of Mecca said a Greek national and a Saudi security officer were wounded in the "cowardly" attack on a non-Muslim cemetery in the Saudi city of Jeddah.The security services were following the attack on diplomatic staff at a World War One remembrance ceremony, a statement carried by state news agency SPA said, adding that several consuls were present.An investigation was under way, it added.


jerusalempost--2020-11-11--Gantz to travel to Cyprus, hold strategic meetings with counterparts

Defense Minister Benny Gantz will be traveling to Cyprus on Thursday and is expected to hold a strategic discussion on security matters with his counterparts from Greece and Cyprus.The meetings will focus on developing and deepening the security collaborations between the countries alongside examining regional challenges.Gantz will also meet with President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--7 killed, including 5 Americans, in military helicopter crash in Sinai

A Multinational Force and Observers helicopter crashed on Thursday in the Egyptian Sinai near the resort town of Sharm e-Sheikh, killing eight members of the peacekeeping force, the US-led MFO said.The victims were six Americans, a French national and a Czech national, all of them military service members, the MFO said in a statement. One American MFO member survived and was evacuated for medical treatment, it said.The IDF said it evacuated the injured peacekeeper to an Israeli hospital.The accident was caused by mechanical failure, an official with knowledge about the matter told Reuters.The Czech Defense Ministry confirmed that a Czech army member was among those killed. The cause of the crash was a technical malfunction, it said in a statement.Acting US Defense Secretary Christopher Miller confirmed that six Americans had been killed and said on Twitter he was saddened by the deaths.The MFO was installed to monitor the demilitarization of the Sinai under the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace accord. It has decreased in size in recent years as the neighboring countries tightened security cooperation against Islamist-led Sinai insurgents.However, both Israel and Egypt have, in the past, opposed proposals by Washington to reduce US participation in the MFO, whose website lists some 452 Americans among the force’s 1,154 military personnel.Cairo sees the MFO as part of a relationship with Israel that, while unpopular with many Egyptians, has brought it billions of dollars in US defense aid, sweetening the foreign-enforced demilitarization of its Sinai territory.For Israel, the MFO offers strategic reassurance in a region where allegiances can shift. In a statement of condolence, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi described the MFO as “extremely important... to maintaining security and stability.”“I send my sincere condolences to the families of those killed and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded,” he said in a statement.The helicopter was on a routine mission when it crashed, the MFO statement said.According to its website, the MFO draws personnel from 13 countries and covers an area of more than 10,000 square kilometers in the Sinai.The IAF’s search-and-rescue unit evacuated one person in critical condition to Soroka-University Medical Center in Beersheba, according to Ynet.The IDF “offered medical assistance to evacuate the wounded from the helicopter crash of the multinational observer force in Sinai,” IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.The Foreign Ministry said in a press release: “The Foreign Ministry expresses deep sorrow over the deaths of eight members of the Sinai MFO following a helicopter crash that occurred this afternoon. The force is stationed in Sinai under the peace agreements with Egypt and is highly regarded for its work.”Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Former Ghana president Jerry Rawlings dies at 73

ACCRA - Jerry Rawlings, who seized power twice in military coups but is now credited as a driving force behind Ghana 's emergence as a stable democracy, died on Thursday at the age of 73, a source at the presidency said.His takeovers in 1979 and 1981 were marked by authoritarian rule and the executions of senior military officers, including General Frederick Akuffo, whom he overthrew in the first coup.But Rawlings went on to oversee Ghana's transition to multi-party democracy, winning election in 1992 and 1996 before stepping down in 2001.Today, Ghana is considered one of West Africa 's most mature democracies and regularly sees power change hands between its two main parties.A presidential election is scheduled for Dec. 7 between incumbent Nana Akufo-Addo, main challenger John Mahama, Akufo-Addo's predecessor whom he defeated at the polls in 2016, and other smaller party candidates.The source at the presidency said Rawlings had died on Thursday morning, but provided no further details.Rawlings first came to power in the 1979 coup when he was an air force lieutenant. He transferred power to civilian rule soon after but then led another coup two years later, decrying the overnment's corruption and weak leadership.From 1981 to 1993, he ruled as chairman of a joint military-civilian government. In 1992 he was elected president under a new constitution, taking up that office the following year.As president, he liberalised Ghana's economy, encouraging investment in the country's oil and gold sectors.In 2001, he handed over power to John Kufour of the opposition party who had defeated Rawlings' vice president in the previous year's election.After stepping down, Rawlings remained a power broker in Ghanian politics while serving in various international diplomatic posts, including as the African Union's representative in Somalia.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Police deputy chief who investigated Netanyahu will retire

Deputy-Chief Eli Asayag, who led the unit that investigated Case 3000 and Case 4000 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that he will retire, Israeli media reported Thursday. Asayag served in Israel Police's Lahav 433 unit.The announcement comes following a 35-year career and is reportedly because Asayag was not promoted


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Legalizing marijuana could happen within 9 months - Nissenkorn

After four months in which the inter-ministerial committee for the regulation of Israel's cannabis market had been convening every week, it published its conclusions on Thursday and handed them over to the Justice Ministry.Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn said that a legal memo will be drafted in the coming days for government approval, and that a bill could come to the Knesset floor for an initial reading even before the end of 2020, with the entire legislative process expected to take around nine months.After receiving government approval, the bills will be rewritten into a new law under the supervision of Blue and White MK Michal Cotler-Wunsh, chairwoman of the Knesset's Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Use."I see great importance that these two bills [for decriminalization and legalization] be put forth as a single bill, which will be a responsible, holistic step for Israel without compromise. I am committed to leading, advancing and supervising the application of these recommendations for reform, while doing the preparations required in the memo on time," Cotler-Wunsh said.In a special discussion on Thursday, Deputy Attorney-General Amit Merari presented the main conclusions of the extensive and in-depth staff work done by the committee and the experts who appeared before it on the subject of regulating cannabis.The recommendations were formulated after an in-depth study of the successes and failures in the implementation of cannabis legalization and decriminalization policies in the countries where the field was regulated.FIRSTLY, anyone who was expecting to be able to smoke a legal joint will have to wait until some time near the final quarter of 2021, since there are still certain areas of both research and legislation which the various government offices need to prepare.The committee said there is an essential need for detailed and thorough legislation concerning all possible aspects of the regulation, a lesson from the Colorado model, which had much less data to go on when the Rocky Mountain state chose to legalize cannabis in 2012.A significant and early budget will be dedicated for data tracking, enforcement, mental health treatment and addiction rehabilitation, in order to prepare the public for the move.A major emphasis in the policy will be put on preventing teen cannabis use and addiction, similar to the Canadian model.Establishment of a forfeiture fund from the tax profits on cannabis will be dedicated to social and community action.The new law is expected to go to a first reading in the Knesset within the next month, and clear the entire legislative process within nine months, according to Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn. In that time, the different offices will cooperate to regulate the market, each in their own department.After the process is complete, Israelis and tourists will be able to buy cannabis at special dispensaries, provided they are above the age of 21 and present a valid form of identification.MERARI PRESENTED the reasons for the committee's recommendations, saying the drug is very common in public use, there is no justification for its prohibition, and that its legal consequences currently outweigh its medical consequences.A majority of the committee members agreed that the advantages of cannabis legalization outweigh the disadvantages.The nine months will be used to answer some of the legislation's many questions, and to prepare a network of data, so that the Health Ministry will be able to research and monitor the market in real time before it legally opens.The amount which will be allowed for possession of cannabis has still not been decided.Home growing will initially be illegal, but will be reconsidered once the market has been established.In the field of transportation, an emphasis will be placed on education regarding the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis, particularly when mixed with alcohol.However, many questions remain regarding the accuracy of THC breathalyzer tests used today, leading to this area to be possibly the largest loophole in need of fixing before legislation can pass.PROF. ITAMAR GROTTO said after the announcement that there are three reasons they are satisfied with the recommendations. The first is the harm-reduction approach taken by the recommendations, which aim to work incrementally towards reducing the overall harm which comes from both cannabis criminalization and addiction.Secondly, the field of medical research into the long-term societal and health effects of cannabis would be greatly aided by legalization, Grotto said.Lastly, there is a need for better prevention and treatment methods, seeing as criminalization has not lowered the amount of users, despite being Israeli law since the country's founding in 1948.Grotto also mentioned the need to separate the medical and recreational cannabis markets, saying they are still at the start of the journey on that aspect.MK RAM SHEFA, who proposed the legalization bill which passed in a preliminary hearing in June, addressed the meeting via Zoom while in isolation, thanking the team for their hard work."We can't close our eyes to what is happening. Israel is a relative leader in cannabis consumption, and the market needs to be regulated," Shefa said. "I say that also as the chairman of the Knesset's Education Committee. I think we have a responsibility to address the problems of addiction, and the best way to deal with them is when your eyes are open."I know we still have a few roadblocks ahead of us, and that the legislation will take many months, which will force us to find all kinds of solutions and compromises. But I am certain that with the wide consensus around this table, we can do it in a safe, responsible manner, that I think will succeed in freeing a lot of people of the stigma of feeling like criminals, for something that can and should be regulated," he said.Shefa noted an urgency in the need to pass the legislation, most likely due to the looming specter of a possible dissolution of the Knesset for an election, which could complicate the chance for legalization if the bill has not yet passed in a first reading."I'm here to push with full force, whether in isolation or not, for this legislation to be completed. We won't let any party or MK – or anyone – stop us from leading a move that would help a lot of people in a responsible manner," Shefa said.LIKUD MK Sharren Haskel, who wrote the decriminalization bill, thanked Nissenkorn and the committee for their work, while also criticizing fellow Likud member and current UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan for his previous attempts at decriminalizing cannabis."The recommendations which came out today are righting an injustice that was done during the previous cannabis committee led by [former public security minister Gilad] Erdan, where there was a majority for these recommendations to go through, but they were disregarded, and a completely different set of regulations passed," Haskel said."These recommendations confirm what I and many in the public have already known for years: that the current policy has failed and we must change and repair it," she added.Haskel seemed to echo Shefa's urgency in the need to pass the bill during a time of election uncertainty, saying: "I promise the citizens of Israel that I will make a tremendous effort to cooperate and finish this legislation before the Knesset dissolves" – before being interrupted, and changing her remarks to reflect a vague optimism that the bill will likely pass."We expect that within the final quarter of 2021, we will have completed the outline for the regulations," Nissenkorn said. "The legislative outline can be approved very soon. Afterwards, there is the process of applying performance regulations, which we expect will be done by the last quarter of next year. We still need to discuss the intermediary period."GROTTO SAID that there is no plan for changes in the reform to the medical cannabis market, though he added they will need to think of ways to differentiate between the amount of regulations placed on cannabis for recreational use and cannabis for medicinal use.However, Grotto added, the fact that Israel has already established regulations for the medicinal market, provides an infrastructure through which recreational cannabis can more easily be regulated."We intend to release a legal memo to the public and hand it to the government for approval within the coming days. At the beginning of next month it can be sent to the Knesset along with the bills from MKs Shefa and Haskel to continue for a first reading in the Knesset plenum. Our goal is that within nine months, the first offices will have completed the important infrastructural work needed to combat addiction, to regulate the market and other processes."When asked about issues which arose from Erdan's 2018 cannabis reform (disproportionately high fines, criminalization still optional for possession, black market unaffected), Nissenkorn said a discussion would be had on the topic due to its complexity. However, Merari said no changes to the reform are planned to take place until new legislation passes.MERETZ MK Tamar Zandberg, a long-time advocate and pioneer for cannabis legalization in Israel, congratulated Nissenkorn for "finally joining the 21st century and the list of ministers who promise legalization."The direction is clear: Smoking cannabis in one's spare time should not be a criminal offense – and soon will not be," she said. "The legalization train has already left the station; it will soon become a reality. Congratulations to those who are struggling and joining."Blue and White leader and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz said: "As I promised all along - today we bring an outline for responsible legalization that is adapted to the needs of the State of Israel."He congratulated Nissenkorn, Shefa and Haskel for their achievements, adding that "We will lead the completion of the legislative process in the Knesset, and I look forward to the cooperation and substantive discussion of all parties in the political system. Too many civilians have suffered too long - it's time to make amends."


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Russia targets French, German officials for sanctions over Navalny poisoning

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said Russia would soon announce the retaliatory measures it has taken against senior French @ @ @ @ @ sanctions related to the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny .
Last month the European @ @ @ @ @ and Germany , imposed sanctions on top Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin over @ @ @ @ @ denied any involvement in the poisoning of Navalny , who received medical treatment in Germany @

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said Russia would soon announce the retaliatory measures it has taken against senior French and German officials in tit-for-tat sanctions related to the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Last month the European Union, pushed by France and Germany, imposed sanctions on top Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin over the poisoning. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning of Navalny, who received medical treatment in Germany.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Police gave out 10,520 coronavirus tickets in past week

Police gave out 10,520 tickets for coronavirus regulation violations in the past week, according to a police spokesperson. Some 1,632 of the tickets were given since Wednesday.The majority of tickets, 9,511, were given to those not wearing masks. There were 210 tickets given to those who were found to be in violation of mandatory quarantines.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Coronavirus in the IDF: 115 infected, 1,532 in quarantine

Some 115 soldiers and staff in the IDF are infected with the coronavirus, the IDF said on Thursday, while 1,532 soldiers are in quarantine.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Police arrest four for attempting to steal sheep

Israel Police and Border Police detained four people suspected of attempting to steal sheep Wednesday night in Yokne’am, according to a police spokesperson.Two of the suspects are in their 20s and two are minors who were in Israel illegally.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--IDF soldier found dead near Hizma checkpoint, investigation ongoing

Sagi Ben David, a soldier in the IDF, was found dead near the Hizma checkpoint Thursday morning, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. The incident is being investigated by the Military Police and his family was notified.Ben David had been missing since Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Eight MKs enter quarantine after contact with Kahana who has coronavirus

Eight members of the Knesset have been sent to quarantine on Thursday after they were in contact with MK Matan Kahana who tested positive for the coronavirus, Walla! News reported.The MKs who entered quarantine include MK Naftali Bennett, MK Bezalel Smotrich, MK Ofir Sofer, MK Ram Shefa and others.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Ukraine president Zelenskiy hospitalized due to COVID-19

Ukraine 's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was hospitalized after he contracted coronavirus earlier this week , a presidential official said on @ @ @ @ @ went home , but decided to move to Feofania ( hospital ) .
To accurately @ @ @ @ @ , '' a presidential spokeswoman told Reuters .
`` There are better conditions for patients @ @ @ @ @ she said referring to the president 's health .
Zelenskiy said on Monday he tested @ @ @ @ @ other top officials , including the finance minister , the defense minister and Zelenskiy 's @ @ @ @ @ to be infected .
Ukraine 's daily tally of new coronavirus infections began spiking in @ @ @ @ @ consistently high in October and November , spurring the government to extend some restrictions until @ @ @ @ @ .
On Wednesday , Zelenskiy 's cabinet voted to impose a national lockdown at weekends @ @ @ @ @ the rapid spread of the coronavirus .
Ukraine registered a total of 500,865 coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ 9,145 deaths .

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was hospitalized after he contracted coronavirus earlier this week, a presidential official said on Thursday.
"He first went home, but decided to move to Feofania (hospital). To accurately isolate and not expose anyone," a presidential spokeswoman told Reuters.
"There are better conditions for patients. Nothing serious," she said referring to the president's health.
Zelenskiy said on Monday he tested positive for coronavirus. Three other top officials, including the finance minister, the defense minister and Zelenskiy's top aide were also reported to be infected.
Ukraine's daily tally of new coronavirus infections began spiking in late September and has remained consistently high in October and November, spurring the government to extend some restrictions until the end of the year.
On Wednesday, Zelenskiy's cabinet voted to impose a national lockdown at weekends to strengthen steps to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
Ukraine registered a total of 500,865 coronavirus cases as of Thursday, with 9,145 deaths.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Armenia declares no-fly zone in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh

The Armenian defense ministry declared a no-fly zone in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh , except for military aircraft , Russia 's @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
Thousands of protesters on Wednesday gathered in Armenia 's capital , Yerevan , @ @ @ @ @ step down over a ceasefire that secured territorial advances for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh , the @ @ @ @ @ fighting .

The Armenian defense ministry declared a no-fly zone in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, except for military aircraft, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Thursday.
Thousands of protesters on Wednesday gathered in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan step down over a ceasefire that secured territorial advances for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the subject of six weeks of fighting.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Dutch police investigating after shots fired at Saudi embassy

Dutch police said they were investigating a shooting at the embassy of Saudi Arabia before sunrise on Thursday .
No @ @ @ @ @ shots were fired at the building in The Hague just before 6 a.m. ( 0500GMT @ @ @ @ @

Dutch police said they were investigating a shooting at the embassy of Saudi Arabia before sunrise on Thursday. No one was hurt.
Several shots were fired at the building in The Hague just before 6 a.m. (0500GMT), police said.
A police spokeswoman was unable to provide additional details.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--YouTube outage affects 286,000 users, says error on platform is fixed

`` Our team is aware of the issue and working on a fix .
We 'll follow up here with @ @ @ @ @ said in a tweet .
The issue started about 06:53 p.m .
ET ( 23:53 @ @ @ @ @ Downdetector.com , with users complaining about trouble in watching videos on the platform .

YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc's Google , said late on Wednesday it was fixing an error, which outage monitoring website Downdetector.com said affected about 286,000 users.The company has since announced that its interruption is fixed across all devices & YouTube services.
"Our team is aware of the issue and working on a fix. We'll follow up here with any updates," YouTube said in a tweet.
The issue started about 06:53 p.m. ET (23:53 GMT), according to Downdetector.com, with users complaining about trouble in watching videos on the platform.
Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment about how many users were affected by the outage on the video-streaming platform.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Saudi-led coalition says destroyed five drones fired by Houthis

The Saudis have regularly accused the Houthis of using drones and missiles to attack Saudi Arabia .
Yemen has been @ @ @ @ @ when the Houthis seized Sanaa , the capital , and then much of the country @ @ @ @ @ in March 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu @ @ @

The Saudis have regularly accused the Houthis of using drones and missiles to attack Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has been locked in conflict since 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and then much of the country's north. Fighting escalated in March 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
CAIRO - The Saudi-led coalition said on Friday it had intercepted and destroyed five explosive-laden drones launched towards Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Thursday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--State of emergency over COVID-19 not necessary in Japan, PM Suga says

Speaking to reporters , he said the government 's initiative to boost domestic tourism with subsidies also did not need @ @ @ @ @ infections reached the highest-ever 1,634 cases in Japan on Thursday , topping a previous record @ @ @ @ @ according to public broadcaster NHK .

Speaking to reporters, he said the government's initiative to boost domestic tourism with subsidies also did not need to be revised.
Coronavirus infections reached the highest-ever 1,634 cases in Japan on Thursday, topping a previous record set on Aug. 7, according to public broadcaster NHK.
TOKYO - Japan is not in a situation that requires a state-of-emergency declaration again over the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday, adding that experts backed that view.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Pfizer in talks with Brazil to supply COVID-19 vaccine by early 2021

RIO DE JANEIRO - The head of Pfizer Inc in Brazil said on Thursday the drugmaker is negotiating with the @ @ @ @ @ its potential COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021 .
`` We are working @ @ @ @ @ to try to fast-track the availability ( of the vaccine ) in Brazil as fast @ @ @ @ @ Murillo said during an online event .
In Brazil , some 3,100 people are participating @ @ @ @ @ of the experimental vaccine Pfizer is developing with German partner BioNTech .
Pfizer earlier this @ @ @ @ @ its late-stage trials showed the vaccine to be more that 90 % effective , putting @ @ @ @ @ major pharmaceutical companies racing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine to help stop the pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ lives globally .

RIO DE JANEIRO - The head of Pfizer Inc in Brazil said on Thursday the drugmaker is negotiating with the South American nation to supply its potential COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.
"We are working strongly with the Brazilian government to try to fast-track the availability (of the vaccine) in Brazil as fast as possible," Carlos Murillo said during an online event.
In Brazil, some 3,100 people are participating in a late-stage clinical trial of the experimental vaccine Pfizer is developing with German partner BioNTech.
Pfizer earlier this week said initial data from its late-stage trials showed the vaccine to be more that 90% effective, putting it in the lead among major pharmaceutical companies racing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine to help stop the pandemic that has claimed over 1.2 million lives globally.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--France ready to help build lasting solution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday that he was ready to help @ @ @ @ @ solution for all sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict .
`` The President expressed his satisfaction @ @ @ @ @ fighting , recalled his friendship for Armenia and its people as well as his readiness @ @ @ @ @ lasting and acceptable political solution for all parties in Nagorno-Karabakh , '' the French presidency @ @ @ @ @

PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday that he was ready to help build a lasting and balanced solution for all sides in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"The President expressed his satisfaction with the end of the fighting, recalled his friendship for Armenia and its people as well as his readiness to build a fair, lasting and acceptable political solution for all parties in Nagorno-Karabakh," the French presidency said in a statement.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--France confirms death of soldier in Egypt peace-keeping mission

Six Americans and a Czech national were also killed during the accident .

Six Americans and a Czech national were also killed during the accident.
PARIS - France confirmed on Thursday that one of its soldiers operating in the US-led Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Egyptian Sinai had been killed in a helicopter crash, the presidency said in a statement.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Chinese companies to build largest bridge in Brazil

BRASILIA - A consortium of Chinese companies signed a contract with the government of Brazil 's Bahia state on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ 7.5-mile ) bridge across the entrance of the bay opposite the city of Salvador .
@ @ @ @ @ of Itaparica , slated to be the longest over water in Latin America , will @ @ @ @ @ and cost 6.7 billion reais ( $ 1.2 billion ) , Bahia officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ of China Communications Construction Co Ltd , CCCC South America Regional Company and China Railway @ @ @ @ @ a unit of China Railway Construction Corp Ltd .
They will take one year to @ @ @ @ @ needed to start building , the officials said .
`` It is the biggest investment @ @ @ @ @ Brazil , '' Bahia Governor Rui Costa said at the signing .
The consortium 's @ @ @ @ @ largest construction and infrastructure companies , he added .

BRASILIA - A consortium of Chinese companies signed a contract with the government of Brazil's Bahia state on Thursday to build a 12-kilometer (7.5-mile) bridge across the entrance of the bay opposite the city of Salvador.
The bridge to the island of Itaparica, slated to be the longest over water in Latin America, will take five years to build and cost 6.7 billion reais ($1.2 billion), Bahia officials said.
The consortium is made up of China Communications Construction Co Ltd, CCCC South America Regional Company and China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation, a unit of China Railway Construction Corp Ltd.
They will take one year to obtain licenses and prepare equipment needed to start building, the officials said.
"It is the biggest investment by a Chinese group in Brazil," Bahia Governor Rui Costa said at the signing.
The consortium's shareholders are the world's largest construction and infrastructure companies, he added.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Pennsylvania officials ask judge to toss Trump lawsuit over elections

In a court filing in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania , lawyers for the Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ counties of the state said the case should be tossed .
President-elect Joe Biden won @ @ @ @ @ in all seven of Pennsylvania 's counties and is up more than 53,000 votes in @ @ @

In a court filing in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, lawyers for the Pennsylvania secretary of state and seven counties of the state said the case should be tossed.
President-elect Joe Biden won the majority of the vote in all seven of Pennsylvania's counties and is up more than 53,000 votes in the state.
WASHINGTON - Officials in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Thursday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump's campaign seeking to prevent the state from certifying its presidential election results.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--US government appeals order blocking TikTok ban from taking effect

The Commerce Department 's August order was to take effect late Thursday barring transactions with ByteDance 's short video sharing @ @ @ @ @ had warned would have effectively barred its use in the United States .
The Commerce @ @ @ @ @ would comply with Judge Wendy Beetlestone 's order .

The Commerce Department's August order was to take effect late Thursday barring transactions with ByteDance's short video sharing app TikTok that its owner had warned would have effectively barred its use in the United States.
The Commerce Department said Nov. 1 it would comply with Judge Wendy Beetlestone's order.
WASHINGTON - The US Justice Department said on Thursday it had appealed a Pennsylvania judge's Oct. 30 order that blocked the government from imposing restrictions on Chinese-owned TikTok that were set to take effect today.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Edelstein: Israel to sign coronavirus vaccine deal with Pfizer on Friday

Israel will purchase enough of the vaccine to inoculate four million citizens , the health minister said .
“ Purchasing the vaccine is enormously good news for the citizens of Israel , ” Edelstein said .
“ The Health Ministry is making every effort to purchase different vaccines to ensure that every citizen can be vaccinated.
” Earlier in the day , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the coronavirus cabinet that a conversation with the head of Pfizer gave him hope that vaccines were on the way .
“ I reported today in the coronavirus cabinet meeting that I spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bourla .
Together with the legal advisers of both parties , we removed the last obstacle to signing a contract with Pfizer , ” the prime minister said .
“ We will get these vaccines just like other leading countries in the world .
It will start in January , and increase from month to month.
” Before Edelstein ’ s announcement , experts said that the likelihood of getting Pfizer ’ s vaccine by the beginning of the year was slim to none .
One health expert told The Jerusalem Post that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert explained that Pfizer , who earlier this week reported 90 % effectiveness in a preliminary analysis of its vaccine candidate , has already committed to providing all 50 million doses it hopes to make this year to the United States .
The company said it would aim to produce another 1.3 billion doses in 2021 , but many of those are also already committed .
The source said that initial negotiations with the pharmaceutical giant were conducted at low levels and , as a result , no vaccine doses were purchased in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office said that significant progress had been made in an overnight conversation between Netanyahu and Bourla – the second such conversation in 24 hours – which could lead to an agreement being signed between Israel and the company in the coming days .
Nonetheless , Cyrille Cohen , a member of the advisory committee for clinical trials of coronavirus vaccines , made it clear that “ mass vaccination for the Israeli people will not occur in January.
” He said that , if anything , Israel would be looking at a few thousand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cohen ’ s evaluation tallies with that of Edelstein and Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy .
In an interview with Army Radio on Thursday morning , Edelstein reminded the public that “ even when there is a vaccine , we should remember the simple facts that even the flu vaccine is only 40 % to 60 % effective –and we have had that vaccine for many years.
” He said despite the fact that “ the vaccine will help us a lot ... even after there is a vaccine , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Levy also spoke to Army Radio on Thursday and expressed a similar message : “ Enough vaccines for the entire population of Israel will not arrive in the coming year.
” Levy said : “ I know we can bring vaccines to Israeli citizens through some of the agreements we have signed – and more will be signed , ” but cautioned that while the country is likely to receive some of the vaccines this year , “ I do not believe we will get enough for the whole population before the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop the prime minister ’ s enthusiasm over his 2 am conversation with Bourla .
An early morning statement by the Prime Minister ’ s Office said that US Deputy Attorney-General Lori Steindorf and the legal adviser for Pfizer joined the call to discuss ways to remove barriers and bureaucratic challenges to signing a contract for the purchase of the company ’ s vaccine candidate .
“ Significant progress was made in the conversation , which will enable the signing of an agreement between the State of Israel and Pfizer in the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netanyahu noted during the cabinet meeting that he is working to get vaccines from as many companies as possible .
“ The principle is simple : Buy as many options as possible from as many companies as possible , ” he said .
“ The cost of buying vaccines is negligible , compared to the cost of not bringing them .
The cost of throwing money in the trash , if the vaccines are unsuccessful , is minimal compared to not having vaccines.
” Moderna announced late Wednesday that it has enough data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its Phase III trial .
Both Pfizer and Moderna use messenger RNA ( mRNA ) technology that is designed to trigger an immune response without using pathogens , such as actual virus particles .
A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center published Wednesday said that , “ if Moderna ’ s results are similar to those of Pfizer , it is likely that by the end of 2020 there will be at least two vaccines approved for use against the coronavirus.
” Another vaccine that has made steady progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sputnik V. Its makers have already published promising peer-reviewed Phase I/II results and , earlier this week , revealed an interim analysis of its Phase III trial that claims the vaccine is effective 92 % of the time .
“ The Russians feel that we are not taking their vaccine seriously , ” Finance Minister Israel Katz said during a coronavirus cabinet meeting .
“ I suggest treating them differently.
” Netanyahu told Katz that he had discussed the Russian vaccine with President Vladimir Putin .
Prof. Zeev Rotstein , head of Hadassah-University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hospital has signed a memorandum of understanding with the makers of Sputnik V to receive 1.5 million doses of its vaccine candidate if trials prove it to be successful .
But he said that the Israeli government has not formally considered purchasing the Russian vaccine .
“ As usual , we are serving as a pilot to show the Health Ministry the right way – and we are hoping that , over time , the government of Israel will realize that this vaccine is safe and efficient , ” Rotstein said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass everything necessary over to the government so that people can get vaccinated through the health funds and not Hadassah.
” But he added that if the government in the end decided it did not need the Russian vaccine , Hadassah would take upon itself to vaccinate those who want to receive it through a commercial initiative .
He claimed that the hesitation in Israel over the Russian vaccine has more to do with the US-Russia struggle over the primacy of finding the vaccine and not because of its quality .
Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be known when the Phase III trial is completed , he said .
At the beginning of the coronavirus cabinet meeting , Netanyahu said that a ministerial committee headed by him would oversee the import of vaccines and how they will be distributed .

Israel will sign a deal on Friday with Pfizer and order millions of coronavirus vaccines that will start arriving in the country in January, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced Thursday night.
Israel will purchase enough of the vaccine to inoculate four million citizens, the health minister said.
“Purchasing the vaccine is enormously good news for the citizens of Israel,” Edelstein said. “The Health Ministry is making every effort to purchase different vaccines to ensure that every citizen can be vaccinated.”
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the coronavirus cabinet that a conversation with the head of Pfizer gave him hope that vaccines were on the way.
“I reported today in the coronavirus cabinet meeting that I spoke again last night with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. Together with the legal advisers of both parties, we removed the last obstacle to signing a contract with Pfizer,” the prime minister said.
“We will get these vaccines just like other leading countries in the world. It will start in January, and increase from month to month.”
Before Edelstein’s announcement, experts said that the likelihood of getting Pfizer’s vaccine by the beginning of the year was slim to none. One health expert told The Jerusalem Post that it was implausible at best. Another expert explained that Pfizer, who earlier this week reported 90% effectiveness in a preliminary analysis of its vaccine candidate, has already committed to providing all 50 million doses it hopes to make this year to the United States.
The company said it would aim to produce another 1.3 billion doses in 2021, but many of those are also already committed. The source said that initial negotiations with the pharmaceutical giant were conducted at low levels and, as a result, no vaccine doses were purchased in advance.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that significant progress had been made in an overnight conversation between Netanyahu and Bourla – the second such conversation in 24 hours – which could lead to an agreement being signed between Israel and the company in the coming days.
Nonetheless, Cyrille Cohen, a member of the advisory committee for clinical trials of coronavirus vaccines, made it clear that “mass vaccination for the Israeli people will not occur in January.”
He said that, if anything, Israel would be looking at a few thousand doses by the end of the month.
Cohen’s evaluation tallies with that of Edelstein and Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy.
In an interview with Army Radio on Thursday morning, Edelstein reminded the public that “even when there is a vaccine, we should remember the simple facts that even the flu vaccine is only 40% to 60% effective –and we have had that vaccine for many years.”
He said despite the fact that “the vaccine will help us a lot... even after there is a vaccine, we will live in the shadow of coronavirus.”
Levy also spoke to Army Radio on Thursday and expressed a similar message: “Enough vaccines for the entire population of Israel will not arrive in the coming year.”
Levy said: “I know we can bring vaccines to Israeli citizens through some of the agreements we have signed – and more will be signed,” but cautioned that while the country is likely to receive some of the vaccines this year, “I do not believe we will get enough for the whole population before the second half of 2021.”
This did not stop the prime minister’s enthusiasm over his 2 am conversation with Bourla.
An early morning statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said that US Deputy Attorney-General Lori Steindorf and the legal adviser for Pfizer joined the call to discuss ways to remove barriers and bureaucratic challenges to signing a contract for the purchase of the company’s vaccine candidate.
“Significant progress was made in the conversation, which will enable the signing of an agreement between the State of Israel and Pfizer in the coming days,” the PMO said.
Netanyahu noted during the cabinet meeting that he is working to get vaccines from as many companies as possible.
“The principle is simple: Buy as many options as possible from as many companies as possible,” he said. “The cost of buying vaccines is negligible, compared to the cost of not bringing them. The cost of throwing money in the trash, if the vaccines are unsuccessful, is minimal compared to not having vaccines.”
Israel already has a contract with another American company, Moderna Inc., to be among the first to receive its coronavirus vaccine candidate, assuming it is effective and safe.
Moderna announced late Wednesday that it has enough data to begin the first planned interim analysis of its Phase III trial.
Both Pfizer and Moderna use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that is designed to trigger an immune response without using pathogens, such as actual virus particles.
A report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center published Wednesday said that, “if Moderna’s results are similar to those of Pfizer, it is likely that by the end of 2020 there will be at least two vaccines approved for use against the coronavirus.”
Another vaccine that has made steady progress is Russia’s vaccine candidate, Sputnik V. Its makers have already published promising peer-reviewed Phase I/II results and, earlier this week, revealed an interim analysis of its Phase III trial that claims the vaccine is effective 92% of the time.
“The Russians feel that we are not taking their vaccine seriously,” Finance Minister Israel Katz said during a coronavirus cabinet meeting. “I suggest treating them differently.”
Netanyahu told Katz that he had discussed the Russian vaccine with President Vladimir Putin.
Prof. Zeev Rotstein, head of Hadassah-University Medical Center, told the Post that his hospital has signed a memorandum of understanding with the makers of Sputnik V to receive 1.5 million doses of its vaccine candidate if trials prove it to be successful. But he said that the Israeli government has not formally considered purchasing the Russian vaccine.
“As usual, we are serving as a pilot to show the Health Ministry the right way – and we are hoping that, over time, the government of Israel will realize that this vaccine is safe and efficient,” Rotstein said. “Then, we will be ready to pass everything necessary over to the government so that people can get vaccinated through the health funds and not Hadassah.”
But he added that if the government in the end decided it did not need the Russian vaccine, Hadassah would take upon itself to vaccinate those who want to receive it through a commercial initiative.
He claimed that the hesitation in Israel over the Russian vaccine has more to do with the US-Russia struggle over the primacy of finding the vaccine and not because of its quality. Whether the vaccine is safe and effective will be known when the Phase III trial is completed, he said.
At the beginning of the coronavirus cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that a ministerial committee headed by him would oversee the import of vaccines and how they will be distributed.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Police arrive to escort two IDF soldiers out of haredi neighborhood

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Police were called to the Beit Israel neighborhood of Jerusalem, after several hundred people gathered around two soldiers, a spokesperson from the police said Thursday.Police are currently working to disperse the crowd, and help the soldiers get out of the area.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Man sets himself on fire in Cairo's Tahrir Square

CAIRO - A man set himself on fire in Tahrir Square in central Cairo on Thursday and was being treated for burns at a hospital in the capital, security sources said.There was no immediate official comment on the incident.Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the man filming himself as he walked along the street and then in the square, complaining about alleged corruption.Dressed in a suit and tie, he started shouting before setting fire to his clothes.Another video taken from a balcony overlooking the square showed security guards and bystanders rushing to put out the flames with water and loose clothes.A source from Cairo's security directorate said the man was under guard at a local hospital, where he had told officials that he worked at Egypt's Central Auditing Organisation.Security in Tahrir Square, home to the mass demonstrations that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, is closely monitored, and authorities have clamped down on public acts of protest.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--US cybersecurity official tells associates he expects to be fired -sources

WASHINGTON- Top US cybersecurity official Christopher Krebs has told associates he expects to be fired by the White House, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.Krebs, who heads the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), did not return messages seeking comment. CISA and the White House declined comment.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Trump campaign adviser Lewandowski tests positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON - Corey Lewandowski, one of President Donald Trump's most trusted advisers, tested positive for the coronavirus, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.Lewandowski, who served as Trump's campaign manager for a portion of his 2016 bid for the White House and was advising his current re-election effort, was in Philadelphia challenging ballot-counting procedures last week and believes he was infected while there, the source said.The source said Lewandowski, who tested positive on Wednesday, was experiencing no symptoms.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Coronavirus in Israel: 522 test positive, six new deaths since morning

“ We are in a very good place today ; many countries would like to trade places with us , @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Our level of morbidity is lower than in Europe and we need @ @ @ @ @ That is why the opening will be done in this way : When we open @ @ @ @ @ in order to reduce the risk of illness .
”

The coronavirus cabinet met Thursday to discuss the necessary steps to prevent an increase in infection while at the same time allowing more of the economy to open and children to return to schools. Despite hesitation by top health professionals, implementing a night curfew continues to top the list of likely next steps.
No decisions on the night closure or anything else were finalized, as Defense Minister Benny Gantz was on a security visit in Cyprus. The cabinet is meant to reconvene on his return to make final decisions.
“We are in a very good place today; many countries would like to trade places with us,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “Our level of morbidity is lower than in Europe and we need to keep it there. That is why the opening will be done in this way: When we open something, we subtract something in order to reduce the risk of illness.”
Among the ideas that were floated around at the meeting: maintaining the status quo (Health Minister Yuli Edelstein’s preference); moving forward despite the infection rate; and balancing reliefs with a night curfew (proposed by the National Security Council). There was also talk once again of increasing enforcement and raising fines, as well as lowering the criteria for labeling cities as red zones and requiring them to lock down.
The night closure, however, tops the list – but is being met by strong opposition from health experts both inside and outside of the Health Ministry, and from Blue and White.
“One should avoid trying to pull rabbits out of hats,” said Hagai Levine, head of the Public Health Physicians Association. He said the goal should be preventing dangerous activities and not taking broad, sweeping steps.
“If the dangerous activity is evening gatherings, then one should prevent evening gatherings,” he said, “not prevent the freedom of movement of people who may want to go out for a run in the evening because this is the time that is convenient for them.”
He accused the government of looking for magic-bullet solutions rather than working with the public, saying that he thinks the government is pushing for a night curfew because it has not managed to convince the people to keep the regulations.
SIMILARLY, Prof. Nadav Davidovich, a member of the expert advisory team for the coronavirus commissioner, argued on KAN news that the move has no epidemiological value. He accused the prime minister of using the night curfew as an attempt to show the public that the government is doing something to stop rising infection.
“There is an attempt here to say, ‘we are not succeeding in coping, so we will do things so that the public will see that we are doing something,” he said on the radio.
“A night closure is only worth it if it enables the government to do what it has not managed to accomplish up until now,” former Health Ministry director-general Prof. Gabi Barbash told The Jerusalem Post. “If the government sends everyone into their houses and weddings continue because they cannot enforce against them, it will be a waste of time.”
Within the Health Ministry, too, the professionals said a night closure was unlikely to achieve its goals.
Edelstein said in an interview with Army Radio that professionals are discussing the efficacy of such a move and are not aligned on it.
“I think that it could be useful but is dependent on a thousand details, such as from when it is implemented,” Edelstein said, adding that they are discussing it because “there are not too many options for other actions to take.”
A little later, Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy spoke on Army Radio as well. He, too, stressed that the effectiveness of night curfews is unclear at best.
“A night curfew now in the State of Israel would be one that deals with things that do not exist anyway, at least according to the law and regulations – restaurants, bars and pubs,” Levy said. “It has not been conclusively proven that night closures alone can lower morbidity.”
GANTZ AND his Blue and White Party spoke ahead of the meeting and decided that at this time, there was no point in imposing a nightly closure and that they would oppose it. This was also part of the reason why no decisions could be made on Thursday.
Despite the opposition, Netanyahu held an emergency late night meeting on the subject to gauge its feasibility. If a decision to move forward passes, there are still many questions on the table, such as what time it will start, will people be confined only to their neighborhoods or also to their homes, and will police be able to enforce a closure at all.
Blue and White ministers said they supported increasing fines, lowering the threshold for becoming a red zone, opening commercial areas in green zones, and allowing fifth and sixth graders to return to their classrooms.
Edelstein reiterated the need to raise fines: “The cabinet has already approved increasing fines; so has the government and the Ministerial Committee on Legislation. Since then it has been forgotten; its traces have disappeared. We are simply hurting ourselves.”
The meeting took place against the backdrop of higher than expected infection: some 735 new cases on Wednesday, the Health Ministry reported Thursday evening, with 1.9% of people screened testing positive. The reproduction rate (R) stands at 0.89, according to the Health Ministry, meaning that each infected person infects slightly less than one other.
There were 298 people in serious condition, among them 133 who were intubated. The death toll stood at 2,706.
AT THE MEETING, National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat said that the opening of schools and businesses has caused an increase in infection, though it was difficult to put a finger on which relaxation of restrictions specifically led to the rise.
“There is a decrease in the number of patients, but it is no longer as sharp as it has been in recent weeks,” he said.
Also, among the data presented at the cabinet were an upward trend in the reproduction rate in the ultra-Orthodox community (0.81) and a decrease among Arab society (to 0.97 from more than one). Nearly 6% of all Arabs screened for the virus tested positive, as well as around 3.2% of haredim (ultra-Orthodox).
The Finance and Health ministries were once again at odds on Thursday, with Finance Minister Israel Katz accusing the Health Ministry shortly before the meeting of “waging an unjustified war of attrition” on shopping malls.
“There is no reason not to allow the malls to operate in accordance” with Health Ministry rules, Katz claimed during the cabinet meeting. He said opening malls would allow tens of thousands of unemployed people to return to work. He also agreed that malls should be closed at 9 p.m.
Finally, Interior Minister Arye Deri said that he believes the reason that people are not being tested or cooperating with epidemiological investigations is because they do not want to send their friends, family and colleagues into isolation. He recommended that the isolation period be shortened to seven days, subject to two negative PCR swab tests. Netanyahu said that he agrees.
The conversation came despite an announcement earlier in the day by the Health Ministry that the isolation period was already being reduced by two days – from 14 to 12.
“We will do it responsibly to maintain life and health – for you, the citizens of Israel, and also to reactivate the economy and education,” he said. “With God’s help, we will succeed.”


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Netanyahu says Israel will already begin receiving vaccines in January


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Almost 7% of tested post-primary school students test positive for COVID

Practically 7% (6.88%) of post-primary school students who were tested for the novel coronavirus on Thursday tested positive, the Education Ministry reported.In the primary education sector, 6.03% of students who were tested came out positive. Altogether, 1,291 students tested positive throughout the past day.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Islamic State claims responsibility for Jeddah attack

Islamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for an attack on a non-Muslim cemetery in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah which wounded several people, although it did not provide any evidence to back up its claim.In a statement issued through its official channel on Telegram, the group said that its "soldiers" had managed to hide a homemade bomb in the cemetery on Wednesday that then exploded after several "consuls of crusading countries" gathered there.The explosion, which occurred during a World War I remembrance ceremony involving foreign embassies, was the second security incident to take place in Jeddah in the last couple of weeks, and the first attack with explosives in years to attempt to hit foreigners in the conservative kingdom.In a second statement, the Islamic State said they were primarily targeting the French consul general, who attended the ceremony, over what it said was France's insistence on publishing cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.France's government has defended the right to publish the cartoons, which are considered blasphemous by Muslims.On Oct. 18, an Islamic State spokesman called on the militant group's supporters to target Westerners, oil pipelines and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.Earlier on Thursday, unidentified assailants sprayed the Saudi embassy in the Netherlands with gunfire before dawn. No one was hurt in the incident.Late last month, a knife-wielding Saudi man was arrested after attacking and wounding a security guard at the French consulate in Jeddah.That incident followed the beheading near Paris of a French teacher by a man of Chechen origin who had said he wanted to punish the teacher for showing pupils cartoons of the Prophet during a civics lesson.French President Emmanuel Macron called the teacher, Samuel Paty, a hero, and he pledged to fight "Islamist separatism," saying it was threatening to take over some Muslim communities in France.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Armenia says its airspace is open for civil aircraft

YEREVAN - Armenia's airspace remains open for civil aircraft, the country's Civil Aviation Committee head said on Thursday.Tatevik Revazyan denied an earlier report by Russia's Interfax news agency that Armenia had declared a no-fly zone over its territory and that of Nagorno-Karabakh, the enclave that has seen weeks of fighting between Azeri forces and ethnic Armenians.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--Retail, catering sector petitions High Court on alleged discrimination

The Association of Retail, Fashion and Catering businesses petitioned Israel's High Court to protest alleged discrimination and selective enforcement by the police."We will not put up with some businesses absorbing many fines, while others operate and the state chooses to turn a blind eye," the association's chairman, Shahar Turgeman, said.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--WHO says in talks with Russian institute on Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) is in discussions with the Russian institute that developed the Sputnik V candidate vaccine against COVID-19 over its potential application for emergency use listing, the U.N. agency said on Thursday.In a statement to Reuters, the WHO said: "We look forward to receiving the data for their Sputnik V candidate vaccine. If a product submitted for assessment is found to meet the criteria for listing, WHO will publish the results widely."By granting the vaccine emergency use listing, the WHO would effectively be recommending its use to member states.Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-12--CureVac says its COVID vaccine is suitable for standard fridge transport

BERLIN - German biotec firm CureVac said its experimental COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to remain stable at 5 degrees Celsius (41 F) for at least three months, making it potentially easier to distribute than some rivals' compounds.CureVac, which is close to launching Phase III testing of its vaccine, said the stability of the liquid vaccine was tested at its anticipated storage concentration, and it has been stored at 5 degrees Celsius C as well as below minus 60 degrees.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--US election turmoil heightens Afghan uncertainty

A senior Afghan government official said he was relieved that under US President-elect Joe Biden , the process would likely be clearer and less chaotic .
`` A Tweet wo n't decide the fate of American troops in Afghanistan , '' he said .
Taliban militants , fighting to oust the US-backed government in Kabul , this week called on the United States to stick to a February agreement with the Trump administration to withdraw U.S. troops by May , subject to certain security guarantees .
Afghan officials hope some troops will stay beyond May .
Afghan government negotiator Fawzia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by President Donald Trump , was likely to slow the peace process , but added Biden 's win had given hope that the withdrawal timeline would be based on on-the-ground realities .
`` We understand that people close to Joe Biden have a different view about the troop withdrawal , '' Koofi told Reuters .
`` So that will probably give the Afghan government some time to prepare itself because we have been saying an irresponsible withdrawal will ( probably ) result in the collapse ... of institutions . ''
In October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops to be home by Christmas , a move welcomed by the Taliban , the same day his national security adviser said troops would number around 2,500 at the start of 2021 .
U.S. officials are now watching the remaining weeks of Trump 's tenure to see if he makes good on his campaign promise to end the United States ' `` ridiculous endless wars '' .
Ashley Jackson , Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the Overseas Development Institute , said the `` real issue '' was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
`` While they deal with other urgent priorities , the Afghan peace process hangs in the balance , '' she told Reuters .
`` Without a strong signal about where this is going from the White House , both sides will continue to hedge their bets ... that could derail the process before its even made much progress . ''
Violence has already been rising throughout Afghanistan with the Taliban attacking provincial capitals , in some case prompting US airstrikes , as talks in Qatar 's capital have been dragged out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to a request for comment .
Biden said in a foreign policy address included on his website he would bring `` the vast majority of our troops home from Afghanistan and narrowly focus our mission on Al-Qaeda and ISIS '' .
One US official said there had been no new guidance to the Pentagon or State Department on Afghanistan in recent days and it was unclear when senior officials would meet Trump for an update .
In recent weeks , officials have warned that violence in Afghanistan remains too high and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Nations has also said that the Taliban still has ties with al Qaeda .
`` We are somewhat concerned about the peace process as president-elect Joe Biden might bring some changes in the US team for Afghanistan but we do n't expect they would scrap the whole process , '' one Taliban leader in Doha told Reuters on condition of anonymity .
`` We still have the option of war if the new US administration betrays us . ''

A senior Afghan government official said he was relieved that under US President-elect Joe Biden, the process would likely be clearer and less chaotic.
"A Tweet won't decide the fate of American troops in Afghanistan," he said.
Taliban militants, fighting to oust the US-backed government in Kabul, this week called on the United States to stick to a February agreement with the Trump administration to withdraw U.S. troops by May, subject to certain security guarantees.
Afghan officials hope some troops will stay beyond May.
Afghan government negotiator Fawzia Koofi agreed the US election, disputed by President Donald Trump, was likely to slow the peace process, but added Biden's win had given hope that the withdrawal timeline would be based on on-the-ground realities.
"We understand that people close to Joe Biden have a different view about the troop withdrawal," Koofi told Reuters. "So that will probably give the Afghan government some time to prepare itself because we have been saying an irresponsible withdrawal will (probably) result in the collapse ... of institutions."
In October, Trump posted a surprise Tweet calling for troops to be home by Christmas, a move welcomed by the Taliban, the same day his national security adviser said troops would number around 2,500 at the start of 2021.
U.S. officials are now watching the remaining weeks of Trump's tenure to see if he makes good on his campaign promise to end the United States' "ridiculous endless wars".
NO NEW GUIDANCE
Ashley Jackson, Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the Overseas Development Institute, said the "real issue" was the possibility of delays to the peace process.
"While they deal with other urgent priorities, the Afghan peace process hangs in the balance," she told Reuters. "Without a strong signal about where this is going from the White House, both sides will continue to hedge their bets ... that could derail the process before its even made much progress."
Violence has already been rising throughout Afghanistan with the Taliban attacking provincial capitals, in some case prompting US airstrikes, as talks in Qatar's capital have been dragged out.
Biden's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Biden said in a foreign policy address included on his website he would bring "the vast majority of our troops home from Afghanistan and narrowly focus our mission on Al-Qaeda and ISIS".
One US official said there had been no new guidance to the Pentagon or State Department on Afghanistan in recent days and it was unclear when senior officials would meet Trump for an update.
In recent weeks, officials have warned that violence in Afghanistan remains too high and a precipitous withdrawal would be dangerous. The United Nations has also said that the Taliban still has ties with al Qaeda.
"We are somewhat concerned about the peace process as president-elect Joe Biden might bring some changes in the US team for Afghanistan but we don't expect they would scrap the whole process," one Taliban leader in Doha told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
"We still have the option of war if the new US administration betrays us."
The change in the US administration is expected eventually to bring a steadier troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, officials and analysts said, but the disputed presidential election has heightened uncertainty and could deepen delays in peace talks.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Vaccine alliance expects to hold talks with Biden team on COVAX

The head of the GAVI vaccine alliance expects to hold talks with the incoming team of US President-elect Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ global facility , which has been set up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries @ @ @ @ @ Berkley , speaking to reporters on Friday , noted that Biden had set up a @ @ @ @ @ , adding they are `` believers in science . ''
The Trump administration did not @ @ @ @

The head of the GAVI vaccine alliance expects to hold talks with the incoming team of US President-elect Joe Biden about collaborating with the COVAX global facility, which has been set up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries. GAVI chief executive Seth Berkley, speaking to reporters on Friday, noted that Biden had set up a task force on the pandemic, adding they are "believers in science."
The Trump administration did not join the facility.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Coronavirus in Israel: 815 new cases on Thursday

There were 815 new coronavirus cases in Israel on Thursday the Health Ministry announced Friday morning.The Health Ministry also announced they conducted 40,031 tests - around 2.1% of tests returned a positive result. Some 293 of current patients are in serious condition, with 127 intubated. The death toll is 2,706.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--US-China frictions may not ease when Biden president - Chinese official

Lou , now a member of a consultative body to the Chinese parliament , made the remarks during the Caixin @ @ @ @ @

Lou, now a member of a consultative body to the Chinese parliament, made the remarks during the Caixin Summit event in Beijing.
BEIJING - Trade frictions between the United States and China may not ease in the near term even if Joe Biden is president of the United States, former Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei said on Friday.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--S&P reaffirms Israel AA- sovereign credit rating

Global ratings agency S&P has kept Israel’s credit rating at AA-, labeling it as stable, despite the economic hit the country has taken from the pandemic.The AA- status was originally given in February 2019 . The two main limitations of the rating remain the relatively high debt burden and the geopolitical risks.“S&P has rated Israel’s credit rating status at a high level, and with no change even during the global coronavirus crisis, and while it has downgraded the credit rating of other developed countries,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.“We will continue to lead the Israeli economy responsibly and assist businesses, the self-employed, salaried employees and anyone affected by the coronavirus crisis.”S&P said it was due to proactive government efforts that Israel’s rating remained the way it did.The rating is “a great expression of confidence in the Israeli economy,” said Finance Minister Israel Katz.S&P predict that Israel’s economy will shrink due to financial effects of the pandemic by an average of 5% in 2020 for the first time in two decades, but will recover by more than 4.5% in 2021.Following the pandemic crisis, S&P analysts predict that the government deficit will increase to over 12% of the GDP and the net government debt ratio will stand at 73% of the GDP by 2020.Company representatives noted that despite the fiscal challenges created by the pandemic, and the fact that Israel has gone through three elections with ambiguous results over the past 18 months, they anticipate that the government will begin efforts to reduce the budget deficit starting in the second half of 2021.Under this scenario, government deficits will drop to 4% in 2022-2023, and public debt will stabilize at around 77% of the GDP.“Israel is in a good position compared to other countries who are struggling [financially] with the coronavirus crisis, due to the policy carried out in providing extensive assistance to all the various sectors in addition to maintaining budget frameworks and creating future growth engines,” Katz said.According to Katz, the Finance Ministry intends to promote a series of laws and reforms that will benefit the economy and its citizens, while continuing to formulate a budget for 2021.S&P representatives emphasized the core strengths of Israel’s credit rating, such as the rich and robust economy, strong external accounts, and benefits that develop the country from flexible monetary policy and a relatively deep pool of local savings.Unlike other countries in the region, Israel enjoys a very flexible monetary policy, which allows the Bank of Israel to support government financing needs while keeping recruitment costs under control.The Bank of Israel’s government bond purchase program, which was presented in October, could support Israel’s additional fundraising needs without significant inflation risks and exchange rates. S&P expects the government to take austerity measures in the second half of 2021.Moreover, S&P expects that the normalization agreements signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to contribute to economic, commercial and security cooperation between the three countries.S&P notes that in the event that fiscal conduct is stronger than their current forecasts or there is a significant improvement in the security environment in the Middle East, a positive rating action is possible.Alternatively, a negative rating may occur if the economic slowdown is deeper and longer, leading to a more significant deterioration than expected in fiscal status. Negative pressure on the rating may also be created if Israel, beyond the immediate effects associated with the pandemic, lacks a medium-term fiscal stabilization plan and net government debt continues to exceed company expectations.“The credit rating, at its highest level at the height of a global crisis and a continuous period of uncertainty, shows the strength of Israel’s economy on the eve of the crisis, the long-term fiscal commitment and the variety of channels that exist for the country to fund its activity,” said Gil Cohen, the Finance Ministry’s senior deputy accountant-general.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Senior Hamas official infected with coronavirus

A senior official of Hamas, Fathi Hamad, was infected with coronavirus, Israeli media reported.After his diagnosis on Friday, Hamad went into quarantine.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Trump says he'll 'do the right thing' after all votes are counted, confidant says

Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera , in a post on Twitter and in an interview with the network , said @ @ @ @ @ on Friday .
The president was anxious about efforts in various states regarding vote counts @ @ @ @ @ for his Democratic rival Joe Biden over the weekend .
Trump told him he would @ @ @ @ @ '' when all the legitimate votes are counted , Rivera tweeted .

Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera, in a post on Twitter and in an interview with the network, said Trump had called him earlier on Friday. The president was anxious about efforts in various states regarding vote counts after the election was called for his Democratic rival Joe Biden over the weekend.
Trump told him he would "do the right thing" when all the legitimate votes are counted, Rivera tweeted.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was a "realist" who would follow the US Constitution after all legitimate votes were counted, but was waiting to see how US states proceeded in certifying their final election results, a top confidant said.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--EU antitrust regulators investigating Teva over its Copaxone drug

EU antitrust regulators are investigating Israeli drugmaker Teva over the possible abuse of its dominant position related to its multiple @ @ @ @ @ European Commission said on Friday .
The EU competition enforcer raided Teva in October last @ @ @ @ @ year as part of its investigation .

EU antitrust regulators are investigating Israeli drugmaker Teva over the possible abuse of its dominant position related to its multiple sclerosis medicine Copaxone, the European Commission said on Friday.
The EU competition enforcer raided Teva in October last year and in January this year as part of its investigation.
Teva can face fines up to 10% of its global turnover if found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Police find 2,700 Palestinians living illegally in Jerusalem's Old City

Police found 2,700 Palestinians living illegally in the Old City in Jerusalem on Friday.This is the second week of "large scale operations conducted by security forces to locate the thousands of Palestinian infiltration attempts and attempts made by terrorist elements to take advantage of the arrival of worshipers in the area," according to a Police report.Officers, K-9 units and helicopters were used to conduct the operation.Hundreds of the Palestinians found, who were living in Israeli territories without a permit, were detained, inspected and sent back to the territories. Four drivers suspected of smuggling Palestinians across the border were also arrested, and dozens of fines were given for violations of health regulations.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Indian and Pakistani troops exchange fire leaving at least 14 dead

The barrage of mortars and other weapons along several parts of the Line of Control - the de-facto border - began after Indian troops foiled an infiltration attempt from Pakistan in northern Kashmir , officials in Srinagar and New Delhi said .
Pakistan 's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Indian officials said six civilians , three soldiers and a border guard were killed on their side .
Officials on the Pakistani side said four civilians were killed there .
Indian officials said they believed there were also casualties among Pakistani security forces .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Each rules part of the region , with New Delhi long accusing its neighbour of fueling an insurgency , which Pakistan denies .
Indian and Pakistani troops regularly exchange fire across the mountainous border , but the shelling on Friday was particularly intense , according to Indian officials .
Both sides also accused the other of firing at civilian areas .
`` As usual they targeted civilian populations without any remorse , '' said Syed Shahid Qadri , a government official in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir , where a woman was among the dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border in Indian Kashmir , officials said an 8-year-old child was among those killed in the shelling that started in the morning and continued late into the evening .
Mukhtar Ahmad , a resident of Uri in Indian Kashmir said there was panic in the hillside town after loud explosions were heard from areas closer to the de facto border .
`` Several families have fled the area and taken shelter in Uri town , '' he said .
More than 40 civilians have been killed in firing between Indian and Pakistani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , with both sides suffering similar fatalities .

The barrage of mortars and other weapons along several parts of the Line of Control - the de-facto border - began after Indian troops foiled an infiltration attempt from Pakistan in northern Kashmir, officials in Srinagar and New Delhi said.
Pakistan's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indian officials said six civilians, three soldiers and a border guard were killed on their side. Officials on the Pakistani side said four civilians were killed there. Indian officials said they believed there were also casualties among Pakistani security forces.
Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full. Each rules part of the region, with New Delhi long accusing its neighbour of fueling an insurgency, which Pakistan denies.
Indian and Pakistani troops regularly exchange fire across the mountainous border, but the shelling on Friday was particularly intense, according to Indian officials. Both sides also accused the other of firing at civilian areas.
"As usual they targeted civilian populations without any remorse," said Syed Shahid Qadri, a government official in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, where a woman was among the dead and 27 others were injured.
Across the border in Indian Kashmir, officials said an 8-year-old child was among those killed in the shelling that started in the morning and continued late into the evening.
Mukhtar Ahmad, a resident of Uri in Indian Kashmir said there was panic in the hillside town after loud explosions were heard from areas closer to the de facto border.
"Several families have fled the area and taken shelter in Uri town," he said.
More than 40 civilians have been killed in firing between Indian and Pakistani troops this year, according to official data, with both sides suffering similar fatalities.
At least 10 civilians and four security personnel were killed in cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan on Friday, in one of this year's deadliest days along the heavily militarised frontier separating the nuclear-armed rivals, officials said.


jerusalempost--2020-11-13--Israeli rabbi detained for committing sexual offenses against students

A leading rabbi from the center of Israel was arrested on Friday on suspicion of committing sexual offenses against students, Israeli media reported.The arrest was made following multiple complaints filed against the rabbi, one of which caused clashes to erupt between his followers and his opponents, some of whom were later detained for questioning.