jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Fourth person tests positive for coronavirus in England

Last week a British national tested positive after returning to Britain from Singapore , becoming the third confirmed case of the virus .
He is believed to have stayed in France for a few days on his way home , passing the virus on to others there .
`` A further patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus in England , bringing the total number of cases in the UK to four , '' Chris Whitty , Chief Medical Officer for England , said in a statement .
`` The new case is a known contact of a previously confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed on in France . ''
French authorities said they were retracing all the people who might have been in close contact with a group of 11 Britons exposed to the virus after sharing lodgings in the Alpine ski resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie .
Five of those tested positive , French health officials said on Saturday , including a 9-year-old and his father .
Two other children - the infected child 's siblings - were hospitalized in France for checks , officials added .
Their mother had left the country by the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observation in Britain , French media reported .
The French cases have been linked back to the British man who had stayed with the family and other holidaymakers for four days in a chalet in Les Contamines-Montjoie on his way home from Singapore .
In a further possible link to that man , Spanish authorities said on Sunday a British man had tested positive for coronavirus in Mallorca .
He was one of four members of a British family taken into observation on Friday after coming into contact with someone in France who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they said .
The family appear to have been part of the larger group in Les Contamines-Montjoie that included the infected British man , Fernando Simon , director of the Centre of Coordination of Health Emergencies at Spain 's Health Ministry , told reporters .
However , he said he could not confirm this 100 % over respect for the family 's privacy .
The family returned to Mallorca from France on Jan. 29 and the father started to show light symptoms 24 hours later .
Simon said the man was currently `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept in isolation and authorities were drawing up a list of everyone the man may have come into contact with in Mallorca .
The new case in Britain was confirmed as the country 's final evacuation flight from Wuhan , the Chinese city at the epicenter of the epidemic , landed at a Royal Air Force base in central England .
The flight from Wuhan brought 105 British nationals and their family members , as well as 95 European nationals and family members , and staff and medics who facilitated the flight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be quarantined for 14 days at a conference center in Milton Keynes , northwest of London .

A fourth case of the new coronavirus has been diagnosed in Britain after a patient contracted the illness from a previously confirmed British case while in France, health officials said on Sunday.
Last week a British national tested positive after returning to Britain from Singapore, becoming the third confirmed case of the virus. He is believed to have stayed in France for a few days on his way home, passing the virus on to others there.
"A further patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus in England, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to four," Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said in a statement.
"The new case is a known contact of a previously confirmed UK case, and the virus was passed on in France."
French authorities said they were retracing all the people who might have been in close contact with a group of 11 Britons exposed to the virus after sharing lodgings in the Alpine ski resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie.
Five of those tested positive, French health officials said on Saturday, including a 9-year-old and his father.
Two other children - the infected child's siblings - were hospitalized in France for checks, officials added. Their mother had left the country by the time authorities began their investigation and was under observation in Britain, French media reported.
The French cases have been linked back to the British man who had stayed with the family and other holidaymakers for four days in a chalet in Les Contamines-Montjoie on his way home from Singapore.
In a further possible link to that man, Spanish authorities said on Sunday a British man had tested positive for coronavirus in Mallorca.
He was one of four members of a British family taken into observation on Friday after coming into contact with someone in France who was subsequently diagnosed with the virus, they said.
The family appear to have been part of the larger group in Les Contamines-Montjoie that included the infected British man, Fernando Simon, director of the Centre of Coordination of Health Emergencies at Spain's Health Ministry, told reporters.
However, he said he could not confirm this 100% over respect for the family's privacy.
The family returned to Mallorca from France on Jan. 29 and the father started to show light symptoms 24 hours later.
Simon said the man was currently "in good health" but was being kept in isolation and authorities were drawing up a list of everyone the man may have come into contact with in Mallorca.
FINAL EVACUATION
The new case in Britain was confirmed as the country's final evacuation flight from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of the epidemic, landed at a Royal Air Force base in central England.
The flight from Wuhan brought 105 British nationals and their family members, as well as 95 European nationals and family members, and staff and medics who facilitated the flight, foreign minister Dominic Raab said.
They will be quarantined for 14 days at a conference center in Milton Keynes, northwest of London.
Barbara Woodward, Britain's ambassador to China, told Sky News that not all British nationals in Wuhan had been able to leave, including two who had failed a temperature check. Britain would work to get them on an evacuation flight chartered by another country, she said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Netanyahu compares his least and most favorite presidents

At the Likud faction meeting , 'Under Barak Obama it was `` not just one brick '' and under Donald @ @ @ @ @ [ Palestinian ] refugee , ' Prime Minister Benjamin says , comparing his least and @ @ @ @ @

At the Likud faction meeting, 'Under Barak Obama it was "not just one brick" and under Donald Trump 'it is not one [Palestinian] refugee,' Prime Minister Benjamin says, comparing his least and most favorite American presidents.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Netanyahu says political change in US due to Israeli outreach

At the Likud faction meeting now , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says , 'The change in the US came because @ @ @ @ @ million Americans .
I speak their language . '
He is referring to the Christian

At the Likud faction meeting now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, 'The change in the US came because of our outreach to 80 million Americans. I speak their language.'
He is referring to the Christian


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Netanyahu says people of the Bible have returned to land of the Bible

I 'm at the Likud faction meeting now .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that people of the Bible have @ @ @ @ @ the Bible and finally its sovereignty will be recognized .
Turning to English , he @ @ @ @ @ , the world saw them as `` occupied territories , '' but he fought to @ @ @

have returned to the Land of the Bible and finally its sovereignty will be recognized. Turning to English, he says that until he came, the world saw them as "occupied territories," but he fought to change it.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Netanyahu says Trump's plan is one of most important in Israeli history

I 'm at the Likud faction now .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the most important events in the history @ @ @ @ @ 1967 , and US President Donald Trump revealing his plan two weeks ago .

I'm at the Likud faction now. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the most important events in the history of Israel were 1948, 1967, and US President Donald Trump revealing his plan two weeks ago.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Netanyahu: We're preparing for a crackdown on terrorist organizations

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Incoming rocket sirens were activated in southern Israel on Sunday night, hours after Defense Minister Naftali Bennett warned Hamas that “no one will be immune” from IDF action following the continued launching of explosive balloons and rockets from the Gaza Strip.The IDF said one rocket was identified as being launched from the coastal enclave. There were no reports of injury or damage after the projectile struck an open field.Earlier on Sunday evening, Hamas responded to the threats made by Netanyahu and Bennett earlier, warning Israel that it would bear the consequences of any “foolish action” in the Gaza Strip.The terrorist group stressed in a statement that the threats would only push the Palestinians to “continue their struggle” and to engage with Israel in “all forms of struggle and resistance” to defend their rights and protect their interests.“The lawless conduct of Hamas leadership is bringing us closer to fatal action against them. We will not announce when or where, but no one will be immune,” Bennett said following a situation assessment in the Gaza Division.Bennett held the assessment along with the Southern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Hertzi Halevi, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Gaza Division Commander, Brig.-Gen. Eliezer Toledano and representatives from Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the National Security Council.“The State of Israel does not want a war with Hamas in Gaza, but we have a commitment to the security of southern residents,” he said. “Hamas faces the choice: to choose life and economic prosperity or to choose terror and pay an unbearable price.”There has been incessant rocket fire and explosive balloons launched towards Israel’s south from the Hamas-run Strip since the release last month of US President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” peace plan which has been rejected by the terrorist group. There has also been a spike in violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem, leading to the deaths of four Palestinians and injured dozens of soldiers.Over a dozen rockets and mortars as well as countless explosive balloons and condoms have been launched towards Gaza periphery communities.IDF tanks struck two Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night after a mortar was fired from the coastal enclave.“We have no intention of allowing terrorism to succeed,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi said on Thursday following a violent day in which three Palestinians were killed and dozens of IDF troops were injured.“Our directive is very clear to all troops on the ground – to thwart and prevent all terrorist activity. When I say terrorism, I also mean the throwing of rocks, Molotov cocktails, explosive balloons... All of these are terrorism. The message is clear, not this attack, not the bombings, not the firing of the rockets, all these acts – will not succeed.”Israel will not tolerate aggression from Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday, as terrorists continued to launch projectiles into Israel."Just a few weeks ago, we assassinated the senior commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza,” Netanyahu stated, “and I suggest that Islamic Jihad and Hamas refresh their memories.”Netanyahu said Israel is “ready for decisive action against terrorist organizations in Gaza.“Our actions are very strong and they are not over, to say the least,” he added.Tzvi Joffre contributed to this article.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Syrian government forces recapture 600 square km of territory in Idlib campaign

Syria 's armed forces have taken control of dozens of towns and villages in recent days as part of the @ @ @ @ @ .

Syrian government forces have recaptured more than 600 square kilometers of territory so far in a campaign to seize control of the last rebel strongholds of Idlib and the Aleppo countryside, a statement from Syria's armed forces said on Sunday.
Syria's armed forces have taken control of dozens of towns and villages in recent days as part of the campaign, the statement said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Spanish authorities confirm Briton is country's second coronavirus case

MADRID - A British man has tested positive for coronavirus in Mallorca, the second case of the fast-spreading new virus to be confirmed in Spain, the Spanish National Centre for Microbiology said on Sunday.The patient is one of four members of a British family taken into observation in Mallorca on Friday after coming into contact with someone in France who was subsequently diagnosed with the virus. The test results for the man's wife and two daughters had come back negative, a hospital spokesman told Reuters.The death toll from a new coronavirus in mainland China crossed 800 on Sunday. There have been more than 37,000 confirmed cases in China, according to official data, while the virus has spread to at least 27 other countries and regions, according to a Reuters count based on official reports, infecting more than 330 people.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Benny Gantz: Netanyahu runs a campaign on the backs of Ethiopian Jews

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz tweeted on Sunday criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."We are appalled to see how Netanyahu runs a cynical election campaign on the backs of the remaining Ethiopian Jews and their families whom he neglected for a decade - only because he lost control. During his tenure, thousands of people are stuck in camps in Gondar and after the election he will again forget about them," Gantz tweeted,He continued, "As Prime Minister, I will immediately raise all those who are eligible to rise and stop their suffering. No rejections, no winks and no election campaign at the expense of people's lives."


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Two Lod residents arrested for wielding hand gun in their car

Two Lod residents, 18 and 25, were arrested during Israeli police operations over the weekend. The police examined a car that aroused their suspicion and found one of the suspects inside wielding a hand gun with a loaded magazine. Over the weekend the suspects were brought to a hearing in Petah Tikva. The court came to the decision to extend their arrest by four days.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Terrorist body from Jerusalem shooting attack released for burial

Bena 's funeral is expected to take place in the Muslim Cemetery , in Haifa .

Bena's funeral is expected to take place in the Muslim Cemetery, in Haifa.
Israel Police released the body of the terrorist Shadi Bena, 45-year-old Arab Israeli from Haifa who carried out the shooting attack in the Old City of Jerusalem, near the Lion's Gate on Thursday, Haaretz reported on Sunday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Gantz: Netanyahu's Case 5000 revealed - the collapse of health care

Blue and White Party Chairman Benny Gantz took to Twitter to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of Israel's health care system."Netanyahu's Case 5000 has been revealed. 5000 people die in Israel each year because of the collapse of the health system. I pledge to run an emergency plan for the health system immediately after the government is established. For our children, for our parents. We must move forward," Gantz tweeted.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Two US service members killed, six others injured in Afghanistan

KABUL/WASHINGTON - Two US soldiers and an Afghan soldier were killed when an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on them with a machine gun in eastern Afghanistan , the US military and two senior Afghan officials said on Sunday.The shootout on Saturday wounded six US service members and three Afghan soldiers.The firefight broke out after a combined US and Afghan force completed a "key-leader engagement" at the administrative headquarters of Nangarhar province's Shirzad district, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan said."Current reports indicate an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on the combined US and Afghan force with a machine gun," Colonel Sonny Leggett said the statement."We are still collecting information and the cause or motive behind the attack is unknown at this time," he added.The Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the attack and senior officials were investigating if it was an insider attack - often known as "green-on-blue" attacks that have been a regular feature of the conflict in Afghanistan.Afghanistan's defense ministry, in a statement on Sunday, said the attacker opened fire on Afghan National Army members and US forces, killing one Afghan soldier and wounding three others alongside the American soldiers.The ministry set up an investigations team headed by the country's chief of army staff to investigate the attack."Attacks such as this by our enemies fail to have negative effects on the friendship and spirit of cooperation and between the Afghan National Security Forces and the US military," the ministry said.Sohrab Qaderi, a provincial council member in Nangarhar, said the attacker was killed in the clash.He said the Islamist fighter had infiltrated the Afghan security forces involved in the joint operation, but did not say which group the militant belonged to.There have been fewer of these incidents in recent years as the Americans have taken more of a supporting role, with Afghan forces leading the fight.Though last year the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Austin Miller, survived a shooting by a Taliban infiltrator in an Afghan military uniform. A top Afghan general walking next to him was killed.The latest shooting comes at a delicate time, with American and Taliban negotiators pushing for a peace deal.Nangarhar, which shares a long and porous border with neighboring Pakistan, had long served as stronghold for Islamic State in Afghanistan, though the Taliban also controls parts of the province.About 14,000 US troops are stationed in Afghanistan as part of the US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces and to carry out counter-terrorism operations.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--Thai mass shooter killed at shopping mall - security sources

NAKHON RATCHASIMA , Thailand - A Thai soldier angry over a land deal went on a shooting spree that killed at least 26 people , most of them in a shopping mall in the northeast that he fled to in a stolen Humvee after shooting his commanding officer , officials said .
Thai security forces shot and killed the rogue soldier on Sunday morning after an overnight standoff at the Terminal 21 shopping center in the northeastern Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima The soldier was armed with an assault weapon and ammunition stolen from the army base 's arsenal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written messages on Facebook during the attack before his account was shut down by the company .
Hundreds of shoppers fled the mall in groups crouching low , and the police and army launched several rescues during the more than 12-hour standoff , with armed forces at one point emerging at a run carrying small children .
`` It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot ... we waited a long time for the police to come and help us , many hours , '' said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul , 27 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another shopper who escaped told local Amarin TV that the shooter was `` aiming for the heads '' and said his colleague died on the scene .
`` I heard so many gunshots .
He was shooting everywhere and his shots were very precise , '' said the man , identified as `` Diaw . ''
CCTV footage from inside the mall posted on social media showed the gunman dressed in black and wearing a mask , his gun slung over his shoulder with no sign of other people around .
Police named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He reportedly worked at an army base close to Nakhon Ratchasima , which is about 250 km ( 155 miles ) from the capital Bangkok .
The killings began at around 3 p.m. ( 0800 GMT ) on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the mall .
`` It was a personal conflict ... over a house deal , '' Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Sunday from Nakhon Ratchasima after traveling there to meet with wounded survivors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relative of the soldier 's commanding officer .
The commanding officer was one of the people reported killed before the soldier moved on to the shopping mall and began shooting .
At some point during the day , the soldier raided the army camp 's weapons storage to arm himself , said Lt. General Thanya Kiatsarn , Commander of the Second Area Command .
`` He attacked the guard to the weapon arsenal , who later died , and he stole an official jeep and an HK33 gun and an amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Thanya said .
Hours before he began shooting on Saturday , Jakrapanth had posted on his Facebook account denouncing greedy people .
`` Rich from cheating .
Taking advantage of other people .
Do they think they can spend the money in hell ? ''
read one post in Thai .
He later posted written updates during the attack .
`` Death is inevitable for everyone , '' he wrote .
Later , he complained about his fingers cramping and asked `` Should I give up ? ''
before the account was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mall siege began , Facebook said it had removed the suspect 's account .
`` There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity , nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack , '' a Facebook representative said in a statement .

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand - A Thai soldier angry over a land deal went on a shooting spree that killed at least 26 people, most of them in a shopping mall in the northeast that he fled to in a stolen Humvee after shooting his commanding officer, officials said.
Thai security forces shot and killed the rogue soldier on Sunday morning after an overnight standoff at the Terminal 21 shopping center in the northeastern Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima
The soldier was armed with an assault weapon and ammunition stolen from the army base's arsenal, an official said.
He initially posted written messages on Facebook during the attack before his account was shut down by the company.
Hundreds of shoppers fled the mall in groups crouching low, and the police and army launched several rescues during the more than 12-hour standoff, with armed forces at one point emerging at a run carrying small children.
"It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot...we waited a long time for the police to come and help us, many hours," said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul, 27, her voice trembling after she emerged.
Another shopper who escaped told local Amarin TV that the shooter was "aiming for the heads" and said his colleague died on the scene.
"I heard so many gunshots. He was shooting everywhere and his shots were very precise," said the man, identified as "Diaw."
"PERSONAL CONFLICT"
CCTV footage from inside the mall posted on social media showed the gunman dressed in black and wearing a mask, his gun slung over his shoulder with no sign of other people around.
Police named the shooter as 32-year-old soldier Jakrapanth Thomma. He reportedly worked at an army base close to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is about 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok.
Thai media said the suspect was a sharp shooter and gun enthusiast who often posed with weapons on social media
The killings began at around 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the mall.
"It was a personal conflict ... over a house deal," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Sunday from Nakhon Ratchasima after traveling there to meet with wounded survivors.
Prayuth added that the conflict was with a relative of the soldier's commanding officer.
The commanding officer was one of the people reported killed before the soldier moved on to the shopping mall and began shooting.
At some point during the day, the soldier raided the army camp's weapons storage to arm himself, said Lt. General Thanya Kiatsarn, Commander of the Second Area Command.
"He attacked the guard to the weapon arsenal, who later died, and he stole an official jeep and an HK33 gun and an amount of ammunition to did what he did," Thanya said.
"SPEND THE MONEY IN HELL"
Hours before he began shooting on Saturday, Jakrapanth had posted on his Facebook account denouncing greedy people.
"Rich from cheating. Taking advantage of other people. Do they think they can spend the money in hell?" read one post in Thai.
He later posted written updates during the attack.
"Death is inevitable for everyone," he wrote. Later, he complained about his fingers cramping and asked "Should I give up?" before the account was no longer available.
Hours after the mall siege began, Facebook said it had removed the suspect's account.
"There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack," a Facebook representative said in a statement.
Major shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.


jerusalempost--2020-02-08--Coronavirus: 81 more people died in Hubei

SHANGHAI - The number of deaths in China's central Hubei province from a coronavirus outbreak had risen by 81 to 780 as of Saturday, the province's health commission said in a statement on its website on Sunday morning.A further 2,147 cases have been detected in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 27,100


jerusalempost--2020-02-08--Residents of kibbutz in Gush Etzion told to remain in homes after robbery

Security forces are searching for three suspects in the incident , according to Israel Hayom .

Security forces are searching for three suspects in the incident, according to Israel Hayom.
Residents of the Rosh Tzurim Kibbutz in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc were asked to remain in their homes while Israeli security forces search the area after three houses were broken into in the kibbutz.


jerusalempost--2020-02-08--Netanyahu: US-Israel annexation committee started work

The Israeli-American team has begun preparing a precise map of the parts of the West Bank Israel will annex in accordance with the new US peace plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday.“We are in the middle of the process of mapping out the territory that will be part of Israel according to the Trump plan,” Netanyahu said. “It won't take much time…Within a few weeks, it will happen.”Prime Minister’s Office Director-General Ronen Peretz will head the Israeli side of the committee, a PMO source said.An American diplomatic source said: “We are in close conversations with the Netanyahu Administration.”


jerusalempost--2020-02-08--IDF tanks attack targets near Zikim area, north of Beit Lahia

The IDF artillery corps struck targets in the northern Gaza Strip late Saturday night, following a rise in tensions between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.The IDF spokesperson confirmed the attacks on two Hamas positions, saying that they were in response to rocket fire launched earlier Saturday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Coronavirus: 97 more people died in mainland China

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose to 908 as of the end of Sunday, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Monday.The number of new deaths on Sunday rose 97, the NHC said in a statement on its website, another daily record increase.The central Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, earlier on Monday reported 91 deaths on Sunday, while in the provincial capital, Wuhan, 73 people had died.The number of new confirmed infections on mainland China on Sunday increased, after declining on Saturday for the first time since Feb. 1.Across mainland China, there were 3,062 new confirmed infections on Sunday, bringing the total number so far to 40,171.


jerusalempost--2020-02-09--IDF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza

IDF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza

The IDF struck Hamas targets in Gaza early Monday in response to rocket fire and the continued deployment of incendiary balloons.The strike comes amid rising tensions in recent days between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Four more patients test positive for coronavirus in England

Four more patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of cases in Britain to eight, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said on Monday.The new cases were all known contacts of a previously confirmed British patient in France, and were identified by public health officials working to trace possible cases.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Yair Lapid: Trump’s plan has a lot of opportunities for the Palestinians

By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN,JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Blue and White number two Yair Lapid said Monday that the peace plan proposed by the Trump administration has a lot of opportunities for the Palestinians. In a talk with foreign press, Lapid also said that the plan is not as good for the Palestinians as plans presented in the past, but that Mahmoud Abbas should know that always saying no is not a policy.The MK added that if Blue and White was to win the elections, they would try to move the plan forward."We did not go into politics to campaign endlessly," he stated "We want to govern a country."


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Sixty-six new infections of coronavirus confirmed on ship off Japan

Sixty-six new infections of the coronavirus have been confirmed on board the Diamond Princess ship off the coast of Japan, the ship's operator, Princess Cruises, said in a statement.Japanese health officials had confirmed that among the new infections there were 45 Japanese nationals, 11 Americans, four Australians, three from the Philippines and one each from Canada and Ukraine, the company said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Islamic Movement's Salah sentenced to 28 months for incitement to terrorism

Sheikh Raed Salah was sentenced to 28 months in jail on Monday for incitement to terrorism.Salah is the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.This is a developing story.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--China says 27 foreigners in the country have been infected with coronavirus, 2 dead

An American died on Feb. 6 and a Japanese died on Feb. 8 , ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a @ @ @ @ @ .
Three of the cases have been discharged , he added .

China's Foreign Ministry said that 27 foreigners in the country have been confirmed infected with the new coronavirus as of Monday morning, and two had died.
An American died on Feb. 6 and a Japanese died on Feb. 8, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing in Beijing.
Three of the cases have been discharged, he added.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Airbnb suspends bookings in Beijing for rest of February

`` In light of the novel coronavirus outbreak and guidance from local authorities for the short-term rental industry during this @ @ @ @ @ of all listings in Beijing with check-in from 7 February 2020 to 29 February 2020 @ @ @ @ @ the short-term home rental company said in an email statement .
The decision was only @ @ @ @ @ for Airbnb China said , adding that the company evaluates the situation and works to @ @ @ @ @ authorities .

Airbnb said on Monday it has suspended bookings in Beijing until Feb. 29 as death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China exceeded 900.
"In light of the novel coronavirus outbreak and guidance from local authorities for the short-term rental industry during this public health emergency, bookings of all listings in Beijing with check-in from 7 February 2020 to 29 February 2020 have been suspended," the short-term home rental company said in an email statement.
The decision was only for Beijing, a spokesperson for Airbnb China said, adding that the company evaluates the situation and works to comply with guidance from local authorities.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Sixty more people confirmed with coronavirus on cruise ship in Japan

Testing aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan has found 60 more confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, domestic broadcaster TBS TV said via Twitter.That brings total cases on the ship docked in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, to 130, according to TBS. The liner was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Feb. 3.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--IDF soldier injured by rock throwing near outskirts of Jerusalem

An IDF soldier was injured lightly to moderately by rock throwing near the Palestinian village of Hizma on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday night, according to Army Radio.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Trump will visit India on Feb. 24-25 -White House

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump will visit India on Feb. 24-25, the White House said in a statement on Monday.The trip will be Trump's first to the world's largest democracy since he took office. Trump will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit, a White House spokesman said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Briton with new coronavirus travelled through Geneva airport

GENEVA - A Briton who infected at least five people with the new coronavirus in a French ski resort travelled there and back via Geneva airport in Switzerland on Jan. 24 and 28, the Swiss government said on Monday.In response to a question, the Federal Office of Public Health said it had not taken additional measures to identify those with whom he may have had contact.The airport is a hub for tourists heading to Alpine ski resorts in France and Switzerland.The virus, which originated in China and has so far killed over 900 of the more than 40,000 people it is known to have infected, can be spread via droplets and close contact, although health authorities have said contagion is unlikely to occur through brief exchanges.The airline easyJet said English health authorities had contacted all those who were on board a flight from Geneva to London on Jan. 28 after one of those on board was later diagnosed with the new coronavirus.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Vered Noam first woman to win Israel Prize for Talmud Scholarship

Tel Aviv University Professor Vered Noam is the first woman to be awarded the Israel Prize for Talmud Scholarship , @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
Peretz said that Noam was “ an inspiration for a whole generation @ @ @ @ @ Torah ” and added that she was a trail-blazer in her work to “ [ @ @ @ @ @ to many groups .
”

Tel Aviv University Professor Vered Noam is the first woman to be awarded the Israel Prize for Talmud Scholarship, Education Minister Rafi Peretz announced on Monday.
Peretz said that Noam was “an inspiration for a whole generation of women who are learning Torah” and added that she was a trail-blazer in her work to “[make] Talmud studies accessible to many groups.”


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Buttigieg joins Sanders in requesting Iowa re-canvass

The two Democrats who lead the Iowa caucuses - Senator Bernie Sanders and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg - both requested a recanvass of some caucus results on Monday, the Iowa Democratic Party said.Buttigieg filed a request for a re-canvass of 66 precincts and Sanders for 28 precincts, the party said in a statement. It said it will review the requests to determine whether they meet the requirements. Buttigieg had a slim lead over Sanders in the Feb. 3 nominating contest, which took days to settle after a technical meltdown led to delays in determining the winner.Sanders formally requested the Iowa Democratic Party recount some of the state's results from last week's caucus, citing 28 precincts where the campaign believes he was shorted delegates.“While a re-canvass is just the first step in the process and we don’t expect it to change the current calculations, it is a necessary part of making sure Iowans can trust the final results of the caucus,” Bernie 2020 Senior Advisor Jeff Weaver said.Sanders narrowly lost to rival Pete Buttigieg in the February 3 nominating contest, which took days to settle after a technical meltdown led to delays in determining the winner.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Elizabeth Warren thinks US shouldn't give aid for annexation of West Bank

In response to a New York Times survey asking `` Should the United States maintain its current level of military @ @ @ @ @ not , how should the level of aid change ?
, '' Senator Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ to Israel should not be used for annexation .
`` Israel is an important ally @ @ @ @ @ to Israel ’ s security and safety , and to working together to combat shared @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Today , the continued expansion of Israeli settlements and the increasing normalization of @ @ @ @ @ parts or all of the West Bank are the most immediate dangers to the two-state @ @ @ @ @ ’ s government continues with steps to annex the West Bank , the US should @ @ @ @ @ our aid should be used to support annexation . ''

In response to a New York Times survey asking "Should the United States maintain its current level of military aid to Israel? If not, how should the level of aid change?," Senator Elizabeth Warren commented that the US aid to Israel should not be used for annexation.
"Israel is an important ally, and I am committed to Israel’s security and safety, and to working together to combat shared threats," Warren replied.
"Today, the continued expansion of Israeli settlements and the increasing normalization of proposals for Israel to annex parts or all of the West Bank are the most immediate dangers to the two-state solution.
"If Israel’s government continues with steps to annex the West Bank, the US should make clear that none of our aid should be used to support annexation."


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--New York sues Trump administration over traveler programs

NEW YORK -New York state sued President Donald Trump's administration on Monday to void a policy barring hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers from federal programs that help travelers speed through airport security lines and borders, calling the ban political punishment.The administration's action last week came in response to New York's passage last June of a so-called Green Light law allowing illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses and limiting federal immigration authorities from accessing records from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles.State officials called the ban a "punitive measure intended to coerce New York into changing its policies," violating the US Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and equal sovereignty among states and its prohibition on federal coercion.The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court marked the latest front in political fighting between Democratic-controlled New York and Trump, a Republican born and raised in the state."President Trump and his enablers are once again taking their aim at New York's economy in a way that not only inconveniences travelers, but also creates very real security issues," Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.A US Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.The Department of Homeland Security policy prohibits New Yorkers from joining or renewing their participation in so-called Trusted Traveler programs. These include Global Entry and three others - FAST, NEXUS AND SENTRI - allowing quicker passage between the United States and either Canada or Mexico.New York said the policy would prohibit 175,000 New Yorkers whose membership in the programs expires this year from re-enrolling, and would "cut off" 80,000 New Yorkers with pending applications.The state also said the ban "will make all travelers less safe" by diverting Customs and Border Protection officers' focus from higher-risk travelers, and would cost its economy millions of dollars."Congested lines at New York's airports and border crossings will strain resources at the border and undermine safety for all travelers," the lawsuit said."New York's economy will suffer as wait times at border crossings increases, employers doing global business are placed at a competitive disadvantage, and residents who rely on cross-border travel lose access to these programs," it added.Trump has made tougher immigration policies a centerpiece of his presidency and re-election campaign. He faults New York and other places he deems "sanctuary jurisdictions" for limiting information-sharing between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.Fifteen states - including conservative Utah - and the District of Columbia have Green Light laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf called New York the only state to shut off access to Department of Motor Vehicles records by Customs and Border Protection officers."Without access, CBP cannot vet Trusted Traveler applicants," Wolf wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "It's that simple."


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Coronavirus can be transmitted via feces – Chinese report finds

The coronavirus can infect humans not only via sneeze particles , a Friday study from China warns , but also @ @ @ @ @ tend to suffer from diarrhea .
SARA coronavirus can also infect people in the same @ @ @ @ @ 2003 hundreds of people living in a block of flats were infected after a patient @ @ @ @ @ to spread fecal matter via the air-conditioning unit serving the residents .

The coronavirus can infect humans not only via sneeze particles, a Friday study from China warns, but also via feces particles as patients tend to suffer from diarrhea.
SARA coronavirus can also infect people in the same way, and indeed in 2003 hundreds of people living in a block of flats were infected after a patient suffering from diarrhea somehow managed to spread fecal matter via the air-conditioning unit serving the residents.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Turkey says it hit 115 Syrian targets after attacks on soldiers

ANKARA - Turkish forces struck dozens of Syrian government targets in northwestern Syria on Monday after five Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base in Idlib province, the Turkish defense ministry said.The base at the town of Taftanaz was attacked a week after eight Turkish military personnel were killed by Syrian shelling in Idlib following Turkey's deployment of thousands of troops to stem a Syrian government offensive in the rebel-held region.Hitting back after Monday's attack, in which five Turkish solders were also wounded, Turkish forces fired on 115 Syrian government targets and destroyed 101 of them, including three tanks, two mortar positions and one helicopter, the defense ministry said in a later statement.The incidents are among the most serious confrontations between Turkish and Syrian troops in nearly nine years of conflict in Syria, and Turkey has said it will drive back Syrian forces if they do not pull back by the end of this month."Their attacks against our posts have made an operation necessary," Omer Celik, spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party, told reporters in Ankara.The rapid advance by Syrian government forces in Idlib, the last major enclave of insurgents opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, has driven nearly 700,000 people from their homes towards the closed-off Turkish border.Turkey, which already hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, says it cannot absorb any more and is ready for military action to halt the Syrian government advances.It has poured 5,000 troops and convoys of military vehicles across the border, carrying tanks, armored personnel carriers and radar equipment to bolster its existing military positions.A Turkey-backed Syrian rebel commander said the insurgents had also launched a military operation near the town of Saraqeb, south of Taftanaz, with Turkish artillery support.'WAR OF ATTRITION'As the conflict escalated in Idlib, Turkish and Russian officials met in Ankara for talks.Turkey and Russia are on opposing sides in the fighting in Idlib although they collaborate for a political solution to the conflict in Syria, and Moscow's military intervention in 2015 helped swing the war decisively in Assad's favor.The Turkish presidency said a visiting Russian delegation was told the attacks against Turkish troops were "unacceptable," must be stopped immediately and would not remain "unanswered."Russia and the Syrian government say they are fighting terrorists in Idlib, which is largely controlled by jihadist fighters."This is a war of attrition between Moscow and Ankara in which they are testing limits," said Galip Dalay, a visiting scholar at Oxford University.While there was a risk that the crisis could escalate further, Dalay said it could be managed with agreement between Ankara and Moscow on a buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey, where displaced people could shelter.But the challenge of meeting the needs of the wave of uprooted people is growing daily."Since 1 December some 689,000 women, children and men have been displaced from their homes in northwest Syria," said David Swanson, a UN humanitarian spokesman. "That’s more than 100,000 people in just over a week."Swanson said the latest upheaval compounded an already dire humanitarian situation in Idlib, where 400,000 people were displaced between April and August last year by earlier fighting, many of them multiple times.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Bernie Sanders formally requests partial recount of Iowa results

WASHINGTON - US Senator Bernie Sanders formally requested the Iowa Democratic Party recount some of the state's results from last week's caucus, citing 28 precincts where the campaign believes he was shorted delegates.“While a recanvass is just the first step in the process and we don’t expect it to change the current calculations, it is a necessary part of making sure Iowans can trust the final results of the caucus,” Bernie 2020 Senior Advisor Jeff Weaver said.Sanders narrowly lost to rival Pete Buttigieg in the February 3 nominating contest, which took days to settle after a technical meltdown led to delays in determining the winner.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Two police officers shot at Arkansas Walmart; one suspect dead

Two Arkansas police officers were shot and a suspect was killed after gunfire erupted at a Walmart Inc store in Forrest City, local media said, citing police.Officers responded to a call after the suspect threatened to blow up the store, about 45 miles (70 km) west of Memphis. The man opened fire when the officers approached, striking both of them, WREG television reported.The officers were taken to hospital, one of them airlifted, WREG said. Their conditions have not been disclosed."We do have an active shooter at the Walmart," a woman answering the phone at the Forrest City Police Department said, without providing further details.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--IDF arrests Palestinian terrorist who threw Molotov bottle in Hebron

IDF soldiers arrested on Monday the Palestinian terrorist who threw a Molotov cocktail at Israeli forces last week in the city of Hebron.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Plea bargain with supermodel Bar Refaeli over tax fraud signed

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli signed a pleas barging with the Israeli Tax Authority on Monday , Mako reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ in Sports Illustrated and once dated Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio , was taken to court @ @ @ @ @ tax payment to the tune of roughly NIS 8 million .
Rafaeli argued that during @ @ @ @ @ she was not living in Israel full time , the claim was refuted when the @ @ @ @ @ she kept a home in the country using the names of her family members .
@ @ @ @ @ , Tzipi Levin , would serve time in prison for her part in the alleged @ @ @ @ @ report did not mention that detail .

Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli signed a pleas barging with the Israeli Tax Authority on Monday, Mako reported.
The famous model, who appeared in Sports Illustrated and once dated Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio, was taken to court and found guilty of dodging tax payment to the tune of roughly NIS 8 million.
Rafaeli argued that during the time period in question she was not living in Israel full time, the claim was refuted when the court was presented with proof she kept a home in the country using the names of her family members.
Earlier reports claimed her mother, Tzipi Levin, would serve time in prison for her part in the alleged crimes – yet the Monday report did not mention that detail.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Hong Kong to evacuate building where two patients with coronavirus live

HONG KONG - Hong Kong is evacuating people from a residential building in the New Territories district of Tsing Yi, where two people confirmed with coronavirus live though on different floors, authorities said early on Tuesday.The director of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr Wong Ka-hing, said the government was investigating the suspected environmental transmission of two cases in the building.Hong Kong has confirmed 42 cases of coronavirus, which has killed more than 900 people, all but two in mainland China. Dr Wong said it was unclear how many residents were in the building but those who showed symptoms would be put in quarantine as a precautionary measure.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Turkey to Russia: Attacks on Turkish posts in Syria must stop immediately

ANKARA - Turkish officials have told a visiting Russian delegation that attacks on Turkish observation posts in northwestern Syria must be stopped immediately and that such assaults will not remain unanswered, the Turkish presidency said on Monday.Earlier, Ankara said Russian-backed Syrian government forces had killed five Turkish soldiers, among thousands deployed there to help stem a Syrian offensive to retake the last rebel bastion in the country after nearly nine years of civil war.In a statement following talks between Turkish presidential adviser Ibrahim Kalin and the Russian delegation, the presidency said the Russians were told that attacks on Turkish forces were unacceptable and that Moscow must fulfill its duties as mandated by a 2018 de-escalation deal between Ankara and Moscow.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Stabbing attack in Manchester, two people injured at Piccadilly Gardens

Two people were injured during a stabbing attack in Manchester at Piccadilly Gardens near Morrisons supermarket on Monday , BBC @ @ @ @ @ to be criminal and not terror-related , one man was given medical attention on the @ @ @ @ @ to hospital .

Two people were injured during a stabbing attack in Manchester at Piccadilly Gardens near Morrisons supermarket on Monday, BBC reported.
The attack seems to be criminal and not terror-related, one man was given medical attention on the scene and the other taken to hospital.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--World Health Organization experts arrive in China for coronavirus probe

GENEVA - An advance World Health Organization team of medical experts arrived in China on Monday to help investigate the coronavirus outbreak, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva.Tedros, who visited Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese ministers in late January, returned with an agreement on sending an international mission. It took nearly two weeks to get the green light from the Chinese government on the team, which Tedros said would number between 10 and 15.There have been 40,235 confirmed cases reported in China and 909 deaths, as well as 319 cases in 24 other countries, including one death, he said.Tedros voiced concern at incidents, reported by European authorities at the weekend, of person-to person spread of the virus by people with no history of travel to China."In recent days, we have seen some concerning instances of onward transmission from people with no travel history to China, like the cases reported in France yesterday and the United Kingdom today," he said."The detection of this small number of cases could be the spark that becomes a bigger fire. But for now it's only a spark. Our objective remains containment."Tedros urged countries to take public health measures to help "prevent a bigger fire," adding: "This is a message for the whole world. This is a common enemy that we can only defeat if we do it in unison."


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Israel returns the remains of a refugee to Syria

Israel returned to Syria the remains of a refugee who drowned while at sea .
His body was washed on @ @ @ @ @ , Channel 7 reported on Monday .
The discussions between Israel and Syria were conducted @ @ @ @ @ which thanked both parties for their help in arranging the matter .

Israel returned to Syria the remains of a refugee who drowned while at sea. His body was washed on to Israel’s territory, Channel 7 reported on Monday.
The discussions between Israel and Syria were conducted by the International Red Cross which thanked both parties for their help in arranging the matter.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--22-year-old youth stabbed to death in Ashdod

A 22-year-old man was stabbed in Ashdod on Monday in front of passersby and later succumbed to his injuries , @ @ @ @ @ the investigation as a homicide due to his passing .

A 22-year-old man was stabbed in Ashdod on Monday in front of passersby and later succumbed to his injuries, Maariv reported.
Police classified the investigation as a homicide due to his passing.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--If Soleimani wanted to kill Americans it would have been easy - Rouhani

DUBAI - Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian military commander killed in a US drone strike on January 3 in Baghdad, had sought to bring stability to the Middle East, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday."Commander Soleimani was a man who was pursuing stability and calm in the region," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television. "If commander Soleimani wanted to kill American generals it would have been very, very easy for him, in Afghanistan, Iraq and any other place. He never did that."Rouhani, citing the missile strike Iran carried out against a US base in Iraq in retaliation for Soleimani's death, said the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile program was not intended for attacks on neighboring countries - which include arch regional adversary Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies."Our missiles are against terrorism, our missiles are against crimes. We have never built and stored missiles for aggression. We reassure all our neighbors and the people in the region that our desire is peaceful co-existence."The United States and Iran came close to full-blown conflict last month after the Iranian general's killing and Iran's retaliation, but stepped back from the brink and no notable incidents have occurred since then.US President Donald Trump's administration said Soleimani, the commander of elite Iranian forces based abroad, was targeted for plotting future attacks on US interests and that he had helped coordinated strikes on American forces in Iraq in the past through militia proxies.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--United States to extend waiver for Iraq to import Iranian energy

BAGHDAD - The United States has agreed to extend a waiver for Iraq to import Iranian energy supplies, including gas, two Iraqi government officials said on Monday.Washington has repeatedly extended the exemption for Baghdad to use crucial Iranian energy supplies for its power grid, for periods of 90 or 120 days. One of the officials said this latest extension would last 120 days.The extension was agreed because Iraq had shown it was taking steps towards becoming more self-reliant for its energy needs, one of the officials said, and less dependent on Iran, whose energy sector is under harsh US sanctions."The waiver will be renewed because Iraq has undertaken important steps in investing in Iraqi gas," one of the officials said. He said the recent Iraqi government approval of contracts to develop gas fields in the country's east was a key factor."This is considered good as far as the US is concerned," the official said.A spokesman for the electricity ministry said consultations were ongoing over the extension, and its potential time frame.The US State Department last extended the waiver allowing Iraq to import gas and electricity from Iran in October for a period of 120 days, meaning it is up for extension again this week.Washington has insisted that oil-rich Iraq, OPEC's second-largest producer, move towards energy self-sufficiency as a condition for its exemption for importing Iranian energy.


jerusalempost--2020-02-10--Former North Korean diplomat to run in South Korea's general election

SEOUL - Thae Yong Ho, North Korea's former deputy ambassador to Britain who defected to the South, is expected to run in an April general election as a member of the main opposition party, Yonhap New Agency reported on Monday citing a party official.The official, Kim Hyong-o, head of the conservative Liberty Korea Party's election candidate selection panel, told reporters that the party planned to find Thae a constituency where he could play a good role, adding somewhere in Seoul would be appropriate."(Thae) is someone who risked his life for freedom. As a person who understands the sorrow of the 10 million separated families and as one of the 25 million North Koreans, he is the one who could show present a vision for peace and publicize South Korea's related position," Kim added.The general election for the country's national assembly is scheduled on April 15.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Turkey-backed rebels down Syrian gov't helicopter in northwest Syria

Turkey-backed Syrian rebels have downed a helicopter believed to belong to the Syrian government in northwestern Syria's Nairab town, Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Tuesday, as clashes continued in the region.TRT Haber did not provide any further details. The incident comes a day after Syrian government forces killed five Turkish soldiers in northwestern Syria, prompting retaliation from the Turkish troops in the region.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--More firing by Syrian gov't forces near Turkish military posts

Turkey-backed Syrian rebels could regain territory they have lost in recent days around the town of Seraqeb , to the @ @ @ @ @ after they launched a full-fledged attack there , the official added .
Shelling by Syrian @ @ @ @ @ soldiers on Monday , leading to concerns over an escalation of violence in the country @ @ @ @ @

Syrian government forces fired near Turkey's observation posts in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on Tuesday, prompting retaliation from Turkish forces, a Turkish official told Reuters.
Turkey-backed Syrian rebels could regain territory they have lost in recent days around the town of Seraqeb, to the east of Idlib city, after they launched a full-fledged attack there, the official added.
Shelling by Syrian government forces killed five Turkish soldiers on Monday, leading to concerns over an escalation of violence in the country's nearly nine-year war.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--140 Israelis tested for coronavirus, no confirmed cases

140 Israelis have been tested for the coronavirus so far and no cases were confirmed, the Health Ministry informed on Tuesday.The Ministry also said that Israel is preparing in case the coronavirus does appear in the country, increasing the number of tests and equipping three extra labs to process them.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Weinstein accuser's agent expected to testify in New York rape trial

Weinstein , 67 , has pleaded not guilty to raping Mann and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi @ @ @ @ @ raping her in a Manhattan hotel in 2013 .
She previously testified that the rape @ @ @ @ @ an “ extremely degrading ” relationship with Weinstein that lasted for years .
Thomas Richards @ @ @ @ @ agent of Mann , a onetime aspiring actress , is expected to take the stand @ @ @

Lawyers for Harvey Weinstein are expected to call the former agent of accuser Jessica Mann to testify on Tuesday in the ex-producer's rape case as the weeks-long trial nears a close.
Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to raping Mann and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi.
Mann accused Weinstein of raping her in a Manhattan hotel in 2013. She previously testified that the rape occurred in the course of an “extremely degrading” relationship with Weinstein that lasted for years.
Thomas Richards, a former friend and agent of Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, is expected to take the stand on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Euro plunges to NIS 3.73, marking an 18-year low

The euro plunged to NIS 3.73 Tuesday, marking an 18-year-low, Ynet reported. Also the dollar fell by 0.1% to NIS 3.418.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Kremlin says all attacks on Syrian and Russian forces in Idlib must stop

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that all attacks on Russian and Syrian government forces in Syria's Idlib province had to stop and that a Russo-Turkish deal on northeast Syria had to be implemented.The Kremlin was commenting after Syrian government forces seized control of a highway in northwest Syria for the first time since 2012 and as talks ended between Turkey and Russia on stopping clashes that killed 13 Turkish soldiers in a week.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Syrian government seizes Aleppo highway for first time since 2012-monitor

Syrian government forces seized control of the entire length of the main Aleppo-Damascus highway on Tuesday for the first time since 2012, after driving rebels from their last foothold on the road, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.The highway, the M5, runs all the way from Aleppo to Deraa in southern Syria. Government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, had seized control of the entire highway after capturing a western suburb of Aleppo from insurgents, the Observatory said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Northern Irish police arrest four men over murder of journalist Lyra Mckee

Northern Irish police arrested four men on Tuesday under the Terrorism Act as part of investigation into murder of journalist Lyra McKee.McKee's killing in April 2019 by an Irish nationalist militant during a riot in the city sparked outrage in the province where a 1998 peace deal mostly ended three decades of sectarian violence."The arrests have been made under the Terrorism Act after the New IRA claimed responsibility for murdering Lyra," police said.The New IRA, one of a small number of groups that oppose the peace accord, said one of its members shot the 29-year-old reporter dead in the Creggan area of Londonderry when opening fire on police during a riot McKee was watching.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Berland case: Another suspect arrested for fraud and tax offenses

Another suspect was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the arrest of disgraced Rabbi Eliezer Berland, a convicted sex offender and leader of the Shuvu Banim Breslov sect, who was detained on Sunday on suspicion of fraud, financial exploitation, and tax offenses.The 40-year-old is accused of criminal mischief, fraud and tax offenses.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Kinneret level rises of 2 cm overnight and 177 cm since winter began

Israel’s Water Authority announced Tuesday that the level of the Kinneret rose of another 2 centimeters in the previous 24 hours and it stands at -210.02 meters, Ynet reported.It also added that from the beginning of the rainy season, the level has risen by 1,775 meters.According to the Authority another 1.22 meters are necessary in order to restore the lake to its full capacity.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--At least 15 Rohingya refugees die in boat capsize

At least 15 Rohingya refugees died and many more were missing after a vessel packed with people trying to reach Malaysia capsized in the Bay of Bengal, a Bangladesh coast guard official said on Tuesday.About 70 people have been rescued alive, said Hamidul Islam, the official. There were no immediate details of the number aboard when the ship capsized near Saint Martin's Island.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Suicide bomber attacks Kabul, casualties reported

A suicide blast hit Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Tuesday, security officials said, adding that casualties were feared.The blast took place at the entrance gate of a government-run defense university, the Marshal Fahim Military Academy, said sources who sought anonymity.No militant group has claimed immediate responsibility.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Vietnam's coronavirus cases climb to 15, baby infected

Vietnam confirmed another case of the new coronavirus on Tuedsay, bringing its total to 15, the health ministry said.The latest case is a three-month-old baby, infected by her grandmother, who tested positive for the virus on Feb. 9, the ministry said in a statement.It said 10 out of 15 confirmed case are from the northern province of Vinh Phuc.Vietnam has made plans to quarantine hundreds of its citizens returning from China, including 950 at military camps outside Hanoi, and another 900 at temporary facilties on the Vietnam-China border.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Another 39 people on Japan cruise ship test positive for coronavirus

Thirty-nine more people, including one quarantine officer, have tested positive for the coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said on Wednesday.That brings the total of those infected on the ship to 174 people, public broadcaster NHK said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Jussie Smollett faces new hate-crime hoax charges

Former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett was charged on Tuesday in a six-count indictment, returned at the recommendation of a special prosecutor, with falsely claiming to Chicago police that he had been the victim of a hate crime.The indictment came nearly a year after Cook County prosecutors dropped earlier charges accusing Smollett, who is black and openly gay, of staging a phony hate crime. The dismissal of the earlier charge drew an outcry from the city's police department and led to a Cook County judge appointing former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb to review the case.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--94 coronavirus deaths registered in Hubei Province on Tuesday

China's Hubei Province reported 94 new deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the total in the province to 1,068, the province's health commission said in a statement on its website on Wednesday, according to Reuters.Hubei is home to the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.There had been a further 1,638 cases detected in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 33,366.Reuters contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Trump: military should consider discipline for ousted aide Vindman

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the military should consider disciplining former White House National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman, who testified in Trump's impeachment trial.Vindman, an Army lieutenant colonel who provided some of the most damaging testimony during the House impeachment probe, was ousted from his White House job last week.Trump said the military can now deal with Vindman any way they want.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Taliban, US representatives discuss ceasefire

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday he was told by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that "notable progress" had been made in talks between the United States and the Taliban on an agreement for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.In a post on Twitter, Ghani wrote that Pompeo had informed him in a telephone call that the Taliban had made a proposal "with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence."Ghani's tweet indicated a possible breakthrough in U.S.-Taliban talks in Qatar, which have been deadlocked in part over a U.S. demand that the insurgents agree to significantly reduce violence as part of any American troop withdrawal accord.U.S. President Donald Trump has made a withdrawal of the 13,000 U.S. service members from Afghanistan a major foreign policy objective. An agreement with the Taliban could boost Trump's re-election prospects this November.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Rocket fired towards Israel lands in open field

A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip fell in an open field in the Gaza border communities, according to IDF spokesperson.According to Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council spokesperson, one rocket was identified which caused no casualties nor damages.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Lebanon government wins confidence vote as protests rock Beirut

Lebanon 's new government won a vote of confidence from parliament on Tuesday as protesters trying to block the session @ @ @ @ @ leaving hundreds injured .
Smoke wafted through the city as riot police fired tear gas @ @ @ @ @ were seeking to keep MPs from reaching the heavily barricaded parliament .
The Lebanese Red @ @ @ @ @ people for injuries , with 45 taken to hospital .
Lebanon 's new cabinet , @ @ @ @ @ backing of the powerful Hezbollah group , is hoping a financial rescue plan that formed @ @ @ @ @ vote in parliament can help pull the country from a deep financial crisis .
Protesters @ @ @ @ @ over the worsening economy and a political class they say is deeply corrupt and say @ @ @ @ @ of the elite they want to oust .

Lebanon's new government won a vote of confidence from parliament on Tuesday as protesters trying to block the session clashed with security forces, leaving hundreds injured.
Smoke wafted through the city as riot police fired tear gas at the protesters, who were seeking to keep MPs from reaching the heavily barricaded parliament. The Lebanese Red Cross said it treated 373 people for injuries, with 45 taken to hospital.
Lebanon's new cabinet, formed last month with the backing of the powerful Hezbollah group, is hoping a financial rescue plan that formed the basis of its confidence vote in parliament can help pull the country from a deep financial crisis.
Protesters have been demonstrating since October over the worsening economy and a political class they say is deeply corrupt and say the new cabinet is part of the elite they want to oust.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Turkey says 51 Syrian soldiers killed as rebels hit back in Idlib

Turkey said on Tuesday 51 Syrian soldiers were killed in northwest Syria as Turkish-backed rebels struck back against Russian-supported government @ @ @ @ @ in their campaign to eliminate the last insurgent bastion in the country .
The Turkish @ @ @ @ @ the ground for the information , adding that two Syrian tanks and one ammunition store @ @ @ @ @ Hours before , a war monitor reported that Syrian government forces seized control of the @ @ @ @ @ the embattled northwest province of Idlib for the first time since the early days of @ @ @ @ @ .
But Syrian state media made no mention of this and rebel sources later said @ @ @ @ @ northern areas near the M-5 highway , which links Aleppo with the capital Damascus and @ @ @ @ @ south .

Turkey said on Tuesday 51 Syrian soldiers were killed in northwest Syria as Turkish-backed rebels struck back against Russian-supported government forces who had made gains in their campaign to eliminate the last insurgent bastion in the country.
The Turkish Defense Ministry cited sources on the ground for the information, adding that two Syrian tanks and one ammunition store were destroyed as well.
Hours before, a war monitor reported that Syrian government forces seized control of the main Aleppo-to-Damascus highway running through the embattled northwest province of Idlib for the first time since the early days of the civil war in 2012.
But Syrian state media made no mention of this and rebel sources later said fighting was continuing in some northern areas near the M-5 highway, which links Aleppo with the capital Damascus and ultimately Deraa in the far south.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Two associates of main suspect behind Jerusalem ramming attack arrested

Two men who are associates of the main suspect allegedly behind the Jerusalem ramming attack on Friday were arrested on @ @ @ @ @ led 12 IDF soldiers suffering injuries and one soldier suffering massive injuries , that soldier @ @ @ @ @ support as he is currently able to breathe unaided .
The arrests were made to @ @ @ @ @ into the possible motives of the attacker .

Two men who are associates of the main suspect allegedly behind the Jerusalem ramming attack on Friday were arrested on Monday.
The ramming attack led 12 IDF soldiers suffering injuries and one soldier suffering massive injuries, that soldier was recently taken off life support as he is currently able to breathe unaided.
The arrests were made to try and get more insight into the possible motives of the attacker.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Knesset to convene Monday on Haim Katz

Knesset to convene Monday on Haim Katz

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The Knesset plenum will convene in a special session on Monday to make a final decision on whether to grant immunity from prosecution to MK Haim Katz.The House Committee of the Knesset already voted in favor of immunity for Katz after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dropped his own request for immunity.The plenum will also vote to form three temporary committees, including one that will deal with preparation for dealing with the coronavirus.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Syrian army says it will respond to Turkish attacks

AMMAN - The Syrian army said on Tuesday it would respond to attacks by Turkish forces who it said were trying to halt army advances in the last rebel bastion in northwest Syria.In a statement, the army accused Ankara of escalating violations of Syria's sovereignty by sending many reinforcements into Idlib and Aleppo provinces as President Bashar al-Assad's Russian-backed troops gain ground against insurgents.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Mladenov: Israeli annexation would be devastating for two-states

Any Israeli annexation moves would have a devastating impact on the prospects for a two-state solution, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council on Tuesday. It would also close the door on future negotiations and harms efforts for peace, Mladenov added.Those who reject the Trump Administration's "Deal of the Century" should not turn to violence, Mladenov said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Danon: Israel willing to enter into direct talks with the Palestinians

Israel is willing to enter into direct talks with the Palestinians, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told reporters prior to the meeting. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans to address the UNSC."Abbas should come to Jerusalem, not New York," Danon said. Instead of being committed to peace, Abbas is committed to incitement against Israel, he added.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Mike Pompeo: Iran shouldn't be allowed to develop, test ballistic missiles

The Iranian regime uses satellite launches to further advance its ballistic missile capabilities that allow it to threaten its adversaries @ @ @ @ @ The world ’ s leading state sponsor of terrorism should not be allowed to develop @ @ @ @ @

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted, "The Iranian regime uses satellite launches to further advance its ballistic missile capabilities that allow it to threaten its adversaries and threaten regional stability. The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism should not be allowed to develop and test ballistic missiles."
The Iranian regime uses satellite launches to further advance its ballistic missile capabilities that allow it to threaten its adversaries and threaten regional stability. The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism should not be allowed to develop and test ballistic missiles. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 11, 2020
On Sunday, Iran attempted to launch a satellite for the fourth time and failed. Iran succeeded in launching the new satellite into outer space, but failed to place the satellite into orbit, according to Iranian reports.Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Islamic State claims Algeria border attack

ALGIERS - Islamic State said on Tuesday that it was behind Sunday's attack on an Algerian military barracks near the country's border with Mali that killed one soldier.The militant group sent the bomber in a vehicle rigged with explosives, but a sentry stopped him before he could enter the compound and the blast killed both men, according to a Defence Ministry statement. The group's Algerian leader is a 47-year-old militant known as Abu Walid el-Sahrawi."The martyred brother Omar al-Ansari ... entered the base and exploded his car against them," the group said in a statement.Algeria, in common with other countries in the Sahel and Sahara regions, is growing increasingly concerned about the risk of militant groups taking advantage of the escalating conflict in Libya and chaos in Mali to expand their presence.In Mali, the government has said it is ready to talk with jihadist groups in the hope of ending an insurgency that has made swathes of the country ungovernable and stoked ethnic violence.In Libya, chaos in parts of the country since the 2011 revolution has created space for Islamic State, which launched a cross-border attack against a Tunisian town in 2016, but which is now mostly active in Libya's south."We need to focus on both Libya and Mali," a former Algerian counter-terrorism officer told Reuters. "This attack could be a preparation for what might come if we don't contain the threats."Algiers has been discussing how to stem the rising militant threat in the Sahel with Mali in recent days, and has offered it some humanitarian assistance. It shares more than 1,500km of mostly remote, desert border with Mali and Libya.Sunday's attack was the first in Algeria for several years. In 2013, an Islamist militant group linked to al Qaeda staged an attack on the Tiguentourine gas processing facility in southern Algeria that killed dozens of people, including foreigners.That was the deadliest spasm of militant violence in Algeria since a 1990s civil war between Islamist groups and the state in which more than 200,000 people died.Algeria is already wrestling with a major political crisis after a year of mass protests that helped oust the veteran president and have continued, with demonstrators now demanding the ruling elite be fully replaced.The country also faces economic problems, with declining energy sales contributing to a fall in state revenue and planned cuts in public spending this year.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Egypt's population grown to 100 million people – statistics agency

Egypt's population reached 100 million people on Tuesday, the official statistics agency CAPMAS said, putting more pressure on the government which sees the population boom as a threat to its economic reform plans.The country's 100 millionth person was recorded on the agency's digital counter in eastern Cairo and on its website.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Protests against Trump's 'Deal of the Century' erupt in Ramallah

Approximately 10,000 people protested in Ramallah against US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century," Kan reported. The demonstrations were reportedly organized by Fatah.
כעשרת אלפים בני אדם הפגינו ברמאללה נגד תוכנית טראמפ ולאות תמיכה באבו מאזן. את ההפגנה ארגן פת"ח, שהביא למקום אנשים רבים גם ממחוזות אחרים. מקורות פלסטינים דיווחו כי באותו הזמן התפתחו עימותים בין פלסטינים לכוחות הביטחון ליד המחסום שסמוך לבית אל@migansh5 @coren_ido pic.twitter.com/mpGCktr1VT — כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 11, 2020
Clashes between Palestinians and security officials allegedly took place near the checkpoint at the exit of Ramallah near Beit El, according to Kan, which cited Palestinian sources.Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was set to speak at the UN on Tuesday, but on Monday the PA moved to delay the UN Security Council's scheduled vote on the peace plan.


jerusalempost--2020-02-11--Putin to discuss Syria with Turkey's Erdogan amid rising tensions - report

Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the situation in Syria with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan by phone later on Tuesday amid rising tensions over the Syrian province of Idlib, the TASS news agency cited the Kremlin as saying.Moscow said earlier on Tuesday that all attacks on Russian and Syrian government forces in Idlib should stop and that agreements it had struck with Turkey on the conflict there had to be upheld.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Letter bomb attack at Dutch bank, electronics company

Two letter bombs went off in the Netherlands on Wednesday, one in the postal-sorting office of Dutch bank ABN Amro and another in the post room of Japan's Ricoh, police and Dutch broadcaster RTL reported.Police said the motive for the letter bombs was extortion, Dutch news agency ANP reported.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Coronavirus cruise ship to dock in Cambodia

The MS Westerdam , which has 1,455 passengers and 802 crew on board , will dock at the Cambodian sea @ @ @ @ @ , the company said .

Cambodia has agreed to let a cruise ship, that has been turned away by five countries over fears that someone aboard may have the coronavirus, to dock and disembark its passengers, the Holland America Line said on Wednesday.
The MS Westerdam, which has 1,455 passengers and 802 crew on board, will dock at the Cambodian sea port of Sihanoukville on Thursday, the company said.
The ship - which says it has no sick passengers - has been turned away from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Pope dismisses proposal to ordain married men as priests in Amazon

The recommendation , put forward by Latin American bishops last year , had alarmed conservatives in the deeply polarized 1.3 @ @ @ @ @ who feared that it could lead to a change in the centuries-old commitment to celibacy @ @ @ @ @ his response in an Apostolic Exhortation three months after the proposal was made at a @ @ @ @ @ bishops , or synod , at the Vatican .

Pope Francis, in one of the most significant decisions of his papacy, on Wednesday dismissed a proposal that older married men be ordained in the Amazon region to ease an acute scarcity of priests.
The recommendation, put forward by Latin American bishops last year, had alarmed conservatives in the deeply polarized 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, who feared that it could lead to a change in the centuries-old commitment to celibacy among priests.
Francis delivered his response in an Apostolic Exhortation three months after the proposal was made at a contentious assembly of Roman Catholic bishops, or synod, at the Vatican.
Apostolic Exhortations are teaching documents used to encourage the Catholic faithful but do not define Church doctrine.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Kremlin says Turkey is not upholding its agreements on Syria

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Turkey was not upholding agreements it made with Moscow to "neutralize" militants in the Syrian province of Idlib and that militant attacks on Syrian and Russian forces were continuing in the region.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow remained committed to the agreements it struck with Ankara, but that Russia considered the attacks in Idlib to be unacceptable and in contravention of Moscow's deal with Ankara.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Putin and Erdogan discuss conflict in Syria's Idlib province

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the escalating conflict in Syria's Idlib province by phone, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.The Kremlin said in a brief readout of the call that Putin and Erdogan had agreed on the importance of implementing Russo-Turkish agreements on Syria and that contacts between Syria and Russia on Syria should continue through the relevant agencies.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Lone soldier injured in ramming attack leaves hospital

The lone soldier from San Diego who was injured in last week 's car-ramming attack in Jerusalem was just released @ @ @ @ @ a statement from the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital , the soldier was moderately injured with @ @ @ @ @ fractures and was treated by surgeons and specialists .
Upon leaving , the family thanked @ @ @ @ @ .

The lone soldier from San Diego who was injured in last week's car-ramming attack in Jerusalem was just released from hospital.
According to a statement from the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, the soldier was moderately injured with pelvic, thoracic and facial fractures and was treated by surgeons and specialists.
Upon leaving, the family thanked the medical and nursing staff.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Britain and United States asked to investigate UAE crimes in Yemen

Britain, the United States and Turkey were on Wednesday formally asked to arrest senior officials from the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of carrying out war crimes and torture in Yemen, three sources told Reuters.British law firm Stoke White filed the complaints to Britain's Metropolitan police and the U.S. and Turkish justice ministries on behalf of Abdullah Suliman Abdullah Daubalah, a journalist, and Salah Muslem Salem, whose brother was killed in Yemen.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--China to stagger the return of students to school to curb coronavirus

Wang Dengfeng , an official in charge of virus prevention at the Ministry of Education , told a media briefing @ @ @ @ @ schools and local authorities to try to reduce the number of students returning at any @ @ @ @ @ and regions as well as the municipalities of Shanghai and Chongqing have all announced that @ @ @ @ @ at least the beginning of March , as they try to get to grips with @ @ @ @ @ killed more than 1,100 people on the Chinese mainland .

China will stagger the return of students to school across different regions in order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus, a government education official said on Wednesday.
Wang Dengfeng, an official in charge of virus prevention at the Ministry of Education, told a media briefing that China would coordinate with schools and local authorities to try to reduce the number of students returning at any one time.
Ten provinces and regions as well as the municipalities of Shanghai and Chongqing have all announced that schools will remain closed until at least the beginning of March, as they try to get to grips with the epidemic that has already killed more than 1,100 people on the Chinese mainland.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Incendiary balloons found in Eshkol Regional Council

A bundle of incendiary balloons was found inside an agricultural area in the southern Eshkol Regional Council.The bundle was found by farmers, who alerted security personnel, and is currently being handled by police bomb defusal experts.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Sanders wins the New Hampshire Democratic primary

Bernie Sanders narrowly won New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, solidifying his front-runner status in the White House race and dealing a setback to moderate rival Joe Biden, who finished in a disappointing fifth place.Moderate Pete Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, finished a close second after edging out Sanders in last week's chaotic and disputed first nominating contest in Iowa. Both campaigns have asked for a partial recanvass of Iowa results.Sanders, a progressive senator from neighboring Vermont, prevailed after fending off attacks from rivals who warned his far-left views would lead the party to defeat in the Nov. 3 election against Republican President Donald Trump."This victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump," Sanders told supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire.Sanders' supporters booed when Buttigieg's post-primary speech was shown on screens, and chanted "Wall Street Pete."It was also a good night for Senator Amy Klobuchar, who rode a wave of momentum from a strong debate on Friday into a third-place finish.Biden, the former vice president who was once the front-runner in the Democratic race, limped to his second consecutive poor finish after placing fourth in Iowa. He is certain to face growing questions about his campaign's viability and his ability to consolidate moderate support against a surging Buttigieg and Klobuchar.Biden fared poorly in two previous runs for president before winning election in 2008 as President Barack Obama's No. 2. He hopes to stay afloat this time until the Feb. 29 contest in South Carolina and a series of contests in other Southern states on Super Tuesday on March 3, where his support among African Americans will be a strength.Without strong showings there, his race could be over.'IT AIN'T OVER'"It ain't over, man. It's just getting started," Biden told supporters in South Carolina.U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a progressive ally of Sanders who was considered a favorite in New Hampshire three months ago, also had a bad night. She finished fourth, and also will face questions about her continued viability.For Sanders, who won New Hampshire in 2016 with 60% of the vote against eventual nominee Hillary Clinton, the results offered new momentum but not the overwhelming win he had hoped for given his history in the state. Exit polls showed he only won about two-thirds of his 2016 primary supporters.The results began to thin the field of Democrats seeking the right to take on Trump in November, with businessman Andrew Yang and Senator Michael Bennet dropping out after it became clear they would finish well out of the running. CBS News reported that Deval Patrick, the former Massachusetts governor, would drop out on Wednesday.Democratic voters in New Hampshire chose a candidate from a ballot with 33 names, including those who dropped out weeks ago. But it did not include former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire who is not competing in any states before the 14 Super Tuesday primaries on March 3.Bloomberg has been rising in polls, aided by his massive personal spending on campaign advertising, and is betting on doing well in bigger states such as California and Texas.In New Hampshire, turnout was approaching the record 287,000 who cast ballots in the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary, when the battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton energized the party. That could ease Democratic concerns about the smaller-than-expected turnout in Iowa last week.Democrats in New Hampshire and in the other states that will vote in the state-by-state battle for the Democratic nomination are trying to decide whether they want to pick a moderate like Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Bloomberg or Biden, or progressive leaders like Sanders and Warren, who represents neighboring Massachusetts.MORE DIVERSE BATTLEGROUNDS AHEADAfter Iowa and New Hampshire, small and rural states with predominantly white populations, the race will move on to more diverse battlegrounds that pose new tests.Up next will be the Feb. 22 caucuses in Nevada, which has a large Latino population, and the Feb. 29 primary in South Carolina, which has a large African-American population."We have beaten the odds every step of the way," Klobuchar told supporters in Concord, New Hampshire. "Because of you, we are taking this campaign to Nevada. We are going to South Carolina. And we are taking this message of unity to the country."Warren said it would be a long, drawn-out battle for the nomination and the race was far from over. She decried the party's infighting and called for unity as the contest moves on."These tactics might work if you're willing to burn down the party to be the last man standing," Warren said. "We win when we come together."The late attacks on Sanders in recent weeks were a shift in tactics for his rivals, who had mostly ignored him out of worry about a backlash from his fervent cadre of supporters and out of doubts that Sanders could expand his base.Buttigieg, who would be the first openly gay U.S. president if elected, still faces questions about what polls show is his weakness with African-American voters, one of the most loyal and vital Democratic voting blocs.He also decried the growing polarization of politics and the Democratic infighting of recent weeks."In this election season, we’ve been told by some that you must either be for revolution or you are for the status quo. But where does that leave the rest of us?" Buttigieg asked supporters in Nashua, New Hampshire."A politics of my way or the highway is a road to re-electing Donald Trump," he said.On the Republican side, Trump easily won the state's presidential primary, defeating rival William Weld, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Former Massachusetts Governor Patrick to end 2020 presidential bid

WASHINGTON - Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick planned to end his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday, CBS News reported, citing a source familiar with the announcement.Campaign manager Abe Rakov did not confirm his withdrawal but said Patrick "is evaluating and will make a decision about the future of the campaign tomorrow."Patrick, 63, an African American and close ally of former President Barack Obama, jumped into the race in November but failed to gain traction with voters.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--US Senator Bennet drops out of 2020 Democratic presidential race

WASHINGTON - US Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, a moderate who has stressed improving education for Americans, abandoned his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday.Bennet, 55, told supporters shortly after polls closed in New Hampshire that it was "fitting" to end his presidential effort in the state, where he had actively campaigned.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Businessman Andrew Yang to end presidential bid

WASHINGTON, - Businessman Andrew Yang will suspend his bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. president, campaign sources said on Tuesday.Yang, 45, who ran for president despite having no political background, surprised many observers by qualifying for debates and remaining in the contest longer than some veteran politicians.The Ivy League-educated son of Taiwanese immigrants, who was bidding to be the country's first Asian-American president, launched his longshot candidacy in 2017 as a virtual unknown.Yang's signature proposal, a universal basic income that would pay every American $1,000 a month, was his answer to the "fourth industrial revolution," the rise of automation that he said destroyed millions of manufacturing jobs and, as a consequence, paved the way for Donald Trump's 2016 election."Donald Trump is not the cause of all our problems, and we're making a mistake when we act like he is," Yang said at a Democratic debate on Friday."He is a symptom of a disease that has been building up in our communities for years and decades."


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Trump projected to win Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire

WASHINGTON, - President Donald Trump was the projected winner of the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire on Tuesday, according to early exit polling compiled by Edison Research.The exit poll, which was released shortly before polls closed in New Hampshire, showed Trump with 86.6 percent of the vote with 20 percent of precincts reporting. Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld won 8.2 percent and write-ins came in at 2.8 percent.Edison Research compiles exit polls and live election results for media organizations including ABC News, CBS News, CNN, NBC News and Reuters.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Cruise ship shunned over coronavirus fears arrives in Cambodia

A cruise ship which had spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries over fears that someone aboard may have the coronavirus arrived in Cambodia on Thursday, satellite tracking data showed.The MS Westerdam arrived at an anchoring point in the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville, according to data published by the Marine Traffic website.Although no passengers have fallen ill on board, the ship had been turned away by Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines and Thailand over fears that someone on the cruise could have the new flu-like virus that has killed more than 1,300 people, almost all of them in China.The ship is operated by a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Iowa Democratic Party chair resigns after chaotic vote count

Iowa Democratic Party chair Troy Price resigned on Wednesday after the failure of a vote-counting app and a backup phone system caused several days of delay in determining the results of the state's influential presidential nominating caucuses."Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night," Price said in a statement distributed by the party.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Trump issues conditional OK for peace deal with Taliban

President Donald Trump has announced a conditional decision for a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, Fox Business Network reported on Wednesday, after sources told Reuters an agreement could be signed this month.Reuters was not immediately able to verify the Fox Business report.