jerusalempost--2020-01-11--'Traumatized' Puerto Ricans rocked by another strong quake

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake cracked walls and brought down power lines in Puerto Rico on Friday as the Caribbean island @ @ @ @ @ quake in over a century on Tuesday .
The latest quake took place at 6:26 @ @ @ @ @ ) , with its epicenter around 4 km ( 2.5 miles ) south of Indios @ @ @ @ @ the US Geological Service reported .
The temblor was felt in the capital San Juan @ @ @ @ @ closed a road bridge near Caguas that was in danger of collapsing after cracks appeared @

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake cracked walls and brought down power lines in Puerto Rico on Friday as the Caribbean island was recovering from its worst quake in over a century on Tuesday.
The latest quake took place at 6:26 p.m. (5:26 p.m. EST), with its epicenter around 4 km (2.5 miles) south of Indios on the southern coast, the US Geological Service reported.
The temblor was felt in the capital San Juan and to the west authorities closed a road bridge near Caguas that was in danger of collapsing after cracks appeared.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Canada warns Iran world is watching

Canada warns Iran world is watching

The Canadian government , under pressure at home to be tougher on Iran over intelligence reports it shot down a @ @ @ @ @ reiterated calls for a full probe into the disaster and warned Tehran that `` the @ @ @ @ @ Friends and families of some of the Canadians killed when a Ukrainian airliner crashed outside @ @ @ @ @ Justin Trudeau take a harder stance after accusing Iran of downing the plane , albeit @ @ @ @ @ denies the charge .
`` Time will tell and the world is watching , '' @ @ @ @ @ when asked whether Iran was conducting its probe into what happened in good faith .
@ @ @ @ @ what the international community is looking for now , '' he told a news conference @

The Canadian government, under pressure at home to be tougher on Iran over intelligence reports it shot down a passenger jet, on Friday reiterated calls for a full probe into the disaster and warned Tehran that "the world is watching."
Friends and families of some of the Canadians killed when a Ukrainian airliner crashed outside Tehran are demanding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take a harder stance after accusing Iran of downing the plane, albeit probably by mistake. Iran denies the charge.
"Time will tell and the world is watching," said Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne when asked whether Iran was conducting its probe into what happened in good faith.
"I think transparency is what the international community is looking for now," he told a news conference.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Sultan of Oman dies, aged 79-years-old

Sultan of Oman dies, aged 79-years-old

The Sultan of Oman , Qaboos bin Said al-Said , passed away early on Saturday , Oman state TV and @ @ @ @ @ account said.He was 79 years old at the time of his death , at the @ @ @ @ @ is unknown who will be appointed as the next Sultan .

The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al-Said, passed away early on Saturday, Oman state TV and the state news agency Twitter account said.He was 79 years old at the time of his death, at the time of this report it is unknown who will be appointed as the next Sultan.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Libyan forces loyal to Haftar announce conditional ceasefire

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Libyan eastern forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar announced on Saturday a ceasefire in the western region, which includes the capital Tripoli, starting 00:01 a.m. on Sunday (22:01 GMT) conditioned on acceptance by their rivals, a spokesman said.Since April, Libyan National Army forces loyal to Haftar have been waging a campaign to take Tripoli, where they are battling forces aligned with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).The LNA on Thursday rebuffed a call by Turkey and Russia for the warring parties to declare a ceasefire amid clashes and air strikes in a conflict drawing increasing foreign involvement and concern.However, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said in a video statement late on Saturday that LNA accepted a truce in the west "provided that the other party abides by the ceasefire."He warned that "any breach will be met with a harsh response."The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) welcomed the truce and urged the warring parties "to strictly abide by the ceasefire and make a room for peaceful efforts to address all disputes through a Libyan-Libyan dialog."


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Australian firefighter dies battling blazes, raising death toll to 28

A firefighter died while on duty on Saturday in Australia's state of Victoria, raising the toll from this season's devastating bushfires to 28 deaths as the government deploys mental health services to aid those in affected areas."It is with great sadness that we confirm that a ... firefighter from Parks Victoria has been involved in an incident while working on a fire in the Omeo area resulting in a fatality," Forest Fire Management Victoria Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman said in a statement.Since October, thousands of Australians have been subjected to repeat evacuations as huge and unpredictable fires scorched more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres), an area roughly the size of South Korea.Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has been heavily criticised by the opposition and environmental groups for his handling of the bushfires and his stance on climate change, was set to address the crisis on Sunday morning on ABC News television.Meanwhile, his office released a statement saying that more mental health services will be provided for those affected by the fires."We need to ensure the trauma and mental health needs of our people are supported in a way like we never have before," Morrison was cited as saying.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--UK foreign sec. denounces arrest of envoy in Tehran as violation of law

Britain's Foreign Office confirmed on Saturday that the country's ambassador in Tehran was briefly detained by Iranian authorities, denouncing the arrest as a "flagrant violation of international law."Earlier, the Tehran-based Tasnim news agency reported that British envoy Rob Macaire was arrested for several hours in front of Amir Kabir University for inciting anti-government protesters."The arrest of our Ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement."The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards," Raab said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--UK envoy to Tehran arrested for inciting anti-government protesters

A British envoy to Tehran was arrested for several hours in front of Amir Kabir University for inciting anti-government protesters, the Tehran-based Tasnim news agency said on Saturday.Iran has witnessed anti-government protests, as protesters in Tehran on Saturday chanted slogans against the nation's top authorities, after the powerful Revolutionary Guards admitted shooting down a passenger plane, killing all 176 aboard.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--El Al plane makes emergency landing after 'mayday' on flight from Newark

Seen it heading to YHZ from my doorstep .
pic.twitter.com/SaKTSB8cLP

An El Al flight on its way to Israel from Newark Airport early Friday morning (Israel time) made an emergency landing in Halifax after the aircraft was reported filled up with smoke, according to flight trackers.Flight trackers said that the plane landed safely.The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-258 (ER) that has a capacity of 279 passengers. It was scheduled to depart at 8 p.m. local time from Newark, one of the airports serving the greater New York area. It took off on time and was scheduled to arrive in Israel at 1:20 p.m. Israel time, roughly three hours before the beginning on Shabbat.Shortly after its departure, the aircraft was reportedly filled with smoke, compelling the crew to ask for an emergency landing in Canada. As per standard procedure in such cases, the plane dumped some fuel to reduce its weight before landing.
Seen it heading to YHZ from my doorstep. pic.twitter.com/SaKTSB8cLP — Karly B (@karliaa_b) January 10, 2020
The flight is a popular route among Israelis and Americans making their way to Israel before Shabbat.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Truth about Iran crash could not be hidden, says Ukraine's Zelenskiy

KIEV - The findings by Ukrainian experts in Iran meant that the truth about the crash of a Ukrainian passenger @ @ @ @ @ , President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a televised address on Saturday .
He also said @ @ @ @ @ President Hassan Rouhani on the beginning of joint work on decoding the black boxes of @ @ @ @ @ shot down this week .
He also urged Ukraine 's international partners to be united @ @ @ @ @ was complete .
Iran said on Saturday its military had shot down a Ukrainian plane @ @ @ @ @ a `` disastrous mistake , '' saying air defenses were fired in error while on @ @ @ @ @ on U.S. targets in Iraq .

KIEV - The findings by Ukrainian experts in Iran meant that the truth about the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane could not be concealed, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a televised address on Saturday.
He also said he had agreed with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the beginning of joint work on decoding the black boxes of the Ukrainian plane that was shot down this week. He also urged Ukraine's international partners to be united and persistent until the investigation was complete.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Rouhani speaks to Trudeau, promises further investigation into crash

DUBAI - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani , during a telephone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ downing of an Ukrainian passenger plane , state news agency IRNA reported .
`` Iran @ @ @ @ @ the framework of international regulations to shed more light on the incident , '' Rouhani @ @ @ @ @ into the crash that Tehran said was caused by its air defenses `` unintentionally .
@

DUBAI - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, during a telephone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, promised further investigation into the downing of an Ukrainian passenger plane, state news agency IRNA reported.
"Iran welcomes any international cooperation in the framework of international regulations to shed more light on the incident," Rouhani said, promising further investigation into the crash that Tehran said was caused by its air defenses "unintentionally."


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--British PM Johnson hails "momentous" restoration of N.Ireland institutions

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday praised Northern Ireland 's political parties for reaching a `` fair @ @ @ @ @ three years of deadlock and said the restoration of the region 's executive would improve @ @ @ @ @ a momentous day , '' Johnson said in a statement after Northern Ireland 's elected @ @ @ @ @ swore in a First Minister and Deputy First Minister .
`` As we begin a @ @ @ @ @ now look forward to a brighter future for all in Northern Ireland with an Executive @ @ @ @ @ and improve people ’ s lives , '' he said .

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday praised Northern Ireland's political parties for reaching a "fair and balanced deal" after three years of deadlock and said the restoration of the region's executive would improve lives.
"This is a momentous day," Johnson said in a statement after Northern Ireland's elected Assembly returned to work and swore in a First Minister and Deputy First Minister.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Two US service members killed in Afghanistan - NATO

KANDAHAR - Two U.S. service members were killed and two others wounded when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in @ @ @ @ @ Kandahar , the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission said in a statement on Saturday .
The @ @ @ @ @ when their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in an attack which was claimed @ @ @ @ @ a winter lull in fighting due to heavy snowfall in the mountains , where the @ @ @ @ @ regroup ahead of their annual spring offensive , roadside bombs continue to hit Afghan forces @ @ @ @ @ A senior Afghan military official in Kandahar said the incident took place in the district @ @ @

KANDAHAR - Two U.S. service members were killed and two others wounded when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar, the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission said in a statement on Saturday.
The service members were conducting operations when their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in an attack which was claimed by the Taliban.
Despite a winter lull in fighting due to heavy snowfall in the mountains, where the Islamist Taliban typically rest and regroup ahead of their annual spring offensive, roadside bombs continue to hit Afghan forces and their foreign allies.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--US official calls Iran jet downing 'reckless'

WASHINGTON - Iran 's downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet , killing all 176 people aboard , `` was a @ @ @ @ @ senior Trump administration official said on Saturday , after Tehran admitted mistakenly shooting down the @ @ @ @ @ Iran made an awful mistake , '' said the official , who spoke on condition @ @ @ @ @ 's reckless actions have again had devastating consequences . ''

WASHINGTON - Iran's downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people aboard, "was a terrible tragedy," a senior Trump administration official said on Saturday, after Tehran admitted mistakenly shooting down the aircraft.
"Ultimately, Iran made an awful mistake," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Iran's reckless actions have again had devastating consequences."


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--US, China agree to have semi-annual talks aimed at resolving disputes

The United States and China have agreed to having semi-annual talks aimed at pushing for reforms in both countries and @ @ @ @ @ Street Journal reported on Saturday .
The negotiations will be announced on Jan. 15 as @ @ @ @ @ a Phase 1 trade deal between the U.S. and China , but will be separate @ @ @ @ @ , the Journal reported , adding the effort will be lead by U.S. Treasury Secretary @ @ @ @ @ Premier Liu He .
The two sides , undergoing a trade war for well over @ @ @ @ @ naming the process as the 'Comprehensive Economic Dialogue ' , according to the report .

The United States and China have agreed to having semi-annual talks aimed at pushing for reforms in both countries and resolving disputes, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
The negotiations will be announced on Jan. 15 as part of the signing of a Phase 1 trade deal between the U.S. and China, but will be separate from any second-phase trade negotiations, the Journal reported, adding the effort will be lead by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Earthquake of magnitude 6 strikes 14 kms south of Puerto Rico

An earthquake of magnitude 6 has struck 14 kilometers south-east of Guanica, Puerto Rico, the US Geological Survey said on Saturday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--Ukraine, France leaders agree French specialists to decode black boxes

KIEV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Saturday that French specialists would help decode the black boxes of the Ukrainian plane that crashed in Iran, Zelenskiy's office said.Macron told Zelenskiy in a telephone call that France had started a formal procedure to launch an international investigation into the crash, Zelenskiy's office said in a statement, adding that Macron had agreed to visit Kiev.


jerusalempost--2020-01-11--British royal Meghan Markel signed deal with Disney - Times report

LONDON - Meghan, the wife of Britain's Prince Harry, has agreed to record a voiceover for Disney in return for the company making a donation to a charity that works to protect elephants, the London-based Times reported on Saturday.Meghan and Harry blindsided the royal family on Wednesday by unexpectedly announcing they would be stepping back from their roles to spend more time in North America, and "work to become financially independent."The Times gave no details about what Meghan's voiceover would involve, but said Disney would make a donation to the charity Elephants Without Borders in return. The newspaper did not say where the information had come from.A spokeswoman for Meghan, whose official title is the Duchess of Sussex, had no immediate comment on the report.Reuters was not immediately able to contact Disney.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--MK Yisrael Eichler sent to emergency room for tests

United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler was sent to the emergency room instructed by the Knesset medical staff, according to a press release.The MK was sent to the ER after routine cardiac tests have raised concerns about an unusual finding.Eichler is currently undergoing extensive testing by the screening team and cardiology experts and is said to be in a good and stable condition.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Iranians come out for a second day of anti-regime protests

The posts on Twitter could not immediately be verified by Reuters .
But state-affiliated media had reported protests on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ military said it had brought down the Ukrainian plane on Wednesday and apologized .
`` @ @ @ @ @ enemy is America , our enemy is right here , '' protesters who had gathered @ @ @ @ @ university in Tehran chanted .
They also gathered in other cities .

Scores of protesters gathered for a second day in Iran on Sunday chanting slogans against the authorities following the military's admission it had shot down a passenger plane in error after days denying it was to blame, social media posts showed.
The posts on Twitter could not immediately be verified by Reuters. But state-affiliated media had reported protests on Saturday night shortly after the Iranian military said it had brought down the Ukrainian plane on Wednesday and apologized.
"They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here," protesters who had gathered in the street outside a university in Tehran chanted. They also gathered in other cities.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--IDF: Sirens that sounded were not caused by rockets

Rocket sirens sounded in the Gaza border communities, in the region of Nahal Oz. The IDF released a statement saying that the sirens were not caused by rockets.Residents of the Gaza border communities told TPS that there are fighter jets circling above.This is a developing story.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Fighting resumes in Libya, both sides accuse the other of ceasefire break

The Turkish and Russian presidents had called for the ceasefire to start on Sunday , more than nine months into an offensive on Tripoli by the eastern-based Libyan National Army ( LNA ) led by Khalifa Haftar .
Both the LNA and the Tripoli-based , internationally recognized Government of National Accord ( GNA ) had said they conditionally agreed to the truce .
But the GNA said in a statement that it had recorded gunfire in the Salaheddin and Wadi Rabea areas `` minutes '' after the ceasefire was meant to start at 0001 a.m. on Sunday ( Saturday 2201 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning exchanges of fire could be heard in Salaheddin and Ain Zara districts .
Any attempt to impose a lasting ceasefire will be hard to enforce because of the splintered nature of Libya 's military coalitions , with disparate factions and foreign fighters deployed on both sides .
Both sides refer to each other as militias .
`` The ( GNA ) militias violated the truce on more than one battlefront , with all types of weapons , '' said LNA commander Al-Mabrouk Al-Gazawi , adding that forces were waiting for further instruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement it had recorded violations by `` the aggressor 's militias '' but that it `` renews its commitment to the ceasefire , and emphasizes the need for commitment from the patrons of this ceasefire and the United Nations mission in Libya in applying it optimally . ''
Turkey 's defense ministry said it had observed that all sides were trying to abide by the ceasefire , and that the situation was calm except for `` one or two separate incidents . ''
The ceasefire call came after a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LNA 's advance into Sirte , a strategically important city midway along Libya 's coastline .
It also came as the United Nations and European powers pushed for a summit in Berlin aimed at winding down foreign involvement and resuming a peace process upended by Haftar 's advance .

Both of Libya's warring factions accused each other of violating a ceasefire proposed by Turkey and Russia, as fighting continued around the capital, Tripoli, on Sunday.
The Turkish and Russian presidents had called for the ceasefire to start on Sunday, more than nine months into an offensive on Tripoli by the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar.
Both the LNA and the Tripoli-based, internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) had said they conditionally agreed to the truce.
But the GNA said in a statement that it had recorded gunfire in the Salaheddin and Wadi Rabea areas "minutes" after the ceasefire was meant to start at 0001 a.m. on Sunday (Saturday 2201 GMT).
From early on Sunday morning exchanges of fire could be heard in Salaheddin and Ain Zara districts.
Any attempt to impose a lasting ceasefire will be hard to enforce because of the splintered nature of Libya's military coalitions, with disparate factions and foreign fighters deployed on both sides. Both sides refer to each other as militias.
"The (GNA) militias violated the truce on more than one battlefront, with all types of weapons," said LNA commander Al-Mabrouk Al-Gazawi, adding that forces were waiting for further instruction from LNA general command.
The GNA said in a statement it had recorded violations by "the aggressor's militias" but that it "renews its commitment to the ceasefire, and emphasizes the need for commitment from the patrons of this ceasefire and the United Nations mission in Libya in applying it optimally."
Turkey's defense ministry said it had observed that all sides were trying to abide by the ceasefire, and that the situation was calm except for "one or two separate incidents."
The ceasefire call came after a recent escalation of fighting around Tripoli, and the LNA's advance into Sirte, a strategically important city midway along Libya's coastline.
It also came as the United Nations and European powers pushed for a summit in Berlin aimed at winding down foreign involvement and resuming a peace process upended by Haftar's advance.
The LNA has received backing from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and Russia, while Turkey backs the GNA and voted this month to allow a troop deployment to the North African country.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Rafi Peretz, Bezalel Smotrich spoke on union, will meet later today

Education Minister and Bayit Yehudi head Rafi Peretz spoke with National Union leader Bezalel Smotrich over the phone last night to try and reach an agreement on a union between their parties.No conclusion was made as of yet. The two plan on meeting for further negotiations on Sunday afternoon.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Likud files petition against A-G, says he has a conflict of interests

The Likud party and MK Miki Zohar in particular filed an urgent petition against Attorney-General Avichay Mandelblit.They complained that he is in a position of a serious conflict of interests.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Avigdor Liberman: NYT report based on Israeli sources

Israeli intelligence was instrumental in the successful US assassination of the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Maj.-Gen. Qasem Soleimani , NBC News reported on Sunday.Soleimani wielded immense power and influence in his position and was crucial as the architect who spread and maintained Iran’s influence in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere in the region through acts of terrorism.After flying to Iraq from Damascus on a Cham Wings Airbus A320, he and his security entourage were killed by four US hellfire missiles targeting their two vehicles as they were leaving Baghdad International Airport on January 3. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , an important leader of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, was also killed.According to NBC and Reuters, informants in Damascus were able to tip off the CIA about exactly which plane Soleimani would be on, which Israeli intelligence confirmed and verified.Reuters was told by Iraqi investigators that the US had inside help from two security staffers at the Baghdad airport and two Cham Wings employees - “a spy at the Damascus airport and another one working on board the airplane,” the source said. Iraqi national security agency’s investigators believe the four suspects, who have not been arrested, worked as part of a wider group of people feeding information to the US military, the official said.According to The New York Times, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was likely the only US ally in the know regarding the assassination, having spoken to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo beforehand.Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman said the Times report was based on Israeli sources, which he noted was poor judgment.“We need to distance ourselves from it,” he said in a radio interview Sunday. “Ambiguity and silence are the best thing for us.”Liberman is a former defense minister and said he has a lot of experience in working with publications like the Times.“They usually rely on Israeli sources,” he said. “I suggest you check who they are.” Despite his comments, in 2017, Liberman himself essentially confirmed Israeli involvement in helping the US thwart a planned ISIS attack while speaking at an Israel Bar Association event. This was at a time when Israeli officials were mostly mum about the story splashed across the media’s frontpages across the world.The assassination of Soleimani resulted in inflaming the tensions between the US and the Islamic Republic, with a massive debate about whether it finally sent a message of deterrence to Iran or whether it will eventually destabilize the region.At the end of last week, Iran responded with missile strikes on US bases in Iraq. These strikes failed to kill any US troops, however, and Trump declared the crisis over.According to an Iranian television interview in early October, Israel and the West had recently attempted to assassinate Soleimani but failed.Hossein Ta’eb, the IRGC’s head of intelligence, said three suspects in the alleged plot were arrested, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported.Ta’eb said the assassins had worked on their plan for a number of years. It involved blowing up Soleimani at a memorial service during the Muslim month of Muharram, which began in early September, in order to “trigger a religious war inside Iran.”“Frustrated by their failure to upset security in Iran or to harm the IRGC military bases, the enemies had hatched an extensive plot to hit Maj.-Gen. Soleimani in his home province of Kerman,” Ta’eb was quoted as saying.The team planned to buy a house near a congregation hall where Shi’ite memorial prayers are held, according to Ta’eb. The hall was built in the southern Iranian province of Kerman in honor of Soleimani’s father, who died in 2017. The team reportedly planned to tunnel under the building and detonate a 500 kg. bomb during the mourning period of Fatimiyya, which commemorates the martyrdom of Fatimah al-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and wife of the Caliph Ali, “as soon as Maj.-Gen. Soleimani went to the mourning ceremony like every year.”Ta’eb stated that the IRGC had been watching the team, which had been planning the attack for several years, before it entered the Islamic Republic.If true, this would mean the January 3 strike was part of an extended campaign to take Soleimani out by Israel and the West.Anna Ahronheim and Reuters contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Labor to decide today whether to run with Meretz in elections

The Labor Party will meet today to decide whether the party will run on a joint list with the Meretz Party, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv reported.On Saturday night, MK Itzik Shmuly expressed his support for the joint ballot."There is a fateful decision here for both the party and the state. We need to make the right decision" he said."This is not a Catholic marriage, but is only temporary for the election, after which it can be split."Democratic Union MK Stav Shaffir took to Twitter agreeing with Shmuly."Itzik is right," she said. "Our generation will not forgive us if it's possible for ego and a little politics to crush the union and keep us away from victory over the darkest government."These are indeed decisive days, and we need to be together. All of us."


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Smotrich and Peretz to meet today for unity negotiations

Bayit Yehudi leader Rabbi Rafi Peretz and National Union leader Bezalel Smotrich have agreed to meet Sunday morning at the cabinet meeting to continue their unity negotiations, Ynet reported.The meeting comes after a conversation over the phone Saturday night over uniting their parties. However, the two failed to reach a breakthrough over the phone.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--18,000 students in unrecognized villages in South to not attend school

Approximately 18,000 students from the unrecognized villages near the Al-Qasum Regional Council in the South will not attend school today due to a controversy with the Education Ministry, Ynet reported.According to the report, the controversy is over the budget and lack of resources necessary for the operation of schools in the villages.Studies were also canceled at the beginning of the school year, with the council having demanded the ministry provide budgets and resources.The ministry agreed to transfer the necessary budget in September, but the villagers claim that this has yet to happen.A hearing will be held today at the Beersheba District court at 11 a.m. for the villagers' petition against the ministry.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Elazar Stern slams Rafi Peretz over homophobic comments

Blue and White MK Elazar Stern slammed Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz's comments against the LGBTQ community on Sunday, according to The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv."I have known Rabbi Perwetz for many years. He's really a good person," Stern said, but added that "A good person doesn't offend people and entire families. At the Beit Midrash we studied at together, we were taught to love every person created in the image [of God]."Something very bad has happened to his Judaism and politics."


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Moshe Kahlon to retire from politics - report

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon is expected to announce his retirement from politics on Monday, Ynet reported.Though he has continued to serve as finance minister, Kahlon has kept a lower profile since the April 2019 elections.The move comes five years following his return to politics with his new political party, Kulanu.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Australian PM proposes high-powered inquiry into bushfires response

After weeks of criticism over the handling of the bushfires scorching Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday he will propose a national review into the response to the disaster, as the fires claimed another firefighter's life.With the Australian bush burning for nearly three months now, killing 28 people, claiming 2,000 homes and raging across millions of acres of land and wildlife, the crisis is becoming increasingly political.Morrison said he would propose a powerful judicial inquiry, known as the Royal Commission, into the handling of the fires."There is obviously a need for a national review of the response," Morrison said in an interview with ABC television.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Trump says he "couldn't care less" if Iran agrees to negotiate

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Sunday he does not care if Iran agrees to negotiate with the United States after a senior adviser earlier suggested the Islamic Republic would have no choice but to agree to talks.
National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told "Fox News Sunday" the Trump administration's "maximum pressure campaign" was working, adding "Iran is being choked off, and Iran is going to have no other choice but to come to the table."
In a Twitter post later on Sunday, Trump cited O'Brien's interview and wrote: "Actually, I couldn't care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them but, no nuclear weapons and 'don't kill your protesters.'" A spokesman for O'Brien did not immediately comment.
Former deputy director-general for safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency Olli Heinonen told The Jerusalem Post last week that Iran may be able to develop a nuclear weapon within two months from the end of January.
In an interview to Fox News Friday, Trump said his Middle East policy focused on preventing Iran from developing nuclear capabilities.
“I don’t want people having nuclear weapons because they’ll use them. I don’t want people having nuclear weapons. That’s my biggest thing," he said. " You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--US Secretary Mike Pompeo discusses ISIS and Iran with French counterpart

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that he discussed with his French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian about the importance of US and EU cooperation regarding Iran and fighting ISIS.“French Minister @JY_LeDrian and I just discussed the importance of continued US and European efforts to combat ISIS in Iraq as well as our cooperation to counter Iran’s malign activities,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--IDF arrests 3 Gazans after second infiltration attempt in a day

The three suspects were carrying a knife , while the suspect arrested earlier was unarmed .
All four have been @ @ @ @ @

The three suspects were carrying a knife, while the suspect arrested earlier was unarmed. All four have been transferred for further questioning.
The IDF arrested three suspects after they infiltrated from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel on Sunday night, just hours after an additional suspect was arrested attempting to infiltrate into Israel.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Iran issues more visas to Canada team investigating plane crash

OTTAWA - Iran has issued eight more visas to a team of Canadian officials in the wake of a fatal plane crash near Tehran and most members of the group should be in Tehran on Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Sunday.Champagne said on Twitter that three officials from the rapid deployment team had flown to Iran on Saturday to set up a base of operations and a further eight would travel on Monday. The last member will arrive in Ankara on Monday."We expect the (team) to be fully in place to do their important work by Jan 14," Champagne said.Canada says it wants to take part in the crash investigation and help the families of the 57 Canadians who died. The team includes consular officials and members of Canada's Transportation Safety Board.Ottawa does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, which says its forces shot down the plane by mistake.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke on Saturday to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Trudeau told reporters Rouhani had committed to collaborating with Canadian investigators.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Canada apologizes after training error sparks false nuclear alert

The Canadian province of Ontario on Sunday apologized for wrongly raising the alarm about an incident at a massive nuclear power station near Toronto and blamed a training exercise mistake.Angry local mayors demanded an inquiry, saying the emergency message about the aging Pickering plant had caused unnecessary distress.At around 7:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT) cell phone users across Ontario - the most populous of Canada's 10 provinces - received an alert about the supposed incident. Less than an hour later the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) authority said the message had been a mistake."The alert was issued in error to the public during a routine training exercise," Ontario's Solicitor-General Sylvia Jones said in a statement."The government of Ontario sincerely apologizes for raising public concern and has begun a full investigation to determine how this error happened."The initial message said there had been no abnormal leak of activity from the plant, which is located on the shores of Lake Ontario some 50 km (30 miles) east of downtown Toronto.Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan said on Twitter that locals had been very troubled and added: "I have spoken to the province, and am demanding that a full investigation take place."Toronto Mayor John Tory complained that many of the city's 3 million residents had been unnecessarily alarmed and also pushed for a probe, citing what he said were "far too many unanswered questions."Human error during a training exercise was also blamed for an incident in Hawaii in January 2018 when authorities issued a false alert about an impending ballistic missile attack.OPG was not immediately available for comment.The plant came online in 1971 and has a power-generating capacity of 3,100 megawatts when fully active. It is scheduled to be shut down in 2024."OPG has reminded everyone that they're running an unneeded and aging nuclear station next to Toronto," said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, a program director at Greenpeace Canada.Some social media users posted images from the hit cartoon series the Simpsons, which features a nuclear power plant plagued by safety violations.Cam Guthrie, the mayor of Guelph, a city west of Toronto, said "sending out a 'hey there was an issue at a nuclear plant but we're not going to tell you about it specifically and it's not a big deal' emergency text, is terrible."


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Two seriously injured in Nahariya shooting

Two men in their 30s were seriously injured during a shooting that took place in the northern city of Nahariya @ @ @ @ @ being investigated and the two men taken to hospital .

Two men in their 30s were seriously injured during a shooting that took place in the northern city of Nahariya on Sunday evening.The shooting is being investigated and the two men taken to hospital.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Britain, France and Germany urge Iran to stick to 2015 nuclear deal

PARIS - The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday called in a joint statement on Iran to return to full compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and refrain from further violence."We urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the agreement and return to full compliance," the leaders said in the statement issued by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron."We call on Iran to refrain from further violent action or proliferation; and we remain ready to engage with Iran on this agenda in order to preserve the stability of the region," they added.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Minister Erdan halts Police Commissioner appointment

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Sunday that he is halting the appointment of a new police commissioner as @ @ @ @ @ a new prison service chief until after the upcoming March elections .
Erdan informed interim @ @ @ @ @ interim Prison Service Chief Asher Vaknin of his decision .
He made it clear that @ @ @ @ @ two men are able to carry on with any needed action to fill their duties @ @ @ @ @ their respective organizations .

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Sunday that he is halting the appointment of a new police commissioner as well as the appointment of a new prison service chief until after the upcoming March elections.
Erdan informed interim Police Commissioner Motti Cohen and interim Prison Service Chief Asher Vaknin of his decision.
He made it clear that, legally speaking, the two men are able to carry on with any needed action to fill their duties, including appointing positions in their respective organizations.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--UK and Germany condemn arrest of Britain's Iran ambassador

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the arrest of Britain's ambassador to Tehran, a spokesman from Johnson's office said in a statement issued after the two leaders spoke on Sunday."On Iran, they discussed the tragic loss of life on the Ukraine International Airlines passenger jet. They condemned Iran's arrest of the UK Ambassador to Tehran as a violation of international law," the spokesman said."The leaders also discussed our shared interests in ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and reaffirmed their continued commitment to preserving the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal)."


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Iran security official: Tehran did not hide cause of Ukraine plane crash

DUBAI - A senior Iranian security official said on Sunday Iran had no intention to conceal the cause of the crash of a Ukrainian airliner which the Iranian military admitted it had mistakenly shot down, the state-run IRIB news agency reported."From the start, there was no intention to conceal the causes of the accident, especially since its nature and technical characteristics ... make it virtually impossible to conceal," the secretary of Iran’s top national security body, Ali Shamkhani, was quoted as saying by IRIB.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Nissenkorn: I will work to start immunity debate in 24 hours

Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn said on Sunday that he will use his powers as head of the Knesset @ @ @ @ @ begin debates on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s immunity request on Monday .
He @ @ @ @ @ be held in “ an effective and fair way .
”

Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn said on Sunday that he will use his powers as head of the Knesset’s Arranging Committee to begin debates on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s immunity request on Monday.
He said that the discussions will be held in “an effective and fair way.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Labor poll finds uniting with Meretz won't help

Labor leader Amir Peretz and Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz reached an agreement early Monday regarding their two parties running on one list in the March 2 election.The two parties will use the ballot that Labor and its forerunners have used for decades, with the Hebrew letters alef, mem and tav, which spell “truth.” The joint list will be known as Labor-Gesher-Meretz, taking into account Labor’s prior agreement with the socioeconomic Gesher party of MK Orly Levy-Abekasis.In a joint statement at Tel Aviv’s Beit Sokolow, Peretz said the agreement would ensure that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not obtain a majority in the next Knesset for right-wing policies or for immunity from prosecution.“Only if Labor-Gesher-Meretz is strong will the Netanyahu government be replaced,” he said at the event. “We will navigate the next government to be a government of change and hope,” Peretz said.Speaking to a crowd of Labor activists in red and Meretz activists in green, Horowitz said voters need to know that if they want a right-wing party, they could cast ballots for Likud or Blue and White, but if they want a centrist or left-wing party, Labor-Gesher-Meretz was their only choice.“The merger is good news for those who want peace and social justice and bad news for Netanyahu and his quest for immunity,” he said. “This is a historic moment for the Zionist Left. There is a real chance for a political and ideological upheaval.”The agreement was reached in marathon talks overnight at Peretz’s home in Sderot. Horowitz and the negotiating teams of both Labor and Meretz attended.Peretz will head the list and be followed by Levy-Abekasis, Horowitz, Meretz faction head Tamar Zandberg, Labor faction head Itzik Shmuli, Labor MK Merav Michaeli and Democratic Union MK Yair Golan.Former Meretz MK Esawi Frej, who is set to be No. 11 on the list, called on Meretz to approve the deal with Labor but reject a deal that Meretz reached with Golan, saying there are enough generals in politics but not enough Jewish-Arab partnerships.Current Democratic Union and former Labor MK Stav Shaffir remains out of the deal after rejecting Frej’s No. 5 slot on the Meretz list that would have been No. 11 on the joint list.She criticized the deal and said her Green Party would decide whether to run on its own by Wednesday’s deadline.Shaffir said the deal was reached out of “revenge” against her by both parties and was an “attempted political assassination” against her.Peretz had been against joining forces with the party to Labor’s left until now. He instead sought a deal with Blue and White, which was rejected last week by its chairman, Benny Gantz. But a poll Labor sponsored indicating Meretz may not cross the 3.25% electoral threshold persuaded Peretz he had to take action.“We have no choice. We need to merge,” Peretz said in a meeting of his party’s executive committee.The poll Labor sponsored found that if Labor and Meretz run together, they will win 11 seats in the March election, just like they won in September when they ran separately.Levy-Abecassis, a former Yisrael Beytenu MK, strongly opposed running with Meretz. She said she changed her mind as a gesture to Peretz and because “someone had to behave like a responsible adult.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Netanyahu visits grieving Nahariya family: Your son was a great hero

Ben Shabat died in a flood while attempting to save a family in Nahariya .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , @ @ @ @ @ Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Minister of Construction Yifat Shasha Biton visited the grieving family @ @ @ @ @ Ben Shabat on Sunday.Ben Shabat died in a flood while attempting to save a family @ @ @ @ @ was trapped in their car and sinking in the water , Ben Shabat jumped in @ @ @ @ @ was swept by the waves and drowned , the family was later saved by others @ @ @ @ @ family talk of Ben Shabat and told the family that “ he was a great @ @ @ @ @ in your heart always .
”

Ben Shabat died in a flood while attempting to save a family in Nahariya. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Minister of Construction Yifat Shasha Biton visited the grieving family of Nahariya local hero Motti Ben Shabat on Sunday.Ben Shabat died in a flood while attempting to save a family in Nahariya.
The family was trapped in their car and sinking in the water, Ben Shabat jumped in to help them, but was swept by the waves and drowned, the family was later saved by others.
Netanyahu listened to the family talk of Ben Shabat and told the family that “he was a great hero and he will live in your heart always.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--After the storm: Khalon opens new help center

Due to the unusual storms and rainfall that struck the country in recent weeks , Finance Minister Moshe Khalon and @ @ @ @ @ Authority Moshe Barkat decided on Sunday to open a special call center to provide Israelis @ @ @ @ @ to the storm advice on how to deal with their insurance companies , a press @ @ @ @ @ center serves both individuals and business owners and can be reached at *3002 ex 1 @ @ @ @ @

Due to the unusual storms and rainfall that struck the country in recent weeks, Finance Minister Moshe Khalon and head of the Capital Market Authority Moshe Barkat decided on Sunday to open a special call center to provide Israelis who suffered property damages due to the storm advice on how to deal with their insurance companies, a press release reported.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Iran summons UK envoy over his attendance at 'illegal' rally

DUBAI - Iran summoned the UK envoy on Sunday to complain about his attendance at an "illegal" rally in Tehran to commemorate those killed in a Ukrainian airliner mistakingly downed by the country's military forces, Iranian Foreign Ministry's website reported."Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behavior of attending an illegal rally on Saturday," the report said.Britain said earlier that its ambassador in Iran had been briefly detained on Saturday, which Iranian media said was because he was inciting anti-government protests.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Likud: Prevent Yinon from ruling due to conflict of interests

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party filed a petition on Sunday afternoon to prevent the publication of Knesset legal advisor Eyal Yinons' ruling on whether Knesset speaker Yuli Edelestein can prevent the beginning of immunity proceedings against Netanyahu.The petition requests Yinon's ruling be prevented because of an earlier appeal against him alleging a conflict of interests.Yinon is married to Anat Memari who participated in the state prosecution's ruling on Netanyahu's cases."[Yinon]'s lack of restraint increases concern about conflict of interest and harms the public's trust in the Knesset and its legal procedures," a Likud spokesperson said on Sunday.Yinon was meant to make his decision public on Sunday at 4 p.m. Edelstein was to react at 5 p.m.


jerusalempost--2020-01-12--Qatar emir in Iran, calls for regional de-escalation at 'sensitive' time

DUBAI - Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said during a visit to Iran on Sunday that de-escalation and dialog were needed to resolve regional crises at a "sensitive" time.He was speaking in a televised news conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during a visit to Tehran at a time of heightened U.S.-Iranian tensions that threaten to destabilize the region.Sheik Tamim also thanked Iran, with which his country shares a giant gas field, for supporting Doha by providing air and land routes after Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a trade and transport boycott on Qatar in mid-2017.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--EU welcomes Libya ceasefire, says UN must lead reconciliation

`` A ceasefire , yes it is a first step in the right direction , but what you need is @ @ @ @ @ for reconstruction and a government of unity .
There is a long way to go @ @ @ @ @ a U.N.-led process , '' she told reporters after a meeting with Luxembourg Prime Minister @ @ @

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed on Monday a ceasefire in Libya initiated by Turkey and Russia, but cautioned that the United Nations must lead the process of rebuilding the country.
"A ceasefire, yes it is a first step in the right direction, but what you need is a process for consolidation, for reconstruction and a government of unity. There is a long way to go. This has to be a U.N.-led process," she told reporters after a meeting with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.
"This is of utmost importance."


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--UK princes William and Harry denounce "offensive" newspaper report

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Britain's Prince William and his younger brother Harry publicly denounced an "offensive" newspaper report about their relationship on Monday, as the royals met for crunch talks to discuss the future roles of Harry and his American wife Meghan.The Times, citing an unnamed source, reported that Harry and Meghan had been pushed away by "a bullying attitude" of William who had not been welcoming to Meghan."Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge," said the statement issued by the offices for William and Harry."For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful."


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--UK summons Iranian ambassador over envoy's arrest

Britain has summoned the Iranian ambassador to the country to convey its strong objections to the brief arrest of London's envoy to Tehran on Saturday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said."This was an unacceptable breach of the Vienna Convention and it needs to be investigated," the spokesman said on Monday. "We are seeking full assurances from the Iranian government that this will never happen again."The FCO has summoned the Iranian ambassador today to convey our strong objections."


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--UK PM: Britain will work to get full investigation into Iran plane crash

A spokesman for the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that Britain will work with Canada, Ukraine, and other international partners to get a full, transparent investigation into the Ukrainian passenger plane which was downed outside Tehran airport last week, Reuters has reported.The spokesman added that Johnson has called the arrest of the UK Ambassador to Iran at a protest on Saturday an unacceptable breach of the Vienna Convention, which needs to be investigated. "We are seeking assurances this will never happen again," he said.the Iranian Ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign Office on Monday, in order for British diplomats to register their objections.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--King of Jordan: I believe the 'Deal of the Century' will be released soon

Referring to the "Deal of the Century," King Abdullah of Jordan said he would try to look at it as a "glass half full," according to Channel 13."The White House will have to decide amongst themselves when they publish the plan - we will support anything that is good for the State of Israel," Blue and White leader Benny Gantz told Channel 13.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Iranians protest for third day after plane disaster

DUBAI - Iranian protesters gathered for a third day on Monday in the capital amid public anger over the military's admission that it had shot down a civilian airliner last week, videos from inside Iran posted on social media showed.It was not immediately possible to authenticate the video."They killed our elites and replaced them with clerics," scores of protesters chanted at a Tehran university after the downing of the plane carrying 176 people, some them Iranian students. There were no survivors.Video also showed dozens of police in riot gear in another area of Tehran.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Iran dismisses Trump's tweeted support for Iranians

LONDON - Iran's government spokesman dismissed on Monday tweets by US President Donald Trump voicing support for Iranians, saying the Iranian people would remember he killed a top general and was the reason many were facing economic challenges, state media said.Trump, who told Iran's authorities in tweets in Farsi and English not to kill protesters and praised the "great Iranian people," was shedding "crocodile tears" when voicing concern for Iranians, Ali Rabiei said.He said Britain's ambassador to Iran had acted in a way that was "completely unprofessional and unacceptable," after he was briefly detained near a protest. The envoy said he was arrested after attending a vigil and had left when it turned political.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Katz: Nasrallah's threats against Israel aren't helping him

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz tweeted that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's threats against Israel would not help his security situation in the long-run."Nasrallah has not stopped attacking Netanyahu or threatening Israel. As his distress grows, his eloquence increases. In the meantime, he is forced to go down another floor into the bunker in the face of warnings from his Iranian patrons about the possibility of his assassination. If he challenges Israel - that won't help him either."


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--MK Ilan Gilon: Zionism, socialism and fraternity are on the map again

Meretz MK Ilan Gilon congratulated his colleagues on Monday after it was announced that Labor and Meretz would run on a single ticket in the March 2 elections."Congratulations to my friends and partners - Nitzan [Horowitz], Amir [Peretz] and Orly [Levy-Abekasis]. For a long time, I have been pushing for this partnership that ignites the flame of hope for a just society and a state that wants peace. Zionism, socialism and fraternity are on the map again and are big. Come on, let's begin," said Gilon.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Tehran police chief denies shots fired at protesters - Iran state media

DUBAI - Police in the Iranian capital did not fire on protesters and officers have been under orders to show restraint, Tehran's police chief said in a statement carried by the state broadcaster's website on Monday.Videos posted on social media, posted late on Sunday, had recorded gunshots fired in the vicinity of protests and showed pools of blood. They also showed images of wounded people being carried by others. Reuters could not authenticate the footage."At protests, police absolutely did not shoot because the capital's police officers have been given orders to show restraint," said Hossein Rahimi, head of the Tehran police.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Three teachers killed in Kenya in a suspected militant attack

NAIROBI - Three teachers were killed in Kenya near the country's border with Somalia in a suspected attack by al Shabaab militants, a police report seen by Reuters said on Monday, in what would be the latest assault by the group since the new year.The militia also attacked a local police station and destroyed a telecommunications mast in the attack in the early hours of Monday in Garissa county, the report read.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Gunshots heard at Iran protests after plane disaster - social media posts

DUBAI - Videos on social media recorded gunshots fired in the vicinity of Iranian protests that were staged after Tehran admitted bringing down a passenger plane in error.It was not immediately possible to verify the footage posted late on Sunday and which also showed blood on the ground and images of people who appeared to be security personnel elsewhere in the area carrying rifles.Other posts showed police in riot gear hitting protesters with batons on the street, as people nearby shouted "Don't beat them!"


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Flight operations at Philippines' main airport partially resume

MANILA - Flight operations at the Philippines ' main international airport partially resumed on Monday , airport authorities said , @ @ @ @ @ from Sunday due to volcanic ash fall .
Partial operations resumed by 0200 GMT for @ @ @ @ @ arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport ( NAIA ) , they said .
In @ @ @ @ @ Department of Transportation , Manila International Airport Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines @ @ @ @ @ however , be subject to slot availability .
Departures would be prioritized to clear the @ @ @ @ @ there since Sunday night , they said .
The Taal volcano in Batangas province spewed @ @ @ @ @ Sunday that drifted across the nation 's capital Manila .

MANILA - Flight operations at the Philippines' main international airport partially resumed on Monday, airport authorities said, after the airport was closed from Sunday due to volcanic ash fall.
Partial operations resumed by 0200 GMT for departures and 0400 GMT for arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), they said.
In a joint statement, the Department of Transportation, Manila International Airport Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said flight arrivals would, however, be subject to slot availability.
Departures would be prioritized to clear the airport ramps of planes parked there since Sunday night, they said.
The Taal volcano in Batangas province spewed huge volumes of ash on Sunday that drifted across the nation's capital Manila.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Former Tiberias mayor: I support Blue and White now, no to Netanyahu

Former Tiberias mayor Ron Cobi said in an interview with 103FM on Tuesday that when he ran for the Knesset, “that was planned with [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and to help him.”Cobi also claimed he released viral videos slamming Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman after ensuring Netanyahu agreed.“Now I support [Blue and White leaders] Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid,” Cobi told the radio station. “We need a secular government without Netanyahu and without [Interior Minister] Arye Deri.”


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Egyptian Military: F-16 jet crashed, pilot killed

An Egyptian Air Force pilot went missing when his F-16 jet crashed during a training mission, Ynet reported on Tuesday.The case is being investigated and the reason for the crash is unknown at the moment.ISIS claimed responsibility, alleging it was able to shoot down the F-16 while it was flying over southern Rafah, near the Egyptian-Israeli border.They also claimed they were able to take the pilot captive and that he is not dead.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Rabbi indicted for leading sect, enslaving women named as Aharon Ramati

Aharon Ramati, 60, was named on Tuesday as the rabbi arrested one day earlier after a police raid in Jerusalem found roughly 50 women and children kept in near slavery-conditions in a residential facility, Maariv, the sister publication of The Jerusalem Post, reported.Ramati will be kept under arrest for a week, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court ruled.Police are investigating the possible abuse of children ranging from five to 11 years old in the sect.Nine women, including Ramati’s wife, were arrested under suspicion of aiding and abetting the alleged abuse. Sexual abuse is also under investigation. Police said more arrests would likely take place.According to Channel 12, Ramati was arrested after six of the women allegedly held by him escaped and filed a report with the Israeli Center for Cult Survivors in Ramat Gan.The girls who were recruited by the sect “were taught to disassociate themselves from their parents, their families and their friends,” the police said.To reinforce “multiple lessons of modesty,” the girls’ fingers were thrust into a fire “to make them understand what hell is.”Ramati disputed the allegations, saying “nobody believes this is true.”He denied holding children in the facility. “Minors in the house? Maybe they are my grandchildren who came over.”When asked whether they were held as slaves, he said: “Besides it being absurd, it is stupid.” His lawyer Gabi Trunshvili said: “The rabbi claims there had been a dispute between the women in the ‘seminary’ [the alleged sect ] and their family members,” according to Ynet.Ramati was previously arrested following complaints issued by the Israeli Center for Cult Survivors.Upon his release in 2015, he spoke to Channel 12’s (then Channel 2) Oded Ben-Ami, saying that “the vast majority of the girls go to work in the morning, and in the afternoon they take part in lessons for maybe three hours... When there were girls who did not like it in the house, I was cruel to them and forced them to try again and again and again.”Asked on Monday how he expected the case to proceed, Ramati answered, “Just like last time. When the police decide this thing is over.”Witnesses said they “would see girls sleeping on mattresses on the roof in the cold, sometimes in the rain. We tried to call them, but they did not answer.” They said a cover was later placed over the roof “so we would not see what was happening.”Hagay Hacohen contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Bar Refaeli gives birth to her first son

After two daughters, Bar Refaeli and her husband Adi Ezra welcomed their first son."A huge thank you to Dr. Ronit Coral for accompanying me throughout every birth, to the lovely midwife Bint Sasson and all of the Lis Maternity Hospital staff where today I gave birth for the third time," Refaeli told The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Ma'ariv.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Iran cleric says expelling UK envoy would be the best move

DUBAI - A prominent hardline Iranian cleric said expelling Britain's ambassador would be "the best thing that can happen to him" as otherwise loyal supporters of a slain general could "chop him to small pieces," the Eslahat news website reported on Tuesday.Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, leader of Friday prayers in the eastern Muslim Shi'ite holy city of Mashhad, was referring to commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike on Jan. 3.Britain's envoy was briefly detained on Saturday, a move London said was a violation of diplomatic conventions. The ambassador said he was attending a vigil for victims of a plane disaster. Iran accused him of attending an illegal protest.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Bennett, Smotrich agree to run together in upcoming elections

New Right Chairman , Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said after signing the agreement that `` it 's a big day .
We reunited the house . ''
He continued , saying , `` we have been led to great unity in the ideological right and religious Zionism - from conservatives to ultra-Orthodox , from a crocheted Yarmulke to the open dome of the sky , from Tel Aviv to ancient times .
I call on my friend Rabbi Rafi to join us immediately in one united party for the victory of the national camp . ''
New Right Chairwoman MK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union with the National Union .
Bezalel Smotrich is a partner and companion .
Joining with him unites all ideological streams of the religious-Zionist movement , and the ideologically secular right , and ensures the establishment of a stable and secure right-wing government .
I call on the Bayit Yehudi party to join us.
`` He added , `` to my delight , we have made a significant and significant step tonight , and with God 's help , we will complete the full union with the Bayit Yehudi party in the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister of Transportation Bezalel Smotrich said that `` in the last few weeks , we have been doing everything we can to responsibly make connections that will bring real change and hope to the religious and ideologically secular Zionist voters .
`` He added , `` to my delight , we have made a significant and significant step tonight , and with God 's help , we will complete the full union with the Bayit Yehudi party in the coming hours . ''
However , a few hours earlier , Smotrich sounded less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through , saying that `` just before the signing , and after the agreement was drafted , the Bayit Yehudi party withdrew their signature and asked to continue negotiations after their party center convened . ''
On Monday , Bennett and Shaked announced that the New Right will be running independently in the election , indicating something big must have changed since then for them to change their course of action so dramatically

New Right Chairman, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said after signing the agreement that "it's a big day. We reunited the house."
He continued, saying, "we have been led to great unity in the ideological right and religious Zionism - from conservatives to ultra-Orthodox, from a crocheted Yarmulke to the open dome of the sky, from Tel Aviv to ancient times. I call on my friend Rabbi Rafi to join us immediately in one united party for the victory of the national camp."
New Right Chairwoman MK Ayelet Shaked said "I welcome the union with the National Union. Bezalel Smotrich is a partner and companion. Joining with him unites all ideological streams of the religious-Zionist movement, and the ideologically secular right, and ensures the establishment of a stable and secure right-wing government. I call on the Bayit Yehudi party to join us. " He added, "to my delight, we have made a significant and significant step tonight, and with God's help, we will complete the full union with the Bayit Yehudi party in the coming hours." National Union Chairman, Minister of Transportation Bezalel Smotrich said that "in the last few weeks, we have been doing everything we can to responsibly make connections that will bring real change and hope to the religious and ideologically secular Zionist voters."He added, "to my delight, we have made a significant and significant step tonight, and with God's help, we will complete the full union with the Bayit Yehudi party in the coming hours."
However, a few hours earlier, Smotrich sounded less optimistic , after negotiations with Peretz fell through, saying that "just before the signing, and after the agreement was drafted, the Bayit Yehudi party withdrew their signature and asked to continue negotiations after their party center convened."
On Monday, Bennett and Shaked announced that the New Right will be running independently in the election, indicating something big must have changed since then for them to change their course of action so dramatically
New Right Co-Chairmen MK Naftali Bennett and MK Ayelet Shaked have agreed with National Union Chariman Bezalel Smotrich to run on a joint list in the upcoming March elections.Though negotiations between the National Union and the Bayit Yehudi parties fell through on Tuesday morning, the leaders of the new union issued a joint statement urging Bayit Yehudi Chairman Rafi Peretz to join them before the deadline to close the Knesset party lists.In effect, this union results in one similar to the Yamina party from the September elections, excluding Rafi Peretz and the Bayit Yehudi party, which in December announced will be running together with extremist far-right Otzma Yehudit party.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Aviation officials from Iran, Ukraine, Canada hold meeting over crash

DUBAI - Aviation officials from Iran, Ukraine and Canada held a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday over the investigation of the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran last week, Iranian state TV reported in an online post.No additional details were given on what was discussed about the crash, which killed all 176 people aboard.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Jordan's King Abdullah met with EU Council President for talks on Iran

Jordan's King Abdullah II met with EU Council President Charles Michel in Brussels on Tuesday morning to discuss Iran, Iraq, Syria, ISIS and the publication of US President Donald Trump's peace plan. King Abdullah will also address the European Parliament on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Shaffir to Horowitz: 'Glad you've united, It's a shame about the lies'

MK Stav Shaffir responded to Meretz Chairman Nitzan Horowitz 's statement wherein he said `` she received a very fair @ @ @ @ @ Meretz , which is Issawi 's place . ''
In a tweet on her Twitter @ @ @ @ @ `` Friends , I 'm glad you 've united , it 's a shame about @ @ @ @ @ given to me by Meretz were to stay in 2nd place , but to oust @ @ @ @ @ Union - I refused .
So now you give me an offer through the media @ @ @ @ @ MK on the list down ?
I 'm the one who suggested moving back so @ @ @ @ @ .
You refused .
Jewish-Arab Partnership - only until it comes to your Chair .
@

MK Stav Shaffir responded to Meretz Chairman Nitzan Horowitz's statement wherein he said "she received a very fair offer, fifth place in Meretz, which is Issawi's place."
In a tweet on her Twitter account, Shaffir wrote: "Friends, I'm glad you've united, it's a shame about the lies. The offers given to me by Meretz were to stay in 2nd place, but to oust Golan and dismantle the Democratic Union - I refused. So now you give me an offer through the media to move the only Arab MK on the list down? I'm the one who suggested moving back so Issawi would be number 2. You refused. Jewish-Arab Partnership - only until it comes to your Chair."


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Turkey says will stop Syrian government violations of Idlib ceasefire

ANKARA - Turkey is determined to stop Syrian government violations of a ceasefire in northwest Syria's Idlib to prevent 400,000 people fleeing towards the Turkish border, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.Erdogan was speaking to his AK Party in parliament. Russia and its allies halted air strikes in Idlib on Sunday as a ceasefire agreed with Turkey came into force.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Iran's judiciary says around 30 arrested over plane crash protests

DUBAI - Iran's judiciary has arrested around 30 protesters who took to the streets after authorities admitted that a Ukrainian plane that crashed outside Tehran was accidentally hit by an Iranian missile, a spokesman said on Tuesday."Around 30 people have been arrested for taking part in illegal gatherings ... We have tolerance towards legal rallies," said Gholamhossein Esmaili, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Senior official, 4 others arrested for bribery, fraud and breach of trust

An official at the Presidential residence was arrested on Tuesday morning for questioning, along with four additional people who are not employees of the president's house but are in work-supplier relationships, service providers etc, the Police Spokesperson's Unit stated.The official is reportedly the assistant to a high ranking public official at the President's office.The five were arrested on suspicion of involvement in bribery, fraud and breach of trust. It is suspected that the senior official at the Presidential residence acted to promote the interests of others in exchange for personal favors.The same senior official has already been questioned a few months ago for similar offenses, and the same investigation revealed details that led to the opening of the new investigation.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--One dead, several injured in car accident in northern Israel

A man died when his car crashed into a commercial vehicle near a construction site in northern Israel, according to Israel Police. His two children were in moderate condition and the driver of the commercial vehicle was in serious condition when they were transferred to Ziv Medical Center.Police officers have launched an investigation into the accident, but said in a statement that initial findings indicate that one of the vehicles went into the opposite lane, but police do not know why.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Iran's president says downing Ukrainian plane was an 'unforgivable error'

DUBAI - Iran will punish all those responsible for the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane, President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Tuesday, adding that the "tragic event" would be investigated thoroughly."It was an unforgivable error ... one person cannot be solely responsible for the plane crash," he said."Iranian armed forces admitting their mistake is a good first step ... We should assure people that it will not happen again," he said, adding that his government was "accountable to Iranian and other nations who lost lives in the plane crash."


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--South Korean president calls Trump's birthday wishes Kim Jong Un 'great'

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in hailed US President Donald Trump for sending birthday wishes to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, describing it as "a great idea" to improve chances of restarting denuclearisation talks."Some were concerned about a new round of provocations just in time for Chairman Kim's birthday," Moon told reporters at an annual news conference on Tuesday. "Instead, President Trump sent him birthday wishes to stress his willingness to talk. It was a great idea."Saturday's acknowledgement from the North Korean authorities that they had received the birthday greetings would be one of the most concrete confirmations of their leader's birth date, though they did not mention the exact date.Kim's birthday is believed to be Jan. 8, though his secretive regime has never confirmed the date. The U.S. government lists Kim's birth year as 1984, making him 36 years old this year.On Friday, a South Korean official said Trump had asked the South Koreans to pass on birthday greetings to North Korea.Over the weekend, however, North Korea released a statement saying it had already directly received a "personal letter" from Trump and called South Korea "presumptuous" for trying to meddle in US-North Korea relations.The statement also ridiculed Seoul for appearing not to know that the North Koreans have their own channel of communication with Washington.Despite the prickly response, Moon repeatedly cited the birthday messages as evidence that not all is lost."North Korea made clear that the door to dialog is not closed by saying they will come back to talks only when their demands are accepted," Moon said of that North Korean response."The U.S.-N.Korea talks are not active right now, but I would say both leaders - President Trump and Chairman Kim - continue to trust one another and continue with their efforts."Later, when asked whether Trump's decision to order the killing of Iran’s Qassem Soleimani could complicate efforts to get Kim to give up his nuclear weapons, Moon once again cited the birthday greetings as a good sign that underscores the U.S. president's commitment to negotiations.Last year North Korea said that it was losing patience and warned it could take some unspecified action if the United States did not soften its negotiating stance by the new year.The deadline passed, however, with no immediate provocation from North Korea, though Kim did say the world would soon witness a new strategic weapon.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--South Korea could pursue projects with North Korea despite sanctions

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that it was too early to be pessimistic about stalled denuclearization dialog between the United States and North Korea, and that inter-Korean cooperation could help ease the way for sanctions to be lifted.Despite hostile rhetoric from Pyongyang, North Korea has not shut the door to more talks, Moon told reporters at an annual New Year's news conference on Tuesday."North Korea made clear that the door to dialog is not closed by saying they will come back to talks only when their demands are accepted," he said.South Korea has been increasingly sidelined as talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled, with sanctions imposed over North Korea's weapons programs dampening Moon's bid to restart inter-Korean economic and cooperation efforts.When asked by Reuters whether South Korea will seek to reopen exchanges with the North independently from the United States, Moon said there is a need to explore a "new idea" to foster a breakthrough in the stalemate."If we expand inter-Korean cooperation as much as possible, it will be able to not only expedite North Korea-U.S. dialog, but also fetch international support for partial lifting or exemptions of sanctions if necessary," he said.Moon said there are steps that the two Koreas could take that aren't blocked by the restrictions."First of all, we can cooperate on the border areas and we can resume individual tourism," he said. "This can be carried out despite the ongoing international sanctions."The two Koreas could also organize a joint team for this year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and seek to co-host the 2032 Olympics, Moon added.In his New Year's speech on Jan. 7, Moon said there was a "desperate need" for ways to improve ties with North Korea.But North Korea has spent much of the last year criticizing Seoul as being beholden to the United States, and has said it plans to bulldoze the tourism complex that was once a rare example of cooperation between the Koreas.White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien said the United States had reached out to North Korea seeking to resume talks, according to an interview published on Sunday by Axios.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Apple rejects claims it did not provide assistance in Pensacola probe

Apple Inc on Monday said it rejects "the characterization that Apple has not provided substantive assistance" in the investigation into a shooting in Pensacola, Florida, last month.Apple's comments came after US Attorney General William Barr called the fatal shooting of three Americans by a Saudi Air Force officer at a Florida naval base "an act of terrorism" and called on the technology company to help the Federal Bureau of Investigation unlock two iPhones involved in the case.In its statement, Apple said it responded to all queries from law enforcement officials and turned over all information that it had access to. The company said it received the first inquiry on Jan. 6 but was not notified of a second iPhone until Jan. 8. It also said its engineering teams "recently had a call to provide additional technical assistance" to the FBI.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--France to send extra 220 troops to fight Islamist militants in Sahel

PARIS - France will send an extra 220 soldiers to West Africa to fight Islamist militants after agreeing to create a joint command structure with regional states to fight the growing insurgency in the area, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday."We have no choice. We need results," Macron said after a summit with the leaders of Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad.France has about 4,500 troops already operating in the region.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--US attorney general: killing Soleimani 'legitimate,' Trump had authority

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump clearly had authority to kill Qassem Soleimani, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said on Monday, adding that the White House consulted with his department before the strike on the Iranian commander.Barr told reporters that Soleimani was a "legitimate military target" and the strike was a "legitimate act of self-defense."


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--UN says reports of violence against Iran protesters 'worrying'

UNITED NATIONS - Accusations of lethal force against protesters in Iran should be fully investigated, a spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday, saying reports of violence against those protesting the downing of a civilian airliner were "worrying.""We're obviously following very closely the demonstrations that have been taking place today and over the weekend in Iran and the Secretary-General recalls the rights to freedom of expression and association in peaceful assembly of people," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.Protesters denouncing Iran's clerical rulers took to the streets and riot police deployed to face them on Monday, in a third day of demonstrations after authorities acknowledged accidentally shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane.Images from the previous two days of protests showed wounded people being carried and pools of blood on the ground. Gunshots could be heard, although the police denied opening fire.Dujarric said Guterres had taken note of the announcement by Iran that it had unintentionally shot down the passenger plane."It's very important that the authorities ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into what happened, into this tragic incident, and that the investigation ... be done in accordance with annex 13 on the Convention on International Civil Aviation, with the involvement of the relevant countries impacted," he said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Pompeo: US to work with Iraqis to get to 'right place' on troop deployment

WASHINGTON - The United States will work with Iraqi leaders to 'get to the right place' on U.S. troop deployment in the country, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday, following a request from Baghdad last week to prepare to pull them out."How ultimately our force posture will be resolved inside of Iraq, we will work along (with) the ... elected leaders in Iraq to get to the right place," Pompeo said at an event at the Hoover Institution in California.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Erdogan says talks between Turkish, Russian, Libyan delegations going well

ANKARA - Talks between Libya's warring parties in Moscow, supported by Turkish and Russian officials, are going positively, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, adding that Ankara was working to ensure the truce became permanent.Libya's rival leaders are holding peace talks in Moscow on Monday. Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in the conflict, are urging them to sign a binding truce to end a nine-month-old war and pave the way for a settlement.Speaking alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Ankara, Erdogan said he will attend a summit in Berlin on Sunday to discuss developments in Libya, along with Conte and Russian President Vladimir Putin.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Britain's Johnson says confident of tariff-free trade deal with EU

BELFAST - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said he was confident that he could secure a zero-tariff, zero-quota trade deal with the European Union, which would ensure no checks on goods being moved from Britain to Northern Ireland.Johnson was speaking to journalists in Northern Ireland, a British region that has agreed to maintain alignment with EU market rules under Britain's EU exit deal in order to avoid a hard border with EU member Ireland."The only circumstances in which you could imagine the need for checks coming from GB (Great Britain) to NI (Northern Ireland) ... is if those goods were going on into Ireland and we had not secured - which I hope and I am confident we will - a zero-tariff and zero-quota agreement with our friends and partners in the EU," Johnson said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-13--Ukraine's foreign minister: Iran will hand over black boxes

Ukraine's foreign minister has announced that Iran has committed to handing over the black boxes found in the wreckage of a Ukrainian passenger jet shot down outside Tehran last week.Ukraine will attend in talks in London with five "grieving nations" to discuss possible legal action against Iran, after it emerged that Iranian forces accidentally hit the plane with a missile strike while firing at an American military base, in retaliation for the killing of IRGC Quds Force Qasem Soleimani by American forces.He added that the suggestion that the plane flew too close to a sensitive military site is "nonsense."


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Pompeo, Netanyahu discuss 'regional developments' amid Iran tensions

`` As always , the US commitment to Israel ’ s security is unwavering , '' Pompeo added .

"As always, the US commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering," Pompeo added.
Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke on the phone on Tuesday night, Pompeo announced on his Twitter account. This is the fourth conversation the two had in the last couple of weeks, amid growing tensions with Iran. According to Pompeo, the call was "productive," and the two discussed "recent regional developments."


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Incoming Guatemalan president will keep embassy in Jerusalem

Giammattei , a conservative former surgeon and ex-prison chief , will be sworn in later in the day .

Giammattei, a conservative former surgeon and ex-prison chief, will be sworn in later in the day.
Incoming Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei will keep his country's embassy in Israel in the city of Jerusalem, a spokeswoman said Tuesday, confirming the move made by his predecessor following pressure by US President Donald Trump.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Trump impeachment opening arguments likely Tuesday

The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump is likely to begin next Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.The Republican leader said there could be some preliminary steps in the Senate impeachment proceedings this week, such as the swearing-in of senators. "Which would set us up to start the actual trial next Tuesday," McConnell said.US Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Mike Rounds said McConnell's trial plan will guarantee votes on calling witnesses and hearing new evidence.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--US 'very pleased' with UK PM Johnson's backing of Trump deal on Iran

The United States is 'very pleased' that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson agrees with the US assessment on Iran with his comments expressing willingness to replace the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Brian Hook, the US Special Representative for Iran, told Reuters on Tuesday.Hook said Washington was supportive of France, Britain and Germany's move to formally trigger the dispute mechanism in Iran's nuclear deal but added that the United States would like them to join its efforts of diplomatic isolation against the Islamic Republic.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--EU moves to suspend work of Poland's supreme court disciplinary chamber

The European Commission decided on Tuesday to ask the EU's top court to suspend the functioning of the disciplinary chamber of Poland's Supreme Court.The European Union's executive arm said its move came after a preliminary ruling of the EU's Court of Justice on Nov. 19, 2019, which asked the Polish Supreme Court to decide if the new Disciplinary Chamber, appointed by the ruling PiS party, was independent.Poland's government spokesman replied that the European Union has no grounds to question Poland's judiciary reforms."The chamber functions in line with Polish law...EU treaties do not regulate at all the judiciary systems of particular member states," the spokesman told a televised press conference.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Canadian experts on plane disaster investigation visit Iran crash site

It said the visit to the site took place after experts from Iran , Canada and Ukraine had met in @ @ @ @ @ Saturday it had shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane in error , after days @ @ @ @ @ in the incident .
All 176 people aboard , including 57 Canadians , were killed @

A team of Canadian experts joining an investigation into the downing of a Ukrainian passenger airliner last week visited the site on Tuesday where the Boeing 737 crashed, Iran's ISNA news agency reported.
It said the visit to the site took place after experts from Iran, Canada and Ukraine had met in Tehran.
Iran admitted on Saturday it had shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane in error, after days denying it had a role in the incident. All 176 people aboard, including 57 Canadians, were killed.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Netanyahu: Israel will not allow Iran to attain nuclear weapons

Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on social media on Tuesday saying, “we know exactly what is happening with the Iranian nuclear program” and vowed that “Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons.”Netanyahu also called on the Western powers to use the “automatic sanctions” clause against Iran at the UN.France, Britain and Germany confirmed on Tuesday that they had triggered a dispute mechanism in thenuclear deal given Tehran's ongoing violations of the 2015 agreement, but said they were not joining the United States campaign to exert maximum pressure on Tehran.


jerusalempost--2020-01-14--Russia: No grounds to trigger Iran nuclear deal dispute mechanism

Russia sees no grounds to trigger the dispute mechanism in Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, TASS news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Russia's Foreign Ministry.The activation of this mechanism may make it impossible to return to implementation of the agreement, TASS quoted the ministry as saying.France, Britain and Germany formally triggered the mechanism earlier on Tuesday, the strongest step they have taken so far to enforce compliance with the agreement that requires Iran to curb its nuclear program.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Croatia to request bids for fighter jets from seven states

A year ago Croatia 's intention to buy 12 used F-16 fighter jets from Israel fell through after Israel said @ @ @ @ @ from the United States for the sale .
`` The requests will later on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ States and Sweden for new ( Lockheed Martin Corp ) F-16 and ( Saab ) @ @ @ @ @ .
We will also send the requests for used fighter jets to France , Italy @ @ @ @ @ Israel , '' the government said in a statement .
It expects to receive bids @ @ @ @ @ them by August .
Croatia , the former Yugoslav republic , joined the NATO alliance @ @ @ @ @ Union in 2013 .
Its air force currently uses a squadron of outdated MIG-21 fighter @ @ @ @ @ few of them have been reported operational in recent years .

Croatia said it will send a request for bids on Wednesday to seven states seeking to buy a squadron of new or used fighter jets in an effort to modernize its air force.
A year ago Croatia's intention to buy 12 used F-16 fighter jets from Israel fell through after Israel said it could not get approval from the United States for the sale.
"The requests will later on Wednesday be sent to the United States and Sweden for new (Lockheed Martin Corp) F-16 and (Saab) Gripen fighter jets, respectively. We will also send the requests for used fighter jets to France, Italy, Norway, Greece and Israel," the government said in a statement.
It expects to receive bids by May and to assess them by August.
Croatia, the former Yugoslav republic, joined the NATO alliance in 2009 and the European Union in 2013.
Its air force currently uses a squadron of outdated MIG-21 fighter jets, but just a few of them have been reported operational in recent years.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Russia and Turkey discuss 'secure zone' in Syria's Idlib region

Syrian government attacks in the region were continuing despite a ceasefire which came into effect three days ago , Akar @ @ @ @ @ and Turkey was reinforcing an observation post which has been surrounded by Syrian forces .

Turkey and Russia are discussing the establishment of a 'secure zone' within Syria's northwestern Idlib region where Syrians displaced by fighting can shelter during the winter, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday.
Syrian government attacks in the region were continuing despite a ceasefire which came into effect three days ago, Akar told reporters in Ankara, and Turkey was reinforcing an observation post which has been surrounded by Syrian forces.
The minister said Turkey has not received an official request regarding a call by the Iraqi parliament on Jan. 5 for the withdrawal of foreign troops.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Turkey's defense minister: 'Too early' to say Libya ceasefire collapsed

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday it was too early to say that a ceasefire in Libya had collapsed after Khalifa Haftar, commander of eastern Libyan forces, failed to sign a binding truce at talks this week.Turkey, which supports the internationally recognized government in Tripoli which is opposed to Haftar, has sent a training and cooperation team which is now active in Libya, Akar told reporters at a briefing in Ankara.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Bird flu outbreak reported in northern Romania - OIE

The virus killed 11,190 birds out of a flock of 18,699 in the Maramures region near the borders with Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ OIE said , citing a report from Romania 's veterinary services .

Romania has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a farm in the northern part of the country, the first such outbreak in nearly three years, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday.
The virus killed 11,190 birds out of a flock of 18,699 in the Maramures region near the borders with Ukraine and Hungary, the Paris-based OIE said, citing a report from Romania's veterinary services.
The rest of the flock was slaughtered, it said.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--UN official: Lebanon's elite should blame themselves for economic crisis

Jan Kubis , U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon , also noted that central bank ( BDL ) governor Riad Salameh @ @ @ @ @ manage the economy -- an apparent reference to his request for extra authorities to regulate @ @ @ @ @ banks .

Lebanese politicians are watching on as the economy collapses, the senior U.N. official in Lebanon said on Wednesday, rebuking a political elite that has failed to form a government as the country sinks deeper into economic and financial crisis.
Jan Kubis, U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, also noted that central bank (BDL) governor Riad Salameh had requested extraordinary powers to manage the economy -- an apparent reference to his request for extra authorities to regulate controls being implemented by commercial banks.
"Lebanon is truly unique -- the BDL Governor requesting extraordinary powers to at least somehow manage the economy while those responsible watch it collapsing. Incredible," Kubis wrote in a Twitter post.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Iran's FM claims the 2015 Iran deal one of the 'best deals'

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday the country's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers was among the "best deals" he could envisage.Zarif made the comment during a speech in New Delhi, aired by Iranian state television, where he is attending a security conference.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on Tuesday for U.S. President Donald Trump to replace the deal with his own new pact to ensure Iran did not get an atomic weapon.Trump said in a tweet he agreed on the need for a "Trump deal."


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--Kiev asks Iran for the black boxes from the downed Ukrainian jetliner

Ukraine's prosecutor's office and security service have asked Iranian authorities to give Kiev black boxes from the crashed Ukrainian plane, the prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.A top Ukraine security official said this week that a senior investigator from Iran was expected to visit Ukraine soon and determine whether a Ukrainian laboratory would be suitable to work on the black boxes.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--US warns Americans in China over outbreak of new pneumonia strain

The U.S. State Department warned Americans in China about an outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan believed to be caused by a new strain of coronavirus, and which has killed one person.Wednesday's notice referred to an alert by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging citizens in China traveling to Wuhan to avoid contact with animals, animal markets or animal products, among other precautions.It also asked citizens those who had visited Wuhan and feel sick to seek medical care.Chinese health authorities have reported 41 cases caused by the new virus strain. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization warned a wider outbreak was possible, though China has not reported any new cases since.


jerusalempost--2020-01-15--MK David Bitan to be indicted before election

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to indict former coalition leader MK David Bitan ( Likud ) for bribery charges , @ @ @ @ @ According to Ynet , the decision is to be made the following month .
Bitan @ @ @ @ @ Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as agriculture minister last week .

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to indict former coalition leader MK David Bitan (Likud) for bribery charges, Ynet reported Wednesday morning.
According to Ynet, the decision is to be made the following month. Bitan rejected his appointment by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as agriculture minister last week.