jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Mobile World Congress canceled due to coronavirus fears

Bowing to the inevitable , the GSMA telecoms association that hosts the Barcelona get-together said it had cancelled the event planned for Feb. 24-27 despite assurances from local and national health officials that it would have been safe to hold it .
`` The GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak , travel concern and other circumstances , make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event , ” John Hoffman , the CEO of organiser GSMA , said in a statement .
The announcement followed a crisis meeting of the GSMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pullout of anchor European members including Deutsche Telekom , Vodafone , BT and Nokia .
Barcelona 's mayor Ada Colau said earlier she wanted to send a `` message of calm '' , insisting the city was ready to host the event , while Spanish health officials reiterated that there was no reason to call off MWC .
That failed , however , to alleviate concerns among major exhibitors that the precautions would be insufficient to halt the virus that has spread beyond China 's borders to two dozen countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them : That is what Telekom stands for .
This is also what the Mobile World Congress , the 'class reunion ' of our industry , stands for , '' Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges posted on LinkedIn .
He added , however , that large gatherings of people with many international guests posed a particular risk : `` To take this risk would be irresponsible . ''

Bowing to the inevitable, the GSMA telecoms association that hosts the Barcelona get-together said it had cancelled the event planned for Feb. 24-27 despite assurances from local and national health officials that it would have been safe to hold it.
"The GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,” John Hoffman, the CEO of organiser GSMA, said in a statement.
The announcement followed a crisis meeting of the GSMA board, after its hand was forced by the pullout of anchor European members including Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone , BT and Nokia.
Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau said earlier she wanted to send a "message of calm", insisting the city was ready to host the event, while Spanish health officials reiterated that there was no reason to call off MWC.
That failed, however, to alleviate concerns among major exhibitors that the precautions would be insufficient to halt the virus that has spread beyond China's borders to two dozen countries.
"To bring people together and connect them: That is what Telekom stands for. This is also what the Mobile World Congress, the 'class reunion' of our industry, stands for," Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges posted on LinkedIn.
He added, however, that large gatherings of people with many international guests posed a particular risk: "To take this risk would be irresponsible."
The Mobile World Congress (MWC), the annual telecoms industry gathering that draws more than 100,000 visitors to Barcelona, was cancelled on Wednesday after a mass exodus by exhibitors due to fears over the coronavirus outbreak.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Britain says has found first case of coronavirus in London

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Britain said on Wednesday the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country had risen to nine, saying the latest patient had caught the virus in China."One further patient in England has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in the UK to nine," Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said in a statement."This virus was passed on in China and the patient has now been transferred to a specialist NHS center at Guy's and St Thomas' in London."


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Coronavirus spread in China stabilized, but outbreak could go any way: WHO

`` This outbreak could still go in any direction , '' the WHO 's director-general , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , @ @ @ @ @ .
At the end of a two-day meeting on research and innovation into measures to @ @ @ @ @ , Tedros welcomed the energy and enthusiasm of scientists starting work .
He added that @ @ @ @ @ traveled to China earlier this week had made `` good progress '' on the composition @ @ @ @ @ .

"This outbreak could still go in any direction," the WHO's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a briefing in Geneva.
At the end of a two-day meeting on research and innovation into measures to tackle the new viral outbreak, Tedros welcomed the energy and enthusiasm of scientists starting work.
He added that a WHO-led advance team that traveled to China earlier this week had made "good progress" on the composition and scope of its work.
The number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus in China has stabilized, but that apparent slowdown in the epidemic spread should be viewed with "extreme caution," the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Lebanese military fires at Israeli drones, forcing them to leave: report

The Lebanese military fired at Israeli drones over the town of Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon, forcing the drones to leave the area, according to Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen news.


jerusalempost--2020-02-12--Netanyahu: I offered Ben-Gvir nothing, ask nobody wastes a vote on him

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a Wednesday interview to Army Radio that he offered Right wing radical Itamar Ven-Gvir “nothing” and that he calls on the leader of Otzma Yehudit to quit so that “nobody wastes a vote on him.”Netanyahu said that “with these votes we [Likud] could win and form a right wing government.”


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Explosive balloon detonates over a school in Sderot

An explosive balloon has detonated over a school in the southern city of Sderot, according to Channel 12.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Amazon headquarters in Madrid briefly evacuated after false bomb threat - police

MADRID - The Madrid headquarters of US online retailer Amazon.com Inc were temporarily evacuated on Thursday after a bomb threat @ @ @ @ @ , Spanish police said .
`` It was a false alarm , , '' a @ @ @ @ @ that Amazon 's staff were re-entering the building .
An Amazon spokesman confirmed staff were @ @ @ @

MADRID - The Madrid headquarters of US online retailer Amazon.com Inc were temporarily evacuated on Thursday after a bomb threat which proved to be false, Spanish police said.
"It was a false alarm,," a police spokeswoman said, adding that Amazon's staff were re-entering the building. An Amazon spokesman confirmed staff were back to work.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Rishi Sunak appointed British finance minister - government statement

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Rishi Sunak as his new finance minister , the government said @ @ @ @ @ .
Sunak , 39 , who previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury , @ @ @ @ @ the finance minister , succeeds Sajid Javid who has resigned .

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Rishi Sunak as his new finance minister, the government said in a statement on Thursday.
Sunak, 39, who previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the second in command to the finance minister, succeeds Sajid Javid who has resigned.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Turkey to hit 'radicals', others who violate Idlib ceasefire - minister

ANKARA - Turkey will use force against those violating a ceasefire in Syria 's northwestern Idlib region including `` radical @ @ @ @ @ Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday , according to state media .
Turkish President Tayyip @ @ @ @ @ his military would strike Syrian government forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if @ @ @ @ @ , after 13 troops were killed by Syrian forces in a week .
Akar also @ @ @ @ @ reinforcements to its positions in Idlib to ensure a ceasefire in the region is maintained @ @ @ @ @ the region , state-run Anadolu news agency quoted him as saying .

ANKARA - Turkey will use force against those violating a ceasefire in Syria's northwestern Idlib region including "radical" groups, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday, according to state media.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that his military would strike Syrian government forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier was hurt, after 13 troops were killed by Syrian forces in a week.
Akar also said Turkey was sending additional reinforcements to its positions in Idlib to ensure a ceasefire in the region is maintained and to "control" the region, state-run Anadolu news agency quoted him as saying.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--First coronavirus death in Japan

First coronavirus death in Japan

TOKYO - Japan on Thursday confirmed its first coronavirus death , Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said .
The victim is @ @ @ @ @ Kanagawa prefecture , which borders on Tokyo , Kato told a news conference .
He @ @ @ @ @ .

TOKYO - Japan on Thursday confirmed its first coronavirus death, Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said.
The victim is an 80-year-old woman living in Kanagawa prefecture, which borders on Tokyo, Kato told a news conference. He did not give further details.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Explosions heard in southern Israel - report

Several explosions were heard in the afternoon near the Gaza border. Media reports indicate the explosions were the result of explosive balloons that crossed the border into Israel but detonated in the air.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Coronavirus : a taxi driver in Tokyo tested positive

TOKYO - A taxi driver in Tokyo has tested positive for the coronavirus , NHK public TV reported , marking a further spread of the disease in Japan even as authorities said some passengers aboard a ship quarantined off its coast would finally be allowed to disembark .
The broadcaster , quoting sources , said the health ministry was trying to trace the route of the contagion , adding that the driver said he had carried passengers who appeared to be Chinese .
No further details were immediately available , including word on the condition of the man , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The case is likely to raise further concerns about the spread of the flu-like virus given how many people a city taxi driver has likely been in contact with .
The news came after Japan said it would allow some elderly passengers on the quarantined cruise liner who test negative for the new coronavirus to disembark ahead of schedule and another 44 new cases were confirmed aboard the Diamond Princess .
Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said elderly passengers who have pre-existing conditions or are in windowless rooms would be allowed to leave starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted date of Feb. 19 , and complete their quarantine ashore .
With the number of those infected on the cruise ship now up to 218 plus one quarantine officer , concerns have been raised about conditions on the ship , where about 3,500 people remain on board .
The liner was quarantined on arrival in Yokohama , near Tokyo , on Feb. 3 after a man who disembarked from the liner in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus that has now killed more than 1,350 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ship passengers were aged 60 or over , with 215 in their 80s and 11 in their 90s , according to Japanese media .
The ship typically has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670 .
Separately , NHK also reported on Thursday what a doctor in central Japan had tested positive for the virus .
It was not immediately clear whether he had any connection to China .
Hundreds of infections have been reported in more than two dozen countries and territories besides China , but only two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines .
Japanese nationals who have been staying in hotels or other facilities since returning on four charter flights from China 's Wuhan , the epicenter of the epidemic , have begun going home .
All 197 people from a Jan. 29 flight who tested negative were either home or en route and another 200 or so from a second flight could head home later on Thursday , NHK said .

TOKYO - A taxi driver in Tokyo has tested positive for the coronavirus, NHK public TV reported, marking a further spread of the disease in Japan even as authorities said some passengers aboard a ship quarantined off its coast would finally be allowed to disembark.
The broadcaster, quoting sources, said the health ministry was trying to trace the route of the contagion, adding that the driver said he had carried passengers who appeared to be Chinese.
No further details were immediately available, including word on the condition of the man, who NHK said was in his 70s. The case is likely to raise further concerns about the spread of the flu-like virus given how many people a city taxi driver has likely been in contact with.
The news came after Japan said it would allow some elderly passengers on the quarantined cruise liner who test negative for the new coronavirus to disembark ahead of schedule and another 44 new cases were confirmed aboard the Diamond Princess.
Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said elderly passengers who have pre-existing conditions or are in windowless rooms would be allowed to leave starting from Friday, rather than the originally targeted date of Feb. 19, and complete their quarantine ashore.
With the number of those infected on the cruise ship now up to 218 plus one quarantine officer, concerns have been raised about conditions on the ship, where about 3,500 people remain on board.
The liner was quarantined on arrival in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on Feb. 3 after a man who disembarked from the liner in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus that has now killed more than 1,350 in mainland China.
About 80% of the ship passengers were aged 60 or over, with 215 in their 80s and 11 in their 90s, according to Japanese media. The ship typically has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670.
Separately, NHK also reported on Thursday what a doctor in central Japan had tested positive for the virus. It was not immediately clear whether he had any connection to China.
Hundreds of infections have been reported in more than two dozen countries and territories besides China, but only two people have died from the virus outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.
Japanese nationals who have been staying in hotels or other facilities since returning on four charter flights from China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, have begun going home.
All 197 people from a Jan. 29 flight who tested negative were either home or en route and another 200 or so from a second flight could head home later on Thursday, NHK said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Dutch police found and disarmed letter bomb at Unisys

AMSTERDAM - Dutch police said on Thursday they had found and disarmed a letter bomb at an office of information @ @ @ @ @ were no injuries .
The letter , found in Leusden , near Utrecht , is @ @ @ @ @ of letter bombs sent to companies around the country .
Police believe they are connected @ @ @ @ @ is demanding a ransom .
No injuries have been reported

AMSTERDAM - Dutch police said on Thursday they had found and disarmed a letter bomb at an office of information technology firm Unisys. There were no injuries.
The letter, found in Leusden, near Utrecht, is the latest in a series of letter bombs sent to companies around the country. Police believe they are connected and have said the sender is demanding a ransom. No injuries have been reported


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Hamas messages Netanyahu: We will uproot you

A member of the political wing of the Hamas movement , Khalil al-Hayyah, tweeted a message on Thursday morning aimed towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling him, "If you threaten Hamas, Hamas is preparing to uproot you, and we promise you will leave our land. #Palestine."
عضو المكتب السياسي لحركة #حماس ، خليل الحية، يوجه رسالة لرئيس حكومة الاحتلال بنيامين نتنياهو: "إذا كنت تهدد حماس فإن حماس تعد لاقتلاعك، ونحن نعد لك الرحيل عن أرضنا".#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/KRyRpJ8AFx — المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) February 13, 2020


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Stormy weather helps Australia vanquish bushfires

Australian authorities announced on Thursday that they have gained control over all bushfires in the country .
The key factor @ @ @ @ @ fires was , of course , the intense rain that has been raging in recent @ @ @ @ @ , which caused flooding , but also mitigated the damage caused by the prolonged drought @ @ @ @ @ overall , a total of 11,264 fires burned over 54 million hectares of land , @ @ @ @ @ another 1,024 buildings .
The fires , caused by unprecedented warm weather , spread quickly @ @ @ @ @ things , the spread of the bushfires was aided by the eucalyptus tree , which @ @ @ @ @ .
The tree contains very flammable oil , and many acres of eucalyptus burned quickly @

Australian authorities announced on Thursday that they have gained control over all bushfires in the country.
The key factor in helping to control the fires was, of course, the intense rain that has been raging in recent days across New South Wales, which caused flooding, but also mitigated the damage caused by the prolonged drought.
The figures show that overall, a total of 11,264 fires burned over 54 million hectares of land, destroying 2,439 homes and damaging another 1,024 buildings.
The fires, caused by unprecedented warm weather, spread quickly and uncontrollably.
Among other things, the spread of the bushfires was aided by the eucalyptus tree, which is very common in Australia. The tree contains very flammable oil, and many acres of eucalyptus burned quickly.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Coronavirus: 254 more deaths in China

Coronavirus: 254 more deaths in China

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China reached 1,367 as of the end of Wednesday , up 254 @ @ @ @ @ the country 's National Health Commission said on Thursday .
Across mainland China , there @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday , bringing the total number to 59,805 .

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China reached 1,367 as of the end of Wednesday, up 254 from the previous day, the country's National Health Commission said on Thursday.
Across mainland China, there were 15,152 new confirmed infections on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 59,805.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Coronavirus: Australia extends ban on arrivals from China

The ban will be reviewed each week , Morrison said at a news conference in the capital of Canberra , @ @ @ @ @ put in place on Feb. 1

The ban will be reviewed each week, Morrison said at a news conference in the capital of Canberra, and extends earlier travel restrictions put in place on Feb. 1
MELBOURNE - Australia will maintain an entry ban on foreign nationals from mainland China for another week as it looks to limit exposure to its citizens from the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--China's defense ministry asks US to rescind Equifax hacking indictments

China's defense ministry asked the United States on Thursday to correct its mistakes and rescind the indictments against four Chinese military personnel in the 2017 Equifax hacking case.A defense ministry spokesman, in a statement, said the move was needed to avoid further damage to the relations of the two countries and the two armed forces.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Hong Kong extends suspension of schools till at least March 16

HONG KONG - Hong Kong extended on Wednesday the suspension of schools till at least March 16 in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the city, where 50 cases of the flu-like infection have been confirmed.Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung said secondary and primary schools would not return from the prolonged break until at least mid-March, extending an earlier suspension that was due to see students return to lessons on March 2.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Nigeria's army burns villages in fight against Islamist forces - report

Nigeria 's military , which has frequently been accused of human rights abuses in its decade-long fight against Boko Haram and more recently Islamic State 's West African branch , did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Previous allegations have sparked investigations by the International Criminal Court in the Hague and hampered Nigeria 's ability to purchase arms , a source of frustration for its military 's leaders .
However , convictions of soldiers have been rare and the military has repeatedly denied wrongdoing .
In the latest allegations , Amnesty said Nigerian soldiers razed three villages after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave their homes in the northeastern state of Borno in January .
The human rights group said it interviewed 12 victims and reviewed satellite images that showed several large fires in the area and almost every structure razed .
Residents described soldiers going house to house and rounding people up , then making them walk to a main road and board trucks , it said .
`` We saw our houses go into flames , '' a woman of around 70 told Amnesty .
`` We all started crying . ''
The trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp for people displaced by the conflict in Maiduguri , the main city in the region .
`` These brazen acts of razing entire villages , deliberately destroying civilian homes and forcibly displacing their inhabitants with no imperative military grounds , should be investigated as possible war crimes , '' said Osai Ojigho , director for Amnesty International Nigeria , in Friday 's statement detailing the group 's investigation .
Soldiers also detained six men , beating some of them , and held them for almost a month before releasing them without charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It cited Nigerian Army statements from the time that said six Boko Haram suspects had been captured and hundreds of captives freed from the militants .
`` They say they saved us from Boko Haram , but it 's a lie , '' said one man aged roughly 65 , according to Amnesty .
`` Boko Haram is n't coming to our village . ''
Amnesty 's report was published as the military struggles to contain the insurgencies , particularly Islamic State .
Last July , troops began to withdraw to larger garrisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from smaller bases that were frequently overrun with heavy loss of lives .

Nigeria's military burned down villages and forcibly displaced hundreds of people in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the country's northeast, rights group Amnesty International alleged on Friday.
Nigeria's military, which has frequently been accused of human rights abuses in its decade-long fight against Boko Haram and more recently Islamic State's West African branch, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Previous allegations have sparked investigations by the International Criminal Court in the Hague and hampered Nigeria's ability to purchase arms, a source of frustration for its military's leaders. However, convictions of soldiers have been rare and the military has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
In the latest allegations, Amnesty said Nigerian soldiers razed three villages after forcing hundreds of men and women to leave their homes in the northeastern state of Borno in January.
The human rights group said it interviewed 12 victims and reviewed satellite images that showed several large fires in the area and almost every structure razed.
Residents described soldiers going house to house and rounding people up, then making them walk to a main road and board trucks, it said.
"We saw our houses go into flames," a woman of around 70 told Amnesty. "We all started crying."
The trucks took more than 400 people to a camp for people displaced by the conflict in Maiduguri, the main city in the region.
"These brazen acts of razing entire villages, deliberately destroying civilian homes and forcibly displacing their inhabitants with no imperative military grounds, should be investigated as possible war crimes," said Osai Ojigho, director for Amnesty International Nigeria, in Friday's statement detailing the group's investigation.
Soldiers also detained six men, beating some of them, and held them for almost a month before releasing them without charge on Jan. 30, Amnesty said.
It cited Nigerian Army statements from the time that said six Boko Haram suspects had been captured and hundreds of captives freed from the militants.
"They say they saved us from Boko Haram, but it's a lie," said one man aged roughly 65, according to Amnesty. "Boko Haram isn't coming to our village."
Amnesty's report was published as the military struggles to contain the insurgencies, particularly Islamic State. Last July, troops began to withdraw to larger garrisons, dubbed "super camps," from smaller bases that were frequently overrun with heavy loss of lives.
That has left the military on the defensive and the insurgents able to roam across large swathes of territory and carry out attacks, often on civilians, with few repercussions.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--4,823 new coronavirus cases confirmed in China's Hubei province

The number of new deaths in China's central Hubei province from a coronavirus outbreak rose by 116 as of Thursday, the province's health commission said on its website on Friday.A further 4,823 cases had been detected in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 51,986.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Israel launches airstrikes in Damascus – report

The IAF launched an airstike in the Damascus area, Syrian news agency SANA reported.According to reports, Syrian air defenses responded to the attack and downed multiple hostile targets above Damascus.
תיעוד התקיפות בדמשק והיירוטים pic.twitter.com/OKRJyPySd2 — roi kais • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) February 13, 2020


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Donald Trump: peace deal with the Taliban is likely

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he thinks there is a good chance the United States will reach a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan."I think we're very close," Trump said on a podcast broadcast on iHeart Radio when asked if the United States had reached a tentative deal. "I think there's a good chance that we'll have a deal ... We're going to know over the next two weeks."


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Saudi FM: No plans for meeting between Netanyahu and crown prince

There are no plans for a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Arabian foreign minister said, according to Channel 12.Earlier media reports indicated that talks were being held between teams from Israel, the US, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on a potential summit in Cairo, whereby Netanyahu and MBS could meet.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--US-Taliban negotiates possibility of 7 day reduction in violence

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday that the United States and the Taliban had negotiated a proposal for a seven-day reduction in violence."We've said all along that the best, if not only, solution in Afghanistan is a political agreement. Progress has been made on this front and we'll have more to report on that soon," Esper told reporters during a press conference in Brussels."It will be a continual evaluative process as we go forward -- if we go forward," Esper added.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Nepalese woman indicted for abusing Holocaust survivor in her care

A Nepalese citizen was indicted on Thursday for abusing a 98-year-old Holocaust survivor who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and under her care, a press release on behalf of the State’s Prosecutor reported.The woman, who is 41-years-old, allegedly struck the elderly woman, screamed at her, and neglected her duties during the six months she was entrusted with her care. She was arrested on January 29.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Remains of Temple Mount terrorist returned to his family – Report

The body of Shadi Bana , a 45-year old Arab-Israeli man who carried out an attack on Border Police officers @ @ @ @ @ 6 was returned to his family to be buried , the news portal Srugim reported @ @ @ @ @ was wounded and Bana was shot as officers on the scene responded to the attack @ @ @ @ @ florist and recently converted to Islam .

The body of Shadi Bana, a 45-year old Arab-Israeli man who carried out an attack on Border Police officers on Temple Mount on February 6 was returned to his family to be buried, the news portal Srugim reported on Thursday.
One officer was wounded and Bana was shot as officers on the scene responded to the attack.
Bana was a Haifa florist and recently converted to Islam.


jerusalempost--2020-02-13--Earthquake measured at magnitude 6.9 strikes off Russia, Japan

An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck offshore 99 kilometers (62 miles) south-east of Russia's Kuril Islands, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said on Thursday.The US Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami threat To Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan from the earthquake, which the USGS said hit at a depth of 143 km.The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no tsunami threat to Japan either.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Germany sides with Israel in International Court

Germany has sided with Israel in the International Criminal Court in the Hauge on Friday, claiming, "The court has no right to discuss what goes on in the West Bank," according to an article published by Haaretz.Germany, considered a major member of the international court, joined the Judicial hearing as an Amicus: a body or entity that is not officially apart of the proceedings but will weigh in.Germany and the Czech Republic have filed amicus briefs, in support of Israel at the ICC. The other countries who filed, being Austria, Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have not clarified their position. The final deadline for such filings is 5 p.m. on Friday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Likud: We are committed to bringing over the rest of the Jewish Ethiopians

By the end of 2020 the Likud has pledged to promote the aliyah (immigration to Israel) of all the rest of the eligible Jewish Ethiopians, according to Walla news.The Likud announced the plan on Friday, and is waiting for approval.By the end of 2020, more than 7500 Ethiopians are expected to have made aliyah.This is in addition to the 400 Falash Mura Ethiopians being brought over in the coming weeks.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Syrian government helicopter downed in Idlib -Turkish state media

ISTANBUL - A Syrian government helicopter was downed in a rural area west of Aleppo in Syria's Idlib region, where violence and displacement has spiked in recent weeks, Turkish state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Friday.Turkey's military has sent additional arms and troops to Idlib, on its southern border, to confront a push by Syrian government forces to retake the country's last major rebel stronghold after nearly nine years of war.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Vietnam turns away cruise ship over coronavirus fears - state media

HANOI - Vietnam has turned away a German-owned cruise ship with more than 1,000 passengers on board over fears of coronavirus infections on board, state media reported on Friday.Authorities in Quang Ninh province, home to the UNESCO world heritage site Ha Long Bay, decided on Tuesday not to allow passengers of the ship AIDAvita to disembark on Thursday, the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported."The vessel has docked in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, which have all reported coronavirus cases," VNA said."Not allowing AIDIvita's passengers to disembark is just a temporary solution to prevent the intrusion of diseases," VNA cited a local official as saying.Germany's AIDA Cruises, the owner of the AIDAvita, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. AIDA Cruises is a subsidiary of Miami-based Carnival Corp.The cruise liner left the Philippines port of Coron on Feb. 10 bound for Vietnam via the South China Sea, according to data published by the Marine Traffic ship tracking website.It had been scheduled to visit Ha Long Bay, in northern Vietnam, on Saturday, then proceed to the Vietnamese ports of Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City from Feb. 16-20, according to CruiseMapper, a website which tracks cruise ships.As of Friday evening, the AIDAvita was 176 km (109 miles) south of the Thai capital Bangkok, according to Marine Traffic.Passengers on another Carnival Corp cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries, including Thailand, over coronavirus fears before they began to disembark in Cambodia on Friday.The coronavirus has killed more than 1,380 people, almost all in China where the outbreak originated, with one each in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Turkey says to export fast-results coronavirus detection kit

ANKARA, - Turkey will in coming days export to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan locally-produced coronavirus detection kits that can get results in about two hours, its health minister said on Friday.China's coronavirus outbreak has showed no sign of peaking with health authorities reporting more than 5,000 new cases earlier on Friday.Earlier this month, Turkey evacuated 42 people from China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and kept them quarantined for 14 days while authorities ran tests.Speaking in Ankara after the quarantine period expired with no detected infections, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Turkey's coronavirus detection kit has a 99.6% accuracy rate.The kit was produced in line with data from the World Health Organization and can get results in 90-120 minutes, a bit less than in Germany or France, he said.Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan requested some 10,000 kits each and Turkey will begin exporting them in coming days, Koca said. "We will be exporting this in line with the demand we receive."Ankara has said there are no known cases of the virus in the country and authorities are using thermal cameras at airports as well as other protective measures. Turkish Airlines suspended flights to China after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it was declaring the outbreak a global emergency.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Russia hints at Belarus joining in a unified state for oil deal

MINSK, - Moscow has hinted at giving Minsk a deal on energy prices in exchange for Belarus joining Russia in a unified state, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday, the state news agency Belta reported.Russia and Belarus have been discussing possible deeper integration in a union state for around two decades, but have failed to agree on key points, including a united currency.Lukashenko met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week, but the two failed to agree on a new deal for oil supplies in 2020.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--US Attorney General says Trump's tweets make his job 'impossible'

US Attorney General William Barr said in an interview with ABC NEWS that US President Donald Trump should "stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases."Barr said that although Trump, "has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case", he wished the president would stop tweeting about the Justice Department because his tweets "make it impossible for me to do my job."Barr is generally known for being a staunch supporter of Trump.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Russian, Turkish foreign ministers to meet on Sunday amid Syria tensions

MOSCOW , - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Munich on Sunday on @ @ @ @ @ Security Conference , the Interfax news agency reported on Friday .
On Thursday evening , @ @ @ @ @ statements from Ankara about Syria 's Idlib , after Turkey said it would use force @ @ @ @ @ ceasefire in the region .
( Reporting by Maxim Rodionov , Writing by Alexander Marrow @ @ @ @ @ )

MOSCOW, - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Munich on Sunday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday.
On Thursday evening, Russia's foreign ministry criticized statements from Ankara about Syria's Idlib, after Turkey said it would use force against rebel groups violating a ceasefire in the region. (Reporting by Maxim Rodionov, Writing by Alexander Marrow; editing by John Stonestreet)


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--1,716 health workers in China infected with Coronavirus

China is dragging its heels in accepting help on the ground from international health specialists , diplomats and experts said @ @ @ @ @ days after a World Health Organization ( WHO ) advance team arrived in Beijing no @ @ @ @ @ how and when the full mission will deploy .

BEIJING, - China National Health Commission Vice Minister Zeng Yixin said on Friday that 1,716 health workers have been infected by the coronavirus and six of them have died as of Tuesday.Zeng, at a press conference about protecting medical workers, said the number of infected medical staff is increasing.Chinese officials and hospitals have repeatedly noted a shortage of protective equipment, including face masks, as the disease took hold in Hubei and spread throughout the country.Meanwhile experts fear China reluctant to accept WHO ground mission.
China is dragging its heels in accepting help on the ground from international health specialists, diplomats and experts said on Thursday, noting four days after a World Health Organization (WHO) advance team arrived in Beijing no details have been released on how and when the full mission will deploy.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Fake WHO flyers published warning stay away from Chinese American business

A flyer in Los Angeles' Carson area, with a fake seal of the World Health Organization, tells residents to avoid Asian-American businesses like Panda Express because of a coronavirus outbreak.A Los Angeles middle schooler is beaten and hospitalized after students say he is as an Asian-American with coronavirus. And over 14,000 people sign a petition urging schools in the Alhambra area to close over coronavirus risks, even though there is only one case of the virus in Los Angeles County, with its population of 10.1 million.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--China stocks set for first weekly gain in four as virus deaths drop

China stocks advanced on Friday, on course for their first weekly gain in four, as the daily death toll in Hubei - the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak - halved and the number of new cases dropped.Officials said on Friday the number of new coronavirus deaths and infections was down sharply from the previous day, when a change in the methods of diagnosing patients led to a record spike in cases.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Japan to step up coronavirus containment after first fatality

Japan 's health ministry said Thursday that a woman in her 80s living in Kanagawa prefecture , just to the west of Tokyo , had died .
She was transferred between hospitals as her condition worsened and was only confirmed to have the coronavirus after her death .
A Tokyo taxi driver , who Japanese media said was the woman 's son-in-law , as well as a man in his 20s just east of Tokyo and a doctor in Wakayama , western Japan , were also confirmed to have the virus .
`` We will stay in touch with local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment of patients in order to prevent the spread of the illness , '' Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters , a day after a task force on the disease drew up new measures to deal with it , including spending 10.3 billion yen from budget reserves .
Planners will also keep in close contact with Japan 's military , chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference , without giving further details .
He said the number of people confirmed to have the virus in Japan had risen to 33 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantined at a port in Yokohama .
Japanese media reported after Suga 's remarks that a man in Wakayama , at the same hospital as the doctor , had also tested positive .
Both Suga and health minister Katsunobu Kato said there was no evidence the coronavirus , dubbed SARS-CoV-2 , was spreading widely in Japan , although Kato said that it might and that the government needed prepare for that situation .
Separately , some passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess , which has been moored Yokohama , just south of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday instead of waiting for the originally targeted date of Feb. 19 .
Elderly passengers who have medical conditions or are in windowless rooms can complete their quarantine onshore , Kato said .
The ship was quarantined on arrival in Yokohama , near Tokyo , on Feb. 3 after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus , which has now killed more than 1,350 people in mainland China .

Japan on Friday vowed to step up testing and containment efforts for the coronavirus after suffering its first death and the confirmation of new cases, including a doctor and taxi driver.
Japan's health ministry said Thursday that a woman in her 80s living in Kanagawa prefecture, just to the west of Tokyo, had died. She was transferred between hospitals as her condition worsened and was only confirmed to have the coronavirus after her death.
A Tokyo taxi driver, who Japanese media said was the woman's son-in-law, as well as a man in his 20s just east of Tokyo and a doctor in Wakayama, western Japan, were also confirmed to have the virus.
"We will stay in touch with local governments and expand our testing procedures and treatment of patients in order to prevent the spread of the illness," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters, a day after a task force on the disease drew up new measures to deal with it, including spending 10.3 billion yen from budget reserves.
Planners will also keep in close contact with Japan's military, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference, without giving further details.
He said the number of people confirmed to have the virus in Japan had risen to 33, with another 218 on a cruise ship quarantined at a port in Yokohama.
Japanese media reported after Suga's remarks that a man in Wakayama, at the same hospital as the doctor, had also tested positive.
Both Suga and health minister Katsunobu Kato said there was no evidence the coronavirus, dubbed SARS-CoV-2, was spreading widely in Japan, although Kato said that it might and that the government needed prepare for that situation.
Separately, some passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess, which has been moored Yokohama, just south of Tokyo, were set to start disembarking on Friday instead of waiting for the originally targeted date of Feb. 19.
Elderly passengers who have medical conditions or are in windowless rooms can complete their quarantine onshore, Kato said.
The ship was quarantined on arrival in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on Feb. 3 after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus, which has now killed more than 1,350 people in mainland China.
About 80% of the ship's passengers are 60 or older, with 215 in their 80s and 11 in their 90s, according to Japanese media. The ship, managed by Princess Cruise Lines and owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp, typically has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--20 gunmen kill Honduran policemen to free senior MS-13 gang leader

Alexander Mendoza , a notorious MS-13 figure also known as `` El Porky , '' escaped during the attack in @ @ @ @ @ , 175 kilometres ( 108 miles ) north of the capital , Tegucigalpa .
He @ @ @ @ @ trial hearing .
The notorious MS-13 crime group was founded by Salvadorans in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ to El Salvador , Honduras and Guatemala as the United States deported waves of migrants @ @ @ @ @ leader on the northern city of San Pedro Sula , Mendoza had been captured in @ @ @ @ @ years in jail on charges of illicit association and money laundering .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ and arrest those who helped him escape , '' said Deputy Minister of Security Luis @ @ @ @ @ Orlando Hernández offered a reward of 2 million lempiras ( $ 80,000 ) for information @ @ @ @ @ recapture .
Local television showed images of about 20 uniformed men and with their faces @ @ @ @ @ into several vehicles to escape with Mendoza .

About 20 gunmen dressed in military fatigues and police uniforms on Thursday killed three policemen and wounded two others during an attack to free one of the most senior leaders of the powerful MS-13 gang, police said.
Alexander Mendoza, a notorious MS-13 figure also known as "El Porky," escaped during the attack in the city of El Progreso, 175 kilometres (108 miles) north of the capital, Tegucigalpa. He was on way to a trial hearing.
The notorious MS-13 crime group was founded by Salvadorans in Los Angeles in the 1980s and spread to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala as the United States deported waves of migrants.
The most important MS-13 leader on the northern city of San Pedro Sula, Mendoza had been captured in 2015 and sentenced to 20 years in jail on charges of illicit association and money laundering.
"We are going to recapture this man and arrest those who helped him escape," said Deputy Minister of Security Luis Suazo.
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández offered a reward of 2 million lempiras ($80,000) for information that leads to Mendoza's recapture.
Local television showed images of about 20 uniformed men and with their faces covered shooting and then climbing into several vehicles to escape with Mendoza.
MS-13, along with its rival Mara 18, are among the most powerful gangs operating in Central America, with most of their activities dedicated to extortion, assassinations and drug trafficking.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--China: 139 new coronavirus deaths in Hubei Province

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The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose to 1,523 as of the end of Friday, after 143 people died over the course of the day, the country's National Health Commission said on Saturday morning.The number of new deaths in central Hubei province, at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, rose by 139 as of Friday. Most of the new deaths were in Hubei's provincial capital of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, with 107 new deaths. A total of 1,123 people in Wuhan have now died from the coronavirus.There were 2,641 new confirmed infections across mainland China, bringing the national total to 66,492.A number of trade fairs and industry conferences in China and overseas have been postponed due to transportation curbs and concerns about the spread of the virus. International Business Machines Corp said on Friday it had canceled its participation in the RSA cyber security conference in San Francisco due to coronavirus-related concerns."The health of IBMers is our primary concern as we continue to monitor upcoming events and travel relative to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)," the company said in a tweet.The event is scheduled to take place Feb. 24–28.Earlier in the day, Facebook Inc said it had canceled its global marketing summit scheduled for next month, also in San Francisco, over concerns about coronavirus-related risks.The Mobile World Congress (MWC), the annual telecoms industry gathering in Barcelona, was also canceled after a mass exodus by exhibitors linked to the coronavirus.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--Egypt confirms first coronavirus case, says affected person is foreigner

CAIRO - Egypt confirmed on Friday its first coronavirus case and said the affected person was a foreigner who had been put into isolation in hospital.The health ministry said in a statement it had immediately informed the World Health Organization (WHO) and had taken all necessary preventative measures. It did not give the nationality of the affected person, or any other details.WHO Egypt said on Twitter the person was carrying the virus, but had not shown any symptoms and was in a stable condition.


jerusalempost--2020-02-14--WHO: joint China mission to start coronavirus investigations this weekend

GENEVA - A World Health Organization-led joint mission with China will start its outbreak investigation work this weekend and will focus on how the new coronavirus is spreading and the severity of the disease, the WHO's director said on Friday.The mission will also seek more details on how, where and when the more than 1,700 healthworkers infected so far contracted the new virus, WHO officials said."We expect the full team to touch down over the weekend," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at briefing."Particular attention will be paid to understanding transmission of the virus, the severity of disease and the impact of ongoing response measures."Chinese authorities reported 5,090 new cases in mainland China on Friday, including more than 120 deaths, taking the total number of infected to 63,851, and the number of deaths from the disease, now called COVID-19, to 1,380.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Coronavirus latest: 100 new deaths and 1,933 new cases on Sunday

China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, reported 1,933 new cases and 100 new deaths on Feb. 16, the local health authority said on Monday.The number of new cases rose nearly 5% from the previous day, but the number of deaths fell from 139 on Saturday. Nearly 90% of the new cases were in the provincial capital of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated.The Hubei health commission said the total number of cases in the province had reached 58,182 by the end of Sunday, with 1,696 deaths. Wuhan has accounted for 71% of the province's total cases and 77% of deaths.The province has been accused of failing to tackle the outbreak early enough, allowing it to spread. The Communist Party bosses of both Hubei and Wuhan have been dismissed.Hubei announced tough new measures to try to curb the epidemic on Sunday, ordering its cities to block roads to all private vehicles and telling villages and urban residential districts to strictly control the movement of people.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Fatal hit and run on highway 80

Fatal hit and run on highway 80

Sa'ar Shachuri , ZAKA volunteer from the city of Arad , said , `` It was a very serious accident @ @ @ @ @ private vehicle .
When I arrived on scene I saw the private vehicle smashed , @ @ @ @ @ .
The driver of the private private , who was 70 years old , was @ @ @ @ @ multiple injuries by firefighters .
A MADA paramedic pronounced him dead on the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ the dead body and collected findings from the scene .
The dead body was transferred @ @ @ @ @ for further examination and identification .
Police forces are conducting a search for the truck @ @ @ @ @ and are investigating the circumstances of the difficult incident . ''

Sa'ar Shachuri, ZAKA volunteer from the city of Arad, said, "It was a very serious accident involving a semi-truck and a private vehicle. When I arrived on scene I saw the private vehicle smashed, a result of the collision. The driver of the private private, who was 70 years old, was found unconscious and suffering from multiple injuries by firefighters. A MADA paramedic pronounced him dead on the scene.ZAKA volunteers took care of the dead body and collected findings from the scene. The dead body was transferred to the Abu Kabir Institute for further examination and identification. Police forces are conducting a search for the truck driver who disappeared on scene and are investigating the circumstances of the difficult incident."


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Russian-backed Syrian army seizes most of rebel-held Aleppo province

AMMAN - Syrian state media said on Sunday government forces had seized most of rebel-held Aleppo province in another major gain by a Russian-backed offensive.Russian warplanes mounted heavy air strikes in the area on Sunday, bombing towns including Anadan, which was later seized by Syrian government forces backed by Iranian-backed militias, activists reported.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Minister Bennett: There are attempts to replace Netanyahu in Likud

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said in an interview to Army Radio on Sunday that in the Likud party “ there @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ] .
” He added that his own party , Yamina @ @ @ @ @ part of it and should anyone come to him with an offer to support such @ @ @ @ @ be “ thrown out on his ear.
” Bennett ruled out any option of his @ @ @ @ @ and White to form a government .

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said in an interview to Army Radio on Sunday that in the Likud party “there are attempts to replace [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu].”
He added that his own party, Yamina, will not be a part of it and should anyone come to him with an offer to support such a move that person will be “thrown out on his ear.”


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Palestinian smugglers thwarted in Tarqumiyah border crossing

A Palestinian smuggling attempt to deliver camouflage fabrics allegedly meant to be delivered to terror groups in the Gaza Strip @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday when the Tarqumiyah border crossing officers noticed the military textiles concealed in other @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of the Ministry of Defense reported.The border crossing is near Hebron , the @ @ @ @

A Palestinian smuggling attempt to deliver camouflage fabrics allegedly meant to be delivered to terror groups in the Gaza Strip to produce uniforms was prevented on Sunday when the Tarqumiyah border crossing officers noticed the military textiles concealed in other items, a press release on behalf of the Ministry of Defense reported.The border crossing is near Hebron, the fabrics were confiscated.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Turkey tells Russia that attacks in Syria's Idlib must stop

Turkey 's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that he told his Russian counterpart at a meeting the previous @ @ @ @ @ 's northwestern Idlib region must stop immediately and that a lasting ceasefire has to be @ @ @ @ @ back opposing sides in the Syrian conflict but have collaborated on a political solution .
@ @ @ @ @ government offensive in Idlib has raised tensions between Ankara and Moscow , causing them to @ @ @ @ @ Germany after the Munich Security Conference , Cavusoglu also said he met with US lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ added that Washington should work to improve relations with Turkey anyway , not just because @ @ @ @ @ Russia .

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that he told his Russian counterpart at a meeting the previous day that attacks in Syria's northwestern Idlib region must stop immediately and that a lasting ceasefire has to be achieved.
Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the Syrian conflict but have collaborated on a political solution. However, a recent Syrian government offensive in Idlib has raised tensions between Ankara and Moscow, causing them to trade barbs.
Speaking in Germany after the Munich Security Conference, Cavusoglu also said he met with US lawmakers at the conference, and added that Washington should work to improve relations with Turkey anyway, not just because of tensions between Turkey and Russia.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Voting in embassies to begin Tuesday night

Ambassadors and other emissaries abroad will already begin voting in the March 2 election on Tuesday, starting with Israel's embassy in Wellington, New Zealand. There are some 5000 Israelis abroad who have the right to vote by absentee at 96 embassies and consulates. Israel does not have absentee balloting for other Israelis. The voting abroad will conclude on Thursday at Israel's consulates in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The turnout among Israelis abroad was 76% in the April election and 69% in September.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Magnitude 5.8 quake hits in vicinity of Iran's Qeshm island in the Gulf

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit in the vicinity of Iran's Qeshm island in the Gulf, the Fars news agency reported on Sunday.The report did not present any information about possible casualties or damage.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Libya arms embargo a 'joke,' says UN official

MUNICH - An arms embargo aimed at curbing fighting in Libya has become meaingless because of violations and it is imperative that those who breach it are held to account, a senior UN official said on Sunday."The arms embargo has become a joke, we all really need to step up here," UN Deputy Special Representative to Libya Stephanie Williams said after a meeting of foreign ministers to follow up on a Berlin summit last month that agreed to uphold the embargo. Fighting has continued despite a call for a truce."It's complicated because there are violations by land, sea and air, but it needs to be monitored and there needs to be accountability," Williams told a news conference, adding that Libya was now awash with advanced weapons.Several countries backing rival factions in Libya have repeatedly violated an arms embargo, according to the United Nations, which has previously named the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Turkey for breaching the embargo. After the Berlin conference the violations increased and the UN denounced them without naming countries.The Libyan National Army led by eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar and forces aligned with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli have been fighting since April last year for control of the capital.The UAE and Egypt support Haftar while the GNA is backed by Turkey.A joint statement issued on Sunday by 13 countries involved in Libya, included Egypt, UAE and Turkey, said there had been a discussion on the "deplorable" arms embargo violations and "renewed determination to contribute to its thorough implementation."However, there was no mention of how the embargo would be monitored, enforced or whether there would be any consequences for violating it.German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he wanted EU foreign ministers to make a decision on Monday on their role in monitoring the embargo."Everyone needs to know that - if they violate the embargo in future - then they violate a UN resolution and that this can't remain without consequences," Maas said, without elaborating.The head of the GNA, Fayez al-Serraj, said on Saturday that the country faces a financial crisis because of a blockade of oil terminals and oil fields by Haftar."The situation on the ground remains deeply troubling. The truce is holding only by a thread... the economic situation continues to deteriorate," the UN's Williams said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Taiwan's health ministry confirms first coronavirus death on island, cases at 20

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said during a news conference on Sunday that the deceased person was a man in his @ @ @ @ @ traveled abroad recently and had diabetes and hepatitis B .

A man has died from the coronavirus in Taiwan, marking the first such death on the island since the epidemic spread from maninland China, the island's health minister said on Sunday.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said during a news conference on Sunday that the deceased person was a man in his sixties, who had not traveled abroad recently and had diabetes and hepatitis B.
His was the first fatality in Taiwan, which has to date accumulated 20 confirmed cases.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Italy to evacuate 35 nationals from cruise ship quarantined at Japan port

ROME - Italy said on Sunday it would evacuate citizens from a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship being held under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama, after 355 people from it were found to be infected with the virus."We decided yesterday to send a flight and bring those 35 Italians home," Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Twitter on Sunday.The Diamond Princess, cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp, has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama on February 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it travelled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.It had some 3,700 passengers and crew on board.The United States and Hong Kong have said they will send flights to fetch their people from the ship.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Man dies after being found unconscious following traffic accident

A 70-year-old man who was found unconscious after a traffic on Highway 80 near Abu Joda, east of Beersheba, has died.Israel Police say that the driver of the other vehicle was not at the scene and that they are searching the area.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--South Korea to evacuate Koreans from cruise ship quarantined in Japan

South Korea said on Sunday it would evacuate Koreans from a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship being held under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama, after 355 people from it were found to be infected with the virus."The government plans to bring those Koreans home if they are tested negative from screenings by the Japanese authorities and are willing to return," Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo told a briefing.The Diamond Princess, cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp , has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.It had some 3,700 passengers and crew on board.The United States and Hong Kong have said they will send flights to fetch their people from the ship.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--American woman tests positive again for coronavirus in Malaysia

An American passenger from a cruise ship docked in Cambodia has tested positive for the new coronavirus a second time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia said on Sunday, after the cruise operator sought further tests.Malaysia said on Saturday the 83-year-old woman who had been onboard the MS Westerdam, operated by a unit of Carnival Corp , had tested positive for the virus after arriving in Kuala Lumpur from Cambodia. She was the first from the ship, which was carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, to test positive.But the cruise ship operator had sought more tests. Cambodian authorities also called on Malaysia to review its test results.Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Waz Azizah Wan Ismail said on Sunday a retest was carried out on the American late on Saturday night and she tested positive again. Her husband tested negative.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--China's Hubei bans vehicle traffic to curb spread of coronavirus

The government of Hubei province, the center of China's coronavirus outbreak, said on Sunday a ban will be imposed on vehicle traffic across the province to curb the spread of the virus.In a published document, it said police cars, ambulances, vehicles carrying essential goods, or other vehicles related to public service would be exempted.It added that the province will carry out regular health checks on all residents in the province. It also stated that companies cannot resume work without first receiving permission from the government.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Left-wing activist attacked outside Likud conference

A left-wing activist was attacked with an iron rod outside a Likud conference in Netanya Saturday night, according to a report by Haaretz.Witnesses at the scene said that the activist was attacked after police stopped dividing left-wing protestors and Likud supporters. The left-wing demonstrator, Itai Nevo, 33, said that a few men attacked him and broke some of his teeth. Nevo filed a complaint with the police about the assault.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Blasts hit US coalition base in Baghdad, no casualties

BAGHDAD - Rockets hit a US-led military coalition's Baghdad headquarters early on Sunday but caused no casualties, a coalition spokesman said, in the latest attack to target US facilities in Iraq.Washington has blamed Iran-backed paramilitary groups for increasingly regular rocketing and shelling of bases hosting US forces in Iraq and of the area around the US Embassy in Baghdad.An attack last month hit the US Embassy compound itself, and a rocket attack on a military base in the north in December killed a US civilian contractor.There have been no claims for the attacks.Tension between Iran and the administration of US President Donald Trump has mostly played out on Iraqi soil in recent months.The United States killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike in Baghdad last month, after which the region braced for full-scale conflict. Iran launched its first direct missile attack on two bases hosting US forces in response.Sunday's attack, before dawn, was carried out with "small rockets" and caused no casualties, the coalition spokesman said in a statement on Twitter. He provided no further details.An Iraqi military statement said three Katyusha rockets had hit the fortified Green Zone which hosts the US Embassy, other foreign missions and Iraqi government buildings. It said a fourth hit a nearby logistics base for Iraqi paramilitary groups.Iraq, caught between its two allies Washington and Tehran, also faces an unprecedented domestic crisis as months of anti-government unrest continues.Protesters, whose numbers have reduced from the hundreds of thousands who took to the streets in October, are still demanding the overhaul of Iraq's political system and ruling elite which they say are corrupt.Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi said on Saturday that the formation of a new government would take place in the coming week.He said his appointments would consist of independent ministers free from the influence of parties, including Iran-backed Shi'ite groups, that have controlled cabinet posts and state institutions since the US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--China health official says controls starting to rein in coronavirus

The measures China has adopted to rein in the spread of the coronavirus are starting to have an impact, said Mi Feng, a spokesman at the National Health Commission, on Sunday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Palestinian with knife arrested after attempted attack

Israel Border Police arrested a Palestinian man carrying a knife following an attempted attack on Israeli forces at a checkpoint near the Cave of the Patriarchs tomb in Hebron, Israel Police reported on Sunday.This is a developing story.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Canada to evacuate passengers from virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship

Canada has chartered a plane to evacuate its citizens onboard the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama , Japan @ @ @ @ @ in a statement late on Saturday .
Canadian passengers who exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ to board the flight and will instead be transferred to the Japanese health care system @ @ @ @ @ the government said .
After arriving in Canada , the passengers will undergo a 14-day @ @ @ @ @ statement added .
The United States and Hong Kong have said they will send aircraft @ @ @ @ @ passengers from the quarantined cruise ship , which has seen the most coronavirus infections outside @ @ @ @ @ ship , owned by Carnival Corp , and carrying some 3,700 passengers and crew , @ @ @ @ @ since Feb. 3 after a man , who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled @ @ @ @ @ with the virus .

Canada has chartered a plane to evacuate its citizens onboard the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama, Japan, the Canadian government said in a statement late on Saturday.
Canadian passengers who exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus infection will not be permitted to board the flight and will instead be transferred to the Japanese health care system to receive appropriate care, the government said.
After arriving in Canada, the passengers will undergo a 14-day period of quarantine, the statement added.
The United States and Hong Kong have said they will send aircraft to Japan to bring back passengers from the quarantined cruise ship, which has seen the most coronavirus infections outside of China.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Another 70 people test positive for coronavirus on ship in Japan

TOKYO - Another 70 people aboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan have tested positive for the coronavirus , bringing @ @ @ @ @ , Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said on Sunday .
The Diamond Princess , owned @ @ @ @ @ been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama , south of Tokyo , on Feb. 3 , @ @ @ @ @ in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus .
Some @ @ @ @ @ aboard the ship , where the most coronavirus infections outside China have occurred .
Those @ @ @ @ @ Japanese hospitals .

TOKYO - Another 70 people aboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total to 355 cases, Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said on Sunday .
The Diamond Princess, owned by Carnival Corp, has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--Hong Kong to arrange flights to take home passengers from Diamond Princess

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government will send aircraft to Japan to bring back passengers from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess , where the most coronavirus infections outside China have occurred .
In a statement late on Saturday , the Security Bureau said chartered flights would return Hong Kong residents to the city for free once Japanese authorities had confirmed the plan .
The passengers will be required to undergo a further 14 days of quarantine after arriving in Hong Kong , the bureau added .
The cruise ship , owned by Carnival Corp and carrying some 3,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Yokohama since Feb. 3 , after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it travelled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus .
There are around 330 Hong Kong residents on board , including 260 holding Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong passports and roughly 70 people with foreign ones .
The cruise liner 's quarantine is set to end on Wednesday .
In Hong Kong , there have been 56 confirmed cases of coronavirus and one death .
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has called on residents to stay indoors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of a possible community outbreak in the global financial centre where , shopping malls , restaurants and cafes are almost deserted .
Anger has been brewing over Lam 's handling of the crisis , with critics calling on her to shut the entire border with mainland China and some medical workers going on strike .
On Saturday , hundreds of anti-government protesters , many wearing surgical masks and dressed in black , marched in multiple neighbourhoods against plans to potentially turn some buildings into coronavirus quarantine centres .
They also reiterated calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border .
Lam has said such a move would be `` inappropriate '' , `` impractical '' and `` discriminatory '' .
Latest figures from Beijing on Sunday showed 68,500 cases of the illness and 1,665 deaths , mostly in Hubei province .

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government will send aircraft to Japan to bring back passengers from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, where the most coronavirus infections outside China have occurred.
In a statement late on Saturday, the Security Bureau said chartered flights would return Hong Kong residents to the city for free once Japanese authorities had confirmed the plan.
The passengers will be required to undergo a further 14 days of quarantine after arriving in Hong Kong, the bureau added.
The cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp and carrying some 3,700 passengers and crew, has been quarantined in Yokohama since Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it travelled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.
There are around 330 Hong Kong residents on board, including 260 holding Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong passports and roughly 70 people with foreign ones.
The cruise liner's quarantine is set to end on Wednesday.
In Hong Kong, there have been 56 confirmed cases of coronavirus and one death.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has called on residents to stay indoors as much as possible to curb the risk of a possible community outbreak in the global financial centre where, shopping malls, restaurants and cafes are almost deserted.
Anger has been brewing over Lam's handling of the crisis, with critics calling on her to shut the entire border with mainland China and some medical workers going on strike.
On Saturday, hundreds of anti-government protesters, many wearing surgical masks and dressed in black, marched in multiple neighbourhoods against plans to potentially turn some buildings into coronavirus quarantine centres. They also reiterated calls for the closure of the mainland China border.
Lam has said such a move would be "inappropriate", "impractical" and "discriminatory".


jerusalempost--2020-02-16--China reports 142 new deaths from coronavirus on mainland

SHANGHAI - The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China has reached 1,665 as of the end of @ @ @ @ @ from the previous day , the country 's National Health Commission said on Sunday morning @ @ @ @ @ deaths in China 's central Hubei province from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 139 as @ @ @ @ @ China , there were 2009 new confirmed infections on Saturday .
The total accumulated number @ @ @ @ @ .

SHANGHAI - The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China has reached 1,665 as of the end of Saturday, up by 142 from the previous day, the country's National Health Commission said on Sunday morning.
The number of new deaths in China's central Hubei province from the coronavirus outbreak rose by 139 as of Saturday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--New York police charge 14-year-old with murder of college student

New York police announced the arrest of a 14-year-old boy on Saturday who they said fatally stabbed a teenage woman during a brutal Manhattan robbery two months ago that stunned the city where crime rates have been in a decades-long decline.The boy, Rashaun Weaver, was taken into custody without incident on Friday night, police said, following the arrest in December of a 13-year-old boy in connection with the murder of Tessa Majors, 18, a student at Barnard College."This arrest is a major milestone on the path to justice for Tessa Majors," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said at a news conference. "And our journey to reach that milestone today was not a sprint, but rather it was a painstaking, deliberate and meticulous search for the truth."Weaver is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday on charges of murder and robbery.Majors was stabbed multiple times on the evening of Dec. 11 while walking through Harlem's Morningside Park near her school. After staggering to a nearby school security booth, she was rushed to a hospital and declared dead.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--Michael Bloomberg considering Hillary Clinton for VP role

Bloomberg’s internal polling has found that the pair “would be a formidable force,” campaign sources said.Clinton lost her presidential bid to Donald Trump in 2016, despite having won the popular vote.Clinton, who lost her 2016 White House bid to Trump despite winning the popular vote, said last week that she would “probably” not accept an offer to run on a ticket with Bloomberg.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--Woman detained after throwing apple at PM Netanyahu

A 25-year-old woman was detained this Saturday evening for questioning after throwing an apple at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The incident occurred during an election conference held by the Prime Minister in Netanya. Netanyahu was not injured in the incident, which was apparently aimed at Mayor Miriam Feirberg, who was also present at the event.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--Rocket sirens sound in Gaza border communities

Rocket sirens sounded on Saturday evening in the Kissufim region of the Gaza border communities.The IDF reported that two projectiles flew from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Initial reports claim that they both landed in open fields.


jerusalempost--2020-02-15--Despite Yemen violence spike, Saudi says talks with Houthis progressing

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Saturday that Riyadh was still committed to back-channel peace talks with Yemen's Houthi rebels, despite a recent increase in violence in the five-year conflict.Yemen has been mired in fighting since the Iran-backed Houthi movement ousted the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi from the capital in late 2014.A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore him. The conflict is widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and its regional foe, Shi'ite Muslim Iran.The United Nations has been trying to re-launch political negotiations to end the war and, separately, Riyadh has been holding informal talks with the Houthis since late September about de-escalation."We have a back channel and it's not yet ready to move to the highest level," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told the Munich Security Conference."It's making progress. We have seen some deterioration recently, but we are committed to moving it forward," he added, referring to a recent rise in military activity by the Iran-backed rebels.After a lull in hostilities in recent months on many fronts, violence has escalated at a frontline east of Yemen's Houthi-held capital Sanaa, since a Jan. 19 missile attack on a government military camp that killed more than 100 people.Prince Faisal said Saudi would continue to respond to attacks, but that the recent Houthi assaults were not yet at the point that they were endangering the back-channel talks.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Beijing to fast-track new mask factory in coronavirus fight

The factory , to be converted from an industrial building by China Construction First Group , will be able to @ @ @ @ @ day , it said , adding that work began on Monday and was set to @ @ @ @ @ The rapid pace and makeshift nature of the plant mirror measures taken in the virus @ @ @ @ @ the central province of Hubei , where buildings have been converted to treat infected patients @ @ @ @ @ scratch , in days .
Producers of masks and other protective equipment around the world @ @ @ @ @ demand in the wake of the outbreak , which has killed more than 1,700 people @ @ @

The Chinese capital of Beijing will set up a new mask factory within just six days to meet soaring demand for protective gear in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday.
The factory, to be converted from an industrial building by China Construction First Group, will be able to turn out 250,000 masks each day, it said, adding that work began on Monday and was set to be completed by Saturday.
The rapid pace and makeshift nature of the plant mirror measures taken in the virus epicenter of Wuhan, in the central province of Hubei, where buildings have been converted to treat infected patients, or hospitals built from scratch, in days.
Producers of masks and other protective equipment around the world have been unable to meet demand in the wake of the outbreak, which has killed more than 1,700 people in China.
Last month, CMmask, a Chinese mask maker that supplies 30% of the domestic market, said daily orders for 5 million masks were more than 10 times its usual level.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Explosive balloon found near in a field near the Gaza border

A bundle of balloons attached to an explosive charge was identified on Monday in a field at the Eshkol regional council area near the Gaza border.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Stabbing attempt at the Cave of the Patriarchs, no casualties reported

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jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Additional 99 virus infections confirmed on cruise ship in Japan

An additional 99 people on a quarantined cruise ship off Yokohama have been confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus, Japanese media reported on Monday.The widening impact of the outbreak, which began in China in December and has killed over 1,700 people, is threatening large public events and damaging output and tourism in Japan.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--China says WHO delegation to visit Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan

China says a World Health Organization (WHO) delegation of experts will visit Beijing, and the provinces of Guangdong and Sichuan from Feb. 17 onwards.A spokesman for the National Health Commission announced the details of the visit at a media briefing Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--IDF Home Front Command drill to take place during morning hours

The IDF Home Front Command will be conducting a joint exercise with the Central Command in the West Bank.The warning system in the area will be tested in quarterly intervals from 09:35 to 10:20 AM.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--40-year-old motorcyclist killed in car accident on highway 40

A 40-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a car accident on Highway 40 near Rehovot. Magen David Adom paramedics found him unconscious at the scene, later pronouncing his death, according to a Maariv report.A paramedic at the scene, Eden Sinai, referring to the accident, said that "when we arrived, we saw a motorcycle on the road and next to it was a 40-year-old man with severe internal injuries. We performed medical examinations, and within a short period of time, pronounced him dead.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Tokyo marathon to cancel entries from general public due to coronavirus

Tokyo marathon organisers have decided to cancel entries from the general public for the event scheduled on March 1 due to the coronavirus outbreak, Tokyo Shimbun newspaper reported on Monday.About 38,000 people from the general public were scheduled to run in the event, Japan's biggest marathon, the paper said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Australia to evacuate more than 200 citizens from cruise ship quarantined at Japan port

Morrison said the passengers will be taken to Australia 's tropical north , where they will be required to be @ @ @ @ @ .

Australia will evacuate more than 200 of its citizens onboard a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship being held under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday.
Morrison said the passengers will be taken to Australia's tropical north, where they will be required to be quarantined for another 14 days.
The Diamond Princess, cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp, has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama on Feb. 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong before it traveled to Japan was diagnosed with the virus.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Gantz: 'Netanyahu greasing up Hamas terrorists with millions of dollars'

Blue and White Chairman MK Benny Gantz wrote in his Twitter account, in response to the announcement of expected budgetary cuts for emergency crews in communities in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, saying that "Netanyahu is compromising the security of the citizens of southern Israel, greasing up Hamas terrorists with millions of dollars in suitcases and footing the bill to the citizens living near Gaza. In two weeks, we will put an end to this madness. "


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--China's Hubei province reports 93 new coronavirus deaths

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose to 1,868 as of the end of Monday, up by 98 from the previous day, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.The central Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, reported 93 deaths, while in the provincial capital of Wuhan, 72 people died.There had been a further 1,807 cases detected in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, taking the total in the province to 59,989.Across mainland China, there were 1,886 new confirmed infections on Monday, bringing the total so far to 72,436.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Coronavirus: US State Dept tracks 60 US citizens in Japan

WASHINGTON - The US State Department said on Monday it is tracking the condition of 60 US citizens in Japan @ @ @ @ @ were repatriated from a cruise ship that had the largest cluster of coronavirus cases outside @ @ @ @ @ , 14 tested positive during repatriation and were exposed to other passengers for about 40 @ @ @ @ @ a State Department official said .
These 14 people were later isolated in specialized containment @ @ @ @ @ that flew to US military bases .

WASHINGTON - The US State Department said on Monday it is tracking the condition of 60 US citizens in Japan after more than 300 Americans were repatriated from a cruise ship that had the largest cluster of coronavirus cases outside China.Out of the 300 Americans, 14 tested positive during repatriation and were exposed to other passengers for about 40 minutes during the process, a State Department official said.These 14 people were later isolated in specialized containment areas aboard two chartered jets that flew to US military bases.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--ICC trial in The Hague one option for Sudan's Bashir -minister

KHARTOUM - Sudan could send former leader Omar al-Bashir and other suspects to The Hague for trial before the International Criminal Court , but any decision would need approval from military and civilian rulers , the information minister said on Monday .
Sudanese authorities said last week that they had agreed for Bashir and three other suspects to appear before the ICC , without giving details of how this could happen .
`` One possibility is that the ICC will come here so they will be appearing before the ICC in Khartoum , or there will be a hybrid court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to transfer them to The Hague ... That will be discussed with the ICC , '' Information Minister Faisal Salih told Reuters .
Sudan 's offer to cooperate with the ICC marks an important step in rebuilding relations with the international community after three decades during which the country was isolated and sanctioned for its links with Islamist militants and the violence in Darfur .
Bashir , who has been jailed in Khartoum since he was toppled after mass protests last year , is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's troubled Darfur region .
Bashir 's lawyer has said the ex-president refused any dealings with the ICC because it was a `` political court . ''
The different options for the ICC proceedings would be discussed with an ICC delegation that was expected to visit Khartoum , Salih said .
He said he thought any decision would need approval by Sudan 's High Peace Council , which includes the military-led Sovereign Council , senior cabinet members , and representatives of political groups that opposed Bashir .
The High Peace Council had agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ICC before its decision was announced last week at peace talks in Juba , South Sudan , Salih said .
The transitional government is also trying to get Sudan removed from a list of countries the United States considers state sponsors of terrorism .
Sudan was placed on the list in 1993 .
Though U.S. sanctions on Sudan were lifted in 2017 , the listing has hampered commercial transactions and international payments and prevents Sudan from negotiating a settlement over its debt and thereby accessing sorely needed funds from international financial institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sudan from the list was offering compensation for the victims of the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole warship .
Sudan said last week it had agreed to do that .
Another condition is paying compensation to the families of victims killed in attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 .
`` The minister of justice thinks that in a very short time we are going to have an agreement with those families , '' Salih said .
Other outstanding issues being discussed with the United States include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress in the peace process in Juba with rebel factions from Darfur and other regions , and Sudan 's relationship with North Korea .
`` There is some progress being made on this , but we are still waiting for a positive response from the Americans , '' Salih said .

KHARTOUM - Sudan could send former leader Omar al-Bashir and other suspects to The Hague for trial before the International Criminal Court, but any decision would need approval from military and civilian rulers, the information minister said on Monday.
Sudanese authorities said last week that they had agreed for Bashir and three other suspects to appear before the ICC, without giving details of how this could happen.
"One possibility is that the ICC will come here so they will be appearing before the ICC in Khartoum, or there will be a hybrid court maybe, or maybe they are going to transfer them to The Hague...That will be discussed with the ICC," Information Minister Faisal Salih told Reuters.
Sudan's offer to cooperate with the ICC marks an important step in rebuilding relations with the international community after three decades during which the country was isolated and sanctioned for its links with Islamist militants and the violence in Darfur.
Bashir, who has been jailed in Khartoum since he was toppled after mass protests last year, is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in Sudan's troubled Darfur region.
Bashir's lawyer has said the ex-president refused any dealings with the ICC because it was a "political court."
The different options for the ICC proceedings would be discussed with an ICC delegation that was expected to visit Khartoum, Salih said.
He said he thought any decision would need approval by Sudan's High Peace Council, which includes the military-led Sovereign Council, senior cabinet members, and representatives of political groups that opposed Bashir.
The High Peace Council had agreed to the appearance of the suspects before the ICC before its decision was announced last week at peace talks in Juba, South Sudan, Salih said.
The transitional government is also trying to get Sudan removed from a list of countries the United States considers state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan was placed on the list in 1993.
Though U.S. sanctions on Sudan were lifted in 2017, the listing has hampered commercial transactions and international payments and prevents Sudan from negotiating a settlement over its debt and thereby accessing sorely needed funds from international financial institutions.
One of the conditions for removing Sudan from the list was offering compensation for the victims of the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole warship. Sudan said last week it had agreed to do that.
Another condition is paying compensation to the families of victims killed in attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
"The minister of justice thinks that in a very short time we are going to have an agreement with those families," Salih said.
Other outstanding issues being discussed with the United States include reform of the security sector, making progress in the peace process in Juba with rebel factions from Darfur and other regions, and Sudan's relationship with North Korea.
"There is some progress being made on this, but we are still waiting for a positive response from the Americans," Salih said.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Israelis returning from Thailand jailed if they refuse quarantine

The Ministry of Health said on Monday evening that Israelis who return from Thailand and who refuse to go into quarantine will go to jail.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Coronavirus: "Every scenario on the table" says WHO

GENEVA - The latest data provided by China on people infected with coronavirus indicates a decline in new cases but @ @ @ @ @ on the table '' in terms of the epidemic 's evolution , the World Health @ @ @ @ @ Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , WHO director-general , told a news conference in Geneva that China @ @ @ @ @ than 44,000 confirmed cases provided insight into the age range of infections , disease severity @ @ @ @ @ Mike Ryan , head of WHO 's emergencies program , asked whether the outbreak was @ @ @ @ @ `` The real issue is whether we are seeing efficient community transmission outside of China @ @ @ @ @ we are not observing that . ''
WHO expert Dr. Sylvie Briand said it was @ @ @ @ @ and the chief medical officer on the Diamond Princess docked off Yokohama on infections and @ @ @ @ @ Our focus is on our public health objective that we contain the virus and not @ @ @ @ @

GENEVA - The latest data provided by China on people infected with coronavirus indicates a decline in new cases but "every scenario is still on the table" in terms of the epidemic's evolution, the World Health Organization said on Monday.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, told a news conference in Geneva that China's detailed paper on more than 44,000 confirmed cases provided insight into the age range of infections, disease severity and mortality rates.
Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO's emergencies program, asked whether the outbreak was a pandemic, said: "The real issue is whether we are seeing efficient community transmission outside of China and at the present time we are not observing that."
WHO expert Dr. Sylvie Briand said it was working closely with Japanese authorities and the chief medical officer on the Diamond Princess docked off Yokohama on infections and evacuations, adding: "Our focus is on our public health objective that we contain the virus and not contain the people."


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Plane to return Israelis from 'coronavirus cruise' takes off to Japan

A flight that is set to return the Israelis trapped on a cruise docked in Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak will be taking off from Thailand on Wednesday.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Turkey says talks in Moscow over Syria's Idlib to continue Tuesday

ANKARA - Turkey emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions in Syria 's northwestern Idlib province during talks with Russian counterparts @ @ @ @ @ ministry said on Monday , adding discussions would continue on Tuesday .
Turkish and Russian @ @ @ @ @ be taken to fully implement prior agreements and halt violations in Idlib , the ministry @ @ @ @ @ have failed to reach an accord after a call between Presidents Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir @ @ @ @ @ their foreign ministers at the weekend , and after two days of talks in Ankara @ @ @

ANKARA - Turkey emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions in Syria's northwestern Idlib province during talks with Russian counterparts in Moscow, its foreign ministry said on Monday, adding discussions would continue on Tuesday.
Turkish and Russian officials discussed precautions that could be taken to fully implement prior agreements and halt violations in Idlib, the ministry said.
Ankara and Moscow have failed to reach an accord after a call between Presidents Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin and a meeting between their foreign ministers at the weekend, and after two days of talks in Ankara last week.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Suicide blast kill 10 in southwestern Pakistan city of Quetta

QUETTA , Pakistan - At least 10 people were killed in a suicide blast that hit a police vehicle in southwestern Pakistan on Monday , officials said .
Two police personnel were among those killed in the blast in the city of Quetta , the capital of Balochistan province , which borders Afghanistan and Iran .
`` We have received 10 bodies so far and 35 injured in Civil Hospital , ” a hospital official told Reuters .
Two police officers were among the dead , a senior police official confirmed .
The suicide bomber wanted to target rally of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up when police stopped him , Abdul Razzaq Cheema , Quetta police chief , told reporters .
Last month , 13 people were killed in Quetta when blast ripped through a mosque during evening prayers .
Mineral-rich Balochistan province is at the center of the $ 60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor , which is part of Beijing 's massive Belt and Road infrastructure project .
Violence in Balochistan has fueled concerns about the security of projects such as a planned energy link from western China to Pakistan 's southern port of Gwadar @

QUETTA, Pakistan - At least 10 people were killed in a suicide blast that hit a police vehicle in southwestern Pakistan on Monday, officials said.
Two police personnel were among those killed in the blast in the city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
"We have received 10 bodies so far and 35 injured in Civil Hospital,” a hospital official told Reuters.
Two police officers were among the dead, a senior police official confirmed.
The suicide bomber wanted to target rally of a religious group, but blew himself up when police stopped him, Abdul Razzaq Cheema, Quetta police chief, told reporters.
Last month, 13 people were killed in Quetta when blast ripped through a mosque during evening prayers.
Mineral-rich Balochistan province is at the center of the $60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of Beijing's massive Belt and Road infrastructure project.
Violence in Balochistan has fueled concerns about the security of projects such as a planned energy link from western China to Pakistan's southern port of Gwadar.


jerusalempost--2020-02-17--Iran ready to help Lebanon  - Lebanon's president's office citing Larijani

BEIRUT - Iran 's parliament speaker Ali Larijani said his country stood ready to help Lebanon 's crisis-hit economy , @ @ @ @ @ said after the two met on Monday .
`` We wish the new government success @ @ @ @ @ help improve the economic situation , '' Lebanese President Michel Aoun 's office quoted Larijani @ @ @ @ @ , as saying .

BEIRUT - Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani said his country stood ready to help Lebanon's crisis-hit economy, the Lebanese president's office said after the two met on Monday.
"We wish the new government success and we are ready to help improve the economic situation," Lebanese President Michel Aoun's office quoted Larijani, who is visiting Beirut, as saying.