jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Earthquake of magnitude 6.1 strikes Peru

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck 28 km (17 miles) west of Lampa in Peru, at a depth of 144 km (89 miles), the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Protest for rights of disabled people reopens

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The regular protest for disability rights kicked off once more on Sunday morning, blocking parts of the main Tel Aviv highway, Ayalon.Protesters lit tires on fire in an attempt to "climb a step higher" in their battle to raise the pension for disabled people.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Hospitals preparing to reopen coronavirus units - report

The Health Ministry instructed hospitals around the country on Sunday morning to prepare to reopen their coronavirus units amid a recent rise in cases of the novel COVID-19, Army Radio reports.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Two additional schools report new coronavirus cases

Two additional schools reported on Sunday morning that members of either the student body or the staff have tested positive for coronavirus.The incidents come after over 120 attendees of the Gymnasia Rehavia school in Jerusalem tested positive for coronavirus.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 286 to 181,482

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 286 to 181,482, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.The reported death toll rose by 11 to 8,500, the data showed.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Washington DC Mayor imposes curfew following third day of protests

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on twitter that she is imposing a city wide curfew down from 11p.m .
@ @ @ @ @ to 6 a.m. Monday , June 1 .
Bowser also wrote that she is additionally @ @ @ @ @ to support the Metropolitan Police Department.The announcement comes following the third day of protests demanding @ @ @ @ @ murder of George Floyd .

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on twitter that she is imposing a city wide curfew down from 11p.m. Sunday, May 31, to 6 a.m. Monday, June 1.
The announcement comes following the third day of protests demanding action be taken after the murder of George Floyd. Bowser also wrote that she is additionally activating the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department.The announcement comes following the third day of protests demanding action be taken after the murder of George Floyd.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Brazil passes the half million mark for COVID-19 cases

It said there were 480 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours in Brazil , for a total death @ @ @ @ @ fourth highest in the global pandemic after the United States , Britain and Italy .

It said there were 480 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours in Brazil, for a total death toll of 29,314, the fourth highest in the global pandemic after the United States, Britain and Italy.
Brazil registered 16,409 new cases of novel coronavirus on Sunday, raising the total of infected cases to 514,849 in the second worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the world after the United Sates, the health ministry said.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Democrat Biden visits site of police brutality protest in Delaware

Biden , wearing a face mask , made his second appearance outside his Delaware home since the coronavirus crisis hit in March , visiting an area in Wilmington where demonstrators vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck .
A campaign post on Instagram showed Biden speaking with African American residents and inspecting buildings boarded up to prevent damage hours after he issued a statement that `` we are a nation in pain , but we must not allow this pain to destroy us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right and necessary , '' Biden said in the statement emailed shortly after midnight .
`` But burning down communities and needless destruction is not . ''
Biden will face President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election .
Trump 's re-election campaign manager , Brad Parscale , had said on Saturday that Biden should deliver a more forceful condemnation of violence .
Biden 's remarks echoed a statement on Saturday by prominent black civil rights activist and U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia .
Lewis , who in 1965 was beaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ march for voting rights , called for protesters to `` be constructive , not destructive , '' though he said he knows their pain .

Biden, wearing a face mask, made his second appearance outside his Delaware home since the coronavirus crisis hit in March, visiting an area in Wilmington where demonstrators vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck.
A campaign post on Instagram showed Biden speaking with African American residents and inspecting buildings boarded up to prevent damage hours after he issued a statement that "we are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us."
"Protesting such brutality is right and necessary," Biden said in the statement emailed shortly after midnight. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not."
Biden will face President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, had said on Saturday that Biden should deliver a more forceful condemnation of violence.
Biden's remarks echoed a statement on Saturday by prominent black civil rights activist and U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia.
Lewis, who in 1965 was beaten unconscious by Alabama state troopers during a march for voting rights, called for protesters to "be constructive, not destructive," though he said he knows their pain.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Sunday toured the site of one of the protests that ripped through US cities overnight and called for protesters against police brutality not to turn to violence.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Egypt tweaks curfew hours as coronavirus cases surge

The Health Ministry said 1,536 new cases had been confirmed including 46 deaths , bringing total cases to 24,985 and deaths to 959 .
Earlier , the prime minister 's office said a night curfew would end at 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m .
The curfew begins at 8 p.m. , though its start had been brought forward to 5 p.m. last week during the holiday that follows the Eid holiday at the end of Ramadan .
The curfew is one of a number of measures including the closure of schools , cafes and places of worship , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government announced that the number of hospitals designated to deal with coronavirus cases , in addition to previously assigned quarantine facilities , is rising to 376 from 340 , and the number of laboratories capable of processing test results to 57 from 49 .
The 340 hospitals have 3,539 intensive care unit beds and 2,218 ventilators , a government statement said .
Officials have signaled that they are looking to gradually ease restrictions and revive economic activity even as the number of confirmed infections accelerates .
Hotels that meet required safety standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % capacity .

The Health Ministry said 1,536 new cases had been confirmed including 46 deaths, bringing total cases to 24,985 and deaths to 959.
Earlier, the prime minister's office said a night curfew would end at 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. The curfew begins at 8 p.m., though its start had been brought forward to 5 p.m. last week during the holiday that follows the Eid holiday at the end of Ramadan.
The curfew is one of a number of measures including the closure of schools, cafes and places of worship, that are aimed at curbing the pandemic.
The government announced that the number of hospitals designated to deal with coronavirus cases, in addition to previously assigned quarantine facilities, is rising to 376 from 340, and the number of laboratories capable of processing test results to 57 from 49.
The 340 hospitals have 3,539 intensive care unit beds and 2,218 ventilators, a government statement said.
Officials have signaled that they are looking to gradually ease restrictions and revive economic activity even as the number of confirmed infections accelerates.
Hotels that meet required safety standards have been allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.
Egypt shortened a night curfew by one hour on Sunday as it recorded new highs in the daily increases in novel coronavirus cases and deaths.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Armed bandits kill at least 18 in Nigeria's Katsina state

The eyewitnesses said as many as 500 men riding motorcycles , some brandishing assault rifles , charged into the Faskari local government area on Sunday afternoon .
`` At least 18 person were confirmed killed by now and many others were suspected to be killed , '' local resident Isma'ila Ya ' u told Reuters by telephone .
The men went on to the nearby village of Sabon Garin where they killed local leader Abdulhamid Sani , 55 , after attempting to kidnap him , the witnesses and a police spokesman said .
Sadiq Hasaan , another witness , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livestock towards other villages in the Batsari local government area , and thousands of residents had fled their homes .
Police spokesman Gombo Isa confirmed the attack , adding the assailants carried `` sophisticated weapons '' .
He said security forces were `` combing the forest with a view to arresting the hoodlums . ''
Criminal gangs carrying out robberies and kidnappings have killed hundreds in the last year in northwest Nigeria .
The attacks have added to security challenges in Africa 's most populous country , which is already struggling to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence over grazing rights in central states .

The eyewitnesses said as many as 500 men riding motorcycles, some brandishing assault rifles, charged into the Faskari local government area on Sunday afternoon.
"At least 18 person were confirmed killed by now and many others were suspected to be killed," local resident Isma'ila Ya'u told Reuters by telephone.
The men went on to the nearby village of Sabon Garin where they killed local leader Abdulhamid Sani, 55, after attempting to kidnap him, the witnesses and a police spokesman said.
Sadiq Hasaan, another witness, said the men were headed with the stolen livestock towards other villages in the Batsari local government area, and thousands of residents had fled their homes.
Police spokesman Gombo Isa confirmed the attack, adding the assailants carried "sophisticated weapons". He said security forces were "combing the forest with a view to arresting the hoodlums."
Criminal gangs carrying out robberies and kidnappings have killed hundreds in the last year in northwest Nigeria.
The attacks have added to security challenges in Africa's most populous country, which is already struggling to contain Islamist insurgencies in the northeast and communal violence over grazing rights in central states.
Armed bandits in Nigeria's northwestern state of Katsina killed at least 18 people, including a local official, and stole thousands of livestock on Sunday, two witnesses and a police spokesman told Reuters.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--After-school care facility worker diagnosed with coronavirus in Bat Yam

Meanwhile in Bat Yam 18 people, including 13 students were sent into quarantine after one of the after-school childcare facility workers was also diagnosed with the coronavirus, according to the Bat Yam municipality.The worker last visited the after-school facility on Monday, and was tested after she showed multiple symptoms of the virus.Thirteen students from ten different schools in the city had to enter quarantine along with five staff members.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Givat Ze'ev school staff member diagnosed with virus, everyone sent home

One of the staff members of the Ofek school in Givat Ze'ev was positively diagnosed with the coronavirus .
Following @ @ @ @ @ Member Yossi Avrahami ordered the school to be closed from Monday until June 10.Additionally , @ @ @ @ @ have been requested to enter quarantine .

One of the staff members of the Ofek school in Givat Ze'ev was positively diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Additionally, all students and staff members have been requested to enter quarantine. Following the diagnosis, Head Council Member Yossi Avrahami ordered the school to be closed from Monday until June 10.Additionally, all students and staff members have been requested to enter quarantine.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--US sends Brazil 2 million doses of drug touted by Trump

The United States has supplied Brazil with 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for use against the coronavirus , the two governments said on Sunday , despite medical warnings about risks associated with the anti-malaria drug .
The White House released a joint announcement on the drug , whose use has been touted both by U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , just days after the World Health Organization suspended testing it in COVID-19 patients because of safety concerns .
Trump himself said in mid-May that he was on a regimen of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration had issued a warning about its use for the coronavirus .
Bolsonaro , a right-wing leader who has forged personal ties with Trump , said recently he kept a box of the drug in case his 93-year-old mother needed it .
`` The American and Brazilian people stand in solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus , ” the statement said .
“ We are announcing the United States Government has delivered two million doses of hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) to the people of Brazil.
” “ HCQ will be used as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nurses , doctors and healthcare professionals against the virus .
It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected , ” it said .
The two countries will also conduct a joint research effort that will include “ randomized controlled clinical trials , ” the statement said , adding that the United States would soon send 1,000 ventilators to Brazil .
Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday , its Health Ministry said , and the death toll surpassed that of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , Britain and Italy .
Demand for the decades-old hydroxychloroquine has surged as Trump repeatedly promoted its use against the coronavirus despite a lack of scientific evidence .

The United States has supplied Brazil with 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for use against the coronavirus, the two governments said on Sunday, despite medical warnings about risks associated with the anti-malaria drug.
The White House released a joint announcement on the drug, whose use has been touted both by U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, just days after the World Health Organization suspended testing it in COVID-19 patients because of safety concerns.
Trump himself said in mid-May that he was on a regimen of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had issued a warning about its use for the coronavirus.
Bolsonaro, a right-wing leader who has forged personal ties with Trump, said recently he kept a box of the drug in case his 93-year-old mother needed it.
"The American and Brazilian people stand in solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus,” the statement said. “We are announcing the United States Government has delivered two million doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the people of Brazil.”
“HCQ will be used as a prophylactic to help defend Brazil’s nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals against the virus. It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected,” it said.
The two countries will also conduct a joint research effort that will include “randomized controlled clinical trials,” the statement said, adding that the United States would soon send 1,000 ventilators to Brazil.
Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, its Health Ministry said, and the death toll surpassed that of France and now ranks only below the United States, Britain and Italy.
Demand for the decades-old hydroxychloroquine has surged as Trump repeatedly promoted its use against the coronavirus despite a lack of scientific evidence.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Civilians killed as park hit by shelling in Libyan capital

A grassy area used as a park in the Libyan capital Tripoli was hit by shelling on Sunday that left @ @ @ @ @ others wounded , an official and a medic said .
The incident highlighted a continuing @ @ @ @ @ relative lull in fighting around Tripoli since eastern-based forces staged partial withdrawals earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ Libya has condemned `` indiscriminate attacks '' on civilian areas of Tripoli which it says @ @ @ @ @ affiliated with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar 's Libyan National Army ( LNA ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ offensive on Tripoli since April 2019 , though it has recently suffered setbacks amid the @ @ @ @ @ in the conflict .
Sunday 's shelling hit an expanse of grass that residents often @ @ @ @ @ edge of the Hay al-Andalus neighborhood , west of central Tripoli .
Ameen al-Hashimi , @ @ @ @ @ Tripoli government 's health ministry , told Reuters five people , two of them unidentified @ @ @ @ @ and 12 wounded .

A grassy area used as a park in the Libyan capital Tripoli was hit by shelling on Sunday that left five people dead and 12 others wounded, an official and a medic said.
The incident highlighted a continuing risk to civilians despite a relative lull in fighting around Tripoli since eastern-based forces staged partial withdrawals earlier this month.
The U.N. mission to Libya has condemned "indiscriminate attacks" on civilian areas of Tripoli which it says are mostly attributable to forces affiliated with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA).
The LNA has been waging an offensive on Tripoli since April 2019, though it has recently suffered setbacks amid the latest escalation of foreign involvement in the conflict.
Sunday's shelling hit an expanse of grass that residents often use to relax on the edge of the Hay al-Andalus neighborhood, west of central Tripoli.
Ameen al-Hashimi, a press officer for the Tripoli government's health ministry, told Reuters five people, two of them unidentified, had been killed, and 12 wounded.
Osama Ali, a spokesman for local ambulance services, said four of the casualties had been killed at the grassy area and one other at a second, nearby location.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Lebanon must turn reform ideas into reality, US ambassador says

Dorothy Shea also told OTV it was a mistake to scapegoat any one person or institution for Lebanon 's economic collapse in response to a question about the role of central bank Governor Riad Salameh , who she said `` enjoys great confidence in the international financial community . ''
Lebanon is suffering an acute financial crisis seen as the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war .
Shea said the United States was still assessing the government , formed with backing from the heavily armed , Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah , listed as a terrorist organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrated a good intention to fight corruption and make itself committed to reforms .
Now it needs to take that commitment to the next level and begin to make these ideas reality , '' Shea said .
`` Are they willing to push these reforms forward ?
We have n't yet made a final judgment on that . ''
The government launched IMF negotiations in May .
Asked what Lebanon must do to secure support , Shea said the international community was looking for concrete reforms .
`` It is easy to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The crisis is rooted in decades of waste and corruption and exploded last year as capital inflows slowed and protests erupted against the ruling elite .
On the role of Salameh , Shea said the United States had worked very closely with him over the years .
Central bank appointments were a sovereign matter , she added .
`` If the international financial community does not have confidence , however , in the leadership of your government 's top financial institutions , then I think you are not going to see the inflows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperately needs , '' she said .

Dorothy Shea also told OTV it was a mistake to scapegoat any one person or institution for Lebanon's economic collapse in response to a question about the role of central bank Governor Riad Salameh, who she said "enjoys great confidence in the international financial community."
Lebanon is suffering an acute financial crisis seen as the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Shea said the United States was still assessing the government, formed with backing from the heavily armed, Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah, listed as a terrorist organization by Washington.
"The government has demonstrated a good intention to fight corruption and make itself committed to reforms. Now it needs to take that commitment to the next level and begin to make these ideas reality," Shea said.
"Are they willing to push these reforms forward? We haven't yet made a final judgment on that."
The government launched IMF negotiations in May.
Asked what Lebanon must do to secure support, Shea said the international community was looking for concrete reforms. "It is easy to say and much harder to do."
The crisis is rooted in decades of waste and corruption and exploded last year as capital inflows slowed and protests erupted against the ruling elite.
On the role of Salameh, Shea said the United States had worked very closely with him over the years. Central bank appointments were a sovereign matter, she added.
"If the international financial community does not have confidence, however, in the leadership of your government's top financial institutions, then I think you are not going to see the inflows of investment ... that the economy so desperately needs," she said.
The Lebanese government must turn its reform ideas into reality and take concrete steps to win international support, the U.S. ambassador said in an interview broadcast on Sunday.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--US CDC reports total of 1,761,503 coronavirus cases, 103,700 deaths

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19 , caused by the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ EDT on May 30 versus its previous report released on Saturday .
The CDC figures @ @ @ @ @ reported by individual states .

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. EDT on May 30 versus its previous report released on Saturday.
The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported a total 1,761,503 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 23,553 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 915 to 103,700.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Gantz says he plans to 'protect,' 'strengthen' the police in A-G meeting

Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz held his first official meeting on Sunday with Attorney-General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit @ @ @ @ @ the two discussed the relevant issues for the Defense Ministry and the government .
Gantz @ @ @ @ @ the rule of law and law enforcement officials as key elements in maintaining democracy and @ @ @ @ @ , strengthen them and ensure that they can carry out their mission without fear and @ @ @

Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz held his first official meeting on Sunday with Attorney-General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit.
At the meeting, the two discussed the relevant issues for the Defense Ministry and the government.
Gantz told Mandelblit that he views the rule of law and law enforcement officials as key elements in maintaining democracy and that he intends to protect, strengthen them and ensure that they can carry out their mission without fear and without bias.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Five pro-Iran militants killed in airstrike – report

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five pro-Iranian militants were killed in an anonymous attack carried out today @ @ @ @ @ citing `` reliable sources . ''
According to the report , around noon , an @ @ @ @ @ military vehicles belonging to Iranian militias , which were carrying heavy machine guns .
The @ @ @ @ @ the vehicle was not disclosed , but it was stated that they were not Syrian @

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five pro-Iranian militants were killed in an anonymous attack carried out today in the Albukamal region, citing "reliable sources."
According to the report, around noon, an unknown fighter jet attacked three military vehicles belonging to Iranian militias, which were carrying heavy machine guns.
The identity of the passengers in the vehicle was not disclosed, but it was stated that they were not Syrian.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Civilians killed killed as park hit by shelling in Libyan capital

A grassy area used as a park in the Libyan capital Tripoli was hit by shelling on Sunday that left at least three people dead and several others wounded, medics said.The incident highlighted a continuing risk to civilians despite a relative lull in fighting around Tripoli since eastern-based forces staged partial withdrawals earlier this month.The U.N. mission to Libya has condemned "indiscriminate attacks" on civilian areas of Tripoli which it says are mostly attributable to forces affiliated with eastern commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA).The LNA has been waging an offensive on Tripoli since April 2019, though it has recently suffered setbacks amid the latest escalation of foreign involvement in the conflict.Sunday's shelling hit on the edge of the Hay al-Andalus neighbourhood, west of central Tripoli.Malek Marsit, spokesman for the Medical Field and Support Centre, said at least three people died and 12 were wounded when the shelling hit an expanse of grass that residents often use to relax.Osama Ali, a spokesman for local ambulance services, said five people had been killed there and at another nearby location.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--160 people infected with coronavirus at Jerusalem's Gymnasia

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein speaks at the opening of the cabinet meeting, May 31, 2020
Meanwhile in Bat Yam, 18 people, including 13 students, were sent into quarantine after one of the after-school childcare facility workers was also diagnosed with the coronavirus. The worker last visited the after-school facility on Monday, and was tested after she showed multiple symptoms of the virus. Thirteen students from ten different schools in the city had to enter quarantine along with five staff members.
The country will once again increase testing , this time targeting people with and without symptoms of the novel coronavirus, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Sunday night.The newly appointed minister unveiled a new coronavirus testing policy as several dozen – if not hundreds – more students and teachers across the country entered isolation on Sunday and as another 53 people were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2.“One of the most significant changes: Members of a verified patient’s family, even if they are asymptomatic, will be checked on the same day as their family member is diagnosed and then again five days later,” Edelstein said during a special press briefing.In addition, people who are asymptomatic but have come in close contact with a known patient, whether in school or on a bus or train, will be screened, he said.Until now, testing of asymptomatic people was only done in specific cases.Moreover, Edelstein noted that one’s doctor can now prescribe a coronavirus test and that high-risk populations will be tested, as well as people with coronavirus symptoms or those who were less than two meters away from a sick person for at least 15 minutes. Finally, anyone who is hospitalized with symptoms will be screened.Over the weekend, Israel had a five-fold increase in the number of people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in one day on Saturday, when there were 28 positive results out of 1,012 tests, Edelstein said.The majority of new cases (around 50%) over the last several days have been centered around one school: Gymnasia Rehavia middle and high school in Jerusalem. At press time, the Health Ministry was reporting 160 verified cases of the virus, among them mostly students but also some teachers and parents.All of the students and staff are in isolation.Furthermore, a student at the Masorti high school in Jerusalem – the daughter of a Gymnasia staffer – tested positive, as did a teacher from the Hartman religious-Zionist boys high school. The math teacher worked at Gymnasia, too.Additionally, an 11th-grader from the Jerusalem Art School tested positive, as did a fifth-grader who studies at the Zalman Aran school, also in the city.It was also revealed on Saturday night and Sunday that the virus was found in Holon, Kiryat Ye’arim and Bnei Brak.On Sunday night all students and staff from Ofek elementary school in Givat Ze'ev were sent home following the positive diagnosis of coronavirus of one of the staff members.In Holon, a seventh-grader tested positive for the virus, placing several sixth- and seventh-graders in isolation. In Kiryat Ye’arim, it was eight students at a local yeshiva, about a third of the total number of students. The entire yeshiva is being tested, and it is expected that more will test positive. In Bnei Brak, a teacher was hospitalized with coronavirus. She worked at two schools, putting 17 children and nine staff members into isolation.This latest uptick in cases comes after a weekend of high infection.On Friday, the Health Ministry reported more than 100 new cases, crossing a redline set by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 4. At that time, he addressed the nation and said we could continue opening up the economy if we did not see more than 100 patients per day, there were fewer than 250 patients in serious condition or the infection rate did not double in 10 days or less.On Saturday night, Netanyahu evaded that fact and told the public he is monitoring the data to determine the next steps. He repeated the message Sunday morning at the cabinet meeting.“We are monitoring to see if this is a real change in trend,” he said. “We will look at the next few steps, and if need be, we will change the policy accordingly.”Edelstein said the Health Ministry is able to perform 15,000 tests per day and called on “all citizens – if you think you are sick, or have any symptoms, or you think you were near a sick person – get it checked out.”Later, at his briefing, he said: “I heard claims that not everyone who asked to be tested had been tested. We are addressing this issue.”If the country had screened 15,000 people and the percentage of sick to tests stayed consistent, this would mean 415 people would have tested positive on Saturday, for example.On Sunday, the Health Ministry reported conducting 2,874 tests to reach 53 cases, the equivalent of 276 sick people if 15,000 tests had been taken.“I have heard people saying, ‘What is all this panic about? This is an isolated event,’” Edelstein noted at the cabinet meeting. “We need to understand: There was a steady rise in cases even before the Jerusalem school event. And even if you remove the cases from the school, there is still an increase in infection.”He said he would meet Sunday night with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, and they would discuss next steps for the Jerusalem school system. On the table is closing all the schools until the infection rate is better controlled.In addition, Sigal Sadetsky, the head of Public Health Services, said the country had launched its first serological tests, screening foreign workers. The tests will soon be expanded to help determine how much of the general population has been infected with coronavirus and has developed antibodies, she said.Edelstein reminded the public that there are three key guidelines that will help prevent the spread of the virus: wear a mask, keep two meters distance between people, and maintain good hygiene.At press time Sunday, there were 17,071 Israelis who had been infected in Israel, including 1,994 active cases – an increase of 50 from the day before. Some 44 people were in moderate condition and 33 in serious condition, including 30 who were intubated.So far, 285 people have died.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Trump claims the US will designate ANTIFA as a terrorist organization

"The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a terrorist organization," US President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday.Trump also blamed ANTIFA, "and others" for the Minneapolis riots, praising the National Guard and claimed that the Minneapolis Mayor should have done that on the first night.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Israel reports 53 new coronavirus patients on Sunday, 30 intubated


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Health Minister Edelstein presents new coronavirus testing policy


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Italy records 75 new coronavirus deaths, 355 new cases

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 75 on Sunday, against 111 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases fell to 355 from 416 on Saturday.The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,415 the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.The number of confirmed cases amounts to 233,019, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Spain, Britain and Brazil.People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 42,075 from 43,691 the day before.There were 435 people in intensive care on Sunday, down from 450 on Saturday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 157,507 were declared recovered against 155,633 a day earlier.The agency said 2.434 million people had been tested for the virus against 2.405 million on Friday, out of a population of around 60 million.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Biden says 'we must not allow this pain to destroy us' of violence in US

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday called for protesters against police brutality not to turn to violence as unrest flared in US cities overnight.Biden issued a statement just after midnight as protesters in several major US cities vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck."Protesting such brutality is right and necessary," Biden said in the emailed statement. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not."He added: "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us."Biden will face President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, on Saturday said that Biden should deliver a more forceful condemnation of violence.Biden's remarks echoed a statement on Saturday by prominent black civil rights activist and US Representative John Lewis of Georgia.Lewis, who in 1965 was beaten unconscious by Alabama state troopers during a march for voting rights, called for protesters to "be constructive, not destructive," though he said he knows their pain.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--No COVID-19 deaths reported in Sweden in 24 hours

Sweden has not reported any coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, for the first time since March 13, the health authority said on Sunday, but there is typically a delay in reporting figures at weekends.Sweden's open approach to the virus, mostly based on voluntary social distancing and basic hygiene, has been criticised by some as a dangerous experiment, but also once touted as a future model by the World Health Organization.Last week, Sweden had the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in Europe per capita over a seven-day-period, data showed.There have been previous weekends where the death toll has increased by as little as two, only for a steeper rise to return in the following days when the reporting catches up, the health authority spokesman said.The pandemic has killed 4,395 people in Sweden.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Hundreds of protesters rally in London, Berlin over US death

Hundreds of people protested in London and Berlin on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrations in the United States over the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck in Minneapolis.The protesters knelt in central London's Trafalgar Square, chanting "No justice, no peace," and then marched past the Houses of Parliament and finished up outside the US Embassy.Several hundred protesters also staged a rally outside the US Embassy in Berlin, holding up posters saying "Justice for George Floyd," "Stop killing us" and "Who's neckst."The death of George Floyd after his arrest on Monday has triggered a tide of protests in the United States, unleashing long simmering rage over racial bias in the US criminal justice system.Some rallies have turned violent as demonstrators blocked traffic, set fires and clashed with riot police, some of whom fired tear gas and plastic bullets in an effort to restore order.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--All students at Jerusalem's Gimansia put in self-isolation

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein speaks at the opening of the cabinet meeting , May 31 , 2020 Meanwhile in Bat @ @ @ @ @ including 13 students , were sent into quarantine after one of the after-school childcare facility @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
The worker last visited the after-school facility on Monday , and was @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of the virus .
Thirteen students from ten different schools in the city had @ @ @ @ @ five staff members .


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Trump will not activate federal troops for now amid protests

The Trump administration will not invoke federal authority over the National Guard for now, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said on Sunday as protests continued in multiple U. cities after the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis."We're not going to federalize the Guard at this time," O'Brien told reporters at the White House, saying law enforcement decisions should rest with governors and mayors.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Student at Masorti High School in Jerusalem tests positive for coronavirus


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--People more important than the economy, pope says about Covid crisis

Pope Francis said on Sunday that people are more important than the economy, as countries decide how quickly to reopen their countries from coronavirus lockdowns.Francis made his comments, departing from a prepared script, at the first noon address from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square in three months as Italy's lockdown drew to an end."Healing people, not saving (money) to help the economy (is important), healing people, who are more important than the economy," Francis said."We people are temples of the Holy Spirit, the economy is not," he said.Francis did not mention any countries. Many governments are deciding whether to reopen their economies to save jobs and living standards, or whether to maintain lockdowns until they are sure the virus is fully under control.The pope's words were met with applause by hundreds of people in the square, many of whom wore masks and kept several meters from each other. The square was reopened to the public last Monday. Normally tens of thousands attend on a Sunday.The last time the pope delivered his message and blessing from the window was March 1, before Italy, where more than 33,000 people have died from the virus, imposed a lockdown. The last restrictions will be lifted on Wednesday.Francis led the crowd in silent prayer for medical workers who lost their lives by helping others.He said he hoped the world would come out of the crisis more united, rather than divided."People do not come out of a crisis like this the same as before. We will come out either better or worse than before. Let's have the courage to emerge better than before in order to build the post-crisis period of the pandemic positively," he said.


jerusalempost--2020-05-31--Russian space agency calls Trump's reaction to SpaceX launch 'hysteria'

Russia's space agency criticised US President Donald Trump's "hysteria" about the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years, but also said on Sunday it was pleased there was now another way to travel into space.SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, on Saturday launched two Americans into orbit from Florida en route to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark mission that ended Russia's monopoly on flights there.Trump, who observed the launch, said the United States had regained its place as the world's leader in space, that US astronauts would soon land on Mars, and that Washington would soon have "the greatest weapons ever imagined in history."NASA had had to rely on Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, to get to the ISS since its final space shuttle flight in 2011, and Trump hailed what he said was the end of being at the mercy of foreign nations.The US success will potentially deprive Roscosmos, which has suffered corruption scandals and a number of malfunctions, of the lucrative fees it charged to take US astronauts to the ISS."The hysteria raised after the successful launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft is hard to understand," Vladimir Ustimenko, spokesman for Roscosmos, wrote on Twitter after citing Trump's statement."What has happened should have happened long ago. Now it's not only the Russians flying to the ISS, but also the Americans. Well that's wonderful!"


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Wildfire breaks out in northern Israel

Wildfire breaks out in northern Israel

Images from the scene showed large columns of smoke in the area .

Images from the scene showed large columns of smoke in the area.
Israel Fire and Rescue Services along with a firefighting plane are battling a wildfire that broke out near the town of Kiryat Tiv'on in northern Israel on Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Saudi-led coalition shot down two drones launched by Yemen's Houthis

The Saudi-led coalition has shot down two drones launched by Yemen's Houthi group in the direction of Saudi Arabia, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said, citing a coalition spokesman.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Kremlin says Putin 'supports dialog' after Trump's proposed G7 invite

The Kremlin said on Monday it needed to see more details before responding to US President Donald Trump's proposal to invite Russia to attend a Group of Seven nations summit, but that President Vladimir Putin supported dialog on the issue.Trump said on Saturday he would postpone a G7 summit he had hoped to hold next month until September or later and expand the list of invitees to include Australia, Russia, South Korea and India.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was not clear if the proposal was official and said Moscow needed to know more about the proposed summit, including what might be on the agenda and the format, before responding.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Indonesia reports 467 new coronavirus cases, 28 deaths

Indonesia reported on Monday 467 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of cases to 26,940, said Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto.The Southeast Asian country also reported 28 new deaths from COVID-19, taking the total to 1,641. Meanwhile, 7,637 people have recovered as of Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Teenager lightly injured in stabbing incident at Holon high school

The victim was transferred to Wolfson Medical Center in light condition .
The suspect was arrested .

The victim was transferred to Wolfson Medical Center in light condition. The suspect was arrested.
A 15-year-old is suspected of stabbing a 17-year-old at a high school in Holon on Monday, according to Israel Police. The incident was criminal.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Gantz and US Ambassador Friedman discuss regional issues

Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman met on Monday to discuss political developments and regional issues.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Gafni: If special-ed budget not arranged, state budget won't pass

The chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, Moshe Gafni, warned that if the budget for special education was not arranged "as promised" the committee would not pass the state budget, according to Army Radio.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Border crossings plummet since beginning of coronavirus outbreak

While 238,694 Israelis entered Israel in March , only 21,081 Israelis entered the country in April and only 14,362 entered @ @ @ @ @ , 132,327 Israelis exited the country in March , while only 12,658 Israelis exited the @ @ @ @ @ exited in May .
In March , 199,995 foreigners exited the country , while in @ @ @ @ @ and in May only 4,610 did the same .

While 238,694 Israelis entered Israel in March, only 21,081 Israelis entered the country in April and only 14,362 entered Israel in May.
Similarly, 132,327 Israelis exited the country in March, while only 12,658 Israelis exited the country in April and 9,119 exited in May.
In March, 199,995 foreigners exited the country, while in April only 8,119 exited Israel and in May only 4,610 did the same.
The number of crossings at Israel's borders dropped significantly in the past two months since regulations were issued restricting entry into the country, according to the Ministry of Population and Immigration.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--School in Givat Ze'ev closed after teacher confirmed with COVID-19

A first-grader at the Har Tov school in Kibbutz Tsor ' a was also confirmed as infected with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ her class , her teacher and six additional teachers entered quarantine .
Some 175 students @ @ @ @ @ a comprehensive school in Beersheba entered quarantine on Sunday after a student at the school @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus .
32 second-grade students , three teaching staff and 30 kindergartners from @ @ @ @ @ city also entered quarantine on Sunday .

A first-grader at the Har Tov school in Kibbutz Tsor'a was also confirmed as infected with the coronavirus on Monday. Students in her class, her teacher and six additional teachers entered quarantine.
Some 175 students and 13 teaching staff from a comprehensive school in Beersheba entered quarantine on Sunday after a student at the school was suspected of being infected with the coronavirus. 32 second-grade students, three teaching staff and 30 kindergartners from an elementary school in the city also entered quarantine on Sunday.
The Ofek School in Givat Ze'ev was closed on Monday after a teacher was confirmed as infected with the novel coronavirus. 278 students and 35 teachers entered quarantine.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Japan says Hong Kong situation deeply concerning

The spokesman , Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga , was speaking at a regular news conference .

The spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, was speaking at a regular news conference.
The situation in Hong Kong is deeply concerning and stability is important, Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday regarding China's decision to impose a new security law on Hong Kong.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 333 to 181,815 - RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 333 to 181,815 , data from the Robert Koch Institute @ @ @ @ @ diseases showed on Monday .
The reported death toll rose by 11 to 8,511 , @ @ @ @

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 333 to 181,815, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.
The reported death toll rose by 11 to 8,511, the tally showed.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Mexico registers 9,930 total coronavirus deaths, 90,664 accumulated cases

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Mexico's Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said on Sunday there were 151 new coronavirus deaths and 3,152 new cases, for an accumulated total of 9,930 fatalities and 90,664 cases.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--China reports 16 new coronavirus cases vs 2 a day earlier

The National Health Commission said in a statement that all of the new cases were so-called imported infections involving travelers @ @ @ @ @ also reported 16 new asymptomatic cases - those who are infected but do not show @ @ @ @ @ a day earlier .
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 83,017 , @ @ @ @ @ unchanged at 4,634 .

The National Health Commission said in a statement that all of the new cases were so-called imported infections involving travelers from overseas.
The mainland also reported 16 new asymptomatic cases - those who are infected but do not show symptoms - compared with 3 a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 83,017, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
China reported 16 new coronavirus cases for May 31, the highest since May 11 and up from 2 cases reported a day earlier, the country's health commission reported.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Mexico's coronavirus death toll surpasses 10,000

Total deaths reached 10,167 , while an additional 2,771 cases brought total known infections to 93,435 , although health officials @ @ @ @ @ is higher .

Total deaths reached 10,167, while an additional 2,771 cases brought total known infections to 93,435, although health officials have said the real number is higher.
Mexico's death toll from the novel coronavirus on Monday surpassed 10,000 after the health ministry reported an additional 237 deaths in the country.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--China reports 10 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases

All of the new cases were so-called imported infections from travelers overseas .
The mainland also reported 10 new asymptomatic @ @ @ @ @ infected but do not show symptoms - compared with 16 a day earlier .
The @ @ @ @ @ now stands at 83,022 , while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634 .

All of the new cases were so-called imported infections from travelers overseas.
The mainland also reported 10 new asymptomatic cases - those who are infected but do not show symptoms - compared with 16 a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 83,022, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
China registered 5 new coronavirus cases on June 1, down from 16 a day earlier, the National Health Comission said on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Polish Senate passes election bill, setting stage for June vote

Although the final date of the election has not yet been announced , the ruling Law and Justice ( PiS ) party has said June 28 is the last date the European Union 's largest post-communist state could hold the vote in order to have a head of state in place before the current president 's term ends .
The bill , including several amendments , was passed with 94 senators voting in favour , one against and four abstentions .
It will now go back to the lower house of parliament , the Sejm .
The election had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote collapsed because of the coronavirus pandemic , forcing the government to abandon the original schedule .
It had planned to hold the election in May as a postal ballot .
Victory for incumbent President Andrzej Duda , a PiS ally , is crucial to the government 's hopes of implementing their conservative agenda , as the president has the right to veto laws and to trigger early parliamentary elections .
Since coming to power in 2015 PiS has been in conflict with the European Union over judicial reforms which critics say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but which PiS says are necessary to remove a residue of communism .
While Duda remains ahead in most polls , his lead has been narrowing .
On Monday , a poll by SWPS University showed that Duda would lose in a second round run-off against either of his two main election challengers , in a sign the vote may be closer than first thought .

Although the final date of the election has not yet been announced, the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has said June 28 is the last date the European Union's largest post-communist state could hold the vote in order to have a head of state in place before the current president's term ends.
The bill, including several amendments, was passed with 94 senators voting in favour, one against and four abstentions. It will now go back to the lower house of parliament, the Sejm.
The election had been scheduled for May 10 but planning for the vote collapsed because of the coronavirus pandemic, forcing the government to abandon the original schedule. It had planned to hold the election in May as a postal ballot.
Victory for incumbent President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, is crucial to the government's hopes of implementing their conservative agenda, as the president has the right to veto laws and to trigger early parliamentary elections.
Since coming to power in 2015 PiS has been in conflict with the European Union over judicial reforms which critics say increase political control over the courts, but which PiS says are necessary to remove a residue of communism.
While Duda remains ahead in most polls, his lead has been narrowing.
On Monday, a poll by SWPS University showed that Duda would lose in a second round run-off against either of his two main election challengers, in a sign the vote may be closer than first thought.
Poland's upper house of parliament, the Senate, approved legislation late on Monday allowing a presidential election to be held using a mix of postal and traditional voting, potentially paving the way for the vote to take place in June.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Brazil registers 11,598 additional cases of coronavirus

Brazil registered 11,598 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 623 additional deaths in the last 24 hours , @ @ @ @ @ said on Monday evening .
Brazil now has registered 526,447 confirmed cases and 29,937 deaths @ @ @ @ @

Brazil registered 11,598 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 623 additional deaths in the last 24 hours, the nation's Health Ministry said on Monday evening.
Brazil now has registered 526,447 confirmed cases and 29,937 deaths attributed to the virus.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Medical examiner declares George Floyd death homicide -report

The updated report from the examiner states that Floyd died from a loss of blood flow due to compression on @ @ @ @ @ by Minneapolis police , local Fox television affiliate Fox 9 reported .
The Hennepin County @ @ @ @ @ respond to a request for comment .

The updated report from the examiner states that Floyd died from a loss of blood flow due to compression on his neck while being restrained by Minneapolis police, local Fox television affiliate Fox 9 reported.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Monday declared the death of George Floyd a homicide, saying he died of "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual restraint, and neck compression," according to a Minneapolis television station.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Pompeo says US considers welcoming Hong Kong people, entrepreneurs

The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China 's push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday .
Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell told that chamber on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to `` impose costs on Beijing '' for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong , and said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from the territory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Pompeo gave no details about immigration quotas or visas when asked about Hong Kong , and merely said : `` We are taking a look at it . ''
His remarks were shared by the State Department on Monday .
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China for curbing freedoms there , but stopped short of immediately ending privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center .
Last week , Britain said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong residents .
Asked if Washington was considering welcoming Hong Kong people `` to come here and bring their entrepreneurial creativity , '' Pompeo replied : '' We are considering it .
I don ’ t know precisely how it will play out .
The British have , as you know , a different relationship .
A lot of these folks have British national passports .
There ’ s a long history between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom ; it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re taking a look at it . ''
In his Senate address , McConnell said the United States had `` a rich heritage of standing as a beacon of light '' to refugees from war and communism .
`` We should exercise it again for the people of Hong Kong , '' he said .
Last year , Trump approved legislation stating that Hong Kong residents may not be denied visas because they have been subjected to politically motivated arrest , detention , or other `` adverse '' government action .
On Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entry of Chinese nationals identified as potential security risks , something sources said could affect thousands .
In a statement on Monday , Pompeo said the move would apply only to graduate students and researchers `` targeted , co-opted and exploited '' by the Chinese government , representing `` only a small subset '' of such applicants .

The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China's push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday.
Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell told that chamber on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to "impose costs on Beijing" for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong, and said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from the territory.
Speaking to the American Enterprise Institute on Friday, Pompeo gave no details about immigration quotas or visas when asked about Hong Kong, and merely said: "We are taking a look at it." His remarks were shared by the State Department on Monday.
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China for curbing freedoms there, but stopped short of immediately ending privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center.
Last week, Britain said it was prepared to offer extended visa rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong residents.
Asked if Washington was considering welcoming Hong Kong people "to come here and bring their entrepreneurial creativity," Pompeo replied:
"We are considering it. I don’t know precisely how it will play out. The British have, as you know, a different relationship. A lot of these folks have British national passports. There’s a long history between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; it’s very different. But we’re taking a look at it."
In his Senate address, McConnell said the United States had "a rich heritage of standing as a beacon of light" to refugees from war and communism.
"We should exercise it again for the people of Hong Kong," he said.
Last year, Trump approved legislation stating that Hong Kong residents may not be denied visas because they have been subjected to politically motivated arrest, detention, or other "adverse" government action.
On Friday, Trump also issued a proclamation suspending entry of Chinese nationals identified as potential security risks, something sources said could affect thousands.
In a statement on Monday, Pompeo said the move would apply only to graduate students and researchers "targeted, co-opted and exploited" by the Chinese government, representing "only a small subset" of such applicants.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--New York City institutes curfew, Governor Cuomo calls for police reforms

In a joint statement , Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city of 8 million people would be under curfew from 11 p.m. Monday night until 5 a.m. the next morning .
They said the police would double their numbers to stem violence and property damage .
At an earlier briefing , Cuomo said he worried that demonstrations in the most populous U.S. city in response to George Floyd 's death could cause a spike in coronavirus infections .
He called on citizens to push politicians to make changes to improve society .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Images from overnight showed looters ransacking a pharmacy and breaking into several luxury stores in Manhattan 's SoHo neighborhood after a day of protests across the city that led to hundreds of arrests .
`` It 's not enough to come out and say ' I 'm angry , I 'm frustrated , ' '' Cuomo said .
`` The protesters are making a point .
But you have to add the positive reform agenda . ''
Cuomo said some actions by New York City police officers during the protests were disturbing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed a police car driving into a crowd and another showing a demonstrator getting pepper sprayed .
At the same time , Cuomo railed against those exploiting the protests to loot and vandalize .
He echoed other political leaders in saying that outsiders were often the instigators of violence , which would play into the hands of people eager to block progressive change .
`` They will try to make it all about criminality , which I believe was a perversion of the protests , '' Cuomo said .
Cuomo said the unrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start reopening on June 8 .
Earlier on Monday , De Blasio said demonstrations had been overwhelmingly peaceful and praised New York Police Department officers , saying he thought they had largely showed restraint .
But the mayor , who has faced criticism for his response to the protests , also condemned some of the NYPD 's actions , including an officer drawing his gun on protesters .

In a joint statement, Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city of 8 million people would be under curfew from 11 p.m. Monday night until 5 a.m. the next morning. They said the police would double their numbers to stem violence and property damage.
At an earlier briefing, Cuomo said he worried that demonstrations in the most populous U.S. city in response to George Floyd's death could cause a spike in coronavirus infections.
He called on citizens to push politicians to make changes to improve society. He also urged independent investigations of police abuse.
Images from overnight showed looters ransacking a pharmacy and breaking into several luxury stores in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood after a day of protests across the city that led to hundreds of arrests.
"It's not enough to come out and say 'I'm angry, I'm frustrated,'" Cuomo said. "The protesters are making a point. But you have to add the positive reform agenda."
Cuomo said some actions by New York City police officers during the protests were disturbing, citing a video widely shared online that showed a police car driving into a crowd and another showing a demonstrator getting pepper sprayed.
At the same time, Cuomo railed against those exploiting the protests to loot and vandalize. He echoed other political leaders in saying that outsiders were often the instigators of violence, which would play into the hands of people eager to block progressive change.
"They will try to make it all about criminality, which I believe was a perversion of the protests," Cuomo said.
Cuomo said the unrest could complicate the city's plans to start reopening on June 8.
Earlier on Monday, De Blasio said demonstrations had been overwhelmingly peaceful and praised New York Police Department officers, saying he thought they had largely showed restraint.
But the mayor, who has faced criticism for his response to the protests, also condemned some of the NYPD's actions, including an officer drawing his gun on protesters.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday called for a national ban on excessive force by police and announced a curfew for New York City following violent protests triggered by the death in Minneapolis of an unarmed black man in police custody.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Former US President Obama condemns violence at protests

The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful , but a `` small minority '' were putting people at risk and harming the very communities the protests are intended to help , Obama wrote in an online essay posted on Medium .
Obama , a Democrat who served two terms as president prior to Republican Donald Trump 's administration , said the violence was `` compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause . ''
The United States has been rocked by six straight nights of tumult over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man in Minneapolis , George Floyd , after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck .
Obama 's latest remarks came three days after his first comments on the Floyd case , which called for justice but did not mention the violent nature of some protests .
His shift in tone on Monday came as some protesters have set fires , smashed windows and looted stores , forcing mayors in large cities to impose nighttime curfews .
On Sunday , presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and will face Trump in the Nov. 3 election , also called for an end to the violence .
`` Protesting such brutality is right and necessary , '' Biden said in a statement .
`` But burning down communities and needless destruction is not . ''
Obama , who remains perhaps the most popular figure in the Democratic Party , endorsed Biden for president in April and has said he will campaign for him in the months ahead .
Largely avoiding politics since he left office in 2017 , Obama recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus pandemic .
As the first black U.S. president , Obama dealt with civil unrest in cities such as Ferguson , Missouri , and Baltimore , where there were widespread , sometimes violent , protests over the deaths of young black men at the hands of the police .
In both cases , Obama was critical of the violence , saying they hindered efforts to curb police misconduct .
In 2015 , during the Baltimore protests , he blasted `` the criminals and thugs who tore up the place . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ police departments in those cities and others such as Chicago in an effort to bring about internal reforms , a practice the Trump administration has employed much less frequently .
In his Medium essay , Obama urged protesters not to be cynical about politics , arguing that electing new leaders on the national and local levels would bring about change .
`` Eventually , aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy , that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, but a "small minority" were putting people at risk and harming the very communities the protests are intended to help, Obama wrote in an online essay posted on Medium.
Obama, a Democrat who served two terms as president prior to Republican Donald Trump's administration, said the violence was "compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause."
The United States has been rocked by six straight nights of tumult over the death last week of a black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck.
Obama's latest remarks came three days after his first comments on the Floyd case, which called for justice but did not mention the violent nature of some protests. His shift in tone on Monday came as some protesters have set fires, smashed windows and looted stores, forcing mayors in large cities to impose nighttime curfews.
On Sunday, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who served as Obama's vice president and will face Trump in the Nov. 3 election, also called for an end to the violence.
"Protesting such brutality is right and necessary," Biden said in a statement. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not."
Obama, who remains perhaps the most popular figure in the Democratic Party, endorsed Biden for president in April and has said he will campaign for him in the months ahead.
Largely avoiding politics since he left office in 2017, Obama recently has been critical of Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
As the first black U.S. president, Obama dealt with civil unrest in cities such as Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, where there were widespread, sometimes violent, protests over the deaths of young black men at the hands of the police.
In both cases, Obama was critical of the violence, saying they hindered efforts to curb police misconduct. In 2015, during the Baltimore protests, he blasted "the criminals and thugs who tore up the place."
Obama's Justice Department launched probes into police departments in those cities and others such as Chicago in an effort to bring about internal reforms, a practice the Trump administration has employed much less frequently.
In his Medium essay, Obama urged protesters not to be cynical about politics, arguing that electing new leaders on the national and local levels would bring about change.
"Eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands," he said.
Former US President Barack Obama on Monday condemned the use of violence at nationwide protests over racial inequities and excessive police force, while praising the actions of peaceful protesters seeking change.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Controversial Norwegian Law advances in plenum

The Knesset plenum voted 64-38 on Monday night to advance the Expanded Norwegian Law, putting it on pace to pass into law by next week.The bill would enable five ministers in Blue and White and two in other coalition parties to quit the Knesset and be replaced by the next candidates on each party’s list. If the ministers quit the cabinet, they could return to the Knesset at the expense of the new MKs.It would give new MKs in factions that have split 24 hours to decide which one to join. The legislation could allow candidates of Yesh Atid and Telem, which are in the opposition, to instead join Blue and White in the coalition, solving the problem of Blue and White not having enough MKs who are not ministers to do the party’s legislative work in the Knesset.It passed after a stormy debate in which opposition MKs fiercely criticized the bill.Meretz faction chair Tamar Zandberg alleged that there was a deal of "Norwegian Law for South African Law," in which more Blue and White MKs would enter the Knesset but they had to support Likud policies of applying Israeli law to territories in the West Bank."They will pass the Norwegian Law but wake up with Apartheid," she warned.During the debate, Joint List leader Ayman Odeh had to be removed from the plenum rostrum after his time ran out in a speech about Eyad Hallaq, an unarmed Palestinian shot and killed by police on Saturday in the Old City of Jerusalem. Odeh called Public Security Minister Amir Ohana a coward and said police had murdered Hallaq.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Chinese envoy to UK says Beijing is not suppressing Hong Kong activists

Asked on Sky News whether China was suppressing the activists , Liu Xiaoming said : `` It is not Chinese @ @ @ @ @ on in Hong Kong is violence .
It is a risk to the national security @ @ @ @ @ to take measures . ''

Asked on Sky News whether China was suppressing the activists, Liu Xiaoming said: "It is not Chinese suppression, what is going on in Hong Kong is violence. It is a risk to the national security ... any responsible government has to take measures."
Any responsible government has to take measures against violence, the Chinese ambassador to London said on Monday, when asked about Beijing's response to protests in Hong Kong against it imposing national security laws on the city.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--US judge defends handling of case against ex-Trump adviser Flynn

Judge Emmet Sullivan said he acted properly in seeking outside views on whether to drop the charges in light of @ @ @ @ @ the case had unfolded .

Judge Emmet Sullivan said he acted properly in seeking outside views on whether to drop the charges in light of the "unprecedented" way the case had unfolded.
The US judge hearing the criminal prosecution of former Trump administration official Michael Flynn defended himself on Monday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Independent autopsy finds Floyd died by strangulation, claims homicide

Two doctors who carried out an independent autopsy of George Floyd, the African-American man whose death in Minneapolis police custody last week triggered nationwide protests, said on Monday that the cause of death was "mechanical asphyxia" and that his death was a homicide.Dr. Michael Baden, one of the doctors who performed the autopsy as the behest of Floyd's family, said during a news conference in Minneapolis that Floyd had no underlying medical conditions that contributed to his death. Baden said Floyd's death was caused pressure on both the man's neck and by the knees of two officers on his back.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Egypt reports first decline in new coronavirus cases for a week

CAIRO - Egypt confirmed 1,399 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the health ministry said, its first decline for a week.That is down from 1,536 reported the day before, but still almost double the number on the same day a week ago.Egypt has reported a total of 26,384 cases, of which 6,297 have recovered and 1,005 died, the ministry said.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Employee at Prime Minister's Office tests positive for coronavirus

Any school that is found to have an active case of coronavirus will be closed immediately to stop its spread among education institutions, Education Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday.In recent days, there has been a surge in coronavirus infection throughout the country, especially in schools. A report disseminated Monday afternoon by the Education Ministry showed that there were 13 new students and teachers diagnosed with coronavirus in the last day and that the number in isolation tripled.So far, 212 students and educational staff have been diagnosed with the virus, and more than 5,000 are in isolation, according to the data.Although there are cases across the country, the majority are in Jerusalem – 174 students and educational staff, among them 147 from Gymnasia Rehavia.The ministry shuttered 13 institutions, seven preschools and six schools, and at least 10 other schools were closed by their parent-teacher associations for fear that students and staff had encountered sick patients, although no coronavirus cases were found in them.Sixteen schools are closed in Jerusalem.Gallant set up a special headquarters to evaluate the state of infection in the country’s educational institutions each day, based on data provided by the Health Ministry, to help establish guidelines.There were several new cases of infection reported on Monday.In Givat Ze’ev, an elementary-school teacher tested positive, and the school was closed. Some 278 students and 35 staff members entered isolation through June 10. Similarly, a student at an elementary school in the Mateh Yehuda region adjoining Jerusalem was diagnosed with the virus, and 29 students and six staff members entered isolation.A Jerusalem middle school and a Hadera high school also had cases on Monday, sending a collective 1,829 students and 251 staff members into isolation.A child being cared for at a Jerusalem preschool in the Anglo-heavy area of Katamon caught the virus from his father, who teaches at Gymnasia Rehavia. All 30 children and at least one of their parents went into isolation, as did six staff members.In Beersheba, some 175 students and 13 staff members went into isolation until June 9 after a seventh-grader tested positive. Other infections in the city sent 32 second-graders and 30 preschoolers into isolation.In total, there are now 2,006 active cases of coronavirus in Israel. The last time the country had more than 2,000 cases was on May 24. Of the sick, 32 are in serious condition, including 29 who are ventilated.On Sunday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said the country’s testing policy was shifting, and anyone who wants to be screened will be able to.“I ask the public: Go and get tested,” he said.But on Monday, parents of students who attend schools with cases of infection told The Jerusalem Post they could not get screened.“It was a real runaround,” said a parent of a Jerusalem preschool student. He went into isolation late Sunday night after his son’s classmate was diagnosed with coronavirus.The parent told the Post he had called Meuhedet Health Services early Monday and requested a referral for his son and the other family members. The doctor refused to provide a referral for anyone but the preschooler.“Because we don’t have a car, Magen David Adom came to our house,” the parent said. When he asked MDA about getting testing, the paramedics said no, citing the need for a referral.Other parents at the school said they waited to be screened for as long as seven hours at MDA’s drive-in complex at Teddy Stadium.“My daughter is coughing, and my wife and I want to be tested, too,” the parent said.He also complained that while he did receive a note telling him there was an active case in the preschool and the family was required to isolate, no other information has been provided thus far by the Health or Education ministries. “We are very disappointed.”Several similar cases occurred at other health funds, N12 reported.Part of Edelstein’s new policy is that doctors can write referrals for anyone they think should be screened.The ministry reported that it conducted 5,636 tests on Monday, up from 213 the day before.An employee in the Prime Minister’s Office tested positive for coronavirus on Monday evening. He underwent epidemiological questioning, which will determine how close he got to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and how others in the PMO should behave.The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement confirming that an employee has tested positive for the virus, adding that an epidemiological investigation is underway and that once it is complete, the appropriate instructions will be given to whoever came in contact with him.Netanyahu went into quarantine in early April after being in contact with Housing and Construction Minister Ya’acov Litzman, who was health minister at the time and who tested positive for COVID-19. Mossad Director Yossi Cohen and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat also entered isolation for the same reason.Meanwhile, Finance Minister Israel Katz and Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir announced an aid plan of NIS 300 million million for the Israeli tourism industry on Monday after meeting with its representatives.“The entire tourism industry is in a severe crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it is our job to act swiftly to bring it back on track and assist in its recovery,” Zamir said.About 50% of all visitors to hotels are tourists, which means that without them, it is nearly impossible to maintain the everyday operational fees that hotels require. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic has completely stopped the entry of tourists into Israel since mid-March, and the earliest tourism is expected to resume is mid-July.“Tourism is an inseparable aspect of Israel’s economy, and an important one at that,” Katz said in a statement. “This step is another important step in recovering Israel’s economy.”Lahav Harkov contributed to this report


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Coronavirus: 2,006 active cases in Israel


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--WHO will decide on its hyrdroxychloroquine trial suspension in 24 hours

The World Health Organization (WHO) should have enough information in 24 hours to decide whether to continue suspending its trials of hyrdroxychloroquine for use against the new coronavirus, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday.U.S. President Donald Trump has been one of those promoting the anti-malaria drug to help combat the COVID-19 disease, despite medical warnings about associated risks.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Italy records 60 new coronavirus deaths, 178 new cases

ROME - Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 60 on Monday, against 75 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases fell to just 178 from 355 on Sunday.The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 now stands at 33,475, the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain.The number of confirmed cases amounts to 233,197, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Brazil, Spain and Britain.People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 41,367 from 42,075 the day before.There were 424 people in intensive care on Monday, down from 435 on Sunday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 158,355 were declared recovered against 157,507 a day earlier.The agency said 2.452 million people had been tested for the virus as of Monday, against 2.434 million on Sunday, out of a population of around 60 million.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Benjamin Netanyahu discusses annexation with Jared Kushner on the phone

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to President Trump's advisor Jared Kushner on the phone on Monday, Kan reported.One month before annexation of the West Bank is planned to take place, Netanyahu and Kushner discussed the annexation and its possible implications.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Spain reports no new COVID-19 deaths, 71 new cases

MADRID - Spain's Health Ministry reported no new deaths from the new coronavirus on Monday, with the total death toll unchanged from Sunday at 27,127, the health ministry said.It said the total number of COVID-19 infections increased by 71 from Sunday to 239,638


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Chile surpasses 100,000 cases of coronavirus - health minister

SANTIAGO - Chile has surpassed 100,000 cases of the coronavirus, the health minister said on Monday, as infections have spiraled in the capital Santiago, putting the South American nation´s healthcare system under "extraordinary" strain.The health ministry said total cases since the outbreak began in early March had hit 105,159 while 1,113 people had died from the disease.The Americas have emerged as the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, with infections and deaths in May related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, surging in Chile, Peru and Brazil.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Singapore's health ministry confirms 408 new coronavirus cases, one death

SINGAPORE - Singapore confirmed 408 new coronavirus cases on Monday, its health ministry said, bringing the city-state's tally to 35,292.All the fresh cases are among migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said in a statement.The city-state reported one new death, resulting from COVID-19 complications, taking the total deaths to 24.


jerusalempost--2020-06-01--Foreign minister, UN Middle East coordinator discuss regional issues

Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Monday instructed Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi to accelerate preparations for the possibility that Israel will apply its laws to parts of the West Bank after he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Trump administration officials.Gantz updated Kochavi on diplomatic developments after the calls and told him to speed up preparations for “diplomatic steps on the agenda in the Palestinian arena.”He met with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman on Monday morning to discuss diplomatic matters on the agenda. Soon after, Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Friedman, Senior Adviser to the President Jared Kushner and Special Representative for International Relations Avi Berkowitz.“The call was cordial and productive,” a senior White House official said. “We do not comment on the substance of private diplomatic conversations.”US President Donald Trump’s peace plan would allow for Israel to apply its laws to 30% of the West Bank. The coalition agreement between Gantz’s Blue and White and Netanyahu’s Likud says the prime minister can bring annexation to a vote in the cabinet or Knesset on July 1 at the earliest.Speaking to the Blue and White faction in the Knesset on Monday, Gantz said he instructed Kochavi to prepare “for any possibility of these processes influencing the region” and present him with various scenarios and plans of action.The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) plan to hold war games simulating possible responses to annexation, ranging from an increase in terrorism to a broad wave of violence, Channel 13 reported.Gantz also plans to appoint a project manager to coordinate matters related to the Trump peace plan’s implementation, as well as a committee to coordinate the operative recommendations for the West Bank and Gaza. The police plan to hold meetings on the matter as well.“President Trump’s peace plan is an opportunity to set and promote permanent borders for the State of Israel,” Gantz said in the faction meeting.Gantz said he and Netanyahu have been in touch with the US government to promote the peace plan’s implementation.“Striving for peace while maintaining security is foundational for every Israel citizens and for Blue and White in a concrete way,” he said.Gantz emphasized the need to maintain Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, saying: “We are acting these days to promote [the peace plan] in parallel to protecting our strategic assets, the cooperation with states of the region, and of course we will be careful with the security of the citizens of Israel.”Despite Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi , also of Blue and White, repeatedly touting the importance of maintaining peace with Egypt and Jordan, senior Jordanian officials lamented that they have not had any serious discussions with Amman, KAN reported.Gantz’s and Ashkenazi’s spokespeople would not confirm or deny any discussions with Jordanian officials.The KAN report cited “senior Jordanian officials” who said there have not been any meetings or significant discussions of the possibility that Israel will annex the Jordan Valley or other parts of the West Bank, as the Trump plan would allow it to do.The officials were reportedly discouraged by statements by Netanyahu and others and have reached the conclusion that they plan to move forward with annexation.The Arab world views Israeli statements about pending annexation of portions of the West Bank as a rejection of its desire for peace with Israel, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash said.“Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop,” he tweeted on Monday. “Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self-determination [and] constitute a rejection of the international [and] Arab consensus towards stability [and] peace.”David Makovsky, of the US-based Washington Institute of Near East Policy, explained on Twitter the significance of Gargash’s statement.“This comes from a leading Emirati official – Minister of State – who has been very supportive of close ties between Gulf states and Israel,” wrote Makovsky, who is an author on the Middle East peace process and former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post.At the heart of one of the Israeli and American arguments that such a measure should move forward is the belief that the Jewish state can both annex and pursue relations with its Arab neighbors. This includes not only Jordan and Egypt, with whom it has peace deals, but also moderate countries such as the UAE, with whom it hopes to one day have normalized and formal diplomatic ties.Moderate Arab countries have said they would only recognize diplomatic ties with Israel once a peace deal has been achieved with the Palestinians for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 lines.The Arab League has twice endorsed the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which would offer Israel such ties with the Arab world in exchange for a negotiated two-state solution based on those lines.Trump hopes to replace the idea of a two-state state solution on the pre-1967 lines with his own version of a peace deal that does not recognize that boundary and offers the Palestinians a demilitarized state on 70% of the West Bank territory.On Monday, Gargash clarified that even talk of such annexation was harmful.Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to chair a meeting of a “crisis cell” in Ramallah on Tuesday to discuss Israel’s intention to apply sovereignty to parts of the West Bank.At the meeting, the officials also will discuss the Palestinian response to the Israeli plan and mechanisms for implementing Abbas’s recent decision to renounce all agreements and understandings with Israel and the US, including security cooperation.The Palestinian leadership was holding intensive discussions on the issue of “annexation,” in addition to ongoing contacts with international and Arab parties to foil the Israeli plan, said Azzam al-Ahmed, a senior PLO and Fatah official.The “annexation issue is an Israeli-American scheme,” he told the PA’s Voice of Palestine radio station.Ahmed accused the US administration of “destroying any prospect for peace or the resumption of [Israeli-Palestinian] negotiations” through its plan for Mideast peace, also known as the Deal of the Century.Israel has already begun implementing the “annexation” plan by removing signs that warn Israeli citizens from entering certain areas in the Jordan Valley and distributing electricity bills to village councils there, he said.Ahmed urged Palestinians to pursue “peaceful and popular” protests against the Israeli plan.PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday said his government was working to complete plans regarding the Palestinian leadership’s decision to end all agreements with Israel. He, too, claimed that Israel has already begun implementing “some measures of annexation of Palestinian territories.”Shtayyeh called on the international community to stand against the Israeli plan and prevent its implementation, warning that it would have “grave consequences on Palestinians and their land and liberation project, as well as regional security.”UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov met with Ashkenazi on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East.The UN “remains committed to the two-state solution [and] to working with #Israel, the #Palestinian leadership and our international partners on advancing #peace and much needed regional cooperation,” he tweeted.Omri Nahmias contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--COVID cases rising in Eastern Europe, waning in Western Europe - WHO

New cases of COVID-19 reported daily are steadily declining in Western Europe, but not in hotspots in Russia and Eastern Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.Spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a briefing: "At the moment in Europe, in Western Europe, we are seeing a steady decline. It's not speedy but there's a steady decline in new cases being reported daily, so that means that the number of new cases are still significant but the number is coming down except for Russia and Eastern Europe where we are still seeing the rise."Russia has reported 423,741 cases, the world's third highest reported total, including 5,037 deaths.Harris said that she had no information on whether talks were still taking place with the Trump administration, which announced last Friday that it was leaving the agency over its handling of the pandemic. "I have no information on whether we were formally notified," she added.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Coronavirus: 10,000 students, teachers in isolation and 31 schools closed

Specifically , some 3,723 students and teachers were quarantined on Tuesday alone , bringing the total number to 9,935 from @ @ @ @ @ cases were reported and 13 more schools were closed .
Grotto said that more people @ @ @ @ @ , since the country became aware of the spike .
On Tuesday , the Education @ @ @ @ @ many students and teachers are sick and/or in isolation : 10,000 students and teachers had @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases had been reported .
The schools of 31 students were closed .

Middle and high schools will not be shuttered, even in Jerusalem, at least for another day, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, despite a recommendation by newly appointed Health Minister Yuli Edelstein to close these schools in Jerusalem.As of Tuesday evening, some 146 students and 30 teachers in the holy city were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a discussion regarding the education system, at which the data and the steps that have been were reviewed,” a statement by the PMO read, noting that the prime minister requested additional information and that discussions would resume on Wednesday. “According to the data that will be presented, Prime Minister Netanyahu will make a decision regarding the education system.”In total, some 225 students and faculty members are sick and 4,925 are in home-quarantine, the Education Ministry said. Another 5,010 are at home because 36 schools were forced to close.On Tuesday, new infections were found in schools in Beersheba, Rahat, Ashdod, Ma’aleh Adumim and Holon. However, the majority of cases remain from one school: Gymnasia Rehavia in Jerusalem Professionals in the Health Ministry on Tuesday recommended that all middle and high schools across the country close, but Education Minister Yoav Gallant refused, accusing the Health Ministry of “sowing unnecessary panic.”He said that Health Ministry data has not changed dramatically and there is no justification for closing schools, a move that he said would be “reckless toward students, teachers and parents. The fact that there is one sick person and because of him we enter isolation is not dramatic, it is a preventative effort.”As of Tuesday night, some 72 new patients have been diagnosed with the novel virus – down from 98 new patients on Monday. There are currently 2,055 active cases of the virus, an increase of 29 people. Of the sick, 29 are ventilated. In total, 290 people have died.However, Israelis are still faced with the possibility of returning to restrictions or even lockdown.If there are more than 100 patients who are diagnosed with coronavirus per day who are unrelated, then Israel will again be faced with coronavirus restrictions, Health Ministry deputy director-general Itamar Grotto said Tuesday at the Knesset Coronavirus Committee meeting.“If there are 100 patients per day unrelated to the same outbreak, then we will have to step back in terms of the restrictions,” he said. “At the moment, the majority of cases are focused on one outbreak.”He also said the number of people screened for the virus is on the rise, after Edelstein earlier this week unveiled a new testing policy that allows all Israelis – with or without symptoms – to get tested.“Only yesterday, 8,383 coronavirus tests were performed,” he said. “We are in a position to have 15,000 tests a day. And now there are two more laboratories that we have reached an agreement with, and we can reach up to 40,000 tests a day.”At press time, the Health Ministry reported that 6,664 tests had been taken on Tuesday.Additionally, Keren Shechter Azulay, vice president and general-director of the southern district at Maccabi Healthcare Services, said that the health fund is preparing for a second wave.“We already launched a rapid test yesterday at dedicated laboratories we set up in Beersheba, where we examined the students and teachers who went into isolation to verify which of the isolates did carry the virus to prevent further infection,” she said.But Yamina head Naftali Bennett, who has long advocated for increased testing, expressed dissatisfaction with the Health Ministry’s efforts, saying that within days or weeks the prime minister would get up at prime time and announce to the public, “We were wrong, the epidemic broke out again, and we have no choice but to re-close.” He said that if that happens, small businesses and self-employed workers will be demolished.“It will be a death blow for them,” he said.Finance Minister Israel Katz and Culture Minister Chili Tropper announced on Tuesday evening that they had reached an agreement to assist the struggling culture sector with an assistance package valued at NIS 200 million.The package includes access to government-secured loans, increased budgets for professional cultural institutions and assistance to complete cinematic productions impacted by Health Ministry restrictions.Eytan Halon contributed to this report.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Indonesia reports 609 new coronavirus cases, 22 deaths

Indonesia reported 609 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the total number in the Southeast Asian country to 27,549, said health ministry official Achmad Yurianto.Yurianto announced 22 new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,663, while 7,935 have recovered.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Student in Sderot infected with coronavirus, 980 people quarantined

The student has been in quarantine since Friday as he came into a contact with a family member who was @ @ @ @ @ Four other students do n't feel well and have symptoms of coronavirus , so the @ @ @ @ @ 110 teachers and staff and all 870 students will enter quarantine until June 10 .

The student has been in quarantine since Friday as he came into a contact with a family member who was infected with the virus. Four other students don't feel well and have symptoms of coronavirus, so the entire school, including all 110 teachers and staff and all 870 students will enter quarantine until June 10.
A student at the Gottwirth Comprehensive School in Sderot was confirmed as infected with the coronavirus on Tuesday.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Russia's coronavirus case tally rises to more than 423,000

Russia reported 8,863 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, pushing its nationwide tally to 423,741, the world's third highest reported total.The death toll rose to 5,037 after authorities said 182 people had died in the last 24 hours.


jerusalempost--2020-06-02--Minister calls for colleague in cabinet to be fired

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