China promised Tuesday that they would take necessary actions against American journalists in Hong Kong, if the U.S. did not stop all “bullying” and grant visa extensions to U.S.–based Chinese journalists. The State Department designated nine Chinese media outlets as “foreign missions” and a number of individuals have been deemed “foreign agents,” alleging that journalists for the media companies are mouthpieces for the Chinese government. Visa restrictions have been placed on five of the media outlets, restricting the number of employees permitted into the U.S. Read more at Fox News.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that returning students to schools must be a top priority or the world faces a “generational catastrophe.” In a four minute and 41 second video, the 71-year-old former Portuguese prime minister and socialist said that in mid-July 169 countries had schools closed because of the novel coronavirus, affecting 1 billion students and that 40 million had “missed out on education in a critical pre-school year.” “The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the largest disruption of education ever,” Guterres said. “Now we face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress and exacerbate entrenched inequalities.” Read more at NEWSMAX...
Nechamah can come about in strange ways. It was the summer of 2004 and my wife and I were returning from a shivah visit in Providence, where we lived for eleven years before moving to New York. The CD player in our car was broken and I tuned into a public radio station. The program being aired, “This American Life,” was telling the story of a young chassidic man who joined a punk rock group. Our curiosity, understandably, was piqued.    The subject of the narrative apparently hadn’t proved himself to be “student material” and while wandering around his native Williamsburg he came across a musical group’s studio, and it intrigued him. In a nutshell, the fellow hung out there many days and ended up contributing his own original “nigunim&rd...
Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York City would start implementing checkpoints across the five boroughs to help enforce Gov. Andrew Cuomo's quarantine order for travelers from viral hotspots, citing the ongoing national COVID threat. The measure announced Wednesday is the first significant effort by New York City specifically to help enforce the 14-day quarantine for travelers from 34 states and Puerto Rico. In revealing it, de Blasio said the state was "absolutely right" to impose the travel restriction in the first place. Cuomo announced it in late June. "The checkpoints are going to send a very powerful message that this quarantine is serious. Even if we can't reach every single person I think it'll get the message across," de Blasio said. "We don't want to...
Moderna Inc announced it was in talks with a number of countries toward supply of its experimental coronavirus vaccine, which last week entered its late stage trial on 30,000 individuals, Reuters reported. The company said it had received around $400 million in deposits for potential supply of the vaccine. The company's chief executive officer was quoted as emphasizing the need for "responsible pricing in the face of the pandemic." The vaccine could be ready for widespread use by the end of the year, the company says Read more at Arutz-7
Contract workers say weddings are starting to look a lot like they used to — and that's a problem Wedding planners, photographers and other bridal vendors who make the magic happen have a heap of new worries in the middle of the pandemic: no-mask weddings, rising guest counts and venues not following the rules. Now that weddings have slowly cranked up under a patchwork of ever-shifting state and local restrictions, horror stories from vendors are rolling in. Many are desperate to work after the coronavirus put an abrupt end to their incomes and feel compelled to put on their masks, grab their cameras and hope for the best. No-mask weddings, no social distancing and dance floors prohibited in many states have been the talk of online groups for vendors around the coun...
Baltimore, Md - Aug. 4, 2020 - Whether you are sticking to your pre-COVID long-distance travel plans or you’re opting for a day- tripping staycation, join us for our next Telekosher Conference Series – our annual KOSHER TRAVEL webinar -- on Wednesday August 5, 2020, at 12 Noon ET. Learn the latest about: Hotel Stays - Breakfasts, Shabbos, Appliances in Room BBQ Grills Slurpee Info Keeping Kosher on the Road STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Baruch Beyer will discuss these topics and more with host Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, in addition to answering YOUR travel questions. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER- https://learnkosher.clickmeeting.com/kosher-travel-star-k/register Questions are encouraged from the listening audience. You can ask questions via chat during the show.  You c...
U.S. equity markets raced higher Wednesday after drugmakers reported progress in developing a COVID-19 vaccine while investors looked past dour employment figures as Congress worked toward another economic relief package. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 170 points, or 0.64 percent, in the opening minutes of trading while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4 percent and 0.18 percent, respectively. The early advance had the Nasdaq on track for its 31st record-high close this year. The ADP report for July showed private employers added 167,000 jobs in July, well short of the 1.5 million that analysts surveyed by Reifintiiv were anticipating. The ADP reading sets the stage for the July jobs report, which is due out on Friday morning. Lookin...
As Israel continues to endure the so-called second wave of Corona, more and more government offices have closed their doors to the public. Mrs. Chana Rothstein of the Chaim V’Chessed Bureaucratic Department has prepared the following list of updated information. Please note that information can -and will – change frequently.  Misrad HaPnim (Interior Ministry) is currently open as usual during morning hours, on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 AM 12:00 PM. The visa department operates on those days from 8AM – 9AM. It is nearly impossible to obtain an appointment for visa services. Hence, we strongly recommend arriving no later than 7:15 AM.  For all other services,  it is highly recommended to make an appointment. This ...
Rep. Rashida Tlaib declared victory Wednesday morning in her primary election in Detroit and proclaimed her win shows the progressive Squad is coming back to Congress stronger and bigger. Tlaib, one of four members of the freshman Squad, beat Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones in the 13th District primary, The Associated Press called Wednesday morning. "Let it be known that in the 13th District, just like in communities across our country, we are done with establishment politics that put corporations first," Tlaib said in a victory statement. "If I was considered the most vulnerable member of the Squad, I think it’s safe to say the Squad is here to stay, and it’s only getting bigger." Read more at FOX News
The Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and 4,000 injured during an explosion in Beirut Tuesday In the wake of Tuesday's twin blasts that destroyed Beirut's main port and left at least 100 people dead, Israeli politicians are demanding that precautions are taken in the northern city of Haifa to avoid a similar disaster in the future.  "We need to remove the dangerous chemicals from the Haifa bay," said Likud MK Gila Gamliel told Israeli media on Wednesday. "The plan is to remove the [chemicals] within five years and then another five years to clean the area." For years, security experts have warned that Haifa remains one of the most vulnerable cities in Israel for enemy attacks due to its high concentration of chemical processing facilities in the city. ...
Muslims who frequent their local mosques have warmer feelings toward Jews and Israel More than 40 percent of British Muslims endorse or support anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in one way or another, The Times of Israel (TOI) reported on Wednesday.   Citing a study by the Henry Jackson Society, a trans-Atlantic foreign policy think tank based in London, the Times reported that some 44 percent of UK Muslims hold anti-Jewish views.  That number drops as much as 12 percentage points, however, if members of the UK Muslim community "are more integrated into British society." British Muslims who frequently attend their local mosque are less likely to hold anti-Semitic views and have a more positive disposition towards Israel. The study found that 44 perce...
The US team wants to ensure that any Israeli annexation plans compensate Palestinians as well Plans to enact Washington's plan for Middle East peace, which includes Israel annexing parts of the West Bank is still in the works and could be implemented as early as this month, a source close to the White House told The Times of Israel (TOI). Avi Berkowitz, the US administration’s envoy to the Middle East, is reportedly holding talks about the plan with a number of countries, and time is still needed for Washington to give its blessing regarding annexation, the Times reported.  The Trump administration is still waiting for "a gesture" from the Palestinians, the source said, but the process could begin in the near future.  The window to enact such a historic move...
The dollar had its worst month for ten years in July against the world's major currencies. The shekel is strengthening today against the dollar and weakening against the euro. In early afternoon inter-bank trading the shekel-dollar exchange rate was down 0.34 % at NIS 3.412/$ and up 0.39% against the euro at NIS 4.046/€. Yesterday, the Bank of Israel set the shekel 0.264% higher from Monday at NIS 3.424/$, and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.597% higher at NIS 4.0298/€. The shekel is trading at its strongest levels against the dollar since January 2018. This reflects the global weakness of the dollar which in July had its worst month against the world's major currencies since 2010. Read more at Globes
Private employers added just 167,000 jobs in July, indicating a coronavirus resurgence and fresh round of business closures is stalling the labor market's gradual recovery from the pandemic, according to the ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday. It was well below the 1.5 million forecast by Refinitiv economists and marked a sharp drop from the upwardly revised 4.314 million jobs added in June. “The labor market recovery slowed in the month of July,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute. “We have seen the slowdown impact businesses across all sizes and sectors.” July hiring was concentrated in professional and business services, which added 58,000 jobs last month...
Following Beirut explosion, head of Galilee hospital begs Lebanese, Hezbollah, leaders: 'Put aside politics, we want to help those injured.' On Wednesday morning, Dr. Masad Barhoum, General Director of the Galilee Medical Center, spoke on Efi Triger's morning program on Galei Tzahal, appealing to Lebanon's president and the country's leaders to allow its citizens to receive humanitarian aid from Israel following Tuesday night's explosion. The explosion, which occurred in Beirut, killed 73 and left at least 4,000 others injured. "I want to use this opportunity to turn to Lebanon's President, Mr. Michel Aoun, to its Prime Minister, and to its members of Parliament, as well as to Hezbollah leader Mr. Hassan Nasrallah: We want to provide help and ai...
The Government Companies Authority has issued Rozenberg with a permit to buy a controlling stake in the financially troubled airline. Eli Rozenberg has been granted a permit by the Government Companies Authority to buy a controlling stake in El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL). Rozenberg, the son of New York-based businessman Kenny Rozenberg, has bid $75 million for a 44.9% controlling stake in the financially troubled airline. Eli Rozenberg said, "I thank the Government Companies Authority for its professional and profound examination of the matter. And now comes the moment of truth - my offer is the only way to rehabilitate El Al and take it forward to where it should be. Read more at Globes
Health care worker with COVID symptoms violates quarantine and flies to the Ukraine via Turkey. National corona coordinator Professor Ronni Gamzu urges the public to be tested, but opposes weekend closures. Over 22,000 coronavirus tests conducted in Israel from midnight Sunday to midnight Monday resulted in 1,792 confirmed cases, the Health Ministry reported Tuesday morning. The COVID death toll in Israel as of Tuesday stood at 546, while 333 patients were listed in seriously condition, including 102 on ventilators. Another 140 patients were listed in moderate condition. In total, the number of corona patients hospitalized in Israel stood at 769. There were 24,598 active or symptomatic cases nationwide. The COVID treatment units at Hadassah Ein Karem Medical Center, Sourasky Medical Ce...
Tuesday's explosion, which occurred at a historic low point for Lebanon, with the country in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis, could upend everything for Hezbollah. Even before all the details emerged about the enormous explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday, it was clear that this was an event that would change things completely and whose ramifications are far from being known. Because things in the Middle East don't tend to blow up on their own, one's first instinct is to look for the party responsible for the blast. Whatsapp groups and tweets rushed to finger Israel, but a quick probe prompted all political and defense officials in Israel to issue a flat denial. Past experience also shows us that Israel is very careful in selecting its targets...
Trump says two blasts that leave at last 78 dead was 'likely a bomb' despite Lebanese statements Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab blamed the deadly, devastating explosions that rocket Beirut Tuesday on a 2,750 ton-store of ammonium nitrite, vowing in a televised statement that "Those responsible for this catastrophe will pay the price." Officials reported at least 78 people killed and over 3,000 injured in successive blasts that caused massive damage as well as fatalities near the port in Lebanon's capital. Diab said the stockpile had been sitting in a warehouse for years. US President Donald Trump told journalists his generals told him it was "a bomb of some kind." The Pentagon later said they do not comment on such reports when asked by journalists. Read ...
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