Netanyahu: Target date for applying sovereignty is July 1
A day after his trial began in the Jerusalem District Court, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a message to the press at a faction meeting of his Likud party.
Worthy News
U.S. Accuses Russia Of Sending Jets To Libya To Support Mercenaries
The United States says Moscow has deployed military jets to Libya to provide support for Russian mercenaries helping a local warlord battle the North African country’s internationally recognized government.
Israel limits controversial phone surveillance as virus cases decline
Israeli government on Monday voted to limit security services’ involvement in locating coronavirus carriers using cell phones, saying from now on the measure would only be used when epidemiological investigations prove insufficient.
Trump’s Space Force could be a gamechanger for the Middle East – experts
If war is coming to outer space, then the United States is late to the battlefield. But, its recently unveiled Space Force is already changing the ground rules in the Middle East.
Iran’s Leader says ‘Liberation of Palestine’ is an Islamic Goal
Describing Israel as a “deadly, cancerous growth,” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei announced Friday that the “liberation of Palestine” is an Islamic goal, Jerusalem Online reported. The Ayatollah was speaking on the occasion of International Quds Day, a yearly anti-Israel, anti-Zionist event established by the Iranian regime in 1979 to express support for the Palestinian cause.
Sudan to Establish Commission for Religious Freedom
Sudan’s transitional government agreed last week to establish an independent national commission for religious freedom, The Christian Post reported. Together with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) group which fought against ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir, the Transitional Sovereign Council is forming the commission in order to “address all issues relating to religious freedom in order to affirm the principle of peaceful coexistence in the country.”
US military holds live-fire training in Persian Gulf following Iran encounters
The U.S. military showcased its “awesome firepower” last week in the Persian Gulf, officials said, the same day it warned vessels in the Mideast against approaching within 100 yards of its warships after encounters with Iranian gunboats.
Spain Opens For Tourists After Tough Lockdown
European nations are slowly ending lengthy lockdown measures linked to the coronavirus pandemic, including hard-hit Spain. While still mourning its reported 28,000 coronavirus deaths, Spain wants to ease restrictions and reopen for massive tourism.
California Allows Limited Reopening for Churches Days After Interventions by US State Department and President Trump
The state of California issued guidelines Monday under which houses of worship may reopen. The Department of Health guidelines were published even though the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 ban on public gatherings could stand. The decision to allow churches to reopen also follows interventions last week by the US State Department, which specified that California’s ban on church gatherings was unfair, and by President Trump, who called on all states to lift bans on religious assemblies.
Jerusalem Is ‘Red Line’ for Muslims, Turkey’s Erdogan Declares in Eid Message Attacking Israel
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has attacked the Israeli government’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank and declared that the issue of Jerusalem was a “red line” for Muslims around the world.
Coronavirus may have been a ‘cell-culture experiment’ gone wrong
The coronavirus that has become a world-wide pandemic may have been created in a “cell-culture experiment” in a laboratory, according to prominent scientists who have conducted ground-breaking research into the origins of the virus.
Retail job losses highest on record as coronavirus wreaks havoc on economy
The already struggling retail industry has experienced catastrophic layoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic that are hitting historic levels.
Israel’s Economy Falls 7.1%, Sharpest Drop in 20 Years
Israel’s economy faces its sharpest decline in 20 years as it contracted by 7.1 percent in the first quarter of this year, official figures show.
Iran Christian Jailed for “Zionist Christianity”
Supporters of detained Iranian Christian Ismaeil Maghrebinejad say a court has increased his prison sentence for evangelical activities in Iran.
China Warns US As Tensions Escalate to the “Brink of a New Cold War”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that American officials are endangering world peace by attempting to push the US and China “to the brink of a new cold war,” Time reports. Amid rising tensions between the two countries on a range of issues, including China’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, last week the US Senate unanimously passed a bill that could prevent some Chinese companies from being listed on American stock exchanges.
Egypt’s Legislation of 70 Churches Clouded By Attacks
Egypt’s government has recognized an additional 70 churches, but minority Christians fear more violence and threats in this mainly Muslim nation.
Republican Groups File Suit Against California Governor, Claiming His Vote-By-Mail Executive Order is Unlawful
Republican groups filed a lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom Sunday, challenging his executive order that all state registered voters can vote by mail in November’s General Election, CBS news reports. The Republican National Party, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the California Republican Party launched the case in the District Court for Eastern California, claiming that Newsom’s order was issued in “a direct usurpation of the legislature’s authority.”
No Limits on US – Russia Nuclear Arms if Trump Does Not Renew Expiring Reduction Treaty
The world will be left with no restrictions on US and Russian nuclear weapons unless President Donald Trump extends the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) before it expires on February 5 next year, Defense News reports. Signed by the two countries in 2010, the nuclear arms reduction treaty limits the number of long-range nuclear warheads and launchers America and Russia can have.
Quartet talks Israeli-Palestinian peace amid PA push to replace Trump plan
The Palestinian Authority’s push to replace the US as the sole broker for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process failed to yield immediate results as a Quartet video conference on the matter ended without any conclusions.
Israel’s Premier On Trial For Corruption
Benjamin Netanyahu became on Sunday Israel’s first prime minister to stand trial on bribery, fraud, and breach of trust charges.