19 Mar 2020; MEMO: The leaders of Likud and the Blue and White party, Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz respectively, met on Wednesday night to discuss the formation of a unity government but were apparently unable to reach any agreement on the issue.
19 Mar 2020; MEMO: The ruling Likud party has submitted a bill for approval by the Knesset to annex the occupied Jordan Valley, the North Dead Sea area and the Hebron Desert, Israel Hayom reported on Wednesday. A second bill was also submitted which, if passed, would reintroduce the death penalty for Palestinian political prisoners.
TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday said that U.S. would be responsible for the "destructive ramifications" of its unilateral sanctions against Iran as the country is fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.
"At a time when we, Iranians, normally celebrate Nowruz, our New Year concurrent with the arrival of spring, we are faced with multiple and historic challenges," Zarif said in a video released on Twitter on Wednesday.
TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Despite the worst sanctions by the United States, Iran's economy has been growing in the current Iranian calendar year which ends on March 20, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday.
The Iranian government has been able to manage the country without oil money due to the U.S. sanctions on the Iranian people and economy, including the oil industry, Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting.
BAGHDAD, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Shiite politician Adnan al-Zurfi has been named Iraq's prime minister-designate to go through the tough task of forming the new government amid divisions among political parties over his nomination for the post.
On Tuesday, Iraqi President Barham Salih officially handed al-Zurfi, who is seen as a moderate Shiite voice with good ties with the West, the challenging mission of forming an interim government to prepare for early elections.
JERUSALEM (AP) — With the Israeli government enacting a series of emergency measures to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing accusations that he is exploiting the crisis to entrench himself in power and undermining the country’s democratic foundations.
JERUSALEM, Mar 19 (NNN-MA’AN) – Israeli Speaker, Yuli Edelstein, adjourned all parliamentary sessions, in a move that enraged the opposition, amid a political stalemate.
Edelstein and a lawmaker with Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, opened the plenum session and then announced that all parliamentary meetings will be halted “until further notice.”
MUSCAT, Mar 19 (NNN-ONA) – The Omani Ministry of Tourism, Wednesday, called on all tourist delegations, to leave the country, as part of its precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The ministry calls upon travel and tourism companies, to provide advice to tourist groups, to leave and return to their home countries,” said a ministry statement.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Transport announced the suspension of all public transportation in Oman, including buses, ferries and taxis, starting today (Thursday).
TRIPOLI, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Indiscriminate shelling killed three children in the south of the Libyan capital, said a local official.
“Three children of one family were killed by indiscriminate shelling in Ain Zara, southern Tripoli,” said Amin Hashem, information adviser of the UN-backed government’s Ministry of Health.
Both the UN-backed government forces and the rival eastern-based army exchanged accusations for targeting civilians in Tripoli.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank surged ahead in 2019, a watchdog group said in a report Tuesday, maintaining a rapid pace that has drawn strength from the friendly policies of the Trump administration.
Peace Now, a monitoring group that opposes the settlements, said that Israel’s average annual construction rate has risen 25% since President Donald Trump took office in 2017.
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