WASHINGTON (AP) — American factories expanded in February for the second straight month, despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The winning streak, however, may prove short-lived. The Institute for Supply Management, an association of purchasing managers, said Monday that its manufacturing index registered 50.1 last month. That is down from 50.9 in January. But […]

ROME (JTA) — The Vatican unsealed its secret archive relating to the controversial Holocaust-era Pope Pius XII. Critics accuse Pius of having turned a blind eye to Jewish suffering, and researchers hope the archive will reveal why the pope did not intervene to help the Jews during the Holocaust. The Vatican maintains that Pius worked […]

PARIS (AP) — A global agency says the spreading new virus could make the world economy shrink this quarter for the first time since the international financial crisis more than a decade ago. In a special report on the impact of the virus, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Monday that the world […]

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Major travel disruptions due to the new coronavirus have already caused the equivalent of a roughly $100 million loss to airlines in the Middle East, which serves as a connection hub for east-west travel, the industry’s main trade association said Monday. The Persian Gulf city of Dubai, which […]

An urgent election update was sent by email from Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman, Chair, URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) and Rabbi Rick Jacobs President, URJ last week. The email read: Today, we are writing to share an urgent appeal concerning the World Zionist Congress election… …The results of the election are nothing short of essential for […]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles into its eastern sea on Monday as it begins to resume weapons demonstrations after a months-long hiatus that could have been forced by the coronavirus crisis in Asia. The launches from an area near Wonsan came two days after North Korea’s state media said […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s peace deal with the Taliban opens the door for an initial American troop withdrawal that Defense Secretary Mark Esper sees as a step toward the broader goal of preparing for potential future war with China. Esper has his eye on “great power competition,” which means staying a step ahead […]

MILAN (AP) — A new U.S. government advisory on Sunday urged Americans not to travel to two Italian regions hardest hit by a new virus, raising the level of warning for the Lombard and Veneto regions to the highest level. The advisory cited quarantines set up in 10 Lombard towns and one in Veneto, with […]

Just a month ago, China was home to 10,000 Jews. Today, amidst the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the Jewish population in China has dropped to approximately 250 residents.  In addition to its vibrant resident population, China was a dynamic hub of business and tourism. Each week, countless Jewish travellers found heart and home at one […]

KIRYAT SHMONA (VINnews) — Israeli researchers claim to have made a major breakthrough in the search for a vaccine against coronavirus and they maintain that the vaccine could be ready for use on humans within three months. Researchers at the Galilee Scientific Research Institute (MIGAL) based in Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel said Thursday in […]