By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
The Middle East has been devastated by COVID-19.
Except for Jordan.
Jordan, a country of 10 million people, has had less than 500 people testing positive for COVID-19 and has now lifted all restrictions from coronavirus.
Israel, which has a population of 9.5 million, has had 230 deaths and 15,000 cases of people infected by COVID-19.
Yes, Jordan closed itself to high risk countries like China.
Yes, Jordan shut down all travel. In fact, travel with vehicles was completely banned. 1,000 cars were impounded for travelling and 2,000 people arrested for driving.
Yes, 5,800 people who arrived by air were quarantined in hotels at the Dead Sea.
People were permitted to walk and buy food and necessities - but only on foot.
The shutdown in Jordan started on March 18th.
Whatever they did, until now, Jordanians have been successful in stopping Coronavirus.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
Behind the scenes things are worse than one thinks in Syria.
Rami Maklouf is Syria’s richest man and a cousin of President Bashar Assad.
But over the past week Maklouf has taped and posted 2 scathing attacks against his cousin on Facebook.
Maklouf is claiming that the Syrian regime is arresting his employees and stifling his business. He asserts that Assad wants to nationalize his businesses.
That would be a rather hefty move for Assad and Syria. Maklouf owns 60% of all of Syria’s production and business. He has amassed a $10 billion net worth.
Maklouf and Assad are more than cousins. They are friends. Maklouf has backed and bankrolled Bashar Assad since his first day in office. He has contributed billions of dollars to support Assad and to fight the rebels trying to oust him.
So why the split? Why the dramatic change?
It all goes back to Russia.
Russia suggested that Assad tax his cousin. Maklouf responded that it was excessive and rejected the tax assessment. So Assad marched in and started arresting his cousin’s employees.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
Facebook has just shut down 500 accounts.
They are all fake accounts and they are all connected to Iran.
Every month Facebook issues a report about the accounts they have closed due to violations of terms.
In this case the 500 are all Iranian news sites - Iranian fake news sites.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. Two years ago, Reuters uncovered 70 sites created by Iran to spread fake news – total lies about what was happening in Iran.
This time Facebook investigated and easily discovered that these sites were produced by official Iranian government resources - disguised as Western news outlets.
These sites were spreading falsehoods building Iran up and showing the best side of Iran. The sites were all set up for Westerners to read and to learn about Iranian news.
But the news was totally fabricated.
This is just a beginning.
At first glance these sites resemble the Russian sites which Facebook has shut down. They are all similar in structure and style. They are all propaganda sites.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
Iran has changed its currency from the rial to the toman.
Effectively, it means that four zeroes have been lopped off the existing currency.
1 toman is worth 10,000 rials.
The change of a currency happens when a simple re-valuation is not enough.
In this case US and UN sanctions have crippled the Iranian economy. Add to that coronavirus and the impact it has had on both the country and the economy of Iran and one can understand why Iran acted so drastically.
The toman was the official Iranian currency in the1890’s.
Over the years after the rial became the currency, the toman remained a denomination within the rial currency. It was a denomination one level higher than a rial.
Consider this another indication of Iran collapsing under pressure.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
ISIS is back and getting stronger and stronger in Iraq.
In one of their attacks in Iraq, ISIS attacked an Iraqi Shiite force called Hashad al Shaabi and killed ten members of the group.
Hashad al Shaabi is also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.
ISIS aka ISIL aka Daesh is growing throughout Iraq - especially in Anbar, Kirkuk and Mosul.
Hashad al Shaabi published this assessment of the attacks: “The Popular mobilisation forces and security forces have killed and wounded a number of ISIL [Daesh] fighters after being exposed to significant attacks on Balad and Mekeeshfah south of Tikrit … The Hashad also lost 10 members, while several others were wounded in clashes between the two sides.”
Egypt has announced that their forces, too, are in conflict with ISIS.
Fifty ISIS members were killed by Egyptian forces, many more were arrested.
This must be a wake up call to us all.
ISIS is back and ISIS is striking at their targets across the Middle East.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
Schools began in Israel today. Not all schools - but about 1 million students went back to their classrooms.
First through third graders and eleventh and twelfth graders were the students chosen to return to traditional classes. Their classrooms were limited to 17 students each day, with students attending school on alternating days.
The cities of Tel Aviv and Beersheba decided not to follow the national decision. Their decision went back and forth – deciding to open and then not to open.
80,000 special needs students went back to school today, joining the 60,000 who returned to class last week.
127,000 hareidi students, in grades seven through twelve, went back to regular learning today, as well.
The choice of returning grades was not an arbitrary decision.
11th and 12th grade students will start preparing for their very important matriculation exams known as the Bagrut. These tests determine whether they qualify to attend university. In certain course and disciplines the entire year is solely dedicated to preparing for these matriculation exams.
Excluding Pesach, 5 weeks of traditional, classroom instruction have been lost.
Now the big test facing Israel’s Ministry or Education and Ministry of Health is determining how many teachers and school workers test positive for Covid-19 because they have returned to their classrooms.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:
In a press conference at the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo implored countries to prevent Iran from flying over their air space.
More specifically, the United States secretary of state was referring to the way Iran’s Mahan Air has been flying over and delivering support to Nicolas Maduro’s Venezuela.
Reports say that Venezuela has paid Iran 6 tons of gold.
Pompeo said: "Over the last few days, multiple aircraft belonging to Mahan Air have transferred unknown support to the Maduro regime …This is the same terrorist airline that Iran used to move weapons and fighters around the Middle East."
Pompeo continued saying that the flights "must stop". He said that countries should prevent Mahan Air overflight rights "just as many have already denied landing rights to this sanctioned airline."
Iran and Venezuela are uniting to help one another. They are both also strongly committed to hurting the United States and her Western allies.
This is just the beginning.
Micah@MicahHalpern.com
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