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Skip to contentBloombergSubscribe Politics U.S. Will Block Iran’s $5 Billion IMF Loan Bid to Fight Virus By Nick Wadhams April 8, 2020, 12:15 PM EDT Updated on April 8, 2020, 1:51 PM EDT Trump administration argues officials have cash stashed away Iran has reported about 4,000 deaths from virus so far President Donald Trump President Donald Trump Photographer: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Getty Images Sign up here for our daily coronavirus newsletter on what you need to know, and subscribe to our Covid-19 podcast for the latest news and analysis. The U.S. plans to block Iran’s request for a $5 billion emergency International Monetary Fund loan to fight coronavirus, the latest signal that the Trump administration isn’t going to ease up its maximum-pressure campaign despite a growing international outcry. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has billions of dollars stashed away that could be tapped to fight the virus, according to a senior administration official, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Iran wouldn’t meet IMF financial transparency requirements regardless, the official said. The Trump administration says Iran has rebuffed its offers of help. Officials have also pointed to remarks by President Hassan Rouhani that U.S. sanctions haven’t prevented Iran -- one of the worst-hit nations in the pandemic -- from getting the medicine it needs. The U.S. stance was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Rouhani’s message has been contradictory: In a cabinet meeting shown on state TV, Rouhani accused the U.S. of engaging in “medical terrorism” because of its sanctions on Iran’s economy and urged the international community to support its bid for financial support from the IMF. “We are a member of the IMF and we have paid into the fund like other countries,” Rouhani said. “We have a right to have access to this support.” Blocking the loan reflects the administration’s belief that some Iranian officials, especially Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, have tried to exploit the pandemic as part of a broader campaign to get U.S. sanctions lifted. Backed by supporters including the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, they argue that Khamenei has at least $300 billion he’s refusing to tap to fight the virus and U.S. sanctions have carve-outs for humanitarian sales to Iran. The U.S. insistence comes in the face of increased international demands from Iranian allies China and Russia, partners in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump abandoned, along with some European nations, for the U.S. to relax its sanctions. Iran has had about 65,000 reported cases of Covid-19 and approximately 4,000 reported deaths, according to data published by Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Critics of the administration’s approach argue that rules governing the U.S. humanitarian channel are too onerous to be useful, mostly because of stringent bank reporting requirements. They also argue that easing sanctions would send a powerful message to regular Iranians that the U.S. is on their side and wants to help. Regular Iranians are “fed all sorts of propaganda by the Supreme Leader and his allies, but that propaganda is made a whole lot easier because of a U.S. sanctions policy that is coming down like a ton of bricks on the Iranian people,” Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said at a briefing with the nonprofit J Street on Tuesday. Ad At the same time, the U.S. has been forced to hold off from a total sanctions clampdown on Iran. Last week, the administration extended a series of sanctions waivers that allow Russia and China to conduct limited nuclear work with Iran, in part because sanctioning those two countries’ nuclear industries would deny the U.S. materials it needs to fight coronavirus, another senior administration official said. In particular, the U.S. relies on Russia for supplies of Cobalt 60, which is used to sterilize medical equipment, and losing that now would deal a blow to efforts to halt the pandemic, according to the official. — With assistance by Golnar Motevalli, and Arsalan Shahla (Updates throughout with details of Iranian request and U.S. plans) SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email Trending Now Business Coronavirus May ‘Reactivate’ in Cured Patients, Korean CDC Says April 9, 2020, 12:25 AM EDT Markets Global Oil Deal at Risk After Mexico Ditches Saudi-Russia Plan April 10, 2020, 2:03 AM EDT Business N.J. Sees Peak in Three Days; Johnson Out of ICU: Virus Update April 9, 2020, 4:26 PM EDT Do not sell my information (California) Privacy Policy

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COVID-19 positive Israeli health minister did not blame homosexuality for pandemic

Some reports had emerged out of Pakistan and UK claiming the same

 Web DeskApril 08, 2020 12:50 IST

A supporter of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community takes part in a pride parade in Chennai | AFP

Last week, Israel's Health Minister Yaakov Litzman had tested positive for COVID-19, forcing all top leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat, to go into quarantine. However, contrary to some media reports that emerged out of UK and Pakistan, he did not blame homosexuality for the virus. The reports had claimed that he said "the coronavirus pandemic was a punishment against homosexuality". 

However, according to a Times of Israel report, the remarks were made by the ultra-conservative Rabbi Meir Mazuz, drawing condemnation from rights groups. “A pride parade is a parade against nature, and when someone goes against nature, the one who created nature takes revenge on him,” the rabbi had reportedly said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu had earlier gone into seven-day self isolation after a close aide was found to have contracted the deadly virus, but he has so far tested negative. His quarantine had ended Wednesday night.

Litzman and his wife, who also has contracted the virus, are in isolation, feeling well and are being treated, the health ministry said in a statement, adding that it will request all those who came in contact with the minister in the past two weeks to also do the same.

The team of advisers, assistants and secretarial staff in the minister's office will continue to work from home and will maintain constant telephone communication as needed with the minister, who is continuing to fully manage this event from his home, the ministry said.

He has "light coronavirus symptoms after contracting the disease from an as yet unidentified source", a Health Ministry official told Channel 12 news. "His condition at this time is mild. He is not asymptomatic, there are some symptoms, but no more than that, Dr Itamar Grotto, deputy director-general of the ministry, told the Channel.

Litzman will be "able to keep working while sick", Grotto said.

The ministry is investigating from whom Litzman contracted the disease and is informing people who have been in contact with the minister to go into quarantine, including the director-general of the health ministry, Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, the head of Mossad and a number of other senior officials, he stressed.

There's a high rate of the illness in the Haredi (Ultra-orthodox) community, so it's reasonable to think that it happened there, the official told the Channel.

The community leaders had earlier ignored restrictions over assembly as mandated by the government but have started to comply in view of the large number of cases in the community.  

Death toll due to coronavirus in Israel reached 31 on Thursday. The virus has infected 6,211 Israelis. One Israeli tourist died in Italy. 

So far 241 have recovered after having tested positive.

Hawaii: Nine skydivers killed in plane crash

A light aircraft carrying skydivers has crashed in Hawaii, killing at least nine people on board, officials say.

The twin-engine aircraft went down close to Dillingham Airfield near Mokuleia in Honolulu County.

There were no survivors from the crash, the Hawaii Department of Transportation tweeted. Family members may have seen the plane go down.

Photos showed smoke visible from miles away. It is not yet clear whether the plane was taking off or landing.

"Right now, the initial report is that there were nine souls on board," fire chief Manuel Neves told Hawaii News Now. "There's no survivors."

Family members of the skydivers were on the ground when the crash happened and may have seen the aircraft go down, he said.

"It is very difficult. In my 40 years as a firefighter here in Hawaii, this is the most tragic aircraft incident we've had," he added.

The Honolulu Fire Department said it had received reports of a downed plane at about 18:00 local time on Friday.

Of the nine killed, three were customers and six were employees of the company operating the flight.

According to its website, Dillingham Airfield is a joint-use site with the US military having first priority for air-land operations and helicopter night-vision training.

Cambodia: Sihanoukville building collapse death toll rises

A seven-storey building has collapsed in Cambodia, killing at least 15 people with others reported missing, officials say.

At least 24 people have been injured - several critically - as the search for survivors continues.

The under-construction building in the coastal city of Sihanoukville was owned by a Chinese company.

In recent years, Sihanoukville has been transformed by the construction of Chinese hotels and casinos.

Four people have been arrested over the collapse, including the Chinese building owner, the head of the construction firm and the contractor. A Cambodian landowner has also been taken in for questioning.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Image captionAn overhead view of the collapsed under-construction building

Reports vary on the number of people missing as rescue efforts continue.

Three of the victims have been confirmed as Cambodian - two workers and a translator.

About 1,000 people contributed to a rescue effort which involved using saws to cut steel beams in order to move piles of rubble from the site.

Construction workers told the Associated Press that they were also living in the building.

"A moment before the building collapsed it was vibrating and then it was falling down," Nhor Chandeun told the news agency. "But it was too quick to escape."

"My wife and I kept calling for help," he said. "We were shouting and shouting but there was no sound replying to us and we presumed that we would die under the rubble."

Both he and his wife were rescued after 12 hours of being trapped.

The provincial governor said about 50 workers would usually be on site at the time the building collapsed.

• Chinese gambling boom looms over Cambodia's Kampot

The building collapse - the worst of its kind in Cambodia in recent years - will raise further questions over the rate and sustainability of construction in Sihanoukville. It is also likely to add to rising anti-Chinese sentiment in the country.

The once-small fishing village saw a boom in tourism in the 2000s, but the last three years has seen the area change beyond recognition with the construction of dozens of casinos catering almost solely to Chinese tourists.

Cambodia has notoriously lax labour laws, putting construction workers at risk.

The International Labour Organization has highlighted the "exposure of workers to constant safety and health hazards" on building sites.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionWorkers are missing after the under-construction building collapsed in Sihanoukville

Russia suspends Georgia flights after violent clashes

President Vladimir Putin has temporarily banned Georgian airlines from flying to Russia amid rising tensions between the two countries.

On Thursday, some 240 people were injured in protests in Georgia. The protests were ignited by the appearance of a Russian MP in the country's parliament.

Mr Putin signed a decree on Friday suspending flights to Georgia by Russian airlines.

The suspensions will start from 8 July.

A transport statement on Saturday said the reason for the latest suspension was to "ensure a sufficient level of air security and arrears" owed by Georgian companies.

The Kremlin said the suspension on Russian airlines flying to Georgia was to "ensure Russia's national security and protect Russian nationals from criminal and other unlawful activities."

Tensions between the countries remain high, 11 years after they fought a war over the region of South Ossetia.

• Georgians protests against TV station closure
• Thousands protest in Georgia over gay rights rally

On Saturday, a news team from Russian state TV was attacked by two men on the street in the capital, Tbilisi. Nobody appeared to have been seriously hurt in the incident, which was captured on film.

What other action is Putin taking?

Mr Putin has ordered plans to be made to help bring back Russian citizens already in Georgia.

Moscow also recommended that Russian travel agencies suspend all tours to Georgia.

Several thousand Russian tourists are currently in Georgia, Russian tour agency representative Maia Lomidze told Russian media. According to Russian data, about half a million Russians have visited Georgia to date this year while 1.7 million Russian tourists went there last year.

"Tourism in Georgia is on the rise, and the decision has shocked the whole industry," Aleksan Mkrtchyan, who runs a chain of Russian travel agents, said in a statement.

"Georgians have traditionally treated Russians well," Irina Tyurina, a spokeswoman for the Russian Tourism Union, told AFP News agency.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionMass protests have rocked Tbilisi in recent days

Deep frustrations on show

Analysis by Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi

Protesters gathered again on Friday night outside the Georgian parliament building where they have been chanting "No to Russia" over and over again.

But they have motives that extend beyond denouncing Moscow. These demonstrators want the Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia to resign over his handling of the unrest.

They are also angry at how the police dealt with Thursday's protests. Tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon were used to push back the crowd in what were ugly scenes.

And on Friday, protesters came out in bigger numbers. It appears the visit of a Russian MP has unlocked much deeper frustrations with the current administration and the way it has handled relations with its northern neighbour.

What caused the protests?

Sergei Gavrilov, the Russian MP who sparked the fury, had addressed an assembly of MPs from Orthodox Christian nations on Thursday.

He had been taking part in the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) - a body set up by the Greek parliament in 1993 to foster relations between Christian Orthodox lawmakers.

Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGES

Image captionSergei Gavrilov described Thursday's protest as a "provocation"

Opposition MPs in Georgia's parliament called for protests after he delivered his speech in Russian from the Speaker's seat.

"That was a slap in the face of recent Georgian history," Elene Khoshtaria, an opposition member of parliament, said.

Thousands of protesters tried to storm the parliament, and police used rubber bullets and tear gas in an attempt to disperse them.

Some protesters carried EU flags and placards reading "Russia is an occupier".

Giga Bokeria, an opposition MP for the European Georgia party, told AFP news agency the rally outside parliament had been "a spontaneous protest by ordinary Georgians".

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionDemonstrators remained camped outside the parliament building in Tbilisi late on Friday

The Speaker of the parliament, Irakli Kobakhidze, resigned following the violence.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called Russia "an enemy and occupier", saying Moscow had helped to stir the unrest.

The Kremlin condemned the protests as "Russophobic provocation", while Russia's foreign ministry accused Georgia's opposition of trying to prevent an improvement in bilateral relations.

Why are there tensions between Georgia and Russia?

When Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, separatist conflicts erupted in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In August 2008, Georgia attempted to recapture South Ossetia. Russia poured troops in, ousting Georgian forces and only halting their advance within striking distance of Tbilisi.

Following a ceasefire, Russia withdrew most of its troops from undisputed parts of Georgia but still maintains a military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognising both as "independent" states.

• South Ossetia: Russia pushes roots deeper into Georgian land
• Abkhazia: The 'country' living in a Soviet time warp

Since then, diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia have remained clouded by mutual suspicion. Georgia has ambitions to join the European Union and Nato, a prospect viewed dimly by Russia.

However, bilateral trade and tourism had been growing in recent years.