THE TIMES OF ISRAEL - April 14,2020

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THE DAILY EDITION Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Israel stockpiles malaria drug to treat virus, in case Trump is right about cure BY NATHAN JEFFAY Israeli doctors don’t endorse giving hydroxychloroquine to patients, but the government is accumulating stores to avoid international race on pills should effectiveness be proven

Could old vaccines for other germs protect against COVID-19? BY LAURAN NEERGAARD   2 Israeli COVID-19 patients said to improve in experimental drug trial BY LUKE TRESS

Top Israeli prof claims simple stats show virus plays itself out after 70 days BY TOI STAFF Isaac Ben-Israel, who is not a medical expert, says analysis worldwide shows new cases peaking after about 40 days, slams economic closures; leading doctor dismisses his claims

Cuomo says worst of virus outbreak over, as New York death toll passes 10,000 BY AFP   Lack of new global hotspots fuels optimism, talk of emerging from lockdowns BY ERIC TUCKER, ARITZ PARRA AND JOSEPH WILSON   IDF to gradually let troops go home in slight return to normal amid virus crisis BY JUDAH ARI GROSS

LIVE UPDATES Israel grinds to a halt again as end-of-Passover lockdown comes into effect BY JACOB MAGID AND TOI STAFF Israelis barred from leaving their cities — or in Jerusalem, their neighborhoods — until 5 a.m. Thursday; bakeries to remain closed for few hours longer after holiday ends

FROM THE BLOGS WANG YONGJUN This battle is between the virus and all of humankind The vilification of China, out of political motives or plain ignorance, contradicts the facts: Experts have praised our safety measures and scientific efforts

Rabbi who founded kidney donation organization seriously ill with coronavirus BY TOI STAFF Avraham Yeshayahu Heber, 55, on a ventilator after contracting disease; was meant to celebrate initiative’s 800th transplant this week

Coronavirus death toll rises to 118, with 11,868 infected BY TOI STAFF   Police disperse violent protesters yelling ‘Nazis’ in Jerusalem Haredi area BY TOI STAFF   Cabinet green-lights nationwide lockdown for end of Passover, Mimouna BY TOI STAFF

TOP OPS

DANIEL GORDIS We need a new era of no double-standards The many Israelis who hold themselves apart from everyone else do no worse than the leaders who exempt themselves from the rules they impose on the rest of us. All to our detriment   HILARY FAVERMAN Stranded in paradise: A coronavirus oddysey When we left Israel for 7 months of backpacking with the family, we could not have predicted that the coronavirus would extend our stay in Indonesia   NAFTALI SCHIFF The Angel of Death visited us this Passover The tragedy is too big to avoid – which means we and our children too can give thanks for the unwanted opportunity to consider what matters in life   ALON GOSHEN-GOTTSTEIN Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi Doron – an interreligious appreciation The former chief sephardic rabbi, who died Sunday of the coronavirus, viewed Judaism as a source of peace and worked to build bridges with other faiths

Cuomo says Trump is not a king, can’t force states to reopen BY KAREN MATTHEWS AND MICHAEL R. SISAK New York governor says even if president orders it, he would not reopen his state, the epicenter of coronavirus outbreak, if he feels it puts people in further danger

US shutdown offers a glimpse of life without movie theaters BY JAKE COYLE   Trump’s Jewish developer friend dies of coronavirus BY AP AND TOI STAFF   New Trump panel on reopening US economy won’t include health officials BY JONATHAN LEMIRE, KEVIN FREKING AND AAMER MADHANI

PM, Gantz suspend talks for holiday, will meet again Wednesday BY TOI STAFF Teams negotiating national unity government will take discussions to the wire after president gives Blue and White chair until midnight Wednesday to finalize an agreement

Israel media review / The beggars and the king: 6 things to know for April 14 BY JOSHUA DAVIDOVICH   Amid unity talks, poll predicts 40 seats for Likud and a majority rightist bloc BY STUART WINER   Rivlin gives PM, Gantz 48 more hours to seal deal as sides cite ‘major progress’ BY TOI STAFF

Amid federal test shortages, LA nursing home works with city to distribute kits BY NOAM HAYKEEN

Lacking compounds for virus tests, Jerusalem scientists use tiny magnets instead BY NATHAN JEFFAY Hebrew University professors say their homemade solution will reduce dependence on international markets

Health official: 10,000 coronavirus samples went ‘missing’ BY TOI STAFF   IDF general: We don’t need an exit strategy, we need a coping strategy BY JUDAH ARI GROSS

ANALYSIS SHOSHANNA SOLOMON Exit strategy aims to save economy while keeping virus under control Finance Ministry plan, which may come into force next week, sees tech, financial and services sectors leading a phased ‘return to normal’

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