Pregnant woman, fetus die of COVID in J’lem * Israel closes all Med. beaches after huge oil spill * PODCAST: Censoring the Syria deal * Hitler j oke in far-right campaign

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Sunday, February 21, 2021 [Pregnant 32-year-old woman and her fetus die of COVID at Jerusalem hospital]( By [Nathan Jeffay]( [Expert says case ‘raises a red flag’ regarding dangers of coronavirus to pregnant women, especially the now-dominant British variant; 30-week pregnant woman had not been vaccinated]( [Israelis told to stay away from beaches due to health fears over oil spill]( By [Sue Surkes]( [Authorities urge keeping distance from entire Mediterranean coast from Rosh Hanikra to Zikim due to worry over tar exposure, a day after people fell ill helping cleanup efforts]( [Vets find ‘suspicious’ black liquid in lungs of whale found dead after oil spill]( By [Sue Surkes]( [Nature authority calls for oil spill cleanup volunteers, pledges safety training]( By [Sue Surkes]( [After oil spill, Environment Ministry to pursue funding pledged 12 years ago]( By [Sue Surkes]( Times of Israel Podcast [PODCAST: Daily Briefing, Feb. 21 — Censoring the Israel-Syria prisoner exchange]( By [TOI staff]( [Tune in Sunday through Thursday to hear ToI editors and reporters quickly catch you up on what’s important today]( [‘No fence will stop me,’ woman who crossed to Syria previously wrote on Facebook]( By [TOI staff]( [Vaccine prevents 98.9% of COVID deaths, Israel’s Health Ministry data shows]( By [TOI staff]( [Officials hail ‘dramatically’ effective Pfizer shots; two weeks after second dose, vaccine also 99.2% protective against serious illness, reduces chance of hospitalization by 98.9%]( [Health Ministry: Recovered COVID patients should get single vaccine shot]( By [TOI staff]( [65,000 Israelis miss quarantine due to Health Ministry ‘computer glitch’]( By [TOI staff]( [Diplomatic immunity: PM said to raise trading vaccines for normalization]( By [TOI staff]( [Netanyahu reportedly assessing idea of giving vaccine doses to other countries, including those with no current diplomatic ties]( [US study suggests efficacy of 1st Pfizer, Moderna shot increases with time]( By [TOI staff]( [Russia records first case of H5N8 avian flu in humans, alerts WHO]( By [AFP]( [Israelis pack sports venues, malls as country loosens 2-month lockdown]( By [TOI staff]( [Shoppers largely adhere to health guidelines, though some fail to maintain social distancing; virus czar warns not to ‘behave however you want’; transmission rate falls to 0.79]( [In major easing of lockdown rules, Israel reopens stores, gyms, more schools]( By [TOI staff]( [‘Green Pass’ site crashes even as Netanyahu urges Israel to adopt reopening plan]( By [TOI staff]( Top Ops [Kally Kislowicz]( [Planting an Audrey]( [I was devastated to learn her true identity. But I told my kids that although Audrey may not be what I expected, she does not deserve to be cold]( [Sharon Weiss-Greenberg]( [For my second pandemic Purim, I’m focusing on giving to the poor]( [This year, we need to adjust our attitude and lean into a different and often neglected side of the holiday]( [Dave Rich]( [This UK professor thinks his Jewish students are foreign agents]( [David Miller traffics in antisemitic conspiracy theories. Why is Bristol University allowing him to continue teaching?]( [Shmuly Yanklowitz]( [Our post-prophetic age: Jewish activism for this moment!]( [The Jewish community has a significant role to play in forging a better and more positive vision for what comes next for a divided nation]( [CRM]( Live updates [LIVE: 20,000 vaccine doses donated by UAE arrive in Gaza]( By [TOI staff]( [Russian Sputnik V shots are designated for healthcare workers in enclave; shipment coordinated by Abbas rival Dahlan]( [Egyptian minister makes rare visit to Israel to talk energy cooperation]( By [TOI staff]( [Tarek el-Molla is first senior Cairo official to arrive in five years; Netanyahu says enough natural gas in Mediterranean for both countries’ needs and to export]( [Holocaust, Hitler jokes in far-right campaign ad cause rift in alliance]( By [TOI staff]( [Betzalel Smotrich disavows video put out by partner Itamar Ben Gvir]( [US deports 95-year-old ex-Nazi concentration camp guard to Germany]( By [Agencies]( [Austria refugee home inspired by Holocaust experience saved by former resident]( By [Denise HRUBY]( [Iran hails ‘fruitful’ talks with UN nuke chief ahead of move to curb inspections]( By [AFP]( [Foreign Minister Zarif indicates he is looking to avoid an impasse over compliance with 2015 pact]( [Iran to shut UN nuke watchdog’s cameras as agency head visits]( By [AP]( [Iran ‘studying’ EU proposal for meeting of nuclear deal members including US]( By [TOI staff]( [Zarif accuses West of hypocrisy over report Israel expands Dimona nuclear center]( By [TOI staff]( [PA says Hamas has committed to peaceful resistance, two states — report]( By [TOI staff]( [PA said to inform US that Hamas also agreed to obey international law and accept a peaceful transfer of power]( [Abbas orders Palestinian public freedoms boosted before planned elections]( By [Agencies and TOI staff]( Analysis [Avi Issacharoff]( [Barghouti calls for Palestinian leadership primaries as heat turns up for Israel]( [Terrorist jailed by Israel for murder challenges Abbas; if he wins, it could put the Jewish state in a serious bind]( Interview [Short film ‘Masel Tov Cocktail’ explodes stereotypes about young Jews in Germany]( By [Joe Baur]( [CRM]( More Headlines [Man who raped and killed ex-wife’s preteen daughter gets life plus 15 years]( By [TOI staff]( [Witnesses recall massacre in Ethiopia city claimed to be home to Ark of Covenant]( By [Cara Anna]( [Father of singer Eyal Golan, convicted of sexual offenses, dies of COVID-19]( By [TOI staff]( [Fintech startup Earnix raises $75m, attains ‘unicorn’ status at valuation of $1b]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [Pope visits Holocaust survivor in Rome, pays tribute to victims]( By [Frances D'Emilio]( [Jack Schwartz, veteran New York newsroom editor, dies of COVID at 82]( [Unsubscribe from this List]( Email not displaying correctly? 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