The headstones of five U.S. soldiers buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial were changed on Tuesday, righting a historical wrong. In coordination with the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), “Operation Benjamin” conducted a ceremony, correcting the mistaken identity and providing, 75 years later, comfort to the families of the fallen soldiers.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Thursday denied media reports of a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid speculation about normalizing ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
“There is no meeting planned between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya English website in response to reports that included Israel‘s daily Haaretz.
“Saudi Arabia’s policy has been very clear since the beginning of this conflict. There are no relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and the Kingdom stands firmly behind Palestine.”

The State Department said on Thursday that the United States is “deeply concerned” about the possible impact of a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea and is prepared to help US and international organizations contain the spread of the virus.
“We strongly support and encourage the work of U.S. and international aid and health organizations to counter and contain the spread of coronavirus in the DPRK,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
“The United States is ready and prepared to expeditiously facilitate the approval of assistance from these organizations,” she added.
The statement came after the Red Cross called for an urgent exemption to sanctions on Pyongyang to help prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

The Department of Defense is diverting $3.83 billion from elsewhere in its budget to build more of President Donald Trump’s border barrier, according to budget documents reviewed by The Washington Post, setting in motion a broader White House plan to take some $7.2 billion from the Pentagon budget this year for the project as Trump heads into the presidential election.
The Pentagon informed Congress on Thursday of its plans to divert the $3.8 billion from the purchase of aircraft and other equipment and instead use the funds for the construction of border barriers. The Pentagon is moving the money using an obscure counternarcotics law that allows the Defense Department to build fencing for other federal, state and local agencies in known drug-smuggling corridors.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang said Thursday that he thinks New York City should implement a universal basic income.
The entrepreneur was asked in his “exit interview” in The New York Times whether he thought enacting the central policy from his campaign in the city would be a good idea.
“I think New York City should do a large-scale universal basic income. To me, that seems obvious,” he said.
The former presidential candidate also said he would endorse any candidate who supported universal basic income but also added he will support the Democratic nominee, saying “I don’t have any plans to endorse right now.”
Read more at The Hill.

AMUD ALEF:

One of the highlights of the siyum was the derashah by Rav Dovid Cohen, shlita, rosh yeshivas Chevron. When he was introduced to the crowd, a rousing rendition of “Yamim Al Yemei Melech” broke out, showing how excited the attendees were by his participation.

The majority of Israeli voters believe that a fourth election is highly likely due to an ongoing political stalemate in Jerusalem — a new exclusive i24NEWS-Yisrael Hayom poll revealed on Thursday.
A staggering 74% of respondents said the chances of that happening are between moderate and high, according to a joint survey.
Israeli citizens will have another opportunity to break the stalemate on March 2, but data over the last year suggests not much will change following the vote.
Read more at i24NEWS.
{Matzav.com}

A pair of Russian YouTubers claim that they have nabbed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in another prank call from a pair posing as Greta Thunberg and her father, according to their latest video, Breitbart reports.