Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was smiling and gesturing as he posed for pictures alongside Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda who hosted him in the city of Entebbe on Monday; but it was another meeting, far from the media glare, that made international headlines - and raised eyebrows.
In an unannounced move, Netanyahu on Monday also held talks with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan's sovereign council, a joint civilian-military transitional body that has been governing the country since August last year in the wake of longtime President Omar al-Bashir's overthrow months before.
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Following the secret meeting, Israel said the two countries had agreed to move towards forging normal relations. Only two Arab states - Egypt and Jordan - have diplomatic ties with Israel.
"History!" tweeted Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political future ahead of a snap legislative election on March 2, the third in less than a year.
As news of the talks spread, protests reportedly erupted in Khartoum as Sudanese government ministers insisted they were unaware of the meeting and had heard about it through the media.
Al-Burhan himself only made his first public remarks about it the next day after briefing the council and the cabinet.
"I took this step from the standpoint of my responsibility ... to protect the national security of Sudan and achieve the supreme interests of the Sudanese people," Burhan said in a statement on Tuesday.
The meeting came two days after the Arab League, of which Sudan is a member, joined Palestinian leaders in rejecting US President Donald Trump's Middle East plan, which he unveiled while standing alongside Netanyahu at the White House last week.
The plan proposed a two-state solution to the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with a new Palestinian capital outside of Jerusalem while maintaining the historic city as an "undivided capital" for Israel.
Economic crisis
From Sudan's perspective, analysts said the meeting could in some measure be seen as part of efforts to help remove the country from a 1993 US list of "state sponsors of terrorism", which has cut it off from financial markets and severely harmed its economy.
While the US in 2017 lifted a trade embargo on Sudan, the country's inclusion in the terror list prevents it from accessing much-needed financial aid and limits potential foreign investment.
"Sudan is experiencing an economic crisis and the transitional council has been struggling to find a real solution to this," Sudanese affairs expert Salahaddin Zein told Al Jazeera. "Part of the problem, in their view, relates to the designation of Sudan as a state sponsoring terrorism by the US, denying it US financial assistance," he added.
Sudanese attempts to lift the country's terror designation have gained new traction since Abdalla Hamdok, a seasoned United Nations economist, was named prime minister in August last year.
Weeks later, during an address at the UN General Assembly, Hamdok urged Washington to remove Khartoum from the list and "stop punishing" the people of Sudan who revolted against al-Bashir for the crimes committed by his "regime".
In December, Hamdok repeated his appeal as he became the first Sudanese leader to officially visit the US. But his efforts seem to have not yielded any success, according to Zein. "The prime minister tried very hard for a solution during his visit, but it seems to have reached a deadlock."
On the other hand, al-Burhan's efforts seem to have yielded results. In a statement on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the meeting with Netanyahu and "thanked the Sudanese leader for his leadership in normalising ties with Israel". In a phone conversation a day earlier, Pompeo had invited al-Burhan to visit the US, a major ally of Israel. The date of the visit has not been set.
For Israel, the meeting came at a strategic time days after the release of Trump's plan and amid ongoing efforts to expand its influence across the Middle East and North Africa.
It was also crucial for Netanyahu, who is gearing up to contest the upcoming election while facing trial on corruption charges.
"The meeting is, for Netanyahu, a success for his policies seeking normalisation with Arab and Muslim countries, without concessions on the Palestinian issue," said Yair Wallach, a senior lecturer in Israeli politics at the University of London.
Zein agreed: "Netanyahu is definitely bragging about opening up new spheres of influence ahead of the elections," he said.
"It's Israeli propaganda."
Strong rejection
But inside Sudan, reactions to the meeting pointed towards a strong aversion to normalising relations with Israel.
While the cabinet said on Monday it had not been "notified or consulted" about the meeting, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) - a coalition of opposition groups that has struck a three-year power-sharing deal with the military - condemned al-Burhan's secret encounter.
In a statement issued after Tuesday's emergency briefing, the FFC said al-Burhan's move was "a clear violation of the country's Constitutional Declaration", which was signed in August last year to pave the way for civilian rule after the military overthrew al-Bashir in the face of months-long mass protests.
"Fundamental changes to a political issue of such importance, as the relationship with Israel [is], should be decided by the Sudanese people through channels that represent them," the statement added.
News of the meeting also elicited a strong reaction from the Sudanese public, especially among activists who had taken part in the uprising against al-Bashir's 30-year rule.
"This meeting goes against all our revolutionary principles and what we fought for, for months. The protest movement rejects normalisation with Israel and stands with the Palestinians," said Hisham al-Shawani, an activist and leading figure in the protest movement.
Deepening divide
Separately, a Sudanese official told local news agencies that the meeting between al-Burhan and Netanyahu was orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of only three Arab states that sent representatives at Trump's unveiling of his Middle East plan.
While the Entebbe meeting may have been an attempt by al-Burhan to ease Sudan's isolation from the West, it also reflected a divide within Sudan's transitional authorities amid growing Emirati influence over the country's military leaders, according to analysts.
"The UAE seems to be the godfather of the current regime, running Sudanese affairs through relations with the military side of the council," Zein said. "It may have orchestrated the meeting so as to garner Arab support for Israel and Trump's plan."
He added that the meeting between al-Burhan and Netanyahu "must be viewed through a prism of the ongoing rivalry between the civilian and military sides of the transitional council".
"The military side of the transitional authority saw this meeting as an opportunity but, for the rest, they were kept in the dark."
Sudan expert Hamid al-Tigani agreed: "Al-Burhan has his military guys on one side, and on the other side stand the civilian factions."
According to al-Tigani, if successful, al-Burhan's move would strengthen the council's military arm, which might threaten Sudan's democratic transition and the promised establishment of civilian rule.
"Al-Burhan is very desperate to get support and protection from the UAE and the US, and hopes that by meeting Netanyahu, this will open a little window for him," he said.
"But this move may strengthen the military's hand through a mandate from the US and Israel, which may threaten the democratic transition in Sudan and antagonise the Sudanese people."
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China rose to 490 as of Wednesday, after Hubei, the province where the virus is thought to have originated, reported 65 people had died from the flu-like infection.
China's National Health Commission said on Wednesday the number of confirmed infections in the country rose to 24,324 after an additional 3,887 people were diagnosed with the virus.
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Other countries have rushed to evacuate their citizens from Hubei and its capital city, Wuhan, while many have also imposed extraordinary travel restrictions on travellers to and from China.
Countries outside China continue to report more cases, with Hong Kong and the Philippines reporting one death each from the disease.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for greater solidarity among the international community, and criticised governments for being "well behind" in sharing data on virus cases. He said he had received complete case report forms for only 38 percent of the cases outside China.
Here are the latest updates:
Wednesday, February 5
China's Xi says virus controls at crucial stage
China's efforts to control a coronavirus outbreak are at a crucial stage and authorities must prevent the epidemic from spreading, Xinhua news agency quoted President Xi Jinping as saying.
The government must report coronavirus outbreak information accurately in a timely manner, and will crack down on coronavirus related rumour-mongering, Xi said.
Xi also said the government would ensure donated goods would be fully used in virus controls.
Mothers may pass coronavirus to unborn children: Chinese doctors
Pregnant women infected with the new coronavirus may be able to pass it to their unborn child, doctors at the Wuhan Children Hospital said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The doctors said it was possible after an infected coronavirus patient gave birth to a baby on February 2.
The newborn was given a test 30 hours later and confirmed to have the virus, the said.
Malaysian journalist charged over China virus posts
A Malaysian journalist was charged with causing public alarm with Facebook posts about the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, as authorities warned against online "rumour-mongering".
Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias, a Malaysian newspaper journalist, denied three charges in a Kuala Lumpur court of breaking laws that ban statements which cause public fear and alarm, according to court documents.
The documents did not say what she posted on Facebook, but local media reported the posts were related to the virus. The 40-year-old faces up to two years in prison for each count if found guilty.
Russian plane evacuates 80 from China
A Russian military plane, evacuating 80 people from China, landed in the Siberian city of Tyumen.
The Russian defense ministry said in a statement that a medical staff accompanied the passengers - citizens of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and some other former Soviet countries.
"Among the evacuated citizens no cases of infection were identified,” the statement said. The military doctors reported "the satisfactory condition of those who arrived from China", it added.
All the evacuees will be in quarantine for 14 days.
Italy scans all international arrivals for coronavirus
Italy began thermal scanning passengers arriving on all international flights. At Rome's Fiumicino airport, the controls were extended to domestic flights as well.
Ukraine: Coronavirus is not disrupting grain exports to China
Ukraine officials and traders do not expect the coronavirus epidemic to have an impact on the country's grain exports to China, although there are delays to transport and disruption to logistics throughout the country.
"I see no reason to worry," said Mykola Gorbachev, the President of the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) traders' union.
"China is in the market, demand has not gone away, but just now American prices are quite competitive with ours so Chinese demand will be divided between us and them," one Ukrainian trader said.
"There are difficulties inside China with logistics, with delivery to the regions, to consumers, but in general, the demand has not gone away," he added.
Coronavirus evacuee plane from Wuhan arrives in New Zealand
A plane load of New Zealanders, Australians and Pacific Islanders evacuated from China's Wuhan city arrived in New Zealand's Auckland, where they will be quarantined to prevent the spread of a new flu-like coronavirus, officials said.
The Air New Zealand Ltd flight with 190 evacuees, three consular staff and five New Zealand health officials landed about 6 pm local time (05:00 GMT). The New Zealanders will be put in quarantine for two weeks.
Also among the passengers were 35 Australians and Australian residents with Chinese passports who would be returned to Australia, the authorities added.
While the Australians would be transferred to an unspecified location in Australia without entering New Zealand, the Pacific Islanders would be held in isolation with the New Zealanders at a military base in Whangaparaoa, 25 km (15 miles) north of Auckland.
Hong Kong to further tighten mainland China border
Hong Kong will close two cruise terminals and will put anyone coming from mainland China into compulsory quarantine for 14 days, its leader Carrie Lam said.
Lam said the measures were aimed at curbing the cross-border flow of people to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus, which originated on mainland China.
Some medical staff have been on strike for the past three days, demanding a full border closure.
There have been 21 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, Lam said.
Two Malaysians brought from Wuhan test positive for virus
Two Malaysians who were flown back from Wuhan have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Southeast Asian nation's health ministry said, raising the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 12.
A 45-year-old woman and her 9-year-old son did not show any symptoms when subjected to health screening on arrival in Kuala Lumpur but lab tests confirmed on Wednesday they had contracted the virus, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said.
"Both are receiving treatment in an isolation ward ... and they are in stable condition," Dzulkefly said.
Russia not considering restricting food from China
Russia is not considering restricting the supply of food from China, the deputy head of the agriculture ministry said, according to Russian news agencies.
"We are not considering it," Maxim Uvaydov said, adding that there has not yet been any information about whether the coronavirus can be transferred through food.
Qatar Airways continuing cargo operations to China
Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways, said the airline that suspended passenger flights to and from mainland China from February 3 will continue its cargo operations to the country.
Speaking at an aviation event in Doha, he also said Qatar Airways hopes other countries will soon ease entry restrictions on people who recently visited China.
The airline is donating medical supplies to China, Al Baker added.
Thai taxi driver sends encouraging message to Wuhan
A Thai cab driver who recovered from the new coronavirus after catching it from Chinese tourists said he wanted to encourage the city of Wuhan to keep fighting the virus.
"I watched the news everyday from my quarantine room and send my support to Wuhan," said the 50-year-old driver, who wore a surgical mask to conceal his identity at a news conference.
"Even I can beat it. So can you," the driver said as he was discharged from hospital.
Tokyo Olympics chief expresses worry for this year's Games
Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers expressed growing concerns about the effect of the coronavirus from China on this year's Games, which kick off in less than six months.
"I'm very worried that the spread of the infectious disease could throw cold water on the growing momentum towards the Games," Tokyo Olympics chief executive Toshiro Muto said at a meeting with officials of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), broadcaster NHK reported.
Tokyo organisers will coordinate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IPC, the Japanese government and Tokyo's city government to take measures against the virus, Muto added.
Cathay Pacific asks 27,000 staff to take unpaid leave
Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific is asking its 27,000 employees to take up to three weeks of unpaid leave, CEO Augustus Tang said, as the airline faces a crisis in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak.
"I am hoping all of you will participate, from our frontline employees to our senior leaders, and share in our current challenges," Tang said in a video message posted online.
In his video message to employees, Tang warned Cathay was experiencing "one of the most difficult Chinese New Year holidays we have ever had" because of the virus.
"And we don't know how long it will last," he added. "With such an uncertain outlook, preserving our cash is now the key to protecting our business."
Foxconn sees full China production resuming late-February
Taiwan's Foxconn aims to "gradually" restart factories in China next week but it could take at least one to two weeks from then to resume full production due to the coronavirus outbreak, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Taiwan's Foxconn, which makes smartphones for global vendors including Apple, has filed requests to reopen factories with local Chinese governments, the source said, adding that full resumption was not possible until late-February due to various travel bans to curb the virus.
China to support virus-hit firms to raise funds via debt instruments
China's bond market regulator said it will actively support debt financing and debt issuance by companies heavily affected by a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak.
The National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (NAFMII) said it will also support the companies who have participated in containing the spread of the virus, according to a statement published on the central bank's official WeChat account.
NAFMII is backed by the People's Bank of China (PBOC). The association also said it will allow virus-hit firms to issue bonds and raise funds via other instruments including asset-backed notes (ABN).
In addition, the association encouraged a lenient approach to debt repayments for firms affected by the epidemic.
Vietnam setting up field hospitals for possible virus influx
Vietnam is setting up field hospitals with thousands of beds to handle a potential influx of coronavirus cases, health officials said, as it prepares to receive its nationals from China.
In the southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh city, two existing facilities are being converted into field hospitals with a total capacity of 500 beds.
In Hanoi, two military facilities have been turned into quarantine centres for up to 1,500 people as the country prepares to receive 950 people from China to be isolated at the sites.
Two provinces in northern Vietnam near the China border have also set up beds for close to 3,000 patients. Central Vietnam has centres ready for as many as 3,700.
African students trapped in coronavirus-hit Wuhan plead for help
Stuck in the epicentre of a viral outbreak, young people from Africa urge their governments to evacuate them.
Read the full story here.
China races to build more hospitals as coronavirus outbreak grows
Two infectious disease hospitals were built in a matter of days at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, authorities taking pains to publicise the work, with live streams of the construction and the arrival of the first patients at Huoshenshan field hospital in Wuhan on Tuesday.
The 1,000-bed Huoshenshan hospital and the 1,600-bed Leishenshan hospital have been the main focus of attention for the country's state-run media, with round-the-clock coverage.
Less known, however, are the other hospitals now under construction elsewhere in the country to address the shortage of beds and facilities needed to treat the outbreak.
Read the story here.
China lab seeks patent on use of Gilead's experimental treatment
A state-run Chinese research institute has applied for a patent on the use of Gilead Sciences' experimental US antiviral drug, which scientists think could treat the coronavirus that has killed hundreds and infected thousands.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology, based in the city where the outbreak is believed to have originated, said it had applied to patent the use of remdesivir, an antiviral drug developed by Gilead, to treat the virus.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week reported a coronavirus patient in the US had shown improvement after taking remdesivir, which is also used to treat infectious diseases such as Ebola.
Uzbekistan evacuates 84 people from China's Wuhan
Uzbekistan has evacuated 84 people from the Chinese city of Wuhan and will place them in quarantine upon arrival in Tashkent, the Central Asian nation's state airline said.
Uzbekistan Airways said in a statement the passengers were being accompanied by doctors and specialists with protective equipment.
Philippines confirms third case of coronavirus infection
A third person, a 60-year-old female from China, has tested positive for coronavirus, the Philippine Department of Health said.
One of the three infected Chinese nationals in the Philippines died on Saturday, becoming the first death outside mainland China. There are currently 133 individuals with suspected cases of infection, including 115 who have been hospitalised and are in isolation.
Wuhan carries out city-wide sterilisation campaign
Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, has started a city-wide sterilisation campaign in an effort to curb the spread of the infection.
A video posted on social media by the state-owned Global Times showed a truck spraying mist in one city block, and a motorised rickshaw making rounds and shooting thick white fumes in the air in a residential area in the city.
Wuhan, the epicenter of the #coronavirus outbreak, began a city-wide sterilization campaign. Chinese netizens hail the move, hoping it will lead the city back to safety.
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Hong Kong: 30 crew members on cruise ship showing symptoms including fever
The Hong Kong health department has announced that 30 members of a cruise ship, carrying 1,800 people, are showing some symptoms, including fever.
The ship docked in Hong Kong earlier on Wednesday, after it was refused entry in Taiwan.
Officials said none of the passengers in the ship came in contact with three mainland Chinese with coronavirus who were onboard the ship from January 19 to 24.
Vietnam says virus will hurt economy
Vietnam's gross domestic product in the first quarter of this year will likely slow by 1 percent from a year earlier as a result of the coronavirus and the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, the government said on Wednesday.
Vietnam's aviation, tourism, agriculture industries and exports are all expected to be harmed by the epidemic, it said in a statement.
"If (the) Chinese economy slowed significantly, it would continue to impact Vietnam," the statement said.
China is Vietnam's largest trading partner
Japan prepares ferry to be used as quarantine ship
Japan's military prepared a chartered ferry on Wednesday to use as a quarantine ship that could house hundreds of suspected coronavirus cases.
The Hakuo was docked at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo.
"Around 300 people could comfortably live on the ship and it has a maximum capacity for 500, although that would mean queues for the baths and other facilities," a Japan Self Defense Force official told Reuters.
Japan has not yet forcibly quarantined people who may carry the coronavirus, including Japanese returning on evacuation flights from Wuhan.
People quarantined on the Hakuo will be confined to quarters for around 10 days and provided with a tablet computer and wi-fi to help them pass the time, the Japanese defence official said. Each will be provided with toiletries and other necessities during their stay, with meals brought to their rooms, he added.
Japan to send fourth chartered flight to Wuhan on Thursday
Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Wednesday that Japan would send a fourth chartered flight to Wuhan to bring back about 200 people.
The passengers could include Japanese nationals as well as their Chinese spouses, Motegi told reporters. The flight is expected on Thursday.
New Zealand evacuation flight on way to Auckland from Wuhan
A flight carrying New Zealanders, Australians and citizens of smaller Pacific countries leaving Wuhan is expected to arrive in Auckland later on Wednesday, authorities said.
The Air New Zealand government-chartered flight is expected to arrive in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, at approximately 6:30pm local time (05:30 GMT).
The Air New Zealand government-chartered flight is expected to arrive in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, at approximately 6:30pm local time (05:30 GMT).
New Zealand's foreign ministry said 193 passengers boarded the plane in Wuhan, including 100 New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, 23 Australian citizens and 70 nationals of other countries, mostly Pacific islands.
UK plans second and final evacuation flight for citizens
Britain's Foreign Office said late on Tuesday that it would charter another civilian aircraft to evacuate British nationals and their dependants from Wuhan on Sunday. It will be their last chance to leave.
"The Foreign Office is chartering a second and final UK flight with space to help all British nationals and their dependants remaining in Hubei to leave," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
Britain had earlier advised its citizens to leave China if they were able to, to minimise their risk of exposure to the virus.
At least 10 on quarantined cruise ship confirmed with virus
At least 10 people on a cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama have tested positive for the coronavirus, Japan's Health Minister said on Wednesday.
The Diamond Princess, with 3,700 people on board, was quarantined after a passenger who got off the liner in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.
The number of infected could rise as screening continues.
Read more here.
US may stage additional evacuation flights in China's virus-hit Wuhan
The Department of State said it may operate additional evacuation flights for US citizens in Wuhan on Thursday.
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