+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If it can happen in Canada there is no reason why it cannot happen here.
We have already witnessed executive orders mandating matters that have been declared beyond the power of the president. We have already witnessed actions by government bureaucrats exceeding anything intended by Congress. And, yes, we have already witnessed extreme efforts by radicals to take over school curricula inculcating attitudes of hatred towards our country by those behind the CRT movement, 1617 and cancel culture attempts.
We have witnessed the shutting down of houses of worship while allowing bars and strip clubs etc. to remain open as well as mask mandates that have no basis in scientific fact. Worst of all we have seen this administration kow tow to the teacher's union while dispensing hundred of millions of taxpayer money in support of their efforts to close schools while allowing teachers to thumb their noses at calls to return to work.
And:
College faculty are fighting back against state bills on critical race theory
Appalled at efforts to limit what they can teach about race and other sensitive subjects, faculty leaders some prominent public universities have rallied behind resolutions to reaffirm academic freedom.
By Nick Anderson and Susan Svrluga
https://www.washingtonpost.
Meanwhile:
| On Thursday, attorneys for Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann filed a motion to dismiss the case against him. |
| See It Here +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
| Canada Now Resembles a Police State › Developing... |
 Read it Here >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I am about 85 pages from finishing Mollie Hemingway's new book "Rigged." It is well researched and reveals the other side of what happened during Trump's truncated political career from the time he decided to run for President through the period after his defeat for re-election. There are some details that flesh out what I already knew and when one is able to reflect back on a full recap of what happened to Trump, how he was ill- treated it is evident there has never been a period in my life time when such efforts to destroy, not only the person but also his administration, have been instigated. It is evident that the 2020 election was a low mark in credibility and pre-election shenanigans were undertaken to assure his defeat. Furthermore, there is no doubt Trump's efforts to dislodge the mighty DC elites and to expose their corrupt ways was seen as a momentous threat that led the powerful to rally to the cause of protecting their own self interests. In doing so, the assistance they received from the media was beyond anything I also have ever witnessed and continues to this day. The media is all in and have proven willing to sell their credibility, professionalism and soul in going to all lengths not only to protect their political allies but themselves, as well. Their bias led them to lie, to knowingly concoct false stories and to smear reputations in support of their political allies. That private citizens like Zuckerberg, his wife and Soros among others were able to target campaign contributions to sway the election is a threat that must be rectified. If anyone is able to repeat their activities this republic of ours is doomed. America is no longer the land of "we the people." We people are simply captives in a ship's hold steered by rogue pilots with ill intent. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
Is Israel being squeezed? Would Bibi sign such a deal?
Israel said readying for signing of ‘spectacularly bad’ Iran deal next week
TV network cites Israeli security officials warning that revived agreement won’t take into account the nuclear gains Tehran has made since Trump withdrew from the accord in 2018
By TOI staff1
Israel is readying for world powers and Iran to reach an agreement next week to revive the deal aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Israeli television reported Friday, despite Jerusalem’s efforts to lobby against a joint US-Iranian return to the multilateral accord.
Israel opposed the original agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, when it was signed in 2015, with then prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu arguing that it actually paved the path to an Iranian nuclear arsenal. The Netanyahu government then backed former president Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the deal in 2018 and initiate a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, which led Tehran to ramp up nuclear work in violation of the JCPOA.
US President Joe Biden is now seeking to revive the accord, conditioning doing so on Iran returning to compliance.
Quoting an unnamed Israeli security official, Channel 13 news reported that while Israel considered the original deal to have been bad, the revived accord taking shape is “spectacularly bad,” as it does not factor in the progress Iran has made since.
Referring to a leaked draft of the imminent accord, the source said Iran will not be required to destroy its advanced centrifuges under the revived agreement. Tehran will have to reduce its uranium enrichment levels, but it has already developed the capability to enrich at high levels. It will also be required to cease producing uranium metal, a crucial component of the bomb-making process. However, the source noted that Iran now has the knowledge to be able to manufacture such materials in the future.
“In essence, it is an agreement that leaves Iran as a nuclear threshold state,” the network said, citing the security source.
Channel 13’s report asserted that Israel would plainly not be able to target Iranian enrichment facilities if and when a revived deal was signed. A key question, though, said its military analyst Alon Ben-David, was whether Israel would have a free hand, as far as the Americans are concerned, to take actions to thwart Iranian progress on weaponization and missile delivery systems for a bomb — areas not covered by the deal.
According to Channel 13, furthermore, the Biden administration has told Israel that Trump enabled Iran to become a “nuclear threshold state” in terms of uranium production and that a failure to revive the old agreement — as Jerusalem is hoping — would leave Tehran weeks away from accumulating enough nuclear material needed for a bomb, rather than months away from the bomb under the terms of the deal.
A diplomat familiar with the talks disputed that assessment, telling The Times of Israel that the deal being negotiated would likely leave Iran between six months to a year away from having enough nuclear material needed for a bomb (weaponization would take another year or two, according to most estimates).
Jerusalem appears to argue that is a price worth paying, rather than granting sanctions relief.
A small ray of hope for Israel is that the sanctions relief being proposed by negotiators in Vienna would only occur gradually and not all at once, the Kan public broadcaster reported.
Negotiators still have a number of issues to settle before a deal can be signed, but Israel believes that will still happen next week, according to Kan.
Accordingly, Jerusalem is preparing a number of actions it plans to take in the coming days, including holding briefings with ambassadors, a possible public address by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett responding to an announcement of a resurrected JCPOA, and private conversations that Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz will hold on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Separately Friday, a senior European Union official told Reuters, “I expect an agreement in the coming week, the coming two weeks or so. I think we have now on the table text that is very, very close to what is going to be the final agreement.”
“Most of the issues are already agreed. But as a principle in this kind of negotiation, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. So we still have… some questions, some of them rather political and difficult to agree,” the official said.
The United States said Thursday that “substantial progress” during negotiations in Vienna to save the Iran nuclear deal had been made, deeming an agreement possible within days if Iran “shows seriousness” on the matter.
An eighth round of Vienna talks, which involve Iran as well as Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly, and the United States indirectly, resumed in late November.
++++++++++++++++
Senator Menendez: Other Options Exist Rather Than Going Back to Bad Iran Nuclear Deal
By Dmitriy Shapiro
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) sat down for an interview with AIPAC supporters on Thursday, focused on the latest in the ongoing indirect negotiations in Vienna between the United States and Iran to re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and explaining the reasons that he prominently spoke on the issue on the Senate floor on Feb. 2.
Elliot Brandt, AIPAC’s managing director for national affairs and the presentation’s moderator, called Menendez a champion of the U.S.-Israeli relationship and a true friend of AIPAC.
Brandt began the discussion—sitting in a studio with Menendez connecting with an audience online—by showing a clip of Menendez during his speech where he calls on the Biden administration to enforce sanctions on Iran and not to allow Iran to coerce the United States into a bad deal.
Menendez said he made the speech because he felt that many of his colleagues had been focused on other global issues in recent weeks, such as the growing standoff between Russia and Ukraine, and were not paying attention to the direction the talks were taking.
“The challenges of Iran are clear and present. And so I wanted to revert the attention of my colleagues … and also send a message to the administration and our allies abroad, for which I’ve had discussions, about what is and is not going to ultimately pass muster here. What can get support and what cannot get support,” he said.
After the speech, Menendez noted that many of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle told him that they gained a lot from the speech.
Menendez was asked whether a “longer and stronger” nuclear deal with Iran was still possible, and if no deal was better than a bad one.
The senator said he doesn’t know if the talks in Vienna will end up with an agreement, and from everything that he’s heard, it would seem a stretch. Even U.S. Special Representative to Iran Robert Malley, according to Menendez, said that at some point, Iran will have delayed for so long that there would be no value in rejoining the agreement.
Menendez said that for him, no deal is better than a bad deal, and that the reason he made the speech on the Senate floor was that he felt that there was movement towards a deal that was weaker than the original one in 2015 that he opposed, which has sunset clauses for sanctions and restrictions that will begin kicking in as early as next year.
Despite taking a strong position against the original JCPOA, Menendez said that he opposed former President Donald Trump unilaterally leaving the deal in 2018, which helped allow Tehran to further enrich uranium to 60%, putting it closer to a nuclear weapon. But if re-entering the deal keeps Iran only six to seven months from creating a nuclear weapon in return for sanctions relief for Iran to convince them to re-sign, it would only make the deal weaker considering more sanctions relief comes as part of the sunset clauses.
The sanctions relief may also free up funds that Iran can use to continue its proliferation of conventional missiles and fund its terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East.
Menendez said that setting Iran back just six months fails to give the United States insight into how far Iran is from weaponizing its nuclear material.
If negotiators don’t come to an agreement, he said, America’s European allies will have seen that there was an effort to get Tehran back in compliance with the JCPOA and the international order—and that Iran did not comply—and they will hopefully cooperate to implement sanctions of consequence on the Islamic Republic.
‘Everybody will be in the same boat’
Another reason for his speech, he said, was to have his colleagues understand that there are options other than going back to a bad deal to stop Iran from passing the threshold of its nuclear material or conflict. He and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have proposed a regional nuclear fuel bank, allowing Iran to receive fuel for peaceful energy purposes and medical research without enriching its own, which creates the infrastructure for a nuclear bomb.
“By the same token, saying to the region—and it’s open to everybody in the region—Iran, if you’re concerned about all of your Gulf neighbors that they may find a pathway towards conflict with you and a nuclear weapon, guess what, everybody will be in the same boat. Because everybody will be offered, and hopefully, convinced that they would join in a nuclear fuel bank for which they would give up enrichment, and they would get the benefits of it as well,” explained Menendez.
He said that their initial conversations about the proposal with nations in the area, including Israel, have been positive.
“It’s about the regional concept, and it makes everybody safer, and we stop a nuclear race and a tinderbox to the world we can ill afford,” he said. “If Iran doesn’t choose to be part of it and others do, I think that it shows Iran for what many think it is—a country that is focused on obtaining a nuclear weapon, not just simply nuclear energy.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another type of Tic Toc:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ordman's good news (edited.):
Israel is truly growing up in its role as a major benefit to the world. Its relations with Arab states grows each week, with Israel's Prime Minister arriving in Bahrain, Egypt's President honoring Israel's wheelchair-bound Energy Minister and an Israeli healthcare startup winning a major contract in the UAE. Israel's economy grew at a phenomenal 8.1% rate in 2021; the UK is determined to grow bilateral trade with Israel, and the Jewish State has grown into the country of choice for international conferences. Israeli agriculture and food-tech successes include growing the world's largest strawberry; a system for home-grown vegetables, and new reduced-sugar foods to help grown-ups from growing horizontally! New initiatives are encouraging the growth of Israeli health-tech startups in the USA, water-tech startups in the Galilee and Netflix is helping the growth of film makers in Jerusalem. And it was my privilege to meet some of the growing number of Israeli scientists and talk with pro-Israel student ambassadors growing up in Haifa.
In the 20th Feb 22 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Non-invasive eye test for Covid-19. (TY UWI) Israel’s AdOM Advanced Optical Technologies has developed the Tear Film Imager (TFI) which, in 40 seconds, measures the tear film layer of the eye to detect if someone has coronavirus. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center is now recruiting volunteers for a clinical study of the TFI.
https://www.jns.org/israel-to-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Nasal spray effective against coronavirus. Phase 3 clinical trials confirmed that the Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) from Israel’s SaNOtize represents a safe and effective antiviral treatment that shortens the course of COVID-19 and could prevent the transmission of COVID-19. It also received regulatory approval in India.
https://www.bloomberg.com/
Cutting the cost of cancer laser treatment. Israel’s HIL Applied Medical (see here previously) is poised to deliver proton-beam radiotherapy to millions of cancer patients who cannot afford it today. HIL plans to produce 200-250 much lower cost proton therapy rooms every year.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Routine prenatal ultrasound to detect autism. Researchers from Ben Gurion University have shown that routine prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester can identify early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Anomalies occurred in 30% of fetuses who later developed ASD. It means autism could be treated from birth.
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/
https://academic.oup.com/
Brain Monitor rolls out. Israel’s Montfort (Mon4t – see here previously) is expanding the operation of its brain monitor device in the US. It is already in use at Baltimore’s John Hopkins Medicine and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. It could benefit the million and more Parkinson’s sufferers in the US.
https://www.jns.org/the-
Taking smart health tech to the UAE. Israel’s Healthy.io (see here previously) has been authorized to deploy its smartphone image diagnostic technology in the United Arab Emirates. It has finalized a deal with Dubai’s Royal family-founded Seed Group, to sell its self-performed kidney disease urine analysis kits in the UAE.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
A boot camp for wellness tech. Several Israeli health-tech startups have applied to participate in the Wellness Tech Bootcamp, an international program supporting startups developing technologies to improve physical and mental health. New to this newsletter include Happy Things, CoBe Labs, and Kai (personal wellness coach)
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.happythings.app/ https://www.cobelabs.com/ https://kai.ai/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The supermarket where people shop for free. (TY JNS) Shani and Osher run a store in Petah Tikvah full of donated items that those in need can take for free. They have set up special WhatsApp groups and invite needy families, single parents, elderly etc. to visit once or twice a month. The only limit is just one item of each kind.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-
Help for victims of abuse. Google Israel has launched a life-saving search engine feature that will help victims of abuse to get help. It recognizes search words and highlights helplines. After testing locally, Google will roll this innovation to other countries. Global incidents have increased by 300% during the coronavirus pandemic.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Israel’s doctor with Cerebral Palsy. Worth reading these two articles describing how Hodaya Oliel (see here previously) overcame challenges to become the first Israeli with Cerebral Palsy to qualify as a medical doctor.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
No age limit at this “special” summer camp. (TY JNS) Camp Eitan is a unique Israeli camp for older teens and adults with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. It is run by volunteers from Avnei Eitan - a village in the Golan Heights. Whilst there is an age 21 limit at most other camps, there is no upper limit at Camp Eitan.
https://www.israel21c.org/at-
Druze woman sets new Israeli athletics record. Karawan Halabi, from Daliat el-Carmel, set a time of 2:43:99 in the 1,000-meter race, shattering the 25-year Israeli national record. She became the first Druze athlete to set an Israeli track and field record.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
World record strawberry. (TY Nevet) An Israeli berry has won the Guinness record for the world’s largest strawberry. The 289-gram giant was grown at the Strawberries in the Field plantation run by the Ariel family in Kadima-Zoran, central Israel. The weather and late season caused multiple berries to combine, over 45 days.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Global conferences. While I was in Haifa last week I mingled with Bar-Ilan University students attending a conference on nanotechnology. I then discovered that the city was hosting 30 international conferences next week. Thanks also to Sharon for her article that included conferences and events in Jerusalem.
https://
http://rjstreets.com/2022/02/
The first ever Israeli PM visit to Bahrain. (TY Myer) Great video showing the warm welcome that Israel’s Prime Minister received in his groundbreaking meeting with Bahrain’s Crown Prince.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Personal greeting for Energy Minister. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi crossed the room at the Middle East Energy Conference to greet Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar, who is confined to a wheelchair. She is the first Israeli Minister to participate in the conference and the Egyptian President warmly welcomed her.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Israeli tech in first US autonomous store. (TY Hazel) The world's first fully autonomous store Nourish + Bloom Market has opened in Fayetteville, Georgia. It features the Smart Shelf weighing system developed by Israel’s Shekel (see here previously). https://www.jpost.com/israel-
Grow your own vegetables in a box. A previous newsletter (see here) featured the Living Box hydroponic farm in a box. Now another Israeli company AgwaFarm has developed the AgwaGarden with 59 seed “slots” LEDs and AI for tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, arugula, and even strawberries - enough for a small family.
https://www.israel21c.org/
A sustainable partnership. Israel’s UBQ (see here previously) has partnered Mexican plastic polymer producer, Resirene, to create a sustainable, UBQ-infused polystyrene material. UBQ will now be able to recycle waste plastic into new end-products, in addition to those produced from its current thermoplastic material.
https://nocamels.com/2022/02/
3D printing of large industrial products. Israel’s Largix has developed the first 3D printer able to produce large industrial-strength items from common and recycled polymers. Its robotic systems, sensors and machine learning can produce room-size objects such as storage tanks, with the required bonding and welding strengths.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bringing products to life. Israel’s Verto has developed AI-driven 3D visualization technology that creates a fully-fledged 360-degrees 3D video image of any item from just a few pictures taken from any smartphone. Verto has begun a 2-month joint venture with the Israel Diamond Exchange.
https://www.verto.ai/ https://www.calcalistech.com/
The first unmanned hybrid helicopter. Israel’s Steadicopter has unveiled Black Eagle 50H - the first unmanned hybrid helicopter of its kind. Powered by a combination of gas and electricity, it is on display at the Singapore Air show (Feb 15 - 18). Its uses include search and rescue, cyber, offshore rigs etc.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
UAVs authorized for civilian airspace. Israel’s aviation authority has given the go-ahead for the Starliner Unmanned Aerial System (drone) made by Israel’s Elbit, to fly in civilian airspace “as any other civilian airplane” without any restrictions. The certification process took six years to complete.
https://www.jns.org/israels-
Earthquake warning app. Israel’s Geological Survey have launched a new earthquake alert system. Its name “Teruah” is the same as one of the notes blown on the shofar (religious ram’s horn). It can send a warning to your smartphone just 10 seconds after the first tremor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The camera that sees through walls. (TY Hazel) Another article about the amazing new camera developed by Israel’s Camero-Tech (see here previously) that can see through walls, even from more than 300 feet away.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/
Kinneret Innovation Center. The Kinneret Innovation Center’s purpose is to create an engine of growth in the north of Israel. It is aims to help startups and entrepreneurs in agriculture technology, water technology, and sustainability. It bridges the gap between academia, industrial and agricultural communities.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.
To save water she founded a startup. Esther Altura is the founder of DrizzleX (see here previously) and its water metering system that detect leaks and water overuse. She said that saving precious water was an Israeli characteristic – part of her “Israeli DNA”.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
The EnergyTech map. There are now nearly 100 Israel startups working in the field of renewable energy and carbon capture – a 20% increase from 2020. Start-Up Nation Central has unveiled the 2022 Israel EnergyTech map to help multinational companies and VC investors identify relevant Israeli companies and solutions.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Turning polluted air into oxygen. Some 8.8 million people die every year from respiratory illnesses resulting from air pollution. Israel’s Airovation Technologies turns indoor air pollution into oxygen, while eliminating viruses (e.g., coronavirus) and bacteria.
https://blog.
3D imaging of buried assets. Israel’s Exodigo (see here previously) has developed a subterranean mapping platform for construction, mining, and utility companies. It can create a digital geolocated 3D map of buried assets – from man-made pipes and cables to soil layers, rocks, minerals, and groundwater across any terrain.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
“Limited only by your imagination”. That’s the marketing slogan for Israel’s Classiq, which develops solutions for the quantum software market. It says it helps build complex quantum circuits that could not be created otherwise. https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.classiq.io/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
EU to fund Israel, Cyprus, Greece power cable link. (TY Hazel) Cyprus’ Energy Minister has announced that the European Union has earmarked 657 million euros ($736 million) for the construction of a 2,000MW undersea electricity cable that will link the power grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (see here previously).
https://abcnews.go.com/
2021 GDP shatters forecasts. Israel's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 8.1% in 2021, beating the Bank of Israel forecast of 7.5% and the OECD forecast (see here previously) of 6.3%. GDP in Q4 was over 16%.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
UK Trade Secretary seeks even stronger partnership. Secretary of State for International Trade, Rt. Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, made her first visit to Israel. She enjoyed the “huge opportunity” to deepen ties with a fellow democracy and tech superpower, to boost trade and strengthen cooperation in science and tech.
https://cfoi.co.uk/
https://www.thejc.com/lets-
A Unicorn in one step. Israel’s Cloudinary has just raised its first funds at a valuation of $2 billion. Cloudinary allows users to “quickly and easily create, manage, and deliver their digital experiences across any browser, device, and bandwidth”. I don’t understand that either, but 9,000 customers and a million developers do.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Takeovers and exits. Intel is acquiring Israel’s Tower Semiconductor (TowerJazz) for $5.4 billion; Nintex of the US is acquiring Israel’s Kryon for $100 million; Israel’s Fireblocks acquired Israel’s First Digital for $100 million;
Investment in Israeli startups to 20/2/22: Cloudinary raised $110 million; WSC Sports raised $100 million; Sharegain raised $64 million; Classiq raised $33 million; Exodigo raised $29 million; Legit Security raised $26.5 million; Deepdub raised $20 million; Trullion raised $15 million; Vee (volunteering) raised $12 million; Vanilla Vida raised $11.5 million; Permit.io raised $6 million; Verto raised $1.2 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
Netflix supports budding Israeli film makers. Netflix is supporting a new program at the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School. Series Lab will help up-and-coming creators in the field of scripted television. Netflix’s producer and screenwriter Jill Condon will lead workshops on script development and mentor participants.
https://www.algemeiner.com/
The world’s best healing spot. (TY Hazel) The Dead Sea has taken the top spot on the top ten list of the prestigious tourist "Travel and Leisure" magazine as the most recommended "healing" destination. It wrote that the Dead Sea’s black mud can treat psoriasis, cure asthma, joint inflammation, osteoporosis, and more.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
THE JEWISH STATE
Training on how to defend Israel. (TY JNS) A new initiative has just been launched to train key influencers in countering antisemites, especially those who hate and demonize Israel as the State of Jewish people. The ProZ course is designed to empower young people who want to defend Israel on social media.
https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/
A family reunion 77 years after the Shoah. An old photograph started Suzanne Hecker on a 25-year quest to find family members. Thanks to Yad Vashem, a Jewish Genealogy site and a school project, it culminated in a reunion in Israel with over 30 cousins.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/77-
I have everything. An Israeli business owner won the NIS 80 million jackpot on the Israel lottery with the first ticket he ever bought. When he heard of his win he still went to work, only collecting his prize after finishing work. He said he already had everything he needed, but it was great that his children’s futures are now assured.
https://www.
Only in Israel. Last week I gave a talk to students at the Reali Hebrew school in Haifa. Before the lecture, I attended the morning (Shacharit) service in a Haifa hotel that coincidentally was hosting the Bar-Ilan University Conference on Nanotechnology. After prayers, dozens of young scientists learned about VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
https://nano.biu.ac.il/about
In the 20th Feb 22 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
- An unobtrusive eye test can detect Covid-19 in 40-seconds.
- A woman is the first Druze to set an Israeli athletics record.
- Israeli ministers are honored in Bahrain and Egypt.
- Israeli technology can 3D-print giant industrial products.
- An Israeli startup converts carbon dioxide into oxygen.
- Visit the Dead Sea for a healthy vacation.
- VeryGoodNewsIsrael milestone - 20,000 articles in www.IsraelActive.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Non-invasive eye test for Covid-19. (TY UWI) Israel’s AdOM Advanced Optical Technologies has developed the Tear Film Imager (TFI) which, in 40 seconds, measures the tear film layer of the eye to detect if someone has coronavirus. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center is now recruiting volunteers for a clinical study of the TFI.
https://www.jns.org/israel-to-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Nasal spray effective against coronavirus. Phase 3 clinical trials confirmed that the Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) from Israel’s SaNOtize represents a safe and effective antiviral treatment that shortens the course of COVID-19 and could prevent the transmission of COVID-19. It also received regulatory approval in India.
https://www.bloomberg.com/
Cutting the cost of cancer laser treatment. Israel’s HIL Applied Medical (see here previously) is poised to deliver proton-beam radiotherapy to millions of cancer patients who cannot afford it today. HIL plans to produce 200-250 much lower cost proton therapy rooms every year.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Routine prenatal ultrasound to detect autism. Researchers from Ben Gurion University have shown that routine prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester can identify early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Anomalies occurred in 30% of fetuses who later developed ASD. It means autism could be treated from birth.
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/pages/
https://academic.oup.com/
Brain Monitor rolls out. Israel’s Montfort (Mon4t – see here previously) is expanding the operation of its brain monitor device in the US. It is already in use at Baltimore’s John Hopkins Medicine and the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. It could benefit the million and more Parkinson’s sufferers in the US.
https://www.jns.org/the-
Taking smart health tech to the UAE. Israel’s Healthy.io (see here previously) has been authorized to deploy its smartphone image diagnostic technology in the United Arab Emirates. It has finalized a deal with Dubai’s Royal family-founded Seed Group, to sell its self-performed kidney disease urine analysis kits in the UAE.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
A boot camp for wellness tech. Several Israeli health-tech startups have applied to participate in the Wellness Tech Bootcamp, an international program supporting startups developing technologies to improve physical and mental health. New to this newsletter include Happy Things, CoBe Labs, and Kai (personal wellness coach)
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.happythings.app/ https://www.cobelabs.com/ https://kai.ai/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
The supermarket where people shop for free. (TY JNS) Shani and Osher run a store in Petah Tikvah full of donated items that those in need can take for free. They have set up special WhatsApp groups and invite needy families, single parents, elderly etc. to visit once or twice a month. The only limit is just one item of each kind.
https://www.israel21c.org/the-
Help for victims of abuse. Google Israel has launched a life-saving search engine feature that will help victims of abuse to get help. It recognizes search words and highlights helplines. After testing locally, Google will roll this innovation to other countries. Global incidents have increased by 300% during the coronavirus pandemic.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
Israel’s doctor with Cerebral Palsy. Worth reading these two articles describing how Hodaya Oliel (see here previously) overcame challenges to become the first Israeli with Cerebral Palsy to qualify as a medical doctor.
https://www.jpost.com/health-
No age limit at this “special” summer camp. (TY JNS) Camp Eitan is a unique Israeli camp for older teens and adults with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. It is run by volunteers from Avnei Eitan - a village in the Golan Heights. Whilst there is an age 21 limit at most other camps, there is no upper limit at Camp Eitan.
https://www.israel21c.org/at-
Druze woman sets new Israeli athletics record. Karawan Halabi, from Daliat el-Carmel, set a time of 2:43:99 in the 1,000-meter race, shattering the 25-year Israeli national record. She became the first Druze athlete to set an Israeli track and field record.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
World record strawberry. (TY Nevet) An Israeli berry has won the Guinness record for the world’s largest strawberry. The 289-gram giant was grown at the Strawberries in the Field plantation run by the Ariel family in Kadima-Zoran, central Israel. The weather and late season caused multiple berries to combine, over 45 days.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Global conferences. While I was in Haifa last week I mingled with Bar-Ilan University students attending a conference on nanotechnology. I then discovered that the city was hosting 30 international conferences next week. Thanks also to Sharon for her article that included conferences and events in Jerusalem.
https://
http://rjstreets.com/2022/02/
The first ever Israeli PM visit to Bahrain. (TY Myer) Great video showing the warm welcome that Israel’s Prime Minister received in his groundbreaking meeting with Bahrain’s Crown Prince.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Personal greeting for Energy Minister. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi crossed the room at the Middle East Energy Conference to greet Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar, who is confined to a wheelchair. She is the first Israeli Minister to participate in the conference and the Egyptian President warmly welcomed her.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Israeli tech in first US autonomous store. (TY Hazel) The world's first fully autonomous store Nourish + Bloom Market has opened in Fayetteville, Georgia. It features the Smart Shelf weighing system developed by Israel’s Shekel (see here previously). https://www.jpost.com/israel-
Grow your own vegetables in a box. A previous newsletter (see here) featured the Living Box hydroponic farm in a box. Now another Israeli company AgwaFarm has developed the AgwaGarden with 59 seed “slots” LEDs and AI for tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, arugula, and even strawberries - enough for a small family.
https://www.israel21c.org/
A sustainable partnership. Israel’s UBQ (see here previously) has partnered Mexican plastic polymer producer, Resirene, to create a sustainable, UBQ-infused polystyrene material. UBQ will now be able to recycle waste plastic into new end-products, in addition to those produced from its current thermoplastic material.
https://nocamels.com/2022/02/
3D printing of large industrial products. Israel’s Largix has developed the first 3D printer able to produce large industrial-strength items from common and recycled polymers. Its robotic systems, sensors and machine learning can produce room-size objects such as storage tanks, with the required bonding and welding strengths.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bringing products to life. Israel’s Verto has developed AI-driven 3D visualization technology that creates a fully-fledged 360-degrees 3D video image of any item from just a few pictures taken from any smartphone. Verto has begun a 2-month joint venture with the Israel Diamond Exchange.
https://www.verto.ai/ https://www.calcalistech.com/
The first unmanned hybrid helicopter. Israel’s Steadicopter has unveiled Black Eagle 50H - the first unmanned hybrid helicopter of its kind. Powered by a combination of gas and electricity, it is on display at the Singapore Air show (Feb 15 - 18). Its uses include search and rescue, cyber, offshore rigs etc.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-
UAVs authorized for civilian airspace. Israel’s aviation authority has given the go-ahead for the Starliner Unmanned Aerial System (drone) made by Israel’s Elbit, to fly in civilian airspace “as any other civilian airplane” without any restrictions. The certification process took six years to complete.
https://www.jns.org/israels-
Earthquake warning app. Israel’s Geological Survey have launched a new earthquake alert system. Its name “Teruah” is the same as one of the notes blown on the shofar (religious ram’s horn). It can send a warning to your smartphone just 10 seconds after the first tremor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The camera that sees through walls. (TY Hazel) Another article about the amazing new camera developed by Israel’s Camero-Tech (see here previously) that can see through walls, even from more than 300 feet away.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/
Kinneret Innovation Center. The Kinneret Innovation Center’s purpose is to create an engine of growth in the north of Israel. It is aims to help startups and entrepreneurs in agriculture technology, water technology, and sustainability. It bridges the gap between academia, industrial and agricultural communities.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.
To save water she founded a startup. Esther Altura is the founder of DrizzleX (see here previously) and its water metering system that detect leaks and water overuse. She said that saving precious water was an Israeli characteristic – part of her “Israeli DNA”.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
The EnergyTech map. There are now nearly 100 Israel startups working in the field of renewable energy and carbon capture – a 20% increase from 2020. Start-Up Nation Central has unveiled the 2022 Israel EnergyTech map to help multinational companies and VC investors identify relevant Israeli companies and solutions.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Turning polluted air into oxygen. Some 8.8 million people die every year from respiratory illnesses resulting from air pollution. Israel’s Airovation Technologies turns indoor air pollution into oxygen, while eliminating viruses (e.g., coronavirus) and bacteria.
https://blog.
3D imaging of buried assets. Israel’s Exodigo (see here previously) has developed a subterranean mapping platform for construction, mining, and utility companies. It can create a digital geolocated 3D map of buried assets – from man-made pipes and cables to soil layers, rocks, minerals, and groundwater across any terrain.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
“Limited only by your imagination”. That’s the marketing slogan for Israel’s Classiq, which develops solutions for the quantum software market. It says it helps build complex quantum circuits that could not be created otherwise. https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.classiq.io/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
EU to fund Israel, Cyprus, Greece power cable link. (TY Hazel) Cyprus’ Energy Minister has announced that the European Union has earmarked 657 million euros ($736 million) for the construction of a 2,000MW undersea electricity cable that will link the power grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (see here previously).
https://abcnews.go.com/
2021 GDP shatters forecasts. Israel's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 8.1% in 2021, beating the Bank of Israel forecast of 7.5% and the OECD forecast (see here previously) of 6.3%. GDP in Q4 was over 16%.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/
UK Trade Secretary seeks even stronger partnership. Secretary of State for International Trade, Rt. Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, made her first visit to Israel. She enjoyed the “huge opportunity” to deepen ties with a fellow democracy and tech superpower, to boost trade and strengthen cooperation in science and tech.
https://cfoi.co.uk/
https://www.thejc.com/lets-
A Unicorn in one step. Israel’s Cloudinary has just raised its first funds at a valuation of $2 billion. Cloudinary allows users to “quickly and easily create, manage, and deliver their digital experiences across any browser, device, and bandwidth”. I don’t understand that either, but 9,000 customers and a million developers do.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Takeovers and exits. Intel is acquiring Israel’s Tower Semiconductor (TowerJazz) for $5.4 billion; Nintex of the US is acquiring Israel’s Kryon for $100 million; Israel’s Fireblocks acquired Israel’s First Digital for $100 million;
Investment in Israeli startups to 20/2/22: Cloudinary raised $110 million; WSC Sports raised $100 million; Sharegain raised $64 million; Classiq raised $33 million; Exodigo raised $29 million; Legit Security raised $26.5 million; Deepdub raised $20 million; Trullion raised $15 million; Vee (volunteering) raised $12 million; Vanilla Vida raised $11.5 million; Permit.io raised $6 million; Verto raised $1.2 million;
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT`
Netflix supports budding Israeli film makers. Netflix is supporting a new program at the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School. Series Lab will help up-and-coming creators in the field of scripted television. Netflix’s producer and screenwriter Jill Condon will lead workshops on script development and mentor participants.
https://www.algemeiner.com/
The world’s best healing spot. (TY Hazel) The Dead Sea has taken the top spot on the top ten list of the prestigious tourist "Travel and Leisure" magazine as the most recommended "healing" destination. It wrote that the Dead Sea’s black mud can treat psoriasis, cure asthma, joint inflammation, osteoporosis, and more.
https://www.ynetnews.com/
THE JEWISH STATE
Training on how to defend Israel. (TY JNS) A new initiative has just been launched to train key influencers in countering antisemites, especially those who hate and demonize Israel as the State of Jewish people. The ProZ course is designed to empower young people who want to defend Israel on social media.
https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/
A family reunion 77 years after the Shoah. An old photograph started Suzanne Hecker on a 25-year quest to find family members. Thanks to Yad Vashem, a Jewish Genealogy site and a school project, it culminated in a reunion in Israel with over 30 cousins.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/77-
I have everything. An Israeli business owner won the NIS 80 million jackpot on the Israel lottery with the first ticket he ever bought. When he heard of his win he still went to work, only collecting his prize after finishing work. He said he already had everything he needed, but it was great that his children’s futures are now assured.
https://www.
Only in Israel. Last week I gave a talk to students at the Reali Hebrew school in Haifa. Before the lecture, I attended the morning (Shacharit) service in a Haifa hotel that coincidentally was hosting the Bar-Ilan University Conference on Nanotechnology. After prayers, dozens of young scientists learned about VeryGoodNewsIsrael.
https://nano.biu.ac.il/about
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