US blacklists NSO spyware firm * PM urges unity as budget vote nears * COVID proteins that trigger strokes identified * Vindman interview * Shekel: 25-year high v. dollar

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Wednesday, November 3, 2021 Presented by [Other Israel Film Festival]( Live updates [LIVE: US blacklists Israel’s NSO for actions ‘contrary to national security interests’]( By [TOI staff]( [Israeli firm Candiru also added to US Commerce Department list for practices that ‘threaten the rules-based international order’]( [With budget approval on the line, Bennett urges coalition unity, restraint]( By [Stuart Winer and TOI staff]( [Government works to hold ranks as opposition hunts for possible deserters; failure to pass budget would bring down government, but Bennett insists it will pass]( [Thousands rally against government in Tel Aviv as budget battle looms]( By [TOI staff]( [Top ultra-Orthodox MK says Bennett ‘betrayed the State of Israel’]( By [TOI staff]( [Yamina MK vows to vote for budget, rejecting pressure to jump ship to opposition]( By [TOI staff]( [COVID proteins that trigger strokes and heart attacks identified by Israeli team]( By [Nathan Jeffay]( [Discovery, made through ‘peek in virus’s black box,’ could lead to therapies that halt havoc wrought on vascular system, say Tel Aviv University scientists]( [New child-friendly prayers composed for the arrival of COVID vaccines for kids]( By [Shira Hanau]( [Israel prepares to launch giant missile-detecting balloon over north]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Sensors onboard the aerostat are meant to identify incoming long-range munitions; move comes amid ongoing efforts by the Israeli Air Force to improve aerial defenses]( [Syria says Israeli missile strikes hit targets near Damascus]( By [Judah Ari Gross and TOI staff]( [IDF, CENTCOM launch joint ‘amphibious exercise’ in Eilat]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( from our sponsor [The Other Israel Film Festival, Nov 4–11, in person and virtual]( [Join us for this year’s Other Israel Film Festival, providing an in-depth look into Israeli and Palestinian societies. For more info and tickets visit otherisrael.org]( ToI podcast [TOI staff]( [Daily Briefing Nov. 3 – In Glasgow, Bennett does some diplomatic speed-dating]( [Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental reporter Sue Surkes discuss their reporting at the climate conference in Glasgow]( [Bennett closes Glasgow trip with emotional visit with British chief rabbi]( By [Lazar Berman]( [US gives final clearance to COVID-19 shots for kids 5 to 11]( By [AP and TOI staff]( Top Ops [Sigal Kanotopsky]( [The Ethiopian Jewish holiday Sigd belongs on all Jews’ calendar]( [It is all too easy to dwell on what divides us. Focusing on a holiday that celebrates a connection to Torah and Israel can bring us together.]( [Todd Berman]( [The 5783 Yeshiva/Seminary and Gap Year Program Buyers Guide]( [With at least 37 gap year experiences on offer, from Torah study to volunteering, it’s hard to make an informed decision. This guide makes it easier]( [Yonatan Neril]( [Jerusalem, Glasgow, and climate leadership]( [If we truly want to battle climate change, we must stop our marathon use of 10s of 1,000s of plastic bottles, unrecyclable trash, and indestructible souvenirs]( [Jennifer Moses]( [Wedding fever]( [Are you certain that the people you know are so enchanted by your romance that they’ll shell out big bucks just to see you walk down the aisle?]( [Government legalizes 3 unrecognized Bedouin towns, fulfilling Ra’am’s pledge]( By [Aaron Boxerman]( [Islamist party had campaigned on improving conditions for Negev Arabs; previous attempt to legalize villages in 2020 failed over settler objections]( [Ra’am’s Abbas says Netanyahu wooed him with promises to cancel Kamenitz Law]( By [TOI staff]( [Sheikh Jarrah Palestinians reject Supreme Court deal to stave off evictions]( By [Aaron Boxerman]( [Court freezes Jerusalem sale of Auschwitz prisoner tattoo stamp set]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [‘Such an evil item can’t have an owner,’ Holocaust survivors’ group argued; Yad Vashem protested sale as ‘morally unacceptable’]( [Prominent Holocaust survivor and rights activist Dora Roth dies at 92]( By [TOI staff]( [In Glasgow, world leaders seek new way forward on Iran — Israeli official]( By [Lazar Berman]( [Government source says diplomatic ‘speed dates’ between Bennett, heads of state were marked success, avoided Palestinian issue; PM to visit India early next year]( [Iran says US tried to seize oil tanker, failed, ship now back in its waters]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [Iran says national fuel network up and running, week after major cyber attack]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [Regional leaders set to ratify Middle East climate plan next year]( By [Sue Surkes]( [Science-based 10-year action plan put together under auspices of Cypriot government]( [Foreign Ministry to get embassies, consulates competing for Green Standard]( By [Sue Surkes]( [In Glasgow, environment minister urges groups to steer society to greener future]( By [Sue Surkes]( [Israel to establish climate change working group with Bill Gates foundation]( By [Lazar Berman and TOI staff]( Interview [Trump impeachment witness Alexander Vindman to ToI: America can handle the truth]( By [Cathryn J. Prince]( [As the retired lieutenant colonel releases ‘Here, Right Matters: An American Story,’ he discusses growing up as a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant and the values that led him to testify]( [France’s Trump or the Parisian Johnson? Zemmour has studied the playbook]( By [Adam PLOWRIGHT]( [Court lifts gag order on names of alleged forex scammers wanted in Germany]( By [Simona Weinglass]( [Germany requesting extradition of Israeli citizens Pavel Kotler, Yuri Dashevsky, Nimrod Blachman and Chen Malka for multimillion-dollar binary options and crypto fraud]( [CRM]( [Whither the unicorns? Experts debate how billion-dollar firms will change Israel]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [A critical mass of mega-valued global tech companies based in Israel may create a whole new local ecosystem in the coming years]( [Israeli insurtech firm Lemonade to roll out car insurance for US drivers]( By [Ricky Ben-David]( [Second prominent LGBT activist accused of sexual misconduct]( By [TOI staff]( [2 men say they were teens, but over age of consent, when they met Etai Pinkas Arad, who quits Tel Aviv city hall in response to allegations]( [Hackers claim to leak details of LGBTQ dating site after ransom not paid]( By [TOI staff]( [Republican Youngkin wins Virginia governor race in vote seen as Biden referendum]( By [Will Weissert and Sarah Rankin]( [In upset, lawmaker attracts Trump’s base while also appealing to suburban voters who were repelled by ex-president]( [Eric Adams easily wins NYC mayor race, as Michelle Wu makes history in Boston]( By [Michelle L. Price]( [Virginia governor-elect Youngkin was accused of using antisemitic tropes]( By [Ron Kampeas]( [X and O mark the spot for veteran industrial designer’s whimsical flower exhibit]( By [Jessica Steinberg]( [‘Similar, but with nuances’: Yaacov Kaufman unveils what he’s made of hundreds of plastic gum containers and dozens of folding chairs, on display at Tel Aviv’s Liebling House]( [Republican senator slows confirmation of Biden nominee for ambassador to Israel]( By [Jacob Magid]( [Josh Hawley gives no reason for decision to block unanimous consent vote to approve Tom Nides along with six other nominees; Democrat colleague calls move ‘mind-boggling’]( [200 House Republicans sign letter urging Biden not to reopen Jerusalem consulate]( By [Jacob Magid]( [CRM]( More Headlines [Shekel spikes to 25-year high against dollar, highlighting threat to exporters]( By [Luke Tress]( [Desperate Afghan parents, unable to afford food, are selling their young girls]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( [‘It’s the Jews’: Antisemitic tirade unchallenged at Arizona school board meeting]( By [Nicole Raz]( [New York State bans swastikas, other hate symbols on public property]( By [julia GERGELY]( [State-owned company, 4 executives indicted over massive 2014 desert oil spill]( By [TOI staff]( [Black Shadow hackers leak medical records of 290,000 Israeli patients]( By [TOI staff]( [Columnist in official PA daily calls for ‘ending colonial Zionist project’]( By [TOI staff]( [Joint List MK decries ‘cursed’ Balfour Declaration on anniversary]( By [TOI staff]( [Fired Park East rabbi holding rival services blocks from his old synagogue]( By [Ben Sales]( [Protesters with disabilities block railway lines in renewed rights campaign]( By [TOI staff]( [IDF to test air raid sirens nationwide on Wednesday]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Say 'what' one more time / Quentin Tarantino to sell 7 uncut ‘Pulp Fiction’ scenes as NFTs]( By [TOI staff]( [Unsubscribe from this List]( Email not displaying correctly? 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