In the 28th July 2013 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: First A Mazel Tov to Michael Ordman on the birth of his grandson. His service is greatly appreciated. Tel Aviv University scientists have used gold particles to help repair damaged heart tissue. Israelis can prevent blindness in diabetics and fix “lazy eye” in children. The top medical graduate at Israel’s Technion Institute is a Moslem Arab woman. Doctors in Israel saved a boy mauled by a hyena in Ethiopia. Israelis won the RoboCup in Holland and a gold medal at the Computer “Olympics” in Australia. Nearly 10,000 athletes perform in Israel’s capital city Jerusalem for the 19th Maccabiah. Israel sent goodwill messages and a special present for UK royal baby George.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Tel Aviv microbiologists make “golden” discovery. Scientists at Tel Aviv University are integrating heart cells with nano-fibers made of gold particles to create cardiac patches that replace damaged heart tissues. Gold particles improve electrical signaling between cells to strengthen the contraction of cardiac muscle.
Israeli scientists find ADHD drug prevents falling. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have discovered that a single dose of methylphenidate (MPH) – medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – can reduce the risk of falls in the elderly.
New peptide may cure brain diseases. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Professor Illana Gozes of Tel Aviv University has created a new peptide (short protein) called NAP that latest trials indicate could treat neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, ALS or Parkinson’s.
Bone implants from corals. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israeli start-up CoreBone has developed a method of performing bone implants (spinal, dental etc.) using corals that are grown in the laboratory rather than harvested from the sea. CoreBone produces high quality corals to encourage bone growth without damaging the ecology.
Detecting problems in the eye… (Thanks to Atid-EDI) Scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have developed a method for detecting the cause of diabetic retinopathy – a leading cause of blindness worldwide. The method will enable early diagnosis and treatment of the condition, minimizing damage and saving vision.
… and fixing them. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israel’s XPAND has a cool solution for “lazy eye” – a condition affecting around 4 percent of children. XPAND’s Amblyz eyeglasses obstruct the strong eye in automatic, intermittent intervals using an electronic shutter attached to one of the lenses.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Gaza weekly deliveries: In the week ending 20th July 2013, 1250 trucks carried 35,056 tons of goods into Gaza from Israel through the Kerem Shalom crossing. They included 423 trucks of food and 370 trucks of construction materials. Terrorists launched 4 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel.
Technion’s top student is a Moslem woman. Mais Ali-Saleh grew up in a small village outside of Nazareth, in Israel’s Galilee. Mais graduated first in this year’s medical school class at Israel’s Technion Institute. Mais is described as “a charming, feminist, smart, open-minded and observant Islamic woman”.
A Proud Israeli, Arab, Muslim. (Thanks to ajewishisrael.com and Stuart Palmer) Anett Haskia’s goal is to replace the current Arab MKs in the Knesset. Her platform includes measures such as a law that would make it compulsory for Israeli Arabs to either serve in the IDF or do national service.
Druze entrepreneur is to build wind farm. A Druze entrepreneur, Kanj Hussein, has been given permission by the Israeli government to build a wind power farm in the Druze village of Hurfeish, in the Galilee. The wind turbines are expected to provide electricity for over 2,000 households.
IAF’s religious workshop. Commanders of the Israeli Air Force conducted a tour and workshop in Hareidi (ultra religious) Jewish areas of Jerusalem in order to prepare for a major increase to the current 300 existing Hareidi IAF servicemen. “We’re looking forward to their arrival,” said Major Elad Dadon.
Israelis and PA medics save Arab donkey rider. When a car hit a Palestinian Arab riding his donkey near Nablus (Shechem), IDF paramedics and Magen David Adom joined together with the PA police and the PA Red Crescent to save his life and transport him to an Israeli hospital.
Israel plans high-speed railway for PA. The new network’s 473 kilometers of track and 30 stations will connect all major Palestinian Authority cities and the Gaza strip to Israeli population centers. It will also include border crossings into Jordan and Syria, and serve both Palestinian Arabs and Israelis.
Israel treats 4 more wounded Syrians. In one day, the Syrian casualties brought to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Israel included an 8-year-old girl and her mother, plus a 15-year-old girl who lost her foot during the fighting and a 20-year-old man with severe head trauma.
Israelis save climber – in Wales. Two Israeli military search and rescue team members were on holiday climbing a cliff in Gwynedd, Wales when a 67-year-old man fell from the mountain. The two Israelis, plus 14 rescue team members and the Wales Air Ambulance brought the victim down safely, according to the BBC.
Kuwait MPs happy to trade with Israel. Kuwaiti MPs Nabil Al-Fadhl and Hammad Al-Dosari justified opening trade ties with Israel on Kuwait TV. Fadhl said during the interview that, if Kuwaiti security requires Israeli equipment, then the country should invest in it, stating: “I will love the Israelis for it.”
Israeli doctors save Ethiopian boy mauled by hyena. (Thanks to Israel21c) Doctors at the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya performed life-saving bone grafts, skin grafts and eye operations on Abdulrazak, an eight-year-old Muslim boy who was brought to Israel after being attacked by a hyena in his village in Ethiopia.
‘Mayday’ plane lands in Tel Aviv. A Greek commercial airliner with 170 passengers on route from Athens to Amman (Jordan) had a major hydraulic failure and radioed the highest emergency distress signal. IDF jets were scrambled and escorted the jet to Ben Gurion airport where the plane landed safely with no injuries.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Testing water quality in China. China’s fresh water purity problems may be improved, thanks to Prizma – a unique electro-optic test strip water-analyzing device from Israeli bio-technology company, Blue I Water Technologies. Prizma monitors drinking water for mold, harmful bacteria, caustic chemicals and poisons.
Intel wows its Israeli employees. Intel held a glamour and glitz event for its Israeli employees to experience major product rollouts. It was an opportunity for engineers to revisit the long hours they put into developing Intel’s latest and greatest devices, much of which having been developed by Israeli teams.
Converting news into video. Wibbitz has gone public with a free iPhone and iPad app that converts news stories into videos. Instead of squinting at the small print on a screen, an automated voice reads the story with accompanying related still photos, videos, and graphics. The app works in over two-dozen languages.
Israelis win RoboCup. A team of 9th-graders from a high school in Rehovot, Israel, won the RoboCup 2013 with their robotic re-enactment of a Jewish wedding. Over 40 countries competed in the international robotics competition in Holland.
Team Israel wins gold in “Computer Olympics”. Israel finished 8th of the 80 countries in the 25th annual International Olympiad in Informatics in Brisbane, Australia. The four Israeli teens solved complex problems using algorithms to win a gold medal, two silvers and two bronzes. Last year, Israel came in 17th place.
IDF hi-tech with Jewish studies. A special program integrates Hareidi (ultra-religious) Jews into the army and following army service they are highly sought after by the hi-tech industry. Whilst in the IDF, Hareidi soldiers designed an advanced computer system to help protect Israel’s northern and Gaza borders.
Jellyfish season promoted Israeli water filters. As the last of the jellyfish leave Israeli shores, this article highlights the water filters manufactured at Kibbutz Amiad that will prevent the spread of invasive marine creatures through ships’ ballast water.
16 hi-tech companies owned by two brothers. (Thanks to Israel21c) Tel Aviv’s 10th annual Bynet Expo brought together all 16 companies founded by Israeli brothers Yehuda and Zohar Zisapel. It featured drone communications, plans for Israel’s largest server farm and security for the 2016 Brazil Olympics. The RAD Bynet Group employs over 4,500 people globally and has annual revenues of over $1 billion.
Customers can pour their own beer. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israeli start-up Weissbeerger has developed a smart beer tap that monitors the amount dispensed to each customer. Drinkers can pour themselves any quantity of beer at any time, no longer suffering a warm pint! It also reduces theft by unreliable bar staff.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Oil found with gas. Explorations at Karish, Israel’s newest offshore gas field northwest of Haifa, reveal that the underwater reservoir contains $1.3 billion worth of condensate, a crude oil used for fuel production, on top of potential 1.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The best shake. USA Today selected “Pure Chocolate Granita” by Israel’s Max Brenner as one of the best milkshake’s in America. Known as “the Bald Man”, Strauss’s Max Brenner has chocolate bars in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Las Vegas.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Oh what a Night. Tel Aviv’s streets turned into a public performance space for its annual “White Night” with more than 70 musicians, artists, actors and dancers spinning their tunes and moves into the wee hours of the morning. See some of the scenes.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/all-night-party-in-the-white-city/
[youtube=youtube.com/watch?v=z_f85JN-GpQ#at=33&w=520&h=315]
[youtube=youtube.com/watch?v=z_f85JN-GpQ#at=33&w=520&h=315]
Another Israeli to play in NBA. Gal Mekel is set to become the second Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association after agreeing to a three-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Omri Caspi, who in 2009 became the first Israeli in the NBA, recently signed with the Houston Rockets.
Israeli judokas hit gold. Israel’s Tommy Arshansky won gold in the under 60kg category at the European Cup. Meanwhile, Yarden Gerbi won gold in the under 57 kg event at the Moscow Grand Slam. Israelis also won bronze medals at both events.
The 3rd largest sporting event in the world. Nearly 10,000 athletes from 78 countries are taking part in the 19th Maccabiah – the largest since the Maccabiah began in Tel Aviv in 1932. It is the first time that the Maccabiah has been staged in Jerusalem. 30,000 spectators watched the exciting opening ceremony.
THE JEWISH STATE
Birthright bone marrow donor saves 65-year-old man. Participants on the Talglit Birthright trip to Israel are asked to register on the Jewish bone marrow database. As a result, 23-year-old Matthew Footerman from Houston, Texas donated bone marrow to save the life of 65-year-old Michael Weissner from New Jersey.
Israeli foam cures tiger’s chronic ear infection. Pedang, a 14-year-old rare, male Sumatran tiger at Ramat Gan’s Safari Park, has stopped scratching his ear for the first time in years. Safari staff used FoamOtic – a new development by Otic Pharma in Rehovot – to insert anti-bacteria and anti-fungal medication into Pedang’s ear.
A library on Israel’s beach. (Thanks to Israel21c) The People of the Book are so eager to read, that the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality has opened its first ever beach library, for tourists and locals alike. The books in the beach library are offered in five languages: English, Arabic, Russian, French and Hebrew.
King David’s palace uncovered. Israeli archaeologists have discovered three 3000-year-old buildings in Judea that include one which King David himself may have used. The palace, near Beit Shemesh, is known by local Bedouin Arabs as Khirbet Daoud, or David’s ruin. The area will now be turned into a national park.
Israel opens new Shiloh tourist center. Ministers and Members of Knesset were among those who celebrated the opening of a unique tourism center in the Samaria town of Shiloh. The “Migdal Haroeh” tower includes a unique high-tech display for visitors to see Bible plays at the 3300-year-old site of the Biblical Tabernacle.
“From Israel with love”. Israel’s President Peres sent a message of congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their son, and a personalized baby outfit embroidered with “From Israel with love.” He wished them a hearty Mazal Tov. “From Jerusalem, we pray for his health, his future, and his peace.”
