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Other News
- Israel’s President Isaac Herzog concluded an official state visit to Ethiopia today, underscoring Israel’s renewed diplomatic push in Africa and longstanding ties between the two countries. During his visit to Addis Ababa, Herzog met with Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. He also engaged with leaders of the local Jewish community, highlighting what he said was “the central role of Ethiopian Jewry in Israeli society.”
- Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer was ranked seventh best hospital in the world in Newsweek’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals rankings, marking the highest placement ever achieved by an Israeli medical institution. The No. 7 global ranking places Sheba alongside institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Massachusetts General Hospital. The Newsweek–Statista ranking evaluated more than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries, using a methodology that emphasizes hospital quality metrics, peer recommendations from medical professionals, patient experience data, and implementation of patient‑reported outcome measures. Sheba’s rise in the rankings is credited to a combination of clinical performance and medical innovation, including large‑scale adoption of AI and digital health systems, precision medicine, and its global health‑innovation platform.
- The government of Israel approved a decision to fast‑track construction of large‑scale AI data centers, framing AI leadership as a core pillar of Israel’s national power and security. The move removes regulatory barriers to accelerate planning and construction of server farms, positioning Israel to become a global AI hub by leveraging its human capital, connectivity, and competitive energy costs. Officials noted that data centers totaling 1 gigawatt have already entered planning in the past three months—totaling over 5% of national energy consumption—promising thousands of jobs and billions in revenue, alongside a parallel plan to double new power‑plant construction using both gas and renewable energy.
- Tucker Carlson’s much‑touted “visit” to Israel consisted of a brief stop at Ben Gurion Airport, where he conducted a filmed interview with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee and then departed within hours without entering the country. Despite his claims to the contrary, Israeli authorities, the US Embassy, and Huckabee himself confirmed that Carlson experienced only routine security screening, with no detention or interrogation. The airport interview followed a public challenge from Huckabee after Carlson accused Israel of mistreating Christians—claims that Huckabee directly rebutted on camera, citing official data showing that Israel’s Christian population has grown steadily and that Israel remains one of the few places in the region where Christian communities are expanding rather than shrinking.
- A senior Shin Bet officer has been indicted in what authorities describe as the largest Gaza smuggling case uncovered to date, after investigators reportedly found about $2.1 million in his possession that is believed to be proceeds from illicit transfers into the Strip. The case is part of a wider series of recent indictments involving smuggling networks that moved prohibited but commercially valuable goods (including cigarettes, smartphones, batteries, and spare parts) into Gaza, sometimes exploiting access to sensitive facilities and crossings. While the items themselves were largely civilian, the gravity of the affair lies in the involvement of senior security and intelligence personnel, raising serious concerns about oversight and trust.
- Israeli Muay Thai fighter Ahavat Hashem (whose name means “Love of God”) Gordon, 19, secured a decisive victory over Turkish fighter Ali Konyuncu on Saturday night in Lithuania, stopping the bout after two rounds to remain undefeated at 11–0. Gordon, who grew up in the Samarian settlement of Shilo and later trained extensively in Thailand, entered the arena to Israeli music, draped in an Israeli flag and wearing a kippah. After a tense pre‑fight weigh‑in and an aggressive exchange, the match ended when Gordon landed a powerful shin strike that left Konyuncu unable to continue, prompting the judges to halt the fight. The image of Gordon standing victorious, visibly and unapologetically Israeli, was widely noted as a moment of sporting achievement and national pride.
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