Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker as the new partnership with Tel Aviv boosts ties in business Israeli and German presidents will pay reciprocal visits to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations 2025 7:22 pm IDTThe mayors of Tel Aviv and Berlin signed an agreement on Monday to become partner cities Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and Mayor Kai Wegner from the German capital held a ceremony to finalize the partnership in Berlin's City Hall Wegner said the two cities are linked by their common status as attractive hubs for young people, artists and company founders from across the world. "We want stronger exchanges in the economy, in culture "We Germans have a special responsibility for Jewish life but also a special responsibility to always steadily defend Israel's right to existence," Wegner said with existing relationships already in place with cities across the world including European capitals such as London According to the Berlin mayor's office website the partnerships "provide institutional support for the internationalization of Berlin's economy and its scientific and academic institutions." "Exchanges are currently concentrated on business Next week, Germany and Israel will celebrate the establishment of diplomatic relations 60 years ago this month with reciprocal visits by the presidents of both countries to mark the occasion Israeli President Isaac Herzog is due to pay an official visit to Berlin on May 12 reflecting the commencement date of the first formal ties decades ago He will return to Israel the following day together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Herzog is scheduled to hold talks in Berlin with incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz and other senior government representatives Open gallery viewGerman President Frank-Walter Steinmeier with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Kibbutz Be'eri in November 2023.Credit: Chaim Tzach / GPOThe Israeli president will also attend a state banquet at Bellevue Palace the official residence of the German president he will then visit the Platform 17 Holocaust memorial in the capital's Grunewald district The site commemorates around 10,000 Jews who were deported from there by train to concentration camps during the Nazi era During his stay in Israel, Steinmeier will revisit Kibbutz Be'eri on the border with the Gaza Strip having been there with Herzog a few weeks after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 In Jerusalem, he'll visit the new National Library and a presentation to his counterpart of the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour will be held at an official ceremony Following yesterday's direct hit at Ben Gurion Airport there has been a large number of flight cancellations by foreign airlines which are taking a cautious approach and prefer to update their flight schedules only in the short term Most of them have announced cancellations until May 6 or 7 at this stage but it is possible that the flight suspension will be extended depending on security developments Alongside European flag carriers and legacy airlines such as Lufthansa have also temporarily suspended their flights to Israel According to the arrivals and departure board: Ryanair Aegean and Air India are among other airlines that have canceled British Airways and ITA have also canceled tomorrow's flights while Wizz Air and United Airlines have canceled flights through to Thursday Brussels Airlines and EuroWings) has canceled all flights until next Sunday Israeli airlines have added flights from hubs and some have adopted a policy of uniform prices El Al announced pricing for one-way flights at uniform prices: a flight from Larnaca to Tel Aviv will cost up to $99 The El Al fares are valid for one-way only and the most basic option in the economy class for passengers needing a flight at a discounted price and without additional services This ticket includes one hand bag weighing up to eight kilograms and a light meal during the flight For passengers from Larnaca with a suitcase and for passengers from Athens with a suitcase Israir and Arkia have added flights from destinations such as Larnaca Athens and Budapest to provide a solution for passengers left stranded by canceled flights Blue Bird and TUS Airways have also increased flights departing from Europe to Israel Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 5 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. Create an account for a 7-day trial to access this article and all of AL-Monitor For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com Israel acknowledged its defense systems failed to intercept a Yemeni ballistic missile targeting Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv wounding seven people and halting air traffic Israel relies on two of the world’s most advanced defense systems—its Arrow (Hetz) and the US-made THAAD—but both failed to stop the missile which caused minor injuries to seven people and disrupted flights according to an official Israeli statement The incident sparked widespread analysis of Israel’s vaunted defense capabilities long considered the region’s most formidable Kuwaiti military analyst Faisal Al-Hajri told Anadolu explaining the technical limitations of Israel’s radar-based defenses “Air defense radars use a transmission system to emit waves and a reception system to detect returning signals,” Al-Hajri said displaying the target on a monitor for interception.” which is designed for aircraft with larger radar cross-sections (RCS) whose smaller RCS frequently results in weak or no radar returns Hajri observed that long-range ballistic missiles carry smaller explosive payloads to reach distant targets "The strike on Ben Gurion caused limited destruction due to the missile's small warhead and imprecise navigation making its impact more psychological than military," he said The Israeli military admitted that the Arrow and THAAD systems failed to intercept the missile which landed in an open area near Ben Gurion Airport injuring seven and suspending air traffic for an hour another military statement said: “Initial findings reveal no malfunction in the detection procedure or Homefront Command alert mechanisms.” “the likely cause was a technical issue with the interceptor launched toward the missile.” The military earlier reported detecting the missile after sirens sounded across Israel claimed that the group targeted the airport with a hypersonic ballistic missile that “successfully hit its target” in solidarity with Palestinians and in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza The Houthis had earlier claimed similar attacks but Israel’s admission of the missile’s impact was a first Yemen has faced an intensified US military campaign including around 1,300 air and naval strikes resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties The Houthis have targeted ships passing through the Red and Arabian seas and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip where nearly 52,500 people have been killed in a brutal Israeli assault for more than 19 months The group halted attacks when a Gaza ceasefire was declared in January between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas but resumed them after Israel's renewed airstrikes on Gaza in March The Israeli army also continued its systematic home demolitions in Rafah in southern Gaza amid gunfire by helicopter gunships More than 52,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023 The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave Israel — A missile launched by Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen on Sunday briefly halted flights and commuter traffic at Israel's main international airport after an impact left a plume of smoke and caused panic among passengers The Houthi rebels have been striking Israel throughout the war in Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians The attack on Ben-Gurion International Airport came hours before top Israeli Cabinet ministers were set to vote on whether to intensify the country's military operations in the Gaza strip The army meanwhile began calling up thousands of reserves in anticipation of a wider operation in Gaza The missile launch Sunday set off air raid sirens in multiple parts of Israel A plume of smoke was visible at the airport according to footage shared by Israeli media Passengers were heard yelling and scrambling for cover It was not immediately clear whether the projectile which landed in a field near an access road leading to airport parking lots or an interceptor from Israel's air defense systems It left a deep crater in the ground and a nearby road was littered with dirt road and rail traffic were halted following the attack Israel's paramedic service Magen David Adom said four people were lightly wounded Yahya Saree said in a video statement that the group fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at the airport Houthi rebels have been firing at Israel since the war with Gaza erupted on Oct and the missiles have mostly been intercepted although some have penetrated Israel's missile defense systems Israel has struck back against the rebels in Yemen and the U.S. also launched a campaign of strikes in March against them Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed retribution for the airport attack: "Whoever harms us An Israeli official said the influential security Cabinet would meet on Sunday evening to vote on plans to expand the fighting A military official said the country was calling up thousands of reserves Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he wanted to see a "powerful" expansion of the war but did not disclose details as to what the new plans would entail "We need to increase the intensity and continue until we achieve total victory He demanded that Israel bomb "the food and electricity supplies" in Gaza The plans to escalate fighting in Gaza more than 18 months after the war there erupted come as a humanitarian crisis in the territory deepens As part of its efforts to pressure the militant group Hamas to negotiate on Israel's terms for a new ceasefire Israel in early March halted the entry of goods into Gaza That has plunged the territory of 2.3 million people into what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis since the war began An eight-week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that brought a lull in fighting and freed Israeli hostages collapsed in March Israel resumed its strikes on Gaza on March 18 and has captured swaths of the coastal enclave Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the fighting resumed At least seven Palestinians including two parents and their two children were killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern and central Gaza Strip the Israeli military had no direct comment The Israeli military said Sunday that two soldiers were killed in combat in Gaza bringing the number of soldiers killed since fighting resumed in March to six The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages Israel's offensive has killed more than 52,000 people in Gaza many of them women and children according to Palestinian health officials who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their count The fighting has displaced more than 90% of Gaza's population Hunger has been widespread and the shortage of food has set off looting Become an NPR sponsor '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/tens-of-thousands-said-gathering-for-anti-government-protest-in-tel-aviv\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=WYQmdfK_S.uoc4eb8Mi2WONdwr.P3agNLGu4PWa1Dik-1746497380-1.0.1.1-C9R1g_aKT562FvVfPz6fJQDc.IO9QCmkjlTBJmTd7P0" + 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our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would retaliate against the Houthi rebels in Yemen after their missile struck near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv we will attack in the future," Netanyahu said in a video posted on social media after the attack a missile fired from Yemen hit an area within the perimeter of Tel Aviv airport Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack which has left four people lightly wounded The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike came from Yemen and said they were unable to intercept the ballistic missile Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed retribution for the strike “Whoever harms us we will harm them sevenfold.” Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a missile at northern Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza erupted on 7 October 2023 although some have penetrated Israel's missile defence systems Iran has been accused of arming and supporting the Houthis and Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in sea shipments heading to Yemen for the rebels despite a United Nations arms embargo The US is currently targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea Last week, a US air strike hit a prison holding African migrants in Yemen killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others "\/liveblog_entry\/lufthansa-air-europa-halt-sundays-tel-aviv-flights-after-houthi-missile-attack-on-ben-gurion-airport\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=lpYv0mPKj4p43HYrJOjKQODMQ0V3uVMzAyK6ApFRQQQ-1746497391-1.0.1.1-TprOkSQu98_Jhcb3oOvoJsBd6xeavSKo8SX2xvpJcTI" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Firefighters Still Tackling Massive BlazeIsrael's fire chief warns wildfires will continue for another day ■ Major Jerusalem hospital urges public to come only in urgent cases ■ Most Independence Day events canceled for Wednesday ■ Israel expects aid from Italy 2025 5:49 pm IDTPolice say that 155 firefighting teams are still tackling a massive wildfire that broke out Wednesday in the Jerusalem area prompting the evacuation of over 7,000 residents of nearby communities and closing major highways and train routes A missile fired from Yemen landed on Ben Gurion Airport this morning - an unprecedented event at Israel’s main airport All take-offs and landings were immediately halted Planes on their way to Ben Gurion turned around Air Europa disembarked passengers from a plane at Madrid Airport that was due to fly to Israel The airline is offering an alternative flight next week According to the arrivals board at Ben Gurion Airport Austrian Airlines has cancelled all flights to Israel until tomorrow Swiss and Brussels Airlines have each cancelled one flight has not published any official announcement on changes in its activity following the missile hit at Ben Gurion Italian airline ITA has cancelled two flights to Rome Passengers who boarded an Air France flight to Tel Aviv have reportedly disembarked before take-off and most of the planes that turned around have resumed their original routes and headed for the airport as planned and roads to Ben Gurion are jammed with traffic the share prices of Israeli airlines are on the rise has not published a warning about Israeli air space when such a warning led to a wave of flight cancellations and a situation in which fewer than twenty airlines were active in Israel The US aviation authorities too have not so far warned against flying to Israel extensive flight cancellations can be expected a spokesperson for the Houthi rebels in Yemen said Our forces warn all airlines that Ben Gurion Airport has become unsafe for air traffic and will remain so until the aggression against Gaza ends and the blockade is removed." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 4 The Tel Aviv 35 Index rose 1.13% to 2,548.74 points; the Tel Aviv 125 Index rose 1.04% to 2,587.31 points; and the BlueTech Global Index rose 0.04% to 451.17 points The All Bond corporate bond index fell 0.08% to 451.17 points Turnover totaled NIS 3.12 billion in equities and NIS 3.80 billion in bonds the Bank of Israel set the representative shekel-dollar rate down 0.055% from Friday and the representative shekel-euro rate was set 0.205% higher at NIS 4.100/€ ICL (TASE: ICL: NYSE: ICL) rose 4.4% and parent company Israel Corp. rose 4.98% for the biggest rise on the Tel Aviv 35 Index. Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE:ESLT) rose 1.79%, and NICE Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: NICE; TASE:NICE) rose 2.05% Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI) rose 2.54% and Mizrahi Tefahot Bank rose 3.07%. Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) rose 2.36% and Israel Discount Bank (TASE: DSCT) rose 2.53% Outside of the Tel Aviv 35 Index, El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE:ELAL) rose 2.95% "\/liveblog_entry\/tel-aviv-cancels-this-evenings-independence-day-events\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=cDaXpRoo6To5HgswcoV3D0ncZvu.HYW5P7l_gjfd69s-1746497417-1.0.1.1-rkcdp_V7beU6X9BlbfOCLQNZDmS5U4dYN11Ug6o7j2U" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null US filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and his wife the Israeli singer Daniella Pick have bought two lots in the northern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Tel Baruch on which they will build their new home sources familiar with the matter have told "Globes." The couple have paid an estimated NIS 50 million for 2,200 square meters of land on which there are two old houses which they will demolish and then build one large house The property was registered four months ago in the names of Pick and Quentin Jerome Zastoupil (the name of his adoptive father) The land bought by the Tarantinos is at the corner of Yaakov and Maskit Street The first 980 square meter lot is at 19 Yaakov Street on which there is a 40 year old seven room house The second lot is 1,200 square meters in size on which there is a 70 year old 195 square meter house They purchased the home from Nissim Cabilly "Globes" has learned that he has made a handsome profit due to the scarcity of two such large adjacent lots He bought the two lots in 2021 for NIS 35 million The Tel Baruch district on the northern coast of Tel Aviv is being slowly transformed The old houses built there after the establishment of the state based on the 1953 master plan for the neighborhoods north of the Yarkon River For homebuyers looking to build a spacious house while maintaining a high level of privacy Tel Baruch is preferable to nearby neighborhoods in terms of the size of the lots who live in a rented apartment near Kikar Medina have been looking for a house for several years focusing their attention on the Afeka and Tzahala neighborhoods But lots there are about 500-600 square meters while the Tel Baruch deal gives them a lot double that size The permitted percentage of construction in Tel Baruch reaches 40% of the lot area so that it is possible to build particularly large houses and there are not many deals for the purpose of demolition and reconstruction especially the newer ones - are purchased to live in since the buildings in this transaction are intended for demolition the Tarantinos deal is worth NIS 23,000 per square meter which is slightly higher than the average for similar transactions in the area which reach about NIS 20,000 per square meter of land Daniela Pick-Trantino says she declines to comment on personal matters; the lawyer who represented the couple in the transaction Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 27 "\/liveblog_entry\/police-evacuating-latrun-as-fire-burns-in-area-jerusalem-tel-aviv-highway-closed\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=feMGiOqqnx5l9ymKoQppXD5dxkW_sY4BkY4Nt8urKWM-1746497429-1.0.1.1-zbwYvzIAlHia1GQst7w8cPU9DIRxJkhlT9PE2zn2.us" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Israeli wireless charging solutions provider Electreon announces a second major project agreement with Electra Afikim one of Israel’s largest public transportation operators “Building on the success of its wireless charging project at the bus depot in Rosh HaAyin Electra Afikim will now deploy Electreon’s technology at the Ovnat terminal in Petah Tikva The company adds that the deal covers planning only “though it reflects an intention to continue project implementation In late 2024 Electreon signed an agreement with TransIsrael to build an advanced electric road system (ERS) on Haifa’s BRT lines This renewed collaboration follows a year and a half of intense daily operation at the Rosh HaAyin depot where 23 buses equipped with Electreon’s wireless charging technology are charged both overnight and during the day while parked Electreon’s smart wireless charging system at the Ovnat terminal will power Electra Afikim’s fleet of wireless-enabled electric buses operating as part of the Rosh HaAyin bus line cluster which serves the city and its surrounding areas The project will initially support Electra Afikim’s existing fleet of 23 electric buses already equipped with Electreon’s technology from the Rosh HaAyin depot project Electra Afikim plans to expand its fleet adding more electric buses Electreon’s wireless charging system will be embedded underground beneath the passenger bays enabling automatic charging as buses pick up and drop off passengers This opportunity-based charging model taps into short frequent stops throughout the day to deliver multiple energy bursts This approach aims to maximizing vehicle uptime and minimizing the need for extended charging sessions and for oversized batteries The Ovnat terminal sits directly across from the Grand Mall and next to the city’s light rail station making it a key hub in the urban transport network The project includes the design works and approvals needed to electrify the terminal and pending the approval of the Ministry of Transport will continue to the full construction of the local power grid wireless charging installation and the operating and maintenance of the wireless system on site said “A returning customer is the best proof of the immediate value of Electreon’s wireless charging solution We thank Electra Afikim for their continued trust and I believe that the advantages of wireless technology—increased driving range and the ease and convenience of charging—will drive further expansion of our activities both in Israel and internationally.” © Copyright 2012 - 2025 | Vado e Torno Edizioni | All rights reserved | P.I Putin and Lukashenko speak on Union State ties and united historical memory at Volgograd forum Russia proposes joint aviation venture with Belarus as part of expanded industrial cooperation Russian and Belarusian agents accused of plotting attacks on exiled Belarusians in Lithuania Belarus now ‘untouchable’ under Russia’s nuclear umbrella COMMENT: Is Russia’s economy headed for hard or soft landing BLOG: The EU’s glacial push to eliminate Russian LNG Post-war order teetering – rights watchdog Tensions flare in Azerbaijan–Russia ties despite Patriarch’s visit but playing second fiddle to the Northern Route Think-tank urges EU to consider 'Big Bang' enlargement and sweeping reforms EU swaps China for Russia in procurement of rare earth metals Trump policies won’t harm Emerging Europe badly – and will actively benefit Russia Incoming German government compromises on carbon offsets to boost flagging economy ​Hungary's Fiscal Council raises red flag over government 2026 draft budget plans Hungary requests activation of national escape clause MOL and TPAO bring upstream partnership to Hungary Poland’s manufacturing conditions improve for third consecutive month in April but outlook weakens Tusk unveils national doctrine to build strongest army Hungary and Slovakia warn EU against scrapping unanimity rule over Ukraine membership bid Protesters return to towns and cities across Slovakia against cabinet’s NGO bill Press freedom declines sharply in several Balkan countries Albania’s 2025 general election to test democratic institutions Western Balkan states increase use of surveillance Bulgaria-based crypto lender Nexo to return to US market Spanish blackout caused by extreme weather and a major renewables failure for the first time Croatia to prioritise economic cooperation as chair of Three Seas Initiative Moldova approves €8bn development plan for 2026-2028 George Simion takes decisive lead in Romanian presidential election first round Romanian nationalist politician Simion is strong frontrunner in presidential election first round Serbian president stable after falling ill during US visit COMMENT: Turkish opposition’s efforts to bring down Erdogan regime are just not working Turkey’s inflation dips further to 37.9% in April Turkey’s opposition leader assaulted in Istanbul COMMENT: Embracing “Greater Central Asia” has become a strategic imperative for US Russia and Europe vie for investment in Central Asia Russia removes Taliban from terrorist list acknowledging it as legitimate leadership of Afghanistan Taliban seek $100mn from World Bank to restart work on CASA-1000 electricity transmission project COMMENT: Europe could benefit from partnering with Armenian tech innovation Armenia courts African countries to supply diamond industry Europe’s quest for Central Asian resources meets reality “Lost” Ottoman era painting reappears at Sotheby’s London MACRO ADVISORY: Kazakhstan’s High Stakes Oil Gambit Gold mine no cash cow for Kyrgyz government Kyrgyz PM gets polite brush off by US business executives China exports Xi Jinping Thought to Mongolia Boosting Mongolia’s democracy with reform remains an uphill battle China spikes Gazprom gas export plan in Central Asia Turkey’s foreign policy falling apart on all fronts First-ever Uzbek-language startup guidebook series launched to support aspiring entrepreneurs Oil is a major source of income for eight African countries – OWID Sanctioned Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after explosion Russia's budget oil breakeven price world’s second lowest as oil revenues recover Southeast European countries look to Algeria to diversify energy supplies Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 16% of the global population but 67% of extreme poverty - OWID Russia's expanding pull in Africa is pushing Western influence out EBRD delivers 26% expansion in investments in 2024 Global access to energy starts to fall for the first time in a decade Saudi Arabia hosts kingdom's first Africa summit Putin at 2023 Africa-Russia summit: Wiping debts Botswana throws the diamond industry a lifeline Nelson Mandela worried about natural diamonds Botswana’s 2,492-carat diamond discovery is golden opportunity to replicate legendary Jonker diamond's global legacy Kamikaze marketing: how the natural diamond industry could have reacted to the lab-grown threat Guns and gold: how two coups reshaped Burkina Faso’s mining sector Russia’s Rosatom to support nuclear projects across Africa at AEW2024 Chase and HSBC reportedly unwittingly processed payments for Wagner warlord Prigozhin Burkina Faso the latest African country to enter nuclear power plant construction talks with Russia IMF: China’s slowdown will hit sub-Saharan growth Moscow unlikely to give up Niger toehold as threat of ECOWAS military action looms CAR mercenary becomes first African to die in Ukraine conflict Russia to capitalise on Africa’s growing energy demand Minerals for security: can the US break China’s grip on the DRC BRICS seeks new global alignment at Rio ministerial summit BRICS labour meeting in Brasilia tackles AI impact CONFERENCE CALL: Aurora Women in Tech Global Awards France call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid trilateral summit in Cairo Can Eritrea’s mining sector flourish under autocratic rule SDS storms fed by sand and dust equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza US Treasury targets Iran's National Oil Co HALLIGAN: Trump's tariffs are either madness or genius – it could go either way Brazil hosts first BRICS Sherpas meeting with expanded membership From oil to minerals: Gabon’s ambitious mining transition Guinea grants final approvals to Rio Tinto for $11.6bn Simandou iron-ore project PANNIER: Prince Karim Aga Khan IV obituary New Aga Khan takes helm of Ismaili Shi'ite Muslims Liberia’s mining resurgence: from conflict to opportunity US adds 17 Liberian-flagged bulk carriers and oil tankers to Russian sanctions-busting blacklist Force majeure at Libya’s Zawiya Refinery threatens exports and oil expansion plans facing loss of Syrian base for Africa operations seen turning to war-torn Sudan or divided Libya Libya’s mineral riches: unlocking a future beyond oil Russia funding war in Ukraine via illegal gold mining in Africa – WGC report Ukraine claims it was behind massacre of Wagner Group mercenaries in Mali Uzbekistan's Startup Garage arrives in North Africa with Casablanca launch EBRD warns of risks for emerging markets pursuing industrial policies Can Morocco's phosphate wealth put it at the centre of the global battery supply chain Foreign agricultural workers flock to South Africa as sector expands Russia's nuclear diplomacy binding emerging markets to the Kremlin Can Niger's military junta seize the country's uranium opportunity Disaster season: heat waves sweep the world – in charts and maps Niger and beyond: Francophone credit delivers coup de grâce From blood diamonds to critical minerals: Sierra Leone’s mining transformation 10 African countries to experience world’s fastest population growth to 2100 Global press freedom indicator slips – Statista Global military spending surges to $2.7 trillion – Statista SITREP: Middle East rapidly destabilised by a week of missile strikes Gold and guns: how civil war keeps Sudan's mineral riches in the ground Colombian mercenaries trapped in Sudan’s conflict COMMENT: What impact will a raft of protests across the Emerging Markets have Tunisian President Kais Saied re-elected for second term Sri Lanka's LTL Holdings targets African power sector WHO declares "global public health emergency" owing to mpox outbreak in Central Africa Climate crisis-driven global food security deteriorated between 2019 and 2022 and is even affecting the US Reserve Bank of India signals further rate cuts as inflation eases and growth outlook weakens Singapore eases monetary policy again as growth outlook dims and tariff pressures mount Russia and Indonesia work on direct bank settlement framework to bolster trade Bank of Korea expected to lower rates in April despite currency slide IMF: Global debt to exceed pandemic levels soon Oil falls 3.75% amid global trade war recession fears Chipping point – the climate toll of AI chip-making in East Asia Indonesia’s coal politics: maintaining a strategic market price despite Chinese resistance India moves to cut reliance on Chinese solar modules and PV cells Google backs Taiwan’s geothermal future in landmark Asia-Pacific energy deal mobility infrastructure in western Himalayas India eyes deeper trade ties with trusted economies Record gold prices to hit sales volume of Indian jewellery retailers Beijing VS Washington on rare earths – and why the US is losing Vietnam gold prices hit record highs as global bullion rallies Indonesia to launch national data centre by April 2025 Tehran-based ride-hailing giant sets record with nearly 6mn daily trips Chinese threat to submarine cables emerges in Indo-Pacific BMI: New US tariffs set to reshape economic landscape across Middle East US deploys six B-2 bombers to Indian Ocean ahead of Iran standoff Arab League and UN condemns brutal Israeli airstrikes on Gaza COMMENT: Gulf states court Russia but stop short of strategic shift Iran bans skateboards and scooters in public spaces Trump threatens sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil Iraq facing worst drought in history as water resources dwindle and climate crisis intensifies Unemployed Iraqi engineers block Lukoil’s site in Basra Kazakhstan will put national interests over OPEC+ oil limits US forces withdraw from military base in Syria's Al-Hasakah province Israel launches airstrikes on Yemen port city Israel to respond against Yemen for missile on Tel Aviv airport COMMENT: Israel is attempting to destabilise Syria Aid ship to Gaza hit by drone strikes near Malta in international waters Ryanair and Wizz Air to launch direct flights to Jordan in April Netanyahu to discuss Turkey-Israel relations with Trump at White House on April 7 Syrian foreign ministry urges Kuwait to reopen embassy in Damascus Middle East markets suffer massive losses as Trump tariff effects continue Deadly Israeli air raids heighten risk of renewed Lebanon-Israel conflict Israel launches airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburb amid Lebanon escalation Missile sirens sound in northern Israel amid Lebanon border tensions Is Oman the 'Switzerland of the Middle East' Iran FM to visit Russia ahead of second round of US talks Israel faces major wildfires in Jerusalem hills as authorities evacuate villages COMMENT: Is Israel's Prime Minister committing political suicide Saudi Arabia deploys AI to streamline Hajj Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air plans first flights for late 2025 Saudi Arabia's US Treasury holdings fall to $126.4bn in February Israeli fighter jets strike targets near the Syrian presidential palace Montenegro mega beach deal reignites debate over UAE investments in Western Balkans Protesters against UAE beach development deal target Montenegrin parliament Turkey says it wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria ECLAC cuts Latin America growth forecast amid global uncertainties LatAm set to be world's slowest-growing region as World Bank slashes forecasts Trump’s trade tariffs push Mexico towards recession and weigh on regional growth Latin American leaders blast US tariffs at CELAC summit as China offers economic lifeline Why investors are turning their gaze to Latin America after Trump tariffs Gazprom abandons Bolivia's Azero project after 16 years of unfulfilled promises Brazilian police foil bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's 2mn people Rio concert IMF suspends Colombia's flexible credit line amid fiscal concerns Colombia’s import surge deepens trade deficit Latin America to miss more than three-quarters of 2030 sustainability targets EU observers reject election fraud allegations in Ecuador Ecuador's Noboa secures presidential win with 55.95% of vote El Salvador plays defiant game with IMF Bitcoin rules Trump and Bukele cement controversial migrant deportation deal Cross-border oil smuggling reveals dark underbelly of US-Mexico trade nexus Mexico rejects bleak IMF recession forecast Panama’s Mulino rules out mining law in bid to restart First Quantum project Trinidad opposition sweeps to power in decisive election victory Venezuela embraces Russian GLONASS in challenge to US satellite dominance Japanese official warns of wider Asian security impact of Trump tariffs ASIA BLOG: Is China preparing to poke the paper tiger in the White House Asian giants thrive in Russia despite sanctions ASIA BLOG: China suddenly recognises need for community Myanmar junta chief to attend regional summit in Bangkok Southeast Asia's leading economies ponder possible US tariffs as 90-day pause takes effect China doubles down on Cambodia ties amid global trade tensions but Myanmar’s celebrations damped by earthquake aftermath Albanese defies ‘incumbency curse’ with a landslide re-election in Australia Pakistan airspace closure impacts around 600 Indian flights war clouds hover over the Indian subcontinent Nusantara: Indonesia’s grand ambition to reshape its future Empty shelves and soaring costs hit Japan’s rice supply China to boost Russian LNG imports in 2025 Myanmar’s recovery stalls as extent of losses still not known North Korea acknowledges deployment of troops to support Russia in Kursk region North Korea is making billions of dollars a year from supplying Russia with weapons India bans Pakistani Youtube channels over provocative content after Kashmir attack US imposes preliminary duties on Southeast Asian solar imports Papua New Guinea tribal conflict leaves 30 dead amid gold mine dispute Singapore election outcome a ‘clear signal of trust South Korea’s PPP narrows presidential field to two finalists China accuses US of sophisticated cyberattacks Thailand's Maha Songkran World Water Festival draws over 558,000 visitors Magnit acquires controlling stake in Azbuka Vkusa German Prosecutors Confirm Termination of Money Laundering Investigation Against Alisher Usmanov Comments by President of the Russian Fertilizers Producers Association Andrey Guryev on bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin PhosAgro/UNESCO/IUPAC green chemistry research grants awarded for the 8th time to world's best young scientists Download the pdf version Download the pdf version Download the pdf version Download the pdf version Israel is preparing to retaliate against a Yemeni missile attack that targeted Ben-Gurion Airport on May 5 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated in a video statement that Israel would take action against the unrecognised power controlling the Yemeni capital city referencing past operations against the Houthis which caused a shutdown of the airport on May 3-4 "Israel has acted against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in the past and will act again in the future," Netanyahu stated as he prepared to convene a meeting with select ministers and senior defence officials to formulate a response The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has completed its initial investigation into the incident confirming that the missile fell in an open area adjacent to the airport without hitting critical infrastructure The military reported no malfunction in detection procedures the likely cause was a technical issue with the interceptor launched toward the missile," the IDF explained on its official Telegram account the IAF intercepted dozens of missiles launched from Yemen The missile attack forced multiple foreign airlines to announce flight cancellations after a missile attack, Calcalist reported on May 4 The unprecedented attack caused immediate suspension of all takeoffs and landings but foreign airlines proceeded with cancellations regardless El Al announced it would assist stranded passengers with one-way flights at fixed prices: $99 from Larnaca and $149 from Athens for basic economy class tickets Israir and Arkia have both added supplementary flights to accommodate affected travellers while TUS Airways and Bluebird Airways have also announced additional flights the third busiest carrier at Ben Gurion in March with nearly 9% of passenger traffic has suspended flights until Tuesday morning Brussels Airlines and Eurowings) officially announced suspension of Tel Aviv flights until May 6 while British Airways and Italian carrier ITA cancelled all flights until May 7 Azerbaijan Airlines and United Airlines cancelled flights for the next 24 hours Air France and Air Europa removed passengers who were already on board aircraft prior to departure from Paris and Madrid respectively Ethiopian Airlines continues to operate normally despite unusual delays in its flights shares of Israeli airlines rose significantly with El Al jumping by approximately 7% and Israir rising by 4% European Union Aviation Safety Agency has not yet issued a warning regarding Israeli airspace as it did in late September when fewer than 20 airlines remained operational in the country US aviation authorities have also not issued warnings against flights to Israel.  Check the box to receive the e-magazine to your inbox every month for free Get notified when there's a new bne IntelliNews Podcasts added A missile fired from Yemen landed near the main terminal of Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning Footage posted online appeared to show drivers pulling over and taking cover as the projectile struck sending up a plume of black smoke near the airport The video has not been independently verified.   Israeli media reported that four people were injured in the blast with two others hurt while heading to a shelter.   Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement we will hit them seven times stronger.”   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet with ministers and defense officials later Sunday to discuss a possible response according to Israel’s Channel 12 News.   have regularly fired missiles at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza It is rare for one to penetrate Israel’s advanced air defenses.   humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.   Israel shut all crossings into the enclave Israeli officials said the restrictions were intended to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages still being held.   The United Nations’ World Food Programme and Unrwa recently announced they have exhausted their food supplies.  thousands of Israeli reservists from across the military have signed letters urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the fighting and prioritize securing the release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas public sentiment in Israel largely supported the war’s goals: defeating Hamas and bringing the hostages home briefly raised hopes that the conflict might soon end But those hopes diminished in mid-March when Israel resumed military operations International pressure on Israel to lift its blockade has intensified with warnings that mass starvation could be imminent Legal experts have said that deliberately depriving civilians of food may constitute a war crime Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here Tamar MargalitAssistant Curator: Amit Shemma A multi-episode video installation documents artist Ruth Patir’s journey to fertility preservation original body of work in recent years that merges ancient local archaeology with advanced imaging technologies While her cinematic realm is entirely computer-made it is anchored in reality and in her lived experience The exhibition (M)otherland charts a personal saga that began with a medical diagnosis Patir discovered that she carries a genetic mutation placing her at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer As an unmarried woman with vague thoughts about starting a family she was immediately directed by the medical establishment to undergo fertility preservation treatments for a potential future pregnancy the artist found herself on two intersecting paths: one treated her as a mere vessel for childbearing Patir decided that she would face the confusing new reality into which she had been thrust by documenting everything she leads us through her journey: from the first patient interviews with her doctors; through the waiting room of a fertility clinic where patients stare absently at their phones or at a television screen broadcasting live news; to the central work which weaves together two years of footage including a routine of hormone injections and rounds of egg retrieval Patir uses ancient fertility figurines—small enigmatic terracotta sculptures of women from the First Temple period—as avatars for herself and the women around her she animates the figurines as contemporary women grappling with their desires while confronting social norms and the expectations of others What initially appears as a deeply personal predicament soon takes on much broader implications The treatments that Patir undergoes are state-funded; while this provides her with financial relief she is disturbed by the recognition that the state has a stake in her potential pregnancy Doubts soon follow: Does she even want to be a mother Is it at all possible to not be one in a society that sanctifies motherhood The exhibition ends with a work created in the aftermath of October 7 as Patir’s personal story becomes part of a collective narrative of a shattered present In the video Keening she resurrects the ancient figurines—some whole and others broken—into a procession of mourning they embody the burdens of the female body channeling the anxieties and hopes of women across time The project was created for the Israeli Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale The project now debuts at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (M)OTHERLAND was created for the Israel Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia Commissioned and supported by the Israel Ministry of Culture & Sports and the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Special Support by Tel Aviv Museum of Art CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo Major support was provided by Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation; Daniel Howard Foundation; Edmond de Rothschild Foundation; Artis; Elital & Jason Arison; Jan Fischer Generous support was provided by The Israel Lottery Council for Culture & Arts; The Bruce & Ruth Rappaport Foundation; Ghila & Zvi Limon; The Philip & Muriel Berman Foundation; Anonymous donors Additional support was provided by Albi; Braverman Gallery: Adi Gura and Yaffa Braverman; Daniella Luxembourg; Alma Luxembourg; Lauren & Mitchell Presser; Tova & Sami Sagol; Sylvia Liska; Anonymous donors Courtesy of the artist and Braverman Gallery Tel Aviv's position as one of the world's wealthiest cities took a big knock over the past year as it slipped from 42nd to 48th in investment advisors Henley & Co.'s "World's Wealthiest Cities" Top 50 ranking Tel Aviv saw a decline in each of the categories examined by the company: the number of millionaires the number of centi-millionaires (over $100 million) and the number of billionaires the number of millionaires has fallen by 8% from 24,300 to 22,600; the number of centi-millionaires has fallen from 82 to 76 and the number of billionaires has fallen from ten to nine The rate of increase in millionaires over the past decade in Tel Aviv has been 25% a modest rate compared to other cities on the list It is possible that the differences in the shekel exchange rate against the dollar between December 2024 (the current calculation date) and the previous calculation date explain some of the gaps Jerusalem is also on the list of cities with the most centi-millionaires in the world in 104th place (27 wealthy people) and Netanya is in 124th place New York in first place for number of millionaires The top ten rankings for the number of millionaires was taken up by New York including 516 centis and 45 billionaires) has now overtaken London to claim the 5th spot pushing the UK capital out of the Top 5 to 6th place with just 215,700 millionaires (including 352 centi-millionaires and 33 billionaires) including 178 centis and 23 billionaires) are the only two cities in the Top 50 that have recorded negative growth over the past decade with their millionaire populations declining by -12% and -25% and Dubai (18th with 102%) grew faster than the Bay Area between 2014 and 2024 Dubai (which now boasts 81,200 resident millionaires including 237 centis and 20 billionaires) also takes the prize for the biggest climber in the Top 50 over the past year dropping to 24th place from 19th last year Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 8 UK carrier British Airways resumed Tel Aviv - London Heathrow flights yesterday after suspending services on the route for six months due to the regional geopolitical instability The airline will operate seven weekly flights on the route doubling the frequency to 14 weekly flights from April 20 This is welcome news for travelers after 18 months in which there has been a limited supply of tickets on flights to London as foreign airlines halted services and Israeli carriers struggled to meet demand While El Al stepped up its number of flights to London Israir also stepped into the vacuum as British Airways EasyJet and Wizz Air all suspended flights to Ben Gurion airport Arkia even operated flights to Manchester for three months over the winter but then canceled the route it is believed because it was not economically worthwhile with the resumption of Tel Aviv - London flights by Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air the situation on the Tel Aviv - London route improved and in June UK low-cost carrier easyJet will restart Tel Aviv - London flights Thus from June there will be 20-32 weekly flights operated on the popular Tel Aviv - London route by foreign airlines - British Airways The return of foreign airlines may have helped increase supply both on last-minute flights and towards the end of the month it is still not easy to find a seat in economy classes of El Al and British Airways the legacy airlines that operate the route business class seats remain at round-trip fares of $2,000 and above on the Tel Aviv - London route El Al also does not have many tickets left in economy class which forces travelers to choose a premium or business seat in one direction and may increase the price of the ticket by tens of percent the highest starting price in economy class in April is offered by El Al with tickets starting at $702 for Tel Aviv - London return fares cheaper by a small margin with a starting price of $650 which markets round-trip tickets starting at $288 Israeli companies are at the most expensive end of the list The reason for the differences between Israeli airlines and the rest is the pricing method used in the industry and can therefore afford to price lower than its competitors who have been on the market for a long time The first seats sold on each flight are the cheapest offered by an airline For the Israeli airlines that operated stably and consistently throughout the war and therefore many passengers prefer to pay more securing their flight even if the security situation worsens The British airline still not resuming flights The airline had planned to resume operations with seven weekly flights last September after suspending all its flights since October 2023 but has suspended them until at least October 2025 The airline claims that this is due to challenges arising from the availability of spare parts for the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines which are adapted to the Boeing 787-9 aircraft used by the company the company is required to make changes to its flight schedule for 2025 Virgin Atlantic operated 14 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and London Heathrow Airport Virgin Atlantic will announce in the coming weeks whether it will indeed return to Israel as planned in the 2025-2026 winter season Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 6 UK airline Virgin Atlantic has announced its decision to permanently halt flights on the London Heathrow-Tel Aviv route "Customers affected by the cancellation of the route and who booked their flight directly through Virgin Atlantic will receive a notification by email We apologize for the inconvenience and continue to work to provide the highest level of service even during this transition period." The carrier added that its codeshare partnership with El Al will continue thus enabling a continuous connection between Tel Aviv and London Heathrow The partnership will provide customers with connection flights to destinations in the UK and the US Virgin Atlantic suspended operations to Israel on October 11 and has since postponed its return several times The company even announced that it would return in September 2024 with seven weekly flights (which were planned to include a stop in Larnaca en route) but following the escalation in the security situation The latest postponement was in November 2024 when the company postponed its return to October 2025 claiming that the reason for the continued postponement of operations was "challenges arising from the availability of spare parts for the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines which requires changes to the flight schedule for 2025." two UK airlines have announced the resumption of flights to Israel which restarted flights to and from Israel at the start of April and low-cost carrier easyJet which will resume flights at the start of June Virgin Atlantic operated 14 weekly flights to Israel The first Israeli CEO of an international airline the first-ever Israeli to serve as CEO of an international airline He previously served as commercial manager Virgin Atlantic recent returned to profitability for the first time since 2016 after then nearly going bankrupt during the Covid pandemic Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 28 Ministry of Finance accountant general Yali Rothenberg is today publishing the tender for operating the congestion charge in the Tel Aviv metropolitan region operation and maintenance of the congestion charge project in the Tel Aviv metropolitan region in 2026 but will probably be postponed by one year The content of the project for which the tender will be published includes the sites where toll gates will be placed ensuring operation of the charge collection system maintenance of infrastructure and systems and operation of a customer service center for collecting the charge with the contract period being for 22 years and submission of bids will be in the second half of the year Legislation to apply the congestion charge was passed in the previous government's Economic Arrangements Law in 2021 After Miri Regev was appointed Minister of Transport in early 2023 she froze the tender procedures and has since been caught up in a highly publicized dispute with the Ministry of Finance over the application of the charge and enforcement of the law there has been a sign of calm between the parties The Ministry of Finance is publishing the tender this time so that Regev cannot cancel it such as financing and budgeting for the Kiryat Shmona railway project Government ministries have denied any such deal in question but in practice the congestion charge project is moving forward as is the project to build rail link Kiryat Shmona Netivei Israel CEO Nissim Peretz told the Globes' "Infrastructure for the Future" conference earlier this month that work on the railway will begin later this year Issuing the congestion charge tender is another major milestone on the way to implementing the congestion charge in Israel which will generate NIS 1.3 billion annually for the state coffers and which will finance public transport projects as well as the Metro The Ministry of Finance has apparently proposed to Regev to finance the railway to Eilat from the same congestion charge revenues there will be three rings in the Tel Aviv metropolitan region: an inner The congestion charge will apply to vehicles crossing between these rings from 6:30 am to 10:00 am the charge will be NIS 10 each in the middle and inner rings the charge will be NIS 5 in both directions in the inner and middle rings During the discussions on the bill in the Knesset Finance Committee it was decided to exempt motorcycles and emergency and rescue vehicles from the congestion charge it was decided that they would pay 50% of the charge while truck drivers would pay double the charge Congestion charges went into effect in New York at the beginning of the year The charges have revolutionized transportation New york recorded a 7.5% decrease in traffic with travel times at major crossings such as the Holland and Lincoln tunnels dropping by more than 40% in the morning hours There was a decrease of about 35% on the Williamsburg Bridge Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 18 Just NIS 378,000 was the price paid for an apartment at 107 Jerusalem Boulevard in Jaffa in 2003 which was resold in November 2020 for NIS 1.43 million - 278% above the average price rise for an apartment over the same period in Tel Aviv In another example an apartment at 132 Jabotinsky Street in Ramat Gan was sold for NIS 1.51 million in 2008 and then again for NIS 1.65 million in 2013 These two examples are just several of hundreds examined in research by real estate appraiser Ohad Danos for a survey commissioned by NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System the government authority implementing construction of the Tel Aviv Metropolitan region light rail network and Metro each of which had at least two deals between 2000 and 2024 These apartments are spread across 197 different lots in 40 blocks and five cities along the Red Line and the study draws the unequivocal conclusion that there has been a dramatic improvement in the value of apartments along the light rail route: 91.5% of the apartments saw a real increase in prices the percentage of apartments in which a real increase was found grew to 94% differences were observed between the cities The annual increase rate in Petah Tikva was 4% "The significant increase comes with operation" Appraiser Ohad Danos explains that in the first phase of the study a list was prepared of all the lots with apartments along the light rail route and stations in Tel Aviv those housing units were selected in which more than one transaction was completed over a 24-year period from before publication of the plan for the construction of the Red Line to after the start of operations of the light rail in August 2023 Transactions that were included in the TAMA 38 plan and partial deals and transactions with missing information were all excluded from the study Danos explains the gap in value increases between cities in terms of the parking effect "The value of the light rail probably increases in residential areas where there is a greater parking shortage." How can we explain the almost 9% of cases in which there was a decrease in value "but you have to remember that the decrease does not include self-use during this period and rental income during the ownership period." The Green and Purple Lines are now being built in Gush Dan Is there a stage where you see a significant increase "The significant increase comes with the launch We saw this in a similar study we did in Jerusalem Here it is still not clear because the Red Line has been operating for a relatively short time and in war conditions But it should be clear to any sensible investor today that not only is this the future Appraisers always talk about location - here they actually change your location without moving your apartment You can get on a train at Jabotinsky and within 15-20 minutes you are in the center of Tel Aviv "What still needs to be clear to investors is that this is currently one line but in a few years there will be a network of light rail trains here and after that the metro Each line that is built adds not twice the value but 4-5 times." Isn't the market already pricing in the increase but we've seen that there are extra increases in value and jumps that come at the end All the surveys that are conducted have one flaw - they average out at the end But we know that there are areas within a particular city that can jump and there are other areas that can fade it's really like bypass surgery - you widen the artery and let the blood flow And that's an improvement in the standard of living not only at the national level but in the actual property the mess and the traffic changes to get a better deal." "Do you think that if the train was operating on Shabbat it would have improved the value even more This would make a dramatic change for even more people and improve the living conditions along the route even more." The study's conclusions echo a previous study conducted around the operation of the Red Line in Jerusalem but there only 84 transaction clusters were identified over a 22-year period that were examined and also indicated a significant increase in value NTA VP land property Inbal Kanka tells "Globes," "The survey results show most clearly and the public has also realized the benefits of the light rail and metro near residential and business properties "These insights translate into an increase in property values due to the expectation of high demand The increase in value indicates the deep understanding that the light rail network in Gush Dan and in the future the Metro project are the real solution to congestion and traffic jams and they will bring about a significant improvement in the quality of life the increase in real estate values is already taking place and will occur even more strongly along the Green and Purple Lines when they open for operation When the entire network operates together with the Metro the increase in value will be exponential." "Commercial real estate abroad has increased by 10%-20%" Paz Group has examined cases from around the world and its CEO Daniela Paz Erez tells Globes that the Israeli case is not unique "The most significant study is of Crossrail in London There were surveys from the day the route was announced until close to its opening which indicated a 20% increase in real estate values even before the opening beyond the general increase in real estate values We found that the value of real estate in the vicinity of the underground line is 10%-20% higher up to a distance of 500-600 meters." we see the rise on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem There was a decline during the construction period and then there was an increase in value But we must remember that the increase in real estate value is only one aspect and there are other effects which significantly reduces the cost of building underground parking garages "There is the possibility of mixed use building and this becomes more relevant because there is accessibility during the day and these advantages also have economic significance: an increase in value because of the planning program that impacts the land." Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 6 Dozens of Israeli warplanes have carried out airstrikes on targets in Yemen as the Arab nation’s military forces escalate operations in response to foreign aggression and Israeli atrocities Local Yemeni media reports said more than 30 Israeli jets were involved in targeting the port city of Hudaydah on Monday night A senior US official confirmed that the aerial raids were being carried out in close coordination with the US Israel's biggest benefactor and a complicit in the ongoing brutal military campaign in Gaza Yemen’s al-Masirah television channel reported the US had launched 35 strikes since May 4 and targeted several Yemeni provinces the US along with Britain and Israel have launched daily airstrikes on Yemen and claims to have struck more than 1,000 targets in the Arab country The campaign aims to halt the Yemeni military’s strikes on Israeli and Israeli-linked vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes as well as their operations that have been hitting targets deep within the occupied Palestinian territories The latest Israeli-US aggression comes following a ballistic missile strike from Yemen that hit the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport The Yemeni military said it carried out a fresh retaliatory operation against Israel in support of the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip Yemen's Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said on Sunday the attack forced more than three million Israeli settlers to take shelter He said operations at the airport were completely halted for more than an hour Saree has said the Yemeni military will continue to remain steadfast and resolute in the face of the American aggression against the Arab nation a senior member of Ansarullah’s political bureau said on Monday retaliatory strikes by Yemeni armed forces and their planned comprehensive aerial blockade on Israel will soon trigger reverse Israeli migration of from the occupied territories Palestinian resistance movements in a joint statement strongly denounced the latest Israeli aggression against Yemen “The raids carried out by the occupying regime’s air force in Yemen this evening on several civilian sites are nothing but a relentless systematic crime against our both nations,” the statement read “The latest aggression perpetrated by the usurping entity against the brotherly Yemeni people expresses the degree of pain and humiliation this entity is enduring at the hands of the heroes of the Yemeni Armed Forces.” The barbaric Zionist aggression on the port of Hudaydah will not change the crushing defeat that the Zionist entity suffered on Sunday after its failure to intercept the Yemeni missiles which struck Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied territories The Palestinian resistance groups also hailed Yemeni armed forces and their planned comprehensive aerial blockade against Israel which has led several foreign airlines have suspended flights to the Israeli-occupied territories Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses: www.presstv.co.uk Click the "share" button in the bottom bar The Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee has approved for deposit the TA/5500 master plan for Tel Aviv-Yafo The plan will allow the city to grow to 600,000 residents by 2035 from its current population of 495,600 by building 52,500 new apartments and bringing the total amount of office space in the city to 9.1 million square meters The plan adds 11.3 million square meters of housing 6.1 million square meters of office space and allows construction of 80-floor buildings in certain places in the northwest of the city and in Atidim Park During the discussions in the Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee adjustments were made and the goals and scope of construction that the plan would allow were precisely defined among other things in accordance with TAMA 70 - the national outline plan for the planned Metro network in Gush Dan large parts of which will pass beneath the city One of the main issues concerning TA/5500 is its degree of compliance with TAMA 70 and decisions on the provisions that set where the two plans apply together The discussions noted that the maximum scope of building rights in TA/5500 is "significantly higher than the minimum scope of rights required under TAMA 70." Therefore it appears that the provisions of TA/5500 will determine the places where both plans apply subject to certain amendments and adjustments to be made to the "Tel Aviv" plan so that it is consistent with the definition of TAMA 70 Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 27 new ethical regulations for real estate agents went into effect requiring more professional and higher legal standards than previously needed the concern is that many agents will find it difficult to comply with the number of agents in Israel too many for the relative size of the real estate market by tens of percent especially in the Tel Aviv metropolitan region and they will be forced to leave the profession A "Globes" investigation found that in the past two years many real estate agents have been abandoning the profession This trend is expected to continue in the near future Israel Realtors Association chairman Itzik Levy adds that the number of people taking the broker licensing exam also declined last year According to data from the Registrar of Realtors at the Ministry of Justice at the end of 2024 there were 24,885 licensed real estate agents in Israel The main reason for the increase has been the price increases recorded over these years and a significant rise in the number of deals which attracted more people to the profession and try to obtain a license to enjoy the boom the pace of price rises in the housing market slowed and the number of deals declined but between 2020 and 2022 the pace of price rises renewed its acceleration and housing prices jumped by 30% with more people becoming real estate agents Then the Bank of Israel began hiking interest rates which greatly reduced the number of real estate deals The interest rate increase effect was felt mainly in 2023 when housing prices fell 2% and the number of deals fell to about 70,000 about 150 agents did not renew their licenses; while last year the number of those abandoning the profession climbed to 1,200 "Globes" analysis found that the industry is currently saturated with agents not suitable for the current shrinking market conditions with just over half of them for second-hand apartments the ratio between the number of agents in Israel and the number of second-hand deals in 2024 was almost one to two Such a ratio was suitable when half of second-hand deals were conducted by agents but this is not today's reality in Israel There is no precise data on the number of deals in which agents are involved but estimates are that it is between 25% and 33% of second-hand deals These numbers indicate a surplus of realtors in recent years and a situation in which many cannot rely on earning a livelihood Basing this theoretical ratio between agents and deals and estimates of the deals that agents in Israel conduct then there are currently about 10,000 agents registered in excess of market needs "A great many agents are in a difficult economic situation today some are leaving the field and offices are closing In the most recent exams of the Registrar of Realtors there was a decline of almost 25% in the number of taking the exam who applied for brokerage and from 2,300-2,400 taking the exam in recent years A more detailed examination of the major cities reveals finds that the number of agents varies significantly from place to place The city where the number of agents most significantly exceeds the market situation is Tel Aviv which has the largest number of real estate agents - 2,566 only 2,270 second-hand deals were completed there which indicates that the city has more agents than deals Nearby cities also have too many agents operating relative to the number of second-hand deals: in Rishon LeZion Assuming that a healthy ratio between agents and deals should be 33% the current market situation requires half the number of agents operating in these cities and about 25% of the number of agents currently operating in Tel Aviv A relatively high ratio is also found in Jerusalem - 56% "Globes" found that the ratio of agents to deals is lower at 20%-25% It could that further from the center of the country or that the large increase in the number of agents mainly affected high demand areas "The realtor profession has suffered three very severe blows in the last two years," explains Levy He lists the increase in the interest rate environment and the outbreak of the war the strongest blow came from another direction contractors found the solution of the 10-90 financial deals causing many buyers to purchase apartments within this framework." These were new apartments in which buyers put down 10% in equity and paid the balance when the apartment is built and ready for occupancy many buyers chose to purchase a new apartment instead of a second-hand apartment This not only slowed the pace of second-hand apartment sales but also reduced demand for these apartments many who were seduced by the booming market of 2021 learned the profession and received a license in 2022 found in 2023 and 2024 that they had no income it seems that in 2025 the number of agents quitting the profession will only increase Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 11