ECONOMY & BUSINES
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SUnemployment falls again. The unemployment rate in Israel fell from 5.2% in August to only 5.1% in September. http://www.globes.co.il/en/
Water costs less. Israeli water charges will fall by 3% in Israel from 1st Jan. The latest cut is due to a 16% fall over the past year in the price of the electricity used to desalinate drinking water. Water in 2016 will be 20% cheaper than three years ago. http://www.globes.co.il/en/
Impact Investing. Chemi Peres (son of ex-President Shimon) is an advisor for Impact First Investments (IFI). IFI supports ethical investments into world-benefiting Israeli innovations. They include Catalyst AgTech’s B12 which stops damage from pesticides; also the bed sensors from EarlySense that monitor patients and the elderly.
Ahead of the game. (TY Michelle) Israel’s 200 game companies are expected to generate $1 billion in mobile and social gaming revenue in 2015, up 25 percent from 2014. It explains why the Casual Connect game show was held in Israel for the first time, with over 1, 800 registered attendees – twice as many as originally expected.
Inspiring Australian startups. (TY Michelle) Australia’s assistant minister for innovation, Wyatt Roy, is leading a group of around 50 entrepreneurs, industry representatives and government envoys on a week-long expedition of the startup nation.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Ethiopian becomes Israeli commander. Mekonen Abeba immigrated to Israel from an Ethiopian village after the death of his father. He then overcame many challenges to become a paratrooper and then an officer in the IDF. Please help complete the inspiring film “Mekonen: The Journey of an Ethiopian Jew”.
Increase in Arabs at Israeli universities. (TY Hazel) This year, Arabs comprise 14.4% of bachelor’s degree students in Israel, up from 9.8% in 1999-2000. Arab master’s students increased from 3.6% to 10.5% and Arab Ph.D. students increased from 2.8% to 5.9%. Female Arab students increased from 61.7% to 67.2%.
Israeli doctors heal attackers and victims. The Washington Post works very hard to make this into a bad news story. Still worth reading though, so long as you unpick all the anti-Israel bias.
Hadassah treats both attacker and target. This is what the Washington Post reporter should have written.
Riding around with armed Arabs. Don’t worry – this is an article about Arabs who are serving in the IDF.
A co-existence discount. The restaurant Hummus Bar at the M Mall in Kfar Vitkin near Netanya is offering a free refill of each plate of the chickpea paste at tables seating Jews and Arabs together. The restaurant is kosher, meaning that observant Jews and Muslims can also take advantage of the offer.
Israel joins UN space committee. Israel has been accepted as a full member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). 117 committee members voted in favor of Israel. Qatar abstained and only Namibia voted against.
Medicine for migrants. Israel has sent 1.5 tons of medical aid to Greece to help the flood of migrants landing on the Greek Islands. The medicines were sent by air to the Greek Ministry of Health, which will disburse them at the various refugee aid centers. Israeli NGO IsraAid is also providing medical assistance to the refugees.
Israel honored at Chinese innovation forum. Israel is the 2015 country of honor at the Pujiang Innovation Forum, China’s leading economic symposium, in Shanghai. Approximately 1, 500 international economic and marketing leaders attend the annual symposium. Israeli Interior Minister Silvan Shalom is the guest of honor.
Helping Nigeria to diversify from oil. The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is working with Israeli businessmen to diversify its oil-based economy and improve trade relations between the two countries.
