The Latest News Update:

Sandstorm blankets Tehran, closing schools and government offices
State TV reports dust pollution very high in third such storm since mid-April; in neighboring

Protesters at Palestinian funeral clash with Israeli police, dozens injured
Israeli police clashed with protesters and mourners at a funeral in Jerusalem on Monday night.Source

Hope evaporates for families of Syria missing as video exposes prisoner massacre
‘They killed him in cold blood,’ says mother of one of dozens of men whose

Musk: Twitter deal can’t go ahead without proof under 5% of accounts are bots
Tesla CEO says he wants confirmation of platform’s estimates on number of fake users, claims

Final Ukrainian holdouts in Mariupol steel plant being evacuated after ‘surrender’
More than 260 fighters – some severely wounded – pulled out yesterday while officials work

Daily Briefing May 17: Violence at Temple Mount as bereaved brother hopes for peace
Palestinian affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman breaks down 3 recent Palestinian deaths and their aftershocks; environment

Iran confirms arrest of two French nationals over anti-government rally
State television report identifies detainees as Cecile Kohler, 37, and Chuck Paris, 69; the pair

Israel to end mandatory masking aboard international flights on May 23
‘We aren’t keeping unnecessary restrictions in place,’ health minister declares, while testing requirements for flying

After weeks of closure, Israel envoy to Ukraine raises flag in front of Kyiv embassy
Ambassador Michael Brodsky in Ukrainian capital for 1st time since Russia invaded; meets with Ukrainian

WZO says cooperation with group that violently protested Women of the Wall was error
The umbrella Zionist body issues resolution making it far more difficult to partner with similar

Full Lebanese election results show Hezbollah-led bloc losing parliamentary majority
Christian party highly critical of the Iran-backed terror group emerges as biggest winner, as independents

IDF says it downed Hezbollah drone that entered Israeli airspace amid major drill
Military says air control units tracked the aircraft ‘throughout the incident’; unclear if UAV was

Commuter chaos as rail line closed after rush hour incident, causing heavy delays
Travelers complain about lack of information, replacement buses; track between Herzliya and Netanya later reopens

Scalpers offer fake Meron festival tickets, subverting new safety measures – report
Ticket sellers say they can provide passes for Lag B’Omer event even if site is

Gantz says Iran installing 1,000 advanced centrifuges, including at new Natanz site
Defense minister warns cost of dealing with Iran will be higher in a year; warns

In shift, Bennett’s Yamina moves to strip rebel MK Silman of her committee posts
Coalition said to tell Knesset it will remove Silman from panels after she wouldn’t back

Zemmour acquitted of Holocaust denial for saying French Nazi collaborator saved Jews
Appeals court confirms earlier ruling that ex-presidential candidate didn’t deny crimes against humanity by saying

Palestinian tries to stab soldier in northern West Bank, is shot by troops, IDF says
Assailant ‘neutralized’ near HQ of regional military brigade; no soldiers hurt, no word on attacker’s

Deceased patient’s relatives attack Jerusalem hospital staff, wreck ICU unit
Police say family members of man who died after apparent overdose assaulted medical personnel and

Despite Lebanon election setbacks, Hezbollah remains a growing threat to Israel
Shiite group’s allies lost seats in Sunday’s voting, but Israel’s northern neighbor remains a dysfunctional

Updated Nation-State Law that includes ‘equal rights’ clause unlikely to advance
Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked and Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar slam proposals to refine or revoke

MKs push to release report of Health Ministry’s action in Yemenite children affair
Unpublished report by former deputy director general Prof. Itamar Grotto is rejected by ministry’s legal

National Council of Jewish Women creates outlet for Jews to donate to abortion funds
Jewish group, a founder of Planned Parenthood, stepping up efforts to assist those who need

Ukraine says more than 260 fighters evacuated from Mariupol mill as defense ends
Zelensky said the evacuation to Russian separatist-controlled territory was done to save lives of fighters:

Prosecutors seek prison for Capitol rioter in ‘Camp Auschwitz’ sweatshirt
Robert Keith Packer told FBI agents he wore antisemitic sweatshirt “because he was cold,’ expressed

IDF mulling use of attack helicopters, drones to protect troops in West Bank raids
Reports say army concerned about increased resistance during recent raids where they have been confronted

In first, Russian military said to fire S-300 missiles at Israeli jets over Syria
TV says incident came as IAF fighters departed area after alleged strike last week and