Latest News Briefs

Arutz Sheva is stopping its round-the-clock news updates of IsraelNationalNews.com at this time in honor of the start of the Sabbath in North America, where they are being written now.

Updates will resume Saturday night from Israel, following the conclusion of the Sabbath at 17:14 Jerusalem time.

Shabbat Shalom!

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Friday expressed hope that US President-elect Joe Biden will change US policy on Iran when he takes office next month.

Speaking to Der Spiegel and quoted by the Anadolu news agency, Maas called for negotiations with Iran to conclude a broader nuclear deal, adding it is in the interest of the US and Europeans to reach a broader agreement with Tehran.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Time to ditch the foreign laws: Our High Court is corrupted by politics.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Friday declared his goal in the next election: To prevent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu from heading the next government.

"Netanyahu must be prevented from getting 61 seats, this is necessary for Israel," Liberman told Kan 11 News in an interview.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Telem chairman: Eizenkot will be my no. 2 in the next election. It looks like Lapid and I will have to run separately.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

The US House of Representatives on Friday voted to pass a measure that would decriminalize marijuana use at the federal level.

The vote passed 228-164, mostly down party lines, with just five Republicans voting in favor of the measure. Six Democrats voted to oppose, reported ABC News.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

We must never let our guard down. We must never be totally complacent with the turn of events.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

PA “health ministry” claims 13-year-old was shot by Israeli soldiers during protest north of Ramallah. IDF stresses: No live fire was used.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Iran plans to install hundreds more advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges at an underground plant in breach of its deal with major powers, Reuters reported on Friday, citing the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.

The confidential IAEA report obtained by Reuters said Iran plans to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges in the underground plant at Natanz, which was apparently built to withstand aerial bombardment.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Guy Ehrlich's journey includes activism in secular rights, Jewish-Arab dialogue, and propagating plants used in the Holy Temple.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)

Arutz Sheva's Israel desk is stopping its round-the-clock news updates of IsraelNationalNews.com at this time in honor of the Sabbath. Jerusalem candle lighting time is 15:55 on Friday. Our North American desk will keep you informed until the 16:10 EST candle lighting time in New York.

The updates from Israel will resume Saturday night, following the conclusion of Shabbat at 17:14 in Jerusalem.

Shabbat Shalom!

Knesset member Moshe Ya'alon (Telem) says Gadi Eisenkott will be #2 on his party's list should Eisenkott, a former IDF chief-of-staff, choose to enter politics.

"Since I have some ministerial experience, I should lead and have the first place on my party's list," Ya'alon said. Ya'alon served previously as Minister of Defense and, prior to that, was IDF chief of staff.

The violence in our streets – the theft, physical harm, and the wanton destruction – were not new to civilization nor spontaneous. Opinion.

A member of a terrorist cell that murdered Rabbi Meir Chai eleven years ago has been arrested in Nablus according to a report from Channel 13 news. The arrest was carried out by the Yamam division of the IDF's Border Patrol unit.

Rabbi Chai had been murdered near the northern Samarian community of Shavei Shomron.

The unemployment rate in the United States declined from 6.9% in October to 6.7% in November, continuing a downward trend.

Israel's first Ashkenazi Cheif Rabbi, leader of Religious Zionism:'Oral Torah adds insightful understanding through careful examination.'

IDF Arabic spokesman tweets video of IDF soldier playing ball with a group of Arab boys

Defense Minister delivers ultimatum to Netanyahu, demanding passage of spending plan Sunday, vowing force new elections if budget not passed

Israel expands purchase of coronavirus vaccine from Modera to six million doses - enough to vaccinate three million people.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced that Israel has increased the amount of vaccines ordered from Moderna and the order now is for 6-million vaccines, which will be used by 3-million citizens.

Disney's radio station, Radio Disney, will end operations in early 2021, after 25 years on the air, Deadline reported Thursday.

The closure is part of larger restructuring changes at the Walt Disney Company.

“Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in the first quarter of 2021. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Branded Television, who today addressed the 36 full- and part-time employees who will be impacted by the closure early next year,” Disney said in a statement.

“Radio Disney in Latin America is a separate operation and is not impacted by the announcement today.”

Nurses who treated Corona patients and saw death with their own eyes, tell of the difficult days they went through.

Despite being in high-risk age group, 104-year-old Alabama man survives coronavirus infection.

Hard-line progressive Democrats defeated by center-left lawmakers for control of key House committees.

Israeli Defense Minister calls on Palestinian Authority to resume final status talks with Israel, plans coronavirus testing at checkpoints.

Jerusalem: Shabbat begins at 15:55, ends at 17:14

Tel Aviv: Shabbat begins at 16:14, ends at 17:16

Bnei Brak: Shabbat begins at 16:13, ends at 17:15

Ashdod: Shabbat begins at 16:15, ends at 17:16

Beit Shemesh: Shabbat begins at 15:56, ends at 17:15

Tzfat: Shabbat begins at 16:01, ends at 17:11

Hebron: Shabbat begins at 16:11, ends at 17:12

Modi'in: Shabbat begins at 16:06, ends at 17:15

Haifa: Shabbat begins at 16:03, ends at 17:13

Beer Sheva: Shabbat begins at 16:16, ends at 17:17

Tiberias: Shabbat begins at 16:01, ends at 17:11

Petah Tikva: Shabbat begins at 15:56, ends at 17:15

Eilat: Shabbat begins at 16:19, ends at 17:19

Arutz Sheva wishes all of our readers Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach!

WHO has also indicated it may support a policy of "vaccine passports."

Following yesterday's arrival of around 400 immigrants from Ethiopia, another 120 arrived today.

Channel 13 News reports that in comments made to his panel of expert advisers, the government's coronavirus project manager, Prof. Nachman Ash said that the government's decision to implement a pilot plan for the reopening of a number of malls had been "political."

He added that the plan to allow grades seven to nine inclusive would still go ahead.

The head of the Degel HaTorah faction within the UTJ party, Moshe Gafni, said today that if the 2021 state budget is passed, his party will insist on the Draft Law being passed as well.

He added that, "This week, we succeeded in mustering a Knesset majority to thwart 'equality' laws from being passed, resulting in the proposals being removed from the public agenda. We will continue to fight for all the issues that are of prime importance to us."

Fauci had accused UK's FDA-equivalent of "joining the marathon in the last mile."

"Messianic Jews" in Israel selling empty mezuzot cases bearing Christian symbols to Russian-speaking Jews.

Various regulations already in place, but PM insists his government "does not believe in total lockdown."

Five Bedouin men, residents of Tel Sheva near Beer Sheva, have been arrested under suspicion of having broken into five vehicles in the community of Nevatim and stealing property.

Jacob's fear at meeitng Esau shows the merit of living in Israel. Even today, we must show the world that the land belongs to the Jewish people.

Democrats woo voters for a religious (and antisemitic) candidate where once Obama panned voters who “cling to guns and religion." Ironic. Opinion.

MKs from the Degel HaTorah faction within the United Torah Judaism party met this morning with their rabbinic advisers in Bnei Brak.

Antwerp police arrest four people during 'L'Chaim' at Jewish-owned jewelry store celebrating engagement

Despite initial claims that NHS healthcare workers in the UK would be among the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer when it arrives in the country next week, the UK now plans to allocate the first batch of doses to residents of care homes along with hospital inpatients and outpatients over the age of 80.

Senior medical officials have warned of the possible consequences for healthcare workers at high risk due to their high levels of exposure to the coronavirus, and have noted that the first 800,000 doses expected to arrive within days may not be followed with more for a while yet.

A man in his fifties has sustained serious injuries after being electrocuted in Beer Sheva.

He has been taken to Soroka hospital for treatment.