Building multi-ethnic Israeli companies
Forsan Hussein and Ami Dror are the Muslim and Jewish Israeli cofounders of Zaitoun Ventures. They build and invest in companies either cofounded by Jews and Arabs or with diverse employees, including Myndlift, Sidis Labs, Ninispeech, Comedy Break, Teramount, Galapromter and IceCure. Zaitoun is poised to invest about $100 million in 2016.
Boosting job skills for Ethiopian-Israelis
The Israeli government is to spend NIS 55 million ($14 million) on programs to improve the job prospects of at least 3,600 Ethiopian immigrants. It will focus on job training, academic programs, and grants to employers for hiring Israeli workers of Ethiopian descent.
Israel’s first special needs basketball league
Israel’s first ever basketball league for people with special needs has been launched in Jerusalem. There are many special needs basketball teams throughout Jerusalem and Israel, but until now there had been no official or organized framework for such teams.
$3.3 billion to help Israeli-Arabs
Israel will spend around 13 billion shekels ($3.3 billion) over the next five years to improve the standard of living of its Arab minority. Investment will be boosted in education, infrastructure, culture, sports and transportation in Arab areas.
Where Israel gives humanitarian aid
Israel21C has produced a map showing all the top locations where Israel offers aid to people in need around the world.
Apple learns Hebrew
iPhone and iPad users will know about Siri - Apple’s speech-recognition robot. Now Siri (Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface) will be available in Hebrew in March.
Irrigating Indian farms
The Indian state of Haryana - located just northwest of Dehli - will initiate micro-irrigation projects based on Israeli expertise at 14 sites throughout the state over the course of 2016. Israeli agricultural professionals work extensively in Haryana and neighboring Punjab, as well as around the country.
R&D agreement with Colombia
Israel and Colombia have signed an agreement on cooperation in industrial R&D. Colombia is the fourth largest economy in Latin America, after Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, which have also signed agreements with Israel in recent years.
Syrians see Israel’s good side
Another report about some of the 2,000 Syrian war wounded who have been treated in Israeli hospitals.
Free on-line English courses
Israel’s Education Ministry is paying for Israeli university students to take English language courses offered online by the Open University in preparation for further study at academic institutions. It will save students thousands of shekels and improve their career opportunities.