Top of the News:
Trump demands Russia “stops the violence and returns the Crimean Peninsula to the Ukraine”. On a similar note, a Russian spy ship was reported to be patrolling off the U.S. coast.
Israel news:
Northern Ramat Hagolan: Stray artillery fire from Syrian civil war fell in an open area in Northern Ramat Hagolan. There were no injuries or damage to property.
El-Al Dispute: The company warned that pilots quitting will cause the failure to provide all the scheduled flights. The management went to labor court to file their claim.
Tel Aviv light rail: This coming Sunday the digging for the “Red Line” of the Tel Aviv light rail will begin. This line will go from Bnei Brak through Ramat Gan to Tel Aviv.
Jerusalem fire investigation of fire that killed elderly woman revealed that the fire was caused by putting a metal utensil in a microwave oven.
Politics:
Gidon Saar officially announced; “I will return to politics within the Likud framework”, but he didn’t say at what date that will take place.
Israel Ambassador to Egypt David Gobrin was brought back to Israel for fear of his personal safety.
Netanyahu: “I won’t quit even if indicted”.
The Foreign Ministry is preparing to cancel the need for Visas to the U.S.. This may be brought up at the Trump Netanyahu meeting.
Economic news:
The Euro is taking a plunge. The exchange rate for the Euro against the Shekel is 3.982 Shekel for a Euro. This is a 15 year low. A further drop is predicted.
Haifa Chemicals is stopping to sell ammonia. This will affect activities on ammonia production lines, increase food prices and bring to laying off workers and increase of unemployment.
World news
Russia successfully completed the development of a new cruise missile. This was a breach of a 30 year old anti proliferation agreement between them and the U.S.
North Korea president Kim Jong-un’s brother was killed in Malaysia. Reports say he was poisoned at the Kuala Lumpur airport.
Israel weather:
Wednesday: Colder than normal seasonal temperatures. Scattered showers predicted in central Israel to the Northern Negev. Local rains in the north.
Thursday: Periodic rains from the north till the Negev. Chances of flooding. Snow predicted for the Hermon and the north and possible Galilee mountain tops.
Friday: Clear to partly cloudy and colder than normal.