Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Used under Creative Commons license

Now that Sir Paul has confirmed his concert in Israel (as we reported), the newspapers are jumping to tell the story. The New York Times reminisces on the concert that might have been in 1965, and notes the impressive changes that Israel has undergone in the past 43 years. Back then, there was no television (!) and a lack of familiarity with Western music. Now, with our own music exports (like Yael Naim), we’re at the forefront of world music. Oh, and the pervasiveness of English is sure to help this Beatles concert rise to the hottest tickets in town!

Photo: Getty Images

Microsoft Israel and Ben Gurion University announced a joint program to for talented computer science students in its special “Innovation Labs.” While Microsoft runs this program at 6 locations in the United States, this will be the first location abroad where such collaboration–between BGU and Microsoft’s Haifa R&D Center–will take place. Now bright Israeli students will be able to take a more active role in shaping the exciting future of computer technology.

Photo: Getty Images

The AP reports on developments from the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. The zoo had acquired “Arava,” a 55-pound spurred tortoise, whose rear legs were paralyzed for an unknown reason. Unable to move, she had also shown little interest in procreation. With the help of a wheeled platform and an amorous male, both problems are now being worked out.
Here are some pictures of the contraption.

Photo: Israel Ministry of Tourism

The Financial Times this week took a tour of Tel Aviv’s Gan HaHashmal, home to many of Israel’s up-and-coming fashion designers. Though until recently a seedy red-light district, designers have reinvented the area and begun producing the light, airy clothes for which Israel is quickly gaining a reputation. Keep your eyes peeled for these amazing new styles as they redefieg world fashion.

Israeli tennis star and Olympian Shahar Peer arrived in New York this week to play in the US Open, which begins next week. Today, she took out some time to run a tennis clinic with some of the local kids, reaching out to some future fans (and maybe future stars). We wish her best of luck next week, when the competition gets stiff.  See Ynet for more.

Photo: Getty Images

By: Dudi Goldman
Translated from Yedioth Aharonoth, 20 August 2008, p.12
Dr. Hossam Haick has been named by MIT’s Technology Review to an exclusive list of scientists for his electronic cancer-detecting “nose.”
Each year since 1999, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, considered one of the world’s foremost universities, publishes a list of the 35 most promising young (under 35) scientists. This year’s list, published two days ago, includes an Israeli researcher–Dr. Hossam Haick from Haifa’s Technion.
Dr. Haick (33) from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and the Russel Berrie Nanotechnology Institute at the Technion was listed as one of the promising scientists thanks to research that produced an electronic nose that can “sniff out” cancer. Last June, Dr. Haick’s research was featured in Yedioth Aharonoth as one of the 50 people who “made a difference” during the previous year.
“The goal is that someone could exhale into the “nose,” which would use tiny sensors to detect the type of cancer and the stage of its progression in the body,” explained Dr. Haick. “Detection can occur at the disease’s ealy stages. In the event of a tumor–we’re talking about the stages before metastasis, when you can treat the disease immediately and get rid of it in its earliest stages. Our research has already shown that the sensors can tell the difference between a healthy person and one who has cancer. The challenge now is to distinguish between the different stages of the disease.
According to Haick, “We’ve developed sensors that can identify the three most widespread types of cancer: cancer of the lung, breast, and colon. In the future, we’ll work on other types of cancer. We are in the research stages, but the results are promising, and, in the future, this will lead to a commercial venture in which the Technion will be a partner.” Dr. Haick, born in Nazareth and now of Haifa, belongs to a family of scientists and researchers.
His father is a lecturer in mechanical engineering. His wife, who completed studies in chemistry and went on to study food engineering and biotechnology at the Technion, now works for the Ministry of Health in the Haifa area. Haick is the proud father of an 8-month-old son.
Haick’s laboratory at the Technion now employs about 20 researchers and scientists from Israel, Germany, Singapore, China, India, and Russia. Since joining the Technion, after returning from post-doctoral studies in the United States, Haick has won 15 prizes and garnered national and international praise.
The 35 young scientists appearing on the MIT list were selected from among 300 finalists by a panel of professional judges and the editorial staff of the MIT’s journal. “We look forward to their continued advancement of technology in their respective fields and know that their work will have a profound impact on all our lives, said Jason Pontin, editor-in-chief and publisher of Technology Review.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

It’s been a rocky ride for Shahar Tsubari, but he finally made it to the medal podium in Beijing in mens RS:X Windsurfing. He had faced numerous challenges in his quest, including several poor finishes in premliminary races and an early deficit in the crucial final race. Nonetheless, Tsubari managed to overcome the obstacles, finishing third overall and with Israel’s first medal during these Olympic Games.
Expansive coverage can be found on Ynet and JPost. NRG has photos and the video from the medal ceremony (Hebrew only).

Photo: Israel Ministry of Tourism

Lately, the Hartford Courant and Chicago Tribune have been sharing tips from their foreign correspondents on how to have the best time in another country. This week, reporters check in from the Middle East, including Joel Greenberg reporting in from Israel. We won’t give away any of his secrets here; suffice it to say that we’ll be including some new and interesting sites on our itinerary. Either way, as Greenberg points out, there is so much to see and discover in this tiny country.
PS: Two illustrative photos can be found here (check out picture#2).

Hanoch Piven, self-portrait; used with permission

Well, actually, a lot of things (for example, party favors). Now, meet the man behind the whimsical and incisive illustrations when he returns to New York for a show at the Museum of American Illustration. He’ll be talking on Wednesday 10 September about how his career has developed from the School of Visual Arts to world-famous illustrator.
Ticket information about the evening’s program can be found here.
For more on Hanoch Piven, see Wikipedia and Illoz.

Photo: Getty Images

Using gel derived from common seaweed, researchers at Beer Sheva’s Ben-Gurion University believe they can help fix damaged hearts. The Telegraph reports that the gel allows heart muscle to regrow after a heart attack, thereby lessening the chances of a second attack or heart failure. While the process may not cure every type of broken heart, upcoming clinical trials will help gauge the true effectiveness of this revolutionary technique.