Iranians celebrate after moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani was declared the winner of Iran’s presidential election.
The government of Chechnya is constructing one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in Israel in the village of Abu Ghosh, near Jerusalem, in a project that both the villagers and the Chechen president view as renewing ties severed 500 years ago. Read more.
Israel is among the world’s least popular nations, according to an annual BBC World Service poll. Germany was found to be the most popular country, while the only nations less popular than Israel were found to be North Korea, Pakistan, and Iran. Read more.
Some 10,000 Israelis took to the streets on Saturday to protest against impending austerity measures proposed by new Finance Minister Yair Lapid.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly spent $127,000 of Israeli taxpayers’ money on a “resting chamber” that was especially constructed for him and his wife on their five-hour flight to London last month.
In response to the report, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister needed to rest after a hectic day and before he was to represent Israel at various functions. Read more.
British physicist Stephen Hawking has confirmed that he is boycotting a major international conference in Israel in June, citing his belief that he should respect a Palestinian call to boycott contacts with Israeli academics. Read more.
A modern production of Richard Wagner’s opera “Tannhauser” is causing a stir in Germany because of Nazi-themed scenes showing people dying in gas chambers and members of a family having their heads shaved before being executed.
A spokeswoman for the Dusseldorf opera house said that members of the audience “booed and were shocked” by Saturday’s opening performance.
Israel has launched its second strike in Syria in two days, sources say. Here’s a timeline of the recent developments on the Syrian front.
