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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

02/18 Links Pt2: Leila Khaled: ISIS Is a Zionist-American Organization; new Zion Awakening Video

From Ian:

Zion Awakening - Orim Shimshon: Ken O'Keefe: The most dangerous anti-semite living in the West


ISIS Is a Zionist-American Organization, Says BDS Heroine
Last month, I drew attention to Leila Khaled’s tour of South Africa under the sponsorship of BDS-South Africa. Khaled is a member of the “Political Bureau” of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP has claimed credit for murdering four worshippers and a policeman at the Kehillat Bnei Torah synagogue in Jerusalem in November. Khaled, who made her name as a hijacker and remains an advocate of violent resistance, is out raising money for the supposedly nonviolent boycott, divestment, sanctions movement against Israel.
So far, the trip is going quite well. Khaled has been welcomed by the ruling African National Congress, scoring a seat at President Zuma’s State of the Nation Address. People seem to be responding to her pitch. For example, as I wrote last week, the student government of the Durban University of Technology, a day after a visit from Khaled, called for the expulsion of Jews (the student government has since apologized: “oops, by ‘Jews’ we meant ‘people funded by the Israeli government.’”). BDS South Africa has proudly reported on the tour, including its finale in Soweto. Rebecca Hodes, who was on the scene in Soweto, gives this remarkable description of Khaled’s remarks.
According to Hodes, toward the end of her speech, Khaled said: “ISIS, I tell you, is a Zionist, American organization. Boko Haram is another Netanyahu. [Its leaders] are more Zionist than the Zionists… Beware the imperialists. They are vicious and they are collaborating with the Zionists to control the whole world….”
You may think that BDS-South Africa, just for the sake of damage control, would distance itself from Khaled’s remarks, or at least avoid mentioning them. Instead, they repeated them on Twitter. After the speech, Khaled “was presented with a gift as dozens of audience members vied for a decent angle for a cell phone snap.” But not before the crowd sang “one more revolutionary song” for, as BDS-South Africa put it, the “freedom fighter.”
Although Khaled has made similar statements in the course of her tour, not one supporter of BDS, as far as I know, has seen fit to distance himself from her. Wouldn’t want to alienate the base.
IDF medics treating wounded Syrians battle mental toll
Ever since Israel opened its border to Syrians wounded in the country's civil war, the IDF has provided medical aid to thousands, many in serious condition; medics say traumatic scenes have taken their toll, causing mental anguish.
Two years have passed since the State of Israel opened its gates to permit victims of Syria's conflict to enter the country and receive medical treatment. While the media occasionally publishes articles that include interviews with the wounded or the civilian doctors who provide them treatment, issues such as the stressful and traumatic circumstances IDF paramedics experience in their work are rarely brought to the public's attention.
The harrowing events experienced by soldiers during their long hours of work has been taking a toll the IDF can no longer ignore. Testimonies collected by Ynet from IDF medics and paramedics who served in the area for the past two years paint an alarming picture, detailing the extent to which IDF medical teams are influenced by the difficult scenes they encounter on almost a daily basis.
Two Nahal Brigade soldiers who served in the line of duty were discharged after suffering a deterioration in their mental health, while others receive psychological treatment from mental health officers.
In The Syrian War, The IDF Assists Wounded Civilians





Don’t try this at home: BBC driving directions show basic ME geography fail
Adams’ reports all inform audiences that his interviewee was scared when he found himself in Israel and that for all the Syrian patients arriving in Israel “it’s a journey into the unknown”. He does not, however, approach the topic of the Syrian state-sponsored propaganda which was the root cause of their views of Israel before they saw it for themselves.
In the audio report Adams tells listeners:
“Well, if you drive about an hour and a half west from Haifa, you come to this place: the wind-swept Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.”
Of course if you drive about an hour and a half west from Haifa (or even a lot less), you’ll actually end up in the Mediterranean Sea: the Golan Heights are to the east/north-east of Haifa.
Daniel Pipes: What Actually Causes American Fear of Islam and Muslims?
An ambitious 81-page document, Fear, Inc. 2.0: The Islamophobia Network's Efforts to Manufacture Hate in America, just appeared from the Center for American Progress, a liberal Democratic organization. Unlike its first iteration, in which a group with a $40-million annual budget and deep ties to big business had the nerve to claim that seven much smaller institutions were overpowering the country through their financial clout, this one looks at what the alleged "Islamophobia network" actually does.
The report, written by Matthew Duss, Yasmine Taeb, Ken Gude, and Ken Sofer, makes for interesting reading. Its premise is that critics of Islamism (1) are really anti-Islamic and (2) have single-handedly distorted a the fundamental American value, namely a "basic respect for the rights of minority groups throughout the country." According to the CAP study, "the views of anti-Muslim actors stand in stark contrast to the values of most Americans."
By dint of hard work, however, "a well-funded, well-organized fringe movement can push discriminatory policies against a segment of American society by intentionally spreading lies while taking advantage of moments of public anxiety and fear." This effort "takes many shapes and forms": a general climate, cynical political efforts, and institutional policies. Despite some setbacks, continues the CAP narrative, the network's efforts "continue to erode America's core values of religious pluralism, civil rights, and social inclusion."
Those fingered as part of this network (I am one) should be perversely proud of our accomplishment: Just a handful of lying individuals manage to subvert a core American value – and all this with what CAP itself estimated to be less than $5 million a year!
Argentina asks Kerry to include 1994 attack in nuke talks
Argentina’ s foreign minister asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to include the 1994 bombing attack on the AMIA Jewish center in the negotiations with Iran.
Hector Timerman on Tuesday sent a letter to Kerry and another to Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Liberman, calling for the attack to be added to the agenda for world powers in their talks with Iran on its nuclear program. The letter noted that similar requests have gone unheeded.
“Today, I am asking you again that the AMIA issue be included in the negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the letter urged.
On Tuesday, Timerman summoned the U.S. ambassador to Buenos Aires, Noah Mamet, and Israel’s ambassador, Dorit Shavit, to a meeting in which they were informed of the letter.
The letter also discussed the current allegations against Timerman, who is Jewish, and Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who are accused of covering up Iran’s involvement in the bombing in order to normalize trade relations with Iran.
Anti-Israel Activists Force Shutdown of Israeli Arms Factory in the UK
Anti-Israel activists forced the shutdown of an Israeli-owned arms factory in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, claiming the company helped build drones used in Israel’s recent war against Hamas terrorists aimed at halting rocket fire from Gaza, the International Business Times reported.
Several anti-Israel demonstrators climbed the roof of the Instro Precision building in Broadstairs, Kent and hung banners declaring “Stop Elbit” and “Elbit Drones Murder!” referring to Instro’s owner Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defense company.
Palestinian flags were also held up, as well as a sign that read “Stop arming Israel.” Among the demonstrators on the ground was one chained to the factory’s fence, IBT noted.
The factory, which employs around 70 people, has been closed since the protest started early Tuesday morning, IBT said.
Stanford senate passes Israel divestment measure
The Undergraduate Senate of Stanford University passed an Israel divestment bill Tuesday that had been defeated last week.
The resolution calls for Stanford University trustees to divest from companies that “violate international humanitarian law by: maintaining illegal infrastructure of the Israeli occupation… facilitating Israel and Egypt’s collective punishment of Palestinian civilians… [and] facilitating state repression against Palestinians by Israeli, Egyptian or Palestinian Authority security forces.”
On February 11 Stanford students voted on a resolution that called for the university to cease investing in companies that operate out of the West Bank and Gaza. That measure was struck down when it failed to pass the necessary 66 percent of the vote, garnering just 64% with nine votes for, five against and one abstention.
Two student senators requested a motion to reconsider the resolution, saying the anti-divestment bloc had created a hostile environment that prevented them from voting “with clarity,” the group Stanford Out of Occupied Palestine said in a press release.
When that motion was approved and votes were recast Tuesday, the measure to divest from companies with holdings over the Green Line was passed with 10 students voting for the resolution, four against and two abstaining.
IsraellyCool: Richard Silverstein Bashes Jewish Reporter Who Was Harassed In France
Yesterday, I posted the video 10 Hours of Walking In Paris As A Jew by Israel journalist Zvika Klein. While the results were predictable, they were still disturbing.
Also predictable yet disturbing is the reaction to this video of anti-Israel blogger Richard Silverstein,. who characterized it as a “provocation” and “Islamphobic”, while bashing Jews and Israelis.
I kid you not.
BBC 'Laying Holocaust to Rest' Saga Heats Up
One intrepid student is continuing his quest to demand the BBC redress its offensive TV show broadcast last month two days before International Holocaust Memorial Day, in which it asked "is it time to lay the Holocaust to rest?"
Joshua Eibelman, a junior at Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts, launched a petition demanding the BBC renounced the controversial episode of its debate show "The Big Questions." The petition has been endorsed by CAMERA, as well as Christians and Jews United for Israel (CUFI), and just this week it finally got a response from the British media giant's complaints team.
Eibelman told Arutz Sheva that the response included the following explanation by Jill Robinson, editor of the program.
"We did not suggest that people should stop actively remembering the Holocaust but asked whether the time would come to lay it to rest - as will be done with World War One after the centenary of its end," claimed Robinson. "Laying to rest is not the same thing as forgetting, it is something that is done with respect and with a view to striving towards reconciliation with the traumas of the past."
Robinson's response continued "that doesn’t mean you don’t remember it at all but how you remember it and whether you widen the day to cover other victims and other genocides becomes very relevant, as do religious ideas of forgiveness, truth and reconciliation."
The response calling for forgiveness of the genocidal Nazi regime and relegating the Holocaust to the annals of history in the background of other atrocities was unacceptable for Eibelman,
who has taken his case to the next level by appealing to the BBC Trust Editorial Committee.
Hamas warns Italy not to embark on Libyan 'Crusade'
A senior member of Palestinian Islamic group Hamas, Salah Bardawil, on Tuesday warned Italy not to embark on a military intervention in Libya, saying this would be considered "a new Crusade against Arab countries and Muslims". Last week Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that Italy was ready to participate in a United Nations-mandated operation in Libya, amid concerns about advances made by jihadists linking themselves to the ISIS Islamist group. But on Monday Premier Matteo Renzi ruled out an Italian operation in Libya for the time being and called for calm after the beheading of a group of Egyptian Copts in Libya on Sunday and threats that ISIS was now "south of Rome".
In response to the tensions, Italy closed its embassy in Libya and brought back about 60 Italians early Monday.
Bardawil was quoted by the Palinfo agency as warned "some countries, such as Italy" against using the "excuse of fighting terrorism" to meddle in Libya.
Gazans Stranded In Egypt Demand Abbas Intervene To Re-Open Rafah Crossing
Gazans stranded in Egypt have called on PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the PA ambassador to Egypt Jamal al-Shubaki to appeal to Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah border crossing into the Gaza strip, the Alresalah website reported.
Dozens of Gazan families, have been stuck in the Cairo International Airport for 20 days so far, waiting for the crossing to open, an eyewitness said.
The Egyptian government has accused Gaza’s Hamas rulers of collaboration with the ISIS-related terrorists in the Sinai, which have been clashing with Egyptian forces—hence the closing of the border crossing and the suspension in Egypt of Gazans wishing to return to Gaza.
The stranded passengers are demanding that al-Shubaki intervene, expressing their anger over the silence of the Palestinian Authority embassy in Cairo.
Naturally, the PA embassy is owned and operated by Hamas’ enemies in Ramallah, who are less than eager to make life easier for their nemesis. So the Gazan passengers stay stranded.
UAE Sends Troops To Help Jordan Fight Free Speech (satire)
After a lull in military moves by the United Arab Emirates, Jordanian and Emirati officials confirmed today that the two countries would run joint operations to roll back some of the recent gains by free-expression advocates.
Emirati air force pilots began running sorties from Jordan again this week, formally reintroducing the use of force by both nations to check the expansion of the threat. Representatives of both governments stressed the danger that freedom of expression poses to stability in both kingdoms, as well as in the Middle East at large, and that strong measures were necessary to ensure that it never gains a permanent foothold in the sensitive region.
Just last week, Jordanian authorities prosecuted a man for speaking against the UAE. “We cannot allow the scourge of people speaking their minds undermine those who legitimately usurped power over them decades ago,” said a spokesman for King Abdullah II, whose rule is based on British conquerors granting his great-grandfather and namesake control over portions of the Ottoman Empire they wrested from that dying power in 1918. “A country that allows its citizens to criticize the government, or that of important allies, grants those citizens power they are ill-equipped to use responsibly. What comes next – giving them the power to vote their leaders out of office?” he added rhetorically.
Hezbollah Chief Urges Middle East Unity in Anti-ISIS Fight, Accuses CIA And Israel's Mossad Of Backing ISIS
The leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah urged the Middle East to unite and join the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL) in Iraq and Syria.
Shiite Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah made those comments on Monday during a televised speech to supporters in southern Beirut, according to various media outlets.
The Hezbollah leader claimed that the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, the CIA, and British intelligence, are backing ISIS, a Sunni jihadists group.
“We call on the people and governments of the region in order to work together to confront the takfiri threat. We are all capable of defeating this threat and those who stand behind this threat, whether it be [Israeli] Mossad, the [American] CIA, or the British intelligence,” proclaimed the Hezbollah leader.
In Arabic, takfiri refers to a Muslim who accuses a fellow Muslim of apostasy — renouncing the tenets of Islam.
Leading Lebanese Journalist Ibrahim Al-Amin: Hizbullah Has an Unsettled Account with the CIA


Hezbollah chief admits his group's presence in Iraq for first time
Lebanon’s Shi'ite movement Hezbollah is fighting the Islamic State, its chief, Hassan Nasrallah, revealed in a speech to supporters in southern Beirut, AFP reported on Monday.
“We may not have spoken about Iraq before, but we have a limited presence because of the sensitive phase that Iraq is going through,” Nasrallah said in reference to ongoing clashes between Iraqi troops, several militias and Kurdish forces against ISIS.
Hezbollah is already fighting in Syria, alongside President Bashar Assad’s forces.
Nasrallah’s speech comes two days after his leading Lebanese opponent, Saad Hariri, called on Hezbollah to withdraw from Syria.
“I say to those who call on us to withdraw from Syria, let’s go together to Syria,” said Nasrallah.
“I say, come with us to Iraq, and to any place where we can fight this threat that is threatening our (Muslim) nation and our region,” he added.
Nearly 100 Killed in Clashes Between Hezbollah, Syrian Rebels
Nearly 100 fighters on both sides have been killed in a week of fighting in southern Syria between regime forces and rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday.
The army, backed by fighters from Lebanon's powerful Shiite group Hezbollah, began an offensive at the beginning of the week in Daraa, the province bordering Israel that was the cradle of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
Regime forces had indicated that the operation was aimed at "breaking the band of territory (the rebels) are trying to create" along the border.
At least 50 rebels were killed and 43 soldiers, members of Hezbollah, Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Syrian pro-regime militia, according to the Britain-based monitor, which has a network of civilian, medical and military sources across Syria.
Report: Yes, Iraq Had Chemical Weapons -- And The CIA Bought Them
A new report by the New York Times revealed that the United States did in fact find large amounts of chemical weapons in Iraq—and not just the ones previously declared to the UN. We know because we repeatedly purchased "hundreds" of illegal nerve-agent weapons from an Iraqi seller in order to “quietly” take them off the market.
The chemical weapon confiscation program, which the NYT calls the “most significant recovery of chemical weapons until that point in the Iraq War,” began in 2005 and continued into 2006, resulting in hundreds of confiscated weapons:
"The Central Intelligence Agency, working with American troops during the occupation of Iraq, repeatedly purchased nerve-agent rockets from a secretive Iraqi seller, part of a previously undisclosed effort to ensure that old chemical weapons remaining in Iraq did not fall into the hands of terrorists or militant groups, according to current and former American officials.
The extraordinary arms purchase plan, known as Operation Avarice, began in 2005 and continued into 2006, and the American military deemed it a nonproliferation success. It led to the United States’ acquiring and destroying at least 400 Borak rockets, one of the internationally condemned chemical weapons that Saddam Hussein’s Baathist government manufactured in the 1980s but that were not accounted for by United Nations inspections mandated after the 1991 Persian Gulf war."
ISIS Arrests Woman over Exposed Eyes
The Islamic State’s (ISIS/ISIL) established “morality police” reportedly attacked a woman in eastern Syria because her eyes were exposed.
Women under the caliphate must dress conservatively, following the protocols issued in various ISIS publications concerning the behavior of women. This includes a full face veil. The majority of women shown in pictures and videos are covered from head to toe in all black. The ISIS morality gangs in Albuhamai, Syria, found a woman wearing a full face veil that they deemed to have left her eyes too exposed. The police also arrested two men who attempted to protect her.
In July, the jihadists passed extreme restrictions on women. A full-face veil is required, and the hands and feet must be covered. Females must not wear clothes that “hug the body.”
Obama Condemns Random Attack on Random Egyptian Citizens
It’s astonishing how far the Obama administration will go to avoid saying those certain words: not only do they refuse to identify the attackers as Muslims, they won’t identify the victims as Christians.
Funny how he had no problem specifically mentioning Christians when he was talking about the crusades.
According to a new CNN/ORC poll, the American people are becoming concerned about the Obama administration’s handling of ISIS—and honestly, who can blame them?
State Dept: ‘We Cannot Kill Our Way’ to Victory Against the Islamic State
Over the weekend, the Islamic State (IS) released a video of more gruesome beheadings of Egyptian men.
In retaliation, the Egyptian government increased the amount of its airstrikes against IS.
State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the coalition airstrikes are killing lots of IS fighters.
“We cannot win this war by killing them. We cannot kill our way out of this war,” Harf said. Harf believes the medium to long-term solution to winning the war on IS is to look for the root of what is causing these people to become radicalized.
Harf also went on to say that she believes it is happening in prisons and due to growing frustration over the lack of opportunity for jobs.


State Department spokeswoman digging hole to rival the Grand Canyon
The internet, having seen the idiocy in action, responded accordingly. Ms. Harf responded by grabbing the biggest shovel she could find and dug with the fury of 1,000 waffling diplomats. She went so far as to quote… George W. Bush?
First, she blasted a link that touts the UN sanctions against ISIL—and we all know how effective sanctions are… Right, Iran?
Then, she tweeted where she lifted her talking points; a CNN article from 2008.
In what appears to be a rogue move, Harf completely disregarded the blanket, “always blame W” memo by using one of his many speeches to justify her stance. A speech that he gave in Mexico. In 2002.
These Are The 12 Top #JobsForISIS
The U.S.-led coalition is killing ISIS members, Harf said Monday night on MSNBC. “But we cannot win this war by killing them. We need to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it’s lack of opportunity for jobs, whether …”
MSNBC host Chris Matthews interrupted Harf to point out “there’s always going to be poor Muslims.”
But Harf doubled down, arguing the U.S. should “help them build their economies so they can have job opportunities for these people.”
Here are twelve jobs Twitter users suggest the U.S. offer ISIS to stop them from beheading people:
4. Replace Jon Stewart
5. Obama’s security detail
7. Help Obama find his balls
Teacher fined for posting pro-Hitler image on Facebook aimed at Jews
A teacher has been fined after pleading guilty to posting a pro-Hitler image on Facebook.
Mahmudul Choudhury, a 35-year-old father of two, admitted the racially-aggravated offence aimed at Jews.
He shared a photo of the former Nazi leader on Facebook, which had the words "Yes man, you were right. I could have killed all the Jews, but I left some of them to let you know why I was killing them. Share this picture to tell the truth a whole world".
Accompanying the image, Choudhury wrote: "Yes, now we can see why."
The teacher was reported to police by a Jewish student he taught who he had previously added as a friend on Facebook.
Choudhury, from Tower Hamlets, was told at Bromley Magistrates' Court that he might face losing his job over the incident as he is still employed as a teacher.
Magistrates fined him £465 and ordered he pay £85 costs and a £47 victim surcharge.
Jewish Tombstones Desecrated in New Zealand
A swastika was painted on a headstone and two other headstones were knocked over and broken in an anti-Semitic attack at a cemetery in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The vandalism was discovered Saturday at the Jewish section of the Southern Cemetery, reports the New Zealand Herald.
Constable Greg Marsden said two headstones had been hit with so much force that they “have broken in half”.
The third headstone had a swastika painted on it.
“It is a desecration,” he said, adding, “I would prefer to think it wasn't [a racially motivated attack], and that it was just a childish act ... but it is a fairly nasty incident.”
Report Says Dramatic Rise in Wisconsin Antisemitic Incidents; Data Released Day After Major Graffiti Spree in Madison
Antisemitic incidents in the state of Wisconsin more than doubled in 2014 compared to reports seen in recent decades, according to an annual audit released late last week, a day after widespread antisemitic vandalism was reported in the state’s capital Madison.
The report noted 33 confirmed incidents of antisemitism last year compared with 13 a year earlier. It detailed acts of vandalism, hate group activity, discrimination, harassment and incidents involving school students. The recorded occurrences included the daubing of a number of swastikas on public and private property, and harassment of Jewish middle and high school students.
The audit was released by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council, and all incidents were corroborated and reviewed by three separate panels in the Council, according to the organization.
Italian town makes Himmler its poster boy in tourism brochure
The town’s new brochure tells the story of Alar I, king of the Germanic Visigoths who invaded Italy and sacked Rome in 410 CE. Shortly after, Alar found himself in Cosenza, where he met an unexpected death. According to legend, he was buried in the town’s Busenzo River with his many treasures.
According to legend, chief among Alar’s loot was the golden menorah brought from Jerusalem by the Romans after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
Throughout the centuries, many people have tried to locate Alar’s exact burial location — and booty.
As proud Aryans, the Nazi regime took a particular interest in history and myths related to the Germanic peoples of Roman times.
As the brochure reads, “in 1937, the year when the legend of Alar hit the highest popularity, Himmler, commander of the Nazi SS, promoted excavations [in Cosenza to find Alar’s grave], but in vain.”
Although the text offers no other detail about Himmler’s story or role, the SS commander’s image dominates the brochure and is placed next to the headline.
Organizer of anti-Semitic rally in London arrested for abusive tweets
The organizer of a planned far-right protest of the “Jewification of Great Britain” was arrested for posting a series of allegedly abusive tweets aimed at a British Parliament member.
Joshua Bonehill-Paine, 22, was apprehended Friday for allegedly writing anti-Semitic tweets to Luciana Berger of the Labor Party. Berger is a former director of the Labor Friends of Israel parliamentary group.
A Scotland Yard spokesman told the Jewish Chronicle that Bonehill-Paine was arrested for “two visual and written publications on the Internet.” He has since been released on bail.
Berger, who represents a Liverpool district, said in December that she had been the target of 2,500 hateful tweets in three days.
Bonehill-Paine, a self-described “Nationalist, Fascist and supporter of White Rights,” denied the allegations on Monday.
Nano-Textile files to raise $3m on Wall Street
Nano-Textile has filed to raise $3 million on Wall Street's OTC (over-the-counter) market at a company value of $11 million. Based in Nahariya in northern Israel, the company will issue 30million shares at $0.10 each including an offer to sell 21.1 million shares for $2.1 million by all the company's shareholders.
The company was founded in December 2013 as bacterial Textiles and changed its name to Nano-Textiles in September 2014. The company has developed an anti-bacterial solution for the textiles industry.
Last June, the company signed a licensing agreement with the R&D arm of Bar Ilan University whichholds a patent related to the production process for the textile industry (primarily discovery of a particular chemical for use in the process) developed by Prof. Aharon Gedanken.
Nano-Textile has developed textiles for hospital bed linen and for the clothing of medical staff and patients. The aim is to prevent bacterial infections in hospitals. In the US alone 1.7 million pick up infections each year in hospitals.
SoftBank, Akamai invest in mobile broadband tech developer Saguna Networks
SoftBank Ventures Korea (SBVK) and Akamai Technologies are investing in Saguna Networks, a company which focuses on making mobile broadband faster, simpler and more economical.
The investment, announced on Thursday, will give Israel-based firm Saguna Networks the capital required to expand its presence in North America, Asia and Europe as well as accelerate product development.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Saguna Networks is the developer of an open cloud computing platform within the Radio Access Network (RAN). The Saguna CODS Mobile Edge Computing platform improves mobile network speeds while "improving network economics and reducing congestion," according to the company. The platform creates fast-track connections between Internet content providers and web applications, and provides firms with real-time traffic feedback.
Israeli Researchers Develop First-Ever Thunderstorm Map
New research by an Israeli researcher will likely be crucial to measuring the impact of climate change on thunderstorms. The varying frequency and intensity of thunderstorms have direct repercussions for the public, agriculture, and industry.
To draft a global thunderstorm map, Prof. Colin Price of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Geosciences and TAU graduate student Keren Mezuman used a vast global network of 70 weather stations capable of detecting radio waves produced by lightning — the main feature of a thunderstorm — from thousands of miles away. Prof. Price, whose new map of thunderstorms around the world is the first of its kind, said, “We want to use our algorithm to determine how climate change will affect the frequency and intensity of thunderstorms. According to climate change predictions, every one percent rise in global temperature will lead to a 10 percent increase in thunderstorm activity. This means that we could see 25 percent more lightning by the end of the century.”
Prof. Price and his team registered the exact GPS time of every detected lightning pulse every hour. The researchers grouped the detected flashes into clusters of thunderstorm cells. “When we clustered the lighting strikes into storm cells, we found that there were around 1,000 thunderstorms active at any time somewhere on the globe,” said Prof. Price. “How lightning will be distributed in storms, and how the number and intensity of storms will change in the future, are questions we are working on answering.”
Israeli start-up to stream games to Samsung Smart TVs
Israeli cloud gaming platform firm Playcast has announced a deal in which its games will be available to buyers of Samsung Smart TVs, allowing customers to play games from such top makers as Electronic Arts, Namco Bandai, Disney, Sega, Square Enix, Konami and others without the use of a console.
“With Playcast, we can provide our customers with the convenience and instant gratification of playing popular video games directly from their Samsung Smart TV,” said Young Chan Kim, vice president of Samsung Electronics. “Playcast’s technology enables Samsung to get the best out of its screen, utilizing Playcast¹s powerful cloud presence worldwide.”
Caesarea-based Playcast takes commercial games – like Sega’s Sonic Generations, the latest offspring of Sonic the Hedgehog – that are usually played on a console, and streams them to other devices, like televisions. Players will be able to interact with games using a mouse or gamepad connected to the TV’s USB port. Over 70 games suitable for younger kids, older kids and adults will be available, according to Samsung.
The games will be available beginning in the second quarter of 2015, and will be compatible with select Samsung Smart TV models. It will be initially available to viewers in Brazil, Canada, Israel, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.