Calcalist

The US State Department is making permanent a program requiring visa applicants from 50 countries to deposit a bond of up to $20,000. The new rule takes effect on August 3.

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is considering reducing the number of FOMC meetings where monetary policy is determined. This move would mark a significant shift in the bank's management and transparency.

The USA has banned imports from 43 Chinese companies over allegations of forced labor involving Uyghurs. This marks the largest expansion of the entity list since the law's enactment in 2021.

The US and Japan took coordinated action to support the yen, strengthening the Japanese currency by over 1%. This marks the first joint intervention by Washington and Tokyo in nearly 30 years.

British Petroleum (BP) is putting its North Sea business up for sale, ending 60 years of oil production in the region. The decision is part of the company's strategy to downsize and focus its investment portfolio.

FIFA has officially announced it will not proceed with the sale of a 20% stake in its World Cup management unit following intense backlash from major football associations.

A wildlife zoo in Luohe, China, is hiring employees to dress up as bears and interact with visitors. The role requires no experience and offers a unique opportunity for those looking for a non-traditional job.

The Israeli cyber industry has flocked to Las Vegas for the massive annual Black Hat conference. Experts estimate that one in every four attendees is Israeli, reinforcing the country's status as a global "cyber empire."

OpenAI has lowered the prices of its low- and mid-tier models amid growing competition from Chinese rivals. The cost for the Luna model has been reduced by 80%, while the Terra model saw a 20% price cut.

The new film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has set a historic record in the US, grossing $72 million in advance ticket sales and surpassing "Avengers: Endgame."

The Italian government has suspended free movement arrangements with Spain under the Schengen Agreement. The decision follows the mass crossing of migrants into Ceuta.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against the prediction platform Kalshi. Authorities allege the service operates without a license and functions as an illegal gambling site.

ExxonMobil and Chevron, the two largest US oil companies, reported massive second-quarter profits following a surge in global oil prices driven by the war between the US and Iran.

The G City deal is on the verge of collapse as trust between Chaim Katzman and Tzahi Abu deteriorates rapidly. The parties are in conflict over management control, corporate strategy, and planned executive salary cuts.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a preliminary investigation into 1.2 million Tesla vehicles following reports of suspension failures that could lead to loss of steering control.

Energy giant Shell is selling its 35% stake in the Aphrodite gas field in Cyprus to the Hungarian energy company MOL Group. The deal is valued at up to $720 million.

British retail chain Sainsbury's has announced the sale of Argos for 120 million pounds as part of a strategic shift to focus on its core supermarket business. The deal, expected to close in February, follows the 2016 acquisition of the brand for 1.4 billion pounds.

42 Jerusalem apartment owners have sued the President of the Jerusalem Regional Labor Court, Judge Sarah Breiner. The plaintiffs are seeking to enforce a renewal agreement or obtain 3 million shekels in compensation.

Despite harsh criticism from brand enthusiasts, Ferrari has sold out its entire production allocation for the Ferrari Luce electric vehicle. The majority of sales were recorded in the Chinese market.

Trading in the local foreign exchange market is taking place with slight movements against the backdrop of political developments in the Gaza Strip. Investors are monitoring the disarmament plan for Hamas announced by US President Donald Trump.

Anthropic revealed that its Claude AI models escaped a closed test environment, infiltrating three organizations' systems. The incident stemmed from a configuration failure at the Israeli cybersecurity firm Irregular.

Major companies like Palo Alto Networks and Nvidia continue to hire extensively in Israel despite industry-wide layoffs. The AI revolution is reshaping candidate requirements, emphasizing deep engineering knowledge and proficiency in AI tools.

Professor Anat Gafter-Gvili, the incoming dean of the Tel Aviv University Faculty of Medicine, calls for shortening the medical training path. She emphasizes the need to integrate AI tools into the curriculum.

Elon Musk, who became the first trillionaire in history, responded to an appeal from economist Daron Acemoglu to donate his fortune to charity by 2036. Musk expressed his intention to take such a step.

Most Asian stock exchanges are recording gains following the positive trend on Wall Street. SK Hynix shares are up 25% and Samsung is up 20% following strong reports from major tech companies.

On November 18, 1952, Lieutenant Royce Williams engaged seven Soviet MiG-15s in an uneven air battle. Despite the odds, he downed four aircraft, but the victory was classified for half a century.

Oppo has launched the Find X9 Ultra, a 6,000-shekel flagship featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a Hasselblad camera system, and design elements reminiscent of the iPhone.

Maor Shlomo, the founder of BASE44, has announced the establishment of a private fund to invest in startups developing cancer treatments. The decision follows the personal loss of his mother to the disease.

US economic growth reached 1.5% in the second quarter, missing analyst expectations. Meanwhile, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index fell by 0.1% in June, marking the first decline since 2020.

Human rights organizations and the National Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities have petitioned the Supreme Court. They demand the cancellation of a 500 million shekel budget cut to the 'Takdum' program and its transfer to the Shin Bet.

Israeli chip company Xsight Labs has raised approximately $300 million at a $2.8 billion valuation. This figure is five times higher than its 2021 valuation, driven by strong business growth.

Cybersecurity startup Bloom Security has raised $20 million in a seed round. The company is developing a platform to manage risks associated with autonomous AI agents and extensions running on employee computers.

The Pozis family, controlling shareholders of Novolog, announced plans to replace the board of directors. This move triggered a power struggle and a 16.6% surge in the company's share price.

The Central District Court in Lod has ruled that the acquisition of NSO was an "artificial transaction." The court determined that the loan financing structure was designed to evade 8.6 million dollars in dividend taxes.

Over the past two years, Jager has become a pilgrimage site for meat lovers. The establishment recently opened a branch in the Ramat Aviv Mall, offering an unexpectedly high culinary standard within a food court setting.

Negev Ceramics has returned to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange through a bond issuance, raising 87 million shekels. This marks the company's first appearance on the public market in 14 years.

YouCC, part of the Octally group, is acquiring BLeader. This strategic move strengthens YouCC's position as a leader in cloud transformation, data, AI, and cybersecurity.

Residents of the Tzufim settlement in Samaria have been issued demands to pay 5% of their land's current market value to register their properties. With costs reaching up to 90,000 shekels, many residents are protesting the unexpected financial burden.

The Committee for the Reduction of Concentration has voted against the Shapir Group's acquisition of the Ashdod Oil Refinery (Bazash), citing concerns over excessive economic concentration.

Novolog shares are surging amid a struggle for control. The Movement group has offered a 100 million shekel investment for a 21.34% stake, prompting controlling shareholder Ehud Pozis to attempt to dissolve the board to block the deal.