What's up in Israel?
Beyonce slated to perform in Israel in January
U2, Coldplay coming to Israel
Sacha Baron Cohen to guide the Simpsons around Israel
Israeli scientist helps discover planet 'very similar to Earth'
Beyonce slated to perform in Israel in January
Raz Shechnik
R&B singer joins list of front-liners recently performing Holy Land. Beyonce Knowles on her way to Tel Aviv for three back-to-back concerts in early 2010
Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Leonard Cohen – and now Beyonce. R&B and pop singer Beyonce Knowles is slated to give three performances over three days in Tel Aviv's Nokia Arena in January.
Beyonce is considered the most successful female pop singer in the world alongside Madonna. In the last decade, she has become a steamy fashion icon, a movie star, and an influential figure in American pop culture.
Businessman Kobi Sidi is bringing Beyonce to Israel. Most of the shows' details were agreed upon with the singer's managers while he was at the Las Vegas Wynn Hotel.
"We are close to concluding the final details with Beyonce's managers," Sidi confirmed. "We hope it will end on the best way possible so that the Israeli audience can enjoy a concert from the best singer in the world."
Nokia Arena CEO Nir Perzlina said, "We sent the technical specifications (of the arena) to Beyonce's people. Now it's about the advanced negotiations that are looking very positive."
U2, Coldplay coming to Israel
Raz Shechnik, Ynetnews
Following great success of Madonna concerts, Live Nation announces two popular rock bands to perform in Holy Land some time next summer
Madonna's successful shows in Israel last week have paved the way for more major international artists to follow her lead, and now, Irish rock band U2 and English group Coldplay are expected to perform in the Holy Land next summer.
Both groups are represented by the Live Nation events company, which represents most of the world's leading artists.
The company's heads were amazed by the scope of sales to the Madonna concert – some 100,000 tickets were sold for two shows.
This lead the company to realize that the Israeli public is hungry for concerts and is willing to pay for them.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Coldplay has already agreed to appear in Israel, and even planned on arriving this month, but due to a busy performance schedule, decided to postpone the trip.
Barring any special surprises, Coldplay will perform in Israel some time between May and June, 2010.
US, who appeared in Israel in 1997, is expected to put on another show in the Holy Land some time between June and September 2010.
Shuki Weiss, who collaborates with Live Nation, said, "Live Nation was very impressed with the Israeli audience that swarmed to the Madonna and Depeche Mode concerts. The company now views Israel as an important market.
"The Israeli production is also pleased to learn what a warm and great crowd there is for international shows. We would love to report of future performances when the time comes."
Sacha Baron Cohen to guide the Simpsons around Israel
City Mouse Online
Several episodes of the hit animated series The Simpsons have dealt with Jewish issues, and even the Middle East conflict over the years. However, it wasn't until the series' 21st season that Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie will finally visit Israel and meet a bitter and angry Israeli tour guide, played by Sacha Baron Cohen (whose characters Bruno and Borat have made him a household name.)
In the episode, tentatively set to air in the U.S. on March 28, 2010, the Simpsons find themselves in Israel, and Homer develops Jerusalem Syndrome and becomes convinced that he is the messiah.
Simpsons producer Al Jean told Entertainment Weekly that Baron Cohen will partake in aggressive dialogue with Marge Simpson. "He's trying to get Marge to give him good grades on the comment card, and she goes, 'You people are pushy,' and he goes, 'What do you mean, you people? You try having Syria for a neighbor! What do you have -Canada?'" Jean said in an interview.
The episode, named "The greatest story ever D'ohed," is scheduled to coincide with Palm Sunday. "It'll be a show that all faiths can come together and be offended by," Jean promised fans of the show.
Israeli scientist helps discover planet 'very similar to Earth'
Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent
A team of scientists, including an Israeli researcher, announced the discovery Wednesday of a hitherto unknown planet they described as extremely similar to Earth, some 500 light years from our solar system.
The revelation bolsters the theory that the universe holds billions of planets revolving around stars similar to the Earth's sun.
"Progress in research on planets outside our solar system has been tremendous," said Prof. Zvi Mazeh of Tel Aviv University, who participated in the study. "It's amazing to think that 25 years ago, when I just started becoming interested in the field, not a single planet was known outside of our solar system."
"Now we've been able to discover planetary systems very similar to those of the Earth," Mazeh said. "They are just waiting for us to come discover them." The new planet was found almost accidentally while the team was monitoring another distant planet, TYC 4799-1733-1.
The planet is so distant from Earth that it cannot actually be seen; scientists concluded that it exists based on a small black mark it leaves on its parent star every 20.4 hours.
The newly-discovered planet, named CoRoT-7b, is estimated to have a radius twice that of Earth, but a lower mass.
For months, researchers monitored small changes in the revolution of the parent star with the aid of a highly-advanced instrument operated by the European Southern Observatory, a sprawling observatory located in Chile.
The researchers also discovered another planet, CoRoT-7c, orbiting its parent star in cycles of 3 days, 17 hours, with a mass eight times that of the Earth.
