Soldier critically hurt by Gaza gunman * 20 dead trying to flee Taliban * Israel to lower army exemption age for ultra-Orthodox * COVID test chaos * A tour guide’s plea

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Sunday, August 22, 2021 [Soldier critically hurt in Gaza border shooting identified as Barel Shmueli, 21]( By [TOI staff]( [Border Police officer in intensive care in serious condition after surgery, hospital says; he was shot in head during riots on Gaza border]( [After soldier shot on Gaza border, PM vows to ‘settle the score’ with attackers]( By [TOI staff]( [IDF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza in response to shooting of soldier at border]( By [Emanuel Fabian, Aaron Boxerman and Judah Ari Gross]( [‘I was wrong’: Anguished nurses tell of unvaccinated patients’ deathbed regrets]( By [TOI staff]( [‘Their eyes bulge out of their sockets as they try to get more oxygen’: In TV interviews, nurses at Beilinson hospital despair that people still refusing COVID-19 vaccine]( [TV: High dose of Israeli-made vaccine appears to give long-lasting protection]( By [TOI staff]( [Tech issues cause chaos at serological, rapid COVID testing facilities]( By [TOI staff]( [Long lines and delays mar first day of national serological testing program for children ages 3-12 to prepare for the upcoming school year]( [Health chief says Israel may limit family gatherings on Rosh Hashanah]( By [TOI staff]( Photo essay [20 years in Afghanistan, through conflict and chaos, horrors and fragile hope]( By [AP]( [An extraordinary collection of photographs track two decades — from when US forces entered the country until the now-imminent completion of their withdrawal]( [823 Afghan refugees crammed into US plane — 183 more than previously thought]( By [AFP and AP]( [Death toll of those attempting to flee Taliban via Kabul airport rises to 20]( By [ahmad seir, TAMEEM AKHGAR and Jon Gambrell]( [Fighters opposing the Taliban recapture several rural districts north of Kabul, as the White House asks commercial airlines to help transport refugees]( [US taking fresh precautions at Kabul airport evacuation amid IS threat]( By [ahmad seir, Rahim Faiez, KATHY GANNON and Lolita C. Baldor]( [In Kabul, a fearful wait for US to deliver on evacuation vow]( By [ahmad seir, Rahim Faiez, KATHY GANNON and Cara Anna]( Live updates [LIVE: In compromise, ministers lower IDF exemption age for Haredi students to 21]( By [Michael Bachner]( [Move means it will be easier for yeshiva students to avoid army service; but threshold will rise to 23 within 3 years, in attempt to have more ultra-Orthodox enlist, join workforce]( ToI podcast [TOI staff]( [Daily Briefing Aug 22 – Israel races to beat COVID comeback before Rosh Hashanah]( [Health and science correspondent Nathan Jeffay makes sense of current coronavirus stats; Paralympics reporter Amy Spiro guides us on which Israeli athletes to watch in Tokyo Games]( Top Ops [Tuvia Book]( [When will Israel reopen for incoming tourism?]( [If Greece and Italy can figure out how to let tourists visit safely, why can’t the startup nation? Israel’s tour guides are suffering]( [Daoud Kuttab]( [Jailed 5 years with no trial: My questions for Mohammed Halabi’s prosecutor]( [The former World Vision director in Gaza has maintained he’s innocent of funneling millions to Hamas. Where is Israel’s evidence against him?]( [After criticism of US trip, minister reveals she went to meet her surrogate baby]( By [TOI staff]( [Merav Michaeli faced backlash over her travel against government recommendations, but censure stops as she shares news of her new child, Ori]( [Far-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir hospitalized for COVID complications]( By [TOI staff]( [As Meron probe opens hearings, top police officer laments years of ‘neglect’]( By [TOI staff and AP]( [Northern district chief says failure to impose caps on attendance was itself driven by safety concerns, as barricades could cause ‘bottlenecks and much greater disasters’]( [Vowing to reject Holocaust ‘distortion,’ Dani Dayan appointed head of Yad Vashem]( By [TOI staff]( [Former Israeli consul-general to New York says he’s taking on role with ‘awe and reverence’; appointment comes at key time for Holocaust remembrance amid spat with Poland]( [Jewish man hit, knocked unconscious in apparent antisemitic attack in London]( By [TOI staff]( [CRM]( [Clip shows brother of fleeing Afghan president pledge allegiance to Taliban]( By [TOI staff]( [Hashmat Ghani reportedly announces his support for insurgent group in presence of one of America’s most wanted terrorists, Khalil Haqqani]( [As Taliban parades captured weapons, US still trying to gauge scope of damage]( By [TOI staff and AFP]( [Who’s who among Afghanistan’s secretive new Taliban rulers]( By [AFP]( [Taliban image said to mock iconic photo of US flag-raising on Iwo Jima]( By [TOI staff and Agencies]( [Elite commando unit, seemingly sporting advanced military gear, raises white flag of the militant group]( [‘Imbecilic’: Ex-UK PM Blair slams West’s ‘dangerous abandonment’ of Afghanistan]( By [Joe JACKSON]( [US advises citizens to avoid Kabul airport amid ‘potential security threats’]( By [AP and TOI staff]( [Iran says it is expanding defense beyond borders, will continue missile program]( By [TOI staff and Agencies]( [Statement seen as message of deterrence to West, as Europe warns of nuclear deal violations and the likelihood of renewed accord fades]( [Iran daily COVID deaths hit new record high after restrictions lifted]( By [AFP]( [Healing Ink offers free tattoos to those affected by Tree of Life shooting]( By [David Rullo]( [The initiative brings local artists and ‘heavy hitters’ from around the tattoo world together on October 3-4 to help victims of the 2018 synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh]( More Headlines [Claims swirl around academic Ariely after honesty study found to be dishonest]( By [TOI staff]( [Israeli high jumper wins gold at under-20 world championships]( By [TOI staff]( [Knesset speaker: ‘The budget will pass — we have 61 votes, maybe 62’]( By [TOI staff]( [Mansour Abbas: ‘Cheap political shot’ to call Ra’am threat to national security]( By [TOI staff]( [Unsubscribe from this List]( Email not displaying correctly? 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