Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House Wednesday morning following a full day of meetings with senior Administration officials on Tuesday. Negotiations with the Palestinians and the confrontation with Iran were expected to be high on the meetings agenda.

The city of Nazareth in the Galilee has long been famous for being the place where Jesus Christ grew up, but the modern city of nearly 80,000 mostly Arab residents has been marked by a poor economy (aside from tourism) and poverty. Founders & Coders, a non-profit based in London, UK, recently launched a program to teach residents of Nazareth skills that will help them launch careers in computer programming and software development, in the hopes of boosting economic activity and employment in the city.

BGUSAT, a micro-satellite built by scientists at Ben Gurion University of the Negev and about the size of a milk container, was launched into orbit Wednesday along with 103 similar machines by a PSLV launcher from the Satish Dhawan launching pad in India Wednesday morning. The satellite, which is the result of a five-year collaborative effort by the University, Israel Aerospace Industries and the Science, Technology and Space Ministry, will monitor various environmental phenomenon in order to help predict weather patterns and long-term climate developments.

Residents of and visitors to Jerusalem were rejoicing this week over news that a direct bus line has been established to bring them back and forth from Ben-Gurion International airport. The No. 485 line, which will run every hour, 24 hours a day (except on Shabbat) in both directions, will cost NIS 16 and will be managed by the Afikim Bus Company.

Expectations are high as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for his first meeting with US President Donald Trump. And rightfully so.