Free Republic

Archaeologists in Israel announced Sunday that they had uncovered a 5,000-year-old city north of Tel Aviv. It is the largest Bronze Age urban area found in the region to date and could fundamentally change ideas of when sophisticated urbanization began taking place in the area, they said. Israel's Antiquities Authority said in a Facebook post that the city was discovered at the En Esur excavation site during road works near Harish, a town some 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Tel Aviv. The archaeologists described the city as "cosmopolitan and planned." It covered 65 hectares (160 acres) and was home...

The government took another step toward solving the housing crisis on Sunday, as Minister of the Interior Eli Yishai signed off on a building plan for the city of Harish that will include 8,800 new housing units, which are to be marketed to young couples in the hareidi-religious community. Construction on some housing units will begin within weeks. The plan also includes space for businesses, public buildings and schools. One Member of Knesset was not pleased with the new plan. MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) accused the government of “widening the city of Harish and suffocating Arab towns in Wadi Ara.”...

fundraiser held by Indian-American businessmen three days before Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges emerged Friday as a potentially key event in the federal investigation into whether he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat. Questions are being raised about last Saturday's event for Blagojevich because Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s brother, Jonathan, was among those attending. The Indian community has a long history of supporting the Jackson family's political aspirations, and the congressman has been clear about his interest in succeeding Obama.