Hi, welcome to the Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. It is Sunday, January 4th, and I'm Jessica Steinberg.

I'm speaking today with Diaspora Affairs reporter Zev Stubb and health editor Diana Bledder. Hi, good morning to you both.

Good morning, Jessica. Good morning, Chavua Tov. It is day 821 of the war. Following the capture of Venezuela

leader Nicholas Maduro and his wife, Foreign Minister Guidon Saar declared that the U.S.

acted as, quote, the leader of the free world, expressing hope that Jerusalem and Krakis can

reestablish ties. Last night, at anti-government protests in Tel Aviv's Habim Square,

others also gathered in Haifa in Jerusalem to mark three years since the government's judicial

overhaul. At the Tel Aviv protest, former Chief Justice Aharon Barak said in a video message

telling anti-government protesters that Israel was no

longer a liberal democracy. Meanwhile in the South, ralliers gathered in two different locations

calling for the release of the captive body, a fallen police officer Ron Greeley, demanding

his body be brought home before any progression to the second stage

of the ceasefire deal. We will look at some other topics today, including Spain's trade

restrictions against Israel that Zev reported on last week. Israeli immigration, as well as immigration

to Israel, what's going on with those numbers, the

struggles, the ongoing struggles in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona from Diana, and the latest,

some of the latest in Israeli science and research. Stay with us.

This is Israel's story.

He could feel the ticking of the clock.

On their nightly debrief calls, General Segev, the military attache, was sounding increasingly anxious.

Both men knew that with each passing day, the window of opportunity was closing.

The Shah's regime was crumbling, and

...