Daily Briefing Feb. 3 – No price hikes on Bamba as Osem backs down

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Tech editor Ricky Ben-David and deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan join host Jessica Steinberg.

Ben-David updates us on the latest in the saga of the Israeli company NSO, as the FBI announces it had purchased Pegasus spyware but never used it.

She reflects on the price hike brouhaha this week, as the Finance Ministry chided food industry companies, resulting in at least one of the companies, Osem, putting off its plans to raise prices until after Passover.

Ben-David also discusses why she chose to research and write about the overturning of the Cypriot conviction of a young British woman who was accused of lying about being gang-raped by Israeli tourists.

Borschel-Dan finishes up today’s podcast with a look at two Israeli archaeological research findings, and why they’re significant right now.

Discussed articles include:

FBI admits buying NSO’s Pegasus hacking tool, says it never used it

Finance, economy ministries warn major food companies against price hikes

Osem delays price hikes by 3 months amid boycott calls

Israeli study finds early humans knew to situate hearth in cave’s optimal spot

Scientists find oldest evidence of humans in Israel — a 1.5 million-year-old bone

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