Daily Briefing Dec. 1: Netanyahu tries to rein in Smotrich; chess games reflect life

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.

Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller-Lynn and investigative and features reporter Inna Lazareva join host Jessica Steinberg for today’s podcast.

Keller-Lynn discusses presumed incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s complex coalition negotiations with Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich, and how Netanyahu is trying to rein in Smotrich on certain issues.

She also talks about why there could be as many as 32 ministries in order to keep the complicated coalition together.

Lazareva looks at the recent world team chess championship held in Israel, which featured the first Israeli woman to captain a local chess team and Ukrainians who most recently were on the battlefield with Russia.

Steinberg speaks about the recently opened Jerusalem Arts campus in downtown Jerusalem, with four arts schools, including the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, and the failed effort to include student dorms on the campus.

Discussed articles include:

Netanyahu, Smotrich said to inch closer to finalizing deal to form government

‘Are you here by mistake?’ Meet the 1st Israeli woman to captain a men’s chess team

Holding Russia in check, Ukrainians look to capture chess glory at Jerusalem tourney

Film school’s second act gives starring role to new downtown Jerusalem arts campus

TICKETS HERE: English screening of Israel’s Oscar pick ‘Cinema Sabaya’ + director interview

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Check out yesterday’s Daily Briefing episode: