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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and health and science writer Nathan Jeffay join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Rettig Gur discusses why the architects of the judicial reform, head of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, MK Simcha Rothman Simcha Rothman and Justice Minister Yariv Levin are in such a rush to push through their proposed legislation, and what role President Isaac Herzog can play during the tense discussions taking place and whether he can succeed.

Jeffay looks at scientific research carried out in three very different areas; he explains the work done by a startup lab that has taught rats to detect lung cancer by sniffing urine, and how that process could allay the first stages of cancer detection.

He also talks about certain hair straightening chemicals found to cause kidney failure, now banned in Israel.

Finally, Jeffay looks at high number of nearsightedness cases in Haredi men, presumably due to Talmud study, as those who learn full time pour over columns of small text for hours each day.

Discussed articles include:

The judiciary fight is fueled by deep distrust; that makes compromise elusive

Lab claims it teaches rats to detect lung cancer with 93% accuracy by sniffing urine

Some hair-straightening products can cause kidney failure – pioneering Israeli study

Haredi men three times as likely to be nearsighted, probably due to Talmud study

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IMAGE: From L-R President Isaac Herzog, MK Simcha Rothman, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, National Unity leader Benny Gantz (Flash 90)

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