Haim Yavin, Israel's 'Mr. Television,' Dies at 93

Veteran broadcaster Haim Yavin, known as Israel's 'Mr. Television,' died Wednesday at 93, his family announced. Yavin was a founding figure in Israeli public television and anchored Mabat from its first broadcast in 1968 until 2008, guiding viewers through wars, elections and major national events. He became especially identified with his one-word 'Mahapach' declaration as Menachem Begin's Likud won the 1977 election, ending decades of Labor-aligned rule. A 1997 Israel Prize laureate in communications, Yavin also directed and produced around 100 documentaries; his funeral will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Givat Hashlosha Cemetery.