Dune-crash pilots killed

In the second plane crash in as many months, two Israeli Air Force pilots died on Wednesday when their jet crashed into the Negev Desert.

The two pilots were flying in a French-made Fouga Magister, known in the IAF as "Zukit" - the IAF's primary training plane. One of the dead, 19-year-old Ilan Carmi, had been on the prestigious Pilot's Course for the past 18 months. The other pilot was identified as Cpt Matan Assa, 24, who was serving as a flight instructor.

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Barak opposes 'free Shalit' march

Ehud Barak and Noam Shalit, father of captured soldier Gilad, exchanged barbs this week after the defence minister claimed that demonstrations calling for the soldier's release were damaging to negotiations with Hamas that are slated to be renewed in the coming week.

Labour Party leader Mr Barak said on Sunday that he loses sleep at night over the Shalit issue but that the demonstrations could be harmful since Hamas may interpret them as a sign of weakness in Israel and in response increase its demands for the soldier's release.

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Jerusalem mayoral race enters last lap

The Four candidates vying for the job of Jerusalem's mayor in the elections that will take place on November 11 have been finalised.

The two front-runners are MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism (UTJ), representing Jerusalem's strictly Orthodox community, and the independent Nir Barkat, who has led the opposition in Jerusalem's City Hall for the last five years and has emerged as the champion of the secular camp.

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New push in Shalit mediation

In an effort to renew negotiations with Hamas for the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit, Defence Minister Ehud Barak dispatched a senior aide to Cairo this week for talks with Egypt.

Cairo has mediated between Israel and Hamas since Mr Shalit was captured in a cross-border attack in June 2006. Since Israel's prisoner swap with Hizbollah in July, however, talks have been frozen.

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‘Halal beer protects us from Hamas’

The hundreds who flocked to the fourth annual Oktoberfest in Taybeh, near Ramallah, had a choice: the eponymous golden draught beer readily available at discount prices, or a non-alcoholic alternative.

This alcohol-free beverage was "halal" beer, according to the appropriately green (the colour of Islam) label on the bottle.

But it was the booze that was most popular at this event, aimed as much at boosting the spirits of the dwindling local Christian community as at promoting the Taybeh Brewing Company, its sponsor.

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Leviev cuts back on schools

The largest Jewish education network in Europe is to cut back as a result of the global financial crisis.

Or Avner, founded by billionaire Lev Leviev, is to "rationalise" operations due to a shortfall in donations.

Operating more than 100 Jewish schools in Russia, the former Soviet Union, Germany, Israel and the US, it is planning to cut back particularly in places where there are only small communities and little Jewish activity.

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Congress stalls Iran bill

Efforts to approve tougher sanctions against Iran in the last days before Congress ends its term have fallen through due to partisan disagreements and political disputes.

Republicans blocked the bill - composed of two pieces of legislation which had passed in the House of Representatives - from reaching the Senate floor.

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