Russian army robs JC’s man at gunpoint

A JC correspondent has been robbed at gunpoint by a Russian soldier while reporting the war in Georgia.

Israel correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, 35, was forced to abandon the hire car he shared with three other Israeli journalists at a checkpoint in the city of Gori when troops began firing shots in the air.

Their Georgian driver fled and one of them was forced from the car as they ran for cover. The soldier then drove away the car, complete with cameras, as they sought refuge in nearby woods.

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Obama gets a kosher boost

US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has promoted his adviser on Jewish and Middle East issues to the position of senior policy adviser and Jewish outreach coordinator.

Daniel Shapiro's appointment has been hailed as an increased effort by Democrat Mr Obama's campaign team to court America's Jewish vote ahead of the country's November general elections.

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He trained his rifle on me but his eyes were on our car

I flew out to cover the war in Georgia but made the news myself when a Russian soldier robbed me at gunpoint

If we had known a few seconds earlier that the young Kalashnikov-toting Russian soldier only wanted to steal our Mercedes, it would all have been much simpler.

But Dato, our Georgian driver, had disappeared. So we were stuck: three Israeli reporters and a photographer, and no shared language with the furious youngster.

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Marry out — but lose your inheritance

If you want to deter your relatives from marrying out, then one way is to disinherit them if they do.

But would it be legal? That is precisely the issue that is being thrashed out in the American courts.

When Chicago dentist Max Feinberg died in 1986, he left a clause in his will stating that any of his descendants - other than his two children -who married out should be considered "deceased" if they married a non-Jew, unless the spouse converted to Judaism "within one year of marriage".

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Iran uses Turkey visit to attack Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seized the opportunity of visiting Istanbul to launch fierce attacks on Israel.

His visit caused diplomatic tensions between Israel and Turkey, which enjoy close relations.

‘"The deep-rooted reason for all the aggressions, oppression and bloodshed in the region is the Zionist regime,'' he said at a press conference as he ended his two-day working visit to Istanbul last week during which he had extensive talks with Turkish leaders on bilateral relations and Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

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Auschwitz site ‘needs £50m refit’

Almost £50 million is needed to preserve buildings at Auschwitz, according to officials maintaining the site.

Museum director Piotr Cywinski has appealed to EU governments to help fund repair work and create new exhibition centres.

The Polish government contributes around 10 million zloty (£2.5m) each year, with foreign contributors donating around 600,000 zloty (£150,000).

Some former barracks buildings require urgent reinforcement, with funds also needed to convert other structures into educational rooms for visitors.

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Iranian leader uses Turkey visit to slam Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seized the opportunity of visiting Istanbul to launch fierce attacks on Israel.

His visit caused diplomatic tensions between Israel and Turkey, which enjoy close relations.

‘"The deep-rooted reason for all the aggressions, oppression and bloodshed in the region is the Zionist regime,'' he said at a press conference as he ended his two-day working visit to Istanbul last week during which he had extensive talks with Turkish leaders on bilateral relations and Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

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German Jewish pundit defends right to call another Jew anti-Semitic

In a scandal unfolding in a Cologne courtroom, a German Jewish journalist is standing up for his right to call another Jew anti-Semitic.

Henryk Broder, acerbic columnist for Der Spiegel magazine and a well-known pro-Israel blogger in Germany, has refused to settle a civil case with Evelyn Hecht-Galinski, daughter of a former leader of Germany's Jewish community, whom he has publicly accused of making anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist statements.

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Agents risk all to rescue Jews from Georgia

Israeli officials and Jewish organisations have been operating deep inside the war-torn provinces of Georgia this week to seek out and rescue Jews caught up in the conflict.

Israel and the Jewish Agency have also been planning an Operation Solomon-style airlift from Georgia in case the fragile ceasefire with Russia fails.

Close to 600 Israeli citizens who were caught in Georgia as fighting broke out in South Ossetia over the weekend were flown out on Tuesday on three specially chartered planes of El Al and Georgian Airlines.

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Backpacker dies as holiday of a lifetime ends in tragedy

A 23-year-old backpacker from Essex has been killed in a quad-bike accident in New Zealand.
Sarah Bond, from Newbury Park,

lost control of the bike near the Waitomo Caves on the North Island and plunged more than 30 metres down a steep bank. She died when the bike landed on top of her.

She had financed her trip by supplementing her full-time job at Barclays Bank with part-time bar work.

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