High temperatures and dry conditions have led to a series of blazes in open areas throughout Israel.

Police arrest three Arabs suspected of setting fire to open area in Jerusalem.

A large forest fire broke out near the town of Tel Shahar. Six fire and rescue teams and three firefighting planes were rushed to the scene, and are working to stop the fire and prevent its spread. At this stage there is no danger to the town itself.

The Israeli conductor and music director Menashe Lev Ran has passed away at the age of 77. Minister Orit Strock paid tribute to him: "Menasha, the recipient of the Uri Orbach Award for Jewish Culture, left us today. I thank God for allowing me to give him the award he so deserved, when he was still here with us."

The rabbinical committee headed by Rabbi Yaakov Ariel will meet as planned this coming Sunday to select the Religious Zionism candidate for the position of Ashkenazi chief rabbi. The committee will also discuss the various legislations proposed to change the age limit for running for the position of chief rabbi.

'I expect and hope to end my term, and to focus In Torah and service of G-d,' Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef says.

Ambassador Amy Guttman has added her family, who survived the Holocaust, to the Stolperstine memorial, bringing it to 100,000 names.

The Israel Electric Company has resorted to self-initiated power outages in several areas throughout the country due to an unusual load In the electrical grid.