** No foreign exchange rate will be set tomorrow by the Bank of Israel, 9 Tishrei, erev Yom Kippur.

** Health officials report signs of west nile virus, calling on residents to take steps to prevent attracting infected mosquitoes, including the elimination of staggered bodies of water.

** Suspect in mosque arson case was remanded by a Kfar Saba Magistrate’s Court justice on Thursday for another six days. The suspect, who lives in northern Israel, was arrested hours after the attack in the Shomron city of Ariel.

** The government is to announce a decision for the site of the nation’s second international airport by the end of the month.

** The US dollar close in trading at $1= NIS 3.72.

** Hebron officials report that over 100,000 visitors have come to the Ma’aras HaMachpela since Rosh Chodesh Elul, expecting a full house for Yom Kippur.

** Over 120 olive trees were destroyed in an arson attack in Park Bar-On, near Kedumim in Shomron. Operators of the site report the blaze was started by Arabs, adding this was not the first arson attack against the site. The blaze did not merit being reported in the mainstream Israeli media.

** A motion by anti-Israel elements to have an arrest warrant issued against opposition leader Tzipi Livni, visiting in England was rejected. The state prosecution is reviewing the motion however.

** IDF soldiers in combat positions are offered small premeasured sealed packets of a specially sweetened liquid, permitting them to drink every 10 minutes without ingesting a shiur towards maintaining their fast for those capable of doing so. Frum soldiers generally speak with their rabbonim in advance to know who may attempt to fast and who must drink towards maintaining alert operational status.

** Due to Greece traffic controllers strike, an estimated 1,000 Israelis are stranded in Rhodes with no idea if they will make it home in time for Yom Kippur.

** Two combat reserve duty companies were activated by emergency orders in a response time training event. Soldiers were unaware the call-up was a drill, permitting the military to accurately measure time for response and signing out of equipment towards being combat ready.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)