News in Brief

Hollywood director Oliver Stone has made a second apology for comments that were widely seen as anti-Semitic, after the Anti-Defamation League deemed his first apology inadequate. Initially, Stone apologized only for telling the Sunday Times of London that the Holocaust is always presented from a Jewish perspective due to "Jewish domination of the media." The new apology, according to the U.S.-based Jewish organization, added: "It was wrong of me to say that Israel or the pro-Israel lobby is to blame for America's flawed foreign policy. Of course that's not true and I apologize that my inappropriately glib remark has played into that negative stereotype." (Natasha Mozgovaya )

The Orthodox rabbis who called for embracing homosexual Jews received hundreds of responses yesterday, ranging from enthusiasm to rage. The rabbis formulated a document saying gay Jews and their children must be accepted as equals, even though Jewish law categorically forbids gay sex. The initiative for the document came from Orthodox rabbis in the United States, but several Israeli rabbis joined in. They include Efrat's Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Yuval Cherlow of the Tzohar movement, David Bigman and Benny Lau. "This document will help numerous people," Lau said. "But this is no revolution." He said awareness of the gay issue has been rising for the past decade. (Yair Ettinger )

They may be hot, crowded and swarming with jellyfish, but Tel Aviv beaches are apparently a world-class asset. National Geographic yesterday published a list of the world's 10 best beach cities and rated Tel Aviv alongside Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Nice (on the French riviera ) and Cape Town. The prestigious magazine's article says: "Call it Miami Beach on the Med. Tel Aviv is the Dionysian counterpart to religious Jerusalem. In the 'bubble,' as it's known for its inhabitants' tendency to tune out regional skirmishes, some restaurants, discos, and clubs are open until dawn. By day, the scene shifts to the city's promenade and eight miles (13 kilometers ) of beach literally steps from town." (Zafrir Rinat )

The Water Authority will launch a national water-saving campaign on Sunday in which three companies will distribute water-saving taps and shower heads to every household. The campaign is to last about three months, during which two million of the devices will be distributed. The companies that won the tender to distribute the devices have undertaken to buy them only from companies whose products meet the authority's water-saving requirements. The companies will offer to install three water-saving devices on showers and taps, which can cut the amount of water coming out by a third. (Zafrir Rinat )

Temperatures are expected to rise all over the country today and tomorrow, the Meteo-Tech weather forecasting company said. Tel Aviv and the coastal plain are expected to be very hot and humid - 32 degrees with 60 percent humidity. The mountainous and inland areas will be hotter and drier than usual, with temperatures rising to 34 degrees in Jerusalem and Safed and 43 degees in the Arava and Eilat. The heat wave is expected to continue through the beginning of next week, but will ease a bit in the middle of the week, a company meteorologist said. The Health Ministry urged people to drink lots of water, wear sunglasses and a hat and avoid unnecessary physical effort. Elderly people and babies should stay in air-conditioned places most of the day. (Asaf Shtull-Trauring and Dan Even )