Free Republic

Jerusalem (CNN)Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been sentenced to eight months in prison for taking cash from an American businessman. He was also fined $25,700. Police said Olmert received the money from 1993 through 2006, during his tenure as Jerusalem's mayor and while holding ministerial positions under former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He took over as prime minister in 2006 after a stroke incapacitated Sharon. The new sentence is in addition to the six years in prison Olmert is already facing for taking bribes related to a controversial Jerusalem housing project -- also while he was mayor. Olmert was...

With votes from 581 of 605 polling stations already counted early Wednesday morning, incumbent Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky was confirmed as its next mayor, leading over runner-up Nir Barkat by some 10 percent. Lupoliansky's election campaign has made history in electing the capital's first haredi mayor in 55 years of Israeli history. Lupolianski, who took over as the city's first haredi mayor four months ago following Ehud Olmert's decision to reenter national politics, received more than 48% of the ballot in these stations. His close forerunner, entrepreneur Barkat, received less than 40 of the ballot. Likud candidate Yigal Amedi received...