Parts of Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Lod, Ramle, Kiryat Malachi declared 'restricted zones' for 7 days from Friday 1 p.m.; 1,650 infections recorded in 24 hours, a single-day record

Amid mounting anger at government over failure to help battered businesses weather pandemic, PM says self-employed to get immediate stipends, businesses to get up to NIS 500,000

Israelis becoming more desperate, angry as government reimposes restrictions seen as crippling to host of industries, Yair Lapid says

Singer Hemi Rudner calls on others to join tax boycott until officials grant more support to independent workers; fitness center chain rebrands itself to exploit lockdown loophole

Under growing pressure, PM and finance minister miss self-imposed deadline to present economic plan to help self-employed and small business owners

Carrier battered by pandemic inks streamlining deal with maintenance, administrative staff; Israir announces agreement for state-backed loans

Business owners decry limitations on their activity, delays in transfer of government aid, in chat initiated by PM, who pins blame on Tax Authority

Central bank intends to intervene, for the first time ever, in the corporate bond market, buying bonds for a total of NIS 15 billion, in a bid to aid the pandemic-hammered economy

Globes: Fischer, currently on a visit to Israel from the US, headed the Bank of Israel during the 2008 global financial meltdown and helped steer the nation out of the crisis

Reuters: Central bank updates economic forecast, projecting a 6% contraction in 2020, compared with prior estimate of a contraction of 4.5%