News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has suddenly decided to modify his speech to exclude a "substantial statement" on Israel-Diaspora relation, according to Haaretz, in order not to compete with President Shimon Peres, who is in charge of the conference beginning Tuesday at which Olmert will speak.

Olmert will still speak, though Haaretz says it will be a "more general address on this topic." It is unclear why such a minor change was even noted, though it comes at the heels of days of speculation about how the ongoing investigations into Olmert's corruption will affect Peres's conference.

The conference, titled "Facing Tomorrow," will begin Tuesday evening and last until Thursday.