World news in brief
Israel’s longest-serving leader set to return
Israel’s president Isaac Herzog announced yesterday that he will invite the former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the country’s next government. He will formally present Mr Netanyahu with the task tomorrow and give him a month to form a governing coalition with a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Mr Netanyahu governed Israel for 12 successive years before being ousted by a broad but fragile coalition in 2021. His comeback in last week’s election, the nation’s fifth vote in four
years, seemed to ensure Israel would have a cohesive government with a comfortable majority for the first time since 2019. But it will be the most right-wing and religious government in Israel’s history, after Mr Netanyahu forged an alliance with an ultranationalist party that has grabbed headlines for its anti-Arab sentiment and threats to overhaul the judicial system.
Mr Netanyahu was indicted three years ago on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three long-running cases. He has promised not use his authority to upend the judicial process. AP
Brussels stabbing suspect had threatened police
Belgian authorities have said that a man who killed one police officer and wounded another in a stabbing that was being investigated as a possible terrorism-linked attack had gone to a police station earlier to express hatred for them. Brussels prosecutor spokesperson Sarah Durant said the suspect had made “unhinged remarks” during a discussion with officers hours before the attack. Since he voluntarily asked for psychological help, he was not arrested and was instead sent to a hospital, which he left soon after. After the stabbings, the suspect was shot by another police official who had rushed to the scene. The assailant remains in hospital.
Fire ants ‘raining down’ on people in Hawaii
Officials in Hawaii are warning the public of the island’s largest infestation to date of fire ants that can “rain down on people and sting them”. The fire ants – the size of a sesame seed – are native to Central and South America, and are among the world’s most invasive species.
Experts have warned that in some of the heavily infested areas, the ants can move into people’s homes. “You used to be able to go out hiking and go to the beach. They can rain down on people and sting them,” Hawaii Ant Lab’s Heather Forester said. The
Kauai Invasive Species Committee says the latest infestation is the worst, covering at least 13 acres.
Five-fold increase in seizure of cash before Indian state elections
The Election Commission of India [ECI] revealed yesterday that there have been “record seizures” of cash, alcohol and other vote-winning freebies made in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat ahead of the upcoming state elections. Himachal Pradesh goes to polls today while Gujarat will have its assembly elections on 1 and 5 December.
The chief election commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, stressed the importance of “inducement-free elections” and noted the significant increase in the amount of seizures made in Himachal Pradesh in particular. He said that in Himachal Pradesh, there has been a five-fold increase in seizures as compared to 2017.
Gujarat witnessed seizures of cash and goods worth $8.8m in just a few days after the announcement of the election dates, which surpasses those made in the entire previous election period for the state assembly in 2017, which was $3.36m, the ECI said.
Thousands join nationalist march in Warsaw
Thousands of people in Warsaw yesterday joined the annual Independence Day march organised by Polish nationalist groups. The event is led by far-right groups and has included white nationalist and anti-immigrant messages in past years. The march took place under the slogans “Poland as a nation-state” and “Strong Nation. Great Poland”. A large number of police officers were deployed to avoid the violence of past years, which included riots, clashes with police and the destruction of city infrastructure.
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