Connect with us

News

Benjamin Netanyahu Returns to Power in Israel

Published

on

Benjamin Netanyahu

Yair Lapid, Israel’s Prime Minister, congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu on his election victory on Thursday, as final results confirmed the former premier’s successful return at the helm of a staunchly right-wing alliance.

After 5 elections in less than 4 years, Netanyahu’s triumph will end a historic impasse in Israel.

This time, Netanyahu, the dominating Israeli politician of his generation, gained a parliamentary majority with the support of ultranationalist and religious groups.

The centrist Lapid and his uncommon coalition of conservatives, liberals, and Arab MPs were ousted from power on Tuesday after 18 months of making diplomatic breakthroughs with Turkey and Lebanon and keeping the economy humming.

With the conflict with the Palestinians resuming and Jewish-Arab tensions escalating within Israel, Netanyahu’s rightist Likud and related parties won 64 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

After 85 percent of the votes were tabulated on Wednesday, Netanyahu told supporters that they were “on the verge of a very significant win” and promised a “stable, national administration.”

His opponents in the current government, led by centrist Prime Minister Yair Lapid, won 51 seats, with the rest held by a small, unaffiliated Arab party.

According to his office, Lapid thanked Netanyahu and directed his team to plan an orderly transition of power.

“Any political consideration comes after the State of Israel,” Lapid stated. “For the sake of the Israeli people and the State of Israel, I wish Netanyahu prosperity.”

According to the results, Netanyahu, on trial for corruption, will be invited by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to form a cabinet, which is expected to begin next week.

Netanyahu will have 28 days to build the most right-wing Israeli cabinet in history.

Meanwhile, the president has yet to officially charge Netanyahu with establishing a government, which may take weeks.

“It is now necessary to enforce order here. The moment has come to have a landlord, “Likud’s potential senior partner, Itamar Ben-Gvir of the far-right Religious Zionism party, tweeted.

He was reacting to a stabbing reported by police in Jerusalem.

According to doctors, in a separate incident in Israel’s West Bank, troops killed an Islamic Jihad militant and a 45-year-old civilian. When asked about the latter’s death, the army said it opened fire after Palestinians attacked it with rocks and petrol bombs.

Later that evening, air attack sirens sounded in southern Israel when terrorists in Gaza launched a rocket that was presumably intercepted by missile defences, according to the military.

Ben-Gvir, a West Bank settler and former member of Kach, a Jewish militant group on Israel’s and the United States terrorist watchlists, aspires to become police minister.

According to Israeli media quoting political sources, the new government could be formed by mid-month. Previous coalitions have had narrower legislative majorities in recent years, making them vulnerable to no-confidence moves.

With coalition-building talks yet to commence, it was unclear what role Ben-Gvir may play in a future government. Both he and Netanyahu have sworn to serve all citizens since their election.

However, Ben-rise Gvir has alarmed the 21% Arab minority and center-left Jews, particularly Palestinians whose US-sponsored statehood discussions with Israel broke down in 2014.

While Washington has publicly reserved judgment before the formation of the new Israeli government, a State Department spokeswoman on Wednesday emphasized the countries’ “common ideals.”

“We hope that all Israeli government officials will continue to embrace the ideals of an open, democratic society, such as tolerance and respect for all in civil society, particularly minority groups,” said the spokeswoman.

US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides stated that he spoke with Netanyahu and expressed his desire to “work together to sustain the unbreakable link.”

Source: Reuters, VOR News

News

Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

Published

on

Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

Related News:

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

 

Continue Reading

News

Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

Published

on

Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

Related News:

Beluga Whales Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Outrage Erupts After 17th Beluga Whale Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Continue Reading

News

Canada’s Lotto Max jackpot Climbs to $80M

Published

on

lotto max, Canada

Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

Continue Reading

Trending