Briefly

ISRAEL

Opposition presses for judicial reform freeze

The leader of Israel's parliamentary opposition on Sunday demanded that the government freeze its judicial overhaul for 18 months if it wants to resume negotiations on a consensus formula for the changes. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition pushed through the first elements of an overhaul of Israel's judiciary, seeking to restrict judges from challenging some government decisions. The moves have triggered months of demonstrations among Israeli opponents. Speaking to parliament on Sunday, opposition leader Yair Lapid said that if the government wanted consensus talks to resume, it should pass legislation jointly with the opposition to suspend the overhaul for 18 months. Changes made during that period would require a two-thirds majority, he said.

UNITED STATES

Four killed after vehicle rolls over in forest

An all-terrain vehicle rolled over and burst into flames in Washington's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, killing four young people on board, the Kittitas County Sheriff's office said on Sunday. Officers received the 911 report of the incident in the forest west of Liberty at around 4 pm on Saturday. Rescue units arrived within minutes to treat survivors and stop the fire from spreading, the sheriff's office said in a news release. The victims were in their 20s. Two of them died at the scene, and the other two were transported to a hospital but neither survived. No other vehicles were involved and no one outside the ATV was hurt.

INDIA

At least four shot dead inside moving train

At least four people were killed when a police officer with the Railway Protection Force, or RPF, allegedly opened indiscriminate fire inside a moving train in India's southwestern state of Maharashtra on Monday, official sources said. The shootout took place inside the "Jaipur Express "train, which was moving from the country's western city of Jaipur toward the financial capital Mumbai, after it had crossed the Palghar railway station, nearly 100 kilometers from Mumbai. Among the deceased were a member of RPF, one worker of the train's pantry, and two passengers, according to media reports. After the shootout, the assailant reportedly jumped out of the moving train near Dahisar Station in a bid to escape. He was later detained along with the automatic weapon.

UNITED KINGDOM

Govt to grant hundreds of oil and gas licenses

Britain said on Monday it will grant hundreds of new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea in a bid for energy independence, ignoring calls from environmental campaigners and the United Nations to stop the development of new fossil fuel projects. The plans announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak include a pledge to invest 20 billion pounds ($26 billion) in carbon capture and storage projects as Sunak maintained the government's commitment to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050.Sunak said Britain will still need fossil fuels even after the country reaches its net-zero target.

Xinhua - Agencies