IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Israel

Netanyahu will be longest-serving PM

As Benjamin Netanyahu will become Israel's longest-serving prime minister, he is solidifying his place as the country's greatest political survivor and the most dominant force in Israeli politics in his generation. As the longevity of his 13-year rule is set to surpass that of Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion on Saturday, observers said Netanyahu, 69, has left a permanent imprint on Israel. He has persevered through scandals, crises and conflicts, winning election after election even as the country grows more bitterly polarized. His supporters credit him with keeping Israel safe and prosperous. His opponents claim he has dashed hopes for peace with the Palestinians, torn society apart with vicious attacks on minority Arabs and left-wing opponents, and infused politics with a culture of corruption.

Thailand

Newly-appointed ministers sworn in

The newly-appointed Cabinet ministers under leadership of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha attended the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday. King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the swearing-in of the 36 members, during which they pledged their loyalty to the monarch. "Every task has obstacles. Every mission faces problems," he told them. "It is normal to take on work and solve problems so that the country can be run smoothly according to circumstances." The Cabinet afterward regrouped for its first meeting.

United States

El Chapo awaits life in prison sentence

After a run as one of the world's most powerful and notorious criminals, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is expected to be sentenced to life in prison when he was expected to appear in a New York court on Wednesday. Guzman, the 62-year-old former leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted in February of crimes spanning a quarter of a century, including trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana to the US. The charges, which also include weapons-related offenses, carry a mandatory life sentence. Guzman is considered to be the most powerful drug lord since Pablo Escobar was killed in a shootout in 1993.

Thrones breaks record with 32 Emmy nods

The divisive final season of Game of Thrones smashed the record for most Primetime Emmy nominations by a drama series in a single year, earning a whopping 32 nods on Tuesday. HBO's fantasy epic enraged fans with its bumpy conclusion but still trounced the competition to strengthen its iron grip on the smallscreen equivalent of the Oscars. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Amazon's story of a 1950s housewife-turned-stand-up comic, was a distant second with 20 nominations. Thrones is the most decorated fictional show in the awards' seven-decade history, and now has 161 nominations overall, including 47 wins.

Xinhua - Agencies

(China Daily 07/18/2019 page12)