Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a midnight deadline yesterday to form a government, a daunting task that would likely require convincing the Jewish far right to cooperate with an Islamic party. Netanyahu was given a 28-day window to forge a majority coalition following a March 23 general election, Israel’s fourth inconclusive vote in less than two years. The prime minister’s right-wing Likud party won the most seats in the vote, but he failed to secure a majority in the 120-seat parliament. A coalition will require coming to terms with his estranged former protege Naftali Bennett, leader of the hawkish Yamina party. It will also require persuading the far-right Religious Zionism alliance to tacitly cooperate with the Islamic conservative Raam party.

Biden to allow up to 62,500

refugees into US after row

President Joe Biden announced Monday, after coming under fierce criticism, that he was raising the maximum number of refugees allowed into the United States this year to 62,500 -- up from the 15,000 cap imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump. The change follows backlash from allies over Biden’s earlier decision to keep the Trump-era limits -- a politically costly moment of confusion that stood out in a White House notable for its iron discipline in its first three months. The program is only for refugees selected by US security and intelligence agencies from United Nations camps around the world.

Twitter bans Kangana

Ranaut for hateful posts

Twitter Inc says it has banned leading Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, known for her ardent support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing her of violating its rules on hateful conduct and abusive behaviour. Following the election in by TMC over Modi’s BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party was accused of violent attacks on its defeated opponents, which it denies. In her tweet, Ranaut called Banerjee an “unleashed monster” and urged Modi to “tame her”. “We need super gundai (hooliganism in Hindi) to kill gundai… Modi ji (a honorific) please show your Virat roop (larger-than-life form) from the early 2000s,” she posted, an apparent reference to 2002 Gujarat riots that took place when Modi was the state chief minister.