Australia’s Jewish community in mourning again
A Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach yesterday turned into a bloodbath when a pair of gunmen opened fire on the crowd, killing 15 and injuring dozens more. It was the worst mass shooting in Australia since 1996, a massacre that prompted the country to impose strict gun laws. The toll this time could have been higher: a bystander wrestled and disarmed one of the attackers, and police later found unused explosives in their vehicle. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he will do “whatever is necessary” to stamp out antisemitism. However, it has been on the rise in Australia since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Australia’s intelligence chief said rooting out antisemitism was his agency’s top priority – the country’s 117,000 Jews will be hoping Albanese’s words translate into actions.
The attack at Bondi Beach wasn’t the only shooting over the weekend: A gunman opened fire inside Brown University, an Ivy League school in Rhode Island, on Saturday, killing two people and injuring nine others. The police haven't yet identified the suspect.
Chile becomes latest Latin American state to shift right
Latin America’s pendulum continues to swing right. In Chile, ultra-conservative José Antonio Kast won the presidential runoff yesterday, defeating left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara with 58% of the vote. Kast’s campaign centered on crime, immigration and spending cuts – and he is an open admirer of US President Donald Trump. Kast’s win marks the country’s sharpest conservative shift since the fall of right-wing dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1990, a figure Kast has praised. The win – on his third attempt – also serves as a rebuke of President Gabriel Boric, the outgoing socialist leader who implemented major labor reforms but failed to pass tax changes.
South Africa considers scrapping Black ownership rule for foreign companies
South Africa moved to scrap a law requiring foreign-owned communications companies to sell 30% of their equities to local Black owners. The post-apartheid provision lacks support from a majority of South Africans who see it as a way to enrich elites with the means to buy stakes. South Africa has the highest inequality in the world, and this policy was seen to be perpetuating that, even as it pushed for more racial equality. However, it may also pave the way for Elon Musk’s Starlink to enter his home country, something he refused to do until the law – which he deemed as racist – was rescinded.
