News in brief

By The Associated Press

Netanyahu has undergone prostate surgery

TEL AVIV, Israel | An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering.

Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure.

Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days.

With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world.

Norovirus back in full force with U.S. cases surging

The latest government data shows that cases of a fast-spreading stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States.

The most recent numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5. Data from recent years show a maximum of 65 outbreaks reported during that same week in December.

Infection is characterized by sudden vomiting and diarrhea. Outbreaks are often seen on cruise ships, in living situations like nursing homes and jails, along with other places where people are close together.

Kavelashvili inaugurated as Georgia’s president

TBILISI, Goergia | Former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili has been inaugurated as president of Georgia in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s EU aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.

Outgoing pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said Sunday morning that she would vacate her residence at the Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi, but insisted she was still the legitimate office holder.

In his speech Sunday, Kavelashvili promised to be “everyone’s president, regardless of whether they like me or not.” He called for the nation to unite behind him around “shared values, the principles of mutual respect, and the future we should build together.”

—From AP reports