Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Daily News Brief for Wednesday, May 5th: *) Netanyahu loses mandate to form Israel government Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to meet a deadline to put together a new governing coalition. Netanyahu, who is on trial over corruption charges, had a 28-day window to secure a coalition following the March 23rd vote. His failure to form the new government has raised the possibility that his Likud party could be pushed into the opposition for the first time in 12 years. *) India reports record rise in Covid-19 deaths India's coronavirus deaths have risen by a record 3,780 in the last 24 hours a day after it crossed the grim milestone of 20 million infections. The country has witnessed scenes of people dying outside overwhelmed hospitals and funeral pyres lighting up the night sky. India on Tuesday announced the suspension of its Indian Premier League after players and staff at three clubs tested positive for Covid-19. *) Mexico president vows full probe after scores die in metro accident Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has promised an investigation to find those responsible for the deaths in a fatal metro accident. An elevated section of the Mexico City metro collapsed onto a busy highway late on Monday, killing at least 24 people and injuring at least 79 others. The collapse is one of the deadliest episodes in the history of the city’s subway system, which is among the world's busiest. *) Far-right crime hits record high in Germany Germany has seen a big jump in politically motivated crimes and offences committed by far-right supporters. Far-right offences were up nearly 6 percent in 2020 from the previous year and accounted for more than half of all politically motivated crimes. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said these offences represent the highest level since police started collecting such data in 2001. And finally ... *) Japan considers longer state of emergency The Japanese government is considering extending a coronavirus-driven state of emergency,