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, a move that could cast doubt on the planned Summer Olympics.

Officials were leaning toward an extension of the measures in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures beyond May 11 as the country battles a surge in cases.

The government is expected to make an official decision to this effect as early as Friday.

Daily News Brief for Tuesday, May fourth:

*) India’s Covid cases soar past 20 million

India's total Covid caseload has soared past 20 million as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the country's hospitals.

In the past 24 hours, India added over 357,000 cases while the deaths rose by more than 3,400 to over 222,000 (two hundred and twenty two thousand). Many believe the true numbers to be much higher.

India’s ferocious new wave has been blamed on government failure and new virus variants.

*) Biden quadruples Trump refugee cap after delay backlash

US President Joe Biden has formally raised the nation's cap on refugee admissions to 62,500 this year after facing bipartisan blowback for his delay.

The change follows backlash from allies over Biden's earlier decision to keep his predecessor Donald Trump’s cap of 15,000 refugees.

The programme is only for refugees selected by US security and intelligence agencies from United Nations camps around the world.

*) Fresh protests called against Colombia tax reform

Protesters in Colombia have called for a new mass rally after 19 people died and more than 800 were wounded in five days of protests against tax reform.

The office of Colombia's human rights ombudsman said 846 people were injured in the protests that began across the country late last month.

Authorities have detained over 400 people, and the government has deployed the military in the worst-affected cities.

*) Several dead in Myanmar parcel bomb blasts

Blasts from at least one parcel bomb in Myanmar have killed five people, including an ousted lawmaker and three police officers opposing military rule.

Since the country’s coup, Myanmar has seen an increasing number of explosions, some of which targeted government offices or military facilities.

The latest blasts were in a village in the southern central part of Myanmar in Western Bago.

And finally ...

*) Mexico apologises to indigenous Maya for centuries of abuse

The Mexican government has offered an official apology to the indigenous Mayan people for “terrible abuses” committed against them since the Spanish conquest.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador presented the apology as part of a series of events this year marking the 500th anniversary of the conquest.

His government also recognised the racism and neglect that continue to afflict the ethnic minority.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Monday, May 3rd:

*) Chad junta names transitional government

Chad’s military junta that took power last month after the death of veteran leader Idriss Deby has named a transitional government.

The so-called Transitional Military Council says it will restore democracy to the poor Sahel country within 18 months after what the opposition called an "institutional coup".

Deby's 37-year-old son Mahamat, the country's new leader, named 40 ministers and deputy ministers, including members of opposition parties.

*) Clashes across Afghanistan as US troops withdraw

Fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban across several provinces has left more than 100 insurgents dead in the past 24 hours.

The clashes occurred as Afghanistan took control of US military base Camp Antonik in southern Helmand province.

The remaining 2,500 US troops began pulling out from Afghanistan on Saturday under a new September deadline given by President Joe Biden.

*) Niger troops killed, missing after ambush

At least 16 Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush on a patrol near the Mali border.

Officials said the raid in the Tahoua region occurred during the funeral of the army commander whose patrol was attacked.

It is unclear which group carried out the attack as the area is overrun by militants with links to al Qaeda and Daesh.

*) Myanmar death toll rises as defiant protests continue

Security forces in Myanmar opened fire on protesters in Yangon on Sunday, killing eight people, three months after a coup plunged the country into crisis.

Over the last 36 hours, there have been reports of rocket attacks and bombing in central provinces with at least 11 explosions reported in Yangon.

Wars with ethnic minority rebels in frontier regions in the north and east have intensified significantly since the coup.

And finally ...

*) Man Utd vs Liverpool postponed after fans storm ground

A football match between Manchester United and Liverpool has been postponed, after about 200 fans broke into Old Trafford before kick-off.

Fans are demanding the long-time American owners of Manchester United – the Glazer family – sell the club over the Super League controversy.

The club had said it was going to join a controversial European Super League, angering both the players and fans.

A stampede at a pilgrimage in Israel has killed at least 44 people and LAPD police arrest five suspects in theft of Lady Gaga’s bulldogs

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Friday, April 30th.

*) Israel pilgrimage stampede kills at least 44 people

A massive stampede at a densely packed Jewish pilgrimage site has killed at least 44 people in northern Israel.

The incident occurred at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Mount Meron, where mainly ultra-Orthodox Jews flock to mark the Lag B’Omer holiday.

Closed last year due to coronavirus restrictions, this year's pilgrimage was expected to be a celebratory event for Israel.

*) India posts record daily rise in Covid-19 cases of 386,452

The first US emergency aid has arrived in India as it grapples with a devastating surge in Covid-19 cases.

The Covid-ravaged country posted another record daily rise of more than three-hundred-and-eighty-six thousand (386,000) new cases and more than 3,400 deaths.

The country is in deep crisis, with hospitals and morgues overwhelmed, and an oxygen shortage that is expected to continue well into May.

*) Pentagon preparing for Taliban attacks during US withdrawal

The Pentagon is preparing for possible Taliban attacks on US and coalition forces as they withdraw from Afghanistan.

All US and other foreign forces were to have departed Afghanistan on May 1 under last year’s deal between the Taliban and the Trump administration.

President Joe Biden decided the final but delayed withdrawal by September 11. The Taliban see the delay as a violation of the agreement.

*) Kyrgyzstan says death toll in clashes with Tajikistan rises to 13

Kyrgyzstan has said it evacuated 11,500 people in the aftermath of border clashes with Tajikistan that claimed 13 lives.

Kyrgyzstan's health ministry said the country had suffered 134 casualties "including 13 fatalities", with two of the injured in a serious condition.

Fighting between the two countries began on Thursday as their militaries exchanged fire at the border over a water source, with a ceasefire announced the same day.

And finally ...

*) Five charged in violent abduction of Lady Gaga's bulldogs

In Hollywood, police have arrested five people over the February abduction of Lady Gaga’s two bulldogs and the shooting of a dog walker during the theft.

Four of the suspects are known street gang members, while the fifth was the woman who said she had found the dogs and safely returned them for a reward.

The two bulldogs were dropped off unharmed at an LAPD station on February 26 and delivered to the musician's representatives two days after they were snatched.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World. For more, head to trtworld.com.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, April 29th:

*) Biden marks 100 days in office with address to joint Congress

US President Joe Biden has marked his one hundred days in office with a commitment to turn around the economy in a country hit hard by the virus pandemic.

In his first address to Congress, Biden said more new jobs have been created in the country in his first 100 days than by any other president on record.

Biden said, "We're in a competition with China and other countries to win the 21st Century.”

*) Ghani offers to share power with Afghan Taliban to end war

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has offered a share in power to the Taliban, provided the militant group stops fighting.

Ghani said lessons must be learned from the bitter experiences of the past and applied to the peace process.

Afghanistan is witnessing an escalation in violence since the US announced it will withdraw American troops by September.

*) US indicts 3 on hate crime charges in death of Ahmaud Arbery

US prosecutors have charged three white men in Georgia with federal hate crimes and attempted kidnapping in last year's killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory armed themselves, chased and fatally shot the 25-year-old Black man with the help of a third man, William Roddie Bryan.

The three men, currently in jail, were charged with one count of interference with civil rights and attempted kidnapping.

*) Brexit saga ends with EU trade deal vote

The European Parliament has overwhelmingly ratified the EU's post-Brexit trade deal with Britain.

In the final tally, 660 members of European Parliament voted in favour of the zero-tariff and zero-quota trade deal and five against, with 32 abstentions.

The vote formally draws a line under the Brexit saga which saw Britain and Europe seal a divorce deal that bitterly divided the UK.

And finally ...

*) Michael Jordan's rookie season sneakers up for sale

A pair of red sneakers worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan at the start of his Chicago Bulls career is expected to fetch over $100,000 at a Sotheby auction.

Jordan's shoes are the star lot among 13 pairs from former NBA stars, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Stephen Curry and Scottie Pippen.

Jordan played 13 seasons with the Bulls, winning six championships and is currently the owner of the Charlotte Hornets.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, April 28th:

*) US orders its embassy staff to leave Afghanistan

The US has ordered a significant number of its embassy staff in Kabul to leave Afghanistan as the military escalates troop pullout from the country.

The US State Department said it instructed all personnel to depart unless their jobs require them to be physically in the country.

It also said US citizens should not travel to Afghanistan and those who are there and are willing to depart should leave as soon as possible.

*) Somali president calls for elections to ease tensions

Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has called for elections after the extension of his mandate by two years sparked a crisis in the country.

His decision came after the opposition and government exchanged gunfire on Sunday in an eruption of long-simmering tensions sparked by the delay of February elections.

The international community has repeatedly called for elections to go ahead, threatening sanctions.

*) India’s Covid-19 deaths cross 200,000 mark

India’s cumulative death toll since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has crossed the 200,000 mark.

On Wednesday, the South Asian country reported another daily record of over 3,000 deaths and more than 360,000 cases.

Many experts and media outlets have said the true number of people dying from Covid-19 in India is being suppressed or undercounted by the government.

*) MBS seeks ‘good relations’ with Iran

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said he seeks "good relations" with the kingdom's arch-nemesis Iran.

The two countries cut ties in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the kingdom's execution of a revered Shia cleric.

The crown prince said Riyadh was also working with regional and global partners to find solutions to what he called Tehran's "negative behaviour".

And finally ...

*) Samsung heirs to pay billions, donate Picasso works to settle tax bill

The heirs to South Korea's Samsung group have announced plans to pay more than 10 billion dollars and give their Picasso and Monet artworks to settle a tax bill.

Lee Kun-hee, the late Samsung Electronics chairman died last October at the age of 78, leaving an estimated 19.6 billion dollars in assets.

South Korea has stringent inheritance tax laws and high rates, resulting in a hefty bill for the family.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, April 27th:

*) US to share its hoarded stash of 60M AstraZeneca vaccines

The White House has said the US will share with the world its hoarded stash of 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines doses.

Critics have accused Washington of hoarding a vaccine it has not authorised and will likely not be required to vaccinate Americans.

The AstraZeneca hoarding issue rose to the fore after India's catastrophic virus surge that has overwhelmed its healthcare system.

*) Rebel group overruns Myanmar army base near Thai border

A prominent ethnic rebel group has attacked and captured a military base in eastern Myanmar near the Thai border.

The Karen National Union (KNU), a vocal opponent of the coup in Myanmar, announced overrunning the base after weeks of clashes with the military along the eastern border.

Residents reported hearing gunfire and explosions in Karen state near the Salween River, along Myanmar's border with Thailand.

*) HRW report accuses Israel of committing apartheid crimes

Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of pursuing policies of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians amounting to crimes against humanity.

Human Rights Watch said its report was not aimed at comparing Israel with apartheid-era South Africa but rather at assessing "whether specific acts and policies" constitute "apartheid" as defined under international law.

Tel Aviv rejected the report that was released weeks after the ICC said it will investigate war crimes in Israeli-occupied areas of West Bank and Gaza.

*) Rocket attack in Afghanistan wounds scores of children

A rocket hit the provincial governor's compound in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province during a religious ceremony, wounding at least 16 children.

Officials said three Afghan security force members and religious affairs officials were also wounded in the attack blamed on Taliban militants.

Fighting between the Afghan government and Taliban increased after peace talks failed to progress despite international calls to reduce violence.

And finally …

*) RARES pays $1.8M for Kanye's old Nike Air Yeezy 1s

A pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by rapper Kanye West has sold for $1.8 million, triple the previous record for sneakers.

The shoes beat the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s which sold for $615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie's auction.

West wore the black high top Yeezys at the 2008 Grammy Awards as he performed "Hey Mama" and "Stronger."