Briefly

ISRAEL

Nation heads for new political stalemate

Israel appeared headed into another political stalemate on Wednesday after nearly-complete results indicated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to secure a clear majority for a right-wing bloc in parliament, despite his claim of victory. With 99 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu's conservative Likud party was seen taking 35 of parliament's 120 seats, down from 36 initially projected after Monday's election. His centrist challenger, Benny Gantz, was seen holding steady at 32 seats for his Blue and White party. Israeli premiers generally need a coalition commanding 61 seats for their governments to survive. Wednesday's tally suggested that, with like-minded parties, a Netanyahu coalition could now expect to garner only 58.

GERMANY

Merkel's party in crucible for vote rerun

Lawmakers in the eastern German state of Thuringia were due to try again to elect a new state premier on Wednesday, rerunning a vote that sank Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, party into what has been described as its biggest crisis. It is the second attempt in a month to form a working government in the former East German state, after CDU MPs there unleashed an earthquake in national politics by voting with the far-right Alternative for Germany in February. Amid the national outrage, the liberal candidate elected during the first vote on Feb 5 stepped down, leaving the state rudderless. But more significantly, the apparent cooperation of CDU politicians with the far-right triggered the departure of Merkel's designated successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and sparked a new leadership contest for the German chancellor's party.

NEW ZEALAND

Enhanced security over distressing image

Police said on Wednesday they have stepped up patrols at two mosques ahead of the first anniversary of a shooting that killed 51 worshippers, after a distressing image linked to one of the mosques appeared on social media. A lone gunman used a semi-automatic gun to kill worshippers gathered for Friday prayers at two mosques in the city of Christchurch on March 15 last year in New Zealand's worst peacetime shooting.

Agencies - Xinhua