February 1, 2023
Weekly World News Update
Blinken's Middle East Trip; Pakistan Mosque Bombing; Myanmar Coup Two Year Anniversary; Pope on Africa

Quote of the Week
Blinken's Trip to the Middle East
Do Visits by Sullivan and Blinken Signal a Shift in US Priorities?” Omri Nahmias, The Jerusalem Post – January 9, 2023

Sec. Blinken Had a Plan for His Visit to Jerusalem. Then He Had to Pivot” Manuel Lopez Restrepo, NPR – January 30, 2023

Blinken Visit Deepens Israeli and Palestinian Skepticism About U.S. Role” William Booth, Shira Rubin & Sufian Taha, The Washington Post – January 31, 2023

Antony Blinken Ends Middle East Tour With No Breakthrough” Oliver Holmes, The Guardian – January 31, 2023
Act of Terror in Pakistan
Pakistan Mosque Blast: What is Behind the Deadly Attack?” Asif Farooqi & Simon Fraser, BBC News – January 31, 2023

Can Pakistan Face Down a Growing Taliban Insurgency?” Haroon Janjua, Deutsche Welle – January 31, 2023

Pakistani Taliban Claim Mosque Bombing That Killed Dozens of Cops” Zuha Siddiqui, Vice News – January 30, 2023

Pakistan Reels After Bombing Kills Almost 100, Fear More Terrorism to Come” Haq Nawaz Khan & Pamela Constable, The Washington Post – January 31, 2023 
Optimism in Face of Myanmar's Coup Two Year Anniversary
Myanmar’s Iron-Fisted Ruler Min Aung Hlaing Fights to Stay on His Throne” Dominic Faulder, Nikkei Asia – February 1, 2023

Myanmar Anti-Coup Forces Retain Optimism in Face of Air Attacks” Andrew Nachemson, Al Jazeera – February 1, 2023

Why Has the West Given Billions in Military Aid to Ukraine, But Virtually Ignored Myanmar” Nicholas Farrelly & Adam Simpson, CNA – January 31, 2023

Pope Calls Out Exploitation of Africa
Opening Africa Trip, Pope Rips Exploitation of Continent by Global Elites” Elise Ann Allen, Cruxnow – January 31, 2023

What’s Causing Africa’s Debt Crisis?” Nosmot Gbadamosi, Foreign Policy – February 1, 2023

Russian Forces Help Secure Central Africa Gold Zone in New Pact” Simon Marks & Mohammed Alamin, Bloomberg – February 1, 2023
Weekly World News Update is a collection of sources to help readers better understand what is happening around the world and the policy implications of these developments. Any opinions expressed in the above articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the World Affairs Councils of America, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.