May 18, 2022
Weekly World News Update
NATO Expands as Mariupol Falls; North Korea Faces COVID Crisis; Biden Heads to Seoul, Tokyo; Lebanon Hopes for Change After Elections; India's Heatwave Threatens Global Market; U.S. Troops Return to Somalia; SIGAR Report Details Afghanistan's Collapse; Oil Prices Fall as U.S. Eases Venezuelan Sanctions
NATO Expands as Mariupol Falls
North Korea Faces COVID Crisis
Biden Heads to Seoul, Tokyo



"Which Yoon Should Biden Expect at the Upcoming South Korea-U.S. Summit?" Gi-Wook Shin and Kelsi Caywood – The Diplomat, May 17, 2022

"How to Mend the Rift Between Japan and South Korea" Kristi Govella and Bonnie Glaser – Foreign Affairs, May 17, 2022

"Scoring Biden's ASEAN Summit" Susannah Patton – Lowy Institute, May 16, 2022

Lebanon Hopes for Change After Elections
"Lebanese Elections Bring Change" Paul Salem – Middle East Institute, May 16, 2022

"Lebanon Election: Hezbollah and Allies Lose Parliamentary Majority" David Gritten – BBC News, May 17, 2022

"Lebanon Election: Who Are the Major Winners and Losers?" AJ Nadaff – Middle East Eye, May 17, 2022

"Can Lebanon's Elections Pull the Country Out of an Abyss?" Anchal Vohra – Foreign Policy, May 12, 2022
India's Heatwave Threatens Global Market

"G-7 Likely to Increase Pressure on India to Reverse Wheat Export Ban" Suhaini Haidar and Kallol Bhattacherjee – The Hindu, May 17, 2022


"What Do Rising Wheat Prices, India's Export Ban Mean for Egypt?" Adam Lucente – Al Monitor, May 16, 2022

Photo Getty
U.S. Troops Return to Somalia

"Biden Approves Plan to Redeploy Several Hundred Ground Forces Into Somalia" Charlie Savage and Eric Schmitt – New York Times, May 16, 2022

"New Somali President Welcomes Return of U.S. Troops" Harun Maruf and Jeff Seldin – VOA, May 17, 2022

"Somalia's New President Elected by 327 People" Mohamud Ali – BBC News, May 16, 2022
SIGAR Report Details Afghanistan's Collapse
"Trump and Biden Let Afghanistan Collapse" Lynne O'Donnell – Foreign Policy, May 18, 2022


"U.S. Watchdog Details Collapse of Afghan Security Forces" Susannah George – Washington Post, May 18, 2022


"How the Taliban's Hijab Decree Defies Islam" Belquis Ahmadi and Mohammed Osan Tariq – United States Institute of Peace, May 12, 2022

Photo Getty
Oil Prices Fall as U.S. Aims to Relieve Sanctions on Venezuela
"Oil Falls as U.S. to Allow Talks With Venezuela's State Producer" Julia Fanzeres – Bloomberg, May 16, 2022

"U.S. to Offer Minor Sanctions Relief to Entice Venezuela to Talks" Lara Jakes and Anatoly Kurmanaev – New York Times, May 17, 2022

"West Must Not Lift Sanctions on Maduro, Says Venezuelan Opposition" Patrick Wintour – The Guardian, May 14, 2022
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.