December 22, 2021

Weekly World News Update

Putin's Threats and Demands; Libyan Elections Postponed; The Omicron Threat; Buildup at the China-India Border; Ethiopia's War Drags On; South Korea and Australia's Billion Dollar Deal

Putin's Threats and Demands

"Putin Warns of Possible Military Response Over 'Aggressive' NATO" Andrew Roth -- The Guardian, December 21, 2021 "Can Russia and NATO Come to an Agreement?" Vladimir Frolov -- Carnegie Moscow Center, December 22, 2021 "Russia Issues Demands to Limit NATO's Influence in Post-Soviet Space, Eastern Europe" Samantha Berkhead and Pjotr Sauer -- Moscow Times, December 20, 2021 "How the Kremlin Is Militarizing Russian Society" Anton Troianovski, Ivan Nechepurenko, and Valerie Hopkins -- New York Times, December 21, 2021 "Russia's Draft Agreements With NATO and the United States: Intended for Rejection?" Steven Pifer -- Brookings Institution, December 21, 2021 Photo OSW Centre for Eastern Studies

Libyan Elections Postponed

"A Tense Libya Delays Its Presidential Election" Mona El-Naggar and Vivian Yee -- New York Times, December 22, 2021 "Libya's Long Road to Elections: 'Unity Cannot Be a Byproduct of a Broken System'" Yaseen Rashed -- Atlantic Council, December 22, 2021 "Libya Electoral Board Suggests January 24 for Polls" Al Jazeera, December 22, 2021

The Omicron Threat

"Omicron Latest: What the Variant's Spread Means for the World" The Economist, December 16, 2021 "Omicron Will Cause More Infections But Fewer Hospitalizations, Researchers Say" Rob Stein -- NPR, December 22, 2021 "'It Is Embarrassing': CDC Struggles to Track COVID Cases as Omicron Looms" Erin Banco -- Politico, December 20, 2021 "European States Take Steps to Counter COVID-19 Surge as Omicron Spreads" France 24, December 22, 2021 Photo Jerusalem Post

Buildup at the China-India Border Want to learn more about China? Register for our first Cover to Cover of 2022 on The World According to China.

"Pentagon Worries About Chinese Buildup Near India" Jack Detsch -- Foreign Policy, December 15, 2021 "China-India Border Dispute: As Crisis Drags On, Are Beijing and New Delhi Digging In for Permanent Militarization of LAC?" Kunal Purohit -- South China Morning Post, December 20, 2021 "Where Will the China-India Rivalry Go in 2022?" Jagannath Panda -- Responsible Statecraft, December 20, 2021

Ethiopia's War Drags On: TPLF's Ceasefire Call Rejected

"The Daunting Obstacles to Peace in Ethiopia" Michelle Gavin -- Council on Foreign Relations, December 21, 2021 "Conflict in Ethiopia Continues Despite Calls for a Ceasefire" BBC's Focus on Africa, December 21, 2021 "Ethiopia's Government Rejects Tigrayan Fighters' Ceasefire Call, Dashing Hopes of an End to the Conflict" Niamh Kennedy, Zeena Saifi, and Larry Madowo -- CNN, December 21, 2021 "Peace Is Still Possible in Ethiopia: How to Avoid a Balkan-Style Catastrophe in the Horn of Africa" Chris Coons -- Foreign Affairs, December 6, 2021 Photo Getty Images

South Korea and Australia's Billion Dollar Deal

"South Korea and Australia Sign Historic $1B Defense Deal" Chang May Choon -- Straits Times, December 15, 2021 "Australia's 'China' Blinders on South Korea" Jeffrey Robertson -- The Lowy Institute, December 16, 2021