Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets in Tunis to protest against President Kais Saied’s political measures and rising food prices.
- AMERICAS: The Mexican government aims to triple its fertilizer production to support its plan to boost local agriculture production and control consumer price inflation.
- ASIA: Chinese authorities said most of Shanghai has stopped the spread of COVID19 in the community and fewer than 1 million people remain under strict lockdown.
- EUROPE: Lawmakers in Finland and Sweden debated their NATO bids, as the two neighbors prepare to submit applications for membership this week.
- MIDDLE EAST: An American delegation led by Vice President Kamala Harris is flying to the gulf country to pay respects to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and meet with the newly ascended president.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: The United States and European Union will announce a joint effort to avert a “subsidy race” as they scramble to boost production of scarce semiconductor chips.
Top Story
- Ukraine: Forces Reach Russian Border Near Kharkiv.
- Ukrainian troops counter-attacking against Russian forces in the country’s northeast have pushed them back from the city of Kharkiv and advanced as far as the border with Russia.
- After repelling Russian advances on Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces have regained territory in the region and sought to push Russia from its staging area in Izyum as it focuses on the eastern Donbas region.
- Kharkiv’s regional governor, Oleh Sinegubov, confirmed the arrival of some Ukrainian troops at the Russian border over Telegram.
- Ukraine also claimed to have resisted attempts by Russian forces to push forward in the Donbas region, although these claims could not be independently verified.
- Zelensky warned that “we are preparing for new attempts by Russia to attack in Donbas, to somehow intensify its movement in the south of Ukraine.”
- The foreign ministers of EU nations are scheduled to meet in Brussels to discuss new measures against Russia.
- Reuters, VOA, AFP, DW, FISU, Insider
Africa
- Burkina Faso: Around 40 people, many of them civilian volunteers with the army, have been killed in jihadist attacks in the northern and eastern areas of the country. (AFP)
- Kenya: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga named Martha Karua as his running mate, making the veteran politician the first woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket. (BBC)
- Nigeria: Authorities in the north-western state of Sokoto have relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state capital following violent protests on Saturday. (BBC)
- Somalia: International partners welcomed the election of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who takes office after months of political instability and faces crises including a violent insurgency and devastating drought. (AFP)
- Tunisia: Thousands of citizens took to the streets in Tunis to protest against President Kais Saied’s political measures and rising food prices. (BBC)
Americas
- Brazil: Shooters opened fire outside a bar in the northern city of Altamira, killing four people and wounding four others. (AFP)
- Canada: Prince Charles will visit the country this week to represent head of state Queen Elizabeth II, with more attention than ever on his future role due to his mother’s age and failing health. (AFP)
- Cuba: Lawmakers approved a new penal code for the country that is being critiqued by some rights groups who say its clause on foreign funding may be used to unjustly stifle dissent and independent journalism. (Reuters)
- Mexico: The government aims to triple its fertilizer production to support its plan to boost local agriculture production and control consumer price inflation. (Reuters)
- United States: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres condemned the shooting deaths of 10 people at a grocery store in a Black neighborhood in New York State. (AFP)
Asia
- Australia: Former envoy to the Solomons Islands Trevor Sofield accused the government of losing the trust of South Pacific island countries and ushering in greater Chinese influence. (AP)
- China: Authorities said most of Shanghai has stopped the spread of COVID19 in the community and fewer than 1 million people remain under strict lockdown. (AP)
- Indonesia: A tourist bus with a drowsy driver slammed into a billboard on the main island of Java, killing at least 14 people and injuring 19 others. (AP)
- North Korea: Kim Jong Un ordered the military to stabilize the distribution of the COVID-19 medicine in Pyongyang. (Reuters)
- Sri Lanka: Newly appointed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will address the crisis-hit nation later as the power minister told citizens not to join the lengthy fuel queues that have galvanized weeks of anti-government protests. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: Lawmakers in Finland and Sweden debated their NATO bids, as the two neighbors prepare to submit applications for membership this week. (AFP)
- Austria: Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg expects the European Union to agree on a sixth sanctions package on Russia in the coming days. (Reuters)
- Poland: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen thanked leaders for hosting millions of Ukrainian war refugees but pressed them to back the European Union’s plans to implement a 15% global corporate minimum tax. (Reuters)
- Russia: The Kremlin said that Finland and Sweden’s decision to join the NATO military alliance will not improve security in Europe. (AFP)
- United Kingdom: The government abandoned plans to end all prosecutions related to the Northern Ireland conflict. (AFP)
Middle East
- Israel: The Catholic archbishop in Jerusalem strongly criticized the country’s “police invasion” last week of a Christian hospital ahead of the funeral of slain Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh. (AFP)
- Lebanon: Hezbollah has been dealt a blow in the country’s parliamentary election with preliminary results showing losses and the Lebanese Forces party declaring significant gains. (Reuters)
- Saudi Arabia: King Salman has left the hospital one week after being admitted for tests, including a colonoscopy. (AFP)
- United Arab Emirates: An American delegation led by Vice President Kamala Harris is flying to the gulf country to pay respects to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and meet with the newly ascended president. (AP)
- Yemen: Houthi rebels said the first commercial flight in six years has taken off from Sanaa. (AP)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: The United States and European Union will announce a joint effort to avert a “subsidy race” as they scramble to boost production of scarce semiconductor chips. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to Report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 16MAY22)
- Confirmed cases: 521,544,771
- Deaths: 6,264,097
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 16MAY22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (17MAY22)
- Event: Atlantic Council discussion on Ukrainian resistance through technology.
- Event: Atlantic Council discussion on US-Polish relations.
- Global: International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
- Africa/Europe: Land borders between Morocco and Spain’s autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla to reopen.
- Belgium: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to speak at Brussels Economic Forum.
- DR Congo: Liberation Day.
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Liechtenstein Prime Minister Daniel Risch.
- Malaysia: Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad to raise base interest rate and base financing rate by 25 points.
- Norway: Constitution Day.
- South Africa: Former President Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial to resume.
- Sweden: Visit by Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
- Thailand: 78th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
- Thailand: 30th anniversary of the ‘Black May’ uprising.
- Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky to take part in the All-Ukrainian Forum “Ukraine 30. Digitalization.”
- United Kingdom: Deadline for defense submissions to Home Sec over Julian Assange’s extradition.
- United States: Visit by Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
- United States: House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on USAID budget request.
- United States: Congressional primary elections in Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
- United States: 5th anniversary of Robert Mueller’s appointment to oversee Russia election probe.
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