World
Catch all for any events happening outside the United States
May 19, 2022
On Wednesday, Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hailed it a "historic moment" and urged allies to quickly ratify the Nordic countries' memberships.
May 19, 2022
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected 2 new cases of monkeypox which carry the possibility of having been acquired through community transmission. The UKHSA stated, "The latest cases bring the total number of monkeypox cases confirmed in England since 6 May to 9, with recent cases predominantly in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men (MSM)."
May 18, 2022
Russia has announced that Ukrainian troops in the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol have surrendered, with several soldiers being evacuated in buses to nearby Russian-held towns. Fighters who needed medical aid were sent to a hospital in Novoazovsk. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk noted that they intend to arrange a prisoner swap with Russia as soon as the wounded soldiers' conditions have stabilized.
May 18, 2022
On Tuesday, Shanghai achieved "zero-COVID" status with no new COVID-19 cases reported outside of quarantine zones for three consecutive days. For most Chinese cities in lockdown, three consecutive days with no new community infections equates to a "zero-COVID" status, signalling the beginning of the easing of restrictions.
May 18, 2022
The political party and insurgent group Hezbollah has lost its parliamentary majority in Lebanon. According to election results released Tuesday, 13 of Hezbollah's members of Parliament managed to maintain their seats.
May 17, 2022
Finland and Sweden have announced their intention to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), signaling a historic policy shift - one which was reportedly influenced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that while the two nations' NATO membership would be "no direct threat" to Russia, the territories' military infrastructure expansion would "certainly provoke" a response from Moscow.
May 17, 2022
On Monday, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un "strongly criticized" Cabinet and public health sector officials for their COVID-19 response, singling out their "irresponsible work attitude." The North Korean leader also condemned lapses in legal oversight that resulted in "several negative phenomena in the nationwide handling and sale of medicines."
May 17, 2022
On Monday, the Biden administration announced it would be reinstating a program allowing US citizens and permanent residents to apply for their families in Cuba to enter the US. The Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program will allow citizens and permanent residents to do so without waiting for immigrant visas.
May 17, 2022
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Elisabeth Borne as the new Prime Minister. Borne is the former Labor Minister of France.
May 17, 2022
The President has approved the deployment of troops to Somalia, acting in response to a request from the Department of Defense. A Department of Defense news release stated, "The president has authorized the Department of Defense to return a small, persistent U.S. military presence to Somalia."