Daily Briefing May 16: In besieged Mariupol, Jews fight alongside infamous Azov Unit

Tech Israel editor Ricky Ben David speaks about two troubling new reports; diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman updates us on the Ukraine war and Lebanon’s recent elections

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Tech Israel editor Ricky Ben David and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman join host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

We first hear updates on the Ukraine war, now nearly three months in. Finland and Sweden have announced they will join NATO. How does this change things?

Berman recently spoke with a close adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky and wrote about a Jewish soldier fighting in Mariupol. What did he learn?

Yesterday, elections were held in Lebanon for the first time since the protests of late 2019. What are the expectations here? Will it change anything for the country’s relationship with Israel?

There were a pair of troubling reports released yesterday. We first hear about the need for more government investment in R&D to keep the tech sector growing. Also, the cost of living report was released and housing prices have, yet again, soared.

Finally, we recently spoke with comic book superstars Maya and Yehuda Devir. We hear some impressions.