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, which has now entered its 81st day. Finland and Sweden have announced they will join NATO. How does this change things?

Berman recently spoke with a close advisor to President 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 late 2019. What are the expectations here? Will it change anything for the 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 super stars, Maya and Yehuda Devir. We hear some impressions.

Discussed articles include:

Senior Zelensky adviser: 40 ‘Jewish heroes’ fighting in Mariupol steel plant

Jewish Ukrainian soldier in besieged Mariupol plant asks Israel to rescue garrison

Government must invest more in R&D to keep tech sector growing, warns new report

Housing prices soar by more than 16% in past year, highest rise in over a decade

Famed Israeli comic artists explore new worlds with NFT collection

May 24 – Who By Fire: Leonard Cohen and the Yom Kippur War

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IMAGE: Picture of a wounded soldier in the besieged Mariupol steel factory distributed May 10, 2022, by Ukraine's Azov Regiment via social media. (Via Twitter)

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