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Top UN Official Hopes Upcoming Envoys’ Meeting Could Lead to ‘Pathway to Recognition’ of the Taliban

The U.N. plans to host a meeting of Afghanistan envoys from around the world at the beginning of May, and the U.N.’s deputy secretary-general says she hopes it will put the international community on the path towards “principled recognition” of the Taliban.  Read

Afghanistan IG: I Can’t Assure US Taxpayers That They Aren’t Funding the Taliban

 The United States has dedicated more than $8 billion to Afghanistan since the U.S. withdrawal, and the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR) told lawmakers on Wednesday that he could not give an assurance that U.S. taxpayer dollars were not going to the Taliban.  Read

Former DNI: Lab Leak ‘Is the Only Explanation’ for COVID Supported by Intelligence, Science, and Common Sense

 A leak from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, “is the only explanation” for the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic that is supported by U.S. intelligence, science, and common sense, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe told lawmakers in Tuesday. Read

UN ‘Officially’ Expresses Concern Over Alleged U.S. Spying on U.N. Secretary-General

 U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the world body has “officially” voiced its concern to the U.S. government about reports indicating that the U.S. has been intercepting the communications of Guterres and other U.N. leaders.  Read

Iran’s President Threatens to Destroy Israeli Cities, Urges US to Leave Region

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi marked the regime’s annual “Army Day” on Tuesday by warning Israel that any hostile move against Iran would lead to the destruction of major population centers and calling on the United States to withdraw its troops from the region.  Read

WH: ‘Brazil is Parroting Russian and Chinese Propaganda’ About Ukraine

The White House said on Monday Brazil was “parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda” about the role of the West in the conflict in Ukraine, unusually sharp criticism for a country which the Biden administration routinely describes as a key “partner.”  Read

Twitter Labels Canadian Broadcaster ‘69% Government-Funded Media’

 A widening controversy over Twitter’s decision to label media outlets that receive government funding took a new twist Monday night when the platform changed its label for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to “69% Government-funded Media.”  Read

China’s US-Sanctioned Defense Minister Visits Moscow, Hails a ‘New Era’ in Relations

China’s new defense minister, visiting Moscow on his first visit abroad since his appointment, says China-Russia relations have “entered a new era” and “surpass any military-political alliances of the Cold War.” Read

Son of Shah Visits Israel to Promote ‘Ancient Bond’ Between Iranians and Jews, as Regime Stokes Terror

The son of the late Shah of Iran is due to arrive in Israel on Monday for a visit rich in symbolism at a time when the clerical regime that deposed his father is stepping up its support for Palestinian terrorist groups in their shared campaign against the Jewish state.  Read

Int’l Community Urges Sudan’s Warring Generals to Stop Fighting As Death Toll Nears 100

The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday in response to the outbreak of fierce fighting in Sudan that has killed almost 100 people, including U.N. humanitarian workers, in Africa’s third-largest country.  Read

Biden Fumbles While Recounting Rugby Yarn in Ireland

 The “All Blacks” is the nickname for New Zealand’s national rugby union team, one of the world’s best. Read

Macron’s ‘Strategic Autonomy’ Push Is Like Europe ‘Shooting Into Our Own Knee,' Polish PM Says

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday that European “strategic autonomy” – the concept being championed by French President Emmanuel Macron – amounts to Europe “shooting into our own knee,” pivoting towards China and away from the United States. Read

In China, Brazil’s President Calls for Alternative to US Dollar in International Trade

Brazil’s leftist president began a visit to China on Thursday by taking a swipe at the U.S. dollar and asking why the group of leading emerging economies known as BRICS could not use a currency other than the greenback to trade with each other.  Read

ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Putin Poses Headache for South Africa Ahead of Summit Putin’s Due to Attend

 The International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on suspicion of war crimes in Ukraine is posing a challenge for South Africa as it prepares to host a meeting this year that Putin is scheduled to attend.  Read

After Macron’s Divisive Comments, Lithuania Urges Europe to Foster Transatlantic Unity, Back Taiwan

The foreign minister of Lithuania, one of Europe’s leading critics of the autocratic regimes in Beijing and Moscow, warned fellow European countries on Wednesday not to repeat past mistakes made in relation to Russia, in their dealings with China. Read

Trump: ‘The Biggest Problem We Have in the Whole World’ Is ‘Nuclear Warming,’ Not Global Warming

“Nuclear warming” is a far greater threat to the world than global warming, “and all it takes is one madman and you’re going to have a problem the likes of which the world has never seen,” former President Trump said in an interview aired on Tuesday.  Read

Biggest-Ever US-Philippines Drills Begin; U.S. Reaffirms Mutual Defense Pledge in South China Sea

 The United States and the Philippines began their largest-ever joint military drills on Tuesday, one day after China ended military exercises around Taiwan that included mock strikes against the self-governing island which it seeks to bring under its control.  Read

DoD: Leaked Documents ‘Present a Very Serious Risk to National Security’; US Trying to ‘Reassure’ Allies

As investigations continue into the source of a leak of classified Defense Department documents, a Pentagon official said Monday the U.S. is engaging with allies to “reassure them of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and fidelity to our security partnerships.”  Read

Netanyahu Vows to Restore Security ‘On All Fronts’ After Terror Attacks, Rocket Fire

Israel’s embattled prime minister pledged on Monday evening to restore security after a turbulent few days saw violent clashes on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, deadly acts of terrorism, and cross-border rocket fire including the biggest barrage from Lebanon since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.  Read

Lindsey Graham Says He Worries China Is ‘Setting the Stage’ For Blockade of Taiwan

 As China’s People’s Liberation Army continued war games near Taiwan including simulated attacks against the island, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) voiced concern on Sunday that Beijing may be “setting the stage” for a possible blockade of Taiwan.  Read

Macron: Europe Shouldn’t Take Sides on Taiwan; Rubio: ‘Does Macron Speak For All of Europe?’

 French President Emmanuel Macron ended a high-profile visit to China telling reporters that Europeans should look to their own interests and not become “followers” when it comes to Taiwan.  Read

Congressional Delegation Visiting Taiwan Dismisses Chinese ‘Intimidation’ Attempts

 House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and members of a bipartisan delegation visiting Taiwan shrugged off attempted “intimidation” by the Chinese Communist Party, saying they would not be deterred from demonstrating their support for the island democracy.  Read

Taiwan Braces for Chinese ‘Countermeasures,’ Monitors PLA Navy Movements

After Beijing’s warning of “countermeasures” in response to Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California, Taiwan’s military is closely watching Chinese military movements in waters around the island which China claims as its own.  Read

Pompeo: Biden Ditched Our ‘Conditions-Based’ Approach to Afghanistan Exit; ‘Trying to Pass the Buck’

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday President Biden’s decision to ditch his predecessor’s “conditions-based” plan on withdrawing from Afghanistan had led to the “collapse” in the summer of 2021.  Read

Russia Denies ‘Widely-Circulated Myths’ About Deporting Ukrainian Children; Western Diplomats Walk Out

 Russia on Wednesday rejected allegations that it has deported thousands of Ukrainian children from Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian forces during its invasion, characterizing their transfer as a humanitarian “evacuation” effort.  Read

UN Official Criticizes Fireworks Inside Islam’s Third-Holiest Mosque, Upsetting Palestinian Envoy

Amid skirmishes between Israeli security forces and Muslim young men who reportedly barricaded themselves inside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, the Palestinian representative at the U.N. expressed dissatisfaction after a senior U.N. official included the Palestinians in his criticism, rather than directing it solely at Israel.  Read

‘A Reaction Will Follow,’ Moscow Warns, After Finland Joins NATO

 With a handover of documents in Brussels on Tuesday, the border between NATO and Russia more than doubled in length, a further consequence of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.  Read

Iran’s Ayatollah Sees a Succession of Increasingly Weaker US Presidents; Israel's Demise

Iran’s supreme leader launched a vitriolic attack Tuesday on the United States and Israel, charging that a fast-declining U.S. has had a succession of presidents, each weaker than the one before, and that Israel’s internal divisions are hastening its anticipated demise. Read

In Setback for the West, UN Rights Council Passes Measure Opposing Economic Sanctions by Largest-Ever Margin

The U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday adopted a resolution opposing economic sanctions such as those used by the United States and its Western allies in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Chinese government’s atrocities in Xinjiang.  Read

Philippines Opens Four More Bases to Rotating US Forces; Biggest Ever Joint Drills Set to Begin

In an expansion of the U.S. military presence in a longstanding Asian ally on China's doorstep, the Philippines has approved the use of four more military bases for rotational U.S. forces to operate, train, and exercise with their local counterparts.  Read

Ambassador: Russia Won’t Follow UN Rule on Vacating Security Council Chair When Ukraine is Discussed

 Launching Russia’s month-long presidency of the U.N. Security Council, Moscow’s U.N. ambassador said on Monday he would not relinquish the chair when Ukraine is on the agenda, arguing that other countries that are “directly involved” in the conflict have not done so when they held the rotating presidency.  Read

Saudi Arabia, Egypt Signal an Approaching End to 11-Year Isolation of Syria’s Bashar Assad

The two most influential countries in the Arab world have signaled their readiness to move towards rehabilitating Syrian President Bashar Assad, in a further setback to U.S. interests in the region. Read

Saudi Arabia, Six Other OPEC+ Members Announce Surprise New Oil Production Cuts

 Saudi Arabia and half a dozen other members of OPEC+ announced on Sunday that they plan to cut up to a combined 1.15 million barrels of oil a day from May until the end of 2023, calling the decision a “precautionary measure” aimed at ensuring market stability.  Read

‘Bad Joke’: Russia Assumes Presidency of UN Security Council on April Fool’s Day

At a time when its relations with the West are undergoing significant strains, Russia assumes the presidency of the U.N. Security Council on April 1, a development that Ukraine’s foreign minister called a “bad joke.”  Read

DeSantis Calls Trump Indictment ‘Un-American’; Says Florida Won’t Assist in an Extradition Request

Florida will not cooperate in any extradition request for former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Thursday evening, calling his indictment on criminal charges “un-American.”  Read

Senate Votes to Repeal Iraq AUMF, Ending ‘Blank Check’ for Presidents to Bypass Congressional War Declarations

The U.S. Senate voted 66-30 Wednesday to repeal two Iraq-related war authorizations, with Republicans divided on the question amid stepped-up attacks on U.S. troops by Iranian proxies in the region. Read

Unlike Russia and China, US is Not Developing New Nuclear Weapons, Top Strategic Officers Confirm

A Republican lawmaker raised concerns on Capitol Hill this week about the fact Russia and China are developing sophisticated new nuclear weapons, and asked military officers overseeing the U.S. nuclear deterrent whether the U.S. was doing the same. The answer he received was no.  Read

IOC Still Grappling With Thorny Issue of Russian, Belarusian Participation in 2024 Paris Olympics

Less than 500 days before the Summer Olympics opens in Paris, the question of whether Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will be allowed to take part remains unresolved, and the host nation says its leaving the decision to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  Read

In New ‘Violation’ of Arms Control Treaty, Russia Won’t Provide Nuclear Warhead Numbers

A month after Russia informed the U.S. that it is suspending participation in the last remaining nuclear pact between the two countries, a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday that Moscow is now refusing to hand over data on its nuclear warheads, due at the end of this week. Read

Biden Urged to Take Firmer Line in Opposing Normalized Relations With Syria's Assad

A group of former senior U.S. officials and Mideast specialists is urging the Biden administration to take a firmer stance against the normalization of relations with the Assad regime, arguing that it needs to do more than just verbally voice its opposition.  Read

‘Is China Running the UN?’: Taiwanese Barred From UN HQ Because Their Country Is Not a Member-State

Only holders of IDs issued by member-states of the United Nations may enter the U.N. headquarters in New York City, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday when asked why Taiwanese citizens were unable to do so.  Read

China and Brazil Back Russian Request for International Probe Into Pipeline Sabotage, But Effort Fails

 A Russia-led request for a U.N.-mandated international investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines last September fell flat on Monday, when its resolution on the issue won just three votes in the U.N. Security Council.  Read

Kerry on Climate Cooperation: We Have Issues With China ‘But We Can’t Get Bogged Down by That’

China and Russia pose significant challenges to the United States, but the U.S. cannot focus on those issues to the exclusion of cooperating with them on climate change, according to U.S. presidential envoy for climate John Kerry.  Read

Ukraine Seeks Urgent UNSC Meeting Over Putin’s Plans to Deploy Tactical Nuclear Weapons Next Door

Ukraine has called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s weekend announcement of plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a close Russian ally that borders both Ukraine and NATO territory.  Read

Kirby: Biden Has Responded ‘Boldly’ to Attack by Iranian Proxies; McCaul: 'Our Deterrence Against Iran Is Broken'

President Biden is “absolutely” committed to keeping the 900 U.S. troops in Syria, and the U.S. “will always act decisively to protect our people,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday.  Read

US-Funded UN Agency Condemned by Terror Groups After Suspending Palestinian Teacher for Incitement

A cash-strapped U.N. agency that suspended a Palestinian teacher in Lebanon for inciting terrorism on social media is now facing significant unrest, as Palestinian terrorist organizations condemn the decision. Read

McCaul Wields Subpoena; Americans Deserve to See Documents After ‘That Dreadful August’ in Kabul

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on Thursday gave Secretary of State Antony Blinken until Monday to produce key documents on the Afghanistan withdrawal in the summer of 2021, saying the American people had the right to see them “after what happened in that dreadful August.”  Read

Putin: Russia Favors Using Chinese Yuan in Its Trade With Asia, Africa, and Latin America

During their talks at the Kremlin this week, President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart that Russia supports using China’s yuan as a settlement currency for transactions between Russia and third countries, the latest move in a decade-long campaign by Moscow and Beijing to reduce their shared dependence on the U.S. dollar. Read

Senate Rejects Rand Paul’s Amendment to Repeal 2001 ‘War on Terror’ Authorization

As Congress considers repealing a pair of Iraq war authorizations, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted down an attempt by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to abolish another authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) – the one put in place to respond to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.  Read

Putin Misleadingly Claims UK Is Sending ‘Weapons With a Nuclear Component’ to Ukraine

Britain’s ministry of defense accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately spreading disinformation on Tuesday after he insinuated that the U.K. was planning to provide Ukraine with “weapons with a nuclear component.” Read

Putin Welcomes Xi’s Ukraine Peace Plan; Says Russia and China’s Views ‘Are Identical Or Very Close’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that a Chinese “peace plan” for Ukraine aligns in many respects with Russia’s views, and could form the basis for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, “when the West and Kyiv are ready for it.”  Read

Kirby: No Need For China to Overreact to Visit by Taiwan’s President; Meeting With McCarthy Planned

There is no need for China to overreact – or indeed to react at all – to a planned stopover in the United States of Taiwan’s president, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Wednesday, characterizing the visit as an unofficial and private affair. Read

Kirby: ‘We’d All Like to See The Fighting Stop'; But Russia Must Withdraw From Ukraine

The Biden administration is doubling down on warnings that any China-instigated push for a ceasefire in Ukraine that freezes in place the Russian occupation of its territory would be unacceptable. Read

Russia, China Again Work Together to Block Condemnation of N. Korea Missile Provocations

While Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were meeting in Moscow on Monday, their representatives at the U.N. were working together to stymie a U.S.-led effort to have the Security Council condemn yet another North Korean missile test – a violation of a series of council resolutions.  Read

Putin Hosts Xi: Russia-China Strategic Partnership ‘On the Brink of a New Era’

Declaring that Russia-China strategic cooperation is “standing on the brink of a new era,” Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to host Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday.  Read

Defiant Putin Makes Surprise Visit to Ukrainian Territory ‘As Befits a Thief’ (and Indicted War Criminal)

A day after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of war crimes, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled at the weekend to one of Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine where the cited offenses – specifically, the deportation of Ukrainian children – allegedly took place. Read

Video Footage Appears to Contradict Russian Claims That Jet Did Not Collide With US Drone

Declassified video footage released by U.S. European Command shows an incident over the Black Sea on Tuesday, when a U.S. Air Force drone was downed after being intercepted by two Russian fighter jets, one of which evidently collided with it, damaging its propeller.  Read

Senate Gears Up for Debate and Vote on Repealing Iraq War Authorizations

With Republicans divided on the issue, the Senate voted on Thursday to advance legislation to repeal Iraq war authorizations put in place in 1991 and 2002, in what would be the first action of its kind by Congress in more than half a century. Read

WHO Scientist: We Must Probe Lab-Leak and Natural COVID Origin Hypotheses ‘Until We Have an Answer’

 The World Health Organization must and will pursue investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak “until we have an answer,” a leading WHO scientist on Wednesday, adding that the agency continues to seek “better collaboration” from China. Read

Downed U.S. Drone Deep Below Surface of Black Sea, But Russia Will Try to Retrieve It

 The U.S. military drone downed after a collision with a Russian fighter jet over the Black Sea probably broke into pieces and is likely about 4,000-5,000 feet below the surface, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said on Wednesday.  Read

Russian Ambassador Slams ‘Notorious Lawmaker’ Lindsey Graham Over Shootdown Warning

Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov late Wednesday condemned Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) for saying that the U.S. should warn Russia it would shoot down its warplanes if they approach U.S. assets in international airspace.  Read

US Drone Downed After Collision With 'Unprofessional' Russian Fighter Over Black Sea; Moscow Disputes US Account

Russia is disputing the Pentagon’s account of how a large U.S. military drone was downed over the Black Sea on Tuesday, denying the U.S. assertion that a Russian fighter jet being flown in a “reckless and unprofessional” manner clipped the unmanned aerial vehicle.  Read

Putin: Nord Stream Sabotage Was Committed by State Actor; ‘Theoretically,’ US Had Much to Gain

 Claims that a “pro-Ukrainian group” was behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream undersea gas pipelines last fall were “utter nonsense,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, adding that only a state actor would be capable of carrying out such an attack.  Read

US-UK-Australia Submarine Plans Move Ahead; China Says it Reveals ‘Cold War Mentality’

The U.S., Britain, and Australia have unveiled a multi-decade plan designed to boost Western security in the Asia Pacific at a time of growing Chinese power, by enabling Australia to buy nuclear-powered submarines from the U.S., and eventually build its own. Read

UN’s First ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’ Largely Ignores Plight of Uyghur Muslims

The United Nations on Wednesday marks the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia, but at an event at the U.N. General Assembly in the lead-up to the commemoration, arguably the worst manifestation of anti-Muslim persecution in the world today received scant attention. Read

House Intel Committee Chair Calls Iran-Saudi Deal, Brokered by China, ‘Very Troubling’

The Biden administration has cautiously welcomed a China-mediated agreement to restore ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, but House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said Sunday it was a “very troubling” development that does not reflect well on the administration’s approach to the region.  Read

China’s New Defense Minister Is Under US Sanctions for Buying Weapons From Russia

China has appointed as its next defense minister a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 for his role in buying weapons from Russia.  Read