‘Friendly Circle’: Putin Gathers Leaders From Ex-Soviet States at Year’s End

 As 2022 draws to a close, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reasons to feel upbeat despite setbacks in his war in Ukraine and Western-led opposition to his actions, as China and other partners in Eurasia reaffirm their support, and opinion polls point to strong favorability ratings at home.  Read

Major Aid Groups Suspend Operations in Afghanistan After Taliban Bans Women From Working For NGOs

 The Taliban’s latest anti-women directive – a ban on women working for non-governmental organizations – has prompted several international humanitarian groups to suspend their activities in Afghanistan altogether.  Read

Medvedev’s 2023 Prediction/Wish List: Breakup of the US and EU; War in Europe; Elon Musk Presidency

 Offering an “absurd” set of predictions for the world in 2023 – a wishlist on his part? – former Russian president and close Putin ally Dimitry Medvedev on Monday envisaged an American civil war and breakup of the states, some of which would afterwards elect Elon Musk as president.  Read

Zelenskyy Angers Iran’s Leaders by Saying ‘One Terrorist (Russia) Has Found the Other (Iran)’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s characterization during his speech to the U.S. Congress of Russia and Iran as two colluding terrorist states angered the regime in Tehran, which warned Thursday that its “strategic patience” with Kyiv’s accusations was not endless.  Read

Taliban: ‘A Woman Is a Man’s Property and Must Serve Him, Not Get Educated’

“A woman is a man’s property and must serve him, not get educated,” the Taliban’s higher education minister has said, as the fundamentalist group’s decision to suspend university education for Afghan women continues to draw international condemnation, including from some Islamic governments.  Read

Zelenskyy: US Aid Is Not Charity, But Investment in Global Security, Which Kyiv Is Handling Responsibly

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday night that American financial support for Kyiv’s defense against the Russian invasion “is not charity” but “an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”  Read

US Sanctions Iranian Security Official Who Tweets Propaganda While Restricting Iranians’ Twitter Access

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions on five senior Iranian security officials, including one who uses Twitter to disseminate regime propaganda, even as he oversees regime efforts to restrict Iranians’ online activity, including access to Twitter.  Read

State Dep't.: Taliban’s Ban on Female University Students Undermines Its Aim to Improve Ties With US

 The Taliban’s decision to ban female students from attending universities has “seriously, possibly even fatally, undermined” its desire to improve relations with the U.S. and the rest of the world, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday.  Read

Biden in November Recording: Iran Nuclear Deal ‘Is Dead, But We’re Not Going to Announce It’

A video clip emerged this week purportedly showing President Biden conceding that the Iran nuclear deal is “dead” but adding that he was not going to say so publicly.  Read

US: UN Chief Is Not Probing Iranian Drone Use in Ukraine, ‘Apparently Yielding to Russian Threats’

In rare criticism of the U.N. leadership, the U.S. on Monday chided U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for not sending officials to Ukraine to investigate Moscow’s use of Iranian drones in its invasion, accusing him of “apparently yielding to Russian threats.”  Read

EU Ministers Agree on Natural Gas Price Cap, As Qatar Issues Veiled Warning

 Two weeks after a G7/European Union cap on the price of Russian oil came into effect, E.U. energy ministers on Monday agreed on a natural gas price cap, after difficult negotiations divided the bloc on how best to deal with the energy crisis sparked by the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  Read

US Welcomes Japan’s Major Security Policy Shift; China Calls It Unwarranted

Japan’s biggest defense policy shift in the postwar era is drawing flak from China – which Tokyo on Friday identified as the “greatest strategic challenge” – while some Japanese are unhappy at the tax increases expected as a result of a government pledge to double defense spending.  Read

‘Should I Step Down?’ Elon Musk Invites Users to Vote on His Future as Twitter Chief

Amid a rollercoaster ride of explosive revelations about the platform's past behavior, snap policy changes, and irate reactions, Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Sunday posted a poll asking users whether or not they want him to stay on at the helm, and promising to accept the outcome.  Read

Biden Pledges $55B to African Nations; Most Are Not Free Democracies

A day after acknowledging to gathered African leaders the “imaginable cruelty” of the transatlantic slave trade – describing it as “my nation’s original sin” – President Biden on Thursday announced his administration would work with Congress to commit $55 billion in aid to Africa over the next three years.  Read

CAIR Slams Decision to Name US Navy Ship for Battles of Fallujah

The U.S. Navy has announced it will name a warship under construction after two major Iraq War battles in the city of Fallujah, drawing sharp criticism from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).  Read

Russia: Why Wasn’t US Membership on UN Women’s Commission Challenged After Ashli Babbitt’s Death?

As allies of the Iranian regime voiced opposition Wednesday to its removal from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, Russia’s delegate wondered why U.S. membership on the commission was not called into question after the death of a woman during the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.  Read

Istanbul Mayor Sentenced for ‘Insulting’ Officials in Apparent Attempt to Sideline Key Erdogan Rival

Six months out from an election that Turkey’s long-ruling Islamist president hopes will deliver him another term, a court in Istanbul handed the city’s popular mayor a political ban that would prevent him from running for the top office, after convicting him on a count of insulting electoral officials.  Read

In Unprecedented Vote, Iran is Expelled From UN’s Top Gender Equality Body

A vote at United Nations headquarters on Wednesday will pit democracies wanting to send a clear message to the regime in Iran over its treatment of women against regimes opposed to what they see as hegemonistic Western interference in others’ affairs.  Read

Qatar Tries to Distance Itself From Cash-for-Favors Scandal Roiling European Parliament

The European Parliament is reeling under the biggest corruption scandal to hit the institution in years – allegations of influence-buying that are also turning another spotlight onto Qatar as the wealthy Gulf state showcased itself by hosting the world’s most-watched sports event. Read

Sullivan: Russia Wanted Something the U.S. Could Not Give, in Exchange for Whelan’s Release

Commenting on U.S. efforts to secure the release of Paul Whelan from a Russian prison, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan revealed on Monday that in exchange for freeing the former U.S. Marine, the Russians had wanted something the United States had not been in a position to deliver.  Read

Freed Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Wants to Share His ‘Skills’ in Support of Russia’s War in Ukraine

Days after his release from a U.S. prison, convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout is doing the Russian media interview circuit and has joined an ultra-nationalist political party, although he says he has no plans to run for office “for now.”  Read

Accused Lockerbie Bombmaker in US Custody 34 Years After Downing of Pan Am 103

The decades-long battle to get justice for the families of 270 people killed in the Lockerbie bombing took another step forward Sunday with the news that a man accused of making the bomb that brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the small Scottish town 34 years ago is in U.S. custody.  Read

UN’s New Human Rights Chief Cautiously Approaches Politically Sensitive Uyghur Issue

Seven weeks after taking up his post, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has made his first – cautious – public comment about the plight of the Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region, a politically delicate issue that dogged his predecessor Michelle Bachelet during her closing months in the job.  Read

After Griner Swap, Which Russians in US Prisons Could Provide Leverage to Get Whelan Home?

As the White House defends a prisoner swap with Russia that brought home WNBA star Brittney Griner but left behind a former U.S. Marine convicted of espionage, attention turns to other imprisoned Russians who may provide the U.S. with the necessary leverage to win freedom for Paul Whelan.  Read

Russian Official Highlights ‘Moral Factor’ in Biden’s ‘Pardoning’ of ‘Wonderful’ Arms Dealer

Russia’s human rights commissioner on Thursday hailed President Biden’s “pardoning” of infamous arms trafficker Viktor Bout, saying that it added a “moral factor” to the freeing of “this absolutely wonderful person who fell victim to American insinuations.”  Read

Biden Wants to Sell F-16s to Turkey; Menendez Says Not ‘Until Erdogan Halts His Abuses’

 Turkey is welcoming the removal of provisions from a U.S. defense bill setting conditions on its purchase of F-16 fighter jets, but the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee signaled on Wednesday that the Turks should not assume that hurdles to the sale are gone.  Read

Khashoggi Murder: State Dept. Won’t Comment on Court Accepting Its View That Bin Salman Has Immunity

State Department spokesman Ned Price was asked five time on Wednesday if the administration was pleased that a federal judge had accepted its view that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was legally immune in a lawsuit relating to the murder of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi.  Read

US Warns of Impact on Investment, Tourism, as Indonesia Okays Outlawing Extramarital Sex

The United States is assessing legislation passed by Indonesian lawmakers Tuesday that outlaws sex outside of marriage – including for non-citizens – and is concerned about its impact on civil liberties and the investment climate for U.S. companies, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.  Read

As Saudis Bolster Ties With China, WH Says ‘Our Partners’ Make Their Own Relationship Decisions

 The United States does not tell its “partners” to choose sides, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, in response to questions about Saudi Arabia’s strengthening of political and economic ties with China.  Read

Price Cap on Russian Oil Exports Takes Effect; Kremlin Says It Won’t Impact Its War in Ukraine

The Kremlin is shrugging off a price cap on Russian oil exports, saying the move – an attempt by the G7 to limit Moscow’s oil profits in response to its invasion of Ukraine – will not affect its “special military operation.”  Read

Court Weighs Parents’ Refusal to Allow Sick Baby to Receive Blood From COVID-Vaccinated Donors

A court in New Zealand on Tuesday considered a couple’s wishes that their gravely ill infant not be given blood from donors who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, weighing it against a request by health services to be given temporary guardianship while the four month-old boy has urgently-needed surgery. Read

Russia Rains Missiles on Ukraine, Accusing It of Striking Airbases Deep in Russian Territory

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for explosions Monday at two airbases hundreds of miles inside Russian territory, one of which houses nuclear-capable bombers, but Moscow launched a massive missile barrage in retaliation for what it claims were attacks caused by Ukrainian drones. Read

Iran Activists Skeptical That Regime Has Disbanded Notorious ‘Morality Police’

International media outlets reported Sunday that the regime in Iran has disbanded the “morality police,” but some Iran activists are questioning both the substance and significance of a vague comment made by the attorney general.  Read

Watchdog Rips State Dept. Decision to Give Nigeria, India a Pass on Religious Freedom, Again

The State Department’s decision to exclude Nigeria and India from a blacklist of countries where severe religious persecution is occurring has drawn a sharp rebuke from a statutory watchdog, which called the decision “inexplicable.”  Read

Cruz: Biden Administration is Moving ‘Systematically Towards Formally Recognizing the Maduro Regime’

The Biden administration is moving, “inch by inch,” towards formally recognizing Nicolas Maduro’s socialist regime in Venezuela, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) charged this week, saying such a move “would be a catastrophic mistake.”   Read

Clinton Says Iran Should Never Have Been on UN’s Women’s Body (But She Did Nothing to Stop It)

As a United Nations body prepares to take an unprecedented vote on whether to expel Iran from the U.N.’s top gender equality body, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday the regime should “never” have been a member of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in the first place.  Read

Russian, Chinese Bombers Jointly Patrol Near US Asian Allies, For Third Time in a Year

Russian and Chinese nuclear-capable bombers conducted an eight-hour air patrol over waters near U.S. allies in northeast Asia on Wednesday, the third such exercise in the space of a year.  Read

Blinken on China: ‘Massive Repressive Action’ Against Protests Anywhere Is ‘Sign of Weakness’

Repressive government action aimed at stopping peaceful protests in any country is “a sign of weakness,” not strength, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, in response to a question about China’s crackdown on citizens demonstrating against harsh COVID-19 pandemic measures.  Read