United States International Relations

• A Tale of Two Meetings: Trump Chooses Oil Over Democracy - Two conversations this week confirmed that President Trump backs the remnants of Nicolás Maduro’s regime over the Venezuelan opposition seeking to hold elections.
• Many Fiery Remarks, Little Clarity on What’s Next at Security Council Meeting on Iran - Iran’s representative denied the country had killed protesters, as the U.S. ambassador said President Trump had made clear “all options are on the table” to stop the killing.
• Iran Backpedals on Executions Threat but Casts Protesters As ‘Terrorists’ - Iran’s judiciary said there was no death penalty issued for Erfan Soltani, whose case drew international outcry. Analysts say the government is using fear and intimidation to keep people off the streets.
• Venezuela Strongman and Maduro Ally, Diosdado Cabello, Faces an Uneasy Transition - Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s interior minister, is accused by U.S. prosecutors of drug trafficking and is linked to repression at home, yet remains a powerful figure.
• Federal Agent Shoots and Injures Man in Minneapolis, and F.B.I. Searches Reporter’s Home - Plus, a space station evacuation.
• Nobel Committee Takes Heat at Home as Machado Courts Trump in D.C. - The Venezuelan opposition leader’s attempts to share her award with the U.S. president have shaken some Norwegians’ faith in their signature soft-power tool.
• James Luckey-Lange Among Americans Freed in Venezuela - James Luckey-Lange, 28, was released this week with several other U.S. citizens from the country’s notorious prison system after going missing in December, his family said.
• After White House Meeting on Greenland, Trump Remains Unmoved - Denmark’s foreign minister left the White House saying that his country had a “fundamental disagreement” with President Trump, as several NATO countries sent troops to Greenland.
• Trump’s Gulf Allies Do Not Want Him to Bomb Iran - While several of the Gulf Arab countries harbor little love for Iran, they worry that the consequences of rising tensions could blow back on them.
• U.S. Races to Sell Venezuelan Oil, Transforming Ties With Former Foe - U.S. officials brokered the sale of hundreds of millions dollars worth of Venezuelan oil to stabilize the country’s economy after capturing its president.