Read on for today's agenda below prepared by David (thank you very much). - Retired US Diplomat to 5 different nations David Hunter shares his knowledge, passion, interest, and experience.
1) Putin's Day of Victory of USSR over Nazi Germany: It was celebrated May 9th with marching troops and display of Russian military might, but did not involve Putin declaring full scale war on Ukraine as had been predicted. But Russia's Defense Minister Mr. Shoigu is in the hot-seat with failure of his military to make rapid progress. What does this mean? Will Putin replace Minister Shoigu?
2) Hong Kong 'Elects' New Leader John Lee: In what was clearly a sham process, Carrie Lam was replaced by her Chief of Security, the former police chief John Lee as 'Chief Executive aka Governor General' of Hong Kong. Hong Kong had outlawed opposition groups under an new National Security Law, so Mr. Lee ran unopposed, and received 99% of the vote. What does this say about Hong Kong's 'democratic' future?
3) Saudi Arabia film "The Dissident" revealed shocking details about Jamal Kashogg's 2018i Killing: The murdered Washington Post journalist Kashoggi's story is told in a documentary film, first released at Sundance Film Festival in 2020, by Orwell Films directed by Brian Fogel. It included live testimony by Omar Abdulaziz, a Saudi friend of Kashoggi who is labeled a dissident and terrorist by Saudi Arabia. His phone was hacked by NSO Pegasus software on orders of Crown Prince Salman's henchman Saud al Qathani, who oversaw the kidnapping and execution of Kashoggi. What does this reveal about the current situation in Saudi Arabia. Is it time for a change in US policy?