U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged countries to avoid militarizing the Arctic (RFE/RL) ahead of a meeting of the eight-member Arctic Council and his first official, in-person meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 

Blinken said the United States is concerned with “increased military activities” in the region and singled out Moscow for advancing “unlawful maritime claims.” His meeting with Lavrov comes amid tensions between Washington and Moscow over a range of issues, including Russia’s military buildup on its border with Ukraine and the so-called SolarWinds hack believed to have been directed by the Russian foreign intelligence service. Russian lawmakers voted today to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies (RFE/RL), a pact that allows signatories to fly unarmed surveillance aircraft over other countries’ territory. The United States withdrew last year. Separately President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to waive some sanctions (Axios) related to the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is traveling to Washington (Yonhap) today ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday. Tomorrow, Moon will visit Arlington National Cemetery, attend a ceremony at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 

China: Pelosi called for heads of state to boycott the Winter Olympics (BBC) in Beijing over China’s human rights abuses, including its repression of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. The games are set to be held in February 2022.

This Backgrounder explains China’s repression of Uyghurs.

Singapore raised objections with the Indian government after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed without evidence (Straits Times) that there is a new COVID-19 variant in Singapore. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar tweeted that Kejriwal “does not speak for India.”

Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan: The countries agreed to jointly control (RFE/RL) a disputed section of their border where deadly clashes broke out last month.

In a display of solidarity, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank went on strike (NYT) yesterday to protest Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, the evictions of families in East Jerusalem, and violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel. Efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza are ongoing.

Lebanon: Foreign Affairs Minister Charbel Wehbe asked to resign (Al Jazeera) after he appeared to blame Gulf Arab countries for the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates issued formal complaints over the remarks.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting of African leaders and representatives of global financial institutions yesterday that ended with a pledge to provide Africa (VOA) with greater financial support and assistance with COVID-19 vaccinations. Among other efforts, summit attendees pledged to push for a new allocation of Special Drawing Rights, an internal currency used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to boost African reserves. 

This Backgrounder explains the IMF.

Sudan: The government fired the country’s first female judiciary head (AFP) and accepted the resignation of its chief prosecutor. The shake-up followed calls for justice after two protesters were killed at a rally last week outside the army’s headquarters.

The European Parliament is expected to pass a resolution tomorrow calling for a formal freeze (Politico) on an investment deal with China, further dimming prospects for a quick ratification. The resolution is also expected to urge greater U.S.–European Union cooperation on China. The move comes after China imposed sanctions on some parliamentarians in retaliation for European sanctions over Chinese abuses in Xinjiang. 

Spain: The government deployed troops (NYT) to the northern African city of Ceuta, a Spanish exclave, in response to a rise in migration from Morocco. More than eight thousand people arrived this week by swimming or using inflatable boats.

The U.S. Congress released three lists (WaPo) of senior officials and politicians in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras that the State Department found to be corrupt or involved in drug trafficking. The lists’ publication comes as the Biden administration works with the so-called Northern Triangle countries to stem migration to the United States.

This In Brief explains why Central American migrants are arriving at the U.S. border.

El Salvador: The country’s legislature ratified a cooperation agreement (Reuters) with China, signed in 2019, that includes investments in a water purification plant and infrastructure along El Salvador’s coast, among other projects.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed (NYT) legislation aimed at curbing a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans. President Biden is expected to sign it into law.