IRAN – Iran’s foreign ministry denied that a meeting was held between the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations and Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person and close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, Iranian state media reported Saturday. The New York Times reported the meeting took place earlier this week, citing two Iranian officials.

But Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei “categorically denied” that a meeting took place and was “surprised” by the coverage in US media, state-run IRNA said. The Times reported that a meeting between Musk and Iran’s envoy Amir Saeid Iravani was held at a secret location in New York on Monday and lasted more than an hour, citing the Iranian officials, who reportedly described the discussion as focused on how to defuse tensions between the two countries.

CNN has reached out to Musk, Trump’s transition team and the Iranian mission at the UN for confirmation of the meeting. Reports of the alleged meeting raised questions about what Musk’s influence might look like in the incoming administration, especially when it comes to US foreign policy. Just last week, the day after the presidential election, Musk joined Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to two sources. Trump put the call on speaker and Zelensky thanked Musk for his help with providing communications through Starlink to Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia, a source added.

Trump announced Tuesday that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second administration. Musk, who is the CEO of Space X and Tesla, has benefitted from billions of dollars worth of federal contracts, including from NASA, the military and other US government agencies, and the announcement raised immediate concerns about potential conflicts of interest. It is not immediately clear how the department – which Trump said would “provide advice and guidance from outside of Government” – would operate, and whether the US Congress – even fully controlled by Republicans – would have the appetite to approve such a massive overhaul of government spending and operations. (CNN) …[+]

THE NETHERLANDS – Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s right-wing coalition government has survived despite the resignation of a minister over alleged racist comments by cabinet colleagues related to clashes in Amsterdam between Israeli football fans and Palestinian supporters.

Junior Finance Minister Nora Achahbar unexpectedly quit the cabinet on Friday to protest against claims by some politicians, including far-right leader Geert Wilders, that Dutch youth of Moroccan descent attacked the Israeli fans during last week’s match between Dutch side Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“The polarising interactions of the past weeks made such an impact on me that I am no longer able to effectively carry out my duties as deputy minister,” the Morocco-born Achahbar said in her resignation letter to parliament. Schoof’s coalition is led by Wilders’s Party for Freedom (PVV), which won the most seats in general elections a year ago. The government was installed in July after months of tense negotiations.

Achahbar’s resignation triggered an emergency meeting in which other cabinet members of her centrist New Social Contract (NSC) party also threatened to quit. If they had, the coalition would have lost its majority in parliament. The NSC is a junior partner in the four-party governing coalition. “We have reached the conclusion that we want to remain, as a cabinet for all people in the Netherlands,” Schoof said at a news conference late on Friday in The Hague.

Addressing what he called “the incidents in Amsterdam last week”, Schoof said, “There is a lot of upheaval in the country. It was an emotional week, a heavy week and a lot has been said and a lot happened.” But he added: “There has never been any racism in my government or in the coalition parties.” Earlier, Schoof had attributed the violence to people “with a migration background”, who he said did not share “Dutch core values”.

Wilders, who is not a cabinet member, has repeatedly said Dutch youth of Moroccan descent were the main attackers of the Israeli fans, although police have not specified the backgrounds of suspects. Dutch authorities have also said the Israeli fans instigated the violence by setting fire to a Palestinian flag before the match, chanting anti-Arab slurs and vandalising a taxi as well as private homes displaying Palestinian flags. (Al Jazeera) …[+]

KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said Russia’s war in Ukraine will end “faster” when Donald Trump takes over as US president. Speaking in a radio interview with Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, Zelensky admitted to a difficult situation on the battlefield, where Russia has been pressing its advantages in manpower and weaponry. He said the war “will end faster with the policy of this team that will now lead the White House,” referring to the incoming Trump administration

“This is their approach, their promise to their society, and it is also very important to them,” he added. Zelensky stressed that, on Ukraine’s part, “We must do everything to ensure that the war ends next year through diplomatic means.” Trump, who was elected for a second term earlier this month, has repeatedly claimed that the Ukraine-Russia war would not have started if he had been president. In July, he said he could settle the war in one day – without saying how he would do so.

Throughout his campaign, the president-elect and his running mate, JD Vance, cast strong doubts on continued US commitment to Kyiv. The war has been ongoing for more than two and a half years, following the large-scale invasion of Russian forces in February 2022. Russia is making gains at key spots along the frontlines of eastern and southeastern Ukraine, moving closer to key hubs like the city of Kurakhove. Russia claimed Saturday it captured two more eastern settlements in the Donetsk region, although there was no confirmation from Ukraine.

At the same time, Moscow is preparing to launch a counteroffensive in the southern Russian region of Kursk, the site of Kyiv’s only major military success this year. Zelensky admitted the situation in Ukraine’s east was “indeed difficult.” “There is a slow but steady pressure and advance of the Russians,” he said, adding that they had been waiting for the delivery of some weapons for 12 months. However, the Ukrainian leader highlighted that Russia’s advances had come at a heavy price for Moscow’s forces, saying they were losing up to 2,000 men per day. “These are terrible losses,” he said. “They cannot keep advancing with such losses.” (CNN) …[+]