LGBTQ

• The orders came in the wake of an antisemitic riot that broke out on Oct. 29, 2023, in the neighboring Russian republic of Dagestan.
• It is not that Kadyrov doesn’t support the Palestinian cause; he does.
• Kadyrov is both feared and venerated throughout Russia, and even more so since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• How did the leader of a small North Caucasian republic become such a feared figure in Russia?

Ruthless rise to power

• Shortly after the beginning of the second Chechen war, which lasted from 1999 to 2009, Putin – who increased his power and popularity due to his aggressive role in the conflict – installed Akhmat as the leader of the republic.
• He used these years to consolidate his power and ensure his political ascension.
• To achieve this, he worked on eliminating his political rivals, including those who were once close to his father.

Violent suppression of dissent

• This highly professional paramilitary force, colloquially known as the “Kadyrovtsy,” is formally integrated into the interior ministry and national guard.
• These troops serve as a private army that suppresses dissent within the republic and eliminates Kadyrov’s opponents beyond its borders.
• Kadyrovtsy also fought in the Syrian civil war as part of Russia’s military support for Syrian president Bashar Assad.

Zealous loyalty to Putin

• This autonomy is largely due to the personal relationship between Putin and Kadyrov.
• Soon after Akhmat Kadyrov’s death, Ramzan famously arrived at the Kremlin wearing a tracksuit, and Putin sincerely comforted the grief-stricken young man.
• In return for Kadyrov’s zealous loyalty and his largely successful efforts in suppressing the North Caucasian insurgency, Putin ceded nearly complete control of Chechnya.

Islam as a political tool

• Under Kadyrov, Sufism in Chechnya flourished and became the only acceptable form of Islam.
• Within Chechnya, Kadyrov uses religion to galvanize supporters and demonstrate his political power.
• Kadyrov, meanwhile, also uses Islam to boost his profile on the international stage and bolster his political standing in Russia.

‘I am the boss!’

• He presides over Chechnya – which waged two wars against Russia in the past 30 years in pursuit of independence – with impunity.
• I am at the steering wheel!” Kadyrov boldly proclaimed in 2011, a mere four years after Putin installed him as the republic’s president.
• Russian law seems powerless to hold Kadyrov accountable, a fact the Chechen strongman underscored in 2015.
• While he remains loyal to Putin, he has his own agenda and cannot afford to be seen as weak.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Grindr Inc. (NYSE: GRND), the world’s largest social network for the LGBTQ community, today announced the opening of a shareholder Q&A on the Say Technologies platform to enable shareholders to submit questions in connection with its upcoming earnings release.
• Grindr is scheduled to host a live discussion of its third quarter 2023 earnings at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m.
• Starting today, retail and institutional shareholders will be able to submit and upvote questions to management.
• A link to the live discussion of the third quarter 2023 results is available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://investors.grindr.com .

• Washington, D.C., Oct. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, two veterans service organizations filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to compel the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to issue regulations amending the VA’s Character of Discharge process.
• Under the current rules, thousands of veterans with less than honorable discharges are unjustly denied VA benefits.
• Less than honorable discharges often result from minor disciplinary infractions that are symptomatic of trauma or experiences of injustice during military service.
• Joseph Effiong, a Marine Corps combat veteran who deployed twice to Iraq, was denied VA benefits because of his less than honorable discharge and the regulations that the VA long ago agreed to amend.

• The company's LIHTC investments continue to expand access to affordable housing supply when and where those needs are greatest, with a focus on underserved markets, populations with unmet needs, supportive housing developments, and disaster-impacted areas.
• "LIHTC investment is a proven and effective way to create and preserve affordable housing supply for low- and very-low-income families, particularly in underserved markets.
• Fannie Mae doesn't fit into either of these categories, which makes it unique as an investor in the LIHTC market.
• Instead, in furtherance of its mission to facilitate equitable and sustainable access to quality affordable rental housing, Fannie Mae focuses on investing in underserved markets and properties.