Federal Judge Restores Funding for Gateway Rail Tunnel Project 
Trump Administration Appeals Court Order to Release Hudson Tunnel Project Funding 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Trump Allows Commercial Fishing in Protected New England Waters 
Japan Election 2026: Sanae Takaichi Poised for Landslide Win Despite Record Snowfall 
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Secures Historic Election Win, Shaking Markets and Regional Politics 
Ghislaine Maxwell to Invoke Fifth Amendment at House Oversight Committee Deposition 
US Pushes Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Before Summer Amid Escalating Attacks 
Pentagon Ends Military Education Programs With Harvard University 
Trump Backs Nexstar–Tegna Merger Amid Shifting U.S. Media Landscape 
Nicaragua Ends Visa-Free Entry for Cubans, Disrupting Key Migration Route to the U.S. 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
Sydney Braces for Pro-Palestine Protests During Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Visit 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Antonio José Seguro Poised for Landslide Win in Portugal Presidential Runoff 
Israel Approves West Bank Measures Expanding Settler Land Access 
The Finnish government said that it has asked its parliament to hold a vote on adopting the NATO alliance’s founding treaty. The vote comes amidst the country’s bid for membership is still pending ratification by the parliaments of Hungary and Turkey.
The Finnish government said Monday that it has asked its parliament to vote on formally adopting the NATO alliance’s founding treaty to prepare the country for membership in the alliance once its bids are ratified by the parliaments of Hungary and Turkey. In a news conference, Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said the country’s membership is important not only for the Finnish people but also for NATO.
Finland and Sweden both filed a joint membership bid for the NATO alliance as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the applications of both countries are subject to the approval of all 30 countries, and 28 have already approved their membership.
Hungary has said it expects to ratify the membership in February. However, Turkey has accused the two Nordic countries of harboring militants it has outlawed, and Ankara said that more must be done before Finland and Sweden’s applications could be approved by the Turkish parliament.
Back in May, 188 out of 200 members of the Turkish parliament voted in favor of the two countries’ applications, with eight votes against.
The Finnish foreign ministry said that only a simple majority in the Finnish parliament approves the NATO treaty as it does not require any immediate changes to Finland’s existing legislation and powers to determine foreign and security policy.
Back in November, Swedish foreign affairs minister Tobias Billstrom said that the two countries have made progress in their agreement with Turkey on their applications to the NATO alliance. Billstrom’s comments came ahead of the NATO foreign ministerial meeting in Bucharest, Romania.
“We had a very good bilateral yesterday between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey and I felt after this meeting that there is progress. We are moving forward,” said Billstrom.
NATO allies also offered help to Georgia, Moldova, and Bosnia, neighboring countries that fear destabilization from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
