U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Putin Envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Visit Miami for Talks With Trump Administration Officials 
U.S. and El Salvador Sign Landmark Critical Minerals Agreement to Boost Investment and Trade 
Trump Threatens Aircraft Tariffs as U.S.-Canada Jet Certification Dispute Escalates 
Zelenskiy Awaits U.S. Details as Ukraine Prepares for Possible Peace Talks Next Week 
Democrats Question Intelligence Chief’s Role in FBI Georgia Election Raid 
Panama Supreme Court Voids CK Hutchison Port Concessions, Raising Geopolitical and Trade Concerns 
U.S. Approves Over $6.5 Billion in Military Sales to Israel Across Three Defense Contracts 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Syria-Kurdish Ceasefire Marks Historic Step Toward National Unity 
Israel Intensifies Gaza Airstrikes Amid Ceasefire Tensions 
Faith Leaders Arrested on Capitol Hill During Protest Against Trump Immigration Policies and ICE Funding 
Venezuela Proposes Amnesty Law and Plans to Transform Helicoide Prison 
Trump Says Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Could Win Democratic Support in Senate Confirmation 
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on Canadian Aircraft Amid Escalating U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute 
Trump Nominates Brett Matsumoto as Next Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner 
Trump’s Iraq Envoy Mark Savaya Ousted Amid U.S.-Iraq Tensions Over Iran Influence 
The Swedish government agreed this week to extradite a man convicted of fraud to Turkey. The extradition comes as Turkey demanded several people be extradited as part of the deal for the country’s bid to join the NATO alliance.
Sweden announced Thursday that it would be extraditing a Turkish national who is wanted for fraud. The move marks the first case since Turkey demanded a number of people to be extradited in exchange for the country’s lifting of its veto over Sweden and Finland’s membership. Turkey has expressed frustration over the lack of progress.
“This is a normal routine matter. The person in question is a Turkish citizen and convicted of fraud offenses in Turkey in 2013 and 2016,” Swedish justice minister Morgan Johansson told Reuters. “The Supreme Court has examined the issue as usual and concluded that there are no obstacles to extradition.”
A justice ministry spokesperson did not say if the man was included in the list of individuals Turkey demanded to have extradited and did not make further comments.
According to Swedish broadcaster SVT, the man involved was sentenced to 14 years in prison on several counts of bank card fraud. The man said he has been wrongfully sentenced because he is a convert to Christianity, refused to do military service, and has Kurdish heritage.
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, defying warnings from Moscow.
Following the accession protocols made last month, the US Senate ratified the countries’ accession into the alliance last week. The Senate near-unanimously approved the accession of both countries by 95 to 1, making the US the 23rd country out of the 30 member states to ratify Sweden and Finland’s memberships.
In the same week, Italy and France also ratified the two countries’ accession into the alliance.
“This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan, US commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said President Joe Biden in a statement. Biden also hailed the quick ratification process by the Senate.
