Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Christian Menefee Wins Texas Special Election, Narrowing GOP House Majority 
U.S. Accuses Cuba of Harassing Top Diplomat Amid Rising Tensions 
Zelenskiy Awaits U.S. Details as Ukraine Prepares for Possible Peace Talks Next Week 
Peter Mandelson Resigns from Labour Party Amid Renewed Jeffrey Epstein Links 
Trump’s Iraq Envoy Mark Savaya Ousted Amid U.S.-Iraq Tensions Over Iran Influence 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Israel Intensifies Gaza Airstrikes Amid Ceasefire Tensions 
Trump Says Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Could Win Democratic Support in Senate Confirmation 
U.S. Approves Over $6.5 Billion in Military Sales to Israel Across Three Defense Contracts 
Rafah Border Crossing to Reopen for Palestinians as Israel Coordinates with Egypt and EU 
Keir Starmer Urges Prince Andrew to Testify in U.S. Epstein Investigation 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Trump Orders DHS to Avoid Protests in Democratic Cities Unless Federal Assets Are Threatened 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Trump Nominates Brett Matsumoto as Next Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner 
U.S. and Israeli Military Leaders Hold Pentagon Talks as Tensions With Iran Escalate 
The latest deadly incident in Russia’s war with Ukraine was its missile strike on a shopping center in Kremenchuk. Pope Francis recently condemned the strike that killed over a dozen people, calling it the latest in Russia’s string of “barbarous” attacks.
The Pontiff Wednesday condemned the Russian missile strike on a shopping center in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk. Authorities said around 18 people were killed in the attack that took place Monday, and at least 60 people were injured.
“Every day, I carry in my heart dear and martyred Ukraine, which continues to be flagellated by barbarous attacks like the one that hit the shopping center in Kremenchuk,” Pope Francis told the crowds in St. Peter’s Square as the church celebrated the feast days of St. Peter and St. Paul.
“I pray this mad war can soon end and I renew my appeal to persevere without tiring in praying for peace,” said the Pontiff. “May the Lord open those paths to dialogue which men either do not want or not able to find. May they not neglect to help the Ukrainian population, which is suffering so much.”
Russia’s defense ministry claimed it hit a legitimate military target and that the shopping center was vacant.
The war Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is waging on Ukraine is in its fourth month, and Putin said Wednesday that Moscow will issue a response should the NATO alliance set up infrastructure in Finland and Sweden after they join the military alliance.
Putin added that relations between Moscow, Helsinki, and Stockholm would ultimately sour when the two neutral countries decided to join NATO.
Putin’s comments follow the move by NATO member Turkey to lift its veto over Finland and Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, clearing the way for membership after the three countries agreed to protect each other’s security.
The Russian dictator reiterated the objectives of what he called a special “military operation” in Ukraine, that its goal was to “liberate” the Donbas region that was occupied by pro-Russia separatists. Putin added that there was no need to set a deadline for the so-called military operation.
