Israel Intensifies Gaza Airstrikes Amid Ceasefire Tensions 
Minnesota Judge Rejects Bid to Halt Trump Immigration Enforcement in Minneapolis 
Kevin Warsh’s Fed Nomination Raises Questions Over Corporate Ties and U.S.–South Korea Trade Tensions 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Pierre Poilievre Retains Conservative Leadership After Election Defeat in Canada 
U.S. Approves Over $6.5 Billion in Military Sales to Israel Across Three Defense Contracts 
U.S. Government Enters Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Trump to Announce New Federal Reserve Chair Pick as Powell Replacement Looms 
Trump Administration Expands Global Gag Rule, Restricting U.S. Foreign Aid to Diversity and Gender Programs 
Trump Family Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Over IRS Tax Disclosure 
Zelenskiy Awaits U.S. Details as Ukraine Prepares for Possible Peace Talks Next Week 
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on Canadian Aircraft Amid Escalating U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute 
Panama Supreme Court Voids CK Hutchison Port Concessions, Raising Geopolitical and Trade Concerns 
Venezuela Proposes Amnesty Law and Plans to Transform Helicoide Prison 
Trump Nominates Brett Matsumoto as Next Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner 
U.S. and El Salvador Sign Landmark Critical Minerals Agreement to Boost Investment and Trade 
Countries have moved to sanction Russia following its continuing assault on Ukraine, seizing the assets of Russia’s oligarchs and their families. US Justice Department Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the seized funds from Russia should be given to help Ukraine.
During a Senate hearing surrounding the Justice Department’s budget Tuesday, Garland said the seized Russian funds should go to Ukraine, supporting the efforts by lawmakers to allow the assets seized by the US government to go to Ukraine. To note, the ongoing conflict has brought on a rare moment of bipartisan support amongst lawmakers in the divided US Congress.
“The first thing we have to do is to freeze the assets…But we would support legislation that would allow some of that money to go directly to Ukraine,” Garland told the Senate committee, after being pressed on how the Justice Department intends to handle the seized Russian assets.
Early this month, lawmakers opposed a bill that would allow the White House to liquidate the seized funds from Russian oligarchs and send the proceeds to Ukraine. The notion was scrapped as the American Civil Liberties Union said it would likely violate the constitutional due-process protections as there is no mechanism for oligarchs to challenge the administration’s actions in the courts, according to the Washington Post.
The legislation would allow the federal government to confiscate properties worth over $5 million from sanctioned Russians to be sold for cash and transferred to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently won his re-election bid, is expected to take a tougher stance on Russia regarding its unprovoked attack on Ukraine, according to analysts. Macron regularly spoke to his counterparts on both sides in the lead-up to the country’s elections rather than campaigning.
Royal United Services Institute Fellow Samuel Ramani told Al Jazeera that he expects Macron to turn his rhetoric into action while doubling down on diplomacy. Ramani also said Macron will also “build on recent heavy artillery transfers to Ukraine and the 100 million euros in arms sent in the first two months of the war.”
Now that Macron is no longer pressured by the election, Ramani said that the French leader may have more time to engage with Vladimir Putin while strengthening his policy against Russia.
