Politics
The U.S. will support bids from Finland and Sweden to join NATO, Blinken says
Finland formally announced on Sunday that it plans to apply for membership in the Western military alliance
Immigration
Two Russians crossed near-freezing Bering Strait to seek asylum in Alaska
They have since been flown to the capital and are being processed.
Human Rights
Latvia will tear down almost 300 Soviet monuments amid Ukraine invasion
Riding a wave of anger over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Latvian lawmakers voted in May to approve an amendment to a 1994 agreement between Latvia and Russia on the preservation of Soviet-era monuments that mandated the demolition of “all objects glorifying the Soviet and Nazi regimes.”
Immigration
Biden administration let Russian group enter U.S. after deal with Mexico
Nearly three-dozen Russian nationals who fled their homes after the start of the war were allegedly granted secret access to the U.S. after a deal was struck between Mexico City and Washington
Politics
Russia missile attack on eastern Ukraine train station kills 30, injures over 100, authorities say
Incident is among latest in which Ukraine civilians have being killed in now roughly seven-week-long Russia invasion
Politics
U.S. helping Ukraine obtain, use anti-ship missiles to break Russian naval blockade
The U.S. government is coordinating with European countries who have purchased its advanced anti-ship missiles (ASMs) to get them in the hands of the Ukrainian military, according to officials
Politics
Estonia becomes first to formally call for Ukraine no-fly zone, urges fellow UN members to follow
The Biden administration has been reluctant to establish or help establish a non-fly zone
Politics
United States expels Russia's second-ranking diplomat
The State Department official insisted that the expulsion was not related to the growing tensions in Ukraine
Politics
Russian victory in looming battle for Donbas 'not inevitable,' defense officials say
"There's a real possibility that this could go on for a while because both sides can be fairly dug in here, and to be dug in fairly well," according to a senior defense official
Politics
POLL: Taiwanese willing to stay and fight China after watching Ukraine
A recent poll found that people in Taiwan have become more willing to go to war to defend the island from China following Russia’ invasion of neighboring Ukraine.