The White House has requested emergency funding from Congress for pandemic relief for the child care industry, replenishment of U.S. federal disaster funds, and aid for Ukraine. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith have called on President Biden to address the looming expiration of pandemic relief funds in the package. The Biden administration has requested more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support.
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The Secret Service of Ukraine (SSU) has arrested a woman in connection with an alleged assassination plot against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russia has launched more than 70 missiles and drones at Ukraine in recent weeks, resulting in two deaths and four injuries in a "large scale fire" in the northeast. The Ukrainian government has urged the international community to take action to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
This article discusses an attack on a Russian tanker in the Black Sea near Crimea late Friday. The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attack as a "terrorist attack" and the Ukrainian Security Service has claimed responsibility for the incident. This attack is part of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and its repercussions are yet to be seen.
During his visit, Christie visited two sites devastated by the war with Russia, and participated in a flowers laying ceremony at a former defense line. He also reiterated his support for Ukraine, and his hope to get a firsthand look at the wartime atrocities that the country has experienced.
Alexey Navalny, a Russian opposition leader and vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin's government, was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Friday for promoting "extremism". He was already serving a nine-year sentence for parole violations, fraud, and contempt of court. Navalny's team has denounced the charges as politically motivated and the international community has called for his immediate release.
On Friday, Ukrainian sea drones attacked the Novorossiysk naval base on the Black Sea, one of Russia's largest ports, damaging a Russian warship. Videos and a Ukrainian intelligence source suggested that one of the Russian warships had been damaged, forcing a temporary halt to all ship movement at the port. The incident marks the second night in a row that Ukraine has shot down Russian drones, and the extent of the damage and casualties is still unknown.
On Friday, mutinous soldiers in Niger declared their leader the new head of state, raising concerns that it could hinder the nation's fight against jihadists and boost Russia's influence in West Africa. The White House National Security Council has expressed concern over the unconstitutional seizure of power, and warned that it could put at grave risk the continued security cooperation with the government of Niger. Russia has the opportunity to increase its influence in West Africa, as the international community watches to see how the situation in Niger develops.
At the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised African leaders tens of thousands of tons of free grain in an attempt to appease the international community and improve Russia's image in the region. The free grain announcement follows criticism of Russia's involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, which has caused a disruption in the global food supply chain. The summit was attended by 21 African leaders, with notable absentees including the leaders of several large African nations.