U.S. and China Push for Ceasefire as Thailand–Cambodia Border Clashes Escalate 
Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency 
Trump Attends Dover Ceremony Honoring U.S. Personnel Killed in Syria 
Honduras Election Recount Delayed Amid Protests and Political Tensions 
U.S.-Russia Talks in Miami Raise Hopes for Potential Ukraine War Deal 
Italy Supreme Court Upholds Salvini Acquittal in Migrant Kidnapping Case 
Syria, Kurds and U.S. Race to Show Progress on SDF Integration Deal 
U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration 
EU Delays Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signing Amid Ukraine War Funding Talks 
Argentina Unions Rally Against Milei’s Labor Reform as Congress Debates Key Bill 
Barham Salih Elected as Next UN High Commissioner for Refugees 
Trump Expands U.S. Travel Ban to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Sparking Economic Fears in the Caribbean 
Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade 
Dan Bongino to Step Down as FBI Deputy Director After Brief, Controversial Tenure 
Federal Appeals Court Allows Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C. to Continue 
Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools 
Canada Signals Delay in US Tariff Deal as Talks Shift to USMCA Review 
Ukraine has ordered punitive measures to be carried out on seven clerics who are known to have ties to Russia. The measures are part of Kyiv’s crackdown on the Orthodox Church, which has ties to Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that punitive actions were taken against seven clerics who have grown sympathetic to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine back on February 24. In an order issued by the Ukrainian Security Council, all seven clerics have their assets seized and are subject to a ban on a range of economic and legal activities as well as a de facto travel ban.
“We are doing everything to ensure that no strings are available to be pulled by the aggressor state that could make Ukrainian society suffer,” said Zelenskyy during his nightly video address announcing the actions taken on the clerics.
Ukrainians are predominantly Orthodox Christians, and there has been a fierce rivalry between the branch that has long-running ties to Russia and an independent one that was proclaimed after Ukraine’s independence in 1991. While the Moscow-linked church severed its ties with the Russian Orthodox Church following the war, many Ukrainians are still suspicious of the clergy’s motives as the Russian church fully supports the war.
This follows last month’s order by the Ukrainian Security Council to investigate the activities of the church. Legislation is under consideration to limit the church’s activities. The Ukrainian Security Service has recently carried out raids of properties owned by the Moscow-linked church and accused a cleric last week of engaging in anti-Ukrainian activity by supporting Russia’s policies in their social media posts.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Russian town of Klintsy in Russia’s southern region of Bryansk was hit by a Ukrainian strike, according to its regional governor, but there were no casualties or damage. Klintsy is located around 45 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
“As a result of the work of air defense systems of the Russian Armed Forces, the missile was destroyed, some parts hit the territory of an industrial zone,” said governor Alexander Bogomaz said in a post on the Telegram messaging platform.
