Democratic Governors Urge Trump Administration to Lift Halt on East Coast Offshore Wind Projects 
US Airstrikes Target Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria Amid Rising Security Concerns 
Zelenskiy to Meet Trump in Florida as Ukraine-U.S. Peace Framework Nears Completion 
Christmas Eve Jazz Concert Canceled After Kennedy Center Renaming to Include Trump 
Israel Recognizes Somaliland as Independent State, Sparking Regional and Global Reactions 
China’s One-Child Policy Legacy Resurfaces After Death of Former Population Chief 
California Drops Lawsuit Over Federal Funding Cuts to High-Speed Rail Project 
Hanwha Signals Readiness to Build Nuclear-Powered Submarines at Philly Shipyard for U.S. Navy 
Kim Jong Un Oversees Missile Test Amid Rising Korean Peninsula Tensions 
Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire Holds After Deadly Border Clashes 
Kosovo Heads to Early Parliamentary Election Amid Prolonged Political Deadlock 
Kim Jong Un Signals Continued Missile Development as North Korea Plans Five-Year Military Modernization 
Canada Announces $2.5 Billion Economic Aid Package to Support Ukraine’s Financial Stability 
Zelenskiy and Trump Meet in Florida as Ukraine Peace Talks Face Major Hurdles 
Palau Agrees to Accept Up to 75 U.S.-Transferred Migrants in Deal Tied to Increased American Aid 
Bolsonaro Undergoes Phrenic Nerve Block Procedure After Surgery-Related Complications 
Zelenskiy to Meet Trump to Advance Ukraine Peace Talks and Security Guarantees 
The Swedish government agreed this week to extradite a man convicted of fraud to Turkey. The extradition comes as Turkey demanded several people be extradited as part of the deal for the country’s bid to join the NATO alliance.
Sweden announced Thursday that it would be extraditing a Turkish national who is wanted for fraud. The move marks the first case since Turkey demanded a number of people to be extradited in exchange for the country’s lifting of its veto over Sweden and Finland’s membership. Turkey has expressed frustration over the lack of progress.
“This is a normal routine matter. The person in question is a Turkish citizen and convicted of fraud offenses in Turkey in 2013 and 2016,” Swedish justice minister Morgan Johansson told Reuters. “The Supreme Court has examined the issue as usual and concluded that there are no obstacles to extradition.”
A justice ministry spokesperson did not say if the man was included in the list of individuals Turkey demanded to have extradited and did not make further comments.
According to Swedish broadcaster SVT, the man involved was sentenced to 14 years in prison on several counts of bank card fraud. The man said he has been wrongfully sentenced because he is a convert to Christianity, refused to do military service, and has Kurdish heritage.
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, defying warnings from Moscow.
Following the accession protocols made last month, the US Senate ratified the countries’ accession into the alliance last week. The Senate near-unanimously approved the accession of both countries by 95 to 1, making the US the 23rd country out of the 30 member states to ratify Sweden and Finland’s memberships.
In the same week, Italy and France also ratified the two countries’ accession into the alliance.
“This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan, US commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said President Joe Biden in a statement. Biden also hailed the quick ratification process by the Senate.
