Public support and political momentum for Finland joining NATO has reached an all-time high as a result of the war in Ukraine, raising the very real possibility that the alliance's borders with Russia could extend by more than 830 miles in a matter of months.
Why it matters: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced a reckoning in European capitals over defense spending and security policy. If Finland joins NATO, it would represent the biggest transformation of Europe's security architecture in years.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted during an interview with Sky News Thursday that Russia has suffered “significant losses of troops” during its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: It's a rare concession by Russia that the invasion has not gone according to plan.
New York City street vendors, including many Latinos, are calling on officials to lift a cap on the permits they need to operate legally.
Driving the news: The city is home to up to 20,000 street vendors — many of whom are immigrants — who forced to work without permits or to pay exorbitant amounts to lease them because of the cap.
Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Prime Minister Imran Khan's move to dissolve parliament and call for early elections was unconstitutional, AP reports.
Why it matters: Khan will now be forced to face the no-confidence vote he had tried to avoid on Saturday, and the result could see him ousted from power.
Ninety-three countries on Thursday voted to suspend Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council over reported atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and other places in Ukraine.
Why it matters: Russia is the first permanent member of the UN Security Council to have its membership revoked from any UN body, per AP.
Shell's decision to pull out of Russia has cost the company roughly $5 billion so far, the energy giant said in an update released Thursday.
Why it matters: Major international oil companies, including BP and Exxon, divested from Russian energy companies or projects following the invasion, potentially significantly reshaping the West’s energy relationship with Russia.
The Biden administration has been floating the idea of a White House meeting between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, according to five current and former U.S and Israeli officials.
Behind the scenes: U.S. officials have raised that possibility with Israeli officials several times over the last four months, and also discussed it with the Palestinians, Egyptians and Jordanians. While the Israeli side didn't reject it outright they presented several reservations.
Russian and Belarusian runners who reside in either country are barred from participating in this year's Boston Marathon and the B.A.A. 5k, the Boston Athletic Association announced on Thursday.
Why it matters: The announcement is the latest in a series of restrictions the sports world has placed on Russian and Belarusian athletes since Russia invaded Ukraine.
When it comes to sanctions against Russia, the West is using an "everything but" strategy — doing all they can to cut the country off from the global economy, while still allowing it to make lucrative energy sales to Europe.
The big picture: Against that backdrop, a few of the steps the U.S. and Europe took this week are designed to — at least on the margins — blunt Russia's ability to plow energy revenues into funding its conquest of Ukraine.
China warned Thursday it would "take strong measures" if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visits Taiwan, as media reports emerged of a trip that was planned for this weekend.
A Turkish court on Thursday suspended the trial in absentia of Saudi suspects accused of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi and transferred it to Saudi Arabia, per the New York Times.
Why it matters: The transfer probably means the end of the trial of 26 Saudi nationals who were charged in the 2018 killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declared on the Senate floor last night that the reported atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine, amount to "genocide," and he condemned Vladimir Putin as "pure evil."
What they're saying: "When we murder wantonly innocent civilians because of who they are, whether it be their religion, their race, their nationality — that is genocide. And Mr. Putin is guilty of it," Schumer said.
The U.S. and Europe have together ordered the expulsion of more than 400 Russian diplomats and embassy staff since the invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, according to an Axios tally.
Why it matters: Many of the Russians declared "persona non grata" are alleged intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover. Their removal should degrade Russia's ability to spy and carry out subversive activities on Western soil, but may also cause collateral damage if Moscow responds with tit-for-tat expulsions.
