World
Ukrainian ministers 'optimistic' about securing U.S. aid, call for repossession of Russian assets
WASHINGTON (AP) — A pair of Ukrainian justice ministers in Washington this week urged U.S. lawmakers to put aside domestic political disputes and find a way to continue supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska and Deputy Justice Minister Iryna Mudra traveled to the U.S. to promote a bill that would allow the U.S. to repossess Russian state assets held in America and be used for the benefit of Ukraine.
DESPITE PUTIN’S NUCLEAR RHETORIC, US SEES NO NEED TO CHANGE NUCLEAR POSTURE, OFFICIAL SAYS
At a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy Wednesday, the ministers also called on U.S. lawmakers to pass a stalled supplemental funding proposal that would allot tens of billions of dollars in additional aid to Ukraine. Their visit comes as Ukrainian units on the front lines are rationing munitions in their fight against Russian forces that have a vast advantage in supplies.
Ukraines Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska, left, and Deputy Minister of Justice Iryna Mudra attend a press conference at the Embassy of Ukraine on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Washington.
“What we call for is to put aside any divisions or any political disputes,” Maliuska said, since Democratic and many Republican leaders agree that support should be provided. “We really hope that the supplemental and the REPO bill, together or separately will be voted on soon enough,” Maliuska said.
The ministers met with lawmakers, though they did not talk to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. The Republican speaker has resisted taking up the aid package passed by the Senate last month and insisted that the House work its own will on the matter.
Maliuska and Mudra pushed for bipartisan legislation circulating in Washington called the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, which would use assets confiscated from the Russian Central Bank and other sovereign assets for Ukraine. That measure has not moved forward.
The U.S. and its allies froze hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian foreign holdings in retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Those billions have been sitting untapped mostly in European Union nations as the war grinds on, now in its third year, while officials from multiple countries have debated the legality of sending the money to Ukraine.
“We really hope the U.S. is going to be a champion in terms of confiscation of Russia’s sovereign assets and leading other countries,” Maliuska said, adding that “the hardest discussion will be with regards to resources and assets located in Belgium.” More than two-thirds of Russia’s immobilized central bank funds are located in the EU.
The idea is gaining momentum in the U.S.
Last month U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen offered her strongest public support yet for liquidating roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian Central Bank assets and using them for Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction.
Earlier this month, the European Union passed a law to set aside windfall profits generated from frozen Russian central bank assets. Yellen called it “an action I fully endorse.”
“REPO is not about money,” Maliuska said. “This would be reparations.”
World
‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Famke Janssen said during a recent conversation with Nerdtropolis at Spacecon 2026 that Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back as Jean Grey for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”
“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I’m the worst actor in the world. It’s all on my face. You right away will read it,” Janssen said. “I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”
Janssen first appeared as the telepath Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in 2000’s “X-Men,” and then reprised the role for 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” She also briefly appeared as Grey in 2013’s “The Wolverine” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Janssen’s absence from “Doomsday” is notable, considering Marvel is bringing back many of her “X-Men” co-stars for the film. Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are all set to return.
In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Janssen said in every interview she does, she’s asked about the future of Jean Grey in the MCU.
“It’s interesting,” Janssen said. “I didn’t realize that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that’s gonna be printed.”
“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she added. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] ‘Doomsday?’ … it’ll come up again.”
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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”
One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.
Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.
2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED
Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)
All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.
The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.
MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS
Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.
The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.
“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.
Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.
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