Poland will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine amid a dispute over grain imports

Poland announced Wednesday that it will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine, according to CNN.

“We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieck said.

The decision comes less than a week after the EU voted to suspend the ban on Ukrainian grain imports that was implemented shortly after the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine War, intended to protect local farmers from competing with low Ukrainian grain prices. Poland, in alignment with Hungary and Slovakia, said it will continue to uphold the ban in a policy split from other EU nations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the ban in a speech at the UN General Assembly this week, saying “It is alarming to see how some in Europe, some of our friends in Europe, play out solidarity in a political theater – making a thriller from the grain.”

Morawieck defended the decision to uphold the ban and said that while he would not risk the stability of the Polish economy by allowing Ukrainian grain imports, he would not prevent the passage of Ukrainian goods through Poland. 

Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over the dispute. 

Biden administration to grant legal status to some Venezuelan migrants  

The Biden administration announced plans on Wednesday to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants already living in the U.S., according to the Associated Press.

The Department of Homeland Security will now grant temporary legal status to 472,000 Venezuelans, making it easier for migrants to obtain work visas. 

In a statement, the department said it expanded the possibility for legal status for Venezuelan migrants because of the increased political instability within the South American country over the past decade. 

Democratic officials, who have been struggling to manage a sharp increase in migrants within their cities, praised the decision. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was “grateful the federal government has acted so speedily to grant one of our top priorities: Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan asylum seekers and migrants who have already arrived in this country.”

The decision by the Biden administration does not apply to migrants who arrived in the U.S. after July 31 of this year, and eligible migrants must apply to receive legal status. 

Rupert Murdoch to step down as chairman of Fox News Corp. 

Fox Corp. and News Corp. announced Thursday that long-time Chairman Rupert Murdoch is stepping down from his position at the companies, ending a seven-decade-long career, according to CNBC.

Murdoch, 92, will assume the role of chairman emeritus of both companies. His son, Lachlan Murdoch, will become the new chairman of News Corp. and will remain Fox Corp.’s CEO and executive chair.

“We have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years – I certainly am, and plan to be here to participate in them,” Murdoch wrote in a letter to employees. “But the battle for the freedom of speech and, ultimately, the freedom of thought, has never been more intense.”

Murdoch said he plans to continue participating in the exchange of ideas at both companies but that he felt it was time to assume a different role. 

Murdoch’s move from chairman to chairman emeritus will become official in November of this year.