**French Court Finds Far-Right Leader Guilty of Embezzling EU Funds**
A French court has found Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party (RN), guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds. The court banned her from running for public office immediately.
Le Pen and eight RN members of the European Parliament were found to have misused European Parliament money to pay staff working for the RN between 2004 and 2016. Twenty-four of Le Pen’s party colleagues have been charged in the case.
The prosecutor had requested a 10-year prison sentence and a ban on running for office for five years. However, Le Pen was only given a ban from public office for five years.
Le Pen chairs the RN in the French parliament’s lower house and has previously run for president three times. She will not be able to run again until 2027.
**Ukraine Update**
In other news, Ukrainian forces downed 57 out of 131 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 45 drones disappeared from radar.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that when the war in Ukraine is stopped, Russia will redistribute its forces quickly, increasing the threat level significantly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that operations have resumed in hospitals damaged by Russian attacks. He also called for a complete ceasefire without conditions.
**Other News**
Sweden has allocated 80 million Swedish kronor to support Ukraine’s drone and demining capabilities. The Ukrainian national railway service was hit with another cyberattack, this time affecting passengers.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb suggested that April 20 is a good time for a complete ceasefire without any conditions in Ukraine.
Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov won the F:ACT Award at Denmark’s CPH:DOX documentary film festival for his documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka”.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com