Of the many political crusades the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., undertook, few were as front of mind for him than crippling Russia’s war machine in its conflict with Ukraine.

Yet during the last year-and-a-half of President Donald Trump’s second term, momentum behind a bone-crushing sanctions package against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin would start and stop, with hopes rising and falling for its proponents every few months.

Earlier this year, Graham had similarly gotten a green light from the White House for a different iteration of the package.

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«It’s never going back on the shelf because President Trump believes he needs it,» Graham told Fox News Digital at the time. «I think he needs it.»

Hours before his death, he again got confirmation that the White House supported his and Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s, D-Conn., latest offering.

«Senator Graham and I were told, very authoritatively, literally just a couple of hours before his death, that the White House was OK with this,» Blumenthal said. «We were exalted, he was as exuberant and as over the moon as I’ve ever seen him.»

And on Tuesday, the same day that Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., was sworn in, Blumenthal and a bipartisan group of over a dozen senators unveiled the long-awaited Russia sanctions package.

«I guess I’m going to begin by channeling my inner Lindsey Graham to say, ‘This is a big effing deal,’» Blumenthal said.

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The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 is the culmination of more than a year of work and closed-door negotiations across the aisle and with 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. It’s one that this time many senators believe it can pass.

Many of the core aspects of the legislation are the same: direct sanctions on Putin, Russian officials and Russian military leaders, up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports, tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian energy, like China and India, and allowing Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions.

Key changes to the newly unveiled package include adding a «national interest certification» for Trump’s sanction waiver authority and incorporating sanctions on the myriad ships and tankers that comprise Russia’s «shadow fleet» hauling energy exports under the radar.

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Hours before Lindsey Graham’s death, the White House backed his Russia sanctions package. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

A source familiar with the negotiations to craft the package noted that «this is the only product that currently has buy-in from everybody.»

«And it’s likely the only product that is going to move forward and put pressure on Russia the way we would all like to see it,» they said.

Still, the political winds in Washington, D.C., can shift at a moment’s notice.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital that he believed «anything is a candidate» to fall victim to external political fights, like Democrats blocking the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) over the Iran war or Republicans fearing another shutdown.

Then there’s the question of what could happen to the package in the House.

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«Anything you send to the House right now probably has the possibility of other things getting attached to it, but I’m hoping, at least over here, there’s some critical mass behind this,» Thune said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers who support the tranche of sanctions view it as a lasting mark of Graham’s legacy in the Senate, and one of the key pieces of work that he left unfinished after his sudden passing on Sunday.

«I’ve known this man for 32 years, and I’m willing to say this is Lindsey Graham’s greatest achievement when it comes to saving lives,» Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said.

La nueva disparada en los precios del petróleo a nivel mundial por la reanudación de la guerra en Medio Oriente podría no ser el mayor dolor de cabeza para la economía global. Esto como consecuencia de un informe del Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) en el que se advierte sobre el agotamiento de las reservas como consecuencia de la continuidad del conflicto bélico.

En este sentido, el organismo multilateral de crédito señaló en un nuevo reporte publicado este miércoles que «si bien el mercado petrolero absorbió el impacto de la guerra, las reservas se están agotando».

Dentro de su análisis, la entidad presidida por Kristalina Georgieva reveló que hacia fines de mayo pasado más de 1100 millones de barriles de crudo (equivalentes a unos 10 días de consumo en todo el planeta) no habían llegado al mercado. Un déficit que superó los de la crisis del petróleo de 1973, la guerra Irán-Irak y la Guerra del Golfo Pérsico.

La guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irán provocó el cierre del Estrecho de Ormuz. Una decisión clave que cortó el suministro de unos 20 millones de barriles diarios de crudo y productos refinados, lo que equivale a una quinta parte del consumo mundial.

A su vez, algunos países que integran la OPEP en la zona redirigieron todo el petróleo que pudieron. Por un lado, Arabia Saudita envió crudo a través de su oleoducto hacia el puerto de Yanbu, en el mar Rojo. Mientras que Emiratos Árabes llevó a su terminal marítima de Fujairah, ubicada fuera del estrecho, casi hasta el límite de su capacidad.

Sin embargo, ambos esfuerzos sólo pudieron compensar una parte del volumen perdido por la clausura del estratégico paso marítimo impuesta por el régimen iraní.

A fines de febrero, cuando los gobiernos de Trump y Netanyahu iniciaron la guerra con una serie de bombardeos sobre Irán, la oferta de crudo en todo el mundo superaba a la demanda en casi dos millones de barriles diarios. Pero entre marzo y mayo hubo una serie de factores que impulsaron el cierre de esta brecha.

Por un lado la contracción de la demanda fue fundamental, en particular en Asia, ya que los precios más altos redujeron el consumo y las economías recurrieron a alternativas como el carbón y las energías renovables. No obstante, la demanda de transporte se mantuvo más estable, en parte por los topes de valores de los combustibles, los subsidios y las desgravaciones fiscales que contuvieron el impacto, aunque a un costo fiscal.

Asimismo, la producción fuera del Golfo Pérsico se incrementó más de lo previsto, en casi dos millones de barriles diarios por encima de los niveles de 2025. Estados Unidos lideró el aumento, seguido por Venezuela, Guyana y Rusia, que también vieron un alza en sus bombeos de crudo según el relevamiento del FMI.

En esta misma línea, el déficit de mercado estimado en unos cuatro millones de barriles diarios entre marzo y mayo fue saldado casi en su totalidad con la puesta a disposición de una buena parte de las reservas mundiales, incluidos los inventarios comerciales en China y los stocks estratégicos.

Si bien el acuerdo marco que semanas atrás habían alcanzado Washington y Teherán provocó en aquel momento un derrumbe en los precios de los hidrocarburos, los nuevos ataques cruzados agudizaron la incertidumbre sobre cuándo se podrá restablecer la libre navegación en Ormuz y con qué rapidez se recuperará la confianza del transporte marítimo, las aseguradoras y los operadores.

Las estimaciones de la industria recabadas por el Fondo alertan que se necesitarán entre dos y tres meses para que se reanude una parte significativa del flujo de crudo luego que se produzca la efectiva reapertura total de la vía marítima.

Una preocupación a largo plazo es que las interrupciones prolongadas de la producción podrían causar pérdidas de forma permanente, en particular donde la financiación para reactivar los pozos es escasa. Y esto a pesar de que este miércoles el petróleo del tipo Brent, que se extrae del Mar del Norte, se encontraba en casi US$ 84 por barril, lejos todavía de los 72 dólares en los que se encontraba el valor del crudo cuando a fines de febrero pasado volvieron a sonar las sirenas en Medio Oriente.

American mother Jamey Carney was remembered at her funeral as a devoted parent who had built a happy life in Ireland before her life was violently cut short.

Carney, 43, a New York native who moved to Ireland in 2021 with her teenage daughter, was violently beaten and suffocated in her home in Killarney, County Kerry, last week. A Jordanian failed asylum seeker who was living in Ireland and was romantically involved with Carney was arrested in relation to the case in his home country after fleeing Ireland via Istanbul after her death, according to Irish media.

Mourners gathered at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney to pay their final respects during a service celebrating Carney’s life. The service was livestreamed, allowing friends and family around the world to join in mourning before a private cremation.

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«Today we don’t dwell on Jamey’s death, but we dwell on her life,» Fr. Kieran O’Brien told mourners.

During the service, O’Brien reflected on Carney’s life growing up in New York alongside her sister, Devon, before recalling her «big decision» to move to Killarney—a choice he described as «the best decision of her life.»

He said she and her daughter, Michaela, had found a place they proudly called home, with Michaela settling into school and becoming actively involved in Irish sports.

The priest described Carney as a woman whose «joy radiated» from her, saying she had built a close circle of friends after moving to Killarney and found happiness in simple things. He recalled her love of country music, travel, shopping, going to concerts and spending time with friends.

«She was happy in life and she was happy with life because life was good to her,» he said.

«But her real love in life was you, Michaela,» he added, addressing Carney’s daughter.

«We thank God for Jamey’s life, remembering at all times her joy, and the ray of sunshine that she brought to all of your lives,» he added.

Jamey Carney’s sister Devon, is consoled at the funeral for the 43 year-old at St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The New York native was found dead in her home on July 7. (Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision for Fox News Digital) ( )

Family members carried a series of personal items to the altar celebrating Carney’s life, including photographs of her daughter, Michaela, and her dog, Penny. A cowboy hat symbolizing her love of country music, the passports she and Michaela used to start their new life together in Ireland and an angel statue were also brought forward.

A framed photograph of Carney rested atop her coffin, which was positioned before the altar and draped in a white pall.

As Carney’s coffin departed St. Mary’s Cathedral following the funeral mass, young members of Dr. Crokes GAA Club formed a guard of honor outside the church. Carney’s grieving sister, Devon, wearing a Kerry GAA jersey and clutching a sunflower, was distraught as family members gathered around the hearse.

The service centered on celebrating Carney’s life, her family and the community she built in Ireland rather than the disturbing circumstances surrounding her death and subsequent murder investigation.

Detectives believe Carney was killed around 11 p.m. Monday, roughly 14 hours before her 13-year-old daughter discovered her body at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. By then, the man had traveled roughly 200 miles by bus to Dublin Airport and boarded a flight to Istanbul, according to the Irish Independent.

Irish police have yet to publicly identify the person they want to question in the investigation or release his name, photograph or any physical description.

Irish police confirmed to Fox News Digital they were aware «of the arrest of a male in Jordan by the Jordanian authorities,» but did not identify the man or confirm he was the person of interest in the investigation. Police also confirmed they «have not made any request to the Jordanian authorities for the arrest of any person at this time.»

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Irish media have widely identified the man as the person of interest in the investigation, though Irish police have not publicly confirmed his identity.

Ireland does not have an extradition treaty with Jordan, where the man is being detained, according to the Irish Independent.

Fox News Digital asked Irish police and Ireland’s Department of Justice to confirm reports that the man had previously been refused asylum while appealing that decision. Neither agency confirmed the reports.

The man had been living in state-run accommodation for asylum seekers in Killarney before spending increasing amounts of time at Carney’s home after they became romantically involved, according to the Irish Mirror.

American citizen Jamey Carney, left, was found dead at her home in Killarney, County Kerry, last week. Irish police have launched a murder investigation into her death. (Jamey Carney/Facebook | iStock)

He first arrived in the United Kingdom before traveling through Northern Ireland and eventually settling in County Kerry, according to the Irish Mirror.

His social media accounts contain posts from the United Kingdom and Turkey in recent years.

Meanwhile, the FBI told Fox News Digital it stands ready to assist Irish authorities if requested.

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«Through our Legal Attaché in London, we have strong, established relationships and stand ready to assist in any way that the Irish government may request,» the FBI said in a statement.

The State Department told Fox News Digital it is providing consular assistance to the family.