https://www.voazimbabwe.com/z/3154 The Voice of America is one of the world's most trusted sources for news and information from the United States and around the world. VOA is a multi media news organization using radio, television, and the internet to distribute content in 45 languages. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-ZW/img/logo.png https://www.voazimbabwe.com/z/3154 en 2026 - VOA 60 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:16:12 +0200 Pangea CMS – VOA Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for a U.S. ceasefire proposal to halt Russia’s war with Ukraine but stressed that details would have to be worked out. “We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin told reporters Thursday in Moscow. “Maybe I should call President [Donald] Trump and have a discussion with him,” he said. At the White House, Trump said it would be “very disappointing” if Russia rejected U.S. efforts to end the fighting. “We would like to see a ceasefire from Russia,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed. Now we're going to see if Russia is there and, if not, it will be a very disappointing moment for the world." Earlier, Putin’s top foreign policy aide dismissed the United States’ 30-day ceasefire proposal, saying it would merely provide Ukraine’s military with a temporary respite from fighting. His comments came after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to meet with Russian officials on the ceasefire proposal. In his comments, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed he has been in regular contact with U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz and said they agreed these contacts would remain confidential. U.S. officials met earlier this week with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia to present the ceasefire plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the U.S. effort, saying Wednesday that Ukraine is “ready for a ceasefire for 30 days as proposed by the American side.” Zelenskyy said the halt in fighting could be used to create a broader peace deal for the conflict, which began with Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The talks in Moscow come as the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday its forces have retaken control of Sudzha, a major town in Russia's western Kursk region, from Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian forces had taken the town during a surprise attack on the Kursk region bordering Ukraine last August and had been struggling to hold it ever since. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/putin-expresses-support-for-ceasefire-but-says-details-must-be-worked-out/8009968.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/putin-expresses-support-for-ceasefire-but-says-details-must-be-worked-out/8009968.html Thu, 13 Mar 2025 22:19:23 +0200 USA JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA — U.S. and Ukrainian officials met Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for talks on efforts to end Russia’s war with Ukraine, with both sides saying Kyiv supports a U.S. proposed 30-day ceasefire. A joint statement released after the talks said, “Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation. The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace. It added that the U.S. will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz led the U.S. delegation in Jeddah amid President Donald Trump’s push to broker a swift end to the war that began in early 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not take part in Tuesday’s meetings, with Ukraine represented by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Yermak told reporters just before the start of Tuesday’s meeting that Ukraine is ready “to do everything to achieve peace.” When asked if Ukraine is seeking security guarantees, Yermak said ‘yes’ and that Ukraine wants to ensure that Russia never repeats its aggression. Rubio said Monday the United States hopes to resolve the pause in aid to Ukraine. He said the U.S. is in a listening mode and aims to understand what concessions Ukraine might be willing to make. “The Ukrainians are already receiving all defensive intelligence information as we speak. I think all the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, I think what happens tomorrow will be key to that,” Rubio told reporters aboard a military plane before landing in Jeddah. “We're not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map, but just get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for them [Ukrainians],” Rubio said, adding that there is no military solution to the war, and that both Russia and Ukraine need to “do difficult things.” Later on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Rubio in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah. Salman held a separate meeting with Zelenskyy in Riyadh earlier in the day. Mineral deal? Trump has voiced interest in making continued military aid conditional on access to Ukraine's raw materials. More than four dozen minerals, including several types of rare earths, nickel and lithium, are considered critical to the U.S. economy and national defense. Ukraine has large deposits of uranium, lithium and titanium. Following Tuesday’s talks, the joint statement said both sides agreed to “conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security.” An agreement on the matter had been expected to be signed last month by Trump and Zelenskyy but was canceled after their tense Oval Office meeting February 28. For Rubio, this marks the second visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office. He and other senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh on February 18. He is scheduled to travel to Canada on Wednesday for meetings with G7 foreign ministers. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-ukraine-talks-kyiv-supports-proposed-30-day-ceasefire-in-war-with-russia/8007147.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-ukraine-talks-kyiv-supports-proposed-30-day-ceasefire-in-war-with-russia/8007147.html Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:02:43 +0200 USA JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States hopes to resolve the pause in aid to Ukraine during talks Tuesday with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rubio said the U.S. is in a listening mode and aims to understand what concessions Ukraine might be willing to make. “The Ukrainians are already receiving all defensive intelligence information as we speak. I think all the notion of the pause in aid broadly is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, I think what happens tomorrow will be key to that,” Rubio told reporters aboard a military plane before landing in Jeddah. “We're not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map but just get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for them [Ukrainians],” Rubio said, adding that there is no military solution to the war, and that both Russia and Ukraine need to “do difficult things.” Later on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly Known by his abbreviation MBS, met with Rubio in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah. MBS held a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Riyadh earlier in the day. On Tuesday, Rubio will join U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz for the Jeddah talks with Ukrainian officials as President Donald Trump pushes to broker a swift end to the war. The Ukrainian delegation includes Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha; Defense Minister Rustem Umerov; and military commander Pavlo Palisa. “Strong positions on the front line and strong diplomacy must work together to achieve a just and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media posting late Monday. Mineral deal? Trump has voiced interest in making continued military aid conditional on access to Ukraine's raw materials. More than four dozen minerals, including several types of rare earths, nickel and lithium, are considered critical to the U.S. economy and national defense. Ukraine has large deposits of uranium, lithium and titanium. But Rubio clarified that securing a deal on Ukraine's mineral resources was not the primary focus of Tuesday’s talks. “There's still more details to work out, and at this point, we're probably — rather than a memorandum of understanding — just wanting to sign a specific agreement. And that would take a little bit more time," he told reporters. “I wouldn't prejudge tomorrow by whether or not we have a minerals deal. ... It's an important topic, but it's not the main topic on the agenda,” Rubio added. Rubio also credited Britain and France for playing a constructive role in talks with Ukraine. He told VOA that there have been no discussions about China playing a role in postwar peacekeeping and reconstruction in Ukraine. This marks Rubio’s second visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office. He and other senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh on Feb. 18. He is scheduled to travel to Canada on Wednesday for meetings with G7 foreign ministers. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-in-saudi-arabia-for-us-ukraine-talks-hopes-to-resolve-ukraine-aid-pause/8006274.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-in-saudi-arabia-for-us-ukraine-talks-hopes-to-resolve-ukraine-aid-pause/8006274.html Tue, 11 Mar 2025 03:47:52 +0200 USA By Ken Bredemeier   U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed his new 25% tariffs on most Mexican exports to the United States for four weeks after hearing directly from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on how her government had helped curb the flow of migrants and the deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States. Trump said on his Truth Social media platform that the reprieve on tariffs would extend to April 2 and not be imposed on Mexican goods imported by U.S. companies that fall under a trade agreement he reached with Mexico and Canada in 2018 during his first term in the White House. He made no mention of easing the same 25% tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S., although Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled in a television interview Thursday that it was likely. On Wednesday, Trump delayed for a month the new duty on vehicles manufactured in both Mexico and Canada that are being shipped to the United States. In his Truth Social post, Trump said he eased the tariffs on Mexican goods "as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum. Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl." He ended the post by saying "Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation!" In a statement on Thursday, Sheinbaum said "We agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results, within the framework of respect for our sovereignties." Later, at a news conference, she said that during a Thursday phone call, Trump at first wanted his tariffs to stay in place. But Sheinbaum said she gave him examples of the results she had achieved in the past month, including how Mexico limited the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and how Mexican authorities had sent 29 top cartel operatives wanted by American officials to the United States. She also dispatched 10,000 troops to Mexico's northern border to try to halt the flow of migrants and drugs into the United States. "Mexico was treated with a lot of respect, and we reached this deal that benefits both nations," she said, although it remained unclear what might happen next month when the tariff pause ends. Sheinbaum had threatened retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports to Mexico, but unlike Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had held off on announcing them as she pressed for a diplomatic solution. Trudeau said Thursday he welcomed indications that the U.S. could delay substantial tariffs on Canadian products for a month, but nonetheless said his plan to impose retaliatory tariffs would remain in place for now. The Canadian leader said he expects Canada and the U.S. to be in a trade war for the foreseeable future after having what he called a colorful but constructive call with Trump this week. Trudeau said the two sides are "actively engaged in ongoing conversations in trying to make sure these tariffs don't overly harm" certain business sectors and workers. He also reiterated that "we will not be backing down from our response tariffs until such a time as the unjustified American tariffs on Canadian goods are lifted." Trump touched off the trade war Tuesday by imposing tariffs against Washington's three biggest trading partners, 25% on Mexican and Canadian exports, while doubling an earlier 10% levy on Chinese products to 20%. All three countries announced they would retaliate with their own extra duties on U.S. goods. Lutnick said that for companies with products that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, "you will get a reprieve now." Trudeau said Lutnick's comments align with conversations Canadian officials have had with the Trump administration. "But I am going to wait for an official agreement to talk about Canadian response or look at the details of it, but it is a promising sign." Trudeau said. "But I will highlight that it means that the tariffs remain in place and therefore our response will remain in place." Canada's initial $21 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs have been applied on items such as American orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and certain pulp and paper products. Ottawa plans a further $87 billion in tariffs in three weeks on American products such as electric vehicles, fruits and vegetables, dairy, beef, pork, electronics, steel and trucks. Trump's tariffs have roiled U.S. stock markets in a broad stock selloff this week as investors worry about higher costs for consumers and businesses. In a speech Tuesday night to the U.S. Congress, Trump acknowledged the tariff turmoil, saying, "Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. There will be a little disturbance, but we're OK with that. It won't be much." Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.   https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-delays-tariffs-on-most-mexican-exports-to-us-/8001727.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-delays-tariffs-on-most-mexican-exports-to-us-/8001727.html Fri, 07 Mar 2025 01:11:20 +0200 USA U.S. President Donald Trump began his first speech to Congress of his second term by proclaiming that “America is back,” triggering chants of “USA” from Republican lawmakers. “Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America. From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country,” Trump said. Trump said his administration has “accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started.” To date, he has signed 76 executive orders — several of which are being challenged in court. Just a few minutes into Trump’s address, the president was interrupted by jeering from the floor of the House, prompting Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson to direct the sergeant at arms to remove Democratic Representative Al Green, who is from Texas. Trump continued his address after Green was removed from the chamber. Trump listed several of his executive orders, including that he declared a national emergency on the southern border and deployed U.S. military and border patrol to "repel the invasion of our country." He also said he imposed an immediate freeze on all federal hiring since returning to the White House, plus a freeze on foreign aid. Trump also withdrew the United States from what he called the “unfair” Paris Climate Accord, the “corrupt” World Health Organization and the “anti-American” U.N. human rights council. Usually known as the State of the Union in non-inauguration years, the address provides Trump with a public stage to lay out his vision for the U.S. economy and immigration policy, and allows him to defend recent controversial decisions to cut the federal workforce and confront Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The most pressing challenge for Trump will be to unite Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives to pass a budget funding the government past a March 14 deadline. Republicans differ on whether to cut popular social safety net programs such Medicaid, which provides health insurance to those with low incomes, to pay down the U.S. debt and pay for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term. Trump has called for “one big, beautiful bill” to fund his domestic policy agenda. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week. “We’re going to deliver all of it, not just parts of it.” Congressional Democrats have criticized the budget for benefiting the wealthy. "Make no mistake, it will rob seniors, kids and the disabled to pay for the rich to get richer,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week. Trump also addressed the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk. Senator and former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin delivered the Democratic response to Trump’s address. Slotkin won the swing state of Michigan by focusing on the economy in her outreach to voters. VOA's Katherine Gypson and Kim Lewis contributed to this story. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-america-is-back-/7998303.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-america-is-back-/7998303.html Wed, 05 Mar 2025 06:56:58 +0200 USA By Katherine Gypson U.S. President Donald Trump will address Congress Tuesday night, capping some of the most consequential first weeks of any U.S. presidency. Usually known as the State of the Union in non-inauguration years, the address will provide Trump with a public stage to lay out his vision for the U.S. economy and immigration policy, and allow him to defend recent controversial decisions to cut the federal workforce and confront Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But the most pressing challenge for Trump will be to unite Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives to pass a budget funding the government past a March 14 deadline. Republicans differ on whether to cut popular social safety net programs such Medicaid, which provides health insurance to those with low incomes, to pay down the U.S. debt and pay for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term. Trump has called for “one big, beautiful bill” to fund his domestic policy agenda. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week. “We’re going to deliver all of it, not just parts of it.” Congressional Democrats have criticized the budget for benefiting the wealthy. "Make no mistake, it will rob seniors, kids and the disabled to pay for the rich to get richer,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week. Trump will also likely speak about the rationale behind the U.S. imposing tariffs on other countries. He confirmed that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would go into effect on Tuesday. “They're going to have to have a tariff,” Trump told reporters Monday. “So, what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs.” But one analyst told VOA that was unlikely. “Probably what's going to happen is most manufacturers are going to just move to other countries where the tariffs are not imposed, or they will just move,” said Shannon Bow O’Brien, associate professor of instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. “They will ship it [business] to other places, and then ship it to those here to try to avoid tariffs. Or we're going to see other countries making it even cheaper, so then when the tariffs are imposed, the price is going to stay. I don't believe it's going to achieve what he wants, which is to have manufacturing come back to the United States or concede to certain issues,” O’Brien said. Trump’s first weeks in office were also marked by executive orders addressing one of the key issues of his campaign: immigration reform. He is expected to highlight changes to the security of the U.S. southern border with Mexico in his speech Tuesday. He could also address the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk. While domestic issues are traditionally the focus of presidential addresses to Congress, several pressing foreign policy challenges are likely to come up in Trump’s speech. Trump told reporters after his Oval Office confrontation last Friday with Zelenskyy that he does not feel Ukraine has sufficiently acknowledged the United States’ nearly $200 billion contribution to the conflict that began when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Trump is also expected to address the ceasefire in Gaza and his plans for real estate development in the conflict-ridden region. Senator and former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democratic response to Trump’s address. Slotkin won the swing state of Michigan by focusing on the economy in her outreach to voters. VOA's Kim Lewis contributed to this story. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-s-first-address-to-congress-in-five-years-will-focus-on-key-foreign-domestic-policy-issues/7997673.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-s-first-address-to-congress-in-five-years-will-focus-on-key-foreign-domestic-policy-issues/7997673.html Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:10:28 +0200 USA By Jessica Jerreat The U.S. Agency for Global Media on Thursday announced that journalist-turned-politician Kari Lake will join the agency as a special adviser. A journalist for 30 years, Lake was named by President Donald Trump in December as the person he would like to have lead Voice of America (VOA). Lake’s selection for that role has been slowed while Trump’s pick to head the USAGM — conservative political activist and writer L. Brent Bozell III — awaits his Senate confirmation hearing. The agency is also waiting for a new bipartisan board to be installed, which will work alongside the CEO on issues including appointing or dismissing network heads. Roman Napoli announced Lake’s arrival in an email to the staff. Napoli is carrying out the duties of USAGM chief executive; the previous head, Amanda Bennett, resigned. Lake “brings a wealth of experience in broadcast journalism, having spent more than two decades as an anchor and reporter in major media markets,” Napoli wrote. In highlighting her accomplishments, Napoli said Lake had interviewed leaders, including two U.S. presidents, and had been awarded two Emmys for international reporting. “As Senior Advisor of the Trump Administration, Kari will help USAGM implement the policies and strategies needed to streamline the agency, its networks, and its grantees,” the email said. USAGM oversees several entities dedicated to reporting news and combating censorship that have a combined weekly audience reach of more than 420 million. Those organizations include VOA, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and the nonprofits Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Open Technology Fund and Frontline Media Fund. As well as overseeing the independent networks, USAGM has a stated mission to "inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy." In his email to the staff, Napoli said Lake’s experience “will be invaluable as we continue our mission to clearly and effectively present the policies of the Trump Administration around the world.” USAGM’s public affairs department did not immediately respond to VOA’s request for comment. An editorial firewall prevents USAGM from involvement in the journalistic output of the entities it oversees. The media outlets under USAGM have been combating disinformation and propaganda since VOA’s first broadcasts in Nazi Germany during World War II. It has also attracted criticism for alleged bias, coverage, mismanagement and security lapses including vetting of staff. Lake referenced some of the criticism directed at USAGM in her remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week. Lake told the audience that as VOA director she will focus the news agency on producing “accurate and honest reporting.” “VOA has been telling America's story to the world for 83 years this Monday. Sometimes the coverage has been incredible and sometimes it's been pitiful,” Lake said. “We are fighting an information war, and there's no better weapon than the truth, and I believe VOA could be that weapon.” Among those who have called for the network to be cut is Trump special adviser Elon Musk. “We won't become Trump TV,” she said, “but it sure as hell will not be ‘TDS TV.’ You can find all the Trump Derangement Syndrome that you want over on CNN, MSNBC, PBS, '60 Minutes,' The Washington Post and The New York Times.” As well as a background in journalism, Lake has more recently been a politician. She left her job at an Arizona news station over what she has said she felt was disinformation about the pandemic. She ran unsuccessfully for governor of Arizona and challenged her loss in lawsuits. A run for senator was also unsuccessful. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/usagm-announces-kari-lake-as-special-adviser/7992683.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/usagm-announces-kari-lake-as-special-adviser/7992683.html Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:30:29 +0200 USA U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the fate of the Gaza Strip if the war is ended. The new top U.S. diplomat met with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. Ahead of time, their talks were expected to center on U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to move 2.3 million Palestinians out of Gaza into neighboring countries, with the U.S. then redeveloping the narrow territory along the Mediterranean Sea and taking ownership of it. SEE ALSO: Trump doubles down on Gaza takeover plan to Jordan's King Abdullah Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, oppose Trump’s plan and continue to support the creation of an independent Palestinian state, including Gaza, to exist alongside Israel. For years, that also has been the U.S. stance but now seemingly is at odds with any call for U.S. ownership of the territory and removal of the Palestinians with no right for them to return once it is redeveloped. As such, Rubio has said Arab countries opposed to Trump’s Gaza proposal should offer their own alternative suggestions on how to rebuild the territory that has been decimated by 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants. The warring sides are now in a six-week truce that is tenuously holding but set to end in two weeks. Terms for the second phase of the ceasefire have yet to be reached. SEE ALSO: Rubio: Hamas 'must be eradicated'      Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Monday its forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon near the border after Tuesday’s deadline for their withdrawal under a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. The move came as the region marked 500 days of unrest linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. Lebanon’s government and Hezbollah are opposed to any further delay in the Israeli troop withdrawal, which had already been postponed for three weeks. Earlier Monday, an Israeli drone attack struck a car in Lebanon’s southern port city of Sidon, the deepest attack inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire took effect. Israel said it targeted Muhammad Shaheen, the head of Hamas’ operations in Lebanon. Footage circulating online showed a car engulfed in flames. Trump’s Gaza takeover plan would seemingly eliminate his hopes of getting Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel, which Saudi officials have said will not happen unless there is a pathway for a Palestinian state. The United States fully endorsed Israel’s war aims in Gaza on Sunday, with Rubio saying that Hamas “must be eradicated” and "cannot continue as a military or government force." Rubio told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a stop in Jerusalem that “as long as [Hamas] stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible.” Echoing Trump, the Israeli leader said "the gates of hell would be open" if Hamas does not release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, freed three hostages on Saturday in exchange for nearly 400 Palestinians who had been jailed in Israel. But the militants continue to hold dozens of hostages they captured in the terror attack that killed 1,200 people. Israel’s counteroffensive during the war with Hamas has killed more than 48,200 Palestinians, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel, without offering evidence, said it has killed over 17,000 militants. The tentative second phase of the ceasefire plan calls for Hamas to release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, the drafting of a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. But the detailed terms of the deal have yet to be negotiated. During his tour of the region, Rubio was not scheduled to meet with any Palestinian officials. Egypt says it is hosting an Arab summit on Feb. 27 and is working with other countries on a counterproposal that would allow for Gaza to be rebuilt without removing its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians would likely violate international law. Egypt has warned that any mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its nearly half-century-old peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of American influence in the region. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-in-saudi-arabia-for-talks-on-fate-of-gaza-/7978252.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-in-saudi-arabia-for-talks-on-fate-of-gaza-/7978252.html Mon, 17 Feb 2025 22:08:37 +0200 USA voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) The U.S. fully endorsed Israel’s war aims in Gaza on Sunday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that Hamas “must be eradicated” and "cannot continue as a military or government force." Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem at the start of a regional tour as the first phase of a tenuous Israel-Hamas ceasefire expires in two weeks, with the second segment yet to be negotiated. Rubio, on his first trip to the Middle East as the new top U.S. diplomat, told Netanyahu that “as long as [Hamas] stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible.” Rubio is likely to face continued opposition from Arab nations about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza into neighboring countries and then for Israel to hand over the narrow territory along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the U.S. to own and redevelop. While U.S. allies and adversaries alike have assailed Trump’s Gaza plan, Netanyahu has welcomed it, saying that he and Trump have a "common strategy" for Gaza's future. SEE ALSO: Arab League chief rejects Trump plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza  Echoing Trump, the Israeli leader said "the gates of hell would be open" if Hamas does not release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, freed three hostages Saturday in exchange for nearly 400 Palestinians who had been jailed in Israel. But the militants continue to hold dozens of hostages they captured in the terror attack that killed 1,200 people. Israel’s counteroffensive during 15 months of fighting in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel, without proving evidence, says it has killed over 17,000 militants. Rubio and Netanyahu met as the first phase of the ceasefire nears its end. In the second phase, the tentative plan calls for Hamas to release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, drafting of a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. But the detailed terms of the deal have yet to be negotiated. The tough U.S. stance aligning with Netanyahu’s position could complicate efforts to continue talks with Hamas, which, despite suffering heavy losses in the war, remains intact and in control of Gaza. Some of Netanyahu’s supporters in the Israeli government want to continue the war when the first phase of the ceasefire ends but resuming it could endanger the lives of the remaining hostages. Netanyahu has offered Hamas a chance to surrender and send its top leaders into exile, but Hamas has rejected such a scenario. Meanwhile, despite the ceasefire largely holding, the Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike early Sunday on people who approached its forces in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said the strike killed three of its policemen while they were securing the entry of aid trucks near Rafah, on the Egyptian border. Hamas described the attack as a "serious violation" of the ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of trying to sabotage the deal. During his tour of the region, Rubio was not scheduled to meet with any Palestinian officials. Egypt says it is hosting an Arab summit on Feb. 27, and is working with other countries on a counterproposal that would allow for Gaza to be rebuilt without removing its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians would likely violate international law. Arab nations have long called for creation of an independent Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel, which the U.S. has also supported. But Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution and U.S. ownership of Gaza also would likely end the possibility of a Palestinian state encompassing Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Egypt has warned that any mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its nearly half-century-old peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of American influence in the region. Rubio is also set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates was the leading force behind the 2020 Abraham Accords in which four Arab states normalized relations with Israel during Trump's first White House term. Trump hopes to expand the accords to include Saudi Arabia, potentially offering closer U.S. defense ties, but the kingdom has said it will not normalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a Palestinian state. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-hamas-must-be-eradicated-/7977097.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-hamas-must-be-eradicated-/7977097.html Sun, 16 Feb 2025 22:36:01 +0200 WorldUSA WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday intensified its sweeping efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce, the nation's largest employer, by ordering agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet gained civil service protection — potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of workers. In addition, workers at some agencies were warned that large workplace cuts would be coming. The decision on probationary workers, who generally have less than a year on the job, came from the Office of Personnel Management, which serves as a human resources department for the federal government. The notification was confirmed by a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly. It's expected to be the first step in sweeping layoffs throughout the federal government. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that told agency leaders to plan for "large-scale reductions in force." Elon Musk, whom Trump has given wide leeway to slash government spending with his Department of Government Efficiency, called Thursday for the country to "delete entire agencies" from the federal government. "I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leave a lot of them behind," Musk said as he spoke via a videocall to the World Governments Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. "If we don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back." 'Vast unraveling' Paul Light, an expert on the federal government and professor emeritus of public service at New York University, said it seemed like the administration was "inventing new methods for destroying government capacity." By laying people off, the government will be able to accomplish fewer things. "It's a vast unraveling of what federal agencies do," he said. Thursday's order was an expansion of previous directions from OPM, which told agencies earlier this week that probationary employees should be fired if they weren't meeting high standards. It's not clear how many workers are in a probationary period. According to government data maintained by OPM, there were 220,000 workers with under a year on the job as of March 2024, the most recent data available. The firing of probationary employees began earlier this week, and it has included workers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education. At least 39 workers were fired from the Education Department on Wednesday, according to a union that represents agency workers, including civil rights workers, special education specialists and student aid officials. The civilian federal workforce, not including military personnel and postal workers, is made up of about 2.4 million people. While about 20% of the workers are in Washington and the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia, more than 80% live outside the capital region. Trump's initial attempt to downsize the workforce was the deferred resignation program, commonly described as a buyout, which offered to pay people until September 30 if they agreed to quit. The White House said 75,000 people signed up, and a federal judge cleared a legal roadblock for the program on Wednesday. However, the number of workers who took the offer was lower than the administration's target, and Trump has made it clear that he would take further steps to lay people off. Employees at the National Science Foundation and Housing and Urban Development Department were told this week that large reductions in the workforce, in some cases a halving of the workforce, would be coming, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authorization to discuss it. The National Science Foundation was told to expect a 25% to 50% reduction in force within two months, while the Housing and Urban Development Department was told to plan for a 50% reduction, the person said. Employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were also bracing Thursday for reductions in their workforce. The order Trump signed Tuesday stipulated that government functions not required by law would be prioritized for cuts and hiring would be restricted. With exceptions for functions such as public safety, only one employee can be added for every four who leave. In addition, new hires would generally need the approval from a representative of the DOGE, expanding the influence of Musk's team. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-administration-lays-off-probationary-employees-plans-large-scale-cuts/7975545.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-administration-lays-off-probationary-employees-plans-large-scale-cuts/7975545.html Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:14:29 +0200 USA By Ken Bredemeier U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that Americans may face economic “pain” because of new tariffs he is imposing on the country’s three biggest trading partners —Canada, China and Mexico — but contended that it would be “worth the price” to bolster U.S. interests. Despite sharing a free-trade pact he negotiated with Canada and Mexico in his first term in office, Trump on Saturday imposed 25% tariffs on the two countries set to take effect Tuesday, and hit China with a new 10% levy in addition to already enacted tariffs. Trump claimed the three countries were not doing enough to halt illegal immigration and the deadly opioid fentanyl from entering the United States. In Truth Social posts early Sunday, Trump acknowledged American consumers could face higher prices because of the tariffs. U.S. companies that pay the tariffs to the federal government to import goods from other countries then often pass on at least part, if not all, of their higher costs to consumers rather than absorb their extra expenses themselves. But Trump aimed most of his comments at Canada, targeting one of the U.S.’s closest allies. The U.S. Census Bureau said the U.S. had a $55 billion trade deficit with Canada last year. “Why? There is no reason,” Trump contended. “We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use.” “Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!” Trump said. He said, “Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA. THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!” With the new tariffs, Trump said, "Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!) But we will Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid." Trump aides had previously shied from acknowledging that tariffs could raise U.S. consumer prices. Nationwide polls in the U.S. showed that consumer frustration over rising prices during the last four years were a major factor in his November election victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. Trump has since acknowledged that it will not be easy to curb higher grocery prices. Trump put the new tariff on energy imports from Canada at 10%, apparently seeking to limit an increase in fuel and electricity prices. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that his country would hit back with 25% percent levies of its own on select American goods worth $106.6 billion, with a first round on Tuesday followed by a second one in three weeks. Leaders of several Canadian provinces have already announced retaliatory actions as well, such as the immediate halt of U.S. liquor purchases, and more specifically, orange juice produced in the U.S. state of Florida, whiskey in Tennessee and peanut butter in Kentucky, three states Trump won in last November’s election and all represented by Republicans, like Trump, in the U.S. Senate. Kirsten Hillman, the Canadian ambassador to the U.S., told ABC’s “This Week” show, “We’re really disappointed” and “perplexed” by Trump’s actions and said she hoped that Trump would back off before Tuesday. But she acknowledged that “it’s really in the president’s hands” whether that happens. She said that “less than 1% of illegal immigrants” entering the U.S. travel across its northern border with Canada. She said Canada has invested “in a lot of equipment” to curb unauthorized border crossings and conducted joint exercises with the U.S. to catch migrants. “It’s hard to know what more we could do,” she said. “We’re not at all interested in escalating” a trade war with the U.S., where she said 99% of the trade is currently tariff-free. “We’re eager to build on that.” Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had directed her economy minister to "implement Plan B," which includes yet-unspecified "tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests," without specifying what U.S. goods her government will target. U.S. exports to Mexico totaled more than $322 billion in 2023, Census Bureau data showed, while the U.S. imported more than $475 billion worth of Mexican products. Sheinbaum assailed Trump’s contention that her government had joined forces with drug cartels, a claim he made in announcing the tariff increases. “We categorically reject the White House’s slanderous claim that the Mexico government has alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any attempt to intervene in our territory,” Sheinbaum wrote on X. “If there is anywhere that such an alliance in fact exists, it is in the United States gun factories that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups.” China denounced the new tariffs on its exports, with Beijing saying it would challenge them at the World Trade Organization and take unspecified “countermeasures.” The U.S. had a $279 billion trade deficit with China in 2023, the largest figure for any of its trading partners. That response stopped short of the immediate escalation that had marked China’s trade showdown with Trump during his first term as president. China’s commerce ministry said in a statement that Trump’s move “seriously violates” international trade rules, urging the U.S. to “engage in frank dialogue and strengthen cooperation.” Trump has also often threatened new tariffs against the European Union. A spokesperson for the bloc said Sunday that it would "respond firmly to any trading partner that unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs."   https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-americans-could-face-pain-with-new-tariffs-on-key-trading-partners-/7960576.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-americans-could-face-pain-with-new-tariffs-on-key-trading-partners-/7960576.html Mon, 03 Feb 2025 03:24:32 +0200 USA Efforts are continuing Friday to retrieve the two aircraft involved in a midair collision outside of Washington that killed 67 people Wednesday night. Investigators from multiple U.S. agencies recovered so-called black boxes from the American Airlines jet that broke into several pieces in the Potomac River after colliding with a U.S. military helicopter in the incident. Fire department officials said divers intend to "salvage the aircraft" and find additional components. The National Transportation Safety Board will gather information from the plane’s flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder to find clues to the crash. There were no survivors among the 64 passengers and crew on the American Airlines flight, operated by affiliate PSA Airlines, and the three crewmembers on the Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, federal and local officials reported Thursday. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, just outside Washington in Arlington, Virginia, Wednesday night. Recovery operations are continuing. One air traffic controller was doing work normally assigned to two people in the tower at the airport when the collision occurred, according to an internal report from the Federal Aviation Administration. "The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," the report said. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Thursday afternoon, including one appointing a deputy administrator of the FAA. The other aviation order rolled back federal diversity initiatives. While signing the order in the Oval Office, Trump repeated, without evidence, his assertion that federal diversity programs may have contributed to the crash. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who joined Trump at a news conference earlier Thursday to discuss the crash, said both the airliner and the helicopter had been on "standard flight patterns" leading up to the collision. At the news conference, Trump called for a moment of silence for the victims and said every asset at the local, state, and federal level was being leveraged in the recovery mission. He said the National Transportation Safety Board was leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, which will include the FAA and a U.S. military aviation investigation unit. Trump also suggested previous administrations, led by Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, lowered the standards for the hiring of air traffic controllers and cited Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the federal government for that. He said he reversed those initiatives with executive orders last week. Regarding air traffic controllers, Trump said, "We want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest. We want somebody that's psychologically superior and that's what we're going to have." Trump said it is possible the helicopter crew was at fault but that would come out in the investigation. When asked how he could conclude a diversity initiative contributed to the crash, he replied, "because I have common sense." Later Thursday, a group of Black lawmakers issued a statement mourning the lives of those killed in the crash and criticizing Trump's comments that diversity initiatives may have contributed to the tragedy. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier Thursday that the U.S. Army helicopter was on an annual night training evaluation flight during which "tragically, a mistake was made." "There was sort of an elevation issue that we have immediately begun investigating," he said. The two aircraft collided as the passenger jet was on its final approach and both crashed into the Potomac River adjacent to the airport. Transportation Secretary Duffy said the plane broke into three pieces and fell into about waist-deep water. At an earlier news conference Thursday, Washington Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Donnelly said about 300 first responders from local, state and federal agencies were at the scene in what he called extremely frigid, windy conditions with ice on the water. He said the wind and currents have spread the wreckage at least one to two kilometers down the river, complicating recovery efforts. At least 28 bodies, including all three soldiers who were on the helicopter, have been pulled from the river so far. The crash occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just kilometers from the White House and the U.S. Capitol. Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines pilot and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts, told VOA that he considers Reagan National Airport one of the busiest and most demanding airports for pilots, partially because of the many helicopters that fly around it. "We call the Potomac River 'helicopter alley,'" Aimer said. Both Virginia U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner said at the news conference they have expressed concerns over the years about the level of air traffic in the Washington area but noted it was not the appropriate time to raise those issues. They also deferred further details of the crash to the ongoing NTSB investigation. Overnight, the U.S. Figure Skating organization said several members of its community, including athletes, coaches and family members, were among the passengers on the plane. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said. The Kremlin and Russian media said Russian figure skaters, including world champion couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were on the plane. Trump said his administration would facilitate the return of their remains to Russia. The crash was the deadliest air crash in the United States since 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed in Belle Harbor, New York, killing 260 people. VOA reporter Kim Lewis contributed to this report. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/recovery-mission-investigation-into-washington-plane-crash-continue/7958319.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/recovery-mission-investigation-into-washington-plane-crash-continue/7958319.html Fri, 31 Jan 2025 17:04:28 +0200 USA voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News)   By Patsy Widakuswara and Aline Barros WHITE HOUSE - U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would sign an executive action directing his administration to prepare to detain undocumented migrants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The U.S. detention facility is known mostly for housing military prisoners and terror suspects, including those involved in the 9/11 attacks and members of the Taliban. His order will instruct the Defense and Homeland Security departments to prepare the U.S. naval base to hold 30,000 migrants, Trump said. “Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back. So we’re going to send them out to Guantanamo,” Trump added. “This will double our capacity immediately. And tough, it’s a tough place to get out of.” Trump made the announcement during a White House event during which he signed the Laken Riley Act into law. It was the first legislation he'd signed in his second term. The bill, named after a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered last year by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, aims to expand the federal government's mandate to detain immigrants who are in the country illegally. It's unclear how the administration proposes to do this. Asked by reporters, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this was something the White House was “working on, to use resources that we currently have there at Guantanamo Bay.” “We'll go through the process,” she said, adding that the administration was working with lawmakers to fund it. She offered no estimate of the cost. A White House official, speaking on background, a method often used by U.S. officials to remain anonymous, told VOA that Trump had signed a presidential memorandum regarding housing migrants at Guantanamo. Presidential memoranda are less formal than executive orders. For example, they do not have to be submitted to the Federal Register for publication. Late Wednesday, the White House published the executive memorandum. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said Wednesday that U.S. Coast Guard personnel already tasked to intercept illegal migrants at sea “can take them straight to Guantanamo Bay.” Homan told reporters that migrants had been housed there before. “So we're just going to expand upon the existing migrant center logistics to work for that,” he said. According to a September 2024 report from the International Refugee Assistance Project, the U.S. has for decades detained migrants intercepted at sea in the Migrant Operations Center at Guantanamo Bay under prisonlike conditions. IRAP and other immigration rights advocates have called for the immediate closure of the migrant center. The organization also called on Congress to investigate alleged human rights abuses at the facility and called for the end of migrant detention operations everywhere. Later Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Guantanamo Bay the "perfect place" for criminal migrants. Hegseth told Fox News that Guantanamo Bay could also temporarily hold other undocumented immigrants while they’re waiting to be sent back to their home countries. "It's folks who maybe are in transit to their home country or a safe harbor country, and it's taking a little time to move with that processing of the paperwork,” he said, adding, "Better they be held at a safe location, like Guantanamo Bay, which is meant and built for migrants, meant and built to sustain that away from the American people.” According to media reports, Immigration and Customs Enforcement averaged 710 arrests per day from Thursday through Monday, more than double the daily average of 311 recorded in the 12-month period through September under President Joe Biden. If ICE officers continue with these detentions, it would exceed the agency’s previous record set during President Barack Obama's administration in 2013, when daily arrests averaged 636. The Trump administration has intensified deportations, with ICE regularly updating arrest figures. The swift removals have sometimes created challenges in determining where to send deportees, especially when certain countries refuse to accept them. Closing Guantanamo Democratic administrations under Obama and Biden had sought to close the notorious detention camp. It was built by the George W. Bush administration in the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base facility in 2002 following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that began shortly after the 9/11 attacks of 2001. Rights groups say that Guantanamo is a symbol of U.S. disregard for the rule of law, as many detainees were held there without charge or trial. Sue Hendrickson, president and CEO of Human Rights First, said in a statement that sending migrants to Guantanamo would create a human rights catastrophe. “Housing accused terrorists at Guantanamo has been a debacle. For the past 20 years, the U.S. government has locked up people it never even accused of taking action against the United States while continually failing to try those credibly charged with serious crimes,” she wrote. “The Trump administration may find the symbolism of sending migrants to Guantanamo darkly appealing; its practical result would be more injustice, waste and self-inflicted loss of credibility,” Hendrickson added. At its height during the Global War on Terror, the detention facility held about 680 prisoners. According to the Pentagon, as of January 6, there were just 15 detainees at the facility. Before being used to detain terror suspects, the U.S. naval facility was also used to house migrants from Cuba and Haiti in the early 1990s, per the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. "At one point in late 1994, the migrant population of the naval station approached 45,000," a CRS report dated August 2022 said. The report noted the last of the migrants had left by the end of January 1996. VOA's Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-says-he-will-detain-undocumented-migrants-at-guantanamo-bay/7957384.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-says-he-will-detain-undocumented-migrants-at-guantanamo-bay/7957384.html Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:27:47 +0200 USA The State Department on Wednesday sought to clarify President Donald Trump's order to freeze and review foreign development aid after the top U.S. diplomat blunted some of the chaos that ensued with an emergency order that could shield the world's largest HIV program from the 90-day funding freeze. At the White House, Trump said his pauses to foreign and domestic funding are part of his administration's effort to root out "tremendous waste and fraud and abuse." Secretary of State Marco Rubio's late-Tuesday waiver exempts humanitarian aid, which he classifies as "life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance." The United Nations' AIDS program welcomed the news, emphasizing the value of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which serves 20 million people in 55 countries. "UNAIDS welcomes this waiver from the U.S. government, which ensures that millions of people living with HIV can continue to receive life-saving HIV medication during the assessment of U.S. foreign development assistance," said Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. "This urgent decision recognizes PEPFAR's critical role in the AIDS response and restores hope to people living with HIV." 'Blocking woke programs' In a Wednesday memo sent to journalists, the State Department explained its rationale for the freeze during the review and lauded early cost cuts, saying that "even at this early stage, over $1,000,000,000 in spending not aligned with an America First agenda has been prevented." The U.S. spent about $70 billion in foreign aid in fiscal year 2023, the most recent data available. "We are rooting out waste," the memo said. "We are blocking woke programs. And we are exposing activities that run contrary to our national interests. None of this would be possible if these programs remained on autopilot." The president, who said Wednesday at the White House that he "could stand here all day" and give examples of wasted fraud and abuse in the U.S. government, highlighted a few. "We identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas," he said. "Fifty million. And you know what's happened to them? They've used them as a method of making bombs. How about that?" The State Department echoed this, saying in a statement, "Without the pause, U.S. taxpayers would have provided condoms [and other contraceptive services] in Gaza, climate justice marketing services in Gabon, clean energy programs for women in Fiji, gender development programs in D.C., family planning throughout Latin America, sex education and pro-abortion programs for young girls globally, and much more. These types of programs do not make America stronger, safer or more prosperous." A day earlier, the State Department sent a memo citing examples of unworthy projects, including $102 million to fund humanitarian aid nonprofit International Medical Corps' work in war-battered Gaza. A USAID report says the agency delivered about $7 million worth of male condoms and about $1 million in female condoms in the 2023 fiscal year. In total, the agency said it disbursed nearly 138 million male condoms and 1.7 million female condoms worldwide. Under USAID, the main administrator for U.S. foreign development funds, the bulk of contraceptive items were delivered to African countries, according to the report. Jordan was the only country in the Middle East to receive a shipment, which consisted of injectable and oral contraceptives valued at $45,680. 'Dramatic overreach' At the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers not only affirmed the need for accountability but also emphasized that Congress, not the White House, decides how U.S. taxpayer money is spent. "I think it's appropriate to have a review," said Senator Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican. "It would be my hope, however, that the aid can be reinstated and flow to Ukraine," Cramer said. "And then we'll see in the next appropriation cycle whether or not Congress still has the will to continue that aid." "This is dramatic overreach by the White House, by the president," said Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a Democrat. "It's unprecedented, uncalled for. This is money that we have appropriated in our role as members of the Senate and the House." https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/state-department-says-trump-froze-foreign-aid-to-root-out-waste-/7957363.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/state-department-says-trump-froze-foreign-aid-to-root-out-waste-/7957363.html Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:15:24 +0200 USA Federal and local officials in Washington, D.C. said Thursday there were no survivors following the midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. military helicopter near Washington late Wednesday, and recovery operations are continuing. The American Airlines flight, operated by affiliate PSA Airlines, carried 64 passengers and crew, and the helicopter had a crew of three on what was classified as a training flight. The two aircraft collided as the passenger jet was on its final approach to Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington in Arlington, Virgina, and crashed into the Potomac River adjacent to the airport. At a news conference at the airport Thursday, Washington, D.C. Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Donnelly said emergency crews responded to an alert from the airport at 8:48 p.m. local time indicating there had been an air crash on or near the airport. Donnelly said in all, about 300 first responders from local, state and federal agencies were at the scene on the water in what he said were extremely frigid conditions with heavy wind and ice on the water. The chief said they worked through the night, and as of early Thursday, they had recovered 27 bodies from the passenger jet and one crew member from the helicopter. Donnelly said his agency reports only the number of bodies that have been turned over to the medical examiner and those numbers may differ from other reports. He said the wind and currents have spread the wreckage at least one to two kilometers down the river, complicating recovery efforts. At the same news conference, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the night was clear and both aircraft were on what he called “standard” flight patterns. He said it is common for the skies near Washington to be filled with both commercial and military air traffic from nearby military bases. Duffy said while the flight patterns of the aircraft were leading up the crash was standard, “obviously something happened.” “It is not standard to have aircraft collide,” Duffy said, saying the accident was preventable. But he said the National Traffic Safety Board – NTSB – was investigating the accident and deferred to that agency. In a video statement Thursday, U.S Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was with the Bravo Company 12th Aviation Battalion assigned to Fort Belvoir, an army base 18 kilometers south of Reagan National Airport. Hegseth said the crew was on an annual proficiency training night flying evaluation flight. The crew, he said, which has not been identified pending notification of kin, was equipped with night vision goggles and was fairly experienced. He said a senior level aviation investigative team has been deployed to assist with the investigation. Search and rescue efforts are seen around a wreckage site in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, early on Jan. 30, 2025. Transportation Secretary Duffy said there was communication between the air traffic control tower and both aircraft but did not provide details. He said the helicopter knew there was a plane in the area. Both U.S. senators from Virginia, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, said at the news conference they have expressed concerns over the years about the level of air traffic in the Washington area but said it was not the appropriate time to raise those issues. They also deferred to the ongoing NTSB investigation. That agency was not represented at the morning news conference, but it was expected to hold a briefing later Thursday. Overnight, the U.S. Figure Skating organization said several members of its community, including athletes, coaches and family members, were among the passengers on the plane. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said. The Kremlin and Russian media said Russian figure skaters, including world champion couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were on the plane. “It's bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send our condolences to families and friends," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Video of the crash captured from a camera at the nearby Kennedy Center shows two sets of lights converging before a fireball erupts. Data from the plane showed it was at an altitude of about 120 meters at the time of the collision. The last fatal U.S. passenger plane crash happened in 2009 in Buffalo, New York. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/no-survivors-following-plane-helicopter-collision-near-washington/7957246.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/no-survivors-following-plane-helicopter-collision-near-washington/7957246.html Thu, 30 Jan 2025 21:08:06 +0200 USA voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) By Ken Bredemeier U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a series of tariffs, visa restrictions and other retaliatory measures against Colombia after it rejected two U.S. military flights carrying migrants. “These measures are just the beginning,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States.” Earlier Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government would not accept flights carrying migrants deported from the U.S. until the Trump administration creates a protocol that treats them with “dignity.” Petro made the announcement in two X posts, one of which included a news video of migrants reportedly deported to Brazil walking on a tarmac with restraints on their hands and feet. “A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves,” Petro said. “That is why I returned the U.S. military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants. ... In civilian planes, without being treated like criminals, we will receive our fellow citizens." SEE ALSO: US migrant deportation flights arrive in Latin America After Trump's announcement, Petro announced in a post on X that he had ordered the “foreign trade minister to raise import tariffs from the U.S. by 25%.” By late Sunday, the United States had suspended visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota in direct response to Petro's decision not to accept deportation flights, a State Department spokesperson said. "The Department of State has suspended visa processing at U.S. Embassy Bogota in direct response to President Petro’s decision to not accept repatriation flights of Colombian citizens," the spokesperson said. "Embassy Bogota has notified individual applicants who are affected. American Citizens Services will not be affected and will continue as normal." Colombia is America's third-largest trading partner in Latin America. The row came about after U.S. authorities began arresting hundreds of undocumented migrants per day and sending them back to their home countries, carrying out President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to deport masses of migrants who have illegally entered the United States. “We’re going to enforce immigration laws,” Vice President JD Vance told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. More than 1,000 migrants were arrested with hundreds repatriated to other countries, including Guatemala last week, during the first days of the new Trump administration, according to figures compiled by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the White House. “It’s going very well. We’re getting the bad, hard criminals out,” Trump told reporters Friday during a trip to North Carolina to view the flood recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. Without evidence, he said, “These are murderers. These are people that have been as bad as you get. As bad as anybody you’ve seen. We’re taking them out first.” The White House released photos of shackled migrants boarding a C-17 military transport aircraft for flights out of the United States. Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, told ABC’s “This Week” show Sunday, “There will be more arrests nationwide.” Trump authorized sending 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, and Homan said, “You’ll see the numbers increase. They’re down there to create a secure border.” He said the U.S. is deporting “as many as we can” arrest, with the focus first on those convicted of U.S. crimes and then moving on to detain and deport those whose asylum requests have been rejected by U.S. officials. “We’re in the beginning stages,” Homan said. “It’s not OK to violate the laws of this country,” Homan said. He urged undocumented migrants, even those who have not been ordered out of the U.S., to return to their home countries voluntarily. About 11 million undocumented migrants are believed to be living in the U.S., a staggering number that most officials believe will be impossible to deport. “We’re going to do what we can with the money we have,” Homan said. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, urged his Republican colleagues in Congress to authorize more spending for the deportation effort. “We haven't given the Trump team the resources,” Graham said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” show. He said Homan “needs to substantially hire more [immigration] agents. He needs to finish the [border] wall [with Mexico] and technology. He needs to go from 41,000 detention beds to 150,000 detention beds to make this work.” “So, to my Republican colleagues, particularly in the House [of Representatives], as we fiddle, our immigration plans are hitting walls. We're not building walls, we're hitting walls. We need to give Tom Homan the money now to execute the plan that he's come up with. And without congressional funding this is going to hit a wall,” Graham declared. SEE ALSO: Trump's executive orders on immigration focus on border security, asylum restrictions, deportations The Trump administration has stopped taking appointments for migrants waiting in Mexico to request asylum through a mobile app, but Trump’s anti-immigration edicts are facing legal challenges. One judge has already temporarily blocked Trump from declaring that he no longer recognizes constitutionally guaranteed citizenship for children of undocumented migrants born in the United States.   https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-orders-sanctions-against-colombia-after-it-refused-migrant-deportation-flights/7951238.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-orders-sanctions-against-colombia-after-it-refused-migrant-deportation-flights/7951238.html Mon, 27 Jan 2025 02:33:32 +0200 USA By Katherine Gypson The U.S. Senate late Friday night approved Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, on a mostly party-line, 51-50 vote. Vice President JD Vance broke the 50-50 tie in the 100-member Senate, casting the deciding vote. It is only the second time in U.S. history that a vice president, who is president of the Senate, had to break a tie for a nominee. The vote followed days of Senate debate over Hegseth’s fitness for the top civilian role in the U.S. military, managing the nation’s armed forces. In his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Hegseth told lawmakers he would bring back accountability to the nation’s military. He received support from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, who said, "Pete Hegseth has the determination and the tools to achieve real change. He will inject a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can cascade from the top down." But Hegseth faced criticism from Senate Democrats over his statements about women and transgender people serving in the military, as well as allegations of sexual assault, drunkenness and financial mismanagement of two nonprofits serving U.S. veterans that he led. Earlier this week, senators received an affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, Hegseth's former sister-in-law, alleging he was abusive toward his second ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth. She did not describe the abuse and said she did not witness it. In a statement to NBC News, which first reported the story, Samantha Hegseth said, "There was no physical abuse in my marriage." Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said Thursday he was not satisfied with Hegseth’s answers to his questions about reports that the Trump administration would implement a board to screen senior military officers for their fitness to lead. "We've seen it happen in other places around the world, where militaries are undermined and subjected by political leaders that have a particular political point of view and passion, and they become essentially not an army but an extension of the political aspirations of the Great Leader. We can't see that here in America," Reed said. Hegseth, a former television host at conservative Fox News, also served as an officer in the Army National Guard in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay and is the author of several books. "I don't have a similar biography to defense secretaries of the last 30 years," Hegseth told senators in his opening statement, "But as President Trump also told me, we've repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with the supposed right of credentials, whether they are retired generals, academics or defense contractor executives. And where has it gotten us?" Republican senators praised Hegseth for his fresh perspective. "Mr. Hegseth will bring energy and fresh ideas to shake up the bureaucracy. He will focus relentlessly on the war fighter and the military's core missions, deterring wars and winning the ones we must fight," Wicker said during the confirmation hearings. Hegseth said his priorities would focus on the threat posed by China and defense of the United States, while reorienting the United States away from entanglements in the Middle East. He also pledged to restore morale and end diversity initiatives that he sees as harmful to establishing a merit-based military. Asked how he sees his role, Hegseth replied, "Getting anything that doesn't contribute to our democracy out of how decisions are made inside the Pentagon. What gender you are. What race you are. Your views on climate change. Your conscience and your faith should have no bearing on whether you get promoted or whether you're selected to go to West Point or where you go to school. Only thing that should matter is, ‘How capable are you at your job? How excellent are you at your job?’" Hegseth will be the first defense secretary to have served as a junior officer on the front lines, and the first secretary from the generation that fought in post-9/11 wars. Senate Democrats said Hegseth’s experience running two nonprofits benefiting military veterans, with fewer than 100 employees, was not sufficient experience to run the massive Defense Department. "We're hiring you to be the CEO of one of the most complex, largest organizations in the world. We're the board of directors here. I don't know of any corporate board of directors that would hire a CEO, that said, you know, 'I supervised 100 people before,'" Democratic Senator Gary Peters said. The Defense Department oversees more than 3 million service members and a budget of $857 billion. Hegseth also faced allegations of sexual assault and public drunkenness during his time at Fox News. Reed said the FBI background investigation into Hegseth was insufficient. "You lack the character and composure and competence to hold the positions of defense," Reed said, noting he has voted for all nine previous nominees for defense secretary, including nominees during Trump’s first term. All Cabinet nominees undergo a background check and an ethics review. Hegseth faced allegations of financial mismanagement of the two nonprofits where he served as executive director — Vets for Freedom and Concerned Vets for America. After a 2009 audit of Vets for Freedom, Hegseth admitted the organization was half a million dollars in debt, and he was demoted. During his time at Concerned Vets for America, Hegseth faced whistleblower allegations of personal misconduct and financial mismanagement. Hegseth said the allegations were part of a coordinated smear campaign by left-wing media and largely came from anonymous sources. "We undertook this responsibility with obligation to the troops to do right by them, for our war fighters. And what became very evident to us from the beginning, there was a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us that was clear from moment one. And that it wasn't about me. Most of it was about President Donald Trump, who's had to endure the very same thing for much longer amounts of time, and he endured it — to his credit — in incredibly strong ways," Hegseth said during his confirmation. Hegseth has also faced criticism for past remarks about diversity in the U.S. military. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said Hegseth had done "a very big about-face in a short period of time" because of his nomination by Trump to be defense secretary. Warren said last week, "For 12 years, you were quite open about your views — and your views were consistently the same: Women are inferior soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and guardians. Then on Nov. 9, 2024, just 32 days after your last public comments saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declare that 'Some of our greatest warriors are women.'" Five women who served in combat wrote letters of support of Hegseth’s nomination. Hegseth pledged that women would have access to ground combat roles during his tenure as secretary. "Given the standards remain high, and we'll have a review to ensure standards have not been eroded in any one of these cases," he said. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-senate-approves-hegseth-as-defense-secretary-by-51-50-vote/7950326.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-senate-approves-hegseth-as-defense-secretary-by-51-50-vote/7950326.html Sun, 26 Jan 2025 00:46:30 +0200 USA U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would soon talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to push the Russian leader to end his nearly three-year war on neighboring Ukraine. "Millions of young lives are being wasted. That war is horrible," Trump, via video link from Washington, told global business leaders meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said "Ukraine is ready to make a deal," although no peace negotiations have been announced. "This is a war that never should've started." Trump, three days into his second term in the White House, said he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut global oil prices, now about $77 a barrel, to curb Russia's oil revenues, which it uses to fund the war. "If the price comes down," Trump said, "the war in Ukraine will end immediately." "It's so important to get that done," he said. "It's time to end it." Russia unphased by threats Trump's new remarks on the war came a day after he described the conflict as a "ridiculous war" and told Putin in a social media message that if he didn't move to end it, the U.S. would impose new tariffs, taxes and sanctions on Russian exports to the West. But the Kremlin was unmoved by Trump's threat, saying Thursday it did not see any particularly new elements in U.S. policy toward Russia. "He likes these methods, at least he liked them during his first presidency," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said Russia remains ready for "mutually respectful dialogue" with the United States as Trump starts a four-year term in the White House. Trump told Putin in a social media post that he was "not looking to hurt Russia" and that the U.S. "must never forget" that Russia helped the U.S. win World War II, but that it was time to end Moscow's attack on neighboring Ukraine. "All of that being said," Trump noted on his Truth Social account, "I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE." "If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon," Trump said he would "have no other choice" but to impose the taxes, tariffs and sanctions. Under former U.S. President Joe Biden, who left office as Trump assumed power, the United States and its European allies frequently sanctioned key sectors of the Russian economy and oligarch friends of Putin, worsening the country's economy but failing to stop the war. Trump said, "Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better. It's time to "MAKE A DEAL." NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!" Russian attack kills 1, say officials in Zaporizhzhia On the battle front, officials in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region said Thursday a Russian ballistic missile attack killed at least one person and injured 24 others. Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram that Russian drones also destroyed an energy facility and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people. In the Mykolaiv region, Governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram that Ukrainian air defenses shot down nine Russian drones. But debris from the drones damaged several houses, Kim said. Ukraine's military also shot down several drones over the Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Serhiy Lysak said. Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down four Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod region located along the Russia-Ukraine border. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-says-he-will-talk-with-putin-soon-about-ending-russia-s-war-against-ukraine/7948157.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-says-he-will-talk-with-putin-soon-about-ending-russia-s-war-against-ukraine/7948157.html Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:07:33 +0200 USA SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — A U.S. federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order redefining birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional" during the first hearing in a multistate effort challenging the order. The temporary restraining order sought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally. The case is one of five lawsuits being brought by 22 states and several immigrant rights groups across the country. The suits include personal testimonies from attorneys general who are U.S. citizens by birthright and name pregnant women who are afraid their children won't become U.S. citizens. SEE ALSO: Democratic-led states sue to block Trump's birthright citizenship order U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, a Ronald Reagan appointee, began the hearing by grilling the administration's attorneys, saying the order "boggles the mind." "This is a blatantly unconstitutional order," Coughenour told Brett Shumate, a Justice Department lawyer. Coughenour said he's been on the bench for more than four decades and couldn't remember seeing another case where the action challenged was so clearly unconstitutional. Shumate said he respectfully disagreed and asked the judge for an opportunity to have a full briefing on the merits of the case, rather than the judge issuing a 14-day restraining order blocking its implementation. Trump's executive order, which he signed on Inauguration Day, is slated to take effect on Feb. 19. It could affect hundreds of thousands of people born in the country, according to one of the lawsuits. In 2022, there were about 255,000 births of citizen children to mothers living in the country illegally and about 153,000 births to two such parents, according to the four-state suit filed in Seattle. SEE ALSO: Trump orders include withdrawing from WHO, halting US foreign aid The Trump administration argued in papers filed Wednesday that the states don't have grounds to bring a suit against the order and that no damage has yet been done, so temporary relief isn't called for. The administration's attorneys also clarified that the executive order only applies to people born after Feb. 19, when it is to take effect. The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship — the principle of jus soli or "right of the soil" — is applied. Most are in the Americas; Canada and Mexico are among them. The lawsuits argue that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalized in the U.S., and states have been interpreting the amendment that way for a century. Ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the amendment says: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." Trump's order asserts that the children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and orders federal agencies to not recognize citizenship for children who don't have at least one parent who is a citizen. A key case involving birthright citizenship unfolded in 1898. The Supreme Court held that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the country. But some advocates of immigration restrictions have argued that the case clearly applied to children born to parents who were both legal immigrants. They say it's less clear whether it applies to children born to parents living in the country illegally. Trump's order prompted attorneys general to share their personal connections to birthright citizenship. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, for instance, a U.S. citizen by birthright and the nation's first Chinese American elected attorney general, said the lawsuit was personal for him. "There is no legitimate legal debate on this question. But the fact that Trump is dead wrong will not prevent him from inflicting serious harm right now on American families like my own," Tong said this week. One of the lawsuits aimed at blocking the executive order includes the case of a pregnant woman, identified as "Carmen," who is not a citizen but has lived in the United States for more than 15 years and has a pending visa application that could lead to permanent residency status. "Stripping children of the 'priceless treasure' of citizenship is a grave injury," the suit says. "It denies them the full membership in U.S. society to which they are entitled." https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-judge-temporarily-blocks-trump-s-order-ending-birthright-citizenship/7948146.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-judge-temporarily-blocks-trump-s-order-ending-birthright-citizenship/7948146.html Thu, 23 Jan 2025 23:56:53 +0200 USA President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced Brent Bozell III as his nominee to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA and other independent news networks. Bozell is a conservative political activist and writer who founded the Media Research Center, an organization set up to counter what it identifies as liberal bias in media and popular culture. MRC has also challenged technology companies that it says were suppressing conservative voices. A date for Bozell’s Senate confirmation hearing has not yet been set. Congress is currently holding hearings for the president’s picks to lead federal agencies. Bozell on the social media platform X said he was honored by the nomination. “There is lots of work to be done. I look forward to meeting with Senators ahead of my confirmation hearing to explore how best to ensure the priorities of the President are met,” he posted. If confirmed by the Senate, Bozell will lead the USAGM, an organization that in 2024 sought a $950 million budget to oversee several entities dedicated to reporting news and combating censorship that have a combined weekly audience reach of more than 420 million. Those organizations include Voice of America, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, and the nonprofits Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Open Technology Fund and Frontline Media Fund. As CEO, Bozell will work closely with the International Broadcasting Advisory Board — a seven-person bipartisan body that ensures the editorial independence of the networks is protected and that the mission to provide unbiased information is carried out. The board includes the U.S. secretary of state. Trump's choice, Marco Rubio, was sworn in as secretary of state on Tuesday. The board also must provide approval via majority vote for any requests by the CEO to hire or dismiss network heads. Trump in early December has said he would like journalist turned politician Kari Lake to lead VOA. SEE ALSO: Trump names Kari Lake as choice for VOA director Lake worked as a TV journalist for nearly 30 years before moving into politics. She ran unsuccessfully for governor of Arizona and challenged her loss in lawsuits. A run for senator was also unsuccessful. The roles of VOA director and network heads are not presidentially appointed. Instead, a CEO makes a selection that goes to the bipartisan board for unanimous approval. Congress made changes to the role of CEO and advisory board in December 2020 after the first presidentially appointed head of the USAGM, Michael Pack, was found to have engaged in gross mismanagement and abuse of power while at the agency. If approved, Bozell will take over USAGM at a crucial time, with Chinese and Russian state-run propaganda gaining traction, and the safety of the journalists at USAGM under threat in hostile countries. At least 11 journalists who work with USAGM networks are currently imprisoned by hostile governments in Myanmar, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Vietnam and Russian-occupied Crimea. Others have lost their lives while reporting in dangerous environments, including Haiti. In December, a freelancer who helped with marketing for VOA Creole was killed in a gang attack. The last head of USAGM, Amanda Bennett, stepped down ahead of Trump’s inauguration. A former VOA director and Pulitzer-winning writer, Bennett was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden in 2021. In announcing his pick Wednesday, Trump noted that Bozell “and his family have fought for the American principles of Liberty, Freedom, Equality, and Justice for generations.” Bozell’s father, L. Brent Bozell, founded a conservative Catholic magazine, was a speechwriter for Republican Senator Barry Goldwater, and in 1970 organized the first antiabortion march in Washington. One of Bozell’s five children was pardoned by Trump this week, after being sentenced to more than three years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the Capitol. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-selects-nominee-to-lead-us-global-media-agency/7948139.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-selects-nominee-to-lead-us-global-media-agency/7948139.html Thu, 23 Jan 2025 23:48:15 +0200 USA