Ayoola Atitebi

Canada has named Kevin Brosseau, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police member and intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as its new fentanyl tsar amid escalating trade tensions with the United States. The appointment comes as President Donald Trump paused his threat of 25% import taxes on all Canadian goods for 30 days in February, following new border security agreements with Trudeau. Trump has now added another layer of pressure, announcing plans for a 25% tax on global steel and aluminum imports starting March 12, which would significantly impact Canada as the largest supplier of these metals to the US. Speaking from Brussels after European Union discussions, Trudeau warned about the potential consequences: "Any thickening of the border, any tariffs that put on Canadian imports, will hurt American manufacturing, will hurt American consumers, and we don't want that." In […]

Egypt is developing a "comprehensive vision" for Gaza's reconstruction that ensures Palestinians remain on their land, contrasting with President Donald Trump's proposal to relocate Gaza's population. The Egyptian foreign ministry expressed hopes to work with Trump's administration while maintaining its position on Palestinian rights. This follows Trump's meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah, where he reinforced his plan for U.S. control of Gaza and the relocation of its two million Palestinians to neighboring countries. During the White House meeting, Trump claimed this would bring unprecedented stability to the Middle East, stating "the Palestinians, or the people that live now in Gaza, will be living beautifully in another location." He suggested he might withhold aid from Jordan and Egypt if they refused to cooperate. King Abdullah firmly opposed the plan, emphasizing a unified Arab position against Palestinian displacement. Egypt's foreign ministry responded […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that U.S. aid freezes under President Donald Trump have significantly impacted global health programs targeting HIV, polio, mpox, and bird flu. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed these concerns during a virtual press conference in Geneva. The disruption stems from Trump's decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which he describes as "incompetent and corrupt." The agency typically manages approximately $40 billion annually—0.6% of total U.S. government spending—primarily supporting humanitarian efforts in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Ukraine. The suspension has particularly affected PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief), resulting in halted HIV treatment, testing, and prevention services across 50 countries. "Clinics are shuttered and health workers have been put on leave," Dr. Tedros reported, despite attempts to maintain critical life-saving services. Trump's administration has also initiated steps to […]

President Donald Trump has suspended U.S. aid to South Africa following the passage of a land expropriation law, deepening tensions between Washington and Pretoria. The executive order, signed Friday, condemned the legislation as showing "shocking disregard" for citizens' rights by enabling land seizures from ethnic minority Afrikaners without compensation. Trump's order criticized what he called "countless" policies undermining equal opportunity and "hateful rhetoric" encouraging violence against "racially disfavored" landowners. He also cited South Africa's recent foreign policy positions, including its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and strengthened ties with Iran, as reasons for the aid freeze. The order outlined plans to support the resettlement of Afrikaners "escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination." This follows escalating tensions between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, with Trump accusing the administration of "confiscating land" and discriminating against "certain classes […]

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has emphasized that the UK is "not choosing between the US and the EU" following President Donald Trump's threat of trade tariffs against the European Union. The statement came after Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico - both since paused - while suggesting a potential deal could be arranged with the UK. During a Brussels press conference, where Starmer met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU leaders, he maintained that both relationships were crucial to the UK. Starmer noted it was "early days" regarding US tariff discussions and expressed support for "open and strong trading relations." The visit marked the first time a UK Prime Minister has attended EU leader talks since Brexit. On defense matters, Rutte acknowledged occasional "issues between allies" but emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining deterrence. Regarding […]