Ayoola Atitebi

Donald Trump has issued an executive order drastically reducing operations at Voice of America, the global, independent and federally funded news organization. The president's order targets VOA's parent organization, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also funds non-profit entities like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, originally established to counter communism. The order directs agency heads to "reduce performance... to the minimum presence and function required by law." Mike Abramowitz, VOA's director, reported that he and nearly his entire staff of 1,300 employees have been placed on paid leave. Abramowitz emphasized that the order prevents VOA from fulfilling its "vital mission... especially critical today, when America's adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States." The Trump administration has not provided an explanation, and it remains […]

At least 59 people have died and more than 155 are injured following a devastating nightclub fire in North Macedonia, according to official reports. The blaze erupted around 02:30 (01:30 GMT) at Pulse nightclub in Kocani, a town approximately 100 km east of Skopje. Approximately 1,500 people were attending a concert by DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country, when the disaster occurred. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described it as a "difficult and very sad day" for North Macedonia, lamenting the loss of many "young lives." Interior Minister Pance Toskovski announced arrest warrants for four individuals without providing further details. A man has already been detained, and state news agency Mia reported the club owner has been arrested. According to preliminary investigations, the fire started when sparks from pyrotechnic devices struck the ceiling, which was constructed of highly flammable […]

South Africa has called the United States' decision to expel Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool "regrettable" while affirming its commitment to maintaining "a mutually beneficial relationship" with Washington. In a Saturday morning statement, South Africa's presidency urged stakeholders to "maintain the established diplomatic decorum" following US State Secretary Marco Rubio's harsh public criticism. Rubio declared Rasool a "race-baiting politician" who hates the US and President Donald Trump, writing on X: "We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA." Rubio referenced a Breitbart article quoting Rasool's comments that Trump mobilized a "supremacist instinct" and "white victimhood" as a "dog whistle" during the 2024 elections. Political analyst Sandile Swana told Al Jazeera that the "core of the dispute" stems from South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Rasool, an anti-apartheid activist, previously […]

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has implemented sanctions against unnamed Thai officials involved in deporting at least 40 Uighurs to China last month, despite concerns about potential persecution. Rubio announced Friday that he was imposing immediate visa restrictions on current and former officials responsible for or complicit in the deportations, though no specific Thai officials were identified. Rights groups have long accused China of widespread abuses against Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority of approximately 10 million people in Xinjiang. Beijing has consistently rejected these allegations. "We are committed to combating China's efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China, where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances," Rubio stated. Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded Saturday, noting it had repeatedly clarified to concerned countries that China had provided assurances the men would […]

British authorities have charged Vladimir Motin, the 59-year-old Russian captain of the cargo ship Solong, with manslaughter and gross negligence following a fatal collision in the North Sea. Motin, from Primorsky in Saint Petersburg, appeared at Hull Magistrates Court on Saturday where he was remanded in custody after not applying for bail. The incident occurred Monday when the Portuguese-flagged Solong container vessel crashed at full speed into the anchored Stena Immaculate tanker off Hull's northeastern coast. The Stena Immaculate was carrying United States military jet fuel at the time of the collision, which triggered massive fires and explosions. Mark Angelo Pernia, a 38-year-old Filipino crew member from the Solong, went missing during the crash and is now "presumed deceased," according to Humberside police. "Extensive searches were carried out by HM Coastguard to locate the missing crew member," police stated, adding […]

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has announced plans to send his Starship rocket to Mars by the end of 2026, even as the company investigates multiple recent test flight explosions. According to Musk's post on his social media platform X, human landings could begin as early as 2029 if initial missions succeed, though he acknowledged "2031 was more likely." Standing at 123m, Starship is the largest rocket ever built and represents a cornerstone of Musk's vision to establish human colonies on Mars. However, the project has encountered significant setbacks, with two recent test flights ending in failure. Last week, one of the rockets exploded minutes after launching from Texas, following a similar "rapid unscheduled disassembly" in January. SpaceX stated it would analyze data "to better understand [the] root cause" of the most recent explosion, noting it occurred after "several" engines failed. […]

Germany's foreign intelligence service (BND) assessed in 2020 that there was an 80-90% probability coronavirus accidentally leaked from a Chinese laboratory, according to German media reports. Two German newspapers uncovered details of a previously unpublished BND assessment. The intelligence agency reportedly had indications that the Wuhan Institute of Virology had conducted experiments modifying viruses to increase transmissibility to humans for research purposes. China has maintained its denial, stating the cause "should be determined by scientists" and referencing a World Health Organization investigation that concluded the lab-leak theory was "extremely unlikely." No scientific consensus exists regarding the pandemic's origin. While many scientists contest the lab leak hypothesis citing insufficient evidence, the theory has gained traction among intelligence agencies. In January, the US CIA assessed coronavirus "more likely" leaked from a lab than emerged from animals. According to Die Zeit and Sueddeutscher […]

Southern African leaders have decided to withdraw their military forces from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they've been supporting government efforts against rebel fighters. The "phased withdrawal" decision was reached during a virtual summit of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (Sadc) on Thursday. The troops were deployed two years ago to assist the Congolese army in its battle against the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. However, the mission suffered a significant setback when at least 19 soldiers from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania were killed as M23 forces captured the strategic city of Goma in January. Despite the troop withdrawal, Sadc leaders affirmed their commitment to "support interventions aimed at bringing lasting peace" in the region. The announcement did not specify reasons for the withdrawal decision. The regional bloc emphasized the need for diplomatic and political solutions to resolve the […]