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- By RFE/RL
Trump Demands Free Passage For US Vessels Through Panama, Suez Canals
President Donald Trump said US commercial and military vessels should be able to travel without charge through the Panama and Suez Canals, two of the world’s most important waterway shortcuts.
"American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on April 26.
"Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America. I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation!"
The remarks are the latest by the US leader regarding greater access -- or ownership -- of key global assets.
Earlier, he spoke of making Canada the 51st US state, annexing Greenland, controlling the Gaza Strip, and gaining ownership of Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals.
The Panama Canal was built by the United States from 1904-14, with thousands of local workers dying during construction. The waterway greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Built by French engineers in the 19th century, the Suez Canal has been controlled by the Egyptian government.
The Panama Canal and surrounding zone remained under US control until they were handed back to Panama in 1999 following a treaty signed by US President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
Trump recently won a major concession from Panama as he demanded more US influence over the canal -- including allowing the US military to station troops around the waterway, alongside Panamanian forces, to help protect its sovereignty.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to "take back" the canal, which he claims is being controlled by China. Prior to taking office in January, Trump told reporters he would not rule out using economic or military pressure to regain control.
While Trump has often spoken of his interest in the Panama Canal, his latest remarks on the Suez appear to be a new focus.
Egypt controls the canal, which links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. it accounted for some 10 percent of global maritime trade before Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels began attacking shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters
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- By RFE/RL
Russia Strikes At Kyiv As Zelenskyy Calls For 30-Day 'Complete Silencing' Of Arms
Moscow launched air strikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian city hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a three-day cease-fire surrounding its May 9 Victory Day remembrances -- a proposal dismissed by Kyiv as “theater.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered late on May 3 by calling for a more substantial pause in military action, saying Kyiv was seeking a 30-day “complete silencing” of arms and was ready to act immediately if Moscow reciprocated.
“We are ready to move to a cease-fire as soon as possible, even from today, if Russia is ready for mirror steps -- for complete silencing, for a long silence for at least 30 days,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
“This is an honest deadline when the next steps can be prepared. Russia must stop the war and stop assaults, stop shelling,” he added.
The comments come as Russia maintains its relentless assault of Ukrainian military and civilian sites.
Shortly after midnight and through the morning of May 4, Ukraine military and government officials said a Russian drone attack damaged several residential buildings and ignited fires in the capital.
Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram that falling debris from destroyed Russian drones ignited fires on private homes in Kyiv’s Obolonskiy and Sviatoshynskiy districts.
He said at least two children -- aged 14 and 17 -- were injured in the Obolonskiy attacks.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko sent out an appeal for doctors to aid in assisting victims in the Sviatoshynskiy district.
The scale of the attack was not immediately clear. Reuters said witnesses reported hearing explosions and what appeared to be air defense systems operating.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week suggested a three-day truce to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, running from May 8 to May 10.
Zelenskyy has long stated that Ukraine is ready for a 30-day truce as proposed by Washington.
Speaking to reporters on May 2, Zelenskyy said Putin's offer was aimed at making international guests feel safe at the annual Red Square parade on May 9.
Among those slated to attend are Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"We do not recommend visiting Moscow on May 9. Don't ask us for assurances. It's your choice to go there," Zelenskyy said.
In his address on May 3, Zelenskyy said, “Right now, no one sees any such readiness from Russia; on the contrary, all of their internal rhetoric is increasingly mobilizing, and Russian propagandists continue to threaten not only Ukraine but also other neighbors -- Lithuania, the other Baltic states.”
“This is exactly what we have been saying for a long time: Without pressure on Moscow, Russia will continue to wage war.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow wanted a clear answer to its three-day cease-fire suggestion.
“We will, of course, await not ambiguous but definitive statements and, most importantly, actions aimed at deescalating the conflict over the public holidays," Peskov said.
Despite the talk of cease-fire, Russia maintained the intensity of its attacks on May 2 and 3 and early on May 4.
The Ukrainian General Staff said 216 combat clashes had taken place at the front on May 2 and that more than a third of the fighting was recorded in the direction of Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian authorities saying they had repelled 83 attacks.
The area around the strategic town of Pokrovsk remains one of the heavily contested areas at the front with the largest number of combat clashes being recorded there over the past year.
Vadym Filashkin, head of Ukraine's Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said that in the town of Myrnohrad late on May 3, "the Russians killed a 56-year-old man and damaged six private houses. The second fatality was a 69-year-old resident of Komar."
Also, the correspondent of the Radio Liberty Donbas Realities project reported that a Russian attack on Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region led to fires breaking out in several private homes. Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack.
Ihor Taburets, governor of the Ukrainian region of Cherkasy, late on May 3 said that “since nightfall, our region has been under enemy targeting. Most of the Russian attack drones were directed at the regional center.”
He said initial reports indicated that an infrastructure facility was damaged but that there were no immediate reports of casualties.
With reporting by Reuters
Pakistan Carries Out Ballistic Missile Test Amid India Tensions
The Pakistani military reported that it had test fired a ballistic missile on May 3, as the country squares off with India following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Video released by the army showed the missile streaking into the sky as soldiers looked on, before shouting joyful slogans.
The military said they had tested an Abdali surface-to-surface missile system, which has a range of 450 kilometers.
"The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features," the Pakistani military said.
The two countries have been locked in a standoff since militants killed 26 people in the Himalayan mountain town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage across India and brought nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan to the brink of conflict.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack and the two countries’ militaries have exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir, which both sides claim sovereignty over.
On April 30, Pakistan said an Indian attack was “imminent” within the next 24-36 hours, but no attack materialized.
In recent days, Pakistan has asked Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help ease tensions with India. But the ballistic missile launch may rekindle them.
Prior to the test, India had warned that it would be a “reckless” act and a “provocation.” There was no immediate response to the test taking place on May 3.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “congratulated the scientists and engineers” involved in the test, according to the Pakistani statement.
Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali told the Associated Press that the Abdali missile was named after a prominent Muslim conqueror of India, also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani, underlining its symbolic significance.
“The timing of this launch is critical in the current geopolitical context,” he said, adding it was intended as a strategic signal to India after it had threatened to suspend a crucial water-sharing treaty.
Pakistan previously conducted a test launch in August 2024. This was a Shaheen II surface-to-surface ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
In October 2023, Pakistan also successfully conducted a test flight of the Ababbeel weapon system. At the time, the military said the missile system was “aimed at strengthening deterrence and enhancing strategic stability in the region.”
Moscow Seeks 'Definitive' Truce Response After Zelenskyy Dismisses Putin's Plan
The Kremlin has said it wants Kyiv to give a clear answer to its call for a cease-fire lasting from May 8 to May 10 even as its forces continued to pound civilian targets in Ukraine.
“We will, of course, await not ambiguous but definitive statements and, most importantly, actions aimed at deescalating the conflict over the public holidays," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
His comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the truce proposal as “theater.”
And they preceded a Russian attack near the strategic city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, reportedly killing two civilians.
Earlier, a major overnight Russian assault on Ukraine between May 2 and 3 targeted multiple regions with missiles and drones, according to local authorities.
The Ukrainian military reported that two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 183 strike and decoy drones had been launched at the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Mykolayiv regions.
The northeastern city of Kharkiv, located near the Russian border, bore the brunt of the drone offensive. The city sustained hits at 12 locations across four districts on the evening of May 2, resulting in dozens of casualties.
One local woman whose apartment was damaged told RFE/RL that the overnight assault had given her "a nervous breakdown."
"Everything is broken, everything is destroyed," she said. "Many people are cut up."
The woman, who gave her name as Natalya, said her home was rocked by an explosion as she was about to go to bed.
"The only thing that saved me was perhaps the corner that I was behind and the blanket that I had over me -- or simple luck," she said.
"We are alive and well, that's important."
Local authorities said at least 51 people had been injured and that eight had been hospitalized. The victims included two girls, aged 11 and 16.
Moscow has denied allegations of deliberately striking civilian targets in Ukraine throughout the war, even though repeated attacks on hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and residential buildings have been documented.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said 216 combat clashes had taken place at the front on May 2 and that more than a third of the fighting was recorded in the direction of Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian authorities saying they had repelled 83 attacks.
The area around the strategic town of Pokrovsk remains one of the heavily contested areas at the front with the largest number of combat clashes being recorded there over the past year.
Vadym Filashkin, head of Ukraine's Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said that in the town of Myrnohrad late on May 3, "the Russians killed a 56-year-old man and damaged six private houses. The second fatality was a 69-year-old resident of Komar."
Also, the correspondent of the Radio Liberty Donbas Realities project reported that a Russian attack on Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region led to fires breaking out in several private homes. Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack.
In Russia, the governor of the Krasnodar region said a Ukrainian drone attack had hit a residential building in Novorossiisk, on the Black Sea.
He said two adults and two children were injured.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 170 Ukrainian drones in various regions. The number included 96 in Russian-occupied Crimea. They also claimed to have destroyed eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles over the Black Sea.
Battlefield reports cannot be independently verified.
Russian pro-war blogs also reported the Ukrainian drone attacks. Two of them reported that a Russian Su-30 fighter was shot down over the Black Sea.
The Ukrainian intelligence service claimed it was the first time ever that an unmanned naval drone had shot down an enemy warplane. At least one Russian blogger also reported that this had happened.
WATCH: Footage shared on social media purportedly showing a drone downing an Su-30 warplane:
The fighting again underlined how US-led efforts to broker a cease-fire have stalled.
In the latest move, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a three-day truce to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, running from May 8 to May 10.
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready for a 30-day truce as proposed by Washington.
Speaking to reporters on May 2, Zelenskyy said Putin's offer was aimed at making international guests feel safe at the annual Red Square parade on May 9.
Among those slated to attend are Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"We do not recommend visiting Moscow on May 9. Don't ask us for assurances. It's your choice to go there," Zelenskyy said.
With reporting by Current Time
- By RFE/RL
Ukrainian Forces To Join UK Military Procession In London Marking VE Day
Ukrainian soldiers will join a British military procession next week in London marking the 80th anniversary of end of World War II in Europe, the UK government announced on May 3.
Ukrainian personnel will join around 1,000 UK armed forces members on May 5 as UK kicks off commemorations of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
The participation of the Ukrainians will symbolize "the global support for their continued fight for freedom" against Russia, the government said in a statement.
"In the midst of the first full-scale war in Europe since the Second World War, it is fitting that the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently fighting on the frontline of freedom are represented in Monday's event," Defense Minister John Healey said in the statement.
The procession, including soldiers on horseback and military bands, will begin in Parliament Square when Big Ben strikes midday and will conclude with a flyover featuring an aerobatic team and historic military aircraft.
Britain has various events planned for the anniversary. Next week's events in London will culminate on May 8 with a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey attended by the royal family.
May 8 is observed in Britain, France, the United States, and other countries as the date when the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany took effect in 1945. Russia, which fought the Nazis as part of the Soviet Union, marks the occasion on May 9.
Britain will observe a two-minute countrywide silence on May 8 at noon UK time to remember and thank those who fought for our freedom, the government said in a statement.
Britain has staunchly supported Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. It has provided billions of pounds in military aid and placed wide-ranging sanctions on Russian entities and individuals to punish Moscow for the conflict.
The Ukraine representatives in the VE Day march on May 5 will be soldiers deployed on Operation Interflex, the UK's training program for Ukrainian recruits with 12 partner nations.
The UK and partner nations have trained more than 54,000 Ukrainians in frontline combat skills.
Armed forces from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand will carry their nations' flags during the procession, which will feature the flags of every Commonwealth nation, the British statement added.
"People from all over the world joined forces 80 years ago to defend freedom -- we must remember all of their sacrifices," World War II veteran Jack Mortimer, 101, said in a statement issued by the government. Mortimer is expected to be one of the veterans observing the military procession on May 5.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By RFE/RL
US Approves F-16 Maintenance Deal For Jets Already Transferred To Ukraine
The US State Department on May 2 approved a deal to provide training and equipment for F-16 fighter jets already in Ukraine.
The State Department said it notified Congress that it has given the nod for a $310.5 million sale to Ukraine that will include services to maintain the aircraft in addition to training and equipment.
"The proposed sale will improve Ukraine's capability to meet current and future threats by ensuring its pilots are effectively trained and by increasing its interoperability with the United States," the State Department said in a statement.
Ukraine has previously received F-16 jets from US allies under a transfer authorized by former President Joe Biden's administration. Ukraine received its first deliveries of F-16s in mid-2024 after two years of pushing Biden to approve their transfer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this year announced the delivery of a fresh batch of jets but did not say how many were delivered.
The deal announced on May 2 -- which Ukraine will pay for -- comes after US President Donald Trump criticized the billions of dollars in military and economic support provided to Kyiv under the Biden administration.
Zelenskyy said F-16s were discussed on May 2 during a meeting on the development Ukraine’s fleet of military aircraft.
“All the key issues were discussed: the F-16s that are already in Ukraine, the F-16s we expect in the near future, and the systemic solutions that will help us prepare and use our military aviation more effectively,” he said on X. “I thank everyone who is strengthening our actions in the skies.”
The weapons and equipment pledged to Ukraine under Biden were mostly approved under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the president to approve rapid transfers to foreign countries from US military stockpiles.
These weapons and others purchased with US funds on behalf of Ukraine continue to flow.
The sale approved by the State Department on May 2 is separate and represents an actual weapons deal whose principal contractors include US defense contractors Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and BAE Systems, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The sale could include aircraft modifications and upgrades, flight training, maintenance, and sustainment support; spare parts, repair, ground handling equipment, classified software, classified publications and support, the statement said.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By RFE/RL
Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration To Temporarily Halt Funding To Radio Free Europe, Other Broadcasters
A federal appeals court has granted a temporary stay of the court rulings requiring the Trump administration to cease blocking the flow of Congressionally approved money to several publicly-funded broadcasters -- including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty -- that provide news and information to countries that have little to no independent press.
In the latest round of a funding battle with the Trump administration, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit late on May 1 issued what is known as an “administrative stay” to give "sufficient opportunity" to hear emergency motions presented by the Justice Department on behalf of USAGM.
Those emergency motions argue that the appeals court should suspend for the duration of the appeals process the earlier lower-court rulings that stopped USAGM from cutting off funds from the outlets as part of its cost-cutting measures.
The three-judge panel, two of whom were appointed by Trump while the third was appointed by former President Barack Obama, added the halt “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of those motions.”
The USAGM is an independent government agency that oversees RFE/RL, Voice of America, and several other US-funded broadcasters, which together distribute news and information in almost 50 languages to some 361 million people each week.
Hours after an executive order signed by Trump on March 14 called for the reduction of seven agencies -- including USAGM -- to "the maximum extent consistent with applicable law," the agency claimed to terminate RFE/RL's congressionally appropriated funding for the 2025 budget year that ends on September 30.
Similar moves have affected Voice of America, as well as Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).
The court left in place a lower court ruling requiring journalists from Voice of America to be reinstated -- they were put on administrative leave the day of the executive order -- and be allowed to resume the broadcaster's news programming.
Unlike Voice of America, which is a federal entity, RFE/RL, RFA, and MBN are private non-profit organizations, funded through grants approved by Congress.
The three non-profit organizations have been forced to make staff cuts in order to continue operating as they await funds from their grants that the USAGM has held up.
RFA announced on May 2 that furloughed and the majority of its additional staff would be laid off, effective May 9. This means that by the end of May, half of RFA’s language services will no longer produce or publish new content, it said.
US District Judge Royce Lamberth granted RFE/RL a temporary restraining order (TRO) on April 29, writing that it was Congress that "ordained that the monies at issue should be allocated to RFE/RL," and that President Donald Trump signed the budget resolution appropriating those funds.
On March 25, the same US court had granted an RFE/RL request for an earlier TRO, ruling that USAGM likely acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in terminating RFE/RL's grant.
The next day, the USAGM wrote to RFE/RL saying it was reversing the announcement but that this was "without prejudice to USAGM's authority to terminate the grant at a later date."
RFE/RL was forced to seek another TRO in April after funds for that month were not disbursed. It also continues to seek an injunction to ensure the release of the rest of the money due from congressional appropriations for the 2025 budget year.
- By RFE/RL
In Move To Support Radio Free Europe, R.E.M. Releases Remix For World Press Freedom Day
The release of the single “Radio Free Europe” in 1981 introduced the alternative rock band R.E.M. to the world.
It also reminded the world of the role the US-funded broadcaster plays in building democracy in countries where a free press is banned or not yet fully established.
To mark World Press Freedom day on May 3, the band has announced a special reissue of the single to celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty amid a fight over winding down operations at a number of US-funded broadcasters in what is seen by many as an attempt to silence pro-democracy media.
“Whether it’s music or a free press –- censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere. On World Press Freedom Day, I’m sending a shout-out to the brave journalists at Radio Free Europe,” said Michael Stipe, lead singer and a founding member of the band.
RFE/RL, along with other government-funded broadcasters, such as Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio Marti), and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, have come under dire circumstances since US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that gutted the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
The USAGM is an independent government agency that oversees several US-funded broadcasters, which together distribute news and information in almost 50 languages to some 361 million people each week.
Hours after the executive order was published, a letter from the USAGM said the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL, headquartered in the Czech capital, Prague, had been terminated, a move the broadcaster is currently fighting in court.
Trump, who has taken several moves to slash government spending since taking office for a second term in January, clashed with the USAGM over editorial independence and the direction of programming during his first term.
He has reiterated those concerns again since retaking office.
But supporters of the broadcasters say they are an important arm of US diplomacy and their silencing will be celebrated by the authoritarian regimes they expose.
“To me, R.E.M.’s music has always embodied a celebration of freedom: freedom of expression, lyrics that make us think, and melodies that inspire action,” said RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus.
“Those are the very aims of our journalists at Radio Free Europe -- to inform, inspire, and uphold freedoms often elusive to our audiences. We hold people accountable, especially those threatened by the truth. They go to great lengths to silence us -- block feeds and websites and even imprison our colleagues.”
Lyrically, R.E.M.’s “Radio Free Europe” has been interpreted as a commentary on the desire for authentic information amid a landscape of misinformation. The upbeat and jangly sound of the music contrasting with heavier themes to capture a spirit of resistance and hope.
That spirit of resistance, said Mike Mills, a founding member of R.E.M., lives on in what he called the “OG” (Original Gangster) of pro-democracy broadcasting.
“Radio Free Europe’s journalists have been pissing off dictators for 75 years. You know you’re doing your job when you make the right enemies,” he said.
Four RFE/RL journalists and contributors -- Ihar Losik, Nika Novak, Vladyslav Yesypenko, and Farid Mehralizada -- are currently imprisoned on charges related to their work.
To commemorate the song, R.E.M. said it was releasing a limited-edition orange vinyl recording of “Radio Free Europe” as well as merchandise with proceeds going to RFE/RL.
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine War 'Not Ending Soon': Vance, Rubio Cast Doubt On Quick Peace Deal With Russia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance expressed uncertainty over the chances of reaching a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine one day after Washington and Kyiv signed a deal that gives the United States access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.
"I think we know where Ukraine is, and we know where Russia is right now…. They're closer, but they're still far apart," Rubio said on Fox News on May 1. Vance, speaking in a separate interview on the network, went further, saying the war in Ukraine is not going to end "any time soon."
Rubio said if there isn't a real breakthrough on the war in Ukraine in the near future, US President Donald Trump will have to decide how much more time to dedicate to the negotiation process.
The United States had already warned that negotiations had reached a "critical" phase, and a lack of progress could mean it would walk away from its efforts to broker an end to the conflict.
Rubio said last week that, while "real progress" had been made in talks to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, "those last couple of steps of this journey were always going to be the hardest ones, and it needs to happen soon."
Trump, who began his second term as president in January, has made ending the war a top priority. He has called for an immediate and full cease-fire and demanded that Russia stop its indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Vance said he was "optimistic" about securing a halt to fighting but it would ultimately be up to Kyiv and Moscow.
"They're the ones who have to take the final step," he said. It is "going to be up to the Russians and Ukrainians now that each side knows what the other's terms for peace are. It's going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict."
"It's not going anywhere…. It's not going to end any time soon," Vance added.
Ukraine says it wants a cease-fire of at least 30 days to open the way for talks on securing a just peace. Russia has not agreed to such a truce, but President Vladimir Putin has unilaterally announced a three-day cease-fire next week to coincide with Victory Day, which marks the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, and the Kremlin said he is open to direct talks with Kyiv.
Deadly Drone And Missile Attacks
Russian forces continue to launch deadly drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities almost nightly. Zelenskyy has called on Ukraine’s Western partners to take tougher measures against the Kremlin.
Both the United States and Ukraine on May 1 hailed the minerals deal, which was to have been signed on February 28 at the White House. But a tense exchange between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vance resulted in the cancellation of the signing ceremony.
Both sides made efforts to patch up relations, culminating in a one-to-one meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy on April 26 on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican.
The minerals agreement was signed on April 30 by Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Ukraine said the agreement secured key interests after protracted negotiations, including full sovereignty over its own rare earth minerals, which are vital for new technologies.
Washington called it a new form of US commitment to Kyiv after Trump ended military aid soon after he returned to office.
"This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term," Bessent said.
Trump had initially demanded rights to Ukraine's mineral wealth as compensation for tens of billions of dollars’ worth of US weapons sent to aid Ukraine’s military under former President Joe Biden.
Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on May 1 that there were no debts to be paid from past US aid to Kyiv. He called the agreement “truly equal” and one that “creates an opportunity for investments in Ukraine.”
“This is working together with America and on fair terms, when both the Ukrainian state and the United States, which helps us in defense, can earn in partnership,” he added.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine Hails Minerals Deal As Helping Strengthen US Support For Its Security
A landmark minerals deal between Ukraine and the United States offers "equal" benefits for both sides and opportunities for investment in Ukraine and the modernization of its industry, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 1.
Zelenskyy hailed the deal in a video posted on Telegram but also said more pressure on Russia is needed.
He and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent underlined that talks between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in Rome during Pope Francis's funeral on April 26 played an important role in securing a deal.
"In fact, now we have the first result of the Vatican meeting, which makes it truly historic," Zelenskyy said.
The two leaders met one-on-one while seated informally in St. Peter's Basilica to try to revive faltering efforts to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
The accord, which was signed in Washington on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction and would see the United States and Kyiv jointly develop and invest in Ukraine's critical mineral resources.
Trump initially described the deal as "money back" for billions of dollars in military aid that Ukraine has received since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. But Ukraine said the agreement is not linked to any past "debt,” and Bessent stressed that the accord signaled support for Ukraine.
"This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term," Bessent said.
The agreement establishes the United-States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which Bessent said in a news release is a historic economic partnership.
The deal will show Russia that there is “no daylight between the Ukrainian people and the American people, between our goals," Bessent said on Fox Business Network on May 1.
It gives Trump the ability to now negotiate with Russia on even a stronger basis, he added.
The Ukrainian parliament must still approve the pact. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met parliamentary factions on May 1 as some members complained they had not seen the text of the agreement or been properly consulted.
First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who signed the accord for Ukraine, told reporters in an online briefing that ratification would happen in the next few weeks
Zelenskyy said he hoped there would be no delays in securing parliament's approval, though some lawmakers said they expected it to take longer than a week.
Some technical details must be completed before a joint US-Ukraine investment fund can become operational, Svyrydenko said.
"We really need to be more sustainable and more self-sufficient, and this is a real tool that can help us achieve this goal," she said, adding that the two sides did not expect the agreement to begin generating revenue this year.
Svyrydenko, who is also Ukraine's economy minister, said the agreement "can provide success for both our countries" and "will attract global investment into our state" in highlighting its key points in a post on Facebook.
Svyrydenko said the investment fund will be filled with income exclusively from new licenses. This involves 50 percent of the funds from new licenses for critical materials and oil and gas projects, which will come into Ukraine's budget once the fund is established.
The agreement states that all resources on Ukraine's territory and in territorial waters belong to Ukraine, and Kyiv alone will determine where and what to extract. It also does not change Ukraine's European integration course, Svyrydenko added.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andryi Sybiha wrote on X that he had briefed EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about the agreement.
"This marks an important milestone in Ukraine–US strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s economy and security," he said in his post.
Military Aid
Beyond its monetary aspects, Ukraine also sees the agreement as key to ensuring its access to future US military aid.
Roman Kostenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker and special forces commander, told Current Time that the question of security guarantees in connection with the US-Ukraine minerals deal "remains open."
"Perhaps there were certain nuances that prevented their inclusion in the minerals deal, even though it was a demand from our side," he added.
On April 29, the US Congress website published a notice from a senior official in the State Department's Bureau of Legislative Affairs on the certification of a proposed license for the export of defense articles which included "defense services to Ukraine in the amount of $50 million or more."
According to the Ukrainian media outlet the Kyiv Post, the White House approved the license shortly after the two countries signed the agreement on mineral resources.
The US is seeking access to more than 20 raw materials deemed strategically critical to its interests. Among them are deposits of titanium, which is used for making aircraft wings and other aerospace manufacturing, and uranium, which is used for nuclear power, medical equipment, and weapons. Ukraine also has deposits of lithium, graphite, and manganese, which are used in electric vehicle batteries.
Trump said the deal “in theory” means that the US will get more from Ukraine than it contributed.
“I wanted to be protected,” he said in an interview on NewsNation, adding that he didn’t want to be looking “foolish” by not getting money back for the investment.
Trump said earlier at a cabinet meeting that the American presence will "keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we're doing the digging."
With reporting by Reuters
- By Todd Prince
US Eyes Aleutian Military Revival As Russia, China Expand Operations Near Alaska
In October 2024, the US Coast Guard spotted two Chinese maritime enforcement vessels operating alongside a pair of Russian border patrol boats as they transited the Bering Sea, just kilometers from Alaskan waters.
It was the third consecutive year that a joint Russian-Chinese military convoy sailed through the strategic waterway. A year earlier, the two nations staged joint naval exercises in the region with 11 ships -- a clear signal of their growing military cooperation near US territory.
The October transit, which China said continued through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean, came less than three months after the first joint flight of Chinese and Russian strategic bombers over the Bering Sea.
The uptick in Russian and Chinese activity near Alaska -- home to America’s largest fleet of advanced fighter jets and a cornerstone of its missile defense architecture --is fueling calls to reestablish Cold War-era military infrastructure on the Aleutian Islands.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 10 that he supports reopening the shuttered naval facility on Adak Island and upgrading Eareckson Air Station on Shemya, the westernmost outpost of the chain.
Facilities on Adak and Shemya would give the United States “time and distance on any force capability that is looking to penetrate” American waters or airspace, Paparo said. Reactivating Adak would allow the United States to increase maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) coverage in the region by a factor of 10, he told lawmakers.
A Gateway To The Arctic
The Aleutian chain, made up of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones, stretches more than 1,600 kilometers from the Alaskan mainland toward Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The islands sit astride the great circle routes, the shortest paths between Asia and North America, and serve as a gateway to both the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea.
Kamchatka -- 800 kilometers west of Shemya -- is home to Russia’s Pacific submarine fleet and squadrons of long-range fighters. Paparo described Russia’s Pacific Fleet as a “growth enterprise” that now operates “frequently” along the great circle routes.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of the US Northern Command, testified in February before a Senate committee that reviving Adak could provide important “maritime and air access.”
The Pentagon is currently evaluating future uses for Adak, which features a deep-water port with three piers, two 7,000-foot (2,100-meter) runways, multiple hangars, de-icing platforms, and one of the largest bulk fuel storage facilities in the United States.
During the Cold War, Adak served as the primary anti-submarine warfare base in the Pacific, with P-3 Orions regularly patrolling the surrounding waters. The island also stored B57 nuclear depth bombs designed to detonate underwater and destroy enemy submarines.
At its peak, the island was home to 6,000 military personnel and their families. The base was officially closed in 1997. Today, fewer than 200 people live on the island. Alaska Airlines operates a single commercial route to Adak using Boeing 737s.
Eareckson Air Station on Shemya hosts a 10,000-foot (3,000-meter) runway and hangars. Shemya is also home to the Cobra Dane radar system -- an advanced sensor used to track ballistic missile launches and satellites. The air station also serves as an emergency diversion airport for civilian flights crossing the North Pacific.
'A Real Challenge'
US forces in September carried out an exercise on Shemya in response to the joint Russia-China bomber flight.
“Every time a state vessel or aircraft enters the area, it’s collecting information,” said Troy Bouffard, an Arctic security expert at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “The only way to respond is to intercept and push them out.”
“This is a real challenge,” he added. “And places like Adak provide outstanding positions to base the assets needed to meet it.”
Adak, which will be part of Indo-Pacific Command's Northern Edge exercise in August, could host P-8A Poseidon aircraft -- America’s most advanced maritime patrol aircraft and the successor to the P-3. Based on the Boeing 737 airframe, the P-8 is designed to detect and destroy both surface ships and submarines.
The P-8 plays a central role in US and allied anti-submarine warfare. The US resumed P-8 flights from its airbase at Keflavik, Iceland, in 2018 amid renewed Russian activity near the GIUK Gap, a key maritime chokepoint into the Atlantic.
Allies including Canada, Germany, and Norway have announced plans to purchase the aircraft to replace their P-3s. Norway reversed plans to close an Arctic air station after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and will now use it for maritime drone flights that complement the P-8s.
Shortest Missile Flight Path To The US
Russia’s Pacific Fleet is expected to grow to 45 modernized warships by the early 2030s, including 19 submarines. Some of its newest vessels are armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles, which can reach speeds over Mach 5 and strike targets hundreds of kilometers away.
Meanwhile, China is expanding the world’s largest navy by hull count. The Congressional Research Service estimates its fleet could grow from 370 to 435 ships by 2030. Intelligence reports suggest Russia is helping China reduce the acoustic signatures of its submarines -- critical to making them harder for US forces to track.
Experts warn that, if Chinese nuclear-armed submarines reach the Arctic, it would significantly enhance Beijing’s second-strike capability against the United States. The shortest missile flight path to the continental US is over the Arctic.
Russia’s air presence in the Bering and Arctic regions is also growing. A senior Alaskan commander told reporters in 2021 that US intercepts of Russian aircraft near or inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone had reached a post-Soviet high.
The spike coincides with Moscow’s rapid expansion and renovation of dozens of Arctic military installations, including airfields and radar sites.
In the event of a reopening, the United States is not expected to station many military personnel on the islands, which are renowned for their high winds, dense fog, persistent overcast skies, and freezing temperatures. A 1937 Naval War College assessment described them as having “some of the worst weather in the world.”
Imperial Japan captured two of the islands in June 1942, marking only the second time in US history that its territory had been seized by a foreign adversary. Though US forces recaptured the islands, the 14-month Aleutian Campaign cost 225 American aircraft, most lost to the region’s extreme weather.
US Deports Over 100 Central Asian Nationals With Uzbekistan’s Cooperation
The United States has deported more than 100 citizens from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to Tashkent in what Uzbek officials said is part of initiative aimed at ensuring the rights of its citizens caught in "difficult situations abroad."
The flight from New York to Tashkent was reportedly arranged on April 30 and operated by Uzbekistan Airways. A statement released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Uzbekistan funded the operation in full.
The deportations appear to mark the first such deal between the United States and a foreign government since the President Donald Trump took office in January.
"We are talking about citizens who have violated visa requirements or have expired their legal stay in the United States," Ahror Burkhanov, a spokesman for the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, wrote in a social media post.
"The repatriation process will be organized on the basis of humanitarian and legal principles, ensuring the dignified and safe return of citizens," he added, though he did not say how many of those deported on April 30 were Uzbek nationals.
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has declared a crackdown on illegal immigration.
Immigration agents have carried out hundreds of raids in various cities with thousands of immigrants arrested.
Many critics say a large number of those deported to third countries are refugees who have been granted protections against returning to their home countries, where they would face persecution or torture.
Demonstrations and pickets have been held against Washington's anti-immigration policy, and a judge handed down a ruling on April 18 that barred the Trump administration from rapidly deporting migrants to countries other than their own without giving them a chance to show they fear being persecuted.
The government has appealed the court ruling.
The DHS said the operation "underscores the deep security cooperation" between the nations and "sets the standard for US alliances."
"We commend Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his leadership in sending a flight to return 131 illegal aliens to their home country," said US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
She added that the Trump administration will continue to work with Uzbekistan on efforts to "enhance mutual security and uphold the rule of law."
Uzbek media reported the Kyrgyz and Kazakh nationals who arrived on the flight to Uzbekistan will continue on to their home countries.
Earlier, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said the repatriation process was organized on the basis of "humanitarian and legal principles."
"It is aimed at ensuring the dignified and safe return of citizens," the ministry said in a statement.
In January this year, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimation showed that 975 Uzbeks living in the US as illegal migrants could be deported from the country in the near future.
Following the reports, the NY Times said in February that US authorities had begun deporting Central Asian migrants to Panama and Costa Rica to speed up the process of their removal from the country.
From September 2023 to September 2024, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 572 people to Uzbekistan.
In August 2024, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service published an investigation detailing the plight of hundreds of Uzbek and Kyrgyz migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally from Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
Serbians Mark 6 Months Since Deadly Train Station Collapse That Sparked Mass Protests
NOVI SAD, Serbia -- On May 1, thousands of Serbians marked six months since the collapse of a railway station canopy that killed 16 people and triggered one of the country’s largest protest movements in recent memory.
At precisely 11:52 a.m. -- the moment the canopy collapsed on November 1 --demonstrators stood in silence outside the Novi Sad Railway Station.
Students and others lit candles and laid flowers in memory of the victims.
"Novi Sad remembers," reads a newly erected memorial plaque placed by students on the lawn in front of the station.
"The station building is a reminder of what happens to a nation when corruption creeps into every pore of society," one of the students told a crowd in Novi Sad.
Those attending the solemn gathering then took part in a protest march through central Novi Sad, culminating at the city's Freedom Bridge.
During the march, a serious incident occurred when a vehicle attempted to drive into the crowd.
According to reports, the driver bypassed police guards and sped into a group of protesters.
The car stopped just short of the crowd, and no injuries were reported.
Police arrested two individuals in connection with the incident.
Thousands of protesters also packed the streets of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, as students and five major trade union federations united in one of the largest coordinated May Day demonstrations in recent years, demanding changes to labor laws and greater protections for workers.
Cedanka Antic, the president of the united branch of Serbian trade unions "Nezavisnost,"called on the government to act as soon as possible.
"Together, trade unions and students can achieve this goal," she added.
The protests are part of a broader movement that has gripped Serbia since the fatal collapse of the railway station canopy in November and may be the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vucic.
"Corruption and institutional negligence led to the deaths of 16 people. We are outraged that this happened and that no one has been held accountable," said a student who addressed the crowd in Belgrade.
Student protesters have been demonstrating and blocking their university departments for months in opposition to what they say is the crumbling rule of law and systemic corruption under Vucic, the president since 2017 and prime minister for three years before that.
Tens of thousands of people have also taken to the streets to demonstrate in over 200 cities and towns.
The public outcry has rattled Serbia’s leadership. In January, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned amid the mounting pressure, though no high-level officials have yet been held accountable for the collapse.
An indictment against 13 suspects for the failures that led to the accident, including former state officials, has not yet been confirmed.
Russian Drone Strike Hits Kharkiv, Wounding Dozens
Russian drone strikes on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv wounded dozens of people, local officials said on the evening of May 2, one day after at least 31 people were injured in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya.
Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said the number of wounded in the massive drone attack on Kharkiv increased to 35 people.
A private house, a high-rise building, a shop, and a parking lot were damaged in the drone strikes, he said on Telegram.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the strikes occurred at 12 locations in four districts of the city. He put the number of people injured at 46 and said eight of the victims had been hospitalized.
Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian areas have killed dozens of people in recent weeks despite the United States efforts to get the two sides to the negotiating table to end Moscow's full-scale invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the drone strikes and issued a fresh appeal to beef up Ukraine's air defense capability.
"There were no military targets, nor could there be any. Russia strikes dwellings when Ukrainians are in their homes, when they are putting their children to bed," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
"Ukraine needs stronger air defenses. Stronger and real decisions from our partners: the United States, Europe, all our partners who seek peace."
The Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhya occurred late on May 1, local authorities said.
"Two children are among the injured. Hospitals in Zaporizhzhya continue to receive patients affected by yesterday's attack," regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on May 2 on Telegram.
Pictures posted online showed a fire burning at a collapsed apartment building.
Russian forces made at least 10 strikes on the city, targeting private homes, high-rise apartment buildings, educational institutions, and infrastructure sites, Fedorov added.
Ukraine's state railway company, Ukrzaliznytsya, said its locomotive repair plant located in the city was also attacked.
"This is a purely civilian facility specializing in the repair of electric passenger locomotives," Ukrzaliznytsya's post on Telegram said.
The attack followed a widescale onslaught of Russian drones on several regions of Ukraine on April 30. At least two people were killed in Odesa after air alerts were activated in 11 regions of Ukraine.
The "large-scale" attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa, as described by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service in a Telegram post, killed two people and injured 15 others.
Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram that the Russian attack on Odesa damaged high-rise buildings, houses, a supermarket, and a school.
Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, responded to the Russian attack on Odesa by calling for a "complete cease-fire" in a Telegram post.
"We must push for it together with the United States and Europe," he wrote, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will always have the desire to kill."
"But diplomacy, force, and economic pressure will compel Russia to end the war," he added.
The United States and Ukraine on April 30 signed a minerals deal that US President Donald Trump's administration said was an economic partnership in recognition of the “significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.”
After initial hesitation, Ukraine accepted the agreement as a way to secure long-term investment by Washington amid moves by Trump and his administration to curtail US security commitments around the world.
Meanwhile, a group of 72 US senators has thrown its support behind a bill threatening Russia with severe new sanctions if it refuses to engage in serious negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
The announcement was made by Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina), one of the bill's sponsors, Bloomberg reports.
According to a draft obtained by Bloomberg News, the proposed measures include a sweeping 500 percent tariff on imports from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, petroleum products, or uranium.
Graham said he has enough support in the House to bring the sanctions bill to the floor there as well, according to Bloomberg.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, Bloomberg, and dpa
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine, US Sign Minerals Deal Creating Reconstruction Investment Fund
The United States and Ukraine have signed an agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s valuable rare minerals in a deal that Ukraine hopes will ensure continued American support for Kyiv in its war with Russia.
The agreement establishes the United-States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which the US Treasury Department said will allow the two countries to “work collaboratively and invest together to ensure that our mutual assets, talents, and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a news release that agreement “signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”
Bessent called the establishment of the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund a historic economic partnership and credited US President Donald Trump with pushing for it to be signed as part of his efforts to seek an end to the war.
"As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war,” Bessent said.
Trump has expressed frustration over the slow pace of progress in negotiations. The US State Department on April 29 tried again to get both sides to move more quickly and warned that Washington could step back from the talks if there's no progress.
Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's economy minister and deputy prime minister, signed the agreement with Bessent, the Treasury Department said. Svyrydenko said the agreement "can provide success for both our countries" and "will attract global investment into our state" in highlighting its key points in a post on Facebook.
Svyrydenko said the investment fund will be filled with income exclusively from new licenses. This involves 50 percent of the funds from new licenses for critical materials and oil and gas projects, which will come into Ukraine's budget once the fund is established.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andryi Sybiha wrote on X that he had briefed EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about the minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States.
"This marks an important milestone in Ukraine–US strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s economy and security," he said in his post.
Roman Kostenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker and special forces commander, told Current Time that the question of security guarantees in connection with the US-Ukraine minerals deal "remains open."
"Perhaps there were certain nuances that prevented their inclusion in the minerals deal, even though it was a demand from our side," he added.
Military Aid
Beyond its monetary aspects, Ukraine also sees the agreement as key to ensuring its access to future US military aid.
"In addition to direct financial contributions, it may also provide NEW assistance -- for example air defense systems for Ukraine," she said on X.
On April 29, the US Congress website published a notice from a senior official in the State Department's Bureau of Legislative Affairs on the certification of a proposed license for the export of defense articles which included "defense services to Ukraine in the amount of $50 million or more."
According to the Ukrainian media outlet the Kyiv Post, the White House approved the license shortly after the two countries signed the agreement on mineral resources.
The agreement is in accordance with the Constitution and does not change Ukraine's European integration course, she added. It also states that all resources on Ukraine's territory and in territorial waters belong to Ukraine, and Kyiv alone will determine where and what to extract.
The Ukrainian cabinet approved the agreement earlier on April 30, empowering Svyrydenko to sign it in Washington. The deal still needs to be ratified by the Ukrainian parliament before it can take effect.
The Treasury Department's news release said the department and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will work with the government of Ukraine to finalize the program’s governance and advance the partnership.
Speaking on Ukrainian television earlier on April 30, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called the deal "truly a good, equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine."
Shmyhal said on Telegram that each side will have 50 percent voting rights in the Reconstruction Investment Fund, and the fund's profits will be reinvested exclusively in Ukraine.
Meeting a key concern for Ukraine, he said Kyiv would not be asked to pay back any "debt" for the billions of dollars in US weapons and other support since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Trump indicated in February that he wanted access to Ukraine’s rare earth materials as a condition for continued US support in the war, describing it as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in aid that Washington has given to Kyiv.
But talks stalled after a tense Oval Office meeting, which ended in acrimony with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance verbally attacking each other.
The US is seeking access to more than 20 raw materials deemed strategically critical to its interests. Among them are deposits of titanium, which is used for making aircraft wings and other aerospace manufacturing, and uranium, which is used for nuclear power, medical equipment, and weapons. Ukraine also has deposits of lithium, graphite, and manganese, which are used in electric vehicle batteries.
Trump said the deal “in theory” means that the US will get more from Ukraine than it contributed.
“I wanted to be protected,” he said in an interview on NewsNation, adding that he didn’t want to be looking “foolish” by not getting money back for the investment.
Trump said earlier at a cabinet meeting that the American presence will "keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we're doing the digging."
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By RFE/RL
CPJ Warns Of Eroding US Press Freedom Under Trump Administration
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has warned that press freedoms in the United States are eroding and called on newsrooms across the country to form a united front against the "rising tide of threats" facing independent, fact-based reporting.
In a report detailing the first 100 days of the US government’s treatment of the media under President Donald Trump, the media watchdog chided the administration for taking a "startling number of actions that, taken together, threaten the availability of independent, fact-based news for vast swaths of America's population."
It also took aim at several high-profile news organizations such as The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times for the "realignment" of opinion pages "in reaction to changing political tides."
"Journalists are always the first to be attacked when democracy declines and the actions of the current US administration should be ringing alarm bells for every single journalist, every single newsroom, and every single person in the United States," CPJ Chief Executive Officer Jodie Ginsberg said in the report.
"This is not a time to be complacent, or to shrug off these behaviors. If we let the abnormal become normal, many more freedoms will be at risk -- no matter what your politics."
The CPJ said in the report that it reached out to the White House with detailed requests for comment but did not receive a response.
The State Department Press Office said in an e-mailed response to a request from RFE/RL for comment on the report that "as a general matter we do not offer public evaluations of reports by outside groups."
Trump took office for his second term on January 20.
In the 100 days since then, the CPJ report outlined moves it said the administration has taken, leaving major news outlets unsure of how to react to "increased pressure from the White House," with owners and journalists alike "facing the choice of whether to placate the president or risk losing access."
The CPJ specifically noted changes in the procedures that govern White House access and the makeup of the press pool, the appearance of the Federal Communications Commission and other regulatory agencies becoming increasingly politicized in their work, and White House calls to deprive public broadcasters NPR and PBS of government funding, among the factors curbing the free press around the country.
In what it called one of the "most glaring examples of this clampdown," the report highlighted the barring of the Associated Press from White House press events after it refused to adopt the administration's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
Despite a court ruling affirming the AP's First Amendment rights, the administration continues to limit the agency's access and is "manipulating the press pool seating arrangement to favor partisan or sympathetic outlets."
"From denying access to upending respect for the independence of a free press to vilifying news organizations to threatening reprisals, this administration has begun to exert its power to punish or reward based on coverage," the CPJ said.
The White House has said it is up to its own discretion and not White House correspondents or longstanding tradition to determine who gets to question the president and when.
"The government offers no other plausible explanation for its treatment of the AP," U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of Trump, wrote in his ruling on the case earlier this month.
"The Constitution forbids viewpoint discrimination, even in a nonpublic forum like the Oval Office."
The CPJ also pointed to what it called "politically charged investigations" by the Federal Communications Commission of major networks such as CBS, NBC, ABC, and public broadcasters NPR and PBS. It said the justifications for these inquiries range from "unsubstantiated claims of biased reporting to alleged breaches of licensing agreements."
The Federal Communications Commission was also offered the right of reply by the CPJ, according to the watchdog, but did not comment on the report.
The CPJ said moves inside the United States have also had an effect outside of its borders.
The gutting of the US Agency for International Development and the US Agency for Global Media, for example, have led to the suspension or elimination of thousands of journalist positions in the United States and abroad, and "they have been cheered by the undemocratic governments of China, Russia, Cuba and elsewhere."
Many of the broadcasters affected, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, are fighting the cuts in court, with decisions so far going in their favor for what they call "unlawful" moves to cut funding by the government.
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