TRIAL BEGINS OF CENTRAL AFRICAN EX-PRESIDENT BOZIZE OVER WAR CRIMES. (PHOTO).

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 Trial begins of Central African ex-president Bozize over war crimes A UN-backed court in the the Central African Republic will on Tuesday begin the trial in absentia of former president Francois Bozize, over crimes against humanity committed between 2009 and 2013. The alleged crimes committed by members of Bozize's security forces include murder, enforced disappearance, torture and rape. Bozize, 79, who seized power in a 2003 coup before being overthrown 10 years later by rebels, has been living in exile in Guinea-Bissau since March 2023. But three of his former senior military officers, Eugene Barret Ngaikosset, Vianney Semndiro and Firmin Junior Danboy, are all in pre-trial detention in the Central African Republic. Crimes against humanity The case will be heard by the Special Criminal Court (SCC), a hybrid jurisdiction located in the capital Bangui with Central African and foreign judges. In February 2024, the SCC issued an international arrest warrant for the former president ...

USAID PLACES STAFF ON LEAVE AMID TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVERHAUL. (PHOTO).


 USAID Places Staff on Leave Amid Trump Administration Overhaul


The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has placed its employees on administrative leave and begun recalling staff from overseas assignments as part of a broader restructuring under the Trump administration.


In a statement published on its website, which reappeared on Tuesday, the agency announced that the leave will take effect just before midnight on February 7, 2025. The directive applies to all USAID direct-hire personnel, except those handling mission-critical functions, core leadership, and designated programs.


“Thank you for your service,” the statement read.


The move aligns with former President Donald Trump’s initiative, supported by billionaire Elon Musk, to downsize the U.S. government—a decision that has sparked backlash from Democrats and human rights advocates.


USAID, which funds health and emergency programs in approximately 120 countries, is regarded as a key instrument of U.S. soft power, especially in countering the influence of global rivals like China. Musk, who has significant business interests in China, has openly criticized the agency, calling it “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America” and vowing to dismantle it.


Musk has also alleged, without evidence, that USAID engages in covert intelligence operations and has funded controversial research, including bioweapon development. He stated that he personally cleared the decision with Trump.


The action against USAID follows long-standing conservative arguments that U.S. foreign aid is wasteful and neglects domestic priorities. The agency, which has a budget exceeding $40 billion, has historically provided assistance to countries such as Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Afghanistan.


As the world’s largest provider of development assistance, the U.S. government’s potential shift in aid policy could have significant geopolitical implications.

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