RUSSIA LAUNCHES MASSIVE DRONE AND MISSILE BARRAGE ON UKRAINE, KILLING AT LEAST 18 CIVILIANS AND STRIKING KYIV AND MULTIPLE CITIES. (PHOTO).

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 Russia launches massive drone and missile barrage on Ukraine, killing at least 18 civilians and striking Kyiv and multiple cities  Russia carried out a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine, launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that killed at least 18 civilians and wounded more than 100 others across multiple cities, officials said Tuesday. The strikes hit Kyiv, Dnipro and other regions, with emergency crews working through destroyed residential buildings where some victims were trapped under rubble. In Dnipro, rescuers recovered the bodies of a 3-year-old child and a mother and her 8-year-old son, while officials reported 12 deaths in the city and six in Kyiv. The bombardment stretched from night into daylight, with explosions reported across wide areas of the country. Kyiv residents had been on alert for days after warnings of a major aerial attack, including advisories for foreign diplomats to leave the capital. Despite those warnings, most remained in pl...

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO CLOSE EMBASSIES ACROSS AFRICA. (PHOTO).


 Trump administration plans to close embassies across Africa


The US is significantly reducing its development and diplomatic operations in Africa, causing growing concern over the region's future of health, education, and economic progress, Anadolu Agency reported.


Under the Trump administration, a leaked executive order revealed plans to restructure the State Department’s Africa operations and dramatically scale back US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs.


The US, which has traditionally maintained one of the largest networks of embassies in Africa—second only to China—is planning to close embassies in Eritrea, Gambia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic, along with consulates in Cameroon and South Africa.


Draft proposals further suggest dissolving State Department units dedicated to African affairs, democracy promotion, human rights, refugee policy, gender equality, and climate issues.


Froze aid


In January, Washington froze USAID foreign aid for 90 days.


The cuts have severely impeded health, education, and development initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as HIV/AIDS treatment, malaria prevention, maternal health care, and agricultural assistance.


Countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria have been forced to suspend or scale back life-saving programs.


USAID’s focus is shifting toward a limited number of “strategic countries,” reducing its presence elsewhere.


According to the US Foreign Assistance Data portal, several African nations, including Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles, received no aid this year.


Others, such as Cape Verde, Comoros, and Gambia, received only minimal assistance.


Domestic solutions


In response, some African governments are seeking domestic solutions. Nigeria has allocated $200 million to fill the gap in healthcare aid.


However, many other countries face challenges such as corruption and weak governance, making such efforts difficult to sustain.


Experts warn that unless African nations diversify their international partnerships and use domestic resources more ef fectively, years of progress in health and development may be reversed.

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