The Trump administration will retain fewer than 300 staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) out of its global workforce of over 10,000, sources told Reuters. The decision follows USAID’s effective shutdown after Trump’s foreign aid freeze, leaving key relief efforts in crisis.
The mass reduction in USAID staffing is the latest escalation in the administration’s restructuring of foreign aid, following Trump’s executive order pausing U.S. humanitarian funding for 90 days. Since the freeze began on January 20, relief groups have struggled to operate as most USAID employees were placed on leave, cutting off access to essential funding and logistical support.
USAID’s closure has already halted food aid deliveries to conflict zones, including Sudan and Gaza, leaving 500,000 metric tons of food supplies stranded in storage. The shutdown also eliminated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a key tool for tracking global hunger crises, raising fears that famine relief efforts could collapse.
Aid workers say volunteer-run food programs have been disrupted, while millions of ready-to-eat nutrition packets for malnourished children remain stuck in warehouses due to uncertainty over funding approvals.
The Trump administration’s focus has shifted toward combating drug cartels and international gangs, redirecting resources away from traditional foreign aid priorities. While some emergency food assistance is expected to continue, humanitarian organizations warn that the lack of USAID personnel could cripple distribution efforts in the months ahead.
The drastic staff reduction has left relief groups in limbo, uncertain whether critical food, health, and disaster relief programs will resume or face further cuts.
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not chal...
A bus operated by Kern Transit overturned on Tuesday morning, after hitting railway tracks alongside Sierra Highway in Lancaster, California, accordin...
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from ...
A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s controversial asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border, ruling that the move oversteps his executive...
Vietnam is set to confirm the purchase of 50 Boeing planes worth $8 billion, alongside agreements to import $2.9 billion in U.S. agricultural products...
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not challenge the core conclusion that President Vladimir Putin directed the influence campaign.
A bus operated by Kern Transit overturned on Tuesday morning, after hitting railway tracks alongside Sierra Highway in Lancaster, California, according to authorities. Approximately 20 people, including an eight-year-old boy, were reported injured in the accident, according to emergency services.
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from Mesopotamia, in a rare discovery linking the two early civilisations.
A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s controversial asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border, ruling that the move oversteps his executive powers. The decision marks a major legal setback for Trump’s immigration policies and upholds protections for migrants seeking refuge.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
Australia has confirmed a $1.3 billion missile deal with the U.S., highlighting its defence priorities, while stopping short of committing to Washington’s 3.5% GDP spending target.
A tragic ferry accident off the coast of Bali has left four dead and dozens missing, with rough seas complicating rescue efforts.
The Pentagon says U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have degraded Tehran’s programme by as much as two years, following attacks last month that used heavy bunker-buster bombs.
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not challenge the core conclusion that President Vladimir Putin directed the influence campaign.
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from Mesopotamia, in a rare discovery linking the two early civilisations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment