EU ministers vowed on Monday to explore ways to save Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) after U.S. President Donald Trump cut its funding, but warned that replacing U.S. support would not be easy.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky urged his counterparts in Brussels to find solutions to keep the Prague-based broadcaster running. RFE/RL, a U.S.-funded outlet established during the Cold War to reach audiences in authoritarian states, provides news to countries with restricted press freedom, including Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the station “a beacon of democracy” and expressed regret over the funding cut. “Can we come in with our funding to fill the void the U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is not automatically, because we have many organisations requesting the same,” Kallas said. She confirmed that ministers had agreed to explore solutions but noted it would be difficult.
Over the weekend, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) terminated grants to RFE/RL as part of Trump’s broader effort to scale back federal funding. The move also affected Voice of America (VOA), where more than 1,300 employees were placed on leave on Saturday.
Despite the funding halt, RFE/RL journalists continued publishing on Monday. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus warned that shutting down the service would be “a massive gift to America’s enemies.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said Warsaw would consider how to assist both RFE/RL and VOA.
Trump’s executive order on Friday went beyond the broadcaster, dismantling programmes at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and cutting more than 80% of its operations. The decision sparked criticism from media and diplomatic circles.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, a vocal Trump ally, previously called for RFE/RL to be shut down, posting on X that it was “just radical left crazy people talking to themselves.”
Türkiye's President Erdogan is seeking a meeting with former U.S. President Trump to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss key issues, Bloomberg News reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally heading back to Earth after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Their long-awaited return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon caps a mission filled with delays, challenges, and global attention.
International donors at a European Union-led conference in Brussels pledged €5.8 billion ($6.3 billion) on Monday to support Syria’s new authorities, who are grappling with humanitarian and security crises following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
Türkiye's President Erdogan is seeking a meeting with former U.S. President Trump to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss key issues, Bloomberg News reports.
South Korea, China, and Japan’s foreign ministers will meet in Tokyo on Saturday to discuss regional cooperation and key issues, according to South Korea's foreign ministry.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally heading back to Earth after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Their long-awaited return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon caps a mission filled with delays, challenges, and global attention.
Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) has approved a $10 million climate resilience project aimed at addressing the country’s environmental challenges. The initiative is set to enhance climate adaptation and strengthen sustainable development efforts.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, we cannot forget the years of occupation, and we will not forget them, President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Global Baku Forum.
President Donald Trump has vowed to respond to the European Union's counter-tariffs, escalating tensions over the U.S. steel and aluminum duties that have sparked a trade dispute between the two economic powers.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
Türkiye's President Erdogan is seeking a meeting with former U.S. President Trump to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss key issues, Bloomberg News reports.
South Korea, China, and Japan’s foreign ministers will meet in Tokyo on Saturday to discuss regional cooperation and key issues, according to South Korea's foreign ministry.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally heading back to Earth after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Their long-awaited return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon caps a mission filled with delays, challenges, and global attention.
A tragic plane crash off the coast of Honduras has claimed seven lives after the aircraft plunged into the sea moments after departing Roatán Island. Authorities say several passengers may still be trapped inside.
Türkiye's President Erdogan is seeking a meeting with former U.S. President Trump to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss key issues, Bloomberg News reports.
South Korea, China, and Japan’s foreign ministers will meet in Tokyo on Saturday to discuss regional cooperation and key issues, according to South Korea's foreign ministry.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally heading back to Earth after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner. Their long-awaited return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon caps a mission filled with delays, challenges, and global attention.
Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) has approved a $10 million climate resilience project aimed at addressing the country’s environmental challenges. The initiative is set to enhance climate adaptation and strengthen sustainable development efforts.
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