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Voice of America staff put on leave, Trump ally says agency ‘not salvageable’

Last month, Musk called for VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to be shut down in a post to his X social media platform.

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More than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave on Saturday and funding for two U.S. news services that broadcast to authoritarian regimes was terminated, one day after President Donald Trump ordered the gutting of the government-funded media outlet’s parent and six other federal agencies, Reuters reported.

Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America’s director, said nearly his entire staff of 1,300 journalists, producers and assistants had been put on administrative leave, crippling a media broadcaster that operates in almost 50 languages.

The order represents the latest step by Trump to remake the federal bureaucracy, a task he has largely put in the hands of tech billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. So far, the DOGE effort has produced potential cuts of more than 100,000 jobs across the 2.3 million-member federal civilian workforce, the freezing of foreign aid, and the cancellation of thousands of programs and contracts.

Some Republicans have accused VOA and other publicly-funded media outlets of being biased against conservatives. Last month, Musk called for VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to be shut down in a post to his X social media platform.

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Afghan authorities warn companies over work visa fraud

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs says it has summoned representatives of travel agencies over allegations of illegally issuing work visas to Turkey and other countries through black market networks.

According to the ministry, company officials were asked to provide written commitments stating that they would no longer collect money from people under the pretext of obtaining work visas and would fully cooperate with authorities in investigating public complaints.

The ministry also warned the companies against engaging in any illegal activities related to overseas employment visas and said action would be taken against violators.

At the same time, citizens were urged not to fall victim to fraud or false promises and to avoid handing over money or personal documents to unauthorized individuals or companies claiming to arrange foreign work visas.

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Afghan hajj minister arrives in Saudi Arabia to oversee services for pilgrims

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Noor Mohammad Saqib, Afghanistan’s Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, has traveled to Saudi Arabia to directly supervise the affairs of Afghan pilgrims and lead this year’s hajj operations after the successful arrival of all 30,000 Afghan pilgrims in the kingdom.

According to the ministry, the visit is aimed at strengthening coordination, improving the management of hajj affairs, and closely monitoring the services being provided to Afghan pilgrims throughout the pilgrimage season.

During his trip, the minister is expected to inspect accommodation facilities, transportation arrangements, food distribution, healthcare services, and religious guidance programs for Afghan pilgrims in Makkah, Medina, and other holy sites. He will also evaluate measures taken to ensure the smooth and organized transfer of pilgrims to the sacred rituals areas.

The ministry said Saqib will hold meetings with officials of various hajj committees and provide recommendations aimed at improving organization, coordination, and the effective delivery of services to pilgrims.

As part of his visit, the minister is also scheduled to attend official conferences and meetings organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to meet representatives from Islamic countries, hajj authorities, and contracting companies to discuss ways to further improve hajj services, expand facilities for pilgrims, and strengthen joint cooperation.

The Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs stated that members of the Afghan hajj mission, alongside hundreds of employees from contracted service companies, are actively working in committees responsible for transportation, food services, religious rituals, missing persons, and other operational matters.

The ministry added that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure Afghan pilgrims can perform their hajj rituals in a safe, organized, and peaceful environment.

 
 
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Uzbekistan plans to build new railway line at Nayebabad station

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Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, met on Thursday in Balkh province with the head of Uzbekistan’s Railway Administration.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Uzbek officials said during the meeting that they plan to build a new 1.5-kilometer railway line at Nayebabad Station along the Hairatan–Mazar-e-Sharif railway route. They also intend to construct several warehouses along the line for loading and unloading goods.

Baradar welcomed the initiative and instructed officials of the Ministry of Public Works to jointly carry out the technical and construction work with the Uzbek side.

The construction of the new railway line and warehouses is expected to increase the capacity of Hairatan Port and provide greater facilities for traders.

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