Author: Supriya Jena

Elon Musk, the billionaire who runs Tesla, says America should pull out of NATO. He believes it’s not fair for the U.S. to pay for protecting Europe. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), he agreed with someone who called for an immediate exit from NATO.

On March 2, Musk responded to another post that said, “It’s time to leave NATO and the UN,” and he agreed with it. His comments come just before NATO celebrates its 76th birthday in April.

According to NBC News, former President Donald Trump talked about how the U.S. should engage with NATO. He said the U.S. might only help those allies who spend a certain amount of their money on their own defense.

Trump mentioned, “If they don’t pay their bills, I won’t defend them,” which means he thinks other countries should contribute their fair share for defense.

After the Cold War, Europe reduced its military strength and now relies on the U.S. for many important things like communication and leadership in military strategies. Recently, European Union leaders had an emergency meeting to talk about increasing military spending. They discussed a big plan that includes loans of about €150 billion for defense and spending up to €650 billion over four years without penalties.

Andrius Kubilius, the EU Defense Commissioner, remarked that there has been a lot of uncertainty about what the U.S. plans to do in the future regarding NATO.

According to U.S. law, the president cannot leave NATO by himself. A two-thirds majority in the Senate or a law from Congress is required for that.

In a surprising move, Russian special forces traveled a long distance inside a gas pipeline near Sudzha, aiming to catch Ukrainian soldiers off guard. This comes after Ukraine took control of a significant part of the Kursk region last August, which was meant to give them leverage in future talks.

Recently, Russia claimed that its troops had taken back the village of Lebedevka and a small area called Novenke in Ukraine’s Sumy region. Pro-Russian blogger Yuri Podolyaka reported that some Russian soldiers crawled for days inside the pipeline before attacking Ukrainian forces from behind.

Sudzha is a critical location for gas transfer from Russia to Europe, and Russian Telegram channels shared images of the special forces in gas masks inside the pipeline. However, Ukraine’s military said they quickly spotted the Russian soldiers and launched rocket and drone strikes to defend themselves.

Due to restrictions on what both sides can report, it’s hard to verify these accounts. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has alarmed the West, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump has recently changed America’s approach to the situation, causing fears among European leaders about Ukraine’s future in the war.

Ukraine’s previous attack on Kursk was the most serious since World War II. As the fighting continues, Russian forces are pushing back Ukrainian troops, putting many of them in danger of being surrounded. Ukrainian forces are now moving their equipment closer to the border as battles rage on in Sudzha.

Former President Donald Trump loves golf, but new reports show that his golfing weekends in Florida are costing taxpayers a staggering $18 million! Since returning to office, Trump has played golf on 13 of the 48 days, and the costs of his trips have been going up.

Just on the same day that pro-Palestinian activists vandalized his Scottish golf resort, Trump played golf near his Mar-a-Lago estate. He has golfed 10 times at Trump International in West Palm Beach and three times at Trump Doral, which is in Miami.

A report from HuffPost says that Trump’s trips to his Florida golf course have already cost taxpayers over $18 million. During his four years in office, these trips have added up to more than $151 million! In 2017, his first trips were estimated to cost around $3.4 million each, and that number has likely increased due to inflation.

When Trump travels, his motorcade is moved using big military planes, and he flies on Air Force One. His trips require heavy security, including police boats and Coast Guard patrols, and extra costs come from local law enforcement and security measures, like explosive-sniffing dogs.

Trump’s trips started just after he was inaugurated. He enjoys golf, owning over 16 golf courses around the world, including in the US, Scotland, and the UAE. His niece, Mary Trump, once joked that Trump could go anywhere with his wealth but prefers to stay at his golf courses.

Jack Nicklaus, a famous golfer, once said that Trump loves golf more than money. In his 2005 book, Trump wrote that golf is not just a game but a passion for him. He opened his first golf course in 1999 in West Palm Beach and has continued to expand his golf business.

Malaria season is starting this month in many African countries, which is a big worry because malaria is very dangerous, especially for kids. The Trump administration has decided to cut 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts. This has local health officials worried that many people will get sick.

Dr. Jimmy Opigo, who leads Uganda’s malaria control program, told The Associated Press that the sudden end of many aid programs leaves them preparing for a disaster. The U.S. is the biggest donor in the fight against malaria in Africa. Opigo said that medicines and special mosquito nets are crucial for health. “We need these supplies regularly,” he emphasized. As these supplies run low, he fears there will be a significant rise in severe malaria cases this year, which can cause serious health issues like organ failure. Sadly, malaria has no cure, but a vaccine is being used in some areas, supported by a global vaccine alliance.

According to Malaria No More, a Washington-based organization, if the supply of malaria-control items is disrupted for just one year, there could be an extra 15 million cases and 107,000 more deaths from malaria worldwide. They have urged the Trump administration to restart important health programs before things get worse.

In 2023, Africa’s 1.5 billion people faced 95% of the 597,000 global malaria deaths, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Health workers in Nigeria, Congo, and Uganda, the three countries hardest hit by malaria, are beginning to feel the impact of the U.S. funding cuts.

The U.S. government provides hundreds of millions of dollars yearly to these countries through USAID’s President’s Malaria Initiative. This funding helps non-governmental organizations and charities provide malaria prevention and treatment services, especially in rural areas where people can’t afford to pay.

During 2023, Uganda recorded 12.6 million malaria cases and about 16,000 deaths, most of whom were children under five and pregnant women. Opigo mentioned that the U.S. usually donates around $30 million to $35 million each year for malaria control. He noted that various research projects have also been impacted by the cuts.

Some of the U.S. aid in Uganda was used to spray insecticides in certain areas to reduce mosquito populations. Those operations were supposed to start in February before the rainy season, when mosquitoes breed. Now, they have to wait. “We must spray before the rains, so the mosquitoes don’t multiply,” he explained.

Long lines of malaria patients usually form outside clinics every year. In Uganda, malaria makes up 30% to 50% of all visits to health facilities.

Nigeria and Congo

Nigeria has one-fourth of the world’s malaria cases but has seen malaria-related deaths drop by 55% since the year 2000 with the help of the U.S. and others. In 2023, the U.S. provided about $600 million to Nigeria for health care, though it’s unclear if all this funding will continue.

The President’s Malaria Initiative has given Nigeria nearly 164 million fast-acting medicines, 83 million special bed nets, and other treatments since 2011.

In Congo, U.S. funding has helped with around $650 million towards fighting malaria since 2010. However, the loss of this support might reverse some of the gains made in controlling malaria, making it hard to track outbreaks as supplies and skills for testing become sparse.

The worsening violence in eastern Congo has also put health workers at risk, making it even harder to help those in need. Dr. Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, who runs a nonprofit in Nigeria, warned that without significant support, many people will suffer because they can’t afford malaria treatment. Up to 40% of her patients are diagnosed with malaria.

Despite the cuts to USAID, some hope remains for continued U.S. funding through organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. However, that group has not commented on the U.S. aid cuts.

Dr. Opigo in Uganda said other U.S. agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might still offer aid. But he insists, “We need to be careful in how we work with the U.S

Melania Trump doesn’t often appear in public with her husband, Donald Trump, but she’s not really hiding away. A source told OK! magazine that while some people say she has disappeared, Melania is just busy behind the scenes.

During Donald’s campaign events, she wasn’t seen much, but he explained that she’s a private and confident person who loves the country. He believes she’ll show up when the time is right.

An insider mentioned that Melania is very careful about how she wants to present herself. However, a new book by Michael Wolff called All or Nothing claims that Melania “really dislikes” Donald. The author said Melania’s feelings became worse partly because of Donald’s legal troubles related to paying Stormy Daniels to keep quiet.

Another source said Melania cares about children’s issues but will only engage in politics if it interests her or she has time. The source emphasized that politics isn’t her focus, and she doesn’t worry about her public image.