How much money is actually lost to fraud, waste in the US?
Billionaire Elon Musk, the driving force behind United States President Donald Trump’s budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has broached the sensitive issue of Social Security cost savings on the TV channel Fox Business. Musk told host Larry Kudlow, a former Trump economic adviser, that the Government Accountability Office estimated in 2024 that federal government fraud was “half a trillion dollars”. While referring to waste, Musk said: “Most of the federal spending is entitlements. So that’s like the big one to eliminate. That’s the sort of half-trillion, maybe $600, $700bn a year.” Using the word “eliminate” in the same breath as “entitlements” set off alarms among Trump’s and Musk’s Democratic critics. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the March 11 news briefing that Musk was referring to cutting waste, fraud and abuse in those programmes, and Trump “is going to protect Social Security”, Medicare and Medicaid. At a March 11 event promoting Tesla cars at the White House, a reporter asked Musk if he could guarantee there would be no interruption to Social Security benefits. Advertisement “We are going to be very careful with any benefits,” Musk said. “In fact, only by tackling waste or fraud can we actually preserve those programmes for the future.” “Fraud” and “waste” mean different things. Waste refers to careless use, and fraud includes criminal wrongdoing. Musk referred to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a nonpartisan auditing arm of Congress that examines federal spending. In 2024, the office estimated there are $233bn to $521bn in fraudulent payments across the government per year. The report went further than Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which make up about half of mandatory government spending. It covers the entire government, including pandemic-related relief programmes that resulted in record fraud. Musk said cutting fraud and waste will help his efforts to slash $1 trillion from the federal budget. But his estimates for fraud are at the top end of the GAO’s estimate or exceed it. For Social Security, the inspector general in 2021 found about $300m in payments was made after the deaths of beneficiaries over about two decades – about one-third of which was recovered. Although federal officials have long recognised improper spending as a problem, it is not the main reason for the programme’s dire financial outlook. What does the government know about overall fraud? In April, the Government Accountability Office under President Joe Biden produced what it called a “first-of-its kind, government-wide estimate of federal dollars lost to fraud”. Advertisement The office’s estimate of $233bn to $521bn lost in fraud per year covered 2018-2022 data in reports from agency inspectors general and fraud reports submitted to the Office of Management and Budget. Musk cited the high end of the range when he said “half a trillion”. The White House didn’t respond to our question about the source of his $600bn to $700bn figure. The GAO’s top-line figures included not only official fraud findings from legal proceedings but also estimates from individual agencies’ findings of fraud. The agency also extrapolated figures it believed represented undetected fraud. The estimated losses represent about 3 percent to 7 percent of average federal outlays. The Office of Management and Budget, the agency that assists the president in meeting his budget goals, found a lower figure of federal government fraud, from $4.41bn to $7.31bn annually, based on amounts confirmed through a judicial or adjudication process. Experts on the federal budget said it’s important to pay attention to the full analysis in the government reports. Joshua Sewell, director of research and policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense, said taxpayers should view these numbers with a “massive grain of salt”. The report is filled with caveats and is likely not representative of other years because of the increase in pandemic spending. “It’s a fine report to try to put numbers to an amorphous issue, but you can’t take the high-end numbers as a definitive statement on the dollar amount of fraud that exists in federal spending,” he said. Advertisement It is possible that about 5 percent of the annual federal budget is lost to fraud and some programmes have improper payment rates in excess of 10 percent, said Bob Westbrooks, executive director of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, a government committee Congress created five years ago. But the phrase “improper payments” doesn’t necessarily mean fraud; it includes scenarios with insufficient documentation. “Whatever the number, it is huge in absolute terms,” Westbrooks said, referring to all fraud. Westbrooks said Musk was conflating fraud and waste and ignoring that COVID-19-era fraud was likely pushing up the government’s estimated range, as the report itself noted. The Government Accountability Office said the range is a “reflection of both the uncertainty associated with estimating fraud and the diversity in the risk environments that were present in fiscal years 2018 through 2022”. What do we know about Social Security fraud? At the March 11 White House briefing, Leavitt cited an inspector general report from the Social Security Administration that found more than $70bn of fraud in that programme alone. The 2024 report did not conclude there was more than $70bn in Social Security “fraud”. It said the programme sent almost $71.8bn in “improper payments” from 2015 to 2022, a period that includes Trump’s first term. That is less than 1 percent of overall payments in that timeframe. On Fox Business, Musk said “there’s a massive amount of fraud” with people submitting fake Social Security numbers to receive a range of government benefits, including Social Security, healthcare and unemployment assistance. Advertisement Most of the improper payouts revealed by the inspector general were overpayments with some underpayments. This happens, for example, when beneficiaries fail to report necessary information or the administration fails to update records, the 2024 inspector general report said. Neither represents criminal intent necessarily. The Social Security Administration has long struggled to curb improper payments. “Without better access to data, increased automation, systems modernisation, and policy or legislative changes, improper payments will continue to be an issue
US court rejects Trump bid to dismiss Mahmoud Khalil deportation challenge
Judge Jesse Furman says effort to deport Palestinian rights advocate is ‘exceptional’ and requires ‘careful’ review. A federal court in the United States has dismissed an effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to dismiss Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil’s legal challenge against his detention and deportation. Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and legal permanent resident, has been held by the government since March 8 in a push to deport him over his participation in campus protests for Gaza last year. On Wednesday, Judge Jesse Furman ruled that Khalil’s legal request for a judicial review against his detention, known as a habeas corpus petition, must proceed. The Trump administration had asked the court to reject the challenge. Furman noted that Khalil is arguing that the effort to deport him violates his rights to free speech and due process, which are guaranteed under the US Constitution. “These are serious allegations and arguments that, no doubt, warrant careful review by a court of law; the fundamental constitutional principle that all persons in the United States are entitled to due process of law demands no less,” Fruman wrote in his ruling. Advertisement He described Khalil’s ordeal as an “exceptional case”. However, the judge decided that his New York-based court cannot adjudicate the case, saying that the matter should be transferred to New Jersey, where Khalil was held when the challenge was filed. The government sought to move the case to Louisiana, a Republican-dominated state, where Khalil is currently detained in an immigration enforcement facility. Furman said that his previous order barring the government from deporting Khalil must remain in place while the case is under review. But he did not rule on the activist’s request to be released on bail, leaving the matter to the New Jersey court that will oversee the petition. He ordered the court clerk to transfer the petition “immediately”, but there is no exact date for when the New Jersey Court will rule or schedule hearings on the case. The Trump administration is pushing to deport Khalil under a rarely used provision of an immigration law that gives the secretary of state power to remove any non-citizen whose presence in the US is deemed to have “adverse foreign policy consequences”. The US government has not charged Khalil with a crime. Instead, US officials have accused him of “activities aligned to Hamas”. But Khalil’s supporters say he engaged in peaceful protests against Columbia University’s ties to the Israeli military as part of the wave of campus demonstrations that swept the country last year. Khalil’s detention has raised concerns about Trump’s willingness to scuttle free speech in his crackdown on Palestinian rights advocacy in the US. Advertisement The activist, whose wife is a US citizen and eight months pregnant, was arrested late at night by immigration enforcement agents and transferred to two different facilities without his family or lawyers being notified. Critics have likened his treatment to forced disappearances by authoritarian governments. “The Trump administration is seeking to send a message with the unlawful and deplorable disappearance of Mr Khalil,” Hannah Flamm, acting senior policy director at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), told Al Jazeera last week. “This is not the first occasion when the US government has weaponised immigration enforcement to separate families and to terrorise communities. But Mr Khalil’s arrest represents a significant departure and profound violation of American free speech rights.” Khalil released a statement from his confinement late on Tuesday, describing himself as a political prisoner. “My arrest was a direct consequence of exercising my right to free speech as I advocated for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza, which resumed in full force Monday night,” he wrote. Adblock test (Why?)
‘I nearly died’: Taba, the tobacco drug Gambian women share in secret
Banjul, The Gambia – On a humid March afternoon on the outskirts of Banjul, a woman known only as Saf* carries a basket of plants from her garden. Moving with urgency to avoid prying eyes, she makes her way to a hidden location, where the air is thick with the earthy scent of raw, unprocessed tobacco leaves waiting to be turned into the popular drug taba. Suddenly, her phone rings. A customer. She smiles knowingly. “She’s one of my favourites because she keeps coming back,” says Saf, whose name is a code word that means “sweet” in Wolof. Secrecy is important, says the 68-year-old taba seller, who for decades has made and discretely sold the substance to women. Taba, a local Mandinka word for powdered tobacco, has been consumed in The Gambia for generations, usually through smoking, snuffing and chewing. But in recent years, taba, modified by adding other substances to the tobacco powder, is being used for different purposes. Sellers like Saf take regular taba and mix it with potent chemicals to enhance its intoxicating effect. Many women then use it intravaginally, believing it enhances sexual pleasure. Advertisement Meanwhile, others, including some traditional healers, insist its intravaginal use has medicinal properties – from helping treat genital infections and headaches to conditions like epilepsy, hypertension and infertility – though these remain medically unproven. Though taba is not illegal, health authorities, doctors and activists in The Gambia warn of its dangers and caution against its use. But many women continue to seek it out. For Fatmata*, 36, “taba works wonders.” Married for a decade, Fatmata’s husband left for Europe just three years into their marriage. Struggling with his absence, a close friend introduced her to taba. “I don’t want to have extra-marital affairs for religious reasons, so I resort to taba,” she says, shyly. Due to its taboo nature, intravaginal taba is not sold publicly in The Gambia, but in secret among women [Kaddy Jawo/Al Jazeera] ‘Worst mistake of my life’ For others, the effects have been less favourable. The first time Rose*, 28, used taba after a friend suggested she try it, she felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness and nausea before violently vomiting. She continued trying, but the third time she used it, she says she nearly lost her life. “I remember the burning sensation, the excruciating pain, and how my body reacted as if my insides were on fire,” she says. “I could barely breathe and thought I was going to die.” The pain was intense but brief, she says. Afterwards, she fell asleep, and when she woke up, there was an uncomfortable ache between her legs. But she did not seek medical help, fearing it would expose her as a taba user at a time was the government was warning against it. Advertisement After her ordeal, she pledged never to touch taba again. “It is dangerous, and women need to stop inserting it into their genitals before it’s too late,” she warns. Taraba*, 28, and Isatu*, 42, began using taba to address health concerns. “Taba damaged my system,” says Taraba, who initially took it in an attempt to cure gonorrhoea. “At first, I only used it for that purpose. But a month later, I began inserting it into my vagina for pleasure. That was the worst mistake of my life.” What followed was excruciating. “It felt like fire burning inside me, and my whole body became [temporarily] paralysed.” Unlike Rose, whose pain was brief, hers lasted for an entire week. Isatu also first used it as a supposed remedy for gonorrhoea. “I first heard about this powder three years ago from a colleague. She told me she had used it in her vagina to relieve a bad headache, and it worked.” But when Isatu tried it, “I was bleeding profusely; I nearly died.” Neither Taraba nor Isatu sought medical help, choosing instead to endure their pain in silence. Isatu says she remains traumatised from the experience. Regular user Fatmata, however, insists that taba has no harmful effects on her health and claims most women use it with no complaints. Taba seller Saf agrees, saying most of her customers have been buying from her for years. “If it was harmful, they wouldn’t keep coming back.” Saf, a taba seller, works with freshly processed tobacco powder [Kaddy Jawo/Al Jazeera] ‘Intravaginal taba is harmful’ Little is known about the health consequences of intravaginal taba, according to the peer-reviewed journal, Tobacco Control. But it is “likely to have negative health effects” based on what is known about the use of other smokeless tobacco, said the authors of a 2023 paper on taba. Advertisement “Intravaginal taba is harmful,” insists Dr Karamo Suwareh, a gynaecologist at Kanifing General Hospital, the second largest public hospital in the country. “It causes irritation, infections, burning sensations, itching, foul-smelling discharge, and bleeding during intercourse,” he tells Al Jazeera. Dr Suwareh warns that taba contains carcinogens, and says research is needed to see whether it could lead to cervical and vaginal cancers. During pregnancy, the nicotine and other unknown substances may increase the risks of preterm labour, foetal growth restriction, and stillbirth. “Taba disrupts vaginal pH, making women more vulnerable to STIs like gonorrhoea, syphilis, and HIV. It damages tissue instead of healing it.” Gambia’s Ministry of Health has been vocal about the potential health risks of using taba intravaginally, cautioning that it could pose an increased risk of cancer or life-threatening complications during childbirth. Some women use it in an attempt to ease labour pains, but medical experts warn that it can cause severe harm instead. The ministry has used social media to educate the public on the risks, and in a video that went viral, Minister of Health Lamin Samateh was seen addressing a gathering in a local language to warn about its harmful effects. “Taba is dangerous, and women should reject it,” said Minister Samateh in the video that first emerged online in 2022. Women’s rights organisations have also been raising awareness about the harmful effects of taba. Advertisement “No
Djokovic-led tennis players’ union files lawsuit against professional tours
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has filed a lawsuit against the sport’s governing bodies, accusing them of anti-competitive practices and a disregard for player welfare. The PTPA, an independent players’ union co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2019, said on Tuesday that after years of good-faith efforts to reform professional tennis, it had been forced to take legal action to end “monopolistic control” of the sport. It said in a statement that, along with more than a dozen players, the PTPA had filed papers in a New York court against the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). “Tennis is broken,” Ahmad Nassar, executive director of the PTPA, said in the statement. “Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardises their health and safety. “We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue, and the governing bodies have left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts. Fixing these systemic failures isn’t about disrupting tennis, it’s about saving it for the generations of players and fans to come.” Advertisement In response, the ATP accused the PTPA of choosing “division and distraction” and having no meaningful role in the sport. “We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims, believe the case to be entirely without merit, and will vigorously defend our position,” the ATP said in a statement. “ATP remains committed to working in the best interests of the game – towards continued growth, financial stability, and the best possible future for players, tournaments, and fans.” The WTA defended its record of growing women’s tennis, describing the lawsuit as “baseless”. “Every decision taken at the WTA Board level includes the input of players via their elected Board representatives, and athletes receive substantial financial rewards and other benefits from participation in the WTA,” the organisation said. Today marks a pivotal moment in the battle for fairness and integrity in tennis. I take pride in standing alongside a group of fellow players, both men and women, as one of the named plaintiffs in a comprehensive lawsuit targeting the ATP and WTA Tours, the ITIA, and the ITF. The… https://t.co/XohSsD38vB — Vasek Pospisil (@VasekPospisil) March 18, 2025 ‘A big day for tennis’ Meanwhile, Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios believes the lawsuit marks a “special moment” and that it was high time players’ voices were heard. Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios, who is among 12 current and former players listed as plaintiffs along with the PTPA in the suit, said the group was determined to do something for the future of the game. Advertisement “I know that myself and many of the players aren’t happy with the structures and everything that’s going on in tennis at the moment,” Kyrgios told Sky Sports. “This will be a special moment in tennis, for sure. “Things needed to change. It’s a big day for tennis.” The PTPA was formally established by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2019 to advocate for players. Pospisil said the PTPA had spoken to more than 250 players and had plenty of support, including from the top players. “The ATP/WTA has spread so much fear over the years that it’s not easy to put your name on this publicly. Player support for this initiative is undeniable,” he added. While player associations are common in professional sports, tennis is different in that the players operate as independent contractors. “We’re the only sport in the world that doesn’t have a players’ association. That was the PTPA’s first goal, to get the players to be heard,” Kyrgios said. “The ATP just had so much power, they don’t have to show anything to anyone. Now things will have to change, they’ll have to show things, how things operate and that’s when people really realise that it hasn’t really been done correctly. “I don’t think players ultimately have been very happy with what they earn on the tour compared to other sports and I think that’s definitely one of the main reasons.” Describing the various governing bodies as ‘a cartel’, the PTPA, which has also begun legal action in the United Kingdom and the European Union, accuses them of paying “artificially low compensation to professional tennis players” and imposing a “draconian” ranking system that forces them to compete in certain tournaments. Advertisement The lawsuit calls the schedule unsustainable, says players are made to play in extreme heat and often in the early hours of the morning, that tennis balls chosen by the tournaments are a factor in chronic injuries, and that players’ privacy rights are being abused by random drug tests. Before filing the lawsuit, the PTPA said it met more than 250 players across the tours, including the majority of the men’s and women’s top 20. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attacks on Gaza kill 14 Palestinians overnight
Attacks follow Israeli air raids that killed more than 400 Palestinians on Tuesday, breaking a months-long ceasefire. At least 14 Palestinians have been killed in overnight and early morning Israeli attacks on Gaza, a day after more than 400 were killed across the besieged enclave. The deadly Israeli attacks early on Wednesday targeted Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, as well as Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood in the north. Tents housing forcibly displaced people were also hit, killing a mother and a child. The Israeli army claimed in a statement that it struck a “Hamas military site” in northern Gaza overnight. The attacks come after at least 404 Palestinians, many of them children, were killed as Israel resumed its full-fledged bombing of Gaza on Tuesday, shattering a fragile ceasefire with Hamas that had been in place since January 19. Mourners pray next to the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, March 19, 2025 [Hussam al-Masri/Reuters] In central Gaza, Palestinians reported an attack on a home near a mosque in the Deir el-Balah area, while Israeli helicopter fire and artillery shelling were reported east of the Bureij refugee camp on Wednesday. Advertisement Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Deir el-Balah, said people in Gaza were left “terrified, helpless and devastated” following the attacks amid the Israeli blockade of aid and electricity cuts. “People are starving. They do not have access to food. The water desalination plant that was providing water for 500,000 Palestinians is not working [due to Israel cutting off electricity],” she said. “With all this happening, Palestinians wake up to a massive series of attacks in different areas of Gaza.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday the renewed bombing of Gaza was “only the beginning” and that Israel would press ahead until it achieves all of its war aims — destroying Hamas and freeing all the captives. Global condemnation Tuesday’s attacks attracted widespread condemnation, including from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who said he was “outraged by the Israeli air strikes in Gaza”. China’s European envoy Fu Cong regretted the “harm done to the hard-won ceasefire”. Several lawmakers in the United States also condemned the Israeli attacks, with Senator Bernie Sanders calling for an end to US military aid to Israel. Protests erupt in Israel Israel’s opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid called on the public to rally against Netanyahu’s government, accusing it of having “no red lines” after resuming war in Gaza. The entire nation must “come together and say: ‘Enough!’”, wrote Lapid in a post on X on Wednesday. “I’m calling on all of you – this is our moment, this is our future, this is our country. Take to the streets!” he added. Advertisement Thousands of Israelis packed a Tel Aviv square on Tuesday evening to demand the government resume negotiations for a captive deal. The main group representing the families of the captives held in Gaza accused the government of “deliberately dismantling” the ceasefire. “Today Netanyahu did not open the gates of hell on Hamas. He opened the gates of hell on our loved ones,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son is among the captives. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli air strikes on Gaza: beginning of a “larger campaign”?
Quotable Mouin Rabbani, Middle East analyst, breaks down Israel’s latest airstrikes on Gaza. Read more Mouin Rabbani, a Middle East analyst, discusses the new wave of Israeli air strikes on Gaza, and whether this is a one off or the beginning of a larger campaign. Published On 18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Judge says Musk and DOGE ‘likely violated’ constitution in USAID shutdown
A federal district judge in Maryland has found that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) appear to have breached the United States Constitution through their efforts to dismantle an agency dedicated to distributing foreign aid. Judge Theodore Chuang issued the preliminary ruling on Tuesday, in response to a complaint filed by 26 employees and contractors for the US Agency for International Development (USAID). “The Court finds that Defendants’ actions taken to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis, including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID Officer, likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways,” Chuang wrote in his decision. Not only were the plaintiffs harmed, he added, but the “public interest” was also. DOGE and Musk “deprived the public’s elected representatives in Congress of their constitutional authority to decide whether, when and how to close down an agency created by Congress”, Chuang said. Advertisement As a result of that finding, the judge approved a temporary injunction that would prevent DOGE and Musk from continuing with USAID-related staff cuts, contract cancellations, building closures and the destruction of USAID materials. “The restrictions will assist in maintaining the status quo so as to delay a premature, final shutdown of USAID,” Chuang wrote. It was a significant blow to Musk, whose role in the government has been ambiguous – but who has wielded significant power due to his close relationship with US President Donald Trump. A tech billionaire and one of the wealthiest men in the world, Musk is considered a “special government employee”, a temporary role often given to outside advisers. In that role, however, he has led DOGE in a vast campaign to restructure the federal government, through downsizing its workforce, ending contracts and attempting to shutter entire agencies. USAID was one of the first in DOGE’s crosshairs. Upon taking office for a second term on January 20, Trump issued a presidential order calling for a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid – a central part of USAID’s work. Established in 1961 by an act of Congress, USAID had become the US’s primary arm for distributing foreign assistance abroad. But under Trump’s order, only aid that aligned with the president’s foreign policy would be allowed to continue. Musk became the face of the campaign to close USAID entirely. “USAID is a criminal organization,” he wrote on his social media platform X on February 2, without offering proof. “Time for it to die.” Advertisement Later that day, Musk posted another message on X: “We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could [have] gone to some great parties. Did that instead.” By the end of February, the agency’s headquarters in Washington, DC, was effectively closed, with employees given only 15 minutes to collect their belongings. An estimated 1,600 workers were fired, and another 4,700 were put on leave. Secretary of State Marco Rubio eventually announced that 83 percent of all USAID contracts had been cancelled. To justify the cuts across government, Musk and Trump have repeatedly accused departments and agencies of having perpetrated “waste” and “fraud”, without offering proof. Given that USAID was established as an independent agency under Congress’s Foreign Assistance Act, Judge Chuang ruled that Musk’s actions “likely violates the constitutional principle of Separation of Powers”. As part of Tuesday’s injunction, Chuang required DOGE to restore USAID employees’ access to electronic systems and called for the department to restore any deleted emails. Trump allies, however, quickly slammed Chuang – an appointee of former President Barack Obama – for his temporary injunction. Musk reposted a social media message from conservative commentator Charlie Kirk which accused Chuang of partisanship. “Indeed”, Musk wrote in a one-word reply. Adblock test (Why?)
Zelenskyy open to halting strikes on energy but needs details from Trump
NewsFeed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he would support a proposal to stop strikes on energy infrastructure for one month, but he must first learn the details of the offer that emerged during a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Published On 18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Congolese, Rwandan leaders meet in Qatar, call for ceasefire in eastern DRC
The three countries call for ‘immediate and unconditional ceasefire’ in eastern DRC. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame have held direct talks for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in eastern DRC. In a joint statement issued with Qatar, whose emir mediated the talks in Doha, the countries called for an “immediate ceasefire” in eastern DRC. “The Heads of State then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” the statement said. The DRC has accused Rwanda of sending weapons and troops to support the M23 rebels, which Rwanda has denied. The talks came after M23 representatives pulled out of a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola on Tuesday, after the European Union imposed sanctions on some of the group’s senior members, including leader Bertrand Bisimwa. In a statement, M23 said the sanctions “seriously compromise direct dialogue and prevent any advance”. The EU also sanctioned three Rwandan military commanders and the country’s mining agency chief over support for the M23 fighters. Advertisement The conflict in eastern DRC escalated in January when the rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced. The rebels are supported by about 4,000 Rwandan troops, according to United Nations experts. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has Israel shattered the ceasefire in Gaza?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to implement phase two of the ceasefire agreed upon with Hamas. Israel has launched its biggest assault on Gaza since January 19, when a ceasefire was agreed upon between Hamas and Israel. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and many more have been forced to flee their homes. Israel says the strikes were ordered due to a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. The White House has confirmed it was consulted about the attacks before they were carried out. Hamas is calling on Israel to be held responsible for violating the agreement. So, can Netanyahu achieve his goals through war? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Mustafa Barghouti – secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Scott Lucas – professor of US and international politics at University College Dublin Daniel Levy – president of the US Middle East Project Adblock test (Why?)