Politics
US: Supreme Court blocks Trump’s freeze of $2 billion in aid
The US Supreme Court denied the administration’s request to block payments for the work that foreign organizations have already completed. The dispute is due to continue in lower courts. DW has more.
US Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to withold $2 billion in foreign aid Greenland’s prime minister to Trump: ‘We are not for sale’
This blog on the developments from Donald Trump’s first weeks in office on Thursday, February 13, 2025
Supreme Court upholds order to release $2 billion in foreign aid payments
The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot stop payments to foreign aid organizations for work they have already completed for the government.
The court supported US District Judge Amir Ali’s decision, which ordered the Trump administration to quickly release funding to contractors and grant recipients from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department for their past work.
Ali had ordered the US State Department and USAID to pay nearly $2 billion to contractors by midnight on Wednesday last week.
The Trump administration turned to the Supreme Court as the deadline approached. They argued that handling claims properly in such a short time was impossible.
By a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court told Ali to “clarify what obligations the government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”
The court’s decision, however, keeps Ali’s temporary restraining order in place, which stopped the spending freeze.
Panama president denounces Trump’s Canal claims
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said Wednesday President Donald Trump was lying when he claimed that the United States was “reclaiming” the Panama Canal.
In his first speech to Congress after becoming president again, Trump welcomed a deal by a group led by giant asset manager BlackRock to acquire two Panama Canal ports
He described this deal as an early step in his administration’s plan to “reclaim” the important waterway.
President Mulino, however accused Trump of “once again lying” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The Panama Canal is not in the process of being reclaimed … the Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian!”
Panama, took over control of the crucial international waterway in 1999 under a treaty negotiated with the United States 20 years earlier.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to “take back” control of the Panama Canal.
A consortium led by US firm BlackRock has agreed to purchase the ports of Balboa and Cristobal on either end of the canal from a Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchison. The canal is home to several other ports.
Greenland’s prime minister rejects Trump’s acquisition plans
Greenland’s prime minister said, “Greenland is ours” and cannot be taken or sold.
This was in response to President Donald Trump, who told Congress the United States would acquire the territory “one way or another.”
“Kalaallit Nunaat is ours,” Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede wrote, using Greenlandic for the “Land of the People” or the “Land of the Greenlanders.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in an interview with broadcaster TV2, echoed Egede in repeating that Greenland is not for sale.
Located in the Arctic Circle, Greenland sits between Canada and northern Europe.
Although an autonomous territory, it is still ruled by the Danish crown. Any American effort to acquire Greenland would therefore have to include Denmark.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that he’s still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s comment followed his expulsion from the party by the faction led by National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Turaki had formally dispatched expulsion certificates to 11 prominent party chieftains, including Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umaru Bature, Kamarudeen Ajibade, SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
He said their expulsion was aimed at sanitising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Wike dismissed the claim while assuring that he would continue to work with other party members in making PDP a relevant opposition party.
The minister spoke while addressing journalists after inspecting the Interchange bridge and road linking Gwarinpa with Jahi and direct to Katampe, Gishiri and Maitama.
He said, “Those that are factionalized are bound to leave the party, I’m still in PDP and you can see that not everybody has left.
“We still have good numbers and we will continue to work together and that’s what I have said to the party. Put your house in order because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that is losing.
“So those who are worried, we can work together to see how the party can remain a relevant opposition.”
The governments of Abia and Imo States have announced the launching of a joint security taskforce and surveillance along the Aba-Owerri expressway, starting from Owerrinta in Abia State all the way to Owerri, Imo State.
The launch followed recent attacks by criminals on the expressway, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
The formation of the joint security taskforce and surveillance was announced by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity.
His statement read in part: “Arising from a strategic emergency security meeting held today, 4th December, 2025, by the Governors of Abia and Imo Sates at the Imo State Government Owerri House, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti and His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma resolved to set up a joint security Taskforce that shall consist of Soldiers, Naval Personnel, Police Officers , DSS Personnel, and other Government Security Agencies.
“The joint security Taskforce shall, starting from tomorrow 5th December 2025, patrol the road 24 hours nonstop, while carrying out massive surveillance in the surrounding bushes using sophisticated drones and other modern security equipment.”
According to the statement, Governor Alex Otti commended the Governor of Imo State for arresting the criminals who carried out an attack on His advanced team and other passengers a few days ago.
“The two Governors, while assuring citizens plying the road on a daily basis and those returning home for Christmas of their safety and security, warn that there would be severe consequences for any criminal caught on the road going forward”, Ekeoma concluded.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted to the senate two lists of 34 career and 31 non career ambassadors nominees for screening and confirmation.
Prominent names listed as non career ambassadors include Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Victor Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also listed as non career ambassadors nominees are Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Nora Daduut, Fatima Ajimobi, and Senator Ita Enang among others.
The two lists brings to 68 number of persons nominated so far as ambassadors awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
PRESIDENT TINUBU’S TRIBUTE TO CENTENARIAN ALHAJI TANKO YAKASAI
I’m still in PDP – Wike replies Turaki, dismisses expulsion
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