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As the geographical spread of US President Donald Trump’s pronouncements increases, so do the furrowed worry lines of leaders worldwide. 

Day 14 of the Trump presidency brought threats of a global trade war and news of the likely demise of USAID – the US international aid and development agency.

But the 78-year-old also spent his time complaining that “South Africa is confiscating land” and “certain classes of People” were being treated “VERY BADLY” in a post on his Truth Social website.

He threatened to cut off all future funding to the country until a full investigation is carried out – so, what is actually going on?

Well, Mr Trump has decided to re-energise a far-right cause celebre which rests on the allegation that white people in South Africa are being marginalised – and subjected to “genocide” at the hands of the country’s black majority.

Examples of this alleged behaviour take various forms – including a bill recently signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which gives the government the power to expropriate land without financial compensation.

The law is designed to help redress the impact of decades of white minority rule in South Africa under the apartheid regime.

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Donald Trump has threatened to cut off funding to South Africa over a new law. Pic: Reuters

Three decades after Nelson Mandela led the country into the democratic era, white farmers still own the vast majority of farmland nationwide.

White landowners possess three-quarters of South Africa’s freehold farmland, compared with 4% for black landowners. Black people make up about 80% of South Africa’s total population while about 8% are white.

The new legislation limits land expropriation to circumstances where it is “just and equitable and in the public interest” to do so – for example, situations where the property is not being used – or attempts to reach a financial settlement with the owner have failed.

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Cyril Ramaphosa insisted “the South African government has not confiscated any land”. File pic: Reuters

In response to the president’s missive, Mr Ramaphosa mounted the following response: “The South African government has not confiscated any land.

“The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner.”

The second part of the genocide claim is fuelled by the number of violent attacks on landowners in rural areas.

Right-wing groups in South Africa say white farmers are targeted because of their race while the authorities do little – or nothing – to protect them.

However, analysts say farm attacks reflect the country’s desperately high rates of violent crime.

One thing is certain – Mr Trump’s comments on South Africa land ownership reflect the influence that South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk has on the US president.

Responding on X to Ramaphosa’s statement, Mr Musk said South Africa had “openly racist ownership laws,” suggesting white people are the victims.

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Judge pauses Donald Trump’s plan to put thousands of USAID workers on leave

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Judge pauses Donald Trump's plan to put thousands of USAID workers on leave

A federal court has paused aspects of a plan by Donald Trump to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and put roughly 2,700 of its staff on leave.

District judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated by the US president during his first term, agreed with legal arguments from the largest government workers’ union and an association of foreign service workers.

They sued to stop Mr Trump’s administration attempting to close USAID, which distributes billions of dollars of humanitarian aid around the world.

Justice department official Brett Shumate told Judge Nichols that about 2,200 USAID employees would be put on paid leave under the administration’s plans.

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What is USAID?

“The president has decided there is corruption and fraud at USAID,” said Mr Shumate.

It echoes comments President Trump made on Friday in a post on Truth Social accusing USAID – without evidence – of corruption and spending money fraudulently.

But Karla Gilbride, a lawyer for the unions, argued the plans were unlawful: “The major reduction in force, as well as the closure of offices, the forced relocation of these individuals were all done in excess of the executive’s authority in violation of the separation of powers.”

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Judge Nichols’s order, which is in effect until 14 February, blocks Mr Trump’s administration from implementing plans to place the 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave from Saturday.

It also reinstates some 500 employees who had already been furloughed.

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And there will be a ban on relocating USAID humanitarian workers stationed outside the US, after overseas staff were ordered to return home within 30 days.

Judge Nichols will consider a request for a longer-term pause at a hearing scheduled for next week.

But he rejected other requests from the unions to reopen USAID buildings and restore funding for agency grants and contracts.

Soon after being inaugurated, Mr Trump ordered all US foreign aid be paused to ensure it is aligned with his “America First” policy.

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The dismantling of USAID has largely been overseen by Elon Musk, who is spearheading the president’s effort to cut costs and bureaucracy.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio insists the government will continue providing foreign aid, “but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interest”.

Friday’s ruling is the latest setback in the courts for the Trump administration.

Judges have temporarily paused other controversial policies, including one offering financial incentives for federal workers to resign and another ending American citizenship for anyone born in the US if their parents are in the country illegally.

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Day 20: Inside Trump’s White House

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Day 20: Inside Trump's White House

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Twenty days into Donald Trump’s second term, US correspondents James Matthews and Mark Stone are joined by Washington DC cameramen Ed Young and Michael Herd to take a step back and discuss what it’s like covering the White House under President Trump compared to President Biden.

They also share some of the moments they got close (perhaps too close) to the most powerful man in the world.

You can email James, Martha and Mark on trump100@sky.uk

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Wreckage found in Alaska for missing Bering Air plane carrying 10 people

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Wreckage found in Alaska for missing Bering Air plane carrying 10 people

A small plane which crashed in western Alaska with 10 people on board has been found and the US Coast Guard (USCG) says there were no survivors.

The Bering Air flight left Unalakleet at 2.38pm on Thursday but contact was lost less than an hour later, the firm’s operations director David Olson said.

On Saturday, in a post on X, the coastguard said: “USCG has ended its search for the missing plane after the aircraft was located approx 34 miles southeast of Nome. 3 individuals were found inside and reported to be deceased.

“The remaining 7 people are believed to be inside the aircraft but are currently inaccessible due to the condition of the plane. Our heartfelt condolences are with those affected by this tragic incident.”

The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan – carrying a pilot and nine adult passengers – was flying across Norton Sound when tracking site Flightradar24 reported it at 5,300ft before contact was lost.

It was travelling from Unalakleet, a community of about 690 people in western Alaska, to Nome, a gold rush town just south of the Arctic Circle.

The flight time is normally just under an hour.

Mike Salerno, a spokesperson for the US Coast Guard, said rescuers were searching the aircraft’s last known location by helicopter when they spotted the wreckage. They lowered two rescue swimmers to investigate.

Nome in Alaska.
Pic: AP
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The plane was heading to Nome, just south of the Arctic Circle. Pic: AP

In a post on Facebook, Nome’s fire department issued an update: “The Nome Search and Rescue Team is spooling up with assistance from the Alaska Air National Guard with recovery efforts.

“From reports we have received, the crash was not survivable. Our thoughts are with the families at this time.”

On Friday, Lieutenant Benjamin McIntyre-Coble, from the Alaskan coastguard, explained that the plane suffered a rapid loss of altitude and speed, according to radar data, but did not expand on the potential cause.

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Weather in Unalakleet at take-off time was -8.3C (17F) with fog and light snow, according to the US National Weather Service.

Bering Air serves 32 villages in western Alaska and air travel is often the only option of travelling long distances in rural parts of the US state, especially in winter.

It comes soon after two major air accidents in the US in recent weeks.

Sixty-seven people were killed when a jet and helicopter collided in Washington DC and seven died when a medical plane crashed in Philadelphia.

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