Ayoola Atitebi

South Korea faces an unprecedented political crisis as suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol attended Constitutional Court hearings Tuesday to determine his permanent removal from office following his attempted declaration of martial law. The crisis began December 3 when Yoon, a former prosecutor, declared martial law and dispatched troops to parliament, effectively suspending civilian rule. The opposition-controlled parliament managed to vote down the decree within six hours and subsequently impeached him over the action. The situation escalated in mid-January when Yoon was arrested in a pre-dawn operation on insurrection charges, marking the first arrest of a sitting South Korean president. He remains in detention while attending the impeachment proceedings at the Constitutional Court. If the court upholds parliament's impeachment decision, South Korea must hold a presidential election within 60 days. Yoon arrived at Tuesday's hearing in a convoy of black SUVs […]

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has made an unprecedented proposal to imprison convicted American criminals in his country's facilities, an offer that received praise from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The proposal came during Rubio's visit to Bukele's Lake Coatepeque residence near San Salvador. Bukele offered to house American convicts for a fee in Latin America's largest prison, which opened last year. "We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system," Bukele stated on X. "The fee would be relatively low for the US but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable." After a three-hour meeting, Rubio expressed strong support for the arrangement, describing it as "the most unprecedented, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world." He highlighted that the offer extends to "dangerous American criminals in custody in […]

Six American detainees have been released by Venezuela following direct talks between President Nicolás Maduro and Richard Grenell, a senior Trump administration official, in Caracas. The development was announced simultaneously by President Donald Trump and Grenell on social media. Grenell shared a photograph of the freed individuals aboard his aircraft, showing them wearing the light blue uniforms characteristic of Venezuela's prison system. While their identities weren't disclosed, Grenell reported that they had expressed gratitude to Trump in a phone conversation during their journey home. Prior to the release, the White House had issued a warning to Venezuela, demanding the liberation of what they termed "US hostages" and cooperation on accepting deported Venezuelan criminals, or face unspecified consequences. The discussions took place against a backdrop of complex diplomatic relations. Venezuelan state media characterized the talks as respectful, with Maduro stating they […]

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic has announced his resignation amid ongoing protests triggered by a fatal railway station accident. The decision comes after months of public demonstrations following the November collapse of a concrete canopy at a Novi Sad railway station that claimed fifteen lives. Explaining his departure, Vucevic stated he was stepping down "in order to avoid further complicating things" and to prevent "further raising tensions in society." The incident has sparked widespread demonstrations across Serbia, with protesters demanding accountability and highlighting concerns about corruption and construction oversight. Student-led protests have been particularly impactful, featuring daily traffic disruptions and university blockades. The movement gained further momentum when businesses joined a general strike last week, bringing tens of thousands of demonstrators to Belgrade's streets. The protests culminated in a 24-hour blockade of Belgrade's main road junction by students on Monday. […]

A leaked government memorandum, verified by CBS News, reveals that President Donald Trump has implemented a pause on federal grants, loans, and other government assistance programs. The directive, issued through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), instructs government agencies to review their spending to ensure alignment with Trump's priorities. The memo, signed by acting OMB chief Matthew Vaeth, specifically targets "financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal." While Medicaid and Social Security benefits remain unaffected, agencies must halt both new awards and disbursements under existing programs by 5:00 PM EST, with a February 10 deadline to report paused programs. Democratic leaders have responded with strong opposition. Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rosa DeLauro sent a joint letter to the White House expressing "extreme alarm," describing the scope as "breathtaking, unprecedented" […]