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South Africa reacts to US expulsion of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool

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The South African presidency on Saturday said the expulsion of its Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, is “regrettable.”

The presidency disclosed this in a short statement published on X on Saturday.It also called for decorum on both sides to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

“The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool,” the statement read.

“The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter.

“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.”

The ppolitician was expelled after he was seen as a race-baiting politician” who hates the US and President Donald Trump.

Rubio wrote on X that Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country”, adding: “We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.

”Rubio linked his remarks to an article by the right-wing media outlet Breitbart, wherein Rasool is quoted as saying Trump mobilised a “supremacist instinct” and “white victimhood” as a “dog whistle” during the 2024 elections.

But South African political analyst Sandile Swana said the “core of the dispute” was Pretoria’s decision to form a genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Israel, a close US ally, over its war on Gaza.

In February, Rasool, an anti-apartheid campaigner, told the Zeteo news site that what South Africans experienced during apartheid rule “is on steroids in Palestine”.

Moreover, Swana explained that in the fight against apartheid, the US “supported the apartheid regime”.

“[So] Rasool continues to point out the behaviour of the United States, even now is to support apartheid and genocide,” he added.

Land policy

Still, the decision by Washington to expel the South African ambassador comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries, since Trump cut financial aid to South Africa after citing his disapproval of its land policy that he alleged allows land to be seized from white farmers.

Last week, Trump pushed this further and said South Africa’s farmers were welcome to settle in the US, repeating that the South African government was “confiscating” land from white people.

South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, has also accused the country of having “openly racist ownership laws”.

However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the policy, saying the government was not confiscating land but aiming to level racial disparities in land ownership in the Black-majority nation.

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International

Trump orders Iran to open Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday or face ‘hell’

The president threatened to bomb the country’s power plants and bridges.Trump subsequently posted “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” without further explanation.

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President Donald Trump gave Iran until Tuesday to open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants.

Consequently, U.S. crude oil futures for May pared earlier gains to rise 0.5% at $112.08 per barrel at 9:28 p.m. ET. International benchmark Brent prices for June delivery also scaled back to 1.3%, trading at $110.47 per barrel.

Trump gave the warning on Sunday in an expletive-filled social media post that Iran would be “living in Hell” if they do not open the Strait.

The president threatened to bomb the country’s power plants and bridges.Trump subsequently posted “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” without further explanation.

Iran has effectively kept the Strait closed through attacks on oil tankers.

The sea route connects the Persian Gulf to world markets. About 20% of global supplies passed through the Strait before the war.

The closure of the Strait has triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history. Crude, jet fuel, diesel and gasoline prices have surged since the war started.

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Crime

Vietnam Police Dismantle Multi-Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Fraud Operation

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Vietnamese authorities have busted what officials describe as one of the country’s largest cryptocurrency scams, arresting key suspects in a multi-billion dollar Ponzi-style scheme that allegedly defrauded thousands of investors both domestically and overseas.

The operation, centered around a fraudulent digital token known as Paynet Coin (PAYN), was dismantled by police in Phu Tho province in August 2025. Authorities charged at least 20 individuals, including the alleged ringleader, Nguyen Van Ha, a 45-year-old entrepreneur and founder linked to the Hahalolo platform.

According to reports from local state media, including Công an Nhân dân, the suspects operated an illegal multi-level marketing (MLM) network disguised as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform.

Victims were lured with promises of high returns through the Paynet Coin scheme, which authorities labeled as the biggest crypto fraud uncovered in Vietnam to date. The operation reportedly spanned multiple provinces and attracted investors from abroad.

Police seized evidence related to the scheme and charged the suspects with fraud and organizing illegal MLM activities. Estimates of the total scale have varied in reports, with some describing losses in the billions of dollars, though exact figures for victim losses and assets recovered have not been fully disclosed publicly.

This bust is part of a broader crackdown on cryptocurrency-related crimes in Vietnam, where digital asset trading has grown rapidly in recent years but has also attracted scammers exploiting regulatory gaps.

Other recent cases include arrests tied to platforms like ONUS and HanaGold for alleged price manipulation, as well as smaller scams involving fake exchanges and investment schemes totaling millions of dollars.

Vietnamese law enforcement has intensified efforts against online fraud, Ponzi schemes, and unlicensed crypto operations amid a surge in investor complaints. Officials have warned the public to exercise caution with high-yield crypto investments promising unrealistic returns.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging additional victims to come forward. This case highlights the risks in Vietnam’s booming but largely unregulated crypto market, where millions of citizens hold digital assets.

No further details on trial dates or additional arrests have been released as of the latest reports.

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International

Two Pilots Killed, Dozens Injured After Air Canada Jet Collides with Fire Truck

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Two pilots were killed and at least 41 people were hospitalized after an Air Canada regional jet struck a Port Authority fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, officials said.

The incident occurred around 11:40 p.m. on March 22, 2026, when Air Canada Flight 8646 — operated by Jazz Aviation as an Air Canada Express service — was landing after departing from Montreal.

The Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, collided with the airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle, which was crossing the runway in response to a separate incident.

Both the captain, identified as 30-year-old Antoine Forest, and the first officer, Mackenzie Gunther, died in the crash. The impact heavily damaged the cockpit area of the jet.

At least 41 passengers and crew were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious, while additional people were treated at the scene. Two Port Authority workers in the fire truck were also reported injured.

Passengers described the collision as sudden and violent, with some crediting the pilots’ actions for helping mitigate a worse outcome.

CCTV and other video footage captured the moments leading up to and during the collision, showing the aircraft striking the emergency vehicle. Air traffic control audio reportedly included urgent calls of “Stop, truck 1. Stop” just before impact.

LaGuardia Airport was temporarily closed following the crash, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations across the New York area. It reopened on Monday at reduced capacity as investigators continued their work on the scene.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with Canadian aviation authorities and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, have launched a full investigation into the runway incursion and collision.

Preliminary reports suggest the fire truck had been cleared to cross the active runway.

Air Canada expressed condolences to the families of the deceased pilots and said it is cooperating fully with investigators.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic event,” the airline stated. This marks a rare fatal ground collision at a major U.S. airport in recent years, raising fresh questions about runway safety protocols and vehicle movements during active landings.

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