US Agency to Give Money to Radio Station
The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has agreed to give some money to a radio station called Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). This is after Congress gave the agency money, but then President Trump stopped it.
President Trump wanted to get rid of the USAGM and its partner stations. He ordered that their funding be cut off. But now, just hours before a court hearing in Washington D.C., USAGM agreed to release some funds to RFE/RL. This is good news for the radio station, as it was worried about how it would keep running without money.
The president of RFE/RL, Stephen Capus, said that they are relieved and hope that this will help them until the court makes a decision on their case. He also said that cutting off funding without permission from Congress is not allowed by the US Constitution.
A lawyer for RFE/RL argued in court that it would be silly to let agencies take back money that Congress had already approved. A lawyer for USAGM disagreed, saying that they can cut off funds if the radio station does not follow their rules.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was created during the Cold War to counter Soviet propaganda in Eastern Europe. It has been providing news and coverage of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and other countries ever since.
Some European leaders are also trying to help RFE/RL by giving them money. The Czech Republic is leading an initiative with 10 other countries to support the radio station.
The court case is still ongoing, but for now, it looks like RFE/RL will get some funding from USAGM. This could prevent a bigger problem and keep the radio station running.
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