Judge orders reinstatement of fired VOA staff and resumption of broadcasts

(AFP) A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to reinstate more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) station employees to their jobs and resume broadcasting from the government-funded outlet.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth's ruling comes 10 days after the magistrate ruled that Trump's pick to oversee mass layoffs at VOA was appointed illegally, invalidating the staff cuts.

Kari Lake announced sweeping job and funding cuts after being appointed by Trump to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which runs VOA, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and other stations.

Lamberth ordered the reinstatement by March 23 of 1,042 employees, who have been on paid administrative leave for the past year.

The judge also ordered USAGM to submit a plan before next week to resume international broadcasts.