[Update 2025-06-20]  Reuters reports that the US Agency for Global Media, parent agency of VOA, has issued termination notices to 639 staff members.  This completes an 85% decrease in VOA's staffing.  Staffing has been cut to the statutory minimum of around 81. Reuters is of the view that this effectively terminates VOA as a broadcaster.  VOA was established in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda. One may recall that VOA has been in the cross-hairs of Trump since the first Trump presidency in 2017 (see Wiki entry).  This follows a decision on May 3, 2025 by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that blocked the previous ruling.  On May 6, 2025 One America News (OAN), a far right voice-piece for the Trump administration (even more so than Fox) would provide news coverage for VOA.  In June 2025, Wiki reports that several dozen Farsi-speaking staffers were called back to work.  

The Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society is concerned about this development and also concerned about the terminated staff.  More significantly, the Society is concerned by far right propaganda and VOA being used for the propagation of such propaganda.  This is a betrayal of the reason VOA was set up in 1942.  All links to VOA will be discontinued on the Society's website.  

The Commonwealth of Nations is often referred to as the British Commonwealth or just the Commonwealth.  There are 56 member states, most of which are former members of what was known as "the British Empire". 

They are connected by language, history and culture.  Members include the United Kingdom, the former Dominions of Canada, South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand.  They also include British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.  It is headed by Charles III.  The Commonwealth was formalized by the Statute of Westminster in 1931.  There are 15 Commonwealth realms, including Canada.  There are 36 republics.  There are 5 other members that have different monarchs (Brunei, Eswatini, Lesotho and Tonga. {Yes, we have heard of Lesotho}.    

The annual Commonwealth Contest (CC) takes place very soon from 1000z Saturday, March 8 to 0959z Sunday March 9. This 24-hour CW-only contest takes place on the five HF contest bands (80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres). 

Once known as the "BERU," the CC involves Amateurs in the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations and their associated territories only. This gives us an exclusive shot at some very interesting DX.