This is VOA news. I'm Anne Ball reporting.

Nikolas Cruz is being held without bond in a Florida jail after his first court appearance. Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Jeff Caster with details.

Former student Nikolas Cruz, who had been expelled for disciplinary problems, is accused of killing 17 people and wounding 16 others at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Wednesday.

Police arrested Cruz on school grounds without a struggle. He was taken to the Broward County Jail.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Cruz was armed with an AR-15 rifle and multiple magazines.

"We've already begin to, begun to dissect his websites and things on social media that he was on and some of the things that have come to mind are very, very disturbing."

Florida's attorney general said the state will pay for funerals and counseling for the families.

Jeff caster, VOA news, Washington.

South Africa's new President-elect Cyril Ramaphosa said one of the first things he wants to do is have a meeting with leaders of other political parties so they can try to find a way of working together.

"I will seek to work with all political parties. And we'll start it off, we'll start it off with wanting to have a meeting with leaders of all political parties so that we can try and find a way of working together."

Ramaphosa said the issues of corruption and mismanagement in the state-owned enterprises is on "our radar screen."

A federal appeals court has ruled that the latest version of President Donald Trump's order restricting travel is unconstitutional because it unlawfully discriminates against Muslims.

This is VOA news.

During U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Beirut, he discussed Hezbollah's role and Lebanese politics as well as its participation in the fighting in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Edward Yeranian has more on this story.

Secretary Tillerson's visit to Lebanon came amid simmering regional tensions over the conflict in Syria, along with a territorial dispute with Israel over both its land and sea borders. Hezbollah's role in Lebanese politics, as well as its participation in the fighting in Syria, Iraq and Yemen were key topics of discussion.

Tillerson says that the U.S. has considered Hezbollah a "terrorist organization" for over 20 years and stressed that he had discussed with Lebanon's top leaders the need for the group to withdraw its forces from Syria, saying that its "entanglement in regional conflicts threatens Lebanon's security," in addition to having "destabilizing effects in the region."

Edward Yeranian, for VOA news, Cairo.

Tillerson, who is ending his regional tour in Turkey, said that country is "still an important NATO ally" and that "so many aspects of the U.S. relationship with Ankara are positive."

The number of civilians killed and wounded in the war in Afghanistan declined last year.

Daniel Bell is with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Speaking at a news conference, she called the lower numbers "an important step."

"But I must emphasize that 2017 was the fourth consecutive year where the mission recorded more than 10,000 civilian casualties."

The number of deaths from airstrikes, however, [are] is also on the rise.

The U.S. and NATO forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.

More than 1,000 African refugees have been evacuated to Italy [from la] from Libya Wednesday. The United Nations brought them from detention centers whose conditions have been condemned by humanitarian groups as inhumane.

A UNHCR spokesperson said there are women and children and very young refugees that since a few years ago were in detention in a very risky situation and they are very vulnerable.

From Washington, I'm Anne Ball reporting from Studio 24. Visit our website for more information.

That's the latest world news from VOA.