Latest News
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US opens to mineral partnerships with Democratic Republic of Congo
The United States is open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo, the State Department said in a statement to on Sunday, after a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal. The Democratic Republic of Congo is rich in minerals such as cobalt, uranium, and lithium. Rwanda-backed M23 M23 rebels have taken over large areas of the country this year. Kinshasa has been buzzing with talk of a deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, which are also in talks over a mineral pact. A spokesperson for the State Department said that the United States was "open to discussing partnerships that align with the Trump Administration’s America First Agenda" and that the Congo held "a substantial share of the critical minerals needed for advanced technology." The spokesperson stated that the U.S. had worked to "boost U.S. Private Sector Investment in the DRC in order to develop mining resources responsibly and transparently." Kinshasa did not make a public proposal but instead said it was seeking partnerships with a variety of partners. Last week, the Congolese government's spokesman Patrick Muyaya stated that there was a desire to diversify their partners. He added that "daily" exchanges were taking place between Congo and America. He said: "If American investors were interested in investing today, they would find space. DRC reserves are readily available. It would be great if American capital invested here." Two sources have confirmed that Andre Wameso - the deputy chief of staff for Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi - visited Washington in early this month to discuss a possible partnership. A lobbyist for Congolese Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 21 and to other American officials to invite U.S. investments in Congo's vast minerals resources in exchange to helping to strengthen "regional stabilty". According to two Congolese official, the initiative wasn't sanctioned by the larger Congolese government. Sources from the Congo's presidency, ministry of mines and Washington have confirmed that there are several initiatives in progress, even if they are still at an early stage. Two sources claim that a Congolese delegation was scheduled to meet the House Foreign Affairs Committee in early March, but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute. Reporting by Congo Newsroom, Sonia Rolley, and Portia crowe; editing by David Holmes
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Artisan Partners rejects the CEO of Japan retailer Seven & i
Artisan Partners is a U.S. investor in Seven & i Holdings. According to a board letter, the American company opposed the Japanese retailer’s succession plan for the CEO and urged it to reconsider a possible takeover. 7-Eleven named Stephen Dacus CEO last week to help lead the company's recovery and to respond to Alimentation Couche-Tard's $47 billion offer to take over. Artisan Partners' letter urged Seven & i, in order to maximize shareholder value, to contact Couche-Tard and discuss its buyout offer. Seven & i was not available to comment immediately outside of business hours. Couche-Tard also did not respond immediately to a comment request. Dacus and the special committee rejected Couche-Tard’s offer of $18.19 a share. This was at the time a significant premium over the current share value. The company's stock closed Friday at $14.18 in Tokyo, which is about 22% less than Couche-Tard’s latest offer. The activist investor stated that it would vote against Dacus as well as other members of nomination committee at the upcoming company's annual general meeting. Artisan Partners announced that it would vote against Seven & I vice president Junro Ito during the annual general assembly, citing His inability to secure funding for a management buyout of $58 billion last month. Ito Family began negotiations to buy out the convenience store owner. If successful, it would have been one of the largest management purchases in history. Artisan was among Seven & i’s foreign investors who urged the company, to focus on their core convenience store business.
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Ecuador won't accept deported migrants from other countries, says president
Daniel Noboa, the president of Ecuador, said that his country would not accept deported migrants from other countries. He also criticized Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for allegedly refusing to allow Venezuelan migrants who were deported by the United States. Noboa said that Ecuador will always accept its citizens who are deported by other countries, because "we don't abandon our people." Noboa called it "a complete lack of empathy" that Maduro "rejected" the flights of Venezuelans who were deported. Maduro had announced a day earlier that flights scheduled to return Venezuelan migrants to Venezuela from abroad would be cancelled. United States been affected The Trump administration cancelled a license that allowed the use of e-cigarettes, causing "a tremendous amount of commotion" Chevron will operate South America is a country with a lot of history. Maduro did not directly mention the name of the company when referring to the migrant flight. He claimed that flights and communication between the countries were affected. Noboa wrote in his blog: "This is the way authoritarian regimes and extremists behave, without care for the fate of the people fleeing from the crisis that they themselves created." Maduro, his government and other countries have rejected the sanctions imposed by the United States. They claim that they are illegal measures which amount to "economic warfare" meant to cripple Venezuela. Maduro, his allies and the government have praised the country for its resilience in the face of the sanctions. However, they have blamed the sanctions historically for some economic hardships. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Mark Porter)
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After a deadly attack on civilians, the violence in eastern Congo continues
Residents reported that fighting between M23 rebels, and pro-Congo armed militias, was taking place in Nyabiondo on Sunday, 100 km north of Goma, in eastern Congo. This comes days after an attack in the area left many civilians dead, according to both UN and NGO reports. Since the beginning of this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has taken over large areas of mineral-rich eastern Congo. Kipanda Bibiiri, a local official who was fleeing from the area, said that M23 had taken Nyabiondo at 11am (0900 GMT) following clashes. Telesphore Mitondeke is a civil society reporter in Masisi. Nyabiondo lies in this area. The clashes in Nyabiondo are taking place amid a flurry of gunfire from all directions. According to the head of an NGO in the area, the fighting is a result of clashes that took place last week in Tambi village, 18 km northeast of Masisi. The clashes culminated with a nighttime attack on March 5, which left many civilian casualties. A memo from the United Nations, seen on Sunday, said that between 13 and forty civilians are believed to have died in this attack. Separately, on Sunday a spokesperson of the rebel alliance which includes M23 stated on X that a pro-government militia operating in eastern Congo has switched sides and joined their alliance. In a press release, the spokesman of the group of which the militia was a member said that the remainder of the group was loyal to the Congolese army and government. The M23 rebels claim that they plan to take power in Congo’s capital Kinshasa. The rebels also accuse the Congolese government of failing to live up to past peace agreements and not fully integrating Congolese Tutsis in the army and administration. Analysts say that the group's expansion into new mineral-rich areas this year will also allow it to generate more revenue from mining. Reporting by Congo Newsroom, writing by Portia Oziel and Clelia Crowe
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UN mission: Iran is willing to discuss with US concerns about militarization of its nuclear program
Iran would be open to negotiations with the U.S. if they were aimed at addressing concerns about any possible militarization its nuclear program. This was stated by Iran's U.N. Mission in a Sunday post on X. This comment was made a day after Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei declared that Iran would not negotiate with the United States under "bullying". The mission stated in a post on X that: "If the goal of negotiations is to address any concerns regarding a potential militarization by Iran of its nuclear program, then such discussions could be considered." The post said that if the goal is to dismantle Iran's nuclear program, then such negotiations won't take place. Khamenei, according to state media, said on Saturday that "they are bringing new demands which will certainly not be accepted by Iran like our defence capability, missile range, and international influence." In an interview broadcast by Fox Business Network on Friday, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that he wanted to negotiate a nuke deal with Iran. He had also sent a note to the Iranian leadership suggesting negotiations with the Islamic Republic. The West is concerned the Islamic Republic will soon be able to produce atomic weapons. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons. Trump, while expressing an openness to a Tehran deal, has reinstated the "maximum-pressure" campaign that he used during his first term in office to isolate Iran from global economics and drive its oil imports to zero. During the 2017-2021 presidential term, Trump rescinded the United States' participation in a landmark agreement between Iran and major world powers. The deal had set strict limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities as a trade-off for relief from sanctions. Iran has exceeded and breached these limits after Trump's withdrawal in 2018. Rafael Grossi, the U.N.'s chief nuclear watchdog, has warned that diplomacy is running out of time to impose new sanctions on Iran as Tehran continues its enrichment to near weapon-grade uranium. Tehran claims that its nuclear research is only for peaceful purposes. Reporting by Parisa hafezi and Elwely Elwelly, Editing by Alison Williams & David Holmes
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US Commerce Secretary Lutnick: Trump won't ease tariffs on fentanyl.
Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, said that Donald Trump would not relent in his efforts to impose tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China for their treatment of fentanyl. "If the fentanyl stops, these should come off." Lutnick, in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, said that if fentanyl doesn't end or he's unsure about it, he would stay like this until he felt comfortable. This is black and White. "You have to save American lives." Lutnick stated in the interview that U.S. Tariffs of 25% will be implemented on Wednesday as planned. Canada and Mexico both export metals in large quantities to U.S. market, but Canada is the largest importer of aluminum. Lutnick also denied that Trump's tariffs on global goods would lead to a recession in America. He said, "Absolutely no." There will be no recession in America. The Commerce Secretary did admit that tariffs will lead to higher prices on imported goods for U.S. customers. Lutnick stated that although some products made abroad might be more costly, American products would get cheaper. (Reporting and editing by Bill Berkrot; Doina chiacu)
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Ministers of health say that Europe needs to diversify its drug supply to combat the current health crisis.
A group of ministers recommended that Europe reduce its dependency on a few countries for essential drug supplies, such as anaesthetics and antibiotics. This would help the bloc be better prepared for future health crises. The 11 health ministers from the European Union made this recommendation in advance of Tuesday's deadline for EU Commission proposals on a draft Critical Medicine Act. In a letter published by Euronews, they stated that "between 80% and 90 percent of antibiotics are manufactured in Asia. This includes China." The letter was signed by the German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. The CMA said that the price pressure on generic drugs, along with increased labour and environmental costs has pushed medicine production out of Europe. This leaves it vulnerable. Ministers suggested that this could be done in the same way as the U.S. where pharmaceuticals are part of supply chains for defence goods. They also proposed increasing domestic production and centralised storage, whenever possible. They said that "Several medicines are vital not only for civilian healthcare, but also in military and emergency situations." Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Vera Eckert, Editing by Helen Popper
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Trump Administration ends Iraq's waiver for buying Iranian electricity
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the Trump administration had revoked on Saturday a waiver which allowed Iraq to pay Iran electricity as part of Donald Trump's campaign against Tehran. The spokesperson stated that the decision to let Iraq’s waiver expire ensures that we don't allow Iran any economic or financial relief. Trump's campaign against Iran is aimed at "ending its nuclear threat, curbing its ballistic missile programme and stopping it from supporting terrorist organizations." In one of his very first acts upon returning to office, Trump restored the "maximum" pressure on Iran. In his first term he pulled out the U.S. from the Iran Nuclear Deal, an international agreement designed to prevent Iran developing nuclear weapons. The U.S. Government has stated that it wants to cut off Iran's oil export revenue and isolate Iran from global economic growth in order to slow down Tehran's nuclear weapons development. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, and claims its program is peaceful. Washington has imposed sanctions against Tehran for its nuclear program and its support of militant groups, effectively barring countries who do business with Iran to do business with the U.S. James Hewitt, spokesperson for National Security, said that "President Trump made it clear that Iran's regime must abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions or face Maximum Pressure." "We hope that the regime will place the interests of the people of Iran and the region above its destabilizing policy." BAGHDAD PRESSURE - Trump granted initial waivers to buyers in order to meet their energy needs in 2018 when he reimposed the sanctions on Iran’s energy exports, citing the country's nuclear program and its alleged meddling in the Middle East. Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed the waiver for Iraq while encouraging Baghdad's dependence on Iranian electric power. State Department spokesperson reaffirmed this call on Saturday. The spokesperson stated: "We urge Iraq to reduce its dependency on Iranian energy sources as soon as possible." "Iran is a unreliable supplier of energy." Sources have said that the U.S. used the waiver review to put pressure on Baghdad, to allow Kurdish crude exports through Turkey. Sources have told us that the U.S. has used the waiver review to increase pressure on Baghdad to allow Kurdish crude oil exports via Turkey. Iraq's negotiations over oil exports with the semi-autonomous Kurdish Region have been fraught to date. The State Department spokesperson stated that "Iraq’s energy transition offers opportunities for U.S. firms, who are world-leading specialists in increasing the productivity and efficiency of power plants, upgrading electricity grids, as well as developing electricity interconnections" with reliable partners. The spokesperson downplayed the impact of Iranian imports of electricity on Iraq's grid by saying "In 2023 electricity imports from Iran represented only 4%" of Iraq's electricity consumption.
Ukrainian drone hits industrial plant deep inside Russia
The regional governor confirmed that a Ukrainian drone struck an industrial facility in Chuvashia (Russia's Volga River region) overnight, about 1,300 km (880 miles) away from the Ukraine border.
In a Telegram message, Chuvashia governor Oleg Nikolayev stated that the strike was the deepest ever into Russia carried out by a Ukrainian drone.
Nikolayev said that emergency services had been dispatched to the Kombinat Burevestnik plant in Cheboksaray. Nikolayev did not provide any further details on the strike, and the extent of the damage is unclear.
The Russian authorities reported earlier that their air defence units destroyed 88 Ukrainian drones over night, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that 52 drones were destroyed in the Belgorod border region. Thirteen were destroyed over Lipetsk and nine over Rostov, both located in Russia's southwest.
According to the ministry, the rest of the Ukrainian drones have been shot down over Russia's Voronezh region, Astrakhan region, Krasnodar Region, Ryazan Region, and Kursk Region.
Rosaviatsia, the Russian aviation watchdog, announced on Telegram that Astrakhan airports Nizhny Novgorod Airport and Kazan airports were closed overnight for several hours to ensure safety.
Unofficial Russian Telegram news channels claimed that the Ukrainian attacks against Ryazan and Lipetsk targeted local oil refineries.
The Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, Lipetsk, was attacked by Ukrainian Lieutenant Andriy Kvalenko. He did not provide any evidence, nor directly state that Ukrainian drones are involved.
Could not independently verify reports about what the attacks were targeted at.
Ukraine says its attacks on the war that Russia began three years ago are aimed at destroying infrastructure vital to Moscow's efforts to win and in response to Russia continuing to bomb Ukraine. Reporting by Lidia Kelley in Melbourne, Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing, Helen Popper
(source: Reuters)