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US Judge temporarily blocks Musk’s DOGE from using payment systems
A federal judge temporarily barred Elon Musk and his government efficiency team, as well as political appointees in the Trump administration from accessing systems that process payments worth trillions of dollars. The judge cited a potential risk of sensitive information being improperly disclosed. The order was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer of Manhattan after a coalition of mostly Democratic-led U.S. States filed a suit late Friday claiming Musk's Department of Government Efficiency does not have the legal authority to access U.S. Department of Treasury Systems. The lawsuit claimed that Musk and his team may disrupt federal funding to health clinics and preschools as well as climate initiatives and other programs. It also said that Donald Trump, the Republican president, could use this information to further their political agenda. The state attorneys general also said that DOGE's ability to access the system "poses enormous cybersecurity risks, which put huge amounts of funding in danger for States and residents." They requested a temporary restraining orders blocking DOGE's entry. The judge was appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama. He said that the claims of the states were "particularly strong", and that he should act on their emergency relief request pending another hearing on February 14, before a different judge. The new policy poses a risk of exposing sensitive and confidential data, and it also increases the vulnerability of systems to hacking. His order prohibits access to Treasury Department data and payment systems for political appointees and special government employees, as well as government employees who are delegated from agencies outside of the Treasury Department. The judge ordered that anyone who is prohibited from accessing these systems by his order must immediately destroy any copies or downloads. In a post on social media, Letitia James of the New York Attorney General's Office, a Democrat who is the lead in the case, said that the order prevented Musk, the richest man in the world, from accessing Americans’ private data. James wrote, "I've already said it and I will say it again: No one is above law," on Musk's social networking platform X. Requests for comments were not immediately responded to by the White House or Treasury Department. Musk was appointed by Trump to head DOGE, which is responsible for identifying fraud and waste within the government. Musk's actions have alarmed Democrats and advocacy groups, who claim he has overstepped his authority in attempting to dismantle government agencies that are responsible for crucial programs and fire federal employees en masse. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (a Trump appointee) said this week the payment system of the department will not be touched and that any decision to stop payments would come from other agencies. (Reporting from Nate Raymond, Boston. David Evans, Mark Potter and David Evans edited the article.
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Mali gold production plunges 23% in 2024
Mali's gold industrial production fell 23% last year to 51 metric tonnes from 66.5 tons by 2023, according to the West African nation's Mines Ministry. Mali, Africa's largest gold producer, is home to international mining companies such as Barrick Gold, B2Gold Corp., Resolute Mining, and Hummingbird Resources. The ministry revealed on Friday that Barrick Gold’s December production was excluded from the number due to the dispute between the company and Mali’s military-led Government over a mining legislation introduced in 2023. Barrick suspended its Loulo Gounkoto operations last month, after the authorities confiscated its gold reserves via helicopter. Since November, four of its employees were detained on money laundering and terrorism financing charges. The company denies these allegations. Several mining executives said this week that Mali's mining code, with its new taxes and plans to give the state a large stake in assets, made it uneconomical to buy or invest in new mines. Mali's Government says that mining companies, including Barrick, have not paid their fair share in taxes. According to a ministry document, Mali’s gold production has fallen below 60 tons for over three years. The ministry's estimates for the month of December showed that it would be 52.7 tons, if Barrick meets its December forecast. The Ministry did not explain the decrease in production. A mines ministry official said that the conflict between the government and mining companies may be responsible for the reduced output. An official from the mines ministry said that the sector is facing a crisis after the authorities forced foreign companies to migrate to the new code of mining and arrested executives and employees. According to data from the Ministry, Barrick Gold is the largest gold producer in the country, with a production of 19.4 tonnes in 2024, excluding December, followed by B2Gold, at 13.7 tons, and Resolute Mining, at 7.2 tons. The mines ministry stated that Mali's gold production is expected to be 58.7 tonnes in 2024, with an estimated 6 tons of gold produced by artisanal miners. Reporting by TiemokoDiallo. Anait Miridzhanian wrote the article. Editing by Mark Potter and Portia Crowe.
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Woman arrested after reporting Super Bowl reporter found dead
Police said that an arrest was made following the discovery of a dead Kansas City reporter in his hotel room after he had been covering Super Bowl coverage in New Orleans. Police said that Adan Manzano (27), was found unconscious in Kenner, Louisiana just outside New Orleans. This led to Danette Colbert being arrested. Colbert's departure from Manzano’s hotel room was captured on surveillance video. A search of her home revealed Manzano’s cell phone and credit card, said Kenner Police Department Chief of Police Keith Conley at a news conference. Conley stated that Colbert had a lengthy criminal record, including two incidents where she abused and stole from her victims. Conley stated that the only crimes we are dealing with at this time are property crimes. The investigation could still be ongoing and the charges could be upgraded. In a press release, Telemundo Kansas City described Manzano as "a true professional" and "a rising star". The station stated that "we will miss Adan, his passion for sport and the contributions he has made to the community." Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends during this difficult time. CBS News reported that Manzano died less than a month after Ashleigh Boyd, his wife, was killed in a car crash. They have a 2-year-old girl.
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NBA Roundup: Suns win in overtime with Grayson Allen and Suns.
Devin Booker scored 47 points, a new season high for him, and added 11 assists to help the Phoenix Suns beat the Utah Jazz in overtime 135-127 on Friday. Grayson Allen scored 21 on seven threes. This included two in the last 1.2 seconds to force overtime, and another at the start of the overtime to keep the Suns up. Tyus Jones scored 16 points and had six rebounds, while also dishing out six assists to help Phoenix snap a three-game loss streak. Suns players Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were both out with injuries. John Collins had 21 points for Utah. Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points. Walker Kessler added 19 points with a career high 22 rebounds. Utah lost its 13th game in 16 matches. Jordan Clarkson, who has a foot injury, did not play for the Jazz. Thunder 121 Raptors 109 Jal Williams led Oklahoma City to victory over Toronto with 27 points. Shai Gilgeous Alexander added 25. Thunder fans were thrilled to hear that second-year center Chet Holmgren was back in action. Holmgren scored four points in his first game since suffering a pelvic injury on Nov. 10. He also had five rebounds, two steals, and four blocks. Scottie Barnes netted 21 points, but the Raptors still lost their third consecutive game. Gradey Dick scored 17 points. Hornets 117, Spurs 116 Charlotte won a game against San Antonio after Miles Bridges hit the winning 3-pointer in 1.4 seconds. This ended a six-game loss streak. Bridges scored 25 points, while LaMelo tallied 24 and added 10 assists. The Hornets were boosted by his return after a five-game injury-related absence. Stephon Castle, a rookie Spurs player, scored 33 points - a new career high - off the bench. Fox added 22 points. Victor Wembanyama contributed 16 points, five blocks and 11 rebounds. Nets 102 and Heat 86 Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson scored 18 in the fourth quarter to beat Miami. This was Miami's first game after trading Jimmy Butler. D'Angelo Russell scored 17 points for the Nets. They outscored Miami by 31-9 during the final period, shooting 14 of 26 shots from the field. Nic Claxton had 12 points, 10 boards and four of Brooklyn’s 13 blocked shots - a season high. The Nets have won four of their last five games. Miami tied its season low by shooting 35,6 percent. Terry Rozier was the top scorer with 20 points. Bam Adebayo scored 18 points. Pistons 125 - 76ers 114 Malik Beasley scored 36 points, a new career high, and Detroit defeated Philadelphia. Tobias Harris scored 22 points with nine rebounds to help the Pistons end a two-game losing streak. All-Star Cade Cunningham had to be scratched due to an ankle sprain. Tyrese Maxiey led the Sixers with 27 points and 7 assists. Joel Embiid tallied 20 of his 23 total points in the second period. He also had seven rebounds, six assists and seven rebounds. Cavaliers 134, Wizards 124 Donovan Mitchell led the team with 33 points, while Evan Mobley contributed 27. Max Strus scored 17 points, while Darius Garland had 23. The Cavaliers won their sixth game in seven attempts. Jarrett Allen had 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Wizards' best three-game winning streak of the season ended despite Jordan Poole's 45-point career high. Kyshawn George had 17 points. Hawks 115 and Bucks 110 Mouhamed Gueye scored his first double-double of his career to help Atlanta defeat Milwaukee. Gueye was able to play more minutes because none of the players Atlanta acquired at the deadline for trades were available. Gueye, who scored 15 points for the season and set career highs in rebounds (12), blocks (4), and blocked shots (four), helped Atlanta overcome a 21 point deficit at halftime. Trae Young, Atlanta's Trae added 24 points with seven assists. He also made a crucial steal with just 34 seconds remaining. For the third consecutive game, Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a calf injury. Bobby Portis led the Bucks with 26 points and fifteen rebounds. Damian Lillard had 23 points, nine boards and ten assists. Field Level Media
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Leaders of Eastern and Southern African blocs are seeking solutions to the Congo conflict
On Saturday, leaders from the Eastern and Southern African region blocs met in Tanzania to find a resolution to the conflict in eastern Congo. Rwandan-backed fighters have taken over a major city during the worst fighting in a decade. Last week, M23 rebels captured Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. They have marched southwards towards Bukavu despite announcing an unilateral ceasefire. This rapid offensive has resulted in thousands of deaths and raised fears about a regional conflict. Sources say that Felix Tshisekedi, the Congolese leader, and Paul Kagame, his Rwandan counterpart, have agreed to attend, although Tshisekedi could call in remotely. Dar es Salaam will be looking for a breakthrough, after two peace processes have stalled in Luanda (and Nairobi) as tensions increase. In a Friday report, the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa stated that "given the increased tensions, the immediate priorities are a cessation of hostilities and the opening of supply routes in order to facilitate humanitarian access." It said that a single, unified peace initiative would prevent Rwanda and (Congo) from forum shopping... favoring mediators perceived as supporting their side. M23 has made rapid advances in the last month, gaining control of North Kivu's lucrative mines for coltan, tin, and gold. This has led to the uprooting of thousands, in one the most severe humanitarian crises around the world. As health workers rush to bury at least 2,000 bodies killed in the Battle for Goma before the disease spreads, aid groups are helping relieve overcrowded hospitals. Volker Turk, the United Nations' chief of human rights, said that prosecutors at the International Criminal Court are closely monitoring reports of rapes, gang-rapes and sexual slavery. The United States warned against possible sanctions for Rwandan and Congolese officials ahead of the summit. This raised the stakes of finding a resolution to the conflict, which is rooted in long-term fallout of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the struggle for Congo's minerals resources. M23, a well-trained and professionally armed rebel group led by ethnic Tutsi in Congo's volatile eastern region, is the latest of a long list of ethnic Tutsi rebel groups to emerge. Congo's government claims it is a Rwandan proxy group, but the rebel group denies this. Rwanda denies that it has thousands of troops fighting alongside M23, but claims to be acting in self-defense. It accuses the Congolese military of joining with Hutu militias, which it claims are intent on killing Tutsis and threatening Rwanda. Kinshasa has been repeatedly urged to directly negotiate with the rebels.
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Sources: Lyondell has completed the shutdown of Houston refinery
On Friday, those familiar with the plant's operations reported that Lyondell Basell Industries had completed its final shutdown at its refinery in Houston, which produces 263,776 barrels per day. Lyondell started the previously announced closure of the refinery at the end of January. In an email sent on Friday evening, Lyondell declined to comment on the refinery's status. Some refinery units are in warm circulation while they wait to be emptied from the feedstocks or product that remains. The unit is at the operating temperature but it's not producing any heat. The high temperature allows the liquid hydrocarbons be drained. If the units were allowed to cool, the hydrocarbons in the piping would solidify. Lyondell announced in 2023 that it would shut down the plant in a year after seven failed attempts to sell the refinery. Later, the company extended the time of closure by an additional year until the first quarter 2025. Lyondell said that the refinery producing motor fuel no longer fits with the company’s growth as a global producer of plastic pellets for use in plastic products. Sources at the time said that the company had asked $1.5 billion to purchase the refinery in a 2016 sales campaign. Sources said that another $1 billion may be required to upgrade the refinery, which suffered a series of outages, including a major fire, in 2016. The company will convert existing hydrotreaters along the Houston Ship Channel to use with equipment that will be added after 2027 to produce plastic pellets using recycled items. Hydrotreaters remove sulfur from motor fuels using hydrogen in accordance with U.S. Environmental rules. The Lyondell refinery is the first of two U.S. plants that will be shut down this year. Phillips 66 announced in October that it would close its Los Angeles refinery at the end of 2025. Valero Energy has reviewed the future of two refineries in California for possible closure. The state plans to phase-out the sale of new gasoline powered automobiles by mid-next decade.
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Louis Dreyfus, Tidal Transit JV to Supply CTV for French Offshore Wind Farm
LD Tide, a joint venture between Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and Tidal Transit, has been selected to supply a Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) for the operation and maintenance services of the 488 MW offshore wind farm, being developed by Ocean Winds in France.The new vessel is scheduled to start operations mid-2025 at the Eoliennes en Mer des Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier (EMYN) offshore wind farm.Following an international call for tenders, Siemens Gamesa has selected LD Tide to provide a high-performance 24-passenger CTV.LD Tide will operate the CTV to ensure the safe transfer of maintenance technicians to the EMYN offshore wind farm.This marks the second contract awarded to LD Tide by Siemens Gamesa, with the first CTV, named Acti’vent, operating at the Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm from October 2023.This new vessel is one of two CTVs currently being built by Strategic Marine, a specialist aluminum shipbuilder based in Singapore, with a strong track record in vessels for the offshore wind industry.Earlier this year, LD Tide placed an order for two CTVs to anticipate the growing demand of the rapidly evolving French offshore wind sector.The StratCat 27 model is known for its high-specification design, accommodating 24 passengers. This design prioritizes safety while also providing high performance and comfort on board, along with a robust and reliable platform, making it well-suited for demanding offshore operations. The CTV will be manned by a French crew and will be operated under French flag.With 61 wind turbines, each rated at 8 MW, the EMYN offshore wind farm will have a total installed capacity of 488 MW, generating 1,900 GWh per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 800,000 people."We are very pleased to strengthen our collaboration with Siemens Gamesa, a market leader in the renewable energy field. We are expanding our presence in the French maritime industrial sector dedicated to offshore wind,” said Gaël Cailleaux, Renewables Managing Director at Louis Dreyfus Armateurs.
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US Judge to stop plan to send USAID workers on Leave
The Trump administration is prohibited from dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development by a temporary, "limited" court order. The decision was announced by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols, in Washington. Nichols, who had been nominated as a judge by President Donald Trump for his first term on the job, made the announcement at an hearing regarding a lawsuit filed by the largest U.S. Government workers' Union and a foreign service workers' association, who were suing to stop the Administration's attempts to close down the agency. Nichols announced that the written decision would be released later on Friday. He didn't seem to be inclined to grant the other requests of the unions, such as reopening USAID buildings or restoring funding for grants and contracts. In a letter sent on Thursday to USAID's employees, the administration said that it would keep 611 of its essential staff onboard. The agency has a global workforce totaling more than 10,000. Karla Gilbride said that the "major reduction in force" as well as closing of offices and the forced relocation of individuals was done beyond the authority of the executive in violation of separation of powers. Brett Shumate from the Justice Department told Nichols about 2200 USAID employees who would be placed on paid leave as part of the administration's plan. He added that 500 people had already been put on leave. Shumate stated that "the president has determined there is fraud and corruption at USAID". The judge stated that his order would not allow the immediate placement of these 2,200 employees on administrative leave, and it would also stop the relocation for certain humanitarian workers stationed abroad. Trump accused USAID of fraud and corruption in a Friday post on Truth Social. He did not provide any evidence. He said: "USAID is driving the radical left crazy, and there's nothing they can do about it because of how much money has been spent fraudulently. The corruption is at levels never seen before. "CLOSE IT DOWN!" Trump, hours after his inauguration on January 20, ordered that all U.S. aid to foreign countries be halted in order to align it with his "America First' policy. Since then, USAID has been a mess. It distributes billions in humanitarian aid to countries around the globe. After the executive order, the State Department issued worldwide directives to stop work. This effectively froze all foreign aid except for emergency food assistance. This brought USAID's programs that provide life-saving aid around the world to a grinding stop, a move which experts warned could lead to deaths. Elon Musk is a businessman who is the richest person in the world and an ally of Donald Trump. He has been leading the effort to shrink federal bureaucracy. In fiscal year 2023, the United States distributed, in part via USAID $72 billion for aid around the world. This included everything from women's healthcare in conflict zones, to access to clean drinking water, HIV/AIDS treatment, energy security, and anti-corruption efforts. In 2024 it provided 42% of the total humanitarian aid tracked by United Nations, but that is less than 1% its budget.
Eastern and Southern African leaders look for a way out of Congo Conflict
The leaders of the Eastern and Southern African region met on Saturday for an unprecedented summit to find a resolution to a conflict in east Congo. Rapid advances by Rwandan-backed rebellions since January have sparked fears of a larger war.
M23 rebels captured Goma last week, the largest town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This was the worst fighting in over a decade and thousands of people were killed. They have marched southwards towards Bukavu despite announcing an unilateral ceasefire.
Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and other presidents gathered on the stage to begin the talks in Dar es Salaam. Congo's Felix Tshisekedi attended via video link.
At the opening ceremony, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania said: "History is going to judge us harshly for remaining silent and watching the situation worsen day by day."
The first-ever meeting of the Eastern and Southern African blocs shows the continent's deep concern about the crisis in Congo and the standoff with Rwanda, the neighbouring country. Rwanda denies accusations that it fuels the conflict by using its own troops and arms.
Experts and diplomats say that the two groups have been divided on the conflict so far. The eastern bloc is closer to Rwanda and its call for dialogue, while the southern countries are more supportive of Congo and are angry about the deaths and injuries of peacekeepers.
Leaders are looking for a breakthrough, after two peace processes in Luanda (and Nairobi) stalled due to tensions escalating.
The foreign ministers of the blocs have suggested that the summit call for a ceasefire and an unconditional truce, as well as the reopening the Goma Airport and other important routes to deliver urgently needed aid.
M23 has been advancing at lightning speed in the last month to gain control of North Kivu's lucrative mines for coltan, tin, and gold. This has led to the uprooting of thousands, in one the most severe humanitarian crises around the world.
As health workers rush to bury at least 2,000 bodies killed in the Battle for Goma before the disease spreads, aid groups are helping relieve overcrowded hospitals.
According to the U.N. Human rights office, the International Criminal Court prosecutor says they are closely watching the bloodshed where reports of rapes, gang-rapes and sexual slavery are being reported.
The United States warned against possible sanctions for Rwandan and Congolese officials ahead of the summit. This raised the stakes of finding a resolution to the conflict, which is rooted in long-term fallout of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the struggle for Congo's minerals resources.
Well-trained, well-armed and professional M23 is the latest of a long list of rebel groups led by ethnic Tutsi in Congo's volatile eastern region. Congo's government claims it is a Rwandan proxy group, but the rebel group denies this.
Rwanda denies accusations that its troops, allegedly thousands in number, are fighting with M23. It says that it is protecting itself from the threat of a Hutu militia which, it claims, is fighting with the Congolese army.
(source: Reuters)