Five things to know to start your Saturday

A judge temporarily blocked Trump from putting USAID workers on leave

A judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from sending thousands of aid workers home from their jobs at USAID, the U.S. government’s main foreign aid agency. The judge also blocked an order that would have forced USAID workers in foreign countries to return to America within just 30 days.

Judge Carl Nichols, who Trump himself appointed, agreed with two groups representing government workers that these orders would put aid workers abroad at unnecessary risk. However, the judge didn’t stop the administration’s freeze on USAID’s funding, which has already halted the agency’s work helping people around the world. A fuller review of the case will come later.

Gold is outperforming Bitcoin this year

Bitcoin, which performed better than most investments in 2024, is now losing steam as investors seek safer places for their money amid global tensions and Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

While Bitcoin has grown by about 3% since the start of 2025, gold has done much better with a 9% increase, according to Bloomberg’s data. Gold hit a record high of $2,882 per ounce after President Trump said on February 4th that the US could take over Gaza – a statement his staff later tried to downplay. Bitcoin’s current price is about 10% lower than its highest point.

The missing Alaska plane was found with three dead

The US Coast Guard has found the crashed remains of a small plane that went missing in Alaska, confirming three deaths. They believe seven more bodies are trapped inside the wreckage but can’t reach them because of the plane’s condition.

The plane, a Cessna Caravan run by Bering Air, disappeared from radar on Thursday afternoon while carrying ten people. It was found 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska, where it had been heading from the city of Unalakleet.

“Say a prayer tonight for the 10 souls who lost their lives on the Bering Air flight in Alaska,” said US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy. He added that federal transportation agencies are investigating the crash.

Trump sacked the National Archivist

The White House announced Friday evening that President Trump has fired Colleen Shogan from her position as Archivist of the United States.

White House Director of Presidential Personnel Sergio Gor shared the news on X: “At the direction of @realDonaldTrump, the Archivist of the United States has been dismissed tonight. We thank Colleen Shogan for her service.”

According to a source cited by CNN, while Shogan knew Trump wanted to replace her, she was caught off guard by how quickly it happened. Shogan, who President Biden chose for the job in 2022, made history as the first woman to lead the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Before this role, she worked as a senior vice president at the White House Historical Association.

NNPC said there was no explosion at the Warri refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has debunked claims of an explosion at the Warri refinery.

It said the Warri refinery is currently loading eight trucks of diesel and kerosene per day.

According to a statement by the NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Friday, the plant was undergoing routine maintenance.

The statement said, “NNPC Ltd wishes to clarify that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC). Any reports suggesting otherwise are completely false.”