News from January 9, 2025 at 2 PM

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump made a series of remarks on July 7, suggesting the use of military or economic means to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, advocating for Canada to become part of the U.S., and proposing to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of the United States'. The Panamanian government emphasized that the sovereignty of the canal is non-negotiable, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland is not for sale, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada could never become part of the U.S. International media and experts strongly reacted, viewing Trump's comments as contrary to international norms and potentially causing turmoil in alliances. The EU and German government both expressed opposition to changing borders by force.

Los Angeles experienced one of its most devastating days on Tuesday as wildfires ravaged the city. The Pacific Palisades Fire began around 10:30 AM local time, rapidly spreading to over 3,000 acres due to fierce winds. Thick black smoke covered the horizon, with ash falling on cars 20 miles away. The fire remains out of control, joined by three other uncontained fires. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell described it as a 'tragic time' with unprecedented winds. Television footage showed multimillion-dollar homes engulfed in flames, with residents comparing the scene to a disaster movie. Fires are burning uncontrollably, overwhelming emergency services and leading to water shortages. Elderly residents were evacuated from a convalescent home in Altadena amid flying embers. This is the worst wildfire situation in 25 years, resulting in two deaths, at least 1,000 buildings destroyed, with forecasts suggesting worse to come.

On January 9, an attack on the presidential palace in Chad's capital, N'Djamena, resulted in the death of at least 19 people, including 18 militants, as reported by the AFP news agency citing the Chadian government. Earlier, the tchadinfos news outlet reported shots fired near the presidential palace in central N'Djamena. Security officials stated that unidentified gunmen attacked the palace, but the assault was quickly subdued. The Al Arabiya TV channel quoted sources saying that the Chadian armed forces repelled an attack by the Boko Haram terrorist group on the presidential palace. Tanks and police units have been deployed to the palace, and residents of the capital are also heading there for a rally in support of Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno.

Mozambique's opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has declared himself the country's president after losing the October 9 presidential election. Returning to the capital Maputo from self-imposed exile due to threats to his life, Mondlane took the presidential oath with a Bible at the airport in the presence of his supporters. He expressed readiness for dialogue with the authorities while urging continued protests against the election outcome. Legally elected President Daniel Chapo, also secretary general of the ruling Frelimo party, called for national unity and reconciliation. On December 23, the Constitutional Council confirmed Frelimo's victory and Chapo's election. Mondlane, refusing to recognize the results, called for protests that have reportedly led to over 270 deaths according to opposition sources. The authorities announced Chapo's inauguration for January 15.

On January 8, 2025, Takeshi Ebisawa, a leader of the Japanese organized crime syndicate yakuza, pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to charges of trafficking nuclear materials and conspiring to traffic narcotics and heavy weapons. Prosecutors stated that Ebisawa admitted to conspiring to purchase U.S.-made surface-to-air missiles and other heavy weaponry intended for armed ethnic groups in Myanmar, and to accept large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine as partial payment for the weapons. The 60-year-old Ebisawa faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

Canadian Opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to prevent Canada from joining the US and ensure the security of its borders, including the Arctic, if he wins the election. He stated that Canada will never be the 51st state and pledged to rebuild the military and regain control of the border. Poilievre accused current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of failing to convey these points to Americans. Trudeau announced on January 6 that he would resign as leader of the ruling Liberal Party and as prime minister after a new leader is elected. The Canadian election is scheduled for October but may be held earlier due to Trudeau's resignation. Polls show Trudeau's approval rating at 17.4%, while Poilievre's is at 40%, making him a strong contender for the next prime minister.

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, arrested in Iran on December 19, has been released and is returning to Rome. Her arrest followed the detention of an Iranian engineer in Milan by Italian authorities on suspicion of supplying drone technology linked to US soldiers' deaths. Held in Tehran's Evin prison, Sala's release was announced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who thanked those involved in her return. Sala's partner, Daniele Raineri, said she was emotional and overjoyed. Iran initially cited a violation of its laws for her detention, but US officials suggested it was linked to the arrest of Iranian national Mohammad Abedini in Milan on December 16. Abedini is set to appear in court on January 15. Italy's foreign intelligence chief, Giovanni Caravelli, personally escorted Sala back to Italy.

On January 7, 2025, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warned Hamas at a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida, that 'all hell will break out in the Middle East' if it does not release the hostages held in Gaza by his inauguration on January 20. Trump emphasized that this would be detrimental to Hamas and everyone involved, stating the need to retrieve the hostages for Israel and the U.S. Approximately 100 hostages are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, with some presumed dead. Hamas released a list of 34 hostages it is willing to release in the first stage of a potential ceasefire with Israel. Trump's designated envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, reported progress in negotiations in Doha, Qatar, and expressed hope for positive announcements by the inauguration. Israel insists the war will continue until the hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled.

Despite declarations by European allies to reduce dependence on Russian energy, they are actually purchasing record amounts of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). Bloomberg reports that European states are buying more Russian LNG than ever before, surpassing the volumes previously shipped through the pipeline via Ukraine. This week, the European Commission acknowledged that EU gas storage facilities are depleting at a faster rate than last year. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto noted that natural gas prices in the European market have risen by 20% since Ukraine announced the halt of Russian gas transit last month. While European nations aim to undermine Russia's economic influence, their contradictory actions on energy may backfire.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. His remains arrived in Washington on Tuesday to lie in state at the Capitol. Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Mike Johnson paid tribute to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda. Carter will be transported to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral on Thursday morning, where President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy. Other living former presidents, including President-elect Donald Trump, are expected to attend. After the funeral, Carter will be flown back to Georgia for a private service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. He will be buried near the home he built with his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter.

On December 22, 2024, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Fico announced in a Facebook video at the start of 2025 that he had secured Slovakia's domestic gas supply after Ukraine halted the transit of Russian gas. Slovakia has been receiving gas via Hungary, which gets Russian gas through the Turk Stream. Fico stated that the halt cost Slovakia 500 million euros in transit fees and 1 billion euros due to higher gas prices. He accused Kyiv of harming Slovakia by not extending the transit deal and threatened to cut electricity to Ukraine and reduce refugee aid. Fico is set to meet European Commission officials in Brussels to discuss the gas transit halt. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Fico of opening a 'second energy front' against Ukraine at Russia's behest.

A former senior UK Special Forces officer testified in a public inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan that the SAS had a 'golden pass' allowing them to get away with murder. The accusation was published by the Afghanistan Inquiry on January 8, 2025, focusing on night raids by UKSF between 2010 and 2013. The officer, a former operations chief of staff for the SBS, raised concerns in 2011 about the SAS carrying out executions and covering them up. The inquiry revealed doubts about the SAS's pursuit of kill counts in Afghanistan. A junior SBS officer testified that the SAS killed civilians, including children. In February 2011, Afghan special forces temporarily withdrew support due to alleged unlawful killings by the SAS.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara stated on Thursday his desire to continue serving as president, while emphasizing that his party has not yet formally decided on its candidate for this year's election. Ouattara, 83, was controversially re-elected for a third term in 2020. He previously indicated a willingness to step down but suggested he would need old rivals to withdraw from politics as well. In a speech to the diplomatic corps in Abidjan, he expressed his good health and eagerness to continue serving the country, marking his strongest indication yet of a potential re-election bid. In September, the ruling party expressed support for his candidacy in the 2025 election, scheduled for October, but the official nomination and acceptance have not yet occurred.

On March 4, 2024, German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck stated in an interview that US President-elect Donald Trump's demand for NATO allies to increase their defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) is unrealistic. Habeck proposed raising defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, emphasizing that the increase would be temporary. He noted that 3.5% is currently being discussed within NATO as a medium-term goal. If Germany can ensure a reasonable level of security in a few years, defense spending could be reduced again. In December, Trump's team informed European officials that his new administration would require allies to commit to spending 5% of their domestic industrial output on defense. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that defense spending should be significantly higher than the current 2%.

On January 8, 2025, Ann Altman, the sister of ChatGPT creator Sam Altman, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleging that Sam Altman sexually abused her between 1997 and 2006. The lawsuit claims the abuse began when she was three and Sam Altman was 12. Sam Altman, who is the CEO of OpenAI, denied the allegations in a joint statement with his mother and two brothers, stating that all claims are untrue and highlighting the difficulty of caring for a family member with mental health issues. Ann Altman alleges that her brother groomed and manipulated her, causing severe physical injuries and emotional distress, resulting in significant medical expenses. Sam Altman noted that he provides monthly financial support to his sister but emphasized the immense pain this situation causes to their family. The lawsuit states that the last instance of alleged abuse occurred when Sam Altman was an adult and Ann Altman was still a minor. Ann Altman has previously made similar allegations on social media platforms.