News from February 9, 2025 at 2 PM

Sam Nujoma, the founding president of the independent Republic of Namibia, passed away at the age of 95 in a hospital in the capital city of Windhoek on February 9, 2025. Current President Nangolo Mbumba announced the news on his administration's Facebook page. Nujoma was one of the founders of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1960, a national liberation movement that led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. He served as the country's president from 1990 to 2005.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake occurred in the sea north of Honduras at 17:23 local time on February 8. The epicenter was 221 kilometers from the Cayman Islands, affecting the Cayman Islands, Honduras, and Cuba. Several provinces in Cuba, including the capital Havana, reported tremors, though not significant. Following the quake, multiple Caribbean coastal countries issued tsunami warnings, which have since been lifted. Residents are advised to remain vigilant for aftershocks.

Ecuador will hold its presidential and parliamentary elections on February 9, with incumbent President Daniel Noboa running for re-election. Besides him, 16 other politicians have entered the race. Noboa's main rival is former lawmaker Luisa Gonzalez, who served in various positions in the government of ex-President Rafael Correa (2007-2017). According to a poll by Ipsos, 45.5% of voters are ready to support Noboa, while Gonzalez has the backing of 31.3%.

US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued a preliminary injunction on Saturday to block Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) from accessing the personal financial data of millions of Americans in Treasury Department records, ordering Musk and his team to immediately destroy any copies of the records. This action followed lawsuits by 19 state attorneys general against the Trump administration, arguing that access for Musk, a 'special government employee', and Doge, which is not an official government department, violated federal law. Musk called the ruling 'absolutely insane' on X. Engelmayer's order stated that the states would 'face irreparable' harm without immediate relief due to the risk of disclosing sensitive information and increased vulnerability to hacking. The injunction restricts access to Treasury records containing personal data to only civil servants who have passed background checks. New York Attorney General Letitia James noted that the Trump administration had given Musk and Doge 'unprecedented access' to personal data. The conditions will remain in place until the next court hearing on February 14.

In the early hours of February 8, a bus crash in southern Mexico resulted in the deaths of 41 people. The bus, carrying 48 passengers, was traveling from Cancun to Tabasco when it collided with a truck, killing 38 passengers and two drivers, including the truck driver. The bus caught fire after the collision, leaving only the skeletal remains of the metal frame. So far, only 18 skulls have been confirmed, and recovery efforts are ongoing. Bus operator Tours Acosta expressed profound sorrow on Facebook and is working with authorities to investigate the cause of the accident and whether the bus was speeding.

On September 9th, the Baltic States of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia announced the successful completion of their power grid voltage control test, planning to connect to the European grid via Poland at 1 PM local time. The previous day, the three countries had disconnected from the Russian and Belarusian grids, operating in an 'island mode' for a day. In 2018, the Baltic States, along with Poland and the European Commission, signed an agreement in Brussels to synchronize their power networks with the European mainland by 2025, aiming to脱离 the BRELL energy circle and join the EU energy market to achieve energy independence from Russia.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a victory in the Delhi local elections, reclaiming the capital after 27 years. Voting took place on February 5, with results on February 8 showing BJP winning 47 seats, significantly ahead of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s 22 seats. Modi pledged to develop Delhi and improve citizens' quality of life. This win marks BJP's third state election victory in four months, reflecting the impact of their recent tax relief measures for the middle class. BJP promised various welfare initiatives. Delhi, governed by AAP since 2013, was affected by corruption allegations, leading to Kejriwal's defeat and loss of his seat.

On February 8, leaders of the far-right group Patriots for Europe, the third-largest voting bloc in the European Parliament, gathered in Madrid to praise Donald Trump's return to power under the slogan 'Make Europe Great Again'. Attendees included Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, France's National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, and Netherlands' PVV party leader Geert Wilders. Orban addressed around 2,000 supporters, most waving Spanish flags. Speakers uniformly opposed immigration and called for a new 'Reconquista'. Former Estonian Finance Minister Martin Helme and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado also spoke. A feminist activist was ejected from the rally. Patriots, formed after the May 2024 European elections, comprises 86 MEPs from 14 countries. Spain's ruling Socialist Party condemned the event, while Vox, led by Patriots' president Santiago Abascal, has seen rising support in polls, particularly among young men and military personnel. Despite aims to unify Europe's nationalist conservatives, key parties from Italy, Germany, and Poland have refused to join.

On February 7, the Trump Administration announced it had bypassed congressional review to approve a $7.4 billion military equipment sale to Israel, drawing criticism from senior House Democrats. The US Department of Defense announced the same day that the State Department had approved a $6.75 billion arms sale package, with Boeing as a major contractor, and another $660 million deal for Hellfire missiles, with Lockheed Martin as the primary contractor. The arms sale was announced at the end of the Biden Administration's term, with Trump swiftly advancing the deal after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Congressman Meeks criticized the move for breaking the precedent of congressional review, accusing the Trump Administration of marginalizing Congress. On February 4, Trump met with Netanyahu, discussing various regional issues.

On February 8, leaders of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) called for an immediate ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during a joint summit in Tanzania. The summit directed EAC-SADC chiefs of defense forces to meet within five days to provide technical guidance for an unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, ensuring humanitarian assistance. They are also expected to develop a securitization plan for the city of Goma and surrounding areas. The leaders urged the DRC to hold direct talks with all conflict parties, including the M23 Movement, and recommended the withdrawal of all foreign military units from the DRC. The summit brought together leaders from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, South Africa, DRC, Rwanda, Zambia, Burundi, Malawi, Angola, South Sudan, Madagascar, and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Sony's PlayStation Network (PSN) is experiencing a massive outage, leaving many users unable to play online games or access its online store. Just before 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Ask PlayStation posted on X, acknowledging issues with PSN. Sony's PSN status page indicated that services including PlayStation Direct, the PlayStation Store, gaming and social, PlayStation Video, and account management were affected. Users took to social media to express their frustration and share jokes. One user mentioned using the downtime to get to know his wife of five years, while another hoped for a free game as compensation. Another user complained about being unable to play any games purchased on the PSN Store and experiencing issues with the phone app. PSN stated it was working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Ukraine's military reported on Sunday that it shot down 70 out of the 151 drones Russia launched in an overnight attack. The Ukrainian air force stated that 74 drones failed to reach their targets, likely due to electronic warfare, with two still airborne. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted that Russia launched 1,260 aerial bombs, nearly 750 drones, and over 10 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week. Zelenskiy highlighted that Russian military production relies on sanctions evasion, high oil prices, and a shortage of Ukrainian long-range missiles and drones. He expressed gratitude to partners enforcing sanctions and called for global efforts to reduce Russia’s oil industry capabilities. Zelenskiy also announced Ukraine's plans to expand missile and drone production and urged partners to invest in the Ukrainian defense industry.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan stated during a meeting with Panamanian Ambassador to China Miguel Lecaro that China firmly opposes US attempts to undermine its relations with Panama through pressure and threats. Zhao emphasized that China-Panama relations should not be disrupted by any third party. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino announced on Thursday the formal withdrawal from China's Belt and Road Initiative, denying any connection to the recent visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Zhao noted that China had lodged solemn representations with Panama over its plan to terminate the memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative. Additionally, US President Donald Trump, in his inauguration speech, claimed the desire to regain control of the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of overcharging US ships, a claim rejected by the Panamanian president.