News from February 10, 2025 at 2 AM

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.

Voting for the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ecuador began on February 9, with polling stations open until 5:00 p.m. (10:00 p.m. GMT). Incumbent President Daniel Noboa is running for re-election, joined by 16 other politicians. His main rival is former lawmaker Luisa Gonzalez, who served in various capacities in ex-President Rafael Correa's government. An Ipsos poll shows 45.5% support for Noboa and 31.3% for Gonzalez. A candidate must secure an absolute majority or at least 40% of the votes, with a 10 percentage point lead over the nearest rival to win. If no candidate meets these criteria, a second round will be held on April 13. Voters will also elect 151 deputies to the National Assembly. The election is taking place under heightened security due to recent crises, with Noboa ordering the closure of borders from February 8 to 10 and reinforcing military presence in border areas and seaports.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Libya's attorney general reported the discovery of a mass grave containing at least 28 migrant bodies in the desert of south-east Libya. The grave was found north of Kufra, shortly after another mass grave with 19 bodies was uncovered on a farm in the same city. The latest grave was discovered during a raid on a human trafficking site, where 76 migrants were freed from detention and torture. One Libyan and two foreigners have been arrested. Unverified images online show police and volunteers digging in the sand and placing corpses in black bags. The search in Kufra, over 1,700 kilometers from Libya's capital Tripoli, continues. The attorney general stated that the bodies have been taken for autopsy, with investigators suspecting links to smuggling networks. Last year, a mass grave with at least 65 migrant bodies was found in south-west Libya, which the International Organization for Migration (IOM) described as 'deeply shocking' at the time. Since the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has become a key transit route for migrants risking dangerous desert and Mediterranean Sea crossings to reach Europe. Unicef reported that in 2024, the number of people who died or went missing in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe exceeded 2,200.

On February 9, a random stabbing incident occurred in Dublin, leaving three men wounded, two of them seriously. Police subsequently arrested a man in his late 20s near the scene. The injured men, aged between their mid-20s and mid-40s, were taken to the hospital for treatment. According to The Irish Times, the suspect used household implements to stab the victims, with at least one attack occurring at a victim's doorstep. Police currently do not believe there is any terrorist link and have increased their presence in the area to reassure the community. Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin expressed condolences to the victims and commended the prompt response of the police and emergency services.

With the German national election two weeks away, protests against the rise of far-right groups are intensifying. On February 8th, 250,000 people demonstrated in Munich, with organizers claiming 320,000, far exceeding the 160,000 in Berlin the previous weekend. Another protest in Hanover attracted 24,000 participants. Protesters oppose the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) aligning with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AFD), urging parties not to collaborate with far-right forces. The CDU has about 30% support in polls, while the AFD is second with 20%-22%. Friedrich Merz's tough stance on immigration has sparked controversy. Meanwhile, European far-right groups held a rally in Madrid, with Viktor Orban and Marine Le Pen citing Trump's influence on the EU.

Friedrich Merz is tipped as Germany's next leader, attempting to tighten migration rules with far-right support, causing controversy. Previously sidelined by Angela Merkel, he returned to politics aiming to shift the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from its centrist stance. On January 23, he delivered a foreign policy speech in Berlin, a month before Germany's federal election. Merz's political journey has been tumultuous, with three failed attempts to lead the CDU. Despite protests against his policies, supporters believe he can attract far-right voters.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has requested his cabinet members to resign ahead of a reshuffle. Environment Minister Susana Muhamad resigned in protest against Petro's appointment of Armando Benedetti to the cabinet. Muhamad will continue as president of the United Nations COP16 on biodiversity. She cited allegations of violence against women and influence peddling against Benedetti. Benedetti last week denied the stories about him as false.

Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were instructed to work remotely as their Washington, D.C. headquarters will remain closed until February 14. A memo from CFPB Chief Operating Officer Adam Martinez followed Acting Director Russell Vought's directive to suspend nearly all regulatory activities. This development stems from Elon Musk's DOGE employees gaining access to CFPB data last week. Vought announced on X that he was halting new funding to the agency. CFPB staff are bracing for potential administrative leave or layoffs, similar to previous attempts at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Of the approximately 1,700 CFPB employees, only a few hundred positions are legally mandated, risking the bureau's mission to protect consumers from financial exploitation.

Sony announced on Sunday that all PlayStation Plus members would automatically receive an additional five days of service following a global outage that disrupted the PlayStation Network (PSN) for approximately 18 hours on Friday and Saturday. The outage, which began late Friday, left users unable to sign in, play online games, or access the online store. By Saturday evening, the company reported that PSN had been restored. At its peak, the outage affected about 7,939 users in the U.S. and around 7,336 users in the UK. Sony has experienced more severe outages in the past, including a cyberattack in 2014 that took PSN offline for several days during the holiday season and a major breach in 2011 that compromised the personal data of nearly 77 million users, leading to a month-long shutdown.