News from February 10, 2025 at 2 PM

Five Thai farm workers, released by Hamas in Gaza after nearly 500 days in captivity, have arrived home in Bangkok. They were kidnapped during Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Emotional scenes unfolded on Sunday morning as the men were reunited with their families at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa described their return as 'very inspiring.' Each hostage will receive a one-time payment of around £14,510 and a monthly pension of £725. One Thai hostage remains unaccounted for.

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.

US President Donald Trump on February 9, while flying to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, told reporters that the United States may carry less debt than thought, possibly due to fraud related to debt payments. The current US public debt stands at $36.2 trillion. Trump has tasked billionaire Elon Musk with an ambitious overhaul of the federal government, sparking street protests in Washington and accusations of legal violations. Musk's 'Department of Government Efficiency' has disrupted operations at several federal agencies, raising privacy and security concerns. On February 8, a federal judge temporarily blocked Musk's team from accessing government systems used to process trillions in payments. Musk later stated that the Treasury Department and DOGE would require all outgoing government payments to include a rationale and categorization code, and update a do-not-pay list regularly.

On February 9, 2025, the Israeli military withdrew from the Netzarim corridor in Gaza, in line with the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Hamas celebrated the withdrawal as a victory and deployed its police force to manage the flow of Palestinians through the area. Thousands of Palestinians have recently returned to their homes in northern Gaza via the corridor. Much of northern Gaza has been devastated by Israeli military operations. Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, former American soldiers working as private contractors have been inspecting vehicles passing through the corridor. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to begin soon, but on Sunday, Palestinian medics reported that several Palestinians, including an elderly woman, were killed by Israeli gunfire near Gaza City.

On February 10, the United Nations deadline for submitting new carbon emission reduction targets was missed by nearly all nations, with only 10 out of nearly 200 countries required to deliver fresh climate plans under the Paris Agreement doing so on time. Major economies like China, India, and the European Union were among those that failed to meet the deadline. The United States, Britain, and Brazil were the only G-20 economies to submit on time, though the US pledge was largely symbolic. UN climate chief Simon Stiell called for submissions by September to be properly assessed before the UN COP30 climate conference in November. Analysts expect China, the world's largest polluter and renewable energy investor, to unveil its climate plan in the second half of 2025. The slow response has raised concerns about a potential backslide on climate action.

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.

On February 10, 2025, Kosovo's ruling Vetevendosje party led in the parliamentary election but fell short of an outright majority, with preliminary results showing 41.3% of the vote, down from over 50% in 2021. Prime Minister Albin Kurti is poised to lead the next government, but his policies may exacerbate ethnic tensions in the north. In a speech, Kurti insulted opposition parties, causing controversy. Political analyst Belgzim Kamberi noted that Kurti must form a coalition with the second or third party, or risk the opposition forming the new government. Kosovo faces EU and US economic sanctions due to the situation in the north.

On the 9th local time, the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) announced their successful connection to the European power grid,脱离ing the joint grid system with Russia and Belarus. This move, primarily driven by security concerns, is seen as a strategic measure to enhance energy security. The disconnection will exert economic pressure on the Baltic States, as they import 31% of their electricity. For Russia, the impact is limited, but the Kaliningrad region will face power supply challenges. Additionally, this move indicates Europe's continued reluctance to engage in economic cooperation with Russia amid the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, with the Baltic States likely to reject collaboration with Russia for an extended period.

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.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on February 9, categorically rejecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about displacing Palestinians from their land. Israeli officials had suggested establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi territory, to which Netanyahu appeared to respond jokingly on February 6 during an interview. Egypt and Jordan also condemned the Israeli suggestions, with Cairo deeming the idea a direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty. The Saudi statement emphasized the kingdom's appreciation for 'brotherly' states' rejection of Netanyahu's remarks. Additionally, President Donald Trump's February 4 proposal for the US to 'take over the Gaza Strip' and create a 'Riviera of the Middle East' sparked controversy. Arab states unanimously condemned Trump's comments. Gaza authorities report that the war has killed over 47,000 Palestinians. Israel launched its offensive following a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.

A nationwide blackout in Sri Lanka was caused by a monkey that intruded into a power station south of Colombo, contacting a grid transformer and causing a system imbalance. The blackout began at 11:00 local time on Sunday, affecting 22 million people. Power is gradually being restored, with priority given to medical facilities and water purification plants. On social media, people criticized authorities and joked about the incident. Local newspaper Daily Mirror reported that engineers have been warning consecutive governments for years to upgrade the power grid to avoid frequent blackouts. Sri Lanka experienced widespread blackouts during its economic crisis in 2022.

Ukraine's national power grid operator Ukrenergo announced on Monday that it is limiting energy supplies to Ukrainian industry and businesses due to increased consumption during freezing weather and generation shortages following Russian missile strikes. The restrictions will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (0400-0700 GMT), as stated on the Telegram messenger. Temperatures across much of the country plummeted this past weekend to around minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Ukrenergo reported a 1.9% rise in Ukrainian power consumption on Monday compared to the previous working day, Friday. Russian forces have consistently targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including substations and thermal power plants, throughout their three-year invasion.

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.

On February 9, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that Egypt will host an emergency Arab summit in Cairo on February 27 to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian issue. The summit was requested by Palestine and decided upon after coordination with the current Arab League chairmanship, Bahrain, and the Arab League Secretariat. Previously, U.S. President Trump proposed the idea of 'emptying' the Gaza Strip, to which Egyptian President Sisi expressed opposition. On February 1, several Arab countries and the Arab League held a ministerial meeting in Cairo and issued a joint statement opposing any attempts to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

U.S. President Trump signed a proclamation on Air Force One, declaring February 9 as 'Gulf of America Day'. Trump stated that February 9, 2025, will be the first celebration of this day. He had previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on his inauguration day, January 20. Mexican President Lopez Obrador opposed this, noting that the name Gulf of Mexico has been recognized by the United Nations since the 16th century. The Mexican-American War resulted in Mexico losing significant territory.

According to Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov, Chinese President Xi Jinping has accepted an invitation to attend festivities marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow on May 9. Xi also invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in festivities scheduled for early September in China. Earlier, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov stated that China will host events commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War Two.

According to a report from the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok on October 10, the Chinese cargo ship 'An Yang-2' ran aground near Nevelsk Port on Sakhalin Island, Russia, after encountering a severe storm in the early hours of October 9. Currently, the crew members are in good health, and there are no signs of fuel leakage in the stranded area. The shipping company owning the stranded vessel is coordinating with relevant Russian authorities for rescue operations. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

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 January 22, 2024, BP's shares surged by 6.29% in early trading following reports that activist investor Elliott Management had acquired a stake in the struggling oil major, potentially pressuring the company to shift its core oil and gas businesses. Neither Elliott Management nor BP commented on the reports, which did not specify the size of the stake held by Paul Singer's hedge fund. BP is set to release its fourth-quarter results on Tuesday and its broader strategy on February 26. Over the past year, BP's shares have fallen by approximately 9%, compared to a 6% gain for Shell. Last month, BP issued a trading update warning of higher costs, lower fourth-quarter refining margins, and one-off charges related to its bio-ethanol acquisition. The company is also seeking buyers for its German refinery assets and announced plans to cut 4,700 jobs to achieve at least $2 billion in cash savings by the end of 2026. RBC analysts suggest Elliott could push for changes in BP's chairperson and a strategic split of its core businesses. CEO Murray Auchincloss is working to boost investor confidence in the $91.87-billion company amid concerns over its strategic direction and challenges in the global green transition.

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.