World News
SAIF AL-ISLAM GADDAFI BURIED IN LIBYA AS POLITICAL VIOLENCE RAISES FRESH CONCERNS
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a prominent political figure and son of Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi, was buried on Friday in the western Libyan town of Bani Walid following his killing earlier this week, an incident that has renewed concerns over political violence and instability in the country.
Saif al-Islam was killed at his residence by unidentified gunmen, according to Libyan officials and family sources.
Authorities have launched an investigation, but no arrests have been announced, and the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
His funeral drew large crowds, including tribal leaders and supporters, highlighting the enduring influence of the Gaddafi name more than a decade after the collapse of the former regime.
Bani Walid has remained one of the strongest centers of loyalty to the Gaddafi family since the 2011 uprising.Saif al-Islam was widely regarded as the most politically active surviving member of the Gaddafi family.
In recent years, he had positioned himself as a potential national figure, appealing to Libyans disillusioned with the post-2011 political order.
His attempt to contest the 2021 presidential election, though ultimately blocked on legal grounds, demonstrated the continued relevance of former regime networks in Libya’s fragmented political landscape.
Libya remains divided between rival administrations and armed groups, with repeated failures to hold national elections since 2021.
Political assassinations and targeted killings have continued to undermine confidence in the country’s security institutions.
The death of Saif al-Islam adds to the long-running consequences of Libya’s 2011 conflict for the Gaddafi family.
Several of Muammar Gaddafi’s sons were killed during the uprising and its aftermath, while others have spent years in detention or exile.
One of Saif al-Islam’s brothers; Hannibal Gaddafi, was released from detention in Lebanon in late 2025 after nearly a decade in custody without a final conviction, a case that drew international criticism from human rights groups.
As Libya continues to grapple with unresolved divisions from the post-Gaddafi era, Saif al-Islam’s killing underscores the persistence of political violence and the absence of a unifying national framework capable of resolving the country’s deep-seated conflicts.
Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has escaped impeachment after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to dismiss complaints filed against him.
The decision followed an earlier move by the House justice committee, which last week threw out two impeachment petitions, ruling that they lacked sufficient legal basis. The complaints accused Marcos of betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and violations of the constitution.
Announcing the outcome on the House floor, Deputy Speaker Janette Garin declared that all impeachment complaints against the president had been formally dismissed.
For an impeachment to proceed, at least one-third of the more than 300 members of the lower house would have had to support it. Instead, 284 lawmakers voted to dismiss the complaints, while only eight backed impeachment and four abstained. Under constitutional rules, no new impeachment complaint can be filed against Marcos until next year.
Attention is now shifting to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is facing fresh impeachment efforts after surviving a similar attempt last year.
Marcos, 68, was accused by petitioners of abusing his authority in the use of public funds, particularly in relation to a flood-control project scandal. He was also criticised for allowing his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to be arrested and transferred to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court over thousands of deaths linked to his controversial “war on drugs.”
One of the complaints further alleged that Marcos was unfit to govern due to supposed drug use an allegation he has repeatedly denied.
Since the restoration of democracy in 1986, only one Philippine president, Joseph Estrada, has been impeached. His 2001 trial, however, collapsed after prosecutors walked out when senator judges voted against opening an envelope believed to contain key evidence against him.
In the country’s history, five top government officials have been impeached, but only one; a former chief justice was ultimately convicted and removed from office.
General News
NIGERIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER LEADS DELEGATION TO AU EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SESSION IN ADDIS ABABA
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to lead the country’s delegation at the 48th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council, scheduled for February 11–12, 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said Ambassador Tuggar will participate in ministerial consultations, strategic dialogues, side events, and bilateral meetings aimed at advancing Africa’s unity, peace, security, democratic governance, and sustainable development.
Ambassador Tuggar arrived on Monday, February 9, and was received by Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Berhanu Tsegaye, alongside Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Ethiopia, Ambassador Nasir Aminu, and officials of the Nigerian Mission.
The Executive Council meeting is a precursor to the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, set for February 14–15, 2026. Nigeria’s engagement at the summit will focus on peace and security, democratic governance, institutional resilience, economic integration, development financing, health security, climate resilience, and the implementation of Agenda 2063.
On the sidelines of the session, Ambassador Tuggar is expected to hold bilateral discussions with counterparts from African and non-African countries to strengthen diplomatic relations and advance shared strategic interests. Nigeria will also lead and participate in high-level side events, including a forum on regional partnerships for democracy, highlighting the country’s ongoing commitment to democratic norms and institutional strengthening in Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to provide updates on outcomes and key engagements throughout the sessions.
The Trump administration is set to overturn a landmark Obama-era scientific finding that has formed the backbone of the U.S. greenhouse gas regulation for more than a decade, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confirmed.
The finding, known as the 2009 Endangerment Finding, concluded that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane pose a danger to human health and the environment. It provided the legal basis for federal limits on emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities under the Clean Air Act.
By revoking the finding, the EPA would significantly weaken the federal government’s authority to regulate climate-warming emissions, clearing the way for a broad rollback of existing climate rules and making future regulations far more difficult to enforce.
The administration argues that the move will ease regulatory pressure on businesses and lower costs for consumers. However, environmental groups, scientists, and several U.S. states that it could lead to increased pollution, worsen public health outcomes, and spark years of legal battles.
Beyond the United States, the decision could have global implications. As one of the world’s largest historical emitters of greenhouse gases, U.S. climate policy plays a major role in international efforts to limit global warming. Analysts say the rollback could undermine global climate targets and weaken the U.S. credibility in climate diplomacy and slow momentum toward meeting temperature-reduction goals set under international agreements.
Some states, including California, are already preparing to strengthen their own climate policies, potentially creating a fragmented regulatory landscape as federal oversight retreats.
The EPA’s proposal is expected to face strong opposition and legal challenges, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle over the future of climate regulation in the United States and its ripple effects worldwide.