Somalia Welcomes Its First Bowling Alley as the Middle Class and Diaspora Returnees Grow

By OMAR FARUK

10:58 PM EST, February 8, 2026

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — In a city long defined by conflict, Somalia ’s capital of Mogadishu now echoes with the crash of pins at the country’s first modern bowling alley.

It’s the latest sign of revival in the once-thriving Indian Ocean port shaped by 35 years of civil war and militant bombings. Millions of people were forced to flee what became one of the world’s most dangerous cities. Those who remained avoided public spaces as the al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabab waged an insurgency against the Somali state.

In recent years, improved security measures against al-Shabab, an expanded government presence and growing private investment have allowed daily life to re-emerge. Cafes line newly reopened streets, beaches draw evening crowds and traffic congestion, once unimaginable, now clogs key intersections.

The Feynuus Bowling Center opened last year and draws many locals and Somalis returning from the diaspora, who bring investment and business ideas after years of sending billions of dollars in remittances from abroad.

On a recent evening, young Somalis gathered in groups, laughing and filming each other on their phones while music played. Many from the diaspora are visiting Mogadishu for the first time in years, or the first time ever.

“I couldn’t believe Mogadishu has this place,” said Hudoon Abdi, a Somali-Canadian on holiday, as she prepared to take her turn to bowl.

“I’m enjoying it. Mogadishu is actually safe,” she said, urging others to visit.

Mogadishu remains vulnerable to militant attacks, however, with security measures like checkpoints and heavily guarded zones part of daily life. Non-Somalis remain largely confined to a compound at the international airport.

But residents say the ability to gather for recreation signals an important psychological shift. Such venues provide a welcoming environment for a younger generation eager for safe spaces to socialize.

Abukar Hajji returned from the United Kingdom on holiday after many years away and found the difference between what he imagined and what he experienced eye-opening.

“When I was flying from the U.K., I believed it was a scary place, like a war-torn country,” he said. “Everyone told me, ‘Good luck,’ but when I came and saw it with my own eyes, I didn’t want to leave.”

Sadaq Abdurahman, the manager of the bowling center, said the idea for the business emerged from a growing demand among young people for recreational facilities.

“It has created employment opportunities for at least 40 youths,” he said.

According to the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, Somalia’s unemployment rate stands at 21.4%.

The bowling alley has private security guards, bag checks and surveillance cameras, reflecting the precautions common at public venues in Mogadishu.

Urban planners and economists say businesses like the bowling alley signal a broader shift in Mogadishu’s recovery, as private sector growth increasingly complements international aid and government-led rebuilding efforts.

Ahmed Khadar Abdi Jama, a lecturer in economics at the University of Somalia, said innovative businesses are responding to the needs of diaspora returnees and the growing middle class, “which in turn adds to the expected increase in Somalia’s GDP.”

Outside the bowling alley, traffic hummed and neon signs flickered, other reminders of Mogadishu’s fragile transformation.

Storm Marta Kills at Least 4 in Morocco as the Country Battles Floods

3:04 PM EST, February 8, 2026

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Flash floods caused by a storm in northern Morocco killed at least four people as the country struggled with days of heavy rain and water releases from overfilled dams that forced mass evacuations, local authorities said Sunday.

Three children — a girl and two boys aged 2 to 14 — and a man in his 30s died in a car that was swept away in a village near Tétouan, about 270 kilometers (168 miles) north of the capital Rabat, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry citing local authorities. Another person remains missing.

Local authorities said they will open an investigation into what happened.

The flash floods were caused by a storm system known as Marta, which moved into Morocco over the weekend and dumped up to 92 millimeters (3.6 inches) of rain on some northern cities, Houssine Youabed of Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology told The Associated Press. Storm Marta also reached neighboring Spain and Portugal.

Days earlier, another storm, Leonardo, hit northern Africa and the Iberian peninsula. In Morocco, it overfilled dams and rivers, damaging homes and crops, triggering minor landslides and forcing more than 150,000 people to evacuate.

The turbulent weather has also secured at least a year’s supply of drinking water for Morocco and boosted resources for the country’s critical agricultural sector, officials said, providing relief after a yearslong drought.

Haiti's Presidential Council Steps Down With No Succession Plan

Presidential Council Chair Laurent Saint-Cyr at a ceremony marking the end of the transitional council's rule, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 7 February 2026 

Africa News

Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council stepped down amid heavy security at the government office in Port-au-Prince on Saturday.

The tumultuous governance by the nine-member body, intended to curb the bloody gang conflict and bring about long-delayed elections, came to an end with no succession plan in place.

It ruled alongside a US-backed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé who was expected to remain in power and will now be solely in charge of the country.

Negotiations to decide what, if anything, would replace the council are ongoing.

The transitional council’s term was marked by a deterioration in security, corruption accusations, and political infighting.

In January, Fils-Aimé, survived an attempt by the council to remove him, with members backing down as Washington threatened serious consequences if this were to take place.

The council's plan to oust the prime minister for reasons not made public appeared to fall to the wayside as it stepped down in an official ceremony on Saturday.

“We need to put our personal interests to the side and continue progress for security,” said the council's outgoing president, Laurent Saint-Cyr, who rejected a push to dismiss the prime minister.

Fils-Aimé now faces the daunting task of organising the country’s first general elections in a decade on his own.

Haiti last held polls in 2016 and has been without an elected president since the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moise.

Tentative dates were announced for August and December, but many experts believe it is unlikely an election and a run-off could be held this year.

The United Nations says gangs killed nearly 6,000 people in Haiti last year. About 1.4 million people, or 10 per cent of the population, have been displaced by the violence.

South Africa to Withdraw Troops from UN Mission in DR Congo

Africa News

South Africa has announced the withdrawal of its troops from a United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said on Saturday that he had informed the UN Secretary‑General, Antonio Guterres, of the decision.

South Africa has supported the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.

The Presidency said Pretoria will work jointly with the UN to finalise the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of this year.

It said the decision to leave MONUSCO was influenced by the need to consolidate and realign the resources of the national defence force.

Pretoria said, however, it will maintain close ties with Kinshasa and continue to support regional, continental, and UN efforts to bring lasting peace to the the DRC.

MONUSCO’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups who have been fighting for decades in eastern Congo, a region that has recently seen an escalation in fighting.

When its mandate was extended in December, it had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed in the country.

Organization Promoting Central African Economic Integration Suspends Activities

An organisation promoting regional economic integration among six Central African nations has suspended its activities amid a severe financial crisis.

The Commission of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa said almost all projects and missions will pause pending an improvement in the collection of the Community Integration Tax.

CEMAC groups together Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea.

It said that, faced with a financial downturn, member states are retaining the tax levied on imports – its main source of revenue - instead of transferring it to the Commission.

CEMAC has urged member states to establish an independent mechanism for collecting this tax as a dedicated resource separate from national budgets.

Estimates suggest that the Commission collected less than half of the integration tax due last year.

The suspension aims to urgently reduce expenditures, including halting administrative meetings, and non-essential official missions planned under the 2026 budget.

Commission President, Baltazar Engonga said, however, that those activities and missions deemed strategically important will still be allowed to proceed.

Experts say the suspension will delay regional infrastructure projects, hinder the free movement of people, and slow the pace of economic integration in Central Africa.

A Singer's Tragic Death Highlights Nigeria's Snakebite Problem

Mansur Abubakar

Abuja

Christopher Nwangene Ifunanya Nwangene, with braids each decorated with a shell and wearing large flower-like earrings, and her father Christopher, who has his arm around her shoulder with a phone in his hand. They are both smiling at the camera

Christopher Nwangene was immensely proud of his daughter Ifunanya, a talented soprano singer

Ifunanya Nwangene was asleep last Saturday morning in her ground-floor apartment in Nigeria's capital city when she was awoken at around 08:00 by a searing pain on her wrist.

"A snake came up on her bed and bit her," Ifunanya's father Christopher Nwangene told the BBC's Newsday programme.

He was relating the events that led to his daughter's tragic death, which has raised serious concerns about how hospitals deal with snakebites, and the availability of antivenom across Nigeria, which has the world's third-highest incidence of snakebites.

Ifunanya, a well-known soprano singer in Nigeria - finding fame a few years ago on the local version of the TV competition The Voice, knew she had to get antivenom at a hospital as soon as possible.

Her father said she also applied a tourniquet, tying a piece of rope tightly around her arm.

This used to be the recommendation for snakebites to stop the venom spreading through the body - though this is no longer the advice as a tourniquet, which stops the flow of blood, can cause tissue damage and increase the risk of amputation.

Instead, snakebite victims are told to keep calm, immobilise an affected limb and seek emergency medical care immediately.

But it is hard not to panic when one arrives at a hospital to find there is no antivenom, which happened to Ifunanya, meaning she had to go to another one.

The 26-year-old singer phoned her father when she later got to Abuja's Federal Medical Centre, Jabi - and he then called his brother, who lives in the capital, to go and check on her.

She was not in a good way when her uncle got to the hospital - her tourniquet had been removed and she was put on a drip.

"Immediately they gave her the drip, the little girl started going down immediately. She said: 'Daddy, I cannot speak,'" Nwangene recalled.

Ifunanya's close friend, Sam Ezugwu, had also rushed to the hospital when he heard the news and told the BBC that some antivenom had been given to her, but more was needed.

"While they were trying to stabilise her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe," said Ezugwu, who is music director of the Amemuso Choir where Ifunanya sang.

He went out looking for another vial of antivenom - as did her uncle.

This version of events has since been disputed by the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, which has denied the antivenom was unavailable and said claims its response was inadequate were unfounded.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies venomous snakebites as a neglected tropical disease - causing 30,000 deaths a year in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Nigeria what is known as a "polyvalent antivenom" is usually used to treat snakebites, which means it can be used for bites from a variety of snakes.

The amount needed depends on the severity of the bite and the type of snake - with a vial currently costing between 45,000 naira ($33; £24) and 80,000 naira ($58; £43).

"They asked my brother to go and buy antivenom from [a] pharmacy," Nwangene said, explaining that he had to go to several places.

But when he found some, it was too late. Ezugwu also returned with a vial to find Ifunanya had died.

Nwangene feels the hospital authorities did not do enough for his daughter - and questions why they removed the tourniquet if they did not have the medication to treat her.

"They're not supposed to remove that thing. She has two hands," he said, expressing the view that an amputation is better than death.

"They were not serious initially, as my brother told me. They were not serious at all."

Her death has prompted widespread grief and urgent questions about the country's readiness to tackle a persistent and lethal public health issue.

It has also shocked a nation where snakebites are often perceived as a rural danger.

Another of the singer's friends told the BBC that two snakes were later found in her apartment in an upmarket area of Abuja.

Videos circulated online showing a snake handler removing one of the long black snakes that had slithered into the building - with onlookers screaming.

It is seen raising its hood, revealing it to be a cobra - and its colouring suggests it was a forest cobra, which, according to the African Snakebite Institute, is one of 12 highly venomous species of snakes found in Nigeria.

In 2021, Nigeria's then-Health Minister, Olorunnimbe Mamora, stated that an average of 20,000 snakebites were recorded each year in the West African nation, describing the situation as having reached "epidemic proportions".

The crisis is compounded by a critical shortage of affordable antivenom, which needs to be stored in fridges - often impossible in areas with unreliable electricity.

Shuaibu Mohammed, who lives in the north-eastern state of Gombe, said he was lucky to survive a snakebite 15 years ago.

He was at boarding school when he stepped on a cobra in the playground. He was rushed to hospital, which luckily had enough antivenom to treat him.

But three years ago, the outcome for his sister Sadiya, a mother of two, was fatal.

"It was in the night - and she came out to use the toilet when the snake bit her," he told the BBC.

"We rushed her to the hospital but there was no antivenom," he told the BBC.

"We were told we could buy some from the neighbouring state of Plateau. We called a brother there to get it, but before the antivenom was transported to us, we lost her," he said.

It is a story Hafiz Aminu, from the northern state of Kaduna, knows all too well.

"I almost lost my life last year," the 36-year-old told the BBC.

"I was returning home after a football game when a cobra bit me. But when we got to the nearest hospital, we were told they didn't have any antivenom.

"So we quickly decided to seek traditional help from a healer."

The herbalist gave him a concoction made from the bark of a plant - likely to have been that of the African custard apple, which is commonly used as a traditional medicine in Nigeria to treat snakebites.

A 2005 study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Ethnopharmacology showed the relative effectiveness of the rootbark of this plant in treating cobra venom on rats, stating that it helped reduce fevers and "directly detoxified the snake venom used by 16-33%".

Aminu said the herbalist rubbed some of the mixture on his foot, where he had been bitten, and he was told to drink the rest with the warning that it would make him feel nauseous.

"I was feeling very weak and was scared for my life. When the healer saw me two days later, he said I was lucky to be alive."

The African Snakebite Institute warns that traditional remedies are not known to work against highly venomous snakes.

Experts point out that the widespread use of traditional healers for snakebites means that the true scale of the problem is not known, as many deaths will go unrecorded.

In response to Ifunanya's death, the Nigerian Senate has called on the health ministry and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) to ensure the nationwide availability of safe, effective and affordable antivenoms.

However, the motion did not set a specific timeline for action.

"A snakebite kills one person every five minutes," said Elhadj As Sy, chancellor of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and co-chair of the Global Snakebite Initiative.

He called on governments to integrate snakebite treatments into core health strategies and ensure that antivenom was accessible.

"With real political commitment we can end these preventable deaths," he told the BBC.

There have also been breakthroughs that may one day lead to more affordable solutions.

Scientists from LSTM and the University of Sydney announced in 2024 that the blood thinner heparin could be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom.

At the time, University of Sydney's Prof Greg Neely envisaged it had the potential to be used like an EpiPen, a device carried by people with allergies at risk of death from anaphylactic shock. It delivers a shot of adrenaline, while a snakebite pen could inject heparin.

For Nwangene, medics on the frontline in Nigeria need more "human sympathy" when dealing with snakebite victims.

He added that Ifunanya's gifted voice had given him great happiness over the years.

"My daughter is a very, very gentle girl. When she was growing up, she has been singing in our church - very, very, very talented.

"Every morning when I wake up, I thank God on her for giving me such a child until this wicked world took her away from me."

Additional reporting by Makuochi Okafor

Meloni Slams ‘Enemies of Italy’ for Railway Sabotage and Anti-Olympics Protests

Protesters took to the streets in Milan on Saturday, while railway infrastructure was damaged.

February 8, 2026 12:01 pm CET

By Giorgio Leali

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday condemned anti-Olympics protesters and the unknown perpetrators of railway sabotage that caused train delays, particularly on the line between Bologna and Venice.

“Then you have them, the enemies of Italy and Italians, who demonstrate ‘against the Olympics,’ causing these images to be broadcast on television around the world. After others cut the railway cables to prevent trains from leaving,” Meloni wrote in a social media post that included FoxNews footage showing firecrackers and smoke bombs during anti-Olympics protests in Milan on Saturday.

Hours after the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics were officially launched, suspected attacks damaged the Bologna-Venice railway line. On Saturday, Italy’s railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato reported “serious damage to railway infrastructure attributable to acts of sabotage.” One track switch was set on fire near Pesaro, while a few hours later cables were damaged, causing delays on Saturday morning, the operator said.

Italy’s Transport Minister Matteo Salvini was quick to link the episodes to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

“The serious acts of sabotage that took place this morning near Bologna station and in Pesaro, causing major disruption to thousands of travelers, are worrying and echo the acts of terrorism that occurred in France just hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris,” the transport ministry said in a statement on Saturday, a reference to the arson attack that hit the French railway infrastructure in July 2024.

At the same time, protesters, including some violent ones, took to the streets in Milan on Saturday to demonstrate against the Winter Olympics. Six people were arrested after police clashed with the protesters in Milan, the BBC reported.

Africa’s Largest Private Defence Company Moves to Supply Ukraine With New Armoured Vehicle

Olamilekan Okebiorun

07 February 2026 10:58 PM

South Africa-based defence and aerospace manufacturer Paramount Group is seeking to establish a presence in Ukraine’s rapidly expanding armoured vehicle market, signalling Africa’s growing role in global defence supply chains even as Pretoria maintains complex diplomatic ties with Russia.

Africa’s largest private defence company moves to supply Ukraine with new armoured vehicle

Paramount Group is a South African defence and aerospace manufacturer extending its operations to Ukraine's armoured vehicle market.

This expansion reflects Africa's growing influence in global defence industries and involves leveraging European partnerships, such as Paramount Greece.

The company introduced the OWL vehicle, adapted for Ukraine with enhanced protection features to address modern combat challenges.

Paramount's expansion aligns with its historical collaboration with Ukraine in areas like armoured vehicle production and aviation modernization.

Paramount Group, the Sandton-based defence manufacturer founded by South African entrepreneur Ivor Ichikowitz, is entering Ukraine’s fast-growing military procurement market as the war reshapes defence supply chains.

The company, which supplies armoured vehicles, aircraft, naval systems and defence technologies to customers in more than 25 countries across several continents, is expanding internationally as South Africa navigates ties with Moscow while adhering to a policy of non-alignment, amid heightened Western scrutiny.

European subsidiary leads push

The expansion is being spearheaded by Paramount Greece, the company’s European subsidiary operating through Paramount Industries Greece S.A., positioning the firm within European and NATO-linked defence markets.

According to Ukrainian defence outlet Oboronka, the unit earlier this year showcased a locally adapted Mbombe 4 vehicle to Ukrainian defence stakeholders, marking one of Paramount’s most direct engagements with a conflict-zone customer in Europe.

The vehicle is part of the Mbombe family of mine-protected combat platforms designed for high-threat environments. The name “Mbombe” honours a Zulu warrior and signals a focus on protection and durability.

Defence Blog reported that the Ukrainian-configured variant has been designated the OWL, incorporating battlefield lessons from local forces with enhancements focused on resistance to artillery fragments, landmines and small-arms fire, persistent threats that continue to shape procurement priorities.

Integration is being handled by Military Armored Company HUB (MAC HUB), Paramount’s local partner.

The platform draws on the Kalyani M4, produced in India under licence from Bharat Forge, highlighting the increasingly cross-border nature of modern defence manufacturing.

Engineered for blast protection

According to Oleksandr Dubyna, director of MAC HUB, the OWL is the second, and largest, model in the company’s lineup, developed over an 18-month engineering cycle in collaboration with Paramount Greece.

“The main feature of this vehicle is that it has the highest level of mine protection in Ukraine and was designed from the outset on a fully welded monocoque chassis,” chief designer Viktor said.

Pretoria’s geopolitical tightrope

The expansion comes as South Africa navigates a sensitive geopolitical position over the Russia-Ukraine war, with Pretoria seeking to preserve diplomatic ties with both Kyiv and Moscow.

While maintaining longstanding relations with Russia, the government says it follows a policy of non-alignment and supports diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

Paramount’s move into Ukraine, however, signals how some South African companies are pursuing overseas opportunities independently of the country’s delicate diplomatic balancing.

Despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in 2024 after a prolonged business dispute, listing assets of $500 million to $1 billion against liabilities of $100 million to $500 million, the privately owned defence and aerospace manufacturer continues to seek international contracts.

A Centenary of African American Historical Recognition

Dr. Carter G. Woodson began the holiday in 1926 amid the cultural renaissance among Black people in the United States

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Thursday February 5, 2026

Historical Review

On this 100th anniversary of the founding of “Negro History Week” in February 1926, the field of African American historical studies continues to be denigrated and marginalized by the administration of United States President Donald Trump and his supporters within the ruling class.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) had earlier formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLAH) in 1915 and during the following year the Journal of Negro History appeared on the scene in 1916 providing a platform for research being conducted in the field by various scholars.

Woodson, due to the oppressive and racist conditions prevailing during the late 19th century in West Virginia where he was born as well as other Southern states, was forced to delay his primary and secondary schooling. Later he attended Berea College in Kentucky, the University of Chicago and later receiving a PhD from Harvard University in History. Woodson worked as a teacher and administrator in Washington, D.C. and later at Howard, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). 

He would later become dissatisfied with the African American education model in operation during the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. A debate surfaced during the late 19th and early 20th centuries largely personified through the ideological struggle between Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, an earlier African American graduate from Harvard University, in opposition to Booker T. Washington, the founder of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. 

Washington struck a conciliatory tone as exemplified in his 1895 Atlanta Compromise speech claiming that African Americans should focus on self-help and “industrial” education as opposed to the “liberal arts”. Du Bois and others such as William Monroe Trotter, believed that Washington was selling out the African American masses by rejecting the need for basic civil rights, universal suffrage, quality modern education and freedom from persecution.

Between the 1880s and the post-World War II period, more than 4,000 African Americans were lynched in the U.S. After the Civil War a series of Constitutional Amendments and Civil Rights Acts were passed by Congress in the late 1860s and 1870s. Yet, by the early 1880s the reversal of the letter and spirit of these legislative measures were completely overturned. 

By 1896, just one year after Washington’s Atlanta Compromise speech, the deceptive ruling in the Plessy v. Ferguson Case enshrined the false notion of “separate but equal” within the canons of Constitutional law. It would take a series of rulings leading to the Brown v. Topeka case of 1954 to formulate the concept that “separate but equal” was inherently discriminatory and unconstitutional. 

Woodson viewed the contours of African American education as articulated and funded by the U.S. ruling class as lacking in what was actually needed to foster progress and development. Consequently, he left public and higher educational institutions to formulate his own organizations which funded and published his research interests related to African American historical studies. 

After joining the West Virginia Collegiate Institute (WVCI) he worked closely with President John Davis to increase enrollment at the school. He went to WVCI after leaving Howard University due to disagreements with the administration.

In an entry posted on the West Virginia State University website, it notes of Woodson’s work:

“As director of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, Woodson launched the annual celebration of Negro History Week in 1926.  He chose the second week of February for the annual event to commemorate the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Woodson sent out a veritable flood of literature promoting the event, emphasizing the importance of recognizing black achievements and contributions, and suggesting various ways to celebrate the week. As Woodson later wrote, the education departments of three states, North Carolina, Delaware, and West Virginia, celebrated the event in its first year, and he was frankly surprised by the favorable reception to his idea. Notable African American contemporaries, including W.E. B. DuBois and Rayford Logan were impressed.  DuBois considered it one of the greatest accomplishments to come out of the 1920s. The weeklong celebration was expanded into Black History Month in 1976 by President Gerald Ford who used a Bicentennial address to urge Americans to ‘seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black American s in every area of endeavor throughout our history.’” (https://wvstateu.edu/about/history-and-traditions/notable-alumni/carter-g-woodson/)

Chapters of the Association for the Study of Negro (later African American) Life and History (ASNLH) were formed in various cities and regions of the country. Woodson would tour the U.S. delivering lectures and promoting his publications. 

Further Popularization of African American History

During the period of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s through the Great Depression and World War II, Woodson would continue his lecture tours, publications and the building of the Association. He was a prolific writer for African American newspapers such as the Baltimore Afro American, Pittsburgh Courier, New York Age, among others. (https://biblioskolex.wordpress.com/2023/08/29/carter-g-woodson-in-the-new-york-age-1931-1938/)

The writings of Woodson dealt with the absence of African and African American history from the curriculums of primary, secondary and higher education institutions. This was largely true even among those segregated colleges and universities designed for the higher education of African Americans. Many of the ideas advanced in Woodson’s newspaper columns were presented in his well-known work entitled “The Miseducation of the Negro”, published during the Great Depression in 1933. (https://1619education.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/Preface.Mis-Education%20Of%20The%20Negro.pdf)

Several years after the conclusion of WWII, the Cold War became full blown impacting the political will of the education system to recorrect the falsehoods and omissions related to African American history and contemporary affairs. The struggle for civil rights had dispersion cast upon it as being “communist influenced” by emphasizing its role in movements against racism and for an anti-imperialist foreign policy. 

However, by the beginning of the 1960s, an entire decade since the death of Woodson, the emergence of the African American youth movement as exemplified by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), began to throw off the restraints imposed by the Cold War paranoia about a “communist threat.” By the mid-to-late 1960s many of these youth came out solidly against U.S. foreign policy particularly the war in Vietnam and opposition to support by the Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for colonial regimes still operating in Africa and other geo-political regions of the world. 

Along with the demand for civil rights, political empowerment and the end of imperialist wars were the calls for curriculum reforms in all levels of education. The resistance to the demand for Black and Pan-African Studies during the late 1960s through the 1980s must be viewed within the broader social context of African American movements for substantive and revolutionary change. The direction of education has always been a reflection of the values and interests of the U.S. ruling class. Hence, the debate over the character of African American education during the late 19th and early 20th centuries holds tremendous political lessons for the current period. 

The Perils of African American Historical Studies Under the Trump White House

One year after the beginning of the second non-consecutive term of the Trump administration, the attacks on broad segments of the U.S. population have been unrelenting. From the effective liquidation of the Department of Education to the withholding of research grants to higher educational institutions, has clearly illustrated the regime’s hostility towards scientific inquiry.

As part and parcel of this anti-intellectual onslaught is the further mental erasure of African people and other oppressed nations in the U.S. and around the world. The failure to recognize the actual historical trajectory of capitalism and imperialism in the U.S., even though the ruling class has benefitted from these exploitative systems, remains a cornerstone to the war propaganda of the far right. 

A recent example was the removal of a monument acknowledging African enslavement in the first capitol city of the U.S., which is Philadelphia in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. These actions are in line with the Trump administration’s attempt to obliterate the historical memory related to enslavement, colonial rule and economic exploitation.

A January 30 report published by the Associate Press explained that:

“A federal judge warned Justice Department lawyers on Friday that they were making ‘dangerous’ and ‘horrifying’ statements when they said the Trump Administration can decide what part of American history to display at National Park Service sites. The sharp exchange erupted during a hearing in Philadelphia over the abrupt removal of an exhibit on the history of slavery at the site of the former President’s House on Independence Mall. The city, which worked in tandem with the park service on the exhibit two decades ago, was stunned to find workers this month using crowbars to remove outdoor plaques, panels and other materials that told the stories of the nine people who had been enslaved there. Some of the history had only been unearthed in the past quarter-century.” (https://apnews.com/article/slavery-exhibit-removed-philadelphia-trump-executive-order-cd55e4f2a0d2a528540f73911972f677)

These state actions of repressing African American history must be resisted on various levels. African Americans and other interested parties could return to organizing their own history clubs, study groups and independent publishing houses in following the example of Woodson beginning even more than a century ago. Such independent activities will be conjoined with political campaigns to end institutional racism and foster full equality and self-determination. 

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor with Youri Smouther, on 1+1 Discussing Modern Egyptian History

Hello everyone.  This is part two of my conversation with Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African News Wire on the history and current affairs of Egypt. 

To watch this episode in its entirety just go the following URL:1+1 E362 Youri & Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan African Newswire & Black Agenda Report on Egypt Part 2 of 2 

In this episode we look at the anti-colonial resistance to the Ottomans and the British, Egypt's early years of independence under the Egyptian Monarchy that was still closely tied to British imperialism/colonialism and the rise of Mohamed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser and looking at his socioeconomic legacy which was largely left-wing/left leaning and for the first time in Egyptian history arguably since Cleopatra someone who fought for Egyptian sovereignty but for all Egyptians, the vast working class and poor. 

We look at Nasser's legacy also on foreign policy while also looking at the Muslim Brotherhood, the rise of Anwar Sadat and his pivot to the economic right and neoliberalism, the reign and legacy of Hosni Mubarak, what led to his downfall and the rise of Mohamed Morsi whose Freedom and Justice Party was an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood and what led to his downfall. 

Was the North African Arab Spring a genuine left leaning people power uprising or was it largely a color revolution that Western Imperialism and its proxy Israel largely restructured? 

Or was it both? We then look at the current affairs of Egypt under the leadership of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi a far-right secular military junta now supposedly under civilian clothing. Egypt's relations with BRICS, Egypt's relations with Sudan and Ethiopia and Western Africa which is going through its Anti-French spring/wave.  

We later explore Egypt since Sadat, its amicable relations with Israel, and we talk about how Israel is NOT surrounded by hostile neighbors, it has an ally in Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf monarchs, much of the North African countries, Lebanon even and now sadly Syria. 

Later Abayomi Azikiwe talks of how the Oslo Peace Accords were a fraud in the end and how the Palestinians didn't achieve a "Two State Solution" for Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem, and it continues to be that way with the exception of Gaza in which illegal settlements were removed but Gaza faced a horrendous economic blockade like that of Iraq in the 90s and Cuba presently for simply voting in democratic elections and voting for Hamas. 

Abayomi Azikiwe explains how since the Oslo Accords and the death of Yasser Arafat, the PLO/Fatah have been acting more as a colonial viceroy for Israel, and whenever Palestinians rise up either non-violently or want to escalate sabotage against Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem or want unity with those suffering in Gaza, the PLO/Fatah/Palestinian authority kneecaps it, and acts as a colonial contractor to Israel and the West and Israel's allies. Also objects to the democratic/secular one state solution.  

All of this and tons more on this edition of 1+1, looking at the history of Egypt, the demise of British colonialism, independence, the rise of Nasser and secularism and socialism, the rise of Anwar Sadat and reactionary neoliberalism and neocolonialism, Egypt's foreign policy during the Cold War, the 90s, and presently with the attempted rise of BRICS and multipolarity, and Egypt's ongoing struggle with Western Imperialism and an economic system that only helps a tiny rich few but leaves the masses of working class, and tiny precarious middle class suffering and struggling immensely which has always been the struggle of Egyptians.

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on 1+1 Discussing Egyptian History, Part I

Hello everyone. Welcome to another edition of 1+1, your place for inconvenient truth telling and myth busting. 

To watch the recording of this episode just go to the following link: 1+1 E362 Youri & Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan African Newswire & Black Agenda Report on Egypt Part 1 of 2

We continue our journey across the African continent. We are still in North Africa covering the history and current affairs of Egypt, from Ancient Egypt to British colonialism. 

Our historical guide and tour guide is Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African News Wire and a Black Agenda Report regular contributor. Abayomi Azikiwe is a journalist, historian, longtime Pan-Africanist Leftist and longtime leftist/anti-imperialist activist. 

We explore Ancient Egypt by asking: who was behind the defacing of the Sphinx and were there racist reasons behind it? We review Egypt under the Ancient Greeks and Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great. Egypt under Ancient Roman Republic Empire. Also, what was Cleopatra's socioeconomic legacy and foreign policy with regards to her diplomatic and romantic relations with Julius Caesar and later Marc Antony? What was Egypt's place in the Holy Roman Empire and how did Egypt fare during the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment? How was Egypt under the Ottoman Empire, how did it become a British colony and what were the conditions of the Egyptian vast working class under British colonialism? We explore all of that, Cleopatra's real or highly disputed racial identity, the oldest Christian societies in Egypt, Egypt as a proxy for British colonialism in the former Sudan as well as early and the oldest Christian societies in Ethiopia. Was Islam exported to Egypt? 

We push back in the spirit of the late Palestinian American Post-Colonial Academic and author Edward Said against some of the "racist/Orientalism" of the West regarding Persian and Ottoman Rule in Egypt and elsewhere. 

We look at how the achievements of Egypt and Black people contributions are heavily suppressed in Western discourse and studies. In addition, we examine how the pillars of Western civilization namely that of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome were where horrific practices occurred in that they had slavery, institutional misogyny/patriarchy, institutional pederasty, and other forms of cruel economic exploitation as well as torture and other human rights abuses. 

All of this and tons more on this special episode of 1+1 looking at the history and current affairs of Egypt Part one of two. 

Next week we look at Egypt and how it became independent of British colonial rule, the rise of Anti-Colonial and Egyptian Leftism with Gamal Abdul Nasser and Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and extreme radical right leaning Sunni movement, the hard shift to neoliberalism/neocolonialism of Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, the brief period of Mohamed Morsi, and the rise of the Egypt's far-right secular neoliberal military junta of General Sisi and the fake democracy that continues under him. 

All of that next week as well as looking at Egypt's foreign policy during the Cold War, the 90s, and presently.

Three African Countries Accept UK Migrant Returns After Pressure

By Al Mayadeen English

6 Feb 2026 13:15

London says thousands may now be eligible for removal after Angola, Namibia and the DRC agreed to cooperate, as the government signals a broader shift in migration enforcement.

Three African countries have agreed to accept the return of foreign offenders and undocumented migrants from the UK after London threatened to impose visa penalties, the Home Office said.

Namibia and Angola agreed to cooperate on removals roughly a month after the warning was issued by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now also committed to accepting returns.

“My message is clear: if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences,” Mahmood said following the agreements.

Visa leverage

The UK government had previously warned that visa access for nationals of Angola, Namibia, and the DRC could be restricted if cooperation on removals did not improve.

The Home Office said deportations had been repeatedly delayed by what it described as obstructive practices, including failures to process paperwork and requirements for individuals to sign their own travel documents, effectively giving them veto power over their removal.

Officials characterised the returns processes in the three countries as “unacceptably poor and obstructive”.

Asylum policy shift

Mahmood first outlined the use of visa penalties as a tool of migration enforcement in November, as part of broader changes to the UK asylum system.

Proposed measures include an “emergency brake” on visas for countries with high numbers of asylum claims, which would remain in place until those governments agree to take back citizens living in the UK illegally.

Following the latest agreements, Mahmood said: “Illegal migrants and dangerous criminals will now be removed and deported back to Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

“I will do what it takes to secure order and control of our borders,” she added.

Thousands eligible for removal

The government estimates that more than 3,000 people from the three countries could now be eligible for removal or deportation as a result of the new cooperation.

Mahmood has signalled that countries refusing to engage with UK return policies should not expect normal visa relations to continue.

According to government sources, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Gabon are among the countries currently resistant to returns agreements, with sanctions or visa restrictions potentially under consideration.  

UK Ordered to Pay $570mln for 1949 Colonial Massacre in Nigeria

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Feb 2026 19:41

The ruling orders compensation and public apologies over a colonial-era crackdown, reviving debates on Britain’s responsibility for historic abuses in Nigeria.

The British government has been ordered to pay $570 million to the families of 21 Black miners killed during a colonial-era protest in Nigeria, in what legal experts are calling a “milestone” ruling.

Enugu High Court Justice Anthony Onovo ruled last Thursday that each family is to receive $27 million, with post-judgment interest of 10% per year until full payment is made. The court also mandated that written apologies be published in Nigerian and British newspapers within 60 days.

The massacre occurred on November 18, 1949, at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in southeastern Nigeria. The miners, protesting harsh labor conditions, racial wage disparities, and unpaid back wages, staged a “go-slow” protest to prevent management from locking them out. Colonial authorities responded with lethal force after the unarmed miners refused to disperse, killing 21 and injuring 51 others.

“These defenseless coal miners were asking for improved work conditions; they were not embarking on any violent action against the authorities, yet they were shot and killed,” the judge noted.

'A milestone in the pursuit of historical accountability'

Lawyers for the plaintiffs hailed the decision as a significant step for historical accountability. Yemi Akinseye-George called it “a milestone in the pursuit of historical accountability,” affirming that “the right to life transcends time, borders, and changes in sovereignty.”

The ruling follows other cases highlighting colonial-era abuses, including a 2013 UK settlement of £19.9 million to more than 5,000 Kenyans tortured during the Mau Mau uprising.

10 Downing Street said it had not yet been formally notified by the Nigerian government and therefore could not comment on whether the compensation would be paid.

Historians in Nigeria say the Iva Valley Massacre helped galvanize the anti-colonial movement that eventually led to Nigeria’s independence in 1960. 

Algeria Moves to Terminate UAE Air Services Deal

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Feb 2026 19:48

Algeria has initiated formal steps to end its 2013 air services agreement with the UAE, citing diplomatic protocols.

Algeria has begun formal steps to terminate its air services agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), originally signed in Abu Dhabi in May 2013, state media reported Saturday.

The state-owned radio said Algeria has notified the UAE through diplomatic channels in line with Article 22 of the agreement and will also inform the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to complete the necessary procedures. No reason was immediately given for the move, and the UAE has yet to comment.

Algerian media have recently criticized the UAE, accusing it of attempting to stir regional discord. Last October, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune appeared to target the UAE indirectly, praising ties with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar as "brotherly" while accusing an unnamed Gulf country of interfering in Algeria's internal affairs.

The termination of the agreement marks a rare diplomatic setback between Algiers and Abu Dhabi, highlighting growing strains in bilateral relations after years of underlying tensions.

Algeria calls out the UAE

In early May 2025, Algerian public television described the United Arab Emirates as an “artificial state … a factory of sedition and a source of ideological toxins,” accusing it of attempting to “undermine the unity and identity of the Algerian people,” according to Yabiladi.

The same broadcast warned that the UAE had “crossed all red lines” and was engaging in a “dangerous media escalation” targeting Algerian values, sovereignty, and shared national destiny, highlighting the intensity of the rhetoric used by Algerian public television.

Concerns over regional influence were also raised, as Watanserb reported on May 22, 2025, that Algerian commentators viewed UAE diplomatic and economic activity in the Sahel, including in Mali and Niger, as an encroachment on Algeria’s strategic sphere of influence.

The same Watanserb article quoted El Khabar newspaper claiming that UAE support for regional actors and regimes was seen as hostile to Algeria’s interests, further amplifying perceptions of interference even in the absence of publicly documented actions.

Man Pardoned in U.S. Capitol Riot Pleads Guilty to Threatening Hakeem Jeffries

10:02 PM EST, February 5, 2026

CLINTON, N.Y. (AP) — A New York man accused of threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pleaded guilty Thursday, a year after President Donald Trump pardoned him for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Christopher P. Moynihan, 35, also agreed to serve three years of probation. During a hearing in the town court in Clinton, New York, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge, and sentencing was set for April 2.

Moynihan’s public defender did not immediately return an email seeking comment Thursday night. A message also was left at an email address in public records for Moynihan. A phone number for Moynihan in public records was not in service.

Moynihan, of Pleasant Valley, New York, was accused of sending a text message to another person in October about Jeffries’ appearance in New York City that week.

“I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” Moynihan wrote, according to a report by a state police investigator. Moynihan also wrote that Jeffries “must be eliminated” and texted, “I will kill him for the future,” the police report says.

Moynihan was originally charged with a felony, making a terrorist threat, but pleaded to a lesser crime.

“Threats against elected officials are not political speech, they are criminal acts that strike at the heart of public safety and our democratic system,” Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said in a statement.

Moynihan was sentenced to nearly 2 years in prison for joining a mob’s Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. In January 2025, he was among hundreds of convicted Capitol rioters who were pardoned on the Republican president’s first day back in the White House.

A spokesperson for Jeffries, a New York Democrat, did not immediately return an email message Thursday night.

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Says Trump’s Post on the Obamas Shows a ‘Bigoted and Racist Regime’

By BILL BARROW and RIVER ZHANG

10:55 AM EST, February 7, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ever since a racist video was posted on President Donald Trump’s social media account, the White House has offered shifting responses.

First it dismissed “fake outrage,” then it deleted the post and blamed a staff member.

Trump later told reporters Friday that “I didn’t make a mistake.” The Republican president insisted that before the video was posted, no one saw the part that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates in the jungle.

But the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus had a different explanation when she spoke to The Associated Press.

“It’s very clear that there was an intent to harm people, to hurt people, with this video,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y.

The AP interviewed Clarke, who leads the group of more than 60 Black House and Senate members, hours after the video was deleted on Friday, and she was unsparing in her criticism. “As my mother would say, ‘Too late. Mercy’s gone,’” Clarke said.

Here is an interview transcript, edited for length and clarity.

AP: What was your reaction when you saw that the post?

CLARKE: We’re dealing with a bigoted and racist regime. ... Every week we are, as the American people, put in a position where we have to respond to something very cruel or something extremely off-putting that this administration does. It’s a part of their M.O. at this point.

AP: Do you buy the White House explanation that this was an aide’s mistake?

CLARKE: They don’t tell the truth. If there wasn’t a climate, a toxic and racist climate within the White House, we wouldn’t see this type of behavior regardless of who it’s coming from. ... Here we are, in the year 2026, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, the 100th anniversary of the commemoration of Black history, and this is what comes out of the White House on a Friday morning. It’s beneath all of us.

AP: Has there been any contact between the White House and the Congressional Black Caucus on this? Could there be any good-faith exchange?

CLARKE: There has been no outreach from the White House. We certainly didn’t expect there to be. The outreach has to happen prior to these type of juvenile antics.

AP: Republican criticism built more quickly Friday than it has during previous Trump controversies. What do you make of that?

CLARKE: It’s not lost on them, our communities that we represent, that elections are coming up. So it’s not lost on my colleagues, either. If they want to align themselves with this type of really profane imagery, this type of bigoted and racist attack on a former sitting president and his wife, they are throwing their lot in with an individual who has shown himself to be a disgrace.

AP: It’s not common for President Trump to retract anything. What does that indicate to you that he did?

CLARKE: I think it’s more of a political expediency than it is any moral compass. ... As my mother would say, “Too late. Mercy’s gone.”

AP: What more do you hope to see from the White House about this?

CLARKE: My hope is that we can contain the harm that they’re doing. There are Black children who are listening to their president ... seeing what he’s posting on Truth Social (and) it will have an impact on how they view leadership of their own country. ... I think that this administration has an opportunity to change course. They always do. We leave room for that. But, unfortunately, Donald Trump is hardwired this way.

AP: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

CLARKE: As a democracy, we have to stand up together against this type of racism, this type of bigotry, this kind of hatred that is coming from the president of the United States and those who surround him. ... It’s very clear that there was an intent to harm people, to hurt people, with this video. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have stayed up for 12 hours.

___ Barrow reported from Atlanta.

Border Patrol Agent’s Texts After He Shot a Chicago Woman Five Times Will Be Released, Judge Rules

Story by Natasha Korecki 

Marimar Martinez spoke at a forum held by Democratic lawmakers Tuesday on use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents. (Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

© Stefani Reynolds

CHICAGO — The text messages a Border Patrol agent sent to colleagues and family after he shot a Chicago woman five times can be released to the public, a federal judge ruled Friday. In messages previously released, the agent had bragged about his marksmanship.

U.S. District Judge Georgia Alexakis stated in court that the text messages reflect on the agent’s and the Department of Homeland Security’s credibility. She added that they provide insight on how DHS leadership perceived the shooting.

The agent, Charles Exum, shot Marimar Martinez five times Oct. 4 after she allegedly rammed her car into agents’ vehicles. Martinez denies ramming them and said agents were the aggressors. Exum did not have his body camera turned on during the incident.

In one text message previously made public, he bragged about his shooting skills, writing: “I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.”

Government lawyers argued that the release of Exum’s text messages would further sully the agent and his family.

The judge pushed back. “I don’t know why the United States government has expressed zero concern for the sullying of Ms. Martinez’s reputation,” Alexakis said.

Parente said his team would work with government lawyers on redactions over the weekend, and Martinez’s legal team would be releasing the evidence no earlier than Monday.

The government dropped its case against Martinez, but her lawyers say officials refused to correct the record after branding her a “domestic terrorist.” Martinez pleaded not guilty in October to Justice Department charges that she used her vehicle “to assault, impede, and interfere with the work of federal agents in Chicago.”

The judge ruled Friday that more evidence in Martinez’s case could be made public — including emails, text messages, investigative reports and statements by higher ranking DHS officials that her lawyer said will shine a light on their thinking and how they are instructing their officers. As part of this ruling, body camera footage from an agent who was in the vicinity of the shooting can also be released, as well as photos and reports from after the crash and audio from Martinez’s 911 call.

Alexakis noted that DHS has not publicly addressed that they dropped the case with prejudice — meaning they cannot seek to charge her in the case in the future.

In court filings, Martinez’s attorney Chris Parente wrote that recent fatal shootings in Minnesota show why the evidence in her case is important to the public interest

“Based on recent events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, involving the execution of two U.S. citizens who were engaged in similar peaceful protests as Ms. Martinez at the time of their killings, Ms. Martinez believes certain information disclosed in her case, and currently subject to the Protective Order, would be useful for both the public and elected officials to know regarding how DHS responds in cases where their agents use deadly force against U.S. citizens.”

In court papers, Parente laid out a series of high-ranking officials in the Trump administration who had made misstatements about Martinez.

That included that on Oct. 6, FBI Director Kash Patel shared a post from a different account that included a video on X that read: “This is the video where Marimar Martinez, aka La Maggie, rammed a white DHS vehicle who had their emergency lights on. Another DHS black SUV then attempts to ram Marimar’s SUV from behind. One DHS agent is on the passenger side firing shots. Democrats are insane.”

As of early Friday, Patel had not taken down that post.

Martinez’s attorneys also asked for the release of Flock surveillance camera footage from 30 days before the shooting — arguing that it would show her engaged in everyday activities and rebut the DHS’ statements that she has a history of doxxing federal agents and ambushed them.

The judge ruled in favor of releasing that footage but declined to release license plate reader camera data, saying it would have “little value” to Martinez to clear her name.

At one point during the court hearing, Parente said there would be no need to release any of the footage if the U.S. government publicly said that Martinez is not a domestic terrorist. The judge said the court wasn’t expected to handle negotiations such as that.

After the hearing, lawyers for Martinez said they will continue to fight to clear her reputation.

“You can’t call a U.S. citizen with no criminal history who’s a Montessori school teacher a domestic terrorist, which is such a loaded word in this country, and repeat it over and over as late as yesterday,” Parente said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

Thousands of Libyans Gather for the Funeral of Gadhafi’s Son Who Was Assassinated

By YOUSEF MURAD

12:31 PM EST, February 6, 2026

BANI WALID, Libya (AP) — Thousands converged in northwestern Libya for the funeral Friday of Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son and one-time heir apparent of Libya’s late leader Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed earlier this week when four masked assailants stormed into his home and fatally shot him.

Mourners carried his coffin in the town of Bani Walid, about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of the capital, Tripoli, as well as large photographs of both Seif al-Islam, who was known mostly by his first name, and his father.

The crowd also waved plain green flags, Libya’s official flag from 1977 to 2011 under Gadhafi, who ruled the country for more than 40 years before being toppled in a CIA-Pentagon-NATO-backed counter-revolution in 2011. Gadhafi was killed later that year in his hometown of Sirte as fighting in Libya escalated into a full-blown civil war.

As the funeral procession got underway and the crowds swelled, a small group of supporters took Seif al-Islam’s coffin away and later performed the funeral prayers and buried him.

Ali Saleh, a resident of Sirte city, told The Associated Press said that Gadhafi’s son was a “symbol of reconciliation” who was killed in a “horrible crime in the history of mankind.”

Attackers at his home

Seif al-Islam, 53, was killed on Tuesday inside his home in the town of Zintan, about 135 kilometers (85 miles) southwest of the capital, Tripoli, according to prosecutors.

Authorities said an initial investigation found that he was shot to death but did not provide further details. Seif al-Islam’s political team later released a statement saying “four masked men” had stormed his house and killed him in a “cowardly and treacherous assassination,” after disabling security cameras.

Seif al-Islam was captured by fighters in Zintan late in 2011 while trying to flee to neighboring Niger. The fighters released him in June 2017, after one of Libya’s rival governments granted him amnesty.

“The pain of loss weighs heavily on my heart, and it intensifies because I can’t bid him farewell from within my homeland — a pain that words can’t ease,” Seif al-Islam’s brother Mohamed Gadhafi, who lives in exile outside Libya though his current whereabouts are unknown, wrote on Facebook on Friday.

“But my solace lies in the fact that the loyal sons of the nation are fulfilling their duty and will give him a farewell befitting his stature,” the brother wrote.

Since the counter-revolution that toppled Gadhafi, Libya plunged into chaos during which the oil-rich North African country split, with rival administrations now in the east and west, backed by various armed groups and foreign governments.

Gadhafi’s heir-apparent

Seif al-Islam was Gadhafi’s second-born son and was seen as the reformist face of the Gadhafi regime — someone with diplomatic outreach who had worked to improve Libya’s relations with Western countries up until the 2011 CIA-Pentagon engineered counter-revolution.

The United Nations imposed sanctions on Seif al-Islam that included a travel ban and an assets freeze for his inflammatory public statements encouraging violence against counter-revolutionary rebels during the 2011 US-backed coup. The International Criminal Court later charged him with crimes against humanity related to the 2011 uprising.

In July 2021, Seif al-Islam told the New York Times that he was considering returning to Libya’s political scene after a decade of absence during which he observed Middle East politics and reportedly reorganized his father’s political supporters.

He condemned the country’s new leaders. “There’s no life here. Go to the gas station — there’s no diesel,″ Seif al-Islam told the Times.

In November 2021, he announced his candidacy in the country’s presidential election in a controversial move that was met with outcry from anti-Gadhafi political forces in western and eastern Libya.

The country’s High National Elections Committee disqualified him, but the election wasn’t held over disputes between rival administrations and armed groups.

___

Associated Press writer Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.

AU Commission Chair Condemns Reported Killing of Saïf al-Islam Gaddafi in Libya

Addis Ababa, February 5, 2026 (ENA)—The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has expressed deep concern over reports of the killing of Libyan political figure Saïf al-Islam Gaddafi on 3 February 2026 in the western city of Zintan.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Chairperson strongly condemned the reported killing, warning that such violence risks further undermining ongoing efforts toward a credible and inclusive political transition in Libya.

Saïf al-Islam Gaddafi, 53, the son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, was reportedly shot dead when armed assailants stormed his residence in Zintan, according to Libyan officials and media reports. 

Details surrounding the attackers and their motives remain unclear. Once viewed as his father’s heir apparent, Gaddafi had remained a prominent and controversial figure in Libya’s fractured political landscape and had previously sought the presidency.

His death comes amid continued political instability and efforts to advance a lasting political settlement in the country.

The AU Commission Chairperson extended condolences to the family of the deceased and to all those affected by the incident, stressing the importance of resolving political differences through peaceful and lawful means.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called on the Libyan authorities to uphold the rule of law by ensuring a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing and by holding those responsible accountable in accordance with the law.

He further urged restraint and calm among all Libyan political actors and reaffirmed the African Union’s continued commitment to supporting the Libyan people and institutions in their pursuit of a durable, consensual, and peaceful resolution to the political and security crisis that has afflicted the country since 2011.

Adwa Victory Memorial Emerges as Powerful Symbol of Ethiopia’s National Heritage, Draws Visitors

Addis Ababa, February 1, 2026 (ENA—The Adwa Victory Memorial continues to attract thousands who see it as a vibrant symbol of Ethiopia’s historic stand against colonialism and a testament to the nation’s enduring spirit.

This landmark commemorates the 1896 Battle of Adwa, where Ethiopian forces achieved a decisive victory over Italian invaders, safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and inspiring oppressed peoples across the globe.

Yoseph Beka, Director General of the Adwa Victory Memorial, told ENA that over 350,000 visitors from Ethiopia and abroad toured the site in the last six months, underscoring its significance not only as a historical monument but also as a place for reflection and education. 

He highlighted the deep pride Ethiopians feel for their ancestors’ sacrifices, which resonate beyond Ethiopia’s borders, inspiring Black communities worldwide.

At a time when much of Africa was under colonial rule, the victory preserved Ethiopia’s independence and made the country a global symbol of resistance, dignity, and self-determination for African and Black peoples worldwide. 

 The battle united Ethiopians from across regions and backgrounds under the leadership of Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu Betul, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations.

 He emphasized that the sacrifice of Ethiopia’s forefathers in defending the country’s honor and independence remains a profound source of pride, not only for Ethiopians but also for oppressed Black peoples worldwide. 

 The Adwa Victory, celebrated annually, is recognized as one of the greatest triumphs of Black peoples against colonial aggression, underscoring its lasting historical and symbolic importance.

 Built in the heart of Addis Ababa, the memorial was established to preserve and pass on to future generations the legacy of heroism, unity, and patriotism demonstrated at Adwa. 

 It serves to deepen understanding of the price paid for national unity and inspire citizens to contribute to the country’s shared goals.

 Yoseph described the memorial as a permanent tribute to the fierce struggle of Ethiopia’s ancestors, a living testimony that helps current and future generations grasp the history of the Adwa victory and foster a shared national narrative.

 He also noted the memorial’s role as a major tourism destination, with more than 10,000 of the recent visitors being teenagers, a meaningful indicator of growing historical awareness and collective identity among youth.

“The Adwa Victory Memorial narrates our shared history, anchors our hopes for tomorrow, and forms the foundation of our collective narrative,” he said, adding that today’s generation, like the heroes of Adwa, is expected to make its own lasting contribution to the country’s development.

Ethiopians living abroad have also expressed strong appreciation for the memorial and said the site vividly illustrates the immense sacrifice their ancestors made for the unity and sovereignty of the nation.

 Kia Yadene, an Ethiopian born in Italy, said the Adwa Victory Memorial powerfully commemorates the extraordinary struggle of Ethiopian patriots and serves as a national narrative that conveys hope and courage not only to Ethiopians but also to Black people around the world.

Another visitor, Azeb Yadene, an Ethiopian living in California, the United States, shared her experience during her first visit. “It’s my first time here, and it’s very beautiful. I know that it was built two years ago to commemorate the many Ethiopians who refused to surrender to colonialism,” she said.

 “The sacrifices of Ethiopians during that time were a great inspiration not only for Ethiopia but also for Africa, and they sent a powerful message to the world. I am very happy to be here,” she added. 

 According to her, the memorial offers an important opportunity to learn more about the history of Adwa and pass it on to future generations.

Prime Minister Abiy Receives Warm Welcome at Kombolcha Airport

Addis Ababa, February 6, 2026 (ENA)—Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accompanied by First Lady Zinash Tayachew, arrived today at Kombolcha Airport in the Amhara Region, where they were accorded a warm and respectful reception.

Upon arrival at Wollo Kombolcha Airport, community elders welcomed the Prime Minister and the First Lady with traditional blessings, symbolizing goodwill, unity, and respect.

AUC Chair Engages Regional Economic Communities Ahead of 2026 AU Summit

Addis Ababa, February 6, 2026 (ENA)—The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, last night held consultations with the Permanent Representatives of the African Union’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs), briefing them on the Commission’s strategic priorities ahead of the upcoming African Union Summit. 

The 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government are scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa from 11 to 15 February 2026.

The engagement—welcomed by the Permanent Representatives as an unprecedented and institutionalised dialogue—marked the fourth such interaction under the current leadership of the African Union Commission.

 It underscored the Commission’s commitment to strengthening coordination between the AU and the RECs in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

Discussions focused on the sustainable financing of the African Union Commission and the RECs, enhanced alignment of peace, security, mediation, and preventive diplomacy efforts, the acceleration of regional integration, and collective responses to evolving global geopolitical dynamics.

Participants further emphasized the importance of strengthening African agency through locally driven and sustainable development financing mechanisms.

The consultations reaffirmed the central role of AU–REC collaboration in advancing Africa’s integration, stability, and development agenda.

Civil Society Council Pledges Active Role in Ensuring Peaceful Seventh National Election

Addis Ababa, February 3, 2026 (ENA)—The Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council (ECSOC) emphasized that it has completed wide ranging preparations to support the conduct of Ethiopia’s seventh national election in a peaceful, democratic and fair manner.

Speaking to ENA, Council President Ahmed Hussein emphasized civil society institutions are mobilizing their resources to contribute meaningfully to the upcoming electoral process.

“We are ready to play a positive role in making the seventh national election peaceful, democratic and fair,” he stated.

The president also explained that the Council is working closely with National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to deliver voter education and public awareness programs, facilitate transparent platforms for political party debates and carry out independent election observation.

He further noted that more than 200 civil society organizations have already registered with the ENEB and secured operational licenses. 

According to him, the organizations will formally begin their activities once they receive official certification authorizing them to operate during the election period.

Referring to recent legal reforms, the president said the new civil society proclamation and the expanded institutional mechanisms introduced following national changes have significantly strengthened the participation of civil society organizations in public affairs.

He further stressed that democratic elections play a vital role in transforming the country, transferring democratic values to future generations and strengthening political culture.

“Our focus is to provide broad election education so citizens can exercise their democratic rights responsibly and vote peacefully for the government they believe best serves their interests,” he said.

The Council will also facilitate platforms where competing political parties can present their alternative policies and visions, enabling voters to make informed choices, he added.

The president further stated that civil society organizations will also contribute by participating as independent observers to help safeguard the credibility and integrity of the entire electoral process.