Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son and "heir apparent" of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, has been assassinated at his residence in Zintan. On February 3, 2026, a four-man masked commando unit successfully breached the security of Saif al-Islam's villa, disabling surveillance cameras before a direct armed confrontation. The 53-year-old’s death has been confirmed by his legal team and the Libyan Attorney General's office.

China has reported a sharp surge in its trade surplus, reaching a record nearly $1.2 trillion, even as exports to the United States declined under President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs. Official data shows Chinese exports rose 5.5 percent last year to $3.77 trillion, while imports remained largely flat. The result pushed China’s trade surplus well beyond previous records, highlighting how exporters shifted away from the US market.