Tripoli’s in the news for a building collapse killing 14, and Libya’s ongoing chaos with military crashes, heritage sites, and migrant tragedies.
On February 3, 2026, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya's former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in his home in Zintan by four masked men who disabled surveillance cameras. His death was confirmed by his lawyer and political adviser. Saif al-Islam was a controversial figure, sentenced to death in absentia and wanted by the ICC, who had sought to re-enter Libyan politics amid ongoing national divisions.
A building in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood collapsed on Sunday, killing 14 and injuring eight. Authorities have identified 114 buildings at risk of collapse, prompting phased evacuations. The disaster highlights decades of neglect, poor maintenance, and illegal construction in Lebanon's poorest city.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is challenging his September conviction for criminal conspiracy related to alleged campaign funding from Libya's Gaddafi regime. The appeal trial, ongoing until June, reexamines evidence from a 12-week hearing. Sarkozy served 20 days in jail before release pending the verdict, which could see him face up to 10 years if convicted.