Global Briefs: Venezuela advances political amnesty bill

Venezuela

The National Assembly voted unanimously Feb. 5 for a General Amnesty Bill to free political prisoners. The vote came one month after the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces and the reopening of Venezuela’s oil industry to foreign investors. Top official Jorge Rodríguez, brother of acting president Delcy Rodríguez, apologized during the legislative session “for the crimes committed all these years,” urging fellow deputies to “act swiftly” for a final approval of the bill. Venezuelan human rights group Foro Penal welcomed the news “with optimism but caution,” citing the need for transparency and public involvement in the drafting of the law. According to Foro Penal, 350 political dissidents have left prison since Jan. 8, but close to 700 remain behind bars. —Carlos Páez

Libya

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, 53, the influential son of late Libyan dictator Muammar Gadhafi, was shot dead Feb. 3 by four masked gunmen who broke into his home in Zintan, northwestern Libya. Educated at the London School of Economics and a fluent English speaker, he was once seen as Libya’s face of moderation and reform. In June 2011, the ICC issued arrest warrants against him for murders committed during the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew his father. Saif’s declaration as a presidential candidate in Nov. 2021 generated so much outcry that elections were postponed indefinitely. Libya remains divided between a UN-backed government based in Tripoli and an eastern administration led by Military Commander Khalifa Haftar. Experts say Gadhafi’s death removes a major obstacle to holding elections in Libya. —Olalekan Raji

Greece

At least 15 migrants died in a collision between a speed boat and a coast guard vessel off the coast of Chios Island on Feb. 3. Trying to evade pursuit, the speed boat reversed into the other vessel and capsized. Search crews rescued 24 people, most of them from Afghanistan. “The criminals are the traffickers,” said Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, while urging parliament to increase penalties against traffickers. In 2025 Greece introduced stricter policies against asylum-seekers, consistent with an EU trend of tightening immigration enforcement. According to the European Council of Refugees and Exiles, 137,000 illegal Mediterranean border crossings were made in 2025, an 11% decrease from 2024. In 2025, 1,871 migrants were recorded killed or missing during irregular crossings, compared to 2,573 the previous year. —Evangeline Schmitt

Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Agriculture announced Feb. 3 it will issue passports to the country’s 2.2 million camels. The identification document will include the camel’s microchip number, name, birth information, and vaccination records, plus photos of the camel’s left and right sides. The new database will regulate trade and transport and help prove ownership in the kingdom’s $13 billion dollar camel industry. The system will also help ensure the traditional beauty of camels entering pageants for prizes totaling $80 million. In 2023, officials discovered 49% of entrants had had illegal cosmetic treatments including Botox or surgery to enhance lips, noses, and humps. —Amy Lewis

Philippines

A massive fire broke out in a village of stilt houses Feb. 3 in the southernmost province of Tawi Tawi, destroying more than 1,000 homes and displacing 5,000 residents. Strong winds fanned the blaze that quickly spread through the wooden structures. Firefighters extinguished the fire about four hours after it started, and there were no reported casualties. Officials have temporarily housed the displaced in a university gym and in tents in open fields and announced a $425 cash grant for each affected family. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, but locals reported that residents routinely stock gasoline and other fuels in their homes, which likely contributed to the disaster. —Joyce Wu

Panama

The Panama Ports Company (PPC) and its Hong Kong–based parent company CK Hutchinson Holdings began arbitration proceedings Feb. 4 against Panama after the country’s supreme court annulled contracts for PPC to run two ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, calling the company’s terms of operations unconstitutional. Beijing denounced the ruling and directed state-owned companies to freeze investment projects in Panama in retaliation. In 2021 PPC received a 25-year extension for its port contracts. Many view the ruling as a win for the Trump administration, which has been applying pressure on Panama to reduce influence from China. The canal generates over 7% of Panama’s annual GDP and sees 5% of global trade flow through its waters. —Elisa Palumbo