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17, February 2026

Iran Supreme leader to Trump: “Warships can be sent to the seabed” ⁰

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has responded to repeated US military threats against Iran, saying that the weapons that can sink the American carriers are “more dangerous” than the warships.

“The American president [Donald Trump] repeatedly says that their military is the strongest in the world. The strongest military in the world, however, can sometimes be struck so hard that it cannot even get back on its feet,” Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday while addressing thousands of people from East Azarbaijan Province.

“They keep saying, ‘We have sent an aircraft carrier toward Iran.’ Fine—an aircraft carrier is certainly a dangerous piece of equipment. But more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon capable of sending it to the bottom of the sea,” he added.

Source: Presstv

17, February 2026

Jesse Jackson dies aged 84 ⁰

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84.

Jackson died peacefully on Tuesday morning surrounded by his family, they say in a statement

“Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family say.

Jackson fought for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King Jr in the 1960s and was twice a candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988

He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and was hospitalised for observation last November after being diagnosed with a degenerative condition.

Source: BBC

16, February 2026

Joshua Osih: going, going, gone!! ⁰

The Social Democratic Front (SDF) faced open internal dissent within its governing bodies. Stéphane Rivel Nguemalieu and Charlie Tchikanda, respectively shadow cabinet ministers for water and energy, and for social affairs, sports, and youth development, signed on January 26, 2026 a “motion calling for the resignation of the national president of the SDF for poor results and opaque party management.”

The two officials blamed Joshua Osih for what they described as a “derisory result” in the 2025 presidential election and for “multiple failures” during the campaign. They summarized their assessment: “In October 2025, our candidate-president secured only 1% of the vote, a derisory result that reflects a lack of strategy, preparation, and lessons learned from the 2018 failure.”

According to the signatories, the result confirmed the failure of a commitment Joshua Osih made in October 2023 during the party’s 10th Congress. At that time, he pledged to “build a strong, conquering SDF capable of winning the 2025 presidential election, or at least improving on the 2018 result.”

Campaign Described as “Approximate”

Stéphane Rivel Nguemalieu and Charlie Tchikanda first criticized a gap between assurances and operational reality. They recalled that the candidate-president claimed that “everything was fully ready in terms of logistics, resources, and human capacity,” but they pointed to operational failures during the campaign.

They cited the late formation of the campaign team, partial coverage of polling stations, and unfulfilled promises to polling station representatives, whom they said leaders “abandoned at the mercy of regional presidents.”

They also cited the absence of large rallies to test popular support and described a campaign director limited to an administrative role at headquarters.

The criticisms extended to political positioning. They cited a lack of solidarity with opposition parties “victims of regime abuses,” insufficient support for victims of arbitrary arrests and detentions, ambiguous messaging on the party’s opposition stance, and a narrative rejecting coalitions that they said resulted in lost votes.

Allegations of Opaque Financial Management

Beyond strategy, the signatories targeted internal management, which they described as opaque. They denounced the absence of a formal budget and administrative and financial procedures manual, as well as repeated violations of the separation between authorizing officers, cash handlers, and spending executors.

They also questioned the transparency surrounding the use of state subsidies, among other governance-related “failures.” Based on these elements, they called on Joshua Osih “to take responsibility and resign from the leadership of the party.”

Failing that, they urged the National Executive Committee (NEC) “to adopt a resolution declaring you ineligible for the 2032 election, as well as for any potential early election.” This move revived the debate over succession at the head of the SDF, which opened after the death in June 2023 of John Fru Ndi, the party’s founding president. That period already led to the exclusion and voluntary departure of several senior party figures.

Source: Sbbc

15, February 2026

Catholic University in Cameroon expands cooperation with Europe ⁰

The exchange of experience in the scientific, cultural, and social fields between two important Catholic academic centers is the result of an agreement signed in February between the Catholic University of Central Africa in Cameroon and the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin in Poland.

The agreement was signed by the rectors: Fr. Prof. Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui of UCAC and Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski of KUL.

Due to the academic reach of the Catholic University of Central Africa, the agreement extends beyond Cameroon to include Chad, Gabon, Guinea, Congo, and the Central African Republic.

The Polish Catholic university educates students from Poland and 45 other countries, mainly from Europe—Ukraine, Belarus, and Spain—as well as a large group of students from Central Asian countries and the United States.

Therefore, as Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski emphasizes, cooperation with the university in Yaoundé goes far beyond the borders of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Africa.

“The priority is not only knowledge, but also spiritual formation, which responds to the challenges of the contemporary world,” says the rector of KUL.

From left: Fr. Jean Paul Rene Ondua Omgba, Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, Fr. Prof. Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui

An African existential approach to social challenges

The agreement is the result of a meeting and discussions between the two rectors in the Vatican several months ago.

Both universities see in this pan-continental exchange an opportunity to deepen their own experience and seek common solutions to contemporary challenges. This may be achieved through student and academic staff exchanges.

UCAC is a university with over thirty years of tradition, established by the Conferences of Bishops of Central Africa. For years, it has educated leaders and specialists who serve the Church and society in their respective countries.

Its programs include theology, philosophy, social sciences, law, and health sciences, aligning with local development needs. At the center of its mission is always the human person and human dignity.

UCAC has already been cooperating with universities in Western Europe for many years. This agreement expands that scope to another region of the continent.

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin has a rich tradition of more than 100 years, and Karol Wojtyła was among its professors before becoming Pope John Paul II.

The university educates nearly 10,000 students and dynamically develops its research and teaching programs internationally. The partnership with the African university now represents an opportunity for its further growth.

“Above all,” adds Prof. Kalinowski, “it offers integration of European academic experience, especially in the humanities and social sciences, with the African existential approach to understanding reality and responding to concrete social challenges.”

Tools for building community and social change

“KUL’s experience in intercultural dialogue, humanistic ecology, public ethics, and the theory and practice of education can find creative application in the African context of UCAC, where education is also a tool for social change and community building,” the rector of KUL explains.

UCAC also brings to the partnership the experience of its students and lecturers, as well as their perspective on global processes that in Europe are often overlooked—especially where religious and social life intertwine with everyday existential challenges.

Cooperation in migration, ethics, and AI

Furthermore, the cooperation between the universities fits with the Church’s global vision as a community of universities that do not compete so much as support one another in fulfilling the missionary function of education.

“Within the framework of intercontinental dialogue, we can develop and create research and teaching programs related to migration, cultural changes, or devoted to ethical issues in the era of technology and artificial intelligence,” concludes Fr. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski.

Source: Vatican News

15, February 2026

President Trump deports 9 Cameroonians despite court protections ⁰

The Trump administration secretly deported nine people to Cameroon, despite many of them having U.S. court protections against such action and none of them hailing from that African nation, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Several of the men and women sent to Cameroon on a January 14 flight from Alexandria, Louisiana, did not know their destination until they were put on a Department of Homeland Security flight and placed in handcuffs and chains, the newspaper said, citing government documents and attorneys for the deportees.

DHS, the State Department and Cameroon’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Reuters could not immediately reach attorneys representing the detainees.

The administration of President Donald Trump has not announced any deal in which Cameroon agreed to accept deportees from other nations.

Source: Reuter

13, February 2026

World’s rules-based order ‘no longer exists’, Germany’s Merz warns ⁰

The rules-based world order “no longer exists”, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned world leaders at a major security summit.

Opening the annual Munich Security Conference, he said “our freedom is not guaranteed” in an era of big power politics, and Europeans must be ready to make “sacrifice”.

Merz also admitted that “a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States” – an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump’s threat to Denmark’s sovereignty by pledging to annex Greenland and his tariff policies towards other European nations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was listening to Merz and will deliver his own speech on Saturday, earlier spoke of a “new era in geopolitics”.

Some 50 world leaders are expected to attend this year’s conference, where European defence and the future of the transatlantic relationship will be discussed.

It comes at a time when US commitments to the Nato military alliance have been called into question. Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland has also been viewed by many European leaders as a watershed moment that has eroded trust with its biggest ally.

The Russia-Ukraine war, tensions between the West and China, as well as a potential Iran-US nuclear deal are also on the agenda at the annual gathering.

Referring to multiple warnings that the rules-based order was collapsing, Merz told the conference: “I fear we must put it even more bluntly: this order, however imperfect it was even at its best, no longer exists in that form.”

He also said that “a rift, a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States. Vice-President JD Vance said this very openly here in Munich a year ago.

“He was right. The culture war of the MAGA [Make America Great Again] movement is not ours. Freedom of speech ends here with us when that speech goes against human dignity and the constitution. We do not believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade.”

Last year, Vance attacked Europe, including the UK, for policies on free speech and immigration. His speech triggered a year of unprecedented transatlantic tension.

But Merz did not write off the decades-long partnership, instead appealing directly to the US by saying “let’s repair and revive transatlantic trust”.

The German leader also revealed that “confidential talks” were ongoing with Macron on creating a joint European nuclear deterrent. He gave no further details.

France and the UK are the only two nuclear powers in Europe – but Germany and many other European nations have traditionally relied on the US nuclear umbrella within the Nato alliance for deterrence.

Ahead of the Munich conference, Rubio warned that “the world is changing very fast right in front of us” after being asked whether his message to Europeans would be more conciliatory than Vance’s a year ago.

“We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to sort of re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.”

Tensions have been heightened in recent months as Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, stating without evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Friday she planned to meet Rubio to discuss the US threats to seize Greenland – Denmark’s semi-autonomous territory from its Nato ally.

Source: BBC

13, February 2026

Biya regime clamps down on shadow fleet as flag purge begins ⁰

Following pressure from the European Union and Ukraine, Cameroon’s government is finally clamping down on shadow ships using its register.

Cameroon’s flag has grown by 126% over the past 12 months and is now Africa’s third-largest, according to data from Clarksons Research, largely thanks to Russian-linked tonnage entering its books. The average age of ships flying the Cameroon flag is 32.7 years.

Prime minister Joseph Dion Ngute, has now taken steps to purge the country’s flag of dark fleet tonnage. Cameroon has suspended new registrations of ships thought to be part of the shadow fleet, as well as setting out to deregister shadow ships that are already on its books.

Splash has reported repeatedly about accidents involving ageing Cameroon tonnage around the world in recent years, such as the grounding of the Liberty suezmax off Batam in late 2023 (pictured).

Source: Splash 247

13, February 2026

Pope Leo appoints Fr John Tatah as auxiliary bishop of Bamenda ⁰

The announcement of the Holy Father’s decision was read on Friday, 13 February 2026, by His Grace Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Bamenda Archdiocese.

Archbishop Nkea made the announcement at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda before a crowd of faithful. This appointment by Pope Leo XIV is a form of recognition for Father John Berinyuy.

In November 2025, Father John Berinyuy Tatah was kidnapped in the district of Ndop, in the North-West region. He was released a few days later after the expiry of the ultimatum set by Archbishop Andrew Nkea, who had warned that Catholic institutions in the area would be closed if the priest remained in captivity beyond 26 November. The Archdiocese had also planned a peaceful march to demand his release.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Fon Lawrence

13, February 2026

Norway’s former PM charged with gross corruption over Epstein links ⁰

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland has been charged with “gross corruption” over his ties with the US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, police have said.

The charge was brought after the Council of Europe lifted Jagland’s immunity, which he enjoyed because of his past diplomatic role. He denies criminal liability and is willing to cooperate, his lawyer says.

Emails released by the US government are thought to show that Jagland planned solo and family visits to Epstein’s homes in Paris, New York and Palm Beach after the billionaire was convicted of a child sex offence.

Three of Jagland’s properties were searched by Norwegian crime unit Økokrim and he is now expected to be questioned.

As well as serving as prime minister from 1996 to 1997, Jagland is also a former head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and spent a decade as secretary general of the Council of Europe.

Jagland had diplomatic immunity from heading the Council, Europe’s watchdog for democracy and human rights, for alleged acts carried out during his 2009 to 2019 tenure.

Økokrim requested the Council revoke his immunity after it launched an investigation earlier this month into allegations of gross corruption made against him between 2011 and 2018.

The so-called Epstein files appear to show instances where the late financier covered the travel expenses to his properties for Jagland and his family.

The former leader had planned a family trip to Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2014, but it was ultimately cancelled after Epstein fell ill.

Jagland also faces allegations that he solicited Epstein’s help in obtaining a bank loan in another exchange, although it is not clear whether this materialised, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Police have not confirmed whether this allegation is part of the gross corruption charge.

Mention in the Epstein files – which have been released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) – does not indicate any wrongdoing.

Jagland was seen walking out of his home alongside his lawyer in Oslo on Thursday, one of the properties – alongside two in Risør and Rauland – that Økokrim confirmed it had searched.

Politicians, celebrities and royals have been caught up in the turmoil after the US DOJ published the latest tranche of files last month, containing millions of private emails, images and FBI reports into the late sex offender – who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.

The Nordic country has seen several public figures drawn into the widening scandal, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit, diplomats Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen, and chief executive of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Borge Brende.

Mette-Marit gave a “profound apology” to Norwegians for her friendship with Epstein, after it emerged they had exchanged messages for three years.

Mona Juul and her husband Terje Rød-Larsen are also being investigated by Norway’s Økokrim for “aggravated corruption” following Norwegian media reports, that each of her children would receive $5m (£3.6m) in a will allegedly signed by Epstein days before he died.

Juul’s lawyer has said she “does not recognise the accusations made against her” and Rød-Larsen’s lawyer said he is confident the investigation will clarify “there is no basis for criminal liability”.

The WEF ordered an independent review into Brende – who also served as the Norwegian foreign minister – over his interactions with the paedophile.

Brende has acknowledged dining with Epstein three times in 2018 and 2019 and communicating with him by email and text, but said he was “completely unaware” of his past criminal activity. He added that he welcomes the WEF’s decision to launch a review.

Source: BBC

13, February 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Norway extends pre-trial detention of Ayaba Cho ⁰

Judge Yngvild Thue of the Oslo District Court extended the pre-trial detention of Cho Lucas Yabah, a separatist leader based in Norway and known as “Ayaba Cho Lucas,” until April 6, 2026. The court recorded the decision in the minutes of the Feb. 9, 2026 hearing, which marked the expiration of the previous detention period.

The court document states that “Cho Lucas Yabah, born August 11, 1972, may remain in pre-trial detention until another decision is taken by the public prosecutor or by the court, but not beyond April 6, 2026.”

Detention renewed every two months since September 2024

Authorities have held Ayaba Cho in custody since September 2024. The judge has renewed his detention every two months, according to the court record. Norwegian authorities opened the case following his arrest in Oslo, which officials announced in September 2024.

After 18 months of repeated denials of release and the addition of new charges of terrorist conspiracy, the prospect of short-term release has diminished, based on the reported elements.

The court could open the trial later this year, as judicial authorities complete the investigation file and finalize the review of evidence gathered since the arrest. Ayaba Cho, who is Cameroonian by origin, naturalized German and resident in Norway, faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison for alleged involvement in killings attributed to separatist militias under his command in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions.

Source: Sbbc