Global Pulse

标签： Africa

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  • Brighton sign winger Azeez from Millwall

    Brighton sign winger Azeez from Millwall

    As the summer 2026 Premier League transfer window drew to a dramatic close, Brighton & Hove Albion pulled off two high-profile deadline-day acquisitions, locking in Nigerian winger Femi Azeez from Championship side Millwall and Spanish young defensive midfielder Chema Andres from Bundesliga club Stuttgart in a combined deal worth almost £28 million before extended administrative deadlines expired. The capture of Azeez comes after weeks of prolonged negotiations, with Millwall rejecting at least three previous offers from the Seagulls before the sides agreed on an initial fee of £12.5 million that can climb above £15 million through performance-based add-ons. This transfer marks a historic exit for Millwall, as it stands as the highest-value sale in the club’s history.

    The 25-year-old winger, who earned a spot in the 2025/26 PFA Championship Team of the Year after an outstanding breakout season that saw him net 11 goals and provide 8 assists across 37 competitive appearances, has signed a four-year contract with Brighton. Azeez, who had long publicly targeted a move to the top flight of English football, becomes Brighton’s 11th new arrival of what has been a frenzied summer transfer window for the south coast club. This window has already included the club’s record-breaking £45 million capture of Croatian centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham Hotspur.

    Azeez first joined Millwall from Reading for roughly £1 million in 2024, and made a total of 77 first-team appearances during his two-year stay at the Den, leaving with two years still remaining on his original contract with the Championship club. Club officials confirmed that the negotiating teams submitted the required deal paperwork to the Football Association shortly before the 23:00 BST statutory transfer deadline on deadline day, and finalized all regulatory checks to complete the signing during the 2-hour extended administrative window that closed at 01:00 BST on Wednesday.

    Not long after confirming Azeez’s transfer, Brighton announced a second major deadline-day signing: 21-year-old Spain Under-21 international Chema Andres, who joins from Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee confirmed to be £15.5 million, signing a five-year contract with the Seagulls. A product of Real Madrid’s renowned youth academy, Andres made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid’s first team in January 2025, before moving to Stuttgart that same summer. In his single season with the Bundesliga side, he went on to make 41 total first-team appearances and played a key role in helping the club secure qualification to the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.

    Brighton’s aggressive summer recruitment drive has been supported by a series of major player sales that generated substantial transfer revenue for the club. Most notably, top midfielder Carlos Baleba completed a £70 million move to Manchester United earlier in the window, freeing up significant funds for the Seagulls’ new signings. Fans can access exclusive pre-match, post-match and original analysis content about Brighton & Hove Albion through BBC Sounds, with dedicated subscription feeds for regular updates on the club.

  • Zambia president inaugurated for second term after disputed vote and opposition arrests

    Zambia president inaugurated for second term after disputed vote and opposition arrests

    LUSAKA, Zambia — In a ceremony drawing thousands of cheering supporters to the capital’s National Heroes Stadium, Hakainde Hichilema was officially sworn in Tuesday for his second five-year term as President of Zambia, an inauguration that comes against a backdrop of deep electoral controversy, detained opposition figures, and restricted access to legal challenges against the poll outcome.

    According to Zambia’s Electoral Commission, Hichilema secured a decisive victory in the August election, capturing roughly 60 percent of the national presidential vote. His main challenger, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, garnered approximately 38 percent of ballots cast. Almost immediately after the results were announced on August 18, Mundubile rejected the outcome, leveling claims of widespread voting irregularities across the southern African nation.

    Zambia has a three-decade history of largely peaceful electoral competition since it restored multiparty democracy in 1991, a track record that has been called into question by the chaotic aftermath of this year’s poll. In the weeks following the election, multiple opposition leaders have been taken into custody, and the country’s courts were temporarily closed to prevent the opposition from filing formal legal appeals challenging the election results.

    The controversy deepened after Mundubile and his running mate Makebu Zulu were taken into custody. The opposition leader told reporters he had gone into hiding immediately after disputing the results, after security forces raided his residence the day after the election, saying he feared for his personal safety. The pair eventually surrendered to law enforcement on August 24, after seeking temporary shelter in a United Nations facility in Lusaka. Local Zambian media has confirmed the two are currently being held at Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison, located in central Zambia.

    The United Nations’ top human rights official has already issued public statements expressing concern over the arrests of opposition figures following the election, and Mundubile now faces additional accusations of treason, a charge that carries severe legal penalties in Zambia.

    Several regional heads of state attended Tuesday’s inauguration to signal diplomatic support for Hichilema’s new administration, including Kenyan President William Ruto, newly inaugurated Botswana President Duma Boko, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

    In his inaugural address to the gathered crowd, Hichilema struck a unifying tone, acknowledging the voices of voters who supported opposition candidates despite the contested outcome. “We receive your support with humility and with a clear understanding of the responsibility it places upon our shoulders. To those who chose other candidates or other parties, we say with equal sincerity, we have heard you,” he told the audience, framing his new term as a mandate to govern for all Zambians regardless of their vote.

  • South Africa reappoint Mosimane as head coach

    South Africa reappoint Mosimane as head coach

    Veteran South African football manager Pitso Mosimane has been formally unveiled as the new head coach of the country’s men’s senior national side, Bafana Bafana, marking a surprise return to the role he left more than a decade ago. The 62-year-old, whose decorated career spans club and continental success across Africa and the Middle East, steps into the vacancy left by Belgian manager Hugo Broos, who departed the post in late July after his five-year contract reached its natural expiration.

    Broos leaves behind a notable legacy during his tenure, guiding South Africa back to the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since the nation hosted the tournament in 2010, and securing a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) — one of the team’s strongest continental performances in recent years. While Mosimane’s first spell in charge of Bafana Bafana, which ran from July 2010 to June 2012, ended in disappointment, his subsequent club track record has cemented his reputation as one of the most successful managers in African football.

    During his first national team tenure, Mosimane’s side infamously missed out on qualification for the 2012 Afcon after incorrectly assuming a draw in their final group match against Sierra Leone would secure their spot in the tournament finals. His departure came just two years into his first contract, following a 1-1 home draw against Ethiopia in the opening qualifier for the 2014 World Cup. In the 12 years since he left the post, Mosimane has collected an impressive array of silverware, including three African Champions League titles — two with South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns and one with Egyptian giant Al Ahly. Most recently, he held a managerial role at top Iranian club Esteghlal, with previous stints also including roles in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

    The South Africa Football Association’s executive committee approved Mosimane’s reappointment on 8 August, but the official public reveal was delayed until Tuesday in Johannesburg, as the club worked to finalize contract details and assemble Mosimane’s supporting technical team. As of the announcement, the length of Mosimane’s new contract with the national federation has not been disclosed to the public. Football fans and analysts across the continent are now watching closely to see whether the decorated club manager can translate his decades of continental success to the international stage, and lead Bafana Bafana to continued progress after the team’s recent breakthrough under Broos.

  • Schools resume classes in Congo’s Ebola epicenter despite concerns from parents and teachers

    Schools resume classes in Congo’s Ebola epicenter despite concerns from parents and teachers

    The Democratic Republic of Congo kicked off its new academic year nationwide this Tuesday, drawing widespread concern from parents and educators over ongoing Ebola transmission risks in the outbreak’s eastern epicenter. The decision to resume in-person classes comes as the country grapples with one of the most devastating Ebola outbreaks in recorded history, which has spread at an unprecedented pace across affected regions.

    Latest official data released by the Congolese government confirms that as of Tuesday, the virus has infected more than 6,100 people and claimed 2,950 lives since the first detected cases emerged last May. Health researchers trace the current outbreak to the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain, which experts confirm has spread faster than any previous outbreak on record. The virus has already reached more than 60 distinct health zones, and public health investigators believe it circulated undetected in local communities as early as February of this year. The World Health Organization has warned that current trends put the outbreak on pace to surpass the 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic, the deadliest occurrence of the disease to date.

    Ituri province, located in eastern Congo, sits at the center of the outbreak. The provincial teachers’ union formally requested a delay to the start of the academic year to implement adequate safety measures, but the national government moved forward with the original schedule. Early reports show notably low student attendance at public schools across the province, and Ituri regional authorities have not responded to requests for details on planned classroom safety protocols.

    Aimerance Vahweka, a parent based in Bunia, Ituri’s provincial capital, says the early resumption of classes caught her and many other local families off guard. She has chosen to keep her own child home for the time being, citing a visible lack of enhanced Ebola prevention measures in local schools. “I do not really see an increase in prevention measures,” Vahweka noted in an interview.

    Some local education representatives, however, say that preparations are underway to protect students and staff. Private schools in Bunia have begun rolling out basic safety infrastructure, including non-contact infrared thermometers, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and dedicated hand-washing stations. “We also raise student awareness about adhering to hygiene protocols, particularly regular handwashing and the use of hand sanitizer,” explained Etienne Ndjabu, a teacher at a Bunia private school.

    Despite these small-scale efforts, international aid organizations warn that major systemic gaps remain. Many schools across affected regions lack consistent access to clean running water, a critical requirement for regular hand hygiene, and public funding for outbreak safety measures has fallen far short of needed targets. Greg Ramm, country director for Save the Children in Congo, noted that logistical barriers compound these issues, particularly in hard-to-reach rural areas. “There are also significant logistical challenges, particularly in remote areas, where the delivery of equipment and learning materials may be delayed,” Ramm explained.

    Health data from the outbreak underscores the severity of the risk to young children. Available statistics show that children under the age of four face the highest case fatality rate of any age group, with roughly 60% of confirmed cases in this demographic resulting in death.

    Ebola response efforts across eastern Congo have faced a cascade of additional barriers that have fueled the outbreak’s spread. Ongoing armed conflict between government forces and rebel groups in the region, repeated targeted attacks on frontline health workers, and large-scale population displacement have all made containment efforts far more difficult. In recent months, health workers in affected provinces have held multiple strikes over delayed hazard pay, which has further disrupted outbreak response operations.

    While there is no universally approved, fully licensed treatment or vaccine for the current strain of the virus, Congolese health authorities have begun rolling out thousands of doses of the experimental Ervebo vaccine, which the WHO has confirmed may offer partial protection against infection for at-risk groups.

  • Zambia’s president to be sworn in for second term while opponent detained

    Zambia’s president to be sworn in for second term while opponent detained

    Zambia is preparing to inaugurate President Hakainde Hichilema for his second five-year term on Tuesday, a ceremony that comes against a backdrop of contested election results, treason charges against the main opposition candidate, and mixed assessments of the country’s nascent economic recovery.

    According to official electoral commission results, Hichilema secured a decisive victory in the August 13 poll, capturing 60% of the national vote. His main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the opposition, finished second with 38% of ballots cast, but has rejected the outcome, claiming widespread tampering with the results. Mundubile was ultimately blocked from launching a formal legal challenge to the election, after court buildings were sealed off on the final deadline for filing petitions.

    International observer missions have echoed some of the opposition’s concerns over procedural irregularities. While most observers acknowledged that voting proceeded largely without violent disruption on polling day, multiple teams flagged significant flaws in the national vote tallying process. A European Union observer mission noted that staff at numerous tallying centers failed to document results on official paper sheets immediately after they were announced, creating a gap between public announcements and formal records. The mission also reported widespread weak cross-verification between digital result entries and physical paper records, and found that local returning officers often paused counting operations for extended periods while waiting for guidance from electoral headquarters.

    Tensions escalated sharply in the days after the poll. The day after voting concluded, Zambian security forces raided a Lusaka property linked to Mundubile. The operation left a former cabinet minister dead and resulted in the arrest of multiple opposition figures. State authorities claimed the raid was necessary to foil a planned armed insurrection by the opposition, a charge opposition leaders have firmly denied. After days in hiding, Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu were taken into police custody last week and formally charged with treason over the weekend.

    For Hichilema, the inauguration marks the start of a new term built on the economic stabilization work he prioritized during his first term, which began in 2021. When the 64-year-old former businessman first took office following a 2021 landslide win, Zambia was grappling with a recent default on its international sovereign debt and annual inflation that surpassed 24%. In pre-election comments to the BBC, Hichilema emphasized the depth of the crisis his administration inherited, describing the country as broken and the economy as steadily declining.

    Over his first term, Hichilema’s government successfully negotiated a major restructuring of Zambia’s outstanding debt and repaired frayed relations with international creditors. Inflation has also been pulled down from the extreme highs recorded in 2021, though persistent price growth continues to place heavy cost-of-living pressure on ordinary Zambians, many of whom still struggle to afford basic goods and services. Ahead of his inauguration, Hichilema has signaled he will focus on expanding on the economic foundations laid during his first five years in office.

    The inauguration ceremony is scheduled to take place at Lusaka’s National Heroes Stadium, with a number of regional heads of state in attendance. Confirmed guests include the presidents of Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tanzania, among other African leaders. Hichilema will be sworn in alongside his vice presidential running mate, Mutale Nalumango, who will also begin her second term in office.

  • Kenya aviation workers end strike that paralyzed airport operations in the capital

    Kenya aviation workers end strike that paralyzed airport operations in the capital

    Two days of crippling work stoppage that shut down large swathes of air travel across Kenya, including its busiest international gateway in Nairobi, has been brought to an abrupt end after union leaders and airport management brokered a last-minute agreement. The Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which launched the go-slow industrial action on Sunday, announced the immediate termination of the strike on Tuesday, confirmed union head Moss Ndiema. The walkout, which impacted not only Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – a critical regional and international travel hub for East Africa – but also aviation operations across the country, left thousands of passengers trapped, with hundreds of flights canceled or delayed. Since the strike began, travelers have described chaotic scenes across airport terminals, with many forced to sleep on waiting room floors and miss critical personal and professional commitments. Among those stranded was Hellen Moraa, a business traveler who was scheduled to fly to the Netherlands via Dubai. Speaking to reporters at the airport on Monday, Moraa warned the unplanned disruptions would lead to significant financial losses for her, labeling the work stoppage an unfair burden for ordinary passengers. The root of the latest industrial action lies in long-simmering grievances from unionized aviation staff, who have raised complaints over what they call unfair hiring practices, uncompetitive compensation packages, and controversial proposed changes to the senior management structure of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The airport has a long history of repeated, intermittent labor unrest, as workers continue to push for meaningful improvements to both pay scales and working conditions. A comparable work stoppage back in February 2024 also left hundreds of passengers stranded at the hub, highlighting the ongoing instability that has plagued Kenya’s aviation sector for months. Following the announcement of the deal between the union and Kenya Airports Authority, aviation officials have begun the gradual process of clearing the backlog of stranded passengers and rescheduling canceled flights, though travelers are still being advised to expect residual delays over the next 24 hours as operations return to normal.

  • Can pineapples thrive in Africa’s Sahel? A Burkina Faso farmer says the answer is yes

    Can pineapples thrive in Africa’s Sahel? A Burkina Faso farmer says the answer is yes

    In the sun-scorched, sandy-stony plains outside Bobo-Dioulasso, western Burkina Faso, Oumarou Compaoré has defied long-held agricultural conventions to build one of the Sahel region’s first large-scale commercial pineapple operations – a project that has become a centerpiece of the landlocked West African nation’s growing push for food sovereignty amid climate volatility and economic instability.

    For generations, conventional agricultural wisdom held that Burkina Faso’s dry, harsh Sahel climate could only support staple crops like cotton, maize and sorghum. Pineapples were widely seen as an exotic luxury import, grown exclusively by wealthier coastal neighboring countries and far out of reach for most local households compared to the ubiquitous mango that grows around many Burkinabe homes. But when border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic cut off supply chains and left fruit markets starved of stock, Compaoré – who had previously cultivated low-profit papayas – saw an opening. He launched his pineapple farm in 2018, branding himself the “Pioneer in pineapple production in the Sahel,” and the operation has since expanded to 50 hectares (124 acres) of productive farmland.

    Compaoré’s unexpected success has captured the attention of Burkina Faso’s ruling military leadership, which has made expanding domestic agricultural production and cutting import dependence a core pillar of its national economic agenda under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in a 2022 coup. Traoré’s government has framed food production as a critical national sovereignty issue: it suspended rice imports in April 2024 to boost local output, inaugurated two domestic tomato paste factories that same year, and even launched a “buy local” campaign in major Ouagadougou supermarkets, where shelves dedicated to domestic goods – from shea butter and cassava flour to mango juice – bear the slogan “Let’s consume what we produce.”

    These policy shifts come as Burkina Faso grapples with overlapping crises that have threatened food security for millions. Decades of reliance on imports have left the country vulnerable to global transport cost spikes and price shocks, while a 10-year long jihadi insurgency has seized control of large swathes of farmland, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and disrupted market access. The United Nations estimates that 2.7 million Burkinabe face acute food insecurity during the annual lean season, when leftover harvest stocks run out and market prices hit their peak.

    Against this backdrop, Compaoré’s pineapple initiative has inspired a growing wave of new farmers to enter the sector. While official national production data has not yet been published, regional agricultural director Adanabou Eric Pascal confirmed that total pineapple cultivation across the Houet administrative region – which includes Compaoré’s farm – had reached roughly 100 hectares (248 acres) as of November 2024. Kola Jean, an agricultural engineer who trains new growers at Compaoré’s farm, estimates more than 100 smallholder farmers have now launched their own pineapple operations.

    One of those new entrants is Kaba Séré, a former nonprofit worker who switched to pineapple farming in 2023 after international aid cuts forced her out of her previous role. “We saw what Oumarou was doing and thought: It is possible, why not?” she said, after completing Compaoré’s cultivation training program. She has now expanded her operation to 60,000 seedlings, and says the profitable crop has allowed her to fully support her family. With pineapples still a relatively scarce commodity in local markets, growers report consistent demand, with many buyers purchasing fruit before it even reaches full maturity for harvest.

    Still, the sector faces significant growing pains. Pineapples require up to two years to reach full harvest, and depend on consistent access to water and upfront investment in inputs like fertilizer, irrigation systems and reliable transport – costs many low-income smallholder farmers cannot cover. Compaoré relies on well water to irrigate part of his farm, but digging new wells is out of reach for most new producers. The Sahel’s increasingly harsh, hot and dry climate also creates growing challenges, though local agronomists have begun developing adaptation strategies, including evening irrigation with cool water to protect plants during extreme heat waves, according to Pascal Bazongo, a soil science professor at Burkina Faso’s University of Fada N’Gourma who advises Compaoré’s project.

    Despite these hurdles, Compaoré remains optimistic about the future of domestic pineapple production. On recently acquired adjacent plots, 30 workers recently planted 60,000 new seedlings to expand his operation. He projects the new acreage will yield 60 to 75 metric tons of fruit, generating roughly $62,000 in revenue. Looking ahead, he says the potential for growth is far from exhausted: “We could even make the country self-sufficient in this fruit,” he said.

  • Dramatically low flyby by passenger jets over packed South African stadium sparks safety debate

    Dramatically low flyby by passenger jets over packed South African stadium sparks safety debate

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa – A high-drama pre-game aerial stunt featuring two commercial passenger jets screaming just meters above the roof of Cape Town’s DHL Stadium has electrified a sell-out crowd of 56,000 rugby fans, but ignited fierce global discussion over whether the event crossed unacceptable safety lines. The low-altitude formation flyby, carried out by South African regional carrier Airlink ahead of a blockbuster rugby clash between the world’s top two ranked teams – South Africa and New Zealand – on Saturday, went viral almost immediately after footage from broadcast cameras and fan witnesses spread across social media.

    Flight tracking data from the widely used aviation monitoring service Flightradar24 estimates the lead Embraer jet passed as close as 12 to 14 meters (41 to 46 feet) above the stadium’s roof, with thousands of spectators and both competing teams positioned directly below. Trailing just behind its lead, the second jet flew straight through a cloud of pink ceremonial dust that had been released from the stadium roof as part of the pre-game entertainment program. As the primary sponsor of the South African national rugby team, Airlink has moved quickly to defend the event, insisting every step of the flyby was planned and executed in full compliance with South African civil aviation safety rules.

    According to a statement released by the airline Sunday, the stunt underwent weeks of detailed planning and multiple full rehearsals before the match. The jets, which carried no commercial passengers, were crewed by three senior captains each: one serving as flight commander, one as co-pilot, and a third dedicated exclusively to monitoring on-board safety conditions. When passing over the stadium, the aircraft maintained a steady speed of approximately 150 knots (278 kph/172 mph), a speed the airline says was well within regulated limits. The airline also noted that both the South African Civil Aviation Authority and national Air Traffic Navigation Services reviewed the plan, issued formal approval, and provided ongoing guidance throughout the preparation and execution of the flight. Post-flight analysis of flight data from both jets, Airlink added, confirms all altitude and speed parameters remained within official civil aviation safety limits.

    Low-altitude stadium flybys are a long-standing tradition for major South African rugby matches, dating back to the iconic 1995 Rugby World Cup final – also between South Africa and New Zealand, the sport’s most storied fierce rivals – when a Boeing 747 completed a low pass over Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium. But this weekend’s event was far lower and more dramatic than any previous flyby, drawing international attention and immediate pushback from aviation safety experts, who argue the stunt left an unacceptably small margin for error.

    Chris Martinus, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association South Africa, told the Associated Press that the lead jet’s altitude adjustments as it passed over the stadium – dipping and climbing to follow the roof contour – created unnecessary risk. “Basically, that lead aircraft … was kind of like dodging over the roof and climbing over the one side and dipping below and then climbing over the other side. That was a little bit uncomfortable,” Martinus said. He emphasized that at such an extremely low altitude, pilots have almost no room to respond to an unexpected emergency: if any unplanned adverse event occurs, there are simply no actionable options to avoid disaster.

    Keith Tonkin, an Australian aviation consultant and former military and commercial pilot, echoed those concerns, noting that Embraer regional jets like the ones used for the stunt are designed for medium-altitude commercial passenger routes, not low-level aerobatic-style operations. Tonkin also warned that the event sets a dangerous precedent that other organizers may try to replicate in the future. “The bigger picture is that a benchmark has been established and others may expect to do something similar, and that’s not going to end well,” Tonkin said. He pointed to common in-flight hazards that become catastrophic at low altitude: even a minor bird strike or unexpected turbulence would leave pilots with too little space to maneuver to avoid crashing into the crowded stadium below.

    As of Monday, South African civil aviation authorities have not issued any additional public comment beyond the Airlink statement confirming their prior approval of the event. The debate over the stunt continues to unfold across aviation and sports circles online, with spectators praising the unforgettable pre-game experience even as safety experts call for stricter rules for future aerial stunts at public sporting events.

  • Workers’ strike at Kenya’s main international airport leaves passengers stranded

    Workers’ strike at Kenya’s main international airport leaves passengers stranded

    A widespread work stoppage organized by aviation employees has thrown operations at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya’s busiest and most strategically important air gateway, into chaos, leaving hundreds of domestic and international passengers stranded amid widespread flight delays and cancellations. The industrial action, led by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), stems from long-simmering worker grievances that union leaders say have been ignored by airport management for months.

    On Monday, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) acknowledged the disruption in an official public statement, confirming that multiple flights had been impacted by the walkout, and urged all passengers planning to travel through the hub to contact their airline directly to confirm flight status before departing for the airport. The strike has already hit operations of Kenya’s largest carrier, Kenya Airways, and its low-cost subsidiary Jambojet, both of which have reported extensive delays across their route networks.

    KAWU’s industrial action is centered on three core demands: an end to what the union calls unfair hiring practices, significant improvements to worker compensation packages, and the withdrawal of proposed restructuring changes to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s senior management framework. A top priority for the union is blocking KAA’s plan to deploy volunteer workers to fill frontline staff roles, a policy union leaders argue devalues the work of trained, full-time aviation employees and puts long-term job security for existing staff at risk.

    Many stranded travelers expressed their frustration with the disruption at the airport over the weekend and Monday. Hellen Moraa, a business traveler who was scheduled to fly to the Netherlands via Dubai, told reporters that the unplanned delay will lead to major financial losses for her work commitments. “It is unfair that ordinary passengers are caught in the middle of a dispute that is not of our making,” Moraa said.

    Union leader Moss Ndiema confirmed that KAWU representatives held a new round of negotiating talks with senior government officials on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to avoid the strike. However, after hours of discussions, the two sides failed to reach a binding agreement on any of the union’s core concerns, including job security protections and revised employment terms that KAWU says remain unaddressed by KAA and the government. Ndiema added that the union has repeatedly accused KAA of failing to provide adequate support and fair working conditions for its workforce.

    This is not the first major disruption to hit the key regional travel hub this year. A similar KAWU-led strike in February also left thousands of passengers stranded at the airport, which serves as a critical connecting hub for travel across East Africa and intercontinental journeys between Africa, Europe, and Asia.

  • Congo authorities report more than 6,000 confirmed Ebola cases and nearly 3,000 deaths

    Congo authorities report more than 6,000 confirmed Ebola cases and nearly 3,000 deaths

    In a grim update released Monday, Democratic Republic of Congo health authorities confirmed that the nation’s unprecedented fast-spreading Ebola outbreak has crossed a devastating threshold, with more than 6,000 confirmed cases and 2,911 fatalities recorded to date. Amid the rising death toll, authorities did highlight one small positive development: over 1,360 patients have successfully recovered from the virus, a trend officials described as encouraging for frontline response teams.

    The outbreak, which is centered in eastern Congo, is expanding against a backdrop of extraordinary operational challenges. Chronic regional insecurity, mass population displacement, a recent strike by frontline health workers, and constant large-scale population movements have all combined to accelerate transmission. Displacement camps, where residents already live in overcrowded, unsanitary and precarious conditions, are emerging as particularly high-risk sites for widespread infection. Just last week, health officials confirmed the virus has reached two more previously unaffected health zones, bringing the total number of impacted areas across the region to nearly 60.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned that the outbreak remains completely out of control, and current projection models indicate it could soon overtake the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic as the deadliest outbreak on record. That earlier outbreak killed more than 11,000 people across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

    Complicating response efforts further, violent attacks against response teams have become increasingly common. On Saturday, an Ebola response team deployed to the outskirts of Mambasa, a town in Ituri province, came under attack while working to safely recover an Ebola-related death. A group of young men armed with machetes stormed the funeral site where the team was operating, forcing all responders to evacuate the area and leaving one team member injured. Floribert Magene, a member of the response team, told the Associated Press that frontline workers are urgently calling for improved protection. “We demand greater security so we can operate in the field and do our work without endangering our lives,” Magene said.

    Unlike many previous Ebola outbreaks, this current event is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, a rare variant of the virus for which no officially licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. In a proactive step last week, Congolese health authorities launched a vaccination campaign for health care workers and other frontline response staff using Ervebo, a vaccine that proved effective against Zaire Ebola — the more common strain that caused previous major outbreaks. Clinical trials for a Bundibugyo-specific vaccine are currently ongoing to develop a targeted tool for fighting this outbreak.

    Health officials retroactively determined that while the outbreak was formally declared in mid-May, the virus had begun spreading quietly through communities as early as February. It has since expanded from just 3 initial health zones to 60, with data showing that the majority of new cases and deaths are occurring outside of monitored contact tracing networks, spreading undetected within local communities.

    Public health control measures, including limits on large public gatherings, social distancing guidelines, and airport closures, have upended daily life across six affected Congolese provinces. Ituri province, which is also grappling with persistent rebel violence that has displaced thousands of residents, has been hit particularly hard by these disruptions. While the Congolese government has rolled out limited interventions, including installing sanitary and medical screening equipment at high-traffic sites, public health advocacy groups emphasize that far more work is needed to build trust with local communities and expand access to care.

    Although neighboring Uganda declared itself officially Ebola-free last month after containing a small cross-border outbreak, the WHO warned last week that the risk of future cross-border spread remains elevated, as long as the large-scale outbreak continues to rage in eastern Congo.