WHO Says Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda Is ‘Emergency’ of International Concern
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a “public health emergency of international concern”, the World Health Organization has said. The WHO made its declaration on Sunday after 88 deaths and more than 300 suspected cases linked to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, prompting Africa’s top health official to say he was “on panic mode”. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, announced the decision before convening a formal emergency committee at the organisation. Experts said the speed was likely to reflect the gravity of the situation. The Bundibugyo virus is one of three strains that can cause Ebola virus disease, and the least common. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the strain, or specific tests. … There have been 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases in the DRC’s Ituri province, which is in the east of the country, bordering Uganda and South Sudan, and about five days’ travel from the capital. Two cases, including one death, have also been reported in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, apparently in people who had travelled from the DRC. The Guardian
Sudan Protection Crisis Escalates as Drone Warfare Surges, UN Warns
The protection environment across Sudan has entered a catastrophic phase, characterized by systematic violence against civilians, severe movement restrictions, and the near-total collapse of protective infrastructure, a joint review of UN and humanitarian assessments revealed on Sunday. The Sudan Protection Cluster warned that the breakdown of civilian defence systems is most acute across Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued to launch indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in northern and central Sudan, while imposing increasingly tight restrictions on populations trapped within their zones of control in Darfur and West Kordofan. Attacks on civilians and unlawful killings remain the gravest nationwide concern. Bombardments, artillery shelling, and ground assaults continue to devastate residential areas, markets, IDP camps, and critical water infrastructure. The explosive proliferation of drone warfare has fundamentally altered the security landscape. Combatants have increasingly relied on unmanned aerial vehicles to strike logistics, storage, and training hubs as conventional ground combat slows. Sudan Tribune
Sudanese Defector Commander Vows to Fight Rapid Support Forces in Kordofan and Darfur
Ali Rizqallah “Al-Savana”, a defected commander from Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), announced on Saturday his intention to fight alongside the army in the Kordofan region and advance toward Um Dafug in southern Darfur. Rizqallah was a prominent field commander in the RSF before his defection. He previously led forces to capture sites in North Darfur, then seized El Nuhud and reinforced the RSF presence in West Kordofan. Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum on Saturday, a day after his arrival in the capital, Rizqallah said he would lead combat operations alongside the army and allied forces to drive the RSF out of Kordofan and Darfur. The defected commander announced he had officially joined the army, which he described as the backbone of the country. He added that his forces would contribute to the reclamation of territory. … Rizqallah detailed his exit from RSF-controlled areas in Darfur, stating that he travelled through El Daein in East Darfur under an official movement order approved by the RSF leadership. He travelled to South Sudan, then to India, before returning to Khartoum. Sudan Tribune
ECOWAS Parliament Adopts Resolution to End Terrorism in Sub-region
The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a draft resolution aimed at ending terrorism and violent extremism across West Africa. The parliament adopted the resolution at the end of its two-week 2026 First Ordinary Session, which was held in Abuja. … The resolution urged member states to strengthen cooperation among themselves and intensify cooperation with the breakaway Sahel countries on intelligence sharing, border security and joint military operations against terrorist groups. The parliament said the resolution was informed by members’ deep concern over the April 25 multiple terrorist attacks in Mali, which claimed the lives of the Defence Minister, Gen. Sadio Camara, his family members, among others. It said the resolution was adopted against the backdrop of the “relevant provisions of the Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security.” … [Hon. Amodu Camera] of The Gambia explained that while the ECOWAS Parliament plays an advisory and oversight role, implementation of its resolutions rests with the ECOWAS Commission, the Council of Ministers and national governments. Daily Trust
Nigeria: Militants Attack Military Training School in Yobe, Kill Army, Police Officers
At least 17 police officers undergoing specialised operational training have been killed after suspected Islamist insurgents attacked the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. The police confirmed the deaths on Saturday, saying the officers were participating in advanced tactical and counter-terrorism training when gunmen launched a coordinated overnight assault on the military facility from multiple directions. … The attack is among the deadliest recent strikes on security formations in Nigeria’s North-east, where insurgent groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have sustained violent campaigns despite years of military operations. … Renewed concerns over North-east insecurity The Buni Yadi assault highlights persistent security threats in Nigeria’s North-east, where insurgents continue to target military formations, communities, and strategic institutions. Premium Times
Uganda’s President Signs Contentious Law Meant to Curb Foreign Influence
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has signed into law a contentious measure that he says aims to curb foreign influence in the country despite heavy criticism from quarters such as the central bank, warning it could trigger “economic disaster”. The 81-year-old Museveni, in power since 1986, has over the years regularly decried outside influence in Uganda, accusing domestic political rivals of receiving funding from abroad. … The “Protection of Sovereignty” bill, passed this month, criminalises promotion of the “interests of a foreigner against the interests of Uganda” and requires foreign agents to register. It also bans anyone working on behalf of foreign interests from developing or implementing policy without government approval. … Central Bank governor Michael Atingi-Ego warned the law could diminish financial flows into Uganda and risked running down foreign exchange reserves, in a situation he called an “economic disaster for our country”. The World Bank also criticised the legislation, saying it could expose to criminal liability a broad range of “routine development activities”. Reuters
Cape Verde Votes in Legislative Race as Five Parties Vie for Power
Cape Verdeans headed to the polls on Sunday in legislative elections marked by uncertainty, with five parties competing and Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva seeking a rare third term in a country long praised for its political stability. … Under Cape Verde’s parliamentary system, the party with the most votes forms the government and selects the prime minister. Silva’s centre‑right Movement for Democracy (MpD), in power since 2016, faces its main challenge from the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), now led by Praia mayor Francisco Carvalho. Three smaller parties are also contesting the 72 seats in the National Assembly in this single‑round vote. … Cape Verde — an Atlantic archipelago of 550,000 people located 600 km off Senegal — has been considered one of Africa’s most stable democracies since its first free elections in 1991. The country has experienced peaceful alternation of power and periods of political cohabitation without violence. Yet beneath this stability lie persistent challenges: poverty, youth unemployment, and the economic vulnerability of an island nation heavily dependent on tourism and transport links. Presidential elections are scheduled for November, with incumbent Jorge Maria Neves, backed by the PAICV, seeking a second term. Africanews
UN Calls for Consensus on Elections After Somalia Talks Fail to Resolve Disputes
The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia on Friday urged Somalia’s federal government and opposition leaders to continue political dialogue and reach a consensus on an inclusive electoral model after talks in Mogadishu ended without resolving key disputes. The UN mission welcomed the resumption of discussions held between May 13 and 15 and praised international partners for supporting the negotiations, but expressed regret that the meetings concluded without a breakthrough. … As Somalia enters what the UN described as a transitional political period, the mission called on the Federal Government of Somalia to engage all stakeholders in order to build agreement around “a practical and unifying” electoral framework. The statement comes amid growing political tensions over Somalia’s electoral process, with disagreements persisting between the federal government and opposition figures over the structure and timing of upcoming elections. Garowe Online
‘Message For Friends And Foes’: Libyan National Army Conducts Grand Exercises
The Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Marshall Khalifa Haftar and controlling southern and eastern Libya, is conducting what officers describe as its biggest military exercise yet — and a message for both friends and foes. … The two-week exercises, which AFP journalists were permitted to observe during a visit over the weekend, will culminate on May 19 to mark the anniversary of the LNA’s 2014 “Operation Dignity” campaign against jihadist groups in Benghazi. The campaign allowed Haftar’s forces to wrest control over the east and ultimately parts of southern Libya. … The drills have deployed a panoply of military hardware — including tank formations and Russian-made Pantsir air-defence systems — with over 25,000 troops, said General Omar Mrajah Al Jedid, the officer overseeing the exercises. … General Noureddine said the LNA has focused less on outright conquest and more on showcasing its control over the east and south of the country, all while “wishing the same for the rest of Libya”. Human rights groups, however, have over the years accused forces linked to Haftar of arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and centralising power only within the Haftar clan. AFP
Tunisians Protest against Saied over Arrests and Economic Strain
Hundreds of Tunisians protested in the capital Tunis on Saturday against President Kais Saied, accusing him of undermining freedoms and presiding over a worsening economic and social crisis. The protest was held under the slogan: “The people are hungry and prisons are full”. Demonstrators called for an end to one-man rule and carried banners denouncing arrests of politicians, journalists and civil society figures, amid concerns of a widening crackdown on dissent. Protesters also criticised what they said was Saied’s failure to tackle the economic crisis, while using the judiciary and police to silence critics. Tunisia is facing acute economic strain, with sluggish growth, soaring prices, shortages of medicines and some food, financing pressures, and deteriorating public services. Saied, who dissolved parliament and began ruling by decree in 2022, has faced mounting criticism from rights groups over what they say is the dismantling of the post-2011 democratic system. … The bar association has called for strikes in coming days over erosion of judicial independence, while the journalists’ union plans protests against the jailing of journalists and restrictions on press freedom. Reuters
Comoros Suspends Fuel Price Hikes after Deadly Protests
Comoros announced the temporary suspension on Saturday of new fuel prices introduced in response to the Iran war, backing down after the hikes prompted demonstrations and deadly clashes across the East African archipelago. The announcement came after one person was killed and five injured in confrontations between protesters and security forces on the island of Anjouan. … He said Azali suspended the decrees related to the fuel price hike, which were introduced on May 9, to allow for talks on the matter. Clashes broke out on Friday following a meeting between the mayor of the Anjouan island town of Mirontsy and the fishermen’s association, which has been on strike since Wednesday in protest against rising fuel prices. Roads were also blocked with stones in Mutsamudu, Anjouan’s capital. … The unrest followed a broader strike that began on Monday after the government raised diesel prices by 46% and gasoline prices by 35%, citing the global oil price surge caused by the war in the Middle East. Reuters
Strike over High Fuel Prices Paralyses Transport in Kenya
Thousands of Kenyan commuters have been stranded and businesses paralysed as public transport operators went on a nationwide strike to protest against recent increases in the cost of fuel. Key roads in the capital Nairobi remained largely empty, forcing some commuters to walk to work, with other parts of the country also affected by the transport crisis. Businesses in parts of Nairobi remained shut and schools asked students to stay at home. Local TV on Monday showed protesters barricading roads and lighting fires. The strike comes days after the authorities raised petroleum prices to record levels, with costs increasing by more than 20%. Kenya, like many other African countries, relies heavily on fuel imports from the Gulf, a supply route disrupted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran that began on 28 February. … The association representing transport operators had earlier urged all vehicle users, including private motorists, public transport buses (locally known as matatus) and truckers, to stay off the roads as part of a coordinated shutdown. BBC
Rwanda Genocide Suspect Kabuga Dead: Court
A suspect in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, accused of masterminding a notorious radio station that urged on the brutal massacres, died Saturday, according to the international court in The Hague where he had faced trial. Felicien Kabuga, who was in his 90s, died in hospital earlier Saturday, said the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in a statement. … Kabuga was arrested in Paris in 2020 after years in hiding using a succession of false passports and aided by a network of former Rwandan allies. … After being eventually caught in Paris, he was transferred to The Hague and charged with genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, incitement to genocide, as well as crimes against humanity including extermination and murder. Prosecutors accused Kabuga, once one of Rwanda’s richest men, of being the driving force behind Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), which urged ethnic Hutus to kill Tutsis with machetes. He was also accused of “distributing machetes” to genocidal groups, and ordering them to kill Tutsis. AFP