Sudanese Masses Remain Overshadowed as the RSF Militias Lose Ground to the Armed Forces

The Rapid Support Forces have suffered defeats in North Kordofan while imperialist surrogates fuel the war to benefit Washington

By Abayomi Azikiwe,

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday August 5, 2026

Geopolitical Review

Numerous reports emanating from the Republic of Sudan indicate that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the militia grouping which is said to be backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been forced out of areas in North Kordofan state.

In recent weeks the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) headed by General Abdel-Fattah El-Burhan has appealed to the RSF fighters to lay down their arms and surrender. 

During late July, General El-Burhan, who also heads the Sovereign Council, visited recaptured areas in North Kordofan. These developments could represent a critical turning point in the war between the SAF and RSF which erupted in April 2023. 

The Sudan Dabanga radio network reported on the visit of El-Burhan to several towns in North Kordofan. General El-Burhan made an appearance in North Kordofan to emphasize to his soldiers that they are winning the war against the RSF.

Over the last year as the humanitarian situation in Sudan worsened, the SAF has taken territory previously controlled by the RSF militias. RSF groups had occupied the capital of Khartoum prior to having to flee in the face of the SAF onslaught.

According to Radio Dabanga:

“Travelling by military helicopter, El Burhan inspected frontline troops alongside Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi, North Kordofan Governor Abdelkhaliq Abdelatif, and Sudan Shield Forces commander Abu Agla Keikil, according to the Sovereignty Council. The visit comes as fierce fighting continues across North Kordofan, where both sides are battling for control of the strategic Omdurman–El Obeid Export Road. Military analyst Brig Gen Walid Ezzeldin told Radio Dabanga that the recent advances are significant because they strengthen the SAF’s control of the Export Road, one of Sudan’s most important military and logistical corridors. He said the road is vital for moving troops, ammunition, fuel and supplies towards Kordofan and Darfur, while Bara’s location on the Omdurman–El Obeid route makes it a strategic objective for both the SAF and the RSF.” (https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/el-burhan-visits-newly-captured-north-kordofan-towns)

The RSF has been supported by the UAE, one of the closest allies of the United States and other allied countries in Europe. Although the UAE representatives at the United Nations General Assembly have denied supporting the RSF, other sources reveal that this is indeed the reality of the situation in Sudan. 

Sudan is Wealthy in Resources, Yet the People are Impoverished

This large African state of more than 53 million people has tremendous potential based upon its strategic location which encompasses the Horn of Africa as well as bordering Northern and Central regions of the continent. At the same time, the country has oil and other important natural resources which are important to the world economic system. 

Sudan is a leading producer of gold with mines in the Red Sea Hills, the Nuba Mountains and in the Darfur region. Additional resources include crude oil said to be 1.25 billion barrels and natural gas estimated at nearly 3 trillion cubic feet near border regions. 

Other resources in Sudan consist of various metals such as copper, iron ore, chrome, uranium and rare earth elements located in Darfur, Kordofan and the Red Sea region. Agricultural potential is vast with the presence of arable land around the Nile Rivers which supports the cultivation of cotton, sorghum, peanuts and wheat. There are specialty crops as well such as sesame seeds and gum Arabic. 

Gold at present is the largest export from Sudan which is significant in light of the presence of oil and natural gas in abundance. The partition of Sudan in 2011 which created Africa’s most recent state, the Republic of South Sudan, weakened both countries. This important development has impeded oil production and export over the last 15 years. Internal problems within both North and South Sudan have hampered the capacity for the extraction and export of oil. Compounding the negative impact of the partitioning of what was once the continent’s largest geographic nation-state, is the war between the two largest and best equipped military factions, the SAF and RSF.

The dominance of gold is clearly related to the involvement of the UAE in the fratricidal war taking place over the last three years. The UAE along with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which supports the SAF under the leadership of General El-Burhan, has been blamed by many within the international community for fueling the intra-military war.

An article published on August 4 on the role of gold mining and trading in Sudan says of the present situation:

“The UAE received more than $US100 million worth of gold bullion that was stolen by paramilitary forces from the Sudanese central bank and its state refinery, according to the Financial Times. Sudan’s civil war has fueled the flow of gold — both legal and illegal — between the two countries; an Emirati official said the trade had reached just over $1 billion in 2025. Nearly $30 billion of undeclared artisanal gold is exported from Africa to Dubai each year, according to the charity Swissaid. Sudan’s gold is fueling one of the world’s most brutal civil wars: militias, accused of ethnic cleansing and genocide against non-Arab communities, now use advanced drones, air defense systems and fleets of armored personnel carriers thanks to the UAE.” (https://www.semafor.com/article/08/04/2026/uae-procured-100m-in-stolen-gold-from-sudan-investigation-finds)

Consequently, there is much at stake over who will control the natural resources of the Republic of Sudan. Irrespective of the devastating situation of the workers, farmers and youth of Sudan, external elements which are aligned with Washington, Wall Street and NATO are profiting from the deaths and destruction.

Humanitarian Situation Further Deteriorates in Sudan

The mass democratic movement which erupted in Sudan during late 2018 and early 2019 has been overshadowed by the internecine war taking place between the military factions. Various organizations came to the fore seeking to transform the country from being dominated by the military forces to a society and state controlled by the masses of the people.

Yet both wings of the military, whether it was the SAF or the RSF, proved to be opposed to the creation of a revolutionary democratic state inside the country. The military in Sudan has played a dominant role within the political apparatus as well as the national economy. 

The military factions backed by imperialist-allied powers in West Asia are facilitating the worsening crisis as exemplified in the large-scale deaths, injuries and displacement inside Sudan as well as in neighboring states such as South Sudan, Chad and Egypt. Millions are desperately in need of food, medicines, clean water and shelter from hostile military elements.

A report on the ongoing fighting published by the US Senate ahead of a briefing to the Foreign Relations Committee on the situation, focuses on the continuing hunger, deprivation and insecurity:

“Recent military developments have intensified the conflict's humanitarian toll. The Sudanese Armed Forces and allied forces recaptured key cities in North Kordofan on July 25, including Bara, Al-Baraka and Um Sayala. Hours after the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control of the highway connecting El Obeid to Khartoum on July 27, drone strikes attributed to the Rapid Support Forces hit El Obeid. Two days later, retreating Rapid Support Forces troops launched retaliatory attacks on civilians in multiple North Kordofan communities, including Um Badr, Sodari, Abu Zaima and Hamrat al-Sheikh. The humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate. On July 3, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights warned the conflict ‘threatens to spiral further,’ citing ‘relentless’ drone attacks on El Obeid by paramilitary forces. Civilians have endured ‘siege-like conditions for 18 months.’ A Sudan researcher described the country as a ‘convergence of humanitarian collapse,’ with armed conflict, mass displacement, famine, epidemic disease and economic collapse reinforcing one another. Al Jazeera reported that renewed fighting and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have slowed fertilizer shipments, worsening food insecurity in Sudan.” (https://legis1.com/news/sudan-humanitarian-crisis-senate-panel-will)

Although the Senate has issued this report it cannot distract from the ongoing role of the Congress in funding the war against Iran. The US war on Iran is designed to maintain imperialist hegemony through the continuing existence of the occupation of Palestine by settler-colonialism. The unprovoked war launched by Israel and the US is contributing immensely to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and other states and geopolitical regions in the world. 

The withdrawal of US support for the Persian Gulf Arab monarchies would go a long way in democratizing West Asia and the Horn of Africa. These non-democratic outposts for imperialism serve as military and economic bases for Washington, Wall Street and their allies within Europe. 

However, the response by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its partners such as the resistance forces in Yemen and other regional states has resulted in the upending the geostrategic status quo. Therefore, antiwar and social justice movements in the imperialist states must demand the immediate halt to the war funding against Iran along with the Israeli regime in order to express maximum solidarity with the progressive and national liberation forces in West Asia and the Horn of Africa. 

Pentagon Depletes Long Range Missiles amid Continuing Strategic Defeats against Iran

While the war of resistance to imperialism further regionalizes the struggle against western hegemony intensifies

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Tuesday August 4, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

Once again, the administration of United States President Donald Trump has declared a “pause” in their bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Since February 28 when Washington and Tel Aviv launched an unprovoked war against Tehran and its 92 million people, this act of blatant aggression represented a monumental miscalculation related to the support for the Iranian Revolution and the capacity of the people to repel repeated attempts aimed at political destabilization and the overthrow of the government.

The prolonged war against Iran is now creating a crisis of immense importance in that the very weapons being used to kill civilians and destroy infrastructure are rapidly being depleted. It has become widely assumed that the pause in aggressive actions against Iran is due to the declining capacity of the Pentagon to carry out large-scale strikes aimed at defeating Tehran.

Despite boasting about having the most equipped and efficient military force in the world, the Iranian government has launched repeated attacks on the US and Israel costing billions in damages. The privileged position of the imperialist and zionist allies in the Persian Gulf has been shattered as Pentagon bases, personnel and equipment have been destroyed by the Iranian military on a massive scale.

Since early March the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively under the control of Iran while the economic impact of the war is being felt throughout the world. The prices for oil and many derivative products have skyrocketed. Other commodities which are essential for the global markets have been negatively affected by the failure of the Trump administration to admit defeat and abide by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both belligerent parties in the war and mediated by Pakistan and Oman. 

Among its allies in the United Kingdom and Western Europe, the administration has been exposed for its inability to act in a geostrategic manner which does not weaken its influence on an international level. Beyond allowing US warplanes to utilize their airspace and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aligned military bases, the states in the longtime imperialist alliance have not entered the battle against Iran and its allies in West Asia. The Chancellor of Germany even publicly mocked Trump for what he considered an ill-advised attack on Iran.

After repeated claims that the entire Iranian revolutionary leadership had been eliminated and that the ability of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) to respond militarily was rendered void, not only has the government in Tehran remained in complete charge of the country they are setting the terms for any international discussions related to ending the war. In regard to the statements by Trump about negotiations between Tehran and Washington, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has denied these assertions by the US government. The Foreign Ministry of Iran has said that they are holding talks with the Kingdom of Oman over the future routes through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Pentagon Running Out of Offensive Armaments

During early August additional reports surfaced strongly suggesting that the US has severely depleted its offensive weapons such as long-range missiles. This is being said in the aftermath of massive damage inflicted by the IRGC on US bases in the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Jordan along with the State of Israel. 

According to a report published by Press TV on August 4:

“The US Army has reportedly exhausted much of its stockpile of precision long-range missiles during its five-month war on Iran, weakening Washington’s ability to sustain warmongering policies. The depleted weapons include the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), two key surface-to-surface systems in the US arsenal. Citing two sources, Reuters reported on Tuesday that the military had used ‘virtually all’ of the missiles available to it at the outset of the war, although they declined to disclose how many remain in US inventories. The extent of the depletion has not previously been reported.” (https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2026/08/04/773732/Iran-US-Trump-Israel-TACMS)

Such a revelation is not surprising. The administration, like in other domestic and foreign policy adventures, does not consider the consequences of its actions. Believing that the Iranian government and people would rapidly succumb to the attacks by the Pentagon and the zionist occupation forces, the US with its lack of foresight and tactical maneuvers has quickly wound up in a military quagmire. 

This dilemma for the ruling class in the US and internationally highlights the declining influence of Washington and its cohorts within the other NATO states. Under the Trump administration they have insisted that their partners in the UK and the EU raise the level of military spending to five percent of national budgets. 

Such a shift in domestic policy will undoubtedly further the impoverishment of the working class and oppressed people of Europe. These same policies in the US have not raised the standard of living for the masses. The actual situation is quite to the contrary as being evidenced by the rise in the prices of commodities including energy, housing, food and education.  

The same above-mentioned article went on to point out regarding the strategic blunders of US imperialism that:

“The strain on US arsenals comes as the administration of President Donald Trump seeks to expand weapons production. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has warned, however, that efforts to rapidly replenish ‘exquisite-class’ weapons will take years to bear fruit. The Trump administration has reached agreements with arms manufacturers aimed at quadrupling production of such advanced weapons, while Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst has announced plans for expanded multi-year procurement contracts as part of Trump’s $1.5 trillion military budget request. Yet even under optimistic projections, analysts say rebuilding depleted stocks could take several years. Delivery timelines for newly contracted missiles are expected to stretch between three and five years, despite efforts to expand production capacity.” 

As the administration becomes even more desperate to project itself as the victor in the war against Iran, the more outlandish the proclamations of Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth become. Having assassinated leading Iranian officials including the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the level of anger and desire for retribution has permeated the country and the entire West Asia region. 

People around the world are viewing the US ruling class as being incompetent and delusional. Any European and Latin American government which follows the US line regarding domestic and foreign policies can only suffer the same fate.

The genocidal onslaught against the people of Palestine and Lebanon has strengthened the solidarity movements with the people. There are ongoing demonstrations and other manifestations in the US, Europe and other geopolitical regions opposing the genocidal and imperialist project of zionism.

Pentagon Budget Worsens the Status of Working and Oppressed Peoples

In April the Trump administration sent a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill to the Congress for $1.5 trillion. This represents the largest defense bill in US history. 

Of course, the White House believes that it can spend its way out of the current geostrategic crisis in West Asia. However, the House of Representatives which is dominated by the MAGA Republican politicians only approved $1.1 trillion in the proposed spending.

Nonetheless, within the Senate, which also has a Republican majority, the body held up the bill based upon considerations related to the Iran war and other excessive expenditures. These unprecedented defense bills will only result in the worsening of living conditions among the majority of working families and oppressed people of color communities. 

A report issued during 2026 by the National Urban League (NUL) indicated that the African American people in the US are in an economic recession. These depressed social conditions cannot be separated from the domestic policies of the Trump administration which views the gains of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements of the late 20th century as being detrimental to the white population.

Many African Americans have found career employment within the federal, state and municipal governments. Consequently, the administration and its MAGA affiliates within the Congress are attacking these institutions for racist purposes while at the same time undermining the operational capacity of the public service.

There are similar efforts taking place within the education sector. From the K-12 levels up to the colleges and universities, the Trump White House and Congress are working incessantly to dictate what can be taught and researched. Under the guise of fighting “wokeism” and antisemitism, the administration has suspended research grants while placing political pressure on higher educational institutions to eliminate programs, degrees faculty members. 

Consequently, the administration’s priorities are being clearly illustrated. The focus is on imperialist domination around the world in conjunction with the implementation of fascist policies domestically in the US. 

Therefore, social justice organizations and movements cannot ignore the international questions of the contemporary period related to Palestine, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, the Alliance of Sahel States in West Africa and other contested areas. The mass struggles in the US cannot make headway as long as the ruling class and the capitalist state utilize the resources of the people to replenish its arsenal in the failed attempts to maintain global hegemony. 

Pressure Mounts on FIFA President Gianni Infantino

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is seen prior to the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026.

Gianni Infantino

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing mounting pressure after abandoning a controversial plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Criticism is now coming from inside FIFA itself. Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger called the decision to scrap the proposal "absolutely necessary," while FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the episode as a "sad and reproachable series of events."

The plan, which aimed to create a new commercial company to manage tournaments including the World Cup, collapsed after fierce opposition from UEFA, which reportedly threatened to boycott FIFA competitions.

The fallout is also threatening Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president. Several national football associations have withdrawn their support, while Jordan's football chief has accused FIFA of pressuring federations to back Infantino.

Sudan, AU Commission Chair Discuss Situation in Sudan and Planned Peace and Security Council Visit to Khartoum

Khartoum, 4 August 2026 (SUNA) – Sudan's Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Al-Zain Ibrahim Hussein, met on Tuesday with AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and delivered an oral message from Foreign Minister Ambassador Mohi El-Din Salem.

The ambassador briefed the AU Commission Chair on developments in Sudan, including the Sudanese Armed Forces' battlefield advances, the humanitarian situation, and the country's recovery needs, including the return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The meeting also reviewed regional developments, with the ambassador warning of the negative impact of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia on regional stability.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the planned visit of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) to Khartoum in mid-August under Algeria's chairmanship. The ambassador reaffirmed Sudan's readiness to receive the African delegation and facilitate its meetings with the country's leadership, political forces, and civil society representatives.

Africa: Why Inequality, Not The Next Virus, Could Be the World's Greatest Pandemic Threat

IAS - International AIDS Society

Council member and human rights activist Richard Lusimbo.

5 August 2026

allAfrica.com

By Melody Chironda

Inequality doesn't just make pandemics worse; it helps create the conditions for them to spread, persist and return

For decades, the world has poured billions into laboratories, surveillance systems, vaccines and emergency preparedness in the hope of stopping the next pandemic. But new research presented at the AIDS2026 conference argues that the single biggest factor determining whether countries survive pandemics is not the strength of their health systems - it's the gap between rich and poor. The findings suggest that unless governments confront deep-rooted inequality, the world will remain vulnerable not only to HIV and COVID-19, but also to Ebola and whatever pandemic comes next.

"Inequality shapes who is exposed to disease, who can protect themselves, who can access medicines and whose lives are treated as urgent."

"Inequality shapes who is exposed to disease, who can protect themselves, who can access medicines and whose lives are treated as urgent," said Muleya Mwananyanda, UNAIDS Director of Communications and Influencing. "It also weakens trust, limits countries' ability to respond and determines whether scientific breakthroughs reach everyone or only those who can afford them."

"The missing piece is inequality... Inequality doesn't simply make pandemics worse; it creates a cycle. Inequality allows outbreaks to spread and become more deadly, and pandemics then deepen inequality, making the next outbreak even harder to control," he said.

The findings build on new research by the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, which concludes that disparities within countries are a stronger predictor of pandemic outcomes than traditional measures of preparedness. The Council argues that reducing inequality is essential not only for improving responses to HIV, COVID-19 and Ebola, but also for strengthening resilience against future disease outbreaks.

The research, presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS2026) in Rio de Janeiro, found that countries with higher levels of economic inequality consistently performed worse during pandemics, regardless of how well they ranked on conventional health security measures. The findings challenge the long-held belief that investments in laboratories, surveillance systems and emergency preparedness alone are enough to protect populations during health emergencies.

The Council's analysis has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, with the full supporting data and background analysis available on the Council's website.

A widening gap

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Prize-winning economist and co-chair of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, said the Council's research shows that inequality within countries has become one of the strongest determinants of how nations respond to pandemics. He said that concentrated wealth weakens public investment, erodes trust in institutions and leaves countries less able to tackle health emergencies.

In his presentation at AIDS2026, Stiglitz said that wealth and income have become increasingly concentrated among a small elite since HIV/AIDS emerged in 1981.

He cited a report he helped prepare for the G20; he said the large majority of countries - home to roughly 90% of the world's population - have now crossed the World Bank's threshold for high inequality. He also cited figures showing the richest one percent captured the overwhelming share of new global wealth in recent years, while the poorest half of the world's population saw almost none of the gains.

"When a pandemic hits, inequality undermines trust and social cohesion... and where inequality drives underinvestment in public goods, it weakens our ability to respond."

He argued that when wealth and influence are concentrated among a small elite, policies that could protect public health are often resisted if they threaten economic interests.

That underinvestment, he said, leaves ordinary people more vulnerable to outbreaks, pointing to poor nutrition, inadequate health services, and crowded housing as conditions that inequality worsens and that, in turn, accelerate the spread of disease.

"Inequality is not a fact of nature. It is, in that sense, a policy choice."

He said the Council's research found that countries considered highly prepared under conventional health security measures did not necessarily perform better during the AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics. Instead, he said, more economically equal countries proved more resilient in practice, even when their formal preparedness scores or GDP were lower.

"That should force us to rethink health security," Stiglitz said. "It is not only about hospital beds, laboratories, surveillance systems and emergency stockpiles."

He called for what the Council describes as "inequality-informed pandemic preparedness," arguing that tackling the underlying social and economic conditions that leave populations vulnerable should become a central pillar of global health security.

Stiglitz criticized what he described as a shortfall in public funding for health systems in lower-income countries, arguing that international aid cuts and heavy sovereign debt burdens have left many nations unable to keep pace even as they increase their own health spending. He said the problem is not a lack of global capital - trillions of dollars circulate worldwide in search of returns - but a lack of what he called public fiscal space.

Stiglitz also warned that widening financing gaps are undermining the global response to HIV and future pandemics. He said many low- and middle-income countries remain constrained by mounting debt and shrinking international aid, leaving them unable to invest adequately in health systems and preparedness.

"We can do better," he said. "Together with comprehensive debt restructuring, changes in the global financial architecture could help address the AIDS funding crisis and let countries invest against future pandemics."

"What we need is a new inequality-informed vision of pandemic preparedness."

Rethinking pandemic preparedness

Matthew Kavanagh, Director of the Georgetown University UNAIDS Collaborating Center on HIV and Inequality, said the findings challenge long-standing assumptions about pandemic preparedness.

Despite major scientific advances in effective vaccines and long-acting antiretroviral drugs, pandemics continue to cause devastating health and economic consequences. This, he argued, suggests that the current model of preparedness is missing a critical factor.

The Council analysed global data to examine which factors best predicted countries' responses to both HIV and COVID-19. Researchers compared pandemic outcomes with traditional preparedness measures, including the Global Health Security Index, as well as poverty and inequality. According to Kavanagh, countries that ranked highest on conventional preparedness measures, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa, did not consistently achieve better pandemic outcomes.

The United States, he said, ranked as the world's best-prepared country on multiple major indices in 2019 and 2021. It was rated the least vulnerable nation on one global infectious disease index, yet suffered a COVID-19 death rate more than double the worldwide average, along with persistently high HIV rates. He said Britain, ranked second in global preparedness, saw comparable shortfalls, and that Brazil and South Africa, each rated the most pandemic-ready country in their respective regions, likewise underperformed during COVID-19. By contrast, he pointed to Mauritius, Ethiopia, Ireland, and Uruguay, countries ranked far lower on preparedness indices, as having mounted notably stronger pandemic responses.

To test what actually explains these gaps, Kavanagh said the council built a global dataset spanning four outcome measures: COVID-19 excess mortality, cumulative COVID-19 infection rates, UNAIDS-tracked AIDS death rates, and HIV incidence, controlling statistically for standard cross-national differences between countries. The results, he said, showed that neither a country's overall preparedness score nor its narrower emergency-response capacity predicted better outcomes on either COVID-19 or HIV/AIDS. Poverty levels also failed to predict how countries performed. Instead, income inequality emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of pandemic outcomes.

Each one-point increase in a country's Gini coefficient, a widely used measure of income inequality, was associated with approximately 5.7 additional excess COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people and a 5% increase in HIV incidence, even after accounting for differences in countries' preparedness.

"Countries with better global health security did not have better COVID mortality rates, had worse COVID infection rates, and did not have better HIV responses," he said.

Kavanagh said the finding reinforces the council's central claim: that inequality within a country creates conditions that make outbreaks spread faster, persist longer, and exact a steeper human and economic toll - and that pandemic-readiness frameworks need to be rethought accordingly.

Lessons from HIV for future pandemics

Speaking on behalf of UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, Kavanagh said HIV must remain central to discussions on global health security, arguing that AIDS is still a pandemic and that many of the interventions needed to end it are the same ones required to prepare for future outbreaks. He said governments should broaden pandemic preparedness beyond health infrastructure by addressing inequality and embedding social protection measures into emergency plans.

He said the Global Council's research demonstrates that many of the actions needed to end AIDS are the same ones required to strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks. Kavanagh said governments have invested in pandemic treaties, surveillance systems, and emergency response capacity, but they are failing if they do not address inequalities.

"AIDS remains a pandemic," Kavanagh said. "What we need to fight AIDS, to end AIDS, is also what we need to be pandemic prepared for the next outbreak."

He said overlapping disease outbreaks further illustrate why pandemic responses cannot be developed in isolation. Pointing to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Ebola outbreaks have occurred in areas with high HIV prevalence. Kavanagh said health emergencies often intersect, placing even greater pressure on already vulnerable communities. According to Kavanagh, governments should strengthen social protection programs, expand access to healthcare, and ensure people are not forced to choose between their health and earning a living during outbreaks in order to reduce inequality.

"No one is arguing that laboratories are not essential. No one is arguing that health workers are not fundamental to the response. They are necessary, but clearly they're not sufficient," he said. "Countries have to be able to assess the inequalities they have, how they are likely to inform what happens when a pandemic hits. They need to work to reduce those inequalities as part of pandemic preparedness."

Kavanagh said practical measures such as paid sick leave, unemployment support and direct cash transfers should be built into pandemic preparedness plans so that people living in poverty are not forced to choose between protecting public health and putting food on the table.

Kavanagh said governments also need to address the structural policies that fuel inequality, arguing that reducing pandemic risk requires reforms well beyond the health sector.

Echoing Stiglitz, he said inequality is the result of policy choices rather than an unavoidable reality. He called on countries to close tax loopholes, tackle tax havens and support a fairer global tax system to generate the public resources needed to strengthen health systems and prepare for future pandemics. Kavanagh also urged governments to invest in regional manufacturing capacity for new vaccines, medicines and other health technologies, saying local production would improve countries' ability to respond rapidly when the next pandemic emerges.

"All of these are pandemic preparedness, and yet they are largely missing," he said.

He warned that the world risks becoming even less prepared for future outbreaks as HIV programmes and community systems are weakened while broader pandemic preparedness efforts fail to incorporate the lessons learned from the AIDS response.

"We have two problems," Kavanagh said. "One, what's happening in HIV is that we are dismantling these capacities. And two, other pandemic preparedness measures don't include them... So that means we are potentially more vulnerable and less prepared for a pandemic than we were before COVID-19 hit. And that should worry us all."

Innovation without access

The Global Council also identified unequal access to health technologies and weak social protection systems as major factors driving the link between inequality and poor pandemic outcomes.

Council member Nisia Trindade, senior researcher at Fiocruz and Brazil's former Minister of Health, said scientific advances alone are not enough to protect populations if access to new medicines and vaccines remains unequal. She warned that international patent rules continue to limit many low- and middle-income countries' ability to build the research, manufacturing and production capacity needed to respond rapidly during health emergencies.

"If you have scientific and technological development without the process of considering the impact of inequalities, the inequalities increase a lot. This is what happened with HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and so on," Trindade said. "Science gives us results like vaccines. But if we do not focus on the problem of inequality, we have innovation without access."

Spain's Secretary of State for Health and Council member Javier Padilla Bernáldez said the research also highlights the importance of addressing the social conditions that shape people's vulnerability during health emergencies. He argued that pandemic preparedness must extend beyond healthcare systems to include social protection measures that help people weather economic shocks and guarantee access to essential health services.

"Once pandemics arrive in a society, people need a guarantee that they are going to survive even if they cannot go to work," Padilla said. "We should be taking a look at universal public services, especially universal health coverage. We still have in many countries population groups that are not provided health coverage."

Communities are the missing link in pandemic preparedness

Ugandan human rights activist and Global Council member Richard Lusimbo said community-led organisations must be recognised as a core part of pandemic preparedness rather than treated as an afterthought.

"Laboratories may detect a pathogen, but communities detect fear, misinformation, stigma and resistance."

Lusimbo said inequalities determine who can safely follow public health advice, access healthcare and remain connected to treatment during outbreaks. He argued that while laboratories and surveillance systems are critical, communities play an equally important role by reaching vulnerable populations, combating misinformation and building trust.

"Communities operate precisely in those spaces where formal systems are weakest," he said. "During the AIDS response, we have seen that community-led organizations have built trust, identified missing populations, supported treatment and challenged harmful laws. The same lessons apply to Ebola, Mpox, COVID and future outbreaks."

Lusimbo said the research presented by the Council reflects the realities experienced by communities every day, where poverty, discrimination, insecure housing and criminalisation continue to shape people's ability to protect themselves during health emergencies.

He argued that community organisations should be viewed as part of the health system itself, warning that they continue to be overlooked despite being relied upon during crises.

"Laboratories may detect a pathogen, but communities detect fear, misinformation, stigma and resistance," Lusimbo said. "A government may issue public health guidance, but communities translate that guidance into language and action that people understand."

Lusimbo said the Uganda Key Populations Consortium is an example of community-led emergency response mechanisms that have provided support to victims of violence, eviction, medical emergencies and legal threats, and community information systems that documented service gaps and human rights violations in real time.

However, he warned that cuts to HIV funding are placing many of these organisations at risk at a time when they are needed most.

"Communities must not be treated as an optional addition to the health system. They are part of the health system," he said.

He called for governments to formally recognise community-led organisations as part of national pandemic preparedness, provide them with predictable and direct funding, and include them in decision-making processes.

"The next pandemic will test not only our science, but also our relationships," he said.

"When communities are excluded, outbreaks spread in silence. When community organizations collapse, trust collapses with them. But when communities are funded, protected and empowered, they can interrupt inequalities before an outbreak becomes a catastrophe," said Lusimbo. "Communities are not simply beneficiaries of pandemic preparedness. Communities are how preparedness becomes real."

 

Kenya: Conservation Groups Demand Independent Probe Into Deaths of 15 Amboseli Elephants

4 August 2026

Capital FM (Nairobi)

Nairobi — Conservation organisations have called for an independent investigation into the deaths of fifteen elephants in Amboseli National Park, saying preliminary findings linking the animals to cyanide poisoning expose dangerous gaps in Kenya's pesticide regulation and wildlife protection.

The coalition, comprising the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), Nature Kenya, the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN), the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya) and the Route to Food Initiative, said the incident should be treated as a national environmental emergency requiring urgent action.

"The deaths of these elephants are not an isolated tragedy. They are a stark warning that hazardous pesticides continue to pose grave risks to wildlife, ecosystems and human health," the organisations said in a joint statement.

According to the lobby groups, preliminary investigations indicate the elephants died after ingesting cyanide-contaminated substances, raising fresh concerns over the use, storage and enforcement of controls on highly hazardous chemicals.

UGM urges probe into toxin linked to elephant deaths

The organisations warned that the poisoning underscores systemic weaknesses in Kenya's pesticide governance, arguing that chemicals banned or severely restricted elsewhere remain accessible despite their potential to harm wildlife and communities.

"This incident demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen regulation, monitoring and enforcement of hazardous pesticides before more lives--both wildlife and human--are lost," they said.

The groups are demanding an independent and transparent investigation to establish the source of the cyanide contamination, identify those responsible and ensure those found culpable are prosecuted.

They also urged the government to tighten oversight of hazardous pesticides, accelerate reforms to phase out highly dangerous chemicals, and strengthen surveillance systems around protected areas to prevent similar incidents.

The conservationists further called for greater collaboration among wildlife authorities, environmental regulators, county governments and local communities to improve early detection and response to wildlife poisoning.

"We cannot continue to lose iconic wildlife to preventable poisoning while dangerous chemicals remain inadequately regulated. This tragedy must become a turning point for stronger environmental governance and biodiversity protection," the statement said.

The deaths of the elephants have renewed scrutiny of pesticide regulation in Kenya, with conservationists warning that toxic chemicals threaten not only wildlife populations but also food systems, water resources and public health if left unchecked.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

Moroccan Families Seek Missing Loved Ones After the Migrant Surge to Spain’s Ceuta

By AKRAM OUBACHIR

9:11 AM EDT, August 5, 2026

FNIDEQ, Morocco (AP) — Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends gather along the Moroccan side of the border with the Spanish territory of Ceuta, scanning for familiar faces.

Each returning migrant is met with the question: Have you seen my son? My daughter? My brother?

Authorities say all but a few thousand of the 72,000 migrants who crossed into Ceuta in recent days have since returned to Morocco. Some families were relieved to welcome them home. Others were disappointed that the migration attempt failed.

Other families still wait desperately for news.

Families hold up photos of the missing

The surge to Ceuta was largely driven by poverty and fueled by online rumors that the border was open, triggering a crisis resonating across Europe. More than 80 people died on both sides of the border, according to authorities, as people swam or climbed fences in the attempt.

Nearly all of the migrants who survived were expelled by Spanish authorities or returned voluntarily after seeing they were unwelcome. Many of those who made it back borrowed phones from strangers to reassure anxious relatives because they had lost or abandoned their phones in the journey.

As the first migrants trickled back to Morocco, an Associated Press reporter watched families hold up printed photographs of missing relatives, stopping returnees one by one in hopes that someone might recognize a face.

The migrants studied each picture, offering what reassurance they could, often saying only that they hoped the missing person was safe.

“I have been looking for my son for five days now,” said Ibtissam Chari, whose son Rayan crossed with friends after hearing that the border had opened. “He called me when he arrived, and since then I haven’t heard anything from him.”

Another woman stood silently facing the border. She said she has heard nothing from her 12-year-old son, who crossed into Ceuta with his older brother. Only the older one has returned.

“I have nothing else to do but come here and wait,” said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her children. “I spend all my days here. I will come back tomorrow again.”

Facebook groups that helped the crossing seek the missing

An estimated 1,000 of the few thousand migrants estimated to remain in Ceuta are minors. Spanish security forces are not authorized by law to expel them, and their fate is uncertain.

It remains unclear whether all of the dead have been found or returned to Morocco. Local newspapers and a source at the morgue in Tetouan, the largest Moroccan city near Ceuta, said the facility had received more than a dozen bodies. Journalists were not allowed to enter. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists.

Meanwhile, Moroccan authorities have welded shut the small opening in the border fence that had been opened to allow many returning migrants to re-enter the country.

Facebook groups that had circulated videos showing where to swim and tracking Spanish and Moroccan patrols have now taken on a different purpose. Families post photos there of missing relatives, hoping someone has seen them.

“If anyone has seen this girl in Ceuta or Castillejos, please let us know. Her family is going crazy,” one user, Hiba Nakaax, wrote in the Facebook group Fnideq Bab Sebta.

Some parents hope their children try again for Europe

Migration has long been woven into the aspirations of many young Moroccans. Poverty and youth unemployment remain high, particularly in inland regions that have not shared in the economic gains seen along parts of the coast.

For many, Europe represents the possibility of work, stability and a different future. Last year’s youth-led Gen Z protests in Morocco reflected growing frustration over inequality and the quality of public services.

Some parents knew their children intended to make the journey.

After returning from Ceuta, 26-year-old Othmane El Merzoug was barefoot and hungry and desperate to communicate with his family. He asked to borrowed an AP reporter’s phone to call his father in the Moroccan city of Salé.

“Dad, I’ve returned from Ceuta. They didn’t allow me to stay,” he said over speakerphone. His father promised to send money to get him home.

A traumatized 17-year-old from Taounate, Mohamed Chakor, also asked to borrow a phone to call his father, who asked for help in finding other ways to reach Europe.

___

Majd Semlali in Fnideq, Morocco, contributed to this report.

Runaway Online Rumors Sparked Frantic Rush by Migrants to the Spanish Territory of Ceuta

By AKRAM OUBACHIR

10:01 AM EDT, August 4, 2026

FNIDEQ, Morocco (AP) — It started with Instagram posts that suggested Spain’s border with Morocco was opening up. Then came Facebook users tracking coast guard patrols and TikTok videos showing where to swim.

After many shares and comments, thousands of Moroccans became convinced that Europe was suddenly within reach.

Within hours, young people began heading toward the border with the Spanish territory of Ceuta in North Africa. Packed buses rolled into the neighboring Moroccan city of Fnideq. Regional trains filled up. Taxis did too.

By the time authorities reacted, some 72,000 people had reached Ceuta in just a few days, the largest migration surge between Morocco and Spain in years. More than 80 migrants died on both sides of the border, including some who drowned and others who were killed in a stampede, authorities said.

Nearly all of the surviving migrants soon returned, but the fallout from last week’s events will linger.

Rumors started online

In the northern Moroccan city of Larache, about 93 miles (150 kilometers) from Ceuta, three friends watched a video posted by an Instagram account called Haraga Ceuta claiming the border would be open. Haraga refers in Moroccan dialect to young migrants who destroy their identification papers and try crossing illegally into Europe.

The post convinced Anas Amrani, Yahya Harak and Ismail Atik that it was worth risking the journey.

For migrants hoping to reach Spanish territory, the most common route begins in Fnideq, where many attempt the roughly 3-mile (5-kilometer) swim around the border breakwater. Others leave from the nearby village of Belyounech.

One TikTok video mapped the exact route swimmers should follow.

On Facebook groups such as Fnideq Bab Sebta, users shared screenshots from vessel-tracking platforms to identify moments when coast guard patrols appeared lighter. Some sought advice on using inflatable boats. Others advertised wetsuits for sale.

“I saw online that the border was open, and I decided to go,” said 17-year-old Omar Danbor from Fnideq, walking back exhausted along the coast.

It’s unclear who was behind the claims that the border was open or who operated many of the social media accounts, several of which were deleted soon after the crossings. The Associated Press contacted several accounts but received no response.

The surge to Ceuta touched a political nerve in Europe, and the European Union is investigating what happened. The EU’s migration commissioner expressed concern Tuesday about online disinformation but didn’t identify a specific culprit.

Chaos unfolded at the breakwater

As migrants reached the shores of Ceuta, mass chaos erupted at a narrow concrete breakwater where many tried to climb onto land.

According to multiple migrants interviewed by AP, people rushed to scramble over the slick rocks at the same time, pushing and climbing over one another. Several said they saw people knocked back into the water and forced beneath others, leaving them unable to resurface as migrants sought to reach land.

“I stepped on the face of a dead man while I was climbing out. I hope God forgives me and all those whose bodies were found,” said Lahcen Kalouch, a Moroccan migrant who reached Ceuta before returning home distraught.

At least 72 people died on the Spanish side of the border. Another 11 died on the Moroccan side.

Tens of thousands of migrants have since returned to Morocco, either after being expelled or leaving by choice because of a lack of shelter, food and water in Ceuta.

Some misinterpreted Spain’s new migration measures

Some migrants misunderstood recent legal developments in Spain, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s immigration regularization measures and a court ruling limiting authorities’ ability to immediately return migrants who swim into Ceuta.

Sánchez’s recent efforts to regularize migration were meant only for people already living in Spain prior to Jan. 1, the majority of whom hail from Latin America and entered Spain legally but overstayed their visas. But some in Morocco misinterpreted his policy, believing they would be allowed to stay. That belief spread online.

“Pedro Sánchez is a liar. He told us if we came, we would get jobs and papers, but they sent us back,” said Adam Assil, a migrant from Casablanca, even though Sánchez never made such a promise.

While attempts to reach Ceuta are common, migration activists said this episode was different because of the way rumors snowballed online, encouraging thousands of people to head toward the territory at the same time instead of in smaller, scattered groups.

Failures happened on both sides of the border

Moroccan authorities said the migration wave was not spontaneous. The Interior Ministry blamed the “exploitation of the digital sphere” and “the spread of misinformation.” Officials offered no evidence but said an investigation had been opened. Spain’s government made similar statements.

Ceuta officials said they had warned the Spanish government of a surge in arrivals before the massive crush on Thursday. The Spanish Interior Ministry said Monday that it had not received “any report or warning regarding the mass arrival of people in Ceuta,” and it praised cooperation with the Moroccan authorities in sending most of the migrants back.

“Nobody addressed how these individuals managed to breach the border,” said Mustapha Azaitraoui, a Moroccan geographer specializing in migration dynamics. “If a large group of people can cross the border under these circumstances, it suggests a broader security issue that has yet to be acknowledged publicly.”

Migrants reject government claims of smuggling

Both Morocco and Spain blamed the Ceuta crisis on human smugglers and trafficking networks, saying organized criminal groups encouraged the mass crossings.

But returning Moroccan migrants interviewed by AP largely rejected that explanation.

“No one smuggled me there. I wanted to go of my own free will, but that country is not worth all this sacrifice,” Kalouch said.

“There are no mafias. The border was open, and I crossed. But now I regret it,” said Danbor, his clothes still wet after making the journey back.

The Spanish Interior Ministry said investigations into smuggling networks are ongoing and noted that Spain and Morocco have carried out joint operations against trafficking groups. The Moroccan Interior Ministry did not respond to questions about smuggling networks.

Several politicians and experts have suggested it would be impossible for so many to cross without Moroccan complicity. A high-ranking Moroccan diplomat appeared to push back against that.

“It would be reductive to say that Morocco should have used force to stop the migrants,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is highly sensitive in Morocco. “We are not Europe’s police.”

The lack of jobs is a key factor

Morocco’s economy is projected to grow by 4.5% this year, boasting major factories, advanced ports and ambitions to become a regional hub for the car industry.

Yet for many young Moroccans, that transformation has not translated into stable work. Youth unemployment remains high, with 37% of people ages 15 to 24 out of work. Among university graduates, unemployment stands at nearly 20%. The dream of migration is often reinforced by stories of relatives who left and returned with cars, new clothes and foreign currency.

One of those who breached the border was a 16-year-old who grew up a few dozen miles from Ceuta. Europe had always seemed a dream close enough to see, yet impossibly far.

So when he saw a post on Facebook suggesting the border was open and thousands were making it across, he joined the rush.

Days later, he was back in Morocco, crying as he asked strangers for money for a taxi home.

“They fired tear gas at me and beat me with batons. There’s nothing for me there,” said the teen, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being stigmatized following his failed border crossing attempt.

“I just wanted to provide for my mom,” he said, wiping his tears.

___

Associated Press journalists Bernat Armangue in Ceuta, Spain; Joseph Wilson and Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain; Houda Benalla in Rabat, Morocco; and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed.

Kenya Unveils Carbon Market Rule Book and Caps the Overseas Sale of Carbon Credits

Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry in Kenya, speaks during the launch of the National Carbon Registry in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Henry Naminde, File)

By ALLAN OLINGO

1:35 PM EDT, August 4, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya has introduced a cap on the amount of carbon emissions credits it will authorize for sale to overseas buyers, unveiling one of Africa’s most detailed rule books for international carbon trading.

The country has set a 10 million metric ton (11,023,113 ton) carbon dioxide equivalent budget for international carbon market transactions up to 2030. It establishes a ceiling against which every request will be assessed under the country’s new carbon markets guide.

The guide, released Monday, creates a framework for approving projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which allows countries to trade emission reduction credits to help meet global climate targets.

“It introduces a national carbon budget for trading to safeguard our Nationally Determined Contribution,” or NDC, Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said.

The Paris Agreement, signed just over a decade ago, commits countries to keeping the rise in global temperatures by the year 2100 compared with preindustrial times “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and says they will “endeavor to limit” them even more, to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Kenya’s carbon budget covers emissions reductions generated in the energy, transportation, industrial processes and waste sectors, with annual allocations capped at 1.67 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Officials say the cap is intended to prevent Kenya from overselling carbon credits that it may later need to meet its own NDC under the Paris Agreement.

The framework replaces an often uncertain approval process characterized by its three-stage decision pathway comprising No-Objection, Approval and Authorization.

“The guide establishes a national carbon budget for trading as a binding safeguard,” Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno said, adding that it provides state agencies with practical decision-making tools throughout a project’s life cycle.

The guide also introduces a conditional list of priority activities covering renewable energy, transportation and waste projects. Forests and other land-use projects are excluded for now while the country develops stronger baselines and data to manage reversal risks. Officials say inclusion on the list does not guarantee approval but is intended to speed the review of projects that align with Kenya’s development priorities.

Kenya has emerged as one of Africa’s largest carbon market destinations, attracting investments in clean cooking, renewable energy, mangrove restoration and forest conservation. The government says the new framework will improve investor confidence by making decisions more predictable while protecting climate integrity and ensuring local communities benefit from carbon market projects.

“Predictability, transparency, and institutional coherence are essential to attracting quality investment,” Ng’eno said, adding that government decisions will be based on “clear, published criteria designed to deliver national benefits without compromising Kenya’s climate integrity.”

DRC: Africa CDC Sounds Alarm as DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Turns Deadliest Yet

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Jean Kaseya works in his office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

By Dominic Wabwireh with AP

Democratic Republic Of Congo

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spiralling out of control, with more than 1,700 deaths recorded in just 14 weeks and contact tracing failing to contain the virus.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said the response was falling short, warning that contact tracing was no longer effectively containing the outbreak.

Speaking during a visit to Bunia on Tuesday, Kaseya said nearly 70% of new infections were emerging outside known contact lists, showing widespread community transmission and underscoring the need for a new strategy.

Fastest-growing outbreak on record

The outbreak has recorded 3,802 cases and 1,707 deaths since it was declared on May 15, making it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever documented.

Kaseya said it had already become the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak and, after just 14 weeks, had grown seven times faster than the 2014-2016 West African epidemic over the same period.

Treatment capacity expands

Kaseya and World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi visited Bunia to inaugurate a new Ebola treatment centre.

Janabi said daily laboratory testing had increased from around 30 samples to more than 2,000, while treatment capacity had expanded to about 1,000 beds. However, he stressed that the response remained insufficient as lives continued to be lost.

Conflict complicates response

Health officials say the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.

Efforts to contain the virus have been hampered by the inability to identify the index case, insecurity linked to armed conflict, population displacement and illegal mining activities, all of which have complicated contact tracing.

More than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the outbreak began, while the majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri province, with infections also confirmed in five other provinces, including Kisangani.

WHO Chief Says Ebola Outbreak is Outpacing Response as Aid Workers Strike Over Pay

2:59 PM EDT, August 5, 2026

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday during a visit to Congo where some health workers are striking over a lack of pay.

Nearly three months into the outbreak, new cases are doubling in some hot spots, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X after meeting with officials in the capital, Kinshasa. It was the second visit by the WHO director-general to the Central African country since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

“We all agree that we must urgently and massively scale up all our efforts across all pillars of the response and by all partners,” Tedros said.

The outbreak has accounted for 3,874 confirmed cases, including 1,751 deaths, as of Monday, according to the latest data from Congo’s Ministry of Health.

In Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, families said many front line workers have gone on strike, worsening access to healthcare that was already challenged by rebel conflict in one of Congo’s most remote and vulnerable areas, its east near the borders of South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

While some workers say they have started receiving payment in the last week for work done since the outbreak began, they are demanding improved wages.

Anicet Baluku, a resident of Bunia, the capital of Itur, blamed the death of his two brothers from Ebola on the strike. “We urge the authorities to quickly find a solution to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy,” he told The Associated Press.

The U.S. Department of State said on Wednesday that it will provide an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and for humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak. Such funding, it said in a statement, has now exceeded $512 million in direct assistance.

The outbreak has eclipsed all previous Ebola outbreaks in its speed of transmission and is the second-largest outbreak on record, behind the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that recorded more than 28,000 cases, including over 11,000 deaths.

The Bundibugyo virus that is causing this outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine, and local officials believe it began in a remote area long before it was declared on May 15.

The outbreak is still “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate,” the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said on Wednesday, adding: “The response is expanding but is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains.”

Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease and Control, said on Tuesday during a visit to Bunia that contact tracing isn’t working, with at least 60% to 70% of new cases coming outside of those being monitored after exposure to patients.

Late detection of cases has been a key contributor to the 45% fatality rate, officials say. Of the 77 most-recent cases reported during a 24-hour period, 44 were fatal, according to the health ministry. At least 717 patients are in isolation while 749 patients have recovered.

Kaseya, who met with Tedros on Wednesday, said Africa CDC is aligning its efforts with responders “around earlier detection, stronger contact tracing, rapid access to quality care and deeper engagement with communities.”

Tedros called for action to reach all affected localities, strengthen coordination under the government’s leadership and protect health workers.

“Above all, communities must be at the center of and have ownership of the response,” he said. “We cannot stop Ebola without their trust, leadership and partnership.”

Why America's Biggest Oil Companies Are Walking Away From Venezuela

When President Donald Trump promises Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile systems, it comes as little surprise when Boeing declines. The same logic applies to ExxonMobil, Chevron and other energy giants that refuse to invest in Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

According to The Wall Street Journal, negotiations remain on hold because compensation claims stemming from past expropriations remain unresolved, while Venezuela continues to offer one of the world's most unpredictable investment environments.

One might assume that, following the removal of Nicolás Maduro and the political transition in Caracas, Washington now exercises direct influence over the country's economic policy. Major corporations see the situation differently. The United States requires revenue from Venezuelan oil exports to flow into accounts controlled by U.S. authorities, with access to those funds postponed until a fully representative government emerges after future elections.

Political Risk Continues to Deter Long-Term Investment

For investors, elections remain an unpredictable variable. The U.S. Treasury issues general licenses for operations in Venezuela that remain valid for only a few months, while the White House retains the authority to revoke them at any time. Such uncertainty makes little sense for oil projects that typically require 10 to 15 years to recover their investment.

If the Chavistas return to power by capitalizing on public dissatisfaction with U.S.-backed reforms, foreign investments could once again face nationalization. Oil revenues could also remain locked in U.S.-controlled accounts, while Washington offers companies no direct guarantee against potential losses.

Venezuelan Oil Bet Falls Short

The reluctance of international oil companies to commit capital suggests that expectations of replacing part of the global supply shortfall with Venezuelan crude have failed to materialize. Venezuela currently produces around 1.1 to 1.2 million barrels of oil per day. Without new investment, the additional 1.5 to 2 million barrels per day that some U.S. analysts projected by the end of the decade are unlikely to reach the market.

Without large-scale development of the Orinoco Belt, one of the world's largest untapped hydrocarbon reserves remains largely inaccessible. That limits future global supply growth and supports Brent crude prices above the $70-75 per barrel range over the long term. Sustained oil prices at those levels would continue to benefit Russian producers and support Russia's state budget.

Trump often approaches multinational corporations as though they were government agencies expected to carry out policy decisions. Chevron, Boeing and other publicly traded companies answer to shareholders and boards of directors, not political campaigns. They cannot commit billions of dollars simply to support White House priorities.

Short-term operating licenses, tariff threats and abrupt policy shifts undermine the financial models on which large energy projects depend. Investments of this scale demand regulatory certainty and long-term political stability rather than temporary political commitments.

The White House may believe it has created attractive opportunities for American corporations by reopening Venezuela to U.S. business. Yet continuing political uncertainty has produced the opposite result. Instead of rushing into the market, major companies have chosen to wait. Confidence in Washington's long-term commitments has weakened, prompting businesses to delay investment until policy becomes more predictable. That growing caution risks further damaging the United States' credibility as a reliable economic partner.

Putin Announces Major Command Changes and Expands Russia's Drone Forces

05.08.2026 15:26

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a broad reshuffle of senior military leadership following a meeting with top Defense Ministry officials, introducing new commanders for frontline operational groupings while appointing the head of Russia's newly established Drone Forces.

Vladimir Putin

Photo: Kremlin.Ru by the Press Service of the President of the Russian Federation

The meeting brought together Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and senior commanders responsible for Russia's military groupings operating in the conflict zone.

During the session, Putin requested an updated assessment of the military situation before announcing a series of personnel changes aimed at strengthening command and logistical coordination.

One of the key appointments saw Valery Solodchuk placed in charge of all Defense Ministry logistics services, consolidating responsibility for military supply and support under a single command.

Putin described Solodchuk as one of Russia's most talented military commanders, expressing confidence that his frontline experience would help improve the organization and delivery of equipment and supplies to troops.

New Commander Named for Russia's Drone Forces

The president also confirmed the appointment of Denis Lyamin as commander of Russia's newly created Drone Forces, a separate military branch established to oversee the country's expanding use of unmanned systems.

Before his promotion, Lyamin served as chief of staff of the Center operational grouping. Putin praised his performance and said he expected the general to play a leading role in developing the new branch into a fully operational military force.

Changes to Frontline Operational Commands

Putin also announced changes to the leadership of two major operational groupings.

Pyotr Bolgarev was appointed acting commander of the East grouping, replacing Colonel General Andrei Ivanayev. The president praised the formation's recent operations, saying it had advanced at a pace deserving of the highest recognition.

Ivanayev, in turn, was appointed commander of the Center grouping, one of Russia's principal operational formations. According to Putin, the unit plays a central role in operations aimed at establishing control over the Donetsk People's Republic.

President Thanks Military Leadership

Addressing the newly appointed commanders, Putin thanked them for their previous service and expressed confidence that their combat experience, leadership skills and professional expertise would help them succeed in their new assignments.

He also asked the officers to convey his gratitude to the soldiers and commanders serving under their command for their continued military service.

Kiev Seeks Major Man-caused Disaster by Attacking Zaporozhye NPP — Russia’s UN Envoy

Vasily Nebenzya said that terrorist activities against the personnel of the Zaporozhye NPP are still underway

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya Denis Akishev/TASS

© Denis Akishev/TASS

UN, August 5. /TASS/. The Kiev regime carries on with its terrorist attacks on the personnel of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) seeking to disorganize the management of the facility and form a major man-caused disaster, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.

"Terrorist activities against the personnel of the Zaporozhye NPP are still underway. July’s murders of specialists responsible for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety, as well as the continuing strikes targeting the plant's territory, indicate Kiev's desire to disorganize management and form a major man-caused disaster," he said.

The Zaporozhye NPP is located on the shores of the Kakhovka Reservoir in Energodar. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, with six power units capable of producing a combined 6 GW of electricity.

Since 2022, the Ukrainian forces have been shelling both residential areas of Energodar and the plant's grounds with artillery and drone strikes. Since September 2022, experts from the IAEA mission have been permanently stationed at the plant. Their composition is regularly rotated.

Kiev’s Drone Attack on Hospital in Donetsk

Brick fragments fell on hospital beds with patients, said Daniil Grigor, deputy head of the DPR People’s Guard

© Evgheny Messman/TASS

DONETSK, August 5. /TASS/. A Hornet drone of the Ukrainian armed forces attacked a hospital in the center of Donetsk, killing one person, a TASS correspondent reported.

Below is a summary of media reports about the attack.

Drone attack

- The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) attacked a hospital in downtown Donetsk, a TASS correspondent reported.

- The drone flew into a ward on the upper floor of the hospital’s department of internal medicine in the Kievsky district of Donetsk.

- The building’s front, a support wall and windows were damaged.

- A Hornet drone was used for the attack.

- Brick fragments fell on hospital beds with patients, said Daniil Grigor, deputy head of the DPR People’s Guard.

Casualties

- City mayor Alexey Kulemzin said a woman born in 1948 was killed, while two more women, born in 1946 and 1952, were wounded.

- One of the victims is in critical condition, the regional health ministry’s press service has told TASS.

- The other victim’s condition is estimated as moderately severe.

- The wounded were taken to the Kalinin Republican Clinical Hospital.

Post-disaster recovery

- The rapid response team of the DPR People’s Guard helped to clean the debris and fix the heating equipment damaged as a result of the attack, Grigor told TASS.

Supreme Commander-in-chief Announces Army Reshuffles in Special Op Zone

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Denis Lyamin, former chief of staff of the battlegroup Center, to oversee Russian unmanned systems forces

© Alexander Kazakov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/. Russian President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the Defense Ministry leadership, during which he announced army reshuffles in the special military operation zone.

TASS has compiled key information on the new appointments and reshuffles.

Battlegroup Center

Putin has appointed Colonel General Andrey Ivanayev to head the battlegroup Center, which operates in the special military operation zone.

"The battlegroup Center is one of our leading units, carrying out the most important and critical tasks in liberating the Donetsk People’s Republic. And the question of who will lead the group, who will command it, is not a simple one. I am asking Andrey Ivanayev to take on this role and assume command of this sector [of the line of engagement]," the supreme commander-in-chief said during the meeting.

The Russian leader emphasized that Ivanayev "is familiar with the situation not only in his area of responsibility, but also in the area of responsibility of the battlegroup Center." "It is crucial that the quality of combat operations in this sector [of the line of engagement] not be compromised. I am confident that Andrey Sergeyevich will certainly rise to this challenge," Putin emphasized.

Battlegroup East

The Russian president also appointed Lieutenant General Pyotr Bolgarev as acting commander of the Eastern Military District and head of the battlegroup East.

"At the suggestion of [Colonel General] Andrey Ivanayev himself, Pyotr Bolgarev, chief of staff of the battlegroup East, is appointed acting commander of the Eastern Military District and, accordingly, commander of the battlegroup East," Putin noted.

The president emphasized that Bolgarev had worked closely with Colonel General Ivanayev, who had previously commanded this sector. "I hope you carry out your joint tasks effectively, as you have so far under Andrey Ivanayev's command," the supreme commander-in-chief pointed out.

Logistics support services

At the suggestion of Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, a decision was made to consolidate all logistics support services under unified command, with Valery Solodchuk set to serve as their commander, Putin emphasized.

"At the suggestion of the defense minister, a decision has been made to consolidate all logistics support services under unified command. I would like to emphasize that, under current conditions, this is also combat work. And I have decided to appoint Valery Nikolaevich Solodchuk to this position," the Russian leader noted.

He also praised Solodchuk, who previously led the battlegroup Center, as one of the most talented commanders.

"We know each other well, and you are undoubtedly one of the most talented commanders today," Putin told the defense official. "I am confident that you will demonstrate your best organizational skills here. Especially since no one else, apart from commanders - commanders of military districts and battlegroups like yourself - knows better what our troops, our soldiers, and our commanders need today," the president emphasized.

Russian unmanned systems forces

The Russian supreme commander-in-chief appointed Denis Lyamin, former chief of staff of the battlegroup Center, to oversee Russian unmanned systems forces, a newly created branch of the army.

"It is well known that we have decided to create a new branch of the armed forces: the unmanned systems forces. The task was to find someone who has proven to be the best in this field. We consider Denis Lyamin, who served as chief of staff of the battlegroup Center until now, to be one of the most qualified specialists in this field," Putin said.

Meeting conclusion

The head of state thanked the officers for their work in their previous posts and expressed confidence that their combat experience, personal and professional qualities, and organizational skills would help them tackle their new tasks.

Russian Troops Liberate Two Communities in Ukraine Operation Over Past Day — Top Brass

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 360 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

© Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS

MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated two communities in the Sumy and Zaporozhye Regions over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units took control of the settlement of Ryzhevka in the Sumy Region through active offensive operations. <…> Battlegroup East units advanced deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlement of Zarnitsa in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Kiev loses 1,380 troops along engagement line in past day – latest figures

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,380 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost roughly 290 troops and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, over 210 troops, a tank and an armored combat vehicle in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and about 160 troops and two armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South.

During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army also lost over 325 troops and two armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, more than 360 troops and four armored combat vehicles in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and roughly 35 troops and two jamming stations in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr, the latest figures show.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 290 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 290 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy armored combat vehicle in its areas of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup North units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Pisarevka, Ulanovo and Sadki in the Sumy Region," the ministry said.

In the Kharkov direction, Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army and four territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Karasevka, Sosnovy Bor, Kupino, Izbitskoye and Ivanovka in the Kharkov Region, the ministry reported.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 290 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, 21 motor vehicles and an electronic warfare station in those frontline areas over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 210 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 210 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and an armored combat vehicle in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Podliman in the Kharkov Region, Svyatogorsk, Donetskoye, Mayaki and Stary Karavan in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 210 personnel, a tank, an armored combat vehicle, 17 motor vehicles and three field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two US-made AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radar stations and three electronic warfare systems of the Ukrainian army over the past 24 hours, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts 160 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 160 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units improved their forward positions and inflicted losses on formations of five mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army and a marine infantry brigade in areas near the settlements of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Yasnogorka, Nikanorovka, Orekhovatka, Verolyubovka and Popasnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 160 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 28 motor vehicles and an artillery gun in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup South over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 325 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 325 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, the Azov special operations brigade [outlawed as a terrorist group in Russia] and four National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Vodyanskoye, Annovka, Gruzskoye, Novotroitskoye, Novogrigorovka and Matyashevo in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Raipole in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 325 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, two artillery guns and an electronic warfare station in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 360 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 360 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup East units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of an assault brigade, three air assault brigades, four assault regiments of the Ukrainian army and a marine infantry brigade in areas near the settlements of Vasilkovka and Podgavrilovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, Novorozovka, Mirovka, Novoye Pole, Trudoolenovka and Shirokoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 360 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminates 35 Ukrainian troops in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated roughly 35 Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy jamming stations in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted losses on formations of a mechanized brigade and a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Orekhov, Yulyevka and Zaporozhets in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

"Up to 35 [Ukrainian] military personnel, 15 motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were destroyed," the ministry said.

Russian troops pound Ukrainian army’s fuel, energy and transport sites over past day

Russian troops struck fuel and energy and transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian army and enemy deployment areas over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck fuel and energy and transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian army, workshops for the production and sites for the storage of attack unmanned aerial vehicles, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 153 locations," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses intercept 1,083 Ukrainian UAVs, 10 smart bombs over past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 1,083 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 10 smart bombs over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 10 guided aerial bombs, two rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 1,083 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 673 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 284 helicopters, 197,906 unmanned aerial vehicles, 669 surface-to-air missile systems, 30,436 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,768 multiple rocket launchers, 36,045 field artillery guns and mortars and 68,402 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.