Kenyan Government Exposed in Secret Agreement with Trump over Ebola Treatment Center 

High Court and physicians have categorically rejected the deal between Ruto and Washington as residents protest against the illegal deal with the United States administration

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 3, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

Demonstrations erupted in Kenya over a deal struck between President William Ruto and the administration of his counterpart Donald Trump to house United States citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who are suspected of contracting Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Both the Kenyan courts and the physicians’ union have rejected the governmental decision while widespread condemnation has spread across the board inside the country.

In the latest wave of EVD outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda, there have been no detected cases in the Republic of Kenya. Critics of the government of President Ruto say that the deal with Trump is reflective of the subservient partnership between Nairobi and the world’s leading imperialist state. 

A new outbreak of EVD was discovered during early May in the border areas of Ituri Province near Uganda. Since the outbreak more than 300 cases have been announced with most of them being in the DRC. Several cases have occurred in Uganda among people who had recently visited the DRC. Inside the eastern DRC, cases have also been detected outside of Ituri in North and South Kivu provinces. 

Overall, since the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the EVD, “the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there are 321 confirmed cases in the DRC and 116 suspected cases, with 48 confirmed deaths and more than 240 suspected deaths. Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, and one suspected case.” (https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/ebola-outbreak-drc-and-region-situation-report-1-june-2-2026)

Kenya is considered an affiliate of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed in the aftermath of World War II to undermine and block the expansion of the socialist states in Europe and other geo-political regions. Since the post-WWII period, NATO has opposed the national liberation movements in Africa while being involved in the bombing of Libya in 2011 resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions more. 

Libyan leader Col. Mummar Gaddafi was overthrown and brutally executed at the aegis of the U.S. administration during the reign of then President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. Since the destruction of the Jamahiriya in Libya, the oil-rich state has been unable to form a unitary administration. 

After 2011, the rebels empowered by the imperialist governments of NATO and their allies spread out across North and West Africa where instability has occurred in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and other states. Consequently, any ally or affiliate of NATO can in no way be considered a supporter of African unity, genuine independence, sovereignty and qualitative development.

A report published by the Associated Press on June 2 said of the situation in the East African state:

“Kenya’s President William Ruto has defended the establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility by the U.S., a move that led to further protests on Tuesday despite a court order blocking the plan. Ruto said on Monday that the U.S. had a long-standing partnership with Kenya on health matters and that the quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base was one of 24 facilities that had been established in the event of an Ebola outbreak in the country. Some Kenyans have opposed the Laikipia facility after the U.S. last week said no American Ebola patient would be allowed to return home and that patients would instead be quarantined at the facility in Kenya. The U.S. intends to commit $13 million to the partnership with Kenya. The high court on Tuesday extended orders issued Friday suspending the construction of the facility and the arrival of foreign patients. The case had been filed by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog, Katiba Institute, who cited Kenya’s fragile health system as unable to handle foreign patients.” (https://apnews.com/article/kenya-us-ebola-quarantine-ruto-a44b252906e45ef19c41195961b5e2e3)

Kenya Serves as Outpost for Imperialist Policies

This is not the first time in recent years that the Ruto government has endangered Kenyans to please the foreign policy imperatives of Washington. Despite opposition from political parties and the Kenyan courts, Ruto deployed hundreds of police officers to Haiti under a failed attempt to end unrest in this Caribbean island-nation. 

In regard to France, the Kenyan administration hosted a summit for Paris in early May in an effort to reconfigure the imperialist state’s dominance over territories in Africa after it has been forced out of the Alliance of Sahel States in the Western region. Therefore, whether it is France, the U.S. or the former colonial power of Britain which has military troops in Kenya as well, the Ruto administration is beholden to NATO irrespective of the wishes of the masses of people.

During the demonstrations on June 1, it was reported that two people were shot dead near the Laikipia Airbase. One of the deceased was not even involved in the protests, yet he was hit by police bullets. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgz7zny3pzo)

Kenyan security forces have proven extremely violent in responding to peaceful demonstrations. During 2024, youth-led protests against an International Monetary Fund (IMF) instigated tax policy resulted in the injuring, arrests and deaths of many people. During the French conference hosted by the Kenya government, a few dozen people marched through the Central Business District (CBD) against the imperialist-backed meeting. The participants in the demonstration against the French-Africa Summit were subject to arrest and teargassing. 

During the following week, a transport workers strike was called as a result of the escalating price of fuel. These fuel price hikes are occurring internationally as a direct outcome of the Israeli-U.S. unprovoked war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Four people were reported killed during the transport workers strike and more than 30 suffered injuries.

Rather than work with the youth, workers and farmers of Kenya, the Ruto administration is thoroughly committed to pleasing Washington and Paris. Consequently, the political atmosphere in East Africa’s largest economy will remain volatile. 

WHO Director General Pays Working Visit to the DRC

In response to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the EVD, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visited the DRC beginning on May 28. Dr. Tedros wanted to illustrate the serious concern which the WHO is taking related to the latest outbreak. (https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2026-message-by-the-who-director-general-to-the-people-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo)

Ebola was first detected in the-then Zaire, now the DRC, some five decades ago. The worst outbreak occurred in the West African states of Guinea-Conakry, Sierra Leone and Liberia during 2013-2015, where more than 28,000 cases were detected leading to an estimated 11,000 deaths.

Tedros noted that there could have been an overestimation of the number of Bundibugyo EVD cases and deaths in the latest wave. He pledged support from the WHO in addressing the current crisis.

A joint statement issued by the WHO and the DRC government said in part that:

“While the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges, including the absence of a licensed vaccine or specific treatment, proven public health measures remain effective in slowing transmission and potential full recovery. The Ministry of Health, WHO and partners are working to rapidly undertake randomized control trials on candidate vaccines and treatments.

Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness. The Government and WHO call on all communities to continue adopting protective behaviors, including regular hand hygiene, early care seeking in health facilities, and sharing accurate information.” (https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2026-joint-statement-by-the-government-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-who-concerning-the-outbreak-of-ebola-disease-caused-by-the-bundibugyo-virus)

Since the U.S. withdrew from the WHO for a second time during both administrations of Trump, their approach to global public health has been a dubious one. The White House has consistently sought to avoid international cooperation with the geo-political regions of the Global South. 

This is why the anger in Kenya is quite understandable. The U.S. has liquidated the Agency for International Development (USAID) while seeking to negotiate separate health assistance agreements with African Union (AU) member-states. Some of these states have rejected the Trump administration proposals including the Southern African nations of Zambia and Zimbabwe along with the West African state of Ghana. (https://www.wsj.com/world/africa/trump-wants-minerals-health-data-for-aid-african-nations-are-pushing-back-c04bed87)

Even in Kenya during December 2025, the courts suspended the implementation of a bilateral agreement on healthcare with the U.S. The courts claimed that the terms of the agreement violated the privacy rights of Kenyans since Washington was demanding access to healthcare data. (https://nation.africa/kenya/news/court-halts-implementation-of-kenya-us-five-year-health-deal--5293872)

Consequently, the Kenyan government under Ruto has apparently relinquished its sovereignty to the Trump administration. Therefore, it will be up to the Kenyan people to point the way forward for domestic healthcare protocols and their relationship with foreign policy towards the U.S. and other imperialist states.

Kenyans Protest Planned US Ebola Quarantine Facility

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Jun 2026 08:22

Hundreds of Kenyans protested plans for a US-run Ebola quarantine facility in Nanyuki, days after a court temporarily suspended the controversial project.

Hundreds of residents took to the streets of the Kenyan town of Nanyuki on Monday to protest plans for a US-operated Ebola quarantine facility, intensifying opposition to a project that critics say could pose risks to public health and local communities.

Reuters reports that the demonstrations came just days after Kenya's High Court ordered a temporary suspension of the initiative following a legal challenge questioning the facility's safety and compliance with public health standards.

Footage from Nanyuki showed demonstrators gathering near the site of the proposed quarantine facility, blowing whistles, carrying signs, and blocking roads as opposition to the project continued to grow.

Residents estimated that hundreds participated in the protests, while video obtained by Reuters showed crowds assembled several kilometers from the military installation where the facility is expected to be established.

Local media outlets also broadcast footage showing heightened security around the base, including military personnel and armored vehicles stationed near its perimeter.

The facility is planned for an air force base in Laikipia County and is intended to house US citizens exposed to Ebola who remain asymptomatic.

Court suspends project amid legal challenge

The protests followed a High Court decision on Friday ordering the temporary suspension of the project after a lawsuit argued that the facility could endanger surrounding communities.

The legal challenge reflects growing concerns over transparency, public consultation, and potential health risks associated with locating the center near civilian populations.

Despite the court ruling, reports indicated that military activity continued around the base in the days that followed.

Diplomatic and security sources cited in the original report suggested that preparations linked to the quarantine unit may have continued even after the suspension order was issued.

Residents voice health and safety concerns

Many protesters expressed fears that the facility could increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases in a town closely connected to the military base.

"We are picketing for our lives," protest organizer Patrick Wahome told Reuters. “Nanyuki is a very small town. The military personnel who serve the base... live with us. Our kids go to the same schools and that means if anyone is infected, we are all infected.”

The concerns highlight broader anxieties among residents about the potential consequences of housing a quarantine center in a densely interconnected community.

While Kenyan and US officials have emphasized that the facility is intended for precautionary isolation rather than treatment of active Ebola cases, opposition among local residents has remained strong.

Questions raised over continued US preparations

The controversy deepened after reports of continued aircraft activity at the military base despite the court's intervention.

Flight-tracking data cited in the original report indicated that a US military C-130 transport aircraft landed in Nanyuki as recently as Friday.

Residents also reported seeing additional military aircraft operating near the base over the weekend.

Although Reuters said it could not independently verify the nationality of all aircraft observed, the reports fueled speculation that preparations for the facility were continuing.

Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale defended the project over the weekend, describing it as part of broader efforts to strengthen emergency response capabilities and public health preparedness.

Economic disruption and local opposition grow

The protests have also begun affecting local businesses.

Patrick Maina, a café owner in Nanyuki, said demonstrations and uncertainty surrounding the project had forced him to close operations.

“We haven’t opened since morning and it’s likely to be worse tomorrow,” he said.

As opposition continues to grow, residents are demanding the permanent cancellation of the facility and have warned that demonstrations could continue if authorities proceed with the plan.

Africa: An Ebola "Fortress Strategy" Will Fail - Lessons from the Past

Stephen Hird / ArcelorMittal

In the midst of the Ebola epidemic in west Africa in 2014-2016, the Luxembourg-based mining company ArcelorMittal, Liberia’s largest investor, kept operating, protected its workforce, and spearheaded the Ebola Private Sector Mobilization Group - a coalition of multinational mining, logistics, and energy companies across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The companies supported healthcare responders, constructed treatment units, and offered access to clinics and transport.

2 June 2026

allAfrica.com

guest column

By K. Riva Levinson

In late 2014, I watched the Zaire strain of Ebola overwhelm Liberia and Sierra Leone following its emergence from Patient Zero, a two-year-old toddler in Southern Guinea. The international community was frozen in bureaucratic inertia.

I remember a frantic 48 hours spent coordinating emergency lines between Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and U.S. congressional leaders to bypass gridlock in Washington and catalyze White House action—an operational challenge I detailed in the epilogue of my memoir, Choosing the Hero.

Precedent: Collective Mobilization

Yet, out of that raw friction, a groundbreaking public-private partnership emerged, driven by ArcelorMittal, Liberia's largest investor. Rather than evacuating personnel, the company kept operating, protected its workforce, and spearheaded the Ebola Private Sector Mobilization Group (EPSMG)—a coalition of over 40 multinational mining, logistics, and energy companies across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

Working alongside healthcare responders, the EPSMG pooled heavy machinery to construct treatment units, synchronized supply chains, offered access to clinics and transport, and shared daily protocols. The coalition proved that multinational infrastructure could serve as a vital stabilizing force. This case study remains a definitive, actionable model for crisis teamwork in developing countries.

Illusion of an Isolated Defense

Twelve years later, a similar crisis is unfolding across East and Central Africa. A significant outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain is expanding rapidly through the mineral-rich fields of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and into Uganda. Today's mining companies, facing intense operational and safety mandates, are understandably relying on an inward-looking strategy, creating heavily secured perimeters to insulate their immediate workforces and protect industrial continuity.

But these corporate operations cannot isolate themselves from how the virus moves. Transmission is being driven by highly mobile artisanal miners navigating cross-border trade routes. The outbreak has already pushed past 900 suspected cases and more than 130 laboratory-confirmed cases.

Because the Bundibugyo strain lacks an approved vaccine or therapeutic stockpile, containment relies entirely on field diagnostics, aggressive contact tracing, and physical isolation—capabilities that corporate infrastructure is uniquely positioned to help scale.

Responding to domestic pressure, the Trump administration has adopted a fortress mentality. This is highlighted by a plan to construct a 50-bed quarantine field hospital at an airbase in central Kenya to hold and treat Americans exposed to Ebola, a policy which has faced local opposition. Regional allies are rightly asking what reciprocal protections they receive under this posture.

Furthermore, restricting infected American citizens from returning home undermines the most basic responsibility of the U.S. government to its citizenry. Instead, the administration should reactivate the specialized biocontainment units and regional treatment centers established across the country after 2014, providing a secure, managed pathway for medical evacuations.

Long-term operational survival depends on expanding containment protocols beyond corporate boundaries and extending the U.S. military ethos to our frontline volunteers and healthcare workers: "No Man Left Behind."

Architecture for Joint Intervention

While the Trump Administration should be commended for its $162 million commitment to the ongoing response in Africa and its $350 million in humanitarian assistance to the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, funding alone is insufficient to halt the spread. Due to the administrative limitations of implementing partners and a diminished USAID ground presence, capital is not translating into rapid containment.

A mineral pipeline cannot operate if transit corridors are paralyzed by an uncontained virus. Because the epicenter sits within commercial mining concessions, Washington must practice true commercial diplomacy—aligning public resources with established private infrastructure by deploying public health experts directly into secure corporate perimeters.

Inside these corporate walls, medical teams gain immediate access to uninterrupted power, clean water, and private airstrips for safe housing, asset storage, and laboratory processing. This allows international responders to secure their logistical nodes while safely executing public clinics, clinical trials, and community outreach in neutral civic spaces just outside the gates..

Barrick Gold Corporation, which operates the world-class Kibali mine, has the capacity to act as a regional anchor, maintaining advanced on-site multi-module PCR laboratory networks, deep ties to state mining body SOKIMO, and a private air charter fleet. AngloGold Ashanti retains an equal 45 percent stake in the project, meaning both global majors have a massive, shared financial interest in maintaining operational stability along this transit corridor.

Further down the supply line in North Kivu, mid-tier operators like Alphamin Resources maintain robust site security layouts and run protected logistics convoys directly to Goma, while just across the border in Rwanda's Western Province, mineral operators use these exact transit channels. Other global majors like Glencore and Ivanhoe Mines possess the massive corporate supply chains and heavy transport fleets required to support and sustain large-scale regional logistics under crisis conditions.

Yet, while Western majors build out and maintain these vital stabilizing networks, China's massive mining footprint along the broader corridor remains characteristically absent from the response. Despite dominating regional resource extraction, Chinese state-backed operators strictly focus on industrial assets and localized supply chains, leaving the broader systemic burden of regional stability entirely to other international stakeholders.

Call to Action for Washington and the Boardrooms

The path forward requires immediate, synchronized action to turn these existing pieces into a functional shield:

Activate the Great Lakes Private Sector Mobilization Group (GL-PSMG): Barrick Gold, AngloGold Ashanti, Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines, Alphamin, RETC, Aterian, and SOKIMO should pool their logistics, air fleets, and open gates to help surge healthcare responders.

Operationalize Public-Private Risk Pooling: The State Department should trigger compact frameworks as funding vehicles, matching U.S. surge capital with the physical assets of the mining consortium to support international responders.

Support Nairobi as a Logistical Hub: Instead of trying to isolate sick Americans there, Washington needs to work with Kenya to transform its regional presence into the primary staging and supply line for healthcare workers deploying directly into the DRC and Uganda.

Reactivate U.S. Biocontainment Infrastructure: Ensure specialized domestic treatment centers are open and prepared to manage medical evacuations directly.

The model pioneered in west Africa in 2014 proved that private infrastructure is an invaluable public asset when paired with bold national and international response coordination.

FROM THE ARCHIVE:

Companies Tackle Escalating Ebola Crisis

K. Riva Levinson is the President and CEO of KRL International LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based communications and government relations firm specializing in emerging markets. She is a veteran international strategist and the author of the award-winning memoir, Choosing the Hero.

Guineans Denounce an 'Electoral Farce' After Low Turnout in Legislative Polls

Aboubacarkhoraa / Wikimedia Commons

Soldiers in a Conakry street.

1 June 2026

By Rfi

Legislative and municipal elections were held in Guinea on Sunday to complete the process of returning constitutional order to the country after the December 2025 presidential election While this double ballot took place without major incident, voter turnout was low.

Five months after the presidential election held on 28 December 2025, nearly 7 million Guinean voters went to the polls on Sunday for legislative and municipal elections presented as the completion of the process of returning the country to constitutional order.

This comes after a transition period triggered by the coup led by General Mamadi Doumbouya in September 2021 in the former French colony.

This double election will determine the 147 members of the country's future National Assembly as well as the municipal councillors for Guinea's 375 local authorities.

It took place peacefully, without major incident, according to RFI's correspondent in Conakry, Tangi Bihan.

Voter participation was subdued throughout the day however, as observed by Ousmane Kaba, a parliamentary candidate who came to vote in Nongo, in the Lambanyi district - one of the 12 districts that make up the city of Conakry.

"Turnout was very low," he told RFI. "In my polling station, there were only two or three of us around noon ... I therefore urge the DGE [General Directorate of Elections] to ensure that these elections are transparent, that there is absolutely no manipulation."

A voter known as Abdoul to RFI that "it was important to vote, even if the turnout was low." He supports Doumbouya. "I want him to have a large majority in the Assembly so he can pass his laws and the country can develop economically," he told explained.

'Electoral farce'

But many others expressed doubt.

In the Camayenne district located near the city centre, a voter known as Amadou said he did not go to vote, following instructions given by the Forces vives de Guinée - the coalition which brings together civil society organisations and several opposition parties.

The group includes parties dissolved last March such as the Rassemblement du peuple de Guinée (RPG) or the Union des forces démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG) - which had called for a boycott.

"The conditions weren't right for voting," Amadou told RFI. "These elections aren't fair. They're neither free nor transparent, because the results are known in advance. So what's the point of going to the polls?"

"Whether you vote or not, there's no mystery," said another voter, who also boycotted the polling booth, speaking to another RFI correspondent in Conakry. "If only the votes cast were taken into account, I would exercise my right to vote. But neither the so-called Elections Directorate nor the Supreme Court will do so. I therefore feel completely uninvolved in this electoral farce," he added.

The low turnout in these elections could also be the result of the date chosen by the authorities, just a few days after Tabaski, according to several observers of Guinean political life.

The festival is generally celebrated with family in the village so many voters may therefore not have yet returned to their constituencies for election day.

Ecowas and other observers were deployed across the country.

Results might take days to come out: Partial or local results should begin circulating within 24 to 72 hours, and provisional national results within several days, depending on how quickly constituency tallies are transmitted. Final validated results will come later, after any appeals or certification procedures.

This piece has been adapted from the original article in French by RFI's Tangi Bihan

Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.

Rwanda: UK Wins Court Case Over Canceled Rwanda Asylum Plan

New Times

UK-Rwanda migrants deal collapsed.

1 June 2026

Deutsche Welle (Bonn)

By Mark Hallam with AFP, AP, Reuters

An international court has rejected a Rwandan claim for millions in damages over a scrapped deal to send asylum seekers to the East African nation.

International arbiters have rejected a Rwanda appeal for damages over the refugee resettlement deal it had signed with the previous British government, which was scrapped by incoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer immediately after taking office in 2024.

The contentious plan, which seemed at risk of being annulled by British courts anyway, foresaw sending migrants who arrive in the UK illegally seeking asylum to Rwanda, where they would be permitted apply for asylum and residency.

The incoming government called it a "gimmick" and a "shocking waste of taxpayer money," saying Britain had already spent the better part of a billion pounds on a scheme that was unlikely ever to take effect as envisaged.

What was the case about? 

Rwanda was appealing for two annual payments, each of 50 billion pounds (roughly €58 billion or $67 billion), originally due in April 2025 and 2026 — saying Starmer's government, which took office in the summer of 2024, still owed it these installments.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration found that written diplomatic exchanges between the two countries after Starmer scrapped the deal in 2024 amounted to confimration that the UK would not be making the payments.

For 2025's payment, the decision was a majority verdict; in 2026's case, it was unanimous. The decision was dated May15, but formally announced by the Hague-based panel on Monday.

"The UK robustly defended its position, and the tribunal has now ruled in favor of the UK on all grounds," the British government said in response.

Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said Rwanda "respects the tribunal's award and considers the matter concluded" — albeit noting that the 2025 decision had been open to different interpretations.

What was the agreement? 

The deal, struck by Starmer's predecessor Rishi Sunak in 2022 and first floated by Boris Johnson before him, aimed to send migrants who arrived illegally in the UK seeking asylum to the East African country.

It included arrangements for payments to Rwanda's government to help cover the costs.

The deal came amid public dissatisfaction in the UK with irregular migration and pressure on the then-Conservative government from more right-wing political forces, not least Nigel Farage, now the leader of Reform UK.

It also coincided with a sharp increase in legal migration, which came despite — or indeed because of — the UK leaving the European Union, a step that advocates like Farage and former Prime Minsiter Boris Johnson had said would lead to reduced migration.

Why was it contentious? 

The deal had already run into domestic legal difficulties prior to Labour, which said it would abolish the plan during campaigning, winning the 2024 election and scrapping it.

In November 2023, the UK's Supreme Court ruled that the policy was unlawful. The court said the agreement left people sent to Rwanda open to human rights breaches and that it could not be implemented in its current form. The bill was amended and put through parliament again, but it passed just weeks before elections the Conservatives seemed sure to lose and so never faced renewed legal scrutiny.

Earlier in 2023, flights carrying migrants to Rwanda had been prevented from taking off on the grounds that the deal might not comply with British law. Ultimately, only four people were sent to the East African country on a voluntary basis, the only way it was permissible, before the accord was scrapped.

"The previous government's policy wasted time and 700 million [pounds] ‌of taxpayer money to send four volunteers to Rwanda," a spokesman for the current government alleged.

Rwanda and Starmer's government had already clashed over Britain reducing aid payments to Rwanda, accusing it of supporting the M23 rebel group in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Kigali denies.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar

UN Warns World to Prepare for El Nino Extreme Weather

Weather

There is an 80-percent chance of the warming El Nino phenomenon developing between June and August, increasing the risk of extreme weather events, the World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday.

"Fueled by unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Nino conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns," the United Nations' WMO weather and climate agency said.

Forecasts from the WMO global network "indicate a pronounced shift toward El Nino conditions, with probabilities reaching 80 percent for June-August", the Geneva-based organisation said.

El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns.

It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months.

Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between.

The likelihood of El Nino developing by November is "near or above 90 percent", and most forecast models suggest it will be "at least moderate -- and possibly strong", the WMO said in its quarterly El Nino/La Nina update.

WMO chief Celeste Saulo said the world needed to get ready for an El Nino which could "exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean".

The WMO says that even a moderate El Nino makes some weather and climate extremes more likely.

The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high at around 1.55C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.

- 'Urgent climate warning': Guterres -

In late April to mid-May, the sea-surface temperature in the central-eastern Equatorial Pacific -- the area used as a monitoring reference -- was approaching El Nino thresholds, the WMO said, with sub-surface temperatures more than 6C above average.

Meanwhile, the Southern Oscillation Index -- the atmospheric component of El Nino -- is also consistent with the phenomenon developing.

The WMO said there was no evidence that climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Nino events.

However, the agency believes it can amplify the associated effects, because a warmer ocean and atmosphere increase the availability of energy and moisture for extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall.

"El Nino is arriving on our doorstep," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a video message.

"The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is. El Nino conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world.

"The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis -- ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all."

Saulo said 128 countries now have multi-hazard early-warning systems in place, with the UN target being universal coverage by the end of 2027.

- Temperatures above normal -

While El Nino typically peaks between November and February, the resulting spike in temperatures typically comes later down the line.

Next month's forecast is likely to be more accurate as to the onset of El Nino and its strength.

The WMO said that for June to August, forecasts project "a nearly universal dominance of above normal temperatures in nearly all parts of the globe".

This increases the risk of compounding hazards in some regions and accelerating the onset of drought conditions where rainfall is reduced, it said.

Saulo said El Nino would have "cascading impacts", with a warming ocean in the tropics resulting in effects on global trade.

These go from "variability of the climate, into the economy and security of the people. That's why this information is so relevant and so important", she told reporters.

The WMO hopes advance warning will guide preparedness, especially in climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, water management, energy and health.

Regional climate centres are predicting "below-normal" rainfall during the critical June-September rainy season in the northern Greater Horn of Africa; below-average monsoon rainfall in south Asia; and drier and warmer summer conditions in central America.

During the northern hemisphere summer, warm waters associated with El Nino can fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific, while hindering their development in the Atlantic Ocean.

In Further Rightward Moves Ghana's Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Faces Further Review?

Ghana

Ghanaian President John Mahama has said a controversial bill that would further restrict LGBTQ+ rights will undergo legal scrutiny before it can become law.

The legislation, passed by parliament last week, proposes prison sentences of up to three years for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. It also includes provisions requiring individuals to report prohibited activities to authorities.

Speaking during a visit to the United Kingdom, Mahama said the bill would be carefully examined by his legal advisers and the attorney general before any further steps are taken.

He noted that the legislation originated as a private members' bill rather than a government-sponsored proposal, making additional legal review necessary.

"We will look at it and make sure that everything is in order," the president said. He added that if concerns arise, the bill could be referred to the Council of State, an advisory body that assists the president on national matters.

Mahama also indicated that parliament's Speaker was addressing procedural issues linked to the bill's passage.

The legislation marks the second attempt by lawmakers to introduce sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ measures.

An earlier version was first tabled in 2021 following the closure of an LGBTQ+ community centre in the capital, Accra. Although parliament approved that bill in 2024, it never received presidential assent before former President Nana Akufo-Addo left office.

At the time, several legal challenges were filed at Ghana's Supreme Court, prompting Akufo-Addo to withhold approval pending the outcome of the cases.

The current bill was reintroduced this year by lawmakers from across the political spectrum.

However, some opposition MPs argue that the latest version is less stringent than the legislation approved in 2024.

According to minority lawmakers, amendments have weakened some of the provisions they believed would have made the law a stronger deterrent.

One notable change is the exemption granted to healthcare workers, legal professionals and journalists who provide services to LGBTQ+ individuals or report on issues affecting the community.

At the same time, the legislation retains penalties for people deemed to be promoting or supporting LGBTQ+ rights. Individuals identified as allies could face criminal sanctions under the proposed law.

The bill has drawn strong criticism from human rights organisations both within Ghana and internationally.

Human Rights Watch has urged lawmakers to abandon the legislation, arguing that it infringes on fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under international law.

Supporters of the measure reject those concerns. They argue that the bill is needed to protect what they describe as Ghanaian cultural and family values.

The debate reflects a wider trend across parts of Africa, where several countries have adopted tougher measures targeting LGBTQ+ communities in recent years.

Ghana, UK Sign Growth Partnership Deal to Address Education and Job Creation

Britain's Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy greets Ghana's President John Mahama at 10 Downing Street in London, Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Ghana and the United Kingdom signed on Monday the landmark UK-Ghana Partnership, which is to help transform the economy and create thousands of opportunities for people.

The deal, worth £215 million, was signed by the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Christian Rogg, and his counterpart, Sabah Zita Benson, Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK, during the Ghana-UK Investment Summit in London on Monday.

It targets four main areas that include delivering world-class education, enabling easier trade for Ghanaian businesses, attracting private investment and driving industrial growth.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama said at the summit that Ghana was on the right path to restoring the economy. Ghana has faced significant economic difficulties, including rising inflation, heightened debt vulnerability, and weakening investor confidence.

Mahama said that Ghana's inflation has now significantly declined from 23.8 per cent in December 2024 to 3.4 per cent as of April 2026.

"Our international reserves have strengthened considerably, rising from approximately US$8.9 billion to nearly US$13.8 billion, providing stronger external buffers and exchange rate stability. Interest rates are easing. The Ghana cedi has stabilised and appreciated against major international currencies. Ghana’s sovereign credit outlook has improved following recent upgrades by international ratings agencies," he said.

Teachers Protest Schoolchildren Kidnappings in Nigeria

Teachers in major Nigerian cities Tuesday protested a string of kidnappings and attacks targeting schools by armed groups.

Gunmen abducted at least 46 pupils and staff from three schools in the southwestern state of Oyo on May 15, in an attack the army said was carried out by jihadists.

At least 42 more -- including schoolchildren as young as two years old -- were taken from their schools in northeastern Borno state the same day.

Kidnapping for ransom -- especially of schoolchildren -- is an ongoing battle for authorities in conflict-hit northern Nigeria, but the mass abductions were unusual for calmer Oyo state.

"Kidnapping has no place in education," read a banner held by protesters in Oyo capital Ibadan, as an Afrobeats song critical of the government bellowed from the large speakers mounted on a van.

In Lagos, meanwhile, protesters marched to the state house of assembly to demand the release of the students.

"Education is under siege," Hassan Taiwo of the Education Rights Campaign, told AFP, denouncing an "epidemic of attacks on school and abduction of school children and teachers that we have experienced over the years."

"We pray that our teachers and students are released," Jessica Obong, spokeswoman for Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), told AFP.

But she dismissed calls by some for schools to be closed, insisting it would only play into the hands of the attackers.

The teachers' union in Oyo went on an indefinite strike starting Monday. But a nationwide strike is not being discussed yet, Obong said.

Protesters in the northeastern city of Maiduguri said attacks on schools are worsening across Borno state, the epicentre of Nigeria's 17-year-old jihadist insurgency.

Borno was the site of Boko Haram's most infamous mass school abduction in April 2014, when the jihadist group kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from a girls-only school in the town of Chibok.

A series of mass school kidnappings in the final quarter of 2025 -- including the abduction of about 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi state in November and the seizure of roughly 300 students and several teachers in Niger state the same month -- drew renewed international attention to insecurity in the country.

"We want the government and security agencies to act swiftly and show the families that they have not been forgotten," teacher Kaumi Usman told AFP in Maiduguri.

Additional sources • AFP

Africa is the Deadliest Place in the World to Have a Baby, While its Population Booms

Women are 40 times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth in Central African Republic than in the United States, according to the United Nations. The Associated Press visited a rural community where refugees fleeing the war in nearby Sudan have tripled the number of women arriving daily at the local hospital. 

By CAITLIN KELLY

1:08 PM EDT, June 2, 2026

BIRAO, Central African Republic (AP) — The agony began for Maude Ahmad Fadala shortly after sunset.

Her baby was coming. She was in a refugee camp, weakened by typhoid. There were no camp facilities for what was about to happen, and she had no money to travel. She struggled to her feet and started walking.

She stopped every few minutes, gripped by pain from contractions, then could go no farther.

“I gave birth in the street,” she said. “There was no doctor, no midwife, and no one holding my hand.”

This is part of a series on maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, which has the world’s fastest-growing population and accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths. Around 180,000 pregnancy deaths are recorded every year across the continent, along with the deaths of about 1 million newborns.

Displacement can mean missed prenatal appointments, dangerous journeys and weakened health systems, often in remote settings.

Women in Central African Republic are 40 times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than in the United States, the United Nations has said. For every 100,000 births in the country, one of the world’s poorest, 829 women die.

‘Risk of maternal death is going to increase’

Years of internal conflict have made Central African Republic and its health system fragile. Despite its vast reserves of gold, health services are scarce outside major cities. One in three people live on less than $2 a day.

The government, aware of its maternal mortality problem, announced a plan in 2024 to increase spending for resources such as skilled birth attendants. Officials did not respond to questions about how it’s working.

Now, sweeping cuts in humanitarian aid funding by top donor the United States and other countries have made it even harder for women to find care.

In the remote town of Birao near the Sudan border, where Fadala shelters, four local midwives who had been supported by the U.N. Population Fund lost their jobs last year as the Trump administration cut every U.S. funding agreement with the U.N. sexual and reproductive health agency.

Opposite Fadala’s tent is a former UNFPA-funded “safe space” providing transport for pregnant women to the district hospital. It was one of four such spaces in Birao serving nearly 50,000 women. Those have closed without U.S. funding, along with two U.S.-backed health facilities.

Now, “some women run the risk of dying in pregnancy situations that are not medically managed,” said UNFPA program officer Marie Justine Mamba Ibingui.

UNFPA’s budget in Central African Republic has been halved in the past two years to $6.5 million, country director Victor Rakoto said. UNFPA was the only provider of reproductive health products in Birao.

“The risk of maternal death is going to increase if there is no solution,” Rakoto said.

Conflict-affected settings like Birao account for six in 10 maternal deaths globally, according to the U.N.

‘Giving birth here is exhausting’

The district hospital, which Fadala had tried to reach, is a few kilometers (over a mile) away over dirt roads.

On a recent day, birthing assistant Delphine Zanabe moved between patients as dozens of women waited, sitting thigh-to-thigh on hard benches in the sweltering heat. Some had walked for hours to reach the hospital. Others had risked their pregnancy with motorbike journeys over rough ground.

In remote communities near the Sudan-Central African Republic border, pregnant women who fled Sudan’s war are struggling to access health care as clinics close and aid funding dries up. The U.N. warns the cuts could leave more women vulnerable to preventable deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.

From the border, adjoining a part of Sudan held by paramilitary forces fighting the Sudanese military, it’s a 65-kilometer (40-mile) journey to the refugee camp.

“They only come when they are about to give birth,” Zanabe said. “It’s a struggle and it’s either the baby or the mother who suffers.” According to WHO guidelines, pregnant women should attend at least eight prenatal consultations.

For refugees, living in survival mode in unfamiliar surroundings compounds the challenges of poverty and lack of education. Zanabe said those factors often put women at risk for pregnancy and childbirth complications.

In the maternity ward, eight beds were in a room so small they almost touched. They serve a population of about 70,000 people, along with 22,000 Sudanese refugees.

Doctors said 12 staffers have lost their jobs as a result of aid cuts. The majority were from the maternity department.

Amna Adam Hessen had arrived the day before, burning with fever from malaria. Her unborn child was found to be in a breech position, a discovery made late because she had missed prenatal appointments. Brought by motorbike from the refugee camp, she bled heavily during labor and lost her baby.

The next day, her mother, Salet, fanned her in the suffocating heat.

“Giving birth here is exhausting,” she said, describing the long and difficult night.

Amna writhed with fever on the bare foam mattress and cried out, “Mama, mama.”

Zanabe is worried about future cuts in humanitarian assistance affecting mothers.

Over 40% of births in Central African Republic already occur away from medical facilities, the United Nations has estimated — a traditional approach that risks otherwise preventable complications.

‘I abandoned them like that’

Clara Abessendé was one of the four midwives who lost their jobs.

She had watched as the number of women arriving daily at the hospital tripled after Sudan’s war began in early 2023, and as staffers ran out of supplies like antibiotics and malaria treatments.

“As a result, there were more cases of infant and maternal deaths,” she said.

Abessendé said she feels heavy with the guilt of having to leave her job.

“The children born in my hands .. .I abandoned them like that,” she said.

Katidje Idrisse Tahire is one of the women she’s no longer there to help.

Tahire walked slowly through the refugee camp to fetch water, one child on her back and two others at her side. She was late in her ninth month, preparing to have another.

She said she fled Sudan four months ago on foot. At the border, armed men robbed her of everything. Her husband hasn’t been seen since they fled Darfur.

“My whole body aches,” she said. “I am very tired and unwell.”

She has no money and doesn’t know if care will be available when her baby comes.

WHO Reports Ebola Patients Recovery in DR Congo, Infection Cases Rise

By Al Mayadeen English

1 Jun 2026 08:48

WHO says Ebola patients have recovered in Congo as cases spread in Uganda and eastern regions, with 134 confirmed infections and ongoing response efforts.

Five patients have recovered from a rare type of Ebola virus in an ongoing outbreak in eastern Congo, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced during a visit to Bunia, the capital of Ituri province.

"Four people will be discharged today, and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia.

The WHO said on Friday that a patient had recovered from the Bundibugyo virus, the current strain of Ebola involved in the outbreak, which has no approved treatment or vaccine.

It marked the first documented recovery of a confirmed Bundibugyo case in the current outbreak. The health agency reported 134 confirmed cases across Congo and neighboring Uganda, including 18 confirmed deaths as of May 29.

Recoveries bring cautious optimism

Recovered patients described their experience as both traumatic and hopeful. Baraka Bulambulu, one of those discharged, said community fear led to isolation while they were receiving treatment. He said uncertainty about the illness was overwhelming, as patients initially feared they might die before receiving a diagnosis.

"Being able to come out of this alive is an immense source of happiness", Bulambulu said, adding that "Many people who were in the same situation died."

A nurse, Ezo Étienne, described severe symptoms including dizziness, vomiting, intense itching, diarrhea, and extreme weakness. He said he was tested seven times before Ebola was confirmed.

Treatment focused on symptom management, including fluids, anti-vomiting medication, and pain relief. He urged people not to dismiss early symptoms such as vomiting and headaches, warning that misinformation often delays hospital treatment.

Response challenges and insecurity

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said the virus is spreading faster than the response despite improved coordination and new resources. The group called for expanded testing, faster deployment of health workers, and improved access to medical supplies.

Health workers have also faced resistance from communities over burial protocols that conflict with local traditions, leading to at least three attacks on treatment centers.

The WHO stressed the importance of community engagement during outbreak response efforts. "If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover," Tedros said. "The key is to come forward as early as possible".

"We can stop this Ebola, and anyone who has it can also recover. But the rule is this thing is everybody’s business."

However, armed violence in eastern Congo continues to disrupt health operations, including attacks by a group linked to the Islamic State organization. The Congolese army and civil society groups reported that ADF fighters killed seven people in Beni, North Kivu province. The outbreak has also spread across North Kivu and South Kivu, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls key cities including Goma and Bukavu.

Despite challenges, officials at the new treatment center expressed cautious optimism that the outbreak can be contained. 

MSF Warns Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo is Deeply Alarming

By Al Mayadeen English

30 May 2026 23:39

Médecins Sans Frontières warned that the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo’s Ituri Province is spreading rapidly and outpacing response efforts, as WHO monitors a growing public health emergency with hundreds of suspected cases.

The situation surrounding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been described as “deeply alarming” by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), as health authorities and humanitarian teams struggle to contain a rapidly spreading outbreak in the country’s northeast.

Alan Gonzalez, deputy director of operations at MSF, said in a statement that the situation in Ituri Province has deteriorated significantly just two weeks after the outbreak was officially declared, warning that both communities and frontline health workers are facing mounting pressure.

He said the speed of transmission has placed response teams under severe strain, with infections emerging faster than they can be effectively tracked and contained.

Rising cases and strained health response

According to MSF, suspected Ebola cases are being identified on a daily basis, but limited testing capacity is slowing down diagnosis and delaying urgent response measures.

The organization warned that without a rapid expansion of testing and containment capabilities, health authorities risk losing control of the outbreak’s trajectory.

Gonzalez stressed that immediate scaling-up of diagnostic infrastructure is essential to prevent further spread, describing the current situation as one where response systems are struggling to keep pace with transmission.

WHO monitoring emergency situation

The warning comes as World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited Ituri Province to assess the situation on the ground.

The WHO has already classified the Ebola outbreak in both the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, highlighting the cross-border risks posed by the spread of the virus.

According to UN health data, more than 900 suspected cases have been reported in the DRC so far, including at least 223 suspected deaths.

Recurring outbreaks in Central Africa

The latest outbreak comes months after the previous Ebola epidemic in the DRC was declared over in October 2025, underscoring the continued vulnerability of health systems in parts of Central Africa.

Ebola outbreaks have repeatedly affected the region over the past decades, often exacerbated by limited infrastructure, delayed detection, and challenges in reaching remote communities.

Humanitarian agencies continue to warn that without sustained international support, rapid response capacity in outbreak-prone regions remains insufficient to prevent recurring health emergencies.

Egypt Condemns Somaliland Office in al-Quds, Backs Somalia Unity

By Al Mayadeen English

1 Jun 2026 19:19

Egypt reiterated its political backing for Mogadishu during talks in Seoul, stressing cooperation on security, development, and African Union stabilization efforts in Somalia.

Egypt has reaffirmed its full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, rejecting any unilateral measures that would undermine Somali state unity or infringe upon its sovereignty.

During his meeting with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi on the sidelines of the Korea–Africa Ministerial Meeting in Seoul, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty emphasized Cairo’s condemnation of Somaliland’s decision to open a representative office in occupied al-Quds, describing it as a “blatant violation” of international law and relevant UN resolutions, and a “direct affront to the legal and historical status of al-Quds."

The Egyptian minister reiterated Egypt’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Somalia across economic, developmental, and security fields, highlighting the depth of historical relations between the two countries.

Egypt seeks stronger strategic partnership with Somalia

Abdelatty also stressed the importance of ensuring sufficient and sustainable funding for the African Union mission for support and stabilization in Somalia, enabling it to fulfill its mandate in supporting security, stability, and counterterrorism efforts.

For his part, the Somali foreign minister reviewed domestic developments in his country and the government’s efforts to enhance security and build state institutions, expressing appreciation for Egypt’s continued support for Somalia at the political, security, and development levels.

In a related context, the Egyptian foreign minister held separate meetings with his counterparts from Cameroon and The Gambia, where they discussed ways to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation, as well as coordination on African and regional issues, particularly developments in the Sahel region and efforts to support security, stability, and development across the continent.

Warnings of Rising Prices in South Africa Amid Iran War Supply Risks

By Al Mayadeen English

1 Jun 2026 15:42

Tiger Brands reported a marginal rise in half-year earnings, driven by revenue growth and improved margins, while warning of potential price increases amid economic fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran.

South African food producer Tiger Brands has warned of rising price pressures ahead, citing ongoing supply chain disruptions linked to geopolitical instability, including the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The company also reported a marginal increase in half-year earnings, alongside plans for targeted price adjustments to offset expected cost pressures.

Tiger Brands reported a modest rise in headline earnings per share from continuing operations, increasing by 0.6% to 9.80 rand for the six months ended March 31, compared with a restated 9.74 rand a year earlier.

Revenue rose 1.3% to 17.9 billion rand ($1.10 billion), driven mainly by:

Volume growth of 2.6%

A price decline of 1.3%

On a like-for-like basis, excluding discontinued products and divestments, normalized volume growth reached 4.5%, reflecting resilient demand despite price sensitivity in the consumer market.

Stronger margins support profitability

The company’s gross margin improved significantly to 32.1%, up from 29.8%, supported by:

Lower raw material costs in key categories

Ongoing efficiency initiatives

Factory optimisation and improved production processes

Cost savings in recipes, packaging, and logistics

Operating income increased sharply by 26.1% to 2.1 billion rand, outperforming expectations due to stronger margins and additional logistics savings.

Tiger Brands noted that the consumer environment remains highly competitive, with households continuing to prioritise affordability. The company said pricing pressure remains a key feature of the market, even as volumes show signs of recovery in certain categories.

Geopolitical risks drive inflation concerns

Looking ahead, Tiger Brands warned that global geopolitical uncertainty, including the war on Iran, is likely to intensify supply chain disruptions in the second half of the 2026 financial year.

The company said these risks could affect:

Global supply chains

Transport and logistics costs

Consumer disposable income

Input prices across key production categories

Industry-wide concerns have also grown over rising energy, fertilizer, and shipping costs linked to the war, which are expected to feed into broader inflationary pressure in South Africa.

Targeted price increases and cost controls planned

To manage potential cost pressures, Tiger Brands said it will rely on a combination of:

The company stressed that these measures aim to limit the impact on profitability while remaining competitive in a price-sensitive market.

Tiger Brands declared an interim dividend of 430 cents per share, an increase of 3.6%, reflecting its improved earnings performance and stable cash generation.

Iranian Strikes Damage at Least 20 US Military Sites, Satellite Images Show

Monday, 01 June 2026 6:37 PM

Iranian strikes damage at least 20 American military sites, according to satellite images and videos analyzed by BBC Verify.

Iranian retaliatory attacks have left at least 20 US military sites damaged since the start of the US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, an analysis of satellite images and videos shows, indicating the strikes were more extensive than publicly acknowledged.

Satellite images and videos analyzed by BBC Verify showed that Iran has targeted key facilities across eight countries in West Asia since the end of February, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain and Oman.

The strikes caused millions of dollars of damage to state-of-the-art air defense systems, refueling aircraft and radars, according to the analysis.

As Washington has sought to limit satellite analysis of the war by requesting Planet, a major provider, to impose an "indefinite" restriction on new images of Iran and most of the region, the analysts used satellite imagery from other international providers combined with older images from Planet to track the damage caused by Iranian strikes.

In contrast to repeated claims of the White House that Iran's military has been almost wiped out, analysts noted that the damage seen at US facilities suggests that Tehran's retaliatory attacks have been more precise and extensive than American officials have previously acknowledged.

The actual figure could be higher, with some analysts putting the number of bases targeted as high as 28.

The Leader urges Muslim countries to deepen cooperation and shape a new regional and global order beyond American dominance.

According to the BBC analysis, among the significant losses were three advanced anti-ballistic missile battery systems at al-Ruwais and al-Sader airbases in the UAE, as well as Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan.

The report also found that Iranian strikes severely damaged US refueling and surveillance aircraft at Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, with wrecked aircraft and burn marks visible at the site.

Among the aircraft identified by a MAIAR analyst was an E-3 Sentry surveillance plane, which could reportedly cost up to $700 million to replace.

Iranian strikes also hit Ali al-Salem Airbase and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. Analysts at MAIAR identified destroyed fuel storage bunkers, aircraft hangars, and troop accommodation in satellite imagery, indicating the base was struck multiple times during the war.

At Camp Arifjan, defense intelligence firm Janes reported significant damage to satellite communications equipment, according to the report.

The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missiles and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases and interests in regional countries.

On April 8, a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect and was later extended unilaterally by Washington.

Following the successful Iranian retaliatory attacks, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei last week stressed that the United States "will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in the region" and was "growing more distant from its former status day by day."

Iran Warns Northern Israeli Settlers to Flee if Beirut Suburbs Come Under Attack

Monday, 01 June 2026 4:39 PM

The logo of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has issued an evacuation notice for settlers in northern occupied territories, should Israel carry out threats to bomb southern Beirut under the pretext of targeting the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

In a statement issued on Monday, the headquarters said Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has threatened to bomb the Dahiyeh district and the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in continuation of his sinister acts in the region.

“Given the [Israeli] regime's repeated violations of the ceasefire, if this threat is implemented, we warn residents of the northern parts and military settlements in the occupied territories to leave the area if they do not want to be harmed,” the statement said.

Netanyahu ordered military strikes on Monday on Dahiyeh and Beirut, saying they were a response to what he claimed to be Hezbollah's "repeated violations" of an ongoing truce.

The prime minister of the Israeli regime said he and the minister for military affairs, Israel Katz, had instructed the army to strike "targets" in the area.

Foreign Minister Araghchi says the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States applies across “all fronts, including Lebanon.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Monday that the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States covers “all fronts, including Lebanon,” warning that any violation on one front will constitute a breach of the broader ceasefire arrangement.

“For immediate attention: The ceasefire between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Araghchi said in a post on his X account.

Iran Draws Red Line: No Final Deal with US Until Israel Ends Onslaught Against Lebanon

Monday, 01 June 2026 9:56 AM

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has stated that a ceasefire in Lebanon is inseparable from any final agreement to end the war, as the Israeli regime escalates assaults on Lebanon in violation of an earlier truce.

Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Esmaeil Baghaei responded to a question about Lebanon's developments and the ongoing Israeli atrocities in the country.

"Our region is facing continuous warmongering by the Zionist regime. This is not just about today or yesterday. Over the past 80 years, the Zionist regime, with US support, has waged a permanent and endless war against the countries of the region," he said.

He noted that the developments of recent months constitute a "clear and flagrant violation" of the April 8 ceasefire.

The United States and Israel launched their illegal, unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28.

Iran’s armed forces responded with at least 100 waves of decisive retaliatory strikes under Operation True Promise 4, launching hundreds of ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as drones, against American military bases across West Asia and Israeli positions throughout the occupied territories.

Iran also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz to vessels affiliated with adversaries and those cooperating with them.

A fragile Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire has been in place since early April, but a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.

Tehran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the blockade is lifted and the war permanently ends.

An Iranian lawmaker says the country’s nuclear issue was not and will not be subject to negotiations with the US as the current talks are centered on ending the war.

"We have emphasized and continue to emphasize that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any ceasefire and any final agreement to end the war," Baghaei added.

The spokesman further stated that it is not only Israel that is “violating the ceasefire; the United States, on such a wide scale, is also committing violations of the ceasefire in our region."

He also pointed to the continuation of "maritime banditry and aggression against Iranian commercial shipping," saying, "Add to this violation of the ceasefire the continuation of maritime banditry and aggression against Iranian commercial shipping, which itself is both a violation of the ceasefire and an act of aggression against Iran."

Iranian officials have warned that any new aggression will be met with a far more devastating response than before.

A senior Iranian diplomat says the new regulations devised by Iran govern maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

No effort will be spared to help Lebanon, Lebanese resistance

Baghaei reiterated that the Islamic Republic will withhold no effort in assisting Lebanon and the Lebanese resistance against the unlawful aggression of the Zionist regime.

"As the Islamic Republic of Iran, we once again emphasize that we consider ourselves committed to taking any action we can to help Lebanon and to help the resistance in Lebanon against the aggression and unlawful violations of the Zionist regime," he stated.

New or contradictory US demands prolonging negotiations

Responding to a question about the main obstacles to the negotiations with the US, Baghaei said, "In a situation where the other side constantly changes its views, raises new or contradictory demands, and sends different and inconsistent media messages, it is natural that this situation prolongs the negotiation process."

No nuclear talks held with US

When asked about US President Donald Trump's recent claim that Iran's buried enriched uranium must be removed and destroyed, and whether Iran needs foreign technology to access the Fordow site, Baghaei responded, "Whenever we need to take action on nuclear issues, we know very well how to proceed."

"Regarding the details of nuclear-related discussions, no negotiations have taken place at this stage. I repeat once again that at this stage, our focus is on ending the war," he added.

Release of blocked funds is Iran's definitive demand

Addressing a question about the release of Iran's blocked assets and reports that the US is willing to deliver $6 billion of Iran's frozen assets in Qatar in the form of food and medical equipment rather than cash, Baghaei stated that what Iran received during the JCPOA process were the blocked funds belonging to the Iranian people.

"At present, we are not seeking concessions; we are seeking to receive the rights of the Iranian nation that have been unjustly violated. One of these violated rights is Iran's blocked or restricted assets, which in recent years have been frozen in some foreign countries due to illegal US actions," he added.

Any NATO action in Persian Gulf will complicate situation

Responding to a question about NATO's announcement that it intends to take actions to lift the maritime blockade and engage in military intervention, Baghaei said that any movement or action that leads to further complication of the situation in the Persian Gulf is unwise, and no responsible or rational actor would accept such a risk.

"If NATO, European countries, and members of this coalition want to fulfill their responsibilities, they must hold the United States and the Zionist regime accountable, because they are the ones who have caused this situation in the first place," he concluded.

Iran Says US Directly Responsible for Israeli Truce Violations in Lebanon

Monday, 01 June 2026 7:12 PM

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the US is responsible for Israel’s continued violations of the Iran-US truce terms in Lebanon.

Iran has warned the United States that Israel's ongoing attacks on Lebanon constitute a clear violation of the April 8 ceasefire with Tehran, and that it holds Washington responsible for the breaches.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a Monday statement that the US has violated the terms of the April 8 ceasefire announced by Pakistan by attacking Iranian ships and facilities in the Persian Gulf, while it has also failed to contain Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which Tehran views as a clear violation of the truce.

“Despite the efforts of the United States in the initial days following the ceasefire to pressure the Israeli regime into halting its aggressions against Lebanon, the direct responsibility of the United States, both for violating the ceasefire against Iran and for the Israeli regime's violation of the ceasefire against Lebanon, is evident,” said the statement.

The statement said Washington should bear the costs of the Israeli violations of the truce in Lebanon and their impacts and consequences for the situation in the entire region.

Iran’s highest operational command unit warns residents in northern areas and military settlements in the occupied territories to leave the area amid Israel’s threats to bomb Lebanon.

It said that Iran would act to defend its interests “everywhere it deems necessary” based on its legitimate right to self-defense, adding that the Israeli regime has violated the territorial integrity of Lebanon by launching dozens of attacks and operations against the Arab country, which have killed thousands and displaced nearly two million people.

The statement came after Iran's central military command warned settlers living in the Israeli-occupied territories to evacuate their homes and properties in anticipation of a potential Iranian attack in response to evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli regime to people in areas of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

However, the Iranian warning caused US President Donald Trump to intervene immediately. He said in a post on social media that he had convinced the Israeli regime to halt its plans for attacks on Beirut.

The escalation in the situation in Lebanon comes despite reports showing that Iran and the US had moved closer to signing an initial agreement aimed at permanently ending the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

Iran has repeatedly said that any deal to end the aggression against the country must include a cessation of attacks on allied resistance forces in other parts of the region.

‘Iran’s Patience Has Limits,’ Senior Advisor to Leader Warns Israel, US

Monday, 01 June 2026 6:12 PM

Mohsen Rezaei, former chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)

A senior advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has warned Israel and the United States over the regime’s escalating aggression against Lebanon and the American blockade of Iranian ports, saying Tehran’s patience has a threshold.

Mohsen Rezaei made the remarks in an X post on Monday, as Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon and the US continues its naval piracy near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been controlled by Iran since the illegal US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

“The Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s control. We will not allow the naval blockade to continue, and will not tolerate the escalation of tensions in Lebanon,” he said.

“The patience of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran has limits,” warned Rezaei, a former chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

A massive wave of displacement has unfolded in Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli threats to bomb the Lebanese capital.

The unjustified US-Israeli aggression on Iran began on February 28. In response, the Iranian Armed Forces targeted sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets throughout the region and restricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

On April 8, forty days into the war, an Islamabad-brokered ceasefire went into effect. However, the first round of Tehran-Washington negotiations failed to reach an agreement.

Iran is insisting that the ceasefire agreement with the United States includes a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Tel Aviv and Beirut announced a truce on April 17, but the occupying regime violated it by conducting several deadly attacks on Lebanon.

‘Every Choice Has a Price’: Speaker Qalibaf Warns US, Israel Over Naval Blockade, Lebanon Carnage

Monday, 01 June 2026 10:57 AM

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that the US naval blockade of Iran’s ports and Israel’s growing war crimes in Lebanon will come at a price for Washington and Tel Aviv.

In a post on his X account on Monday, Qalibaf said the US naval blockade imposed on Iranian ships and ports and the escalation of war crimes by the "genocidal Zionist regime" in Lebanon clearly show the US's lack of compliance with the ceasefire.

“The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of US noncompliance with the ceasefire,” he wrote.

The top Iranian negotiator in indirect talks with the US further warned against the consequences of continued violent acts, which would ultimately come at a cost.

"Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due," Qalibaf said, adding, "It will all fall into place."

The top Iranian parliamentarian’s warning comes amid Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement, including repeated incursions north of the Litani River, deadly strikes on civilian areas, and displacement orders targeting southern Lebanese communities.

These acts of aggression have caused significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon, despite the truce that took effect in April. The heightened tensions in Lebanon also increased concerns over the humanitarian and security consequences of continued hostilities in the region.

The Federation of Labor and Health Unions in the Bekaa Valley has issued a strong condemnation of the latest Israeli aggression targeting Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

On April 8, forty days into the US-Israel-imposed war on the Islamic Republic, a Pakistan-brokered temporary ceasefire between Iran and the US took effect.

Negotiations ensued in the Pakistani capital Islamabad but stopped short of an agreement amid Washington’s maximalist demands and insistence on unreasonable positions, including a naval blockade it has imposed on Iranian vessels and ports.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday stated that a ceasefire in Lebanon is inseparable from any final agreement to end the war, amid the Israeli regime's escalating assaults on Lebanon.

"Our region is facing continuous warmongering by the Zionist regime. This is not just about today or yesterday. Over the past 80 years, the Zionist regime, with US support, has waged a permanent and endless war against the countries of the region," he said.

He noted that the developments of recent months constitute a "clear and flagrant violation" of the April 8 ceasefire.

Lesotho's Kao Diamond Mine to Shut Down Amid Fuel Cost Surge, Weak Prices

Source: Xinhua| 2026-06-01 01:52:00|Editor: huaxia

MASERU, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD) in Lesotho will cease operations at its Kao Mine on June 30 due to rising fuel costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East and a prolonged slump in global diamond prices.

The company announced earlier this week that the Kao Mine would be placed under care and maintenance from July, citing unsustainable fuel costs, depressed diamond prices and mounting capital requirements. The move is expected to affect hundreds of workers.

"The biggest challenge confronting the operation was the prolonged, severe decline in global rough diamond prices," SMD Chief Executive Officer Neo Hoala said, noting that the market downturn is the primary trigger for the closure.

However, rising fuel costs have dealt an additional blow to the company.

Since the United States and Israel struck Iran in late February, triggering the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global oil supplies have been severely disrupted, with landlocked countries such as Lesotho bearing amplified price shocks at the end of long logistics chains.

The Kao Mine consumes about 600,000 litres of diesel each month to power heavy machinery and haulage operations. Following successive fuel price increases, the mine's monthly diesel bill has nearly tripled.

The fuel crisis has compounded a deeper structural challenge facing the diamond sector -- the rapid proliferation of synthetic diamonds produced at a fraction of the cost of natural stones. Consumer demand has increasingly shifted toward laboratory-grown alternatives, placing sustained downward pressure on prices for natural diamonds.

"This technology has advanced and production volumes have surged globally," Hoala said. "For smaller, independent producers like Storm Mountain Diamonds, this shift is felt acutely."

About 750 permanent employees and contractors will be directly affected by the shutdown. Hoala said the company could not provide a timeline for resuming operations but added that the board would review market conditions every three months.

The closure deepens Lesotho's economic vulnerability at a time when global energy disruptions continue to reverberate across some of southern Africa's most resource-dependent economies