Russia’s MFA Slams EU's Actions on Oil Price Cap as ‘Farce’

According to Maria Zakharova, Moscow has long been accustomed to the EU arbitrarily changing any rules of the game regarding the Russian fuel and energy complex and other sectors

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

RZHEV /Tver Region/, July 27. /TASS/. The European Union's actions regarding the Russian oil price cap are a farce, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing.

"What Brussels has orchestrated around the oil price cap situation can only be described as a farce. We have long been accustomed to the European Union arbitrarily changing any rules of the game regarding the Russian fuel and energy complex and other sectors, without considering the consequences for its member states and populations, much less for third countries," she said.

Zakharova pointed out the absurdity of Brussels "rewriting even anti-Russian sanctions on the fly."

"They agreed to a freeze on the current price cap for a year ahead, because otherwise, market conditions would have led to its automatic upward adjustment," she went on. "This says a lot about the long-term planning abilities of EU eurocrats and the effectiveness of Brussels' sanctions mechanisms. I believe this speaks primarily to their intellectual capacity. Or, better yet, their lack thereof."

Putin Increases Russian Troop Strength by 25,000 Service Members

The decree comes into force on August 1

© Alexander Reka/TASS

MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order to set the size of the Russian armed forces at 2,426,130 people, including 1,535,000 service members.

The executive order instructs to "establish the staff number of the Russian armed forces at 2,426,130 people, including 1,535,000 service members."

Therefore, the overall number grew by 27,000 people, including 25,000 service members.

The decree comes into force on August 1.

Also, the decree sets the maximum number of the Russian Defense Ministry’s central office personnel at 13,400, not including security guards and other auxiliary workers. Of them, 4,930 are to be civil servants.

Peskov Reflects on Russia’s Difference from US, ‘Might Makes Right’ Rule

Dmitry Peskov noted that Western countries had destroyed independent and dissenting media as soon as the conflict with Russia had begun

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Valery Sharifulin/TASS

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

SOLNECHNOGORSK /Moscow Region/, July 27. /TASS/. Russia maintains its obligations in the social sphere and, therefore, it cannot afford spending hundreds of billions of dollars on social networks like the United States does, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told the Territory of Meanings forum.

There is no law in the information sector, so the "might makes right" rule is widely used there, he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin studies every subject that he is working on in detail, and is ready to discuss matters with related specialists on an equal footing, the Kremlin spokesman said.

Below are Peskov’s key remarks made at the forum.

Spending on social networks

Russia sticks to its social commitments, and, therefore, cannot afford spending hundreds of billions of dollars on social networks. "Americans spend hundreds of billions of dollars to develop their social networks. We cannot afford that: we do not have such funds, and, unlike them, we are a welfare state. Our state bears an enormous load of responsibilities to its citizens."

Being unable to direct vast funds to the sphere of information technologies, Russia should bet on making unique products instead: "The success of an information product is not always defined by the amount of money invested. We need to take a different approach, to aim at adding some unique elements."

Illusion of media freedom

The much-touted media freedom "remains in place as long as it corresponds to the views of owners of this or that media platform." "As soon as it starts to contradict with interests of [media] bosses or the government’s interests, the independence is over."

The only rule in the information sector is the ‘might makes right’ approach: "There are no laws and no rules, what matters is only who is the strongest and most technologically advanced."

"Information is being suppressed. They launch their own algorithms that push any information that you try to send to the very bottom [of the search list]."

Western countries destroyed independent and dissenting media as soon as the conflict with Russia began: "What happened when the conflict started? Despite claims of unquestionable media freedom, which they professed to us for decades, they simply closed and prohibited [undesirable media outlets]."

Informational and technological sovereignty

"There is no information sovereignty as such, information knows no borders or boundaries."

Russia should rely on sovereign media technologies and instruments: "We should have at our disposal the entire array of instruments allowing us to bring about our own meanings."

Sovereignty in the area of information and technologies develops best during crises: "This experience is useful, because any sovereignty, particularly in the sphere of information, can hardly develop within the zone of comfort, when everything is calm. It needs a crisis to thrive."

The current crisis only made the Russian society stronger: "We are now in the midst of an ideal crisis, which strengthens our sovereignty and which <…> filled our lives with unity and consolidated our ranks."

About Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin closely studies every subject he has to deal with: "Every time, Putin studies the subject from a to z, to the point where he is capable of engaging in a meaningful discussion with specialists, who have been studying the subject for their whole life. And his ability to learn <…> always makes me admire him."

"This is a quality of exceptional importance, and I advise you all to learn."

Russia’s development

Russia will always have to resist flows of information from countries that are angered by its clout, power or independence. During the current difficult period, Russia will achieve its goals "and enter the period where it will start to develop at a rapid pace.".

Russian Ambassador Rejects Romania’s Accusations Related to Drone Incidents

Vladimir Lipaev noted that "Russia has never targeted combat drones at facilities in Romania and is not doing this, and that any speculations on this topic are absolutely groundless, whoever they come from"

Russian Ambassador to Romania Vladimir Lipaev The Russian embassy in Romania

© The Russian embassy in Romania

BUCHAREST, July 27. /TASS/. The Romanian foreign ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Bucharest Vladimir Lipaev to lodge a protest over the alleged violation of the country’s airspace by Russian drones and announce the expulsion of an embassy employee, the Russian embassy in Bucharest said.

"The diplomat categorically rejected the groundless accusations against Russia, slamming them as another propaganda show meant to prevent further strikes by the Russian armed forces against Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube and in the Black Sea, which is actively used by NATO for supplying the Ukrainian army with weapons and equipment via Romania’s territory," the embassy said in a press statement. "No evidence was presented to prove that the drones belonged to Russia. None of the questions regarding the technical flight parameters was answered."

According to the statement, the Russian ambassador stressed that "Russia has never targeted combat drones at facilities in Romania and is not doing this, and that any speculations on this topic are absolutely groundless, whoever they come from."

"The Romanian side’s attention was drawn to the fact that support for the Kiev terrorist regime in any format is absolutely ‘inadmissible and unacceptable’ and leads to the conflict protraction and new human casualties," the statement underscores. "The ambassador warned against further escalation of confrontation with Russia and any attempts by Romanian air defense forces to conduct cross-border operations, which would mean Romania's involvement in direct combat operations on Ukrainian territory."

The unsubstantiated expulsion of a Russian embassy employee will not remain unanswered by Russia," the ministry stressed.

Romania’s foreign ministry said earlier that it had summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev in connection with "repeated violations of Romania’s airspace between July 24 and 26, 2026, when the Romanian army shot down three drones that had entered the national territory without permission." The Russian diplomatic envoy received a verbal note demanding that one of the Russian diplomats should leave the country within five days. Romania has also recalled its ambassador from Moscow to Bucharest for consultations.

Kiev, West Using 'Confidentiality' as Cover to Mask Lies About Russia — Diplomat

Russia receives "vague answers" that create a situation of "strategic uncertainty," Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik said

Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik Pavel Seleznev/TASS

© Pavel Seleznev/TASS

MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. Kiev and the countries and organizations supporting it are creating an atmosphere of "strategic uncertainty" in which it is easy to hide lies and manipulation by refusing to provide evidence for their accusations against Russia on the grounds of "confidentiality," Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik told TASS in an interview.

"For three years, they have refused to answer our questions. 'Give us a list of the people killed in Bucha.' 'Well, how can we do that? That’s confidential!' 'What’s confidential? Are the details of a murder victim confidential?' Nevertheless, the UN Secretary General’s office allows itself to give such answers, claiming that these are 'highly confidential matters.' <…> The data has not been provided in a single official document. Repeated statements that independent expert examinations would be conducted have come to nothing. There are no official documents. In other words, no entity has stepped forward to take responsibility and present verifiable evidence," the diplomat said.

According to him, Russia receives "vague answers" that create a situation of "strategic uncertainty." "It’s very convenient. 'Strategic uncertainty' is a very convenient cover for lies, manipulation, and other tools used to propagate knowingly false information," Miroshnik concluded.

Ugandan Diplomat Olara Otunnu Joins Race to Lead the United Nations

Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu has become the seventh candidate to join the race to become the next leader of the United Nations.

The former UN under-secretary-general, who served as a special representative for children and armed conflict, was nominated by Kampala on Friday.

A previous opposition presidential candidate, he also served as Uganda's UN envoy, and as his country's foreign minister for a brief period.

At 75, he is the oldest of the current candidates to replace Antonio Guterres whose mandate as secretary-general comes to an end on 31 December after two five-year terms in the post.

The other potential successors in the running are from Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guyana, and Senegal's Macky Sall.

The six other candidates, four of them women, participated in a televised debate on Thursday.

At the end of this month, the 15 members of UN Security Council are due to hold their first closed-door, anonymous vote on their preferences among the candidates.

That first "straw poll" will be followed by an unspecified number of similar votes until one person secures the required nine votes, without a veto from any of the five permanent members -- the United States, Britain, China, France, and Russia.

The name of the selected candidate will then be sent to the General Assembly for formal appointment to the position.

He or she will take office on 1 January 2027.

Tunisian Town of Sidi Bou Said Added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Famed for its cobbled streets and blue and white houses, the Tunisian coastal town of Sidi Bou Said on Saturday was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the ancient ruins of Carthage, the picturesque village is a major tourist stop.

It was built in the 18th century around the shrine of the revered Sufi master Sidi Bou Said al-Baji, who founded a spiritual sanctuary there in the 12th or 13th century.

But the popular site faces major challenges including pressure on land use and the geological stability of the cliff.

In January, the heaviest rainfall in over 70 years caused major damage, triggering landslides as mud swept down alleyways, destroying facades, and damaging homes.

The Tunisian cultural ministry says the town, 20 kilometres outside of the capital Tunis, was recognised for its outstanding universal value.

It hailed the announcement as a signal of "the universal exceptional value of Sidi Bou Said as a space of cultural, spiritual and artistic inspiration".

The ministry cited the town’s distinct architectural identity, rich cultural heritage, and centuries-long contribution to Mediterranean civilisation.

With the inscription of Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia now has 10 sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Thousands Rally in Tunisian Capital Calling for End of President's Rule

Protesters during a demonstration against President Kais Saied, Tunis, Tunisia, 25 July 2026.

Tunisia

Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets of the capital, Tunis, on Saturday to demand the resignation of President Kais Saied.

Demonstrators held signs reading "Get out," "Game over," and "Only Kaïs remains happy," while chanting slogans against the president.

The protest came as the country marked five years since Saied suspended parliament and later dissolved it in order to rule by decree.

They were denouncing worsening living conditions, democratic backsliding, and mismanagement of the state.

Academic and sociology researcher, Mouldi Gassoumi, said the march was a call for citizens “to rediscover the values and principles of the Republic”.

“Unfortunately, these values began to be abandoned on 25 July 2021, since what I have repeatedly described as a 'coup d’état against the constitutional order',” he said.

The march was the latest in a string of demonstrations opposing crackdowns on dissent, the struggling economy, and limits on press freedom.

Protesters held up portraits of imprisoned journalist Mourad Zghidi, with his sister urging people to resist, saying people today are “oppressed and imprisoned”.

“And those who could bring added value to this country are behind bars. The country is facing great dangers, and we must take to the streets to defend its achievements," she said.

Saturday’s demonstration comes amid growing social tensions. In recent days, Tunisia has been hit by an intense heatwave.

It has sparked multiple wildfires and caused repeated power and water outages, deepening public frustration over the decline in basic services.

Climate Experts Say Super El Niño Will Negatively Impact African Economies

A family uses a canoe after fleeing floodwaters that wreaked havoc in Ombaka Village, Kisumu, Kenya, 17 April 2024.

Climate experts warn that an impending “super” El Niño will have a negative impact on African economies and trigger mass migration from hard-hit areas.

African Development bank specialists told Reuters news agency that it is likely to inflict a combined $10 billion to $20 billion hit on affected countries.

Its director for climate change and green growth, Anthony Nyong, said it will reduce the GDP of heavily impacted countries by one to two per cent on average.

He did not provide a country-by-country breakdown of the estimate, but warned it was unlikely to be a once-off either, with the effects potentially lasting for years.

Forecasters warn that the naturally occurring weather pattern could turn into one of the strongest ever seen if current Pacific Ocean warming trends continue.

A super El Niño is defined by sea surface temperatures more than two degrees Celsius above normal in the central Pacific.

The weather pattern typically brings drought to Southern Africa and heavy rains and flooding in East Africa.

In the 2023 to 2024 El Niño event, this ‌led to widespread crop failures, surging food prices, and record-breaking sea-level spikes along the continent’s coastlines.

The bank estimates that African farmers are already facing nearly $330 million in lost income ⁠this year, amid high energy prices and fertilizer disruptions due to the war in the Middle East.

It said the fishing industries could be ⁠hard hit due to rising sea temperatures and storms.

Conflicts, debt pressures, and cuts in international aid are also contributing to a weaker capacity in many countries to respond to external shocks.

The AfDB identified Sudan, South ​Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Mali, Burundi and even Nigeria as countries that could face particularly severe impacts.

Senegal’s President Faye Launches a New Party Over Deepening Split with Former Ally Sonko

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye addresses the 80th session of the UN General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)

By MARK BANCHEREAU

3:24 PM EDT, July 25, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal ‘s president formally launched his own political party Saturday, cementing his rupture with former ally Ousmane Sonko, the head of the ruling Pastef party, and setting up a power struggle during a major debt crisis.

The creation of Bassirou Diomaye Faye ‘s Republican Patriots party makes official a split that had been building for months between the two men. They rose to power together in 2024 under the Pastef banner, an acronym for its French name, Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité.

In the weeks leading up to the launch, a growing number of Pastef officials resigned from the party to join Faye’s camp, including several regional leaders and members of its youth wing. Several members of the opposition party Alliance for The Republic have also joined Faye’s movement.

Faye and Sonko’s alliance, forged ahead of the 2024 presidential election, unraveled amid disputes over key policy decisions, including how to approach negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a loan program amid a severe debt crisis.

Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister earlier this year, but Sonko’s party retained its large majority in parliament, and he was elected president of the National Assembly soon after.

A new prime minister, Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, was appointed in May, and a new Cabinet was formed the following month without any ministers from Pastef, after Sonko announced his party would not take part in the government.

Faye and Sonko had campaigned together in 2024 on pledges to create jobs for young people, crack down on corruption and win Senegal a bigger share of revenue from its oil, gas and mineral wealth.

But those promises have grown harder to deliver, as Senegal’s debt burden has worsened since they took office, after officials discovered the previous administration had underreported billions of dollars in borrowing.

The formation of Faye’s new party sets up a political showdown between the former allies that is likely to play out in local elections in 2027 and could shape the campaign for the 2029 presidential race.

MARK BANCHEREAU

Banchereau covers 22 countries across West and Central Africa for The Associated Press. He is based in Dakar, Senegal.

Ebola Infections in DR Congo Surge to 3,200, with 1,405 Deaths

Cases have surged by 1,000 in just 10 days as outbreak continues to spread across five provinces.

27 Jul 2026

The number of people infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 3,200, according to government data, including at least 1,405 deaths.

The data was released on Sunday as medics struggle to contain the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak, with infections surging by about 1,000 in just 10 days.

The outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

The World Health Organization said nearly 90 percent of cases have been reported in the northeastern province of Ituri, which borders South Sudan and Uganda.

The United Nations agency says the virus is in five provinces, including two new provinces where it has spread recently.

“In many cases the humanitarian community wants to help, but the real challenge is getting there”, said Hedley Tah of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which flies medics and response teams to crisis front lines.

In addition to moving aid workers to stricken areas, Tah added that UNHAS is “moving samples for lab testing to ensure traceability can continue”.

Authorities said that improved detection and testing had helped identify more infections.

The outbreak could last several more months, and strikes by healthcare workers demanding unpaid wages have disrupted response efforts in some hospitals.

Ebola, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes hemorrhagic fever, has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past 50 years.

Scientists are racing to develop vaccines and treatments against the Bundibugyo strain, with Oxford University saying on Friday that the first volunteer group had received an experimental vaccine targeting the strain.

Several other candidate vaccines are being fast-tracked for clinical trials, while two potential treatments are also under development.

What Experts Are Saying as Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda Kills More than 1,000 People

World 

Jul 24, 2026 9:19 AM EDT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,000 people in eastern Congo as health officials race to contain a virus with no approved vaccine or treatment.

An update from Congo's public health institute on Wednesday said there have been 2,536 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,033 deaths, with at least 738 patients in isolation or hospitalized.

The outbreak declared on May 15 is unlike most previous instances of Ebola spreading through communities because the Bundibugyo virus responsible has no approved vaccines or treatments.

It is mostly concentrated in remote Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of cases, but there have been others confirmed in five provinces including one of Congo's largest cities, Kisangani, and in neighboring Uganda.

Here is what to know about the outbreak:

Outbreak is spreading despite signs of slowing

While Congolese officials say the sharp rise in cases appears to be slowing, they caution the outbreak has not yet peaked. The latest report by the country's public health institute says transmission remains sustained, with recent fluctuations in cases likely influenced by reporting delays and ongoing data consolidation.

Contact tracing continues to lag, with only around 77% of known contacts monitored nationwide, well below the 95% target health officials say is needed to interrupt transmission.

Responders are struggling to understand how far the Ebola outbreak has spread and how much worse it might become.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers last month used computer modeling and found that in a worst-case scenario, the current Ebola outbreak could approach the worst in history.

The West Africa epidemic in 2014-2016 caused more than 11,000 deaths and took about eight months from the first case to reach 1,000 deaths.

The new outbreak's origin is still a medical mystery. The vast majority of cases are emerging from unknown chains of transmission, the World Health Organization said.

Risk of the outbreak spreading globally remains low

The WHO continues to assess the risk from the outbreak as "very high" inside Congo and "high" in Uganda and neighboring countries, citing cross-border spread, frequent population movement and ongoing transmission in eastern Congo.

The agency says the global risk of spread is low, noting Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person rather than through the air, making it much harder to spread than respiratory viruses.

While WHO says additional imported cases are likely as the outbreak grows, those cases have so far been rapidly detected and contained without leading to sustained transmission outside the affected region.

The CDC echoed that assessment in its latest situation report, saying Ebola doesn't spread like respiratory viruses such as flu or COVID-19.

"You cannot get Ebola from being near someone," the agency said.

The CDC also notes that people infected with Ebola are not contagious until they develop symptoms, making case identification and contact tracing easier than with diseases that spread before symptoms appear.

The outbreak has spread little beyond Congo

The vast majority of Ebola cases are concentrated in Congo.

In neighboring Uganda, 20 cases have been confirmed, including two deaths. All cases were linked to imported infections from Congo and are concentrated in the capital Kampala. No new Ebola cases have been reported since June 21 and the WHO has discharged its final patient, beginning the 42-day countdown used to declare the end of an outbreak.

A positive case of Ebola was identified in France in a doctor traveling from Congo in June. He has since fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital earlier this month.

The United States currently bars most recent travelers from Congo from entering the country and requires U.S. citizens to spend 21 days outside Congo before returning, while travelers from neighboring Uganda and South Sudan who are allowed to enter are routed through designated airports for Ebola screening.

U.S. plans to build an Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya for Americans evacuated from Congo have been met with legal challenges and a series of protests in Kenya, including some that have turned violent.

Community resistance and lack of testing slow response

Lack of trust and resistance from locals remain one of the biggest obstacles to containing the outbreak, according to authorities and health workers.

Rumors about Ebola treatment centers, fears of isolation and resistance to safe burials have led some people to avoid testing or seek care only after becoming critically ill.

The response also has been hampered by conflict. Fighting involving the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, attacks by the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces and mass displacement have complicated surveillance, contact tracing and access to affected communities.

At least 16 people were killed in an attack Wednesday by suspected ADF rebels in a village in Ituri province, local authorities said Thursday.

Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks, the Bundibugyo virus driving the epidemic has no approved vaccine or treatment. Although testing capacity has expanded since the outbreak began, responders say the virus continues to spread faster than they can contain it.

"There's never been an Ebola outbreak that started with so many cases because it was so late to be identified," said Trish Newport, emergency program manager for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), who has been working in Congo.

Earlier this month, researchers began the first clinical trial of potential treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, enrolling patients at an Ebola treatment center in Ituri province. The WHO said it could take months and as many as 1,000 participants to determine whether either of the two experimental treatments is effective.

Associated Press writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Prosper Heri Ngorora in Bunia, Congo, contributed to this report.

More Health Workers Strike as Ebola Cases in DR Congo Near 3,000, Including Over 1,300 Deaths

By PROSPER HERI NGORORA and CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA

1:19 PM EDT, July 25, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Health workers at an Ebola treatment center in eastern Congo went on strike on Saturday, demanding their pay. The walkout disrupted care for patients in the epicenter of the country’s rapidly growing outbreak.

The number of confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo has reached 2,973, including 1,309 deaths, according to government data released on Friday in what authorities say is the fastest-growing outbreak on record.

The Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, Ituri province, came to a standstill after doctors, nurses and security staff stopped work.

About a hundred health workers protested outside the treatment center on Saturday. They said the unpaid bonuses were undermining morale and disrupting patient care, and called on Congolese authorities to resolve the backpay so they could resume their work.

“We need to be paid, because in the meantime the disease is spreading at the treatment center,” Martin Bolombi, one of the health workers on strike said.

“I’ve already had five people die who are still inside there. A solution must be found for us,” he added.

In a statement issued Friday, staff said they had unanimously voted to strike until “concrete solutions” were found to resolve “two months of unpaid performance bonuses.”

The strike comes a day after Congo’s Prime Minister Judith Suminwa came to Ituri, touring major treatment hubs, in Rwampara and Mongbwalu, to assess the outbreak response. During her visit in Mongbwalu, she faced urgent demands from healthcare personnel protesting payment issues.

Dr. Adelard Lufungula, operations manager for the Ebola response, said Saturday the payment issue is “being resolved,” with workers now paid via mobile money instead of cash, and that the backlog “should be cleared” in the coming days.

Last week, health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region’s largest medical center, had already gone on strike over unpaid salaries. Some told The Associated Press they had not received any payment since they started work at the onset of the outbreak.

The World Health Organization says more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the beginning of the outbreak.

The Central African nation has been battling the Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus since May 15. A total of 766 patients remain in isolation or in hospitals, while 540 have recovered so far, according to data from Congo’s Ministry of Health.

The eastern province of Ituri accounts for nearly 90% of confirmed cases.

The outbreak continues to spread faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response. A key challenge is that patient zero has yet to be identified in the outbreak while displacement from armed conflict and illegal mining in the region have made it difficult to trace thousands who have come in contact with infected individuals.

The response is also hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centers, an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo and mistrust among local communities.

There is also a lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike the more common Zaire virus for which there is a vaccine and which was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.

Enrollment in a highly anticipated study of two possible Ebola treatments recently started in Ituri.

WHO says the global risk of the outbreak spreading outside Central Africa is low, noting that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person rather than through the air, making it much harder to spread than respiratory viruses.

___

Associated Press writer Saleh Mwanamilongo in Bonn, Germany, contributed to this report.

Tanzania Bans Political Rallies Ahead of Planned Anti-government Protests

4:15 PM EDT, June 26, 2026

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — Tanzania’s government Friday banned political rallies ahead of planned protests against last year’s disputed election and the detention of an opposition leader.

Internal Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi directed Police Inspector General Camillus Wambura to officially stop issuing permits for political activities across the East African country.

Tanzania witnessed its first-ever postelection protests in 2025. The general election was overwhelmingly won by the ruling party after the country’s main opposition party boycotted the polls and the presidential candidate for the second-largest opposition party was barred from running.

The country’s young people have said they plan to demonstrate on July 7 to protest President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s reelection and push for a new constitution.

Police have arrested people linked to the organizers of the planned protests, which have been mobilized through social media.

The country’s youth are also calling for the release of opposition party leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges after calling for reforms before last year’s elections.

They have also called for accountability over the widespread postelection violence, during which more than 500 people died.

Tanzania Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi said the government had “no authority whatsoever to prohibit or permit meetings that are legally allowed.”

“We will convene to determine the legal measures we will take, both domestically and internationally, against anyone who attempts to enforce this unlawful and invalid directive in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the country,” Mwabukusi said.

President Hassan in 2023 lifted a six-year ban on opposition rallies imposed by her predecessor John Magufuli.

Opposition parties in Tanzania have described the ban as politically motivated and a violation of constitutional rights, asserting that political parties are constitutionally guaranteed the right to hold public meetings.

Opposition party Chadema’s chief legal counsel, Rugemeleza Nshala, said the ban was intended to “muzzle political freedom,” and that the party was “contemplating other legal actions locally and internationally to challenge the decision.”

The main opposition party ACT Wazalendo’s shadow minister for Defense, Internal Affairs and Security, Rashid Ali, said the directive was yet another move aimed at violating the Constitution.

51 Officials Arrested and Charged with Terrorism Over Planned July Protests, Opposition Says

Tanzania Army patrol the street during vote counting in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File)

1:32 PM EDT, July 25, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Tanzania’s main opposition party on Saturday said 51 of its officials were arrested and charged with terrorism, accusing the government of using law enforcement to intimidate critics.

Chadema deputy chairperson John Heche said the officials were arrested over planned protests this month that failed to materialize because of a heavy police presence.

Tanzanians had planned to take to the streets on July 7, a date that commemorates the formation of the ruling party and is also associated with pro-democracy protests in neighboring Kenya. Protest organizers were calling for democratic reforms following the disputed October general election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with 98% of the vote.

Heche said Chadema chairman Tundu Lissu had been denied his basic rights and was facing the same terrorism charges, which are not eligible for bail.

Terrorism charges in Tanzania carry severe penalties, with those convicted facing prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.

On Thursday, a university lecturer had charges against him upgraded from incitement to terrorism ahead of a scheduled bail hearing on the earlier charges.

“I urge all Tanzanians to unite and speak out against blackmail and intimidation,” Heche said.

Heche said the party’s lawyers would defend all the arrested officials and urged opposition supporters to visit and support their families.

The Tanzanian government has not commented on the latest terrorism charges but has previously denied allegations of political repression.

In June, the government banned all political rallies, citing security concerns, but did not specify how long the ban would remain in force.

During the October election, thousands of people took to the streets on polling day. Reports on the number of deaths vary significantly. The government said 500 people were killed but the opposition said the death toll was in the thousands.

France Quietly Restores Military Ties with Chad

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

23 Jul 2026 17:09

France and Chad are rebuilding military ties through training, intelligence support and air cooperation after French troops left the country in 2025.

France and Chad are rebuilding military cooperation around training, intelligence and limited deployments, nearly 18 months after N'Djamena ordered French forces to leave amid tensions over security and intelligence-sharing in the Lake Chad Basin.

French personnel returned to Chad in April as the two countries began reshaping their military relationship. The renewed cooperation is expected to focus on helping Chadian forces address threats from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West African Province in the Lake Chad region, while also responding to security concerns along Chad's eastern border with Sudan.

The arrangement does not envisage the return of permanent French military bases in Chad. Instead, France is seeking a more limited role that would allow it to provide military support while relying more heavily on Chadian political consent.

“Chadian observers regard this rapprochement as reflecting a mutual desire to preserve channels of security and military cooperation, while accounting for the political and regional shifts that have reshaped the nature of relations between France and a number of Sahel states in recent years,” analyst Hassan Yusuf Zarma wrote recently for The Brown Land, an independent Sudanese news site.

France returns through a new military cooperation model

“France is trying to rebuild military cooperation with Chad, but not in the old format,” analyst Aleksander Olech wrote for Defense24. “This is not a full French comeback in Chad. It is a cautious attempt to return through the side door, with fewer soldiers, less visibility and more dependence on Chadian political consent.”

The new arrangement marks a shift from the military relationship that existed before Chad expelled around 1,000 French soldiers in January 2025, as anti-French sentiment spread across the Sahel. The withdrawal brought an end to 65 years of French military presence in the country, although French officials said at the time that military cooperation with Chad would not necessarily end.

Following the French withdrawal, Chad sought assistance from Russia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but encountered difficulties with each of the three potential partners, according to the French newspaper Le Monde.

Russia's Africa Corps failed to convince Chadian leaders after its mercenaries were unable to suppress insurgencies in Mali. Meanwhile, Turkish ANKA-S and Aksungur attack drones supplied by Turkish Aerospace Industries in 2024 reportedly proved too costly for Chad to operate. UAE support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including alleged assistance through an airport on Chadian territory, also complicated relations, although the UAE denies supporting the RSF.

Air support and intelligence emerge as priorities

As France rebuilds its relationship with Chad, air support is expected to be one of the first areas of cooperation, according to Olech.

“Since the French departure, Chad has struggled with rapid medical evacuation, air support for ground forces and intelligence collection. These are exactly the areas where French assistance previously mattered,” Olech wrote.

The cooperation is also expected to cover military training, exercises and intelligence gathering. The two countries have additionally discussed the possibility of Chad purchasing French helicopters and aircraft as N'Djamena seeks to strengthen its military capabilities.

The revised arrangement could also provide France with access to conduct air operations from its former Sergeant Adji Kosseï base in N'Djamena. The facility was the final French base handed over to Chad during the 2025 withdrawal.

“This would give Paris a useful point of support in central Africa without reproducing the old base model that became politically toxic in the Sahel,” Olech wrote.

IRGC Annihilates Remaining Amazon Facility in New Strike

July, 24, 2026 - 14:11 

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) destroyed the remaining building of an Amazon data facility in the region, describing the strike as part of its continuing retaliatory operations against targets linked to the US military.

The IRGC announced on Friday that it has destroyed the remaining structure of Amazon's data infrastructure during the 27th wave of Operation Nasr-2.

According to a statement, the IRGC forces targeted and destroyed the remaining building of the facility in the completion of an earlier operation against the American company's data center.

The statement noted that the Amazon facility played a key role in processing and supplying intelligence to the child-killing US military, adding that punitive operations against American targets would continue.

The latest strike followed an earlier IRGC attack on Amazon's data infrastructure in Bahrain during the 24th wave of Operation Nasr-2 on July 21. The IRGC had described the facility as a major information-processing and exchange hub supporting the US military and its regional operations, identifying it as Amazon Web Services' Bahrain cloud region.

According to the IRGC, the facility was used to process and exchange military data for US forces and was among the cloud computing infrastructure supporting the Pentagon's operations under the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) program.

The IRGC said the attacks were carried out in response to continued US military aggression against Iranian territory.

Top Iranian General Declares New Battlefield Equation After US Aggression

July, 25, 2026 - 09:51  

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters declared a new battlefield equation amid Iran’s retaliatory operations against US military targets, warning that every Iranian citizen martyred in American attacks would be matched by the death of a US service member.

As Iran continues its retaliatory strikes against US bases and assets in the region, Major General Ali Abdollahi warned of a new and definitive battlefield rule.

"The rule whose operational viability we had previously proven to the enemy has, from this moment onward, become the definitive and officially declared equation governing the battlefield: For every proud citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran who is martyred, one American servicemember will be sent to hell,” the senior commander said in a message.

“We have prepared free, one-way tickets straight to hell for you," Major General Abdollahi reminded the US enemy.

The warning came as the US military continued its aerial attacks against Iran for 13 consecutive nights, targeting civilian sites in a blatant war crime.

In response, Iranian Armed Forces have launched heavy reprisal attacks against strategic American targets across West Asia.

The US and the Israeli regime waged their illegal war of aggression against Iran on February 28. However, forty days later, on April 8, the enemies were forced to accept a ceasefire amid Iran’s brave resistance and successful retaliatory operations.

On June 17, Tehran and Washington signed the Pakistan-brokered Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end all hostilities and prepare for further negotiations.

However, Washington violated all provisions of the understanding, prompting Iran to deliver a firm response.

Araghchi: Hormuz Reopening Lies with Tehran, Security Must be Shared

By Al Mayadeen English

25 Jul 2026 19:48

Araghchi outlines Iran’s role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rejects reliance on foreign powers, and stresses regional cooperation on security.

Determining shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz falls under Tehran’s authority, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, stressing that regional security must be achieved collectively.

In an interview for Iran newspaper, Araghchi affirmed that “there is no ambiguity in Article 5 of the memorandum of understanding, which stipulates that Iran shall take the necessary arrangements to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within one month.”

He explained that the arrangements would place responsibility on Iran for determining the maritime route and passage to ensure shipping traffic returns to pre-war levels. In remarks to the Iranian newspaper, he added that any decision to introduce a new passage or remove an existing one must be made through consultation with Tehran and in line with Article 5.

We do not harbor hostility toward regional countries

The Iranian foreign minister added that the route designated by Iran was chosen based on security and maritime safety considerations, as the area had been mined.

He went on to say that US forces were directing ships away from Iran’s designated route and effectively encouraging them to use an alternative passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Regarding regional relations and security in the region, Araghchi stressed, “We remain in constant contact with the countries of the region and affirm that we do not harbor any hostility toward them."

In this context, he highlighted “a shared regional understanding that the measures taken by Iran do not stem from hostility toward the countries of the region.”

Araghchi says US bases threaten regional security, urges dialogue

Araghchi also highlighted a growing understanding that regional security must be achieved collectively and that countries cannot secure themselves by relying on external powers.

He added that some countries in the region had begun to recognize that the presence of US bases has, in certain cases, become a factor that threatens their security.

The Iranian foreign minister concluded by saying that Tehran’s ongoing contacts with countries across the region and beyond reflected a willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran, while acknowledging that mutual criticism between the two sides was natural.

Strikes on US assets will continue until complete surrender: Tehran

Argachi's remarks came as Iranian officials reaffirmed Tehran’s position that its actions are aimed at defending national interests and responding to US aggression.

Ongoing strikes against US-affiliated sites will persist until the US' complete surrender, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghader, said on Saturday.

"The continuous and targeted strikes launched by our fighters are the whips of the angry Iranian people's wrath, descending upon the back of the hegemony system," Zolghader noted.

He added that any plume of smoke visible in the region indicates that a military, security, or financial site belonging to the United States has been targeted. Zolghader asserted that the operations "are a response to the blood of children in Minab, Lamerd, and other locations," vowing that "vengeance would continue through further targeting of enemy positions."

After nearly two weeks of renewed fighting, US forces had been unable to achieve a military breakthrough and had instead resorted to targeting civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, Tehran has pledged to maintain its response against ongoing external aggression.

KSA Determined to Keep Sanaa Airport Shut: Chief Yemeni Negotiator

By Al Mayadeen English

25 Jul 2026 12:24

Sanaa International Airport closure remains in place as Mohammed Abdul Salam accuses Saudi Arabia of maintaining the blockade and restricting Yemen's sovereignty.

A recent strike on Sanaa International Airport serves as evidence that Riyadh is determined to keep the facility shut and will only allow its reopening under Saudi authorization, according to the head of the Sanaa delegation negotiating with Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdul Salam, who spoke on Saturday.

Abdul Salam stated that Saudi Arabia is holding fast to the closure of Sanaa airport while issuing statements in which it claims to defend "Yemeni sovereignty", accusing Riyadh of practicing "lying, arrogance, malice, and aggression," adding that it resembles "Israel" in "everything".

He confirmed that Saudi aggression against the port and city of Hodeidah and Kamaran Island constitutes "a new escalation and an ongoing violation of Yemen's sovereignty", emphasizing that "any aggression against Yemen will not pass without a response and the Saudi regime must bear the consequences of its criminal acts".

Hiding behind UN statements does not obscure reality of siege on Yemen

Abdul Salam stressed that "hiding behind unjust UN statements, imposed as a result of Saudi oil relations, cannot obscure the reality of the unjust siege imposed on Yemen".

He added that Saudi Arabia stands behind this siege, having "launched a war on Yemen that lasted eight years and failed in it," and is now seeking to compensate for its loss by continuing the blockade.

In a related matter, Abdul Salam warned that Saudi Arabia, as a result of its miscalculation, has "set itself up as a clear enemy of Yemen," asserting that its insistence on "stubbornness and refusal to accept the truth will have serious consequences for its security and economy."

He explained that the maritime ban step represents "the first steps of the battle of blockade by blockade," stressing that "the Yemeni people will not leave their right without seizing it in any form."

Coalition forces imposed a comprehensive ban on Yemeni airspace on August 9, 2016, leading to the complete closure of Sanaa airport to commercial flights. Sanaa airport serves as Yemen's main artery, serving approximately 80% of the population of the Yemeni Republic, or about 20 million people.

Yemen vows tit-for-tat response to Saudi aggression

Sana'a will deliver a noteworthy response to the Saudi aggression against the country, the head of the Yemeni News Agency SABA said on Saturday. "The Yemeni response to Saudi escalation will be significant," Nasser al-Amer told Al Mayadeen. He added that "Forcing the Yemeni people to surrender is impossible, and the Saudi side must lift the blockade."

Al-Amer's warning came as the Saudi Civil Defense service issued an early warning air raid notice in Jazan. Overnight on Saturday, Yemen launched retaliatory strikes targeting the Saudi Aramco facility in Jazan's industrial area. Reports also noted explosions being heard near the Khamis Mushait air base.

Ansar Allah's Political Bureau condemned the Saudi attack on civilian facilities in the Hodeidah province and Kamaran Island that occurred around midnight. The bureau warned that Riyadh's direct attacks on Yemen represent a dangerous escalation. It added that Saudi Arabia is attempting to make amends for its military and political failures by targeting the foundations of life for the Yemeni people.

Blockade for blockade, port for port

The bureau noted that the targeting of civilian sites in Yemen is a "blatant violation" that places the international community in the face of a moral and legal responsibility. The latest attacks "will not pass without a response," Ansar Allah's Political Bureau said in a statement. It noted that the deterrence equation established by the Yemeni people, leadership, and armed forces became "clear and firmly established."

The bureau further stated that "blockade for blockade, ports for ports, and escalation for escalation" would remain the response. It warned Riyadh that continued aggression would only bring further losses to those carrying it out. The statement did not specify what form any potential response might take.

Saudi authorities have not issued an official comment on the reported strikes or the statements from Yemeni officials. The reported strikes on the Aramco facility and the air base have not been independently verified. Further developments are expected in the coming hours as regional tensions continue to escalate.