A landlocked nation in Central Africa facing conflict, humanitarian crises, and governance challenges
Two articles report on the Congo’s Ebola response amid ongoing unrest. Health workers warn that strikes and mob attacks are complicating response efforts as the outbreak continues to expand, with thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths across Ituri province.
Human Rights Watch reports a June 15 airstrike in Kyrnia, Mopti region, killed civilians and damaged a cattle market. Mali’s government faces calls for impartial investigation; Africa Corps and Russia-linked forces are under scrutiny amid ongoing conflict with JNIM and other groups.
France’s foreign ministry has opened an administrative inquiry into Ambassador Bruno Foucher after reports he hosted about 30 women at his Bangui residence between January 2024 and March 2026. Disciplinary proceedings are ongoing as Paris seeks to repair ties with the Central African Republic amid Russian influence.
A landslide at an artisanal gold mine in Zamboye, CAR, near the Cameroon border, has killed more than 100 miners and left many others missing. Authorities fear the toll will rise as rescue teams continue operations; several Cameroonian workers are among the dead. An investigation has been opened into the incident.
The first 20 people have arrived at Roberts International Airport under the Liberia–U.S. third-country deportation arrangement. Liberia is set to receive up to 1,200 people within a year, with most transfers involving nationals from Africa and the Western Hemisphere who have been medically cleared. Deportees can seek asylum or leave under Liberian law; the U.S. will facilitate transfers and provide support.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded an unprecedented Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak that has spread across six provinces and produced more than 5,000 confirmed cases and over 2,600 deaths. WHO and partners have allocated 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses—20,000 for a Phase III trial and 50,000 for frontline workers—while CEPI has funded a Bundibugyo-specific vaccine and the US has sent MBP134 treatment vials to Uganda.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 2,500 deaths in a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared in May; the United Nations says infections are growing exponentially and have spread across an area larger than France. Vaccines for the Zaïre strain will be trialled and thousands of doses will go to frontline staff, but security, local hostility and funding shortfalls are hampering the response.
The Trump administration has expanded third-country deportations, striking deals with Liberia and other nations to send migrants to places outside their home countries. The program, described by advocates as a loophole, has involved thousands of departures and include asylum seekers; critics warn of risks and limited due process.
The administration has ended Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and other nations, and deportations are expanding. ICE has shifted from criminal targeting to people in limbo, asylum seekers, and long-term residents, with thousands already detained or facing removal as flights increase and new detention capacity is built.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has expanded to two new zones—Biena and Manguredjipa—fueling a surge in cases and deaths as health workers face security challenges. Vaccination of frontline workers has begun with Ervebo, and the WHO warns the outbreak is out of control with cross-border risks rising.
Guinea‑Bissau has organised a constitutional referendum for 30 August 2026 that would replace its semi‑presidential system with a stronger presidency, cut parliament seats and raise candidacy fees ahead of planned December elections. Kazakhstan has held a vote to elect a new single‑chamber Kurultai under a constitution that allows President Tokayev to run for a seven‑year term; four other pro‑government parties have entered the 145‑seat legislature.
Across borders, six million Afghans have returned home since the Taliban takeover, as Pakistan and Iran tighten controls on undocumented migrants. New deportation flights and legal challenges intensify the crisis, with UNHCR warning of a scale unseen in recent history.
Automated vehicles have incorporated features like braking and monitoring, yet critics question whether they enhance safety or erode driver autonomy. Across reports, users describe discomfort with surveillance and the loss of control as robotaxis and autopilot systems become more common.
The U.N. Security Council sanctions remain in effect, with France, Germany and the United Kingdom having triggered the snapback mechanism in 2025. A U.N. expert panel was not appointed due to consensus gaps, while the United States and allies pursue further isolation of Iran amid ongoing tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions enforcement.
Informal gold mining in Sudan has seen a deadly collapse at the Awny area near the Egypt border. Initial reports confirm multiple deaths and many injuries as rescuers work with limited equipment amid ongoing war and economic chaos.
A three‑judge panel of the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals has largely upheld a lower court ruling that found the Department of Homeland Security’s third‑country removal policy unlawful, saying migrants must get a meaningful chance to raise safety concerns before removal. The panel narrowed one part of the decision on procedural grounds. The administration is expected to appeal.
Judges in The Hague have convicted Mahamat Said Abdel Kani for running a detention facility in Bangui where Bozizé supporters were tortured during the 2013 conflict. The verdict finds torture and persecution proven; some charges are dismissed as the conflict was deemed over at the time. Sentencing will be set later.
A U.S. appeals court has largely upheld a February decision finding the Department of Homeland Security’s third-country removal policy unlawful. The ruling requires migrants to have a meaningful opportunity to raise safety concerns before removal, overturning part of the prior ruling on procedural grounds. The DHS plans to appeal as officials push ahead with a controversial policy that has drawn widespread scrutiny.
Burundi has agreed to receive people deported from the United States under third-country policies, but only those not facing criminal charges or terrorism links. Officials say preparations are underway to provide housing and integrate deportees into local communities; details on numbers, timing and funding remain undisclosed.
Human Rights Watch says US deportations to African countries violate international law by removing third-country nationals to destinations with little or no ties. The program has expanded under Trump’s return to power, with over 500 people affected and at least 12 LGBTQ individuals sent to hostile states. Critics warn of non-refoulement breaches and opaque deals.
Violence erupts in Soweto and Durban after a Constitutional Court ruling removes barriers to asylum applications. Refugee offices are overwhelmed as migrants and locals clash amid protests and looting; authorities pledge to expand processing capacity while stressing that asylum eligibility remains individual and not automatic.