East African nation, landlocked, navigating conflict, aid, and peace since independence
The IPC analysis shows 1.24 million Lebanese face food insecurity at crisis levels due to renewed conflict, displacement, and soaring prices. The war between Israel and Hezbollah has displaced over 1.2 million, damaged farmland, and pushed farming costs higher, threatening agricultural livelihoods and livelihoods alike.
The Africa CDC has recorded 246 suspected Ebola cases and 65 deaths in Ituri province, Congo, with rapid cross-border spread risks toward Uganda and South Sudan. Four deaths are laboratory-confirmed; response meetings with Congo, Uganda and South Sudan are under way to coordinate containment.
Since mid‑May the World Health Organization has declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak an international emergency and cases have risen above 1,000. The U.S. has been rerouting travellers from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan to designated airports for enhanced screening, extended temporary entry restrictions to green‑card holders, and has approved a 50‑bed quarantine unit in Kenya for exposed Americans.
The UN World Food Programme has intensified emergency food and nutrition aid as hunger risks rise amid conflict, climate shocks, and funding shortfalls across multiple regions, including Sudan and South Sudan. Delivery faces security and transport hurdles with the rainy season approaching.
A Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak has produced more than 500 confirmed cases across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and at least 19 confirmed cases in Uganda. WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern; authorities are scaling up testing, treatment centres and cross-border preparedness while contact tracing and supplies remain insufficient.
Protests have erupted in Nanyuki after Kenya has allowed construction of a US-backed 50‑bed Ebola quarantine unit at Laikipia Air Base. Police have used tear gas and gunfire has killed at least two people; a 17‑year‑old protester has reportedly died with dispute over whether a tear‑gas canister or a bullet caused his death. Flights and equipment for the centre have continued despite court orders.
The United States has expanded deportations of third‑country nationals under deals with multiple countries, including Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea. Rights groups warn of abuses as deportees face uncertain futures after removal from the U.S., with many lacking ties to the destination nations.
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has prompted European travel cautions and U.S. and EU policy actions. Washington is urging European partners to impose travel restrictions, while the CDC has barred certain entrants from affected regions and is coordinating with allies ahead of the World Cup. The spread to Uganda and other neighbors has intensified containment efforts.
UNHCR has reported that global forced displacement has fallen for the first time in a decade to about 117.8 million at the end of 2025, driven largely by mass returns: roughly 14.7 million displaced people went home last year, including about 1.3 million to Syria. The agency warns many returns have been involuntary or to unsafe, damaged areas.
A FAO-WFP joint report warns that acute food insecurity could worsen from June to November 2026, with about 266 million people affected. Conflicts and violence remain the main drivers across hotspots, while funding cuts and El Niño risks compound the crisis. Gaza’s situation remains fragile but improved since late 2025.
The US has approved a memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the US-Israel war, amid mounting domestic and international pressure. Israel faces questions about its security and its standing with Washington as negotiations resume; Republicans and hawks push back while some argue diplomacy could reshape the region.
The Times of Israel and Independent report hints at renewed tensions around Gazan emigration plans and internal clashes between Trump and Netanyahu, with a new book revealing sharp exchanges and stalled mediation efforts.
Migrants in the Channel crossings continue to face legal consequences as courts sentence offenders and authorities promise tougher action. Recent hearings in Canterbury Crown Court involve a South Sudanese migrant and others facing endangering lives at sea charges, amid ongoing government efforts with France to curb crossings.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, affecting about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, with broader implications for about 1.3 million TPS holders from 17 countries. The ruling signals potential deportations and reshapes humanitarian protections in the United States.
Parliament has urged the IOC to recognize Greenland and the Faroe Islands as independent National Olympic Committees, enabling participation under their own flags. Copenhagen’s move follows a new Danish coalition government and comes amid a debate over the IOC’s independence criteria and geopolitical sensitivities.
Xi Jinping has addressed the Communist Party’s 105th anniversary, warning leaders to prepare for “high winds, rough seas, even perilous storms” as the world enters a period of turbulence and transformation. He has reiterated Beijing’s one-China stance on Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and has stressed building international relations while navigating global challenges. Multiple outlets report on renewed focus on Taiwan, military modernization, and China’s role in a changing world.
Drones have intensified around El Obeid in North Kordofan, with attacks hitting fuel depots, water points and aid trucks. Civilians face acute shortages as electricity outages hinder water access. The international response calls for protection and humanitarian access while warning of potential mass displacement.
Frontline workers at Ituri’s Ebola response facilities have struck over unpaid wages as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands to more provinces. The situation adds strain to an already overwhelmed health system, with clinics at capacity and mistrust hampering containment efforts. New cases have been confirmed in Haut-Uele and Tshopo, raising the outbreak’s regional footprint.
South Sudan marks 15 years since independence as violence and economic strain persist. Leaders face delayed elections, inflation bites, and ongoing intercommunal clashes, with calls for accountability and reforms to unlock progress.
The government has extended work permits for hundreds of thousands of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status from Haiti and six other countries, delaying expirations set to begin this week.
Backlogs in digital number plate production and cargo sealing create widespread delays at borders and in vehicle registration, crippling imports, deliveries and revenue collection. Authorities pledge to scale up production and streamline processes amid mounting costs and frustrations.
Drought and rising malnutrition have prompted the government to distribute relief food across Karamoja, amid warnings of a renewed hunger crisis. Authorities say 1.5 million people are affected, with children and the elderly most at risk. Emergency aid aims to reach vulnerable households within days, while long-term resilience measures are promised.
The Sudan conflict between the army and the RSF has escalated, intensifying a humanitarian crisis. WFP reports food rations are stretched as aid access narrows; millions remain displaced, with fears of renewed attacks around key cities like El-Obeid and El Fasher. International bodies warn of mass atrocities and rising hunger.
Climate models have shown an unusually powerful El Niño forming in the tropical Pacific that has a high chance of peaking this year or into 2027. Forecasts have indicated record ocean temperatures, widespread risks to food and water supplies across Africa and Latin America, and added pressure on prices and supply chains already strained by conflict and heatwaves.
The latest SOFI report shows 645 million people faced hunger in 2025, a drop from 2024 but still above prepandemic levels. Africa now hosts the most hungry people in absolute terms, with 309 million, while Africa and other regions face rising food insecurity driven by conflict, climate extremes and higher costs. Nutrition indicators remain poor, with stunting, obesity and low diet diversity continuing to challenge progress.
The UN and world powers are pressing for governance reform as demand for critical minerals rises. Leaders warn that without local processing and stronger rule of law, mining profits will bypass local communities and fuel conflict. New commitments aim to channel wealth into public services and jobs amid a global scramble for cobalt, lithium, nickel and rare earths.
UNESCO has inscribed Mount Olympus as a mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Site, marking Greece’s 12-year campaign. The designation accompanies South Sudan’s Boma-Badingilo Landscape and Japan’s Asuka-Fujiwara sites, while Normandy’s D‑Day beaches receive protection as part of the agency’s latest batch of recognitions.
The 1951 Refugee Convention has shaped protections for millions, but fragmentation is rising amid record displacement. EU dialogue, U.S. policy shifts, and new consultations aim to reform protection by 2027.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC has intensified, with WHO confirming rapid spread across 48 health zones in five provinces. WFP warns that food assistance is frontline in containment, while UN agencies scale flights, meals, and rations to affected communities amid rising hunger and movement restrictions.
Since 2022 the UK has prosecuted those who pilot illegal small-boat crossings. Recent convictions show the government is intensifying enforcement, with multiple pilots receiving prison terms as fatalities at sea underscore ongoing risks and political pressure to curb crossings.
TPS protections for Haitians and other countries are being rolled back by a Supreme Court decision that leaves hundreds of thousands at risk. Work permits have expired or are in jeopardy, forcing employers to suspend workers as courts navigate the policy’s end.
Recent fighting between the Sudanese army and RSF has intensified across multiple fronts. Humanitarian access remains constrained, with millions in need and aid convoys increasingly at risk. International efforts to de-escalate are ongoing as the Quintet presses for a ceasefire and a Sudanese-led political process.
A Sudanese-Turkish higher education protocol advances institutional cooperation, expands scholarships, and plans a joint university to strengthen science, research, and capacity building in both nations.