Uganda closes border as Ebola in DRC spreads to its shores; President Museveni, in power since 1986, faces health and regional crisis.
The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency over a Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak that has produced more than 300 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and at least 15 confirmed cases in Uganda. Testing capacity, insecurity and low contact tracing are hindering the response while suspected-case counts have fallen after many were ruled out.
Multiple legal rulings challenge US immigration enforcement practices. A Nevada court blocked a DHS policy allowing detention without bail, while a California judge found border agents violated court orders during warrantless arrests. The cases highlight ongoing legal pushback against aggressive immigration tactics under the current administration.
Since early April 2026, the US has begun deporting migrants to third countries including Costa Rica, Congo, and Uganda under new agreements. These deals, funded by the US, allow deportations of migrants whose home countries refuse them. The arrangements face criticism over legality, human rights, and the involvement of repressive governments, with legal challenges underway in Uganda.
Pope Leo has embarked on a 10-day, 11-city tour across Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, traveling nearly 18,000 km. The trip aims to draw global attention to Africa's religious and political issues, emphasizing Catholic-Muslim dialogue, peace, and resilience amid conflicts. This is the first visit to Algeria by a pope.
Research has documented a violent split within Uganda's Ngogo chimpanzee community, leading to lethal conflict since 2015. The group has divided into two factions, with ongoing attacks and killings, challenging previous beliefs about chimp social cohesion and raising questions about the roots of conflict.
Uganda has conducted its first mobile court session to try Christopher Okello Onyum, accused of killing four children in a machete attack. The trial, held in a public tent, has sparked controversy over justice procedures and presidential interference. Onyum has pleaded not guilty, and the case remains highly sensitive.
British International Investment has announced a new strategy to increase private sector investments in Africa, focusing on frontier markets and high-impact sectors. The plan aims to mobilise up to £8 billion, with at least 25% directed to Least Developed Countries, amid declining official aid and rising private capital mobilisation.
Parliament has passed the Protection of Sovereignty Bill after amendments, with Museveni approving the measure. The law tightens controls on foreign-funded actors, introduces penalties, and aims to shield policy autonomy. Critics warn it risks suppressing civil society, media, and dissent while supporters say it defends national sovereignty.
A Kampala court has sentenced Christopher Okello Onyum to death after finding him guilty of fatally stabbing four toddlers at a Gaba nursery on April 2. The judge rejected insanity claims, citing premeditation and a lack of remorse. The trial was conducted in an open, mobile court to bring justice closer to the people.
Uganda's President Museveni has been sworn in for a seventh term amid heavy security in Kampala. He has urged citizens to pursue wealth creation and productivity, while opponents allege irregularities in the vote. The inauguration follows a January election that Museveni has won with over 70% of the vote, with the term lasting until 2031.
UNAIDS warns that shrinking international funding is undermining HIV prevention, treatment and community programs across developing countries, with concrete drops in PrEP uptake and clinic access in several nations. In the US, Maine faces an outbreak clustered in 2023-24 as public health services expand testing and syringe programs.
Uganda has sworn in President Yoweri Museveni for a seventh term after winning the January vote with about 72%. The ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds signals continuity in leadership, but observers say the election was marred by tensions, internet blackouts, and crackdowns on opposition. Analysts expect ongoing influence over Uganda’s political future and potential questions about succession.
Eswatini has been hosting up to 160 migrants deported from the United States under third‑country deals, with 19 detained in a Mbabane prison and others abroad. Detainees report crowded conditions; legal challenges argue the agreement bypasses parliament and violates rights. Sierra Leone and other West African nations have also agreed to accept deportees.
Protests over recent fuel-price hikes have intensified, with multiple cities experiencing unrest as transport operators strike. Authorities report arrests and disruptions to daily life, while officials attribute the rises to global oil market volatility and domestic tax measures.
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.
Reports have documented third-country deportations of migrants from the US to African nations, with multiple countries like Congo, Uganda and Cameroon hosting deportees. New flight arrangements and legal challenges are prompting scrutiny over due process and the role of IOM in confinement and decision-making.
A Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has spread into Uganda, with cases confirmed in Kampala. Health officials warn that diagnostic delays and weak surveillance are hampering containment amid armed conflict and displacement. The WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has prompted the WHO to declare an international concern. DR Congo’s World Cup preparations have been disrupted as teams shift camps abroad; the US imposes travel restrictions affecting some staff. Congo will play their Group K games in Houston, Guadalajara and Atlanta.
An Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo strain is expanding across Ituri and into North Kivu, with confirmed cases and suspected deaths rising. Health workers face equipment shortages and a fragile health system as aid groups warn that the outbreak is larger than officially reported.
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.
A U.S. judge has dismissed a prohibition against vindictive prosecution in the Abrego Garcia case, ruling that the government’s actions were tainted by timing and public statements around deportation. The ruling follows a 2025 deportation to El Salvador and a 2026 criminal case that was later dropped while investigations cited potential vindictive motives.
The World Health Organization says suspected Ebola Bundibugyo cases and related deaths have increased in eastern DR Congo, with several dozen confirmed infections and nearly 600 suspected cases. WHO teams are assisting local authorities as community engagement efforts continue in Ituri, despite the lack of vaccines or therapeutics.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared a regional emergency. The outbreak has spread to Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, with over 900 suspected cases and more than 200 suspected deaths reported. The WHO cites ongoing conflict as a major obstacle, urging ceasefires and humanitarian access while vaccines and treatments are evaluated for this strain.
Uganda has tightened cross-border movement with Congo amid an Ebola outbreak centered in Ituri province. Authorities have restricted border travel and halted nonessential transport while WHO warns of regional risk and Congo struggles to contain cases. Kampala confirms cases and border closures are in effect for emergency purposes only.
Health workers in Congo's Ituri province are contending with an Ebola outbreak amid supply shortages, civil unrest and attacks on treatment centers. The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency of international concern, while aid deliveries from the EU and U.S. are expanding to Bunia and surrounding areas. Authorities report thousands of suspected cases and hundreds of deaths, with efforts hampered by security threats and logistical hurdles.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has prompted a WHO-backed emergency response in the DRC’s Ituri region. Officials report dozens of confirmed and suspected cases and are rushing to deploy vaccines and treatments once available, amid security challenges and disrupted transport.
Ghana has moved to enact a law criminalising promoting LGBTQ activities and identifying as LGBTQ, with prison terms up to 10 years for advocacy and up to three years for same-sex relations. The bill includes exemptions for healthcare professionals, lawyers and media, and is expected to be signed by President Mahama. Critics warn it risks discrimination and chilling effects on rights and healthcare access.
CAF officials say AFCON 2027, co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, will be a major tourism and investment platform. Uganda’s private sector and UTB are expected to leverage the event to diversify tourism, infrastructure and culture, with qualification announcements due in Sept 2026 and a projected USD 2+ billion economic impact.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding its response to the Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak. WHO and partners are coordinating containment efforts as Bunia opens a new treatment centre; authorities say cases are rising, with more than 1,000 suspected infections and over 200 deaths reported across Ituri, North and South Kivu and Uganda.
The United States has announced that it is consolidating visa processing across Africa from nearly 50 embassies and consulates to 20 regional hubs. Kampala remains a full-service hub, while other posts are being shut or pared back. The changes are expected to begin in June and are driven by security, efficiency and staffing considerations, with applicants in affected countries needing to travel to designated hubs for interviews.
The EU has reached a trilogue agreement to speed up returns of non-EU nationals and to expand detention outside the bloc, including possible hubs in third countries. The deal targets higher return rates and enables bilateral deals with non-EU states to host detention facilities, drawing praise from EU officials but criticism from rights groups and others who warn of risks to fundamental rights.
The Kenyan High Court has extended conservatory orders suspending the planned US-linked Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, amid protests and a broader outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola in neighboring countries. Officials say the centre would serve Americans exposed to the virus but asymptomatic; Kenyan authorities defend the project as part of broader emergency readiness.
Eastern Congo’s Bundibugyo-type Ebola outbreak has grown, with confirmed cases rising and health staff warning of scarce protective gear. Frontline workers and women caregivers face heightened risk as testing lags and resources run short in Bunia and Mongbwalu.
Public health officials warn the FIFA World Cup across the US, Canada and Mexico could become a testing ground for respiratory diseases as crowds gather in 16 cities. Ebola remains a concern in Africa, but experts deem the immediate risk to tournament venues low while measles and flu are the bigger threats.
Multiple nations mobilize resources as the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak expands in the DRC and Uganda. WHO-led plans total $518 million to boost surveillance, testing, and infection control over the next six months; U.S. and China weigh intensified involvement.