Alarm over a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda intensified after the World Health Organization declared it a "public health emergency of international concern". The WHO said the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo virus, falls short of the threshold for a pandemic emergency. Even so, it warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further transmission. In a statement, the UN health agency said 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246…

South Africa has escalated its response to the extreme weather battering the country, declaring the ongoing severe storms a national disaster. The crisis spans six provinces — the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State, and Mpumalanga — where communities are contending with widespread disruption. The South African Weather Service cautioned that heavy downpours and powerful winds will persist in parts of the Western Cape. In a precautionary move, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)…

In a surprise move that underscored the volatility of the conflict, US President Donald Trump said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to make room for more peace talks, though it remained unclear whether Iran or Israel, Washington’s ally in the two-month war, would accept the arrangement. In a social media statement, Mr Trump said the US had accepted a request from Pakistani mediators “to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified…

Malawi’s opposition leader Simplex Chithyola Banda says his arrest marks a “deeply instructive chapter” in his life—one that has tested but not shaken his resolve. Addressing reporters after securing bail, the usually combative politician struck a notably restrained tone and urged Malawians to pray for the country. Banda was detained on allegations of abuse of office tied to a contentious fertilizer-for-soya exchange arrangement involving the Romanian company East Bridge Estates. The saga has gripped public attention,…

Sunday March 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government has thrown out the results of Saturday’s elections in Baidoa, branding them illegitimate and intensifying a tense showdown with the Southwest State administration. In a statement from the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation, officials said the vote amounted to a “premeditated appointment” that did not reflect the wishes of the people of Southwest State. “The election was not legitimate,” the ministry said. “Any process based on…

Tuesday March 24, 2026 Somalia’s federal authorities have thrown South West State’s leadership into fresh uncertainty, declaring late Sunday that the president and his administration have reached the end of their mandate as a bitter standoff with Baidoa deepens. In a statement, the Interior Ministry said the central government will no longer recognise any appointments or dismissals issued by the current South West State administration. It said local administrations in South West State will continue their duties until new…

Somalia: Federal Government Declares Mandate of Southwest State President Expired Somalia: Federal Government Declares Mandate of Southwest State President Expired MOGADISHU, Somalia — The federal government on Sunday intensified a simmering dispute with Southwest State, announcing that the regional leadership’s tenure has lapsed and that a handover process will begin immediately. In a formal…

Iran vowed to continue missile attacks and ruled out negotiations with the United States on Tuesday, minutes after President Donald Trump predicted the war would be “over very soon,” underscoring a widening gulf in messages as strikes rippled across the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed to oil tankers. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told PBS News the country is prepared to sustain its campaign “as long as necessary” and that talks with Washington are “no longer on the agenda.” Iran’s…

Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as Israel steps up strikes; UN urges urgent diplomacy U.S. President Donald Trump said only Iran’s “unconditional surrender” would halt a spiraling Middle East war now in its seventh day, as Israel declared its forces were “crushing” the Iranian ruling system and regional fronts widened from Lebanon to the Gulf. The escalating conflict has already embroiled nations beyond the region, disrupted global energy and shipping, and unsettled areas once seen as relatively insulated from…

Iran’s state media said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a large-scale U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, a watershed moment that jolted the region and set off competing scenes of mourning and celebration across the country. State television announced a 40-day mourning period and seven public holidays for the leader, who had ruled since 1989. A presenter on state TV vowed Khamenei’s “path and mission” would continue with “greater vigour and zeal.” The claim of his death, which Iranian and Israeli officials…