Ebola Crisis in DRC: The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surged to 4,665 confirmed cases and 2,184 deaths, with WHO warning it is expanding faster than past outbreaks and could become the deadliest on record. The virus is now in six provinces (Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo and Bas-Uélé), reaching 55 health zones, and health officials say community transmission and gaps in contact tracing are slowing containment. Cross-Border Surveillance: DRC health officials urged Uganda to ease border restrictions, saying closures are pushing people onto illegal crossing routes that are harder to monitor for Ebola spread. Frontline Workers Under Strain: The International Council of Nurses says DRC nurses and health workers have gone unpaid for two to three months while facing extreme risk, calling for urgent payment and protection so the response can scale up. Connectivity Push: Airtel Africa has commercially launched Starlink Mobile in DRC, letting compatible phones connect via satellite for SMS and limited data in areas without conventional coverage—aimed at supporting remote communities and emergency communications. Regional Politics: As SADC leaders meet in Durban, South Africa takes the chair of the Council of Ministers and pushes integration, industrialisation and critical-mineral beneficiation, while Zimbabwe’s foreign minister calls for a fast-track regional development fund.