WHO Suspects Rare Person-to-Person Spread in Cruise Ship Virus Outbreak
The World Health Organization says some rare human-to-human transmission may have occurred among close contacts aboard the Dutch cruise ship stranded off Cape Verde after a hantavirus outbreak left three people dead and several others ill. Health officials believe the first infections may have happened before boarding in Argentina or during island excursions, while testing continues to confirm whether the Andes strain, one of the few hantaviruses known to spread between people, is involved.
Mauritanian Opposition Lawmakers Jailed Over Posts Criticizing President
Two opposition lawmakers in Mauritania have been sentenced to four years in prison after posting messages calling for President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani’s removal and accusing the justice system of racial bias against Black citizens and descendants of enslaved people. Their lawyers and rights activists have condemned the ruling as politically driven in a country long criticized over human rights abuses and the continued presence of modern slavery.
Tanzania’s President Says She Was Left Out of Refinery Plans in Her Own Country
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has publicly questioned why plans for a major regional oil refinery in Tanga were announced by Kenya’s President William Ruto and Aliko Dangote without her knowledge. The proposed refinery would process oil from across East Africa and connect Tanzania to Kenya by pipeline, but Hassan’s remarks have raised questions about how the project is being handled politically.
DRC’s Military Helicopter Deal Turns Into $54.5 Million U.S. Court Fight
A military aviation contract meant to refurbish seven helicopters for the Democratic Republic of the Congo has turned into a $54.5 million legal battle in U.S. federal court after a contractor accused Kinshasa of failing to pay. The case has now been reopened, with both sides ordered into mediation, adding legal pressure as the DRC also faces conflict in the east and growing competition over its critical mineral wealth.
Mozambique’s Debt Pressures Raise Fresh Fears of Default
Mozambique is facing mounting financial strain, with investors and ratings agencies increasingly expecting the country to restructure its only international bond as debt pressures grow. Delayed gas projects, post-election unrest, weak growth, and rising costs tied to fuel and fertilizer imports have deepened the crisis in a country already grappling with poverty, climate shocks, and insecurity.
