Iran and Oman near Hormuz deal that would bar US and Israeli ships Congo Ebola cases pass 4,000 as officials examine possible mutation Outlets report first AI-designed viruses Israel strikes south Lebanon after first soldier deaths since ceasefire Ukraine hits refineries deep inside Russia in mass drone attack CENTCOM reports 49 ships diverted since Iran blockade resumed Oil back above $80 and gold at seven-week high as Hormuz talks continue Houthi strikes on army camps kill dozens of Yemeni troops Russia demands international response after reported strike at Zaporizhzhia plant Slick spreads as sanctioned tanker leaks oil off Oman Iran warns Gulf states over energy strikes as Saudi Arabia braces for attacks Heat and low rivers force power plant shutdowns across the EU Ceuta death toll nears 100 as Morocco lists dozens missing Venezuela transition talks open under US mediation Venezuela appeals for help after twin earthquakes Houthi attack on Najran wounds 11 as Gulf shipping thins Pentagon said to draft nuclear strategy for war with China and Russia Forecasters expect a Super El Nino this year Black Sea attacks disrupt global grain and oil flows Trump rejects munitions shortage reports while seeking $87.6bn more German prosecutors investigate Leipzig drone bomb found by Ukrainian plane Meta says its AI model escaped testing and hacked another company Rights groups call Israeli strike on Lebanese journalist a war crime China opens cybersecurity review of Palo Alto Networks before Trump-Xi summit Western allies hesitate as Ukraine asks for more interceptors More than a million people affected by floods in Assam Ukrainian attack kills two civilians in Russia's Bryansk region US sets 15% polysilicon tariff and minimum import prices China's trade grows 17.3% as it supplies the world's factories US oil imports from Saudi Arabia fall to zero Iraq orders Iran-backed militias to disarm as they threaten neighbours Alibaba model and DeepSeek funding put China back in the AI race Russia claims strikes have cost Ukraine most of its port capacity China-Japan tensions rise after Tokyo's strategic challenge label Record heatwave across Asia raises energy and health fears Kavukçuoğlu to lead DeepMind as Google reshuffles AI division Nigerian forces free 308 abducted people in Kainji Lake operation Trump calls Warsh as pressure on the Fed grows Israeli forces press raid on Qalandiya refugee camp Turkish parliament takes up PKK amnesty and solidarity bill Colombian police defuse bus loaded with explosives near Cali North Korea fires ballistic missile AI power crunch strains data centres as nuclear build-out advances US euro sale to prop up the yen blindsides the ECB Trump signs orders narrowing birthright citizenship after court loss New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $567m over child safety UK clears Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros Discovery SoftBank borrows $10bn against its OpenAI stake Eight Muslim-majority states condemn Israel over Gaza Putin presses Nabiullina on rates as war economy strains firms Iran and Oman near Hormuz deal that would bar US and Israeli ships Congo Ebola cases pass 4,000 as officials examine possible mutation Outlets report first AI-designed viruses Israel strikes south Lebanon after first soldier deaths since ceasefire Ukraine hits refineries deep inside Russia in mass drone attack CENTCOM reports 49 ships diverted since Iran blockade resumed Oil back above $80 and gold at seven-week high as Hormuz talks continue Houthi strikes on army camps kill dozens of Yemeni troops Russia demands international response after reported strike at Zaporizhzhia plant Slick spreads as sanctioned tanker leaks oil off Oman Iran warns Gulf states over energy strikes as Saudi Arabia braces for attacks Heat and low rivers force power plant shutdowns across the EU Ceuta death toll nears 100 as Morocco lists dozens missing Venezuela transition talks open under US mediation Venezuela appeals for help after twin earthquakes Houthi attack on Najran wounds 11 as Gulf shipping thins Pentagon said to draft nuclear strategy for war with China and Russia Forecasters expect a Super El Nino this year Black Sea attacks disrupt global grain and oil flows Trump rejects munitions shortage reports while seeking $87.6bn more German prosecutors investigate Leipzig drone bomb found by Ukrainian plane Meta says its AI model escaped testing and hacked another company Rights groups call Israeli strike on Lebanese journalist a war crime China opens cybersecurity review of Palo Alto Networks before Trump-Xi summit Western allies hesitate as Ukraine asks for more interceptors More than a million people affected by floods in Assam Ukrainian attack kills two civilians in Russia's Bryansk region US sets 15% polysilicon tariff and minimum import prices China's trade grows 17.3% as it supplies the world's factories US oil imports from Saudi Arabia fall to zero Iraq orders Iran-backed militias to disarm as they threaten neighbours Alibaba model and DeepSeek funding put China back in the AI race Russia claims strikes have cost Ukraine most of its port capacity China-Japan tensions rise after Tokyo's strategic challenge label Record heatwave across Asia raises energy and health fears Kavukçuoğlu to lead DeepMind as Google reshuffles AI division Nigerian forces free 308 abducted people in Kainji Lake operation Trump calls Warsh as pressure on the Fed grows Israeli forces press raid on Qalandiya refugee camp Turkish parliament takes up PKK amnesty and solidarity bill Colombian police defuse bus loaded with explosives near Cali North Korea fires ballistic missile AI power crunch strains data centres as nuclear build-out advances US euro sale to prop up the yen blindsides the ECB Trump signs orders narrowing birthright citizenship after court loss New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $567m over child safety UK clears Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros Discovery SoftBank borrows $10bn against its OpenAI stake Eight Muslim-majority states condemn Israel over Gaza Putin presses Nabiullina on rates as war economy strains firms

Symbolic image: Congo Ebola cases pass 4,000 as officials examine possible mutation

Symbolic image

Congo Ebola cases pass 4,000 as officials examine possible mutation

7 sources

Africa CDC said on Thursday that confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have passed 4,000 and that studies will check whether the Bundibugyo virus is mutating. Congolese teams are screening more than 300 passengers from a river boat intercepted near Kinshasa.

What happened

Congo's health ministry counted 3,874 cases and 1,751 deaths by Monday; the national public health institute listed 3,973 cases and 1,801 deaths on 4 August.
Declared in mid-May, the outbreak is centred on Ituri, nearly 90% of cases, and has reached Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
Authorities stopped the boat at Maluku, 65km upstream from Kinshasa, on Wednesday, after the suspected Ebola death of a 32-year-old man in Mongala on 25 July.
Africa CDC says teams trace only 10 contacts per patient instead of about 40; more than two-thirds of deaths occur outside treatment centres.
Health workers in Ituri are on strike over unpaid wages, according to the Associated Press.

The view from outside

Daily Sabah, citing AP, alone reports Washington's additional $242 million for the response, taking US direct assistance past $512 million. The Telegraph writes of more than 200 passengers detained, where Reuters counts over 300 screened.

What could happen next

Laboratory results for four symptomatic passengers were expected on Friday; officials give differing accounts of the dead man's route and where he was infected.
WHO and Africa CDC have announced studies on a possible mutation; the Bundibugyo strain has no approved treatment or vaccine.
Africa CDC plans door-to-door case searches, compassionate use of remdesivir and tests of whether the Ervebo vaccine should be offered in affected provinces.