Friday briefing: ​What do the cuts in aid mean for the fight against Ebola in the DRC?

In today’s newsletter: As the virus spreads across borders, health workers warn that weakened global support is making a prolonged crisis more likely

Ebola is spreading rapidly in parts of east Africa. The deadly disease, which kills around half of those it infects, is suspected to have claimed the lives of at least 240 people since the outbreak began in Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this month.

Public health officials are scrambling to contain the virus in one of the toughest environments: Ituri province, the centre of the crisis, is a mining hub where thousands of people work in close proximity every day, and a conflict zone, with ongoing fighting between rebel groups. Medical facilities are modest, while waves of displaced people are being forced into overcrowded camps to escape fighting, making it even harder to control transmission. The virus has already spread to other regions in eastern DRC and the Ugandan capital Kampala.

UK news | Britain risks a financial hit worth £125bn a year after a rise in the number of young people not in employment or education to more than 1 million.

US-Israel-Iran | Donald Trump has circulated a draft peace agreement for the war with Iran among allies including Israel as both sides try to prevent fresh breaches of the ceasefire escalating out of control.

UK politics | Andy Burnham has rolled back from his previous calls for ministers to scrap a restriction on immigrants claiming benefits as the Makerfield byelection places greater scrutiny on him.

Ukraine | A Russian drone that was part of an overnight attack on Ukraine crashed into an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people, authorities said, in what an official statement condemned as an “irresponsible escalation” by Moscow.

Climate crisis | Abandoning net zero and drilling for more oil and gas would be a massive setback for the UK and would not help the economy, leading experts have said in response to Tony Blair.

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This isn’t about a few ‘bad apples.’ Israel is annexing the West Bank – Responsible Statecraft

  1. This isn't about a few 'bad apples.' Israel is annexing the West Bank  Responsible Statecraft
  2. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers speed up land grab from Palestinians  NPR
  3. Lior Amihai, director of Israeli NGO Peace Now: 'The coalition in power wants to annex the territories in the West Bank and establish a racist state based on Jewish supremacy'  Le Monde.fr
  4. The Israeli Far-Right’s Systematic Effort to Annex the West Bank  Substack
  5. West Bank Land Loss Deepens as Israel Secretly Approves Record Settlements  Clarion India
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Melnyk Blasts Russia’s Starobilsk Narrative as Moscow’s Own Documents Expose Fake – Kyiv Post

  1. Melnyk Blasts Russia’s Starobilsk Narrative as Moscow’s Own Documents Expose Fake  Kyiv Post
  2. UN warns Ukraine war risks spiralling ‘out of control’  UN News
  3. Melnyk reminds UN that Russia illegally take seat on security council and tries to distort principles of chart  Ukrinform - Ukrainian National News Agency
  4. Russian official says Ukraine peace initiative with US is ‘stalling’  Anadolu Ajansı
  5. France calls upon Russia to refrain from this irresponsible escalation  France ONU
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Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 28, 2026 – Institute for the Study of War

  1. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 28, 2026  Institute for the Study of War
  2. A Big Week for Ukraine’s Forgotten War With Russia | U.S. News Decision Points | U.S. News  U.S. News & World Report
  3. Wednesday, May 27. Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine  Forbes
  4. An intensification of air strikes instead of an offensive. Day 1553 of the war  OSW Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich
  5. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 27, 2026  Critical Threats
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Israel, Russia included in UN sexual violence blacklist – DW.com

  1. Israel, Russia included in UN sexual violence blacklist  DW.com
  2. Israel to Cut Ties With U.N. Chief Over Its Inclusion on Sexual Violence Blacklist  The New York Times
  3. Michal Herzog condemns UN’s inclusion of Israel on sexual-violence blacklist  The Times of Israel
  4. Israeli and Russian forces added to UN blacklist for sexual violence in conflict zones  AP News
  5. UN ‘adds Israel to blacklist’ for conflict-related sexual violence  Al Jazeera
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Russian oil refinery struck by Ukrainian drones in Volgograd, military confirms – The Kyiv Independent

  1. Russian oil refinery struck by Ukrainian drones in Volgograd, military confirms  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Ukraine drones strike Russian oil facility, as Kyiv and Moscow trade blows  Al Jazeera
  3. Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian oil depot and tanker struck by drones in ‘massive attack’ by Kyiv  The Independent
  4. A new Meduza analysis finds Ukraine’s long-range strikes are reaching twice as deep but not surging in 2026. Russia’s refineries, meanwhile, keep bouncing back.  Meduza
  5. Ukraine keeps up assault on Russian oil infrastructure as Kyiv braces for more strikes  AP News
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Russian oil refinery struck by Ukrainian drones in Volgograd, military confirms – The Kyiv Independent

  1. Russian oil refinery struck by Ukrainian drones in Volgograd, military confirms  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Ukraine drones strike Russian oil facility, as Kyiv and Moscow trade blows  Al Jazeera
  3. Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian oil depot and tanker struck by drones in ‘massive attack’ by Kyiv  The Independent
  4. A new Meduza analysis finds Ukraine’s long-range strikes are reaching twice as deep but not surging in 2026. Russia’s refineries, meanwhile, keep bouncing back.  Meduza
  5. Ukraine keeps up assault on Russian oil infrastructure as Kyiv braces for more strikes  AP News
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Milan gives bull mosaic testicles worn down by spinning tourists some TLC – BBC

  1. Milan gives bull mosaic testicles worn down by spinning tourists some TLC  BBC
  2. Milan restores bull mosaic’s testicles worn down by pirouetting tourists  The Guardian
  3. Milan’s Famous Bull Mosaic Undergoes Restoration  Yahoo
  4. Italy Restores Lucky Testicles on 19th Century Bull Mosaic Worn Down by a Tourist Tradition  People.com
  5. A real bull ache: Milan restores a national treasure’s family jewels  Inbox.eu
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I Was Detained by Israel: Here’s What Ben-Gvir Didn’t Want You to See – Zeteo

  1. I Was Detained by Israel: Here’s What Ben-Gvir Didn’t Want You to See  Zeteo
  2. France asks prosecutors to investigate Israel’s treatment of Gaza flotilla activists  AP News
  3. Italy is fuming after Ben Gvir’s flotilla stunt. Is Israel losing a top European ally?  The Times of Israel
  4. Itamar Ben-Gvir has presided over horrific abuse in Israel’s prisons  The Economist
  5. French prosecutors to probe Israeli treatment of flotilla activists  Al Jazeera
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Italian Police Uncover Dead Mob Boss’s $230 Million Business Empire – The New York Times

  1. Italian Police Uncover Dead Mob Boss’s $230 Million Business Empire  The New York Times
  2. Villas, cars and cash: Italy seizes dead Mafia mobster's millions  BBC
  3. Italy busts money-laundering ring tied to mafia boss Messina Denaro  Reuters
  4. Italy seizes gold, luxury villas and cash tied to Sicilian Mafia drug-trafficking gains  ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
  5. "Vast fortune" belonging to legendary Mafia boss seized by police in Italy  CBS News
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Donald Trump shares draft Iran peace agreement with Israel and other allies

US president’s move comes as both sides try to prevent fresh ceasefire breaches scuppering a potential deal

Donald Trump has circulated a draft peace agreement for the war with Iran among allies including Israel as both sides try to prevent fresh breaches of the ceasefire escalating out of control and scuppering any deal.

In an attempt to speed up the negotiations, Pakistan’s foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will fly to Washington on Friday to meet his US counterpart, Marco Rubio.

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