About this Episode
France’s health ministry says a doctor who returned from humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola (Bundibugyo strain) — the first confirmed case outside the affected region in the current outbreak. The patient is in stable condition, was isolated and moved to a specialised facility on return. Authorities are tracing and advising possible contacts to isolate. The Bundibugyo outbreak in Congo and Uganda has sickened over 1,100 people and killed nearly 280 amid difficult containment conditions.
London’s Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley announced plans to scale up use of drones and live facial recognition, saying forces must embrace new technologies to counter increasingly digital crime. The Met planned drone coverage across all boroughs by June 2027 and sought a city‑wide emergency services drone network with shared infrastructure. It is also planned to roll out movable “static” live facial recognition cameras monitored remotely — technology the force said had led to more than 2,000 arrests since 2024. Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch criticised the moves as intrusive and called for stronger parliamentary safeguards.
An outdoor bathing site at Heidesee in Halle, Germany, introduced an entrance check that turned away visitors judged not to speak sufficient German so they could follow lifeguards’ instructions after several incidents of people ignoring safety rules; the manager, Mathias Nobel, defended the measure as a safety precaution for the deep, steep‑shored lake, but city authorities and the national anti‑discrimination agency condemned it as disproportionate and potentially xenophobic. They ordered the ban to be lifted or eased, urged use of milder measures such as pictograms or multilingual signage, and prompted criticism and political exploitation by the far‑right AfD.
Iván Cepeda conceded defeat to Abelardo de la Espriella three days after a record turnout in Colombia’s presidential run‑off. Preliminary results showed a 0.96‑percentage‑point margin. Cepeda said he had waited for the final count but chose to accept the outcome “as an act of democratic responsibility.” He criticised US President Donald Trump’s endorsement of de la Espriella. Cepeda also confirmed he would take the Senate seat reserved for the runner‑up and serve as a “democratic, vigilant and constructive opposition.” De la Espriella, who had campaigned strongly against the Left, struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech. He signalled closer ties with the Trump administration and said he would accept an invitation to join the US‑led “Shield of the Americas.” De la Espriella is due to be sworn in on 7 August.
