Aviation & Logistics: A rare Douglas DC-8 freighter (Trans Air Cargo Service, tail 9S-AJO) veered off the runway at Kinshasa’s N’Djili airport on Sept 8, with the nose gear collapsing; investigators were dispatched and the extent of damage is unclear, but the incident highlights how thin the remaining commercial DC-8 fleet is. Public Health: Congo’s Ebola outbreak reached 3,226 deaths and 6,604 confirmed cases (61 health zones, 6 provinces) as of Sept 5, with WHO warning it’s the fastest-moving outbreak on record and tracing transmission chains remains the core challenge. Ebola Response Operations: Health teams are using anonymized mobile-phone movement data to predict where Ebola may surface next, while burial teams in Ituri say they’re stretched to the limit amid community anger and fatigue. Mining & State Control: Kinshasa is tightening control over geological data for critical minerals, building a national databank under a $180m mapping push (including airborne surveys and digitized archives) and planning fee-based access—aimed at boosting leverage over future mining investment. US-Congo Copper Trade: US imports of DRC copper hit a record 53,290 tonnes in July, lifting Congo’s share of total US copper imports to 23.9%, supported by pricing and deeper strategic ties. Diplomacy & Security: Tshisekedi’s Israel visit continues to reshape ties, with Kinshasa moving to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and seeking closer security cooperation as fighting persists in eastern Congo. Safety & Urban Risk: A wedding-hall fire in Kinshasa’s Lingwala killed at least 22 people, with narrow exits and crowded conditions worsening the evacuation.