Ebola Preparedness and Costs: A new ISS Today analysis warns the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda needs over US$700m more to prevent a wider regional crisis, stressing that delayed containment could quickly raise deaths and hit trade, investment and productivity; Burundi Market Resilience: Burundi President Ndayishimiye consoled victims after a major fire destroyed parts of Ngozi’s central market, with no deaths reported but serious losses feared, adding to a worrying 2026 pattern of market blazes; Diplomacy and Energy Cooperation: Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Bujumbura for talks on African priorities and preparations for the Russia-Africa summit, with cooperation including peaceful nuclear energy on the agenda; Regional Power Integration: Ethiopia assumed chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Power Pool, pledging faster electricity integration and cross-border power trade; Marine Pollution Monitoring: GAEC hosted scientists from 21 African countries in Accra to harmonise microplastics monitoring protocols using nuclear and isotopic techniques, aiming for comparable data and stronger coastal protection; Agro-Industry and Food Security: East Africa is urged to mainstream agroecology to boost yields, cut costly synthetic inputs, and strengthen resilience, with Burundi and Tanzania project lessons highlighted; Construction Inputs: Cement prices are set to rise in Tanzania after manufacturers adjusted prices, potentially pushing retail bags above Sh18,000 and lifting housing and infrastructure costs.