People are walking along this busy main road as merchants sell fruit and household goods from small stalls.

This city scene is perhaps unremarkable, were it not for the fact that the fear of gang violence amongst the population has frequently scared people off the streets of the capital.

It is estimated that at least 26, sometimes heavily armed, gangs control perhaps up to 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas fomenting terror amongst Haitians through violence, summary executions, extortion and kidnappings for ransom and preventing commerce by blocking the free flow of goods. 

Since the beginning of the year, gang violence has left more than 2,300 people dead and more than 1,100 injured.

What is different now is the mounting of patrols by a new UN Security Council-backed force called the Gang Suppression Force, or GSF, the base for which is located just a few blocks from the Boulevard du 15 Octobre.

On Tuesday, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres toured the base during a visit to Port-au-Prince.

“Their deployment offers a real opportunity to curb violence and restore the authority of the State,” he told journalists after the visit. “We have no right to waste this opportunity.”

He added that “gangs must be disarmed and dismantled and their members reintegrated – in a Haitian-led process,” reiterating that security alone is not enough, “it must be accompanied by political progress.”

The GSF is receiving logistical, operational and technical support, including the supply of rations, medical care, and transportation from the recently established UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH).

It plays a critical role in enabling the force to operate effectively, in its main tasks to neutralize gangs, protect vulnerable populations, and support humanitarian access.

“The objective is clear: to degrade the operational capacity of gangs to a level that Haitian institutions can sustainably manage,” the GSF head Jack Christofides told the Security Council in April.

It’s base, known as Camp Vertières, is in the process of being equipped to receive some of the 5550 personnel, which the Security Council mandated. Troops deployed from multiple countries are currently living on base and offices are being established in shipping containers. 

Years of instability

Haiti has suffered years of instability. Gang violence has contributed to some 1.5 million Haitians fleeing their homes.

Millions more Haitians require humanitarian support as poverty deepens, while the country has not had an elected president since the last incumbent, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in July 2021.

During his visit to Haiti, the UN chief also spoke to people who had been forced to flee due to gang violence. 

“I met families who have lost everything and yet are holding on, together, with a courage and a dignity that command admiration,” Mr. Guterres said. “These families did not ask for my sympathy. They are waiting for action.”

Renewed hope

Despite the challenges Haiti faces, there is renewed hope that as the GSF builds towards its mandated operational capacity, it will be able to make a positive difference to the everyday lives of Haitians, working alongside Haiti’s security forces.

The start of foot patrols and the establishment of forward operating bases across Port-au-Prince and outside the capital, will provide a greater sense of security to Haitians and help bring some normality back to their daily lives.

However, the GSF is expected to have a deeper and longer-lasting impact.

Working with countries in the region to disrupt the supply of guns and ammunition, by focusing more on border crossings and maritime smuggling routes, as well as interrupting financial flows to armed groups, it aims to ensure that gangs can no longer wage war.

Indifference of world to Haiti’s plight

“For the first time in many years, there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel,” said Mr. Guterres at the end of his visit. “Haiti has a chance to turn a corner – but only if the international community assumes its responsibilities. Let’s be clear: gangs have been terrorizing Haiti. Institutions have been weakened,” he added.

“But the biggest disgrace is indifference, the indifference of a world that has looked away.”

If the partnership between the Haitian authorities, the GSF and the United Nations to tackle Haiti’s unprecedented security situation is a success then even more people will return with confidence to Boulevard du 15 Octobre and other parts of the capital.

The family carried out the burial themselves – potentially exposing dozens more people to the virus.

The incident offers a stark illustration of one of the biggest obstacles facing efforts to contain the latest deadly epidemic, which has infected 381 people and claimed 64 lives in DRC as of 3 June.

For Marie Roseline Belizaire, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Preparedness and Response Director for Africa, the most challenging part is not always the virus itself – it can be sitting with families who believe the disease is caused by witchcraft, persuading traditional healers to work alongside health teams or health teams returning to communities that threatened them – only days earlier.

“We are not trying to overcome their culture,” she said. “We’re trying to involve the science in their own belief.”

Progress, but not yet control

The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus – for which there is no vaccine or treatment – continues to spread in eastern DRC while cases have also been reported across the border in Uganda.

Speaking to UN News from Bunia, in Ituri province, Dr. Belizaire said the response has made significant gains in recent weeks, particularly in testing capacity.

At the start of the outbreak, laboratories could process about 40 tests a day. That capacity has now expanded to 800 daily tests, allowing suspected cases to be confirmed or ruled out much more quickly.

“All the tests that we are receiving, we are rolling them out at the same day, almost,” she said. “The time to expect your result has been reduced. Twenty-four, maximum 48 hours you have the result.”

Community alerts are first investigated in the field, with those meeting the outbreak’s case definition tested and either confirmed or ruled out – allowing suspected cases to be cleared from the system more quickly than at the start of the outbreak.

Firmer trace

Contact tracing rates have improved from around 25 per cent to 45 per cent, but that remains far below the 90 to 95 per cent coverage needed to effectively contain transmission.

“We still have a lot of challenges,” she said, adding that the outbreak’s regional dimensions remain a concern.

Uganda has recorded 15 confirmed cases and one probable case linked to the outbreak. One Congolese national also travelled through the United Arab Emirates before arriving in Uganda, highlighting how quickly infectious diseases can move across borders.

“When there is an outbreak and you have mobility, it is always a concern,” Dr. Belizaire said, stressing however that mechanisms such as WHO’s International Health Regulations help countries share information rapidly and coordinate responses.

Trust in public health

For WHO teams on the ground, one of the most complex tasks is building trust. Many communities in affected areas have experienced years of conflict and insecurity. Cultural beliefs and misinformation can also shape how people interpret illness and death.

“The disease symptoms are very malaria-like in the community,” Dr. Belizaire explained.

Some families attribute deaths to witchcraft or poisoning rather than infection.

Health workers therefore focus on coexistence rather than confrontation.

“We don’t stop them to believe in witchcraft, to believe any other things in their culture,” she said. “We just ask them to simultaneously believe in the disease existence also.”

Ancient and modern

Traditional healers are also being engaged as partners rather than excluded.

“We don’t stop them going to traditional healers,” she said. “We ask [the healers], if you see someone with those symptoms, refer it also to us.”

The approach reflects lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks, where mistrust often proved as dangerous as the virus itself.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who recently visited the outbreak’s epicentre, warned that “misinformation is almost as dangerous as the virus itself, and spreads just as fast.”

Reasons for hope

Despite the difficulties, there have been encouraging signs. Seven people have recovered from Ebola, including six healthcare workers.

Most sought treatment early and received intensive supportive care, including rehydration and treatment for symptoms while their immune systems fought the infection.

“They recovered because they went early to the hospital,” Dr. Belizaire said.

Candidate vaccines under development

There is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, although candidate vaccines are under development.

But Dr. Belizaire stressed that even a vaccine would not replace the need for early detection and treatment.

“The key is, as soon as you have symptoms, you go to the healthcare centre,” she said.

A survivor’s determination

Among the encounters that have stayed with Dr. Belizaire most is that of a healthcare worker who contracted Ebola while caring for a patient. The female medic later recovered.

Rather than leaving the profession, she said she intends to continue serving others.

“She said she will not stop,” Dr. Belizaire recalled. “She said she was born to give care to others, and it is what she will continue doing.”

That story reflects the resilience of health workers and communities confronting the outbreak every day.

Read more about the outbreak here and about ebola symptoms and prevention here.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus briefed journalists in Geneva a day after returning from the DRC, where he met a wide range of stakeholders and said he was encouraged by the Government’s commitment to combating the deadly epidemic, which has also spread to neighbouring Uganda. 

“What I saw gave me hope,” he said. 

“The outbreak had a big head start, and we’re still behind, but under the leadership of the Government of DRC, we are catching up.”  

Caseload decrease 

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus for which there is no treatment although three vaccines are in development. 

Tedros said 344 cases have been confirmed in the DRC, including 60 deaths.  Meanwhile, the number of suspected cases has now been reduced from over 1,000 last week to 116 as teams work through the backlog. 

The epicentre of the outbreak is the eastern province of Ituri, with cases also in North and South Kivu provinces. It is unfolding amid ongoing violence by armed groups, other health threats such as malaria, and dire humanitarian needs. 

Three Ebola treatment centres are now operating in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, with a capacity of 80 beds.  Treatment units also have been established in five other regional cities, and more are on the way. 

Risk and recovery 

Meanwhile, Uganda has recorded one confirmed death and 15 confirmed cases, including a Congolese resident who travelled there from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). An American citizen, who was infected in the DRC, continues to receive care in Germany. 

WHO’s risk assessment is unchanged, remaining very high at the national level and high at the regional level while global risk is low. 

Six people in the DRC and two in Uganda have recovered to date, “showing that people can survive Ebola if they have access to care and go to health facilities as soon as they show symptoms.” 

Step up efforts 

Tedros outlined ongoing challenges, noting that scaling up laboratory and diagnostic capacity is a key priority to ensure faster response. 

Action on contact tracing is required, which is especially difficult due to insecurity, displacement and population movements.  He said the current follow-up rate, roughly 45 per cent, needs to reach over 90 per cent “to get ahead of the outbreak”. 

WHO also asks countries that have imposed blanket travel restrictions to lift them because these measures are disrupting supply chains and hindering response efforts. The UN agency recommends exit screening at airports, ports and border crossings. 

Build community trust 

Tedros stressed the critical need to build trust with local communities to bring the outbreak under control. “Community mistrust is a serious barrier,” he said. “Some community leaders told me that they believe Ebola is not real.” 

While no vaccines or therapeutics currently exist to treat the outbreak, WHO and partners are working to advance clinical trials as quickly as possible.  

In this regard, Tedros on Wednesday convened a second meeting of a medical network, which was established in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, to strengthen diagnostics, immediately support affected countries in leading clinical trials and accelerate investment to support the overall response. 

“Although vaccines and therapeutics would be a big help, the key to ending this outbreak is not biomedical. It’s leadership, ownership, partnership and trust,” he said. 

Commitment and support 

The DRC has faced 16 previous Ebola outbreaks and Tedros was adamant that this one will be stopped but “the real measure of success” will be preventing future recurrence and addressing broader health needs. 

“If the people of Ituri survive Ebola only to die from malaria or malnutrition, or pneumonia or diarrheal disease or HIV or diabetes, we have not really helped them,” he said. 

He underlined the commitment of WHO and partners to end the outbreak, under the leadership of the DRC authorities. 

“When it does end, we will remain equally committed to supporting the government and the local communities to build the health and humanitarian services they need and deserve,” he said. 

“No one but ourselves can guarantee security,” he said. “Only strong alliances. Only strong partners. And only our own weapons.”

He argued that international law does not work without the backing of “powerful friends” and, ultimately, military backup.

Those with “weapons decide who survives,” he said, calling it a “terrible” but unavoidable reality.

“Ukrainians are peaceful people, but they are people who want to live freely in their own independent country. That’s why we invest in defence. For many nations, there is simply no other way left.”

Systems failing

He pointed to conflicts in Sudan, Somalia and Palestine as evidence of a global system unable to prevent bloodshed or deliver solutions.

“That’s how weak these institutions have become,” he said. “For decades, just statements and statements.”

Turning to Russia’s war in Ukraine, he warned of the use of chemical weapons and famine as weapons against his people, the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, and continued attacks around Europe’s largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia.

“Yesterday, the plant went into blackout again,” he said, raising the risk of spectre of disaster.

He also noted recent Russian drone and fighter jet incursions into Poland and Estonia, and interference in neighbouring Moldova.

“Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova,” he said, adding that supporting the country’s stability was “not costly, but failing to do so would come at a much higher price.”

AI-fuelled global arms race

President Zelenskyy warned that weak international responses were accelerating a global arms race, now reshaped by artificial intelligence.

“Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence,” he said. “We need global rules now for how AI can be used in weapons. And this is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.”

He said Ukraine had developed attack drones and sea drones out of necessity, pushing back the Russian navy in the Black Sea and striking strategic bombers.

“None of this would have happened if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin had not started this full-scale aggression,” he said.

‘Act together to stop war’

The Ukrainian President urged nations to act collectively to end the war.

“Stopping this war now and within the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later,” he said.

“Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead.”

He said more than 40 countries are already part of Ukraine’s coalition and called for broader support.

“So don’t stay silent while Russia keeps dragging this war on,” Mr. Zelenskyy concluded. “Please speak out and condemn it. Please join us in defending life and international law and order. People are waiting for action.”

GENEVA: Spain still looks the best team in Europe, England finally put on a show in World Cup qualifying, and France got back-to-back wins while almost dropping points despite Kylian Mbappé’s goals.

Every European team have now begun their qualifying group, and it was a good week for 40-year-old greats Cristiano Ronaldo, in Portugal’s fast start, and Luka Modrić, with Croatia leading its group.

Erling Haaland’s five-goal haul in Norway’s 11-1 beating of Moldova pushed Italy closer to the playoffs in a group where goal difference could be decisive.

Italy had perhaps the strangest week in their quest to avoid missing a third straight World Cup.

The four-time champion earned six points and scored 10 goals yet ended with new coach Gennaro Gattuso filmed aiming expletives at an Israel player on the field after a wild 5-4 win.

Germany also could risk ending up in the playoffs next March after stumbling to an opening 2-0 loss at Slovakia. It was a first-ever German loss on the road in World Cup qualifying.

Slovakia might yet regret winning only 1-0 at Luxembourg from a 90th-minute goal. Only the group winner advance directly in November and goal difference is the first tiebreaker.

Stylish Spain

Euro 2024 winner Spain were denied adding a 2025 Nations League title only by a penalty shootout loss against Portugal at a final where it twice led.

Already Spain look Europe’s best hope at the 2026 World Cup. If a 3-0 win at struggling Bulgaria was routine, the 6-0 thrashing of Euro 2024 quarterfinalist Turkiye in Istanbul was a standout result.

A hat trick from midfielder Mikel Merino meant Spain did not need goals from Lamine Yamal though the 18-year-old star had two assists.

Spain look balanced, young and still improving for Luis de la Fuente, the understated coach. Hosting Georgia and star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on Oct. 11 in Elche should be a highlight of the next international break.

Tuchel’s England emerge

England demolished Serbia 5-0 in one of Europe’s more intimidating stadiums in Belgrade.

The style of victory should end talk that the Euro 2024 finalist are failing to fire under German coach Thomas Tuchel despite racking up wins and clean sheets. Tuchel called it “a statement victory against a difficult opponent in a difficult environment.”

The fine link-up play for the second goal between Noni Madueke, Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers, before Madueke scored, was extra impressive by players from three different clubs who combined have just 19 games for England.

France had a trickier first week and eked out wins against Ukraine (2-0) and Iceland (2-1), which were denied a late leveler in Paris by video review. Mbappé scored in each game and now is second on Les Bleus’ all-time list with 52 goals, trailing Olivier Giroud’s 57.

Swiss summit

A quarterfinal exit at Euro 2024 — in a penalty shootout against England — seemed to mask how good Switzerland were at the tournament. Dominant wins in the US in June against World Cup co-hosts Mexico and the US also went under the radar.

Switzerland were impressive starting a tight-looking qualifying group and used home advantage in Basel to full effect: Four first-half goals in a 4-0 win over Kosovo, then three before halftime to beat Slovenia 3-0.

Three of the seven goals were scored by Breel Embolo, fulfilling the promise he showed as a teenager. Captain Granit Xhaka is still running the show in midfield. Trips to Sweden and Slovenia follow in October.

San Marino’s hopes

The chance of the “world’s worst team,” 210th-ranked San Marino, getting into the European qualifying playoffs looks slim. San Marino are in contention because they are among 14 winners of a UEFA Nations League group last year.

The 16-nation playoffs in March involve the 12 runners-up in November of qualifying groups, plus four teams via their Nations League ranking. Those four will have finished no higher than third in qualifying groups.

San Marino are ranked No. 14 in Nations League standings so need at least 10 of the top 13 to win or place second in their World Cup qualifying group.

As it stands, Sweden — which took just one point this week from games against Slovenia and Kosovo — and Romania could need back-door entry to the playoffs. So too Northern Ireland, Wales or North Macedonia, plus Moldova. All would get in above San Marino.

World Cup draw in DC

There is a clear scenario for Italy being the team to avoid at the World Cup draw on Dec. 5 in Washington. Pay attention Brazil and Argentina, US and Canada.

For the second straight men’s World Cup, not all entries will be finalized before the tournament draw must be made.

Six placeholders will join 42 confirmed qualifiers to take account of playoff brackets decided in March. Four are in Europe and two in the intercontinental section.

All six placeholders come out of seeding pot 4 of lowest-ranked teams, even if a playoff contender is Italy (currently No. 11 in the FIFA rankings ) or Germany (No. 9).

For top-seeded teams, like the South American powers or the co-hosts, Italy would not be an ideal option.

Still, in the lopsided 48-team format — where third-placed teams in eight of the 12 groups must advance to the expanded first knockout round of 32 teams — everyone has a better chance than in the balanced 32-team group-stage format.

Millions of people in Israel and Iran are bracing for an escalation in fighting between the two countries after Israel launched a wave of strikes overnight.

Israel’s military said it had hit multiple nuclear sites, and killed top Iranian commanders.

Local media reported a number of drones launched by Iran in response were successfully intercepted.

In a recorded statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, which he said posed a “clear and present danger” to his country’s survival.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran’s response to Israeli attacks would be “legitimate and powerful”.

Read live updates on this story.

Alice Figueiredo’s family have said it would “astound” people if they saw how families could be treated by hospital trusts in the wake of a loved one’s death.

It comes after the North East London Foundation NHS Trust and a ward manager were found guilty of health and safety failings over the death of the 22-year-old in a mental health unit.

Her sister Eleanor, mother Jane, and stepfather Max spoke to BBC Breakfast about their 10-year fight for the truth over Alice’s death.

More on this story.