The House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has declined to allow Olive Birungi Lumonya, the Deputy Director General of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority to represent her boss and resolved to conduct an on-site inspection of the authority’s facilities in Entebbe as it continues with its investigations into allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The Committee chaired by Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi, had summoned UCAA officials to answer questions arising from the Auditor General’s Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2025 together with a recent Presidential directive dated 17 July 2026 that ordered the immediate retirement of several senior staff “in the public interest.”
The Presidents letter, addressed to Works and Transport Minister detailed rampant corruption at the Ministry of Works and Transport and the UCAA citing delayed road projects, non-functioning scanners at Entebbe International Airport, and alleged attempts to inflate the cost of AFCON-related roads.
He directed the officers to immediately handover office and vacate office immediately.
With the substantive Director General away on health grounds, Lumonya stepped in to lead the UCAA delegation before the House Committee sitting on Wednesday, 19 August 2026.
She said, “I have been acting Director General for this position now for 33 days.”
Hon. Nkunyingi immediately directed her to produce her appointment instruments for legislators to confirm the legitimacy of her acting authority.
Committee members raised concerns about the capacity of the officials present to answer to queries, with Hon. Bumali Mpindi (Ind., PWDs) suggesting that the meeting be halted until the legal status of those appearing in acting roles is clarified.
Hon. Richard Senteza (Ind., Lugazi Municipality) argued that Lumonya could not properly serve as Accounting Officer while a substantive Director General remained in the post, even if temporarily absent, unless powers had been formally delegated in writing.
“As of now, the MD is in office, save for health reasons. He has stepped out, she is not the accounting officer,” he said.
Lumonya told the committee that all the affected individuals had completed the handover of properties and assets, and that she had informed the UCAA Board of Directors, chaired by Justice (Emeritus) Steven Kavuma, of the directive.
The committee is scheduled to visit the UCAA facilities in Entebbe tomorrow, Thursday, 20 August 2026.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
A preparatory meeting of senior officials for the Qatari-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee in its seven session was held on Wednesday, in the city of El-Alamein, Egypt, in preparation for the session scheduled to be held on Thursday (tomorrow), with the participation of a large number of representatives of ministries and relevant authorities in both countries.
The State of Qatar’s delegation was led by HE Director of the Arab Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nayef Al Emadi, while the Egyptian side was led by HE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Arab Affairs, Ihab Fahmy.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the progress made in bilateral cooperation, and documents scheduled to be signed during the Committee’s seventh session, under the chairmanship of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and HE Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Dr. Badr Abdelatty.
In this context, the two sides hailed the growing Qatari-Egyptian relations in various fields, including economic, investment and trade, particularly after the launch of the first phase of the “Alam El Roum” project. They also welcomed the agreement to launch the first round of negotiations on the comprehensive economic partnership agreement between the two countries next October, which will contribute to achieving economic integration and serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples.
The two sides also commended the regularity of the Higher Committee meetings, the close coordination and continuous consultation between the two countries regarding regional and international issues, and the joint efforts to de-escalate and achieve stability and sustainable peace in the region.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.
More than 10,150 learners at 10 isiXhosa-speaking schools have been reached through the 2026/2027 Disaster Awareness Campaign Roadshow, an initiative aimed at equipping young people with practical knowledge to better understand and respond to disaster risks.
The campaign is being implemented by the Western Cape Department of Local Government, through the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre, in collaboration with the Cape Winelands District Municipality Disaster Management Centre and Santam Ltd (Pty) Ltd.
Now in its second year, the campaign uses isiXhosa actors, local dialects and interactive performances to deliver disaster awareness messages in a language that learners understand. This forms part of a two-phase approach, with the first phase focusing on isiXhosa-speaking schools, followed by a second phase targeting English- and Afrikaans-speaking schools.
Through the roadshow, learners are taught practical skills including how to identify risks and dangers, what emergency numbers to use and what information to provide when calling for assistance, household disaster preparedness dos and don’ts, and the importance of understanding and adhering to early warnings.
The value of the approach is reflected in the strong retention of the messages by learners who participated in the programme previously. At Lingomso Primary School in Tulbagh, learners from Nduli Primary School in Ceres, which was visited during last year’s campaign, were invited to participate in the performance. Their ability to lead the play and recall the messages demonstrated the lasting learning impact of the programme.
Several schools, including Imboniselo Primary School and P.J.B. Cona Primary School, have also requested return visits for Grade 6 and 7 learners. Teachers have highlighted the programme’s relevance to Dramatic Arts and Culture, as well as its contribution to Life Orientation, Life Skills and mathematical literacy.
The campaign demonstrates the importance of using accessible language, practical learning and performance to strengthen disaster preparedness among young people and help ensure that vital safety messages are remembered and applied in homes and communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Government: Office of the Premier.
The NFL’s (www.NFL.com) UK based Academy program has announced its game schedule for the upcoming season as the program marks the start of the 2026-27 academic year.
Welcoming 70 individuals from 21 different countries to the roster, the NFL’s elite player development program based in Loughborough, U.K., supports talented student athletes from across the world.
Following strong performances during the 2025 season, the Academy will once again face key matchups against four highly regarded U.S. teams, alongside an expanded European schedule that includes hosting two German sides at Loughborough, and away fixtures in Spain and Austria.
The team’s season will kick off at home in Loughborough, U.K., on Aug. 20th against Marietta High School from Marietta, Georgia. The Blue Devils will travel more than 4,000 miles to open their 2026 season against the Academy. The game will be streamed live on the NFL UK & Ireland YouTube channel (https://apo-opa.co/4zrQ7Qw)
The Academy then travels to the U.S. for back-to-back fixtures in Ohio, taking on Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron on Aug. 28th, before facing Massillon High School on Sep. 4. Both programs rank among the most decorated in Ohio high school football.
On Oct. 6, the NFL Academy return to the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they will face Friendship Bowl Academy from Mexico in the second meeting between the Academy and Mexican opposition, following a first-ever fixture in Madrid last season
The final match-up against U.S. opposition sees the NFL Academy return to Bradenton, Florida, for a meeting with IMG Academy on Oct. 16. The meeting has become a regular date on the program’s calendar.
On the sidelines, Kris Durham continues in his role as Head of the NFL’s UK based Academy program, having been appointed in Sep. 2025. The 2026-27 academic year will see over 50 NFL Academy alumni playing NCAA college football, with more than 30 set to feature in Division I.
“Every season brings a new group of athletes with different backgrounds, and our job is to give each of them the environment to reach their potential,” said Kris Durham, head of the NFL’s UK based Academy program. “This schedule will test us against some of the best high school programs in the U.S. and the strongest youth sides in Europe, and that is exactly the standard our student athletes need if they are going to earn opportunities on and off the field.”
Luke Francis, United Kingdom (DL) – Florida State Seminoles
Moritz Strempel, Germany (OLB) – UMass Minutemen
Nikau Hepi, New Zealand (OL) – Florida State Seminoles
Matthew Okunade, United Kingdom/Zimbabwe (WR) – Augustana University Vikings
Meshach Arthur, United Kingdom/Italy/Ghana (OLB) – Minot State Beavers
Rafael Varona-Blakstad, United Kingdom/Cuba (WR) – Mary Marauders
Seb Harris, United Kingdom/Jamaica (WR) – Mary Marauders
Thayrancel Pinas, Netherlands/Suriname (WR) – Mary Marauders
Theo Andall, UK/Jamaica/Grenada (OL) – Bowling Green State
Johannes Mager, Germany (DL) – Rocky Mountain College
Vili Haapasalo, Finland (TE) – University of Alabama at Birmingham
Joel Queisser, Germany/Angola/DRC (LB) – Mississippi Valley State
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Football League (NFL).
About the NFL Academy:
The NFL Academy program offers talented student athletes a pathway to combine their full-time education with intensive training in American football, under the guidance of a professional coaching team. The program began in the U.K. serving student-athletes from across the world and has expanded recently to Australia to also service student-athletes across the APAC region.
In the U.K., the NFL Academy is based at Loughborough’s world-renowned center of sporting excellence and in partnership with Loughborough College and Loughborough University. The program promotes world class performance and the development of elite player pathways, supporting student athletes (aged 16-19) with NFL best practices and resources. In April 2026, Seydou Traoré became the first NFL Academy graduate to be selected in the NFL Draft, taken by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round
The NFL APAC Academy in the region, located on Australia’s Gold Coast, opened in Sep. 2024 in partnership with A.B. Paterson College and supported by the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland State Government (for athletes aged 12-18).
Il y a dix ans de ça, rares étaient ceux qui, en dehors d’un petit cercle de chercheurs, évoquaient l’intelligence artificielle dans leurs conversations. Aujourd’hui, elle recommande des contenus, rédige des e-mails et influence les décisions dans les entreprises du monde entier. Binance (https://www.Binance.com/), le premier écosystème blockchain au monde, estime que les actifs numériques suivent une trajectoire similaire, passant d’un marché de niche à une composante normale de la vie financière quotidienne au cours de la prochaine décennie. La question qui se pose au continent n’est pas de savoir si cette évolution aura lieu, mais si l’Afrique y sera prête le moment venu.
« L’essor de l’IA nous a montré à quelle vitesse une technologie peut passer du statut d’inconnu à celui d’incontournable. Les actifs numériques suivront une trajectoire similaire au cours de la prochaine décennie, et les pays qui prépareront leurs jeunes dès leur plus jeune âge seront ceux qui en tireront le meilleur parti. Cette préparation doit commencer par les notions fondamentales de l’argent, enseignées bien avant que quiconque ne se familiarise avec les actifs numériques », a déclaré Larry Cooke, de Binance Afrique.
L’Afrique est le continent le plus jeune du monde, et cette tendance ne fera que s’accentuer dans les années à venir. Les données démographiques (https://apo-opa.co/3Uql5se) révèlent que les jeunes Africains devraient représenter 42 % de la jeunesse mondiale d’ici 2030. Cette génération héritera d’un système financier qui se réinvente déjà autour des outils numériques, et sa capacité à s’y adapter dépendra bien moins de la technologie elle-même que de ce qu’on lui aura appris sur l’argent bien avant qu’elle n’ouvre la moindre application.
Cette préparation est actuellement insuffisante. Une étude issue de l’enquête S&P Global FinLit (https://apo-opa.co/4zlXYPP) citée dans une analyse de la région datant de 2025, a révélé que seuls environ 27 % des adultes d’Afrique subsaharienne sont considérés comme ayant une culture financière, un chiffre bien inférieur à la moyenne des économies à revenus élevés. Cela reflète le fait que la gestion d’un budget, l’épargne et les mécanismes de base de l’argent sont rarement enseignés de manière formelle à l’école, alors qu’ils constituent le fondement sur lequel repose toute autre décision financière.
Les cryptomonnaies ont suivi une trajectoire similaire à celle de l’IA, avec seulement quelques années de retard. Il y a dix ans, les actifs numériques constituaient un marché de niche, suscitant un intérêt essentiellement spéculatif et n’ayant pratiquement aucune utilité au quotidien sur le continent. Aujourd’hui, l’Afrique subsaharienne est le troisième marché des cryptomonnaies qui connaît la plus forte croissance (https://apo-opa.co/4xj0IvJ) au monde. Une grande partie de cette croissance provient des personnes qui les utilisent pour envoyer de l’argent à l’étranger et protéger leur épargne contre les fluctuations monétaires, comme par exemple un commerçant d’un pays qui paie un fournisseur dans un autre sans perdre de temps ni payer de frais au système bancaire. Au cours des dix prochaines années, les actifs numériques pourraient devenir un élément aussi courant de la vie financière quotidienne que l’argent mobile l’est déjà sur tout le continent.
« Il ne s’agit pas d’une tendance lointaine, c’est déjà une réalité ici. L’année dernière, plus de 8 % des transactions en cryptomonnaies dans la région (https://apo-opa.co/4xj0IvJ) concernaient de petits montants courants, inférieurs à 10 000 dollars, ce qui est bien supérieur à la moyenne mondiale. Cela prouve que ce sont les gens ordinaires, et pas seulement les grands investisseurs, qui en font un usage concret. Notre priorité est désormais de veiller à ce que l’Afrique renforce cette dynamique, afin de donner plus d’autonomie aux populations à travers tout le continent », a expliqué M. Cooke.
Binance Academy (https://apo-opa.co/4hCsqyB) a été créée dans cette optique. La plateforme propose des cours gratuits couvrant les principes fondamentaux de la gestion budgétaire, de l’épargne et de la prise de décision financière ; les notions relatives à la blockchain et aux actifs numériques sont abordées une fois ces bases acquises. Les cours sont disponibles en plusieurs langues et conçus pour des apprenants n’ayant aucune connaissance préalable en finance ou en technologie, reflétant ainsi une approche qui part du niveau réel de la plupart des gens plutôt que du niveau auquel le secteur estime qu’ils devraient se situer.
« L’éducation financière n’est pas pour nous une activité secondaire, c’est le fondement sur lequel tout repose », a déclaré M. Cooke. « Si un jeune d’Accra ou de Nairobi comprend comment fonctionne l’argent avant même d’entrer en contact avec un actif numérique, il sera bien mieux placé pour tirer parti des prochaines avancées de cette technologie. »
Binance Afrique continue d’investir dans des initiatives éducatives à travers le continent, en partant du principe que c’est la confiance financière, et non pas seulement l’accès aux services financiers, qui déterminera qui tirera le plus grand profit des dix prochaines années de finance numérique.
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The meeting was also attended by Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan National Army, General Khaled Haftar; Director General of the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, Eng. Belqasim Haftar; and Director of the General Intelligence Service, Minister Hassan Rashad.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, stated that President El-Sisi welcomed Field Marshal Haftar’s visit to Egypt, underscoring the profound fraternal relations between Egypt and Libya and stressing the importance of strengthening the historical ties between the two brotherly countries.
President El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s steadfast position toward Libya, which is based on the vital need to preserve Libya’s unity, work toward unifying Libyan institutions, and hold parliamentary and presidential elections. President El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s unwavering support for Libya’s security and stability, as well as its support for initiatives to this end, and its commitment to achieving security, development and prosperity in Libya, while safeguarding its unity and territorial integrity. The meeting also explored opportunities for joint cooperation between the two countries in a manner that strengthens their fruitful partnership.
Field Marshal Haftar expressed his appreciation for his visit to Egypt, commending the significant efforts Egypt is exerting to support peace, security and stability in the region in general and in Libya in particular. Field Marshal Haftar affirmed his support for initiatives aimed at achieving security and stability in Libya and preserving its unity, emphasizing his keenness on continuing coordination with Egypt to address various common challenges and achieve comprehensive development in Libya.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Northern Cape Provincial Whip, Mr Patrick Mabilo, has expressed deep appreciation for the positive developments made in the province since the previous oversight visit.
Mr Mabilo is leading an NCOP delegation during the annual NCOP Provincial Week, which began yesterday at the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. The week-long programme affords permanent NCOP delegates an opportunity to conduct oversight in their respective provinces, tracking progress on recommendations made during previous visits and assessing service delivery outcomes.
The highlight of the programme was a visit to the Sol Plaatje Municipality, where the delegation inspected the R2,5 billion Riverton Water Treatment Plant – a major infrastructure project aimed at ensuring quality water supply to the citizens of the municipality.
“We received a comprehensive report from the municipality, led by the Mayor, the Municipal Manager and the City Engineer, who explained the advanced multi-million-rand technology being used at the treatment plant. Once complete, this project will have a multiplier effect in terms of massive investment, infrastructure development and economic activity – because without water, there can never be any progress,” said Mr Mabilo, adding that the project will benefit local economic participation with 33 local small to medium enterprises (SMMEs) benefiting from the project.
He further commended the municipality for documenting all the processes for future generations, research, and public access, adding that the project also includes sanitation improvements.
Mr Mabilo emphasised the need for all government departments to strictly adhere to the 30-day payment policy in order for SMMEs to be able to sustain their businesses. He said it was also important to ensure that women, youth and people living with disabilities participate in the economy of the province.
During yesterday’s engagement, the delegation received a consolidated provincial progress report delivered by Northern Cape Leader of Government Business, Mr Bentley Vass, who briefed the NCOP delegation on behalf of Premier Dr Zamani Saul, who tendered his apology.
Mr Vass reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to strengthening service delivery, accelerating development and unlocking the full social and economic potential of the province. Among the key areas of progress since 2016 highlighted by Mr Vass was the investment of over R4,2 billion in water and sanitation infrastructure through 222 projects. He said according to Census 2022, the investment has positioned the province as the third-highest province in terms of household water services and fourth in terms of access to flush toilets.
Other key progress areas include: the drop in the province’s unemployment rate to 28,7% in quarter 2 of 2026, marking the strongest quarterly reduction among all provinces; there were no adverse audit opinions as all municipalities submitted financial statements and underwent the audit process during the 2022/23 and 2024/25 financial years; and the Northern Cape Investment Jobs Conference, held in April 2026, secured R105,3 billion investment pledgers, creating 19 800 jobs, with a target to grow the provincial GDP to R200 billion and create 60 000 additional jobs by 2030.
The delegation also received comprehensive reports from the Department of Public Works, Health, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs, the Office of the Auditor General (on the provincial audit outlook) and the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Ten years ago few people outside a small circle of researchers spoke about artificial intelligence in daily conversation. Today it recommends what to watch, drafts emails and shapes decisions in businesses across the world. Binance (https://www.Binance.com/), the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem believes digital assets are on a similar trajectory, moving from a niche interest to a normal part of everyday financial life within the next decade. The question the continent faces is not whether that shift happens. It is whether Africa is ready for it when it does.
“The rise of AI has shown us how quickly technology can move from unfamiliar to unavoidable. Digital assets are heading in a similar direction over the next decade and the countries that prepare their youth early will be the ones that benefit most. That preparation has to start with the basics of money, taught well before anyone touches a digital asset,” said Larry Cooke, Binance Africa.
Africa is the youngest continent in the world and that will only become more true in the years ahead. Population data (https://apo-opa.co/3Uql5se) compiled by the Population Reference Bureau shows young Africans are expected to make up 42 percent of the world’s youth by 2030. That generation will inherit a financial system already reshaping itself around digital tools, and how well prepared they are for it will depend far less on the technology itself and far more on what they are taught about money long before they ever open an app.
That preparation is currently falling short. Research from the S&P Global FinLit Survey (https://apo-opa.co/4zlXYPP) cited in a 2025 analysis of the region found only around 27 percent of adults across Sub-Saharan Africa are considered financially literate, well below the average in higher income economies. This reflects how rarely budgeting, saving and the basic mechanics of money are taught formally at school level, a foundation every other financial decision is eventually built on.
Crypto has followed a similar arc to AI, only a few years behind it. Ten years ago digital assets were a niche, largely speculative interest with almost no everyday use across the continent. Today Sub-Saharan Africa is the third fastest growing crypto market (https://apo-opa.co/4xj0IvJ) in the world. Much of that growth comes from people using it to send money across borders and protect savings against currency swings, such as a trader in one country paying a supplier in another without losing days and fees to the banking system. The next ten years could see digital assets become as ordinary a part of daily finance as mobile money has already become across the continent.
“This is not a distant trend, it is already happening here. More than 8 percent of crypto moving through the region (https://apo-opa.co/4xj0IvJ) last year was in small, everyday amounts under 10,000 dollars, well above the global average. This proves that ordinary people, not just large investors, are putting this to practical use. Our focus now is to ensure that Africa increases this momentum, empowering people across the continent,” Cooke explained.
Binance Academy (https://apo-opa.co/4hCsqyB) was built with this goal in mind. The platform offers free courses covering the fundamentals of budgeting, saving and financial decision making with blockchain and digital assets introduced once those foundations are covered. Courses are available in multiple languages and designed for learners with no prior background in finance or technology, reflecting an approach that starts where most people actually are rather than where the industry assumes they should be.
“Financial literacy is not a side project for us, it is the foundation that everything is built on,” Cooke said. “If a young person in Accra or Nairobi understands how money works before they ever encounter a digital asset, they are in a far stronger position to benefit from where this technology advances to next.”
Binance Africa continues to invest in education initiatives across the continent, built on the view that financial confidence, not just financial access, is what will determine who benefits most from the next ten years of digital finance.
The Department of Energy, through the Rural Electrification Unit (REU) visited Ha Ratheepe in the Matelile Constituency to introduce the contractor appointed to undertake a rural electrification project benefiting communities in the area.
The project will extend electricity connections to households in three villages, namely:
Moreneng
Khohlong
Sekhutlong
At least 100 households are expected to benefit from the project marking an important step towards expanding access to electricity and improving the quality of life for communities in Matelile.
During the visit, the Department introduced Turbotek as the contractor responsible for implementing the electrification works. The contractor has been given ten weeks to complete the project, after which the targeted households are expected to have access to electricity.
The project forms part of Government’s ongoing efforts to expand rural electrification and ensure that more Basotho households, particularly in underserved communities, gain access to reliable electricity.
For the people of Moreneng, Khohlong and Sekhutlong, the project will bring the prospect of improved household livelihoods, greater economic opportunities and better access to essential services powered by electricity.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Markus Engstler, Chair and Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg
Tsetse flies transmit some of Africa’s most persistent parasitic diseases. They have affected human health, livestock production and rural development for generations, across a region spanning millions of square kilometres in 37 sub-Saharan countries.
Human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is caused by two species of single-celled parasites. Others infect wild and domestic animals, causing animal trypanosomosis, often called nagana in cattle.
Sustained surveillance, diagnosis and treatment have driven sleeping sickness to historically low levels, a remarkable public-health success. But animal trypanosomiasis remains a major problem, causing anaemia, weight loss, reduced productivity and fertility and death. For rural communities that depend on cattle for food, income and for use in tilling fields, the consequences extend far beyond the loss of individual animals. Across affected regions, the economic costs run into billions of US dollars.
Tsetse flies move between hosts. They take blood from humans and a wide range of wild and domestic animals, including elephants, buffalos, rhinos, hippos, turtles and monitor lizards. By moving between hosts, tsetse flies can connect wildlife, livestock and humans in complex transmission networks.
We are molecular cell biologists and parasitologists researching vectors, and we have extensive laboratory and field experience studying African trypanosomes and tsetse flies. Our work focuses on the interactions between parasites and their insect vectors, including the adaptations that allow tsetse flies to thrive across diverse ecosystems.
For a recent study, we assembled an international team spanning parasite biology and cell biology in Würzburg, vector research at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi and insect biomechanics in Kiel. We wanted to understand how the insects can penetrate such diverse skin types.
We detailed the anatomy and mechanical properties of the feeding apparatus and measured the forces a fly exerts while probing. We found its ability to pierce skin wasn’t due to one special “tool”. Instead, rows of tiny teeth, strong backward strokes of the mouthparts and flexible behaviour work together. The flies used the same pressure on very different natural skins and, when faced with reptile skin, selected softer gaps between scales.
This versatility helps explain how tsetse flies feed across such a broad host range – and therefore why they are so effective at carrying parasites among wildlife, livestock and humans.
More than a century of fighting tsetse
People have tried to control tsetse flies for more than a century. In Zimbabwe, for example, wildlife killing was used from at least the 1920s, while vegetation clearing continued into the early 1960s. Such environmentally destructive approaches have long been abandoned. Today, control methods include insecticide-treated cattle, odour-baited traps and targets, aerial spraying and the release of sterilised males.
These methods can eliminate local populations, but controlling tsetse across their vast and diverse range remains difficult and expensive.
We approached the problem from a different direction. Instead of asking how to kill a tsetse fly, we asked what makes it such a successful bloodsucker. The animals it feeds on present very different barriers, from relatively soft, pliable mammalian skin to the tougher, scaly skin of big reptiles. How can the same tiny fly bite such different animals?
To find out, our team combined high-tech imaging with micro-mechanical experiments. We filmed flies feeding, measured how strongly they attach and recorded the forces generated as their mouthparts moved through different types of skin.
Using natural tissues and artificial skin models, we could study the tsetse feeding apparatus as a complete biomechanical system.
A tsetse fly taking a blood meal from human skin equivalents placed on sheep blood. The skin equivalents were stacked to provide sufficient biting depth for the fly. Vibratory movements of the fly’s maxillae can be observed during feeding. The video was recorded in collaboration with Christian Reuter.
A microscopic saw rather than a syringe
At the tip of the tsetse proboscis – the long, tube-like mouthpart it uses to pierce skin and drink blood – is an elaborate structure called the labellum, armed with rows of tiny teeth. During feeding, the labellum opens inside the skin, exposing these teeth, while the fly repeatedly pushes and pulls its proboscis through the tissue.
The forces generated when the fly pulled backwards were greater overall than those used to push forwards. That is counterintuitive: one might expect a piercing organ to do most of its work while being pushed into the skin. But once the labellum opens, its teeth face outwards. The stronger backward strokes may therefore act like a cutting motion, dragging those teeth through tissue, disrupting it and enlarging the feeding site.
This is fundamentally different from how a mosquito feeds. A mosquito uses extremely fine mouthparts to locate and tap individual blood vessels. Tsetse flies are pool feeders: they damage tissue until blood accumulates and then drink from the resulting pool.
If the mosquito feeding apparatus is a sophisticated syringe, the tsetse proboscis is closer to a microscopic saw.
The real superpower is versatility
We expected a fly capable of feeding on such different animals to possess some exceptional adaptation: enormous penetration forces, extraordinary grip or uniquely powerful mouthparts.
We found none.
Instead, tsetse flies succeed through subtle adaptations working together. They penetrated different types of skin using broadly comparable forces. Faced with reptile skin, they targeted softer regions between scales. Their feet provided sufficient grip, but their attachment was not exceptional compared with other insects.
The real tsetse superpower may therefore be versatility – combining anatomy, mechanics and behaviour to overcome very different physical challenges.
Could understanding the bite help fight the disease?
Our research does not immediately provide a new method for controlling tsetse flies. But it reveals an overlooked aspect of vector biology (how diseases are spread).
To transmit a parasite, a tsetse must successfully land, hold on, penetrate the skin, feed and escape the host’s defences. Each step presents a physical challenge, and potentially a vulnerability.
Understanding these mechanics could eventually inspire new ways to interfere with feeding or improve control technologies that exploit tsetse behaviour.
But our findings also help explain why these flies are such successful disease vectors. Its many small adaptations work remarkably well together. The result is a tiny fly capable of taking blood from an astonishing range of animals. For a parasite looking for its next host, it is difficult to imagine a better ride.
– The bloodsucking insect with a saw for a mouth: how the tsetse fly bites through almost anything – https://theconversation.com/the-bloodsucking-insect-with-a-saw-for-a-mouth-how-the-tsetse-fly-bites-through-almost-anything-289260
