Zambia’s Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, escaped unhurt on Thursday after the helicopter carrying her and seven other people crashed shortly after takeoff while on a campaign tour ahead of the country’s August 13 general election.

Nalumango, 71, said the helicopter went down moments after departing from a campaign rally in the northeastern town of Nakonde.

Speaking to Diamond TV online, she recalled the incident, saying, “After we lifted off, I don’t know whether it was a minute or two… and then we came down.”

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Despite the crash, the vice president said everyone on board survived without injuries.

“We were eight, and all of us are fine,” she said, adding that it was not immediately clear what caused the crash, although the helicopter was badly damaged.

Zambia is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on August 13, with President Hakainde Hichilema expected to seek a second term as head of one of Africa’s top copper-producing nations.

Following the incident, the Zambian government said Nalumango underwent a routine medical check-up and was discharged in good health.

Pictures shared on social media showed the white Air Force helicopter lying on its side after it apparently crashed into a tree.
Authorities have yet to establish the cause of the crash.

Florida has officially renamed Palm Beach International Airport after United States President Donald Trump, a move that has drawn both praise and criticism as the president’s name continues to appear on major public landmarks and government institutions.

The airport, now known as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, was officially renamed on Thursday after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law.

To mark the occasion, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, arrived at the airport aboard the family’s private Boeing 757, popularly known as “Trump Force One.”

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Speaking on Fox News, Eric Trump described the event as “a beautiful day” and said no one was more closely associated with Palm Beach than his father.

“I don’t think there’s anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump and maybe all of Florida,” he said.

Eric Trump also noted that the main road leading out of the airport is already named President Donald J. Trump Boulevard, adding that visitors arriving in Palm Beach would now see “DJT” on their travel tickets.

“And now anyone flying into Palm Beach will have a ticket where you’re going to see ‘DJT’ in perpetuity,” he said.

The renaming has generated mixed reactions among travellers and local residents.
Corporate pilot Chris Bailey welcomed the decision, saying Trump had “certainly done enough to warrant a name of an airport.”

However, not everyone shared the enthusiasm.

“Palm Beach is a better brand. People don’t really like Donald Trump,” said John Manov, a doctor. “It seems in poor taste.”

The airport renaming is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at attaching Trump’s name and image to public infrastructure and official government programmes, marking a significant departure from the long-standing U.S. tradition of not honouring living presidents in such ways.

Also on Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was expected to unveil the Donald J. Trump Bridge in Tennessee.

Washington has already seen the renaming of the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, while large portraits of Trump have appeared on major government buildings.

Although Trump’s name was briefly attached to the Kennedy Arts Center, a judge later ruled the move unlawful.

The administration has also introduced Trump-branded visa and medical programmes.

His image is expected to appear on some U.S. passports and already features on National Parks passes. In addition, a new class of U.S. naval ships has been announced bearing Trump’s name.

In another unprecedented move, the U.S. Treasury says Trump’s signature will appear on U.S. dollar banknotes later this year.

Critics have likened the growing presence of Trump’s name and image on public institutions to personality cults commonly associated with authoritarian governments.

Eric Trump dismissed the criticism, saying, “Anything that bears our name is slightly controversial.”

Asked how the president reacted to the airport being named after him, Eric Trump said Donald Trump was “honored” and “humbled.”

The Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, has officially dissolved the governing body that administered the Gaza Strip for nearly 19 years, marking a major political development amid ongoing efforts to implement a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The announcement was made on Monday by Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas’ Government Media Office, who confirmed that the head of the government’s emergency committee, Mohammed al-Farra, had resigned and the committee had been dissolved to facilitate a peaceful transition of civilian governance.

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According to al-Thawabta, administrative responsibilities will now be transferred to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic body established by the Board of Peace created by US President Donald Trump following the ceasefire brokered between Hamas and Israel in October 2025.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem described the decision as a significant step aimed at removing obstacles to the political process.

“Hamas has taken a new step in that it will no longer be in charge of the Gaza Strip in order to remove any pretexts for the occupation, which continues its aggression and war of extermination,” Qassem said.

He added that the movement is fully prepared to hand over governmental responsibilities to the NCAG and expressed hope that the committee would soon be allowed to enter Gaza and begin its work.

A Hamas official also revealed that the group had informed other Palestinian factions of the decision during recent meetings in Cairo. The factions reportedly welcomed the move, describing it as a serious effort to enable the new committee to assume responsibility for governing the territory.

The NCAG, headed by Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath, has so far remained outside Gaza due to reported Israeli objections to its entry into the enclave.

Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007 after seizing control from rival Palestinian faction Fatah following its victory in the 2006 legislative elections.

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Although the movement has repeatedly expressed its willingness to step away from day-to-day governance since the ceasefire took effect, negotiations over its disarmament and the future political administration of Gaza have remained deadlocked.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement saw the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

However, talks on the second phase—which includes Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza—have stalled.

Israeli forces have instead expanded their military presence in the territory, reportedly controlling nearly 70 percent of Gaza.

Hamas insists that a Palestinian administration must first be established before it considers surrendering its weapons, while Israel continues to reject both Hamas remaining in power and an immediate return of the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza.

The future governance of Gaza remains one of the biggest unresolved issues in negotiations aimed at securing a lasting peace in the region.