Two African countries have withdrawn from the 75th Miss Universe pageant because their contestants could not get permission to travel to Puerto Rico, a US territory.

Who is affected

According to reports on Sunday, 15 November 2026, Zambia and the Republic of the Congo have pulled out, while representatives from Zimbabwe and South Sudan were still awaiting decisions ahead of the final on 24 November. Miss Universe Zambia said its representative, a 25-year-old registered nurse who won the national title in October, could not secure the required travel authorisation, and blamed US travel restrictions rather than any failing by her or the organisers. The Republic of the Congo had been due to send its first ever Miss Universe contestant.

Nigeria's contestant

Nigeria is also affected by partial US entry restrictions, but its representative, Danielle Adewusi, arrived in San Juan on 9 November and has joined the preliminary activities.

Background

Because Puerto Rico is a US territory, contestants travelling there must meet US immigration requirements.

Christian Cousins, the former child actor best known for the 1990 comedy 'Kindergarten Cop', has died.

What happened

Police in Irvine, California, said officers went to his home on 20 October after his family requested a welfare check because they could not reach him, and found him dead inside. They said there were no suspicious circumstances. The county coroner took custody of his remains, and no official cause of death has been released. News of his death spread this week after his half-brother, Jonas Roeser, posted a tribute on Instagram, saying Cousins had been seriously ill with liver disease.

His career

Cousins and his twin brother, Joseph, shared the role of Dominic Palmieri in 'Kindergarten Cop', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Brian Tracy, the motivational speaker and bestselling author whose books shaped how millions of people approach work and personal goals, has died at the age of 82.

His death

Tracy died on 12 November 2026, according to reports. No official cause of death has been made public. His grandson shared an emotional tribute online.

His work

Tracy built his career in sales, marketing, real estate and consulting before founding Brian Tracy International. His company says he gave more than 5,000 talks and seminars to over five million people and wrote more than 70 books, translated into dozens of languages. His best-known book, 'Eat That Frog!', taught readers to tackle the task they are most likely to put off first. Other popular titles included 'Goals!' and 'No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline'.

It is one of the lesser-known chapters of Africa's liberation story, and a remarkable act of solidarity between two African nations.

A leader in danger

Patrice Lumumba, Congo's first Prime Minister after independence from Belgium in 1960, was overthrown within months and placed under house arrest. In January 1961 he was handed over to his enemies and assassinated, one of the most shocking political killings in African history.

As Congo descended into chaos, Lumumba's family was in grave danger, and his wife Pauline and their children had nowhere safe to turn.

Nasser's secret mission

Egypt did not look away. On the direct orders of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Colonel Saad El-Din El-Shazly, who later became one of Egypt's most celebrated military commanders, took on the task of getting Lumumba's children safely out of the country.

El-Shazly knew Congo well. He had commanded the Egyptian battalion sent there in 1960 as part of the international force during the independence crisis, at a time when Egypt firmly backed Lumumba.

The operation was carried out in complete secrecy. Lumumba's children, including his eldest son François, were smuggled out of Congo and flown to Cairo, where they arrived safely while their father was still under arrest.

A new home in Cairo

After Lumumba's death, Pauline joined the children in Egypt. Nasser offered the family protection and support, and the Egyptian government helped with their housing, schooling and other needs.

Lumumba's children grew up in Egypt, which became not just a place of refuge but a home that embraced their father's cause as a symbol of African liberation.

Pauline later spent time in Europe before returning to Congo in the late 1960s, after Lumumba began to be honoured as a national hero. She settled in Kinshasa.

Africa looking out for its own

The story is a reminder that Egypt was not just a witness to Africa's independence struggles, but an active partner in them. When Lumumba's family was in danger, an African nation stepped in to protect them.

Over to you

Did you know this part of Lumumba's story? What does it tell us about African solidarity then, and now?