■ ZIMBABWE: Five managers sent on forced leave as forensic audit reveals deadwood at Air Zimbabwe.

Air Zimbabwe's (UM) newly appointed board has begun to wield the axe on deadwood found following the preliminary results of an audit which revealed "some" irregularities at the parastatal.

► CHAD: Congolese government provides Chad with Il76 to aide with deployment of 2'000 troops to Mali.

The Congolese government has made ​​available its Ilyushin Il76 (MSN 1033415504 | TN-AFS) transport to the Chadian government following the latter's decision to deploy 2000 troops to join the growing international operation (Mission Internationale de soutien au Mali - MISMA) against Islamist insurgents in northern Mali.

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Aéro Service Ilyushin IL76 skids off runway during heavy storm at Brazzaville; at least 30 dead.

International news-wires are reporting that a AéroService (BF) Ilyushin IL76 (MSN 073410300 | EK-76300) cargo plane has overrun the runway at Brazzaville's Maya Maya Airport before crashing into houses located beside the runway, leaving 30 dead. The accident is said to have occurred at 18h00L during a heavy storm.

► EGYPT: Aeroflot to start Moscow - Hurghada from late October.

Effective Winter (28 October 2012), Russian carrier Aeroflot (SU) is planning to introduce a 3x weekly Ilyushin 96-300 operated flight between Moscow Sheremetyevo and Hurghada, Egypt. 

The Russian national carrier currently operates to Cairo and a seasonal Winter service to Sharm el Sheikh on Egypt's Red Sea coast.