City in eastern DRC, capital of South Kivu
Rwandan and Congolese officials remain locked in a dispute over commitments under a Washington-brokered peace deal, with UN experts noting M23 remains active and minerals continue to flow from conflict zones. Western governments have stepped up sanctions, and the ICJ case against Rwanda has widened the international response.
France 24 reports that DR Congo has advanced to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time, following a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan. England tops Group L after a win over Panama; Belgium faces Senegal; US advances to the Round of 16 with favorable simulations.
The M23 rebels have accepted 15 prisoners released by the Congolese government in Kinshasa, under a Qatar-brokered framework. The handover may be small, but it could pave the way for broader peace efforts in eastern DRC, where fighting has intensified in recent years.
Since mid‑May the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 5,600 Ebola cases and about 2,700 deaths; the outbreak has spread across six provinces and is covering an area larger than France. The UN and aid groups have warned infections are rising faster than the international response, funding is running short and frontline workers face attacks and heavy losses.
The DR Congo government and M23 rebels have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, backed by international mediators, to implement the Doha Framework. A ceasefire verification mission is set to monitor violations as fighting persists in North and South Kivu, with concerns over sanctions, detainees and political reforms.
A fire has engulfed Furaha secondary and Ujamaa primary schools in Bukavu, connected to fighting in eastern Congo. Authorities report dozens dead and many injured; hundreds of homes damaged as students and residents flee. The toll remains provisional as rescue efforts continue.