Former rebels from the Congrès national pour la défense du peuple (CNDP) have established mafia-style extortion rackets covering some of the most lucrative tin and tantalum mining areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Global Witness reported today following four weeks of research in the region. Full Story>>

A United Nations official says Democratic Republic of Congo army troops have killed 90 Rwandan Hutu rebels. Madnodje Mounoubai, a spokesman for the U.N. mission in Congo, said Wednesday that the rebels were killed during recent army operations in Congo's North and South Kivu provinces. Full Story>>

Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court decided to postpone the commencement date of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo until Monday, 5 July 2010. On 27 April 2010, the date on which the trial was initially scheduled to commence, the Chamber will hold a status conference to discuss the admissibility challenge brought by the Defence for Mr Bemba. Full Story>>

The first group of United Nations troops could leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the end of June, as requested by the government, the world body's top peacekeeping official said on Friday. UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy was in the DRC this week as part of a technical assessment mission, during which he also met with President Joseph Kabila and other officials to discuss the future of the UN mission, known as MONUC. Full Story>>

The UN has begun talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo on withdrawing its peacekeeping mission - the biggest UN operation in the world. UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said his officials would take a month to assess how the pullout of 20,500 personnel could be carried out. The current mandate of the mission, known as Monuc, expires in May. Full Story>>

The establishment of a single visa for all the member countries is one of the major objectives of the community, according to Raymond Tshibanda, the minister for international and regional cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Full Story>>

Paris Club creditors agreed on 25 February 2010 with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to a restructuring of its external public debt, following the approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of a new three-year arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility on 11 December 2009. Full Story>>

The U.S. military command for Africa (Africom) has started training 1,000 Congolese troops in the eastern city of Kisangani. The $30 million training program is expected to last eight months. Full Story>>

The SADC Council of Ministers will be meeting at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 February 2010 to consider the 2010/2011 SADC budget. Full Story>>

President Joseph Kabila has carried-out a long-awaited government reshuffle aimed at improving performance and good governance. Adolphe Muzito has been reappointed as Prime Minister, Francois Joseph Nzanga Mobutu will also stay on as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Labor and Welfare. Full Story>>