A new police facility opened on Tuesday in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, to bring the country's disparate police units under central command and control.

Since UN and government troops began a joint operation last week to flush out Hutu Rwanda rebels and other illegal armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) up to 336 armed men have surrendered, a UN military spokesman said on Tuesday.

A summit of Africa's Great Lakes countries due in December has been postponed due to delays in the holding of general elections in Tanzania and a constitutional referendum in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the body organising the meeting said on Tuesday.

The government of Kinshasa has categorically denied that the historic leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony is in the country as the Kampala daily 'New Vision' reported during the weekend.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo blocked the release of a consignment of eggs from India at the port of Matadi because of suspicion that they could be contaminated with the Avian Influenza A virus (H5N1), or the bird flu.

Members of the UN Security Council are due to begin on Saturday a 10-day visit to Africa's Great Lakes region, that will take them to Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

A journalist from ?La Reference Plus' and his wife were killed in front of their house in a failed robbery attempt.

Former rebel commanders, leaders of armed factions backed by Rwanda and Uganda for control of the resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also former ?government? generals and arms traffickers: some fifteen names were included in a list disclosed yesterday of those responsible for civilians massacres and violence in DR-Congo, to face punitive measures.

British Development Secretary Hilary Benn has urged the Congolese government to pay its soldiers in order to ensure security during the country's electoral process.

Government troops have freed four electoral officials held hostage in eastern village of Burondo, in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN and electoral officials said on Wednesday.