DR Congo, China, South Sudan.

Today's three stories you should know.

Nov 26, 2022

DR Congo

Potential breakthrough in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The M23 rebel group, which has been sweeping through the east of the country in recent months, has agreed to a ceasefire. DRC’s government has accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the rebels, something Rwanda has denied. Rwanda’s foreign minister, though, was involved in talks with DRC officials in Angola that led to the deal. M23 have agreed to withdraw from several towns that they’ve captured in recent weeks. Now, as with all such ceasefire deals, the real test begins: whether it will hold on the ground.

China

As mentioned in previous newsletters, the Chinese people appear to be increasingly fed up of the government’s incredibly restrictive “zero-Covid” policy, under which even the biggest of cities can be locked down over a case or two. Footage shared on social media today appeared to show protests breaking out in the city of Urumqi after a lockdown was blamed for hindering the rescue of 10 people who died in a fire at an apartment block. In the footage, locals can be seen shouting, pumping their fists in the air and arguing with local officials. At one point, they broke through a barrier being protected by city workers dressed in hazmat suits. Such protests are rare in China but several have erupted in recent weeks over zero-Covid restrictions.

South Sudan

A staggering 9.4 million people now need humanitarian aid in South Sudan, the United Nations has said - a rise of 500,000 on previous figures. And, according to a new report, almost a third of the country’s 12.4 million population are facing severe food insecurity. “Something has to change in South Sudan because the number of people in need continues to rise every year and the resources continue to decrease,” the UN’s Sara Beysolow Nyanti said. The world’s youngest country, South Sudan has been beset by war, hunger and corruption since winning independence in 2011.