Ebola Surge & Health System Strain: Congo’s Ebola outbreak is accelerating, with confirmed cases reported around 550 and deaths rising past 100, as Ituri facilities struggle with limited testing and protective gear and communities resist the disease narrative. Human Rights & Response Tactics: Human Rights Watch urges Kinshasa and partners to lean on community engagement and reduce the role of security forces in the outbreak response, warning that past abuses have eroded trust. Regional Coordination: The East African Community is pushing cross-border surveillance and harmonized protocols for Ituri, while funding gaps and who pays remain unresolved. Minerals & Supply Chain Risks: An NGO says conflict coltan from eastern DRC is smuggled through Rwanda into global electronics supply chains, raising pressure on due-diligence and enforcement. Cobalt Output Threat: Chronic power shortages and aging hydro infrastructure are undermining grid reliability, forcing miners to cut processing or run costly self-generation—an issue that could destabilize cobalt supply. Mining Deal Scrutiny: Civil society groups call for a review of the “minerals for infrastructure” China agreement, arguing tax exemptions and price-linked financing may cost the state revenue and reduce transparency. Justice in UN Expert Killings: A military court in Kinshasa sentenced 54 people to death over the 2017 killing of two UN investigators, including a former army colonel. Aviation & Trade Links: Air Congo plans nonstop Kinshasa–Brussels flights from July 1, using an Ethiopian Airlines wet-lease aircraft to navigate EU certification limits.