Mining Investment Reform: The DRC is preparing a one-stop agency to centralize mining registration, licensing, taxation and compliance for big projects, aiming to cut approvals that can take months and attract more Western capital as Kinshasa seeks to deepen its minerals partnership with the US. Critical Minerals & Tech: US miner KoBold Metals is expanding in the DRC using AI-directed exploration (GPS and real-time systems) to find lithium and other critical minerals, in a bid to reduce China’s dominance in copper and cobalt. Energy Finance: The DRC could join the African Energy Bank with an initial $5bn capital, as Kinshasa discusses partnerships tied to oil, gas and energy project financing. Power Supply Pressure: Kinshasa’s electricity shortages are now in parliament, with SNEL’s CEO summoned over recurring blackouts that hit households and businesses. Ebola Impact on Society: UN Women says women and girls are bearing a disproportionate burden in the Ebola response, from caregiving to high-risk home duties, with knock-on effects for children. Digital Payments Push: Visa Pay names Congolese star Fally Ipupa as brand ambassador to accelerate cashless payments ahead of the central bank’s 2027 agenda. Trade Links: Tanzania and the DRC sign a trade cooperation deal focused on transport, exports, investment and using Dar es Salaam port to reduce trade costs and delays. Human Rights & Mining Abuses: Amnesty reports Rwanda-backed M23 fighters killed 18 artisanal miners and subjected others to torture and forced labour at coltan and gold sites in eastern DRC. Aviation Safety: A plane crash near Kenge in Kwango killed 17 people aboard, including two senior army generals, and TRACEP’s operating certificate was suspended pending investigation. Local Business & Jobs: In South Kivu, a coffee processor is building a domestic market for local coffee, creating sales and marketing roles for young workers despite conflict disruptions.