DRC-USA Minerals Push: Congo approved a “DRC-USA Task Force” to speed up its strategic minerals partnership with Washington, aiming to turn commitments into “concrete economic and security results” and deepen Western copper and cobalt investment beyond China. Capital Markets & Savings: Kinshasa’s new stock market law paves the way for the Kinshasa Stock Exchange (KSE), offering Congolese savers a route to invest in companies and giving SMEs and startups an alternative to bank credit. Ebola Watch: UN and WHO officials say eastern DRC’s Ebola outbreak is showing early slowing, but it’s too soon to declare the peak over, with transmission still rising in some areas and the epidemic described as “massive.” Bukavu Fire Aftermath: Funerals for 27 students killed in a Bukavu school fire have been held, while civil society calls it a humanitarian catastrophe amid repeated “mysterious” blazes and questions over fire services and investigations. Eastern Congo Security & Trade: Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are said to be financing operations through taxes and minerals, embedding themselves in the local economy even as formal banking collapses and commerce struggles. Congo River Livelihoods: As fish catches dwindle, some Congo River fishers are shifting to collecting plastic for recycling buyers, highlighting how environmental pressure is reshaping incomes. Aviation & Logistics: A rare Trans Air Cargo Service DC-8 suffered serious damage after a runway excursion at Kinshasa N’Djili, underscoring ongoing risks for freight capacity. Natural Resources Governance: UN Women and MONUSCO convened Kinshasa consultations to push gender-responsive participation in natural resource governance and inclusive economic integration.