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DR Congo Conflict: Rwandan-Backed Rebels Announce Ceasefire

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As fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) threatens to escalate further, the Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has declared a humanitarian ceasefire, effective Tuesday.

The declaration comes just days before a high-stakes crisis summit between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, set to take place in Tanzania.

The ceasefire follows last week’s dramatic escalation, which saw M23 and Rwandan forces seize Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

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While hostilities have subsided in Goma, home to over a million people, clashes have spread to neighbouring South Kivu province.

Local sources report that M23 and Rwandan forces are now near the mining town of Nyabibwe, approximately 70 kilometres from Bukavu airport, raising concerns of an advance on Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital.

Despite Tuesday’s ceasefire, reports indicate that both M23 and the Congolese army have been deploying reinforcements and military equipment.

In a statement on Monday, M23 claimed it had “no intention of taking control of Bukavu or other localities,” despite previously declaring an ambition to march toward Kinshasa.

The DRC has endured more than three decades of conflict, with M23’s resurgence exacerbating tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali. The United Nations has documented multiple ceasefires in the ongoing conflict, all of which have been short-lived.

The ceasefire follows warnings from international observers that continued violence could worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations has urged the immediate reopening of Goma airport, calling it a “lifeline” for humanitarian operations. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lemarquis stressed that without the airport, evacuating the wounded and delivering medical supplies would be severely hindered.

The humanitarian toll has been devastating. At least 900 people were killed and 2,880 injured in the recent fighting, according to the UN. Meanwhile, over half a million people have been displaced in North and South Kivu since January alone.

The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled a special session on Friday to address the crisis at the request of the Congolese government.

On Tuesday, around 75 Congolese and international NGOs called for investigations into alleged human rights abuses by all parties involved in the fighting.

In Kinshasa, tensions remain high as authorities restrict access to social media and ban protests following previous attacks on embassies.

However, anger has spread beyond the DRC’s borders. Hundreds of Congolese protesters gathered outside the European Union offices in Pretoria, South Africa, demanding sanctions against Rwanda.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his country’s support for the DRC, despite growing pressure to withdraw troops after 14 South African soldiers were killed in the conflict. Their bodies are expected to be repatriated on Wednesday.

The DRC’s eastern regions are rich in valuable minerals, including coltan, gold, and other resources essential for global technology production.

A UN expert report published last year estimated that Rwanda had up to 4,000 troops in the DRC, allegedly to exploit these resources and maintain influence over M23. Rwanda denies military involvement, instead accusing Kinshasa of backing the FDLR, a militia composed of ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

With tensions at a boiling point, the upcoming summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Dar es Salaam could prove critical in determining the next steps in this protracted conflict.

However, with a history of failed truces, there is little optimism that this ceasefire will bring lasting peace to the region.

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International News

Ferrari’s First Electric Car Makes History With Record $40m Auction Sale

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Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.

The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.

The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.

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Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.

The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.

Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.

The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.

Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.

Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.

Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.

Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Iran Deal

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US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country obstructs efforts to reach a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the threat on Monday during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing discussions between Oman and Iran concerning control and navigation through the strategic waterway.

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“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Yingst, referring to the talks between Oman and Iran while the United States pursues its own discussions with Tehran.

Iranian and Omani officials have been negotiating for weeks over future maritime navigation arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iran effectively restricted traffic through the waterway at the beginning of the war on February 28, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strategic route should be under US control.

On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory. Iran rejected the position, insisting that the crucial waterway would “remain Iranian.”

Before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was regarded as an open international waterway. The route is critical to global energy supplies and carries significant volumes of oil and other commodities.

Iran has used its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to weaken its military capabilities and force Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear programme.

Trump also called on Iran to surrender, saying Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”

Despite the growing tensions and the political pressure surrounding the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections in the United States, Trump said he was not in a hurry to reach a deal.

He further disclosed that his administration maintains a direct back-channel with officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump was quoted as saying.

 

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Petro Warns Colombia Is Heading Toward Civil War After Alleged Election Fraud

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Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.

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“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.

The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.

Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.

The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.

Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.

The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.

Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.

Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.

His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.

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