Congo

International Rights Advocates also sued Tesla for a similar issue, but that case was dismissed.

A United States-based advocacy group has filed a lawsuit in Washington, DC, accusing Apple of using minerals linked to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda despite the iPhone maker’s denials.

International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) has previously sued Tesla, Apple and other tech firms over cobalt sourcing, but US courts dismissed that case last year.

French prosecutors in December also dropped a case filed by the DRC against Apple subsidiaries over conflict minerals, citing lack of evidence. A related criminal complaint in Belgium is still under investigation.

Apple denied any wrongdoing in response to the DRC’s legal cases, saying it had instructed its suppliers to halt the sourcing of material from the DRC and neighbouring Rwanda.

It did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest complaint.

IRAdvocates, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that tries to use litigation to curtail rights abuses, said in the complaint filed on Tuesday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia that Apple’s supply chain still includes cobalt, tin, tantalum and tungsten linked to child and forced labour as well as armed groups in the DRC and Rwanda.

The lawsuit seeks a determination by the court that Apple’s conduct violates consumer protection law, an injunction to halt alleged deceptive marketing and reimbursement of legal costs but does not seek monetary damages or class certification.

The lawsuit alleges that three Chinese smelters – Ningxia Orient, JiuJiang JinXin and Jiujiang Tanbre – processed coltan that United Nations and Global Witness investigators alleged was smuggled through Rwanda after armed groups seized mines in the eastern DRC and linked the material to Apple’s supply chain.

A University of Nottingham study published in 2025 found forced and child labour at DRC sites linked to Apple suppliers, the lawsuit said.

Ningxia Orient, JiuJiang JinXin and Jiujiang Tanbre did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The DRC – which supplies about 70 percent of the world’s cobalt and significant volumes of tin, tantalum and tungsten used in phones, batteries and computers – did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rwanda also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple has repeatedly denied sourcing minerals from conflict zones or using forced labour, citing audits and its supplier code of conduct. It said in December that there was “no reasonable basis” to conclude any smelters or refiners in its supply chain financed armed groups in the DRC or neighbouring countries.

Congolese authorities said armed groups in the eastern part of the country use mineral profits to fund a conflict that has killed thousands of people and displaced hundreds of thousands. The authorities have tightened controls on minerals to choke off funding, squeezing global supplies.

Apple says 76 percent of the cobalt in its devices was recycled in 2024, but the IRAdvocates lawsuit alleged its accounting method allows mixing with ore from conflict zones.

On Wall Street, Apple’s stock was up 0.8 percent.

The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has identified Rwanda as an aggressor towards the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). During its 9th session, held in Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital, the Congolese Minister of Regional Integration announced that the conference officially recognised Rwanda as the aggressor against the DRC.

During a press briefing in Kinshasa on Nov. 17, the Congolese minister said the member states of the ICGLR have urged Rwanda to withdraw its troops from Congolese territory immediately, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2773.

“A considerable advance towards an international recognition of the tragic reality that our populations are victims. In effect, in their final declaration, the heads of state and government meeting in Kinshasa have called, (I quote) ‘demand the withdrawal without delay from Congolese territory of the aggressor nations against the Democratic Republic of Congo in conformity with Resolution 2773 of the United Nations Security Council, as well as condemned the pursuit of hostilities by the M23 and the Allies Democratic Forces (ADF)’,” the minister said.

“This declaration does not refer to an aggressor nation, but to aggressor nations. This nation is clearly identified because it has already been cited in Resolution 2773. In point 4 of the resolution, the Security Council demands that the Rwandan defence forces stop supporting M23 and withdraw from DR Congo territory without preconditions immediately.”

For the members of the Congolese government, the recognition of Rwanda as the aggressor nation by the ICGLR constitutes one of the principal advances of the 9^th summit held in Kinshasa.

“The added value of the final declaration of the 9^th ordinary summit of the ICGLR consists in the precision that this country, Rwanda, to be as clear as possible, is officially and very explicitly recognised as aggressor of the DR Congo,” the minister added.

The summit was held amid persistent tension between the DR Congo and Rwanda, despite announced diplomatic advances. The contrast between the engagements outlined in the accords and the reality on the ground is preoccupying several actors, who are calling for honesty, goodwill, and the rapid implementation of engagements stemming from the various diplomatic initiatives. Considered the sponsor of the M23/AFC rebellion due to its multifaceted support, the Rwanda of Paul Kagame is actually at odds with Kinshasa and was the major absentee at the ICGLR meeting. 

However,  Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has declared the resolutions of the Kinshasa meeting null and void. The Rwanda government had denied supporting the M23 fighters, but locals and authorities in the DRC have insisted that the country has been actively backing the rebels.

Following the capture of Goma and Bukavu by the M23/AFC and the failure of the Luanda process, the Washington Accord and the Doha process have henceforth become two complementary aspects of diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict between the DR Congo and Rwanda, as well as against armed groups such as M23.

The Washington Accord, signed under American mediation, fixed a bilateral framework between Kinshasa and Kigali. On the other hand, the Doha peace talks focus on the internal dimensions of the conflict, specifically the restoration of state authority and the reintegration of armed groups.

Despite these two diplomatic initiatives, several states and international organisations, including the European Union, have been pleading for increased involvement of regional organisations, and in general, African nations, in solving the conflict between the DR Congo and Rwanda, which is behind the deterioration of the security situation in the Eastern DR Congo.

Dramatic video filmed on a plane carrying DR Congo’s mining minister captured the moment it crashed on landing at an airport in Kolwezi in the southeast. No casualties have been reported. The minister was travelling to the site of a recent mining disaster.

DR Congo reach inter-confederation playoffs for 2026 World Cup after beating favourites Nigeria on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo kept their hopes of a World Cup place alive as they edged Nigeria 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time to win the African qualifying playoffs in Morocco.

DR Congo now await the draw on Thursday for the inter-confederation playoffs in March where six teams will chase two places at the 48-team finals.

Captain Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive kick on Sunday after Congolese substitute goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu, brought on a minute before the shootout, made two saves in the shootout.

Frank Onyeka had Nigeria ahead in the third minute but Meschack Elia equalised for the two sides to be level 1-1 after extra time.

The mini-tournament in Rabat was for the best runners-up across the nine African qualifying groups, whose fixtures were completed last month with the nine winners automatically booking a berth at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States next year.

Nigeria, who have been to six previous World Cups, were off to a perfect start as the Congolese cleared an early cross but only onto the edge of their penalty area where Onyeka snapped up the ball and powered home an effort, helped into the net by a slight deflection off Axel Tuanzebe.

But the Congolese could have been level within nine minutes had Ngal’ayel Mukau not put his close-in effort over the crossbar after Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had flapped at the ball.

They did equalise in the 32nd minute after Alex Iwobi had been stripped of possession inside the Congolese half, and a quick counter saw Cedric Bakambu square for Elia to score despite the efforts of Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi to intercept the ball.

A clever backheel at a corner early in the second half from Bakambu saw Nwabali make a sharp stop, and there looked a decent penalty shout for the Congolese as Noah Sadiki was upended by Benjamin Fredrick in the Nigeria box in the 55th minute, but the referee did not show any interest, and there was no VAR check.

DR Congo looked more ambitious as the contest wore on, but it was characterised by a wary approach from both sides, keen not to make any mistakes with so much at stake.

Nigeria needed extra time to get past Gabon in their Thursday semifinal and looked much more fatigued than their opponents, who beat Cameroon inside 90 minutes in their semi later the same night.

There were two opportunities in extra time on either end, with Nigerian substitute Tolu Arokodare heading over and then with the last effort of the game, Mbemba had his effort saved by Nwabali.

DR Congo went on to hold their nerve in the shootout and still have a chance to compete at their first World Cup since 1974, when the country was still known as Zaire.

Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Cape Verde, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Tunisia have already qualified directly for the 2026 World Cup from Africa.

Bolivia from South America and New Caledonia from Oceania have already reached the six-team continental playoffs.

In Asia, the UAE host Iraq in their second leg on Tuesday to decide another playoff entrant. The first leg was 1-1.

Also included will be the best two group runners-up from the North American, Central American and Caribbean federation once normally qualifying ends on Tuesday.

Europe has its own playoff system for the remaining non-automatic berths for the 48-team World Cup.

Follow the build-up, analysis, and live text commentary of the CAF playoffs final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Victor Osimhen’s brace against Gabon puts Nigeria through to CAF World Cup playoff final on Sunday against DR Congo.

Star forward Victor Osimhen scored twice in extra time to clinch a 4-1 semifinal victory for Nigeria over Gabon on Thursday and set up a Confederation of African Football (CAF) 2026 World Cup qualifying final against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Captain Chancel Mbemba was the Congolese hero in the second semifinal, scoring in the first minute of added time to beat eight-time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon 1-0 in torrential rain in Rabat.

Nigeria will face DRC on Sunday in the Moroccan capital, and the winners qualify for a six-nation FIFA inter-continental tournament in March. The African playoffs involved the best four group runners-up.

Bolivia and New Caledonia have already secured slots in the playoffs; Iraq or the United Arab Emirates will represent Asia; and there will be two qualifiers from the Central America/Caribbean region. Europe are excluded.

After semifinals among the four lowest-ranked teams, the winners of the two finals will secure places at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Nigeria are seeking a seventh appearance at the global showpiece and DRC a second, having played in the 1974 tournament when the central African country was called Zaire.

Osimhen squandered a great chance to give Nigeria victory at the end of added time, firing wide with only goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba to beat.

But the 2023 African Player of the Year atoned on 102 minutes, firing across Mbaba into the far corner after being set up by Benjamin Fredrick.

He struck again on 110 minutes, controlling a long pass before once again beating the goalkeeper with a shot into the far corner.

After conceding an 89th-minute equaliser in regular time, Nigeria regained the lead when substitute Chidera Ejuke scored his first goal for the Super Eagles after 97 minutes.

Osimhen’s impact

Akor Adams had put Nigeria ahead on 78 minutes, and Mario Lemina levelled after 89 minutes.

Nigeria had a purple patch midway through the opening half with Osimhen coming close three times to breaking the deadlock.

The 26-year-old Galatasaray striker headed wide twice, then had an appeal for handball turned down after a VAR review.

There was another VAR check on the hour after Nigeria full-back Bright Osayi-Samuel pulled the shirt of Aaron Appindangoye in the box, denying the defender a chance to connect with a free-kick.

After a lengthy review, Gabonese appeals for a penalty were turned down by the South African referee.

The deadlock in a tense showdown was finally broken when Adams intercepted a misplaced Gabon pass, rounded Mbaba and scored.

There was an element of luck about the Gabon equaliser as goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali appeared to have the shot from Lemina covered until it took a deflection and sneaked into the corner of the net.

DRC deny Cameroon

With just six world ranking places separating Cameroon and DRC, a close encounter was expected, and so it proved with few clear-cut scoring chances in a cagey clash before Mbemba struck.

Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo had the best opportunity for Cameroon midway through the second half, but his low shot was just off target.

A little earlier, Congolese veteran Cedric Bakambu was foiled by goalkeeper Andre Onana, who pushed away his shot at the expense of a corner.

Group winners Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia secured the nine automatic qualifying places reserved for Africa.

Scores of locals were uprooted from their households following clashes between the Wazalendo militia and the Twirwaneho group in several villages of the Fizi and Mwenga territories in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Fizi Civil Society, a coalition of human rights organisations in the DRC, on Wednesday, November 12, reported that the displaced individuals mainly come from the villages of Tuwetuwe, Kitasha, Ngezi, Bilalo-Mbili, and Point Zero.

The group noted that these areas have been the hardest hit by the ongoing fighting, which has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region. Many fled between November 4 and 7, 2025. At least 552 households, comprising approximately 3,452 people, have been forced to leave their villages, according to Fizi Civil Society. 

“These clashes have today brought about negative consequences on the material and humanitarian lives of the population, such as the massive displacement of the population, theft of cattle, burning and destruction of houses of the population,” said Alimasi Jacques, the leader of the Fizi Civil Society. “The village of Ngezi has been completely devastated by the belligerents. The health centre in the village of Tuwetuwe, in the Itombwe health zone within the Mikenge health area, was completely dispossessed of its important materials, including drugs and beds.”

While the Twirwaneho, a deadly militia group linked to M23 rebels, claims to be defending its community in South Kivu, the Wazalendo group, a government-backed coalition of local militias, opposes them. Their clashes, rooted in ethnic and political tensions, have displaced thousands and worsened insecurity in eastern DRC.

Since November 4, 2025, fighting in the region has intensified, with armed groups escalating assaults against one another. The civil society group said it has called for a ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.

“It is a pressing necessity and indispensable for saving human lives and upholding human rights and international humanitarian law. The parties concerned in the armed conflict in the region have a big role to play in facilitating this procedure so that humanitarian organisations can access all these zones conveniently,” Alimasi said.

Many displaced persons were found in and around the villages of Bikyaka Forest, Anunga River Forest, as well as in Kanguli, Bilende, Mulima, Abala, and other villages in Point Zero and Itombwe. Local officials said displaced persons are currently being sheltered by families, in schools, and in churches across Busumba, Mpati, Rugogwe, Kalengera, and Kibarizo. These civilians face extremely difficult conditions, having fled with only what they could carry.

The village of Kivuye, located in the Bashali area of Masisi territory in North Kivu, has been completely deserted. One section of the village is under rebel control, while the other is held by Wazalendo forces. Since Thursday, clashes between M23/AFC rebels and Wazalendo militias have paralysed socio-economic activities, forcing villagers to abandon their homes.

The Fizi Civil Society had previously highlighted a troubling humanitarian situation, including malnutrition among pregnant women and children, alongside widespread violence and human rights abuses, all of which continue to affect civilians.

WFP says a ‘deepening hunger crisis’ is unfolding and that it may have to pause food aid due to record low funding.

The number of people facing emergency levels of hunger in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has nearly doubled since last year, the United Nations has warned.

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday a “deepening hunger crisis” was unfolding in the region, but warned it was only able to reach a fraction of those in need due to acute funding shortages and access difficulties.

“We’re at historically low levels of funding. We’ve probably received about $150m this year,” said Cynthia Jones, country director of the WFP for the DRC, pointing to a need for $350m to help people in desperate need in the West African country.

“One in three people in DRC’s eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika are facing crisis levels of hunger or worse. That’s over 10 million people,” Jones said.

“Of that, an alarming three million people are in emergency levels of hunger,” she told a media briefing in Geneva.

She said this higher level meant people were facing extreme gaps in food consumption and very high levels of malnutrition, adding that the numbers of people that are facing emergency levels of hunger is surging.

“It has almost doubled since last year,” said Jones. “People are already dying of hunger.”

Years-long conflict

The area has been rocked by more than a year of fighting. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has seized swaths of the eastern DRC since taking up arms again in 2021, compounding a humanitarian crisis and the more than three-decade conflict in the region.

The armed group’s lightning offensive saw it capture the key eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu, near the border with Rwanda. It has set up an administration there parallel to the government in Kinshasa and taken control of nearby mines.

Rwanda has denied supporting the rebels. Both M23 and Congolese forces have been accused of carrying out atrocities.

Jones said the WFP was facing “a complete halt of all emergency food assistance in the eastern provinces” from February or March 2026.

She added that the two airports in the east, Goma and Bukavu, had been shut for months.

WFP wants an air bridge set up between neighbouring Rwanda and the eastern DRC, saying it would be a safer, faster and more effective route than from Kinshasa, on the other side of the vast nation.

In recent years, the WFP had received up to $600m in funding. In 2024, it received about $380m.

UN agencies, including the WFP, have been hit by major cuts in US foreign aid, as well as other major European donors reducing overseas aid budgets to increase defence spending.