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Hello, I'm Chris Barrow with the BBC News.
Representatives of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have signed a new framework for peace in eastern Congo. The agreement was signed in Doha following mediation by Qatari officials with support from the U.S. and African Union. David Bamford reports. The fighting caused by the M23's resurgence in eastern Congo has displaced millions. Speaking in Doha, the American Africa envoy Massad Boulos said the framework document covered eight protocols. These include a ceasefire, prisoner releases and ways to ease disputes over resources and ethnic tensions. The agreement does not include any binding commitments. Kinshasa is demanding the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory. Kigali says this can happen once the ethnic Hutu FDLR militia that threatens Rwanda is disbanded. As the United Nations climate summit reached its halfway point in the Brazilian city of Belém, thousands of protesters marched through the streets in a festive atmosphere demanding more action to protect the planet. Ione Wells was there. There has been quite a lot of skepticism, I think, from indigenous communities in particular about this COP30 summit because even though there is a record number of indigenous people who are participating in this COP, something which the Brazilian presidency has championed, they are concerned that around the negotiating table they aren't necessarily being represented, that their voices aren't being heard as much as they would like to. So that was another key demand of some of these protests today. Demonstrations have been taking place in Mexico City where thousands of people are protesting about increasing violence and insecurity and against the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum. Anbarasan Ethirajan has more details. Mexico's government says the march is backed by a paid digital campaign from abroad and by opposition and business figures. While youth groups, known as Generation Z, have been spearheading the rallies, they have also attracted support from other organizations angry about high-profile killings, including the murder of the outspoken anti-crime mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo. The 40-year-old was gunned down during a public event earlier this month, shocking the entire nation. President Zelenskyy has announced an overhaul of Ukraine's energy sector after it emerged that, as well as being battered by Russian airstrikes, it was also being sapped of funds through large-scale corruption. Investigators say $100 million had been embezzled through kickback schemes. Mr. Zelenskyy has now ordered an urgent and full audit of state-owned energy companies, which will be under new management. The state nuclear company at the heart of the scandal will have a new supervisory board. Correspondents say the government fears the latest scandal could revive Ukraine's past notoriety for being corrupt. This is the world news from the BBC. Two boats carrying people trying to reach Europe have both capsized off Libya. The Libyan Red Crescent said the first boat was carrying 26 migrants from Bangladesh when it went down off the port of Homs. At least four people were confirmed dead. The second boat carried 69 people, most of them Sudanese. The number of casualties is unclear. The British government says it's proposing changes to its policy on asylum seekers in an attempt to quell rising concerns about immigration. Under the proposal, refugees granted asylum will have to wait 20 years before they can apply to settle permanently in Britain, four times longer than under current rules. During that time they may be obliged to return to their home countries if conditions there improve. Pope Leo has urged filmmakers to use their craft to confront pain and injustice during an event celebrating creativity. Meeting with over 100 actors, producers and directors, the pope said films made a valuable contribution in reflecting humanity and inspiring hope. Sarah Rainsford has more. There's never been an encounter quite like this, that Pope and some of the big names of screen, those making the films and those acting in them as well. So a big gathering of people underneath the beautiful frescoes of the Clementine Hall inside the Vatican. They were treated to a 15-minute address from the pope, an expression of, I suppose, admiration but also of support for cinema. At a difficult time for the industry, it's something that he nodded to. He talked about the falling audiences and he talked about the risk to cinema. The U.S. Republican Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, formerly one of Donald Trump's loyalist allies, has accused the president of putting her in danger now they've dramatically fallen out. She said she'd received a wave of threats after he criticized her online, calling her "wacky" and a "disgrace" and referring to her as "Marjorie 'Traitor.'" The spat marks a significant split in Trump's base. That's the latest BBC News. |