Rwanda-backed rebels stirring ethnic divisions: Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned of a dangerous escalation of tension between ethnic Tutsi and Hutu communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as a result of fighting involving a militia that Rwanda is accused of backing.

The operation to gather pieces of the balloon comes as US officials reportedly said the device was part of a vast spy program. The incident has brought increased strain on US-China ties.

Naing Myel Htet Kyaw says: “We must take up arms. My parents support that.” The 18-year-old is fighting against the military in Myanmar. 

As Angola sends troops, Congo hopes new military alliances can stop violence in its eastern regions. Massacres are increasing, humanitarian aid is paralyzed and a new mass exodus seems inevitable.

The two parties agreed to exchange nearly 900 detainees following a round of talks which aims to revive an expired ceasefire. Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic ties with Iran last month.

The CODECO rebel group has been blamed for the attacks on villages in DRC's Ituri province. The militant organization was once a peaceful agricultural cooperative.

The move by the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) could be a major turning point for President Gustavo Petro, who has pledged to end six decades of an armed conflict that has left more than 450,000 people dead.

This May Day, French protesters may have felt as if they were being watched – and indeed they were. Police in France are using drones to "secure" the rallies. This controversial strategy has been criticised by several NGOs amid concerns about civil liberties.

In DR Congo, the regional force deployed by East African nations to stop the M23 rebels' advance in the east of the country is coming under scrutiny. While the regional force maintains that the rebels are gradually withdrawing from the territories they conquered, dubious Congolese authorities are demanding a "truthful discussion" on the mandate of the East African Community's force.

Moscow said several drones targeted the city early Tuesday which came after Kyiv reported a fresh wave of drone attacks — the third in 24 hours — earlier in the day.

The US military said Russian jets flew dangerously close to American jets over northwest Syria for a second time on Thursday after a similar incident Wednesday. The Central Command has released videos of both incidents.

Fighting wildfires: Drones, AI and computer vision are boosting early detection