Joe Bavier

More than 100 people were killed in two days of heavy fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) capital Kinshasa, hospital officials said on Sunday, as diplomats expressed fears for the country's fledgling democracy. Government forces restored order to Kinshasa late on Friday after routing fighters loyal to defeated presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's army restored order to the capital Kinshasa on Friday after two days of heavy fighting with troops loyal to former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, who the government accused of treason. Sporadic shooting continued after dark in the downtown area around United Nations headquarters, where about 900 civilians were earlier evacuated.

The failure of efforts to demobilise thousands of fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and train a army would risk destabilising the country, Amnesty International said on Thursday. The group urged the DRC to forge ahead with integrating ex-combatants into the national army.

Down a dusty ally, past noisy chicken coops and roving bands of small children, about 50 Ivorian football supporters gaze intently at a tiny TV screen suspended from the rafters of the green canvas awning at the X-Five bar. Côte d'Ivoire has qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time this year.

Down a dusty ally, past noisy chicken coops and roving bands of small children, about 50 Ivorian football supporters gaze intently at a tiny TV screen suspended from the rafters of the green canvas awning at the X-Five bar. Côte d'Ivoire has qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time this year.