The Democratic Republic of Congo has reportedly banned exports of copper and cobalt concentrates, materials produced from mined which are shipped to be refined in countries like China for widely-used technology. The goal is to force more processing at home and capture a larger share of profits generated from its natural resources. The DRC supplies 75% of the world's cobalt, essential for lithium-ion batteries found in electronics and electric vehicles, as well as in defense technologies. The DRC's previous cobalt export quotas squeezed China, which cannot source the mineral domestically, but produces 78% of the refined product. The DRC's move also reflects a wider push by African countries to tighten their grips on raw resources: Nigeria has restricted exports of raw cocoa, Zambia unrefined copper, Guinea unrefined gold, and Zimbabwe raw minerals and lithium concentrates.
Turkey may finally be close to ending its decades-long conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, after a final bill establishing a peace framework was sent to parliament for approval this week. The bill bookends slow-moving peace talks that began after the PKK laid down its arms last year, raising hopes of an end to a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since the mid-1980s. The proposal includes sections focused on reintegrating former Kurdish fighters, offering some protection from prosecution from low level crimes, and allowing certain exiled PKK members living in Iraq, Syria, or Europe to return to Turkey. If the bill becomes law, it could also help improve Turkey's relations with both Syria and Iraq.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv on Wednesday killed at least 21 people, marking the third major assault on Ukraine's capital city and its surrounding areas in less than a week. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes primarily targeted warehouses used by civilian businesses, including a brewing company and a train depot. The attacks were likely retaliation for Ukraine's ongoing strikes on Wildberries – the e-commerce site described as Russia's version of Amazon – Kyiv's way of bringing the war's impact home to ordinary Russians. The barrage also comes as Russia intensifies its air campaign. In July, Moscow launched missiles at Ukraine at a record rate of around 12 missile strikes per day, taking advantage of Ukraine's dwindling supply of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles needed to fend off Russian attacks. Ukraine brought the war closer to Russia. Now Moscow is returning the favor as Ukraine's air defenses are running dangerously low.