#DEMREPOFCONGO: Int'l Criminal Ct. Sentences Frmr. VP To 18 Years In Prison For Rapes, Murders

[world politics news]

The International Criminal Court Tuesday handed down its toughest sentence yet, ordering former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to serve 18 years in jail for "sadistic, cruel" rapes and murders by his troops in Central African Republic. He denies all responsibility for the crimes.

#DEMREPUBLICOFCONGO: Parliament Scraps Lengthy Pre-Election Census Requirement

[world politics news]

DR Congo's National Assembly speaker Aubin Minaku

After violent riots in which 40 people were killed, Democratic Republic of Congo's lawmakers scrapped a contested part of an electoral bill requiring a census before the 2016 election. Opponents said it could have taken years in the large nation, allowing Pres. Joseph Kabila to extend his grip on power.