• In July 2021, an Angolan diamond mine leaked large amounts of polluted water into the Kasai River Basin which stretches across Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Twelve people were killed, a further 4,400 fell ill and an estimated 1 million more were affected by the polluted water.
• Fourteen months later, the DRC government has not released full results of tests conducted on the rivers, but a ban on drinking the water from the Kasai and Tshikapa rivers remains in place.

The talks in the DRC's capital, Kinshasa, are informal but meant to allow various countries and green groups to take stock of political positions ahead of COP27 -- the United Nations climate gathering of world leaders in Egypt next month.

Environment ministers from about 50 countries will gather in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday for a "pre-COP27" climate summit, with rich nations likely to come under pressure to raise spending to combat climate change.

Rights groups said Friday’s ruling sends a dangerous message that Indigenous peoples can be evicted from their land in the name of conservation.

• The Harita Group holds a nickel mining concession covering about 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) on Wawonii Island.
• The arrival of the mine has divided the community between those who support the development and farmers hoping to retain their fruit and nut trees.
• One man described his grief as the grave of his son was exhumed and moved as a result of the mine.

WAWONII ISLAND, Indonesia — The coconut palm has been a source of food and identity for centuries among the people of Wawonii Island.

In most of the communities in the country and even elsewhere around the globe, lands are mostly owned by men. Thus women have little access and rights to ownership of lands where they could cultivate.

However, the FAO the country representative, Moshibudi Rampedi said “we need to take specific measures to make it easier for women and girls to have equal tenure rights and have access to lands, fisheries and forest.”

The FAO representative was speaking recently during a Women Land Rights Policy Forum.