Congo pardons 24 people considered political prisoners

Democratic Republic of Congo's government announced pardons on Friday for 24 people considered political prisoners by the opposition, in a bid to ease tensions ahead of a presidential election set for November. Opposition leaders had demanded the release of 26 prisoners as a precondition for participation in talks on the election with President Joseph Kabila, who is due to step down after two terms in office. "The government ... has decided that we can lift the measures (against them) to allow t