Brazil has almost finished building a huge dam in the Amazon rainforest, despite years of protests. When complete, Belo Monte will be the fourth-largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. Although construction work has already displaced indigenous people and turned a remote local town into the “world’s most violent city”, the dam was sold as a way for Brazil to cut its carbon emissions and reduce its environmental footprint. But, as Ed Atkins found in his research, Belo Monte won’t even help the environment.

Joseph Kabila’s announcement that he will not run for re-election in the Democratic Republic of Congo took the world by surprise given that he’s continued to hold onto the job after his constitutional term ended. But Reuben Loffman explains why Kabila isn’t actually loosening his grip. And Peer Schouten explores how rebels are finding new ways to fund their activities - mainly through setting up roadblocks.