U.N. official says both sides are to blame for Congo crisis. Both rebels and government forces are to blame for violence in Congo that has forced 250,000 people from their homes, according to a United Nations official. In his report for the U.N. Security Council, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote that the country’s army and police “were responsible for a large number of serious human rights violations during the reporting period [from July to November], namely arbitrary executions, rape torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.” The Tutsi rebel forces, led by Gen Laurent Nkunda, also took part in atrocities including “mass killings, torture abductions, forced recruitment of children, forced displacement and destruction of camps, forced labor and sexual violence,” said the report. It also says that the government arrested human rights activists and journalists. Last week, an additional 3,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops were approved to be deployed into the nation to help stop the fighting.

Jamaica is “not in crisis,” says official. The current economic crisis is hitting the world hard, but Jamaica’s finance minister insists the problems are not so bad in his country, reports the BBC. Unlike other countries like the United States, Audley Shaw doesn’t believe Jamaica needs a national rescue plan. While he expects tourism to be down, Shaw says Jamaica’s economy is “not in crisis.” The nation’s economy will be soothed by an expected decrease in its energy bill along with reasonably priced loans from financial agencies. Shaw did announce some budget and debt reforms.

TAGS: congo, financial crisis, jamaica, rebels, report, United Nations

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