In the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict is never far off. This is in part due to conflict minerals, the mining of which contributes to the perpetuation and aggravation of a cycle of violence. In the vast Okapi Wildlife Reserve, mining is illegal. But that doesn't limit the lengths to which people are willing to go to fight for the gold and other natural resources.

In the last four years, Sudan has gone from being a pariah state to an E.U.partner on countering migration. Roughly one-quarter of the refugees and migrants who cross to Italy from north Africa have transited Sudan. But our reporting suggests that not only does the Sudanese regime benefit from complying with E.U. deals meant to contain migration, but some of its most influential citizens also appear to profit from letting some refugees through.