Oscar winner draws attention to Congo

Academy Award-winner Ben Affleck sees a window of hope in the Congo after years of strife and he’s urging Congress not to let the opportunity for progress slip away. Affleck is the founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, an advocacy organization dedicated to peace and prosperity in the region. The actor-director testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. In an interview, Affleck and former senator Russell Feingold, the special envoy for the region, spoke about the changes in the former Belgian colony of about 68 million.