Goma - The Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential cabinet has restricted contact with Belgium’s embassy following police searches at properties linked to President Félix Tshisekedi’s family, bringing renewed strain to relations between Kinshasa and Brussels. The searches took place on Wednesday, 14 October, followed by the presidential circular on 15 October. Their timing has drawn scrutiny, although the circular does not identify the investigation as the reason for the restrictions. 

KIGALI - Rwandan singer Suzanne Nyiranyamibwa, whose work spanned traditional music, patriotic expression and remembrance of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, died on Friday morning, according to IGIHE. Her family announced her death and said farewell and burial arrangements would be communicated later. The family expressed sorrow at her unexpected passing. A cause of death was not established in the report.

GENEVA — Sudan is grappling with a massive new influx of refugees, with more than 324,000 people crossing into the war-torn country from South Sudan over the past 18 months, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Friday. According to UNHCR, the new arrivals comprise 223,600 Sudanese returnees and 101,031 South Sudanese nationals. The agency cited "political instability and escalating hostilities" in South Sudan as the primary drivers of the displacement.

BRUSSELS — Belgian police have raided addresses in Brussels and nearby provinces linked to relatives and associates of Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi as part of a money-laundering investigation, according to reports, with unverified accounts claiming that tens of millions of euros in cash and valuable assets were seized. The searches are said to have yielded about 41 million euros in cash, which was temporarily confiscated.

PARIS — A Rwandan genocide suspect living in France is scheduled to stand trial before the Paris Assize Court from Nov. 17 to Dec. 18, 2026, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, according to French media reports. Safari Madjaliwa, born in February 1965 in the former Butare Prefecture, worked as a trader in Nyanza, Rwanda. He later moved to France with his family in 2009 and was granted refugee status in 2017.

WEST DARFUR, Sudan —The Sudanese Armed Forces and allied formations have taken control of Bir-Kelekel, a strategic town located in the eastern part of Jebel Mun district in West Darfur state, following fierce clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), state governor Bahr al-Din Adam Karama announced on Sunday. The governor emphasized the strategic importance of the town, stating that control over it will allow government forces to continue offensive operations in West Darfur.

Brazil (25 October): After the 4 October first round, the presidential race goes to a runoff on Sunday 25 October between Flávio Bolsonaro and President Lula, because neither passed 50% of valid votes. Bolsonaro led the first round with about 47.03% to Lula’s 45.16%, a gap of roughly 2.2 million votes. The runoff polls are extremely close. Datafolha…

The Houthis have sharply escalated their campaign against Saudi Arabia since early October, and the strikes now reach the kingdom’s airports and energy infrastructure. On Saturday 3 October, the Houthis said they hit an Aramco facility in Riyadh, and smoke and fire were seen near the site. A coalition spokesman called the claim “misleading”, and Saudi Arabia said it…

The African Union Commission and Bangladesh have identified trade, industrial development and agricultural innovation as priorities for closer cooperation, following a diplomatic meeting on 15 October between Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Bangladesh’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Sitwat Nayeem. Youssouf received Nayeem’s credentials as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the African Union. According to the Commission’s announcement, their discussions covered pharmaceuticals, textiles and opportunities to expand economic partnerships under Agenda 2063, the AU’s long-term development framework.

Washington DC - Rwanda’s ambassador to the United States, Mathilde Mukantabana, has been named among Silke Endress International’s 25 Influential Women of 2026, according to the announcement shared with The USA New Times. The recognition celebrates her diplomatic leadership and a career spanning education, community service and international engagement. Silke Endress International, described in the announcement as a global media platform amplifying women’s voices across sectors, recognises influential women through the initiative.

On 13 October 2026, Formula One and Rwanda announced a 10-year deal to host a grand prix from the early 2030s, in front of a packed BK Arena in Kigali. It will be Africa’s first F1 race since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. The race will be held at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, and F1 has not yet announced the inaugural race date.

At least 34 people, including 33 pupils and a teacher, have been killed after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan, hospital officials have confirmed. More than a dozen others were injured, some critically, while several children were feared trapped beneath the rubble following the incident at the private Al-Khair School in Dir Colony on Thursday morning. Emergency services received a report of the collapse at 08:48 local time (03:48 GMT), shortly after lessons had begun, according to rescue officials.

KINSHASA, DR Congo — More than $700 million disbursed by international donors for the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains unaccounted for, according to Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Speaking at a press conference in Kinshasa on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Kaseya demanded that beneficiary organizations provide full accountability for the funds they have received.

Goma — The Front pour la Refondation de la Nation (FRN), the new Congolese political and military movement led by former President Joseph Kabila, has announced that it succeeds the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and assumes its existing commitments, including those undertaken through the Doha negotiations. A communiqué dated 14 October and issued in Goma states that the FRN was established on 12 October 2026.

BRUSSELS — Coordinated Belgian police searches at properties reported to be linked to relatives of President Félix Tshisekedi have brought renewed scrutiny to financial dealings surrounding the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential family. The operations form part of a money laundering investigation following complaints submitted by non-governmental organisations in July 2025. Searches took place in Brussels, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant.

U.S. inflation accelerated in September, with rising gasoline prices and more expensive goods and services putting additional pressure on American households ahead of the midterm elections, according to data released by the Labor Department on Wednesday. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes in the prices consumers pay for goods and services, increased by 3.7% over the 12 months ending in September, up from 3.4% in August.

NAIROBI, October 14, 2026 — Kenya’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus, identifying the patient as a 39-year-old man who was already in quarantine as a close family contact of the country’s first confirmed case. In a statement signed by Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, the ministry said daily monitoring enabled health workers to detect the infection promptly after symptoms appeared on October 13.

KAMPALA — Uganda’s capital has installed more than 100 air quality monitoring stations to track pollution and support public health policies, drawing a delegation from Harare to learn from its experience, according to local media reports. The network, established in 2018, is designed to help authorities make informed decisions on pollution control and urban planning. Kampala’s population swells from about 1.7 million at night to 3.5 million during the day, a daily influx that contributes to traffic congestion and worsening air pollution concerns.

The Bank of Ghana is piloting cross-border payment systems using central bank digital currencies, stablecoins, bank accounts and mobile wallets to make transactions between African countries more efficient, Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama said, according to local media reports. Speaking at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Asiama said the initiative covers the Ghana-Rwanda and Ghana-Nigeria corridors. On the Ghana-Nigeria route, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is being extended to mobile wallets, a step that could bring regional payments closer to everyday users.

SAINT PETERSBURG — Russia and African nations are planning to establish a joint center to train top-level African mining and raw-materials specialists, according to Vladimir Litvinenko, rector of Saint Petersburg Mining University. The initiative, he said, is aimed at enabling African countries to process their own resources locally rather than continuing to export raw materials for processing abroad—a model he linked to ending neocolonial exploitation.

OTTAWA — A new partnership between RCA Canada and I&M Bank Rwanda brought a practical investment dimension to Rwanda Convention Canada 2026, as Rwandans and friends of Rwanda gathered to discuss how the diaspora’s capital, professional expertise and cultural connections can contribute to the country’s development. Held at Rogers Centre Ottawa on October 10–11, the convention combined discussions on entrepreneurship, skills and community leadership with financial-service presentations, consular appointments and performances by Rwandan artists.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s administration faced fresh political and legal developments on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, as U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned amid allegations of misconduct, Trump prepared to campaign in Alaska ahead of crucial midterm elections, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case seeking public records related to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda has signed a 10 year agreement to host a Formula One Grand Prix from the early 2030s, marking the sport’s return to the African continent for the first time in nearly four decades, Formula One announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The agreement represents a major step in Rwanda’s efforts to establish itself as a destination for international sporting events.

Rwanda and Mali have discussed strengthening bilateral relations, with a focus on security cooperation, regional stability and collaboration in international affairs. Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, held talks with his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop, in Bamako, Mali’s capital, during an official working visit on October 13, 2026. In a post shared on X on Tuesday morning, Nduhungirehe said the discussions focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and expanding cooperation on issues of mutual interest.

Pope Leo XIV has renewed the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment as preparations for the execution of Fort Hood gunman Nidal Malik Hasan bring questions of justice, public security and human dignity into sharper focus. His October 10 message, issued for the World Day Against the Death Penalty, argued that effective imprisonment can protect society while preserving the possibility of redemption.

The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will be admitted to hospital on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for surgery to remove a small nodule detected in one of his lungs. The 71 year old leader of the Catholic Church disclosed on Sunday that the nodule had been discovered during a medical examination. He said it had been detected at an early stage.

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Former Congolese president Joseph Kabila Kabange has been named leader of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), according to a statement shown in a social media screenshot bearing Lawrence Kanyuka’s name. The statement describes the FRN as a new stronger political and military movement established in Goma on Monday to succeed the Congo River Alliance (AFC).

KERICHO, Kenya — Four people survived a Kenya Forest Service helicopter crash at Kericho Golf Club on Monday, according to the agency’s subsequent public statement. The aircraft, registered as 5Y-FSK, was carrying a pilot and three passengers. Forest Service Confirms Occupants’ Safety “All the four are safe and accounted for,” the Kenya Forest Service said in its October 12 statement, correcting the initial count of five circulated after the accident.

Ministers, investors and executives gather to push domestic production, regional trade and financing for a just transition CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Cape Town is hosting African Energy Week 2026 this week, drawing African leaders, ministers, investors and energy executives who say the continent must move faster to build greater energy independence, expand access to power and finance its own transition.

Sudanese state media says about 10 drones struck the North Kordofan capital Friday morning, hitting residential areas; government calls for urgent UN and African Union action KHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudan’s government accused the Rapid Support Forces on Friday of launching a drone attack on El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, after around ten drones targeted the city and several struck residential areas, Sudanese state media reported, citing military sources.

Former Rwandan education minister joins elite group limited to 0.5% of APS membership, recognized for work on STEM, women in science and sustainable global collaboration WORCESTER, Mass. — Romain Murenzi, a Rwandan physicist, former Minister of Education and current professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society, one of the most prestigious international recognitions in physics.

Rwanda is making its first appearance at the African Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championship, with two fighters representing the country at the continental competition taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from October 12 to 16, 2026. The Rwandan delegation comprises Binego Abdoul Karim and Binego Djibril, accompanied by coach Sinzi Tharcisse. Both fighters are members of GAMMA Rwanda, an organization working to develop mixed martial arts in the country.

Russia has continued attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to an immediate ceasefire on energy facilities, raising doubts about whether the proposed agreement will be respected as winter approaches. Ukrainian officials said Monday that Russian forces struck an energy facility on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a major city in northeastern Ukraine.

New York - President Donald Trump visited Syracuse, New York, on October 9 to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, bringing national attention to the state’s election contest as demonstrators gathered nearby to express opposition to his administration. The rally at the Oncenter provided a platform for Republican candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections, while the protests illustrated the competing political views surrounding the presidential visit.

KIGALI — Rwanda’s First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, joined New Life Rwanda at BK Arena on October 11 to celebrate its 25th anniversary, recognising a quarter-century of Christian ministry and community service through education, healthcare and programmes supporting young people and women. “25 Years of God’s Faithfulness!” the First Lady’s office wrote in the official announcement shown in the supplied screenshot, describing the occasion as a celebration of “faith, service and impact across Rwanda.”

KIGALI, Rwanda — President Kagame received Senegal’s Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, at Urugwiro Village on October 8, following bilateral meetings aimed at expanding diplomatic cooperation, trade and investment between the two countries. The presidential audience came after Rwanda and Senegal held their inaugural Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation in Kigali. Building on Bilateral Relations…

Rwanda will be represented at the third Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow, according to Joseph Nzabamwita, Rwandan Ambassador to Russia. Speaking to Russian media, the ambassador confirmed that a commission for socio-economic and political cooperation is planned, with an ad hoc agreement expected to be signed during the summit on October 28–29. Summit Overview The third Russia–Africa Partnership Forum will take place in Moscow in late October 2026, following previous editions held in Sochi (2019) and Saint Petersburg (2023).

KINSHASA, DRC — In a sweeping and unprecedented public address, former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has launched a scathing critique of the current government, accusing it of dismantling the stability he claims to have left behind in 2019 and steering the nation toward authoritarianism, corruption, and war. The speech, delivered in Lingala and French and summarized by political analyst Rodriguez Katsuva, marks Kabila’s most direct challenge to his successor, President Félix Tshisekedi, since leaving office.

KINSHASA, DRC — In a sweeping and unprecedented public address, former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has launched a scathing critique of the current government, accusing it of dismantling the stability he claims to have left behind in 2019 and steering the nation toward authoritarianism, corruption, and war. The speech, delivered in Lingala and French and summarized by political analyst Rodriguez Katsuva, marks Kabila’s most direct challenge to his successor, President Félix Tshisekedi, since leaving office.

Washington DC - A deadly ambush involving foreign security contractors in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has intensified scrutiny of Kinshasa’s military partnerships. Personnel associated with Erik Prince’s Vectus Global reportedly came under attack in South Kivu on September 17, leaving approximately 20 people dead or wounded. At least seven Congolese and a former New Zealand special forces soldier reportedly died.

NAIROBI — The Cabinet has approved $350 million (Sh45.4 billion) in financing for Kenya Airways (KQ) to cover urgent financial obligations, including aircraft maintenance and returning grounded planes to service, as the government moves to shore up the struggling national carrier. According to a Cabinet dispatch released on Friday, the financing will be released in instalments under the Treasury's supervision, with a repayment period of up to 10 years.

HARARE — Criminal networks are luring Zimbabweans with promises of lucrative jobs abroad, particularly in neighboring countries, the Middle East and Asia, Information Minister Zhemu Soda has warned, as the government tightened safeguards for citizens seeking overseas employment. Some victims have even been sent to active battlefronts without knowing they would be involved in military activities, he said, describing the schemes as "human trafficking" rather than legitimate military service .

The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to renowned South African jurist and human rights champion Navanethem "Navi" Pillay. Announced in Oslo by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, she was recognized for her extraordinary, lifelong contributions to international justice, global human rights, and the rule of law. Pillay broke immense professional barriers early in her life, notably serving as the first non-white woman to open a law practice in South Africa's Natal province during the apartheid era.

PITTSBURGH — La Roche University has selected Rwandan educator Yohani Kayinamura, Ph.D., as the first recipient of its Best for the World Award, recognizing his work supporting vulnerable children in Rwanda. The 2004 graduate will receive the award on October 16 during the university’s homecoming celebrations. Created to mark the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of Divine Providence in America, the award recognizes lasting contributions to society through service and leadership.

Members of the Congolese diaspora in New Zealand have taken to the streets in major urban centers, including Auckland and Wellington, to protest the escalating armed conflict and targeted violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Joining global rallies organized across the African diaspora, demonstrators are calling urgent international attention to the systematic atrocities impacting minority groups in South Kivu and North Kivu.

Rubavu/Rusizi — A total of 99 households comprising 367 Rwandan citizens who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have voluntarily returned to Rwanda through two border crossings, according to Rwandan emergency management and local government officials. Of the total, 314 people crossed through the Grand Barrier at La Corniche, which links Rubavu District with the city of Goma.

MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United States and non-resident Ambassador to Mexico, Mathilde Mukantabana, has held talks with senior Mexican officials in Mexico City on strengthening bilateral cooperation, tourism and parliamentary relations. Mukantabana met with Dr. Nathalie Véronique Desplas Puel, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, as well as Senator Carolina Viggiano Austria, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Africa.

Rwanda has enacted a milestone judicial reform aimed at transforming how the legal system interacts with children. Signed by Supreme Court President Domitilla Mukantaganzwa on October 1, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette on the same day, the new child-friendly guidelines will officially take effect on November 1, 2026. The reform builds on foundational efforts earlier in the year, such as the Ministry of Justice and UNICEF launch of the National Diversion Framework on June 23, 2026.

Corneille Nangaa says Congolese citizens are being branded “Rwandan” based on their origins, citing attacks against musician Innoss’B as evidence of a growing crisis of identity and belonging. GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — The leader of the AFC/M23 political-military coalition has accused Congolese authorities and allied groups of systematically targeting citizens from eastern Congo by questioning their nationality and branding them “Rwandan” because of their origins or family background.

Elon Musk’s net worth has climbed back above the $1 trillion mark after a renewed rise in SpaceX’s stock price pushed the Tesla CEO’s fortune higher. Musk became the world’s first trillionaire earlier this year after SpaceX’s blockbuster initial public offering in June sent the value of his holdings soaring. His wealth later declined as SpaceX shares fell from their initial post-IPO surge.