After senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed their position and left the chamber deadlocked 50-50, U.S. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote on a procedural motion, derailing the measure that would have required the president to obtain congressional approval before taking further military action in the oil-rich South American nation.
Young, who had been in talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told CNN on Wednesday that he received “fairly extensive personal assurances” from the Trump administration over the U.S. role in Venezuela.
Young said the White House will “come to Congress” and seek congressional approval before “any major military operation in Venezuela,” adding that Rubio would testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this month, according to a CNN report.
Hawley also said Wednesday that Rubio assured him that there would not be ground troops sent to Venezuela and that the administration would seek congressional approval if that changed.
The resolution was introduced in the wake of a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. Senate last week voted 52 to 47 to advance the war powers resolution.
Trump had publicly criticized the five Republicans who joined all Democrats to back the bill, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”
The president also called each of the five senators to vent his frustration over their votes, said a report from The Hill.
According to notices issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Iran closed its airspace to most flights during two separate periods early Thursday, allowing only aircraft with prior approval from Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO).
Flight tracking data showed only a handful of aircraft flying over the country at the time, with many rerouting around its borders. The airspace was fully reopened around 7:00am local time.
Neither the FAA nor Iran’s aviation authority immediately commented on the restrictions.
The temporary closures came as US President Donald Trump warned of potential action against Iran following a deadly crackdown on antigovernment protests.
In response to rising tensions, the United States and the United Kingdom withdrew some military personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after Iranian officials warned that US forces in the region could be targeted if an attack occurred.
Several countries have since issued travel and security advisories to their citizens in the Middle East. Trump later appeared to ease his tone, saying he had received assurances that the killings of protesters in Iran had stopped.
Aviation safety group OpsGroup warned that such airspace restrictions may indicate increased military activity, including risks linked to missile launches or heightened air defence operations, which could endanger civilian aircraft.
Iran’s airspace safety has remained under scrutiny since 2020, when its air defences mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
A later investigation concluded the aircraft had been misidentified amid heightened tensions with the United States.
The demonstration, named “Greenland Belongs to the Greenlanders,” began at 4 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) in front of the embassy and was later moved by police to the opposite side of the street. The protest lasted around two hours.
“We only want to be ourselves. We want to belong to Greenland as Greenlanders, and we will stay strong and committed to that,” a Greenlander, Andersen, told Xinhua.
“Nobody should be able to take over another country – not because someone thinks they are strong and therefore can take whatever they want,” said Simon Vincent Nelson, a Copenhagen resident, adding that he was “very angry about it and felt offended.”
The rally followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed remarks to acquire Greenland, which have been firmly rejected by Denmark, Greenland, and NATO allies.
The retreat reflects a deliberate shift in mindset as the Group positions 2026 as a defining year for consolidating gains and scaling impact.
Leadership described the coming year as one where execution would fully align with the Group’s core identity, rather than mere intention.
At the heart of this vision lies institutionalization, seen as the essential bedrock for preserving value, deepening established platforms, and building a robust leadership pipeline across Africa.
Nonso Okpala, Group Managing Director and CEO of VFD Group, underscored the uncompromising priority of profitability during the discussions.
“For VFD Group, which is an African investment company, the mindset in 2026 is institutionalization,” he stated. “It is about preserving what we have built, deepening what we have established, and enhancing our leadership bench. Our stock in trade is leadership, our people. We must transform skilled individuals into remarkable leaders capable of building great companies. As our ecosystem continues to grow, the firepower we need comes from placing leaders in companies where they can perform exceptionally.”
He further emphasized that while the Group recently concluded a ₦50 billion capital raise, capital must be matched with governance and leadership discipline to unlock sustainable value.
“We just concluded a N50 billion capital raise that provides the firepower to better express ourselves and seize opportunities. But capital alone isn’t enough. We must broaden our ecosystem, capacitate our leaders within respective companies, and institutionalize governance as a strategic tool to strengthen our businesses and enhance returns,” he said.
{{Kigali as a blueprint for execution}}
The choice of Kigali as the retreat location was intentional. Rwanda’s transformation journey served as both inspiration and a practical reference point for disciplined execution and long-term thinking.
“As a Black African, Rwanda is a poster child for progress and what’s possible on this continent,” Okpala noted. “Having this meeting here is indicative of our stage of maturity. We want to draw from the lessons they’ve embedded, the pride and aspiration they represent, and identify with the possibilities that exist across Africa.”
{{Turning strategy into daily action}}
“The Group’s ambition is clear: value creation and execution,” Anadu explained. “For Ghana, we break that down into trackable targets—daily, monthly, annually. Employees buy-in is essential; when people own the vision, execution becomes organic. We conduct daily operational reviews, weekly assessments, and monthly sit-downs to review what’s working, what’s not, and remain flexible. And crucially, we celebrate every win, no matter how small, it keeps us motivated and focused.”
Executives also explored practical ways to translate the Group’s overarching strategy into tangible results at the subsidiary level.
Chinelo Anadu, Managing Director of VFD Ghana, stressed the importance of execution discipline and fostering employee ownership.
“The Group’s ambition is clear: value creation through flawless execution,” she said.
“In Ghana, we translate that into trackable targets on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. Employee buy-in is crucial, when people truly own the vision, execution becomes organic. We conduct daily operational reviews, weekly assessments, and monthly sit-downs to review what’s working, what’s not, and remain flexible. And crucially, we celebrate every win, no matter how small, it keeps us motivated and focused.”
Chioma Esike, Managing Director, Herel Global, highlighted the need to remove limiting mindsets that hinder scale.
“The bottleneck we must remove is not thinking big,” Esike asserted. “Too often, we have opportunities to think beyond scope but limit ourselves to conventional ways of operating. That mindset is a key hindrance to scaling and growth, and we’re laser-focused on eliminating it in 2026,” Esike said.
{{2026 strategic priorities}}
At the core of VFD Group’s 2026 vision are three interconnected priorities: driving profitability through strategic capital deployment, leveraging the recent ₦50 billion raise to seize opportunities and deliver superior returns; institutionalizing leadership by developing skilled professionals into visionary builders of enduring companies; and embedding governance as a core strategic element to fortify businesses and protect stakeholder value.
VFD Group stands as an African investment company dedicated to building continental capacity and creating platforms that enable the realization of strategic objectives.
With a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sectors, the Group remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing exceptional leadership and generating sustainable value throughout its ecosystem.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the deployment is conducted in accordance with a bilateral agreement between Rwanda and Jamaica aimed at assisting in the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure destroyed by disasters.
Prior to their departure for Jamaica, the RDF engineers received a briefing from Brigadier General Faustin Tinka, Commander of the Mechanized Division on behalf of the RDF Chief of Defence Staff, who urged the deployed personnel to apply their full expertise, professionalism, and technical skills in order to successfully accomplish the mission entrusted to them by RDF leadership.
He emphasised that the beneficiaries of their support should clearly feel the positive impact of their work.
Brig Gen Tinka also highlighted the values that define the RDF, particularly discipline, which form the foundation of the Force.
“It is these values that earned you this responsibility,” he said, calling on the officers and other ranks to uphold and safeguard the RDF’s core values at all times.
Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean region in late October 2025 with devastating force. Jamaica experienced the most severe impact, prompting a large-scale multi-agency humanitarian response.
Speaking on the 44th anniversary of her first apparition on January 12, 1982, the 62-year-old Mukamazimpaka emphasised the enduring relevance of the Virgin Mary’s calls for sincere prayer, genuine love, and conversion.
The anniversary was solemnly commemorated with a Holy Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of Kibeho, presided over by Bishop Célestin Hakizimana of the Diocese of Gikongoro. He was joined by retired Bishop Kizito Bahujimihigo of Kibungo Diocese, numerous priests, religious, and pilgrims from Rwanda and abroad.
The Kibeho apparitions began on November 28, 1981, when Alphonsine Mumureke, a student at Kibeho Secondary School (now Our Lady of the Word Secondary School), reported seeing the Virgin Mary.
Mukamazimpaka followed on January 12, 1982, and Marie Claire Mukangango on March 2, 1982.
All three were teenage students at the small girls’ school of about 150 pupils. The Catholic Church, after thorough investigation, officially recognised the apparitions to Alphonsine and Nathalie in 2001, making Kibeho the only approved Marian site in Africa.
Marie Claire Mukangango was killed with her husband during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
{{Mukamazimpaka’s experience}}
In an interview with IGIHE, Mukamazimpaka recounted that the Virgin Mary appeared to her countless times between January 12, 1982, and December 3, 1983, sometimes privately in her dormitory bed, sometimes with classmates, and on 30 public occasions before large crowds.
She described the Virgin Mary as a young woman of extraordinary beauty, aged between 20 and 30, dressed in a seamless white gown and a blue veil, neither distinctly Black nor white.
The apparitions typically came from the east, with Mary standing in the air about four metres above the ground.
The visionaries were shown harrowing scenes of violence and rivers of blood, images later understood as foretelling the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. They also received personal guidance about their future lives.
Mukamazimpaka was told she would never marry and would remain in Kibeho to pray for the world, a calling she has faithfully followed.
Alphonsine Mumureke, who was told she would become a nun, now lives as a religious sister in Italy.
Mukamazimpaka urged people worldwide to heed the core messages: sincere prayer without hypocrisy, authentic love for God and neighbour, and heartfelt conversion.
“The Virgin Mary often called us to be ‘beautiful flowers’, people filled with goodness and love, rather than withered ones who spread cruelty,” she said. “Her message never ages. Only by living it can humanity find healing.”
She pointed to Kibeho’s transformation as visible proof of the messages’ power: once a little-known area, it is now a major pilgrimage site attracting over 1.2 million visitors from around the world, bringing spiritual peace and tangible development.
Concessa Mukarusagara, a former classmate of the visionaries, expressed sorrow that some Rwandans still overlook the message while pilgrims travel from distant countries to embrace it.
“This place is my home,” she told IGIHE. “When I come here, I speak to my Mother, and she listens. I have seen her miracles and learned the patience she asked for. Praying the Rosary through Mary always resolves my difficulties.”
Bishop Célestin Hakizimana of Gikongoro Diocese highlighted Kibeho’s ongoing fruitfulness: “No one leaves Kibeho unchanged, spiritually or even physically. What was once an obscure sector has become a town of light, consolation and blessing for many.”
Today, Kibeho stands as Africa’s sole Vatican-approved Marian apparition site, a beacon of hope and reconciliation 44 years after heaven, in the words of pilgrims, “came down to visit us.”
The decision follows Trump’s earlier statement that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff on trade with the United States.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, the White House said diplomacy remains Washington’s preferred option.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted on Monday that while dialogue is favored, the administration is not ruling out military action if circumstances require it.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump urged Iranians to continue protesting and called on them to “take over your institutions,” condemning what he described as the killing of demonstrators. He claimed that “help is on the way,” without providing further details.
Trump said the suspension of meetings would remain in place until the “senseless killing of protesters stops.”
In recent days, he has again raised the possibility of U.S. military strikes, warning that a harsh crackdown by Iranian authorities could trigger a strong response from Washington.
Iranian authorities have, for their part, consistently blamed the United States for stirring instability in the country.
In the latest accusation, Iran’s top military commander, Abdolrahim Mousavi, claimed that the US and Israel had sent members of the armed group ISIL (ISIS) into Iran to conduct attacks, though he did not present any evidence to support the claim.
The AU said in a statement that the chairperson has taken note of the recent presidential memorandum issued by the United States, directing the cessation of the country’s participation in, and funding to, certain United Nations (UN) entities, as well as the withdrawal from selected non-UN international organizations.
“The chairperson aligns with the statement of the Secretary-General of the UN underscoring the importance of a strong, effective, and inclusive multilateral system at a time when the international community faces intersecting global challenges, including conflict, climate change, economic uncertainty, and public health threats,” the statement read.
Youssouf stressed that these institutions “play an important role in supporting Africa’s development, peace-building, humanitarian response, and the implementation of Agenda 2063 of the AU and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
“Any reduction in their operational capacity may have implications for development gains, peace consolidation efforts, and the resilience of communities, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings,” he said.
He said that multilateral platforms have historically served as effective vehicles through which shared global objectives have been advanced, delivering tangible results for both Africa and the broader international community.
The AU commission also expressed its hope that continued dialogue between the United States, the UN and international partners will help identify pathways to sustain critical multilateral functions, enhance efficiency and accountability, and ensure that the most vulnerable are not disproportionately affected.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order, suspending U.S. participation in and funding for 66 international organizations, agencies and commissions, including a number of UN-affiliated bodies.
Felix Plasencia, Venezuelan ambassador to Britain and former foreign minister, is planning to meet U.S. senior officials in Washington at Rodriguez’s behest, said the report, citing people familiar with the plans.
Maria Corina Machado, one of Venezuela’s major opposition figures, is expected to visit the White House.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said Friday that personnel from the department’s Colombia-based Venezuela Affairs Unit will “conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations” in Venezuela, where the U.S. embassy was closed in 2019 with all embassy staff withdrawn.
On Friday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump praised cooperation from the Venezuelan acting president, announcing that a second U.S. strike against Venezuela “will not be needed.”
The campus is dedicated to the School of Business Management and Economics. Located in the heart of Kigali’s bustling Remera neighbourhood, the campus, formerly home to AIMS, has been transformed into a cutting-edge learning environment designed to inspire innovation, leadership, and high-impact business education.
Students began classes shortly after the official opening, filling the campus with renewed energy as they explored its smart classrooms, advanced computer labs, collaborative study areas, and modern academic facilities. University leaders praised the campus as a bold step toward delivering world-class, industry-aligned education and enriching the student experience.
Professor George Kimathi, Vice Chancellor, expressed profound pride during the historic first day of classes.“These state-of-the-art facilities reflect our collective vision for a globally competitive institution. The lecture halls, computer and research labs, hostels, and recreational areas were all designed to offer a holistic, inspiring, and world-class academic experience. This is where champions will be created.”
Speaking on the broader impact of the new campus, Mr. Philibert Afrika, Chairman of the Governing Body, emphasized UoK’s ambition to lead regional business education and strengthen Africa’s professional talent pipeline. “This new campus is not merely an expansion of our physical footprint; it is a dedicated centre of excellence. Here, we will nurture exceptional talent across Financial Management, Marketing Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership, skills urgently needed in Rwanda’s evolving economy and across the continent.”
Professor Manasseh Nshuti, Chairman of the Board of Promoters, connected the inauguration to the university’s long-term institutional transformation agenda. “This milestone aligns perfectly with our 2025–2029 strategic pillars, infrastructure development, digital transformation, and industry engagement. By investing in world-class learning spaces like Remera, UoK affirms its commitment to becoming a beacon of innovation and sustainability in higher education.”
In the first week of December 2025, barely weeks after its official opening, the Remera Campus achieved another historic first as UoK, in partnership with EduHubAfric, hosted the inaugural Pan-African Economics Olympiad (PAEO).
The four-day event brought together 120 brilliant secondary school students from Rwanda, Kenya, and Nigeria, turning the campus into a buzzing centre of innovation, collaboration, and youthful intellectual competition.
Students competed in Economics, Financial Literacy, and an intense Business Case Challenge. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Professor Ogechi Adeola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation & Enterprise) of the University of Kigali, underscored the importance of nurturing economic thinking among Africa’s youth.
“Africa’s future will be shaped by young people who can think critically, understand economic systems, and apply financial literacy to real-world challenges. Initiatives such as the Pan-African Economics Olympiad go beyond competition; they cultivate a Pan-African mindset, encourage collaboration across borders, and prepare the next generation of economists, entrepreneurs, and policy leaders our continent urgently needs,” she said.
Rwanda excelled in Economics and Financial Literacy, earning top positions across multiple categories, while Kenya’s iconic Alliance High School clinched the Business Case Challenge, demonstrating outstanding creativity and analytical depth. These achievements mark a powerful step forward for the region’s future economists, innovators, and business thinkers.
The Remera Campus’s modern design enriched the Olympiad experience, with smart classrooms, tech-enabled halls, innovation-friendly lounges, and business-focused study areas helping to set a continental standard for academic competitions.
Mr. Nasser Okoth, Minister Counsellor at the Kenyan Embassy in Rwanda, delivered inspiring remarks at the ceremony. “What we have witnessed here is truly remarkable: unity, brilliance, and the spirit of Pan-African excellence. The University of Kigali has provided an environment worthy of Africa’s future leaders, and these young economists will shape the continent’s next chapter.”
As Rwanda’s official partner for the International Economics Olympiad, one of only four recognized countries on the continent, UoK continues to cement its growing reputation as a regional hub for academic advancement and global-standard talent development.
The Olympiad aligns with UoK’s broader commitment to Pan-African academic excellence and regional talent development, university officials noted.
