The announcement, made by the Embassy of Rwanda in the United States, confirms the two artists will join afrobeat sensation The Ben for a much-anticipated concert on July 5. The trio is expected to bring high energy and unforgettable performances to the main stage.
The celebration kicks off on July 4 with a powerful performance by cultural icon Massamba Intore, setting the tone for a weekend of music, unity, and pride. Gospel favourite Meddy will close out the event on July 6, leading a worship and praise session as attendees wrap up the three-day gathering on a spiritual high.
This year’s edition will be hosted at the Irving Convention Center in Texas, marking the return of Rwanda Convention USA after a five-year break—the last one being held in 2019.
The convention offers Rwandans living across the U.S. a vibrant space to reconnect, reflect, and celebrate both Rwanda’s Liberation Day and American Independence Day, which are both commemorated on July 4.
“Despite the complexity surrounding Iran, we completed the Bushehr nuclear reactor there. We’ve also signed contracts to build two additional reactors,” Putin said.
U.S. President Donald Trump promised to support Russia’s demand to ensure the safety of Russian employees of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Putin said, adding that Russia acts within the framework of international norms in Iran and asks to ensure the safety of personnel in Bushehr.
“Our specialists are on the ground in Bushehr — 250 based there full-time and others on temporary deployment. The total workforce can hit 600. And we’re not pulling out,” Putin said during a meeting with the heads of major international news agencies in St. Petersburg.
Putin also said that he is concerned about the situation around Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Threats to Iran’s nuclear facilities require Russia to participate in the search for peaceful solutions, Putin added.
In a Friday briefing at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi warned of the risk of nuclear contamination from Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Grossi said that the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is an operating nuclear power plant, which hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material. “I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.”
Putin made the remarks in response to a question from Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, during a meeting with heads of major international news agencies in St. Petersburg.
Putin emphasized that Russia has established itself as a key economic partner for China, with bilateral trade reaching 240 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. He noted that the two countries have launched a series of practical investment projects and that the scale of investment is expected to grow further.
“This achievement stems not only from China’s economic growth in scale and quality but also from the enduring friendship that binds our countries,” he added.
Putin said financial cooperation is now a top priority in bilateral relations, with a focus on ensuring stable capital flows to sustain economic momentum and drive new breakthroughs in trade.
He also highlighted enormous cooperation potential in high-tech, aerospace and aircraft manufacturing.
Putin stressed that China has achieved remarkable success in the field of artificial intelligence, creating tenfold efficiency at one-tenth the cost of competitors, which is “amazing and gratifying.”
As economic and cultural ties deepen, Putin noted growing interest in the Chinese language across Russia. Currently, about 25,000 young Russians are enrolled in Chinese educational institutions.
The regularly held Russia-China theme years have not only deepened cultural and people-to-people cooperation and exchanges, but also enhanced mutual understanding between the two peoples, he said.
Putin also shared a personal anecdote, revealing that his daughter began studying Chinese with a tutor in the early 2000s, and that his granddaughter now speaks fluent Chinese with her teacher from Beijing.
The media event was organized on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Unlike most hotels in Rwanda, Château le Marara is modelled after a European-style château, a type of grand architecture traditionally associated with royalty and nobility. These buildings, common across Europe between the 8th and 16th centuries, were fortified residences for kings and the elite, serving both as homes and places of governance, celebrations, and decision-making.
Examples of such historic châteaux include Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, Château de Chenonceau in France, and Himeji Castle in Japan. While rare on the African continent, Rwanda now proudly hosts its own version—open not just for viewing, but also for overnight stays.
Upon entry, guests are welcomed into a display suite known as “Fou de Toi,” named after the hit song by Element EleéeH, Ross Kana, and Bruce Melodie. The music video for the song, which has garnered over 24 million views on YouTube, prominently features the hotel during its construction phase, helping catapult Château le Marara into public awareness.
“The song played a huge role in promoting Château le Marara while it was still under construction. Many people learned about the hotel through that video,” says Mucyo Solange, a manager at the hotel.
“This room is used to showcase what the other rooms look like. It’s representative of the entire hotel’s style, which is consistent throughout.”
From the walls and beds to the carpets, sofas, and curtains, every detail at Château le Marara reflects royal grandeur.
“Everything is inspired by the traditional château aesthetic. In France and other parts of Europe, châteaux were homes to kings and nobles. Similarly, in Rwanda, our own kings also lived in beautiful, distinguished settings. That’s the inspiration behind our beds, chairs, and decor—it’s a tribute to royal living,” Mucyo explains.
The dominant colour throughout the hotel is red, a deliberate design choice.
“Red is traditionally associated with royalty. Even at weddings, someone in a red gown always stands out,” she adds.
Each room in the hotel has a distinct name, some inspired by the hills of Karongi, others by themes of Rwandan royalty and love.
In total, the hotel features 21 rooms, plus a VIP suite. The ground floor has two rooms, the first floor six, the second floor seven, and the third floor, which is built within the rooftop space typical of many European châteaux, contains six rooms.
Among these is the VIP suite, which includes a private lounge area.
“It’s like the other rooms but has exclusive features, such as a private sitting area and an additional room on the lower level,” Mucyo notes.
The hotel also offers discounts for long stays.
“We offer flexibility. For guests staying multiple nights, especially those coming with family or for a honeymoon, we adjust the rates based on their agreement with management,” the manager explains.
Another standout is the “Le President” suite, described by Mucyo as the most luxurious room in the hotel.
“It’s our best suite. The furniture, space, balcony view, and dressing area set it apart from the rest.”
Interest in the hotel has grown steadily, with many Rwandans reaching out for more information and making visits.
“Rwandans are curious and excited to see the place. They write to us, ask questions, and come to experience it themselves,” Mucyo shares.
Having a château-style hotel in Rwanda is a point of pride for her.
“It’s a great honour. First, it adds to Rwanda’s beauty and tourism appeal. But more than that, investing in your own country and building something appreciated both locally and internationally is deeply fulfilling.”
The hotel also works closely with the local community. Mucyo emphasises their commitment to sourcing from nearby residents:
“We buy locally, especially basic food items and supplies. Of course, there are some things we need to source from Kigali or even from abroad, but we make it a priority to work with the local community. We purchase goods from them and also create job opportunities.”
At $200 a night, Château le Marara offers more than just accommodation. It delivers a royal experience rooted in heritage, refined design, and the warmth of Rwandan hospitality.
{{Video: Igisubizo Isaac
Photos: Kwizera Remy Moses}}
The move follows a four-month export halt announced in February. The extension was announced on Saturday by the DRC’s Regulatory and Oversight Authority for Strategic Mineral Substances Markets (ARECOMS), the national body responsible for regulating the trade of critical mineral substances.
Established in 2019, ARECOMS oversees the regulation of strategic minerals such as coltan, cobalt and germanium. Its mandate includes stabilizing markets, formalizing the artisanal sector, and ensuring compliance with international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations.
According to an official statement, the extended ban covers all cobalt extracted from industrial, semi-industrial, small-scale and artisanal mining operations, and takes effect immediately from the date of signature, June 21.
ARECOMS said that a new decision will be issued before the end of the suspension period, which may either modify, extend, or lift the current export ban, depending on market developments.
According to London-based data analytics and consulting firm GlobalData, the DRC’s cobalt production is projected to reach 244 kilotonnes in 2024. The country is the world’s largest cobalt producer, supplying over 80 percent of global output.
Cobalt is a critical raw material used across various industries, particularly in the production of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones, and other electronic devices. The DRC’s cobalt mining industry is primarily concentrated in the Katanga region, where both industrial and artisanal operations are prevalent.
President Donald Trump, addressing the nation from the White House, confirmed the precision strikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan—describing the operation as a “spectacular military success.”
“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump declared. “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear capacity and to eliminate the threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”
The strikes were carried out without congressional authorisation.
According to senior Pentagon officials, three B-2 bombers dropped GBU-57 “bunker-buster” bombs on the underground Fordo enrichment site, buried nearly 300 feet beneath a mountain. Tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. Navy submarines struck the Natanz and Esfahan sites.
All aircraft reportedly exited Iranian airspace without incident. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said it had not detected elevated radiation levels following the strikes.
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the attack as a “heinous and illegal use of force” and warned on social media that the strikes “will have everlasting consequences.”
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people,” Araghchi said. Iran’s ambassador to the UN has requested an emergency Security Council meeting.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation confirmed damage to the nuclear facilities but said the attacks would not deter the country’s nuclear ambitions.
“This will only strengthen our resolve,” the agency said.
Flanked by Vice President JD Vance and senior officials in the White House Situation Room, Trump warned that “there will either be peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than what we have witnessed over the last eight days.”
In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump warned: “Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”
Photos released by the White House showed top administration figures, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, monitoring the operation.
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While some Republicans praised the strikes, others expressed concern. House Speaker Mike Johnson supported the action, but Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted: “This is not our fight.”
Democrats were more critical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the president for acting unilaterally and bypassing Congress.
“President Trump misled the country and took action that risks entangling the United States in another endless war,” Jeffries said.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia added: “He campaigned on ending foreign wars. Tonight, he may have started a new one.”
The update was shared by Dr. Usengumukiza Félicien, RGB’s Deputy CEO, during a press briefing on June 20, 2025, where new guidelines were unveiled.
The new guidelines are intended to ensure that religious teachings align with Rwandan values and include related regulations.
The guidelines aim to promote responsible conduct in religious preaching and to prevent the spread of messages that may incite division, promote hatred, or undermine the core values of Rwandan society.
Last year, RGB inspected nearly 14,000 places of worship, and 7,709 were closed due to various issues deemed to pose a risk to the safety and well-being of congregants.
“You may recall that across the country, we had about 14,000 places of worship. After conducting a joint inspection with other agencies, around 8,000 were closed because they failed to meet requirements and posed a threat to public safety. They have not been reopened,” Dr. Usengumukiza explained.
He emphasised that any churches that address the issues that led to their closure will be eligible for reopening, but this will be done in accordance with the new guidelines, which aim to eliminate ambiguity and provide a clear, objective process, rather than decisions driven by emotion.
Kazaire Judith, the head of RGB’s Department for Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations, explained that beyond structural concerns, some churches were also found to be teaching misleading doctrines, spreading divisive messages, or being led by individuals who lacked the necessary educational qualifications.
She added that, in partnership with Irembo, a digital platform has been developed to streamline the process of assessing whether churches meet the required standards. The system is expected to go live in July 2025.
“The system is nearly complete. We expect it to be fully operational by early July. The portal is available, but those who have complied with the regulations can also directly approach the institution and present their case for review,” she said.
Kazaire revealed that so far, no faith-based organisation (church or denomination) has formally notified RGB that it has fulfilled the requirements for reopening.
She urged leaders of religious organisations to review the requirements, comply with them, and submit their reports to RGB so that eligible churches can be reopened.
As Rayon Sports prepares for the upcoming season, targeting strong performances in both domestic leagues and the CAF Confederation Cup, the club is keen to retain key players under contract, including Bassané, whose pace and skill on the flanks were instrumental last season.
Reports indicate that Bassané approached the team seeking a transfer, with Police FC among the clubs reportedly interested in signing him.
However, Rayon Sports has made it clear to Bassané, who still has one year remaining on his contract, that they will only consider releasing him upon receipt of the stipulated fee of $50,000 (equivalent to over 72 million Rwandan francs).
Bassané joined Rayon Sports in August 2024 but briefly left the team following the opening matches of the 2024/25 season, citing unfulfilled contractual agreements by the club.
After his contractual concerns were addressed, he returned to play a pivotal role in guiding the team to a runner-up finish in the league, a spot in the Peace Cup final, and qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiation that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go in the next two weeks,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Thursday.
Iran must agree to no enrichment of uranium, and Tehran must not be able to achieve a nuclear weapon as part of any diplomatic agreement, Leavitt read a statement from Trump.
Correspondence between the United States and Iran “has continued” as the two sides engage in negotiations, Leavitt said, echoing Thursday reports that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have talked by phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran on June 13, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis.
Araghchi told Witkoff that Tehran “could show flexibility in the nuclear issue” if the U.S. government pressured Israel to end the war, adding Tehran would not return to negotiations unless Israel stopped the attacks, local media quoted a regional diplomat.
Trump approved attack plans on Iran Tuesday night, but held off making a final decision in case Iran agrees to abandon its nuclear program, media reported.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the country remains steadfast amid its conflict with Israel and will not surrender to anyone amid pressure, warning that any American military intervention would cause “irreparable damage.”
Since June 13, Israel has launched large-scale airstrikes on multiple locations in Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and military sites, resulting in heavy casualties. In retaliation, Iran carried out multiple rounds of missile and drone attacks on various targets inside Israel.
The aerial conflict has yet shown no sign of easing as it drags into a second week.
On Thursday, Israel and Iran exchanged major airstrikes overnight, targeting each other’s critical infrastructure and military facilities.
The Israel Defense Forces announced in a statement on Thursday that it had launched a broad aerial campaign across Iran, including strikes targeting the inactive Arak nuclear reactor in western Iran, and a nuclear weapons development site in Natanz, central Iran.
In addition to nuclear-related targets, Israeli warplanes reportedly struck a range of military production sites across Iran, including factories manufacturing ballistic missile components, facilities assembling Iranian air defense systems and various logistical infrastructures, the statement said.
In response to the Israeli offensive, Iran targeted Israel’s military intelligence facilities in its strikes on the southern part of the country on Thursday morning, not a hospital as was reported by some media outlets, Iran’s state news agency IRNA said.
The strikes were aimed at the Israeli army’s C4I telecommunications corps headquarters and an intelligence facility, IRNA said, adding that the hospital in question was affected by the blast’s shockwave.
Also on Thursday, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps appointed Majid Khademi as the new head of its intelligence organization, days after Mohammad Kazemi, the organization’s former chief, and his deputy Hassan Mohaghegh were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on Sunday, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.
Besides top military commanders, Israeli strikes have killed a number of nuclear scientists and hundreds of civilians in Iran.
Arash, 33, a government employee in Tehran, was quoted by Reuters as saying that a building next to his home in Tehran’s Shahrak-e Gharb neighborhood had been destroyed in the strikes.
“I saw at least three dead children and two women in that building. Is this how Netanyahu plans to ‘liberate’ Iranians? Stay away from our country,” he said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement on Thursday the large-scale attacks have caused serious human rights and humanitarian impacts on civilians and risk igniting a broader regional conflict.
Turk noted that the intense airstrikes and missile and drone attacks have gone far beyond military targets, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread damage to civilian infrastructure.
According to official figures, nearly 600 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel since fighting began.
The UN official urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, fully respect international law, and return in good faith to the negotiating table.
Innovate4DigiJobs seeks to foster purpose-driven innovation by supporting solutions that generate sustainable impact and empower communities, particularly by equipping youth with the skills, tools, and networks to thrive in the digital era.
“Innovate4DigiJobs is not just about winning a competition – it’s about the impact we’re targeting,” said Alex Ntale, CEO of the Rwanda ICT Chamber.
“If your passion is about changing lives, not just chasing profits, we want to make sure you’re not left behind.”
The program invites participation from a diverse pool of actors, including business development service providers, TVET institutions, social enterprises, cooperatives, and workers’ or employers’ organisations.
The application deadline has been extended to June 27, 2025, and submissions can be made via the ICT Chamber’s official portal: [ictchamber.rw/innovate4jobs-application-form->https://www.ictchamber.rw/innovate4jobs-application-form/].
Speaking at the launch, ILO Project Manager Fatima Elsanousi Sirelkhatim highlighted the program’s inclusive approach to digital transformation: “It is vital to ensure no one is left behind.”
Echoing that sentiment, Ngabo Brave, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Arts, emphasised the need for digital skills to serve positive and transformative purposes: “It would be unfortunate to have digital skills and apply them in the wrong way. Innovate4DigiJobs paves a meaningful path for young people to leverage their digital talents the right way.”
The Innovate4DigiJobs challenge encourages young innovators to go beyond technology for its own sake and instead focus on digital solutions that uplift communities, generate decent jobs, and fuel inclusive growth.
The initiative aligns with Rwanda’s broader digital transformation goals and complements ongoing efforts by public and private actors to nurture a tech-savvy, empowered youth capable of driving inclusive growth and innovation.
