Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

The call came at a sensitive moment in the U.S.-Colombia relations, which have been strained over a series of disputes, including disagreements on drug policy and recent U.S. military action in the region. Trump recently called Colombia a “sick man” and suggested military action in the country “sounds good to me.”

According to a Colombian official familiar with the exchange, the leaders discussed issues related to drug trafficking and other disagreements, and both sides considered the dialogue a “180‑degree change” in rhetoric compared with previous statements.

President Trump confirmed the call and described it as “friendly,” even as tensions had escalated recently with sharp public criticism and accusations traded between the two leaders. Trump’s administration previously accused Petro of failing to control drug production and trafficking, and at times used harsh language in public about Colombia’s leadership.

Petro, who is Colombia’s first left‑leaning president in decades, has also been an outspoken critic of some U.S. policies, particularly military actions in neighbouring Venezuela. He condemned what he described as a violation of regional sovereignty and sharply criticized U.S. military involvement.

Despite the earlier tensions, both Trump and Petro expressed satisfaction with the tone of Wednesday’s call. The leaders agreed that diplomatic engagement was a priority and indicated plans to continue discussions and cooperation, including potentially meeting in Washington in the near future to address shared challenges.

The diplomatic shift comes as both countries face pressure to maintain cooperation on issues such as drug trafficking, regional security, and economic ties. Colombia has historically been a key ally of the United States, particularly in efforts to combat drug cartels and organized crime, and the renewed conversation suggests both governments are seeking to manage tensions and strengthen collaboration.

Analysts note that while the phone call represents a positive sign of diplomatic dialogue, significant issues remain unresolved. Both sides are expected to continue negotiations to find common ground on security concerns and policy differences that have previously driven a wedge between the two nations.

The ceremony was held on January 7, 2026, at the RWABG VII Base Camp in Bria, Sector East, Haute‑Kotto prefecture under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

The medals were presented to personnel from Rwanda Battle Group VII (RWABG VII) and the Rwanda Level II+ Hospital (RWAMED X).

The ceremony was presided over by the MINUSCA Deputy Force Commander, Major General Maychel Asmi, who commended the Rwandan contingents for their professionalism, discipline, and operational effectiveness.

He particularly highlighted their vital role in supporting the electoral process, in line with MINUSCA’s mandate.

Major General Asmi praised RWABG VII for its sustained efforts in securing the Bria, Ouadda, and Sam-Ouandja areas, and commended RWAMED X for providing critical medical services to both United Nations personnel and the local population.

In his remarks, Lieutenant Colonel Willy Ntagara, Contingent Commander of Rwanda Battle Group VII, described the medal parade as one of the highest honours in a military career. He noted that the recognition serves as strong motivation for continued commitment to the mission’s objectives and mandate.

Similarly, Colonel Dr. Simon R. Nyagasaza, Commander of RWAMED X, highlighted the achievements of the Rwandan level 2+ hospital over the past year since their deployment in January 2025. He said that RWAMED X has provided medical services to MINUSCA personnel and local civilians that contributed to the achievement of their mandate.

The United Nations service medals recognize peacekeepers who have completed their tour of duty with distinction, reflecting discipline, courage, and unwavering dedication to the mission.

The group included Police Constable Patrick Kithinji and Police Constable Ahmed Ali, both attached to the Tononoka Police Station Crime Office in Kenya. They were reportedly pursuing a suspect wanted in Kenya in connection with an alleged fraud case involving obtaining money by false pretence when they crossed into Tanzanian territory on Tuesday.

Also among those detained were the suspect’s wife, Sophia Menza Mbogo, their driver, Abdikadir Adan, and a government official from the Coast Development Authority, who were travelling together in a Kenyan government vehicle.

At the time of their arrest, Tanzanian authorities confiscated two loaded Ceska pistols, each held by one of the police officers, along with ammunition and the vehicle. The Tanzanian side said the group breached immigration laws and East African Community regulations by entering the United Republic of Tanzania without permission and carrying firearms on foreign soil without prior coordination.

Tanzanian officials stated that the group’s actions violated both national immigration laws and the East African Community One‑Stop Border Post Act, 2016, which governs the operation of joint border controls and requires partner states to coordinate cross‑border activities.

“I would like to confirm that five Kenyans were arrested for conducting the arrest of a suspect in violation of the law and the East African Community One‑Stop Border Post (OSBP) Act of 2016. I request that they be presented for further action,” said Earnest Lukaza, the Tanzanian officer in charge of the One‑Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Lunga Lunga, while confirming the arrest.

The detained Kenyans were initially held at the Horohoro border. A letter from Tanzanian authorities to Kenyan border officials notified them that the individuals entered Tanzania unlawfully and lacked the necessary authority to conduct an arrest on Tanzanian soil.

Following diplomatic engagement between the two countries, the five Kenyans were later handed over to Kenyan authorities at Lunga Lunga.

Among the fresh graduates, 15 specialized in e-commerce, while the remaining 15 pursued electrical automation technology under a program that allowed them to complete two years’ foundational training at RP-Musanze College before spending their final year in China.

For Aimable Tuyishime, a 23-year-old graduate in e-commerce, the year in China was a life-changing experience. “I spent almost a year in China, and now I am back to implement what I studied there,” he said in an interview with Xinhua.

Tuyishime described China’s e-commerce sector as “highly developed,” adding that the teaching approach is strongly practical rather than theoretical.

“We studied all aspects of e-commerce and improved our skills through hands-on experience,” Tuyishime said, adding that the study enabled him to gain extensive, real-world exposure to e-commerce in one of the world’s most advanced digital markets.

During their studies, students interacted with major Chinese e-commerce companies such as Alibaba and regularly used platforms like Pinduoduo, Taobao, and JD.com for online shopping.

Inspired by this experience, Tuyishime is already working toward launching his own e-commerce platform in Rwanda. Together with friends and team members, he is developing a website and application designed to offer Rwandans a similar online shopping experience.

“This is the right time to put all the skills and experience I gained into practice,” he said, adding that he hopes the platform will have a positive impact on Rwanda’s economy.

Protais Muhire, a graduate in electrical automation technology, also described the year in China as a turning point, saying the exposure to advanced equipment and technologies significantly strengthened his skills.

“In China, I studied programmable logic controller (PLC) programming, robotics, hydraulic and pneumatic systems,” he said.

Muhire highlighted the abundance of training equipment at JUVT, which allowed students from Rwanda to engage deeply in practical work. “We had access to many machines, PLCs, robots, pneumatic and hydraulic components, which helped us apply what we learned in real situations.”

Muhire’s cohort also achieved international recognition. While in China, he, together with other Rwandan and Chinese students, won the Excellence Award at the 2025 World Vocational College Skills Competition Championship Finals.

“This achievement showed us that what we study can be applied in practice and can help our community,” he said, adding that the training received in China is highly relevant to Rwanda’s context, especially as local industries increasingly adopt modern technologies to improve productivity.

Looking ahead, Muhire plans to use his skills to contribute to Rwanda’s industrial development. “Industries are moving from old systems to new automated systems. I want to help upgrade industrial processes using automation technologies like PLCs and robotics,” he said.

Speaking to Xinhua, Qian Xiangming, dean of Musanze International College at JUVT, said that under this program, Rwanda has sent 60 students to JUVT for advanced studies for two consecutive years and the feedback from local employers has been very positive.

“Through this program, we aim to cultivate outstanding local talent, support employment, and enhance the quality and efficiency of vocational education in Rwanda,” he said, adding that the initiative ultimately supports national industrial upgrading and development.

Emile Abayisenga, principal of RP-Musanze College, described the graduation as a moment of pride. “This achievement reflects the strength of international collaboration, industry-driven training, and practical, future-oriented education,” he said.

The skills acquired by the graduates align closely with Rwanda’s Vision 2050 and the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy, Abayisenga added.

In a statement on Wednesday, the U.S State Department said Washington is “deeply concerned” by reports that the Federal Government of Somalia authorities demolished a WFP warehouse at Mogadishu port and seized 76 metric tons of food aid. The assistance was funded by U.S. donors and earmarked for some of Somalia’s most at-risk populations.

“The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance,” the statement said, stressing the seriousness with which the U.S. views the alleged actions.

The State Department said any resumption of aid will depend on Somalia’s leadership taking accountability for what Washington described as “unacceptable actions” and implementing appropriate remedial steps.

According to a WFP spokesperson cited by media reports, the demolished warehouse was located at Mogadishu port and had been used to store specialised nutritious foods. The supplies were intended for the treatment of malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as girls and children, groups particularly vulnerable amid Somalia’s prolonged humanitarian crisis.

“The warehouse is crucial for WFP’s emergency operations at a moment when almost a quarter of the population, about 4.4 million people, are facing crisis levels of hunger or worse in Somalia,” the spokesperson said.

The WFP added that it is actively engaging with authorities and partners to address the situation and mitigate the impact on ongoing relief efforts.

Somalia has faced recurring droughts, conflict, and economic instability for decades, leaving millions dependent on international humanitarian assistance. The latest incident raises concerns that disruptions to aid operations could further worsen conditions for civilians already struggling with food insecurity.

U.S. officials have not specified how long the pause in assistance will last, but emphasised that future cooperation hinges on transparency, accountability, and assurances that humanitarian aid reaches its intended recipients.

The refugees said that areas in eastern DRC from which they fled are now largely controlled by armed groups such as AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho, which they describe as relatively more stable than other regions. This has given them cautious hope that returning home could now be safe.

On January 7, 2025, refugee representatives began their visit at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali and continued to the embassies of Qatar, China, Russia, France, the DRC, and others. They also visited offices of UN agencies in Rwanda and the European Union.

Carrying banners with messages condemning hatred and discrimination, the refugees handed over a 10-page petition detailing abuses in their homeland and calling on the international community to intervene. They also displayed a banner showing photos of political leaders in the DRC alongside messages denouncing the violence that forced their families to flee, with some remaining in exile for more than 30 years.

Agnes Uwimana, who arrived in Rwanda in 1996 as a 12-year-old and now lives in Kiziba Camp in Karongi District, said that she fled due to targeted discrimination against Tutsi, Hema, and Banyamulenge communities, and that the threats persist even decades later.

“Discrimination and hatred against us have never stopped, even after more than 30 years in exile. Violence and persecution continue, and refugees are still fleeing the DRC,” she said. “We need the international community to advocate for our safe return. Growing up in exile and raising children here is a challenge. Justice must also be done for those spreading divisive and harmful rhetoric.”

Sebutezi Edison Munyakarambi, who has spent over 13 years at Kigeme Camp in Nyamagabe with his family, said that they are weary of being regarded as foreigners in their own country.

“In 2012, as conflict escalated, the Governor of South Kivu warned that anyone returning home risked death. They called us foreigners,” he said.

Munyakarambi stressed the importance of raising awareness internationally to pressure the DRC leadership to end discrimination and create conditions for refugees to return safely.

Kalinda Chance Uwase, in Nkamira Camp in Rubavu District for three years, said she had to abandon her secondary school studies and her dream of becoming a doctor due to the conflict. She said that developments in eastern DRC, particularly the relative stability in areas controlled by AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho, have renewed hope for a safe return.

The refugees’ embassy visits come days after peaceful demonstrations were held in Rwandan camps on January 1, protesting remarks by Maj Gen Sylvain Ekenge, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), which they condemned as hate speech. The protesters called for international legal action against the senior military official.

Maj Gen Ekenge appeared on Congolese national television on 27 December 2025, during a broadcast in which he made remarks targeting Congolese Tutsis, including comments discouraging intermarriage with Tutsi women.

The statements sparked widespread criticism and diplomatic pressure, leading Congolese authorities to suspend Maj Gen Ekenge from his duties. However, the refugees urged stronger measures, insisting that the hatred is deeply entrenched and that accountability must go beyond a mere suspension.

In France, authorities confirmed that five people died in road accidents caused by dangerously icy roads and “black ice,” especially in the southwest and around Paris. In some cases, vehicles lost control on frozen surfaces, leading to fatal collisions. Elsewhere, a woman in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, died after a snow‑laden tree branch collapsed under the weight of heavy snowfall.

The impact of the cold snap has gone far beyond loss of life. Flight operations across Europe have been severely disrupted, with hundreds of cancellations at major hubs like Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Airlines continue to struggle with icy runways and snow‑clearing operations, prompting travel chaos for thousands of passengers who faced delays or overnight stays at terminals.

Road and rail travel have also been heavily affected. Trains were delayed or halted in parts of the Netherlands and other countries as rail networks grappled with frozen tracks and weather‑related technical issues. Local authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, highlighting the significant hazard posed by ice and snow.

Across the continent, temperatures have plunged well below seasonal averages. In the United Kingdom, the mercury dipped to around ‑12.5 °C in some regions, leading to school closures and disruption of public services. Meteorologists warn that more snowfall and icy conditions are expected in the coming days, prolonging the winter weather disruptions.

“Last night was the coldest night of the winter so far,” Britain’s Met Office said.

Officials are also concerned about vulnerable populations, especially people living without stable shelter, who face increased risk during the prolonged cold spell. Emergency measures and shelters have been activated in several cities to protect those exposed to the elements.

The new rules, set to take effect on January 21, 2026, are part of a visa bond pilot programme aimed at reducing rates of visa overstays. Under the policy, passport holders from Uganda and other listed countries may be required to pay a bond of $5,000 (Rwf 7.2 million), $10,000 (Rwf 15 million), or $15,000 (Rwf 22 million), depending on a consular officer’s assessment during the visa interview.

The requirement applies to B‑1/B‑2 visas, which cover short‑term business and tourist travel, and will be implemented through the US Treasury’s online payment platform. Applicants will only be instructed to pay if directed by a consular officer and must not use third-party websites, as payments made outside official channels are non-refundable.

“Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000,” the State Department notice reads.

Paying the bond does not guarantee that a visa will be approved. It is refundable if the visa is denied or if the traveller follows all visa conditions, including leaving the US on time. Authorities caution, however, that the bond may be forfeited if a traveller overstays, fails to depart as required, or attempts to change their immigration status.

{{Broad policy expansion
}}

Uganda is among dozens of countries newly subject to the bond requirement, which now covers nations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Other African countries affected include Angola, Benin, Burundi, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and Zimbabwe, alongside previously listed nations such as Botswana, the Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, and Zambia.

From Asia, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and Tajikistan have been added, while Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Venezuela represent the Caribbean and Latin American region on the list.

Officials say the broader visa bond initiative forms part of a series of tightened controls under the current US administration, which also includes mandatory in‑person interviews and expanded scrutiny of applicants’ social media use, travel history, and personal circumstances.

The new bond requirement is expected to significantly increase the cost of visiting the United States for many Ugandans, placing it well above standard visa fees and potentially making travel prohibitive for ordinary applicants.

According to statistics for 2025, around 5.9 percent of Ugandans relocated to North America in the past decade, though it is unclear how many travelled through legal channels. There are an estimated 15,000 Ugandan immigrants living in the US based on consolidated data from 2017–2025.

He made the remarks during a Russian Orthodox Christmas service at the Saint George the Victorious Church outside Moscow on January 6, 2026, where he met veterans of the war in Ukraine and their families.

According to an RT report, Putin told a group of children that Russia has historically viewed its warriors as fulfilling a “holy mission” under the direction of the Lord, framing military service as more than a duty, but as something spiritual and noble.

“You should be rightfully proud of your fathers and your mothers,” Putin said, emphasising that Russian soldiers have historically protected the Fatherland and its people “under the direction of the Lord.”

This religious framing was repeated in his Christmas greeting, where he praised Christian organisations for charity work and support for veterans, contributing to social unity and cultural values.

The framing of military service is part of a broader trend where Russia’s leadership uses patriotic and spiritual language to rally public support for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The conflict between the two nations began in February 2014 following Ukraine’s “Revolution of Dignity,” which led to the Russian annexation of Crimea and an eight-year proxy war in the Donbas region. This escalated into a full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, marking the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II.

As of January 2026, the war has entered its fourth year of full-scale fighting and remains in an active stalemate; while Russia continues to occupy approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, both sides are engaged in a brutal war of attrition characterised by frequent drone strikes, frontline skirmishes, and a mounting humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions.