The tournament, which honors players, coaches, and fans of the sport, is being organized as Rwanda and the world mark the 31st commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Scheduled to take place from April 23 to April 27, 2025, at Petit Stade in Kigali, the competition will include both men’s and women’s matches.
In addition to the invited regional teams, the tournament will feature Rwandan clubs such as APR BBC, REG BBC, Patriots BBC, and UGB in the men’s category, while Kepler WBBC, REG WBBC, APR WBBC, and East Africa University Rwanda will compete in the women’s division.
On Wednesday, April 23, Patriots BBC will face off with UGB at 6:30pm, followed by a clash between REG BBC and Kenya Ports Authority at 9:00pm.
In the women’s category, Kepler WBBC will play KPA, while East Africa University Rwanda will meet REG WBBC. Both matches are set for 4:00pm at NPA and Petit Stade.
All the invited teams are dominant in their home countries and have won multiple championships, including national league titles. Last year’s edition of the tournament was won by APR in both the men’s and women’s categories.
During peace talks held in Qatar since March 2025, both sides were urged to take confidence-building measures to demonstrate their commitment to resolving the conflict and achieving peace.
The AFC/M23 complied in early April by withdrawing its fighters from the town of Walikale and surrounding areas. However, it warned the DRC army that if it launched further attacks, it would reclaim those positions.
Through Qatari mediation, the coalition requested that the DRC government release certain individuals, including politicians and soldiers, who had been arbitrarily detained on accusations of collaborating with or being members of M23/AFC.
Reportedly, the AFC/M23 submitted a list of over 700 people it claimed were unlawfully detained by the DRC government and demanded their release. None of those listed were released.
The DRC government, in response, stated that it had freed five individuals, including a member of parliament from Haut-Uélé Province. However, AFC/M23 pointed out that these individuals were not on the submitted list.
The released individuals were former associates of Christophe Baseane Nangaa, the former Governor of Haut-Uélé and brother of AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa.
Christophe Baseane Nangaa recently fled to the United Arab Emirates amid allegations of collaboration with his brother. He had been a member of the ruling coalition, the Union Sacrée, before being imprisoned for six months.
Confidence-building measures are a cornerstone of the agreement between DRC and AFC/M23, forming a key basis for drafting a joint document between the two sides.
Reports indicate that after a week of discussions in Doha, the AFC/M23 delegation left without signing the joint statement, citing the DRC government’s refusal to meet its demands.
Marie Ntakirutimana is one of witnesses. During the Genocide, she was raped multiple times by Interahamwe militiamen—so many times that she lost count—all in a desperate attempt to protect her children from being killed.
Although the rapes left her infected with HIV, her children survived. Her husband, however, and many members of his family were murdered.
Ntakirutimana was born Hutu, but she had married a Tutsi man—a decision she never regretted, affirming that love follows its own path.
Tragically, that love was cut short when her husband was killed by a group that included his own brothers.
When IGIHE visited the 62-year-old woman at her home in the “Village of Unity” in Cyimana Cell, Tumba Sector, Huye District, she recounted how she offered her body to save her five children from death.
On April 21, 1994, open killings began in Tumba and across other parts of what was then Butare prefecture. At the time, the family lived in Gateme, and tried to flee. Her husband first went to check on his sister nearby, but couldn’t return home.
Ntakirutimana sent her two older children to hide at her sister’s house in Muyira, Kibirizi Sector, Gisagara District. She stayed behind in Cyarwa, but remained out of contact with her husband.
Four days later, she returned to find their house in Gateme had been destroyed. As the Genocide escalated, the family managed to reach her home village, where she herself was not targeted. Her father began bribing Interahamwe to protect her husband and children, but her brothers refused to cooperate.
“My brothers, Ngamijimana Edouard and Nsabumukiza Alexis, were particularly cruel,” she recalled. “One of them once took the newborn from my arms, held him up in public and mocked me, saying, ‘Look at how a snake looks like.’”
As the situation worsened, she decided to hide in sorghum fields with her children. It was during this time that Rutagengwa Emmanuel—then a senior figure at LABOPHAR and someone who had tried to court her when they were younger—tracked her down. He told her that she could no longer escape him, and that if she let him rape her, he would spare her children.
He was not the only one. Ntakirutimana also recalled being raped by another man named Murwanashyaka, a former schoolmate. He knowingly infected her with HIV. Although she knew of his status, her love and desperation to save her children drove her to endure the abuse.
Fighting through emotion, she said, “I didn’t want this. Murwanashyaka came and raped me. Rutagengwa too. They both promised not to kill my children. That’s why I let it happen—I wanted to protect them.”
What pained her most was that some of the men raped her near the very place where her husband was hiding, humiliating him and breaking his heart in his final days.
Ntakirutimana never got tested until much later, but always suspected she had contracted HIV. Her fears were confirmed during testing, and she has been living with HIV for 31 years.
She later learned that Murwanashyaka died of AIDS, along with his wife. “He raped me many times. I can’t even count.”
Ntakirutimana continued to hide her children until the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) arrived in Butare. Unfortunately, by the time they got there, her husband had already been killed just one day prior by a large militia group that included his own brothers.
Despite the trauma she endured, Ntakirutimana finds pride in having saved her five children. She says seeing them alive today gives her peace and purpose.
“I’m proud of my children. They all went to school and graduated. I told them they survived because I gave up my body. Even though I live with HIV, I’m grateful to still see them standing.”
Ntakirutimana later testified against all those who harmed her, including the rapists and the brothers who killed her husband.
She also thanked the Government of Rwanda for its health initiatives, especially supporting those living with HIV, which have helped her survive.
The meeting was confirmed by President Museveni through a post on his X account, stating that their discussions focused on matters of mutual interest between the two countries, as well as regional security.
Gnassingbé’s regional diplomatic tour began on April 16, 2025, with a visit to Kinshasa—just five days after the AU General Assembly officially endorsed him as the mediator for the Rwanda-DRC tensions.
During his visit to Kinshasa, Gnassingbé met with President Félix Tshisekedi to discuss pathways to restoring peace and stability in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.
On the afternoon of April 21, he was received in Kigali by President Paul Kagame. The two leaders reviewed the progress of the regional processes towards achieving durable peace in the region.
According to the Office of the President of Togo, Gnassingbé’s visit to Kigali was intended to reaffirm his commitment to working closely with key stakeholders in finding a sustainable solution to the ongoing Rwanda-DRC conflict.
Gnassingbé succeeded Angola’s President João Lourenço in this mediation role. The African Union tasked him with building on the progress made through the Luanda talks, which began in 2022 amid rising tensions between Rwanda and the DRC.
Both the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called for the harmonization of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes in pursuit of lasting peace in eastern DRC and the region at large.
To ensure coordination between the Luanda and Nairobi processes, Gnassingbé is expected to work closely with other mediators appointed by these two regional blocs, who are specifically tasked with facilitating dialogue among Congolese stakeholders.
Lin said Trump’s methods reflect a businessman’s mentality that overlooks the cooperative, rules-based foundations of global trade.
He made the remarks during a press conference held under the theme “China’s Medium- and Long-Term Development Prospects and the Significance of Its Stable Economic Growth to the World.”
Lin was answering journalists’ questions regarding the ongoing trade tensions between China and the United States.
“Since I am not Trump, I can only infer his thinking from his policies. As a businessman, Trump takes great pride in his negotiation skills. He believes that international trade, economics, and politics can be handled like business deals—by creating advantageous bargaining positions to strike better terms,” Lin said.
He explained that Trump’s strategy is based on the belief that other countries are more dependent on trade with the U.S. and will therefore be forced to yield to pressure. However, Lin warned that such thinking is both flawed and dangerous.
“Trump assumes that, apart from China and the EU, which have economies as large as the U.S., other countries are much smaller. In his view, if you refuse to trade with me, your loss is bigger than mine… But I think there’s a major flaw in his logic. The world still depends on public goods and international rules. Without them, it’s hard to maintain order.”
He added that even small countries shouldn’t give in to unilateral pressure, as doing so could lead to repeated demands—a pattern already seen in U.S. dealings with Canada and Mexico. Lin urged the global community to restore a system based on trust and shared rules.
“Countries like China and the EU won’t easily give in… Even small countries shouldn’t surrender, because if you give in today, tomorrow he’ll ask for more. That’s already happened with Canada and Mexico. Therefore, the world now realises that deals with Trump cannot be trusted. We should restore a rule-based international order. This benefits us, American businesses, and ordinary Americans.”
Lin emphasised that the rest of the world, representing 85% of the global economy, must work together to resist isolationist trade tactics and promote open cooperation.
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As global trade tensions continue to rise, China is also calling for stronger alliances with developing countries, especially in Africa, to push back against protectionism and safeguard multilateralism.
Recently, China’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs, Xue Bing, addressed a high-level seminar in Beijing and warned that moves such as decoupling supply chains, erecting trade barriers, and weaponising tariffs are endangering the global economic system, particularly for smaller economies in Africa and the Global South.
“We need to jointly shoulder historical responsibilities and advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world, as well as universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. China is ready to work with Africa to remember history, forge ahead together, and jointly uphold the basic rules of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” Xue said.
In 2024, trade between China and Africa reached a record $296 billion, marking a 6.1% increase from the previous year, according to Chinese customs data. South Africa remained China’s largest African trading partner, with trade totalling $52.4 billion.
To further strengthen these ties, China abolished customs tariffs on imports from 33 African countries in December 2024. The decision aligns with President Xi Jinping’s announcement at the September FOCAC summit of a $50 billion funding package for Africa over three years.
The appeal was filed by Kony’s legal representatives, arguing that the proceedings should be paused due to alleged procedural irregularities. However, ICC judges ruled there were no legal grounds to halt the case.
Kony, wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity, remains at large but was summoned in absentia. The ICC insists justice must be pursued for victims of the LRA’s atrocities in northern Uganda.
The Court stated that suspending the hearing would delay long-awaited justice for thousands of victims. It emphasized that legal processes were followed in line with international standards.
Human rights groups and survivors welcomed the decision, describing it as a step towards accountability. They urged international cooperation to arrest Kony and deliver justice.
The confirmation hearing is expected to continue as planned, marking a significant chapter in Uganda’s pursuit of justice and healing.
Previously, papal funerals have traditionally been elaborate affairs, but Pope Francis acted last year to simplify his arrangements by writing an extraordinary will.
He will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried in the Vatican, in the crypt of St Peter’s Basilica, opting instead to be laid to rest in Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major, near his favorite icon of the Madonna.
In his will, Pope Francis requested to be buried in a simple wooden casket, unlike his predecessors who were buried in the traditional three nesting coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.
Pope Francis’s funeral will take place outdoors in front of St Peter’s Basilica. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will lead the service, according to a BBC report.
At the end of the funeral, Re will deliver the final commendation, a concluding prayer where the Pope will be formally entrusted to God, and the body moved to St Mary Major for the burial.
The museum will honour the lives of thousands of Tutsi who were killed in the former Commune Ntongwe, a region that witnessed some of the genocide’s most harrowing atrocities. The facility will feature two sections and is projected to cost Rwf470 million.
“It is a memorial house dedicated to the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in the Mayaga region,” said Valens Habarurema, the Mayor of Ruhango District.
“It will serve to explain, in detail, how the Tutsi in what was formerly known as Ntongwe Commune were killed. It will be built with the help of experts using advanced tools to preserve and interpret this history.”
The update on the museum’s timeline came as residents, survivors, and government officials gathered at the Ruhango Genocide Memorial to lay wreaths and honour more than 60,000 victims buried at the site. During the ceremony, 38 newly recovered remains were also laid to rest with dignity.
Once completed, the museum will join Rwanda’s growing network of genocide memorial sites. Six major memorial centers—Kigali, Nyamata, Murambi, Bisesero, Ntarama, and Nyarubuye—currently serve as national remembrance spaces, with four of them recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2023.
Beyond serving as a memorial, the Ruhango Genocide Museum is envisioned as an educational and research hub that will remain active year-round. Officials hope it will play a vital role in preserving memory, promoting understanding, and reinforcing Rwanda’s commitment to ensuring such heinous acts never happen again.
“Once completed, it will be visited regularly, not only during the official commemoration period,” Habarurema added.
Madeira is a tiny island off the west coast of Africa and is an autonomous region of Portugal, it is the birthplace of Cardinal Mendonca, one of the key names to watch in the upcoming election for the new Pope.
An avid and celebrated poet, he, like Portuguese winger, was born on this island. He didn’t stick around long, though. As a child, he moved with his family to Angola, where he spent time with his father, a fisherman, leaving the country when Portugal withdrew. He returned to Madeira in 1975.
The 59-year-old now sits in the more ‘progressive’ camp of the possible pack of cardinals who could replace Francis, and at his age is also one of the youngest.
Mendonca would go on to become a celebrated writer, and has completed a number of visiting professorships at universities around the world, including time as a Fellow at New York University.
He is known as ‘the poet cardinal’ because Pope Francis told him ‘you are the poetry’ when he entered the College of Cardinals in 2019.
He is widely recognized not only as a poet, he represented Portugal at World Poetry Day in 2014, but also as one of the leading intellectuals of the Roman Curia. His name is now one of those recurring following the passing of Pope Francis.
The death of the 88-year-old was announced on Monday morning after he had been in hospital for over a month before being discharged.
The event, under the theme “Chinese Language: A Gift Across Time and Space,” offered attendees an immersive experience of Chinese culture and language.
Speaking at the event, Lin Hang, charge d’affaires a.i. of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, said that as an official language of the United Nations, the Chinese language is an important bond of friendship between the Chinese people and the people around the world.
“Language is a crucial tool of communication for human beings. As you may be aware, Chinese is the only ‘living language’ among the world’s ancient civilizations that is still in use today. At present, more than 190 countries and regions around the world are teaching Chinese, and 85 countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems,” she said.
“China puts the spirit of real multilateralism into good practice, embraces an open and inclusive mindset, enhances mutual appreciation and learning, deepens understanding and friendship between the peoples across borders and among civilizations,” she added.
Zeng Guangyu, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda, told Xinhua during the event that when the institute was established in 2009, only a handful of students enrolled, as many thought it was too difficult to learn. However, nearly 20,000 Rwandans can now speak Chinese after years of sustained efforts.
He noted that Chinese language skills have opened doors for Rwandan learners, enabling them to secure jobs, win scholarships, study in China, and even start businesses.
“I have seen Chinese learners achieve their dreams through the language — by creating enterprises or finding good jobs. They are truly changing their lives through learning Chinese. English is used worldwide, but Chinese is a rising language in East Africa and across the globe. It represents the future,” Zeng said.
He also highlighted that this year’s celebrations also featured the launch of a Kiswahili-Chinese-English textbook, aimed at bridging Chinese with two of East Africa’s most commonly spoken languages.
“We held a lecture on Chinese characters, organized workshops on Chinese writing and calligraphy, and conducted many activities across different teaching posts to mark the occasion,” Zeng added.
