The ships, jet fighters, Marines and sailors will arrive in the region by the end of November, the report cited U.S. officials as saying.
Two carriers — the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington — are already in the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt left its home port of San Diego on Sunday for a scheduled deployment.
If the Washington stays after the Roosevelt arrives, it will bring the region to three carrier strike groups for the first time since April, the report noted.
Also on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House that Iran “won’t exist any longer” unless it signs “a very fair deal,” renewing his threats amid stalled negotiations.
In a Time magazine interview published on the same day, Trump said that it’s “possible” that he will ramp up bombing against Iran after the midterm elections. He dismissed a report on munition shortages as “fake news.”
Reports indicate that The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt left its home port of San Diego on Sunday for a scheduled deployment.
The announcement was made on September 30, 2026, during a ceremony in Kigali at which 137 secondary school teachers were awarded the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) after successfully completing a one-year professional training programme.
The programme, known as the Continuous Professional Development–Graduate Diploma in Education (CPD-GDE), was developed and implemented by the University of Rwanda–College of Education (UR-CE), in collaboration with REB, under the Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development (RQBEHCD) Project, financed by the World Bank.
The 137 teachers held A1 qualifications in non-education subjects before joining the programme. Through the CPD-GDE programme, which comprises 180 academic credits, they acquired pedagogical knowledge, skills and competencies required for effective teaching and learning.
The certification ceremony marked a step in efforts to strengthen teacher professionalism and improve the quality of basic education in Rwanda.
Dr. Nelson Mbarushimana, Director General of REB, said strengthening teachers’ knowledge and professional skills is essential to improving the quality of education.
He said the demands of 21st-century education require teachers to continuously develop their capacity and adapt to new approaches and technologies.
“Teachers who have studied education know how to follow up on all the children they teach, ensuring that no child is left behind. We are now also in a technological era where audio is used together with visual materials. There is a part of the brain that helps children retain information when they learn through images and other visual materials,” Dr. Mbarushimana said.
He said professionally trained teachers are expected to play a greater role in improving the quality of education, while additional professional development programmes can further strengthen the skills they have acquired.
Dr. Mbarushimana said the certification of the 137 teachers represents an important step towards ensuring that Rwanda’s teaching workforce has received formal training in education.
“We no longer have teachers who have not studied education. We have also trained all those who were teaching in primary schools without having studied education, and we will soon award them education qualifications.
“Going forward, we are only recruiting people who have studied education. Those who remained are the ones who have now received these qualifications, and we hope they will contribute to improving the quality of education,” he said.
Prof. Florien Nsanganwimana, Principal of the University of Rwanda–College of Education (UR-CE), said the college has played a significant role in providing professional training to teachers who were already working in the education sector.
He said that since 2019, UR-CE has trained more than 3,200 secondary school teachers in Mathematics and Science, as well as more than 25,000 primary school teachers in various subjects, alongside other categories of teachers.
However, the training of teachers in education is not considered the end of efforts to strengthen professionalism and improve the quality of teaching.
UR-CE and REB say teachers will continue to undertake additional short-term training and professional development programmes in areas including artificial intelligence, technology, languages and other emerging areas.
According to Ministry of Education figures for the 2024/25 academic year, Rwanda had 122,828 teachers working in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, an increase of 9,280 compared with the 2023/24 academic year.
Dr. Nelson Mbarushimana, Director General of the Rwanda Education Board (REB), has highlighted the importance of strengthening teachers’ professional skills to improve the quality of education.The certification ceremony has brought together 137 secondary school teachers who have completed the CPD-GDE programme and received Professional Diplomas in Education.
The call was made during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening held in Accra, Ghana, on September 24, 2026, and hosted by the Mastercard Foundation under the theme, “Reimagining Higher Education for Africa’s Human Capital Development.”
The convening also marked the inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize ceremony, which recognized five institutions for advancing sustained, institution-wide transformation.
“Transformation is not just a better university. It is a university that makes the whole economy around it work better for young people,” said Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
She said universities need curricula developed with employers, credentials that reflect what graduates can do, institutions that prepare young people to lead emerging technologies, and research that moves beyond campuses into industry, government and communities.
Throughout the convening, participants explored how universities can strengthen research and innovation, prepare young people for changing labour markets and build stronger links with industry. Discussions also highlighted the need to focus research and skills development on areas where Africa has strategic advantages and potential for greater impact.
Young people called for their experiences and aspirations to be reflected in decisions on education, work and opportunity, while emphasizing their role as active partners in shaping the systems that affect their lives.
“Africa’s young and growing population presents one of the world’s greatest opportunities,” said Dr. John Nkengasong, Executive Director for Higher Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation.
“Higher education transformation is not simply an education agenda. It is an economic imperative,” he said, calling for governments, universities, industry, investors and development partners to work together to build systems that enable young people and economies to thrive.
The discussions align with the African Union’s Decade of Education and Skills Development (2025–2034), which seeks to strengthen education systems and skills development in line with the continent’s long-term development priorities, including Agenda 2063.
“The African Union’s Decade of Education calls on us to view higher education as a strategic investment in Africa’s future,” said Professor Saidou Madougou, Director of the African Union Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
He noted that higher education spending averages less than 0.8 percent of GDP, while research and development receives less than 0.5 percent of national budgets, calling for greater collaboration, faculty and student mobility, and systems that allow talent, knowledge and innovation to move across borders.
Prof. Kayihura M. Didas has received the inaugural AHEFT Prize on behalf of the University of Rwanda.
University of Rwanda among five AHEFT laureates
The convening also recognized Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, Muni University in Uganda, and the University of Rwanda as the inaugural AHEFT Prize laureates.
Backed by a USD 500 million commitment, the prize is expected to recognize at least 150 institutions across Africa over the next decade, with each winning institution receiving USD 3 million to scale transformative initiatives.
For the University of Rwanda, the prize will be used to build on progress in health education, research and innovation.
“This recognition affirms the University of Rwanda’s commitment to developing a health workforce that responds to the needs of our country and communities,” said Prof. Kayihura M. Didas, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.
“With the support of the Mastercard Foundation, we will build on the progress already made in health education, research and innovation, while strengthening our capacity to translate knowledge and research into meaningful impact for communities,” he said.
Other laureates also highlighted the broader role of universities in Africa’s development.
“Africa’s greatest resource is its young people. Our universities therefore have a responsibility not merely to prepare them to participate in the future, but to equip them to shape it,” said Samuel Kifle, President of Addis Ababa University.
Assoc. Prof. Anguma Simon Katrini, Vice Chancellor of Muni University, said universities should also strengthen their links with surrounding communities.
“The future of African universities is not within our walls alone; it is also in our communities,” he said. “Universities need to move beyond the ivory tower to the people, listen to their challenges, and put our knowledge to work alongside them.”
Susan Chomba, Chair of the AHEFT Jury, said the inaugural laureates demonstrated different approaches to meaningful institutional transformation.
The Mastercard Foundation said applications for the 2027 AHEFT Prize cycle will open later this year.
The Accra discussions concluded with a call for universities, governments, industry, investors and development partners to translate the emerging consensus into system-level action, strengthening links between education, employment, research and investment so that more young Africans can learn, earn and lead.
Prof. Kayihura M. Didas was joined on stage by Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Rosemary Mbabazi; Dr Edward Kadozi, Director General of the Higher Education Council of Rwanda; and Prof. Abraham H. Mitike, Principal of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.The inaugural AHEFT Prize ceremony brought together higher education leaders and partners in Accra, Ghana.Higher education leaders and partners attended the inaugural AHEFT Prize ceremony in Accra.The inaugural AHEFT Prize has recognised five universities for their efforts to transform higher education in Africa.
The expansion was officially launched on August 30, 2026, although preparatory works had begun nine months earlier. The project is being implemented by Chinese company Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Company.
Among the works already completed is the widening and compaction of sections that will temporarily carry traffic as construction of the elevated section gets underway.
At Prince House, the starting point of the project, the road has been widened on both sides of the existing carriageway near the intersection leading towards Remera Bus Park. The newly widened sections have been compacted and are expected to carry traffic while the elevated road is being built.
Drainage works are still underway on the upper side of this section.
Further down the road, below Zigama CSS, a stone retaining wall above the road has been completed, while the section below it has also been compacted.
Another widened and compacted section runs from SABANS Pharmacy past Hilltop Hotel towards the intersection connecting to Kanombe and the road to an area known as ‘Kuri 15’ .
Traffic continues to use the existing tarmac section in the middle. From this intersection towards ‘Kuri 15’, trees along the upper side of the road have been cleared to make room for the expansion, although earthworks have not yet started.
Meanwhile, machinery is currently compacting the section running past Hilltop Hotel towards the Kanombe intersection.
Businesses expect new opportunities
Businesses along the road say they expect the project to bring more customers and create opportunities for expansion once construction is completed.
Ngabo Désiré, who runs Come Again bar near the road, said the project’s proximity to Kigali International Airport could increase the number of people visiting the area.
“This place is close to the airport, so the project will increase the number of people coming here. We plan to expand our services, construct a multi-storey building and add accommodation facilities. Being closer to the road will also be an advantage,” he said.
Iragena Rebecca, who manages a restaurant near SABANS, said the business has already recorded a 10% increase in customers, partly due to workers involved in the road project.
She said meals that previously took time to sell now often run out, sometimes requiring the restaurant to prepare additional food.
Ndikumana Zachée, manager of Epimac Resto & Coffee Shop, said traffic has declined in some areas because activities and structures have been removed to facilitate construction. However, he expects business to pick up once the road is completed.
“The elevated section will improve traffic flow, and we have enough space to expand our business if the number of customers increases,” he said.
Staff at The Planet Salon also expect to expand their services, saying some customers previously avoided the area because of congestion.
More jobs expected
The Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) says 132 people are currently employed on the project, with more expected to be hired as construction activities increase.
Relocation of people and other activities along the road alignment are more than 95% complete.
Some workers said the project has provided them with a source of income and helped them meet household needs. One worker said he has earned Rwf130,000 per month over the past nine months, which has helped him pay his child’s school fees and cover other expenses.
The expanded road will have four lanes, up from the existing two, and will include a 1.3-kilometre elevated section.
The project is expected to take 30 months and cost more than Rwf130 billion. China will contribute Rwf95 billion, while Rwanda will provide Rwf35 billion.
The agreements were signed with the Rwanda Garage Association (RGA), Rwanda Wood Value Chain Association (RWVCA), Rwanda Tailors Association (RTA) and Rwanda Hospitality Association (RHA) during a ceremony held at RTB offices in Kigali on September 29, 2026.
Supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Rwanda and Never Again Rwanda, these partnerships are part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen Rwanda’s national Dual TVET system by bringing government, TVET institutions and industry together and expanding opportunities for students to complement classroom learning with practical, structured experience in real workplaces.
The agreements provide for Dual TVET workplace placements, internships, apprenticeships, industrial attachments and other structured workplace-learning opportunities.
Industry associations will help mobilise suitable businesses, identify workplace mentors and in-company instructors, and support practical training.
The four associations collectively represent more than 1,680 businesses, in addition to around 1,500 individual tailors. RGA represents 332 garages, RWVCA brings together 300 companies, RTA represents 350 companies and RHA represents between 700 and 800 businesses.
RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi said the agreements would help address the gap that previously existed between TVET institutions and the private sector, which sometimes affected students when they entered the labour market.
“These agreements aim to ensure that students are trained based on the needs of the labour market. Private-sector companies will follow students from the time they join school so that, when they reach the stage of workplace learning, the companies will receive students they know and whose training they have contributed to,” he said.
The partnerships will also give industry a stronger role in identifying priority skills, occupational analysis, curriculum development and review, training delivery, assessment and quality assurance.
Deputy Chairperson of the Rwanda Garage Association, Niyitegeka Jean Eric, said some students had previously struggled to find suitable places for workplace training, particularly in larger companies.
“We are pleased that this will now be given a clear framework so that every student can undertake workplace learning in an environment that matches the skills they are pursuing,” he said.
Opportunities for experienced workers
The agreements will also benefit people already working in the private sector who have practical skills and experience but lack formal qualifications.
Umukunzi said RTB would assess their existing competencies through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and provide certification to those who meet the required standards.
“We have many Rwandans working in private companies who have different skills and are active in the labour market but do not have formal qualifications. Through these agreements, we will assess the skills they have and provide them with qualifications corresponding to those skills,” he said.
RWVCA Chairperson Abdu Karemera said certification could help experienced workers gain confidence in their professions and create their own businesses.
The agreements also provide for short courses, upskilling and reskilling to help workers adapt to new technologies and changing industry requirements.
RTB said it will continue engaging other industry associations and private-sector actors to expand workplace learning opportunities to more sectors and learners across Rwanda.
Nicole Ansoni, Board Secretary of the Rwanda Hospitality Association, has signed the MoU on behalf of the association.The Deputy Chairperson of the Rwanda Garage Association, Niyitegeka Jean Gilbert (right), has signed the MoU.RWVCA Chairperson Abdu Karemera has signed the MoU alongside RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi.The President of the Rwanda Tailors Association has also signed the MoU.RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi has said there was previously a gap between TVET institutions and the private sector.RTB plans to continue engaging other industry associations and private-sector actors to expand workplace learning opportunities to more sectors and learners across Rwanda.
The FTC has broad authority to examine unfair and deceptive practices affecting consumers in the United States.
The scope of the investigation has not been disclosed, and the launch of an inquiry does not mean the companies will face charges of wrongdoing.
The probe comes amid heightened concerns about AI safety. Anthropic and OpenAI have reported cases in which their AI systems operated beyond their intended environments, including an incident in which OpenAI agents reportedly escaped a sandbox to breach Hugging Face, another AI company.
OpenAI canceled a model release on Monday over safety concerns, while executives from both companies have proposed coordinated slowdowns to strengthen safety measures.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a broad investigation into artificial intelligence (AI) safety practices at Anthropic and OpenAI.
NCHR Vice Chairperson Thaddée Tuyizere made the remarks on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, while officially opening a five-day training focused on rehabilitation, behavioural reform and the reintegration of offenders into society.
The training is being held at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Nyakinama, Musanze District, and has brought together representatives from various institutions involved in the justice and rehabilitation process.
Participants include representatives of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), the National Rehabilitation Service (NRS), Rwanda National Police, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Military Prosecution.
According to NCHR, the training is being organised in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, through a project aimed at strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights in Rwanda, and India’s Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU).
The five-day programme is intended to strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical skills in behavioural reform, rehabilitation and the reintegration of offenders while promoting respect for human rights.
NCHR said the training also seeks to promote effective rehabilitation, prevent torture and other forms of abuse, and support offenders in successfully returning to society.
Speaking to IGIHE, Tuyizere said the participation of different institutions was important because rehabilitation, behavioural reform and reintegration involve several stages of the justice process.
“Police play a role in preventing crime, arresting suspects and ensuring respect for human rights during detention and investigations. RIB is responsible for investigations, so the way it conducts investigations and treats and questions suspects contributes to justice and behavioural reform,” he said.
He added that the prosecution service plays a role in decisions concerning criminal cases and in prosecuting cases, which can influence the course of an individual’s life after conviction.
The rehabilitation service, meanwhile, plays a key role in helping people who have demonstrated behaviour harmful to society to reform and prepare for their return to the community.
NCHR also highlighted the role of institutions responsible for inmates and offenders, as well as other services involved in their rehabilitation, including education, healthcare, vocational training and other programmes designed to prepare them for reintegration.
The Commission has called on all stakeholders to respect human rights while recognising that rights are accompanied by responsibilities.
“The training brings these institutions together so that they can develop a common understanding, work more closely together and implement a comprehensive approach to behavioural reform, rehabilitation and the reintegration of offenders while respecting human rights and international standards,” Tuyizere said.
He said the approach would help reinforce the understanding that rehabilitation begins during investigation and judicial proceedings, continues throughout the period of punishment and extends to the period of reintegration into society.
NCHR Vice Chairperson Tuyizere Thaddée has said reintegrating offenders into society is not the responsibility of a single institution.Experts from India are delivering the training during the five-day programme.Officials from various institutions have attended the five-day training.
The Amavubi secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory in Praia, Cape Verde, on the evening of September 29, with few expecting Rwanda to overcome the hosts in their first home match since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, who put in a strong performance despite appearing to suffer a thigh injury during the match, said the victory reflected the team’s determination to qualify for AFCON.
“We have a goal as players. What I feel is that we have to qualify for this AFCON. If we have started by winning away from home, it is a sign that we can do it. Rwandans should continue supporting us, and we will do it.”
Claude Niyomugabo, who scored Rwanda’s opening goal, thanked God for helping the team secure the victory.
“We were helped by listening to the coach’s tactics. He gave us confidence and told us that everything was possible, including getting three points here. God has helped us, and we are going home with the victory.”
Rwanda forward Leroy-Jacques Mickels, who has quickly won the affection of Rwandan fans, said the victory demonstrated what the team can achieve despite expectations that Cape Verde would have the advantage.
“We knew we had to win because everyone was saying that Rwanda is small, but we showed that Rwanda is a big country and that we are a big team. This is just the beginning. Thank you for supporting us. Wait until we get to Kigali and have a big celebration.”
Amavubi head coach Stephen Constantine also reiterated his determination to lead Rwanda to AFCON, a goal he said he had wanted to achieve when he previously coached the national team between 2014 and 2015.
“I want to thank the Ministry of Sports and FERWAFA because they have helped me do what I have to do, because I cannot do this alone. I don’t accept that Rwanda has gone 22 years without qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, because when I was last here 11 years ago, we qualified, but it was taken away for reasons that did not make sense.”
He added: “Six months ago, I told Rwandans that I had unfinished business. Now look where we are. We have won two games.”
The victory marked a historic achievement for Amavubi, as it was the first time Rwanda had won two consecutive matches in an AFCON qualifying campaign.
In Group K, Rwanda currently sit at the top of the table, level with Mali on points and goal difference. Liberia and Cape Verde occupy the bottom positions, with neither side having collected a point.
Rwanda will face Mali twice in November 2026.
Rwanda national football team players have expressed their joy after defeating Cape Verde.Claude Niyomugabo has thanked God for being with Amavubi as they secured a victory in Cape Verde.Amavubi players have expressed their joy after making a strong start to their AFCON qualifying campaign.Amavubi players have set their sights on qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.
“The fourth round of straw polls has taken place,” said Jerome Bonnafont, the UN ambassador of France, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of September.
“Each candidate will be informed of the results through the respective permanent representatives of nominating member states. The president of the (UN) General Assembly will also be informed that the straw poll has been conducted,” he told reporters after the conclusion of the secret vote.
Security Council straw polls on secretary-general candidates are informal closed-door ballots used to determine the viability of the candidates. Their results are not officially released.
Seven candidates remain in the race for the next UN secretary-general following the withdrawal of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet earlier this month.
The seven candidates are: Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica and current secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s permanent representative to the United Nations; Ivonne A-Baki, a former Ecuadoran minister and a diplomat; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former UN General Assembly president and former foreign minister and defense minister of Ecuador; Rafael Grossi of Argentina, current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Olara Otunnu of Uganda, a former UN under-secretary-general; Macky Sall, a former president of Senegal.
Current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s term of office expires at the end of this year. The next secretary-general will assume office on Jan. 1, 2027.
Seven candidates remain in the race for the next UN secretary-general following the withdrawal of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet earlier this month.
Qu made the remarks at a joint FAO-UN Environment Programme (UNEP) event at FAO headquarters in Rome marking the seventh International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
According to FAO, 13.4 percent of food produced globally is lost after harvest and before reaching retail, while 19 percent of food available to consumers is wasted at the retail, food service and household levels.
Food loss and waste also means a waste of the land, water and other resources used to produce food. FAO estimates that about 1.4 billion hectares of land are used to produce food that is ultimately never consumed.
As agricultural expansion remains the leading driver of deforestation globally, reducing food loss and waste could help make better use of existing agricultural land and reduce pressure on forests, FAO said.
“To protect forests, we must transform agrifood systems; to transform agrifood systems, we must reduce food loss and waste, and by reducing food loss and waste, we help safeguard forests,” Qu said.
Food loss and waste account for around 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. When discarded food decomposes, particularly in landfills under anaerobic conditions, it also produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Despite international commitments, the world has made no apparent progress in reducing food losses since 2015 and remains off track to meet Sustainable Development Goal target 12.3, which aims to halve per capita food waste at retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030.
At the event, FAO also released an interactive Food Loss Index data map, presenting food loss estimates for 2024 at the subregional and regional levels.
FAO said the tool will improve access to food loss data and support evidence-based policies and efforts to reduce losses across agrifood systems.
Nduba landfill accumulates over 500 tons of waste materials are dumped on daily basis.
