According to the report, health authorities reported 71 new confirmed cases on June 4, including 21 deaths, in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, a sign of rapid and continuing community transmission amid the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
A total of 258 patients are in isolation or hospital care, while eight people have recovered.
Contact tracing remains a major gap, the report said, noting that of 4,766 contacts under follow-up across the three provinces, only 2,755 have been seen, representing an overall follow-up rate of 57.8 percent.
The DRC health authorities listed the main challenges facing the response, including resistance to post-mortem swabbing, insufficient standardized Ebola treatment capacity, weak contact tracing, shortages of essential medicines, inadequate infection-prevention supplies in North Kivu, poor alert reporting and a 21.5-million-U.S.-dollar funding gap.
Uganda has also confirmed three new Ebola cases, bringing the cumulative number of infections to 19, the Ugandan Ministry of Health said on Friday.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization on Friday launched a continental Ebola outbreak preparedness and response plan, aiming to raise 518 million U.S. dollars to support African countries to prepare for, rapidly detect and respond to the outbreak for the period between June and November.
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 452
The flight sets the stage for demonstrating the aircraft’s quiet supersonic capabilities later this year, NASA said in a release published on its official website.
NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less took off and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (over 1,300 kph) and an altitude of 43,400 feet (about 13.2 kilometers). The flight began at 11:08 a.m. Pacific Time and lasted 81 minutes, according to the release.
“X-59 is getting ready for its quiet supersonic debut. Since the aircraft’s first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, the team has made tremendous progress, flying 16 times in the last 90 days and getting into a steady test rhythm. In the coming days, we expect to take the next step and push to Mach 1.4,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said.
Over the last several months, the X-59 has been undergoing a series of flight tests at a wide range of speeds and altitudes, which represents the first phase of the aircraft’s flight-test program that focuses on performance evaluation and involves chase plane monitoring, said the release.
The next phase of testing will focus on the X-59’s sound profile to verify its quiet thump capability, it said.
The X-59 aircraft is designed to fly at supersonic speeds while creating only a quiet thump instead of a loud sonic boom. It is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to demonstrate quiet supersonic flight and help enable commercial supersonic flight over land worldwide, said the release.
NASA’s experimental X-59 aircraft completed its first supersonic flight on Friday.
“Across the globe, the UN Blue Helmet is a symbol of hope for communities in their darkest hour,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in remarks at the ceremonies to present the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year and UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year awards, after laying a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial on the North Lawn of the UN headquarters in New York.
Underscoring that UN peacekeeping has proven to be one of the international community’s most effective responses to conflict, Guterres said the peacekeepers “are curbing violence, enabling political solutions, supporting elections, delivering humanitarian assistance, clearing landmines, and so much more.”
“They do so in the face of acute danger, displaying levels of bravery and initiative that stir the heart,” said the UN chief, adding that “we pay the highest tribute to their service and sacrifice.”
The secretary-general bestowed the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal on 68 peacekeepers from 33 nations, including 59 killed last year. “They represent the best of humanity — people prepared to risk everything to keep others safe,” he said.
Two peacekeepers were honored for their bravery, receiving the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage — the late Sergii Prykhodko of Ukraine, and Matias Reyes of Uruguay.
Abhilasha Barak of India, deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, received the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year award, and Stephanie Königs of Germany, who served at the UN Mission in South Sudan, received the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award.
According to the United Nations, currently more than 51,000 civilians, military and police personnel are employed across the globe in 11 UN peacekeeping missions, and over the 78 years since the United Nations began its peacekeeping work, more than 2 million peacekeepers have served in 71 peacekeeping missions on four continents.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2003 to designate May 29 as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
Guterres said the peacekeepers “are curbing violence, enabling political solutions, supporting elections, delivering humanitarian assistance, clearing landmines, and so much more.”
In a statement issued on June 5, Rwanda responded to remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on June 4.
Kigali noted Rubio’s acknowledgment that Rwanda is meeting its commitments and welcomed the continued engagement of the United States in efforts to address insecurity in eastern DRC.
According to the statement, the Washington Accords remain the key framework for tackling the root causes of conflict in the region.
However, Rwanda emphasized that the agreement places obligations on both parties and cannot be implemented selectively.
“The Accords cannot be implemented selectively, nor can obligations to be fulfilled by one party be separated from those to be fulfilled by the other,” the statement said, adding that regional challenges cannot be resolved through partial approaches.
Rwanda maintained that it is implementing its commitments under the agreement while accusing the DRC of violating its own obligations.
The government cited what it described as continued state support by the DRC for the FDLR terrorist group linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Rwanda said the militia has operated from Congolese territory for three decades and continues to pose a direct threat to its security.
Kigali also raised concerns over what it described as the continued use of armed drones in civilian areas.
Despite the concerns, Rwanda reiterated its commitment to the Washington Accords and said it remains ready to work with the United States, regional partners and other stakeholders to promote peace, security and economic development in the Great Lakes region.
The statement comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the United States and regional actors to ease tensions and support lasting stability in eastern DRC.
The agreements signed by both parties include provisions for the dismantling of the terrorist FDLR group by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). Once this is achieved, Rwanda is expected to lift its defensive measures. The accord also includes the repatriation of refugees.
In terms of infrastructure, Rwanda and the DRC are expected to strengthen cooperation in the construction of the Rusizi III hydropower dam, which is projected to generate 206 megawatts of electricity and supply power to more than 300,000 people. The project is expected to be completed by 2030 at a cost of $800 million.
The agreement also covers the mining sector, where Rwanda and the DRC are expected to move beyond extraction toward local processing, in order to maximize benefits for citizens in the region. It further provides for the establishment of harmonized regulations governing the security of mineral trade.
The Washington Accords also stipulate that the two countries will collaborate in the extraction and processing of methane gas from Lake Kivu for electricity generation.
The Government of Rwanda maintains that both countries have significant opportunities for economic gain that could help prevent future conflicts.
The Government of Rwanda has reaffirmed its commitment to the Washington Accords and condemned DRC’s continued support to FDLR.
Under the revised prices, a litre of petrol will continue to retail at Rwf2,938, while a litre of diesel has increased from Rwf2,205 to Rwf2,927, representing a rise of Rwf722 per litre.
The new prices were announced on June 5 and will take effect from June 6, 2026, at midnight. The previous fuel price adjustment was made on April 16, 2026.
In a statement, RURA said the latest revision reflects developments on the international market while taking into account government measures aimed at maintaining stability in the petroleum sector and limiting the impact on the economy and consumers.
” Government interventions have helped moderate the increase in pump prices, keeping them below the level that would result from market conditions alone. This support is intended to cushion transport and freight services and reduces broader economic impact,” the statement reads.
The regulator also confirmed that fares for public transport services will remain unchanged.
“Public transport fares will remain unchanged. Government support measures will continue to assist public transport operators in managing high fuel costs and ensure affordable transport services for commuters,” RURA stated.
The authority added that it will continue monitoring developments in international and regional petroleum markets, while ensuring the reliable supply and distribution of fuel across the country.
The sharp increase in global fuel prices has largely been attributed to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which began three months ago.
The conflict has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which about 20 percent of the world’s daily petroleum supply passes.
As of June 5, 2026, a barrel of crude oil was reportedly trading between $94 and $95.
Rwanda played a central role in the celebrations on May 28, hosting a special event at the residence of its ambassador to Germany.
The gathering brought together spouses of African ambassadors accredited to Berlin and showcased a shared pan-African vision that places innovation, creativity, and the economic empowerment of women at the forefront of Africa’s development agenda.
Through the promotion of BIWEISS, a brand created by Franco-Ivorian entrepreneur Bienvenue Angui, participants sought to demonstrate the potential of African cooperation and the growing role of women in transforming the continent’s economies.
The event brought together visionary leaders, designers, trend specialists, and fashion industry professionals who, beyond anticipating emerging trends, are helping redefine the relationship between design, technology, culture, and sustainability.
More than a product showcase, the gathering highlighted the journeys of African women entrepreneurs who are turning ideas into businesses and transforming local craftsmanship and expertise into products capable of reaching both continental and global markets.
In her remarks, Mrs. Jeanne Adili Ndatirwa, President of the Group of Spouses of African Ambassadors in Berlin, recalled the official theme of Africa Day 2026: “Ensuring sustainable water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.”
However, the organizers chose to celebrate Africa Day through their support for BIWEISS, an initiative that embodies several key ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly economic transformation through innovation, industrialization, and value creation.
From calf leather sourced in Morocco to Ivorian craftsmanship and a design process spanning Abidjan, Berlin, and Paris, BIWEISS represents a tangible example of Pan-African cooperation and the promotion of African expertise.
Rwanda as a symbol of women’s leadership in Africa
The choice of the Residence of the Rwandan Ambassador as the venue for the event was no coincidence. Widely recognized for its achievements in promoting women’s leadership and participation in economic and political life, Rwanda has become one of the continent’s most remarkable examples of inclusion and women’s empowerment.
Ndatirwa noted that women account for 58 percent of Africa’s self-employed population and contribute approximately 13 percent of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product.
She also emphasized that Rwanda’s experience demonstrates how investment in women serves as a powerful catalyst for development, innovation, and social transformation.
“BIWEISS is much more than a product. It is a story of creativity, innovation, and transnational collaboration. It demonstrates how African talent can create value together and compete on a global scale,” she said.
At a time when the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is opening new opportunities for intra-African trade and cooperation, participants stressed the importance of supporting initiatives that encourage the emergence of products conceived, manufactured, and promoted across the continent.
The event was conceived and coordinated by Mrs. Waridi Schrobsdorff-Pabst and her platform FA 2-54. A former Kenyan-born model, she is now recognized as a creative strategist, contributor to Vogue Germany and Vogue Italy, and an active figure in Berlin Fashion Week since 2009.
The discussions were moderated by Ms. ShaNon Bobinger, a Berlin-based moderator and systemic coach of Rwandan and Ugandan heritage who works with numerous international organizations and leading brands.
Mrs. Mayouri Sengchahn of the Berlin-based trend forecasting agency Exalis GmbH also contributed her expertise and support to the initiative.
An Africa writing its own future
In closing the event, Ndatirwa emphasized that Africa Day is above all a celebration of unity, pride, and the continent’s shared ambitions. She noted that Africa’s story continues to be written every day, increasingly by a new generation of women entrepreneurs in Abidjan, Conakry, Djibouti, Dodoma, Kigali, Niamey, and Windhoek.
By hosting this Africa Day 2026 celebration, the Residence of the Rwandan Ambassador in Berlin reaffirmed its role as a space for dialogue, inspiration, and Pan-African cooperation.
Bridging heritage and innovation, the event reflected a shared conviction: Africa’s future development will also depend on the ability of African women to create, innovate, and build the continent of tomorrow together.
Jeanne Adili Ndatirwa, President of the Group of Spouses of African Ambassadors in Berlin, noted that Africa’s story continues to be written every day, increasingly by a new generation of women entrepreneurs in Abidjan, Conakry, Djibouti, Dodoma, Kigali, Niamey, and Windhoek.
Held under the theme: “The Future of Africa’s Health System: Youth Engagement, Innovation, and Homegrown Solutions”, the symposium is organized by the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation African Regional Office (IPSF AfRO), with the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (RPSA) serving as the local host.
This will be the second time Rwanda hosts the continental event, having first organized the 4th edition in 2015.
Hosting rights were secured through a successful bid presented at the 12th AfPS in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and later endorsed by the IPSF African Regional Assembly.
RPSA brings a strong track record to this edition, having previously organized major international health events in Kigali, including the World Healthcare Students’ Symposium in 2017 and the IPSF World Congress in 2019.
Spanning eleven days, the agenda will cover Africa’s most pressing health priorities, from local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing, access to medicines, medicines regulation, and universal health coverage, to digital health, artificial intelligence, disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, sexual and reproductive health.
Others include oncology care, antimicrobial resistance, supply chain resilience, and pandemic preparedness, through scientific sessions, workshops, innovation showcases, public health campaigns, and professional development competitions.
Rwanda’s selection as host reflects the country’s growing reputation as a hub for healthcare innovation, pharmaceutical development, and international conferencing.
The event is also expected to contribute to Rwanda’s conference tourism by welcoming participants from across the continent for eleven days of professional, scientific, and cultural exchange.
Rwanda is set to host the symposium for the second time. The symposium will bring together over 400 pharmacy students, young professionals, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from more than 30 African countries.
The affected establishments are Century Park Hotel and Residences located in Nyarutarama in Kigali City, Dove Luxury Hotel in Gicumbi District in the Northern Province, Highland Resort Ltd in Rulindo District, and Nengo Eden Park Hotel in Rubavu District in the Western Province.
RDB said the decision follows an assessment carried out to ensure compliance with tourism and hospitality regulations.
Identified deficiencies are related to licensing, hygiene, food safety, security, service quality, operational priocedures and other applicable standards.
The temporary closure is intended to give the hotels time to address the identified shortcomings in their operations. RDB noted that the establishments are not allowed to continue hospitality-related activities until they fully meet the required standards.
According to RDB, the hotels will only be allowed to resume operations after demonstrating compliance and undergoing further inspection by the relevant authorities.
In 2024, Rwanda had 1,460 hotels with a total of 25,330 rooms. This number has steadily increased year after year since 2018.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) shows that in 2018, the country had 669 hotels with 13,802 rooms.
In 2019, the number rose to 836 hotels with 16,113 rooms, followed by 870 hotels in 2020 with 17,078 rooms. In 2021, the figure increased again to 911 hotels with 18,201 rooms.
The growth trend continued in 2022 when hotels reached 1,189, with a significant rise in rooms to 21,232.
However, in 2023, there was a slight drop to 1,175 hotels with 21,217 rooms, before increasing again in 2024 to 1,460 hotels and 25,330 rooms.
The report shows that most hotels are concentrated in Kigali City as well as in districts that frequently attract tourists drawn to Rwanda’s natural and cultural attractions.
Century Park Hotel and Residences is located in Nyarutarama, Kigali City.Century Park Hotel and Residences is among the four hotels temporarily closed by RDB.Nengo Eden Park Hotel in Rubavu District has been temporarily closed.Highland Resort operates in Rulindo District.
The warning comes as a fragile ceasefire reached in April remains in place despite weeks of escalating clashes. The United States and Iran have seen some of their most intense confrontations recently, including American strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island and Iranian attacks on regional U.S. military installations.
U.S. officials said the repeated flare-ups have intensified pressure on Trump and raised questions about the durability of the truce.
Over the weeks, Trump and his administration were reportedly working on a memorandum of understanding with Tehran that would lay out a framework for negotiations over roughly 60 days. But those efforts appeared to have lost momentum by Tuesday, when Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported that talks between the two sides had stalled.
Israel and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to move forward with a ceasefire, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries and the United States, despite lingering conditions, including a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Israel’s consecutive strikes on Beirut could trigger a return to full-scale war, tying the future of that conflict to the fate of the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement on Monday, highlighting the U.S. and Israeli violations of an April ceasefire.
It said that following the ceasefire, the United States has repeatedly committed “flagrant violations,” including continuous attacks against Iran’s shipping, and Israel has “blatantly” violated the truce, as well as Lebanon’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
U.S. President Donald Trump has told his aides that he may reconsider the ceasefire with Iran if Iranian forces kill American troops.
However, statements attributed to former French President François Mitterrand indicate that he did not believe the RPF had a motive to assassinate Habyarimana at a time when the Arusha Peace Accords were paving the way for the movement’s participation in government.
The aircraft carrying Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down as it approached Kigali after the two leaders had attended a regional summit in Arusha, Tanzania.
At the time, Rwanda was implementing the Arusha Peace Accords, which were intended to end hostilities between the government and the RPF.
As part of the agreement, 600 RPA soldiers had already been deployed to the CND building in Kigali to protect RPF officials who were expected to join a broad-based transitional government.
The accords envisioned power-sharing arrangements that would integrate the RPF into state institutions, including the executive and legislative branches, while also providing for the integration of government forces and the RPA into a unified national army.
The assassination of Habyarimana, however, was followed by the Genocide against the Tutsi, during which more than one million people were killed in a period of 100 days.
Records from a French Cabinet meeting held on June 22, 1994, show that Mitterrand regarded Habyarimana as a central figure in Rwanda’s political transition.
According to the meeting notes, France had supported the Rwandan government while encouraging negotiations with the RPF through the Arusha process.
Mitterrand reportedly noted that the agreements reached in Arusha appeared favourable to the RPF, which was on the verge of entering government institutions.
For that reason, he suggested that the assassination may have been the work of Hutu hardliners opposed to the peace process.
Similar conclusions have appeared in other accounts. A previously classified report by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly indicated that the attack on Habyarimana’s aircraft may have been carried out by extremist elements within the former government forces, including members of the presidential guard.
The report also alleged that those groups had access to anti-aircraft weapons capable of carrying out such an operation.
This was also explored in Stepp’d in Blood: Akazu and the Architects of the Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi, a book by investigative journalist Andrew Wallis.
According to Wallis, individuals within the president’s inner circle feared losing political influence as Habyarimana moved toward implementing the Arusha agreements.
Wallis writes that, two days before the plane crash, Habyarimana informed his chief of staff, Enoch Ruhigira, that preparations should begin for the swearing-in of a new government that would include a broader range of political actors rather than members of the Akazu network alone.
The author argues that the proposal alarmed influential figures close to the president, prompting urgent consultations among senior military officers and political allies who opposed the power-sharing arrangement.
Mitterrand also maintained that French troops deployed in Rwanda should focus on protecting civilians rather than becoming involved in combat operations.
Nevertheless, France’s role during the conflict has remained the subject of intense debate. Critics have long argued that French forces worked closely with the former Rwandan army during the conflict and later facilitated the escape of some perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Operation Turquoise, launched by France in June 1994, involved approximately 2,500 troops deployed in southwestern Rwanda.
While France has described the mission as a humanitarian intervention, critics argue that it created a corridor through which members of the former army and Interahamwe militia fled into what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mitterrand was considered as a father figure to Habyarimana.
