The ministry confirmed that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country were the result of the successful interception of the aerial threats.
It urges the public to obtain information from official sources, verify the facts, and adhere to all public safety measures upon receipt of warning messages.
Meanwhile, the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said air defenses are responding to a missile threat, urging residents to remain in safe locations and follow official updates.
This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2024 shows a city view of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
“We are going to see inflation climbing up, and then inevitably, inflation expectations would start de-anchoring,” she said at a conference hosted by the Milken Institute in Washington, D.C.
She noted that current conditions, including a prolonged conflict, oil prices hovering at or above 100 U.S. dollars per barrel, and mounting inflationary pressures, have already activated the IMF’s “adverse scenario.”
In April, the IMF issued three scenarios for global GDP growth in 2026 and 2027, namely the main “reference forecast,” a middle “adverse scenario,” and a much worse “severe scenario.”
Under the adverse scenario, global growth would slow to 2.5 percent in 2026, while inflation would rise to 5.4 percent.
The reference scenario, which assumes a short-lived conflict, projects growth of 3.1 percent and inflation of 4.4 percent.
“This scenario, with every day that passes, is further and further behind in the rear-view mirror,” Georgieva said.
For the severe scenario forecast, global growth would be just 2 percent, with inflation hitting 5.8 percent.
FILE – Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, attends the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
The USS Truxtun and USS Mason, supported by Apache helicopters and other aircraft, faced a series of coordinated threats during the passage, said the report, citing Pentagon officials, who spoke under condition of anonymity.
No U.S. warship was struck, though Iran launched small boats, missiles and drones against them as a sustained barrage, the officials were quoted as saying.
None of the projectiles launched by Iran reached the U.S. vessels, they said, adding that the U.S. military’s assisting efforts, bolstered by air support, successfully intercepted or deterred each incoming threat.
U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Monday that the Iranians are “more malleable” than they were before.
In a phone interview with Fox News, the president threatened that if Iran targets U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz as the Pentagon begins operations to restore commercial shipping transit through the strait, they would be “blown off the face of the Earth.”
However, in another phone interview with ABC News on Monday, Trump stopped short of saying Iran’s Monday attacks had violated the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
“[It was] not heavy firing,” Trump said, downplaying the attacks.
Brad Cooper, chief of the U.S. Central Command, told reporters earlier on Monday that Iranian forces had launched “multiple cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at ships we are protecting.”
U.S. forces have sunk six Iranian small boats targeting civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones, said Cooper.
Iran later rejected the U.S. claims, saying that “no commercial vessels or oil tankers” have transited the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. targets across the region and restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels linked to Israel and the United States.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8, followed by talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad that ended without a deal.
Two U.S. Navy destroyers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf after navigating an Iranian barrage, U.S. media outlet CBS News reported on Monday night.
In recent days, employees working in the building were informed to prepare for relocation. In a statement released on Monday, RDB stated that institutions previously operating in the building will be temporarily moved to alternative office spaces.
“Until the new premises are ready, One Stop Centre services are available at the Ground Floor of the Ministry of Infrastructure [Kimihurura KG 1 Roundabout, Kigali]. Other services will continue through RDB’s existing digital platforms,” reads the statement.
Institutions housed in the RDB Building include RDB, RCB, RMB, and RHA.
A building that has long attracted controversy
The RDB Building, located in Gishushu, is a 12-storey structure with four underground floors that can be used for various purposes, including parking and gym facilities. It has a total floor area of approximately 42,000 square metres.
The building was purchased by the government for Rwf 42 billion after concerns had been raised over its quality standards. The Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) previously stated that it had conducted assessments to determine whether the building met required standards.
Analyses reportedly revealed several structural and construction-related issues, prompting corrective measures linked to both design and construction flaws.
Over time, these problems are said to have persisted and, in some cases, worsened, leading to growing concerns about the safety of occupants and the need for urgent intervention.
As a result, authorities decided to relocate all services from the building to ensure the safety of users while renovation works are undertaken.
The Deputy Director General of RHA, Dr Noël Nsanzineza, previously told Members of Parliament that, under the purchase agreement, the original owner was responsible for correcting the identified defects.
He stated: “According to the sale agreement, the issues were supposed to be corrected by the building’s owner. However, the contract also included a clause allowing us to withhold about Rwf 2 billion if the corrections were not made. The owner failed to fully address the problems despite some attempts, and we eventually decided to withhold the funds.”
The RDB Building, located in Gishushu, is a 12-storey structure with four underground floors that can be used for various purposes, including parking and gym facilities.
The commemoration event, held on April 30, 2026, began with a visit to Nyanza Genocide Memorial followed by a visit to Gahanga Sector in Kicukiro District. As part of its longstanding support to survivors, Akagera Busness Group and Toyota Rwanda provided a contribution of 1 million RWF each to two families from Gahanga and Kagasa, underscoring its dedication to solidarity and community impact.
Employees later held commemoration talks at the company’s headquarter in Karuruma, Jali Sector, Gasabo District.
Dr. Théoneste Rutayisire, Head of Research at the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), outlined Rwanda’s historical trajectory from the pre-colonial period, through colonial rule, to the Second Republic, which culminated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He stressed that genocide is never accidental but planned and systematically prepared over time.
“Genocide does not happen by accident. It is planned, as was the case in 1994. It was prepared and taught for over 30 years,” he said.
He noted that the genocide was not only orchestrated by political actors but also involved businesspeople and investors who played a role in its preparation and execution.
“In the preparation of the Genocide against the Tutsi, political power and financial influence were both used. Some businessmen benefited from bank loans to strengthen their enterprises, and later those same resources were used to support the genocide agenda,” he said.
Participants also heard testimony from genocide survivor and ABG employee Gilbert Gasore, who survived in the former Cyangugu Prefecture, Kimbogo Commune (now Mwururu Sector, Rusizi District). He shared his traumatic experience and the circumstances that enabled his survival.
Gilbert Gasore said he was 16 years old at the time and had already witnessed signs of preparation for the genocide, including the stockpiling and production of weapons used to kill Tutsi civilians in his area.
He dismissed claims that the genocide was triggered by the shooting down of the presidential plane, saying preparations had long been underway.
“In our area, a man known as ‘Byabeyi’ was responsible for sharpening spears and reinforcing clubs with nails. He would go into the forests searching for wood used to make these weapons,” he said.
He added that these weapons were produced under the instruction of a local youth, Théodore Rukeratabara, and were later used in attacks that killed Tutsi residents in the area.
The representative of Ibuka in Gasabo District, Madame Solange Mukanizeyimana, recalled the history of La Rwandaise during the Genocide, explaining how the Interahamwe looted vehicles that were in stock at Karuruma, leaving the company in a very bad state. She also expressed appreciation to the investors of both companies for coming to Rwanda, investing, and providing employment opportunities to Rwandans.
Member of Parliament Murora Beth urged employees of both companies, most of whom are young people, to take an active role in countering genocide denial and distortion of history, particularly on social media.
“I want to remind you that the battle of guns is over. Today, the fight continues on social media, where some people distort the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi. You must learn this history so that you are able to respond to such narratives,” she said.
The commemoration included visits to Nyanza Genocide Memorial and Gahanga Sector as staff honored lives lost in 1994The management laying wreaths at the mass grave of Nyanza Genocide MemorialThe commemoration event, held on April 30, 2026, began with a visit to Nyanza Genocide Memorial followed by a visit to Gahanga Sector in Kicukiro District.As part of its longstanding support to survivors, Akagera Busness Group and Toyota Rwanda provided a contribution of Rwf 1 million each to two families from Gahanga and Kagasa.The commemoration event served as a moment for reflection, unity, and honoring the lives lost, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to remembrance and resilience. Employees also held commemoration talks at the company’s headquarter in Karuruma, Jali Sector, Gasabo District.
The team consisted of renowned broadcaster David Attenborough and photographer Martin Saunders. They were confident their work would proceed smoothly, having secured all the necessary permits from Rwandan authorities. In addition, they had the support of primatologist Dian Fossey, who had extensive experience studying gorillas in the Karisoke area, between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke.
According to Attenborough, their preparations had been thorough, with all required permissions in place and everything appearing well organized.
Dian Fossey, widely known in the Ruhengeri by a local nickname as Nyiramacibiri, had devoted her life to protecting mountain gorillas. Her work went far beyond feeding or treating them, she lived among them in the wild, even establishing a base in the volcanic mountains. She would later be killed under circumstances widely believed to be linked to powerful interests opposed to her conservation efforts.
Filming the gorillas proved challenging for Attenborough, who was not yet accustomed to their behavior. At one point, a dominant male gorilla named Pablo climbed onto him, creating a moment of fear. Despite the tension, he remained focused and continued the work that had brought him there.
After completing the demanding work, Attenborough and Saunders returned to Kigali, preparing to head back to the United Kingdom with what they believed was an extraordinary story, one that would reveal to the world the complex and human-like nature of these animals.
Their journey from Ruhengeri had been filled with excitement, as they believed they had achieved something rare. However, as they approached Kigali International Airport, that sense of accomplishment quickly turned into fear. Attenborough began to wonder whether they would safely leave the country—or lose everything they had worked so hard to capture.
Gunfire suddenly erupted overhead. At first, they were unsure what was happening, but it soon became clear that they themselves were being targeted by Rwandan soldiers attempting to stop them, apparently suspecting them of wrongdoing.
Attenborough later described the confusion of the moment, recalling how they turned and saw armed security personnel approaching them.
The two men were stopped and quickly realized that the footage they had captured was at risk. Sensing danger, they discreetly rearranged how they stored their film in an effort to prevent it from being confiscated.
When the soldiers reached them, they demanded to inspect their belongings. However, the exact reason for the suspicion remained unclear—whether they were accused of threatening national security, illegal wildlife activities, or something else entirely.
They were taken away from the airport and first brought to a hotel. The following morning, they were transferred to a military facility, where they were made to stand in an open area under the sun, surrounded by armed personnel. At that moment, they feared for their lives, unsure whether they would be imprisoned, executed, or subjected to other forms of punishment.
Saunders later reflected that they were left standing in the heat without explanation, unable to understand what they were being accused of, which only heightened their anxiety about what might happen next.
After some time in detention, the authorities unexpectedly decided to release them. The two men were allowed to leave, greatly relieved—not only to have regained their freedom, but also because their valuable footage remained intact.
This dramatic episode is recounted in the documentary, Making Life of Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure, released by BBC on May 3, 2026, just days before Attenborough’s 100th birthday.
More recently, Attenborough has also been involved in another documentary released on April 17, 2026, on Netflix. This production also explores the lives of mountain gorillas and was created in collaboration with Silverback Films.
The film brought together contributions from several prominent figures in filmmaking, including James Reed, Alastair Fothergill, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, and Phillip Watson.
The project combined over 250 hours of footage captured between 2023 and 2024, along with archival material filmed by Attenborough during his time in Rwanda.
According to Fothergill, the original idea was simply to tell the story of gorillas. However, after discussions with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund—which has spent more than six decades protecting gorillas in Rwanda—the project gained momentum.
The concept evolved further when Fothergill approached Attenborough, who had previously worked on gorilla-related documentaries. Attenborough welcomed the idea and revealed that he had kept detailed notes from his earlier experiences in Rwanda, which could enrich the film.
The resulting documentary not only highlights how gorillas live, but also shows their complex social dynamics, including struggles for leadership and behaviors that often resemble human interactions.
Sir David and Martin during an excursion in ComorosThe film “Making Life of Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure,” features footages of a gorilla climbing onto Sir David Attenborough.
In a statement to Xinhua, the WHO said it is supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Three of the six affected individuals have died, and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa.
The agency said detailed investigations are going on, including further laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical care and support are being provided to passengers and crew. Sequencing of the virus is also ongoing, it added.
Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure (exposure to infected rodents’ urine or faeces). While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness, requiring careful patient monitoring, support and response.
WHO is facilitating coordination between member states and the ship’s operators for the medical evacuation of two symptomatic passengers, as well as full public health risk assessment and support to the remaining passengers on board.
According to earlier reports, South Africa’s National Department of Health confirmed that two people have died from an acute respiratory infection on board a cruise ship known as MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean.
Previous reports said MV Hondius was sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde when it experienced a “severe acute respiratory illness,” resulting in the deaths of an elderly couple and another person receiving treatment in an intensive care unit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
This aerial picture of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3, 2026. Photo: CFP
He made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV while noting that the U.S. response is being reviewed.
He stressed that Iran’s plan is exclusively focused on ending the war, and “nothing pertaining to the nuclear field’s details exists in it.”
“At present, we are focused on the parameters related to ending the war in the region, including Lebanon,” Baghaei added, stressing “we have no nuclear negotiation at this stage.”
Also on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi briefed his Omani and German counterparts on Iran’s latest diplomatic efforts and initiatives to end the war.
In separate phone calls, Araghchi exchanged views with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the latest regional and international developments, according to statements released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and other cities, killing Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. interests in the region.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8, followed by talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad that failed to produce a deal.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and other cities, killing Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. interests in the region.
The initiative comes at a critical time for Africa’s agricultural expansion, particularly for South Africa’s fast-growing citrus sector, he said.
“South African citrus production is on such a significant growth trajectory that unlocking its full economic potential requires improved access to all high-value markets like China,” the business leader said.
Highlighting the sector’s broader socio-economic contribution, Ntshabele noted that the country’s citrus industry currently supports about 140,000 jobs at the farm level alone and that expanded access to a large market such as China could create further employment opportunities and support rural development.
Many rural communities in South Africa rely heavily on agricultural exports, he said, adding that citrus-producing regions are likely to be among the first to benefit from improved market access under the new tariff policy.
The zero-tariff treatment, he said, will help expand trade access and deepen economic ties between Africa and China, while strengthening the continent’s external trade resilience amid global economic uncertainty.
Such policy measures could contribute to a more stable global trading system by promoting inclusive trade and reducing barriers for developing economies, helping diversify supply chains, he added.
African exporters are expected to gain a stronger foothold in one of the world’s largest consumer markets, reinforcing confidence in long-term economic cooperation and shared growth between Africa and China, Ntshabele said.
“We greatly value the opportunities the Chinese market holds,” he added.
Many rural communities in South Africa rely heavily on agricultural exports
As a hallmark of China-Africa cooperation in the new era, the zero-tariff measure is expected to reduce trade barriers and deliver long-term benefits to people on both sides, injecting fresh momentum into their joint pursuit of modernization while contributing to a more inclusive and universally beneficial global trading system.
A reliable market
On the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, construction is underway on a new roasting facility for Awo Coffee to meet soaring export orders. According to Awo Coffee General Manager Tesfaye Gebru, about 90 percent of the firm’s roasted products are shipped to China each year.
“Since we began in 2014, the fast-growing Chinese coffee market has emerged as our primary export destination,” said Gebru, noting that in 2024, the company exported about 140 tonnes of Ethiopian green coffee beans and 20 tonnes of processed coffee products to China, with annual growth of around 10 percent.
Awo Coffee sources beans from its own 14-hectare farm. “We purchase beans from smallholder farmers at higher prices, directly boosting their incomes. During harvest seasons, we also hire local villagers to pick coffee cherries,” said Gebru.
Awo’s rapid expansion has been supported by early access to China’s zero-tariff policy. Effective from December 2024, China granted all least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, including 33 African countries.
The impact on Ethiopian coffee exporters has been swift. Ethiopia, widely known as the home of Arabica coffee, has strengthened its position in the Chinese market, rising to become one of the largest suppliers of coffee to China in recent years.
As China’s zero-tariff policy now extends to 53 African countries, Cameroon cocoa farmer George Wambo Cornyu described it as “a golden opportunity.”
“It’s going to encourage our domestic processing and also value additions,” said Cornyu, also president of Masoka-Ikata Farmers Cooperative in Cameroon. “It is going to trigger industrialization in our own sector.”
Beyond tariff reductions, China has in recent years expanded market access for African exports through upgraded “green channels” and other facilitation initiatives. It has also supported African participation in major trade expos such as the China International Import Expo, helping African products reach global markets.
In 2025, China-Africa trade grew by 17.7 percent year on year to reach 348 billion U.S. dollars, while Africa’s exports to China exceeded 123 billion dollars, reflecting deepening economic and trade ties.
James Kandoya, a senior economic journalist at Tanzania’s The Guardian Newspaper, noted that for a long time, many African products struggled to enter major global markets due to high tariffs, strict standards, or complicated procedures.
“When China opens its market to African exports with zero tariffs, it immediately creates real opportunities. It gives African businesses the feeling that there is a reliable market willing to engage with us on fairer terms. That can encourage more investment in agriculture, processing, and logistics,” he said.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 26, 2026 shows a view of the Lekki port in Lagos, Nigeria. (China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd./Handout via Xinhua)
A driver of African modernization
In March, the first cargo train carrying 54 containers of locally produced goods exported to China under zero-tariff treatment departed from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. It traveled along the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway to the port city of Mombasa before continuing by sea to China.
Among the shipments was a batch of avocado oil produced at a processing plant in the Athi River Export Processing Zone on the outskirts of Nairobi, invested in by the Chinese company Sanmark Limited.
Since beginning operation in August 2025, the processing plant has exported about 410 tonnes of avocado oil to China, where the product has evolved from a niche health item to a regular feature on major e-commerce platforms.
With China’s zero-tariff policy taking effect in May, Kenya’s avocado industry players expect further export growth.
“We look forward to exporting more avocado oil and boosting incomes for local farmers,” said Muhammad Khan, operations manager at Sanmark Limited. “I also believe more Chinese investors will be encouraged to enter the Kenyan market and set up processing factories, enhancing the efficiency and resilience of the industrial chain.”
In 2022, fresh Kenyan avocados embarked on their journey to China. Since then, Chinese and Kenyan companies have launched full value-chain cooperation spanning avocado cultivation, processing, cross-border logistics, and end-market distribution, significantly boosting the sector’s overall development.
Describing the zero-tariff initiative as “an unprecedented breakthrough in the export journey,” Lee Kinyanjui, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, said: “This is more than a policy shift; it is a game changer that opens the door to one of the world’s largest consumer markets and positions Kenya for a new era of trade growth and value addition.”
“Over the past two decades, the (China-Africa cooperation) framework has steadily shifted toward trade, industrialization support, and infrastructure development. Duty-free access complements infrastructure corridors, logistics projects, and industrial parks already developed through China-Africa cooperation,” Zimbabwean economic analyst and political commentator Dereck Goto said.
Sharing a similar view, Balew Demissie, a senior communication and publication consultant at the Policy Studies Institute of Ethiopia, said as a combined measure of trade and investment, “the zero-tariff policy closely aligns with Africa’s urgent industrialization agenda.”
“It could complement domestic industrial policies by creating new opportunities for manufacturing expansion, agro-processing, and export-oriented industrialization, thereby injecting fresh momentum into Africa’s modernization trajectory,” he added.
“This is an approach where China is trying to re-establish supply chains that are more predictable, that are more stable in this erratic world,” said Tabani Moyo, research fellow with the Graduate School of Business and Leadership at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. “Hence, (there is) a need for the multiple industries in Africa to chip in and drive the modernization agenda through value-addition of their commodities.”
A timely stabilizer
Amid rising volatility and growing protectionism in global trade, China’s zero-tariff policy underscores its firm commitment to fostering an open world economy, advancing shared development across the Global South through practical cooperation, and injecting stability into the global trade system and economic growth.
During the 39th African Union Summit, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the move, appealing to all developed countries and nations with large economic potential to take the same measure.
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said that China’s initiative is particularly vital as Africa bears the brunt of global uncertainties, which have disastrous effects on African economies, particularly those with structural vulnerabilities.
“We also see isolationist policies across the world, while protectionism is growing,” he said, noting that China’s zero-tariff treatment is a “very timely” move that will help Africa tackle global challenges.
“Amid unilateralism and protectionism, China’s zero-tariff treatment enhances trade resilience, supports diversification of African exports, and sustains development prospects by shielding them from external shocks,” said Leseko Makhetha, head of the Department of Economics at the National University of Lesotho.
“It reinforces a rules-based global trading system, offering an alternative to protectionism and helping stabilize trade flows amid global tensions,” Makhetha noted.
This photo taken on April 15, 2026 shows containers at the Nairobi station of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Nelson Asienwa/Xinhua)
