In a video statement posted after a meeting of the country’s Energy Security Council, Szijjarto said Hungary would oppose the sanctions package at Monday’s EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels and maintain its position until oil transit to Hungary resumes.
“As long as the Ukrainians do not restart oil transport to Hungary, we will not let go of decisions that are important to them,” he said.
He noted that Ukraine’s decision earlier this week not to restart shipments was “political blackmail” aimed at creating fuel supply disruptions and driving up petrol prices ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections.
According to the minister, Hungary has countered the situation by releasing part of its strategic crude reserves and securing replacement supplies via maritime routes.
Szijjarto recalled that Hungary has halted diesel exports to Ukraine, which he said accounted for around 10 percent of Ukraine’s diesel imports, and has also moved to block a planned 90-billion-euro EU loan for Ukraine.
In a separate social media post on Sunday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Hungary would not “stand idly by” while the Druzhba pipeline remains blocked. “We will ensure Hungary’s fuel supply and take appropriate countermeasures until shipments are restarted by Ukraine,” Orban wrote.
The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Central Europe via Ukraine, has faced repeated disruptions since last year amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Hungary stated that although there are currently “no practical or technical obstacles,” Ukraine has decided not to restart crude deliveries.
A worker operates machinery at the Danube Refinery in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, May 24, 2022.
Barrot said in an interview with French media that the U.S. Embassy in France had commented on the tragedy, which he described as concerning “the national community,” prompting France to call in the ambassador.
Earlier on Friday, the U.S. Embassy said on X account that “violent left-wing extremism is on the rise, and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety,” adding that it would continue to monitor the situation and hoped those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice.
According to French media, the incident followed the death of Deranque, a far-right activist who was seriously injured during a clash between radical groups during a conference given by a member of French hard-left party La France Insoumise in Lyon on Feb. 12.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot addresses the audience during a plenary session on the second day of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, June 10, 2025.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Sunday that the next round of U.S.-Iran talks will take place on Thursday in Geneva.
“Pleased to confirm U.S.-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal,” the minister said on social media platform X.
In a phone call on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi stressed the importance of “constructive engagement and using the path of dialogue” to achieve a sustainable nuclear agreement, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.
This followed Araghchi’s remarks on Friday in an interview with the U.S. media outlet MSNBC that Tehran will prepare the draft of a possible nuclear deal with the United States within two to three days and submit it to the U.S. delegation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi addresses a UN disarmament conference in Geneva, Switzerland, February 17, 2026.
In a CBS News interview broadcast on Sunday, Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s willingness to resolve its differences with Washington through negotiations.
Araghchi said he may meet with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday in Geneva, noting that it is still possible to find a diplomatic solution between Tehran and Washington.
He said the two sides are working on elements of a potential deal, and may discuss a preliminary draft for the deal on Thursday.
Araghchi said the deal should include Iran’s “peaceful nuclear program” as well as lifting U.S. sanctions against Iran, reaffirming Tehran’s resolve to secure its right to uranium enrichment under the national nuclear program.
He added that Iran and the United States can reach a nuclear deal better than the one signed between Tehran and world powers in 2015, noting unlike the previous negotiations, where the involved parties went into so many details, “this time, there is no need for that many details, and we can agree on basic things and make sure that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever and, at the same time, more sanctions would be lifted.”
He also stressed that Tehran has right to self-defense if the United States attacks Iran. “We have to hit, you know, the American base in the region.”
Also on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said recent negotiations with the United States have “yielded encouraging signals,” while cautioning that Iran is prepared for “any potential scenario.”
“Iran is committed to peace and stability in the region. Recent negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor U.S. actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario,” Pezeshkian said in a post on social media.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks at the celebrations for the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2026.
A senior Iranian official has told Reuters that significant differences remain between the two sides, even over the “scope and mechanism of sanctions relief.”
“Both sides need to reach a logical timetable for lifting sanctions,” said the unnamed official, adding that any roadmap must be “reasonable and based on mutual interests.”
Washington has said that any deal with Iran must include a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of its enriched material, limits on long-range missiles, and a rollback of support for regional proxies. But analysts have said such conditions would be “very difficult” for Iran to accept.
The diplomatic maneuvers occurred against a backdrop of escalating U.S. military pressure. Media reports said the United States had recently deployed a large number of fighter jets and transport aircraft to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, marking a noticeable increase compared with the base’s usual level of deployment.
Located about 100 km northeast of Amman, the capital of Jordan, Muwaffaq Salti is considered one of the main U.S. military bases in the Middle East. At other U.S. military bases in the region, there have also been reports of significant military build-ups.
The development came amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, and followed two rounds of indirect nuclear talks between the two sides this month, with the first held in Muscat on Feb. 6 and the second in Geneva on February 17.
According to BBC, Clark, who visits Northumberland annually with her husband Gerard to hunt for the island’s famed “Cuddy’s beads,” took the fossil home and shared it on a Facebook fossil identification group. Thousands of likes and comments later, experts confirmed that she had uncovered a significant specimen: part of a crinoid, an ancient marine animal.
Crinoids, sometimes called “sea lilies,” first appeared over 500 million years ago during the Cambrian period. They have a flexible stem anchored to the seabed, with branching arms at the top. The stem is made of small discs called ossicles, which, when connected, form a columnal — the part Christine discovered .
Dr Jan Hennissen, senior paleontologist at the British Geological Survey (BGS), explained that the stem had split lengthwise and curved, giving it its “mouth-like” appearance. He added that it likely originated from the Alston Formation, a dark limestone approximately 350 million years old.
Holy Island’s fossils hold a rich history: centuries ago, locals believed the crinoid discs were “Cuddy’s beads,” created by St Cuthbert to impart spiritual blessings. While crinoid fossils are common along the Northumberland coast, complete specimens are rare, making Christine’s find particularly remarkable.
Though she has received offers to buy it, Clark plans to keep the fossil, enjoying the amusement it brings to visitors and fellow fossil enthusiasts alike.
Sunday’s stage, the longest of the race at 174 km, took riders from Rukomo Sector in Gicumbi District to Rwamagana in Eastern Province. The challenging route tested the peloton with rolling hills, strategic sprints, and persistent rain before culminating in a thrilling finish.
Einhorn out-sprinted his rivals in the final meters to take the win in 4:00:05.02, earning a 10-second time bonus for claiming the third intermediate sprint of the day. Spaniard Hodei Muñoz of the Belgian Soudal Quick-Step Development Team finished second, while Eritrean Mewael Girmay of the Turkish-registered Istanbul Team came in third. This marks Einhorn’s third stage win at the Tour du Rwanda, having previously triumphed in Kayonza and Nyaruguru during the 2024 edition.
Einhorn claimed the first yellow jersey of the 2026 race, setting the tone for the week ahead.
With the victory, Einhorn also claimed the first yellow jersey of the 2026 race, setting the tone for the week ahead. The Israeli rider now leads a field of 18 teams, including four Rwandan squads, in the eight-stage race covering nearly 1,000 km and more than 16,000 meters of total elevation gain.
The final kilometres of Stage 1 were intense. With 30 km remaining, the breakaway held a 2-minute 25-second advantage, but the peloton, led by NSN, Eritrea, and Movistar teams, steadily closed the gap. By the 5 km mark, Einhorn and the leading riders had reduced the margin to just 30 seconds, setting up a nail-biting sprint to the line.
Einhorn out-sprinted his rivals in the final meters to take the win in 4:00:05.02.
The 2026 Tour du Rwanda, now in its 18th edition since gaining international status, continues through March 1, taking riders across the country’s diverse terrain. Upcoming stages include the high-elevation challenge from Huye to Rusizi on February 24, a scenic lakeside route along Lake Kivu on February 25, and the final circuits in Kigali on March 1.
Einhorn’s early dominance in Rwamagana demonstrates his readiness to compete for overall victory in a race known for its gruelling climbs and unpredictable finishes. Fans can expect more thrilling action as the “Land of a Thousand Hills” once again tests the world’s best riders.
This marks Einhorn’s third stage win at the Tour du Rwanda, having previously triumphed in Kayonza and Nyaruguru during the 2024 edition.The first stage of Tour du Rwanda 2026 covered 174 km from Rukomo to Rwamagana.
This year’s edition marks the 18th Tour du Rwanda since it gained international status in 2009.
In a statement released by Tour du Rwanda management, organisers confirmed the accident and expressed their deep condolences to the families affected. The injured are receiving care, and authorities are closely monitoring their condition.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the families and remain committed to public safety,” the statement read in part.
The Rwanda National Police has launched an investigation into the incident.
Candy Basomingera, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, expressed sorrow over the accident and stressed the need for vigilance on the roads during the race.
“This reminds us of the importance of being vigilant on the road as we drive and cheer on the riders. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we wish a quick recovery to those who have been injured,” she said.
Israeli cyclist Itamar Einhorn of NSN Devo Team won the first stage of the race, completing the 174 km from Rukomo to Rwamagana in a time of 4:00:05.02 and earning the first yellow jersey.
The 2026 edition, marking the 18th Tour du Rwanda since it gained international status, runs from February 22 to March 1, covering eight stages and nearly 1,000 km. Riders will face more than 16,000 meters of total elevation gain over the week, living up to Rwanda’s nickname as the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”
A total of 18 teams are competing, including four Rwandan squads.
The first stage of Tour du Rwanda 2026 covered 174 km from Rukomo to Rwamagana. This year’s edition marks the 18th Tour du Rwanda since it gained international status in 2009.
Tanzania has completed its first large-scale solar power project in Kishapu District of the northwestern Shinyanga region, marking a milestone in the country’s energy transformation agenda, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, Lazaro Twange, managing director of the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited, said during a site inspection on Saturday that the project reflects the government’s commitment to expanding access to reliable electricity nationwide.
Twange described the project as a new chapter in the country’s history, saying it is the first solar project of such magnitude since independence. He said electricity has already been generated at the site, with 50 megawatts set to be connected to the national grid by March 1.
Kishapu District Commissioner Peter Masindi said the solar plant is a catalyst for local economic growth, particularly benefiting youth engaged in mining and agriculture.
Mariana Mrosso, acting manager of the power generation plant, said the facility would enhance the stability of the national grid and improve electricity supply, especially across the Lake Zone regions.
The minister was responding to Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, who had downplayed the threat posed by the militia group formed by the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who fled to the DRC.
Muyaya had questioned whether members of the FDLR could still pose a threat 32 years later, calling the group an “eternal pretext” in regional tensions.
Responding in detail, Nduhungirehe rejected that argument outright.
“The misleading propaganda of the Congolese government on the issue of the genocidal FDLR nevertheless has its limits,” the minister wrote.
He recalled that on March 21, 2024, during the first ministerial meeting under the Luanda Process, then DRC Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula had committed to presenting a “plan for the neutralisation of the FDLR.”
“In the final communiqué of that meeting, it was even specified that ‘consequently’ to the neutralisation of the FDLR, Rwanda would lift its defensive measures,” Nduhungirehe stated.
However, he pointed to what he called a sudden reversal only days later.
“We were surprised to hear, two days later in a press conference in Kinshasa, the same Christophe Lutundula claim that the FDLR did not exist,” he said.
The minister also cited a planned 2024 operation by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), coordinated with the United States and aimed at targeting FDLR positions, describing it as a total failure.
“This military operation was a total failure, for the simple reason that a FARDC general had informed his FDLR friends in advance,” Nduhungirehe stated, adding that the development had angered international partners.
Despite that setback, he noted that military and intelligence experts from Rwanda, the DRC and mediator Angola later adopted a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) in Luanda on October 31, 2024, focused on neutralising the FDLR.
According to Nduhungirehe, the CONOPS became a key pillar of subsequent peace understandings.
“The neutralisation of the FDLR is therefore a central element of the Washington Agreements and for a lasting peace in eastern DRC,” he wrote.
But he questioned Kinshasa’s commitment, noting that coordination meetings between FARDC and FDLR commanders took place on the very day the CONOPS was endorsed.
“This demonstrates the lack of political will in Kinshasa on the FDLR issue,” he argued.
Addressing Muyaya’s assertion that the group’s age diminishes its relevance, Nduhungirehe dismissed the reasoning as flawed.
“This eternal argument about the age of FDLR members is one of the most absurd and ridiculous there is,” he said, adding that the group “regularly recruits new members on the basis of its genocidal ideology.”
Muyaya had claimed that the real drivers of instability in eastern DRC are natural resources, including gold and coltan, rather than the FDLR.
Earlier this month, President Paul Kagame dismissed claims that Rwanda was targeting DRC minerals, insisting that the country’s concerns were primarily about security and the FDLR’s genocidal ideology.
“If we were in Congo for minerals, we would be a hundred times richer than we are now […] the threats coming from Congo related to our security have materialised several times. You just don’t want to see it, you don’t want to hear it,” he stated during the 20th edition of Umushyikirano, Rwanda’s National Dialogue Council.
Minister Nduhungirehe slammed Patrick Muyaya over the DRC government’s repeated contradictions on the FDLR.
State Minister in the Ministry of Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, was also among the officials present.
During the event, several streets across Kigali were closed to cars and motorcycles from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., allowing thousands of residents to engage in walking, cycling, and other recreational activities such as street tennis and three-on-three basketball.
President Kagame took the opportunity to engage with participants, including children, who joined the event in support of wellness, community, and an active lifestyle.
Launched in May 2016, Car Free Day aims to promote healthy lifestyles among Kigali residents while also raising awareness about disease prevention. Participants are sometimes offered free health screenings and advice during the event.
Although the initiative, held twice a month, started in Kigali, it has since grown into a broader tradition, with other provinces adopting similar activities.
The City of Kigali highlights that Car Free Day also contributes to environmental conservation, as temporarily reducing vehicle traffic lowers harmful emissions and improves air quality.
Various state officials accompanied President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame.President Kagame took the opportunity to engage with participants, including children, who joined the event in support of wellness, community, and an active lifestyle.The event is organised twice a month in support of wellness, community, and an active lifestyle.Participants were guided on practical ways to incorporate physical exercise into their daily routines with ease. Comedians Fally Mercy and Umushumba were among the participants in the public sports event.
Speaking at the event, Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, delivered a strong message directed to younger generations: preserve the language, understand history, and strengthen ties with the motherland.
Through testimonies, discussions, and collective reflections, the meeting emerged as a valuable platform for intergenerational dialogue and transmission.
Kinyarwanda language, a foundation of unity
From the outset of his remarks, the speaker chose to speak in French, accompanied by interpretation into Kinyarwanda to ensure inclusivity among participants. A summary was also provided for those not fully fluent in either language.
This linguistic choice became the starting point for a clear call to action: encouraging the learning of Kinyarwanda within the diaspora. “We are fortunate to share a single national language that facilitates communication and strengthens our identity,” he emphasized, urging Rwandan communities abroad to develop local initiatives for cultural and linguistic transmission.
Youth at the heart of discussions
The strong presence of young people born or raised in the diaspora was a defining feature of the gathering. For the delegation from Rwanda, this reality represents a source of optimism. Although geographically distant from the country, these young individuals remain an essential link in cultural and national continuity.
The event also responded to a request expressed by diaspora youth eager to engage directly with representatives from Rwanda in order to better understand the country’s contemporary realities and share their aspirations.
Understanding history to build the future
Discussions also explored memory and historical issues, recalling Rwanda’s complex past and the profound human consequences of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Within this context, the speaker stressed the importance of critical inquiry among younger generations, particularly in response to the wide range of narratives circulating on social media. The objective, he explained, is not to impose a particular perspective but to promote informed understanding grounded in facts, testimonies, and direct exchanges.
Dialogue and sharing experiences
One of the gathering’s key strengths lay in the diversity of speakers. Panelists from varied professional backgrounds and life experiences shared stories closely aligned with those of many diaspora youth.
This practical approach aimed to provide concrete responses to questions surrounding identity, belonging, opportunities, and the different ways individuals can engage while living abroad.
Maintaining ties with the motherland
Beyond historical reflections, the meeting highlighted Rwanda’s transformations over recent decades and the opportunities available to the diaspora, particularly in economic, cultural, and social initiatives.
The central message to young participants was clear and motivating: geographical distance should not be a barrier to engagement. Communication technologies, travel, and cooperation programs now offer multiple pathways to maintain active connections with the country.
A call for unity and transmission
In closing, the remarks turned toward the future, encouraging young Rwandans abroad to take pride in their identity and contribute, in their own ways, to Rwanda’s global presence.
Learning the language, understanding history, and participating in community initiatives were presented as key drivers for strengthening unity and intergenerational solidarity.
Marked by fraternity and dialogue, the gathering illustrates a shared determination to deepen ties between Rwanda and its diaspora, underpinned by a common conviction: unity remains the cornerstone of a peaceful and hopeful collective future.
