Macron said on social media that he has spoken with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
He said he delivers the same message to all these leaders, stressing that it is essential for the United States and Iran to reach an agreement quickly.
According to Macron, the priority is to secure a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz without any conditions and in accordance with international law. Discussions should then continue with a view to reaching a comprehensive and robust agreement on other issues, particularly Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and regional stability.
Macron said France stands ready to play its part, including through a multinational initiative jointly led with Britain to help safeguard maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Macron said regional stability must begin with Lebanon and called on all parties to cease hostilities. He added that France will continue supporting Lebanon’s efforts to restore state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center, an Israeli airstrike on Sunday struck an area adjacent to Hiram Hospital in the southern city of Tyre, injuring 13 hospital staff members and causing extensive damage to the facility.
Macron said regional stability must begin with Lebanon and called on all parties to cease hostilities. He added that France will continue supporting Lebanon’s efforts to restore state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Congolese officials in Bunia, the capital of northeastern Ituri Province and the epicenter of the outbreak, Tedros said on Saturday that he came to the area to show that people in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, and across the DRC, “are not alone.”
“We are not here to tell people what to do. We are here to listen,” Tedros said, stressing that communities understand their own challenges and are often best placed to identify solutions. “Building trust takes time, and it starts with listening.”
The latest outbreak, declared on May 15, is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. In the past two weeks, over 1,000 suspected cases and more than 230 suspected deaths have been reported. Neighboring Uganda has also reported nine confirmed cases.
The WHO chief said community ownership, government leadership, and international support would be key to ending the outbreak, which has spread across three eastern provinces, Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, in a region already strained by insecurity, population movement, and humanitarian needs.
DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba said the best-case scenario would be to contain the outbreak within the three affected provinces and avoid wider spread. He said the vast majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri, while North Kivu has far fewer cases and South Kivu has reported only one case.
Kamba said authorities hope to bring the epidemic under control within four to six months, based on the country’s experience with previous Ebola outbreaks and the disease’s incubation period.
He added that the DRC has previously controlled multiple epidemics, including Ebola and mpox, and expects the international community to trust the country’s response capacity.
Tedros also expressed confidence that the outbreak can be stopped, citing the DRC’s long experience in dealing with Ebola. He noted that the country has faced Ebola 16 times before and has ended every outbreak. “If we do our best, it can be stopped,” Tedros said. “The issue is in our hands.”
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a less common Ebola species for which no licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently exists.
Patients infected with Bundibugyo Ebola can survive if they receive timely and quality medical care, Tedros said, adding that some patients in Ituri have already recovered. He also said the WHO is working with partners to advance safe and effective vaccines and treatments through clinical trials.
On testing, Kamba said laboratory capacity had been strengthened after earlier delays. Around 900 samples had been tested, with about 260 positive cases identified, he said, noting that the response now has the capacity to process incoming samples and aims to conduct 200 to 300 tests per day.
Tedros and Kamba both stressed that basic public health measures remain crucial, including hand hygiene, accurate information, contact tracing, laboratory testing, patient care, and safe and dignified burials.
Tedros said he understood the pain of losing loved ones and the importance of honoring the dead, but warned that touching the bodies of those who died from Ebola could further spread the virus. “Protecting each other, even in grief, is one of the hardest and most important things we can do,” he said.
Since the outbreak began in the DRC, several countries have closed borders with the country to prevent the spread of the disease. Tedros urged countries that have imposed travel bans or border closures to reconsider their measures. “These measures make the response harder, and they discourage transparency and trust that saves lives,” he said.
Kamba echoed that message, saying the DRC wanted the international community to keep borders open and recognize that Congolese authorities know how to manage Ebola outbreaks.
The WHO chief also warned that mistrust, misinformation, and disinformation remain major challenges. He said public messaging must be coordinated among the government, the WHO and other partners, and must be based on science, evidence, and data.
“Solidarity is our best immunity,” Tedros said. He noted that the WHO would remain alongside the DRC for as long as needed, and that support should extend beyond the current outbreak.
Tedros has been in Bunia to show solidarity with Congolese people. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), poses with a woman who has recovered from Ebola in Bunia, in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 31, 2026 (Photo by AFP)
Reacting to Saturday U.S. media reports that the United States amended elements of the draft agreement and sent it back to Tehran, Tasnim quoted an informed source as saying that Iran will also make its own amendments to the draft deal, and “nothing is final yet.”
The source said Iran will only accept a draft it agrees to, and the amendments made by the United States do not imply Tehran’s approval.
U.S. media, citing officials, said U.S. President Donald Trump raised concerns over parts of the draft, including the release of Iran’s frozen assets, and wanted tougher terms in the MoU, especially on Iran’s nuclear material.
Iran and the United States are reportedly working to finalize an MoU on ending the war that started on Feb. 28 with joint attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran.
The two sides reached a temporary ceasefire on April 8. Over the past weeks, they have exchanged several proposed plans outlining conditions for ending the conflict through Pakistani mediation.
People attend a funeral ceremony for Alireza Tangsiri, chief commander of the Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and other armed forces personnel killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, on April 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati)
A statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the discovery, made by an Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities at the “Ihnasya al-Medina” site, shed new light on the religious and cultural prominence of the ancient city across various historical eras.
Among the key findings is a reused stone block featuring a prominent inscription of Pharaoh Senusret III’s coronation and birth names, alongside a cartouche of the deity “Osiris-Naref,” a major god worshiped in Ihnasya during ancient Egyptian and Ptolemaic times.
Hisham Elleithy, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said uncovering the cartouche of King Senusret III is a “significant find,” as the pharaoh was historically linked to several major monuments at the site.
The mission also excavated structural extensions of a Roman basilica, the remnants of an ancient Doric temple, fragments of wall statues, and Roman-era pottery molds used for minting coins. A rare marble statue head of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was also discovered, the statement said.
One of Egypt’s most vital archaeological sites, “Ihnasya al-Medina” flourished during the Greco-Roman eras, when it was known as Herakleopolis Magna.
A sphinx statue believed to be made in the likeness of a Roman emperor is uncovered from an archaeological site in Qena, Egypt, in an undated photo distributed Monday. (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via Associated Press)
The debutants delivered a memorable performance to secure a historic title on home soil, overcoming one of the tournament’s most experienced and successful clubs in a closely contested final. The clash was attended by high-ranking dignitaries, including President Paul Kagame.
The Tigers become the first Rwandan team to lift the trophy in the tournament’s sixth edition.
American guard Craig Randall II once again proved decisive for the Tigers, leading all scorers with 33 points in a standout display that powered the Rwandan side to victory. His consistency throughout the tournament was rewarded as he was named BAL 2026 Most Valuable Player (MVP), edging out teammate Mangok Mathiang as well as Petro de Luanda duo Childe Dundao and Aboubacar Gakou for the top individual honour.
The final lived up to expectations, with both teams battling intensely in a game that remained competitive until the decisive moments. RSSB Tigers, however, held their nerve in front of a passionate home crowd to complete a remarkable championship run in their first appearance in the competition.
In the third-place playoff earlier on Sunday, Libya’s Al Ahly Ly secured the bronze medal after defeating their Egyptian counterparts, Al Ahly SC, 106–98 at BK Arena. The Benghazi-based side bounced back strongly from their semifinal defeat to Petro de Luanda, with Majok Deng and Charlie Moore combining for 52 points to seal a podium finish.
Petro de Luanda had reached the final after a dramatic semifinal victory over Al Ahly Ly on Thursday, where they overturned a late deficit to win 94–88. That comeback, driven by Lukeny Gonçalves and Childe Dundao, set up what was expected to be another title push for the Angolan champions, who have a strong BAL pedigree, including the 2024 championship and multiple top-four finishes in recent seasons.
However, it was RSSB Tigers who ultimately rose to the occasion, completing a fairytale debut campaign by lifting the BAL trophy and etching their name into the competition’s history.
RSSB Tigers defeated Petro de Luanda 90–88 to win the 2026 BAL title.The Tigers become the first Rwandan team to lift the trophy in the tournament’s sixth edition.The final lived up to expectations, with both teams battling intensely in a game that remained competitive until the decisive moments. American guard Craig Randall II once again proved decisive for the Tigers, leading all scorers with 33 points in a standout display that powered the Rwandan side to victory. His consistency throughout the tournament was rewarded as he was named BAL 2026 Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said Rwanda is working with multiple international partners to develop its nuclear capabilities, as feasibility studies continue for the construction of a facility using Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology and the establishment of a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology.
“Rwanda is working with a variety of global partners to develop our civil nuclear capabilities,” Makolo said in a statement on X.
She noted that alongside Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, Rwanda recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States government during the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA), held in Kigali earlier this month.
The summit also resulted in additional agreements between the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) and companies from the United States, South Africa and Austria, underscoring Kigali’s strategy of building broad international cooperation in the sector.
Rwanda’s nuclear partnership dates back several years. In December 2018, Rwanda and Russia signed an intergovernmental framework agreement in Moscow on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The cooperation was further strengthened in October 2019 when the two countries signed a roadmap with Rosatom during the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi.
Most recently, on May 19, 2026, Rwanda and Russia signed another MoU at the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit in Kigali. The agreement focuses on nuclear medicine, advanced healthcare cooperation and broader training in nuclear science.
At the same summit, Rwanda and the United States signed a Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation MoU, which established a framework for collaboration in areas including regulatory capacity building, workforce development, scientific research and the future deployment of advanced nuclear technologies such as SMRs.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr. Usta Kayitesi described the agreement as an important step in Rwanda’s efforts to diversify its energy sources in line with Vision 2050.
“Nuclear energy is a key component of Rwanda’s long-term energy strategy and broader national development ambitions,” she said.
The agreement was welcomed by Renee Sonderman, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation, who praised Rwanda’s structured approach to nuclear energy development and its plans to deploy SMR technology.
The summit also saw RAEB sign a Comprehensive Development Agreement with U.S.-based company Holtec International to support the potential deployment of SMR-300 reactors in Rwanda.
Under the agreement, both parties will undertake technical cooperation activities, including site assessments, feasibility studies and data collection related to future reactor deployment. Officials said the initiative could eventually support up to 5 gigawatts of nuclear generation capacity, strengthening Rwanda’s long-term energy security while providing carbon-free baseload electricity.
President Paul Kagame has repeatedly reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to introducing nuclear energy as part of the country’s development agenda. During NEISA, he said Rwanda remains on track to operationalise nuclear energy infrastructure by the early 2030s.
“We intend to have nuclear energy operational by the early 2030s. This assessment confirms that we are on track,” Kagame said after receiving the Phase I Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review report from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Makolo said financing discussions are also evolving globally. While nuclear projects have traditionally been funded by governments, she noted that multilateral development banks have recently begun exploring financing frameworks aimed at expanding access to nuclear energy projects in emerging economies.
As Rwanda pursues its ambitious energy expansion plans, officials say international cooperation, technological partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms will be critical to bringing the country’s first nuclear power project to fruition.
Rwanda aims to generate up to 1.5 gigawatts of electricity from nuclear power by 2050.
Farmers in Western Australia and South Australia have reported plague-like mouse populations since March, with rodents destroying wheat, canola and barley crops by feeding on freshly planted seeds and grain stored on farms.
The outbreak comes at a difficult time for the agricultural sector, with farmers also facing increased fuel and fertiliser costs linked to ongoing global geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Many producers say they have been forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars replanting crops and purchasing bait in an effort to control the growing rodent population. Despite these efforts, losses continue as mice consume newly sown seeds overnight.
Western Australian farmer Geoff Cosgrove described the current outbreak as the worst he has experienced in his 25 years of farming. He said mice have invaded his home, running through ceilings and air-conditioning systems and creating constant noise and unpleasant odours.
Agronomist Belinda Eastough said some affected areas are recording between 8,000 and 10,000 mice per hectare, far above the level typically associated with a mouse plague. Researchers from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, define a mouse plague as approximately 800 mice per hectare.
Experts say favourable conditions created by strong harvests and summer rainfall provided abundant food and ideal breeding environments for the rodents. Mice can begin reproducing at just six weeks of age and produce multiple litters within short periods, allowing populations to explode rapidly.
Beyond the economic damage, farmers are also reporting significant psychological strain. The constant presence of mice in homes, sheds and machinery has disrupted sleep and increased stress levels across affected communities.
Authorities recently approved stronger bait products following weeks of pressure from farmers. While some producers have reported early signs that cooler winter temperatures may be slowing mouse activity, many say the damage has already been severe.
Farmers remain hopeful that winter conditions will help bring the outbreak under control, but for many, recovery from the losses may take much longer.
Farmers in Western Australia and South Australia have reported plague-like mouse populations since March, with rodents destroying wheat, canola and barley crops by feeding on freshly planted seeds and grain stored on farms.
The world-famous rap artist performed in Türkiye for the first time, drawing an estimated 118,000 fans to one of Istanbul’s largest live music venues. The concert, organised in collaboration with NTRteam, attracted a highly international audience, with attendees travelling from across Türkiye as well as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland, the Middle East and other regions.
Long before West took the stage, the stadium was already packed, with fans filling both stands and pitch areas hours ahead of the performance. The anticipation reflected the scale of the event, which was widely presented as one of Istanbul’s biggest music moments of the year.
West opened the night with “Father,” immediately setting a reflective tone before moving through a catalogue of some of his most recognisable hits. His setlist included fan favourites such as “Power,” “Flashing Lights,” “Heartless,” “Runaway,” “Black Skinhead,” “Homecoming,” “King” and “All The Love.” He closed the concert with “Stronger,” bringing the two-hour performance to a high-energy finish.
The show was staged on a spherical platform, echoing designs previously seen in his Los Angeles SoFi Stadium productions. The setup was enhanced by intense lighting effects, fog bursts and synchronised visuals that transformed the venue into a globe-lit spectacle visible across the stadium.
As the performance unfolded, thousands of fans illuminated the arena with their phone lights, adding another layer to the atmosphere and turning the crowd into part of the visual design.
The concert also drew a number of well-known Turkish public figures, including actors Şükrü Özyıldız, Alina Boz, Nilperi Şahinkaya, Hazar Ergüçlü, Yasemin Allen, Afra Saraçoğlu and Aslı Tandoğan, alongside Ayşe Tolga, Umut Evirgen, singer Elif Buse Doğan and Burak Kut.
Beyond the stadium experience, the show reached a global digital audience after being streamed live on Kanye West’s official YouTube channel, attracting millions of viewers within minutes and extending the reach of the Istanbul performance far beyond the venue itself.
The show was staged on a spherical platform, echoing designs previously seen in his Los Angeles SoFi Stadium productions. The setup was enhanced by intense lighting effects, fog bursts and synchronised visuals that transformed the venue into a globe-lit spectacle visible across the stadium.Thousands of fans illuminated the arena with their phone lights, adding another layer to the atmosphere and turning the crowd into part of the visual design.The concert also drew over 100,000 fans.The concert, organised in collaboration with NTRteam, attracted a highly international audience, with attendees travelling from across Türkiye as well as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland, the Middle East and other regions.
The two-day tournament was held at the Gisagara Indoor Stadium and brought together six teams across both categories.
In the men’s competition, three teams took part: REG VC, Police VC and Gisagara VC. In the women’s category, the participating teams were RRA WVC, Police WVC and RP Huye.
The men’s preliminary matches were staged in Gisagara, where REG VC and Police VC progressed to the final. In the women’s category, matches were played at the University of Rwanda, Huye campus, with RRA WVC and Police WVC advancing to the final.
Ahead of the finals on Saturday, Minister of Environment Dr. Arakwiye Bernadette joined residents of Gisagara District in a community work exercise (Umuganda) to launch Rwanda’s Environment Week and mark the closure of the #GreenAmayaga initiative.
The women’s final was the first to be played at Gisagara Indoor Stadium and produced a tightly contested encounter. RRA WVC took an early lead, winning the first two sets 26–24 and 25–22 against Police WVC.
RRA WVC were then one set away from the title, but Police WVC responded strongly, taking the third and fourth sets 25–15 and 25–23 to force a decisive fifth set.
In the tie-break, RRA WVC held their nerve to secure a 15–11 win, sealing a 3–2 victory and clinching the women’s title.
The men’s final followed and proved equally competitive, going the full five sets. REG VC started strongly, taking the first two sets 25–19 and 25–18.
Police VC, however, mounted a comeback, winning the third and fourth sets 25–23 and 25–22 to level the match at 2–2.
In the decisive fifth set, Police VC prevailed 15–11 to complete a 3–2 victory and claim the men’s title.
The champions, Police VC and RRA WVC, each received Rwf 4 million. Runners-up REG VC and Police WVC were awarded Rwf 3 million each, while third-placed teams Gisagara VC and RP Huye received Rwf 1.5 million.
RRA defeated Police WVC 3–2 in sets in the women’s final.REG VC and Police VC contested the men’s final.RRA WVC celebrate their championship title, which came with a prize of Rwf 4 million.Police VC celebrate their men’s championship title, which also came with a prize of Rwf 4 million. REG VC received Rwf 3 million after finishing second in the men’s category.
In 1996, as the camps began to be dismantled and refugees were encouraged to return home, Musabyemungu decided to repatriate and join fellow Rwandans in rebuilding a nation devastated by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
While many civilians returned, former government soldiers (Ex-FAR) and Interahamwe militia members refused to do so. Instead, they organised armed groups with the aim of launching attacks on Rwanda and reclaiming power. Their continued presence eventually prompted military operations to facilitate their repatriation.
In 2000, these groups formally established the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel movement that sought to continue armed operations against Rwanda. Musabyemungu’s husband, Jérôme Ngendahimana, then a colonel, became commander of the group’s Second Division before later being appointed head of intelligence.
Speaking to KP Media24, Musabyemungu recalled how her efforts to bring combatants home began in 2001 after RPA forces captured approximately 2,000 FDLR fighters and transferred them to Mudende, in present-day Rubavu District.
“I decided to go and see them because I knew many of them,” she said. “Some had studied with me, worked with me, or lived with me in the refugee camps. I wanted to talk to them, explain the situation, and encourage them to return to their country.”
During one of those visits, Musabyemungu met James Kabarebe, who was serving as Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Forces at the time. Impressed by her determination, he agreed to support her proposal to travel into the forests of eastern Congo and persuade other FDLR members, including her husband, to return to Rwanda.
Two years later, in 2003, Musabyemungu embarked on the mission. She travelled across Lake Kivu to Bukavu and continued on foot through dense forests to reach FDLR-controlled territory.
Upon her arrival, she was housed with the wives of FDLR fighters, as many members of the group distrusted her motives. She later learned that some individuals within the movement had proposed killing her, but the group’s commander, Paul Rwarakabije, repeatedly intervened to protect her.
“Commander Rwarakabije saved my life,” she said. “Whenever reports recommending my execution were brought to him, he would reject them. Sometimes he would say, ‘Leave her alone; I will deal with her myself.’ At other times he would insist that they could not kill me before my husband arrived.”
Musabyemungu explained that her husband was stationed roughly a week’s journey away from the location where she first arrived. When she eventually reached him, she seized an opportunity to speak with him privately.
She told him she had come to take him home and relayed assurances from Gen. Kabarebe that he would be welcomed back and allowed to live peacefully in Rwanda.
Initially sceptical, Ngendahimana struggled to believe the guarantees. He asked for three days of fasting and prayer before making a decision. At the end of that period, he agreed to return, though he remained uncertain about what awaited him during the journey and upon arrival in Rwanda.
In October 2003, after a difficult trek through the forests of eastern Congo, Musabyemungu and Ngendahimana reached Bukavu before crossing into Rwanda through Rusizi. They later travelled to Kigali, where they were personally received by Gen. Kabarebe.
“It was already night when we arrived in Kigali,” she recalled. “I felt immense relief because I had managed to bring him back alive.”
According to Musabyemungu, Kabarebe welcomed them into his home and shared a meal with them.
Soon after Ngendahimana’s return, Kabarebe contacted Rwarakabije by telephone to inform him that the former FDLR commander’s colleague had safely arrived in Rwanda. He then entrusted Musabyemungu with another mission of bringing Rwarakabije home as well.
Musabyemungu said she later spoke directly with Rwarakabije, who told her he would only return if she personally came back to the forests and accompanied him to Rwanda, just as she had done with her husband.
“He had refused to come,” she said. “He told me that he would only return if I came back for him. I agreed and returned to Congo. By then, I was no longer thinking about the possibility of being killed. I was only focused on the outcome.”
Ngendahimana supported the new mission and assured Kabarebe that his wife was capable of accomplishing it.
Musabyemungu described the second mission as even more challenging than the first.
“The first time, I had my husband with me. If something happened, we would face it together. This time, I was alone. Reaching Rwarakabije’s base and convincing him to leave was much more difficult,” she said.
In November 2003, she successfully escorted Rwarakabije back to Rwanda. He returned alongside more than 120 soldiers, including 12 officers.
“When we reached Rusizi, an aircraft was sent to transport us because we were such a large group,” she said. “When we landed at Kanombe, senior military officers and generals were waiting for us.”
The return of Rwarakabije and the officers dealt a major blow to the FDLR. Musabyemungu said the group also brought back weapons and equipment from the movement’s headquarters, making it significantly harder for the organisation to regroup and rebuild its capabilities.
Following his repatriation, Rwarakabije joined the Rwanda Defence Forces and rose to the rank of Major General. After retiring from military service, he was appointed Commissioner General of the Rwanda Correctional Service.
Ngendahimana also joined the Rwanda Defence Forces and retired with the rank of Major General.
For her part, Musabyemungu continued her education, earning postgraduate qualifications from the former National University of Rwanda and later from Kigali Independent University (ULK). Between 2008 and 2013, she served as a member of Rwanda’s Parliament.
Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Jérôme Ngendahimana returned to Rwanda in October 2003.Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Paul Rwarakabije returned to Rwanda in November 2003, along with 120 other fighters.Anne Marie Musabyemungu said the mission to repatriate the generals was highly challenging, but that she remained confident.
