Speaking to reporters after attending a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France, Rubio said the operation would end “at the appropriate time, in a matter of weeks, not months.”
He noted that the United States could still “achieve the objectives without any ground troops,” including destroying Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.
A reporter from the U.S. news website Axios wrote on social media platform X that Rubio told his G7 counterparts the conflict with Iran could continue for “another two to four weeks.”
Rubio also said Washington was open to diverting U.S. weapons from Ukraine to the Middle East, although such a move has not been made so far.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Rubio said no meetings are currently scheduled to address the issue. He also rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent claim that U.S. security guarantees are tied to territorial concessions in Donbass, calling it “a lie” and stating that Zelensky was told that such guarantees would only come after the end of the conflict.
The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting was held in France on Thursday and Friday, with discussions focusing on issues including the situation in Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the ongoing operation against Iran is expected to “conclude in weeks.”
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Thailand has engaged in direct diplomatic communication to clarify that Thai vessels are not involved in the conflict since the Thai cargo ship Mayuree Naree came under attack on March 11 while sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving three crew members unaccounted for.
The MFA also requested safe navigation through the strategic waterway, while Iranian authorities subsequently acknowledged the request and asked for details of the vessels transiting the area.
The government is accelerating efforts to strengthen energy security amid mounting pressure from the ongoing global energy crisis, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told a press conference on Saturday.
Thailand has engaged in direct diplomatic communication to clarify that Thai vessels are not involved in the Middle East conflict
Just before sunrise in rural Chikutu, in Malawi’s Nkhata Bay district, children wake up to the sound of roosters and the start of another busy day. There’s water to fetch. Chores to finish.
School is far away, internet access is unreliable, and smartphones are rare. But as families get ready, a small battery-powered radio crackles to life. Songs begin to play. Stories follow. Lessons come through in Chichewa, the language spoken at home. For these children, that morning broadcast is their classroom.
Scenes like this unfold every day across Africa. In places where classrooms are out of reach and digital learning is not an option, television and radio quietly step in. They are not just sources of entertainment. They are how learning happens. And behind them are Africa’s broadcasters, often unseen, often uncelebrated, playing a central role in children’s education.
For millions of families, broadcast remains the easiest and most reliable way to access learning. A radio doesn’t need data. A television doesn’t require a smartphone. One broadcast can reach entire communities at once, without placing any financial burden on families.
UNESCO estimates that radio reaches more than 75 percent of households worldwide, including many of the most remote and low-income communities, making it one of the most far-reaching tools for education.
This reality has shaped Ubongo’s work from the very beginning. More than ten years ago, when Ubongo was still an idea taking shape, African broadcasters saw the value of locally made educational content and made space for it on their airwaves. That early trust changed everything. What began as a small experiment grew into a learning resource that now reaches over 48 million households across the continent.
What makes African broadcasters special isn’t just how many people they reach. It’s how closely they are connected to the communities they serve. They know the languages families speak at home. They understand the challenges parents face. They treat education as a public service, not an afterthought. In many ways, they don’t just broadcast learning, they help teach it.
That partnership is clear in Malawi, where Ubongo has worked closely with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation since 2021. MBC has consistently treated educational programming as essential.
In December 2022, during a period of real economic strain, MBC’s Holiday Special Programme brought learning and joy into homes at a time when families needed both.
The station contributed ideas, production support, promotion, and national coverage, ensuring children could watch and learn together with their families during the school holidays. It felt less like a programme and more like a shared moment.
The importance of broadcast became even clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic, when online learning was out of reach for many underserved families. Around the world, more than 90 percent of countries turned to television and radio to support learning during school closures.
Broadcasters extended airtime, repeated episodes, and worked closely with education ministries to create dedicated learning hours. Through these collective efforts, Ubongo reached 24.6 million families during the pandemic—families who might otherwise have been left without any learning support at all.
But broadcasting isn’t only a solution for emergencies. Long after schools reopen, radios and shared televisions continue to play a role in everyday learning. Children gather around them. Parents listen in.
Lessons happen together. Regular schedules create routine, even when daily life is unpredictable. And when content is delivered in local languages, children connect more deeply. Research shows that this approach improves literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving, especially for learners who are often left behind.
Today, Ubongo works with more than 80 broadcasters across 23 countries, delivering content in 13 languages, including Kiswahili, Chichewa, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, French, and English. Families access our programmes through free-to-air TV, radio, pay TV, and on-demand platforms. This network is the backbone of Ubongo’s ambition to reach 100 million children by 2028.
Our five-year strategy reflects that reality. It focuses on 19 priority markets, blends broadcast with digital and last-mile channels, and centres on both foundational and supplementary learning. None of this is possible without broadcasters who believe that children’s education is worth investing in.
Across the continent, broadcasters continue to show resilience and commitment, even as they navigate financial pressure and changing media landscapes. They keep children’s programming on air because they believe in its value. Because they believe in Africa’s children.
Recognising our broadcast partners is really about acknowledging their role in creating fairer access to learning. To every broadcaster who has supported Ubongo, we are deeply grateful. You have helped turn airwaves into learning spaces, screens into classrooms, and stories into tools that shape young lives.
There is still more to do. Children’s programming needs more space. Local language adaptations need continued investment. There is room to co-create more, to launch national learning campaigns, and to strengthen the role of broadcast in education systems.
Television and radio remain the most powerful tools we have for reaching every child, wherever they live. And together with Africa’s broadcasters, we can keep building the largest classroom on the continent, one that no child is locked out of.
For millions of families, broadcast remains the easiest and most reliable way to access learning. Ubongo uses Television and Radio to deliver education at low cost to hard-to reach population in Sub-Saharan Africa The author of the article, Tamala Maerere serves as Audience Engagement Manager at Ubongo.
Ingabire had argued that Article 106, which allows a court to summon individuals as accomplices or accessories during criminal proceedings, violated the presumption of innocence guaranteed by the Constitution. She contended that the provision contributed to her imprisonment and should be annulled.
In its ruling, the Court addressed three key issues, focusing on whether Article 106 infringes on constitutional rights. The Court emphasized that summoning an individual as an accomplice does not equate to a presumption of guilt.
The provision allows for the prosecution to summon individuals linked to the case for questioning, but it does not make them guilty unless there is sufficient evidence. If no such evidence is found, the court continues the trial without further involvement from the summoned individuals.
The Court also clarified that the prosecution must present irrefutable evidence to justify the summoning. It asserted that the judicial process ensures the defendant’s rights and guarantees that they are treated as innocent until proven guilty.
Regarding concerns of judicial overreach, the Court highlighted that the judiciary and prosecution may cooperate but must not interfere with each other’s roles.
The Supreme Court dismissed Ingabire’s claim, affirming that Article 106 aligns with the Constitution and does not violate any fundamental rights.
The rainfall, which started around 7 AM and continued until 5 PM, had already saturated the soil in the area, which had been experiencing heavy rains since the beginning of March.
The motorcyclists, who were returning from Gasenyi Trading Center, were caught by the landslide. The victims were Imanirafasha Diedonné, 23, from Nyabiguri Village, Gasharu Cell, and Ishimwe Chance, from Gasharu Cell, Gashanga Village.
The passenger, Harerimana Joseph, 42, from Karambo Village, Murengezo Cell, is currently receiving treatment at Kibuye Referral Hospital.
Fabien Ngendo, the Acting Executive Secretary of Mutuntu Sector, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and urged residents to be more cautious.
He said, “We urge the community to remain vigilant, as the continuous heavy rainfall in Karongi has caused the soil to become unstable.”
Meteo Rwanda, the Rwanda Meteorological Agency, has forecasted above-average rainfall in March 2026, which could lead to more natural disasters.
This tragic event follows another similar incident three days earlier in Gashari Sector, Karongi District, where a landslide destroyed a house, resulting in two fatalities.
The Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) recently reported that from January 1, 2025, to March 18, 2026, weather-related disasters, including heavy rains, landslides, and lightning strikes, have claimed the lives of 207 people nationwide, injured 432, and damaged 2,341 homes, with 35 completely destroyed.
The Houthis control much of northern Yemen. They have stayed largely on the sidelines since the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28. The restraint contrasts with the Houthis’ actions during the Gaza war, when they repeatedly targeted shipping and disrupted global trade.
Why are the Houthis holding back? Will they join the fight? What would their involvement mean for energy markets? Here’s what you need to know.
Strategic restraint
After the Feb. 28 strikes, the Houthis pledged “full support” for Iran. Leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said March 5 that the group has its hands “on the trigger,” but has yet to act.
On Thursday, al-Houthi repeated that his group stands ready to take military action if the Middle East conflict escalates, while reaffirming close ties with Iran.
Analysts say the group is exercising “strategic restraint,” arguing that entering such a major war carries serious risks for the Houthis.
Joining the conflict would likely trigger U.S. and Israeli strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in northern Yemen, a region already under severe economic strain after years of war and blockade. Sustained bombardment could cost the Houthis both territory and public legitimacy.
A broader offensive could also give Yemen’s internationally recognized government an opening to launch a counteroffensive. The two sides have been at war for more than a decade. The Yemeni government has warned the Houthis against dragging the country into the wider conflict.
Possible action
On March 20, Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told Russian state media the group was weighing all options, including blocking the Bab el-Mandeb to ships from “aggressor countries.”
He said any closure would target only vessels from states attacking Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, or Iraq.
The Wall Street Journal reported on March 21 that Saudi officials are working to keep the Houthis out of the fight. The U.S. and Israel are also trying to avoid provoking them, a U.S. official said.
Maysaa Shujaa al-Deen, a researcher at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, said the signal to act may not have come because Iran does not yet need it.
Given Iran’s proximity to the conflict, a Houthi intervention may be seen as a card held in reserve — to be played only if fighting escalates into a full-scale ground war or a total blockade of Iranian interests.
Potential impact
Iran is already restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy corridor, pushing up oil and gas prices.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a key chokepoint for shipping between the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean. If the Houthis were to block it, global energy supplies could face a double disruption.
Reuters reported that the U.S. is considering deploying troops to secure the Strait of Hormuz and potentially strike Iran’s Kharg Island, about 15 miles off the Iranian coast, which handles roughly 90 percent of the country’s oil exports.
An Iranian military source issued a stark warning, saying that reckless U.S. action in Hormuz could trigger a second crisis. “They should be careful not to add another strait to their problems,” the source said.
On March 21, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants unless Tehran reopened the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. He later ordered a five-day delay on strikes following “productive” talks with Iran, and on Thursday, extended the deadline another 10 days to April 6.
Armed men loyal to the Houthi group participate in an armed tribal rally supporting the resumption of attacks against Israeli ships, in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 11, 2025.Vessels of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps are seen during a ceremony marking the National Persian Gulf Day at the Persian Gulf near Bushehr, Iran, April 29, 2024. Yemen’s Houthi group fighters ride a vehicle with a heavy machine gun during a weaponized rally against Israel, at Arhab district north of Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 3, 2025.
A team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and international collaborators found that metformin targets a small protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), a part of the brain that helps regulate energy and blood sugar levels.
The protein, called Rap1, is crucial for metformin’s action. When metformin suppresses Rap1 activity, it causes special nerve cells in the VMH to become more active, helping to lower blood sugar.
To test this, the research team used lab mice engineered to lack Rap1 in their VMH. These mice did not respond to metformin, showing that Rap1’s presence is necessary for the drug to function properly. The findings suggest that metformin works not only by acting on the liver and gut but also through direct action in the brain.
Further experiments were conducted where metformin was delivered directly into the brains of diabetic mice. Even though the doses were much smaller than the oral doses typically used, the mice still showed significant reductions in blood sugar. This experiment confirms that the drug’s effects are not limited to peripheral organs but also directly involve the brain’s regulation of blood sugar.
The research also showed that metformin activates SF1 neurons in the VMH, which are essential for blood sugar control. Without Rap1, these neurons did not respond to the drug, further reinforcing the idea that this brain pathway is critical to metformin’s function.
This discovery is a game-changer in diabetes research. It not only alters our understanding of how metformin works but also opens the door to developing new treatments that target brain pathways for better blood sugar control. The study also raises questions about the drug’s potential impact on brain aging and overall brain health, offering exciting possibilities for future research.
With this new insight, scientists are now exploring how metformin’s action in the brain could lead to more effective treatments for diabetes and other related health conditions.
Metformin’s long-hidden brain pathway may redefine how diabetes is treated.
He was speaking at the UN Security Council briefing on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on March 26, 2026, where he reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to a political resolution for the region, calling for a focus on the root causes of the conflict.
Amb. Ngoga made it clear that the conflict in eastern DRC is not of Rwanda’s making, noting that the country remains deeply concerned about the presence of the FDLR, a genocidal group founded by the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
According to Amb. Ngoga, the FDLR’s ideology remains unchanged and continues to spread throughout the region, posing a constant threat to Rwanda.
“The FDLR is not an ordinary armed group. It is a genocidal force, founded by remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and its genocidal ideology has never changed,” said Ngoga. “For Rwanda, it remains an ever-present threat, particularly given the devastation our country suffered as a result of that ideology.”
Amb. Ngoga stressed that eliminating the FDLR and its ideology is critical to any credible and lasting solution to the conflict in eastern DRC.
“Addressing the threat of FDLR is indispensable to any credible and lasting solution to the conflict in Eastern DRC,” he asserted. “This group must be neutralized, and their ideology and its vectors, such as hate speech, must be eradicated.”
Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to UN, Amb. Martin Ngoga stressed the need to neutralize FDLR to ensure as sustainable solution to eastern DRC protracted conflict.
Root causes of the conflict in DRC
Amb.Ngoga highlighted the internal dynamics of the conflict in DRC, stating that the root causes of instability in the region must be addressed by the Congolese themselves.
He emphasized the importance of the Doha Framework for Peace, which provides a platform for dialogue to address these internal issues and drive long-term peace in the region.
“The Doha Framework for Peace provides an important platform for dialogue aimed at addressing these internal drivers of instability. Progress in this process is therefore essential,” Amb. Ngoga explained.
He also pointed out that, alongside the Doha process, the implementation of the Washington Peace Agreement will be crucial in creating the conditions for a sustainable political settlement.
The Ambassador further emphasized that the peace process must address long-standing issues, including the return of refugees who have spent decades in camps.
“This track also provides the framework to finally resolve enduring challenges, such as the dignified return of refugees who have remained in camps for nearly three decades – Three hundred thousand in the region and many others in western countries,” he said.
International collaboration and accountability
Amb. Ngoga acknowledged the vital role of international partners, including the United States, Qatar, and the African Union, in supporting the peace process. He emphasized that the success of these efforts depends on continued impartial engagement, rooted in facts and verifiable evidence.
“Decisions and actions taken in support of peace must reinforce the credibility of these processes and ensure that all parties remain equally bound by the commitments they have made,” Amb.Ngoga stated.
“Enforcement and support mechanisms should apply equally and justly to all parties. In other words, enforcement and support mechanisms for these peace processes must be not only even-handed but also be seen to be even handed,” he added.
Former FDLR Secretary General Brig Gen Gakwerere was tranferred to Rwnda after his arrest last year.
Humanitarian crisis and the need for immediate action
The Ambassador also addressed the rising humanitarian consequences of ongoing hostilities, particularly the increasing use of drones and aerial attacks in civilian areas.
These attacks have caused significant civilian casualties, including a recent tragedy in Goma, where a humanitarian worker and several civilians lost their lives.
“Recent months have also seen an escalation in the use of drone strikes and other aerial attacks in populated areas. As the report notes, such attacks have already resulted in civilian casualties,” Amb. Ngoga explained.
From January to March, Congolese army, FDLR, and other allied groups carried out several drone attacks, including one on March 9, 2026, in Minembwe, which damaged infrastructure, and another on March 19, 2026, that hit civilian homes, destroying buildings and causing numerous casualties.
Amb. Ngoga called for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of conditions to protect vulnerable communities and support ongoing political processes.
“These developments underscore the urgent need for a ceasefire and for conditions that can effectively protect vulnerable communities and support ongoing political processes,” he stated.
Amb. Ngoga reiterated Rwanda’s commitment to the Washington Peace Agreement and the Doha Framework for Peace. He emphasized the importance of turning agreements into tangible progress on the ground and ensuring that the agreed monitoring mechanisms are effectively implemented.
“If we remain focused on implementation and on addressing the root causes of this conflict, we have a genuine opportunity to move toward a durable and lasting peace in the region,” Ngoga concluded. “Rwanda pledges to play its part honestly and fully.”
Following missile strikes and joint operations by Iran and allied resistance groups that damaged U.S. military infrastructure in West Asia, some surviving U.S. personnel have taken refuge in hotels in regional countries, including Bahrain and the UAE, said the report.
The hotels and civilian places used by the U.S. military personnel are not limited to those in Bahrain and the UAE, the informed sources were quoted as saying. And substitute bases and places sheltering foreign forces have also been detected in other regional states.
The U.S. Marines have been transferred to Djibouti’s international airport and deployed to the region, said the report.
Security inspect outside the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana hotel, in Erbil, northern Iraq, March 6, 2026. (AFP Photo)
The force, likely to include infantry and armored vehicles, would be added to the roughly 5,000 Marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the region, said the report, citing Department of Defense officials.
It is unclear exactly where the forces will be deployed in the Middle East, but they are expected to be within striking distance of Iran and its Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub, the report added.
“All announcements regarding troop deployments will come from the Department of War. As we have said, President Trump always has all military options at his disposal,” Anna Kelly, deputy White House press secretary, was quoted as saying.
Trump said earlier on Thursday that he would pause planned strikes on Iranian energy facilities for 10 more days, until April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, claiming that talks between the two sides were “going very well.”
Iran has publicly rejected a 15-point peace plan proposed by the White House but is privately considering meeting with unspecified U.S. negotiators in Pakistan in the coming days, said a report from The New York Times.
The United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global shipping, driving up oil prices and shaking the global economy.
Reports indicate that Pentagon is considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East
