The pilot, co-pilot and two vendors were killed when the aircraft struck a market stall at 9:09 a.m. local time (0539 GMT), said the report.
Four ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene, Fars quoted Ali Nasiri, head of the provincial emergency medical services organization, as saying.
Mansour Shishehforoush, director general of Isfahan’s crisis management department, told the official news agency IRNA that a technical failure caused the incident.
The ICC said the hearing will last four days. During Monday’s session, the Prosecution, the Defence, and the Legal Representatives of Victims delivered oral submissions, outlining their arguments on whether the case should proceed to trial.
Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that he committed the crimes charged. If one or more charges are confirmed, the case will be transferred to a Trial Chamber for the next phase of proceedings. The court is expected to issue its decision within 60 days after the conclusion of the hearing.
The 80-year-old Duterte did not attend the hearing in The Hague. Although the judges found him fit to participate in the proceedings, they separately granted a defence request to excuse his personal attendance at the hearing.
Earlier, his legal team had requested an indefinite adjournment of proceedings, including the confirmation hearing, arguing that he was unfit to participate. In response, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I appointed three independent medical experts to examine his condition and received their reports on Dec. 5, 2025. On Jan. 26, 2026, the Chamber concluded that, based on the medical assessments, Duterte “is able to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings.”
Duterte served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He was arrested and transferred to ICC custody in March 2025 under a warrant linked to his controversial anti-drug campaign, a move he has challenged. His initial appearance before ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I took place on March 14, 2025, and on Nov. 28, 2025, the court rejected an appeal seeking his release on grounds of age and declining health.
Under the revised structure, individuals in the first level are required to contribute Rwf4,000 annually, an amount fully covered by the Government. Those in the second level of social registry pay Rwf3,000 per year, supplemented by a Rwf1,000 government contribution. Members in the third, fourth and fifth categories contribute Rwf 5,000, Rwf8,000 and Rwf20,000 respectively per person per year.
The Order also maintains a co-payment system for services received through Mutuelle de Santé. Beneficiaries pay Rwf200 when receiving care at health centers and primary clinics, and 10 percent of treatment costs at hospital level. However, individuals classified as indigent are exempt from these co-payments.
The Prime Minister’s Order issued on February 16, broadens the range of contributors supporting the scheme. Banking institutions and general insurance providers have now joined the list of entities required to support Mutuelle de Santé financially. The order, published on February 23, 2026, had earlier been reviewed and approved by Cabinet on January 17, 2025.
The order confirms that funding for the scheme comes from multiple sources, including the Government, employees in both public and private sectors, health insurers, telecommunications companies, petrol and gas oil trade companies, general insurance providers and banks. Direct government support amounts to Rwf 6 billion annually from the national budget, in addition to targeted subsidies for people in the first and second levels of the social registry.
Further public contributions are drawn from a range of regulatory and service-related revenues. Half of the fees collected for the registration of pharmaceutical products, medical devices and food products are channeled into the scheme through the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority.
Revenue from vehicle mechanisation inspection and a share of traffic fines collected by the Rwanda National Police also support the system, alongside penalties imposed on traders dealing in substandard goods. Additional funding is generated through parking fees collected by the City of Kigali, a share of tourism revenue, and charges applied to vehicle and motorcycle ownership transfers.
Employee participation remains a central component of the financing model. Workers in both public and private sectors contribute 0.5 percent of their net salary, which employers deduct and remit monthly to the Mutuelle de Santé fund.
Health insurance providers operating in Rwanda contribute five percent of their annual premiums, while telecommunications companies provide three percent of their yearly turnover. General insurance companies contribute five percent of annual pre-tax profits, and banking institutions contribute two percent of their annual profit before tax.
Institutions are required to transfer their contributions within 30 days following the close of their financial year. Where audits reveal underpayment, the concerned entity must settle the outstanding amount and may face an administrative fine equivalent to 200 percent of the unpaid contribution.
Together, the revised contribution levels and expanded funding base are intended to strengthen the sustainability of Rwanda’s community-based health insurance system.
With the midterm elections approaching later this year, Trump is using this high‑profile speech as an opportunity to defend his record and rally support from Americans who remain sceptical about the direction of the country.
Domestically, Trump’s approval ratings have slipped as inflation and cost‑of‑living concerns continue to trouble many households. Recent data shows the U.S. economy has slowed more than expected, and the public is worried about job security and everyday expenses, forcing the president to try to reassure voters that his policies are working.
At the same time, a Supreme Court decision invalidating his global tariff program has undercut one of his signature economic strategies, and the impasse over immigration enforcement has led to parts of the Department of Homeland Security being temporarily shut down.
Internationally, the Trump administration is confronting rising tensions, particularly with Iran, where U.S. military assets have been repositioned amid ongoing nuclear disputes and regional instability. These foreign affairs challenges add to the pressure on Trump to present a confident and persuasive vision of U.S. leadership to both domestic and global audiences.
White House aides and Republican strategists see the State of the Union as a critical moment to shift the narrative, encouraging Trump to focus on economic gains such as stock market performance and tax cuts, even as polls show mixed public confidence in those outcomes. Trump is also expected to highlight his administration’s border policies, including deportation and enforcement efforts, despite controversy around these issues.
The address is expected to be lengthy and somewhat unscripted, a style Trump has used before giving him room to cover a wide range of topics and reinforce his message to voters ahead of the November elections. However, his administration’s troubles from economic discontent to geopolitical uncertainty will likely shape how the speech is received and influence the broader political climate in the months to come.
Trump prepares to address the nation at a critical moment, with economic challenges and political tensions shaping his upcoming State of the Union speech.
Officers arrested the 72-year-old Mandelson at an address in Camden on Monday, and he has been taken to a London police station for interview, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
“This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas,” the spokesperson said via a statement published online, adding that they were not able to provide further information to “prevent prejudicing the integrity of the investigation.”
In late January, the U.S. Justice Department made public a large cache of files related to the dead American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting renewed scrutiny in Britain. British police confirmed later that they had opened a criminal investigation into Mandelson over alleged misconduct while in public office, including the possible disclosure of market-sensitive information.
Mandelson previously served as a senior cabinet minister under former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was appointed ambassador to Washington in early 2025 but was dismissed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after seven months as questions over his past resurfaced.
Earlier this month, Starmer apologized for his decision to appoint Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States.
Speaking at an event in the town of Hastings in southeast England, Starmer said he had underestimated the seriousness of Mandelson’s past association with Epstein. He offered an apology to victims connected to the Epstein case and said he understood the anger voiced across parliament.
Due to the Mandelson-Epstein scandal, Starmer’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, communications director Tim Allan, and Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service Chris Wormald have all stepped down from their posts.
Located in Huye’s academic heartland, the museum doesn’t overwhelm; it gently guides. A gift from Belgium’s King Baudouin in the late 1980s, it has grown into one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections and remains a cornerstone of the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda.
Inside, Rwanda unfolds not through dates and timelines, but through the textures of daily life. The journey begins with the land itself, geology and geography that shaped how communities lived and thrived.
From there, visitors move through galleries filled with objects that once defined survival and creativity: farming tools worn smooth by use, finely woven baskets, elegant pottery, and woodwork that balances function with artistry.
There is a quiet poetry in the details. Traditional clothing reveals social identity; architectural models show how communities built harmony with their environment. One gallery explores the deep cultural significance of cattle, symbols of prosperity, social ties, and heritage that still resonate today. That living tradition continues nearby at the King’s Palace Museum, where descendants of the royal herd remain a powerful cultural link.
The final spaces shift from objects to meaning. Here, visitors encounter oral traditions, poetry, belief systems, and cosmology; the unseen threads that bind generations. It feels less like a museum room and more like listening to elders recount the foundations of a nation.
Outside, a vibrant craft centre brings continuity to the experience, showcasing artisans who carry tradition forward with contemporary expression.
For travelers exploring Rwanda beyond scenery, the Ethnographic Museum offers something deeper: context. It reveals how beauty, resilience, and identity are woven together, not only in landscapes, but in memory, craftsmanship, and living culture.
The rewards, equivalent to 10% of the VAT paid on Electronic Invoicing System (EBM) invoices requested during October, November, and December 2025, include 157,020 consumers from the final quarter of the year. An additional nine consumers received a combined Rwf 7,091,931 for invoices from July–September 2025, following verification for individual rewards exceeding Rwf 500,000.
To date, the VAT Reward programme, known as Tengamara Na TVA, has distributed more than Rwf 3.7 billion to 370,147 beneficiaries.
The programme has not only provided financial rewards but also reinforced tax compliance and civic responsibility, according to Assistant Commissioner for Taxpayer Services and Communications, Jean Paulin Uwitonze.
He noted that the 157,029 beneficiaries for this quarter have contributed to the collection of more than Rwf 13 billion toward national development.
“Since the launch of this programme, participants have continued to experience tangible benefits. Beyond the rewards, the initiative strengthens civic responsibility and reinforces a culture of tax compliance,” he stated.
Uwitonze emphasised that rewards are granted only for invoices accrued by final consumers in the relevant quarter, provided traders have declared and paid the VAT. He urged both consumers and traders to comply with invoicing requirements, noting that failure to issue or request EBM invoices is a legal violation.
Tengamara Na TVA encourages consumers to request EBM invoices for every purchase, offering a 10% VAT reward and a share of penalties from non-compliant traders. The programme aims to promote transparency and shared responsibility in national development.
To qualify, consumers must register for the VAT reward programme by providing their name, a Rwandan mobile phone number, a Mobile Money or bank account, and a national ID. Registration can be done by dialing *800# or through the MyRRA platform. The same channels allow users to check their reward accounts and track issued invoices.
The request follows South Africa’s recent decision to withdraw its troops from eastern DRC, where they had been deployed under a Southern African regional mission against the AFC/M23 rebel alliance. Pretoria has also announced the withdrawal of its contingent serving under the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO.
South Africa’s Presidency said the decision to pull its troops out of MONUSCO was driven by the “need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force”, following 27 years of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.
DRC Minister of Defence Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita visited Pretoria on February 21, 2026, where he held talks with his South African counterpart, Angie Motshekga. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral military cooperation.
In a statement, the DRC Ministry of Defence said the two officials met in a closed-door session to review various aspects of military and strategic cooperation between the two countries. Revisiting the 2004 military agreement between Kinshasa and Pretoria was among the key items on the agenda.
Both sides agreed to establish a joint team of experts to examine potential areas of renewed cooperation, drawing on the provisions of the 2004 accord. The outcome of these consultations could inform the negotiation and signing of a new agreement.
The original Pretoria Agreement was signed in June 2004, shortly after the DRC emerged from years of armed conflict. At the time, the accord was part of broader efforts to stabilise the country and rebuild its security institutions and economy, particularly in a nation endowed with vast mineral resources.
Then South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota pledged that South Africa would support the professionalisation of Congolese forces through training programmes, supply of military equipment and technical assistance.
However, unlike in 2004, when peace processes were underway to integrate former armed groups into a unified national army, the current security context remains marked by ongoing hostilities in parts of eastern DRC.
Kinshasa is now actively seeking multiple international partners to strengthen a military widely seen as under-resourced and structurally weak. Should the discussions advance, the United States is also expected to provide support, including training, equipment and intelligence cooperation.
Mornings drift lazily here, as fishermen push wooden boats into the lake, their voices echoing across the water, while the air carries the fresh scent of water, pine, and earth.
Along the shores, small villages hum to life. Hidden trails, sandy beaches, and secret corners invite discovery. Whether you seek tranquil mornings, vibrant sunsets, flavorful local cuisine, or lakeside adventures, Lake Kivu, spanning 2,700 km², offers experiences that linger long after you leave, and always tempt you to return. With a maximum depth of 485 meters, it is Rwanda’s largest lake and the sixth largest in Africa.
In the north, the lakeside town of Rubavu, once known as Gisenyi, invites travelers to pause and savor life by the water. Its colonial-era mansions and vibrant bars line the shore, where sundowners can be enjoyed against the backdrop of fishermen paddling in harmony. A short drive from Volcanoes National Park, it is also the perfect retreat after gorilla trekking, offering both relaxation and lakeside charm.
Halfway along the lake, Karongi presents a serene beachside escape. Pine and eucalyptus-covered hills cascade down to the sparkling water, where dawn and dusk bring the hauntingly beautiful songs of local fishermen. Here, travelers can taste traditional Rwandan dishes such as grilled tilapia or fresh tropical fruits, and experience cultural performances that celebrate the region’s rich heritage.
For those drawn to adventure, Lake Kivu is a playground. Kayak across its placid waters, explore enchanting islands like Napoleon and Amahoro, or take to the legendary Congo Nile Trail—a 227-kilometre journey weaving along terraced hills, eucalyptus-lined paths, and panoramic viewpoints. Along the lakeshore, hospitality ranges from cozy guesthouses to luxury lodges among other facilities, all accompanied by the warmth and friendliness of Rwandan hosts.
Whether it’s the soft morning songs, the taste of local cuisine, or the thrill of exploring hidden corners of the lake, Lake Kivu unfolds like a secret gem waiting to be discovered.
The 21-year-old covered the 134.6 km from Nyamata in three hours, 10 minutes and 10.30 seconds (3:10:10.30), edging Eritrea’s Henok Mulubrhan by just two milliseconds in a thrilling finish.
The win marks back-to-back stage victories for NSN Development Team, following Itamar Einhorn’s triumph in Stage 1 from Rukomo to Rwamagana on Sunday.
Marti Pau also took the yellow jersey, gaining a 10-second advantage in a sprint at Imberabyombi, which propelled him ahead of his teammate Einhorn, who did not finish among the top 40 riders on Monday.
The stage saw the peloton tightly packed until the final kilometres, with Eritrean riders initially leading the charge into Huye. Riders positioned themselves for the decisive sprint in the last 2 km, with NSN and Soudal Quick-Step shaping the race for the finale.
Top finishers in Stage 2 included Mauro Cuylits (Lotto-Groupe Wanty) in third, Hodei Muñoz Gabiña (Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team) in fourth, and Lucas Van Gils (Lotto-Groupe Wanty) in fifth.
The 2026 Tour du Rwanda will resume on Tuesday, February 24, with Stage 3 starting in Huye at 11:00 AM and finishing in Rusizi. The stage covers a distance of 145.3 kilometres.
