The Rwandan government, represented by its Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, claims that the UK’s decision violated the terms of a deal originally signed in 2022 by former Home Secretary Priti Patel, when Boris Johnson was Prime Minister.
Under the agreement, the UK says it had already paid £290 million to Rwanda, with a further £50 million due in April 2025, the amount at the center of the legal dispute as reported by GB News.
The deal was intended to relocate undocumented migrants arriving in the UK via small boats to Kigali, where they would be housed and given the opportunity to claim asylum.
However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made scrapping the Rwanda scheme one of his first acts upon taking office in July 2024.
Rwanda strongly opposed Starmer’s decision, arguing it was made hastily and without proper consultation.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the suspension, describing Rwanda’s legal claim as “yet another catastrophic legal consequence of Labour’s decision to scrap the Rwanda scheme”
The UK government defended the suspension, arguing that the previous policy wasted significant taxpayer money and resources.
Figures from the Home Office indicate that as of September 2025, 36,273 migrants were still being accommodated in hotels at the taxpayer’s expense, an increase of nearly 7,000 since Labour came to power.
According to GB News, Rwanda has appointed Lord Verdirame KC of Essex Court Chambers to represent its case, while the UK government is represented by Ben Juratowitch. The legal papers also name Dan Hobbs, the Home Office director for migration and borders, as a case representative.
Goma in early 2024 and Goma today are, by all accounts, worlds apart. The city is now described as markedly more secure, cleaner than ever before, with infrastructure projects underway across several areas, and free movement possible both day and night.
On Monday, January 26, 2025, the Coordinator of AFC/M23, Corneille Nangaa, sat down with IGIHE in Goma for an in-depth interview reflecting on developments over the past year. He outlined actions taken across various sectors and said the struggle would continue until the rights of Congolese citizens are fully respected.
{{IGIHE: How did you find the city of Goma when you arrived? One year on, with the fighting over, how do you assess what has been achieved so far?}}
{{Corneille Nangaa: }} The challenges were immense. We did not arrive in Goma under normal circumstances. The situation was extremely difficult. We found a population in distress, with criminal gangs having cut off water and electricity supplies. Banks were closed. The city was facing multiple crises.
Goma was exceptionally dirty at the time. Despite these constraints, we assumed responsibility and focused on urgent priorities. Water supply was restored within three days, and electricity within a week.
On sanitation, we introduced community work programmes. Today, I can confidently say Goma is the cleanest city in the DRC. At the same time, we were dealing with the crisis of more than a million internally displaced Congolese, whom the Kinshasa authorities had treated as political tools.
Once security was restored, many people returned to their homes and areas of origin. Security was our first priority. The Kinshasa government had distributed weapons to civilians under the Wazalendo banner, armed groups, criminals, and people with no training. We undertook a disarmament process.
{{IGIHE: Would you say there are no longer weapons in civilian hands in Goma?}}
{{Nangaa:}} The process is ongoing, but the results are encouraging. We also focused on building institutions, in four key areas. First, security: the army played a central role in disarming civilians, dismantling gangs, and restoring safety.
Today, Goma is quiet at night; gunfire has disappeared. Former gangs such as Quarante Voleurs no longer exist. People go about their daily work without fear.
We established a police force responsible for protecting citizens and their property and enforcing the law. Movement in Goma is unrestricted, and people commute freely to and from work.
{{IGIHE: Beyond security, what other priorities did you address?}}
{{Nangaa:}} Governance was a major focus. Two governors were appointed, along with mayors, burgomasters, sector leaders, neighbourhood heads, down to the village level. The administrative structure is now fully in place and functional.
Justice was the third pillar. This is an ongoing process, but justice is fundamental to national development. A commission was established to oversee judicial matters until permanent institutions are fully operational, including primary courts in Goma and Bukavu, prosecution services, and related bodies.
On the economic front, improved security enabled people to return to their land and resume economic activity. Agriculture continued. In areas such as Ngungu in Masisi, potato production has reached significant levels.
At Grande Barrière and Bunagana border points, large numbers of cattle cross daily as displaced people return to Masisi. In Nyiragongo and Rutshuru, agricultural output has increased.
AFC also initiated large-scale maize farming, with 400 hectares planted in a short period. Harvesting activities are expected soon.
Economic activity has largely resumed, although challenges remain, including what we describe as a “financial war” linked to the closure of banks and the loss of citizens’ savings.
The academic year, which was already underway when we arrived, was completed successfully. For the first time in five years, two provinces issued official academic results to students. A new school year has since begun peacefully.
Universities and higher learning institutions operated without disruption. Hospitals are functioning, and new hospital construction is underway in North Kivu. Much has been accomplished.
In terms of investment, road rehabilitation projects are ongoing. I recall a 75-year-old resident telling me he had never seen roads being built before. The Goma–Walikale road via Masisi is under rehabilitation, as is the Rutshuru–Goma road—visible signs of investment.
{{IGIHE: You have engaged in talks with the Kinshasa government for some time, but without concrete outcomes. Where does the problem lie?}}
{{Nangaa:}} AFC/M23 has consistently maintained that the solution must be political dialogue. Any initiative leading to talks is welcomed. Discussions began in Nairobi, then moved to Luanda. However, before those talks concluded, President Tshisekedi went to Luanda without informing Kenyan leaders.
Because peace is our priority, we participated in the Luanda talks, which reached a promising stage. Later, without informing Angolan authorities, developments shifted to Doha, Qatar. The Doha talks produced progress—not final results, but meaningful steps.
These included a joint declaration on shared principles, agreements on the release of AFC/M23 political detainees, and commitments to a ceasefire. Five documents were signed. Of eight agreed principles, two were formally endorsed. To date, President Tshisekedi has not implemented any of them. No detainees have been released, despite lists being provided.
The ceasefire has also not been respected. We believe this is because, for Tshisekedi, war has become a business—an avenue for misappropriating resources through inflated procurement, diversion of military funds, and related practices.
We continue to request the establishment of a monitoring mechanism and a demilitarised buffer zone. Unfortunately, the Kinshasa government has rejected these proposals. We remain convinced that lasting peace can only come through a negotiated settlement.
{{IGIHE: President Tshisekedi has recently called for new talks, possibly in Kinshasa or Luanda. Would you participate?}}
{{Nangaa:}} We must be clear about where solutions lie—Luanda, Lomé, or elsewhere. We have received invitations to new peace talks. We did not reject President João Lourenço’s invitation, but we raised a key concern: Tshisekedi turned his back on Luanda a year ago and went to Doha.
We seek clarity on how the Doha process will be treated if new talks proceed. Will Doha’s outcomes be reviewed, or will they be formally closed so that a new process can begin? That is the issue.
Dialogue, in our view, involves three stages. Talks are the final step toward national reconciliation, bringing together all Congolese stakeholders, including civil society and religious leaders. We commend the efforts of Catholic and Anglican leaders in this regard.
Before that final stage, however, there must be direct negotiations—stage two—between armed actors: AFC/M23 and the Kinshasa government. This is what has been happening in Doha. These talks must address the cessation of hostilities, the root causes of the conflict, and military reform.
AFC/M23, we believe, will form part of the future national army, while FARDC, as it currently stands, functions more like militias than a professional force.
{{IGIHE: Do you still have confidence in the talks? Are there conditions that must be met first?}}
{{Nangaa: }} Confidence-building measures are essential. How can we engage in national dialogue while people are being sentenced to death, arbitrarily detained, or abducted? Thousands are displaced. Former National Assembly Speaker Aubin Minaku and former presidential candidate Emmanuel Shadary were arrested and taken to undisclosed locations.
More than 40 generals and hundreds of senior officers are being detained daily. That does not reflect a professional army. These issues must be addressed for genuine dialogue to occur.
What we see instead is deliberate delay. Tshisekedi seeks to prolong the conflict, portray himself as a peacemaker to secure weapons, then launch new offensives. He will not succeed. AFC/M23 is a force that cannot be defeated.
According to a statement shared by the Office of the President, the guests included philanthropists Bill and Joyce Cummings; Didi Bertrand Farmer; Ophelia Dahl, Founder of Partners In Health; UGHE Chancellor Dr. Jim Yong Kim; and UGHE Vice Chancellor Prof. Philip Cotton.
During the dinner, President Kagame and the First Lady discussed UGHE’s impactful contribution to Rwanda’s education sector, particularly through high-quality training for the next generation of global health leaders.
The engagement came a day after UGHE marked a historic milestone at its Butaro campus in Burera District, where the university celebrated a decade of operations and graduated its first cohort of medical doctors in Rwanda.
At the graduation ceremony, UGHE awarded an Honorary Doctorate to First Lady Jeannette Kagame in recognition of her outstanding leadership and contributions to education, health, and equity in Rwanda, across Africa, and beyond.
The ceremony saw 30 medical doctors and 48 Master of Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD) graduates receive their degrees. It was presided over by Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva and attended by senior government officials, development partners, faculty, students, and alumni.
Conferring the honorary degree, UGHE Chancellor Dr. Jim Yong Kim described the First Lady as “an accomplished leader whose work spans education, health, and social transformation.”
He highlighted her contributions through initiatives such as the Imbuto Foundation, which promotes girls’ education, reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as her leadership in the Organization of African First Ladies for Development and the Unity Club, which advances national reconciliation.
“Her moral guidance, presence, and advocacy have strengthened UGHE’s growth, credibility, and visibility across Africa and the world,” Dr. Kim said, as he conferred upon her the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, in recognition of her exceptional leadership and distinguished public service.
Receiving the honour, First Lady Jeannette Kagame expressed gratitude and reflected on the legacy of the late Dr. Paul Farmer, UGHE’s founding chancellor.
“To be honoured in this way is a gift for which I can only find a few words,” she said. “To be watched from heaven by a dear friend as we celebrate those who have sought to honour his legacy through their own excellence. What a milestone.”
She noted that for many years, solutions to health challenges were often viewed as something that had to come from outside the continent. “Today we affirm a different truth,” she said. “Pain, disease, and avoidable death are not our destiny, and neither are we bound to wait for answers to arrive from afar.”
Addressing the graduates, the First Lady challenged them to see themselves as agents of transformation. “Your greatness is a revolution in the making,” she said, urging them to contribute to resilient health systems and meaningful change in global health.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Nsengiyumva underscored the critical role UGHE graduates will play amid growing pressures on health systems in Rwanda and globally, including emerging diseases, workforce shortages, and financing constraints.
He emphasised that the graduates are expected to be not only practitioners but also leaders capable of strengthening institutions and improving service delivery.
Dr. Kim also highlighted the uniqueness of UGHE’s journey, describing it as the result of an extraordinary partnership between the Government of Rwanda and global partners, noting that such a model reflects Rwanda’s long-term vision for sustainable health systems.
Founded in 2015 with support from Partners In Health, UGHE inaugurated its permanent campus in Butaro in 2019. The university offers six academic programmes in partnership with Harvard University and has so far graduated 330 master’s degree holders, with 444 students currently enrolled.
In recognition of its growing academic standing, Times Higher Education in 2024 ranked UGHE fourth among 129 leading universities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Students come from Rwanda, the United States, Canada, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Lesotho, Uganda, and other countries.
In a brief statement, the army said its troops, backed by allied forces, opened the main access road to the city following a successful operation that drove out the besieging forces, destroyed their vehicles, and secured the movement of civilians and essential supplies.
An eyewitness told Xinhua that army units entered Dilling following clashes in areas surrounding the city, adding that residents later emerged to welcome the troops.
Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media showed scenes of celebration involving government forces and local residents.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF.
Dilling had been under siege since the early months of the conflict that erupted more than two years ago, triggering a severe humanitarian crisis as basic supply routes were cut off.
Also on Monday, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and head of Sudan’s ruling council, reiterated the military’s determination to end the “rebellion” and prevent its return.
Since mid-April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions both inside and outside Sudan.
In its latest situation report, the DCP said the deaths were due to drowning, people being swept away in flooded rivers, being struck by lightning, and mine collapses.
“Owing to the incessant rains, the DCP is overwhelmed with response to incidents,” the DCP said.
According to the DCP, heavy rains have caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, schools, health facilities, houses, farm dams, and irrigation schemes.
The rains have affected 8,295 households and damaged 334 houses, 236 schools, 15 health facilities, and 21 bridges nationwide, the DCP said, adding that at least 12 marooning incidents have also been recorded.
The department said that major highways and roads in both urban and rural areas have been severely affected, with some impassable and in need of rehabilitation.
Zimbabwe has been battered by heavy rains in recent months, which have caused severe flooding resulting in loss of lives, property, and extensive damage to road and railway infrastructure.
In the southern African country, the rainfall season typically runs from October to March, bringing heavy rainfall and occasional storms.
The move is part of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.
In a press statement, the hospital said the detainees arrived through the facilitation of the International Committee of the Red Cross after their release by Israeli authorities via the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Earlier on Monday, the Israeli army announced the recovery of the remains of Ran Gvili, 24, a member of Israel Police’s elite Yasam patrol unit, who was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, and whose body was transferred to Gaza.
In a press statement, Hamas said it had made “significant efforts” to locate Gvili’s remains, calling on Israel to fully implement all provisions of the agreement, including reopening the Rafah crossing, allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, and withdrawing completely from the Strip.
In September 2025, the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration unveiled a 20-point, three-phase peace plan aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict that broke out in October 2023. However, both sides repeatedly accused each other of violations during the first phase of the deal after the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.
Earlier this month, Trump’s administration announced the launch of the second phase of the peace plan, shifting the focus from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance and reconstruction.
According to the weekly agri-exports outlook released by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), the country exported a total of 10,204 metric tons of agricultural products over the five-day period. Traditional export commodities, led by coffee and tea, remained the main drivers of export earnings, while diversified and non-traditional products also played a significant role.
Coffee was Rwanda’s top export earner for the week, generating $5.95 million from 897 metric tons exported, while tea followed with earnings of $2.55 million from 882 metric tons.
The report also shows steady growth in diversified agricultural products, which collectively brought in $4.14 million from exports totalling 7,635 metric tons. These products were mainly destined for markets in the United States, Oman, and cross-border African countries, reflecting Rwanda’s efforts to broaden its export base.
Horticultural exports also contributed to the overall performance. Fruits, including products like avocados, generated $526,172 from 313 metric tons, while vegetables earned $319,895 from 241 metric tons, with key destinations including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, and regional markets. Flower exports, though smaller in volume, earned $81,563, mainly from sales to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
In addition, animal products generated $381,773 from 222 metric tons, largely through cross-border trade within the region.
The strong weekly performance underscores Rwanda’s ongoing efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity, expand market access, and diversify export products. With continued investment in value addition and market expansion, the agriculture sector remains a key pillar in supporting Rwanda’s export-led growth strategy.
In an interview with the New York Post published Saturday, Trump described the device as a key factor in neutralising Venezuelan defences.
“The Discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it,” he said. “They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off. We came in, they pressed buttons, and nothing worked. They were all set for us.”
The operation, carried out on January 3, resulted in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at their Caracas compound. Trump has previously described how U.S. personnel used cyber tools to knock out power across the capital, leaving Venezuelan forces largely incapacitated.
While the U.S. military possesses a directed-energy weapon known as the Active Denial System, which emits an invisible radio frequency beam causing a burning sensation, it is unclear whether this was the technology Trump referenced.
Beyond Venezuela, Trump reiterated that the U.S. could extend military strikes against drug cartels to North America. “We know their routes. We know everything about them. We know their homes. We know everything about them. We’re going to hit the cartels,” he said. Asked whether these strikes could occur in Central America or Mexico, Trump responded: “Could be anywhere.”
On Friday, the U.S. conducted a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, marking at least 36 known strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September that have killed at least 117 people.
Trump also said that the U.S. has seized oil aboard seven Venezuelan tankers, though he did not disclose the ships’ current locations. “I’m not allowed to tell you,” he said. “But let’s put it this way, they don’t have any oil. We take the oil.”
Joël Guerriau, 68, is on trial in Paris after being charged with secretly administering a controlled substance to Sandrine Josso, a member of the French National Assembly. Prosecutors allege he put MDMA, a psychoactive drug, into a glass of champagne he served to Josso during what she believed was a private election‑night celebration.
According to courtroom testimony and media interviews, Josso, 50, began feeling unwell shortly after drinking the champagne. She experienced severe symptoms that prompted her to leave the gathering and seek medical attention at a hospital, where tests confirmed the presence of MDMA in her system. Josso has described the experience as terrifying and has framed it publicly as a case of drug‑facilitated assault.
Guerriau, who has acknowledged that he served a drink containing MDMA, denies any intention to harm Josso. His defense lawyers have argued that the incident was a “handling error,” claiming Guerriau originally mixed the drug for himself while going through a period of depression and accidentally served it to her instead.
The charges against Guerriau include possession and use of drugs as well as the administration of a substance to facilitate sexual assault which under French law can carry sentences of up to 10 years for drug‑related offenses and five years for drug‑facilitated assault. He resigned his Senate seat in October 2025 amid mounting political pressure, though his lawyers have insisted his resignation was unrelated to the trial.
This case has reignited public debate in France about drug‑facilitated sexual violence and consent discussions that were previously brought into sharp focus by the Pélicot trial, a widely covered case in which more than 50 men were convicted of repeatedly raping a woman while she was unconscious after being drugged by her then‑husband.
That trial helped galvanize calls for legal reform and contributed to the adoption in October 2025 of expanded rape laws that define non‑consensual sexual acts more broadly.
At the same time, the Commission extended an ongoing investigation opened in December 2023 into X’s compliance with rules governing recommender systems.
According to the Commission, the new probe will assess whether X properly identified and mitigated risks linked to the integration of Grok’s functionalities on its platform within the European Union.
These include risks related to the spread of illegal content, such as manipulated sexually explicit material, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material. The Commission said such risks appear to have materialised, potentially exposing EU citizens to serious harm.
Investigators will examine whether X met its obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks, including those related to gender-based violence and negative effects on users’ physical and mental well-being.
The Commission will also check whether X conducted and submitted a required ad hoc risk assessment report on Grok before deploying its functionalities.
Separately, the Commission has widened its earlier investigation to determine whether X adequately addressed all systemic risks associated with its recommender systems, including its recent shift to a Grok-based recommender model.
