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For APR FC, Rwanda’s reigning champions, the match is part of their pre-season schedule ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. The army side kicked off their warm-up games with a strong performance, defeating Gasogi United 4-1 in Shyorongi on Sunday.

For Nigeria, the encounter serves as a critical part of their build-up to the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN). The CHAN tournament features only players competing in their national domestic leagues and will run from August 2 to 30, co-hosted by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.

Nigeria’s CHAN team will head to Zanzibar after the Kigali fixture to compete in Group D, where they are drawn alongside Senegal, Congo, and Sudan.

APR FC, meanwhile, has lined up more friendlies as part of their international preseason schedule. The club is confirmed to play Tanzanian powerhouses Simba SC and Azam FC in mid-August.

Discussions are also ongoing with South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs, raising the possibility of another top-tier clash.

Before meeting Nigeria, APR will be back in action on Tuesday, July 22, in a friendly against Gorilla FC.

As Rwanda’s representatives in the upcoming Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, APR FC hopes to break new ground this season.

APR FC kicked off their warm-up games with a strong performance, defeating Gasogi United 4-1 in Shyorongi on Sunday.

APR FC, meanwhile, has lined up more friendlies as part of their international preseason schedule.

IGIHE

According to a statement from the army, the first operation took place on July 15 in coordination with air forces from the Alliance of Sahel States, resulting in the elimination of around 40 terrorists in the Anderamboukan area in the north.

The second operation, conducted two days later, led to the destruction of a terrorist logistics and training base in the Niono area in central Mali, and the death of about 30 terrorists, the statement added.

Mali has been facing a multifaceted crisis since 2012, marked by separatist rebellions, jihadist incursions and intercommunal violence that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands.

The Malian army announced on Sunday that at least 70 terrorists were killed during operations earlier this week in northern and central Mali.

Xinhua

Her installation ceremony was held in Kigali on the evening of July 18, 2025.

Mukanyange succeeds Aimable Rumongi, who led the club during the previous year. Reflecting on his term, Rumongi highlighted key accomplishments, particularly the club’s support to two primary schools in the Masaka and Kimihurura sectors. These schools received water harvesting systems and filtration equipment to improve access to clean water.

Additionally, the club extended financial support to women’s groups in Rugando, Kimihurura Sector, and offered assistance to teenage mothers in Gicumbi District.

In her remarks, the new President Mukanyange stressed the importance of collaboration with other Rotary Clubs both in Rwanda and internationally. She affirmed her intention to continue existing projects while initiating new ones to address pressing community needs.

'We are guided by our national vision to empower citizens and help them break free from poverty,' she said. 'Our goal is to promote sustainable change. We’re currently supporting teenage mothers through vocational training programs, covering tuition and providing tools. We also help those who wish to return to school. This initiative has primarily been based in the Byumba Catholic Diocese, but we plan to expand it nationwide through partnerships.'

Mukanyange also announced that the fight against child stunting will be a key focus during her tenure.

'We aim to contribute to the country’s efforts to eliminate stunting by working closely with Gasabo District. Together, we will identify existing programs and determine how we can best support them,' she added.

The handover ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including guest of honor Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, President and Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Governance (ASG) university. Although not a Rotary member, Prof. Moghalu praised the club’s structured and impactful work around the globe.

'I’m not a member of Rotary Club,' he said, 'but I deeply admire how Rotary brings together a strong network of men and women doing meaningful work worldwide. That’s why I married a woman who’s in Rotary!'

Other notable guests included Ozonnia Ojielo, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, and Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa.

Rotary Club Kigali Seniors is one of 12 Rotary Clubs operating in Rwanda. The club has been active for the past four years.

Joy Mukanyange was elected to serve as the President of Rotary Club Kigali Seniors for the upcoming one-year term.

Joy Mukanyange, President of Rotary Club Kigali Seniors, affirmed her dedication to strengthening collaboration with members of other Rotary Clubs, with the aim of leveraging collective efforts for greater impact.

Professor Kingsley Moghalu, President of ASG, expressed his admiration for Rotary Club, describing how it as an organization comprised of individuals committed to outstanding and impactful work.

Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer of NBA Africa, was among attendees at the inauguration ceremony of the President of Rotary Club Kigali Seniors.

Ozonnia Ojielo, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, was among the distinguished guests who attended the inauguration ceremony of the new President of Rotary Club Kigali Seniors.

IGIHE

Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon, Ishiba acknowledged the disappointing results and expressed a strong sense of responsibility.

“What is most important right now is to avoid causing stagnation in national politics,” he said, vowing efforts to fulfill the responsibilities as the leading party.

His remarks came amid growing public dissatisfaction over rising living costs and policy missteps, which analysts say contributed to the poor performance of the ruling bloc.

According to the final vote count completed in the early hours of Monday, the LDP secured only 39 seats of the 125 contested seats in the upper house election, while Komeito took eight, below their combined target of 50.

Even with their existing non-contested seats of 75, they now held fewer than the 125 seats needed for a majority in the 248-member upper chamber.

Despite the setback, Ishiba emphasized the need for stability and continuity in government, and formally declared his intention to continue serving as prime minister.

Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s Prime Minister and president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), walks in front of a board with red paper roses showing elected candidates at the LDP headquarters, on the day of Upper House election, in Tokyo, Japan July 20, 2025.

Xinhua

The nomination was made during the Pan-African Media Councils Summit, held from July 14 to 16 in Arusha, Tanzania. RMC’s new role places it at the heart of efforts to promote press freedom, professional journalism, and regional cooperation in the face of digital-era media challenges.

Emmanuel Mugisha, Executive Secretary of RMC, said the nomination affirms the growing recognition of Rwanda’s media development efforts and opens doors for stronger regional influence.

'It is an opportunity for RMC to influence media development, advocate for press freedom, and enhance the media sector’s capacity across East Africa,' he told The New Times.

RMC’s position on the NIMCA board comes as the continent grapples with urgent issues such as online misinformation, disinformation, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in journalism.

Mugisha noted that one of RMC’s priorities will be working with regional counterparts to harmonise media standards and codes of ethics, particularly around the use of AI tools in news production.

'As a region, we agreed on the need to align AI-related media codes. This will help ensure responsible innovation without compromising journalistic integrity,' he said.

The summit, which also served as NIMCA’s inaugural Annual General Meeting, brought together delegates from across the continent.

Participants emphasised the importance of digital literacy as a frontline defence against harmful online content and fake news, particularly in countries where internet access is growing faster than media literacy.

Calls were made for greater investment in journalist training, stronger collaboration with fact-checking organisations, and greater accountability for social media platforms. Delegates also urged education systems to integrate digital literacy into school curricula to equip young people with critical thinking skills online.

NIMCA’s newly elected leadership includes Kennedy Mambwe of Zambia’s Media Self-Regulation Council as President and Phathiswa Magopeni of South Africa’s Press Council as Chairperson. RMC now joins a select group of regional representatives tasked with driving the network’s agenda across East, West, and Southern Africa.

With its new continental mandate, RMC aims to promote collaboration, share best practices with peer institutions, and ensure that the East African Community (EAC) has a strong, unified voice in continental media discourse.

'Our participation will support knowledge exchange and collective problem-solving as we face the rapidly changing media landscape together,' Mugisha added.

The Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) has secured a seat to represent East African press councils on the board of the Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa (NIMCA), strengthening Rwanda’s role in shaping continental media policy and governance.

The nomination was made during the Pan-African Media Councils Summit, held from July 14 to 16 in Arusha, Tanzania.

IGIHE

The young royal, then a student at a military college in the British capital, was critically injured in the crash, sustaining severe brain haemorrhaging. He never regained full consciousness.

After initial treatment in the UK, he was transferred to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, where he remained under continuous medical care.

Despite recommendations from medical professionals in 2015 to withdraw life support, his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, steadfastly refused, maintaining hope that his son would one day recover.

“Life and death are in God’s hands,” the elder prince often remarked during the long years of uncertainty.

A brief flicker of hope emerged in 2020 when a video circulated on social media showed Prince Al-Waleed moving his fingers and lifting his hand in response to a voice. The moment gave renewed strength to those who had followed his story closely, though no significant recovery followed.

Prince Al-Waleed’s death was announced on social media by his father, prompting a wave of condolences across Saudi Arabia and beyond.

The hashtag #TheSleepingPrince quickly trended on X, as thousands paid tribute to his life and the steadfast devotion of his family.

Born on April 18, 1990, Prince Al-Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal and the nephew of billionaire businessman Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. He was also a great-grandson of King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

Funeral prayers for the prince are scheduled for Sunday. The men’s prayer was to be held at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh following the Asr prayer, while the women’s service was planned after Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, widely known as 'The Sleeping Prince,' died on Saturday at the age of 36, after spending 20 years in a coma. He had been on life support since 2005, when a car accident in London left him with severe brain injuries at just 15 years old.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

The tournament will bring together 15 nations competing in Africa’s Davis Cup Group V, the continent’s lowest tier in the prestigious global competition.

Team Rwanda features a strong line-up including Niyigena Étienne, Hakizumwami Junior, Ishimwe Claude, and David Manzi Rwamucyo. The squad is under the stewardship of head coach Habiyambere Dieudonné.

Before they departed from Kigali on Saturday, the players received the national flag from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, in a symbolic send-off ceremony.

The matches will be staged at the National Tennis Centre in Gaborone, with the 15 teams divided into three pools: one group of three teams, and two groups with four teams each.

This year’s participants include: Botswana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sudan, Congo Brazzaville, and Djibouti.

To determine which two teams will earn promotion to Group IV, playoffs will be held between the top team in Group A and the top team in Group D, as well as between the winners of Group B and Group C.

Rwanda dropped to Group V following a tough outing at the Davis Cup 2024 in Angola, where it finished bottom of Group B behind Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya.

That 2024 squad, also coached by Habiyambere Dieudonné, included Habiyambere Ernest, Niyigena Étienne, Hakizumwami Junior, and Muhire Joshua. The team won only one of nine matches in the group stage and lost 2—1 to Angola in the relegation playoff.

Cameroon also suffered relegation from Group IV in 2024, finishing last in Group A, home to Senegal, Algeria, and Angola, before falling 2—1 to Kenya in the playoffs.

Rwanda’s best Davis Cup campaign came in 2019, when the national team, featuring Havugimana Olivier, Niyigena Étienne, Habiyambere Ernest, Uwizeyimana Mathieu, and guided by coach Rutikanga Sylvain, secured historic promotion to Group III.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, hands over the national flag to the coach of the Rwanda men’s national tennis team, Habiyambere Dieudonné.

The men’s national team is competing in the Davis Cup as one of 15 countries in Group V.

IGIHE

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a joint statement to formally reject the WHO’s 2024 International Health Regulations Amendments.

The statement accused the amendments of being “vague and broad” in terminology, claiming that U.S. agencies “put Americans first in all our actions” and “will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans’ speech, privacy or personal liberties.”

The pact, which was adopted in Geneva in June 2024, aims to ensure that drugs, therapeutics and vaccines are globally accessible when the next pandemic occurs.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a joint statement to formally reject the WHO’s 2024 International Health Regulations Amendments.

Xinhua

It is “not possible to equate” the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) with “outlawed rebel armed groups,” read a statement by the ministry, urging the EU to adopt a more balanced approach that takes into account Sudan’s unique national circumstances.

On Friday, the EU adopted sanctions against two individuals and two entities affiliated with the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including asset freezes, prohibition of the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, and travel bans.

Sudan remains gripped by a conflict between the SAF and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, both internally and across borders, deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis.

Sudanese people, who fled the conflict in Murnei in Sudan’s Darfur region, cross the border between Sudan and Chad in Adre, Chad August 4, 2023

Xinhua

In a recent interview on Top Congo FM, Muyaya stated that the withdrawal of the M23 rebels would be carried out in the same spirit as the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), established under the Washington Peace Agreement of June 27, 2025, on dismantling the FDLR militia group.

However, in a post on X, Minister Nduhungirehe termed Muyaya’s remarks as a 'blatant disinformation' aimed at misleading the Congolese public.

Nduhungirehe clarified that the JSCM is a strictly bilateral mechanism between Rwanda and the DRC, responsible only for neutralising the genocidal FDLR group and overseeing the lifting of Rwanda’s defensive security measures along the border with the DRC.

According to the minister, the AFC/M23 rebel group is not covered by the mechanism, neither in its wording nor in its spirit.

Unlike the JSCM’s mandate, which focuses on the 'neutralisation' of a cross-border security threat and the lifting of related defensive measures, Nduhungirehe said the issue of the M23 will be resolved through political dialogue.

The dialogue aims to 'address the root causes of the conflict' and find an 'effective resolution,' which would logically follow the restoration of state authority.

“These points are clearly stated in the Doha Declaration of Principles,” he added.

The Doha Declaration was signed on Saturday in Qatar between representatives of the DRC government and the AFC/M23 rebels, marking a significant step towards ending years of conflict in eastern Congo.

The agreement is part of ongoing peace efforts facilitated by the State of Qatar, with support from the United States, the African Union, and regional bodies such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Following the June 27 Washington agreement between Rwanda and the DRC, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the Doha signing as 'a significant step forward towards the peaceful resolution' of the conflict in eastern DRC. The ministry praised Qatar’s mediation role and called for continued support to conclude the peace process.

Rwanda reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable peace and economic development in the Great Lakes region, stressing the importance of addressing the root causes of conflict to restore security and stability.

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has dismissed claims by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, regarding the handling of the M23 rebel group following a recently signed deal.

Wycliffe Nyamasege