webrwanda english version

Category: Uncategorized

  • Over 80 percent of employed Rwandans walk to work, survey reveals #rwanda #RwOT

    The survey highlights that public transport is more commonly used in urban areas, with 25.9% of employed people in the City of Kigali relying on it for their commute.

    In contrast, the usage of public transportation is notably lower in rural areas, where only 2.6% of employed individuals use it.

    According to the survey, 8.3 million of Rwanda’s 13.2 million population are of working age, with 4.3 million currently employed.

    Among those employed in Kigali, over 61% commute on foot, while 12.7% use personal vehicles.

    In March 2023, the Rwandan government introduced 12 new public transport routes in Kigali, increasing the total number to 79.

    The recent addition of 200 new buses has helped ease congestion at bus stations, particularly during peak hours when commuters are traveling to and from work.

    In other urban areas, 75.3% of workers also walk to work, and 10.2% rely on private means of transportation.

    In rural areas, only 5% of workers use private cars, with a mere 2.6% utilizing public transport.

    The Labor Force Survey for the second quarter of 2024, conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), revealed that 83.9% of employed individuals walk to and from work.

    The survey also showed that 8.8% of employed Rwandans use public transportation for their daily commute.

    IGIHE

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/over-80-percent-of-employed-rwandans-walk-to-work-survey-reveals

  • Egyptian president signals full support for Lebanon, announces aid deployment #rwanda #RwOT

    Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi informed Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Cairo's support Saturday for Beirut and directed the immediate deployment of aid during a telephone call, according to the Egyptian presidency.

    Al-Sisi affirmed Egypt's 'full support for Lebanon and confirmed standing by its side during these critical circumstances, and rejecting attempts to jeopardize its security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity, stressing the need for an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza,' it said in a statement.

    The Egyptian president 'gave directives for the immediate dispatch of emergency medical and relief aid to Lebanon, in solidarity with its people, and affirmed Egypt's continued support for Lebanon at all levels.'

    He noted that 'the international community not assuming its responsibilities to stop the aggressive practices towards the Palestinian territories and Lebanon threatens to slide the region into a dangerous state of escalation, which puts regional and international stability and peace at stake.'

    The Lebanese prime minister expressed 'appreciation for Egypt's position in support of his country and the Lebanese State, reviewing the outcome of contacts made by the Lebanese government to contain the situation, and praising in this context the role played by Egypt to restore security and stability in the region.'​​​​​​​

    Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 41,600 victims, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last Oct. 7.

    The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of turning the Gaza conflict into a regional war.

    The post Egyptian president signals full support for Lebanon, announces aid deployment appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/egyptian-president-signals-full-support-for-lebanon-announces-aid-deployment/

  • BRICS to admit a dozen new members #rwanda #RwOT

    The next wave of BRICS expansion will be announced at the group's annual summit in the Russian city of Kazan in October, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov has said.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Ryzhenkov stated that BRICS is set to add at least ten new members, while expressing optimism that Belarus' application for membership will be approved.

    'The first wave of enlargement, as we all expect — those who have submitted such applications — will take place at the Kazan summit,' Ryzhenkov told RIA Novosti. Russia is 'formulating the list of these countries that will be in the first wave of enlargement,' he added.

    As the current holder of the BRICS chairmanship, Russia will host the group's annual summit in Kazan from October 22 to 24. Earlier this month, Belarusian First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Lukashevich said his country is in the first pool of BRICS candidates, along with Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bolivia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Cuba, Honduras, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Palestine, Senegal, and Thailand.

    Several other countries, including Türkiye, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso, have also shared their intent to join. Founded in 2006 by Russia, China, India, and Brazil, the organization accepted South Africa as a member in 2011. Earlier this year, it expanded to welcome four new member states — Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the UAE.

    So far, at least 34 countries have expressed interest in joining, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a senior BRICS meeting earlier in September.

    BRICS member nations are also jointly developing a payment and settlement framework for trading within the group, Putin said last week. This will allow members to 'create conditions for the effective and independent servicing of all foreign trade,' he added.

    The expansion of BRICS should be 'encouraged,' Julie Kozack, a spokeswoman for the International Monetary Fund, said in September, adding that the growth of the group could be beneficial globally.

    BRICS countries currently comprise around 46% of the world's population. Member states' economies account for over 36% of global GDP, as well as more than a third of the world's GDP based on purchasing power parity, according to estimates by global financial institutions.

    The post BRICS to admit a dozen new members appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/brics-to-admit-a-dozen-new-members/

  • Zelensky ready to fire spy chief – Ukrainian media #rwanda #RwOT

    Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov could soon be forced to resign, and his successor is likely to have already been chosen, the New Voice (NV) news site reported on Sunday, citing a law enforcement agency source.

    Rumors of Budanov's dismissal began to circulate shortly after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky sacked half of the cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olga Stefanishina.

    It was also reported that there have been 'serious tensions' between Budanov, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), and Zelensky's chief of staff, Andrey Yermak — described by The Times as the de facto ruler of Ukraine — which could be a factor in his potential removal.

    Commenting on the rumors that he will be fired, the NV's source said that this 'option exists.'

    However, he denied reports that the intelligence chief would follow in the footsteps of Ukraine's former top general, Valery Zaluzhny, by being appointed as an ambassador abroad.

    According to the source, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleg Ivashchenko, is likely to succeed Budanov.

    There have been no official statements from the HUR so far.

    Budanov was appointed as military intelligence chief in 2020, and previously served as deputy director of the Department of Foreign Intelligence.

    While it is typical of Zelensky to conduct purges after battlefield setbacks, some view the recent mass firing of ministers as an attempt by Yermak to concentrate power.

    A member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Sergey Rakhmanin, told the NV last week that the talks about Budanov's possible dismissal were 'precisely a sign' that his relationship with Yermak had deteriorated.

    'As a rule, as soon as rumors start to appear that someone might leave their position, confirmation soon follows that, for one reason or another, either the person has quarreled with the head of the office or their relationship has worsened,' he added.

    The post Zelensky ready to fire spy chief — Ukrainian media appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/zelensky-ready-to-fire-spy-chief-ukrainian-media/

  • Harris will plunge US into 'nightmare' – Musk #rwanda #RwOT

    The Democratic Party could turn the US into a de facto one-party state if it succeeds in boosting support in swing states by granting  citizenship to illegal immigrants, tech mogul Elon Musk has argued.

    Democratic Party candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris has repeatedly called her Republican rival in the November 5th vote, former President Donald Trump, a threat to democracy.

    Musk, who endorsed Trump in July, claimed that the opposite is true in a post on X on Saturday.

    'Very few Americans realize that if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election. Far from being a threat to democracy, he is the only way to save it!' he said.

    'Let me explain: if even 1 in 20 illegals become citizens per year — something the Democrats are expediting as fast as humanly possible — that would be about 2 million new legal voters in four years,' Musk said in reply to a post claiming that 9 million illegal immigrants are eligible for citizenship under the current US administration.

    'Moreover, the Biden/Harris administration has been flying 'asylum seekers,' who are fast-tracked to citizenship, directly into swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Arizona. It is a surefire way to win every election,' he added.

    With swing states often determining US elections by a margin of fewer than 20,000 votes, Musk claimed that if the Democrats succeed in using immigration to boost their electorate, there will be no more swing states. The only elections thereafter would be Democratic primaries, similar to what occurred in California in the late 1980s, he said.

    'America then becomes a one-party state, and democracy is over,' Musk said.

    Everywhere in America will be like the nightmare that is downtown San Francisco.

    Musk announced in July that he would be closing the offices of X in San Francisco, saying he's 'had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building.' X's relocation to Texas coincided with multiple high-profile business departures amid the city's well-documented homelessness, drug, and crime epidemic.

    Illegal immigration and the situation at the country's border with Mexico have become major points of contention between Democrats and Republicans in this election cycle.

    Trump has criticized his Democratic opponents on immigration issues, condemning President Joe Biden's reinstatement of the Obama-era 'catch and release' policy, which he claims allows convicted criminals among illegal immigrants to be released into the US.

    The post Harris will plunge US into 'nightmare' — Musk appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/harris-will-plunge-us-into-nightmare-musk/

  • Antoine Griezmann has announced his retirement from international football #rwanda #RwOT

    Antoine Griezmann has confirmed his retirement from international football, bringing to a close the end of a 10-year career with France.

    The Atlético de Madrid man revealed the news on Monday morning just ahead of Les Bleus' October matches against Israel and Belgium.

    Griezmann played in six major tournaments for France, including a starring role in their 2018 World Cup win as well as their run to the 2022 final in Qatar.

    A brief message on his Twitter account read: 'It is with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life. Thank you for this magnificent tricolor adventure and see you soon.

    Griezmann ends his international career having played 137 times for France and scoring 44 goals.

    The post Antoine Griezmann has announced his retirement from international football appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/antoine-griezmann-has-announced-his-retirement-from-international-football/

  • Hospital visiting suspended as new Marburg outbreak guidelines issued #rwanda #RwOT

    Rwanda confirmed its first-ever Marburg outbreak five days ago with 26 cases and eight deaths registered as of Sunday September 29, 2024.

    To control the further spread of Marburg, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday night that only one caregiver would be allowed per patient at a time.

    All healthcare facilities have been directed to implement a protocol for receiving and providing services to clients exhibiting symptoms of Marburg disease through the strict application of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

    Other new measures introduced include the banning of wakes and home vigils, locally known as ‘Ikiriyo’, in cases of death caused by Marburg.

    Additionally, funeral services for those who have died from Marburg will be limited to no more than 50 attendees.

    The government also stated that in the wake of the MVD outbreak, open-casket viewings will not be permitted in homes, churches, or mosques. These will only be held in designated areas within health facility premises, and with a limited number of people.

    Furthermore, the Ministry of Health emphasized that normal business and activities will continue, with a strong focus on reinforcing personal hygiene measures.

    The ministry urged the public to avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals. The main symptoms of the virulent disease are high fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

    “By diligently following these guidelines, each one of us is making an invaluable contribution to protecting ourselves and each other,” the Ministry stated, adding that additional measures will be announced in the coming days.

    Earlier on Sunday, Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said the government had identified approximately 300 people who had contact with infected individuals, all of whom are being tested to determine whether they are infected.

    “We have many contacts, and the number continues to grow as we trace them. Nearly 300 people have been identified so far, and that number may increase because the interactions vary. They might have had casual contact, such as greeting each other, or closer contact, like caring for or being a patient,” Minister Nsanzimana added.

    The contacts include both those who live with the infected and others from different areas.

    The minister urged the public to stay calm and continue their daily activities as usual, reassuring them that the measures being taken to combat the MVD outbreak are promising.

    Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana announced a new set of guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of Marburg virus disease (MVD) on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

    Wycliffe Nyamasege

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/hospital-visiting-suspended-as-new-marburg-outbreak-guidelines-issued

  • 21-year-old duo wins Frw 5M prize in Irembo’s inaugural AI hackathon #rwanda #RwOT

    The 21-year-old software engineers’ AI project, dubbed Bwenge, was ranked first among 18 projects reviewed by judges in the 48-hour competition on Sunday, September 29, 2024, securing them Frw 5 million in cash prizes and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025.

    Bwenge is an AI-powered chatbot that allows any citizen with a phone, even without internet access, to make a call and access digital government services. The bot has been integrated with IremboPay, a payment solution for Rwanda’s one-stop shop for government services, to ensure seamless payments.

    The 21-year-old software engineers’ AI project, dubbed Bwenge, was ranked first among 18 projects reviewed by judges in the 48-hour competition on Sunday, September 29, 2024

    'You can ask the bot how to do things, for example, how to start a business in Rwanda, and it will provide you with a detailed guide,' Izabayo explained.

    'You can also request an SMS on how to pay for an application, and it will send you a direct text. You can then call, and the system will prompt you to make a payment through mobile money (MOMO).'

    Another interesting feature of the chatbot is its telephone agent, which allows two people who speak different languages to have a conversation on a call, with the bot translating for each of them.

    Cedric Izabayo (left) and Liberiste Clarence (right) pose for a photo with Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) CEO Innocent Muhizi during the awarding ceremony at Irembo Campus in Nyarutarama.

    Izabayo and Clarence are graduates of the Rwanda Coding Academy and work at Pivot Access and Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), respectively. The two young software developers could not contain their excitement after winning the top prize on their very first attempt at such a competition.

    'This journey was really interesting; it showed us what we can accomplish in less than 48 hours. We were thinking about what we could do to provide value to the whole Rwandan society, especially for those who don’t have access to the internet,' Clarence beamed, adding that ironically they were among the last groups to apply for the hackathon, just a few hours before the application deadline.

    Libériste Clarence takes the judges through his team’s AI project.

    The duo is open to collaborating with other partners to implement and explore other ideas leveraging artificial intelligence.

    'We have the ability to do more things. Now we are using a phone, but one can use WhatsApp to send requests. The possibilities are endless,' Izabayo concluded.

    Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, said the project has the potential to revolutionize access to information, especially for persons with limited internet access.

    Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, makes his remarks during the awarding ceremony.

    'The project can have a huge impact in Rwanda because the way it’s deployed allows people without internet to access information by just calling a phone number. It can have a huge impact in urban and rural areas,' Djomga stated, emphasizing that the pioneering event was organised to create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in Rwanda.

    The second place went to a team of four developers with a technology titled Immersive AI. It’s a platform that enables businesses and individuals to create their own AI workflow agents to automate processes and improve productivity. The project developers included Dirac Murairi, Landelin Gihozo, Julien Barezi and Kevin Nkusi.

    The Immersive AI project finished second in the competition.

    Somatek AI clinched the third place. The project was also undertaken by group of four young software developers, who built an AI-powered browser extension that simplifies complex technical documentation. The team, comprising Janvier Ntwali, Laura Celine Ishimwe, Dean Daryl Murenzi, and Leny Pascal Ihirwe, developed the extension to assist the government in its recently rolled-out scheme to train one million coders under the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) by 2029.

    'Given that most Rwandan youth are low-proficient English speakers, we decided to create a solution for them to transcribe technical documentation to their level for better understanding and learning experiences,' the team explained.

    The two teams won Frw 2 million and Frw 1 million, respectively.

    Somatek AI clinched the third place in the competition.

    In developing practical AI solutions, the participants leveraged large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies. Teams had the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, also provided access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI models for voice-enabled applications.

    Twenty teams comprising 63 individuals were initially selected to participate in the competition from a pool of more than 130 teams, but only 18 teams made it to the final stage and had their projects reviewed by a panel of eminent judges from Irembo, C4IR, and RSSB, among other partners.

    Alain Ndayishimiye, Project Lead for AI/ML at C4IR Rwanda, and Esther Kunda, the Director General of Innovation & Emerging Technologies at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation in Rwanda, were among the judges.

    The winning teams pose for a photo with some of the judges of the competition.

    Wycliffe Nyamasege

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/science-technology/article/21-year-old-duo-wins-frw-5m-prize-in-irembo-s-inaugural-ai-hackathon

  • 21 killed, 125 injured in Israeli airstrikes on 2 districts in southern Lebanon #rwanda #RwOT

    At least 21 people have been killed and 125 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on the districts of Tyre and Bint Jbeil in south Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said Sunday.

    'Israeli airstrikes on Bint Jbeil today resulted in three martyrs in the village of Aita al-Shaab and two martyrs in the town of Souaneh,' it said.

    In Bint Jbeil, the number of injuries reached 10 in the villages of Kafra, Bani Hayyan, Tebnine and Shaqra.'

    Additionally, the ministry noted that Israeli airstrikes on towns in Tyre district led to 16 fatalities and 115 injuries.

    The statement emphasized that the airstrikes caused significant damage to Qana Governmental Hospital.

    Lebanon's Hezbollah group and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

    The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.

    The post 21 killed, 125 injured in Israeli airstrikes on 2 districts in southern Lebanon appeared first on The Custom Reports.

    Source : https://thecustomreports.com/21-killed-125-injured-in-israeli-airstrikes-on-2-districts-in-southern-lebanon/

  • Hospital visiting suspended, new Marburg outbreak guidelines issued #rwanda #RwOT

    Rwanda confirmed its first-ever Marburg outbreak five days ago with 26 cases and eight deaths registered as of Sunday September 29, 2024.

    To control the further spread of Marburg, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday night that only one caregiver would be allowed per patient at a time.

    All healthcare facilities have been directed to implement a protocol for receiving and providing services to clients exhibiting symptoms of Marburg disease through the strict application of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

    Other new measures introduced include the banning of wakes and home vigils, locally known as ‘Ikiriyo’, in cases of death caused by Marburg.

    Additionally, funeral services for those who have died from Marburg will be limited to no more than 50 attendees.

    The government also stated that in the wake of the MVD outbreak, open-casket viewings will not be permitted in homes, churches, or mosques. These will only be held in designated areas within health facility premises, and with a limited number of people.

    Furthermore, the Ministry of Health emphasized that normal business and activities will continue, with a strong focus on reinforcing personal hygiene measures.

    The ministry urged the public to avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals. The main symptoms of the virulent disease are high fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

    “By diligently following these guidelines, each one of us is making an invaluable contribution to protecting ourselves and each other,” the Ministry stated, adding that additional measures will be announced in the coming days.

    Earlier on Sunday, Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said the government had identified approximately 300 people who had contact with infected individuals, all of whom are being tested to determine whether they are infected.

    “We have many contacts, and the number continues to grow as we trace them. Nearly 300 people have been identified so far, and that number may increase because the interactions vary. They might have had casual contact, such as greeting each other, or closer contact, like caring for or being a patient,” Minister Nsanzimana added.

    The contacts include both those who live with the infected and others from different areas.

    The minister urged the public to stay calm and continue their daily activities as usual, reassuring them that the measures being taken to combat the MVD outbreak are promising.

    Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana announced a new set of guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of Marburg virus disease (MVD) on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

    Wycliffe Nyamasege

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/hospital-visiting-suspended-new-marburg-outbreak-guidelines-issued