The other countries are Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and the Republic of Congo. The WHO Regional Office for Africa confirmed the closure of the outbreaks following independent technical assessments conducted between January and June 2026.
The assessments reviewed disease surveillance, laboratory and epidemiological data, vaccination coverage and the quality of outbreak response activities before determining that transmission had been interrupted in all five countries.
While confirming the closure of the outbreaks, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Mohamed Janabi cautioned against complacency, stressing that continued disease surveillance and high immunization coverage remain essential to prevent future outbreaks.
Uganda and Burundi make progress
In Uganda, health authorities intensified surveillance and outbreak response measures after poliovirus was detected in May 2024. The response involved coordination between national and subnational authorities, alongside efforts to strengthen the country's capacity to identify and contain further transmission.
Uganda also upgraded its laboratory capacity earlier this year, improving its ability to detect poliovirus and respond rapidly to vaccine-preventable diseases.
In Burundi, a circulating poliovirus type 2 outbreak was declared in March 2023. Authorities subsequently strengthened routine immunisation, epidemiological investigations and environmental surveillance, supported by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
Targeted vaccination campaigns were also used to close immunity gaps and protect children in communities at risk.
The WHO said the experience of the five countries demonstrates the importance of rapid detection, strong government leadership, sustained surveillance, community engagement and high-quality vaccination campaigns in stopping poliovirus transmission.
WHO noted that outbreak closure is a country-specific technical determination based on evidence showing that transmission linked to a particular outbreak has been interrupted. It does not mean that countries are permanently protected from future detections or importations.
'Every outbreak closed means more children protected from a disease that can cause lifelong paralysis,' said Mike McGovern, Chair of the GPEI Polio Oversight Board and Rotary International's International PolioPlus Committee.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that can cause irreversible paralysis. There is no cure, but vaccination can prevent the disease.
Rwanda was declared polio-free in 2004 after reporting its last case of wild poliovirus in 1993.
Uganda and Burundi are among five African countries that have successfully stopped the transmission of poliovirus type 2, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), marking a significant milestone in efforts to protect children from paralysis caused by the disease.
Ntihanabayo appeared in court on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, alongside some of the other suspects in a case involving 80 people accused of offences related to the production, sale, distribution or importation of substandard alcoholic beverages commonly known as 'Ibyuma.'
Sixteen of the suspects appeared before the court to argue their cases on provisional detention.
At around 10 a.m., the judge announced the start of the proceedings and explained that the suspects would be heard in groups of three or four.
Ntihanabayo appeared alongside Twahirwa Fulgence, Ingufu Gin's quality control officer, and Katushabe Donias Donias, who is responsible for production at the company. They were among the first suspects to appear before the court.
Prosecution cites alleged quality and safety violations
Prosecutors told the court that investigations into the production of alcoholic beverages that have raised concerns among the public found that some manufacturers, including Ingufu Gin, had allegedly failed to comply with required quality and safety standards.
The prosecution said one of the grounds for seeking Ntihanabayo's pre-trial detention was his alleged failure to ensure compliance with quality standards, resulting in the production of beverages that did not meet the required standards.
Prosecutors said manufacturers are expected to conduct tests to determine whether substances contained in their products could pose health risks to consumers, but alleged that such testing was not carried out at Ingufu Gin.
'When such testing is not conducted, it can have adverse health effects on people who consume these beverages over a long period,' the prosecutor told the court.
The prosecution also alleged that Ingufu Gin did not have documentation showing that the tanks used to store beverages at the factory were properly cleaned and sanitised.
It further alleged that ethanol was not stored in accordance with safety requirements. Investigators reportedly found that the ethanol was kept in an area where temperature levels were not controlled and whose conditions did not comply with applicable standards.
According to prosecutors, these conditions could cause the concentration of ethanol to rise to as high as 94%, potentially affecting the quality of the products.
The prosecution said ethanol at such a concentration could pose a significant fire risk.
It argued that improper storage increased the risk of fire and could expose factory workers to health risks through inhalation.
Another ground cited by prosecutors concerned the alleged improper storage of flavouring substances used to give alcoholic beverages their taste, aroma and colour.
The prosecution told the court that the flavours used in Ingufu Gin's alcoholic beverages did not indicate their source or origin.
Investigators also allegedly found that some of the caps used to seal the beverages had exceeded their recommended period of use. Prosecutors said this could pose health risks to consumers.
Ntihanabayo denies personal responsibility
Ntihanabayo told the court that he is an investor whose role was to establish different departments within the company responsible for ensuring that operations were properly conducted and products met the required quality standards.
He argued that if violations had occurred, the employees responsible for the relevant areas should be held accountable because they had been given the authority to oversee them.
The judge questioned whether Ntihanabayo's position as an investor and the existence of employees responsible for quality control meant that the alleged violations did not concern him personally.
'Does that mean that your company is separate from you as an individual?' the judge asked.
The judge further told Ntihanabayo that the prosecution was alleging that he had personally played a role in the violations, despite his argument that specific employees had been assigned responsibility for quality control.
Ntihanabayo asked the court to allow him to remain free while investigations continue, saying he had no intention of interfering with or obstructing the investigation.
Ntihanabayo's lawyer challenged some of the grounds presented by the prosecution, including the allegation that the factory used expired caps to seal its alcoholic beverages.
The lawyer argued that liqueurs generally do not have an expiry period in the same way as some other products and questioned the prosecution's claim that the caps had exceeded their permitted period of use.
The lawyer also asked the court to allow Ntihanabayo to remain free while the case proceeds, arguing that his detention could affect several other investments he has made.
These include a school and a project to build a market in Biryogo, which the lawyer said could be delayed if Ntihanabayo is remanded.
The court will consider the arguments from both sides before ruling on the prosecution's request for 30 days of pre-trial detention.
Prosecution has sought 30-day remand for Ingufu Gin owner
According to PEOPLE, sources close to Harry say he 'never really stopped missing home,' despite establishing a new life with Meghan in California.
The couple are planning to establish a private home in the UK while maintaining their residence in Montecito, California.
Their children are expected to begin school in Britain in September, making the move an important step in reconnecting the family with Harry's home country.
The return also comes as Harry continues his involvement with charitable activities and prepares for the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham.
The decision represents a change from Harry's previous position on bringing his family back to Britain.
In May 2025, he told the BBC that he could not imagine returning to the UK with Meghan and their children, citing concerns about security.
However, sources say circumstances have changed, and the idea of spending more time in Britain has been developing for about a year.
For Meghan, the move is also connected to new professional opportunities.
She is reportedly preparing to return to acting, nearly a decade after leaving the profession. Her work is said to be among the factors making the family's extended stay in the UK possible.
The move could also bring Harry closer to his father, King Charles III. Harry, Meghan and their children privately reunited with Charles in July, marking the first time the King had seen Archie and Lilibet in more than four years.
The meeting was viewed as a positive development in the relationship between father and son.
Harry's relationship with his brother, Prince William, remains more complicated.
The two brothers have been estranged for years, and there is no indication that the UK return will immediately resolve their differences.
However, being closer geographically could create opportunities for their relationship to improve over time.
The Sussexes are not returning as working royals. They will continue their lives as private individuals while maintaining their connections and activities in the United States.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set for major UK return with their children.
Nchimbi said on Tuesday, August 25, that he had written to President Samia Suluhu Hassan informing her of his decision to resign, effective September 4, 2026.
He said the resignation was made in accordance with Articles 50(2)(c) and 149(2) of Tanzania's Constitution.
Nchimbi said his decision was also linked to a commitment he made to President Samia in August 2025, when he pledged to support her and the country with loyalty and said he would relinquish his position if she ever felt that another vice president was needed.
'I have satisfied myself, beyond doubt, that H.E. the President desires a change; therefore, I have decided to fulfill my promise,' Nchimbi said in a public notice.
He said he would continue serving as 'a good citizen of Tanzania' after leaving public office.
His resignation comes amid media reports of a fallout between Nchimbi and President Samia, although neither side has publicly detailed the circumstances behind the reported differences.
Nchimbi was sworn in as vice president in November 2025 after serving as Samia's running mate in the October 2025 presidential election.
Before becoming vice president, Nchimbi served as secretary-general of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). He previously held senior government positions, including minister of information and minister of home affairs, and later served as Tanzania's ambassador to Brazil and Egypt.
Tanzania's Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi has announced his resignation from the position and from public service, effective September 4, 2026.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum hosted by the African School of Governance (ASG) in Kigali on Tuesday, President Kagame said young people should not be driven into confrontation simply because they have the energy or ability to fight, but should first establish whether a cause is justified and worth the sacrifice it demands.
'You have to be selective. There has to be justification for a fight. Don't just pick fights for the sake of it,' Kagame said.
'Don't just pick a fight because you can fight. Choose a moment, choose what for. And it must be a just cause. And when you have been clear about it, you've done all the checks, then give it the fight it deserves. But be selective. Choose,' he stressed.
Kagame's advice was rooted in his own experience as a Rwandan refugee. His family fled Rwanda amid persecution and violence in the early 1960s, and he spent much of his childhood and early life in Uganda as a refugee.
He told the forum that the hardships of life in exile shaped the determination among many Rwandans to reject a future of permanent displacement and seek a different life.
'We can't live as refugees forever,' Kagame said, recalling the circumstances that pushed many Rwandans to make difficult choices about their future. He said some who had endured years of hardship reached a point where they felt they had to try to build 'a life that is worth something' and one they could stand up and fight for.
In October 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) launched an armed liberation struggle aimed at ending decades of exclusion and allowing refugees to return home. Kagame, who became commander of the RPF's military forces, played a central role in the four-year struggle.
Reflecting on the decision to join the struggle, Kagame said it was a conscious choice made despite the enormous risks involved.
'When I was young, there were all kinds of problems that came with a silver lining, in the sense that they made a number of us who lived that life say, 'We shouldn't accept this,'' he recalled.
'Together with others, we made that choice, and we decided to shape the kind of life we wanted,' Kagame added, noting that those who took such decisions understood that the cost could be high.
The President said such choices also create a lasting sense of responsibility, particularly when they are made with the hope of improving the lives of others. Having taken risks to change their circumstances, he said, those who survive and succeed have an obligation to ensure that future generations do not experience the same hardships.
He urged young people to find a purpose that goes beyond themselves and to consider how their choices can affect the lives of others.
'It's in your capacity, in your ability, in your every possibility to say, to give your life a purpose and to make a choice, a choice that you know, if you have made it, is not just going to be confined to your life, but it has impact on other people's lives,' Kagame noted.
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki also reflected on his experience of joining the African National Congress Youth League at the age of 13, drawing lessons from South Africa's long struggle against apartheid.
'The struggle hasn't ended. So you stay with the struggle, you stay on course. The commitment you made as a 13-year-old, you stay with it,' he reflected.
He urged young Africans to persevere in the pursuit of 'the Africa we want,' even when the journey becomes difficult, echoing Kagame's call for young people to choose meaningful causes and commit themselves to them.
The discussion took place at the inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum, which seeks to encourage a shift in attitudes and approaches needed to accelerate Africa's transformation, moving beyond identifying the continent's challenges towards collective action and implementation.
The two-day forum is being hosted by the African School of Governance, a pan-African institution for leadership, public policy and management co-founded by Kagame and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The school was officially inaugurated in January 2025 after receiving accreditation from Rwanda's Higher Education Council.
In his opening remarks, ASG President Francis Gatare said the school was founded on the conviction that Africa does not lack ambition, resources or talent, but needs the leadership mindset required to build strong institutions and deliver results. He said its mission is to help develop a new generation of ethical African leaders with a transformative mindset and a commitment to public service.
Gatare also welcomed the school's new cohort, comprising 238 participants from 22 African countries, who are beginning programmes ranging from the Master of Public Administration to executive education and leadership programmes for young, emerging and senior leaders.
President Kagame was speaking during a panel discussion at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum hosted by the African School of Governance (ASG) in Kigali on Tuesday.President Kagame said young people should not be driven into confrontation simply because they have the energy or ability to fight, but should first establish whether a cause is justified and worth the sacrifice it demands.Former South African President Thabo Mbeki also reflected on his experience of joining the African National Congress Youth League at the age of 13, drawing lessons from South Africa's long struggle against apartheid.Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the current Vice President of Ghana, was also a panellist at the forum.The African School of Governance was co-founded by Kagame and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (pictured).ASG President Francis Gatare said the school was founded on the conviction that Africa does not lack ambition, resources or talent, but needs the leadership mindset required to build strong institutions and deliver results.
The incident occurred on August 25, 2026, in Rubindi Cell, Gataraga Sector, where the six women had gone to excavate soil used to make bricks.
Northern Province Police spokesperson CIP Ignace Ngirabakunzi confirmed the incident to IGIHE.
He said the excavation was being carried out illegally and that the site collapsed while the women were digging.
'The site was being used to illegally excavate soil for making bricks. It collapsed on six women, killing four and seriously injuring two others. It is suspected that they lacked the necessary knowledge of proper excavation and dug improperly, causing it to collapse,' he said.
Authorities and rescue teams arrived at the scene after the incident was reported. The two injured women were taken to Ruhengeri Hospital for treatment.
IGIHE has learned that the owner of the excavation site was arrested shortly after the incident and is currently being held at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) station in Busogo.
CIP Ngirabakunzi urged residents to ensure that excavation activities are carried out safely, warning that improper practices can lead to accidents and loss of life.
He also urged residents to avoid illegal excavation activities and called on site owners to comply with regulations governing excavation and obtain the required insurance.
Speaking on a panel at the inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum, hosted by the African School of Governance (ASG) at the Kigali Convention Center, Kagame said Africa has 'everything in place to succeed': people, resources and lessons from its own history, yet keeps falling short because of attitudes Africans have not confronted.
He said the continent has been reduced to 'simply admiring others,' pointing out that this often means admiring people and institutions outside Africa rather than fellow Africans doing good work at home. That habit, he argued, leaves the continent open to being dictated to by others, while Africans themselves lament and complain rather than act.
'Why don't we do things so that we can actually admire each other?' Kagame asked, adding that there are capable people within Africa whom others on the continent should be joining and supporting, rather than looking elsewhere for inspiration.
The Head of State noted that Africa's obstacles are less about missing resources or policy frameworks and more about a mindset that has not caught up with the continent's ambitions. He said Africa cannot change without changing its own behaviour and attitudes, and that intentions must be matched with action and visible results.
Kagame co-founded the African School of Governance alongside former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The school, officially inaugurated in January 2025, was created to train a new generation of African leaders grounded in homegrown solutions to the continent's challenges.
Other leaders echo the call for accountability
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, sitting alongside Kagame on the panel, said none of Africa's problems can be resolved without addressing the quality of its leadership. He argued that leaders on the continent owe each other honesty rather than diplomatic silence, saying failures in one country inevitably affect its neighbours.
Mbeki urged young Africans to stay committed to the cause 'until the Africa we want does indeed emerge,' comparing the effort to running a marathon without dropping out.
Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, ASG's co-founder and chairman, said the continent's leadership has often been driven by a 'rent-seeking' mindset rather than a developmental one. He pointed to Ethiopia's own turnaround, from a country reliant on food aid in the 1970s to a grain surplus producer, as evidence that a deliberate mindset shift among ordinary farmers and officials can change a country's trajectory within a generation.
Ghana's Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, said Africa's problem is not a shortage of policies or plans but a failure to take ownership of its own story and decisions. She called for capacity building that raises young Africans differently from previous generations, moving them from being 'a victim of the circumstance to an active agent of change.'
ASG President Francis Gatare, opening the forum, introduced 'Meta Africanism' as what he called the next stage of Pan-Africanism, a shift from resistance and solidarity toward collective construction, agency and disciplined implementation of Africa's own plans.
The forum, running from August 25 to 26 in Kigali, has drawn more than 2,500 participants in person and thousands more following online.
President Kagame was speaking on a panel at the inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum, hosted by the African School of Governance (ASG) at the Kigali Convention Center.Kagame said Africa has 'everything in place to succeed': people, resources and lessons from its own history, yet keeps falling short because of attitudes Africans have not confronted.
Researchers from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons found that the production of new neurons, a process known as neurogenesis, appears to stall in the hippocampus of adults with major depressive disorder.
The hippocampus is a region of the brain involved in memory and emotional responses. It is also one of the few areas of the adult brain where new neurons continue to develop.
The findings suggest that reduced production of these neurons could affect the brain's ability to distinguish new experiences from memories of previous negative experiences.
This process, known as pattern separation, helps people recognize that similar situations are not necessarily the same.
For example, someone may have lunch with a friend who happens to be unusually quiet.
A healthy pattern separation process can help the person understand that the situation is different from previous experiences of rejection.
When pattern separation is impaired, however, the new experience may become mixed with painful memories, potentially leading to a more negative interpretation.
Researchers said newly formed neurons may help the brain create separate circuits for new memories, allowing people to respond to current experiences without automatically connecting them to previous negative events.
However, they stressed that the exact mechanism, particularly in humans, is not yet fully understood.
The study also found that depression affects more than the production of new neurons.
Researchers identified molecular changes across the hippocampal circuit, including genes involved in creating connections between brain cells, communication between neurons, energy production and the movement of materials inside cells.
The researchers also found signs of inflammation and cellular stress in the brain circuits involved in forming new emotional memories.
To investigate these changes, the team examined nearly half a million brain cells collected from people with depression and people without the condition shortly after their deaths.
Using advanced techniques, researchers analyzed gene activity in individual cells and examined changes in cellular proteins.
This allowed them to identify changes occurring in specific cells and locations within the hippocampus.
The researchers also found changes in genes previously associated with major depression, while some other changes appeared to involve epigenetic mechanisms.
Epigenetic changes can influence how strongly genes are switched on or off without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Researchers said these mechanisms can be affected by factors including stress, learning, ageing and environmental exposures.
According to the researchers, the wide range of biological changes observed could help explain why depression can affect people differently.
The findings could eventually contribute to new approaches to treating depression. Researchers are particularly interested in whether restoring neurogenesis could help some people by changing how the hippocampus processes memories.
However, the study does not mean that scientists have found a single cause of depression or that treatments capable of restoring neurogenesis are currently available.
Instead, researchers say the findings could help move the understanding of depression beyond the traditional focus on neurotransmitters such as serotonin and toward a more detailed understanding of the cellular and molecular changes involved.
The team also hopes that depression could eventually be classified according to its biological and molecular characteristics, potentially allowing treatments to be tailored to different forms of the disorder.
Scientists found changes in brain cell growth among people with depression.
Researchers found that supercentenarians, people aged 110 and above, have unusually high levels of a specialised immune cell known as CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes, or CD4 CTLs.
These immune cells can destroy abnormal cells and are involved in the body's defence against infections and potentially cancerous cells.
The study, published in Cell Reports, examined blood samples from 28 people divided into three age groups: adults aged 70 to 99, those aged 100 to 109, and people aged 110 or older.
Researchers found that the proportion of CD4 CTLs increased with age. They accounted for about 4% of the relevant T cells among people aged 70 to 99, compared with 9.6% among those aged 100 to 109 and 17.6% among people aged 110 and above.
The researchers also found evidence that these immune cells undergo clonal expansion, meaning individual immune cells multiply to produce large numbers of genetically similar cells.
In one participant, a single clone accounted for more than half of all CD4 CTLs detected in the blood.
Some of the dominant immune-cell sequences were similar to sequences found in people with certain cancers, including lung, breast and liver cancer.
However, none of the supercentenarians studied had been diagnosed with those cancers.
Scientists caution that the findings do not prove that CD4 CTLs are responsible for exceptional longevity. The study was relatively small and focused on immune cells in blood.
Researchers now plan to investigate how these cells behave in different tissues.
The findings offer another clue into the biological mechanisms that may allow some people to remain healthy well beyond 100 years.
A new study has found unique immune cells in people who live beyond 110
Nigiyena, a beneficiary of the British Council's Creative DNA accelerator programme, participated in the eight-day AFWL 2026 programme held from August 17 to 23 at 8 Northumberland Avenue and the British Council Headquarters in London.
His participation marked the first time Rwanda was represented at the AFWL showcase through the Creative DNA programme, which supports emerging African fashion designers by strengthening their skills, expanding their networks and creating opportunities to access international markets.
The partnership between the British Council and AFWL built on the success of their debut collaboration last year and sought to connect African designers with new audiences while supporting the development of creative economy ecosystems across the continent.
The programme featured discussions on issues shaping the continent's fashion industry, including African Fashion in Education, Creativity Beyond Borders and African Futures: Where African Design Is Going Now.
Nigiyena founded Matheo Studio, a fashion brand recognised for its cinematic and Afrofuturist approach, combining avant-garde silhouettes, African narratives and detailed craftsmanship.
His work has previously been showcased on major platforms, including Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Kigali and international showcases connected to New York Fashion Week, contributing to Rwanda's growing presence in global fashion.
Reflecting on his participation in the Creative DNA showcase, Nigiyena said the programme had played an important role in helping him develop his business.
'Matheo Studio has been a labour of love and I'm glad that Creative DNA has been by my side to help it get to the next level. My participation at the Creative DNA showcase at African Fashion Week London will be a great eye opener for my business,' he said.
British Council Rwanda Country Director Rebecca Picton said Nigiyena's participation provided an opportunity to highlight Rwanda's growing fashion and creative talent.
'Maurice is a great ambassador for the new wave of Rwandan and African designers. His participation at the Creative DNA showcase will not only be of great benefit to him and boost his potential as a creative to watch, but we also hope that it will help to shine a spotlight on the wealth of creative talent in Rwanda,' she said.
Nigiyena was among 10 designers selected to present under the Creative DNA banner at this year's AFWL. The group included Bettydora Odhiambo of Atieno Studio from Kenya, Adedayo Ilori of Dimeji Ilori from Nigeria, Joan Nantege of Joan Jade from Uganda, Mastewal Belay of Mastewal Alemu from Ethiopia, Neema Nkatha Kinoti of Ohana Swimwear from Kenya, Chido Kaseke of Patch Maoko from Zimbabwe, Nyame-Nhyiraba Awura of Republic of Africa from Ghana, Ropafadzo Kuki Mapira of Soleil from Zimbabwe, and Solome Kiflu of Xufan from Ethiopia.
Creative DNA is the British Council's fashion initiative aimed at supporting and strengthening Africa's fashion ecosystem by nurturing designers' skills, deepening their knowledge and expanding their professional networks.
The British Council said the initiative is designed to help emerging African fashion entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses and connect with international markets while contributing to the growth of creative industries across the continent.
The British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and communities worldwide and operates in more than 100 countries.
Rwanda's fashion talent took centre stage in London as designer Maurice Nigiyena showcased Matheo Studio at African Fashion Week London 2026.Rwandan designer Maurice Nigiyena joined 10 emerging African designers at African Fashion Week London 2026 under the British Council's Creative DNA programme.Maurice Nigiyena brought Rwanda's emerging fashion talent to the international stage with a showcase at African Fashion Week London 2026.
