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The experience topped the Wildlife Experience Index with a score of 90 out of 100, ahead of emperor penguin expeditions in Antarctica and saiga antelope expeditions in Kazakhstan.

The index ranked 30 of the world's most remarkable wildlife experiences, focusing on encounters where travellers can see animals in their natural habitats.

Wildlife encounters of this kind have become a major attraction for travellers, with safaris and other experiences involving wild animals featuring prominently on many travel bucket lists.

While Africa's Big Five; lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceroses and buffaloes, often dominate wildlife tourism, the index highlights a much wider range of experiences, from tracking black rhinos in Namibia to searching for elusive snow leopards in the Himalayas.

Bailey Robinson evaluated each experience across six factors: rarity, remoteness, conservation importance, exclusivity, accessibility and encounter potential.

Rarity was assessed based on population numbers and how difficult it is to encounter a species in the wild. Remoteness considered how far an experience is from tourism infrastructure, while conservation importance was informed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The index also assessed exclusivity based on access restrictions and visitor limitations, accessibility based on how easy it is to reach the destination, and encounter potential based on known opportunities to observe the animals.

Each factor was scored out of 10 before being combined to produce an overall score out of 100.

Why mountain gorilla trekking came first

Mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda received the highest overall score, helped by a perfect 10 out of 10 for encounter potential.

According to Bailey Robinson, expert trackers play an important role in helping visitors find the gorillas they have travelled to see.

In Rwanda, gorilla trekking takes place in Volcanoes National Park, where visitors hike through the mountain forests in small groups to find habituated gorilla families.

Only 96 permits are issued each day in Rwanda, making the experience highly exclusive while also limiting the number of people who interact with the gorillas.

The visitor limits are intended to reduce disturbance to the gorillas while allowing people to experience them in their natural environment.

Gorilla tourism also contributes to conservation and supports communities living around the protected areas. Revenue generated through tourism helps support the protection of gorillas and their habitats, while surrounding communities benefit from tourism-related activities.

Other top wildlife experiences

Antarctica's emperor penguin expeditions ranked second with 88.5 points, receiving 10 out of 10 for both remoteness and exclusivity.

Kazakhstan's saiga antelope expeditions ranked third with 87 points, followed by snow leopard tracking in Ladakh or the Himalayas with 85.5 points.

Javan rhino tracking in Indonesia came fifth with 85 points, while black rhino tracking in Namibia or Kenya ranked sixth with 84.5 points.

Polar bear expeditions in Svalbard and Bornean orangutan encounters ranked seventh and eighth respectively, both scoring 84 points.

Eastern lowland gorilla expeditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked ninth with 81.5 points, while African wild dog safaris in Botswana or Tanzania completed the top 10 with 81 points.

Eight of the top 10 experiences involved threatened species, while Asia and Africa accounted for most of the destinations featured in the ranking.

Sarah Parker, sales director at Bailey Robinson, said the relationship between rarity and remoteness was one of the key findings from the analysis.

'What particularly stood out to us was the relationship between rarity and remoteness,' she said.

'The world's most extraordinary wildlife encounters tend to involve travelling further, going deeper into wilderness and experiencing something that very few travellers will ever have the opportunity to see.'

She added that responsible travel and support for conservation projects were central to the value of such experiences.

'For us, the real luxury is the opportunity to experience something rare and meaningful, while travelling responsibly and supporting the places and conservation projects that make these encounters possible.'

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/mountain-gorilla-trekking-in-rwanda-ranked-worlds-top-wildlife-experience/

The graduation ceremony was held on August 30, 2026, in Ankara, bringing together graduates from the two military academies.

The four Rwandans are Byiringiro Arnauld, Cyizere Prince, Mbanzabugabo Daniel and Mugabe Robert.

Following the completion of their military training, they were commissioned with the rank of Second Lieutenant by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Rwanda's Ambassador to Türkiye, Lt Gen (Rtd) Charles Kayonga, and the Defence Attaché at the Rwandan Embassy, Colonel JP Rulisa.

The graduation is part of Rwanda's efforts to strengthen the skills and capabilities of its military personnel through professional military education and training programmes in different countries.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/turkiyes-president-erdogan-commissions-four-rwandans-with-the-rank-of-second-lieutenant/

The Big Bang is the name scientists give to the rapid expansion from the Universe's extremely hot and dense early state, which began about 13.8 billion years ago. As the Universe expanded, it cooled and eventually formed stars, galaxies and planets.

The Universe is about 13.8 billion years old. Scientists have generally believed that rocky planets needed to form later, after early generations of stars had produced and distributed enough heavy elements into space.

The new study examined the first stars, known as Population III stars. These stars were extremely massive and ended their lives in powerful supernova explosions.

When they exploded, they released heavy elements such as carbon, oxygen and iron into surrounding clouds of gas. These elements are important building blocks for rocky planets.

Researchers focused on pair-instability supernovae, exceptionally powerful explosions that can release more than 100 times the mass of the Sun in heavy elements.

Their simulations suggest that material from these explosions could have enriched nearby gas clouds. As the clouds collapsed under gravity, they may have formed rotating disks around young stars, similar to the disk that eventually produced the planets in our Solar System.

In one simulation, scientists found a planet-forming disk around a young star with about 70 percent of the Sun's mass.

The disk contained enough solid material to potentially produce several Earth masses of planetary building blocks at a distance comparable to Earth's position around the Sun.

The simulations also indicated that water may have been present in these early disks. Although the amount was lower than in the material that formed our Solar System, it was still substantial.

The researchers stressed that the findings do not prove that habitable planets existed so early. Instead, they show that the conditions required for rocky planet formation may have appeared surprisingly soon after the Universe began.

The discovery could reshape scientists' understanding of how early planets formed and raises the possibility that potentially habitable worlds may have emerged much earlier in cosmic history.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/scientists-say-rocky-planets-could-have-formed-100-million-years-after-the-universe-began/

The latest escalation began after US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, an Iranian island located near the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States said the operation was aimed at preventing an imminent threat to shipping in the strategic waterway.

Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles toward US military facilities in Jordan, according to Iranian officials and regional reports. Jordan said its forces intercepted the missiles.

The renewed confrontation marks the first known direct US military action against Iran since late July, when fighting had eased as Washington and Tehran pursued efforts to reach a longer-term agreement.

The situation escalated further after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran's Kharg Island was being 'blown to smithereens.'

Kharg Island is a major centre of Iran's oil industry and serves as the country's main crude oil export terminal.

Any major attack on its energy infrastructure could have significant consequences for Iran's economy and global oil markets.

However, there was no independent evidence that Kharg Island had been attacked when Trump made the claim.

Reuters also reported that the video Trump shared alongside his statement was AI-generated. An Iranian official dismissed the claim as false and described it as 'laughable.'

The White House and the US Department of Defense did not immediately provide details confirming an attack on Kharg Island.

The renewed fighting has already affected global energy markets. Oil prices rose on Monday as traders reacted to the possibility that the conflict could further disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for oil and gas transportation.

The Strait has remained a major point of tension throughout the conflict. Iran has threatened to restrict shipping through the waterway, while the United States has sought to keep the route open for international commercial vessels.

The latest escalation comes as Washington also increases economic pressure on Tehran.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States plans to introduce new secondary sanctions against Iranian financial networks on a weekly basis, beginning with banks.

The developments have raised fears that the renewed military confrontation could undermine diplomatic efforts and trigger a wider regional crisis.

For now, the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the dispute, with any prolonged disruption threatening global energy supplies and potentially pushing oil prices higher.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/us-iran-hostilities-resume-as-trump-claims-attack-on-key-iranian-oil-hub/

Known as Ulwaluko, the centuries-old ceremony is held twice a year and is intended to mark the transition from boyhood to manhood. Initiates are taken away from their families for about three weeks, where they undergo circumcision and are taught traditional values, survival skills and community history.

However, illegal initiation schools have been blamed for many of the deaths and injuries. Untrained practitioners reportedly carry out circumcisions using unsafe instruments, leading to severe infections, gangrene, sepsis and dehydration.

A South African government-commissioned report recorded 322 deaths between 2021 and 2024, alongside thousands of hospitalisations and cases of amputation. In 2024 alone, 93 deaths and 11 penile amputations were recorded during the winter and summer initiation seasons.

The government has introduced measures to regulate the practice, including requiring initiation schools to be registered and traditional surgeons to be trained and qualified. According to reports, Police have also shut down 42 illegal schools, arrested 40 people and rescued 180 boys.

Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said the latest deaths were 'deeply concerning' and called for collective action to eliminate preventable deaths and injuries.

'Respect for tradition must go hand in hand with respect for the law and every initiate's constitutional right to life, dignity and safety,' Hlabisa said.

Despite the risks, Ulwaluko remains culturally significant for many communities. Those who complete the ceremony are recognised as men and may gain access to certain traditional and social activities, while those who refuse can face strong peer pressure and social stigma.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/south-africa-circumcision-ceremonies-leave-43-boys-dead/

Cardinal Kambanda delivered the message on Sunday, August 30, 2026, during celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Caritas and the Justice and Peace Commission in the Archdiocese of Kigali.

The jubilee was celebrated at St Jean Bosco Parish in Kicukiro, Kigali. The Justice and Peace Commission in the Archdiocese of Kigali was established in 1992, amid violence, insecurity and political unrest.

Following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, its activities expanded to address challenges facing the country, including refugees, returnees, prisoners and orphans, as well as efforts to promote forgiveness and peaceful coexistence.

Cardinal Kambanda said justice and peace require love of God, which teaches people to care for others and make sacrifices rather than focus solely on their own interests.

He particularly urged Christians to learn from Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui, a Congolese customs official who was killed in 2007 after refusing a bribe to allow expired food products that could have harmed many people to pass through.

'Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui, in Goma, Congo, refused a bribe when they wanted to bring in expired food that could kill people. They offered him money, but he refused until they killed him. He accepted persecution and death rather than take a bribe that could put many people's lives at risk,' Cardinal Kambanda said.

Bwana Chui, who worked at a border customs post, was abducted and killed in Goma on July 8, 2007, at the age of 26.

Cardinal Kambanda also cited other people who sacrificed their lives for others as examples worth following.

He revealed that the Catholic Church in Rwanda has begun collecting information and compiling a list of Rwandans who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi because of acts of self-sacrifice, although he did not specify how the information would be used.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/cardinal-kambanda-calls-on-christians-to-choose-integrity-over-personal-gain/

RwandAir has cancelled four flights between Kigali and Nairobi over Sunday and Monday amid ongoing operational constraints and a go-slow strike by air traffic control and airport staff at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

The airline on Monday, August 31, announced the cancellation of flights WB452 and WB453 scheduled for the day, citing continued constraints affecting air traffic control services at the Kenyan airport.

'Due to ongoing operational constraints affecting air traffic control services at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), flights WB452/WB453 on 31 August 2026 have been cancelled,' RwandAir said in an official statement.

Affected passengers will be rebooked on the next available flight, while the airline said it was monitoring the situation in coordination with relevant authorities.

'We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused,' it added.

ATC Industrial Action Behind Flight Delays

While airline advisories and official communications from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) attribute the crisis to 'operational constraints,' airport workers and union officials confirm the root cause is a strike and go-slow action organized by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) alongside staff from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

Union representatives cite unresolved Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), stagnant wages, and broader administrative disputes regarding airport management as the driving forces behind the industrial action. Air traffic controllers and ground staff downing tools has severely throttled aircraft movement in and out of Kenya's primary aviation hub.

The cancellations follow a similar disruption on Sunday, when RwandAir cancelled flights WB402 and WB403 scheduled for August 30 due to the air traffic control slowdown at JKIA.

Widespread impact across international carriers

The disruptions have affected several airlines operating through the Nairobi airport, leaving thousands of passengers facing extended delays, cancellations, and flight diversions.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) warned on August 30 that flight delays could affect some departing flights at airports across the country, while flag carrier Kenya Airways attributed its schedule disruptions directly to ATC limitations.

'The ongoing delays into and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are due to operational constraints within Air Traffic Control (ATC) Services,' Kenya Airways said in an advisory.

Flight status information on FlightRadar24 showed several Kenya Airways services affected on Monday, including flights to Mumbai, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Juba, Kigali, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Lusaka, and Lubumbashi.

Kenya Airways flight KQ205 to Mumbai was listed as cancelled, while KQ401 to Addis Ababa was also cancelled. Flights to Dubai, Juba, Kigali, and Kinshasa were listed as delayed, while KQ584 to Lubumbashi was diverted.

Other international carriers were also affected. Gulf Air flight GF707 to Bahrain was listed as cancelled, while Air Arabia flight G9734 to Sharjah was delayed.

Despite the disruptions, several other domestic and international flights remained scheduled, including services to Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, New York, Kilimanjaro, Entebbe, Sharjah, Zanzibar, Doha, and Addis Ababa.

Passengers travelling through JKIA have been strongly advised to confirm their flight status directly with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/rwandair-among-airlines-affected-as-jkia-strike-disrupts-travel/

In a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, the ministry said investigations into suspected malpractice had established that mass cheating occurred in 254 examination rooms, affecting 7,188 learners.

Although examination malpractice would ordinarily result in the cancellation of the affected examinations, the ministry said it had decided to allow the learners to sit the examinations again after establishing that some of the cheating had been orchestrated and facilitated by adults responsible for administering the tests.

'In the interest of fairness and the future of the affected learners, the Ministry has therefore decided to allow them to retake the Primary Leaving Examinations,' the statement said.

The retake examinations will be held from September 2 to 4, with the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) expected to announce the examination timetable, designated centres and further guidance on August 31.

The Ministry of Education and NESA will work with learners, parents, schools and local authorities to ensure the process is managed with minimal disruption, according to the statement.

The development comes barely days after the national examination results were released, showing a significant improvement in performance at the primary school level.

Announcing the results on August 20, NESA Director General Dr Bahati Bernard said the national pass rate had risen to 88.21 percent in the 2025/26 academic year, compared with 75.6 percent in the previous year.

A total of 276,579 learners from 3,895 schools sat the examinations, with boys recording a pass rate of 89.59 percent, slightly higher than the 87.1 percent registered by girls.

The ministry said the integrity of national examinations remained non-negotiable and announced plans to strengthen the examination system following the malpractice.

It also warned that everyone found to have organised, facilitated, participated in or deliberately enabled the cheating would be held accountable.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/over-7000-learners-to-retake-primary-school-national-exams-after-mass-cheating/

Rwanda's Minister of State for Youth and Arts, Sandrine Umutoni, has urged young people to critically examine the forces influencing their fashion and dress choices, as debate over decency and dress codes continues to grow.

Umutoni made the remarks amid renewed debate over dress and decency among young people, following an incident at the Diamond Platnumz Experience at the BK Arena Parking Lot on Saturday, August 29, where some attendees, particularly young women, were reportedly stopped from entering over clothing deemed too revealing.

The police action has sparked debate, with some young people describing the enforcement as harassment and questioning the extent to which authorities should regulate personal dress choices.

Rather than reducing the debate to whether the State is attempting to control people's bodies, Umutoni said there was a need to examine the wider forces influencing fashion trends.

'I have been reflecting on the debate around how some of our young people dress, and I wonder whether we are asking ourselves the deeper questions,' she said in a social media post on Sunday.

'When concerns are raised about increasingly revealing fashion trends, the conversation quickly becomes: 'Why does the State want to police our bodies?' But perhaps we should also ask: who is shaping these trends in the first place, and why?'

Umutoni said young people, particularly girls, are increasingly exposed to messages linking appearance and femininity with displaying the body, arguing that such ideas are reinforced through fashion, advertising, music, films, music videos and social media.

She, however, stressed that the debate should not be framed as an indictment of women's bodies or as an argument that women and girls are responsible for managing other people's sexuality.

'This is not an argument that the female body is inherently provocative. It is not. Nor should women and girls be made responsible for managing other people's sexuality by simply being told to cover themselves,' she stressed.

Instead, she questioned why the female body is so frequently commodified by cultural and commercial industries.

Umutoni also linked the discussion to cultural identity, saying Rwanda should consider how it can develop a contemporary fashion identity rooted in its own culture while remaining open to global influences.

She pointed to Nigeria as an example of a country where traditional fabrics, patterns, craftsmanship and aesthetics have been incorporated into contemporary fashion.

'What does contemporary Rwandan fashion look like when it is confident enough to draw from who we are, while remaining creative, youthful and open to the world?' she asked.

According to Umutoni, embracing local cultural influences does not mean prescribing one way of dressing or rejecting foreign influences.

'Culture has always evolved. The question is whether we are participating in that evolution as creators, or simply consuming what others create for us,' she noted.

Her comments come against the backdrop of a broader push by authorities to address what they consider indecent behaviour and misconduct among young people.

In a joint press briefing on August 8, 2026, Rwanda National Police spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga warned that authorities would not tolerate public nudity, indecent dressing, disorderly conduct or sexually explicit content.

Rutikanga said personal freedoms have limits when they conflict with public order and cultural norms.

'We will not continue to tolerate indecent conduct, disorderliness or people exposing themselves… under the excuse that they are young and modern. We do not want that dirt… Rights have limits,' he said.

Police have also warned owners and managers of bars, nightclubs and event venues that they could be held legally responsible for indecent behaviour, underage drinking and reckless conduct occurring on their premises.

Authorities further announced increased monitoring of social media platforms, particularly TikTok, targeting content deemed sexually explicit or indecent.

Police cited Article 143 of Rwanda's Penal Code, which criminalises public indecency and provides for a prison sentence ranging from six months to two years.

For Umutoni, however, the conversation should extend beyond enforcement and focus on whether young people understand the cultural and commercial forces shaping what they perceive as fashionable or desirable.

She urged both young women and men to question the trends presented to them and consider who benefits from them and who defined them as desirable.

'Freedom is not only the ability to choose. It is also the ability to understand what is shaping our choices, and the confidence to create alternatives of our own,' Umutoni remarked.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/youth-should-question-forces-shaping-fashion-and-dress-choices-state-minister-umutoni/

The plans come as RwandAir prepares to add five Airbus A330 aircraft to its fleet, a move expected to provide the capacity needed to support additional frequencies on existing routes and future network expansion.

A RwandAir official told The New Times that the airline's immediate priority is to strengthen its current long-haul services, particularly by increasing flights to Paris and Brussels, while evaluating opportunities to expand into Germany and Asia.

On August 24, RwandAir announced the arrival of an Airbus A330-200, the first of the five aircraft expected to join the fleet. The 226-seat aircraft has already entered commercial service and is primarily supporting the airline's European operations.

'The additional capacity will provide passengers with more travel options while enhancing connectivity through our Kigali hub for travellers flying between Europe and destinations across Africa,' the official told the publication.

The remaining four A330s, which are being acquired through leasing arrangements, are expected to join the fleet progressively over the coming months, although the airline has not announced specific delivery dates.

Each of the aircraft can accommodate between 220 and 270 passengers and is expected to give the carrier greater flexibility in responding to growing demand and expanding its network.

RwandAir said the additional capacity would also improve operational resilience and help maintain service reliability as the airline grows.

The expansion forms part of RwandAir's broader ambition to more than double its annual passenger numbers from just over one million in the 2023/24 financial year to more than 2.1 million by 2028/29. The strategy relies on fleet expansion, new routes and strategic partnerships to strengthen Kigali's position as a gateway linking Africa with key international markets.

The latest A330 addition follows RwandAir's continued investment in its fleet. In August 2025, the carrier added two Boeing 737-800 aircraft, primarily to support short- and medium-haul operations.

With more wide-body aircraft on the way, the airline is positioning itself to grow its long-haul network while offering passengers more travel options through its Kigali hub.

Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/rwandair-eyes-frankfurt-route-and-resumption-of-mumbai-guangzhou-flights/