Named Delphi-2M, the model marks a major advance over earlier AI-based risk predictors, which typically focus on a single illness, said study co-author Moritz Gerstung, a data scientist at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. He noted that Delphi-2M could help doctors identify high-risk patients early, opening opportunities for preventive measures long before symptoms appear.
In the study, researchers adapted a large language model to forecast the likelihood of 1,258 diseases based on a person’s medical history, combined with factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and lifestyle habits like tobacco and alcohol use. The tool was trained on health data from 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank, which tracks long-term biomedical information.
Results showed that Delphi-2M matched or exceeded the accuracy of conventional single-disease models and outperformed algorithms relying on biomarker data to estimate risk across multiple conditions. The AI excelled in forecasting illnesses with predictable progression, including certain cancers, and could calculate disease probabilities decades in advance depending on medical records.
To test its broader applicability, the team validated Delphi-2M using health data from 1.9 million people in the Danish National Patient Registry, a database of nearly 50 years of hospital records. Predictions for the Danish cohort proved only marginally less accurate than those for UK Biobank participants.
Despite its promise, the researchers acknowledged limitations. The UK Biobank, for example, records only a participant’s first incidence of disease, which could affect long-term prediction accuracy. The team plans to expand testing with datasets from multiple countries to improve the model’s precision and global relevance.
The team arrived in Kigali on Thursday, September 18, 2025, aboard the national carrier, RwandAir.
“Murakaza neza i Kigali! This morning, we had the pleasure of flying the @BritishCycling team from London to compete in the UCI Road World Championships, proudly hosted in Rwanda from 21–28 September 2025. Join us in wishing them the very best in the races ahead!” RwandAir shared the news on X.
The championships, taking place from September 21 to 28 in Kigali, will feature thirteen races and bring together 1,400 participants from 109 countries and teams. A total of 917 riders are registered to compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys.
In the men’s category, the Elite Road Race will see the largest field with 219 riders, followed by the Men’s Junior Road Race with 172 participants. The Men’s Under 23 Road Race and the Team Time Trial Mixed Relay will feature 149 and 117 riders, respectively. Among women, the Elite Road Race has 129 confirmed riders, while the Women’s Junior and Under 23 events will host 91 and 107 participants. Individual time trials across categories will see competitors ranging from 53 to 103 riders per race.
Rwanda has registered 54 riders, placing it among the top six delegations. Other notable delegations include Spain (67), Italy (66), Canada (63), and Great Britain (34).
The event is expected to attract massive global attention, with 700 accredited journalists from 124 countries covering the races. Some 80 television broadcasters will air the competition worldwide, reaching an estimated 330 million viewers.
This will be the first time the global cycling showpiece is held on African soil, marking a historic milestone for Rwanda and the continent.
Organisers expect more than 15,000 visitors, including cycling stars, coaches, officials, fans, and dignitaries. Alongside the competition, guests will rely on Kigali’s hotels, restaurants, and service providers to experience the best of Rwandan hospitality.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has already listed a number of establishments expected to play a central role in receiving participants and spectators.
In Kigali and beyond, operators say preparations are well advanced. Mutabazi Clément, a manager at RSB, which owns 14th Avenue Wine Bar and Restaurant and Soy Asian Table, confirmed that their venues are fully ready.
“We have redecorated the restaurant with cycling-themed designs in UCI colours so that customers can enjoy the race atmosphere. Our staff have been given sufficient rest to ensure they are ready to deliver during peak service,” Mutabazi said.
In Musanze, Meza Malonga, a high-end restaurant offering African cuisine, has already secured early reservations.
“So far, around 25 guests have booked with us,” said Mushime Théoneste, the manager. “We also see this as an opportunity to build long-term business connections.”
Hotels and eateries across the capital are reporting similar levels of readiness. At The Rock Bistro, known for its meat dishes, manager Uwitonze Audrey said they have completed all necessary preparations:
“International visitors tend to give quick feedback if something isn’t right. This motivates us to further improve our services while presenting Rwanda positively,” she explained.
At Boho Restaurant in Kimihurura, Head of Business Development Apophia Katukwire said they have trained staff to handle large numbers of visitors and hired additional temporary workers to cope with the expected surge. Similarly, Khana Khazana, an Indian restaurant in Nyarutarama, has expanded its kitchen to serve more people during the event.
Hospitality operators agree that the championships will not only generate significant revenue but also provide an opportunity to showcase Rwandan cuisine and service excellence to a global audience. Many believe the event will reinforce Rwanda’s position as a premier destination for international conferences and sporting events, while leaving a lasting impression on visitors.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the party intends to bring back the plan during a recent interview with GB News, where he responded to questions about the scheme’s effectiveness.
Asked how many migrants had been sent to Rwanda while Conservatives were last in government, Philp noted that none were removed due to a protracted legal battle that delayed the process, except for four who moved voluntarily.
Philp added that preparations were completed and the government was ready to begin removals in July 2024. However, the plan was halted two weeks before its scheduled launch by Keir Starmer and the Labour Party.
“And the reason no one ended up going to Rwanda is that the scheme was cancelled by Keir Starmer and Labour, two weeks before it was due to start.”
The next UK general election is scheduled for 2029, and Philp indicated that if the Conservatives return to power, the Rwanda migration scheme could be reinstated.
“We’re definitely going to bring that back,” he added.
The UK’s Labour government formally scrapped the plan last year to remove migrants who enter the UK illegally for further processing, citing legal and ethical concerns. Since then, it has faced mounting pressure for not offering a credible alternative to manage irregular migration.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration remains under scrutiny domestically for the absence of a replacement policy.
Meanwhile, the European Union is reportedly warming up to a similar scheme, and the United States has also signed an agreement with Rwanda to address its own migration challenges.
A first group of seven migrants from the US arrived in Rwanda in mid-August under a bilateral agreement to resettle up to 250 migrants. The Rwandan government has stated that all individuals will receive support, including accommodation, healthcare, and workforce training, to help them integrate into Rwandan society or potentially relocate to other countries.
On August 6, U.S. Border Chief Tom Homan defended the agreement while openly criticising Britain’s failure to follow through on its own arrangement with Rwanda.
“They’re not the United States of America. They don’t have President Trump running the show,” Homan said, blaming what he described as weak leadership in London for the UK plan’s collapse.
According to officials, the updated framework is designed to balance household affordability with the need to strengthen national production, encourage industrial efficiency, and support investment in green infrastructure.
In a statement released on Wednesday, RURA Director General Evariste Rugigana announced the expansion of the first block of household consumption from 15 kilowatt hours to 20 kilowatt hours per month, while the tariff for this essential band remains unchanged at 89 Frw/kWh.
This measure is intended to protect vulnerable households and promote universal access to electricity. Beyond this, however, significant adjustments are introduced: households consuming between 20 and 50 kWh will now pay 310 Frw/kWh, up from 212 in 2020, while those using more than 50 kWh per month will pay 369 Frw/kWh, compared to 249 under the previous schedule.
For non-residential customers, tariffs have also been reviewed upwards. Those consuming up to 100 kWh will now pay 355 Frw/kWh, while usage above 100 kWh is charged at 376 Frw/kWh, compared to 227 and 255 respectively in 2020.
At the same time, RURA has introduced preferential rates for health facilities, schools and higher learning institutions, setting their tariff at 214 Frw/kWh, significantly below the general non-residential rate to ease operating costs for critical services.
Sector-specific customers will also see changes. Telecom towers will now pay 289 Frw/kWh, up from 201, while broadcasters face an increase from 192 to 276 Frw/kWh. Hotels have been split into two categories: those consuming less than 660,000 kWh annually will pay 239 Frw/kWh, while larger hotels are grouped with small industries and charged at 175 Frw/kWh. Commercial data centres, which paid 179 in 2020, will now also pay 175 Frw/kWh.
Industries face a mix of higher energy charges but also new incentives to shift usage to off-peak hours. Small industries will now be charged 175 Frw/kWh, up from 134, while medium industries rise to 133 Frw/kWh from 103.
Large industries move to 110 Frw/kWh, compared to 94 previously, while steel, mining and cement industries consuming more than one million kWh annually will pay 97 Frw/kWh.
Crucially, while maximum demand charges during peak and shoulder hours remain unchanged—11,017 Frw/kVA for small industries, 10,514 for medium, and 7,184 for large industries during peak hours—off-peak demand charges have been cut to zero.
Previously, industries were required to pay between 886 and 1,691 Frw/kVA for off-peak consumption. This represents a major policy shift designed to encourage night-time production and reduce strain on the grid during peak hours.
For industrial customers without smart meters, prepaid flat rates have also risen. Small industries will pay 175 Frw/kWh, up from 151, medium industries 156 Frw/kWh compared to 123, and large industries 124 Frw/kWh up from 106.
Speaking after the announcement, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa, said the new tariff adjustments are intended to boost national production by guaranteeing factories affordable and reliable power. He underscored that the Government of Rwanda remains committed to ensuring that households retain affordable access to electricity despite the increases in higher consumption bands.
Murangwa further noted that the tariff revision is only one element of a broader energy strategy. He pointed to ongoing efforts to expand Rwanda’s electricity grid and highlighted the country’s exploration of nuclear energy development as part of long-term plans to diversify supply, improve reliability, and lower costs.
By combining household protection, targeted social sector support, and industrial incentives, the revised tariff framework is expected to provide a more sustainable foundation for Rwanda’s energy sector. RURA emphasised that the changes also align with the country’s climate and economic goals, particularly by promoting investment in green infrastructure and e-mobility charging stations.
The three had previously been remanded in custody by the Nyarugenge Primary Court, which cited serious grounds to suspect them of the alleged crimes.
Prof. Munyaneza faced charges of abuse of authority for personal gain, making decisions influenced by favouritism, nepotism or hatred, and unlawfully receiving or granting payments beyond the legal limit.
Umuhumuza was charged with abuse of authority for personal gain, biased decision-making, and mismanagement of public resources. Murekezi faced a charge of complicity in abuse of authority for personal gain.
After being ordered to 30 days of provisional detention by the Primary Court, the trio appealed. Their case was heard on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
On September 17, the Intermediate Court upheld their appeal, overturning the Primary Court’s detention order and granting them provisional bail.
On Tuesday, September 16, the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) of Morocco and Rwanda’s General Commissariat of Correctional Services signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Rabat.
The agreement, signed by Morocco’s General Delegate Mohamed Salah Tamek and Rwanda’s Commissioner General Evariste Murenzi, aims to enhance collaboration on prison governance, particularly in facilities housing high-risk inmates. It also establishes a framework for sharing best practices and expertise in prisoner rehabilitation and post-incarceration reintegration.
Tamek described the MoU as a key step in bilateral cooperation, emphasising that it will facilitate experience exchanges, capacity building, and technical collaboration to modernise prison systems in both countries. He highlighted training programs for staff, improvements in prison security, and enhanced management of dangerous inmates as core areas of focus.
Murenzi welcomed the initiative as part of the broader strategic partnership between Rwanda and Morocco, established in 2016. He noted that the signing reflects Rwanda’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties and promoting institutional capacity building in correctional services.
Both officials underlined that the MoU will serve as a platform for future collaboration, with the potential to expand into other areas of shared interest.
At the beginning of 2025, the Belgian government spearheaded a campaign urging European Union member states and other wealthy nations to impose sanctions on Rwanda, accusing Kigali of supporting M23.
Prévot, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, argued at the time that sanctions would pressure Rwanda to “withdraw its troops” from eastern Congo. In his view, such punitive measures, which also extended to some leaders of the AFC/M23, could end the decades-long conflict in the DRC once and for all.
This stance led Rwanda in March 2025 to sever ties with Belgium, accusing the former colonial power of pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions.
However, in a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, Minister Prévot acknowledged that dialogue is the only path to resolving the conflict. This position echoes Rwanda’s consistent call for the Congolese government to engage in direct talks with M23 instead of shifting the blame.
Asked why his government no longer views sanctions as a viable solution, Prévot explained that although they may exert pressure on targeted individuals or entities, sanctions are not a “miracle cure” for ending conflicts like the one in eastern Congo.
“What seems important to us is to be able to respond to the humanitarian emergency, knowing that the diplomatic resolution of the conflict is now in the hands of Qatar and the
United States,” he stated.
The Belgian minister added that his country would not interfere with the peace initiative led by the United States and Qatar. He warned, however, that if fighting resumes in the DRC and more cities fall, Belgium could renew its call for punitive measures.
“These are processes that we must support, not interfere with. Only if they were to fail or if military logic took over again, with, for example, new captures of cities, could the question of sanctions arise again,” he added.
“My dream was just to be known,” he confessed during a recent interview on the Long Form podcast, revealing a passion for recognition over riches that propelled him from Lagos streets to European stadiums.
In a candid conversation on the sidelines of the SportsBiz Africa Forum recently held in Kigali, where he featured as a keynote speaker and panellist, the African football legend shared insights on his improbable rise, the weight of fame, the financial savvy that secured his future, and his concerns about the fading flair of African football.
{{From Nigerian streets to European pitches
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Okocha’s path to football immortality was far from scripted. In 1990, at just 17, he arrived in Germany on a visiting visa, not as a scouted prodigy but as an opportunist seizing his brother’s trial opportunity at a third-division club.
This marked the start of a career that would dazzle at Eintracht Frankfurt, PSG, and Bolton Wanderers.
Facing language barriers, cultural shock, and even racism, Okocha leaned on his dream to “eradicate poverty in my family, my community.”
“My challenges were off the pitch,” he admitted, but his distinctive style, African flair fused with a relentless work ethic, won over sceptics in Germany’s disciplined football landscape.
“I needed an identity,” he said, determined to represent Africa uniquely.
{{Navigating fame and financial responsibility
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Okocha’s flair found a home in the English Premier League with Bolton Wanderers, where he became a cult hero. Despite offers from top-four clubs, he stayed, drawn by the fans’ passion and the challenge of elevating a smaller team.
“I felt wanted,” he said, recalling how his presence helped Bolton reach mid-table and compete in Europe. “One fan approached me and said, ‘Thank you. You’ve put Bolton on a European map that I never thought would happen.’”
Financially, Okocha was wise beyond his years. His first contract, a modest 5,000 Deutschmarks in 1991, was saved, not squandered.
“You can’t wash away poverty with champagne,” he remarked, rejecting the urge to splurge.
With no pension for athletes, in what he described as “you are basically your own government,” he invested solely in property to ensure stability after retirement.
“My contract money is for investment,” he explained. “Match bonuses, endorsements—that’s enough for nice cars, watches, travel with the wife.”
Okocha also tackled the “black tax,” the cultural expectation to support extended family. He made dependents part of his budget but set firm boundaries.
“You make it clear they have a limited time,” he said. “You’re trying to set them up, and they have to make it count.”
By buying houses and paying school fees, he secured their futures while safeguarding his own.
“I can’t suffer because you decide not to be responsible,” he stressed.
{{Highs and lows of a storied career
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Okocha’s career peaked with Nigeria’s gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a historic first for an African football team. The triumph came despite chaotic preparations, with unpaid buses and repetitive meals of rice and chicken sauce.
“We had to pay for accommodation,” he recalled, highlighting the team’s grit. Conversely, relegation with Frankfurt in 1996 and Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup were his lowest moments.
“I felt bad,” he said of Frankfurt, blaming a manager who “destroyed the team.” The World Cup miss in Germany, where he had first made his name, stung deeply.
{{Future of African football
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Okocha voiced concern over African football’s fading flair, as players increasingly mimic European styles.
“We are losing our identity,” he warned. “We are trying to play like Europeans, and we can’t beat them at their game.”
He attributed this to structured coaching that stifles the street-bred creativity of his era, when he and peers like Rashidi Yekini played for love, not just results.
“We were free,” he said, lamenting the shift toward predictable, pass-heavy play.
To revitalise African sports, Okocha called for better governance, with former athletes in leadership roles.
“No one will understand how an athlete feels except if you’ve been an athlete,” he argued, criticising the appointment of unqualified figures as “political settlements.”
He also urged for investment-friendly structures, noting that unappealing leagues deter funding.
“If the league is not interesting, you can’t get value for your money,” he said.
During the interview, Okocha also hailed Rwanda’s progress as a model for Africa, praising its leadership and ambition.
“Rwanda can be used as an example of what one can achieve if you have a good leader and citizens willing to follow,” he said, urging Nigeria to adopt its focus on implementation.
For young Rwandans and aspiring athletes, Okocha’s advice was clear: “Dreams do come true. There’s no limit to what you can achieve if you believe, but it will never be rosy.”
He emphasised discipline and resilience, urging them to embrace challenges and take risks. “Don’t be scared of trying,” he said, “because a foolish doer will always do a great thinker.”
Senior ABC journalist John Lyons had asked Trump how much wealthier he had become since returning to the White House in January.
“I don’t know,” Trump replied, insisting that his children were in charge of the family businesses. He then accused the reporter of undermining relations between the two nations: “In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me.”
Trump added that he would raise the matter with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying, “I’m going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone.”
When Lyons attempted to continue his questioning, Trump pressed his index finger to his lips and said “quiet” before turning to another journalist.
The exchange comes as Albanese continues to seek face-to-face talks with Trump. A planned meeting in June was cancelled at the last minute after Trump left the G20 summit early to address developments in the Middle East.
Albanese confirmed in an interview with ABC Radio that he would meet Trump next week while in the US for the UN General Assembly.
“He’s hosting a reception on Tuesday night of next week. And as well, we’ll see each other at various forums that are taking place between now and the end of the year,” the prime minister said.
