DNA recovered from a 5,000-year-old megalithic tomb in France shows that the people buried before and after a major population collapse were genetically unrelated, suggesting that an entire community was replaced following a devastating crisis.
Researchers analysed the remains of 132 individuals buried in a large megalithic tomb near Bury, located about 50 kilometres north of Paris.
The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, found that the tomb was used during two distinct periods separated by a dramatic population decline around 3000 BC.
The findings provide evidence that the communities responsible for building some of Europe’s iconic megalithic structures experienced a major disruption during the Stone Age.
DNA analysis showed that the individuals buried before the collapse had no close genetic connection to those buried afterward, indicating that the original population was largely replaced by new groups who arrived later.
The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the continuity of ancient European societies and suggests that large-scale changes occurred during a period when farming communities across the continent were undergoing major transformations.
Scientists believe the population replacement may have been linked to a combination of factors, including environmental changes, social instability, disease, or other pressures that affected communities living in prehistoric Europe.
However, the exact cause of the collapse remains unclear and continues to be investigated.
Beyond revealing population movements, the study also highlights changes in cultural practices.
The disappearance of the original communities coincided with the decline of certain social traditions associated with megalith construction, suggesting that the arrival of new populations may have brought different ways of organising society and honouring the dead.
The researchers say the ancient tomb offers a rare window into a turning point in European prehistory, showing how migration and population changes shaped the continent long before written records existed.
The findings add to growing evidence that prehistoric Europe was far more dynamic than previously believed, with communities rising, disappearing, and being replaced through waves of migration and social change.
DNA from an ancient French tomb reveals the fate of Europe’s megalith builders.
The 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery will be financed through a combination of internally generated funds, bond issuances and proceeds from a planned initial public offering (IPO), according to Edwin Devakumar, Dangote Industries’ vice president for oil and gas.
Devakumar told Reuters that site selection had been completed, with soil testing under way and design and engineering work already started.
“Kenya was the choice from the beginning,” he said, adding that the decision was based on infrastructure, logistics and market considerations.
The Lamu refinery will mark Dangote Group’s largest refining investment outside Nigeria and expand the company’s ambition to increase fuel-processing capacity across Africa.
The facility is expected to supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and neighbouring countries, helping reduce the region’s heavy reliance on imported fuel.
East Africa currently imports most of its refined petroleum products, making the project a strategic investment for regional energy security.
The refinery will also revive Kenya’s ambition to become a major petroleum processing hub after the country’s former refinery in Mombasa stopped processing crude oil more than a decade ago and was converted into a storage facility.
The project follows Dangote’s successful launch of its 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lagos, Nigeria, which began operations in 2024 after years of construction delays and cost increases.
Built by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man according to Forbes rankings, the Lagos refinery cost more than $20 billion, significantly above its initial estimate of about $9 billion due to factors including engineering challenges, inflation and currency depreciation.
Dangote had previously considered Tanzania’s port city of Tanga for the East African refinery before shifting focus to Kenya. The company said Lamu offered better commercial and technical advantages.
Kenya has expressed support for the project, with President William Ruto saying regional governments would participate in the investment. Nairobi has also set aside about $165 million as seed capital for the refinery.
Once completed, the Lamu refinery is expected to strengthen Kenya’s energy independence and position the country as a key supplier of refined petroleum products in the region. The project is part of Dangote Group’s broader expansion plan, which includes billions of dollars in investments across refining, cement and fertiliser sectors in the coming years.
A view of the Dangote Petroleum refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
A comparison of data from 1992, 2000 and 2025 offers a clear picture of Rwanda’s remarkable transformation.
Across key areas including living standards, healthcare, education and the economy, the figures point to substantial and measurable progress over the past three decades.
Today, Rwandans enjoy a significantly higher life expectancy than they did three decades ago.
Average incomes have increased, while infant and maternal mortality rates have declined sharply.
The country’s healthcare system has also undergone a remarkable transformation. Rwanda now provides advanced medical services that were once unavailable, including heart surgery and organ transplantation procedures such as kidney transplants.
These achievements are reflected in successive Demographic and Health Surveys conducted over the years.
This analysis draws on findings from the first survey carried out in 1992, the second conducted in 2000, and the seventh survey published in 2025, all of which illustrate the profound changes in the lives and well-being of Rwandans.
In 1992, Rwanda’s population stood at approximately 7.2 million. At the time, the country ranked among the most densely populated in the world, with an average population density of 270 people per square kilometre. The population was growing at an annual rate of 3.2%.
According to the second Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2000, although Rwanda had lost more than one million people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the country’s population did not decline overall.
Following the end of the genocide, large numbers of Rwandans who had fled the country returned home, contributing to population growth.
As a result, Rwanda’s population had risen to approximately 7.6 million by 2000, with an annual population growth rate of 2.8%.
Rwanda’s modern settlement approach promotes sustainable development by protecting land resources, conserving the environment, and creating well-planned communities.
By 2025, the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) reported that the country’s population had reached 14.1 million, up from 13.2 million in 2022. The report also indicated that Rwanda’s population is growing at an annual rate of 2.3%.
Rwanda has also made remarkable progress in improving living standards. In 1992, only 2.3% of Rwandans had access to electricity.
That figure rose to 6% in 2000 and reached 75% by 2025. Of those with access to electricity today, 54% are connected to the national power grid.
Access to clean water has improved significantly as well. In 1992, only 1.7% of households had piped water inside their homes, while 20.8% relied on public water taps. The rest depended on water from springs, rivers and other natural sources.
By 2000, the proportion of households with piped water at home had increased slightly to 1.9%, while 29.1% of the population accessed water through public taps. Many others still relied on springs, rivers and other water sources.
In 2025, the situation had changed considerably. About 24% of households had piped water in their homes, while 44% accessed clean water through public taps located within a 30-minute round trip from their homes, reflecting improved access to safe drinking water.
The country’s healthcare sector has also undergone a dramatic transformation. In 1992, more than 73% of women gave birth at home, and one in every five babies was delivered without the assistance of a trained health professional.
Home births remained common in 2000, with about 73% of women still delivering outside health facilities. The majority of those who gave birth at home were women aged over 35, accounting for 82% of all home deliveries.
By 2025, institutional deliveries had become the norm. An overwhelming 98% of women gave birth in health facilities, while only 2% delivered outside hospitals or health centres.
Advanced healthcare services have become more accessible to many Rwandans, marking a significant shift from the past.
These improvements have been accompanied by a significant decline in child mortality rates. Before 1992, 150 out of every 1,000 children born in Rwanda died before reaching the age of five.
By 2000, the figure had fallen, although it remained high, with more than 100 children out of every 1,000 dying before their fifth birthday.
Today, the under-five mortality rate in Rwanda has dropped significantly, with approximately 27 children out of every 1,000 live births dying before reaching the age of five.
The country’s health progress is also reflected in the rise in life expectancy. In 1992, Rwandans had an average life expectancy of slightly more than 44 years. This increased to 47 years in 2000 and reached 69.6 years by 2025.
In the education sector, major changes have also been recorded. In 1992, only 25.8% of women aged up to 49 had completed primary education, compared with 56.2% of men in the same age group.
By 2000, the proportion of people who had completed primary education had increased to 72.2%. In 2025, 38% of women and 40% of men under the age of 49 had completed primary education.
Economic conditions have also improved over the past three decades. In 1992, Rwanda’s average income per person was estimated at $270 annually, while 91% of the population depended on agriculture as their main source of livelihood. In 2000, average income stood at around $250 per person per year, with 91% of Rwandans still relying on agriculture.
By 2025, average income per person had increased to approximately $1,040 annually, while the share of the population dependent on agriculture had declined to 65%.
Looking at these figures, it is clear that Rwanda has achieved significant progress over the past 32 years, although the journey of transformation continues.
The country’s ongoing development efforts are reflected in its ambitions under the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the long-term aspirations outlined in Vision 2050.
The number of Rwandans living in model villages continues to increase.More than 90% of Rwandans now have access to clean water across the country.The number of Rwandans with access to electricity continues to increase year after year.Rwanda has intensified efforts to increase the use of environmentally friendly energy sources.Rwanda’s transport sector has continued to improve and become more efficient.Education remains a cornerstone in improving citizens’ livelihoods and driving economic growth.
According to Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister Nduhungirehe visited Nova Music Festival Memorial Site in Re’im, southern Israel, where he honoured victims of the attack that targeted attendees of the festival.
Rwanda and Israel maintain relations based on cooperation in various areas, with both countries having highlighted the lessons drawn from painful historical experiences and the importance of combating hatred and violence against civilians.
Minister Nduhungirehe’s visit comes as security challenges in the Middle East continue to attract international attention following the war that began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October 2023.
The October 7, 2023 attack began when Hamas fighters entered Israel from the Gaza Strip and carried out attacks against civilians and security installations.
During the assault, many people were killed and others were taken hostage, including attendees of the Nova Festival, which was held near the Gaza-Israel border.
The attack triggered the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, leading to major security and humanitarian challenges in Gaza and across the Middle East.
Minister Nduhungirehe’s visit to Israel concluded on July 8, after Rwanda and Israel signed two cooperation agreements in Jerusalem on July 6 aimed at strengthening collaboration in education, scientific research, ICT, vocational training and international development.
The agreements seek to deepen bilateral ties through knowledge exchange, capacity building and joint efforts to promote innovation and sustainable development.
Minister Nduhungirehe was briefed on the October 7 Hamas attack.Minister Nduhungirehe has paid tribute to Israelis who lost their lives in the Hamas attack.The memorial was built in remembrance of those killed in the Hamas attack.
The meeting took place on July 8, 2026, on the sidelines of the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, according to the Office of the President.
Estonia is a small country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. The capital, Tallinn, dates back to the 13th century and its Historic Centre, the Old Town is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.
With a sparse population, over half of Estonia is covered with forests, the country has the 4th best urban air quality in the world and 2222 islands along its coastline.
With a total population of 1.3 million, about 1.1 million people speak Estonian, making it one of the world’s smallest official national languages.
The country has also transformed the government into a digital government, branding itself as e-Estonia. It was the first country to adopt online voting in 2005, first country with a data embassy and the first country to offer cross-border digital identity to anyone in the world.
President Alar Karis assumed office in 2021, succeeding Kersti Kaljulaid, who served as Estonia’s president from 2016.
Rwanda and Estonia have maintained cordial relations over the years, with leaders from both countries engaging regularly to advance bilateral cooperation.
In 2018, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, President Kagame met with then-President Kersti Kaljulaid, shortly after her official visit to Rwanda.
Kaljulaid had visited Rwanda on November 16, 2017, during a trip from Ethiopia, marking her first visit to Africa since taking office.
During that visit, the two countries highlighted their shared commitment to digital innovation and identified significant opportunities for cooperation in technology-based development, e-government, and digital public services.
While in Rwanda, Kaljulaid also visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where she paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In a message left at the memorial, she conveyed condolences on behalf of the people of Estonia to Rwanda, survivors, and the families of those who died in the genocide.
President Paul Kagame and Estonian President Alar Karis held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.President Kagame and President Alar Karis exchanged views on expanding cooperation in digital innovation and e-governance.
The Supreme Court delivered its final verdict on Yoon, saying the lower court committed no error in its application of legal principles.
It marked the top court’s first ruling on Yoon since the ousted leader’s martial law declaration in December 2024.
On April 29 this year, the Seoul High Court overturned a lower court’s ruling over Yoon’s obstruction of arrest, lengthening his prison term from five to seven years.
The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon’s insurrection and other charges, had sought a 10-year prison sentence in the first and second instances.
Yoon was charged with abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon when the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.
Yoon was also accused of abusing his power to block nine cabinet members from exercising their rights to deliberate on the martial law declaration by calling a selective cabinet meeting before the declaration.
He faced charges of creating and later destroying a fabricated declaration document to make the declaration appear legal after the martial law was lifted, while ordering the dissemination of a press guidance containing a false claim that there was no intention to disrupt the constitutional order through the martial law.
The emergency martial law was declared by Yoon on the night of Dec. 3, 2024, but was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
He was indicted under detention in January 2025 as a suspected ringleader of the insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted.
Yoon was charged with abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
“These incidents that we have seen in the last 24 hours risk derailing the diplomatic progress achieved between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, at a daily press briefing.
He said that “a return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences — for the peoples of the region, for international peace and security, and for the global economy as a whole.”
The secretary-general called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid any further escalatory action, and take immediate steps to de-escalate. The UN chief further recalled the obligations of all parties to fully comply with international law.
Guterres urged Iran and the United States to promptly resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy.
The United Nations remains committed to supporting all efforts to prevent a return to conflict, restore stability, and advance a comprehensive and durable resolution to this conflict, said the spokesman.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference outlining his priorities for 2026 at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 29, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
The United States is “holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” the command said in a post on X.
More than 20 U.S. Navy warships were patrolling waters across the Middle East on Wednesday, the command said in an earlier post.
The move came after U.S. President Donald Trump warned at the NATO summit in Ankara earlier the same day that the U.S. military would probably hit Iran again.
“I’ll give a little warning: We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” Trump said, adding that he did not expect a full-fledged conflict with Iran.
Following Trump’s remarks at the summit, Iran’s Press TV, citing an informed source, reported that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz and strike twice as many targets given any fresh U.S. attack.
The developments came as the United States and Iran traded fresh attacks from Tuesday night into Wednesday, marking a new round of escalation.
US forces conducted strikes against Iran for a second straight day to “degrade” Iran’s ability “to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” as announced by the United States Central Command.
A total of 750 patients are currently in isolation or hospitalization, with an overall bed occupancy rate of 94 percent, health authorities said in an update released late Wednesday.
Caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, the outbreak, declared on May 15, is the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak.
It has affected 37 health zones in three provinces, namely Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
Response to the outbreak continues to face multiple constraints, including community resistance to post-mortem sampling, insufficient treatment capacity, gaps in contact tracing, limited supplies, insecurity and restricted access in areas affected by armed groups.
Medical workers put on protective suits at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, July 6, 2026. (Xinhua)
Kagame delivered the remarks at the summit in Geneva, Switzerland, which also marked the official launch and inaugural meeting of the AI for Good Global Commission, a new global initiative he co-chairs that seeks to advance inclusive and responsible AI development.
The AI for Good Global Summit 2026 is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) and digital technologies.
Addressing heads of state, technology leaders, investors and development partners, Kagame said AI has the potential to transform lives and strengthen economies, but stressed that deliberate action is needed to ensure its benefits are shared equitably.
“We must be intentional about designing, funding, and governing AI so that it can reach its full potential,” he said.
The Head of State highlighted three areas that should be prioritised to unlock AI’s potential.
The first, he said, is infrastructure, noting that computational power, connectivity and reliable energy must become more accessible through stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector.
Secondly, President Kagame underscored the importance of skills development, saying talent exists everywhere but opportunities do not. He urged educational institutions to continually adapt their curricula to prepare young people for an AI-driven economy.
His third priority was accountability, calling for AI governance frameworks that promote trust and transparency rather than creating new divisions.
Kagame said Rwanda is already demonstrating the practical use of AI through its Health Intelligence Center, which uses real-time health data and artificial intelligence to help predict disease outbreaks and support better policy decisions.
In June 2026, the Cabinet, chaired by President Kagame, approved the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Agency, which will drive AI development, innovation, adoption, investment and governance in support of Rwanda’s digital transformation and economic growth.
The agency is expected to play a central role in coordinating Rwanda’s AI agenda as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a regional technology and innovation hub.
In his speech on Wednesday, President Kagame also highlighted continental efforts through Smart Africa, noting that the alliance established the Africa AI Council last year to strengthen Africa’s role in shaping the future of AI.
While acknowledging growing geopolitical competition over technology and persistent uncertainty surrounding AI, President Kagame noted that Africa is well positioned to contribute to the global digital economy, pointing to the continent’s rapidly growing and youthful workforce.
“In Africa, we are no longer satisfied to be passive consumers of technology. We want to build and deploy that technology at scale as well,” he said.
President Kagame is serving as co-chair of the newly launched AI for Good Global Commission alongside Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff. The commission builds on the legacy of the Broadband Commission and brings together governments, business leaders, international organisations, investors and civil society to help ensure AI advances opportunity and development worldwide.
During the commission’s inaugural fireside discussion hosted by ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Benioff described AI as a technology unlike any before it and said its impact would depend on how humanity chooses to develop and govern it.
“This is not a regulatory body, this is not a rule-making body, this is a conversation,” Benioff said. “Technology is never good or bad. It’s what we do with the technology that matters.”
He stressed the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, saying governments, industry and civil society must work together to guide AI’s development in a way that benefits people around the world.
Kagame echoed that view, saying the commission would build on lessons learned from the Broadband Commission over the past 15 years, where public-private cooperation helped expand digital connectivity across continents, including Africa.
“The main task is to deliver,” Kagame affirmed. “We want to harness the good of AI.”
The AI for Good Global Commission aims to foster international collaboration on AI policy, investment and innovation, ensuring the technology is developed responsibly and its benefits are shared more broadly across countries and communities.
Kagame delivers his remarks during the official launch and inaugural meeting of the AI for Good Global Commission, a new global initiative he co-chairs that seeks to advance inclusive and responsible AI development.The AI for Good Global Summit 2026 is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) and digital technologies.
