The protocol was signed by the two countries’ culture ministers at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, in the presence of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
The 48 artefacts are being displayed at the museum until November 5, 2026, after which they will be returned to their institutions of origin: the Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa, the Monastery of Timios Prodromos in Serres, and the Holy Metropolis of Serres and Nigrita.
After the handover ceremony in Greece, the remains identified as those of Tsar Samuel, who ruled the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014, arrived in Bulgarian capital of Sofia on Saturday.
The remains were discovered in 1965 during archaeological excavations at the Basilica of St. Achillius in Prespa in northern Greece and have since been kept at the Museum of Byzantine Culture. The Prespa area was a center of Tsar Samuel’s rule in the late 10th century, and the basilica is believed to have been built by him as a major religious center.
The two countries also agreed to continue talks on identifying other historical objects of mutual interest that could be included in a future agreement.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev (1st L) and other officials welcome the remains identified as those of Tsar Samuel, who ruled the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014, at the airport in Sofia, Bulgaria, October 3, 2026. Greece and Bulgaria signed a protocol Saturday on the reciprocal handover of cultural artefacts, under which 48 Greek artefacts will return from Bulgaria, while Greece will hand over to Bulgaria the remains identified as those of medieval Bulgarian ruler Tsar Samuel.
The figures were presented by Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva during a joint sitting of both chambers of Parliament on October 2, 2026, as he outlined government efforts to strengthen the financial sector.
The growth has been accompanied by changes in the structure of the sector, including consolidation among banks and microfinance institutions.
The number of banks fell from 15 in 2017 to 11 in 2025, while microfinance institutions declined from 473 to 70.
The reduction was largely driven by mergers and consolidation aimed at creating stronger institutions and improving the sector’s capacity to provide a wider range of financial services.
In the microfinance sector, the consolidation of 416 Umurenge SACCOs resulted in the creation of 30 district-level SACCOs.
Meanwhile, the number of insurance companies increased from 16 to 18, while pension institutions rose from one, the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), to 12.
Capital market intermediaries also increased from 21 to 35 during the period.
Other non-bank financial institutions reached 448 in 2025, while the number of financial technology companies (FinTechs) increased from three in 2017 to 36.
“These figures demonstrate the expansion and growth of the sector, enabling citizens and businesses to access financial services,” Nsengiyumva said.
The increase in assets has also strengthened the sector’s contribution to the wider economy. Financial sector assets rose from the equivalent of 53% of GDP in 2017 to 68% in 2025.
Commercial banks accounted for nearly 67% of total financial sector assets in 2025, while the remaining 33% was held by other institutions, including microfinance institutions, insurers and pension funds.
Banks strengthen profitability and asset quality
Nsengiyumva said the expansion of the financial sector had been accompanied by measures to strengthen its stability and resilience.
The Capital Adequacy Ratio, which measures banks’ ability to absorb losses and is required to remain above 15%, stood at 21.9% in 2025, well above the regulatory minimum.
Bank profitability also improved during the period.
Return on assets increased from 2.2% in 2017 to 4.8% in 2025, while return on equity rose from 6.8% to 19.1%.
At the same time, the ratio of non-performing loans declined sharply from 7.6% in 2017 to 2.5% in 2025, indicating an improvement in the quality of banks’ loan portfolios.
Access to credit also expanded, with the number of borrowers increasing from more than 243,000 in 2017 to more than one million in 2025.
Rwanda’s financial sector has expanded significantly over the past eight years, with total assets quadrupling from Rwf4 trillion in 2017 to Rwf16 trillion in 2025, according to the government.
The Ethiopian National Defence Forces retook Alula Aba Nega Airport, about 10 kilometres from central Mekelle, on Saturday, according to people familiar with developments in the city and a humanitarian source.
A Mekelle resident, quoted by Reuters, also confirmed that government forces had taken control of the airport and reported hearing gunfire outside the city centre.
The resident said some Tigrayan Defence Force fighters had abandoned their positions and returned home, while government facilities in the city were being looted.
The reports could not be independently verified. Severe disruptions to internet and mobile phone networks have made it difficult to establish developments in Tigray, while neither the Ethiopian government nor the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) had issued an immediate statement on the reported capture.
A source close to the TPLF told Reuters that Mekelle had been surrounded by government troops and allied militias.
The airport was among three airports in Tigray seized by opposition forces when the latest fighting began on September 23. Its recapture would represent a significant setback for the Tigrayan-led alliance, although analysts say it is unlikely to bring the conflict to an end.
It also remained unclear whether federal forces had regained control of Mekelle itself.
An Ethiopian general, speaking anonymously, told The Associated Press that the military was in full control of the airport. An AP contributor in Mekelle reported that residents were concerned about possible looting amid uncertainty over control of the city.
The latest clashes are the most serious escalation since Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 Tigray war, which killed large numbers of people and displaced millions.
The renewed fighting has raised fears that the conflict could expand beyond Ethiopia’s borders and draw in other countries in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.
The United States has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to exercise restraint and return to dialogue, warning that another military conflict and humanitarian crisis would have serious regional consequences.
“The Horn of Africa cannot sustain another military conflict and humanitarian crisis,” US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
Ethiopia severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea this week, accusing it of supporting the Tigrayan-led opposition alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt. The three countries have denied the allegations.
The dispute has added to concerns that the latest fighting could develop into a broader regional confrontation.
Mekelle was also a major battlefield in the previous Tigray war. Federal forces captured the city in the first month of that conflict in 2020, before the TPLF recaptured it seven months later.
The reported recapture of the airport therefore marks a significant shift in the latest fighting, but the wider battle for control of Tigray remains unresolved.
Ethiopian government forces on a past patrol. The Ethiopian National Defence Forces retook Alula Aba Nega Airport, about 10 kilometres from central Mekelle on Saturday.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, announced the change in a notice issued on Friday, saying travellers to Uganda no longer need to provide proof of yellow fever vaccination.
“Accordingly, travellers to Uganda do not require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate for entry,” the ministry said.
The clarification followed a request from the Uganda Tourism Board seeking confirmation on whether travellers were still required to present the certificate at the border.
The ministry noted that the yellow fever vaccination certificate is also not listed among the requirements on Uganda’s e-visa application portal or the website of the National Citizenship and Immigration Control.
The change means international travellers, including those arriving from countries where yellow fever vaccination certificates had been required for travel to Uganda, can enter the country without the document.
Uganda introduced the mandatory yellow fever vaccination card requirement for travellers entering and leaving the country in May 2024. The measure was introduced amid efforts to increase vaccination coverage and address vaccine hesitancy.
At the time, the requirement was accompanied by a nationwide free yellow fever vaccination campaign targeting about 14 million people aged between one and 60 years.
Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes and can cause severe illness. Vaccination remains an important public health measure in countries where the disease poses a risk.
Travellers at Entebbe International Airport. Uganda introduced the mandatory yellow fever vaccination card requirement for travellers entering and leaving the country in May 2024.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 3, 2026, the Office of the Government Spokesperson described Gauthier’s work as a lasting contribution to memory, truth and justice.
“Today we mourn the passing of Dafroza Mukarumongi Gauthier, whose tireless work to bring to justice suspects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, earned her Rwanda’s Igihango National Order of Outstanding Friendship in 2017,” the statement said.
The government extended condolences to Gauthier’s husband, Alain Gauthier, her family and friends, as well as others whose lives she touched.
Gauthier spent decades working alongside her husband to pursue justice for victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi, particularly by helping efforts to prosecute suspects who had settled in France.
The couple founded the Collectif des parties civiles pour le Rwanda (CPCR) in 2001, an organisation that gathered evidence and testimonies for cases involving suspected Genocide perpetrators living in France.
Their work involved identifying suspects, collecting evidence in Rwanda, speaking with survivors and detainees, and preparing case files for judicial authorities. Gauthier also helped translate Kinyarwanda documents into French for use in court proceedings.
The couple founded the Collectif des parties civiles pour le Rwanda (CPCR) in 2001, an organisation that gathered evidence and testimonies for cases involving suspected Genocide perpetrators living in France.
Her work was deeply personal. Born in Butare in 1954, Gauthier was living in France with her husband when the Genocide against the Tutsi began in 1994. She had returned to Kigali in February that year, but her mother urged her to leave as the security situation deteriorated.
Gauthier tried to persuade relatives to leave Rwanda but was unable to convince them. About 80 members of her family were killed during the Genocide.
Following the Genocide, she and Alain began working to ensure that those suspected of involvement would face justice. Their efforts began in 1996 and continued for decades, despite the financial and personal costs involved.
Beyond legal cases, the couple visited schools and universities to educate young people about the Genocide and contributed to efforts to preserve its history and counter Genocide denial.
Gauthier regarded justice as an important way of restoring dignity to victims by ensuring that their identities and experiences were recognised rather than reduced to statistics.
In recognition of their contribution, President Paul Kagame awarded Dafroza and Alain Gauthier the Impeta y’Igihango, Rwanda’s National Order of Outstanding Friendship, in November 2017.
The honour recognises individuals who make outstanding contributions to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Rwanda and other countries, as well as promoting the dignity of Rwanda and Rwandans internationally.
The couple’s decades-long pursuit of justice was documented in the 2023 book Rwanda, à la poursuite des génocidaires, written by journalist Thomas Zribi in collaboration with illustrator Damien Roudeau, with a foreword by artist and writer Gaël Faye.
The Government of Rwanda said Gauthier’s “courage and unwavering commitment to memory, truth and justice leave an enduring legacy.”
In recognition of their contribution, President Paul Kagame awarded Dafroza and Alain Gauthier the Impeta y’Igihango, Rwanda’s National Order of Outstanding Friendship, in November 2017.
The international Sunshine Tour event, which was combined with the annual Rwanda Open, was held on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Kigali Golf Resorts & Villas.
About 150 players from different countries took part in the tournament, which was won by South African golfer Kyle De Beer.
The tournament also provided an opportunity for Rwandan golfers to compete at an international level, with 13 players representing the country.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Sports, Ngabo Brave Olivier, said Rwanda aims to increase the number of players competing in the tournament, both from Rwanda and abroad.
“The doors are open to everyone who wants to come to Rwanda. We want the number of players competing in the tournament to increase beyond 150, while also increasing the number of Rwandans to a level where we can eventually win the tournament,” he said.
The goal of increasing participation in golf is among the reasons NCBA Bank Rwanda has continued to support the tournament. The bank also supports Kenyan golfer Njoroge Kibugu, who has competed in several tournaments backed by the bank.
Since 2023, NCBA Bank Rwanda has joined its operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in supporting Rwandan golfers to access international competitions, including tournaments bringing together top players from across the region.
In 2024, the bank expanded its support to junior golfers through competitions such as the NCBA Junior Golf Series, which has reached about 4,000 children.
In 2026, NCBA invested more than Rwf683 million in over 160 golf tournaments across East Africa, including competitions organised in Kigali.
The bank’s continued involvement in golf is aimed at supporting the development of the sport while creating more opportunities for players, particularly young golfers, to gain competitive experience.
NCBA Bank Rwanda has expanded its support for golf by sponsoring the Rwanda Open 2026 at Kigali Golf Resorts & Villas.NCBA Bank Rwanda has continued to support Rwandan golfers seeking opportunities to compete in international tournaments.NCBA Bank Rwanda has supported junior golf through competitions that have reached about 4,000 children since 2024.NCBA Bank Rwanda has continued supporting golf in Rwanda through its sponsorship of the Rwanda Open 2026.About 150 golfers have competed in the Rwanda Open 2026, supported by NCBA Bank Rwanda.
The bank highlighted its role during its annual engagement with customers in Musanze, where management and clients discussed progress made and challenges affecting access to financial services.
Private-sector representatives said BPR Bank has played a significant role in Musanze’s ongoing urban redevelopment, contributing to about 40% of more than 75 buildings completed so far.
Tugengwenayo Theonas, Chairperson of the Private Sector Federation in Northern Province and the Musanze City Redevelopment Committee, said improved access to larger loans and faster processing had made a difference.
“We appreciate the increase in the size of loans and the reduction in the time it takes for a businessperson to access them. We estimate that the bank has contributed about 40% to the more than 75 buildings that have been completed,” he said.
He said the third phase of the redevelopment programme includes 60 projects expected to be completed by 2029, calling for continued support from financial institutions.
Musanze is also seeking investment in modern private schools, entertainment facilities, agricultural projects and parking infrastructure. Business owners also welcomed a decline in reliance on informal high-interest lending.
BPR Bank Rwanda Executive Director of Commercial Businesses Shema Mugisha said the bank’s services are shaped by feedback from its customers.
“Our goal is that the customer comes first. We are celebrating what has been achieved while also listening to you so that you can advise us, because we cannot perform well without you,” he said.
Shema said the bank had also changed how it values property used as collateral following concerns raised by customers in Musanze.
“Last year, you told us that when we took land or other property here in Musanze as collateral, we valued it at a low rate. We have now corrected that, and it is valued at 70%, instead of the 30% that was previously used,” he said.
BPR Bank Rwanda Chief Executive Officer Mutesi Patience said the bank regards businesses as partners and has increased its lending capacity in response to their needs.
She said the maximum lending capacity for an individual has risen to Rwf52 billion from Rwf25 billion in 2023.
“We see ourselves as partners of members of the private sector in the development journey. Along this journey, you have given us many ideas that have helped us,” Mutesi said.
She said the bank would continue improving its services to shorten the time customers spend seeking financing, including through digital platforms that allow some customers to access lending services using their phones.
Musanze District Mayor Nsengimana Claudien urged businesses involved in the city’s redevelopment to work with financial institutions to secure the financing needed to complete their projects.
“No one has enough money in their pocket to immediately complete a modern building project. Improve your investment projects aimed at transforming the appearance of Musanze and approach the bank for support,” he said.
He also encouraged businesses to pursue complementary projects capable of creating jobs for local residents.
Northern Province Governor Mugabowagahunde Maurice commended BPR Bank for responding to concerns raised by its customers.
He said Musanze aims to strengthen its position as a tourism centre and agricultural hub while making better use of its land.
“We want Musanze to continue being a city of opportunity and a hub for tourism. We also want it to remain an agricultural hub that makes efficient use of limited land while enabling its residents to earn a living,” he said.
Mugabowagahunde also credited improved access to bank financing with reducing reliance on an informal form of high-interest borrowing that has previously exposed some residents to financial difficulties.
He said delays in accessing formal loans had previously pushed people with urgent financial needs towards such lenders.
BPR Bank Rwanda says its regular engagement with customers enables it to identify challenges affecting them and improve its services in response.
BPR Bank Rwanda Chief Executive Officer Mutesi Patience has reminded Musanze business owners that the bank considers them partners and therefore engages with them to understand and respond to their needs.BPR Bank Rwanda Executive Director of Commercial Businesses Shema Mugisha has told customers in Musanze that the bank cannot succeed without their support and feedback.Governor Mugabowagahunde has credited BPR Bank with helping curb high-interest informal lending that had exposed residents to financial losses.BPR Bank Plc customers received a warm welcome at the event’s venue.
The study, published in BMJ Public Health, analysed blood pressure measurements collected through Our Future Health, the UK’s largest health research programme.
Researchers examined data from adults who enrolled between 2022 and 2025 to assess how common hypertension was and how many people had been diagnosed, treated and successfully controlled.
The researchers found that 37.2% of participants met the study’s definition of hypertension.
The condition was defined using World Health Organization criteria as a systolic blood pressure reading of at least 140 millimetres of mercury, a diastolic reading of at least 90 mmHg, or the use of blood pressure-lowering medication.
Among those with hypertension, 58.8% were considered to have undetected high blood pressure.
This meant they had not previously been diagnosed by a health professional and were not taking medication to lower their blood pressure.
The prevalence of hypertension increased substantially with age. About 15% of adults aged 18 to 39 had high blood pressure, compared with about 71% among people aged 80 and older.
After adjusting for age, hypertension was also more common among men than women, at about 42% compared with 29%.
The researchers also found that receiving treatment did not always mean that blood pressure was adequately controlled.
Among participants taking one or more blood pressure-lowering medicines, 50.2% still had readings of at least 140/90 mmHg.
Wenyu Liu, a medical statistician at Oxford Population Health and the study’s lead author, said the findings show that high blood pressure is present across many demographic groups, including younger adults.
The researchers said the findings point to a need for more proactive detection of hypertension, alongside targeted treatment for people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Iain Turnbull, a GP and clinical research fellow at Oxford Population Health, said many patients with high blood pressure remain undetected or are not adequately treated.
The study’s authors noted that hypertension is an important contributor to cardiovascular disease, stroke and premature death.
They concluded that population-wide prevention strategies and improved identification and treatment could help address the high level of undetected and inadequately controlled hypertension in England.
A blood pressure monitor is used to measure a patient’s blood pressure, highlighting the importance of detecting and managing hypertension.
The exchange took place on Today as the hosts discussed the “Hotter Than Your First Cup of Coffee” category, which features Melvin, Strahan, ABC’s Gio Benitez and CBS Mornings anchor Vladimir Duthiers.
Roker, 72, made it clear that he was supporting Melvin, 47, and humorously suggested that the competition was not particularly close.
When an image showing the nominees appeared on screen, Roker praised Melvin and joked that his appearance put the other nominees at a disadvantage.
Saturday Today anchor Laura Jarrett attempted to keep the conversation friendly, telling Roker that there was no need to criticize the other nominees. Roker responded playfully that he intended to do exactly that.
He then singled out Strahan, joking that the former NFL player should not be counted because he is not on Good Morning America on Mondays due to his football commitments.
Melvin responded to the teasing by laughing, while Roker continued his lighthearted campaign for his colleague.
The exchange came shortly after Melvin’s nomination was announced on Today.
His co-hosts had already been joking with him about being included in PEOPLE’s annual readers’ poll.
When the nomination was initially revealed, Roker joked that Melvin’s wife, sports broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak, might have her own opinion about her husband being considered among the hottest morning television hosts.
Roker also joked that she had sent Melvin iced coffee because she did not think he was much hotter than the drink.
Other television personalities have also been reacting to the poll. At CBS Mornings, Gayle King and Nate Burleson supported their colleague Vladimir Duthiers after learning about his nomination.
PEOPLE’s 2026 Sexiest Man Alive Readers’ Choice Poll features 14 categories covering personalities from television, entertainment, sports and other areas of popular culture.
Voting remains open until October 12, with the results scheduled to be announced later in October.
For Roker and Melvin, the nomination has provided another opportunity for the Today team to joke with one another on air, turning the annual poll into a lighthearted moment among the morning show’s hosts.
Al Roker jokes about Michael Strahan while supporting Craig Melvin in PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive Readers’ Choice Poll.
Pike was taken to hospital after Tennessee officials stopped an attempt to execute her by lethal injection on September 30 at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.
Her lawyers provided the latest details about her condition in a court filing on Friday, October 2.
According to the filing, hospital staff were working to save Pike’s life and remove pentobarbital from her system.
She had been given two doses of the drug during the execution attempt.
Pike’s attorneys said they believe problems with the intravenous lines caused the drug to enter surrounding tissue rather than properly entering her bloodstream.
They alleged that members of the execution team failed to recognize that the IV lines were not correctly placed before administering a second dose.
The attorneys also said Pike suffered significant injuries to both arms.
Her legal team has asked a Tennessee court to require the state Department of Correction to preserve evidence connected to the failed execution, saying the material could be important in determining what happened.
The execution team reportedly spent about an hour attempting to administer the lethal drugs.
Pike’s defense lawyer Randy Spivey said he counted at least seven needles in her left arm. Neither the initial dose nor the second dose resulted in her death.
Tennessee officials have not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the failure.
The state Department of Correction has previously said the execution followed its established protocol.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee ordered an independent review of the incident and halted further executions in the state for the remainder of 2026.
Another execution that had been scheduled for this year was also postponed.
Pike, 50, was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, who was her classmate. Pike was 18 at the time of the crime.
She had been the only woman on Tennessee’s death row and was scheduled to become the first woman executed by the state in more than two centuries.
The failed execution has renewed questions about Tennessee’s lethal injection procedures.
The state had previously conducted a review of its execution process after another execution was halted in 2022 over concerns about the state’s lethal injection drugs and procedures.
Christa Pike, a Tennessee death row inmate, remains unconscious and on a ventilator after a failed lethal injection execution attempt in Nashville.
