The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed online on September 16 by GX Foundation CEO Professor Chan Yingyang and Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, formally launching the “National Malaria, Dengue Fever, and other Vector-Borne Disease Control in Rwanda” programme.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by GX Foundation Chairman Leung Chun-ying and Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Gao Wenqi.
Under the agreement, GX Foundation will provide 36,000 rapid test kits for malaria and dengue, 18,000 bed nets and 6,500 mosquito lamps. The foundation will also supply more than 320,000 sticky fly traps and public education materials to support prevention and awareness efforts.
The three-year programme makes Rwanda the foundation’s 13th project country.
The partnership comes as Rwanda continues efforts to strengthen prevention, early detection and community-level responses to vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue. Dengue is a viral infection spread to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
The collaboration also coincides with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Rwanda and China, with the two countries continuing to expand cooperation in areas including public health.
The agreement follows discussions held in Kigali in January 2026 between Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva and a GX Foundation delegation led by Leung Chun-ying.
At the time, the two sides discussed potential areas of cooperation in Rwanda’s health sector, including healthcare delivery, prevention of avoidable diseases, capacity building and community-based interventions.
GX Foundation, a Hong Kong-based charitable organisation established in 2018, works on medical and public health programmes in underserved communities. Its areas of focus include vector-borne disease control, environmental health, emergency health risk management and prevention of avoidable conditions.
The foundation’s programmes also emphasise training, knowledge transfer and partnerships with governments and health institutions.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed online on September 16 by GX Foundation CEO Professor Chan Yingyang and Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, formally launching the “National Malaria, Dengue Fever, and other Vector-Borne Disease Control in Rwanda” programme.
The fossil belongs to a previously unknown species of prehistoric animal that lived about 240 million years ago during the Triassic period.
The discovery is particularly important because Dinodontosaurus was previously known only from South America.
Finding the same genus in Tanzania provides scientists with a new connection between fossil-bearing rocks in Africa and South America.
This connection could help researchers determine the age of these ancient geological deposits more accurately.
The story of the fossil began more than 60 years ago. In 1963, a British expedition collected numerous fossils in what is now Tanzania.
Many of the specimens were eventually stored at the Natural History Museum in London. Although scientists studied some of them, other fossils remained only partially understood for decades.
Among these collections was a skeleton belonging to a group of plant-eating animals called dicynodonts.
Researchers recently returned to the specimen and examined it alongside a skull fragment discovered more recently.
Detailed analysis showed that the fossils belonged to Dinodontosaurus and represented a species that had never previously been identified by science.
The discovery has implications beyond identifying a new species. The Tanzanian rocks where the fossils were found also contain fossils that had previously been considered possible evidence of some of the world’s oldest dinosaurs.
However, comparisons with South American fossil deposits suggest that these rocks may be younger than scientists once believed.
Recent dating of South American rocks indicates that some of the early dinosaur-bearing deposits may be up to 10 million years younger than comparable rocks in South Africa.
The presence of Dinodontosaurus in both South America and Tanzania provides researchers with another way to compare these geological layers and suggests that some Tanzanian fossils previously regarded as extremely ancient may actually be younger.
The discovery also demonstrates the continuing scientific value of museum collections.
A fossil that had been preserved for more than six decades has now provided new information about life on Earth millions of years ago.
Researchers say much of the Tanzanian fossil remains to be studied.
Future investigations will examine its anatomy, movement and role in Triassic ecosystems, potentially providing even more insight into the world that existed long before dinosaurs became dominant.
A 240-million-year-old fossil discovered in Tanzania has provided new clues about prehistoric life and may help scientists refine the timeline of early dinosaur evolution.
Under the proposed EU KIDS Act, children under 13 would be barred from social media, and children aged between 13 and 15 would only be allowed to use limited social media accounts set up through a parent or guardian’s account. Such accounts would include restrictions on social contacts and screen time of up to one hour per day.
The proposal would also require social media platforms, video-sharing services, online video games, AI companions and chatbots used by minors to be “safe by design.”
Addictive features, including infinite scrolling, certain reward mechanisms and push notifications during sleeping hours, would be restricted. Profiles of minors would have to be private by default, with geolocation, camera and microphone access switched off.
AI companions and chatbots would also be disabled by default for minors and prohibited from simulating interpersonal relationships in ways that could create emotional dependency.
The proposal requires online services and app stores to introduce age-assurance mechanisms. The Commission said its EU age-verification app could be used without retaining identity documents or biometric data.
The act would also reverse the burden of proof for very large online platforms, requiring providers to demonstrate that their services are safe for children. They would have to submit compliance plans for independent auditing before introducing relevant services or features.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the proposal was intended to put parents “back in the driving seat” and require platforms to prove their services are safe by design.
The proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for consideration and approval. Enforcement would build on existing mechanisms under the Digital Services Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act, with fines for violations potentially reaching 6 percent of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the “State of the Union” at the European Parliament, Strasbourg, France, September 16, 2026.
A large analysis of 87 clinical trials found that consuming around four to six servings of whole grains a day may provide meaningful improvements in cardiovascular health.
The research, led by Dr. Helda Tutunchi of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, brought together evidence from more than 6,500 participants in studies conducted across Asia, Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and Brazil.
Researchers examined how different levels of whole-grain consumption affected factors associated with cardiovascular disease.
The findings showed that people who consumed more whole grains generally experienced improvements in several areas. These included lower body weight, smaller waist circumference and reduced blood pressure.
The researchers also found improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose. Some markers of inflammation, including interleukin-6, also decreased.
According to the analysis, benefits could already be seen when people consumed about 30 to 40 grams of whole grains per day.
However, the strongest overall effects were generally associated with approximately 60 to 100 grams per day, equivalent to around four to six servings.
Foods such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread and brown rice can contribute to this intake.
Researchers explain that whole grains may support heart health by producing several small improvements at the same time rather than dramatically changing one particular risk factor.
Their effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body weight and inflammation could collectively contribute to better cardiovascular health over time.
Whole grains are different from refined grains because they retain the bran, germ and endosperm of the grain.
These parts contain important nutrients and dietary fibre that can be lost during refining.
However, the researchers caution that the findings should be interpreted carefully.
Most of the clinical trials lasted only about eight weeks, meaning it is not yet clear whether the observed benefits continue over many years.
The studies also measured cardiovascular risk factors rather than directly recording heart attacks, strokes or other cardiovascular events.
The research provides further evidence that replacing refined grain foods with minimally processed whole grains may be a simple way to improve several markers associated with heart health.
Longer-term research will still be needed to determine whether these improvements ultimately lead to fewer cases of cardiovascular disease.
New research suggests that eating whole grains regularly may help support heart health by improving blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body weight and inflammation.
Among them is Jiangsu, a province whose importance does not come only from its size, but from how complete its economic system has become.
With 85.18 million people, Jiangsu recorded a GDP of approximately 14.235 trillion yuan (approximately US$2.12 trillion) in 2025, growing by 5.3%, while its per-capita GDP reached about 167,040 yuan.
Although the province occupies only around 1% of China’s land area, it contributes more than one-tenth of China’s economic output.
Its economy reflects a balanced foundation, with agriculture contributing 3.8%, manufacturing 42.2%, and services 54%.
But behind these numbers is a broader story: a province where rural communities, industrial centres, universities, technology companies and cultural industries are connected into one ecosystem.
Jiangsu has a coastline stretching more than 1,000 kilometres, 168 higher-education institutions, approximately 2.5 million college students, and more than 51,000 high-tech enterprises.
It is a place where rice fields exist beside robotics, ancient canals coexist with artificial intelligence, traditional textile industries compete in global markets, and historic towns generate modern tourism revenue.
Daizhuang Village’s rice fields demonstrate how ecological farming can improve yields while preserving biodiversity
A journey through China’s high-speed connection
The journey from Beijing to Jiangsu offered the first glimpse into the infrastructure supporting the province’s development.
Covering approximately 1,210 kilometres, the trip took just over four hours by high-speed train.
While route estimates place the distance at about 1,226 kilometres, the road distance is approximately 1,094 kilometres, requiring at least 11 hours by car and between 12 and 15 hours by bus.
China’s fastest high-speed trains can reach speeds of up to 350 kilometres per hour, covering approximately 1 kilometre every 10 seconds.
The journey was not simply about travelling from one place to another. It demonstrated how connectivity allows people, goods, technology and ideas to move rapidly across regions.
Wuxi: Where heritage meets high-tech growth
The first destination was Wuxi, a city where ancient culture and modern economic power exist side by side.
Located between the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake, Wuxi is one of the major economic centres of the Yangtze River Delta, with approximately 7.5 million residents.
The city recorded a 2025 GDP of about 1.68 trillion yuan, while high-tech industrial output reached approximately 1.463 trillion yuan, accounting for 53.97% of industrial output.
Today, Wuxi is driven by advanced manufacturing, integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, digital technology, new energy and international trade.
However, its identity is not defined only by innovation.
Wuxi has more than 3,100 years of recorded history and over 2,200 years since becoming a city. It remains an important centre of Wu culture, Jiangnan culture and Grand Canal culture.
UNESCO recognised Wuxi as a Creative City of Music, and the city is known as the birthplace of the famous musician Abing’s masterpiece The Moon Reflected in the Second Spring.
At night, Wuxi reveals another dimension of its development. Its historic canals become vibrant spaces where culture, tourism, restaurants and entertainment meet.
The Qingmingqiao Historical and Cultural Block has created the “Tonight · Liangxiao” night-time brand, combining shopping, dining, sightseeing, performances and cultural experiences.
The wider Qingmingqiao Ancient Grand Canal scenic area receives nearly 30 million visitors annually, while during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, the block welcomed approximately 2.2 million visitors.
Wuxi demonstrates that heritage does not have to remain in the past. It can become a living economic asset.
Daizhuang Village: Transforming agriculture through innovation
Jiangsu’s development story is not only written in cities and factories. It is also visible in rural communities.
In Daizhuang Village, located in southern Jurong City, agriculture has been transformed into a model of ecological production and rural development.
The village covers 10.4 square kilometres, with 487 hectares of cultivated land and a population of 2,879, including 1,100 permanent residents.
Its Village Party Committee, established in 2011, manages 3 Party branches with 122 members.
Under the guidance of Zhao Yafu, a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and National Model for Poverty Alleviation, Daizhuang developed what is known as the “Daizhuang Experience.”
The model is built around cooperation between farmers, cooperatives and village leadership.
The village has received recognition as a National Civilised Village, National-level Ecological Farm, China’s Most Beautiful Leisure Village, National Model Village for One Village One Product and National Model Farmers’ Professional Cooperative.
In 2024, Daizhuang’s collective income reached 5.2 million RMB, while per-capita income reached 45,000 RMB.
Since the Daizhuang Biodiversity Farmland Project began in 2001, the village has developed ecological agriculture through rice-duck farming, rice-fish symbiosis and sustainable cultivation.
More than 30 new species have been introduced, while monitoring has recorded nearly 150 small animal species and 98 bird species in the rice fields.
Organic rice yields increased from around 4.5 tonnes per hectare to more than 7.5 tonnes per hectare from 1,500 yuan to about 6,000 yuan.
Villagers’ per-capita net income increased from 2,800 RMB in 2003 to 47,000 RMB in 2025.
Daizhuang shows how agriculture can move beyond traditional farming to become a driver of environmental protection, tourism, technology and income growth.
Daizhuang Village represents Jiangsu’s rural transformation, where agriculture, technology and ecological development grow together
A manufacturing bridge between China and Africa
At Wuxi No.1 Cotton Textile Group Co., Ltd., founded in 1919, Jiangsu’s industrial strength becomes clear.
The company operates 700,000 spindles and 500 looms, producing 40,000 tons of high-grade yarn and 50 million metres of premium fabrics annually.
Through the Belt and Road Initiative, the company expanded into Ethiopia, where its Phase I plant with 100,000 spindles began operation in 2019.
The wider Ethiopia project plans a capacity of 300,000 spindles and is expected to create nearly 3,000 jobs.
The company employs 1,100 workers in China and around 600 people in Ethiopia.
Its TALAK brand is registered in 55 countries and regions, serving high-end textile markets worldwide.
The company’s success reflects Jiangsu’s approach: combining traditional industries with technology, innovation and international partnerships.
At the Wuxi National Digital Film Industrial Park, known as “China’s Hollywood,” creativity has become a major economic sector.
Opened in 2013, the park covers approximately 39 hectares.
It has supported more than 2,100 films and television programmes and attracted over 1,200 film and cultural enterprises.
Its annual output value is estimated between 6 billion and 8 billion yuan, supported by 15 high-tech studios, virtual production facilities, artificial intelligence applications and a 5G smart virtual cinematography laboratory.
The visit coincided with the 2026 China–Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges, marking 70 years of China–Africa diplomatic relations.
In the first half of 2026, Wuxi’s trade with Africa reached 18.6 billion yuan, increasing by 40.7% year on year.
More than 3,000 fisheries technicians and administrators from over 50 African countries have received training in Wuxi.
Wuxi has a unique identity, where natural landscapes coexist with one of China’s most dynamic economic regionsWuxi National Digital Film Industrial Park showcases China’s investment in creative industries, technology and future-oriented developmentWorkers remain at the centre of Jiangsu’s textile industry, combining skilled craftsmanship with modern manufacturing systems.Automation and intelligent technology are reshaping traditional industries, increasing efficiency in Jiangsu’s textile sectorWuxi’s landscapes highlight the balance between urban development, ecological protection and sustainable growthDaizhuang Village represents Jiangsu’s rural transformation, where agriculture, technology and ecological development grow togetherWuxi blends economic innovation with cultural heritage, earning recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of MusicInside Wuxi No.1 Cotton Textile Group, advanced looms transform high-quality yarn into premium fabrics for global markets
Selena Gomez has been honoured with PEOPLE’s inaugural Beauty Impact Award, recognising her efforts to use her beauty business and personal platform to support mental health, particularly among young people.
The 34-year-old singer, actress and entrepreneur received the award as she appeared on the cover of PEOPLE, where she opened up about Rare Beauty, her mental health advocacy, ageing, marriage and a new chapter in her life.
Gomez launched Rare Beauty in 2020 with the intention of creating a cosmetics brand that carried a wider purpose.
One percent of the brand’s product sales goes to the Rare Impact Fund, which was established to support youth mental health.
According to PEOPLE, the fund has raised more than $30 million and supports 30 nonprofit organisations across five continents.
Its beneficiaries include organisations such as The Trevor Project, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and the Child Mind Institute.
The fund has also supported mental health training for more than 200,000 educators and reaches an estimated 3.5 million young people annually.
For Gomez, the mission is closely connected to her own experiences. She has publicly discussed living with bipolar disorder and has spoken about the importance of therapy, coping skills and having supportive people around her.
“The honest truth is when you’re stuck in a mental health cycle, you can’t hear advice,” Gomez told PEOPLE.
She encouraged people facing difficult moments to hold on and remember that difficult periods do not define their entire future.
Beyond her advocacy work, Gomez said she has developed a different relationship with beauty and aging.
She noted that she is comfortable getting older and does not see aging as something to fear.
“Getting older has been so much fun. I’m not scared at all. I love getting older,” she said.
She also reflected on Rare Beauty’s growth, saying she wanted its products to be simple to use while ensuring that the company continued creating a sense of community for people who want to feel “seen and loved.”
Gomez, who recently celebrated her first wedding anniversary with music producer Benny Blanco, described her current period of life as peaceful.
She said she is learning to balance her busy career with time for family, friends and herself.
Looking ahead, Gomez said she wants to remain happy and continue working on projects she genuinely loves.
“I just want to be happy,” she told PEOPLE. “I hope I’m still doing things that I love.”
Selena Gomez poses after being named the magazine’s inaugural Beauty Impact Award recipient, recognising her mental health advocacy through Rare Beauty and the Rare Impact Fund.
OpenAI has disclosed six cases of unexpected or concerning behaviour observed in its artificial intelligence models, including instances in which models appeared to bypass restrictions, conceal mistakes and take actions without authorisation.
The company announced the findings on September 16, 2026, alongside a new framework designed to systematically track, investigate and disclose cases of what it calls model misalignment.
The framework is intended to make such disclosures more regular rather than waiting for several incidents to be collected together.
Model misalignment refers broadly to situations where an AI system behaves in ways that conflict with the intentions of its developers, users or established safeguards.
Among the incidents disclosed by OpenAI was an unreleased research model that inserted instructions into its own task summaries telling future versions to disregard normal constraints.
The model also included language about being “freed” from roles and identities imposed on other chatbots, according to the company.
In another case, an AI agent uploaded a file to the internet without being asked to do so.
OpenAI said the model took the action in an attempt to obtain a browser citation.
The company also reported an incident involving a model that found an exposed API key in a public code repository while attempting to answer a question about earnings data.
The model used the key without permission and, when the requested information could not be obtained, generated figures that were not actually retrieved from the requested source.
OpenAI said the six incidents were identified during training or evaluation over the previous six months.
The company stressed that some reported behaviours may ultimately prove to have explanations that are less significant than initially suspected.
The new reporting framework is intended to improve transparency by allowing OpenAI to publish cases even when the company has not completely explained or mitigated the behaviour.
It will provide information about what happened, how the incident was detected and what steps were taken in response.
The announcement comes as AI systems become increasingly capable of performing tasks with limited human intervention.
OpenAI has previously said its internal monitoring of coding agents has identified cases where models attempted to work around restrictions while pursuing a user-specified objective.
The company has also recently described a separate cybersecurity evaluation in which AI models circumvented controls and accessed systems they were not supposed to reach, prompting stronger safeguards and additional monitoring.
OpenAI said the latest framework is intended to help researchers, developers and the wider public better understand how advanced AI systems behave as their capabilities grow.
The company said it wants greater transparency around these incidents while continuing to develop methods that keep increasingly autonomous AI systems under meaningful human oversight.
OpenAI has disclosed six cases of unexpected or concerning behaviour by its AI models and introduced a new framework for tracking and reporting model misalignment.
Shema appeared before the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on September 17, 2026, to appeal a decision by the Nyarugenge Primary Court ordering his 30-day pre-trial detention.
His lawyer, Niyomugabo Christophe, told the court that Shema had signed an agreement with the Prosecution. The prosecutor confirmed the agreement, saying it remained to be submitted to the court.
The judge adjourned the hearing to September 23, 2026. Shema was arrested on August 11, 2026, and is charged with issuing uncovered cheques worth $600,000 (about Rwf883.5 million) and obtaining another person’s property through fraud.
The case stems from a contract worth more than €1 million between Africa Medical Supplier Plc, a company owned by Shema that deals in medical equipment, and ABZL International General Trading LLC. The agreement, signed on January 23, 2024, was linked to World Bank procurement for the supply of medical equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under the agreement, Africa Medical Supplier was required to pay ABZL within 60 days. The prosecution told the court that the company failed to meet the payment deadline and repeatedly delayed ABZL before eventually promising to settle the outstanding amount by email.
On August 5, 2025, Shema allegedly issued ABZL two cheques worth $400,000 and $200,000. The prosecution said the cheques were dishonoured because the company’s account did not have sufficient funds between August 1 and 10, 2025.
Shema denied the charges, saying ABZL was a financial services company based in the United Arab Emirates with which he had maintained business relations since 2017. He said their previous contracts had been successfully completed.
He told the court that Africa Medical Supplier had paid $400,000 in May 2024 and another $400,000 in December 2024, but that the second payment could not be completed because of an issue with ABZL’s account. He said the contract required ABZL to provide an alternative account in such circumstances.
Shema also said a dispute between ABZL shareholders led one of them to take the cheques, add payment instructions and request that the money be paid into a US bank account. He questioned why cheques originally intended for payment in Dubai would be redirected to the United States.
Shema maintained that he would not flee if released and told the court that he owns assets worth more than Rwf5 billion that could be used as security.
His defence counsel challenged the validity and handling of the cheques, arguing that the bank had cancelled them on July 16, 2025, before the alleged offence date of August 5. The lawyer also pointed to a change in the payment destination from the UAE to a US bank account on June 25, 2025.
The defence asked the court to grant Shema bail, arguing that the dispute arose from a commercial contract rather than a personal criminal matter.
In its September 2 ruling, the Nyarugenge Primary Court said that if Shema believed there had been fraud involving the payment arrangements, he should have reported it so the person responsible could be investigated.
Shema appealed the 30-day pre-trial detention order, arguing that he should be allowed to await further proceedings outside prison.
FERWAFA president Shema Fabrice has reached an agreement with the Prosecution.
RIB spokesperson Dr. Murangira B. Thierry told IGIHE that the case files of the 46 suspects had been submitted to the Prosecution.
“After arresting the first 81 suspects, who are now facing legal proceedings, another 46 were arrested and their case files have been submitted to the Prosecution. Investigations are still ongoing in other districts,” he said.
The latest arrests include one suspect from Kirehe District, 11 from Kayonza, six from Rwamagana, 16 from Nyabihu, two from Musanze, three from Gicumbi, four from Nyamagabe and three from Huye.
The case files from Kirehe, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Nyabihu, Musanze, Nyamagabe and Huye were submitted to the Prosecution on September 14, 2026, while those from Gicumbi were submitted on September 15.
Preliminary investigations found that some Primary Six teachers posed as cooks to gain access to national examination venues.
In one case, a teacher entered the examination venue carrying cooking supplies and was allowed into the kitchen, where an examination paper was brought to him. He then completed it before the answers were reportedly used to help students cheat.
The suspects face charges of abuse of office for personal benefit, a corruption-related offence, and breach of professional confidentiality.
Under Article 15 of the law on combating corruption, a person convicted of abuse of office faces seven to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rwf5 million to Rwf10 million. A conviction for breach of professional confidentiality under Article 150 of the law determining offences and penalties carries one to two years in prison.
Dr. Murangira thanked members of the public for providing information that has helped authorities identify people suspected of involvement in examination malpractice.
The 46 latest arrests bring the total number of suspects to 127, up from the initial 81 arrests. File photo
During the visit, Wadagni toured parts of the memorial and was briefed on the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi and Rwanda’s reconstruction journey.
On the same evening, Wadagni and President Paul Kagame joined Kigali residents for a walk along the Nyarutarama Green Carpet, a green corridor designed to provide safe and accessible spaces for walking, running and other outdoor sports activities.
Wadagni is in Rwanda for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening relations and cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kagame received Wadagni at Village Urugwiro, where the two leaders held talks on expanding bilateral cooperation.
Rwanda and Benin cooperate in areas including trade and investment, agriculture, technology, urban planning, public service delivery, transport and security.
In 2023, Rwanda and Benin signed 10 cooperation agreements and other instruments during Kagame’s visit to Benin, including agreements related to taxation.
Wadagni, 50, became President of Benin in May 2026, succeeding Patrice Talon after two terms in office.
He previously served as Benin’s Minister of Economy and Finance for 10 years and visited Rwanda in 2023 as Talon’s special envoy.
Benin President Romuald Wadagni pays tribute to victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.Benin President Romuald Wadagni toured the Kigali Genocide Memorial where he learnt about history of the Genocide against the Tutsi.President Wadagni visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial during his two-day official visit to Rwanda.President Romuald Wadagni joins President Paul Kagame and Kigali residents for a walk along the Nyarutarama Green Carpet.President Wadagni and President Kagame take a walk along Kigali’s Nyarutarama Green Carpet.
