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Rwandan govt fires 1,000 officers in reshuffle
The Rwandan army said several military generals, including a former chief of staff, have retired in a major reshuffle that saw more than 1,000 personnel sacked or pushed into retirement.
President and army commander-in-chief Paul Kagame “approved the retirement” of General Jean Bosco Kazura as well as 1,162 military of various ranks, according to an army statement published Friday.
Kazura, 62, served as Rwanda’s Chief of Defence Staff from 2019 to 2023, and was previously a military advisor to Kagame. He also led the United Nations mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, in 2013 and 2014.
Other senior servicemen approved for retirement include brigadier generals John Bagabo, John Bosco Rutikanga, Johnson Hodari and Firmin Bayingana.
The changes, which are not infrequent in Rwanda, come after Kagame met with high-ranking military leaders to “discuss the peace and security priorities of Rwanda”, a military source told AFP.
The president accused multiple generals in attendance of “lack of discipline”, the source added.
The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on Friday laid off 21 senior officers, including division general Martin Nzaramba.
Nzaramba, 57, was “dismissed for corruption and misappropriation of funds intended for the welfare of soldiers during his time as Director of the Basic Military Training Center”, RDF spokesman brigadier general Ronald Rwivanga told online media Igihe.
Rwivanga did not immediately respond to a request for further details.
The Rwandan president in June 2023 dismissed several high-ranking officers over “lack of discipline”, after replacing the defence minister, army chief of staff and land forces chief of staff.
That move also saw more than 200 soldiers dismissed.
Rwanda’s all-powerful president, who was re-elected in early August for a fourth term, previously described last year’s reshuffle as a “normal thing”.
Kagame is credited with rebuilding a traumatised nation after the 1994 genocide, but is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear.
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See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
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