In a statement published on his X account, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that 44 suspects were detained in relation to 65 forest fires that occurred in 12 provinces between June 26 and July 4, 10 of them were arrested, and judicial control measures were imposed on six of them.
Earlier in the day, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli announced that the forest fire in Cesme, a popular resort town, was brought under control by Friday morning. Efforts to contain the blazes in Odemis and Buca districts are still ongoing.
Two people lost their lives in Odemis — an 81-year-old bedridden man and a forestry worker who died while battling the blaze, according to Yumakli.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fires, but high temperatures, low humidity, and powerful winds have created ideal conditions for forest fires to spread rapidly. Investigations are underway to determine whether negligence or arson may have played a role.
The new branch, located in Cyugamo Village, Gako Cell, Masaka Sector of Kicukiro District, officially opened on June 30, 2025.
It launched with a team of five staff members, including officers responsible for regular savings and withdrawals, loan and project analysis, as well as a branch manager overseeing operations.
The CEO of Duterimbere IMF PLC, Alphonse Ngabonziza, stated that the branch was opened in response to requests from residents of the area, who expressed challenges in accessing services from the city center, which previously housed the nearest branches.
“This is a rapidly developing area, yet it is evident that financial institutions here are still limited. That’s why we brought our services closer to the local population to help them continue advancing economically.”
Jeannette Mukamana, a client of Duterimbere IMF PLC, shared that she used to face challenges accessing the institution’s services because it required her to travel to downtown Kigali, which negatively affected her business operations.
At times, when she urgently needed funds, she had to set aside an entire day just to reach another branch, costing her valuable time.
She said: “I started out only selling gas, but after receiving a loan from Duterimbere IMF PLC, I have now expanded my business to include a hardware shop as well. Previously, I had to go to the city center for their services, but now that the branch is closer to me, it will make my business much easier.”
Duterimbere Duterimbere IMF PLC is a microfinance institution that specializes in providing financial services to women, offering them low-interest loans that are disbursed in a short period of just seven days.
He was speaking at a reception held on the evening of July 4 at the Kigali Convention Centre to mark Rwanda’s 31st Liberation Anniversary.
Kagame reflected on Rwanda’s liberation journey, the sacrifices made by many, and the enduring threat posed by those who wish to destabilize the country.
He particularly condemned the continued threat of the FDLR rebel group, and the recent collaboration that saw SADC troops supporting Kinshasa’s campaign against its citizens (the M23).
“In the recent months and so you see again the whole world was watching. Mercenaries came from Europe, then other confused brothers and sisters from our continent… They sent in everything to support a government that is killing its own people, that supports genociders, people who killed our people here,” Kagame said.
He added that threats to Rwanda, the weapon build-up in Goma and Bukavu, and drone warfare claims clearly signaled broader intentions: “It was aimed at Rwanda.”
Following the capture of Goma, SADC troops found themselves encircled by the rebel group and requested safe passage to withdraw through Rwanda—despite their earlier support for a coalition that harbored intentions to destabilize the country.
“We gave them passage. We gave them security. We made sure they went back home. But they could have perished if they really put up a fight. There’s no question about it,” he noted.
Kagame made it clear that Rwanda’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
“We can walk 2,000 kilometers from here fighting if and when we have to fight,” he said. “Those people who tell you nonsense that they have drones, they have what? They will come and attack Rwanda? We will find you where you are launching those drones from.”
He called on the international community and critics to understand that Rwanda’s primary demand is mutual respect and non-interference: “Just if you can’t cooperate with us, leave us alone.”
Addressing those who withhold support or threaten to withdraw funding, Kagame said, “Yes, that money when it comes, I assure you, you will not find a place that puts that money to good use more than we do… But to wag a finger at me, I’ll break it. Just that thing alone.”
Turning inward, Kagame urged Rwandans — young and old — to remember the meaning of their liberation and the responsibilities it entails. “You are not a bunch of sheep that must be herded to a slaughterhouse… You should never accept it,” he said. “I would rather go to my grave giving it a fight… How I go there matters.”
Reflecting on Rwanda’s transformation over the last three decades, Kagame asserted, “It’s not just that we removed the killers and we took over. No, we are not just new people in our thinking, in our existence. We are new people because we have changed things towards what they should be.”
He concluded with a powerful message to those who believe in divine accountability: “So don’t let anyone be allowed to take us back years in history… When you are being asked to account, for me, I’m prepared with my notes in my pocket. When they say, ‘Hey, what did you do?’ I say, ‘Sir, this is what I did. I apologize for my shortcomings but I think largely there is something I will show for it.’”
Kagame urged all Rwandans to reflect on the long journey of liberation and continue to defend and advance their nation with pride, dignity, and unity.
Speaking during a conversation with members of the press on Liberation Day, President Kagame shared personal and national insights, emphasising the sacrifices of the liberation struggle and Rwanda’s commitment to self-reliance.
“For me, at a personal level, it’s been a very tough but enjoyable journey,” the president said in his opening remarks.
He highlighted the significance of the struggle, noting, “This is the best thing one can do to be part of the many years of struggle to put things right for our country, for our people, for ourselves all together.”
When asked about the personal convictions that drove him to fight for Rwanda as part of the group of refugees who formed the Rwanda Patriotic Army, which liberated the country and ended the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, President Kagame offered a deep reflection on the challenges and rewards of the liberation struggle.
“The tough side was what was confronted and dealt with, being of such a magnitude that for the half-hearted, they would just collapse under the weight of its first day,” he said.
Yet, he found inspiration in the collective effort: “The enjoyable part… is understanding the story itself, where you are coming from and where you are going, and then finding yourself in the middle of it, being one among many to be looked up to… It gives a sense of pride, inspiration.”
Kagame paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives, acknowledging the unexplainable nature of survival.
“I cannot account for why I’m still alive. I could have easily gone the way of the others who didn’t make it,” he admitted, adding, “We remember them. We honour them. We respect them for what we know they are associated with or they did when they were still there.”
He emphasized that the struggle’s purpose was to create a better future, stating, “What comes out in the end must reflect that difference between what you really fought against and what you are creating. They have to be different.”
The president also addressed Rwanda’s progress toward self-reliance, responding to a question about a 2012 speech where he criticised Western powers for scapegoating Rwanda.
“Rwanda has constantly been changing, but those powerful countries and how they see us or maybe see other Africans has really not changed,” Kagame said, asserting, “We don’t owe our living to anyone. Never will it happen again.”
“It’s not bragging. It’s an act of survival,” he declared, encapsulating the spirit of a nation forged through struggle and determination.
Speaking during a conversation with the media on Friday as Rwanda marked the 31st anniversary of Liberation Day, Kagame reflected on how his perspective has evolved with age.
In response to a question from a journalist asking what he would do, where he would go, and what he would hope to learn if he could live one day as an ordinary citizen, the president dove into personal memories.
“Many things,” Kagame began. “If it was long ago and I was still young, I would go skydiving, I would go bungee jumping — I would do some of these crazy things.”
He revealed that such adrenaline-filled activities were not foreign to him in his earlier years. “I used to do some of them when I was still young,” he noted.
Kagame also hinted at a deep yearning for unstructured fun. “I wouldn’t drink, but I would have as much fun as you know falls in the normal brackets of fun, almost without limit,” he said.
“I wish I could be younger. I would do some of the things I missed doing in those days — just being there, free, fearless, and enjoying what nature provides.”
In response to a question about recent rumors concerning his health, President Kagame questioned the logic behind the public scrutiny of personal health matters, stating firmly that illness is a natural part of the human condition.
“How do people want to account for someone’s personal health? Is there an exception in this world?” Kagame asked rhetorically. “There’s nobody who lives forever. Whether life is short or long, you have to manage all these issues as human beings.”
The president acknowledged the physical toll of leadership, noting that even his own health challenges may be linked to the pressures of governance.
“Some of my personal health problems might originate from managing you people, the amount of stress,” he said.
He dismissed the notion that leaders are immune to common illnesses or human fragility, saying, “People get COVID, the flu, a cold, or just collapse because of a heart issue. Isn’t that human? What do people want me to account for — that I’m not human?”
Kagame also criticized what he described as malicious political rhetoric that capitalizes on or even celebrates health concerns of public figures.
He called such attitudes “beyond stupidity,” adding, “You can rejoice even when they’re carrying somebody in a coffin, going for burial. You can have that moment of rejoicing and say, we got rid of him, and so on. And by the time he gets into his car, one kilometer, he has followed the other one. I don’t understand the logic, the politics or anything at all”
Kagame urged for more rational public discourse, saying such narratives are not only senseless but also run counter to the values Rwanda has worked hard to uphold since its liberation.
“This is the kind of politics we liberated ourselves from,” he said. “At least, you asked the question. Rest assured, it is me sitting here with you.”
The Liberation Day commemoration honors the end of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the beginning of Rwanda’s rebirth under new leadership.
“We reached an agreement in Washington, D.C., but it is not up to Washington to implement it. It’s those who reached the agreement who must actually implement what we agreed,” President Kagame stated during a conversation with the media on Rwanda’s Liberation Day on Friday, July 4.
Expressing his optimism about the deal succeeding, he explained that resolving such complex issues requires Cooperation and flexibility.
“You don’t get 100% of what you want because there are many parties concerned with the problem. Each one may get a piece of what they wanted, another gets a piece of what they wanted, and together, stability comes out of it. So, for me, I think there is a chance that we may get somewhere with that,” the president noted.
The Washington-mediated agreement was signed on June 27 to address tensions in eastern DRC. It focuses on joint security measures to neutralise the FDLR militia, which Rwanda has identified as a persistent threat along its border.
During the interview, the head of state affirmed Rwanda’s commitment to its end of the bargain and insisted that the DRC do the same by eliminating the threat along the border with Rwanda.
“If FDLR is not removed, the problem continues to be there, and Rwanda will always do what it has to do,” Kagame warned.
“You will never find Rwanda at fault when it comes to implementing what we have agreed to do. Never,” he added.
President Kagame highlighted that the deal with President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration rests on three interconnected pillars: political, economic, and security, stressing that focusing solely on one aspect, such as the region’s mineral wealth, oversimplifies the conflict.
He criticised past approaches that reduced the crisis to economic motives, noting, “They talk about minerals as the centre of the whole problem. They should also blame themselves.”
He argued that the Trump administration’s holistic approach, unlike previous efforts, acknowledges the complexity of the conflict, including political issues like the denial of citizenship to Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese and the internal dynamics within the DRC.
The president also pointed to a parallel Qatar-mediated process involving the DRC government and the M23 rebel group, describing it as addressing the “internal matters” of Congo, which he said are often wrongly framed as solely a Rwanda-DRC issue.
“Congo has always tried to make this problem only a problem between Rwanda and DRC, but there is a bigger component that is DRC’s problem,” Kagame said, citing the need to resolve issues like the marginalisation of Kinyarwanda-speaking communities within Congo.
Kagame expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for prioritising the region’s challenges, contrasting their engagement with the indifference of previous Western powers.
“I thank them that they even paid attention to the problem at all,” he said, noting that global focus often centres on conflicts in the Middle East or Ukraine.
Addressing criticisms that the Trump administration’s approach is exploitative, Kagame challenged detractors to reflect on their own inaction.
“You were here all these years, doing nothing except doing the wrong thing,” he said, questioning the effectiveness of past sanctions and UN missions in Congo, which he accused of perpetuating biased narratives.
He specifically criticised the UN’s Group of Experts for focusing blame on Rwanda and M23 while ignoring the FDLR’s role in spreading “genocide ideology” and destabilising the region.
“You will never find them writing anything comprehensively about FDLR. You’ll never find them writing anything comprehensively about how government institutions are connected with FDLR in spreading hate ideology, genocide ideology—things that are being done in broad daylight for everybody to see,” Kagame said. “So you wonder, how can experts not see that?”
President Kagame was also adamant about his stance on Rwanda’s broader journey toward self-reliance.
“We don’t owe our living to anyone,” he declared, emphasising that Rwanda’s progress over the last three decades reflects a commitment to never again be “sheep to be slaughtered.”
Responding to a journalist’s question about the implications of the recently signed agreement if the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are not eliminated, Kagame delivered a firm message: “Rwanda will always do what it has to do when FDLR is along our border. There is no magic word here to be used by anybody.”
The agreement in question, reached in Washington, D.C., was signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on June 27, with the aim of addressing long-standing security concerns in the region.
A central provision of this deal is the elimination of the FDLR, a rebel group that has repeatedly launched attacks on Rwanda from Congolese territory and is known to have collaborated with the DRC government, particularly during its operations against the M23 rebel group.
President Kagame stressed that while the agreement was signed in Washington, its successful implementation lies solely in the hands of the two parties involved.
“We reached an agreement in Washington, D.C. But it is not up to Washington to implement it. It’s those who reached the agreement to actually implement what they agreed.”
He went on to express Rwanda’s commitment to fulfilling its part of the deal: “You will never find Rwanda at fault with implementing what we have agreed to do. You will never.”
However, he issued a clear warning that if the other party acts dishonestly or fails to uphold their commitments, Rwanda will respond accordingly: “But if we decide we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it. There are no two ways about it.”
The President also placed the Rwanda-DRC conflict within a broader regional and internal political context.
He highlighted that in addition to the Washington deal, a parallel negotiation process is underway in Qatar, focusing on the DRC’s internal conflict involving the M23 and issues related to political representation and citizenship.
“There is another deal ongoing that concerns internal groups of Congo. AFC/M23 and the government… that is being discussed and brokered by Qatar.” Kagame noted, recalling his meeting with President Tshisekedi in Doha and underlining that these negotiations are also critical to achieving lasting peace.
For Kagame, the failure to eliminate the FDLR would mean the persistence of the threat Rwanda has long faced.
“If FDR is not dealt with and we have set out the way to deal with it in the agreement, then that means FDLR continues to be there and the problem continues to be there,” he noted.
The Head of State also reiterated that Rwanda would not hesitate to take necessary actions to defend its borders and people.
“We have this obligation and we have laid our case. And out of that, we have agreed to do a number of things to deal with and do it together with others. And we will do that.”
In a post on X shared on July 4 to mark Rwanda’s 31st Liberation Day, commonly known as Kwibohora31, Gen Muhoozi extended warm wishes to the people of Rwanda, recalling the immense sacrifice made by those who stopped the genocide and restored hope to a devastated nation.
“My dear friends in Rwanda, I wish you a happy #Kwibohora31. We remember the heroes who stopped the genocide and restored hope and development,” Muhoozi wrote. “President Paul Kagame and his army carried out a heroic act that the whole world will always remember.”
He also used the occasion to reflect on the shared history and ties between Rwanda and Uganda, calling for lasting peace and deeper cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
“Rwanda and Uganda are nations bound by history and blood. We desire lasting peace, deep friendship, and strong cooperation between our peoples,” he added.
Gen. Muhoozi, who has long expressed admiration for Kagame, has played a notable role in strengthening ties between Rwanda and Uganda.
Rwanda’s Liberation Day commemorates the victory of the RPA, under the leadership of then-commander Paul Kagame, in stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed a million lives. It is a day of reflection, celebration, and honouring the resilience of the Rwandan people.
Some camp out overnight to purchase it; others pay steep premiums to add it to their collections. After a decade of relative obscurity, the character has surged into mainstream prominence, becoming a cultural and commercial juggernaut while igniting debate over the evolving aesthetics of a new generation.
Originally inspired by a Northern European forest elf, Labubu’s unsettling yet strangely endearing appearance exemplifies what has come to be known as the “funny-ugly” aesthetic. At first glance, many find themselves asking, “What is this odd creature?” A second look often evokes a different reaction: “It’s weirdly adorable.”
The term ” funny-ugly” – a blend of the charming and the offbeat – has gained traction online as a way to describe products that stray from traditional beauty standards but possess an inexplicable allure. Over the past few years, dolls, mascots, and novelty goods that once would have seemed too peculiar for mainstream taste have found enthusiastic audiences, especially among Gen Z consumers. Once niche, this aesthetic is fast becoming a cultural movement.
In 2022, a plush toy modeled after a bronze galloping horse from the Gansu Provincial Museum went viral in China for its awkwardly cocked head and carefree expression. The toy’s appeal lay precisely in its imperfection. The following year, a garish green frog-shaped spoon with bulging eyes and a gaping mouth became an unexpected social media hit, spurring a wave of online sharing, comments, and purchases.
In 2025, among the many snake-themed mascots unveiled for the Year of the Snake, two stood out: Guangzhou’s “Heart-Eyed Snake” and Kunming’s “Baby Snake.”
Online platforms have helped turn this aesthetic into a social phenomenon. The Taobao Ugly Stuff Contest, which invites users to share offbeat or intentionally unattractive designs, has completed four popular editions. On Xiaohongshu, a Chinese platform with combined features of Instagram and Pinterest, also known as RedNote abroad, hashtags like “Ugly Stuff” and “Ugly Stuff Contest” have racked up over 60 million views.
This trend is not unique to China. In the UK, Fuggler has built a fanbase around creepy-cute monster dolls – each featuring mismatched teeth and slightly grotesque expressions. In Japan, a keychain mascot called YUKIO – a slouching, emotionless humanoid figure with droopy eyes – has become a best-seller among young travelers. With more than 200 variations, YUKIO embodies the global appeal of the funny-ugly ethos.
Behind this trend lies a deeper cultural and psychological shift shaped by consumerism and social media dynamics. The embrace of funny-ugly reflects not just changing aesthetic sensibilities, but also evolving attitudes toward identity, self-expression, and emotional release in a high-pressure, hyper-connected world.
For many young people, funny-ugly products are more than collectibles but emotional companions, stress relievers, and conversation starters. Their appeal is magnified by social media, where trends are amplified in real time and communities form around shared, often quirky tastes.
Some critics question whether this embrace of the bizarre signals a retreat from beauty or a drift into “anti-aesthetics.” But such judgments may overlook a fundamental point: aesthetic standards are neither fixed nor universal. In German, the word for aesthetics – Ästhetik – derives from the concept of perception itself. Today’s youth are not rejecting beauty but expanding its definition.
What makes the funny-ugly aesthetic resonate so strongly with Gen Z is its spirit of rebellion and individuality. It challenges the notion that beauty must conform to symmetry, polish, or tradition. Instead, it embraces pluralism, imperfection, and play – qualities that mirror the values of a generation intent on self-definition.
Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company behind Labubu, has tapped into this cultural current with precision. Blending distinctive design with savvy marketing, the company has turned Labubu into a symbol of new-age aesthetics. In 2023, China’s designer toy market surpassed 50 billion yuan ($6.96 billion), with funny-ugly products claiming an ever-growing share.
As cultural tastes continue to diversify, the future of funny-ugly is likely to evolve. Whether Labubu will remain a lasting icon or be overtaken by the next strange-yet-endearing sensation depends on a simple truth: understanding the emotional and cultural language of youth.
