Showing posts with label INTERNATIONAL NEWS. Show all posts
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Family of Louisville EMT Killed By Police During Failed Drug Raid Sues:


Household of Louisville Emergency Medical Technician Killed By Police Throughout Failed Drug Raid Sues:  Breonna s Name Need to Be Known By Everyone In America’

The family of a lady eliminated in a bungled drug raid submitted a wrongful death claim against the city of Louisville, Kentucky.
Breonna Taylor died after she was shot eight times throughout a drug raid in her house. Taylor and her sweetheart Kenneth Walker were asleep when Louisville Law enforcement officer break into the house on March 13. Taylor’s family filed a claim versus the city on April 27, according to The Washington Post. The fit declares the cops department utilized excessive force and exhibited gross negligence throughout the raid. Louisville EMT Breonna Taylor died in March after being shot 8 times during a stopped working drug raid. Her household submitted a wrongful death suit in late April. (Picture: Shaun King/Facebook)

Court papers state the intended target of the raid did not live in the apartment and was currently captured by a different group of officers, the Carrier Journal reports. None was charged in connection with Taylor’s death. Nevertheless, Walker was charged with tried murder and first-degree attack for shooting at the officers after they entered the house. One officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Robert Eggert, Walker’s lawyer, stated his client believed he was defending his home from a burglary.

 While cops might declare to have actually recognized themselves, they did not. Mr. Walker and Ms. Taylor again heard a big bang on the door, the legal representative composed in a movement.  Once again, when they inquired there was no action that there was police outside. At this moment, the door all of a sudden takes off. Counsel believes that cops struck the door with a damaging ram.”
Taylors household is working to get justice for the 26-year-old EMT and spread out the word about her story.

She was a necessary worker. She had to go to work, Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, informed The 19th.  She didn & rsquo; t have a problem with that. & hellip; To not be able to oversleep her own bed without someone busting down her door and taking her life.  I was similar to, ‘& lsquo; Make certain you wash your hands!’”
The household maintained civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them. He wishes to guarantee the country understands Taylor’; s name.

They  re killing our siblings much like they' re eliminating our siblings, however for whatever reason, we have actually not offered our sis the same attention that we have actually provided to Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Stephon Clark, Terence Crutcher, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Laquan McDonald,Crump said.  Breonna  s name need to be understood by everybody in America who said those other names, due to the fact that she was in her own home, doing absolutely nothing wrong.

By Tuesday, May 12, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer had released a statement prompting citizens to await the outcome of examination of cops conduct in the tragedy.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer launches declaration
atlantablackstar
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Mother and daughter killed in quad bike and tractor crash


Mother and daughter killed in quad bike and tractor crash


 A mother and child have been eliminated in a road crash including a quad bike and a tractor in County Antrim.
The collision occurred at Whitepark Road in Ballycastle at 4.50 pm on Tuesday 12 May.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a second young woman was required to medical facility and is comprehended to be in a crucial condition.

Whitepark Road was closed until the early hours of Wednesday morning however has now reopened.
North Antrim MLA Jim Allister stated it was  stressful news. While more details are awaited it is clear a local family has been plunged into deep mourning,”  he added.

PSNI stated an investigation is underway. Officers have interested anyone who witnessed the accident or captured the incident on their dash cam to contact authorities on the non-emergency number 101, estimating recommendation number 1392 of 12/05/20.

fwi.co.uk
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Religious freedom or job protection: Supreme Court divided on firings


 
 Spiritual liberty or job security: Supreme Court divided on firings Supreme Court divided over religious companies ' right to fire employees 

WASHINGTON-- The Supreme Court appeared divided along ideological lines Monday in a case pitting the autonomy of spiritual companies against the task securities due their workers.
The disagreement between 2 spiritual schools in California and the teachers they fired is the third major case the high court is considering this year in the area of religious liberty. The justices already are weighing whether to let state funds be utilized to assist spend for religious school tuition and whether companies with religious or moral objections must be exempt from offering insurance coverage for contraceptives.

In the current case, two religious school instructors were fired by their respective Catholic schools. Among them, 5th-grade instructor Kristen Biel, was release from St. James Catholic School after establishing breast cancer and seeking medical leave to undergo chemotherapy.

She took legal action against successfully under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the school appealed. Then in 2015, she lost her battle with the illness, leaving her other half Darryl to continue her difficulty.
The other instructor, Agnes Morrissey-Berru, who is not a practicing Catholic, taught for 16 years at Our Woman of Guadalupe School but was release based upon her efficiency. She claimed age discrimination.
The schools count on a Supreme Court precedent giving spiritual organizations ""ministerial exceptions" "from laws that use to other companies. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled the teachers need to have their day in court, prompting both schools to petition for Supreme Court evaluation.
 The Trump administration took the schools' 'side.

 During oral argument Monday, held by phone and broadcast live because of the coronavirus pandemic, both conservative and liberal justices expressed concern about drawing lines amongst job descriptions. 

If a religious beliefs instructor can be fired at will, what about a basic curriculum teacher, a nurse, a coach, a janitor or a bus motorist?
Doesn t that produce just exactly the sort of entanglement issues that we’ve tried to avoid somewhere else?Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch asked Morgan Ratner, the U.S. assistant lawyer general representing the Trump administration.

Associate Justice Samuel Alito, a strong protector of religious liberty, argued that "" the function of teaching a religion to new generations is main,"" even if it'' s just part of a general curriculum taught by grade-school teachers at spiritual schools.
But Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a four-time cancer client, stated it was "" really troubling"" to believe spiritual schools might fire employees for factors that have absolutely nothing to do with faith, like needing to look after chemotherapy.”

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the Supreme Court'' s consentaneous opinion in 2012 that allowed religious companies to choose their leaders no matter federal task discrimination laws. The most current concern prior to the court is whether the fired teachers performed enough spiritual duties to be considered "" ministers"" exempt from those laws.

Under Roberts, the court has actually ruled in favor of religious liberty in several cases just recently. In 2015, it ruled 7-2 that a mammoth Latin cross on federal government land in Bladensburg, Maryland, does not have actually to be moved or modified in the name of church-state separation. That followed other rulings permitting public prayer at federal government conferences and taxpayer funding for some church expenses.
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Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Living in an $18m Mansion


Prince Harry & & Meghan Markle Residing In Tyler Perry'' s LA Estate

It pays to have pals in high places. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are finding the finest houses to couch browse at given that they’ve left the U.K. While senior members of the Royal Family they were used to the comforts of Frogmore Home, and they have actually made sure to stay in total design because their departure.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly staying in a fancy $18+ million mansion owned by Tyler Perry according to the DailyMail. With his big entertainment empire, it’& rsquo; s a certainty that everything in the house is overall luxury. The Tuscan house has a lot of area for mama, dad, and baby Archie, 1, to roam about —-- with eight bedrooms and 12 restrooms they can get lost in style.
And guess who presented the brand-new Californians to Perry? Sources state Oprah helped orchestrate the move while the couple searches for an equally glamorous location of their own, somewhere in the $12-15 million range.
This isn’& rsquo; t the very first time they & rsquo; ve stayed in beautiful digs while on the relocation. Prince Harry and Meghan stayed in Vancouver Island, Canada, at a home owned by Canadian billionaire, Frank Giustra. It was a waterfront property with over 10,000 square feet, a media space, and a wine-tasting room.
What will their brand-new place look like? Knowing Meghan and Harry’& rsquo; s style tastes, it will most likely feature environmentally friendly materials, a yoga room, and a huge play area for child Archie to enjoy. After house-hopping for nearly a year, the royals should be ready to settle into something more long-term.
dailymail.com
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MUST READ ; Outrage As Indian Filmmaker Says Non-Violent Rape Should Be Legalized And


Outrage As Indian Filmmaker Says Non-Violent Rape Should Be Legalized And Victims Should ‘Co-operate’ By Carrying Condoms

A filmmaker has said that rape is “not a serious thing” and that women should “co-operate” if they are being raped.

Daniel Shravan, an Indian filmmaker, made this shocking statement while reacting to the death of Priyanka Reddy, 27, a vet who was raped by a man who offered to help her last week when she got a flat tyre. Her charred body was found under an overpass near Hyderabad in India last week.

Following her death, Daniel Shravan tried to explain why “non-violent” sex attacks should be legalised. He also said that women should carry condoms in preparation for being raped and they should “co-operate” with their rapist.

Daniel Shravan said: “Rape is not a serious thing, but murder is inexcusable.”

He also said, “the government should legalise rape without violence for the safety of women.”
Shravan argued that women were being killed because they fought back or used pepper spray on their rapists. He added that men are killing women because they are frustrated sexually.

He said: “Rapists are not finding a way to get their bodily sexual desires and getting these killing thoughts. An evil thought provokes crime (Killing). Better, women should accept Men’s Sex.”

He added that Indian women should be “aware of sex education” including “carrying condoms and dental dams” so they can use them if they encounter a rapist.

Shravan also said that the Indian government was frightening rapists. He said laws that punish rapists after victims report them cause most rapists to kill their victims in order to silence them.
His comments were roundly condemned and he later deleted the post after people said they would boycott his films.

One person said: “What kind of sick mentality does he have? Disgusting and disturbing. I am tired of this misogyny and victim blaming.”
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Terrible Parents Who R*ped Daughter And Plotted To R*pe Their Unborn Baby Jailed For Life


Horrific! Parents Who Raped Daughter And Plotted To R*pe Their Unborn Baby Jailed For Life

Horrible parents who handcuffed, beat and raped their toddler daughter and also shared twisted plans to do the same to their unborn baby in online messages have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
 

vile parents
Gerrad Coddington and Christina Nelson-Coddington

An ‘evil’ pedophile couple who raped their two year-old daughter and plotted to rape their unborn baby have been jailed for life Gerrad Coddington, 25, and Christina Nelson-Coddington, 29, of Pauls Valley in Oklahoma, were handed whole life terms for sex crimes against children on Monday.

They will never be given the chance to apply for parole. They handcuffed, beat and raped their toddler daughter, and shared twisted plans to do the same to their unborn baby in online messages.

The pair were sentenced by Judge Leah Edwards for 29 child sex crimes including r.a.p.e, child abuse, incest and manufacturing child s*x abuse images. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter called the Coddingtons’ crimes the worst he has ever seen.

He said: ‘These two individuals engaged in horrifying acts of abuse and violence with innocent children… ‘The actions of these two individuals, with regard to the children who were subjected to these horrific acts, unconscionable, unforgivable.

Hunter added: ”These are evil people who presented a danger to society. I commend Judge Edwards’ decision to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

‘I applaud the investigators with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the investigator in my office with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the attorneys who worked on this case to achieve a successful result.’

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More than 600 Pakistani girls 'sold as brides' to China


More than 600 Pakistani girls 'sold as brides' to China

More than 600 poor Pakistani girls and women were sold as brides to Chinese men over a period of nearly two years, according to investigations by authorities in the South Asian nation of 200 million people.

A list of 629 girls and women, obtained by The Associated Press, was compiled by Pakistani investigators determined to break up trafficking networks exploiting the country's poor and vulnerable.
The list gives the most concrete figure yet for the number of women caught up in the trafficking schemes since 2018.

More:

But since the time it was put together in June, the investigators' aggressive drive against the networks has largely ground to a halt.
Officials with knowledge of the investigations say this is because of pressure from government officials fearful of hurting Pakistan's lucrative ties to Beijing.

The biggest case against traffickers has fallen apart. In October, a court in Faisalabad acquitted 31 Chinese nationals charged in connection with trafficking.

Several of the women who had initially been interviewed by police refused to testify because they were either threatened or bribed into silence, according to a court official and a police investigator familiar with the case.

 

'Immense pressure'
The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retribution for speaking out.
At the same time, the government has sought to curtail investigations, putting "immense pressure" on officials from the Federal Investigation Agency pursuing trafficking networks, said Saleem Iqbal, a Christian activist who has helped parents rescue several young girls from China and prevented others from being sent there.

"Some (FIA officials) were even transferred," Iqbal said in an interview. "When we talk to Pakistani rulers, they don't pay any attention."
Asked about the complaints, Pakistan's interior and foreign ministries refused to comment.
Several senior officials familiar with the events said investigations into trafficking have slowed, the investigators are frustrated, and Pakistani media have been pushed to curb their reporting on trafficking.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals.
"No one is doing anything to help these girls," one of the officials said. "The whole racket is continuing, and it is growing. Why? Because they know they can get away with it. The authorities won't follow through, everyone is being pressured to not investigate. Trafficking is increasing now."
He said he was speaking out "because I have to live with myself. Where is our humanity?"

China 'unaware' of the list

China's foreign ministry said it was unaware of the list.
"The two governments of China and Pakistan support the formation of happy families between their people on a voluntary basis in keeping with laws and regulations, while at the same time having zero tolerance for and resolutely fighting against any person engaging in illegal cross-border marriage behavior," the ministry said in a statement faxed on Monday to AP's Beijing bureau.
An AP investigation earlier this year revealed how Pakistan's Christian minority has become a new target of brokers who pay impoverished parents to marry off their daughters, some of them teenagers, to Chinese husbands who return with them to their homeland.

Many of the brides are then isolated and abused or forced into prostitution in China, often contacting home and pleading to be brought back.
The AP spoke to police and court officials and more than a dozen brides - some of whom made it back to Pakistan, others who remained trapped in China - as well as remorseful parents, neighbours, relatives and human rights workers.

Christians are targeted because they are one of the poorest communities in Muslim-majority Pakistan. The trafficking rings are made up of Chinese and Pakistani middlemen and include Christian ministers, mostly from small evangelical churches, who receive bribes to urge their flock to sell their daughters.

Investigators have also turned up at least one Muslim scholar running a marriage bureau from his religious school.
Investigators put together the list of 629 women from Pakistan's integrated border management system, which digitally records travel documents at the country's airports.

The information includes the brides' national identity numbers, their Chinese husbands' names and the dates of their marriages.

 

'Lucrative trade'
All but a handful of the marriages took place in 2018 and up to April 2019. One of the senior officials said it was believed all 629 were sold to grooms by their families.
It is not known how many more women and girls were trafficked since the list was put together. But the official said, "the lucrative trade continues".

He spoke to the AP in an interview conducted hundreds of kilometres from his place of work to protect his identity.
"The Chinese and Pakistani brokers make between 4 million and 10 million rupees ($25,000 and $65,000) from the groom, but only about 200,000 rupees ($1,500), is given to the family," he said.
The official, with years of experience studying human trafficking in Pakistan, said many of the women who spoke to investigators told of forced fertility treatments, physical and sexual abuse and, in some cases, forced prostitution.
Although no evidence has emerged, at least one investigation report contains allegations of organs being harvested from some of the women sent to China.

In September, Pakistan's investigation agency sent a report it labelled "fake Chinese marriages cases" to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The report, a copy of which was attained by the AP, provided details of cases registered against 52 Chinese nationals and 20 of their Pakistani associates in two cities in eastern Punjab province - Faisalabad, Lahore - as well as in the capital Islamabad. The Chinese suspects included the 31 later acquitted in court.

Chinese suspects granted bail

The report said police discovered two illegal marriage bureaus in Lahore, including one operated from an Islamic centre and school - the first known report of poor Muslims also being targeted by brokers. The Muslim religious leader involved has fled.
After the acquittals, there are other cases before the courts involving one arrested Pakistani and at least another 21 Chinese suspects, according to the report sent to the prime minister in September.

But the Chinese defendants in the cases were all granted bail and left the country, say activists and a court official.
Activists and human rights workers say Pakistan has sought to keep the trafficking of brides quiet so as not to jeopardise Pakistan's increasingly close economic relationship with China.

China has been a steadfast ally of Pakistan for decades, particularly in its testy relationship with India. Beijing has provided Islamabad with military assistance, including pre-tested nuclear devices and nuclear-capable missiles.

Today, Pakistan is receiving massive aid under China's Belt and Road Initiative, a global endeavour aimed at reconstituting the Silk Road and linking China to all corners of Asia.
Under the $75bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, Beijing has promised Islamabad a sprawling package of infrastructure development, from road construction and power plants to agriculture.

The demand for foreign brides in China is rooted in that country's population, where there are roughly 34 million more men than women - a result of the one-child policy that ended in 2015 after 35 years, along with an overwhelming preference for boys that led to abortions of female fetuses and female infanticide.
A report released this month by Human Rights Watch, documenting trafficking in brides from Myanmar to China, said the practice is spreading.

It said Pakistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea and Vietnam have "all have become source countries for a brutal business."

"One of the things that is very striking about this issue is how fast the list is growing of countries that are known to be source countries in the bride trafficking business," Heather Barr, the HRW report's author, told AP.

Omar Warriach, Amnesty International's campaigns director for South Asia, said Pakistan "must not let its close relationship with China become a reason to turn a blind eye to human rights abuses against its own citizens" - either in abuses of women sold as brides or the separation of Pakistani women from their husbands who come from China's Muslim Uighur population and are sent to "re-education camps" to turn them away from Islam.

"It is horrifying that women are being treated this way without any concern being shown by the authorities in either country. And it's shocking that it's happening on this scale," he said.
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Abused Russian sisters who killed father face murder charge


Abused Russian sisters who killed father face murder charge

Russian sisters Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan stabbed their father Mikhail to death in July, 2018 after suffering years of beatings and sexual assault (AFP Photo/Alexander NEMENOV)

Moscow (AFP) - Investigators said Tuesday that two sisters who killed their father after years of abuse should face murder charges in a case highlighting Russia's dire record on domestic violence.
Three Russian sisters -- Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan -- stabbed their father Mikhail to death in July, 2018 after suffering years of beatings and sexual assault.
They were 17, 18 and 19 at the time.

Russia's Investigate Committee said in a statement on Tuesday that it had completed a probe into the killing and was recommending charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the two older sisters, Krestina and Angelina.
The probe established that the sisters, acting as a group, stabbed their father with a knife and beat him with a hammer, causing fatal injuries.
It pointed to "mitigating circumstances" but said the two older sisters were of sound mind and aware of their actions at the time of the attack.

They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Investigators recommended that the youngest sister, Maria, should enter mandatory psychiatric care.
Lawyers and activists say the teenagers were forced to act to save their own lives, pointing to poor legal protections for abuse victims in a country where a separate law on domestic violence still does not exist.
Mari Davtyan, a lawyer for Angelina, told AFP the case should not go to trial in its current form.
She said the sisters "used reasonable force in self-defence".
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Donald Trump denies he knows Prince Andrew despite picture of them


Donald Trump denies he knows Prince Andrew despite picture of them

Donald Trump has denied knowing Prince Andrew despite meeting him in June this year. 
The US President was asked for his thoughts on the Duke of York stepping down from royal duties at a NATO press conference in London this morning. 
He said: 'I don't know Prince Andrew,' before describing his links with convicted US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a 'tough story'.  
But the US leader was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Andrew, 59, at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace during his state visit to London in June. 
The pair were also pictured together alongside First Lady Melania in Palm Beach, Florida in 2000 at a party also attended by sex offender Epstein and his then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. 
It comes the day after Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts Guiffre told BBC's Panorama programme she was sexually abused by him. Donald Trump was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Andrew, 59, at Westminster Abbey in June
Donald Trump was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Andrew, 59, at Westminster Abbey in June 
The pair were also pictured together alongside First Lady Melania in Palm Beach, Florida in 2000 at a party also attended by sex offender Epstein (second right) Trump is pictured next to Prince Andrew at Westminster Abbey on June 3 this year
Trump is pictured next to Prince Andrew at Westminster Abbey on June 3 this year 
Describing him as 'hideous and sweaty', she claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times.
One of the times, after a night out at Tramp nightclub in London, she was just 17. 
Prince Andrew has consistently denied the claims, telling Newsnight during his car crash interview that he had no recollection of ever meeting her. 
A picture of them together he claims has been doctored. 
Other images of Trump and Andrew together include one at No10 Downing Street where he met former Prime Minister Theresa May.
There are also ones of them walking through the grounds of Buckingham Palace as Trump prepared to meet the Queen in June, which were also tweeted out from the Duke of York's official account. 
Trump's comments came this morning Trump while he sat down with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for a press conference at Winfield House. US President Donald Trump was probed at a press conference with NATO Secretary-General Secretary General Stoltenberg this morning and said he 'doesn't know' Prince Andrew
 US President Donald Trump was probed at a press conference with NATO Secretary-General Secretary General Stoltenberg this morning and said he 'doesn't know' Prince Andrew Donald Trump retweeted the official Duke of York Twitter account in June that showed pictures of the pair together at Buckingham Palace
Donald Trump retweeted the official Duke of York Twitter account in June that showed pictures of the pair together at Buckingham Palace 
He was asked about the UK General Election, Brexit, the NHS and Jeremy Corbyn but refused to give much away. 
The President denied knowing 'anything about' Mr Corbyn, despite tweeting about him and discussing him on his interview with Nigel Farage on LBC this year. 
He said: 'I know nothing about the gentleman, Jeremy Corbyn.'
On the Election he said he 'didn't want to complicate it' and that he is 'staying out of it', while resting assured 'Boris will do a good job'. 
There has been widespread anxiety at Tory HQ over a potential upset to Boris Johnson's election campaign. 
They feared Trump might say something controversial, but he insisted: 'I'm staying out of it.'
He denied the NHS would be on the table in post-Brexit trade talks, as claimed by Jeremy Corbyn and his 450-page leaked document, saying: 'If you handed it to us on a silver platter, we want nothing to do with it.'  The Duke of York is pictured next to Trump and wife Melania attending a memorial at Westminster Abbey on June 3
The Duke of York is pictured next to Trump and wife Melania attending a memorial at Westminster Abbey on June 3 Trump and the First Lady are pictured greeting members of the church outside Westminster Abbey in June, with Prince Andrew just behind them
Trump and the First Lady are pictured greeting members of the church outside Westminster Abbey in June, with Prince Andrew just behind them 
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India’s Navy announces first female pilot in armed forces history : todays news in nigeria


 India’s Navy announces first female pilot in armed forces history


Shivangi, 24, who goes by one name, will be given her wings and join naval operations in a ceremony on Monday.

"It's a very big thing," Shivangi told CNN. "It's a big responsibility for all of us and I know that I have to do well."

Shivangi completed her basic training in 2018 at the Indian Naval Academy and was brought to Kochi, in southwest India's Kerala state, to train with the Indian naval air squadron, the INAS 550.


Until 1992, India's naval forces only permitted women to serve in medical services.

Shivangi will be tasked with flying Dornier aircraft, which are used by the navy for transport and maritime reconnaissance, taking off and landing on the shore, rather than from an aircraft carrier.

"We also use it for certain rescue missions, and according to the requirement, medical evacuation and all those things, so I'll be a part of all those missions," Shivangi said.




The Indian Navy has welcomed its first woman pilot, with Sub Lieutenant Shivangi taking control of an aircraft in another significant milestone for the country's armed forces.Shivangi, 24, who goes by one name, will be given her wings and join naval operations in a ceremony on Monday.

"It's a very big thing," Shivangi told CNN. "It's a big responsibility for all of us and I know that I have to do well."Shivangi completed her basic training in 2018 at the Indian Naval Academy and was brought to Kochi, in southwest India's Kerala state, to train with the Indian naval air squadron, the INAS 550.Until 1992, India's naval forces only permitted women to serve in medical services.

Shivangi will be tasked with flying Dornier aircraft, which are used by the navy for transport and maritime reconnaissance, taking off and landing on the shore, rather than from an aircraft carrier."We also use it for certain rescue missions, and according to the requirement, medical evacuation and all those things, so I'll be a part of all those missions," Shivangi said.
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Indian MP Gives Order For Culprits Who Raped And Murdered Young Veterinarian To Be Lynched : todays news in nigeria


Indian MP Gives Order For Culprits Who Raped And Murdered Young Veterinarian To Be Lynched

MP Jaya Bachchan has called for the perpetrators of the rape of Priyanka Reddy to be brought out publicly and executed.
 

Victim, Priyanka Reddy


An Indian MP has called for the men who raped and murdered a young veterinarian to be 'brought out in public and lynched', after the victim's called for the monsters who committed the horrific crime to be burned alive.

The body of Priyanka Reddy, 27, was found charred under an overpass near Hyderabad in India after she was raped and murdered by men who had offered to help her with a puncture last week.

Priyanka was on her way home when she was gang-raped and killed near Hyderabad and her body was dumped and burned 15 miles away.

Four men have since been arrested, including lorry driver Mohammed Pasha.

MP Jaya Bachchan prescribed a strong punishment for the perpetrators of the crime, saying in Parliament on Monday: 'I know it sounds harsh, but these kind of people should be brought out in public and lynched.'

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A couple surprised their Denny's waitress who walked hours to work with a new car


A couple surprised their Denny's waitress who walked hours to work with a new car


(CNN)While it doesn't have much to do with Turkey, a waitress at a Denny's restaurant in Galveston, Texas, has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Almost every day, Adrianna Edwards walks over four hours to and from work.

"I have bills to pay," Edwards told CNN affiliate KTRK . "I've got to eat. You've got to do what you've got to do."
But her walking days are finally over.
A couple she served at the restaurant on Tuesday bought her a new car -- just hours after they'd met.

Edwards can now start college earlier than she thought.
The couple, who wanted to remain anonymous, were at Denny's for breakfast when they found out that Edwards was walking 14 miles just to get to her job and go back home.
The waitress, who was saving up money to buy a car to free herself from the long trek, gave the woman extra ice cream. But what she got in return was much sweeter.

The Texas couple finished their meal, left the restaurant, and came back with a 2011 Nissan Sentra and handed Edwards the keys. This car will turn what was a five hour walk into a 30 minute commute.
"She teared up, which made me happy that she was so moved by that," the woman who bought Edwards the car told KTRK
All the couple asked in return for the car was for Edwards to simply pay the good deed forward. And that's exactly what she aims to do.
"I still feel like I'm dreaming. Every two hours, I come look out my window and see if there's still a car there. When I see somebody in need, I'll probably be more likely to help them out (and) to do everything that I can to help them out," Edwards said
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Court declares FG’s deportation of Cameroonian separatist leader illegal


Court declares FG’s deportation of Cameroonian separatist leader illegal
Court remands prophet for defiling minor during prayer vigil

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, declared the arrest, detention and deportation of Cameroonian separatist leader, Dr Egbe Ogork, by the Federal Government in 2018, as illegal.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, acted unconstitutionally when it deported the Applicant who is one of the separatist leaders in Southern Cameroon, without a court order.

Aside from declaring the arrest, detention and deportation of the Applicant null and void, the court awarded a cost of N5million as general and aggravated damages against the NSA and the Attorney General of the Federation, who were cited as Respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/271/2019.

The Applicant who is married to a Nigerian and a Professor of Engineering at the Bayero University Kano had in a suit he filed through his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, challenged his arrest and deportation, insisting that it amounted to gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

In a supporting affidavit that was deposed to by Mr Marshal Abubakar, the Applicant said he was billed to attend a meeting at Nera Hotels in Abuja on January 7, 2018, when he was apprehended and subsequently deported to Cameroon on Friday, January 26, 2018, by the NSA without an order of the court.
The Applicant told the court that he is a Nigerian citizen by naturalization, Cameroonian by birth and has been lecturing at the Bayero University for over two decades.

Consequently, among other reliefs, he prayed the court for: “A declaration that the arrest and detention of the Applicant from January 7, 2018, till Friday January 26, 2018, without being charged to court for a known offence is Illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the Applicant’s fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity of person and fair hearing as enshrined in sections 34, 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I999 (as amended) and Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples‘ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“A Declaration that the detention of the Applicant from January 7, 2018 till Friday January 26, 2018, by the 1st Respondent without granting him access to his family, lawyers, medical doctors, is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the Applicant’s fundamental rights to private and family life, legal representative and health as enshrined in Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I999 (as amended) and Article 16 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

An order directing the Respondents to bring the Applicant back to Nigeria forthwith, as well as an order directing the Respondents to pay N1billion as general and aggravated damages for his illegal detention from Nigeria.
More so, the Applicant, through his lawyer prayed the court to restore his permanent residence status in Nigeria.
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Trump approves legislation backing Hong Kong protesters


Trump approves legislation backing Hong Kong protesters


US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law congressional legislation backing protesters in Hong Kong despite angry objections from Beijing, with which he is seeking a deal to end a damaging trade war.

The legislation, approved unanimously by the US Senate and by all but one lawmaker in the House of Representatives last week, requires the State Department to certify, at least annually, that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify favourable US trading terms that have helped it maintain its position as a world financial centre.
The law also threatens sanctions for human rights violations.
Congress passed a second bill, which Trump also signed, banning the export to the Hong Kong police of crowd-control munitions, such as teargas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and stun guns.
“I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi (Jinping), China, and the people of Hong Kong. 

They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all,” Trump said in a statement.
At the heart of the matter in Beijing’s promise to allow Hong Kong a “high degree of autonomy” for 50 years when it regained sovereignty over the city in 1997, a pledge that has formed the basis of the territory’s special status under U.S. law. Protesters say freedoms have been steadily eroded.

Trump had been vague about whether he would sign or veto the legislation while trying to strike a deal with China on trade that he has made a top priority ahead of his 2020 re-election bid.
After Congress passed the bill, Trump’s aides debated whether the president’s endorsement could undermine efforts to reach an interim trade deal with China, and most of them ultimately recommended the signing to show support for the protesters, a person familiar with the matter said.

The decision was also influenced by the overwhelming majorities in the Senate and House in favor of the legislation, which was widely seen as making the bills veto-proof, as well as the landslide election victory in Hong Kong earlier this week of critics of Chinese rule, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
If Trump had opted to use his veto, it could have been overridden by two-thirds votes in both the Senate and the House. The legislation would have automatically become law on Dec. 3 if Trump had opted to do nothing.
China has denounced the legislation as gross interference in its affairs and a violation of international law.
After the Senate passed the legislation, Beijing vowed counter-measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security.
Last week, Trump boasted that he alone had prevented Beijing from crushing the demonstrations with a million soldiers, while adding that he had told President Xi that doing so would have “a tremendous negative impact” on trade talks.

China has warned the US it could take “firm counter-measures” if Washington continues to show support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
The warning came after US President Donald Trump signed the Human Rights and Democracy Act into law.

The act mandates an annual review, to check if Hong Kong has enough autonomy to justify special status with the US.
Mr Trump is currently seeking a deal with China, in order to end a trade war between the two countries.

“The US has been disregarding facts and distorting the truth,” a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.
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Botswana Government deregisters, bans and closes all 60 branches of Prophet Bushiri's church


Botswana Government deregisters, bans and closes all 60 branches of Prophet Bushiri's church

 
Botswana Government deregisters, bans and closes all 60 branches of Prophet Bushiri
Flamboyant Malawian Pastor, Shepherd Bushiri seems to be having issues with the Botswanan government as all branches of his church in the country have been closed down following its deregistration in 2018. 

This came weeks after the government of Botswana lifted a visa travelling ban imposed on the founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering church during former president Ian Khama’s administration. 

The recent crackdown has left Prophet Bushiri's followers travelling to the church's headquarters in South Africa on weekends to attend Sunday services while others follow church events through his television channel. 

Bushiri who was described by former nationality, immigration and gender affairs minister Edwin Batshu as “too demanding”, had demanded for heavy security from Botswana's state security agencies whenever he was in the country. He also wanted government to direct all entry points to be opened around the clock for his convenience, a demand said to be a national security threat. 
“His church wrote a letter to my ministry requesting that we open our borders for 24 hours. They stated in the letter that, given the stature of the pastor, we should open the borders as per their request,” he said.
Confirming the closure of Prophet Bushiri's churches in Botswana, the country's police commissioner Keabetswe Makgophe warned his church members to stop congregating or undertaking church activities because they were operating illegally.
“Following the deregistration of the church and its branches by the Registrar of Societies, the church sought to challenge the decision through the courts,” reads part of the letter.
“The church, however, withdrew its application as per court order… dated July 3, 2019. This meant that the decision to deregister the church stood, hence it should not operate in Botswana. Notwithstanding the above, it appears that the church continues to operate unlawfully within our country. We have therefore within our country. We have therefore been requested to intervene, and its branches around the country do not congregate or undertake any church-related activities". 
The national executive secretary of the church, Pelotshweu Baeng confirmed they've received the letter from the Botswanan government. He also disclosed that hundreds of followers attended last week’s service in South Africa’s capital following the letter from the police commissioner.
“We knew that the letter was on its way. We are law-abiding citizens and we will abide by the law,” he said.
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I’m not afraid of indictment by impeachment inquiry – Trump’s lawyer


I’m not afraid of indictment by impeachment inquiry – Trump’s lawyer


New York, Barely 48 hours after the Democrats-led House of Representatives Intelligence Committee concluded its two-week public hearing on impeachment, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Saturday lashed out at his accusers, saying he is not afraid of being indicted by the inquiry.

Guiliani whose name was mentioned multiple times by Department of State officials who testified at the hearings was said to be running shadow foreign policy at the behest of the President for his (Trump) personal political interest.

The former mayor of New York City, spoke in an interview with Fox News on the heels of Trump’s telephone interview on Fox and Friends the previous day.

For the umpteenth time, Trump took a swipe at the impeachment hearings, declaring he was ready to face the Senate trial, even as he described Guiliani as a “great lawyer.”


The former United States District Attorney of Southern New York whose two associates are facing criminal charges of funneling foreign money into U.S. election campaign funds, dismissed fears of being dragged into the alleged crime.

“You think I’m afraid?” Giuliani said. “You think I get afraid? I did the right thing. I represented my client in a very, very effective way. I was so effective that I discovered a pattern of corruption that the Washington press has been covering up for three or four years.”

“I’ve seen things written like he’s going to throw me under the bus,” he said in reference to media comments about him and his close relationship with Trump.

“When they say that, I say he isn’t, but I have insurance.”

“This is ridiculous,” he added. “We are very good friends. He knows what I did was in order to defend him, not to dig up dirt on Biden.”

He however clarified in a tweet that the term “insurance” referred to files in his possession containing details of former Vice President Joe Biden’s alleged wrong doings while in office. He said the files would be made public if he (Guiliani) “disappeared.”

Testimonies of top diplomats during the public hearings linked Giuliani with Trump’s request to have Ukrainian government announce an investigation of a gas company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden, the ex-VP’s son was a director in 2004. Trump demanded this from the Ukrainian President in exchange for the release of U.S. military aid which the Congress had approved months earlier.

Giuliani was also said to have launched smeared television campaign on former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, which eventually led to her sudden removal from office in May over her perceived disapproval of Giuliani involvement in Ukraine issue.

Democrats in the Congress subsequently launched the impeachment inquiry to establish that the United States President invited a foreign government to interfere in U.S. election in order to gain a political advantage over a potential opponent.

Giuliani described Biden’s defense of his son’s involvement in the Ukrainian gas company as aa “poor impersonation of the Godfather.”

“You’d have to be a fool to not know your son was under investigation,” he said, adding that Biden was “lying.”

He accused the media and certain political individuals of making him a scapegoat.

“Damn it, the mafia couldn’t kill me, your colleagues are not going to kill me!”

In response to former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s description of him  as a “hand grenade.”

Giuliani said, “For John to say I’m a hand grenade, then he’s an atomic bomb.”

He insisted that everything he did involving Ukraine was done in good faith as a defense lawyer.

“I didn’t go tell the White House(about) what I was doing as a defense lawyer,” Giuliani said.

“I did it privately. What I did there had nothing to do with his foreign policy, good or bad. I didn’t get involved in foreign policy. I was involved in gathering very, very significant evidence to exculpate my client.”

Speaking on his closeness to Trump, Guiliani enthused, “You can assume I talked to him early and often and have a very, very good relationship with him.”


 
New York, Barely 48 hours after the Democrats-led House of Representatives Intelligence Committee concluded its two-week public hearing on impeachment, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Saturday lashed out at his accusers, saying he is not afraid of being indicted by the inquiry.Guiliani whose name was mentioned multiple times by Department of State officials who testified at the hearings was said to be running shadow foreign policy at the behest of the President for his (Trump) personal political interest.

The former mayor of New York City, spoke in an interview with Fox News on the heels of Trump’s telephone interview on Fox and Friends the previous day.For the umpteenth time, Trump took a swipe at the impeachment hearings, declaring he was ready to face the Senate trial, even as he described Guiliani as a “great lawyer.”The former United States District Attorney of Southern New York whose two associates are facing criminal charges of funneling foreign money into U.S. election campaign funds, dismissed fears of being dragged into the alleged crime.“You think I’m afraid?” Giuliani said. “You think I get afraid? I did the right thing. 


I represented my client in a very, very effective way. I was so effective that I discovered a pattern of corruption that the Washington press has been covering up for three or four years.”“I’ve seen things written like he’s going to throw me under the bus,” he said in reference to media comments about him and his close relationship with Trump.“When they say that, I say he isn’t, but I have insurance.”“This is ridiculous,” he added. “We are very good friends. 

He knows what I did was in order to defend him, not to dig up dirt on Biden.”He however clarified in a tweet that the term “insurance” referred to files in his possession containing details of former Vice President Joe Biden’s alleged wrong doings while in office. 

He said the files would be made public if he (Guiliani) “disappeared.”Testimonies of top diplomats during the public hearings linked Giuliani with Trump’s request to have Ukrainian government announce an investigation of a gas company, Burisma, where Hunter Biden, the ex-VP’s son was a director in 2004. Trump demanded this from the Ukrainian President in exchange for the release of U.S. military aid which the Congress had approved months earlier.

Giuliani was also said to have launched smeared television campaign on former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, which eventually led to her sudden removal from office in May over her perceived disapproval of Giuliani involvement in Ukraine issue.

Democrats in the Congress subsequently launched the impeachment inquiry to establish that the United States President invited a foreign government to interfere in U.S. election in order to gain a political advantage over a potential opponent.Giuliani described Biden’s defense of his son’s involvement in the Ukrainian gas company as aa “poor impersonation of the Godfather.”“You’d have to be a fool to not know your son was under investigation,” he said, adding that Biden was “lying.”He accused the media and certain political individuals of making him a scapegoat.

“Damn it, the mafia couldn’t kill me, your colleagues are not going to kill me!”In response to former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s description of him as a “hand grenade.”Giuliani said, “For John to say I’m a hand grenade, then he’s an atomic bomb.”He insisted that everything he did involving Ukraine was done in good faith as a defense lawyer.“I didn’t go tell the White House(about) what I was doing as a defense lawyer,” Giuliani said.“I did it privately. What I did there had nothing to do with his foreign policy, good or bad. 

I didn’t get involved in foreign policy. I was involved in gathering very, very significant evidence to exculpate my client.”Speaking on his closeness to Trump, Guiliani enthused, “You can assume I talked to him early and often and have a very, very good relationship with him.”
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Bill Gates beats Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to reclaim world's richest man title


Bill Gates beats Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to reclaim world's richest man title


- Bezos ended Gates' 24-year run as the richest man in 2018
- Gates regained the lead on Friday, November 15

- This was after Microsoft stock went up nearly 48% in 2019 increasing his stakes

- Gates debuted on Forbes' first-ever billionaire list in 1987 with a net worth of 452,190,929,310.00 Nigerian Naira

- On the other hand, Bezos first joined The Forbes 400 list of richest Americans in 1998
Billionaire Bill Gates has officially surpassed Amazon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Bezos at world's richest person on earth with a net worth of $110 billion (11.2 trillion)
The Amazon founder ended Gates' 24-year run as the richest man in 2018 with a net worth of $160 billion.Bill gates beats Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to reclaim world's richest man title- IKO SAWA
Gates may have never relinquished the top spot were it not for his philanthropy. He has donated more than KSh 3.6 trillion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Photo: Getty Images.
Source: Getty Images
However, the Microsoft co-founder regained the lead on Friday, November 15, after Microsoft stock went up nearly 48% in 2019, helping boost the value of his stake in the tech giant, CNN reported.

The rest of his wealth is derived from share sales and investments made over the years by his family office, Cascade.

Gates had briefly topped Bezos as the world's richest man in October 2019, after Amazon's lacklustre Q3 results resulted in Bezos losing nearly $7 billion (713.7 billion )in stock value.
Bill gates beats Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to reclaim world's richest man title
Bezos would be far richer if he and MacKenzie Bezos had not divorced in January 2019. Photo: Getty Images

The index, which tracks the wealth of the richest 500 people, is updated each trading day after U.S. markets close. Europe’s richest person, Bernard Arnault, is third with $102.7 billion.
Gates debuted on Forbes' first-ever billionaire list in 1987 with a net worth of $1.25 billion (KSh 127.5 billion).

Bezos first joined The Forbes 400 list of richest Americans in 1998, one year after Amazon went public, with a net worth of $1.6 billion (163.1 billion).

Bezos would be far richer if he and MacKenzie Bezos had not divorced in January 2019, with MacKenzie receiving a quarter of their Amazon holdings in July 2019.
Gates, on the other hand, may have never relinquished the top spot were it not for his philanthropy.
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Lady builds multi-million dream home for parents as 2019 gift


Lady builds multi-million dream home for parents as 2019 gift


Nothing beats the feeling of gifting your parents especially if you grew up with literally nothing.
A woman by the name Chabe Kgalalelo has done what her age mates have been dreaming of since the start of 2019.
Chabe, a South African national took to social media on Thursday, November 14, to share photos of a new home she just completed putting up for her loving parents.
The beautiful lady revealed she built her parents their dream home, splashing millions to make the permanent house look undeniably perfect by all standards.
"Finally finished my biggest project of 2019. A dream home for my parents. A token of appreciation to them for I am because they are. A multi-million home. I am so happy and humbled. I grew up with nothing but a dream to become," she captioned.
Her achievement was an instant inspiration to many members of the online community who wasted no time to applaud her for looking after her family.
"Congratulations, blessings will follow you all the way because you've done such an amazing thing for your parents. You didn't forget where you came from," tweeted Merrona Gomain.

Meanwhile, an Tanzanian MP is proposing a law seeking to punish adults who fail to take care of their aging parents.
Kahama Urban MP Jumanne Kishimba wondered why it was illegal for parents not to educate their children but they (children) are not reprimanded for failing to take care of them.
“If you do not take your child to school today you will be arrested and charged in court. I am only asking the Ministry of Education to bring us laws so that when a parent educates his child to a point where he is working, and when the parent calls that child and he refuses to pick the phone, a law should be put in place to ensure the kid is punished,” he said.
Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.
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Revolutionary pride: Iraq protesters bring in trained pet lions to fight riot police dogs

Revolutionary pride: Iraq protesters bring in trained pet lions to fight riot police dogs


In response to reports that security forces would be using dogs to contain protesters, the unnamed Iraqi unleased a more fearsome animal with him while walking the streets of his hometown, in Iraq’s Babel province, south of Baghdad.

Photos and video emerged online showing the man walking his lion - conveniently draped in an Iraqi flag – who reportedly roared and lunged at passers-by. Fortunately, the lion was contained using a heavy chain for the entirety of the incident.
Iraqi lions were of the Asiatic variety which today are an endangered species and can only be found in India’s Gujarat state. Lions are no longer native to Iraq, and the last known native Iraqi lion was killed in 1918 in the south of the country.

Protests against the Iraqi government began on October 1 in response to rampant corruption, high levels of poverty and youth unemployment, poor public services, and sectarianism.

The protests have been described as the greatest threat to the Iraqi government since the defeat of the Islamic State extremist group in Iraq in 2017.
More than 330 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured since the protests began and human rights groups have condemned security forces for using live fire and deadly military-grade tear gas grenades which have inflicted horrific injuries on protesters.


Iraqi protesters were out in force in Baghdad on Saturday, despite overnight violence against them, retaking four bridges in the capital from security forces.
Iraq’s foremost Shia Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani on Friday called on the government to enact “real reforms” without “stalling and procrastination”.
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We are tired, we do not like this South Africa anymore, says asylum seeker


We are tired, we do not like this South Africa anymore, says asylum seeker


Therese Walu's eyes welled up as she recalled the last time she shared dinner with her whole family, 19 years ago, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The next morning, soldiers raided her village of Mukakira, in the country's north-east - where a civil war that killed millions raged between 1998 and 2003.
She grabbed her youngest daughters and fled into the surrounding forest, not knowing whether the rest of the family survived.

With nothing but the clothes on her back, Walu started a perilous 10-year journey that would eventually take her more than 3 000km to South Africa's capital, Pretoria.
But like millions of displaced Africans, she reached a country boasting one of the world's most progressive refugee policies only to find herself knocking on closed doors.
"The only thing they ever gave us were [temporary] asylum papers," said Walu who has been battling for refugee status since 2010.

Fed up, she joined hundreds of asylum seekers on October 8 for a long-running sit-in in front of the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) offices in Pretoria.
On Thursday, the protesters forced their way onto the UNHCR's premises after being served a court order evicting them from the street in front of the offices.
A similar protest was broken up in Cape Town after demonstrators were forcefully evicted from the building last month.

High hopes
"We are tired, we don't like this South Africa anymore," said Walu, 41, who wants the UNHCR to help relocate her family.
She told AFP the sit-in - sparked by a wave of xenophobic violence in September - was "the only chance" to protest against her situation.

South Africa is one of the few countries in the world that allows asylum seekers to work, have access to health care and study while their applications are being processed.
That reputation helped attract more than a million asylum seekers between 2007 and 2015, one of the world's highest, according to the government.

With high hopes to begin with, most have faced a lengthy, confusing and increasingly backlogged process.
"When I first arrived in South Africa I thought 'finally'," said another Congolese asylum seeker Esther Kabinga, 46.

After losing her husband in a plane crash and being gang-raped by soldiers, Kabinga left her home in the south-eastern Katanga Province in 2011, and walked into neighbouring Zambia with her three small children.
Kabinga then paid truck drivers to smuggle them into South Africa.

Stuck in limbo

She recalled having to leave home at 03:30 to queue for the processing of her application at the Department of Home Affairs.
"They give you a number and you wait. At the end of the day they tell you to come back tomorrow, come back next week."

Like most asylum seekers, both Kabinga and Walu's initial applications were rejected, marking the start of a lengthy appeal process.

"Currently there is a 99% [initial] rejection rate," human rights lawyer Jessica Lawrence told AFP, adding that thousands were stuck in limbo.
The UNHCR has also voiced concern about the number of "pending cases".

Despite the backlog, South Africa has reduced the capacity of some of its refugee application offices.
Human rights lawyer Sharon Elkambaram lamented the lack of "political will" to process applications.

"The quality of the decision-making is shocking," she added.
South Africa processed more than 630 000 applications over the past decade, less than 10% of which were granted refugee status.
Home Affairs spokesman Siya Qoza told AFP the majority were "not genuine cases" that were "clogging the system" by lodging appeals.

"Why would we need to increase the capacity when most of the world is stable?" he asked. "You would do that if the entire world was at war."

'Just a loser'
Walu and Kabinga have been living with temporary asylum permits for almost a decade.
That paper needs to be renewed every three to six months - a process that can take up to three weeks.
Asylum seekers also said the document branded them as foreigners, making them vulnerable to police bribes and discrimination.

Walu claimed her daughters were given a different high school diploma from a normal refugee because of their asylum-seeking status, and have since been refused access to university.
"Schools are instructed not to register foreign nationals or anyone who doesn't have a [South African] bar-coded ID," said Elkambaram.
"Same with hospitals," she added.

Last month, Johannesburg's High Court granted a public hospital the right to deny dialysis treatment to an Ethiopian asylum seeker on the basis that she was not a South African citizen.
Alem Ereselo, 36, feared persecution in Ethiopia after being involved with a once-banned political group as a student.

She fled to South Africa in 2010 and developed kidney failure in January.
"I feel shame for South Africa," said Ereselo, almost too frail to speak after spending 14 consecutive days without treatment.

"After 10 years, being sick shows me that [as an asylum seeker] you are just a loser."

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