Latest news with #refugee
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Man and dog rescued near Brighton after three days in dinghy
A man and a dog, believed to have spent three days at sea in an inflatable dinghy, have been rescued off the coast of East Sussex.A lifeboat crew picked up the pair between Brighton Marina and Brighton Palace Pier on man, believed to be a migrant that had attempted to cross the English Channel, was heard telling rescuers he found the dog in a French refugee services launched a rescue operation after a red flare was spotted at about 18:30 BST. The man, who is thought to be from Afghanistan, and the dog were taken ashore about an hour is believed they had been drifting for three days in the dinghy after its engine failed. A HM Coastguard spokesperson said the man was located "safe and well" in a vessel that had reportedly experienced engine issues.A coastguard helicopter, lifeboats from Shoreham and Brighton, and coastguard rescue teams from Shoreham and Newhaven were deployed to the incident, they Police said it had assisted HM Coastguard during the incident and that the man and the dog were passed to Border Force officials.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Refugee tribunal grants woman residency in New Zealand over Tongan persecution
A Tongan woman has been granted the right to remain in New Zealand after the Refugee Tribunal found she would face persecution in Tonga because of her sexual orientation as a lesbian. She is currently recognised as a refugee due to the danger she may face in her home country. Tonga is among several Pacific countries, where same sex relationships are outlawed and can carry jail time. Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Tonga Leitis Association, the only LGBTQI organisation in Tonga, Joey Joleen Mataele said many families are not open about the sexuality of their children, especially when it comes to lesbians. "Gay and trans communities are so open but when it comes to lesbians it is a delicate issue," Joey said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Ukrainian escapes Russia's invasion only for Iranian missile to destroy her house in Israel
When Tetiana Kurakova, a 40-year-old Ukrainian makeup artist arrived in Israel in 2022, fleeing the war between Russia and Ukraine, she thought she had arrived in a safer place. But early Sunday, an Iranian missile tore through the building next to hers, killing nine people, injuring dozens, and destroying hundreds of homes, including Kurakova's.
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
LGBTQ refugee group says number of requests for help has spiked since 2020
An organization that helps LGBTQ+ people file refugee claims says it has seen a spike in pleas for assistance from around the world since 2020. Devon Matthews, program head with Rainbow Railroad, said the explosion in the number of requests for help reflects a trend of countries backsliding on LGBTQ rights – or even embracing a policy of persecution. 'This isn't just the United States that we're seeing this in,' she said. 'More broadly worldwide, we are seeing some particularly terrifying xenophobia, anti-refugee sentiment and queer phobia in many countries around the world, including in Europe and across different regions in which we work on the ground.' Republican state and federal officials in the U.S. have been working for years to limit the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans and have imposed rules on which sports transgender students can play and which bathrooms they can use, among other policies. LGBTQ Ugandans, forced to hide in shelters, fear their relative safety is only temporary The Rainbow Railroad says it's now working with Ottawa to divert from the U.S. to Canada a handful of refugee claims filed by LGBTQ+ claimants. Matthews said her organization was fielding 27 applications representing 36 people who were bound for the U.S. at the start of the year. Some of the applicants filed as couples. She said 28 of those applicants changed their minds about moving to the United States after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. 'So we've had to pivot our plans for those 28 individuals to come to Canada to the best of our abilities,' she said. 'Obviously, it's a very complex process to switch all of the different logistics and paperwork, and people are in extremely dire situations, but we've been doing what we can.' Matthews said that this kind of switch isn't allowed normally but Ottawa is making an exception. Matthews said these refugee claimants would not be covered by the Safe Third Country Agreement – which says an asylum seeker must stay in the first safe country they reach – because they have not entered the U.S. The claimants are currently living in Brazil, Columbia, Uganda and nine other African countries. A spokeswoman from Immigration Minister Lena Diab's office said in an e-mailed reply that the office can't comment on specific cases due to privacy legislation. She added that Canada has a 'proud history' of resettling vulnerable people, including LGBTQ+ refugees, and the government works with groups like Rainbow Railroad to identify LGBTQ+ refugees and their families for resettlement. Rahma Esslouani made it to Canada with Rainbow Railroad's help. Esslouani is originally from Morocco, where same-sex relationships are illegal. 'I faced violence, physically and psychologically, from my family, from society, discrimination, persecution. So I don't have rights to wear what I'm going to wear. I don't have rights to be myself, to be who I am. I have to follow the culture,' Esslouani said. 'My family wanted to force me to get married, so this makes me feel like I can't accept a marriage to a man. So that is the main and biggest reason to escape through Turkey.' Why I'm crossing the border to attend World Pride in Washington this year Esslouani said they faced continued persecution in Turkey, where non-binary status is not recognized under the law. While it's not illegal to be in a same-sex relationship or to be gender non-conforming in Turkey, so-called 'offences against public morals' have been used to target LGBTQ+ people. Esslouani said they were arrested in Turkey. 'I realized that it is dangerous to exist and to be myself as queer, non-binary person,' they said. After that arrest, Esslouani contacted Rainbow Railroad. 'I remember the first the email that I received said, 'We are with you. You are not alone,'' Esslouani said. 'I read it again and again and again because of like, happiness with this world that finally someone heard my story and gives me hope, that I have to resist and not give up.' Esslouani finally came to Canada in July, 2024, just missing Pride Month in Toronto. They said it's 'a dream come true' to live here after a lifetime of hiding. 'So finally, I'm going to be myself. I'm going to be out in public and can be myself and introduce my sexuality in public, and live, walk and talk freely and not be scared of the police or that people will judge me or to feel shame or afraid,' Esslouani said. 'There is love between people here. Everyone supports each other. There is no judgment, no fear. So I feel that I am no longer just surviving, but I am alive.' Rainbow Railroad receives a yearly allotment of 250 spots in Government Assisted Refugee program to help people like Esslouani come to Canada.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Mum-of-two charity boss found stabbed to death in house after it exploded in ‘gas blast' is pictured
A WOMEN'S charity boss was knifed to death in her home before it was blown up in a suspected gas explosion. Mum-of-two Annabel Rook, 46, was killed in the early hours of this morning after suffering severe stab wounds before her £1million terraced home was exploded and caught fire. 2 2 Some 40 firefighters scrambled to the scene to put out a blaze which started an hour after neighbours heard 'massive bangs' from the peaceful family home in Stoke Newington, North London. Ms Rook was the co-founder and head of the refugee and women's charity MamaSuze, and had worked with 'marginalised and displaced people' for more than two decades. Neighbours in the leafy London suburb told The Sun they heard a 'massive bang' before paramedics attempted to resucitate Ms Rook on the street. One said: 'I knew them and their kids very well. We are in complete shock. Our daughter was their babysitter. 'Smoke was billowing around the street and we had to shut all our windows. 'It is lucky nothing happened to nobody else.' Ms Rook was the head of several special projects at the accomplished charity including its well-regarded theatre productions. In a post on social media, she had written: 'I have been working with marginalised and displaced people for over 20 years. 'I believe the ability to play and create should be a fundamental human right and in my work I aim to enable people to be creative and help them find their voice. 'At MamaSuze, we strive to create a joyful, inclusive space dedicated to enhancing the lives of women and children who are survivors of forced displacement and gender based violence. 'We build a strong community through offering diverse workshops in different art forms that nurture creativity, foster social connections and rebuild confidence and identity.'
