HOW A POOR COMMUNITY IN MALI BECAME A TRAILBLAZER FOR TACKLING CHILD MORTALITY

This article is about a poor community in Mal that came up with a way to tackle child mortality.
Home to a large number of migrants and an even larger number of babies, Yirimadio is a heaving, ramshackle district on the outskirts of Bamako. Only a decade ago, it was a commune, much like any other on the Malian capital’s periphery. Now, it is the unexpected scene of a pioneering healthcare scheme. Child mortality rates here have dropped to the point where they are now the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. This is an achievement that may all be down to knocking on doors.

The scheme was launched in 2008. It's premise is simple: community health workers spend at least two hours, six days a week searching for patients door-to-door, providing free care to whoever needs it. Mali has long struggled to contain preventable infectious diseases such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Consequently, the country has the world’s sixth highest under-five child mortality rate, estimated at 115 deaths for every 1,000 births according to the most recent figures available. But by turning conventional healthcare on its head, sending health providers to patients at no cost, instead of requiring them to seek out fee-paying medical attention. Yirimadio achieved a spectacular turnaround. Between 2008 and 2015, the child mortality rate dropped from 154 deaths to seven for every 1,000 live births.

Experts have called the scheme extraordinary. They say it offers “very strong evidence” that universal healthcare can be both cost-effective and widely accessible.These results are really very impressive,” said Robert Yates, project director at the Centre on Global Health Security. “This is a part of the world where, generally, access to adequate healthcare is very difficult because of distances, costs and poor quality of services. But by removing user fees, providing free services, and going the extra mile by going into communities and treating sick children, the [scheme] has made primary health care extremely accessible.

I think that we can all, as developing countries and poor communities, learn from this scheme that Mali developed. It is a very powerful thing to be able to change an epidemic such as that of child mortality; that we have struggled on for decades. Ideas and innovations such as this one are the things that we should all strive to get. The government can really use such as scheme to adapt to our country because we still struggle with child mortality even though our healthcare services are advancing.


To read more, click on the link below:
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/world/how-a-poor-community-in-mali-became-a-trailblazer-for-tackling-child-mortality/ar-BBKj0Py?ocid=spartanntp


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RAMAPHOSA CALL FOR EFF LEADER'S RETURN MAKES HIM APPEAR WEAK

This article is about how the President seemed afted asking Julius Malema to come back tho the ANC. 

As the Independent Electoral Commission undertook its voter registration drive ahead of next year's general elections at the weekend, political parties went out to charm the electorate.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy David Mabuza set out on a mission not only to woo voters but also the leader of the EFF Julius Malema.The 
ANC, like any incumbent, fears loss of power. Ramaphosa and Mabuza sense the serious threat the EFF poses, and suppose they could neutralise it by winning Malema over.

This overture is ironic given that Ramaphosa was chair of the disciplinary appeals committee that dismissed Malema's appeal of his expulsion from the party in 2012.Back then, Ramaphosa along with the committee was convinced that Malema's expulsion was well found.

The EFF is already gloating over getting the ANC's ascension to its bid to amend the constitution on the land question. This comes on the back of the ANC caucus in parliament agreeing to append the EFF's motion of no confidence in former president Jacob Zuma in February when it seemed unlikely that he would resign.
 They deemed Malema's actions to be so grievous as to be sufficient grounds for the ANC to disassociate itself from him. In the present context of the ANC's renewal, the call for Malema's return to the ANC fold betrays a deep sense of insecurity. It does very little to inspire confidence in the ANC's leadership.It makes Ramaphosa look weak. He comes across like a man so desperate to distance himself from his predecessor that he is willing to disown his own past convictions.


I honestly think that Ramaphosa should stop recruiting people that left the ANC because not only does it make hin weak, but it also makes him look desperate and the party as well. It is just really not what the party needs right now. 

To read more, click on the link below:
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2018-03-15-ramaphosa-call-for-eff-leaders-return-makes-him-appear-weak/

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CYRIL RAMAPHOSA - NEW DAWN, FALSE HOPE

This article is about how President Cyril Ramaphosa has given South Africans false hope with his promises but disappointing actions.

While Ramaphosa's South Africa seems hopeful, his Budget is harsh and his Cabinet is still in effect captured. We must pierce through the veil of Ramaphoria and acknowledge that justice has not yet been done for the majority, notably the victims of apartheid. Early indications are that the much-heralded New Dawn might be betrayed by false hopes. The framing of Cyril Ramaphosa's South Africa does not look very dissimilar to our recent past, but there are some silver linings. Eskom is a start, SARS is promised, and the pending commission of inquiry into State Capture is urgently required. Parliament just recently took its first steps to amending the constitution for land expropriation "without compensation". This would represent a significant break with post-independence South Africa's early history, and would constitute a revolutionary change targeted at alleviating certain burdens and pains still so severely present 24 years after apartheid. A necessary palliative to cure the residual ills of the past nine years of a corrupt government is the importance of holding those who designed this impoverished and captured state to account.

The Cabinet reshuffle was an indicator that the so-called New Dawn was dead on arrival; it was a case of out with the crooked, and in with the same old and still crooked cadres. The silver linings were represented by the return of Nhlanhla Nene back as the Minster of Finance and Pravin Gordhan back in Cabinet heading Public Enterprises. However, the gurus of State Capture also acquired and retained their seats at the Cabinet table. The best place to start would've been to include younger voices in government, yet as stated, the "new" Cabinet has a very elderly look to it. Ramaphosa was unequivocal that "young South Africans will be moved to the centre of our economic agenda". Using the Cabinet as a benchmark, this seems like empty rhetoric since they appear to be excluded from the policy and framework decision-making.

Despite this terrible oversight, the Budget plan seems to be promising some relief in terms of financing free education for the poor. All students coming from families with an income lower than R350,000 per year will be fully funded for the first year of their studies in 2018. Paradoxically, the VAT increased from 14% to 15% has the negative consequence of affecting those who could benefit from free education through additional taxation.
Ramaphosa has, however, taken a strong stance against the culture of collusion that his predecessor had fostered over the last two terms. "We will urgently take decisive steps to comply with all directions of the Constitutional Court. I want to personally allay fears of any disruption to the efficient delivery of this critical service, and will take action to ensure no person in government is undermining implementation deadlines set by the court." This is an indication to any dubious characters in government that their behaviour would be monitored from now on, relevant especially considering the lack of action that followed most Constitutional Court decisions in the past.


While Ramaphosa's South Africa seems hopeful, his Budget is harsh and his Cabinet is grey and still in effect captured. We must pierce through the veil of Ramaphoria and acknowledge that justice has not yet been done for the vast majority, notably the victims of apartheid; the war on corruption must continue; and so much more needs to be done to alleviate poverty, inequality, unemployment as well as racial and gender discrimination. Civil society needs to stay vigilant and forceful, and push government to uphold its obligations and promises beyond what has been shown so far. Otherwise, the New Dawn will only persist as a False Hope.



source: msnnews.co.za                                                         March 14, 2018
              

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RAMAPHOSA AND MABUZA TO MALEMA: COME BACK HOME

This article is about how President Cryril Ramaphosa and Deputy President David Mabuza on Suday extended an olive branch to EFF leader Julius Malema and others, urging them to return "home" to the ANC.

"We would love to have Julius Malema back in the ANC. He is still ANC down, deep his heart." said Ramaphosa. He also urged others to join the ANC. "The ANC is home of many political parties that splintered out of it ad we would like to build unity amongst all people."

Mabuza said earlier on Sunday he had a " special space in my heart" for Malema. "We had times together. He knows. When he was in the ANC, I supported him to be the president of the Youth League and I remember comrade Julius saying, 'My blood is black, green and gold. I will never leave ANC'." Mabuza added: I feel the ANC has lost in comrade Julius. The ANC will be better off with him inside the fold, so I am going to do my best to request him to consider coming back home."

Ramaphosa and Mabuza were on the campaign trail in Pretoria and Centurion on Sunday. The Electoral Commission (IEC) this weekend held a registration drive and address update campaign in preparation for the 2019 national and provincial elections.

Ramaphosa said the ANC was willing to work with political parties that had similar ideologies and policies to the ANC.
"I have always been open to receiving back those who left and formed new parties.". Ramaphosa said the ANC aimed to win back the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay metros in the general elections next year which they lost in the 2016 municipal elections.

I think that the ANC wanting Malema back is just a stunt derived to get more votes on the 2016 national elections. If it was true that they really wanted him back without a plan in mind to implement then they would have done it a long time ago. This is just a plan to get good with the public so that they can in the elections next year. As much as they are doing all the reminiscing about the good all days, highly doubt that Julius will fall victim to this trap. It is really a do or die and lloks like the ANC is going all out. Come next year!

To read more, click on the link below:
https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2018-03-11-ramapjosa-and-mabuza-to-malema-come-back-home/


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YOU WANT WAR? WE'LL GIVE YOU WAR - BHEKI CELE

Police minister Bheki Cele warned criminals hell bent on terrorizing innocent communities that they would be defeated.


Speaking at the SAPS academy in Tshwane on Friday, where a parade was held to welcome him as police minister, he said that the police we not at war with the people of South Africa, but those who declared war on society could expect consequences, he cautioned.
" Whoever declares war against us, against innocent communities, against women, against children, against the elderly...you want war? You'll get war. You want peace? You'll get peace. And if you decide to engage in the war with us I can assure there will be one side that will survive and that side is us." he said, wearing one of his trademark fedora hats.


Cele, sending a sharp message to criminals, added that the police would not be sharing any space with criminals. " This space belongs to the safe community of South Africa. Tjis spaces belongs to women of South Africa and children that cannot be terrorized , assaulted  and have fear of walking on the streets of South Africa. I am sending the message to  say we are not here to share this space with criminal. Don't come our path. don't think you can see a light ( at the end of the tunnel). That light might be a train for you.

To me these are the best news we've ever heard from police services. The reassurance of  safety and security is something that we all want and need in our country in this day and age. It is really a wonderful thing to hear the Minister speaking faith on SAPS back into the citizens of South Africa because in all honesty I had lost mine. I hope that the Minister is not just saying all of this just because he wants to be in favor with the people. I hope that he means what he is saying and will deliver as he has promised. It would be such a shame if he were to fail to live up to his words.


source: sowetanlive.co.za                                      March 9 2018, 2:24PM

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TELL THE WOMEN NOTE TO VOTE - NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA

This article is about the debate within senior women in the ANC of whether they should boycott next year's general election.

This arises from the comments made by Minister in the Presidency, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who suggested that the vote should be tied to a budget for gender parity.

Dlamini-Zuma made the comments during a discussion on International Women's Dat in Johannesburg on Thursday night.
Dlamin-Zuma was quoted saying " We will vote for the ANC but we want a gender budget for the next year. We will vote for the ANC but that's one of our conditions and that's our demand for the next election. The budget must be desegregated to say what of this budget is going to women, youg women ad of course the youth; But let's start with women."

Thandi Moraka, deputy secretary general of the ANC Youth League, also spoke up during the debate.
" If we can take a resolution as women to say that we are not going to vote in this upcoming general election, the ANC is going to lose. And we don't want to do that. Just for us to show how powerful we are, Mam' Bathabile, you can issue an instructon to say: All women, stay at home, don't vote."

Dlamini, the former social development minister, also spoke at Thursday's night event, calling all women to  support each other. " The time has come for us to hold the hands of young women because we are where we are because someone decided to hold our hand," Dlamini said.

I think that it is great that women ae finally taking a stand together and fighting for equality and what is theirs.  The need for equality is at it's highest and is long overdue. Women should also be made a priority, especially when it comes to politics as they have a lot to offer and can bring not something to the table but the whole table it's self!



To read more, click on the link below:
http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2018/03/09/tell-women-not-vote-dlamini-zuma-others-challenge-government/


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ATUL GUPTA REGISTERED TO VOTE

This article is about the controversy surrounding the citizenship of the Gupta brothers. It has recently surfaced that Atul Gupta is in fact registered to vote and did so at the Saxonwold Primary School.

This comes after Malusi Gigaba denied that the Gupta brothers had South African citizenships and were indeed citizens of South Africa.  This also came as a shock to many people including Lindiwe Sisulu, who was shocked that they were not citizens. The news came on Wednesday when  IEC deputy chairperson Terry Tselane had a news briefing from he explained that they were given an ID number to check the registration details and in their systems and it indeed came out confirming that Atul Gupta was registered to vote at the Saxonwold Primary school.

The Guptas own a compound at the Saxonwold
He said the commission's information was aligned with that of the Department of Home Affairs.

"The custodian of citizenship is Home Affairs when you register we confirm your citizenship with Home Affairs. We have had discussions with the Director General at Home Affairs and we confirmed that our records are aligned with that of Home Affairs," said Tselane.

Questions around the citizenship of the Gupta brothers began to increase after Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba told the media that both Atul and Ajay Gupta were not South African citizens.
But soon after his statements, copies of identification documents that belong to the brothers surfaced on social media showing that Atul Gupta was not just registered at the primary school, but that he had previously voted.
The EFF even accused Gigaba of lying to Parliament. The party said it will ask Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to investigate the status of the Gupta brothers' citizenship.





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GIGABA, A NO SHOW IN PARLIAMENT

This article is about Gigaba who did not show up to Parliament's oral question session with the MPs.
This ignited a lot of commotion in the house as the members slammed his non-appearance.

The Home Affairs Minster's absece from the National Assembly to answer questions on the citizenship status of the controversial Gupta family on Wednesday drew the ire of opposition parties who accused him of being a "pathological liar"

Speaker Baleka Mbete read out a letter from Gigaba's office saying that he had to "rush to the doctor" and could therefore not attend the question-and-answer session for ministers who are part of the peace and security cluster.

On Tuesday Gigaba said thatIGupta, two of the three indian-born brothers alleged to have made billions of randa off state contracts secured as a result of being close friends and benefactors of former president Jacob Zuma and his family, were grated South African citizenship.

On Wednesday, the Electoral Commision of SA (IEC) on Wednesday confirmed that Atul Gupta was registered to vote in the country- meaning he had a South African ID number and was indeed a citizen.

As soon as opposition MPs realized Gigaba was not in the chamber during question time they started shouting "Where's the liar?"
Gigaba has been under pressure lately as the home affairs portfolio committee questioned him on Tuesday on the naturalization of the controversial Gupta family, while the committee probing the alleged capture of Eskom also wants him to appear before it.

DA MP Haniff Hoosen had wanted Gigaba to explain to Parliament how many foreigners had been granted South Africa citizenship since April 2017, but the Q&A session with ministers in the Cabinet's peace and security cluster degenerated owing to Gigaba's non appearance.

"We respectfully would like to check with you if Minister Malusi Gigaba has actually given reasons for his absence today, because he goes around lying to SA, now he's avoiding Parliament. That's the motivation of the question- has he possibly lied to you about his absence?" said EFF MP Mbuyiseni  Ndlozi.

Speaker Baleke Mbete told MPs earlier that she was not aware of Gigaba's whereabouts saying, "I share the concer, but I can't actually produce the minister right now."

Mbete then read a letter from Gigaba's office which explained that the Minister had been booked off due to ill-health. "It's siged by the chief of staff of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It goes ' I hereby tender an apology on behalf of Minister Gigaba...who will be uable to attend the plenary today, March 7 2018. He is not feeling well; the minister could not sign the letter because he had to rush to the doctor', Mbete read.

The Speaker then ruled that questions initially directed at Gigaba would be held at the next Q&A session.

What do you guys think about Gigaba not showing up? Let me know.



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FOX NEWS CALLS 'JULIUS MALEEMA' A "VIOLENT NUTCASE"

Fox News late night host Tucker Carlson questioned why the US should keep supporting South Africa after calling Julius Malema, whose name he mispronounced as "Maleema", a "violent nutcase".

The most popular news channel in America, Fox News, which is also openly right wing featured a segment late last week questioning whether the US should continue supporting South Africa with it's "tax dollars" while a "violet nutcase" like the EFF leader was  advocating  "racist land grabs" against white South Africans.
He also referenced a comment Malema had made in 2016 that they would not be killing all white South Africans, "at least for now".

Land expropriation without compensation, which is due to be written into the law once parliament changes the constitution, has caused panic in some quarters. Some white South Africans have written to US President Donald Trump to intervene in the matter.

The news channel compared the political situation unfavorably to what appears to be happening else where in the world with the rise of populist politics, including France. However, Trump also came to power on a wave of populism, which was often backed by Fox and it's journalists, but they seem to have forgotten that now.

Yes Malema may have assured his supporters that  he would take back the land, including everything  on it and give it back to them during the EFF's election launch over the weekend but that is just because the people really do want the land back and are tired of not getting it back. The Fox News host has no clue about what is happening here, in fact he has no clue about the reality of the matter of land expropriation and how it affects black people than white people. His statements were only based on the overview white person's opinion of the matter and not both sides. It deeply saddens me when Americans try to get involved in South Africa's politics and when they do so they do not get the full story or really look into it from all perspectives involved but from one perspective that ridicules black people and their struggles or in a condenscending manner. It just goes to show how much they need to learn about our politic or livelihoods for that matter before they start commenting.



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LISTERIOISIS OUTBREAK FINALLY IDENTIFIED

The outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa has been an ongoing catastrophic mystery that could not be solved, well until now. Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi made the announcement today that a source of listeriosis has been identified to be polony products from Enterprise Foods factory in Polokwane, Limpopo.

More than 16 environmental samples from the Enterprise Polokwane factory tested positive for the listeriosis monocytogenes strain ST 6. The results from the factory were confirmed at midnight on Saturday at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.The strain is to blame for the outbreak that killed 27% of patient in South Africa.

Enterprise has started to protect it's twitter page and many consumer stores such as Pick n Pay have already announced that they have taken down all products linked to the outbreak and urge their customers to return the products they bought so that they can get a refund.Products such as polonies, viennas, russians and cheese are sources of this outbreak and everyone is urged to stay away from them together with processed meats and already made (cooked) meat in stores; especially pregnant women ( as listeriosis is to be blamed for the rise in the number of still borns), people with weak immune systems due to diseases such as diabetes and HIV and babies. Enterprise foods and Rainbow Chicken Ltd foods in Polokwane  have suspended from exporting their goods.

I think that the identification of the sources of listeriosis came when needed the most as the number of deaths due to this disease was increasing and it was becoming an epidemic. The minister of health and his team need to be congratulated as they worked tirelessly to find the source. It is just sad how the brands linked to this disease will lose out on business for a certain period before bouncing back again. I guess it is a win or lose situation. You win some and you lose some.


To read more about the outbreak, click on the link below:
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-03-04-breaking-enterprise-polony-identified-as-source-of-listeria-outbreak/



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MAIMANE : THE HOONEYMOON IS OVER

This article is about the already fall of President Cyril Ramaphosa from glory, as stated by Mmusi    Maimane.
Mmusi Maimae states that President Cyril Ramaphosa's honeymoon has already and ended and it was quite a short one to say the least. This comes after the announcement of the cabinet reshuffle on Monday, 26 February 2018. Musi Maimane's statement rises from the eletion of David Mbuza as the Deputy President. Maimane claims that the President has revealed his true colours by appointing DD Mabuza to be his Deputy as this shows how corrupt Cyril Ramaphosa is and how he has just ended his honeymoon of glory.

Maimane's said that although he had agreed to work with the President when it comes to the country's best interest at heart, now he is skeptical of that. This is because Maimane believes that the President should not have made DD Mabuza as his Deputy, but should have instead fired him and should've thrown him in jail as Mabuza is a corrupt man with scandals on top of scandals. He believes that due to this, the President has fallen from glory and rather too soon.What's more concerning is how the President seems to have also given in to populists and the Economic Freedom Fighters with regards to land.

I personally think that this is a bit too soon to b passing judgement o the President's character. We must not forget the changes that Cyril was able to make within a few minutes he was appointed as the President. One of the notable changes was the rise in the Rand as it became stronger than it has ever been in the past two years. His SONA speech brought back faith to many South Africans as Cyril promised to capitalize the digital industrial revolution along with focus to grow the economy, fix the country's mining sector, address education and provide free education, create jobs, especially for the youth and increase investment. I mean Cyril was the preferred successor by then President Nelson Mandela. He was centrally involved in negotiating South Africa's constitution. The list is endless.

I think that we should give the President a chance to prove himself and unwind his ideal plan of change and not judge him too soon and harshly at that too.


To see the article about Mmusi Maimane's statement, click on the link below:
https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/maimane-the-ramaphosa-honeymoon-is-over-20180303





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MBALULA REDEPLOYMENT

The cabinet reshuffle was has been an  anticipated one. From Bathabile Dlamini dodging the bullet and the changing of the Minister Of finance Malusi Gigaba to Nhlanhla Nene, no one could have seen it coming. In all the changes that have happened with our cabinet the one that has everyone talking which, from my personal point of view, is kind of a good riddance is the removal of then Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula and the appointment of Bheki Cele back.


I know that maybe Mr Mbalula probably did his best in his position but for me he was not suitable for that position. He was better suited for his former position. The position of being a minister of police in South Africa is better suited for some one that is respectable and preserved and let's face it, Mbalula isn't any of those. We are all familiar with his twitter rants and everything he does on social media which sometimes surprises even those that match his personality there. I mean what kind of a grown man posts videos of himself at a party singing along Black Eyed Peas' I Got A Feeling? What message of satefy does that send to our people. As  citizen of a country with high crime rate and corruption, the last thing you want to see is your minister of police out painting the town blue at the wee hours of the morning. The man is a joke and now that he is going to campaign the ANC elections...well maybe he'll do a good job on that on social media. He is best suited for those kinds of jobs. I am not saying that his campaign will be a success but it is better. I am still yet to discuss the trust that Mr President has on him to trust the whole elections campaign on him. The future if the ANC winning the elections rests on him so I hope he will take this serious.


Wih all that being said, I do not disregard the work that he did on his former post. As much as he was a jokester (people do refer to him as that), there were some winnings here and there. He tried with his job but we are very happy that Bheki Cele is back.


If you want to read how the former minister of police feels about his redeployment, click on the link below :
http://www.enca.com/south-africa/i-was-prepared-for-redeployment-mbalula


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LAND EXPROPRIATION

This is Reverse Apartheid at it's worst.Human Rights must declare the land Expropriation without compensation policy a violation of Human Rights of people and a means to instigate War Crimes in South Africa. Imagine someone stealing your possessions anf asking you why you want them back. Very unconstititional. 

Whoever said the rise of wanting the land back was for farm must wake up. We want our land back so that we can build banks, factories, malls, hospitals, decent estates and etcetera. It should not come as a surprise nor should it be used as a way to condenscend.  

Land is freedom! No land, no freedom! Taking bavk the land is the first and at the top of freedom. South Africans are not yet free as we do do not have the land. We need to get the land back so that we can get tje power and resources free.

As King Zwelithini says :

"Land cannot be removed from the traditional leadership. In fact‚ the land is like the soul of the body of traditional leadership. We will never allow‚ not for one day‚ that we be killed by taking our soul.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-02-27-king-zwelithini-calls-on-zulus-to-rise-over-land/u


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