People in Myanmar protesting the military's seizure of power, which has sparked widespread violence in the country, have a new tool - coup-themed tattoos.&nbsp;

Some are opting to have 'Freedom from Fear' or 'Spring Revolution' written on their bodies, while others favour drawings of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's face or the movement's three-finger salute.&nbsp;

These motifs have become increasingly popular since the junta seized power on February 1, tattoo parlours say. More than 80 people have been killed and 2,100 arrested in the crackdown by police and security forces on daily protests across the Southeast Asian nation, an advocacy group says.&nbsp;

"I felt like I lost my future when I heard the news on February 1. I feel so much in pain and I don't want to get to forget that pain ever," said a 23-year-old woman at a parlour in Yangon, who did not want to be identified.&nbsp;

She said she was getting the message 'Freedom from Fear' written on her body so she would never forget that pain and to show younger generations 'how we got rid of this system'.&nbsp;

Many tattoo artists inked people for free in a show of solidarity in the days after the coup in early February. After reports that some of them were arrested, many parlours are trying to be more discreet even though they continue to offer steep discounts.&nbsp;

"They threatened us with the weapons. But our revolution won't win if we have fear," said the customer in Yangon. "So, we must get rid of this kind of fear to prevail in our revolution."&nbsp;

The leaders of the United States and some of its allies vowed on Friday to work together to restore democracy in Myanmar.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

People in Myanmar protesting the military's seizure of power, which has sparked widespread violence in the country, have a new tool - coup-themed tattoos. Some are opting to have 'Freedom from Fear' or 'Spring Revolution' written on their bodies, while others favour drawings of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's face or the movement's three-finger salute.

People in Myanmar protesting the military's seizure of power, which has sparked widespread violence in the country, have a new tool - coup-themed tattoos. Some are opting to have 'Freedom from Fear' or 'Spring Revolution' written on their bodies, while others favour drawings of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's face or the movement's three-finger salute. These motifs have become increasingly popular since the junta seized power on February 1, tattoo parlours say. More than 80 people have been killed and 2,100 arrested in the crackdown by police and security forces on daily protests across the Southeast Asian nation, an advocacy group says. "I felt like I lost my future when I heard the news on February 1. I feel so much in pain and I don't want to get to forget that pain ever," said a 23-year-old woman at a parlour in Yangon, who did not want to be identified. She said she was getting the message 'Freedom from Fear' written on her body so she would never forget that pain and to show younger generations 'how we got rid of this system'. Many tattoo artists inked people for free in a show of solidarity in the days after the coup in early February. After reports that some of them were arrested, many parlours are trying to be more discreet even though they continue to offer steep discounts. "They threatened us with the weapons. But our revolution won't win if we have fear," said the customer in Yangon. "So, we must get rid of this kind of fear to prevail in our revolution." The leaders of the United States and some of its allies vowed on Friday to work together to restore democracy in Myanmar. (With inputs from agencies)

In Myanmar, people protest against military coup with tattoos

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday a call to ban the wearing of the burqa was 'merely a proposal', following criticism from regional allies ahead of a crucial United Nations vote on human rights in the island nation.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka's minister for public security, Sarath Weerasekera, said on Saturday it would 'definitely' ban the full-face covering worn by some Muslim women on national security grounds, pending cabinet approval.&nbsp;

But the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, a decision had not yet been taken on what it described as 'merely a proposal... under discussion'.&nbsp;

"The government will initiate a broader dialogue with all parties concerned and sufficient time will be taken for necessary consultations to be held and for consensus to be reached," it said in a statement.&nbsp;

Muslims make up around a tenth of the population in majority-Buddhist Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

The statement follows criticism from Pakistan's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Saad Kattak, who said in a tweet on Monday a ban 'will only serve as injury to the feelings of ordinary Sri Lankan Muslims and Muslims across the globe'.&nbsp;

Ahmed Shaheed, a Maldivian diplomat currently serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said a ban was incompatible with international laws that protect religious belief and freedom of expression.&nbsp;

Several Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, are among the 47 nations that will vote on Sri Lanka's human rights record at a United Nations session in Geneva next week.&nbsp;

A UN resolution passed against Sri Lanka could allow for prosecutions of government and military officials involved in ending a decades-long civil war in 2009, and Colombo is sensitive to anything that may impact voting there, according to a person familiar with the developments.&nbsp;

Almost a third of the 47 nations are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which last year criticised a Sri Lankan policy to forcibly cremate coronavirus victims in the country, in violation of the Islamic tradition of burial. The policy was repealed last month.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday a call to ban the wearing of the burqa was 'merely a proposal', following criticism from regional allies ahead of a crucial United Nations vote on human rights in the island nation.

Sri Lanka said on Tuesday a call to ban the wearing of the burqa was 'merely a proposal', following criticism from regional allies ahead of a crucial United Nations vote on human rights in the island nation. Sri Lanka's minister for public security, Sarath Weerasekera, said on Saturday it would 'definitely' ban the full-face covering worn by some Muslim women on national security grounds, pending cabinet approval. But the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, a decision had not yet been taken on what it described as 'merely a proposal... under discussion'. "The government will initiate a broader dialogue with all parties concerned and sufficient time will be taken for necessary consultations to be held and for consensus to be reached," it said in a statement. Muslims make up around a tenth of the population in majority-Buddhist Sri Lanka. The statement follows criticism from Pakistan's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Saad Kattak, who said in a tweet on Monday a ban 'will only serve as injury to the feelings of ordinary Sri Lankan Muslims and Muslims across the globe'. Ahmed Shaheed, a Maldivian diplomat currently serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said a ban was incompatible with international laws that protect religious belief and freedom of expression. Several Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, are among the 47 nations that will vote on Sri Lanka's human rights record at a United Nations session in Geneva next week. A UN resolution passed against Sri Lanka could allow for prosecutions of government and military officials involved in ending a decades-long civil war in 2009, and Colombo is sensitive to anything that may impact voting there, according to a person familiar with the developments. Almost a third of the 47 nations are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which last year criticised a Sri Lankan policy to forcibly cremate coronavirus victims in the country, in violation of the Islamic tradition of burial. The policy was repealed last month. (With inputs from agencies)

Burqa ban just a 'proposal', Sri Lanka says after criticism from allies 

A dissident band of Roman Catholic priests leading a disobedience campaign against the Vatican said on Tuesday, they would carry on blessing same-sex couples in defiance of Church orders.&nbsp;

The Vatican said on Monday that priests cannot bless same-sex unions and that such blessings are not valid, in a ruling that disappointed gay Catholics,&nbsp;who had hoped their Church,&nbsp;was becoming more welcoming under Pope Francis.&nbsp;

In some countries, parishes and ministers have begun blessing same-sex unions in lieu of marriage, and there have been calls for bishops to&nbsp;institutionalise&nbsp;de facto such blessings. Conservatives in the&nbsp;1.3 billion-member&nbsp;Roman Catholic Church have expressed alarm over such practices.&nbsp;

"We members of the Parish Priests Initiative are deeply appalled by the new Roman decree that seeks to prohibit the blessing of same-sex loving couples. This is a relapse into times that we had hoped to have overcome with Pope Francis," the Austrian-based group said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We will,&nbsp;in solidarity with so many,&nbsp;not reject any loving couple in the future who ask to celebrate God's blessing, which they experience every day, also in a worship service."&nbsp;

The Parish Priests Initiative led by Father Helmut Schueller has long been a thorn in the side of the Vatican. The group wants Church rules changed so that priests can marry and women can become priests.&nbsp;

It has said it will break Church rules by giving communion to Protestants and divorced Catholics who remarry.&nbsp;

Founded in 2006 by nine priests, the initiative says it now has around 350 members from the ranks of the official Church and more than 3,000 lay supporters.&nbsp;

The Vatican in 2012 cracked down on Schueller, stripping him of the right to use the title monsignor and saying he was also no longer a "Chaplain of His Holiness".&nbsp;

Schueller, a former deputy to Vienna archbishop Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, had been given the honorary title in his capacity as head of the Austrian branch of the Catholic charity group Caritas.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp;

A dissident band of Roman Catholic priests leading a disobedience campaign against the Vatican said on Tuesday, they would carry on blessing same-sex couples in defiance of Church orders.

A dissident band of Roman Catholic priests leading a disobedience campaign against the Vatican said on Tuesday, they would carry on blessing same-sex couples in defiance of Church orders. The Vatican said on Monday that priests cannot bless same-sex unions and that such blessings are not valid, in a ruling that disappointed gay Catholics, who had hoped their Church, was becoming more welcoming under Pope Francis. In some countries, parishes and ministers have begun blessing same-sex unions in lieu of marriage, and there have been calls for bishops to institutionalise de facto such blessings. Conservatives in the 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church have expressed alarm over such practices. "We members of the Parish Priests Initiative are deeply appalled by the new Roman decree that seeks to prohibit the blessing of same-sex loving couples. This is a relapse into times that we had hoped to have overcome with Pope Francis," the Austrian-based group said in a statement. "We will, in solidarity with so many, not reject any loving couple in the future who ask to celebrate God's blessing, which they experience every day, also in a worship service." The Parish Priests Initiative led by Father Helmut Schueller has long been a thorn in the side of the Vatican. The group wants Church rules changed so that priests can marry and women can become priests. It has said it will break Church rules by giving communion to Protestants and divorced Catholics who remarry. Founded in 2006 by nine priests, the initiative says it now has around 350 members from the ranks of the official Church and more than 3,000 lay supporters. The Vatican in 2012 cracked down on Schueller, stripping him of the right to use the title monsignor and saying he was also no longer a "Chaplain of His Holiness". Schueller, a former deputy to Vienna archbishop Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, had been given the honorary title in his capacity as head of the Austrian branch of the Catholic charity group Caritas. (With inputs from agencies)

Rebel priests defy Vatican, vow to bless same-sex couples 

Seven miners were killed in a blast at a coal mine in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan on Monday night, the second such deadly incident in the region in a week.&nbsp;

A buildup of methane gas in the mine in the Torghar gas field in the district of Harnai caused an explosion as the workers were inside, Deputy Commissioner Sohail Anwar Hashmi said.&nbsp;

“Rescue teams recovered the bodies of all seven coal miners this morning, who burnt to death as a huge fire broke out in the mine after the blast,” Chief Inspector of Mines Shafqat Fayyaz said.&nbsp;

Fayyaz said the workers, who lost their lives, were working at a depth of about 1,500 feet when the explosion occurred, adding that mine has been closed and a probe has been ordered into the incident.&nbsp;

On March 12, eight miners were trapped around 1,000 feet below ground in a mine in the district of Marwar, near the border with Afghanistan, when a buildup of methane gas exploded. Six workers were killed and two others rescued.&nbsp;

Sparsely populated and impoverished Balochistan is home to large deposits of coal, natural gas, copper and gold, many of which are being extracted by Chinese-backed operations. Separatist militants often target workers and security forces.&nbsp;

In the past year, 102 coal miners have been killed in Balochistan in 72 different incidents, according to Sultan Muhammad Lala, president of the Balochistan Coal Mines Workers Federation.&nbsp;

Lacking proper safety measures in the mines, workers have repeatedly been killed in explosions caused by the accumulation of methane gas. At least 27 workers died in two separate incidents in Balochistan in 2018, and 45 were killed in an explosion at a coal mine in 2011 in the province.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Seven miners were killed in a blast at a coal mine in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan on Monday night, the second such deadly incident in the region in a week.

Seven miners were killed in a blast at a coal mine in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan on Monday night, the second such deadly incident in the region in a week. A buildup of methane gas in the mine in the Torghar gas field in the district of Harnai caused an explosion as the workers were inside, Deputy Commissioner Sohail Anwar Hashmi said. “Rescue teams recovered the bodies of all seven coal miners this morning, who burnt to death as a huge fire broke out in the mine after the blast,” Chief Inspector of Mines Shafqat Fayyaz said. Fayyaz said the workers, who lost their lives, were working at a depth of about 1,500 feet when the explosion occurred, adding that mine has been closed and a probe has been ordered into the incident. On March 12, eight miners were trapped around 1,000 feet below ground in a mine in the district of Marwar, near the border with Afghanistan, when a buildup of methane gas exploded. Six workers were killed and two others rescued. Sparsely populated and impoverished Balochistan is home to large deposits of coal, natural gas, copper and gold, many of which are being extracted by Chinese-backed operations. Separatist militants often target workers and security forces. In the past year, 102 coal miners have been killed in Balochistan in 72 different incidents, according to Sultan Muhammad Lala, president of the Balochistan Coal Mines Workers Federation. Lacking proper safety measures in the mines, workers have repeatedly been killed in explosions caused by the accumulation of methane gas. At least 27 workers died in two separate incidents in Balochistan in 2018, and 45 were killed in an explosion at a coal mine in 2011 in the province. (With inputs from agencies)

Seven coal miners killed in Pakistan in second incident in a week 

Angry protesters used burning&nbsp;tyres&nbsp;to block roads in parts of Beirut on Tuesday as the Lebanese pound crashed past a new milestone in its plunge against the dollar, losing most of its value as the country's financial meltdown worsens.&nbsp;

The pound traded at around 15,000 to the dollar and above for the first time on Tuesday, according to market dealers, and has now lost nearly 90% of its value since the crisis started in late 2019.&nbsp;

"We are absolutely fed up, we are hungry we are finished," one protester yelled.&nbsp;

Lebanon's economic crisis is posing the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war, wiping out jobs, locking people out of their bank deposits and raising the risk of widespread hunger.&nbsp;

Parliament convened committees to discuss an emergency loan for the country's electricity company after the energy minister warned it would be lights out across Lebanon by the end of March if a cash injection is not made.&nbsp;

The committees only managed to promise $200 million out of a total requested of around $1 billion.&nbsp;

The proposal now has to be approved by parliament.&nbsp;

An official source&nbsp;said&nbsp;that Lebanon's foreign reserves now stand at around $16 billion.&nbsp;

That compares with about $19.5 billion in August and means that not much is left for a subsidy&nbsp;programme&nbsp;to fund basic goods, including wheat and fuel.&nbsp;

Lebanon's problems were compounded after an explosion at the port in August devastated whole tracts of Beirut, killing 200 people and prompting the government to resign, leaving the country rudderless as it sinks deeper into financial collapse.&nbsp;

Prime minister Hassan Diab's cabinet has stayed on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed. No budget has yet been passed by parliament for 2021.&nbsp;

Prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri, nominated in October, is at loggerheads with President Michel Aoun and has been unable to form a new government to carry out reforms to unlock international aid.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Angry protesters used burning tyres to block roads in parts of Beirut on Tuesday as the Lebanese pound crashed past a new milestone in its plunge against the dollar, losing most of its value as the country's financial meltdown worsens.

Angry protesters used burning tyres to block roads in parts of Beirut on Tuesday as the Lebanese pound crashed past a new milestone in its plunge against the dollar, losing most of its value as the country's financial meltdown worsens. The pound traded at around 15,000 to the dollar and above for the first time on Tuesday, according to market dealers, and has now lost nearly 90% of its value since the crisis started in late 2019. "We are absolutely fed up, we are hungry we are finished," one protester yelled. Lebanon's economic crisis is posing the biggest threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war, wiping out jobs, locking people out of their bank deposits and raising the risk of widespread hunger. Parliament convened committees to discuss an emergency loan for the country's electricity company after the energy minister warned it would be lights out across Lebanon by the end of March if a cash injection is not made. The committees only managed to promise $200 million out of a total requested of around $1 billion. The proposal now has to be approved by parliament. An official source said that Lebanon's foreign reserves now stand at around $16 billion. That compares with about $19.5 billion in August and means that not much is left for a subsidy programme to fund basic goods, including wheat and fuel. Lebanon's problems were compounded after an explosion at the port in August devastated whole tracts of Beirut, killing 200 people and prompting the government to resign, leaving the country rudderless as it sinks deeper into financial collapse. Prime minister Hassan Diab's cabinet has stayed on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed. No budget has yet been passed by parliament for 2021. Prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri, nominated in October, is at loggerheads with President Michel Aoun and has been unable to form a new government to carry out reforms to unlock international aid. (With inputs from agencies)

Lebanon protesters back on streets as pound loses 90% of its value 

Standing tall like a wall: Coronavirus inspires graffiti to spread awareness

Expressing grave concern that the city of Minneapolis’ $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd last week will tarnish his client, the lawyer for Derek Chauvin asked the judge Monday to delay the trial and move it outside of the city.

The lawyer, Eric J. Nelson, also asked that the seven jurors previously picked to serve on the case be brought back in for further questioning.

“The fact this came in the middle of jury selection is perplexing,” Nelson told Judge Peter A. Cahill.

Cahill agreed that the settlement could affect the criminal case, saying he would consider a postponement. He said the timing was “unfortunate.”

“I wish city officials would stop talking about this case so much,” he said in court, “but at the same time I don’t find any evil intent that they are trying to tamper with this criminal case.”

Cahill said he would also reinterview the seven people who were seated on the jury last week, to see what they know about the settlement.

Steve Schleicher, one of the prosecutors, pushed back on the insinuation by Nelson that the state was trying to prejudice the case with publicity, saying, “We cannot and do not control the civil aspect of this case. We cannot and do not control the Minneapolis City Council.”

As jury selection resumed Monday, the first person, a woman identified only as juror No. 51, was quickly dismissed because she said she heard news of last week’s civil settlement on the radio and “almost gasped” at the size of it. She said that she already had a strong opinion about the case, and that after hearing about the payout to the Floyd family she felt she could not be impartial.

Another juror was dismissed because he said he saw news, first reported in The New York Times, that last summer Chauvin had agreed to plead guilty to third degree murder, an arrangement that was ultimately rejected by William Barr, who was then the attorney general, because the deal involved the Justice Department’s agreement not to bring federal charges.

Still, despite the threat of a delay because of pretrial publicity, the court made more progress Monday on assembling a jury, adding two new people to the panel. One, a Black man in his 30s who works in banking and coaches youth sports, said he had not heard the news about the settlement. He said that he did not believe that Chauvin “set out to murder anyone,” but that he believed American society was rife with racial discrimination.

He said he wanted to serve on the jury because “this is the most historic case of my lifetime and I would love to be a part of it.”

The second person added to the panel was a white woman in her 50s, a widow who rides a motorcycle and said that while she was disturbed by the video showing Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd, who was Black, for more than nine minutes, she agreed with Nelson that the video was only one piece of the story.

With Monday’s additions to the jury, there are now nine people seated on the panel. Ultimately, the court will seat 14 people — 12 regular jurors and two alternates.

The settlement announced last week is the largest in a police conduct case in Minneapolis history and one of the largest in the country.

Seating a jury was already seen as a difficult task, with the death of Floyd leading to protests nationwide and a renewed movement for police accountability. The last moments of Floyd’s life were captured on graphic cellphone video.

The city said its settlement was independent of the trial, but legal experts said it could play into the minds of jurors. It could send a message to jurors that the city believed that what Chauvin did was inappropriate, said Mary Moriarty, the former chief public defender in Minneapolis.

“I don’t think it helps Chauvin at all,” she said. “I think it’s pretty prejudicial.”

Expressing grave concern that the city of Minneapolis’ $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd last week will tarnish his client, the lawyer for Derek Chauvin asked the judge Monday to delay the trial and move it outside of the city.

Expressing grave concern that the city of Minneapolis’ $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd last week will tarnish his client, the lawyer for Derek Chauvin asked the judge Monday to delay the trial and move it outside of the city. The lawyer, Eric J. Nelson, also asked that the seven jurors previously picked to serve on the case be brought back in for further questioning. “The fact this came in the middle of jury selection is perplexing,” Nelson told Judge Peter A. Cahill. Cahill agreed that the settlement could affect the criminal case, saying he would consider a postponement. He said the timing was “unfortunate.” “I wish city officials would stop talking about this case so much,” he said in court, “but at the same time I don’t find any evil intent that they are trying to tamper with this criminal case.” Cahill said he would also reinterview the seven people who were seated on the jury last week, to see what they know about the settlement. Steve Schleicher, one of the prosecutors, pushed back on the insinuation by Nelson that the state was trying to prejudice the case with publicity, saying, “We cannot and do not control the civil aspect of this case. We cannot and do not control the Minneapolis City Council.” As jury selection resumed Monday, the first person, a woman identified only as juror No. 51, was quickly dismissed because she said she heard news of last week’s civil settlement on the radio and “almost gasped” at the size of it. She said that she already had a strong opinion about the case, and that after hearing about the payout to the Floyd family she felt she could not be impartial. Another juror was dismissed because he said he saw news, first reported in The New York Times, that last summer Chauvin had agreed to plead guilty to third degree murder, an arrangement that was ultimately rejected by William Barr, who was then the attorney general, because the deal involved the Justice Department’s agreement not to bring federal charges. Still, despite the threat of a delay because of pretrial publicity, the court made more progress Monday on assembling a jury, adding two new people to the panel. One, a Black man in his 30s who works in banking and coaches youth sports, said he had not heard the news about the settlement. He said that he did not believe that Chauvin “set out to murder anyone,” but that he believed American society was rife with racial discrimination. He said he wanted to serve on the jury because “this is the most historic case of my lifetime and I would love to be a part of it.” The second person added to the panel was a white woman in her 50s, a widow who rides a motorcycle and said that while she was disturbed by the video showing Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on Floyd, who was Black, for more than nine minutes, she agreed with Nelson that the video was only one piece of the story. With Monday’s additions to the jury, there are now nine people seated on the panel. Ultimately, the court will seat 14 people — 12 regular jurors and two alternates. The settlement announced last week is the largest in a police conduct case in Minneapolis history and one of the largest in the country. Seating a jury was already seen as a difficult task, with the death of Floyd leading to protests nationwide and a renewed movement for police accountability. The last moments of Floyd’s life were captured on graphic cellphone video. The city said its settlement was independent of the trial, but legal experts said it could play into the minds of jurors. It could send a message to jurors that the city believed that what Chauvin did was inappropriate, said Mary Moriarty, the former chief public defender in Minneapolis. “I don’t think it helps Chauvin at all,” she said. “I think it’s pretty prejudicial.”

Chauvin’s lawyer asks for delay in Floyd trial

A prominent order of US Catholic priests has created a foundation to raise a reported $100 million for the descendants of the slaves it once owned and sold and to promote racial reconciliation across the country.&nbsp;

The Jesuit priests'&nbsp;foundation is named&nbsp;Descendants Truth &amp; Reconciliation Foundation&nbsp;and is a partnership among descendants of both the enslaved and enslavers.&nbsp;

"In a landmark undertaking in the pursuit of racial healing and justice, descendants of ancestors enslaved and sold by the Jesuits and the Jesuits of the United States have announced a partnership to create the Descendants Truth &amp; Reconciliation Foundation", Jesuit priests said in a statement on Monday.&nbsp;

The partnership is supported by JPMorgan Chase, according to the statement.&nbsp;

The New York Times reported the foundation aims to raise $100 million and described it as&nbsp;'one of the largest efforts by an institution to atone for slavery'.&nbsp;

The foundation said descendants of the Jesuits'&nbsp;slaves had rejected individual cash settlements in&nbsp;favour&nbsp;of a substantial investment that could improve lives for generations to come.&nbsp;

The idea of reparations to Black people for slavery has been around for a long time and gained new urgency last year as anti-racism protests spread across the United States and the rest of the world following the death of George Floyd after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.&nbsp;

During last year's Democratic primaries many candidates supported the idea of reparations. US President Joe Biden said at the time that he supported studying how reparations could be part of larger efforts to address systemic racism.&nbsp;

"For more than 400 years, our country has denied the persistent human destruction caused by slavery and the conscious and unconscious racism that divides our communities and nation," said Joseph Stewart, acting president of the foundation.&nbsp;

Stewart is one of more than a thousand descendants of Isaac Hawkins, an enslaved man,&nbsp;who was sold to save the Jesuits'&nbsp;Georgetown University from financial ruin. In 1838, 272 enslaved men, women and children were sold by the Jesuits to plantation owners in Louisiana.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A prominent order of US Catholic priests has created a foundation to raise a reported $100 million for the descendants of the slaves it once owned and sold and to promote racial reconciliation across the country.

A prominent order of US Catholic priests has created a foundation to raise a reported $100 million for the descendants of the slaves it once owned and sold and to promote racial reconciliation across the country. The Jesuit priests' foundation is named Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation and is a partnership among descendants of both the enslaved and enslavers. "In a landmark undertaking in the pursuit of racial healing and justice, descendants of ancestors enslaved and sold by the Jesuits and the Jesuits of the United States have announced a partnership to create the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation", Jesuit priests said in a statement on Monday. The partnership is supported by JPMorgan Chase, according to the statement. The New York Times reported the foundation aims to raise $100 million and described it as 'one of the largest efforts by an institution to atone for slavery'. The foundation said descendants of the Jesuits' slaves had rejected individual cash settlements in favour of a substantial investment that could improve lives for generations to come. The idea of reparations to Black people for slavery has been around for a long time and gained new urgency last year as anti-racism protests spread across the United States and the rest of the world following the death of George Floyd after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. During last year's Democratic primaries many candidates supported the idea of reparations. US President Joe Biden said at the time that he supported studying how reparations could be part of larger efforts to address systemic racism. "For more than 400 years, our country has denied the persistent human destruction caused by slavery and the conscious and unconscious racism that divides our communities and nation," said Joseph Stewart, acting president of the foundation. Stewart is one of more than a thousand descendants of Isaac Hawkins, an enslaved man, who was sold to save the Jesuits' Georgetown University from financial ruin. In 1838, 272 enslaved men, women and children were sold by the Jesuits to plantation owners in Louisiana. (With inputs from agencies)

US Jesuit priests to raise $100 million for descendants of slaves 

Inter-Parliamentary Union President&nbsp;Duarte Pacheco&nbsp;on Tuesday addressed Members of Parliament at the Central Hall and thanked India for its support for Portugal's election to the IPU, stating that New Delhi and Lisbon are brothers.&nbsp;

"I came to New Delhi to show that you have a friend, a special friend in IPU. This special relationship is not just personal. We have a special relationship between our two countries. Portugal and India have over 500-year-old relations, so we know each other so better that I may say that we aren't just friends, we are brothers," Pacheco said.&nbsp;

He added, "India is the largest democracy in the world and in all levels, from local to national, is looking to be more inclusive with more women and young people. India respects convictions, political and religious, of each person."&nbsp;

He further expressed Portugal's support for the reform process and the inclusion of India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council stating that India 'is an important player' in all fields 'whose opinions are respected'.&nbsp;

"I think India should achieve the place you should have in all international levels... In the United Nations, Portugal supports reform process (to the Security Council) and inclusion of India as a permanent member of the Security Council," he said. He further told the MPs that he 'feels at home'.&nbsp;

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that India is the world's largest working democracy and represents 130 crore citizens of the country adding that the Central Hall is a witness to independence.&nbsp;

"In the last 74 years of independence, our democratic system has only strengthened. We are now celebrating 75 years of independence. This Central Hall is a witness to independence," he said.&nbsp;

The Indian economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is 'amazing', said Duarte Pacheco, President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva, on Monday.&nbsp;

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union is in India on a seven-day visit. "It is impossible for us to interfere with the internal matters of a country, but can say that the Indian economy under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi is amazing," Pacheco said.&nbsp;

Praising Indian society and its vitality the IPU president added, "I wish we had a society in Europe that has the same vitality that we find here in India. Other continents are thinking in past, in history but here in India towards a better future." &nbsp;

The Inter-Parliamentary Union formed in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest international Parliamentary body consisting of more than 179 members. &nbsp;

Pacheco, a Member of Parliament of Portugal, was recently elected as the President of IPU, an international organization of national parliaments, for a three-year term from 2021 to 2023. He is visiting India at the invitation of the Parliament of India. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Inter-Parliamentary Union President Duarte Pacheco on Tuesday addressed Members of Parliament at the Central Hall and thanked India for its support for Portugal's election to the IPU, stating that New Delhi and Lisbon are brothers.

Inter-Parliamentary Union President Duarte Pacheco on Tuesday addressed Members of Parliament at the Central Hall and thanked India for its support for Portugal's election to the IPU, stating that New Delhi and Lisbon are brothers. "I came to New Delhi to show that you have a friend, a special friend in IPU. This special relationship is not just personal. We have a special relationship between our two countries. Portugal and India have over 500-year-old relations, so we know each other so better that I may say that we aren't just friends, we are brothers," Pacheco said. He added, "India is the largest democracy in the world and in all levels, from local to national, is looking to be more inclusive with more women and young people. India respects convictions, political and religious, of each person." He further expressed Portugal's support for the reform process and the inclusion of India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council stating that India 'is an important player' in all fields 'whose opinions are respected'. "I think India should achieve the place you should have in all international levels... In the United Nations, Portugal supports reform process (to the Security Council) and inclusion of India as a permanent member of the Security Council," he said. He further told the MPs that he 'feels at home'. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that India is the world's largest working democracy and represents 130 crore citizens of the country adding that the Central Hall is a witness to independence. "In the last 74 years of independence, our democratic system has only strengthened. We are now celebrating 75 years of independence. This Central Hall is a witness to independence," he said. The Indian economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is 'amazing', said Duarte Pacheco, President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva, on Monday. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union is in India on a seven-day visit. "It is impossible for us to interfere with the internal matters of a country, but can say that the Indian economy under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi is amazing," Pacheco said. Praising Indian society and its vitality the IPU president added, "I wish we had a society in Europe that has the same vitality that we find here in India. Other continents are thinking in past, in history but here in India towards a better future." The Inter-Parliamentary Union formed in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest international Parliamentary body consisting of more than 179 members. Pacheco, a Member of Parliament of Portugal, was recently elected as the President of IPU, an international organization of national parliaments, for a three-year term from 2021 to 2023. He is visiting India at the invitation of the Parliament of India. (With inputs from agencies)

IPU chief: India, Portugal are brothers; backs UNSC permanent membership for India 

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children&nbsp;said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more&nbsp;from their homes.&nbsp;

Save the Children&nbsp;said it had spoken to displaced families who described 'horrifying scenes' of murder, including mothers whose young sons were killed. In one case, the woman hid, helpless, with her three other children as her 12-year-old was murdered nearby.&nbsp;

"We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him," the 28-year-old, who Save the Children&nbsp;called Elsa, was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

"We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too."&nbsp;

Another mother, a 29-year-old Save the Children&nbsp;calls Amelia, said her son was just 11 when he was killed by armed men.&nbsp;

Reporters could not immediately reach Mozambique police or government spokespeople for comment.&nbsp;

Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado has since 2017 been home to a festering insurgency, linked to Islamic State, that has escalated dramatically in the past year.&nbsp;

While beheadings have always been a hallmark of the attacks, throughout 2020 the insurgents began regularly engaging the military to capture and hold key towns. Brutality also continued, with mass killings including the murder of around 52 people at once in the village of&nbsp;Xitaxi&nbsp;in April.&nbsp;

Altogether almost 2,700 people on all sides have died in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data Project (ACLED), a consultancy that tracks political violence. Almost 670,000 people have been displaced,&nbsp;'Save the Children'&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

The United States last week declared the Mozambique group a foreign terrorist&nbsp;organisation&nbsp;over its links to Islamic State, saying the group reportedly pledged allegiance to it as early as 2018. Islamic State claimed its first attack in Cabo Delgado in June 2019.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more from their homes.

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more from their homes. Save the Children said it had spoken to displaced families who described 'horrifying scenes' of murder, including mothers whose young sons were killed. In one case, the woman hid, helpless, with her three other children as her 12-year-old was murdered nearby. "We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him," the 28-year-old, who Save the Children called Elsa, was quoted as saying. "We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too." Another mother, a 29-year-old Save the Children calls Amelia, said her son was just 11 when he was killed by armed men. Reporters could not immediately reach Mozambique police or government spokespeople for comment. Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado has since 2017 been home to a festering insurgency, linked to Islamic State, that has escalated dramatically in the past year. While beheadings have always been a hallmark of the attacks, throughout 2020 the insurgents began regularly engaging the military to capture and hold key towns. Brutality also continued, with mass killings including the murder of around 52 people at once in the village of Xitaxi in April. Altogether almost 2,700 people on all sides have died in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a consultancy that tracks political violence. Almost 670,000 people have been displaced, 'Save the Children' said. The United States last week declared the Mozambique group a foreign terrorist organisation over its links to Islamic State, saying the group reportedly pledged allegiance to it as early as 2018. Islamic State claimed its first attack in Cabo Delgado in June 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Mozambique militants beheading children as young as 11: Save the Children  

A Facebook internal study has found that a small group of users is actually sowing major doubts about the Covid-19 vaccines, discouraging people from taking the vital jab.&nbsp;

The findings showed that just 10 out of the 638 population segments contained 50 per cent of all vaccine hesitancy content on the platform.&nbsp;

In the population segment with the most vaccine hesitancy, just 111 users contributed half of all vaccine hesitant content, according to a report in The Washington Post.&nbsp;

The Facebook study has also found a QAnon connection behind the campaign to malign the use of coronavirus vaccines and spreading 'vaccine hesitancy'.&nbsp;

QAnon is a far-right conspiracy theory group in the US.&nbsp;

The research is a large-scale attempt to understand the spread of ideas that contribute to vaccine hesitancy, "or the act of delaying or refusing a vaccination despite its availability, on social media, a primary source of health information for millions of people," the report said on Sunday.&nbsp;

"While Facebook has banned outright false and misleading statements about coronavirus vaccines since December, a huge realm of expression about vaccines sits in a gray area," it added.&nbsp;

Facebook spokesperson Dani Lever said that the social network has partnered with more than 60 global health experts to allay the Covid-19 vaccine fears.&nbsp;

"Public health experts have made it clear that tackling vaccine hesitancy is a top priority in the Covid response, which is why we've launched a global campaign that has already connected two billion people to reliable information from health experts and remove false claims about Covid and vaccines," Lever was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

Facebook has stepped up its fight against the misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, and now removes false claims about these vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts on its platform as well as Instagram.&nbsp;

As part of their effort to reduce the spread of 'vaccine hoaxes' on its platform, Facebook and its photo-messaging app Instagram said recently not to allow advertisements that include misinformation about vaccines.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Facebook internal study has found that a small group of users is actually sowing major doubts about the Covid-19 vaccines, discouraging people from taking the vital jab.

A Facebook internal study has found that a small group of users is actually sowing major doubts about the Covid-19 vaccines, discouraging people from taking the vital jab. The findings showed that just 10 out of the 638 population segments contained 50 per cent of all vaccine hesitancy content on the platform. In the population segment with the most vaccine hesitancy, just 111 users contributed half of all vaccine hesitant content, according to a report in The Washington Post. The Facebook study has also found a QAnon connection behind the campaign to malign the use of coronavirus vaccines and spreading 'vaccine hesitancy'. QAnon is a far-right conspiracy theory group in the US. The research is a large-scale attempt to understand the spread of ideas that contribute to vaccine hesitancy, "or the act of delaying or refusing a vaccination despite its availability, on social media, a primary source of health information for millions of people," the report said on Sunday. "While Facebook has banned outright false and misleading statements about coronavirus vaccines since December, a huge realm of expression about vaccines sits in a gray area," it added. Facebook spokesperson Dani Lever said that the social network has partnered with more than 60 global health experts to allay the Covid-19 vaccine fears. "Public health experts have made it clear that tackling vaccine hesitancy is a top priority in the Covid response, which is why we've launched a global campaign that has already connected two billion people to reliable information from health experts and remove false claims about Covid and vaccines," Lever was quoted as saying. Facebook has stepped up its fight against the misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, and now removes false claims about these vaccines that have been debunked by public health experts on its platform as well as Instagram. As part of their effort to reduce the spread of 'vaccine hoaxes' on its platform, Facebook and its photo-messaging app Instagram said recently not to allow advertisements that include misinformation about vaccines. (With inputs from agencies)

Just 111 Facebook users spread half of Covid vaccine doubts 

A mass trial began in Thailand on Monday for activists accused of sedition and insulting the powerful monarchy at a major protest last year, one of a series of mass demonstrations against the country's military-backed establishment. &nbsp;

The 22 demonstrators deny charges of committing sedition and a litany of other offences, which includes lese majeste in section 112 of the Thai criminal code, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count. &nbsp;

"They can lock me up but they cannot lock up the truth," protest leader Parit 'Penguin' Chiwarak shouted as he arrived in a prison truck, defiantly flashing the three-finger 'Hunger Games' salute synonymous with the youth movement. &nbsp;

"The truth is always the truth whether in prison, under torture or awaiting execution, the truth is the truth," said Parit, 22, who is among seven defendants held in pre-trial detention accused of sedition and insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn during two protests in September. &nbsp;

Parit later announced he would go on hunger strike until he and his friends were granted bail. &nbsp;

How long the trial will last is not known and the judge adjourned proceedings until March 29, defence lawyer Krisadang Nutcharat said. &nbsp;

The court could not be reached for comment but during earlier indictment processes it has denied multiple bail requests for the seven on the grounds that could re-offend by holding more protests. &nbsp;

Thailand's youth movement has posed the biggest challenge so far to prime minister and former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who they say engineered a process that would preserve the political status quo and keep him in power after a 2019 election. Prayuth has rejected that. &nbsp;

Protesters also broke a traditional taboo by demanding reform of the monarchy, saying the constitution drafted by the military after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A mass trial began in Thailand on Monday for activists accused of sedition and insulting the powerful monarchy at a major protest last year, one of a series of mass demonstrations against the country's military-backed establishment.

A mass trial began in Thailand on Monday for activists accused of sedition and insulting the powerful monarchy at a major protest last year, one of a series of mass demonstrations against the country's military-backed establishment. The 22 demonstrators deny charges of committing sedition and a litany of other offences, which includes lese majeste in section 112 of the Thai criminal code, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count. "They can lock me up but they cannot lock up the truth," protest leader Parit 'Penguin' Chiwarak shouted as he arrived in a prison truck, defiantly flashing the three-finger 'Hunger Games' salute synonymous with the youth movement. "The truth is always the truth whether in prison, under torture or awaiting execution, the truth is the truth," said Parit, 22, who is among seven defendants held in pre-trial detention accused of sedition and insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn during two protests in September. Parit later announced he would go on hunger strike until he and his friends were granted bail. How long the trial will last is not known and the judge adjourned proceedings until March 29, defence lawyer Krisadang Nutcharat said. The court could not be reached for comment but during earlier indictment processes it has denied multiple bail requests for the seven on the grounds that could re-offend by holding more protests. Thailand's youth movement has posed the biggest challenge so far to prime minister and former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who they say engineered a process that would preserve the political status quo and keep him in power after a 2019 election. Prayuth has rejected that. Protesters also broke a traditional taboo by demanding reform of the monarchy, saying the constitution drafted by the military after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power. (With inputs from agencies)

Thai protest leaders go on trial for sedition, royal insults  

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Gandharv Walia

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