Greece in Friday accused Turkey of trying to "provoke an escalation" in the Aegean. It alleged that Turkey was trying "dangerous" manoeuvres and assistance to migrants that was illegal.

"This morning the Hellenic Coastguard reported multiple incidents of the Turkish Coastguard and Navy accompanying flimsy migrant boats to the border of Europe in an effort to provoke an escalation with Greece," the migration ministry said in a statement.

Earlier, Greek coastguard announced that its patrol boat near Lesbos island had been "harassed" by a Turkish vessels with "dangerous manoeuvres".

It released a video allegedly showing a Turkish coastguard vessel speeding closely past the Greek vessel and rocking it with waves.

The Greek coastguard added that in two incidents, Turkish patrol boats had allegedly tried to assist migrant dinghies in entering Greek waters.

In one of the alleged incidents, two Turkish patrol boats "tried to push" a migrant dinghy into Greek waters, the Greek coastguard said.&nbsp;

Athens wants Ankara to better police migration routes and take back hundreds of asylum seekers found ineligible for refugee protection.

It has repeatedly asked Turkey to take back nearly 1,500 migrants whose asylum requests have been rejected.

(With agency inputs)

Greece in Friday accused Turkey of trying to "provoke an escalation" in the Aegean. It alleged that Turkey was trying "dangerous" manoeuvres and assistance to migrants that was illegal.

Greece in Friday accused Turkey of trying to "provoke an escalation" in the Aegean. It alleged that Turkey was trying "dangerous" manoeuvres and assistance to migrants that was illegal. "This morning the Hellenic Coastguard reported multiple incidents of the Turkish Coastguard and Navy accompanying flimsy migrant boats to the border of Europe in an effort to provoke an escalation with Greece," the migration ministry said in a statement. Earlier, Greek coastguard announced that its patrol boat near Lesbos island had been "harassed" by a Turkish vessels with "dangerous manoeuvres". It released a video allegedly showing a Turkish coastguard vessel speeding closely past the Greek vessel and rocking it with waves. The Greek coastguard added that in two incidents, Turkish patrol boats had allegedly tried to assist migrant dinghies in entering Greek waters. In one of the alleged incidents, two Turkish patrol boats "tried to push" a migrant dinghy into Greek waters, the Greek coastguard said. Athens wants Ankara to better police migration routes and take back hundreds of asylum seekers found ineligible for refugee protection. It has repeatedly asked Turkey to take back nearly 1,500 migrants whose asylum requests have been rejected. (With agency inputs)

Greece accuses Turkey of 'provocations' in the Aegean

Czech Republic's richest man Petr Kellner (56) &nbsp;was killed in a helicopter crash at night on Monday (Indian Time). He was on a skiing trip to Alaska. He was among the five, including the pilot to have been killed. The crash took place near Knik Glacier northeast of Anchorage, Alaska State Troopers said.

One survivor was taken to hospital, they said, adding the group had been on a heli-ski tour.

Kellner was founder of investment group PPF. He avoided public attention.

A spokeswoman for the exclusive Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, where the crash victims were staying, said Kellner had been a frequent guest since 2012.

Kellner was a towering figure in the Czech Republic's post-communist era, amassing wealth estimated at $17.5 billion according to Forbes.

He was the world's 68th richest person on Forbes' 2020 list, tied with media giant Rupert Murdoch and his family.

PPF in a statement expressed "deepest grief" at the death of its founder and 98.9% shareholder.

Ladislav Bartonicek, a 30-year PPF veteran who owns just over a 0.5% stake, will take over management duties, the company said.

PPF's third shareholder, Jean-Pascal Duvieusart, also with just over 0.5%, said the company would continue building and keeping with Kellner's vision.

"Petr was somebody who was truly extraordinary in terms of energy, in terms of creativity, in terms of a drive to build new things," Duvieusart said in a telephone interview.

Kellner is survived by his wife Renata and four children.

(With Reuters inputs)

Czech Republic's richest man Petr Kellner (56) was killed in a helicopter crash at night on Monday (Indian Time). He was on a skiing trip to Alaska. He was among the five, including the pilot to have been killed.

Czech Republic's richest man Petr Kellner (56) was killed in a helicopter crash at night on Monday (Indian Time). He was on a skiing trip to Alaska. He was among the five, including the pilot to have been killed. The crash took place near Knik Glacier northeast of Anchorage, Alaska State Troopers said. One survivor was taken to hospital, they said, adding the group had been on a heli-ski tour. Kellner was founder of investment group PPF. He avoided public attention. A spokeswoman for the exclusive Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, where the crash victims were staying, said Kellner had been a frequent guest since 2012. Kellner was a towering figure in the Czech Republic's post-communist era, amassing wealth estimated at $17.5 billion according to Forbes. He was the world's 68th richest person on Forbes' 2020 list, tied with media giant Rupert Murdoch and his family. PPF in a statement expressed "deepest grief" at the death of its founder and 98.9% shareholder. Ladislav Bartonicek, a 30-year PPF veteran who owns just over a 0.5% stake, will take over management duties, the company said. PPF's third shareholder, Jean-Pascal Duvieusart, also with just over 0.5%, said the company would continue building and keeping with Kellner's vision. "Petr was somebody who was truly extraordinary in terms of energy, in terms of creativity, in terms of a drive to build new things," Duvieusart said in a telephone interview. Kellner is survived by his wife Renata and four children. (With Reuters inputs)

Czech billionaire Petr Kellner dies in helicopter crash in Alaska

Life is everywhere, but the absolute secret of life may still be a mystery. Science has leaped ahead at a breathtaking pace but for scientists, there are always new frontiers to conquer.

In what can be seen as a step in that direction, scientists developed an artificial cell that grows and divides like a natural one. The organism, named JCVI-syn3.0 possesses 473 genes in all - shorter than any self-sustaining living organism in nature. The artificial cell was developed five years ago but a solution to a problem this presented has been found now.

The synthetic cell that was developed did reproduce by multiplication, but it gave rise to new cells that had different shapes and sizes.

Now, J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms was able to identify seven genes that could be added to 'tame' the 'unruly' behaviour of JCVI-syn3.0

The new cell thus developed is called JCVI-syn3A.

JCVI-syn3A has 19 new genes out of which 7 are thought to enable the artificial cell to reproduce in a more regular manner.

The researchers and scientists have published their findings in scientific journal Cell&nbsp;

Life is everywhere, but the absolute secret of life may still be a mystery. Science has leaped ahead at a breathtaking pace but for scientists, there are always new frontiers to conquer.

Life is everywhere, but the absolute secret of life may still be a mystery. Science has leaped ahead at a breathtaking pace but for scientists, there are always new frontiers to conquer. In what can be seen as a step in that direction, scientists developed an artificial cell that grows and divides like a natural one. The organism, named JCVI-syn3.0 possesses 473 genes in all - shorter than any self-sustaining living organism in nature. The artificial cell was developed five years ago but a solution to a problem this presented has been found now. The synthetic cell that was developed did reproduce by multiplication, but it gave rise to new cells that had different shapes and sizes. Now, J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms was able to identify seven genes that could be added to 'tame' the 'unruly' behaviour of JCVI-syn3.0 The new cell thus developed is called JCVI-syn3A. JCVI-syn3A has 19 new genes out of which 7 are thought to enable the artificial cell to reproduce in a more regular manner. The researchers and scientists have published their findings in scientific journal Cell

Scientists developed artificial cell that grows like a natural one

The container ship stuck in Suez Canal was freed as per news reports mentioning local officials in Egypt. The Suez Canal Authority said on Monday that the traffic through the vital waterway had resumed. Meanwhile, wishes poured in for India as it celebrated Holi, the festival of colours. In other news, Taiwan reported large incursion by Chinese air force. Read this and more in our top 10 world news

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suez-canal-ship-blocking-the-traffic-freed-from-shoreline-say-reports-374095">Suez Canal: Ship blocking the traffic freed from shoreline, say reports</a>

<img alt="Suez" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afa8bf3a-ab8b-4e53-944e-0e39a1c18da5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Suez.JPG" />

Suez Canal ship blocking the traffic in the vital waterway has been freed from the shoreline as per media reports that have cited local authorities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-celebrates-holi-wishes-pour-in-from-across-the-world-374000">India celebrates Holi; wishes pour in from across the world</a>

<img alt="Holi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b7b893c-fd7b-481f-a20b-8579dcfad365" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Holi.JPG" />

The two-day spring festival is a rowdy explosion of colour. Sunday was marked by 'Holika Dehan', and prayers to the almighty. And on Monday, people will smear each other’s faces with green, yellow and red powder.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/very-concerned-over-civilian-casualties-in-myanmar-says-russia-374076">'Very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar, says Russia</a>

<img alt="Myanmar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b6bd076f-f9c8-42f9-bb54-4a67e9e2ff35" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Putin_5.JPG" />

The horrific killings on Saturday coincided with Armed Forces Day in the country that has seen citizens fiercely protest against military rule

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-reports-large-incursion-by-chinese-air-force-374075">Taiwan reports large incursion by Chinese air force</a>

<img alt="Taiwan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3879dc53-b204-4120-a517-0bf91c9f1cd0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Taiwan_3.JPG" />

It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beijing-launches-campaign-to-stamp-out-air-pollution-violations-after-sandstorms-engulf-city-374097">Beijing launches campaign to stamp out air pollution violations after sandstorms engulf city</a>

<img alt="Beijing" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="274a4af6-7ff7-48d2-bd13-35653a910a29" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Beijing.JPG" />

Beijing's air quality index (AQI) reached the maximum 500 on Sunday, as dust carrying extremely high levels of hazardous particles blew in from Mongolia and northwest China

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/french-ships-to-make-port-call-at-kochi-ahead-of-joint-drills-with-navies-of-quad-countries-374105">French ships to make port call at Kochi ahead of joint drills with navies of Quad countries</a>

<img alt="France" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0dc6fac1-4bdd-48f4-bef0-ad549593abd5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/French%20ships.JPG" />

France has been engaging with Quad member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia trilateral senior officials’ meeting took place. September saw the first foreign secretary-level trilateral dialogue between the three countries.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-takes-mic-to-wish-a-couple-at-wedding-starts-talking-about-foreign-policy-374089">Trump takes mic to wish a couple at wedding, starts talking about foreign policy</a>

<img alt="Trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5ffbfdf1-b3b1-4f9e-8223-920a60ab3892" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Trump_15.JPG" />

Trump took to stage to wish a couple who was getting married at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-detaining-nearly-100-thai-police-vow-more-protest-arrests-374096">After detaining nearly 100, Thai police vow more protest arrests</a>

<img alt="Thailand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e975c14-42bb-4df9-a547-4ee92bd6aee5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Thai%20police.JPG" />

Another protest demanding the release of jailed activists is planned for late Monday, raising prospects for more confrontation, with activists calling for an end to military dominance of politics and reform of the powerful monarchy

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/george-floyds-death-jury-to-hear-opening-arguments-in-derek-chauvin-trial-374094">George Floyd's death: Jury to hear opening arguments in Derek Chauvin trial</a> &nbsp;

<img alt="George Floyd" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d01e0855-8912-41a6-8675-e0b438de7449" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/George%20Floyd.JPG" />

Over two weeks of jury selection, many jurors told Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill and the lawyers on each side that they recognised the scrutiny their deliberations would come under, not least by those, who view the trial as a reckoning for how Black people are policed in the United States

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-preparing-for-launch-of-interplanetary-starship-rocket-374110">SpaceX preparing for launch of interplanetary Starship rocket</a>

<img alt="SpaceX" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cb6c5887-147a-4f80-b930-6197c747a10e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/SpaceX_2.JPG" />

SN8 and SN9, which launched in December and February respectively, crash-landed and exploded, while SN10 successfully landed then blew up a few minutes later during its test on March 3

The container ship stuck in Suez Canal was freed as per news reports mentioning local officials in Egypt. The Suez Canal Authority said on Monday that the traffic through the vital waterway had resumed.

The container ship stuck in Suez Canal was freed as per news reports mentioning local officials in Egypt. The Suez Canal Authority said on Monday that the traffic through the vital waterway had resumed. Meanwhile, wishes poured in for India as it celebrated Holi, the festival of colours. In other news, Taiwan reported large incursion by Chinese air force. Read this and more in our top 10 world news Suez Canal: Ship blocking the traffic freed from shoreline, say reports Suez Canal ship blocking the traffic in the vital waterway has been freed from the shoreline as per media reports that have cited local authorities. India celebrates Holi; wishes pour in from across the world The two-day spring festival is a rowdy explosion of colour. Sunday was marked by 'Holika Dehan', and prayers to the almighty. And on Monday, people will smear each other’s faces with green, yellow and red powder. 'Very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar, says Russia The horrific killings on Saturday coincided with Armed Forces Day in the country that has seen citizens fiercely protest against military rule Taiwan reports large incursion by Chinese air force It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year Beijing launches campaign to stamp out air pollution violations after sandstorms engulf city Beijing's air quality index (AQI) reached the maximum 500 on Sunday, as dust carrying extremely high levels of hazardous particles blew in from Mongolia and northwest China French ships to make port call at Kochi ahead of joint drills with navies of Quad countries France has been engaging with Quad member countries in various formats. In January, the India-France-Australia trilateral senior officials’ meeting took place. September saw the first foreign secretary-level trilateral dialogue between the three countries. Trump takes mic to wish a couple at wedding, starts talking about foreign policy Trump took to stage to wish a couple who was getting married at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida After detaining nearly 100, Thai police vow more protest arrests Another protest demanding the release of jailed activists is planned for late Monday, raising prospects for more confrontation, with activists calling for an end to military dominance of politics and reform of the powerful monarchy George Floyd's death: Jury to hear opening arguments in Derek Chauvin trial Over two weeks of jury selection, many jurors told Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill and the lawyers on each side that they recognised the scrutiny their deliberations would come under, not least by those, who view the trial as a reckoning for how Black people are policed in the United States SpaceX preparing for launch of interplanetary Starship rocket SN8 and SN9, which launched in December and February respectively, crash-landed and exploded, while SN10 successfully landed then blew up a few minutes later during its test on March 3

Top 10 World News: Suez ship reportedly freed, India celebrates Holi, and more

Suez Canal&nbsp;ship blocking the traffic in the vital waterway&nbsp;has been freed from the shoreline as per media reports that have cited local authorities.

"Admiral Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, has announced the resumption of shipping traffic in the Suez Canal," the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement, shortly after shipping sites had showed it to have once more diagonally blocked the waterway.

Early on Monday, the ship was turned in right direction on Monday, triggering praise from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and raising hopes traffic could soon resume.

Longer than four football fields, the MV Ever Given became wedged diagonally across the canal during a sandstorm last Tuesday, strangling world supply chains.

Maritime data company Lloyd's List says the blockage held&nbsp;up an estimated $9.6 billion worth of cargo each day between Asia and Europe, with the tailback of ships now reaching 425 at the two ends of the canal, in the Mediterranean and Red Sea.

Just how important Suez Canal is for global economy was evident as oil prices eased on Monday after traffic resumed in the Suez Canal. Crude oil prices had reduced earlier when the ship&nbsp;was partially freed. However, they had rebounded quickly afterwards when salvage experts said the hardest work was ahead. The easing of prices is more pronounced now as per AFP.

Suez Canal ship blocking the traffic in the vital waterway has been freed from the shoreline as per media reports that have cited local authorities. "Admiral Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, has announced the resumption of shipping traffic in the Suez Canal," the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement, shortly after shipping sites had showed it to have once more diagonally blocked the waterway.

Suez Canal ship blocking the traffic in the vital waterway has been freed from the shoreline as per media reports that have cited local authorities. "Admiral Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, has announced the resumption of shipping traffic in the Suez Canal," the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement, shortly after shipping sites had showed it to have once more diagonally blocked the waterway. Early on Monday, the ship was turned in right direction on Monday, triggering praise from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and raising hopes traffic could soon resume. Longer than four football fields, the MV Ever Given became wedged diagonally across the canal during a sandstorm last Tuesday, strangling world supply chains. Maritime data company Lloyd's List says the blockage held up an estimated $9.6 billion worth of cargo each day between Asia and Europe, with the tailback of ships now reaching 425 at the two ends of the canal, in the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Just how important Suez Canal is for global economy was evident as oil prices eased on Monday after traffic resumed in the Suez Canal. Crude oil prices had reduced earlier when the ship was partially freed. However, they had rebounded quickly afterwards when salvage experts said the hardest work was ahead. The easing of prices is more pronounced now as per AFP.

Suez Canal: Ship blocking the traffic freed from shoreline, say reports

Donald Trump is not in the White House anymore, but there are things still on his mind. But the selection of the right stage to say it all could keep&nbsp;him safe from online trolling.

The former US president took to stage to wish a couple getting married at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

It must have been a great moment for the couple to have a former US president speak at their&nbsp;wedding. But Trump went on a rant, talking about Iran, China, the border migrant crisis&nbsp;and Joe Biden.

"We were ready to make a deal [with Iran], they were ready to do anything, they would have done anything. And this guy [Biden] goes and drops the sanctions and then he says we'd like to negotiate now," Trump is heard saying in a video circulating online.&nbsp;

This was an apparent reference to Biden's effort to engage with Iran in order to re-enter the nuclear deal the US struck in 2015 under Barack Obama, and Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018.

Trump also spoke about the domestic situation in the US. "The border is not good. It's the worst that it has ever been," he said.

Trump had strived hard to&nbsp;build a wall along the US-Mexico border, one of his key campaign promises in&nbsp;2016.

Trump then went on to speak&nbsp;about his election loss to Biden in 2020. "They said get 66 million votes, sir, and the election is over. I got 75 million votes, and you saw what happened," he said.

Trump still maintains that he did not lose the elections and that there was widespread voting fraud. His claims have been refuted by US Supreme Court and election officials. Joe Biden got 80 million votes, 5 million more than what Trump bagged.

At the very end of his 400-word long address, Trump said, "It's an honour to have you at Mar-a-Lago, you are a beautiful couple...have fun".

The video has been posted online by TMZ.

Donald Trump is not in the White House anymore, but there are things still on his mind. But the selection of the right stage to say it all could keep him safe from online trolling.

Donald Trump is not in the White House anymore, but there are things still on his mind. But the selection of the right stage to say it all could keep him safe from online trolling. The former US president took to stage to wish a couple getting married at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It must have been a great moment for the couple to have a former US president speak at their wedding. But Trump went on a rant, talking about Iran, China, the border migrant crisis and Joe Biden. "We were ready to make a deal [with Iran], they were ready to do anything, they would have done anything. And this guy [Biden] goes and drops the sanctions and then he says we'd like to negotiate now," Trump is heard saying in a video circulating online. This was an apparent reference to Biden's effort to engage with Iran in order to re-enter the nuclear deal the US struck in 2015 under Barack Obama, and Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018. Trump also spoke about the domestic situation in the US. "The border is not good. It's the worst that it has ever been," he said. Trump had strived hard to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, one of his key campaign promises in 2016. Trump then went on to speak about his election loss to Biden in 2020. "They said get 66 million votes, sir, and the election is over. I got 75 million votes, and you saw what happened," he said. Trump still maintains that he did not lose the elections and that there was widespread voting fraud. His claims have been refuted by US Supreme Court and election officials. Joe Biden got 80 million votes, 5 million more than what Trump bagged. At the very end of his 400-word long address, Trump said, "It's an honour to have you at Mar-a-Lago, you are a beautiful couple...have fun". The video has been posted online by TMZ.

Trump takes mic to wish a couple at wedding, starts talking about foreign policy

Russia said on Monday that it was 'very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar. The comment has come two days after Myanmar saw bloodiest day as 114 people were killed by security forces on Saturday.

"We are very concerned by the growing number of civilian casualties," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia was developing ties with Myanmar but did not condone the violence.

The horrific killings on Saturday coincided with Armed Forces Day in the country that has seen citizens fiercely protest against military rule. The military toppled the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1.

The big cities like Yangon and Mandalay saw largest number of killings At least 40 people, including a 13-year-old girl, were killed in Mandalay, and at least 27 people were killed in Yangon, as per the local media.

The international condemnation of military junta rule has grown shriller still. US President on Monday decried the bloodshed as "absolutely outrageous". He said that the US was working on sanctions against Myanmar.

(With agency inputs)

Russia said on Monday that it was 'very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar. The comment has come two days after Myanmar saw bloodiest day as 114 people were killed by security forces on Saturday.

Russia said on Monday that it was 'very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar. The comment has come two days after Myanmar saw bloodiest day as 114 people were killed by security forces on Saturday. "We are very concerned by the growing number of civilian casualties," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia was developing ties with Myanmar but did not condone the violence. The horrific killings on Saturday coincided with Armed Forces Day in the country that has seen citizens fiercely protest against military rule. The military toppled the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1. The big cities like Yangon and Mandalay saw largest number of killings At least 40 people, including a 13-year-old girl, were killed in Mandalay, and at least 27 people were killed in Yangon, as per the local media. The international condemnation of military junta rule has grown shriller still. US President on Monday decried the bloodshed as "absolutely outrageous". He said that the US was working on sanctions against Myanmar. (With agency inputs)

'Very concerned' over civilian casualties in Myanmar, says Russia

Myanmar security forces killed 114 people on Saturday (March 27), as per news reports and witnesses. This makes Saturday&nbsp;the most violent and horrific day since the military coup that toppled civilian government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. These killings have come on Armed Forces Day. Military jets also launched airstrikes in territory held by Karen ethnic minority.

On Saturday protesters turned out in Yangon, Mandalay and other towns in the country as they have almost each day since the military coup that took place on February 1.&nbsp;

At least 40 people, including a 13-year-old girl, were killed in Mandalay, and at least 27 people were killed in Yangon, Myanmar Now said. A boy as young as five was earlier reported among the dead in Mandalay but there were conflicting reports later that he may have survived. Another 13-year-old was among the dead in the central Sagaing region.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gunshots-fired-at-us-cultural-centre-in-myanmar-says-embassy-373689">Gunshots fired at US cultural centre in Myanmar, says embassy&nbsp;</a>

A military spokesman did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment on the killings by security forces, the air strikes or the insurgent attack on its post.

"They are killing us like birds or chickens, even in our homes," said Thu Ya Zaw in the central town of Myingyan, where at least two protesters were killed. "We will keep protesting regardless... We must fight until the junta falls."

Strong international backlash

"On Myanmar's Armed Forces Day, security forces are murdering unarmed civilians..." said US Ambassador Thomas Vajda in his statement.

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"On Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day, security forces are murdering unarmed civilians, including children, the very people they swore to protect. This bloodshed is horrifying. These are not the actions of a professional military or police force." Full statement by Ambassador Vajda: <a href="https://t.co/7Gh2OTXEOe">pic.twitter.com/7Gh2OTXEOe</a>
— U.S. Embassy Burma (@USEmbassyBurma) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassyBurma/status/1375791495316393987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"Today’s killing of unarmed civilians, including children, marks a new low," he said while retweeting a statement from the British Ambassador. "We will work with our international partners to end this senseless violence, hold those responsible to account, and secure a path back to democracy." said British foreign minister Dominic Raab as he retweeted statement from British Ambassador in Myanmar

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Today’s killing of unarmed civilians, including children, marks a new low. We will work with our international partners to end this senseless violence, hold those responsible to account, and secure a path back to democracy. <a href="https://t.co/PfHZ3xipzt">https://t.co/PfHZ3xipzt</a>
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) <a href="https://twitter.com/DominicRaab/status/1375817565180731396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Shocking violence against #Myanmar’s people by its military on #ArmedForcesDay. We are receiving reports of scores killed, incl. children, 100s injured across 40 locations, &amp; mass arrests. This violence is compounding the illegitimacy of the coup &amp; the culpability of its leaders," tweeted United Nations Human Rights office.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shocking violence against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Myanmar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Myanmar</a>’s people by its military on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArmedForcesDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArmedForcesDay</a>. We are receiving reports of scores killed, incl. children, 100s injured across 40 locations, &amp; mass arrests. This violence is compounding the illegitimacy of the coup &amp; the culpability of its leaders. <a href="https://t.co/ifgpXSqG8e">pic.twitter.com/ifgpXSqG8e</a>
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNHumanRights/status/1375798480468389888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Russia is a true friend"

Senior general Min Aung Hlaing, junta leader called Russia a "true friend" on Armed Forces Day. He was speaking at the parade in capital Naypitaw

Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin attended the parade in Naypyitaw, having met senior junta leaders a day earlier.

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In his speech, Min Aung Hlaing reiterated promise to hold elections, without giving any time-frame.

"The army seeks to join hands with the entire nation to safeguard democracy," he said in a live broadcast on state television. "Violent acts that affect stability and security in order to make demands are inappropriate."

The military has said it took power because November elections won by Suu Kyi's party were fraudulent, an assertion dismissed by the country's election commission. Suu Kyi remains in detention at an undisclosed location and many other figures in her party are also in custody.

(With Reuters inputs)

Myanmar security forces killed 114 people on Saturday (March 27), as per news reports and witnesses. This makes Saturday the most violent and horrific day since the military coup that toppled civilian government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar security forces killed 114 people on Saturday (March 27), as per news reports and witnesses. This makes Saturday the most violent and horrific day since the military coup that toppled civilian government headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. These killings have come on Armed Forces Day. Military jets also launched airstrikes in territory held by Karen ethnic minority. On Saturday protesters turned out in Yangon, Mandalay and other towns in the country as they have almost each day since the military coup that took place on February 1. At least 40 people, including a 13-year-old girl, were killed in Mandalay, and at least 27 people were killed in Yangon, Myanmar Now said. A boy as young as five was earlier reported among the dead in Mandalay but there were conflicting reports later that he may have survived. Another 13-year-old was among the dead in the central Sagaing region. Also Read | Gunshots fired at US cultural centre in Myanmar, says embassy A military spokesman did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment on the killings by security forces, the air strikes or the insurgent attack on its post. "They are killing us like birds or chickens, even in our homes," said Thu Ya Zaw in the central town of Myingyan, where at least two protesters were killed. "We will keep protesting regardless... We must fight until the junta falls." Strong international backlash "On Myanmar's Armed Forces Day, security forces are murdering unarmed civilians..." said US Ambassador Thomas Vajda in his statement. "On Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day, security forces are murdering unarmed civilians, including children, the very people they swore to protect. This bloodshed is horrifying. These are not the actions of a professional military or police force." Full statement by Ambassador Vajda: pic.twitter.com/7Gh2OTXEOe — U.S. Embassy Burma (@USEmbassyBurma) March 27, 2021 × "Today’s killing of unarmed civilians, including children, marks a new low," he said while retweeting a statement from the British Ambassador. "We will work with our international partners to end this senseless violence, hold those responsible to account, and secure a path back to democracy." said British foreign minister Dominic Raab as he retweeted statement from British Ambassador in Myanmar Today’s killing of unarmed civilians, including children, marks a new low. We will work with our international partners to end this senseless violence, hold those responsible to account, and secure a path back to democracy. https://t.co/PfHZ3xipzt — Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) March 27, 2021 × "Shocking violence against #Myanmar’s people by its military on #ArmedForcesDay. We are receiving reports of scores killed, incl. children, 100s injured across 40 locations, & mass arrests. This violence is compounding the illegitimacy of the coup & the culpability of its leaders," tweeted United Nations Human Rights office. Shocking violence against #Myanmar’s people by its military on #ArmedForcesDay. We are receiving reports of scores killed, incl. children, 100s injured across 40 locations, & mass arrests. This violence is compounding the illegitimacy of the coup & the culpability of its leaders. pic.twitter.com/ifgpXSqG8e — UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) March 27, 2021 × "Russia is a true friend" Senior general Min Aung Hlaing, junta leader called Russia a "true friend" on Armed Forces Day. He was speaking at the parade in capital Naypitaw Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin attended the parade in Naypyitaw, having met senior junta leaders a day earlier. × In his speech, Min Aung Hlaing reiterated promise to hold elections, without giving any time-frame. "The army seeks to join hands with the entire nation to safeguard democracy," he said in a live broadcast on state television. "Violent acts that affect stability and security in order to make demands are inappropriate." The military has said it took power because November elections won by Suu Kyi's party were fraudulent, an assertion dismissed by the country's election commission. Suu Kyi remains in detention at an undisclosed location and many other figures in her party are also in custody. (With Reuters inputs)

Myanmar: Over 100 protesters killed by security forces in single day

Myanmar: Security forces kill more than 100 in single day

The sacred intersection where George Floyd died beneath the knee of a police officer has seen such an increase in violence that food delivery drivers are afraid to venture there. There have been gunbattles, with bloodied shooting victims dragged to ambulances because of barricades keeping the police and emergency vehicles away.

“Having no police: This is the experiment right here,” said P.J. Hill, a leader of Worldwide Outreach for Christ, a church that has been on that corner in Minneapolis for almost 40 years. “This is their one-block experiment.”

Residents all over town still complain of officers using excessive force, like during a recent confrontation in which a white officer appeared to wind up and punch a Black teenager. And officers accuse some community members of antagonizing them, like in a recent dispute over a homeless encampment that erupted into a melee with punches and pepper spray.

Ten months ago, Minneapolis, and the country, seemed to coalesce around the belief that policing needed an overhaul after gruesome video footage surfaced of the last moments of Floyd’s life. Now, with the murder trial of the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck scheduled to begin Monday, the struggle over what to overhaul and how to do it has left Minneapolis at war with itself over public safety and the role of the police.

A pledge by most City Council members in June to defund and dismantle the Police Department and create a new system of public safety met fierce resistance. It has since given way to a grab bag of efforts that have yet to prove their effectiveness and have left the city fractured.

Looming over everything is a palpable unease over what the 12 jurors will decide in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who is facing second- and third-degree murder charges, as well as manslaughter, after being captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes in May.

Many worry that an acquittal could set back the work that has been done to reform public safety and to attempt healing, and put the city right back where it was last summer with buildings ablaze and the streets roiling with anger.

“People don’t have much faith that he’s going to be convicted,” said pastor Brian Herron of Zion Baptist Church in the neighborhood Near North, the historic heart of Black Minneapolis. “I think there’s hope that he is, but we have seen this movie before. We’ve watched this movie over and over and over again. We can recite the lines.”

Cities all across America last year faced a surge in violence, fueled in part by the economic despair and alienation brought on by the pandemic, criminologists said. Minneapolis was no exception: It saw a 25% increase in homicides, rapes, robberies and assaults.

But home in on the four neighborhoods surrounding George Floyd Square, the name given to the corner where Floyd died, and the story is far bleaker and deadlier. In those areas — Powderhorn Park, Central, Bryant and Bancroft — violent crime shot up by 66% last year, according to statistics from the Police Department. And this year, so far, little has changed.

The area has become something of an autonomous zone, with barriers and signs calling it “the free state of George Floyd.” Police have stayed away for almost a year to avoid inflaming tensions.

Residents and city leaders have tussled over the role that the Police Department’s depleted ranks have played in the violence plaguing the entire city. Around 200 officers have left the force, some temporarily, over the past year, with many taking leave for post-traumatic stress disorder. The City Charter allows for 888 officers, but there are currently 648 on active duty, city officials said.

Supporters of defunding the police have applauded steps to redirect $8 million from the Police Department’s budget, which now sits at about $170 million. Some of those funds have gone to the Office of Violence Prevention, which has seen its budget grow more than fourfold over the past year to about $7 million.

With that money, the office is expanding programs that offer social services, said Sasha Cotton, its director. The office is also developing a program modeled after Cure Violence, a national violence-intervention initiative. The city’s version will consist of six teams of about 15 people, some former gang members, working in communities to settle any simmering disputes that may lead to violence.

The growth in resources won’t make the work any simpler, Cotton said. That’s because the challenges have grown, too: the surge in violence, the pandemic-induced economic hardship, the unease over the trial.

“We’re under a microscope and at an epicenter that no city wants to be in,” she said. “I think that from these challenges there is real growth happening, and that we will come out of it better on the other side. But it’s sort of like that awkward teenage space that people have to go through.”

Pastor Curtis Farrar, who leads Worldwide Outreach for Christ at George Floyd Square, said gang violence had long been a problem in the area, but it had been improving before Floyd was killed and the police pulled back. Now the sounds of gunshots are a constant, and recently workers he has hired to change his church’s windows have refused to come to the area because they feel it is too dangerous.

In many ways, the future of the intersection could turn on the outcome of the trial. For too long, he said, the community has watched police officers kill and get away with it.

“I don’t know if anybody at this point knows how it’s going to be solved unless they see justice as really being blind,” he said. “If they don’t, we’re going to have some serious problems in this community.”

Many officers worry about further unrest, said Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. Officers began leaving the department in droves after the uprising last summer, she said, and morale has only gotten worse. With a staffing shortage, officers have found themselves bouncing from call to call, with little opportunity to engage with the community, she said. Even the members of the community engagement team have been reassigned to different jobs to help make up for the patrol shortage, she said.

Officers are expected to have to work 12-hour shifts once the trial reaches closing arguments, Schmidt added.

“The biggest thing for our cops right now is they feel no support,” she said. “So every day, they come in and it’s like, ‘Oh, what are we going to be scrutinized for today?’”

Some longtime civil rights activists have been critical of the police, but they have also criticized the way that supporters of the defund movement have tried to effect change. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer, said the defund movement is nothing more than “catchy slogans and catchphrases.” She said that last summer she warned Jeremiah Ellison, a City Council member supporting efforts to dismantle the Police Department, that it would lead to only chaos.

“You’re going to turn Minneapolis into the wild, Wild West,” she recalled telling him.

But Ellison said the uptick in violence in the city began long before any money was redirected from the police, and he credited council members for investing in alternatives to policing.

“To do what we’ve done in 10 months,” he said, “as far as city government is concerned, that’s kind of moving at light speed.”

In June, nine council members, a veto-proof majority, stood on a stage in a park behind large block letters that read “Defund Police” and pledged to dismantle the Police Department.

“They stood on a stage in Powderhorn Park in front of the entire nation with a big sign, with 1-million-point font saying, ‘defund the police,’” said Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, calling it an ill-conceived move. He could not support that position, he added, because he did not agree with it and “it wasn’t going to be delivered.”

Many of those members have since backtracked. They proposed a measure last year to change the City Charter to create a Public Safety Department — of which the police would be just one part — that they say would promote a more holistic approach to public safety. That effort has failed, but a new proposal is on track to appear on the ballot this fall. Activists are also gathering signatures to get a measure on the ballot that would perform a similar action.

Though he has disagreed with most council members, Frey has acknowledged the urgency to do something.

“There’s clearly a lot of passion and pain and frustration,” he said.

He has favored working with the police chief, Medaria Arradondo, to establish policy reforms — many of which his critics have said are too incremental.

A number of new policies on the use of force has been put into effect, including requiring officers to intervene when a fellow officer is using impermissible force and requiring greater scrutiny when force is used against someone in handcuffs.

For many residents, though, the policy changes have done nothing to upend what they see as an underlying culture of aggression and disrespect. D.A. Bullock, an activist and a filmmaker who lives in North Minneapolis, recalled recently going to a scene where the police had just shot someone and having officers aggressively tell him to get back.

“I’ve seen a number of interactions between police and residents since George Floyd was murdered, and I can’t, from a practical standpoint, I can’t identify anything that they’re doing differently,” Bullock said. “They still roll up, and they roll up in force. They’re still very much aggressive. I haven’t seen any deescalation tactics.”

Still, if the city feels tense over the continued debate about policing and public safety, there are small signs of racial healing.

One of them is on display every Sunday at Herron’s church, which is predominantly Black. More white faces have been appearing in the pews, he said. It gives Herron hope that even as the city feels these days as if it is under siege — with National Guard troops on the streets, and concrete-and-wire barricades fortifying government buildings downtown — some people, at least, are trying to come together.

“If you look physically, it doesn’t look like much has changed,” he said. “But if you look with spiritual eyes, you see a conversation. You see a movement toward each other, instead of away from each other.”

He continued, “It’s being done organically. We’re not on purpose trying to be a multicultural church. It’s what’s in the atmosphere now.”

The sacred intersection where George Floyd died beneath the knee of a police officer has seen such an increase in violence that food delivery drivers are afraid to venture there.

The sacred intersection where George Floyd died beneath the knee of a police officer has seen such an increase in violence that food delivery drivers are afraid to venture there. There have been gunbattles, with bloodied shooting victims dragged to ambulances because of barricades keeping the police and emergency vehicles away. “Having no police: This is the experiment right here,” said P.J. Hill, a leader of Worldwide Outreach for Christ, a church that has been on that corner in Minneapolis for almost 40 years. “This is their one-block experiment.” Residents all over town still complain of officers using excessive force, like during a recent confrontation in which a white officer appeared to wind up and punch a Black teenager. And officers accuse some community members of antagonizing them, like in a recent dispute over a homeless encampment that erupted into a melee with punches and pepper spray. Ten months ago, Minneapolis, and the country, seemed to coalesce around the belief that policing needed an overhaul after gruesome video footage surfaced of the last moments of Floyd’s life. Now, with the murder trial of the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck scheduled to begin Monday, the struggle over what to overhaul and how to do it has left Minneapolis at war with itself over public safety and the role of the police. A pledge by most City Council members in June to defund and dismantle the Police Department and create a new system of public safety met fierce resistance. It has since given way to a grab bag of efforts that have yet to prove their effectiveness and have left the city fractured. Looming over everything is a palpable unease over what the 12 jurors will decide in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who is facing second- and third-degree murder charges, as well as manslaughter, after being captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes in May. Many worry that an acquittal could set back the work that has been done to reform public safety and to attempt healing, and put the city right back where it was last summer with buildings ablaze and the streets roiling with anger. “People don’t have much faith that he’s going to be convicted,” said pastor Brian Herron of Zion Baptist Church in the neighborhood Near North, the historic heart of Black Minneapolis. “I think there’s hope that he is, but we have seen this movie before. We’ve watched this movie over and over and over again. We can recite the lines.” Cities all across America last year faced a surge in violence, fueled in part by the economic despair and alienation brought on by the pandemic, criminologists said. Minneapolis was no exception: It saw a 25% increase in homicides, rapes, robberies and assaults. But home in on the four neighborhoods surrounding George Floyd Square, the name given to the corner where Floyd died, and the story is far bleaker and deadlier. In those areas — Powderhorn Park, Central, Bryant and Bancroft — violent crime shot up by 66% last year, according to statistics from the Police Department. And this year, so far, little has changed. The area has become something of an autonomous zone, with barriers and signs calling it “the free state of George Floyd.” Police have stayed away for almost a year to avoid inflaming tensions. Residents and city leaders have tussled over the role that the Police Department’s depleted ranks have played in the violence plaguing the entire city. Around 200 officers have left the force, some temporarily, over the past year, with many taking leave for post-traumatic stress disorder. The City Charter allows for 888 officers, but there are currently 648 on active duty, city officials said. Supporters of defunding the police have applauded steps to redirect $8 million from the Police Department’s budget, which now sits at about $170 million. Some of those funds have gone to the Office of Violence Prevention, which has seen its budget grow more than fourfold over the past year to about $7 million. With that money, the office is expanding programs that offer social services, said Sasha Cotton, its director. The office is also developing a program modeled after Cure Violence, a national violence-intervention initiative. The city’s version will consist of six teams of about 15 people, some former gang members, working in communities to settle any simmering disputes that may lead to violence. The growth in resources won’t make the work any simpler, Cotton said. That’s because the challenges have grown, too: the surge in violence, the pandemic-induced economic hardship, the unease over the trial. “We’re under a microscope and at an epicenter that no city wants to be in,” she said. “I think that from these challenges there is real growth happening, and that we will come out of it better on the other side. But it’s sort of like that awkward teenage space that people have to go through.” Pastor Curtis Farrar, who leads Worldwide Outreach for Christ at George Floyd Square, said gang violence had long been a problem in the area, but it had been improving before Floyd was killed and the police pulled back. Now the sounds of gunshots are a constant, and recently workers he has hired to change his church’s windows have refused to come to the area because they feel it is too dangerous. In many ways, the future of the intersection could turn on the outcome of the trial. For too long, he said, the community has watched police officers kill and get away with it. “I don’t know if anybody at this point knows how it’s going to be solved unless they see justice as really being blind,” he said. “If they don’t, we’re going to have some serious problems in this community.” Many officers worry about further unrest, said Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. Officers began leaving the department in droves after the uprising last summer, she said, and morale has only gotten worse. With a staffing shortage, officers have found themselves bouncing from call to call, with little opportunity to engage with the community, she said. Even the members of the community engagement team have been reassigned to different jobs to help make up for the patrol shortage, she said. Officers are expected to have to work 12-hour shifts once the trial reaches closing arguments, Schmidt added. “The biggest thing for our cops right now is they feel no support,” she said. “So every day, they come in and it’s like, ‘Oh, what are we going to be scrutinized for today?’” Some longtime civil rights activists have been critical of the police, but they have also criticized the way that supporters of the defund movement have tried to effect change. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer, said the defund movement is nothing more than “catchy slogans and catchphrases.” She said that last summer she warned Jeremiah Ellison, a City Council member supporting efforts to dismantle the Police Department, that it would lead to only chaos. “You’re going to turn Minneapolis into the wild, Wild West,” she recalled telling him. But Ellison said the uptick in violence in the city began long before any money was redirected from the police, and he credited council members for investing in alternatives to policing. “To do what we’ve done in 10 months,” he said, “as far as city government is concerned, that’s kind of moving at light speed.” In June, nine council members, a veto-proof majority, stood on a stage in a park behind large block letters that read “Defund Police” and pledged to dismantle the Police Department. “They stood on a stage in Powderhorn Park in front of the entire nation with a big sign, with 1-million-point font saying, ‘defund the police,’” said Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, calling it an ill-conceived move. He could not support that position, he added, because he did not agree with it and “it wasn’t going to be delivered.” Many of those members have since backtracked. They proposed a measure last year to change the City Charter to create a Public Safety Department — of which the police would be just one part — that they say would promote a more holistic approach to public safety. That effort has failed, but a new proposal is on track to appear on the ballot this fall. Activists are also gathering signatures to get a measure on the ballot that would perform a similar action. Though he has disagreed with most council members, Frey has acknowledged the urgency to do something. “There’s clearly a lot of passion and pain and frustration,” he said. He has favored working with the police chief, Medaria Arradondo, to establish policy reforms — many of which his critics have said are too incremental. A number of new policies on the use of force has been put into effect, including requiring officers to intervene when a fellow officer is using impermissible force and requiring greater scrutiny when force is used against someone in handcuffs. For many residents, though, the policy changes have done nothing to upend what they see as an underlying culture of aggression and disrespect. D.A. Bullock, an activist and a filmmaker who lives in North Minneapolis, recalled recently going to a scene where the police had just shot someone and having officers aggressively tell him to get back. “I’ve seen a number of interactions between police and residents since George Floyd was murdered, and I can’t, from a practical standpoint, I can’t identify anything that they’re doing differently,” Bullock said. “They still roll up, and they roll up in force. They’re still very much aggressive. I haven’t seen any deescalation tactics.” Still, if the city feels tense over the continued debate about policing and public safety, there are small signs of racial healing. One of them is on display every Sunday at Herron’s church, which is predominantly Black. More white faces have been appearing in the pews, he said. It gives Herron hope that even as the city feels these days as if it is under siege — with National Guard troops on the streets, and concrete-and-wire barricades fortifying government buildings downtown — some people, at least, are trying to come together. “If you look physically, it doesn’t look like much has changed,” he said. “But if you look with spiritual eyes, you see a conversation. You see a movement toward each other, instead of away from each other.” He continued, “It’s being done organically. We’re not on purpose trying to be a multicultural church. It’s what’s in the atmosphere now.”

Ten months after Floyd’s death, Minneapolis residents are at war over policing

Protests erupted in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday as thousands of people demanded government probe into deaths of four youngsters who they alleged were tortured and killed by security forces. The protesters tried to march on the city of Bannu and broke through police blockade.

Police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from entering Bannu.

The protesters were carrying the bodies of the four young men, aged between 15 and 20, found in a shallow grave on March 21 in the town of Jani Khel, outside Bannu.

"The government didn’t pay any attention to us and left us alone to mourn the slain boys," Haji Mohammad Wali, one of the protesters, told Reuters by phone.

Relatives of the dead, alleging they died during interrogation by security forces, held a sit-in in Jani Khel for nearly a week, refusing to bury the bodies until an investigation was opened against an army officer they said was responsible.

A Pakistani military spokesman declined to comment about the incident on Sunday, and the military has not commented publicly on the case.

The central government has not commented on the case.

(With Reuters inputs)

Protests erupted in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday as thousands of people demanded government probe into deaths of four youngsters who they alleged were tortured and killed by security forces.

Protests erupted in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday as thousands of people demanded government probe into deaths of four youngsters who they alleged were tortured and killed by security forces. The protesters tried to march on the city of Bannu and broke through police blockade. Police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from entering Bannu. The protesters were carrying the bodies of the four young men, aged between 15 and 20, found in a shallow grave on March 21 in the town of Jani Khel, outside Bannu. "The government didn’t pay any attention to us and left us alone to mourn the slain boys," Haji Mohammad Wali, one of the protesters, told Reuters by phone. Relatives of the dead, alleging they died during interrogation by security forces, held a sit-in in Jani Khel for nearly a week, refusing to bury the bodies until an investigation was opened against an army officer they said was responsible. A Pakistani military spokesman declined to comment about the incident on Sunday, and the military has not commented publicly on the case. The central government has not commented on the case. (With Reuters inputs)

Pakistan: Thousands protest alleged killing of youngsters by military

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday&nbsp;that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated. He declared this in an interview broadcast.

At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in the northwestern region, according to US and Australian rights groups, which accuse Chinese authorities of forcibly sterilizing women and imposing forced labor.

"A serious negotiation is at the present moment taking place between the Office of the (UN Human Rights) Commissioner and the Chinese authorities," Guterres told Canada's CBC television network.

"I hope that they will reach an agreement soon" to allow a visit "without restrictions or limitations," he added.

Guterres said the Chinese had repeatedly affirmed to him "that they want that mission to take place."

Guterres said he was also following "with concern" the fate of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who are being held prisoner in China on charges of espionage.

(With AFP inputs)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated. He declared this in an interview broadcast. At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in the northwestern region, according to US and Australian rights groups, which accuse Chinese authorities of forcibly sterilizing women and imposing forced labor. "A serious negotiation is at the present moment taking place between the Office of the (UN Human Rights) Commissioner and the Chinese authorities," Guterres told Canada's CBC television network. "I hope that they will reach an agreement soon" to allow a visit "without restrictions or limitations," he added. Guterres said the Chinese had repeatedly affirmed to him "that they want that mission to take place." Guterres said he was also following "with concern" the fate of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who are being held prisoner in China on charges of espionage. (With AFP inputs)

UN negotiating with China for unrestricted Xinjiang visit: Secretary General

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