US agency is investigating Facebook for alleged racial bias in process of hiring and granting promotion at the workplace. The equal employment opportunity commission has designated the problem as systemic. This means the agency suspect that the company policies may be contributing to widespread discrimination.

US agency probes Facebook for alleged racial bias

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The list used internally at Pontins and obtained by the i newspaper included surnames commonly found in Ireland and within the Irish diaspora in Britain, such as Doherty, Gallagher, Murphy, Nolan, O'Brien and O'Connell.&nbsp;

The list was aimed at stopping Gypsies and Irish travellers from staying at Pontins facilities, according to a whistleblower, who contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission.&nbsp;

"It is hard not to draw comparisons with an ‘undesirable guests’ list and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago, explicitly barring Irish people and Black people," said Alastair Pringle, the commission's executive director.&nbsp;

"Banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement."&nbsp;

The whistleblower told the i that while working in the booking department at Pontins, which runs six holiday parks in England and Wales, he was instructed to refuse or cancel bookings requested by customers, whose names were on the list.&nbsp;

Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, the company that owns Pontins, signed a legally binding agreement with the commission in which it pledged to prevent discriminatory practices.&nbsp;

"Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited has agreed to work together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to further enhance its staff training and procedures in order to further promote equality throughout its business," a spokesman said in a statement posted by the Commission.&nbsp;

The company could not immediately be reached for further comment or explanation of the policy.&nbsp;

Irish higher education minister Simon Harris, one of many who reacted to the case in Ireland, said he was saddened and angered.&nbsp;

"As a child, my family and I holidayed in Pontins many times. Childhood memories of a happy place and good times are now replaced by a sense of disgust that such prejudice would exist," he said on Twitter.&nbsp;

A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the list as 'completely unacceptable'.&nbsp;

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday.

A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an 'undesirable guest list' to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday. The list used internally at Pontins and obtained by the i newspaper included surnames commonly found in Ireland and within the Irish diaspora in Britain, such as Doherty, Gallagher, Murphy, Nolan, O'Brien and O'Connell. The list was aimed at stopping Gypsies and Irish travellers from staying at Pontins facilities, according to a whistleblower, who contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission. "It is hard not to draw comparisons with an ‘undesirable guests’ list and the signs displayed in hotel windows 50 years ago, explicitly barring Irish people and Black people," said Alastair Pringle, the commission's executive director. "Banning people from services based on their race is discrimination and is unlawful. To say that such policies are outdated is an understatement." The whistleblower told the i that while working in the booking department at Pontins, which runs six holiday parks in England and Wales, he was instructed to refuse or cancel bookings requested by customers, whose names were on the list. Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited, the company that owns Pontins, signed a legally binding agreement with the commission in which it pledged to prevent discriminatory practices. "Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited has agreed to work together with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to further enhance its staff training and procedures in order to further promote equality throughout its business," a spokesman said in a statement posted by the Commission. The company could not immediately be reached for further comment or explanation of the policy. Irish higher education minister Simon Harris, one of many who reacted to the case in Ireland, said he was saddened and angered. "As a child, my family and I holidayed in Pontins many times. Childhood memories of a happy place and good times are now replaced by a sense of disgust that such prejudice would exist," he said on Twitter. A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the list as 'completely unacceptable'.

UK holiday parks chain blacklisted people with Irish surnames 

Shortly after the premiere of the first episode of “Allen v. Farrow,” an HBO documentary series that reexamines Dylan Farrow’s decades-old sexual abuse allegations against filmmaker Woody Allen, her adoptive father, a spokesperson for Allen released a statement Sunday night slamming the series, calling it a “shoddy hit piece.”

Letty Aronson, Allen’s sister, sent the statement — attributed to a spokesperson — shortly after the first episode aired, on behalf of Allen and Soon-Yi Previn, the filmmaker’s wife and the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow. In 1992, Farrow, Allen’s longtime girlfriend, learned of the relationship between Allen and Previn when Previn was a first-year college student. That relationship is also the subject of scrutiny in the four-part docuseries.

Neither Allen nor Previn participated in the series, but it does include audio excerpts from Allen’s recent memoir, “Apropos of Nothing.”

“These documentarians had no interest in the truth,” the statement said. “Instead, they spent years surreptitiously collaborating with the Farrows and their enablers to put together a hatchet job riddled with falsehoods.”

On Monday, the publisher of Allen’s memoir, Skyhorse, raised another objection to the series: that the filmmakers had used snippets from the audiobook without permission. In a statement, the president and publisher of Skyhorse, Tony Lyons, said that the “unauthorized” use of the audio in the first episode was “clear, willful infringement under existing legal precedent.” 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-after-woody-allen-publisher-threatens-lawsuit-allen-v-farrow-makers-respond-365556" hreflang="en">After Woody Allen publisher threatens lawsuit, 'Allen v. Farrow' makers respond</a>

Lyons said in the statement that the filmmakers did not request permission to use the excerpts and that the publisher learned late last week that the episodes make “extensive” use of the audiobook. The publisher’s lawyer notified HBO on Friday that “if the use of the audiobook were anywhere near what we were hearing, it would constitute copyright infringement,” he said.

The memoir was originally set to be published last year by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group until dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout in protest and the publisher reneged. About two weeks later, his book was published by Arcade Publishing, an imprint of the independent publisher Skyhorse.

In response to the publisher’s objections, an HBO spokesperson provided a statement from the filmmakers, saying, “The creators of ‘Allen v. Farrow’ legally used limited audio excerpts from Woody Allen’s memoir in the series under the Fair Use doctrine.” The doctrine has been invoked to allow artists and journalists — including documentary filmmakers — to use limited amounts of copyrighted works for certain purposes, including using the material to illustrate an argument or to serve as the subject of a critique. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/mia-farrow-says-bringing-woody-allen-into-her-family-is-the-great-regret-of-her-life-365451">Mia Farrow says bringing Woody Allen into family is the 'great regret' of life</a>

Episode 1 includes extensive interviews with Mia Farrow and Dylan Farrow, who accused Allen of sexual assault when she was 7 years old. It also included interviews with family and friends who said that even before Aug. 4, 1992 — the day that Dylan Farrow says Allen assaulted her — they witnessed behavior from Allen toward his daughter that they saw as inappropriate.

Allen has long denied the abuse allegations, arguing that Mia Farrow had coached Dylan to make the allegations after learning about his relationship with Previn.

In Sunday’s statement, Allen continued to deny the claims.

“As has been known for decades, these allegations are categorically false,” the statement said. “Multiple agencies investigated them at the time and found that, whatever Dylan Farrow may have been led to believe, absolutely no abuse had ever taken place.”

In later episodes, the series raises questions about one of those investigations, in particular: a report issued by the Yale Child Sexual Abuse Clinic, at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, which found Dylan uncredible after interviewing the child nine times during a seven-month period. According to the series, all the contemporaneous interview notes from those sessions were destroyed when the final report was issued. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/woody-allen-mia-farrow-soon-yi-previn-dylan-farrow-a-timeline-365343" hreflang="en">Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Soon-Yi Previn, Dylan Farrow: A Timeline</a>

Prosecutors in Connecticut, where Dylan Farrow says that Allen sexually assaulted her, declined to prosecute Allen in 1993. The state’s attorney said that he did so to spare Dylan the trauma of a trial but that he believed she had been molested.

The statement said that Allen and Previn were approached about the documentary less than two months ago and were “given only a matter of days” to respond to it. It also said it was “sadly unsurprising” that HBO was airing the series, considering a production deal it had made with Ronan Farrow, Dylan Farrow’s brother, who has spoken in support of his sister, including in the series. (Ronan Farrow, an investigative journalist who has reported extensively on sexual misconduct, has a deal with HBO to create investigative documentary specials, though he was not on the production team for “Allen v. Farrow.”)

Shortly after the premiere of the first episode of “Allen v. Farrow,” an HBO documentary series that reexamines Dylan Farrow’s decades-old sexual abuse allegations against filmmaker Woody Allen, her adoptive father, a spokesperson for Allen released a statement Sunday night slamming the series, calling it a “shoddy hit piece.

Shortly after the premiere of the first episode of “Allen v. Farrow,” an HBO documentary series that reexamines Dylan Farrow’s decades-old sexual abuse allegations against filmmaker Woody Allen, her adoptive father, a spokesperson for Allen released a statement Sunday night slamming the series, calling it a “shoddy hit piece.” Letty Aronson, Allen’s sister, sent the statement — attributed to a spokesperson — shortly after the first episode aired, on behalf of Allen and Soon-Yi Previn, the filmmaker’s wife and the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow. In 1992, Farrow, Allen’s longtime girlfriend, learned of the relationship between Allen and Previn when Previn was a first-year college student. That relationship is also the subject of scrutiny in the four-part docuseries. Neither Allen nor Previn participated in the series, but it does include audio excerpts from Allen’s recent memoir, “Apropos of Nothing.” “These documentarians had no interest in the truth,” the statement said. “Instead, they spent years surreptitiously collaborating with the Farrows and their enablers to put together a hatchet job riddled with falsehoods.” On Monday, the publisher of Allen’s memoir, Skyhorse, raised another objection to the series: that the filmmakers had used snippets from the audiobook without permission. In a statement, the president and publisher of Skyhorse, Tony Lyons, said that the “unauthorized” use of the audio in the first episode was “clear, willful infringement under existing legal precedent.” Also read: After Woody Allen publisher threatens lawsuit, 'Allen v. Farrow' makers respond Lyons said in the statement that the filmmakers did not request permission to use the excerpts and that the publisher learned late last week that the episodes make “extensive” use of the audiobook. The publisher’s lawyer notified HBO on Friday that “if the use of the audiobook were anywhere near what we were hearing, it would constitute copyright infringement,” he said. The memoir was originally set to be published last year by Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group until dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout in protest and the publisher reneged. About two weeks later, his book was published by Arcade Publishing, an imprint of the independent publisher Skyhorse. In response to the publisher’s objections, an HBO spokesperson provided a statement from the filmmakers, saying, “The creators of ‘Allen v. Farrow’ legally used limited audio excerpts from Woody Allen’s memoir in the series under the Fair Use doctrine.” The doctrine has been invoked to allow artists and journalists — including documentary filmmakers — to use limited amounts of copyrighted works for certain purposes, including using the material to illustrate an argument or to serve as the subject of a critique. Also read: Mia Farrow says bringing Woody Allen into family is the 'great regret' of life Episode 1 includes extensive interviews with Mia Farrow and Dylan Farrow, who accused Allen of sexual assault when she was 7 years old. It also included interviews with family and friends who said that even before Aug. 4, 1992 — the day that Dylan Farrow says Allen assaulted her — they witnessed behavior from Allen toward his daughter that they saw as inappropriate. Allen has long denied the abuse allegations, arguing that Mia Farrow had coached Dylan to make the allegations after learning about his relationship with Previn. In Sunday’s statement, Allen continued to deny the claims. “As has been known for decades, these allegations are categorically false,” the statement said. “Multiple agencies investigated them at the time and found that, whatever Dylan Farrow may have been led to believe, absolutely no abuse had ever taken place.” In later episodes, the series raises questions about one of those investigations, in particular: a report issued by the Yale Child Sexual Abuse Clinic, at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, which found Dylan uncredible after interviewing the child nine times during a seven-month period. According to the series, all the contemporaneous interview notes from those sessions were destroyed when the final report was issued. Also read: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Soon-Yi Previn, Dylan Farrow: A Timeline Prosecutors in Connecticut, where Dylan Farrow says that Allen sexually assaulted her, declined to prosecute Allen in 1993. The state’s attorney said that he did so to spare Dylan the trauma of a trial but that he believed she had been molested. The statement said that Allen and Previn were approached about the documentary less than two months ago and were “given only a matter of days” to respond to it. It also said it was “sadly unsurprising” that HBO was airing the series, considering a production deal it had made with Ronan Farrow, Dylan Farrow’s brother, who has spoken in support of his sister, including in the series. (Ronan Farrow, an investigative journalist who has reported extensively on sexual misconduct, has a deal with HBO to create investigative documentary specials, though he was not on the production team for “Allen v. Farrow.”)

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn call HBO docuseries a 'shoddy hit piece'

To Black Americans in the 1960s who were targeted and harassed by the police, 21-year-old Fred Hampton was an empowering figure.

To the FBI and its director, J. Edgar Hoover, Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, was a radical threat.

Hampton was killed by Chicago police officers early on the morning of Dec. 4, 1969, during a raid on his West Side apartment, which was a block south of the Black Panther Party’s Chicago headquarters. The ambush, and the months of FBI surveillance of Hampton and the Panthers that preceded it, are dramatized in Shaka King’s film “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which began streaming Friday on HBO Max.

 
At the time of Hampton’s death, Chicago was the site of political protests and violent clashes with law enforcement. The infamous trial of the Chicago 7, a court battle that involved seven Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiring to incite riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention (a saga chronicled in Aaron Sorkin’s recent film “The Trial of the Chicago 7”), had been underway for a little over two months.

King, who co-wrote the script with Will Berson, drew mostly from fact while taking viewers inside the Black Panther Party in the months leading up to Hampton’s death, though they took a few dramatic liberties. For instance, the film’s star, Daniel Kaluuya, is a decade older than the 21-year-old Hampton was when he was killed.

Here is a guide to the real-life people, groups and events that feature in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Be warned, there are spoilers, if such a thing is possible when speaking of history.

Who were the Black Panthers?

The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 in Oakland, California, by a pair of Black college students, Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, to oppose police brutality and racism in local neighborhoods. The Panthers, who were known for their military-style black berets, leather jackets and raised-fist salute, believed in removing abusive officers from communities by any means necessary, including armed resistance.

The FBI viewed the Panthers as a radical group capable of galvanizing a militant Black nationalist movement. (Hoover, the bureau’s first director, called the Black Panther Party “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country”). But the Panthers also launched a number of social initiatives: Members ran medical clinics, provided free transportation to prisons for family members of inmates, and started a free breakfast program that fed thousands of schoolchildren.

Who was Fred Hampton?

The charismatic community organizer enjoyed a meteoric rise that took him from campaigning for an integrated community pool and recreational center in his hometown, Maywood, Illinois, to preaching to thousands as the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party.

In 1969, a few months after helping to found the party’s Illinois chapter, the 20-year-old Hampton brokered an alliance he called the Rainbow Coalition, which united the Black Panthers, the Young Patriots (Southern white leftists) and the Young Lords (a Puerto Rican civil and human rights organization) in an effort to combat poverty and racism in their Chicago communities.

Hampton’s rapid ascent through the ranks of the Black Panther Party landed him in the cross hairs of a secret FBI counterintelligence program, known as Cointelpro, that Hoover formed to “expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit or otherwise neutralize the activities of Black nationalist, hate-type organizations.” Targets included both the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Ku Klux Klan. Hoover declared in an internal memo that he sought to prevent the “rise of a ‘messiah’ who could unify and electrify the militant Black nationalist movement.”

Under Cointelpro, the FBI tried a number of tactics to sow discord within the Black Panther Party at the national and local levels, including sending bogus letters to two of its leaders, Eldridge Cleaver and Huey Newton, which claimed that each sought to depose the other. Authorities also arrested Hampton and several other Panthers in an effort to publicly discredit the group.

In the months before the raid on Hampton’s apartment, the Panthers and the police also faced off in two gunbattles: One in July 1969 at the party’s West Side headquarters in which five police officers and three Panthers were injured, and a South Side fight that November that left two officers and one Panther dead.

 
Who was William O’Neal?

At 17, O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield in the movie) already had a criminal record when the FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) tracked him down after he stole a car in 1966. But O’Neal soon took on a new role: FBI informant. Given the choice between facing felony charges or agreeing to infiltrate the Panthers, he opted for the latter: as a security captain in the Illinois Black Panther Party, he infiltrated Hampton’s inner circle.

In 1969, O’Neal sketched a floor plan of Hampton’s West Side apartment, including where everyone slept, which the FBI then shared with the Chicago Police Department, the agency that conducted the fatal raid. But unlike the character in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” the real O’Neal did not see his actions as a betrayal of Hampton or the Panthers. “I had no allegiance to the Panthers,” he recalled in an interview for the PBS docuseries “Eyes on the Prize,” which chronicled the history of the civil rights movement in the United States.

What happened the morning Fred Hampton was killed?

Fourteen Chicago police officers showed up before dawn on Dec. 4, 1969, at Hampton’s apartment, acting on the orders of Edward V. Hanrahan, the Cook County state’s attorney. Over the course of about 10 minutes, more than 80 shots were fired. When the smoke cleared, Hampton, 21, and another party leader, Mark Clark, 22, were dead, and four other Panthers and two police officers were wounded.

At first, the police claimed they killed Hampton in self-defense after people in the apartment began firing shotguns at them as they tried to execute a search warrant for illegal weapons. But ballistics experts determined that only one of the bullets was probably discharged from a weapon belonging to an occupant of the apartment. A federal grand jury investigation also revealed that the “bullet holes” in the apartment’s front door, which officers had cited as evidence that the Panthers had shot at them, were in fact nail holes created by police.

Though the Chicago Police Department had led the raid, the grand jury concluded that it had been coordinated by the FBI as part of Hoover’s mission to cripple the Black Panther Party — and an FBI memo later revealed that the bureau had authorized a bonus payment to O’Neal.

The first federal grand jury declined to indict anyone involved in the raid, and though a subsequent grand jury indicted Hanrahan and the police officers who participated in the shootings, all the charges were dismissed. In 1982, without admitting any wrongdoing, the federal government, the city of Chicago and Cook County agreed to pay $1.85 million to the families of Hampton and Clark and to survivors of the raid.

Clarence M. Kelley, who succeeded Hoover as head of the FBI in 1973, issued a public apology three years later for the bureau’s abuse of power in the “twilight” of Hoover’s career. “Some of those activities were clearly wrong and quite indefensible,” Kelley said. “We most certainly must never allow them to be repeated.”

To Black Americans in the 1960s who were targeted and harassed by the police, 21-year-old Fred Hampton was an empowering figure. To the FBI and its director, J. Edgar Hoover, Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, was a radical threat.

To Black Americans in the 1960s who were targeted and harassed by the police, 21-year-old Fred Hampton was an empowering figure. To the FBI and its director, J. Edgar Hoover, Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, was a radical threat. Hampton was killed by Chicago police officers early on the morning of Dec. 4, 1969, during a raid on his West Side apartment, which was a block south of the Black Panther Party’s Chicago headquarters. The ambush, and the months of FBI surveillance of Hampton and the Panthers that preceded it, are dramatized in Shaka King’s film “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which began streaming Friday on HBO Max. At the time of Hampton’s death, Chicago was the site of political protests and violent clashes with law enforcement. The infamous trial of the Chicago 7, a court battle that involved seven Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiring to incite riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention (a saga chronicled in Aaron Sorkin’s recent film “The Trial of the Chicago 7”), had been underway for a little over two months. King, who co-wrote the script with Will Berson, drew mostly from fact while taking viewers inside the Black Panther Party in the months leading up to Hampton’s death, though they took a few dramatic liberties. For instance, the film’s star, Daniel Kaluuya, is a decade older than the 21-year-old Hampton was when he was killed. Here is a guide to the real-life people, groups and events that feature in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Be warned, there are spoilers, if such a thing is possible when speaking of history. Who were the Black Panthers? The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 in Oakland, California, by a pair of Black college students, Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, to oppose police brutality and racism in local neighborhoods. The Panthers, who were known for their military-style black berets, leather jackets and raised-fist salute, believed in removing abusive officers from communities by any means necessary, including armed resistance. The FBI viewed the Panthers as a radical group capable of galvanizing a militant Black nationalist movement. (Hoover, the bureau’s first director, called the Black Panther Party “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country”). But the Panthers also launched a number of social initiatives: Members ran medical clinics, provided free transportation to prisons for family members of inmates, and started a free breakfast program that fed thousands of schoolchildren. Who was Fred Hampton? The charismatic community organizer enjoyed a meteoric rise that took him from campaigning for an integrated community pool and recreational center in his hometown, Maywood, Illinois, to preaching to thousands as the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party. In 1969, a few months after helping to found the party’s Illinois chapter, the 20-year-old Hampton brokered an alliance he called the Rainbow Coalition, which united the Black Panthers, the Young Patriots (Southern white leftists) and the Young Lords (a Puerto Rican civil and human rights organization) in an effort to combat poverty and racism in their Chicago communities. Hampton’s rapid ascent through the ranks of the Black Panther Party landed him in the cross hairs of a secret FBI counterintelligence program, known as Cointelpro, that Hoover formed to “expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit or otherwise neutralize the activities of Black nationalist, hate-type organizations.” Targets included both the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Ku Klux Klan. Hoover declared in an internal memo that he sought to prevent the “rise of a ‘messiah’ who could unify and electrify the militant Black nationalist movement.” Under Cointelpro, the FBI tried a number of tactics to sow discord within the Black Panther Party at the national and local levels, including sending bogus letters to two of its leaders, Eldridge Cleaver and Huey Newton, which claimed that each sought to depose the other. Authorities also arrested Hampton and several other Panthers in an effort to publicly discredit the group. In the months before the raid on Hampton’s apartment, the Panthers and the police also faced off in two gunbattles: One in July 1969 at the party’s West Side headquarters in which five police officers and three Panthers were injured, and a South Side fight that November that left two officers and one Panther dead. Who was William O’Neal? At 17, O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield in the movie) already had a criminal record when the FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) tracked him down after he stole a car in 1966. But O’Neal soon took on a new role: FBI informant. Given the choice between facing felony charges or agreeing to infiltrate the Panthers, he opted for the latter: as a security captain in the Illinois Black Panther Party, he infiltrated Hampton’s inner circle. In 1969, O’Neal sketched a floor plan of Hampton’s West Side apartment, including where everyone slept, which the FBI then shared with the Chicago Police Department, the agency that conducted the fatal raid. But unlike the character in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” the real O’Neal did not see his actions as a betrayal of Hampton or the Panthers. “I had no allegiance to the Panthers,” he recalled in an interview for the PBS docuseries “Eyes on the Prize,” which chronicled the history of the civil rights movement in the United States. What happened the morning Fred Hampton was killed? Fourteen Chicago police officers showed up before dawn on Dec. 4, 1969, at Hampton’s apartment, acting on the orders of Edward V. Hanrahan, the Cook County state’s attorney. Over the course of about 10 minutes, more than 80 shots were fired. When the smoke cleared, Hampton, 21, and another party leader, Mark Clark, 22, were dead, and four other Panthers and two police officers were wounded. At first, the police claimed they killed Hampton in self-defense after people in the apartment began firing shotguns at them as they tried to execute a search warrant for illegal weapons. But ballistics experts determined that only one of the bullets was probably discharged from a weapon belonging to an occupant of the apartment. A federal grand jury investigation also revealed that the “bullet holes” in the apartment’s front door, which officers had cited as evidence that the Panthers had shot at them, were in fact nail holes created by police. Though the Chicago Police Department had led the raid, the grand jury concluded that it had been coordinated by the FBI as part of Hoover’s mission to cripple the Black Panther Party — and an FBI memo later revealed that the bureau had authorized a bonus payment to O’Neal. The first federal grand jury declined to indict anyone involved in the raid, and though a subsequent grand jury indicted Hanrahan and the police officers who participated in the shootings, all the charges were dismissed. In 1982, without admitting any wrongdoing, the federal government, the city of Chicago and Cook County agreed to pay $1.85 million to the families of Hampton and Clark and to survivors of the raid. Clarence M. Kelley, who succeeded Hoover as head of the FBI in 1973, issued a public apology three years later for the bureau’s abuse of power in the “twilight” of Hoover’s career. “Some of those activities were clearly wrong and quite indefensible,” Kelley said. “We most certainly must never allow them to be repeated.”

'Judas and the Black Messiah': What to know about this much-talked about film

Germany has decided to make up for decades of discrimination that the LGBTQ community serving in the country's army. The cabinet has approved legislation that will provide compensation to gay servicepeople.

This decision has been taken months after the country's Defence Ministry published a study that talked about the systematic discrimination faced by the LGBTQ community in&nbsp;the Bundeswehr — the military of West Germany and since 1990 of reunited Germany — from 1955 until 2000. The Defence Minister&nbsp;Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer had also issued an apology to the whole community, on behalf of the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-accuses-turkey-of-obstructing-libya-peace-344921/amp">Germany accuses Turkey of obstructing Libya peace</a>

It was revealed in the study that the "same-sex orientation was viewed as a security risk in the Bundeswehr until the turn of the millennium and made a career as an officer or noncommissioned officer impossible."&nbsp;

As per the newly-approved legislation, the affected soldiers will be&nbsp;rehabilitated and the legislation will be, hopefully,&nbsp;lifting of military court verdicts imposed for consensual gay sex, with 3,000 euros ($3,560) in compensation being paid for each of those verdicts. The ministry will also fight for the soldiers who were dismissed and denied opportunities and promotions.

Also watch|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germanys-stronger-than-expected-rebound-345246">Germany's Stronger than expected rebound</a>

“I know that we can't make up for the personal injustice they suffered but, with the lifting of verdicts and the payment of lump-sum compensation, we want to send a signal — a small signal — of redress, to restore the dignity of these people who wanted nothing other than to serve Germany,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said.

The discrimination had come to light when the&nbsp;country's defence minister in 2000,&nbsp;Rudolf Scharping, raised his voice against the decision of removing an officer due to his sexual orientation. Scharping had said, "homosexuality does not constitute grounds for restrictions in terms of assignment or status and thus also is not a suitability criterion to be examined separately."

The legislation still needs approval from the German parliament, which the Defence Minister hopes will be provided keeping in mind the years of discrimination the community has faced.

Germany has decided to make up for decades of discrimination that the LGBTQ community serving in the country's army. The cabinet has approved legislation that will provide compensation to gay servicepeople.

Germany has decided to make up for decades of discrimination that the LGBTQ community serving in the country's army. The cabinet has approved legislation that will provide compensation to gay servicepeople. This decision has been taken months after the country's Defence Ministry published a study that talked about the systematic discrimination faced by the LGBTQ community in the Bundeswehr — the military of West Germany and since 1990 of reunited Germany — from 1955 until 2000. The Defence Minister Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer had also issued an apology to the whole community, on behalf of the country. Also read: Germany accuses Turkey of obstructing Libya peace It was revealed in the study that the "same-sex orientation was viewed as a security risk in the Bundeswehr until the turn of the millennium and made a career as an officer or noncommissioned officer impossible." As per the newly-approved legislation, the affected soldiers will be rehabilitated and the legislation will be, hopefully, lifting of military court verdicts imposed for consensual gay sex, with 3,000 euros ($3,560) in compensation being paid for each of those verdicts. The ministry will also fight for the soldiers who were dismissed and denied opportunities and promotions. Also watch| Germany's Stronger than expected rebound “I know that we can't make up for the personal injustice they suffered but, with the lifting of verdicts and the payment of lump-sum compensation, we want to send a signal — a small signal — of redress, to restore the dignity of these people who wanted nothing other than to serve Germany,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said. The discrimination had come to light when the country's defence minister in 2000, Rudolf Scharping, raised his voice against the decision of removing an officer due to his sexual orientation. Scharping had said, "homosexuality does not constitute grounds for restrictions in terms of assignment or status and thus also is not a suitability criterion to be examined separately." The legislation still needs approval from the German parliament, which the Defence Minister hopes will be provided keeping in mind the years of discrimination the community has faced.

German army to compensate LGBTQ community for years of discrimination

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No&nbsp;1.

Polgar, the only woman to ever be ranked in the Top 10 or to play for the overall world championship, retired from competitive chess in 2014. Watching the series, which she described as an “incredible performance,” gave her a sense of déjà vu, particularly in the later episodes.

But there was one respect in which she could not identify with Beth’s experience: how the male competitors treated her.

“They were too nice to her,” Polgar said. When Polgar was proving herself and rising in the world rankings, the men often made disparaging comments about her ability and sometimes jokes, which they thought were funny but were actually hurtful, she said.

And no one ever resigned to her, as Shapkin did to Beth in Episode 7 by gallantly holding her hand near his lips.

“There were opponents who refused to shake hands,” she recalled. “There was one who hit his head on the board after he lost.”

Not every woman has had negative experiences. Irina Krush, who won her eighth US&nbsp;Women’s Championship last month, said she felt as if the chess community and men in particular were supportive of her when she was an up-and-coming player. She said of the series, “The spirit of what they are showing conforms to my experience.”

Whether what happens to Beth is typical or not, the popularity of 'The Queen’s Gambit' has inspired anew a debate about inequality and sexism in chess and what, if anything, can be done about them.

Though chess would seem like one area where men and women should be able to compete on equal footing, historically, few women have been able to do so. Among the more than 1,700 regular grandmasters worldwide, only 37, including Polgar and Krush, are women. Currently, only one woman, Hou Yifan of China, ranks in the Top 100, at No&nbsp;88, and she has been playing infrequently, even before the pandemic.

The superiority of men in the game is so well established that the best female players have freely acknowledged it. In a recent issue of Mint, in an article titled 'Why Women Lose at Chess,' Koneru Humpy, an Indian player currently ranked No&nbsp;3 among women, said men are just better players. “It’s proven,” she said. “You have to accept it.”

The dearth of women at the top of the game is one reason that there are separate tournaments for women, including a world championship; the World Chess Federation even created titles for women, such as women grandmaster.

Having such institutionalized, second-class status might seem like a bad idea, but not according to Anastasiya Karlovich, a grandmaster who was the press officer for the World Chess Federation for several years. She said the women’s titles permit more female players to earn a living as professionals, thereby increasing their participation in the game.

Karlovich said the Netflix show has helped her indirectly: It has made the parents of her chess students look at her differently.

“They have more respect for me. They understand better the life of a player,” she said.

While some men have speculated that the reason there are so few top female players is because they are not wired for it — Kasparov once said that it is not in their nature — women think the overriding reason is cultural expectations and bias.

Krush said the cultural cleaving between boys and girls happens at a young age. Scrolling through lists of the top players in the United States who are 7, 8 and 9, Krush pointed out that there are only a handful of girls in the Top 10.

That creates and reinforces another problem that discourages women’s participation: too few social contacts. Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. women’s champion who has written two books about women in chess ('Chess Bitch' and 'Play Like a Girl!') and is the women’s program director at the US Chess Federation, said teenage girls tend to stop playing chess because there are so few of them and they want the social support. That Beth is a loner is likely an important reason she does not quit playing in tournaments.

Of 74,000 members in total, the US Chess Federation said it has about 10,500 female members. Shahade wants to increase that number, as well as their participation. To that end, she and the federation started an online chess club in April to keep female players engaged during the pandemic. In the last few weeks, there have been between 80 and 140 participants, with quite a few older players. The last meeting also had a special guest: Kasparov, who has become a big booster of women’s chess since his retirement from competition in 2005. He was also a consultant on the Netflix series.

To keep the momentum going, Shahade is launching a new online group called the “Madwoman’s Book Club.” The title refers to a pejorative name used for the queen in the 15th and 16th centuries after it became the most powerful piece on the board. The first meeting, this Friday, already has 100 people signed up.

The subject of the discussion should come as no surprise: 'The Queen’s Gambit'&nbsp;by Walter Tevis, the book on which the Netflix series is based. 
&nbsp;

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No 1.

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No 1. Polgar, the only woman to ever be ranked in the Top 10 or to play for the overall world championship, retired from competitive chess in 2014. Watching the series, which she described as an “incredible performance,” gave her a sense of déjà vu, particularly in the later episodes. But there was one respect in which she could not identify with Beth’s experience: how the male competitors treated her. “They were too nice to her,” Polgar said. When Polgar was proving herself and rising in the world rankings, the men often made disparaging comments about her ability and sometimes jokes, which they thought were funny but were actually hurtful, she said. And no one ever resigned to her, as Shapkin did to Beth in Episode 7 by gallantly holding her hand near his lips. “There were opponents who refused to shake hands,” she recalled. “There was one who hit his head on the board after he lost.” Not every woman has had negative experiences. Irina Krush, who won her eighth US Women’s Championship last month, said she felt as if the chess community and men in particular were supportive of her when she was an up-and-coming player. She said of the series, “The spirit of what they are showing conforms to my experience.” Whether what happens to Beth is typical or not, the popularity of 'The Queen’s Gambit' has inspired anew a debate about inequality and sexism in chess and what, if anything, can be done about them. Though chess would seem like one area where men and women should be able to compete on equal footing, historically, few women have been able to do so. Among the more than 1,700 regular grandmasters worldwide, only 37, including Polgar and Krush, are women. Currently, only one woman, Hou Yifan of China, ranks in the Top 100, at No 88, and she has been playing infrequently, even before the pandemic. The superiority of men in the game is so well established that the best female players have freely acknowledged it. In a recent issue of Mint, in an article titled 'Why Women Lose at Chess,' Koneru Humpy, an Indian player currently ranked No 3 among women, said men are just better players. “It’s proven,” she said. “You have to accept it.” The dearth of women at the top of the game is one reason that there are separate tournaments for women, including a world championship; the World Chess Federation even created titles for women, such as women grandmaster. Having such institutionalized, second-class status might seem like a bad idea, but not according to Anastasiya Karlovich, a grandmaster who was the press officer for the World Chess Federation for several years. She said the women’s titles permit more female players to earn a living as professionals, thereby increasing their participation in the game. Karlovich said the Netflix show has helped her indirectly: It has made the parents of her chess students look at her differently. “They have more respect for me. They understand better the life of a player,” she said. While some men have speculated that the reason there are so few top female players is because they are not wired for it — Kasparov once said that it is not in their nature — women think the overriding reason is cultural expectations and bias. Krush said the cultural cleaving between boys and girls happens at a young age. Scrolling through lists of the top players in the United States who are 7, 8 and 9, Krush pointed out that there are only a handful of girls in the Top 10. That creates and reinforces another problem that discourages women’s participation: too few social contacts. Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. women’s champion who has written two books about women in chess ('Chess Bitch' and 'Play Like a Girl!') and is the women’s program director at the US Chess Federation, said teenage girls tend to stop playing chess because there are so few of them and they want the social support. That Beth is a loner is likely an important reason she does not quit playing in tournaments. Of 74,000 members in total, the US Chess Federation said it has about 10,500 female members. Shahade wants to increase that number, as well as their participation. To that end, she and the federation started an online chess club in April to keep female players engaged during the pandemic. In the last few weeks, there have been between 80 and 140 participants, with quite a few older players. The last meeting also had a special guest: Kasparov, who has become a big booster of women’s chess since his retirement from competition in 2005. He was also a consultant on the Netflix series. To keep the momentum going, Shahade is launching a new online group called the “Madwoman’s Book Club.” The title refers to a pejorative name used for the queen in the 15th and 16th centuries after it became the most powerful piece on the board. The first meeting, this Friday, already has 100 people signed up. The subject of the discussion should come as no surprise: 'The Queen’s Gambit' by Walter Tevis, the book on which the Netflix series is based.

How 'The Queen's Gambit' started a new debate about sexism in chess

One thing that has become crucial in the 2020 Election campaign is The State of Race relations in America. Susan Tehrani brings you a ground report on the deep racial division in America before Election Day.

A reckoning with racism & discrimination

A Hong Kong court's decision to uphold a compulsory rule for migrant domestic workers to live with their employers drew criticism on Tuesday from labour rights advocates, who said it exposed foreign maids to conditions akin to modern slavery.

The live-in rule for Hong Kong's 370,000 domestic workers, mostly women from poor families in the Philippines and Indonesia, has long been denounced as discriminatory and inhumane - essentially putting employees on call 24 hours a day.

Monday's court ruling responded to a challenge to the requirement that was filed three years ago by Filipino Nancy Lubiano. She argued that the rule was unconstitutional and violated her labour rights.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/hong-kong-leader-says-12-detained-activists-should-first-be-tried-by-china-329399" hreflang="en">Hong Kong leader says 12 detained activists should first be tried by China</a>

But the Court of Appeal rejected her argument, and upheld a previous ruling by a lower court that found the live-in arrangement did not directly lead to exploitation.

"This is really outrageous and unacceptable," said Dolores Balladares, chairwoman of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong, which represents domestic workers from the Philippines.

"The decision is discriminatory to migrant domestic workers. It shows we are treated like second-class citizen, as modern-day slaves," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

Labour groups have warned that the rule could deter the reporting of forced labour, which one in six migrant domestic workers in the city has suffered, according to a 2016 study by campaign group Justice Centre Hong Kong.

The government of the semi-autonomous Chinese city said it was "pleased" with the ruling reaffirming the live-in requirement as lawful.

Migrant domestic workers are aware of the accommodation arrangement before they accept jobs in the city, a government spokesman said in a statement, adding that authorities spare "no effort in safeguarding the rights and benefits" of the group.

Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of the Mission for Migrant Workers charity, said the live-in rule was discriminatory because it only applies to foreign domestic workers - pushing some into appalling living conditions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/cannabis-coffee-in-this-hong-kong-cafe-makes-you-relaxed-without-giving-a-high-328955" hreflang="en">Cannabis coffee in this Hong Kong cafe makes you relaxed without giving a high</a>

A 2017 survey carried out by her organisation found nearly half of foreign domestic workers did not have their own room, with some forced to sleep in kitchens or balconies in cramped apartments.

"They live in cupboards, toilets or in cubbyholes above the refrigerator or oven - whatever they can fit in. In some extreme cases, they live in what look like dog houses," Abdon-Tellez said.

Domestic workers generally have better protection in Hong Kong than elsewhere in Asia, with a legal minimum wage and one mandatory rest day per week.

But the mistreatment of maids in the financial hub has come under scrutiny since the 2014 case of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, an Indonesian maid beaten by her employer and burned with boiling water.

&nbsp;

A Hong Kong court's decision to uphold a compulsory rule for migrant domestic workers to live with their employers drew criticism on Tuesday from labour rights advocates, who said it exposed foreign maids to conditions akin to modern slavery.

A Hong Kong court's decision to uphold a compulsory rule for migrant domestic workers to live with their employers drew criticism on Tuesday from labour rights advocates, who said it exposed foreign maids to conditions akin to modern slavery. The live-in rule for Hong Kong's 370,000 domestic workers, mostly women from poor families in the Philippines and Indonesia, has long been denounced as discriminatory and inhumane - essentially putting employees on call 24 hours a day. Monday's court ruling responded to a challenge to the requirement that was filed three years ago by Filipino Nancy Lubiano. She argued that the rule was unconstitutional and violated her labour rights. Also read: Hong Kong leader says 12 detained activists should first be tried by China But the Court of Appeal rejected her argument, and upheld a previous ruling by a lower court that found the live-in arrangement did not directly lead to exploitation. "This is really outrageous and unacceptable," said Dolores Balladares, chairwoman of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong, which represents domestic workers from the Philippines. "The decision is discriminatory to migrant domestic workers. It shows we are treated like second-class citizen, as modern-day slaves," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. Labour groups have warned that the rule could deter the reporting of forced labour, which one in six migrant domestic workers in the city has suffered, according to a 2016 study by campaign group Justice Centre Hong Kong. The government of the semi-autonomous Chinese city said it was "pleased" with the ruling reaffirming the live-in requirement as lawful. Migrant domestic workers are aware of the accommodation arrangement before they accept jobs in the city, a government spokesman said in a statement, adding that authorities spare "no effort in safeguarding the rights and benefits" of the group. Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of the Mission for Migrant Workers charity, said the live-in rule was discriminatory because it only applies to foreign domestic workers - pushing some into appalling living conditions. Also read: Cannabis coffee in this Hong Kong cafe makes you relaxed without giving a high A 2017 survey carried out by her organisation found nearly half of foreign domestic workers did not have their own room, with some forced to sleep in kitchens or balconies in cramped apartments. "They live in cupboards, toilets or in cubbyholes above the refrigerator or oven - whatever they can fit in. In some extreme cases, they live in what look like dog houses," Abdon-Tellez said. Domestic workers generally have better protection in Hong Kong than elsewhere in Asia, with a legal minimum wage and one mandatory rest day per week. But the mistreatment of maids in the financial hub has come under scrutiny since the 2014 case of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, an Indonesian maid beaten by her employer and burned with boiling water.

Anger as Hong Kong court keeps 'discriminatory' live-in rule for migrant maids

Facebook Inc has not done enough to fight discrimination on its platform and some of its decisions were setbacks for civil rights, according to an independent audit commissioned by the company, the New York Times reported.

The auditors' findings are likely to add further pressure to the company which is already facing a boycott by some 900 advertisers, including major brands such as Coca-Cola, over what civil rights campaigners say is its promotion of hate speech.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/technology/facebook-boycott-leaders-disappointed-after-meeting-with-ceo-zuckerberg-311586" hreflang="en">Facebook boycott leaders 'disappointed' after meeting with CEO Zuckerberg</a>

"Many in the civil rights community have become disheartened, frustrated and angry after years of engagement where they implored the company to do more to advance equality and fight discrimination, while also safeguarding free expression," the auditors wrote, according to the Times, which said it had obtained a prepublication report of the findings.

Facebook commissioned Laura Murphy, a former director of the American Civil Liberties Union's legislative office, to lead the audit of its civil rights policies in 2018. It was responding to a range of criticisms over issues such as data privacy, voter suppression, incitement of violence and a lack of transparency in political advertising.

A Facebook spokesperson said the audit "has been a deep analysis of how we can strengthen and advance civil rights at every level of our company – but it is the beginning of the journey, not the end.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/technology/facebook-google-twitter-block-hong-kong-govt-from-accessing-user-data-311243" hreflang="en">Facebook, Google, Twitter block Hong Kong govt from accessing user data</a>

"What has become increasingly clear is that we have a long way to go. As hard as it has been to have our shortcomings exposed by experts, it has undoubtedly been a really important process for our company.”

The auditors said Facebook had been too willing to exempt politicians from abiding by its rules, allowing them to spread misinformation, harmful and divisive rhetoric, and even calls to violence.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/danger-to-society-vietnam-jails-man-for-8-years-citing-facebook-posts-critical-of-government-311367" hreflang="en">'Danger to society': Vietnam jails man for 8 years citing Facebook posts critical of government</a>

Facebook has taken a hands-off approach to political speech compared to rivals, notably leaving untouched a post by President Donald Trump in May which its rival Twitter flagged as an incitement to violence.

Organizers of the advertising boycott, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the NAACP, met for more than an hour via video conference with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg on Tuesday. After the meeting, activists said they saw "no commitment to action" from the company.

Facebook Inc has not done enough to fight discrimination on its platform and some of its decisions were setbacks for civil rights, according to an independent audit commissioned by the company, the New York Times reported.

Facebook Inc has not done enough to fight discrimination on its platform and some of its decisions were setbacks for civil rights, according to an independent audit commissioned by the company, the New York Times reported. The auditors' findings are likely to add further pressure to the company which is already facing a boycott by some 900 advertisers, including major brands such as Coca-Cola, over what civil rights campaigners say is its promotion of hate speech. Also read: Facebook boycott leaders 'disappointed' after meeting with CEO Zuckerberg "Many in the civil rights community have become disheartened, frustrated and angry after years of engagement where they implored the company to do more to advance equality and fight discrimination, while also safeguarding free expression," the auditors wrote, according to the Times, which said it had obtained a prepublication report of the findings. Facebook commissioned Laura Murphy, a former director of the American Civil Liberties Union's legislative office, to lead the audit of its civil rights policies in 2018. It was responding to a range of criticisms over issues such as data privacy, voter suppression, incitement of violence and a lack of transparency in political advertising. A Facebook spokesperson said the audit "has been a deep analysis of how we can strengthen and advance civil rights at every level of our company – but it is the beginning of the journey, not the end. Also read: Facebook, Google, Twitter block Hong Kong govt from accessing user data "What has become increasingly clear is that we have a long way to go. As hard as it has been to have our shortcomings exposed by experts, it has undoubtedly been a really important process for our company.” The auditors said Facebook had been too willing to exempt politicians from abiding by its rules, allowing them to spread misinformation, harmful and divisive rhetoric, and even calls to violence. Also read: 'Danger to society': Vietnam jails man for 8 years citing Facebook posts critical of government Facebook has taken a hands-off approach to political speech compared to rivals, notably leaving untouched a post by President Donald Trump in May which its rival Twitter flagged as an incitement to violence. Organizers of the advertising boycott, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the NAACP, met for more than an hour via video conference with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg on Tuesday. After the meeting, activists said they saw "no commitment to action" from the company.

Facebook not doing enough to fight discrimination, audit says

California regulators sued Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating against an Indian-American employee and allowing him to be harassed by two managers because he was from a lower Indian caste than them.

US employment law does not specifically bar caste-based discrimination, but California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing contends in the lawsuit that the Hindu faith’s lingering caste system is based on protected classes such as religion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepalese-govt-forms-high-level-committee-to-investigate-dalit-killings-over-arranged-marriage-dispute-305934">Also read:&nbsp;Nepalese govt forms high-level committee to investigate Dalit killings over arranged marriage dispute</a>

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Jose, does not name the alleged victim. It states he has been a principal engineer at Cisco’s San Jose headquarters since October 2015 and that he was born at the bottom of caste hierarchy as a Dalit, once called “untouchables.”

Like other large Silicon Valley employers, Cisco’s workforce includes thousands of Indian immigrants, most of whom were born Brahmins or other high castes.

Former Cisco engineering managers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella also are defendants in the lawsuit, which accuses them of harassment for internally enforcing the caste hierarchy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-issues-statement-after-alleged-casteist-remark-on-yuvzendra-chahal-303644">Also read:&nbsp;Yuvraj Singh issues statement after alleged casteist remark on Yuvzendra Chahal</a>

\Cisco spokeswoman Robyn Blum said the network gear maker followed its process to investigate employee concerns in this case and would “vigorously defend itself” against the lawsuit.

“Cisco is committed to an inclusive workplace for all,” she said. “We were fully in compliance with all laws as well as our own policies.”

Iyer and Kompella did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately known if the two have retained attorneys.

The civil rights group Equality Labs in a 2018 report cited in the lawsuit found that 67% of Dalits surveyed felt treated unfairly at their US workplaces.

At Cisco, the unnamed employee reported Iyer to human resources in November 2016 for outing him as a Dalit to colleagues. Iyer allegedly retaliated, but Cisco determined caste discrimination was not illegal and issues continued through 2018, the lawsuit states.

Cisco reassigned and isolated the employee, rejected a raise and opportunities that would have led to one and denied two promotions, according to the lawsuit.

Hindus traditionally grouped people into four major castes based on ancestry, and Dalits in India still struggle with access to education and jobs 65 years after India banned caste-based discrimination.

California regulators sued Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating against an Indian-American employee and allowing him to be harassed by two managers because he was from a lower Indian caste than them.

California regulators sued Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating against an Indian-American employee and allowing him to be harassed by two managers because he was from a lower Indian caste than them. US employment law does not specifically bar caste-based discrimination, but California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing contends in the lawsuit that the Hindu faith’s lingering caste system is based on protected classes such as religion. Also read: Nepalese govt forms high-level committee to investigate Dalit killings over arranged marriage dispute The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Jose, does not name the alleged victim. It states he has been a principal engineer at Cisco’s San Jose headquarters since October 2015 and that he was born at the bottom of caste hierarchy as a Dalit, once called “untouchables.” Like other large Silicon Valley employers, Cisco’s workforce includes thousands of Indian immigrants, most of whom were born Brahmins or other high castes. Former Cisco engineering managers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella also are defendants in the lawsuit, which accuses them of harassment for internally enforcing the caste hierarchy. Also read: Yuvraj Singh issues statement after alleged casteist remark on Yuvzendra Chahal \Cisco spokeswoman Robyn Blum said the network gear maker followed its process to investigate employee concerns in this case and would “vigorously defend itself” against the lawsuit. “Cisco is committed to an inclusive workplace for all,” she said. “We were fully in compliance with all laws as well as our own policies.” Iyer and Kompella did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately known if the two have retained attorneys. The civil rights group Equality Labs in a 2018 report cited in the lawsuit found that 67% of Dalits surveyed felt treated unfairly at their US workplaces. At Cisco, the unnamed employee reported Iyer to human resources in November 2016 for outing him as a Dalit to colleagues. Iyer allegedly retaliated, but Cisco determined caste discrimination was not illegal and issues continued through 2018, the lawsuit states. Cisco reassigned and isolated the employee, rejected a raise and opportunities that would have led to one and denied two promotions, according to the lawsuit. Hindus traditionally grouped people into four major castes based on ancestry, and Dalits in India still struggle with access to education and jobs 65 years after India banned caste-based discrimination.

California accuses Cisco of job discrimination based on Indian employee's caste

Gravitas: Fight Against Gender Discrimination

The Angolan parliament has, for the first time since its independence from Portugal, approved a new criminal code that does not punish relations between people of the same sex and decriminalizes abortion in specific cases, an international human rights group reported on Thursday.

The old criminal code, adopted in 1886 and left unaltered after the African country's <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/rakhine-rebels-kill-13-in-independence-day-attack-on-myanmar-police-posts-188495&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj_r4mXhYjgAhUKK48KHfOpDpAQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1NwD-ZYm-JNcyDabKgZ088">independence </a>in 1975, established jail sentences ranging from six months to three years for the ambiguous offence of "vices against nature," which has been widely interpreted to constitute a 'de facto' ban on homosexual conduct.

The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch, headquartered in<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-in-new-york-court-for-hearing-on-parking-spot-dispute-192400&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjPjdL-hIjgAhXMPI8KHZ_yBN0QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2HurJafeNcYhLSsbwzGATC"> New York City</a>, praised the move by Angolan lawmakers in a statement.

"In casting aside this archaic and insidious relic of the colonial past, Angola has eschewed discrimination and embraced equality," HRW said in a statement signed by the director of its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights program, Graeme Reid.

Reid added that the Angolan government had also prohibited discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation, making it a felony – punishable with up to two years in prison – to refuse to employ or provide services to individuals because of their sexuality.&nbsp;

The changes were officially enacted on Wednesday through the adoption of the new penal code, which had been 10 years in the making.

"While there have been no known prosecutions under the law, provisions like this one curtail the rights and freedoms of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, subjecting their intimate lives to unwarranted scrutiny," Reid explained, in reference to the old statute.

He added that colonial-era laws outlawing same-sex conduct provided tacit support to discrimination against gender and sexual minorities, which in turn contributed to a climate of impunity.

Reid cited the West African country's only LGBT rights lobby, Iris Angola, which he said had "often complained that its members face discrimination when accessing health care and education."&nbsp;

On the other hand, Angola has also decriminalized abortion in concrete instances such as a grave threat to the health or life of the mother or the fetus and for victims of rape.

In all other instances, aborting remains a crime punishable with between 2-10 years' imprisonment.

A previous draft of the bill had even considered allowing unrestricted abortions during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

The debate on abortion was one of the most contentious aspects of the penal reform, and the lack of support for it by the largest opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), prevented the law from being approved in the previous legislature, which ended in 2017.

The controversy surrounding abortion in Angola can be explained by its overwhelmingly Christian population, with over half the country estimated to be Catholic and about a quarter belonging to various Protestant congregations, although accurate statistics are non-existent.&nbsp;

The new code also raises the maximum prison term from 24 to 35 years and limits monetary transactions to 8,500 euros ($9,603) for citizens and 14,000 euros for businesses with the goal of preventing the flight of capital outside the Angolan financial system.

The Angolan parliament has, for the first time since its independence from Portugal, approved a new criminal code that does not punish relations between people of the same sex and decriminalizes abortion in specific cases, an international human rights group reported on Thursday.

The Angolan parliament has, for the first time since its independence from Portugal, approved a new criminal code that does not punish relations between people of the same sex and decriminalizes abortion in specific cases, an international human rights group reported on Thursday. The old criminal code, adopted in 1886 and left unaltered after the African country's independence in 1975, established jail sentences ranging from six months to three years for the ambiguous offence of "vices against nature," which has been widely interpreted to constitute a 'de facto' ban on homosexual conduct. The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch, headquartered in New York City, praised the move by Angolan lawmakers in a statement. "In casting aside this archaic and insidious relic of the colonial past, Angola has eschewed discrimination and embraced equality," HRW said in a statement signed by the director of its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights program, Graeme Reid. Reid added that the Angolan government had also prohibited discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation, making it a felony – punishable with up to two years in prison – to refuse to employ or provide services to individuals because of their sexuality. The changes were officially enacted on Wednesday through the adoption of the new penal code, which had been 10 years in the making. "While there have been no known prosecutions under the law, provisions like this one curtail the rights and freedoms of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, subjecting their intimate lives to unwarranted scrutiny," Reid explained, in reference to the old statute. He added that colonial-era laws outlawing same-sex conduct provided tacit support to discrimination against gender and sexual minorities, which in turn contributed to a climate of impunity. Reid cited the West African country's only LGBT rights lobby, Iris Angola, which he said had "often complained that its members face discrimination when accessing health care and education." On the other hand, Angola has also decriminalized abortion in concrete instances such as a grave threat to the health or life of the mother or the fetus and for victims of rape. In all other instances, aborting remains a crime punishable with between 2-10 years' imprisonment. A previous draft of the bill had even considered allowing unrestricted abortions during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. The debate on abortion was one of the most contentious aspects of the penal reform, and the lack of support for it by the largest opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), prevented the law from being approved in the previous legislature, which ended in 2017. The controversy surrounding abortion in Angola can be explained by its overwhelmingly Christian population, with over half the country estimated to be Catholic and about a quarter belonging to various Protestant congregations, although accurate statistics are non-existent. The new code also raises the maximum prison term from 24 to 35 years and limits monetary transactions to 8,500 euros ($9,603) for citizens and 14,000 euros for businesses with the goal of preventing the flight of capital outside the Angolan financial system.

Angola decriminalizes same-sex relations, allows abortion in certain cases

Harvard University <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-govt-accuses-harvard-of-discriminating-against-asian-applicants-162591">discriminates against Asian-American applicants</a> in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial.

The non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston pits the Ivy League school against Students for Fair Admissions, whose 2014 lawsuit challenges the use of race as a factor in college admissions decisions.

SFFA, which is headed by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, claims that Harvard illegally engages in "racial balancing" that artificially limits the number of Asian-American students at the elite school.

Even statistics showed Asian-Americans applicants outperformed other racial groups on academic measures, yet that was not necessarily borne out on Harvard's campus, Adam Mortara, a lawyer for SFFA, said in his opening statement.

Harvard pushes down the scores Asian-Americans receive on "personal" rating that measures an applicant's subjective likability, grit and positivity and improperly allows race to play a factor in those scores, Mortara said.

"There's no other possible explanation," he said.

Harvard was expected to deliver its own opening statement later on Monday. It denies discriminating against Asian-Americans, saying their rates of admission have grown significantly since 2010.

The lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, could eventually reach the Supreme Court, giving the newly cemented five-member conservative majority a chance to bar the use of affirmative action to help minority applicants get into college.

Conservatives argue that affirmative action, which aims to offset historic patterns of racial discrimination, hurts white people and Asian-Americans, who outperform other minority groups on academic measures.

SFFA alleges that despite strong scores on a variety of academic and extracurricular measures, Asian-American applicants received the lowest score of any group on a subjective "personal" rating assigned by Harvard admissions officials.

Asian-Americans, who represent about 6 percent of the U.S. population, comprise 23 percent of Harvard's current freshman class.

Harvard also notes that the Supreme Court has previously held that colleges have an interest in enrolling diverse groups of students and may consider race as one factor among many when reviewing applications.

The U.S. Justice Department, which launched a related probe of Harvard after Republican President Donald Trump's election, has backed SFFA's case, saying that Harvard has not seriously considered alternative, race-neutral approaches to admissions.

The Justice Department last month launched a similar investigation into whether Yale University also discriminates against Asian-Americans, an allegation it denies. 
&nbsp;

Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American applicants in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial.

Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American applicants in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial. The non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston pits the Ivy League school against Students for Fair Admissions, whose 2014 lawsuit challenges the use of race as a factor in college admissions decisions. SFFA, which is headed by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, claims that Harvard illegally engages in "racial balancing" that artificially limits the number of Asian-American students at the elite school. Even statistics showed Asian-Americans applicants outperformed other racial groups on academic measures, yet that was not necessarily borne out on Harvard's campus, Adam Mortara, a lawyer for SFFA, said in his opening statement. Harvard pushes down the scores Asian-Americans receive on "personal" rating that measures an applicant's subjective likability, grit and positivity and improperly allows race to play a factor in those scores, Mortara said. "There's no other possible explanation," he said. Harvard was expected to deliver its own opening statement later on Monday. It denies discriminating against Asian-Americans, saying their rates of admission have grown significantly since 2010. The lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, could eventually reach the Supreme Court, giving the newly cemented five-member conservative majority a chance to bar the use of affirmative action to help minority applicants get into college. Conservatives argue that affirmative action, which aims to offset historic patterns of racial discrimination, hurts white people and Asian-Americans, who outperform other minority groups on academic measures. SFFA alleges that despite strong scores on a variety of academic and extracurricular measures, Asian-American applicants received the lowest score of any group on a subjective "personal" rating assigned by Harvard admissions officials. Asian-Americans, who represent about 6 percent of the U.S. population, comprise 23 percent of Harvard's current freshman class. Harvard also notes that the Supreme Court has previously held that colleges have an interest in enrolling diverse groups of students and may consider race as one factor among many when reviewing applications. The U.S. Justice Department, which launched a related probe of Harvard after Republican President Donald Trump's election, has backed SFFA's case, saying that Harvard has not seriously considered alternative, race-neutral approaches to admissions. The Justice Department last month launched a similar investigation into whether Yale University also discriminates against Asian-Americans, an allegation it denies.

'Harvard discriminates against Asian-Americans'

Nearly half all children in Afghanistan are out of school due to conflict, poverty, child marriage and discrimination against girls, the number rising for the first time since 2002, humanitarian organisations said in a report on Sunday.

Spreading violence has forced many schools to close, undermining fragile gains in education for girls in a country where millions have never set foot in a class room.

Some 3.7 million children between the ages of seven and 17, or 44 per cent of all children, are out of school, 2.7 million of them girls, Education Minister Mirwais Balkhi told a seminar, explaining a study conducted by UNICEF, USAID and the independent Samuel Hall think-tank.

The Taliban, seeking to oust the U.S.-backed government and return the country to strict Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster, are adamantly opposed to education for girls and threats from Islamic State has forced the closure of dozens of schools.

Without mentioning the Taliban or Islamic State, Balkhi said there were "many reasons" for children not going to school.

"Education of children is the most important development in all human communities," he said. "It is the most important tool in fighting war, poverty and unemployment."

In the worst affected provinces, up to 85 per cent of girls are not going to school, the aid groups said. They did not give specific time periods or comparisons.

In April this year, militants set ablaze two schools and widespread violence had led to closure of hundreds of private schools.

"Business as usual is not an option for Afghanistan if we are to fulfil the right to edIucation for every child," said Adele Khodr of UNICEF in the report.

"When children are not in school, they are at increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment."

One teenage girl, Ziwar, from central Daikundi, one of the safest provinces in the country, said she had been at school until she was 14.

"I can read and write. I can write a letter," she told seminar delegates. "I learn from books. I want to continue my studies. I want to become a doctor in the future."

Nearly half all children in Afghanistan are out of school due to conflict, poverty, child marriage and discrimination against girls, the number rising for the first time since 2002, humanitarian organisations said in a report on Sunday

Nearly half all children in Afghanistan are out of school due to conflict, poverty, child marriage and discrimination against girls, the number rising for the first time since 2002, humanitarian organisations said in a report on Sunday. Spreading violence has forced many schools to close, undermining fragile gains in education for girls in a country where millions have never set foot in a class room. Some 3.7 million children between the ages of seven and 17, or 44 per cent of all children, are out of school, 2.7 million of them girls, Education Minister Mirwais Balkhi told a seminar, explaining a study conducted by UNICEF, USAID and the independent Samuel Hall think-tank. The Taliban, seeking to oust the U.S.-backed government and return the country to strict Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster, are adamantly opposed to education for girls and threats from Islamic State has forced the closure of dozens of schools. Without mentioning the Taliban or Islamic State, Balkhi said there were "many reasons" for children not going to school. "Education of children is the most important development in all human communities," he said. "It is the most important tool in fighting war, poverty and unemployment." In the worst affected provinces, up to 85 per cent of girls are not going to school, the aid groups said. They did not give specific time periods or comparisons. In April this year, militants set ablaze two schools and widespread violence had led to closure of hundreds of private schools. "Business as usual is not an option for Afghanistan if we are to fulfil the right to edIucation for every child," said Adele Khodr of UNICEF in the report. "When children are not in school, they are at increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment." One teenage girl, Ziwar, from central Daikundi, one of the safest provinces in the country, said she had been at school until she was 14. "I can read and write. I can write a letter," she told seminar delegates. "I learn from books. I want to continue my studies. I want to become a doctor in the future."

Nearly half Afghan children out of school, rising for first time since 2002

A ruckus occurred in Ahmedabad after Jignesh Mevani's supporters obstructed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from putting a garland over BR Ambedkar's statue on Saturday.

The police detained five Dalit activists who attempted to prevent BJP MP Kirit Solanki from putting a garland over BR Ambedkar's statue.&nbsp;

The activists raised slogans against the BJP, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Congress President Rahul Gandhi paid their tribute to BR Ambedkar on his 127th birth anniversary at Parliament in New Delhi on Saturday.

Security has been beefed up in Uttar Pradesh in view of Ambedkar Jayanti today to prevent any possible attempt at inciting violence, with political parties drawing up separate plans for the occasion.

The police detained five Dalit activists who attempted to prevent BJP MP Kirit Solanki from putting a garland over BR Ambedkar's statue.

A ruckus occurred in Ahmedabad after Jignesh Mevani's supporters obstructed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from putting a garland over BR Ambedkar's statue on Saturday. The police detained five Dalit activists who attempted to prevent BJP MP Kirit Solanki from putting a garland over BR Ambedkar's statue. The activists raised slogans against the BJP, according to reports. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Congress President Rahul Gandhi paid their tribute to BR Ambedkar on his 127th birth anniversary at Parliament in New Delhi on Saturday. Security has been beefed up in Uttar Pradesh in view of Ambedkar Jayanti today to prevent any possible attempt at inciting violence, with political parties drawing up separate plans for the occasion.

Jignesh Mevani's supporters obstruct BJP MPs from garlanding BR Ambedkar's statue

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb was born on April 14, 1891, in town and military cantonment of Mhow in the central provinces (now in Madhya Pradesh).

Today, the nation is celebrating this social reformer’s 127th birth anniversary with great zeal.&nbsp;

With his long and pragmatic vision, Ambedkar drafted the Constitution that makes India a great country and provides citizens with constitutional guarantees.&nbsp;

Born in a poor low Mahar (Dalit) caste, Ambedkar himself was a victim of the social evils since childhood days.&nbsp;

He was so oppressed that throughout his life, he campaigned to eliminate social discrimination against untouchables.

Ambedkar, who went to a government school, witnessed discrimination from a very young age. When he and his other untouchable classmates were thirsty, the people from the higher caste used to pour the water from a height so that they would not come in contact with the vessel. The school peon would do this for Ambedkar and when the peon was not around, Ambedkar had to go without water.

Due to his deep interest in learning, Bhim went on to become the first Dalit to be enrolled into the prestigious Elphinstone High School in Bombay.

He was the also the only one among his siblings to have passed his examinations and complete graduation.

Impressed by his performance, the Maharaja of Baroda funded his doctorate degree in Economics and Ambedkar became the first Indian to get an Economics doctorate from abroad.

He was later appointed as the first Minister of Law and Justice in 1947, but he resigned when his women rights bill was opposed by the Parliament.

The Article 370 of the Indian Constitution has accorded special status to Jammu & Kashmir, but Ambedkar was against Article 370.

Ambedkar was a diabetes patient and died in his sleep December 6, 1956, three days after he completed his manuscript— The Buddha and his Dhamma.

Dr Ambedkar was a reformer whose legacy and relevance continues to grow. His message of social equality continues to reverberate and resonate with passing time.

Today, the nation is celebrating this social reformer’s 127th birth anniversary with great zeal.

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb was born on April 14, 1891, in town and military cantonment of Mhow in the central provinces (now in Madhya Pradesh). Today, the nation is celebrating this social reformer’s 127th birth anniversary with great zeal. With his long and pragmatic vision, Ambedkar drafted the Constitution that makes India a great country and provides citizens with constitutional guarantees. Born in a poor low Mahar (Dalit) caste, Ambedkar himself was a victim of the social evils since childhood days. He was so oppressed that throughout his life, he campaigned to eliminate social discrimination against untouchables. Ambedkar, who went to a government school, witnessed discrimination from a very young age. When he and his other untouchable classmates were thirsty, the people from the higher caste used to pour the water from a height so that they would not come in contact with the vessel. The school peon would do this for Ambedkar and when the peon was not around, Ambedkar had to go without water. Due to his deep interest in learning, Bhim went on to become the first Dalit to be enrolled into the prestigious Elphinstone High School in Bombay. He was the also the only one among his siblings to have passed his examinations and complete graduation. Impressed by his performance, the Maharaja of Baroda funded his doctorate degree in Economics and Ambedkar became the first Indian to get an Economics doctorate from abroad. He was later appointed as the first Minister of Law and Justice in 1947, but he resigned when his women rights bill was opposed by the Parliament. The Article 370 of the Indian Constitution has accorded special status to Jammu & Kashmir, but Ambedkar was against Article 370. Ambedkar was a diabetes patient and died in his sleep December 6, 1956, three days after he completed his manuscript— The Buddha and his Dhamma. Dr Ambedkar was a reformer whose legacy and relevance continues to grow. His message of social equality continues to reverberate and resonate with passing time.

Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar: A true fighter against caste discrimination in India

International Women&rsquo;s day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action. It&rsquo;s the day to recall the stories of women&#39;s struggle for equality, a global day to celebrate the achievements of women in differing arenas.

But what about the struggle, achievements, empowerment or security of the converted women? A woman who has become a woman by choice and not born as one.

While the world celebrates the existence and importance of women, how does the converted woman rejoice her gender and sex?&nbsp;

In our patriarchal society, where the sexually identifiable woman has to fight for her rights and dignity, it seems almost an impossible dream to watch the converted, the trans-women living a life with pride. I doubt what girly dreams these trans-women weave when even their sex and gender is questionable in this narrow-minded society.&nbsp;

While the woman today is fighting for her political inclusion or education rights, this woman, who was assigned male body at birth, is fighting for her existence to get acknowledged and accepted. We often hear women demanding for gender equality but, alas, there are just too many women out there whose claim to womanhood is conveniently ignored by society. The cry &ldquo;I am a woman too&rdquo;, has continued to be the most pathetically ignored plea of the gender equality movement worldwide.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/trans-women5-20180307072204.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Trans-women suffer through gender dysphoria, vast discrimination, and transphobia. (Zee News Network)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Sexual harassment, domestic violations, denial of education rights and many such miserable deeds have been associated with the life of a woman. But the situation is even worst when talking about trans-women. Trans-women not only faces the gender dysphoria but goes through vast discrimination and transphobia. At many times, these women are treated as untouchables and even treated with abusive comments. There have been over 270 reported murders of trans-women all around the globe in the past one year. Many of these cases found their deaths to be direct results of an anti-transgenderism bias.

It is shocking to know that the average life expectancy of women is 73.8 years old whereas the average life expectancy of a trans-woman is only 35 years old.&nbsp;

The feminine tendencies that a male body feels are too precious to lock away in a closet. That is why, from past a decade or two, some trans-women have sought the way of undergoing surgeries to transit from male hormones to female hormones. But even after having the genitalia of women, the question remains &ndash; &lsquo;am I free to be a woman now?&rsquo;

Many go through the struggle of getting accepted as a real woman who was once considered trans-woman. Some critics counter the notion saying that the surgical conversion does not mean becoming a &quot;real&quot; woman. But Dr. Rachel McKinnon, a gender and queer identity philosopher, explains and concludes that although biologically they are incapable of reproducing and are missing a uterus and ovaries yet trans-women are &lsquo;real women&rsquo;. They challenge the socially constructed normalisation of what it means to be a woman.&rdquo;&nbsp;

It is rightly said that nothing can stop a strong mind from achieving the set goal. Just as we talk about Sunita Williams or Indira Gandhi as idols of women empowerment, it would be unfair to not praise the achievements of transwomen on International Women&rsquo;s Day. With passing time, some trans-women gathered their willpower, breaking all the social barriers and coming out in this parochial world.&nbsp;

Joyita Mondal is the first trans-women to be sitting on the chair of a judge. In 2017, Joyita was appointed as a Lok Adalat Judge. The 29-year-old was born as a male. During her teenage, she recognised a woman in her, which was unacceptable to her family. Due to discriminations, Joyita had to drop out from school which made her dream of pursuing Law seemed fading. Initially, she joined the Kinnar Samaj (community of transgender) and attended events as Hijra but simultaneously completed her studies and got herself a degree in law. Today, she is a respectable judge, also working for the rights of everyone facing any kind of social discrimination.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/untitled%20design%20(32)-20180307062007.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Manabi Bandopadhyay (Left) is the first trans-women principle of a college in India. Joyita Mondal (Right) is the first trans-women to be appointed as Judge. (Zee News Network)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Manabi Bandopadhyay is another inspiring name in the list to set an example for the many women and trans-women. Manabi was the first in her community to earn a Ph.D. and become the first trans-women principal of a college in India.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/untitled%20design%20(33)-20180307062437.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Gauri Sawant is a trans-woman, first to adopt a daughter of a sex worker. (Zee News Network)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Gauri Sawant, a trans-women who was recently seen in Vicks India advertisement, is another encouraging figure as she is a mother first, and then anything else. During an interview in a national daily, Gauri proudly says that &ldquo;a mother is a mother. There isn&#39;t &nbsp;any assigned gender to be one.&rdquo;

These are few of the role-models, who have taught the regressive society that a woman is an impeccable embodiment of the best of human nature. She is much more than a curvaceous body, not simply responsible for reproduction or satisfaction for someone&rsquo;s lust. A deep base throat or shrill high pitch voice does not certify who is a woman and who is not. What matters is that every woman, be it a converted one, trans-sexual or biological, should have a voice of her own.&nbsp;

It is rightly said that &quot;Women don&rsquo;t need to find a voice, they have a voice. They need to feel empowered to use it&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

On International Women's day, it brings immense pride to celebrate the achievements of women as well as call for an action for the improvement of the conditions of women. But its high time that we also talk about trans-women, because they are women too.

International Women’s day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action. It’s the day to recall the stories of women's struggle for equality, a global day to celebrate the achievements of women in differing arenas. But what about the struggle, achievements, empowerment or security of the converted women? A woman who has become a woman by choice and not born as one. While the world celebrates the existence and importance of women, how does the converted woman rejoice her gender and sex? In our patriarchal society, where the sexually identifiable woman has to fight for her rights and dignity, it seems almost an impossible dream to watch the converted, the trans-women living a life with pride. I doubt what girly dreams these trans-women weave when even their sex and gender is questionable in this narrow-minded society. While the woman today is fighting for her political inclusion or education rights, this woman, who was assigned male body at birth, is fighting for her existence to get acknowledged and accepted. We often hear women demanding for gender equality but, alas, there are just too many women out there whose claim to womanhood is conveniently ignored by society. The cry “I am a woman too”, has continued to be the most pathetically ignored plea of the gender equality movement worldwide. Trans-women suffer through gender dysphoria, vast discrimination, and transphobia. (Zee News Network) × Sexual harassment, domestic violations, denial of education rights and many such miserable deeds have been associated with the life of a woman. But the situation is even worst when talking about trans-women. Trans-women not only faces the gender dysphoria but goes through vast discrimination and transphobia. At many times, these women are treated as untouchables and even treated with abusive comments. There have been over 270 reported murders of trans-women all around the globe in the past one year. Many of these cases found their deaths to be direct results of an anti-transgenderism bias. It is shocking to know that the average life expectancy of women is 73.8 years old whereas the average life expectancy of a trans-woman is only 35 years old. The feminine tendencies that a male body feels are too precious to lock away in a closet. That is why, from past a decade or two, some trans-women have sought the way of undergoing surgeries to transit from male hormones to female hormones. But even after having the genitalia of women, the question remains – ‘am I free to be a woman now?’ Many go through the struggle of getting accepted as a real woman who was once considered trans-woman. Some critics counter the notion saying that the surgical conversion does not mean becoming a "real" woman. But Dr. Rachel McKinnon, a gender and queer identity philosopher, explains and concludes that although biologically they are incapable of reproducing and are missing a uterus and ovaries yet trans-women are ‘real women’. They challenge the socially constructed normalisation of what it means to be a woman.” It is rightly said that nothing can stop a strong mind from achieving the set goal. Just as we talk about Sunita Williams or Indira Gandhi as idols of women empowerment, it would be unfair to not praise the achievements of transwomen on International Women’s Day. With passing time, some trans-women gathered their willpower, breaking all the social barriers and coming out in this parochial world. Joyita Mondal is the first trans-women to be sitting on the chair of a judge. In 2017, Joyita was appointed as a Lok Adalat Judge. The 29-year-old was born as a male. During her teenage, she recognised a woman in her, which was unacceptable to her family. Due to discriminations, Joyita had to drop out from school which made her dream of pursuing Law seemed fading. Initially, she joined the Kinnar Samaj (community of transgender) and attended events as Hijra but simultaneously completed her studies and got herself a degree in law. Today, she is a respectable judge, also working for the rights of everyone facing any kind of social discrimination. Manabi Bandopadhyay (Left) is the first trans-women principle of a college in India. Joyita Mondal (Right) is the first trans-women to be appointed as Judge. (Zee News Network) × Manabi Bandopadhyay is another inspiring name in the list to set an example for the many women and trans-women. Manabi was the first in her community to earn a Ph.D. and become the first trans-women principal of a college in India. Gauri Sawant is a trans-woman, first to adopt a daughter of a sex worker. (Zee News Network) × Gauri Sawant, a trans-women who was recently seen in Vicks India advertisement, is another encouraging figure as she is a mother first, and then anything else. During an interview in a national daily, Gauri proudly says that “a mother is a mother. There isn't any assigned gender to be one.” These are few of the role-models, who have taught the regressive society that a woman is an impeccable embodiment of the best of human nature. She is much more than a curvaceous body, not simply responsible for reproduction or satisfaction for someone’s lust. A deep base throat or shrill high pitch voice does not certify who is a woman and who is not. What matters is that every woman, be it a converted one, trans-sexual or biological, should have a voice of her own. It is rightly said that "Women don’t need to find a voice, they have a voice. They need to feel empowered to use it". (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: International Women's day is for transgender-women too

A former Google engineer fired after he asserted in a memo that biological causes were behind tech industry gender inequality sued his former employer on Monday, saying he was discriminated against as a white man with conservative political views.&nbsp;

James Damore last year caused an uproar in Silicon Valley and beyond when he wrote the internal memo, which later became public. Google said he had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August.&nbsp;

In the months since his firing has become a popular cause among right-leaning US&nbsp;bloggers, and Damore hired a Republican Party official as his attorney.&nbsp;

Damore and another white male former Google engineer, David Gudeman, filed the lawsuit as a proposed class action in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California. The lawsuit alleges workplace discrimination and retaliation.&nbsp;

Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc based in Mountain View, California, said in a statement: &quot;We look forward to defending against Mr Damore`s lawsuit in court.&quot;&nbsp;

According to the lawsuit, the company has failed to protect employees, especially white men, from workplace harassment related to their support of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump or conservative political views.&nbsp;

&quot;Damore, Gudeman, and other class members were ostracized, belittled, and punished for their heterodox political views, and for the added sin of their birth circumstances of being Caucasians and/or males,&quot; the lawsuit said.&nbsp;

The lawsuit also accused Google of maintaining a secret blacklist of conservative media personalities who are not allowed inside the company&#39;s offices.&nbsp;

The lawsuit requested an injunction barring Google from discriminating against individuals with conservative political views, as well as for unspecified compensation.&nbsp;

Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai said when Damore was fired that portions of his memo &quot;violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.&quot;

Gudeman was fired in December 2016 after a confrontation with a Muslim coworker on an internal Google forum, according to the lawsuit.&nbsp;

The co-worker said on the forum that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had targeted him for being a Muslim, and he expressed worry about his personal safety, the lawsuit said. Gudeman responded with scepticism, saying the coworker had provided &quot;zero evidence&quot; for the claim and suggesting the FBI may have had justification.&nbsp;

A human resources employee later told Gudeman he had accused his coworker of terrorism based on religion, and that he was being fired as a result, the lawsuit said.

Google said James Damore had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August

A former Google engineer fired after he asserted in a memo that biological causes were behind tech industry gender inequality sued his former employer on Monday, saying he was discriminated against as a white man with conservative political views. James Damore last year caused an uproar in Silicon Valley and beyond when he wrote the internal memo, which later became public. Google said he had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August. In the months since his firing has become a popular cause among right-leaning US bloggers, and Damore hired a Republican Party official as his attorney. Damore and another white male former Google engineer, David Gudeman, filed the lawsuit as a proposed class action in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California. The lawsuit alleges workplace discrimination and retaliation. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc based in Mountain View, California, said in a statement: "We look forward to defending against Mr Damore`s lawsuit in court." According to the lawsuit, the company has failed to protect employees, especially white men, from workplace harassment related to their support of US President Donald Trump or conservative political views. "Damore, Gudeman, and other class members were ostracized, belittled, and punished for their heterodox political views, and for the added sin of their birth circumstances of being Caucasians and/or males," the lawsuit said. The lawsuit also accused Google of maintaining a secret blacklist of conservative media personalities who are not allowed inside the company's offices. The lawsuit requested an injunction barring Google from discriminating against individuals with conservative political views, as well as for unspecified compensation. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai said when Damore was fired that portions of his memo "violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." Gudeman was fired in December 2016 after a confrontation with a Muslim coworker on an internal Google forum, according to the lawsuit. The co-worker said on the forum that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had targeted him for being a Muslim, and he expressed worry about his personal safety, the lawsuit said. Gudeman responded with scepticism, saying the coworker had provided "zero evidence" for the claim and suggesting the FBI may have had justification. A human resources employee later told Gudeman he had accused his coworker of terrorism based on religion, and that he was being fired as a result, the lawsuit said.

Ex-Google engineer fired over gender memo sues for discrimination

Carrie Gracie, the China editor for Britain`s public broadcaster the BBC, has resigned from her post in Beijing due to pay disparities with her male colleagues, according to an open letter she wrote.

The BBC has come under fire recently for paying male employees more and has pledged to close the gender gap by 2020.&nbsp;

In July, it revealed as part of a funding settlement with the government that it paid its then top male star five times more than its best-paid female presenter, and that two-thirds of on-air employees earning at least 150,000 pounds ($203,500) were men.&nbsp;

In a letter published on her personal blog on Sunday, Gracie said there was a &quot;crisis of trust&quot; at the broadcaster, where she has worked for 30 years, and that it was &quot;breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure&quot;.

The BBC had four international editors, two men and two women, of which she was one, she said.

When the BBC revealed top salaries as part of last year`s settlement, Gracie said she learned that the two men made at least 50 percent more money than the women in those roles.

She said she had since had been offered a pay increase that remained &quot;far short of equality&quot; and left her post in Beijing last week, returning to her former job in the BBC TV newsroom.

&quot;The BBC must admit the problem, apologise and set in place an equal, fair and transparent pay structure,&quot; she said, calling for an independent arbitration to settle individual cases at the broadcaster.

The BBC cited a BBC spokeswoman as saying that &quot;fairness in pay&quot; at the corporation is &quot;vital&quot;, and that an audit of pay for rank and file staff led by an independent judge found there was &quot;no systemic discrimination against women&quot;.

The BBC has come under fire for paying male employees more

Carrie Gracie, the China editor for Britain`s public broadcaster the BBC, has resigned from her post in Beijing due to pay disparities with her male colleagues, according to an open letter she wrote. The BBC has come under fire recently for paying male employees more and has pledged to close the gender gap by 2020. In July, it revealed as part of a funding settlement with the government that it paid its then top male star five times more than its best-paid female presenter, and that two-thirds of on-air employees earning at least 150,000 pounds ($203,500) were men. In a letter published on her personal blog on Sunday, Gracie said there was a "crisis of trust" at the broadcaster, where she has worked for 30 years, and that it was "breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure". The BBC had four international editors, two men and two women, of which she was one, she said. When the BBC revealed top salaries as part of last year`s settlement, Gracie said she learned that the two men made at least 50 percent more money than the women in those roles. She said she had since had been offered a pay increase that remained "far short of equality" and left her post in Beijing last week, returning to her former job in the BBC TV newsroom. "The BBC must admit the problem, apologise and set in place an equal, fair and transparent pay structure," she said, calling for an independent arbitration to settle individual cases at the broadcaster. The BBC cited a BBC spokeswoman as saying that "fairness in pay" at the corporation is "vital", and that an audit of pay for rank and file staff led by an independent judge found there was "no systemic discrimination against women".

BBC editor quits China post over pay discrimination

Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as &quot;injustice&quot;, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, now Muslim women aged above 45 will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage without &#39;mahram&#39; in a group of at least four.

In his monthly radio address of &#39;Mann ki baat&#39;, the prime minister said removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or &#39;mahram&#39; may appear as a &quot;small thing&quot;, but such issues &quot;have a far reaching impact on our image as a society&quot;.

He said when he first heard of the restriction, he was surprised as to who wold have drafted such a rule.

&quot;Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that even after 70 years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it,&quot; he said in his broadcast.

He pointed out that such a restriction is not prevalent in many Islamic countries.

&quot;I am happy to note that this time about 1300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without &#39;mahram&#39; and women from different parts of the country from Kerala to north India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage,&quot; he said.

He said he has suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs that they should ensure that all women who have applied to travel alone be allowed to perform Haj.

&quot;Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category,&quot; he said.

He said it is his firm belief that the journey of India?s progress has been possible due to women-power and on the basis of their talent...It should be our constant endeavour that our women also get equal rights and equal opportunities...,&quot; he said.

While referring to Muslim women and their rights, the prime minister did not mention about the bill passed by Lok Sabha last week which bans the practice of instant triple talaq.

He, however, had referred to the issue of instant triple talaq or &#39;talaq-e-biddat&#39; while inaugurating the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations at Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala via video conference this morning.

Referring to Christmas, Modi said Jesus Christ taught us about the spirit of service or &#39;sewa bhaav&#39;.

&quot;Be it any religion, caste or creed, tradition or colour in this world; the spirit of service is an invaluable hallmark of the highest human values,&quot; he said.

He also recalled the life of Guru Gobind Singh which was full of instances of courage and sacrifice.

On the 350th anniversary of the Sikh guru, he said Guru Gobind Singh preached the virtues of sublime human values and at the same time, practiced them in his own life in letter and spirit.

Following the removal of restriction, hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage

Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as "injustice", Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage. According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, now Muslim women aged above 45 will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage without 'mahram' in a group of at least four. In his monthly radio address of 'Mann ki baat', the prime minister said removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or 'mahram' may appear as a "small thing", but such issues "have a far reaching impact on our image as a society". He said when he first heard of the restriction, he was surprised as to who wold have drafted such a rule. "Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that even after 70 years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it," he said in his broadcast. He pointed out that such a restriction is not prevalent in many Islamic countries. "I am happy to note that this time about 1300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without 'mahram' and women from different parts of the country from Kerala to north India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage," he said. He said he has suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs that they should ensure that all women who have applied to travel alone be allowed to perform Haj. "Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category," he said. He said it is his firm belief that the journey of India?s progress has been possible due to women-power and on the basis of their talent...It should be our constant endeavour that our women also get equal rights and equal opportunities...," he said. While referring to Muslim women and their rights, the prime minister did not mention about the bill passed by Lok Sabha last week which bans the practice of instant triple talaq. He, however, had referred to the issue of instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat' while inaugurating the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations at Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala via video conference this morning. Referring to Christmas, Modi said Jesus Christ taught us about the spirit of service or 'sewa bhaav'. "Be it any religion, caste or creed, tradition or colour in this world; the spirit of service is an invaluable hallmark of the highest human values," he said. He also recalled the life of Guru Gobind Singh which was full of instances of courage and sacrifice. On the 350th anniversary of the Sikh guru, he said Guru Gobind Singh preached the virtues of sublime human values and at the same time, practiced them in his own life in letter and spirit.

Muslim women can travel for Haj without male guardian: Prime Minister Modi

Ten students of Jamia Millia Islamia University were allegedly asked to leave an NCC (National Cadet Corps) camp in Rohini for sporting beards.

The students protested on the university campus, calling their expulsion&nbsp;&quot;discrimination&quot;, and demanding that they be reinstated in the camp immediately.&nbsp;

The students say they were asked to leave the Rohini camp on Sunday night after they refused to shave their beards.&nbsp;

One of the protesting students was quoted as saying:&nbsp;&ldquo;A total of 35 students from the JMI had joined the 10-day camp on December 19, of which ten of us sport a beard. We were repeatedly asked to shave to which we denied as it is against our religious beliefs. We were finally thrown out of the camp.&quot;

NCC officials say cadets other than Sikhs are forbidden from growing beards during camps.

A senior official responded to the accusations and said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a part of NCC&rsquo;s code of conduct and not any discrimination. Nobody was asked to leave the camp.&quot;

The students continued their&nbsp;protest till Monday evening demanding the suspension of Jamia&rsquo;s NCC in-charge Rajnish Kumar.

They also met Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad and urged him to take immediate action against Kumar.

A similar issue was brought to light in August 2015 when the Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission&nbsp;issued a notice to the NCC director-general seeking an explanation on a circular issued two years ago which forbade cadets, other than Sikhs, from growing beards.

The commission, in December that year,&nbsp;asked the defence ministry to make the exemption&nbsp;granted to the Sikh community applicable to Muslims&nbsp;too.

The matter is still under examination.&nbsp;

The students were asked to shave but they refused saying it was against their religious beliefs

Ten students of Jamia Millia Islamia University were allegedly asked to leave an NCC (National Cadet Corps) camp in Rohini for sporting beards. The students protested on the university campus, calling their expulsion "discrimination", and demanding that they be reinstated in the camp immediately. The students say they were asked to leave the Rohini camp on Sunday night after they refused to shave their beards. One of the protesting students was quoted as saying: “A total of 35 students from the JMI had joined the 10-day camp on December 19, of which ten of us sport a beard. We were repeatedly asked to shave to which we denied as it is against our religious beliefs. We were finally thrown out of the camp." NCC officials say cadets other than Sikhs are forbidden from growing beards during camps. A senior official responded to the accusations and said, “It’s a part of NCC’s code of conduct and not any discrimination. Nobody was asked to leave the camp." The students continued their protest till Monday evening demanding the suspension of Jamia’s NCC in-charge Rajnish Kumar. They also met Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad and urged him to take immediate action against Kumar. A similar issue was brought to light in August 2015 when the Andhra Pradesh Minorities Commission issued a notice to the NCC director-general seeking an explanation on a circular issued two years ago which forbade cadets, other than Sikhs, from growing beards. The commission, in December that year, asked the defence ministry to make the exemption granted to the Sikh community applicable to Muslims too. The matter is still under examination.

Delhi: 10 Jamia students asked to leave NCC camp for sporting beards

In the beginning, there were cave fights: over food, shelter and objects. Then came civilisation, the &quot;Age of Reason&quot;, the realisation that man&nbsp;was far superior to other living creatures in one unique way. He was endowed with the powerful tool of intellect, a brain more sophisticated than anything technology can ever beat.

<div class="ui-state-default">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Choices are yesterday&rsquo;s news, polarisation is the hallmark of today&rsquo;s world.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Choices are yesterday?s news, polarisation is the hallmark of today?s world.">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

When man began to share spaces, towns and cities were born. When man began to argue, politics came into being and when prophets were born around the earth, mankind&rsquo;s other peculiar endowment - religion was born. Crimes were committed, wars have shattered the world. But somehow and over at least this past century, milk went with water, wine with salt, as long as there was mutual respect, it was a matter of personal choice. That freedom of choice, it seems, is a thing of history today. Now, it&rsquo;s black versus white, Islam versus Christianity versus Hinduism versus Judaism. It&rsquo;s Democrat versus Republican, BJP versus Congress. But what&rsquo;s different about today? That it&rsquo;s either my way or the highway. You are either with us or against us. Choices are yesterday&rsquo;s news, polarisation is the hallmark of today&rsquo;s world. 
&nbsp; 
White versus black, Caucasian versus Asian. American civil rights leader Martin Luther King ominously described it as the &quot;starless midnight of racism.&quot; Be it in the USA or Japan, in Europe or Africa, in India or China and for all the superior abilities man is endowed with, racial discrimination has run like a bad genetic strain through all societies in the world. 
&nbsp; 
America:

White supremacy has led to horrific crime in the history of North America, yet somewhere down the line, reasoning and rationale did gain the upper hand. Take one of the world&rsquo;s most famous civil rights activists, Martin Luther King Jr. His belief was Christianity, his tactics drawn from everywhere. King persisted with civil disobedience till African-Americans and other minorities were granted equal rights in the country. He overturned segregation laws in Georgia and helped organise protests both in Alabama and Washington, where he delivered his most famous speech of all.

<div class="ui-state-default">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Martin Luther King&rsquo;s civil disobedience movements were successful because he combined his own value system with that of others who inspired him like Mahatma Gandhi.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Martin Luther King?s civil disobedience movements were successful because he combined his own value system with that of others who inspired him like Mahatma Gandhi.">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&quot;And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream,&quot; the legendary rights activist declared. &quot;It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, that all men are created equal.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
Martin Luther King&rsquo;s repeated civil disobedience movements were successful because he combined his own value system with that of others who inspired him like Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma had once remarked that South Africa, where he had lived in his earlier years, would be a &quot;howling wilderness without the Africans&quot;. The Ku-Klux-Klan hasn&rsquo;t gone away, neither have the Nazis in Europe. There were and are descendant groups of both around the world. Tough laws temper their outbursts, the hate they preach is mostly restricted to their paranoid but small folds.

But statistics show that white supremacy in the United States has been on the rise. And not coincidentally, since 2016, making it seem as though divisive statements by President Donald J. Trump, first on campaign trail&nbsp;acted as a reassurance. It began to seem as though under Trump, racists will be able to speak their minds freely and have nothing to fear. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Residents of a town in Alabama woke up to flyers in November 2016, the day after the United States elected their new president. &quot;Join the only group that has ever stood for the white man&quot;, it read. &quot;Black radicals have reverted back to savages&quot;, read another.

<div class="ui-state-default">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>There have been more than 450 recorded incidents of unabashed racism directed against Jews, Chinese, Asians</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=There have been more than 450 recorded incidents of unabashed racism directed against Jews, Chinese, Asians">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

On the same day, swastikas and pro-Nazi graffiti appeared in Philadelphia. Sprayed inside a boys&rsquo; bathroom in a Minnesota school were the following messages: Go back to Africa, whites only, White America and Trump train, &quot;make America great again&quot;. Between November 2016&nbsp;when the United States voted for a new president&nbsp;and August 2017, there have been more than 450 recorded incidents of unabashed racism directed against Jews, Chinese, Asians &ndash; in short, anyone who is not Caucasian.

It would be absurd to lay the resurgence of racism at President Trump&rsquo;s doorstep alone. The US President&rsquo;s argument that democracies must allow all including racists to be heard, is a valid point. It&rsquo;s a successful tactic, the same employed by African-American jazz musician Daryl Davis to neutralise many white supremacists&nbsp;by engaging or befriending them. But here&rsquo;s a thought could Trump&rsquo;s incendiary talk have polarised American society by acting as a magnet to what already lay simmering beneath the genteel surface of the political correctness that has dominated public speech and opinion over the past several decades?

<div class="ui-state-default">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Wages for software engineers in America would be 10 per cent higher if H-1B visas were not implemented.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Wages for software engineers in America would be 10 per cent higher if H-1B visas were not implemented.">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

It seemed that way some weeks ago when white supremacists took to the streets in Charlottesville and violence erupted. Significantly, they felt no need to disguise themselves. The masks were off and so were the white hoods. Alec Kerrigan and &ldquo;Reverend&rdquo; James Logsdon were enthusiastic participants in Charlottesville. Both spoke to WION&rsquo;s Andy Roesgen and unsurprisingly, hatred of immigrants from India seems to be the &quot;new normal&quot;. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;The problem with races such as Indians entering the country is that they don&rsquo;t integrate at large&quot;, Kerrigan told WION. They build their own communities and don&#39;t trust their neighbours and they give less to charity. Wages for software engineers in America would be 10 per cent higher if H-1B visas&nbsp;(given to Indian software engineers) were not implemented. In other words, bringing in highly-skilled immigrants from other countries is bad for the highly-skilled natives. 
&nbsp; 
Racism watchdog Southern Poverty Law Center told WION that &nbsp;Reverend James Logsdon&#39;s &quot;Creativity Movement&quot; is neither holy nor creative. It&rsquo;s nothing but a hate group. Here&#39;s what Logsdon told WION.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;Indian immigration is not similar to any other racial group, not Mexicans or Arabic Muslims because Indians don&#39;t come here and commit crimes, they don&#39;t come here and rape or kill like you see with Mexicans and the worse elements. You have a lot of highly educated Indians in the medical field in America who do benefit our society. But you also have a lot of them who come with degrees that are falsified, education documents that are falsified, they get IT jobs and they&#39;re trained by other people who have been here longer to do the jobs properly, essentially getting into the country by lying and taking American jobs.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
But why was Logsdon in Charlottesville during the riots? After all, that demonstration had nothing to do with Indian software engineers and all to do with protecting America&rsquo;s white architectural heritage, statues of erstwhile supremacists. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;No, I personally don&rsquo;t care about old statues,&quot; argued Logsdon. &quot;But I understand what they were fighting for. Imagine for the sake of argument, that political correctness affected all of the people in India and affected the caste system. And they decided that the Hindu system was racist and oppressive and the people pushing political correctness decided that all the statues that honoured their gods and their system were to be forcibly torn down. How would Indians feel about that? This is the type of thing that&#39;s happening in America today. They&#39;re trying to destroy any semblance of our culture and our history. No matter how you feel about being good or bad, our history is our history. You should not tear those things down, just to make them feel better in their safe spaces.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The United Kingdom, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain and France&nbsp;rapaciously exploited North Africa, South America, sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia including and especially India.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The United Kingdom, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain and France?rapaciously exploited North Africa, South America, sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia including and especially India." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Europe: 
&nbsp; 
It&rsquo;s the geographical venue of one of the worst genocides in the history of mankind, the Holocaust under Germany&rsquo;s Nazis saw 6 million men, women and children murdered. They were not armed separatists, nor criminal mafia. Their biggest crime is that they were born Jewish, not within Europe&rsquo;s Christian majority. Germany learned its lessons and remains deeply repentant. And yet, rightwing movements are on the rise. There were more than 900 terror attacks by Islamist terror groups in Europe between 2001 and 2017. But that&rsquo;s not the only reason. There&rsquo;s also a certain, God-given superiority that colonising forefathers from France, the UK and the Netherlands vested in themselves.

To racist British citizens, all South Asian migrants are &quot;Pakis&quot;, to some xenophobic French, northern Africans are &quot;dirty Arabs&quot;, to Dutch supremacists, foreign migrants are &quot;scum&quot;. The United Kingdom, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain and France&nbsp;rapaciously exploited North Africa, South America, sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia including and especially India. When nations grow more powerful than others off stolen wealth, their citizens feel endowed with divinity. But the recession, unemployment and fiery rhetoric from those who rule or aim to rule, are natural catalysts for polarisation.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>There&rsquo;s growing religious paranoia and inflammatory rhetoric mainly under Saudi Arabian influence. It has caused a backlash. Hindus are mobilising themselves.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=There?s growing religious paranoia and inflammatory rhetoric mainly under Saudi Arabian influence. It has caused a backlash. Hindus are mobilising themselves." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Asia: 
 
But is racism restricted to countries where the majority population is white? Not at all. Let&rsquo;s take a look at South East Asia. Indians have been in Malaysia since medieval times. People of Indian origin constitute 86 per cent of Malaysia&rsquo;s total population of 31.19 million. Here, it&rsquo;s brown versus brown. It&rsquo;s been largely peaceful. And yet, growing radicalisation of the country&rsquo;s Islamic majority through an alien brand of Wahabi Islam has resulted in growing polarisation. Temples built hundreds of years ago on private land have been demolished. There&rsquo;s growing religious paranoia and inflammatory rhetoric mainly under Saudi Arabian influence. It has caused a backlash. Hindus are mobilising themselves. Sanjeev Ramakrishnan and his NGO Mywatch, fight against such discrimination. 
&nbsp; 
&quot;There is very clear discrimination in education when the maximum number of seats are given to Malays and next to Chinese. Indians hardly get any seats. Major courses like medicine and law are not given to Indians. I ask why they don&rsquo;t go on merit? I am a Malaysian and by race I am Indian. But if I bid for a government contract, I must have a Malay partner with a 51 per cent stake in the business. They should surely not award contracts based on race&quot;

Ramakrishnan says this is true of every walk of life in Malaysia. People of different races live peacefully in Malaysia but the people who rule are us are trying to create a divide. Recently in a school, cups for drinking water were separated for Muslims and non-Muslims. We are fighting for the right to live as Malaysian. We are not refugees here, we are not immigrants here. My grandfather came from India but my father was born in Malaysia. So, I think I am rightfully Malaysian. A lot of Indian don&rsquo;t have citizenship even if they are born here. But more Pakistani and Bangladeshi are now coming to Malaysia and are being given citizenship. Politicians in parliament have said, &quot;if you don&rsquo;t like Malaysia get out, go back to India.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Indians are more affluent today, travelling a lot more today, seeing a lot more of the world today. And yet, African students in India have borne the brunt of blatant racism, not in some remote village but right in the heart of India&rsquo;s capital New Delhi.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Indians are more affluent today, travelling a lot more today, seeing a lot more of the world today. And yet, African students in India have borne the brunt of blatant racism, not in some remote village but right in the heart of India?s capital New Delhi." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

We are obsessed with fair skin, a hangover of the British Raj when it all started. The belief that the white man, his white skin, must be superior in many ways. It&rsquo;s strange because, in Hindu mythology, gods like Krishna and Shiva are painted blue. This blue is meant to indicate skin so black that it appears blue. To be dark-skinned in ancient India, was to be beautiful and god-like. But that&rsquo;s far from the case in modern India. When it comes to brides and bridegrooms, fair skins come at a premium. That&rsquo;s now begun to take on dismaying proportions. Indians are more affluent today, travelling a lot more today, seeing a lot more of the world today. And yet, African students in India have borne the brunt of blatant racism, not in some remote village but right in the heart of India&rsquo;s capital New Delhi. 
&nbsp; 
Polarisation: A pandemic, a frightening phenomenon. Whether we blame it on President Donald Trump, or, on the rise of the rightwing in Europe; whether we blame it on Saudi Arabian influence in the far east, or, on growing affluence and arrogance in India, there is no doubt that communities and races are huddling together, displaying absolute intolerance for the mere existence of any other than their own kind. Racism is not the only manifestation. There&rsquo;s that other powerful catalyst of hate i.e. Religion.

This is the first of WION&#39;s three-part series &quot;Poles Apart&quot;.

Growing affluence and heightened arrogance is the reason why human race is in distress

In the beginning, there were cave fights: over food, shelter and objects. Then came civilisation, the "Age of Reason", the realisation that man was far superior to other living creatures in one unique way. He was endowed with the powerful tool of intellect, a brain more sophisticated than anything technology can ever beat. Choices are yesterday’s news, polarisation is the hallmark of today’s world. × When man began to share spaces, towns and cities were born. When man began to argue, politics came into being and when prophets were born around the earth, mankind’s other peculiar endowment - religion was born. Crimes were committed, wars have shattered the world. But somehow and over at least this past century, milk went with water, wine with salt, as long as there was mutual respect, it was a matter of personal choice. That freedom of choice, it seems, is a thing of history today. Now, it’s black versus white, Islam versus Christianity versus Hinduism versus Judaism. It’s Democrat versus Republican, BJP versus Congress. But what’s different about today? That it’s either my way or the highway. You are either with us or against us. Choices are yesterday’s news, polarisation is the hallmark of today’s world. White versus black, Caucasian versus Asian. American civil rights leader Martin Luther King ominously described it as the "starless midnight of racism." Be it in the USA or Japan, in Europe or Africa, in India or China and for all the superior abilities man is endowed with, racial discrimination has run like a bad genetic strain through all societies in the world. America: White supremacy has led to horrific crime in the history of North America, yet somewhere down the line, reasoning and rationale did gain the upper hand. Take one of the world’s most famous civil rights activists, Martin Luther King Jr. His belief was Christianity, his tactics drawn from everywhere. King persisted with civil disobedience till African-Americans and other minorities were granted equal rights in the country. He overturned segregation laws in Georgia and helped organise protests both in Alabama and Washington, where he delivered his most famous speech of all. Martin Luther King’s civil disobedience movements were successful because he combined his own value system with that of others who inspired him like Mahatma Gandhi. × "And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream," the legendary rights activist declared. "It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, that all men are created equal." Martin Luther King’s repeated civil disobedience movements were successful because he combined his own value system with that of others who inspired him like Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma had once remarked that South Africa, where he had lived in his earlier years, would be a "howling wilderness without the Africans". The Ku-Klux-Klan hasn’t gone away, neither have the Nazis in Europe. There were and are descendant groups of both around the world. Tough laws temper their outbursts, the hate they preach is mostly restricted to their paranoid but small folds. But statistics show that white supremacy in the United States has been on the rise. And not coincidentally, since 2016, making it seem as though divisive statements by President Donald J. Trump, first on campaign trail acted as a reassurance. It began to seem as though under Trump, racists will be able to speak their minds freely and have nothing to fear. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Residents of a town in Alabama woke up to flyers in November 2016, the day after the United States elected their new president. "Join the only group that has ever stood for the white man", it read. "Black radicals have reverted back to savages", read another. There have been more than 450 recorded incidents of unabashed racism directed against Jews, Chinese, Asians × On the same day, swastikas and pro-Nazi graffiti appeared in Philadelphia. Sprayed inside a boys’ bathroom in a Minnesota school were the following messages: Go back to Africa, whites only, White America and Trump train, "make America great again". Between November 2016 when the United States voted for a new president and August 2017, there have been more than 450 recorded incidents of unabashed racism directed against Jews, Chinese, Asians – in short, anyone who is not Caucasian. It would be absurd to lay the resurgence of racism at President Trump’s doorstep alone. The US President’s argument that democracies must allow all including racists to be heard, is a valid point. It’s a successful tactic, the same employed by African-American jazz musician Daryl Davis to neutralise many white supremacists by engaging or befriending them. But here’s a thought could Trump’s incendiary talk have polarised American society by acting as a magnet to what already lay simmering beneath the genteel surface of the political correctness that has dominated public speech and opinion over the past several decades? Wages for software engineers in America would be 10 per cent higher if H-1B visas were not implemented. × It seemed that way some weeks ago when white supremacists took to the streets in Charlottesville and violence erupted. Significantly, they felt no need to disguise themselves. The masks were off and so were the white hoods. Alec Kerrigan and “Reverend” James Logsdon were enthusiastic participants in Charlottesville. Both spoke to WION’s Andy Roesgen and unsurprisingly, hatred of immigrants from India seems to be the "new normal". "The problem with races such as Indians entering the country is that they don’t integrate at large", Kerrigan told WION. They build their own communities and don't trust their neighbours and they give less to charity. Wages for software engineers in America would be 10 per cent higher if H-1B visas (given to Indian software engineers) were not implemented. In other words, bringing in highly-skilled immigrants from other countries is bad for the highly-skilled natives. Racism watchdog Southern Poverty Law Center told WION that Reverend James Logsdon's "Creativity Movement" is neither holy nor creative. It’s nothing but a hate group. Here's what Logsdon told WION. "Indian immigration is not similar to any other racial group, not Mexicans or Arabic Muslims because Indians don't come here and commit crimes, they don't come here and rape or kill like you see with Mexicans and the worse elements. You have a lot of highly educated Indians in the medical field in America who do benefit our society. But you also have a lot of them who come with degrees that are falsified, education documents that are falsified, they get IT jobs and they're trained by other people who have been here longer to do the jobs properly, essentially getting into the country by lying and taking American jobs." But why was Logsdon in Charlottesville during the riots? After all, that demonstration had nothing to do with Indian software engineers and all to do with protecting America’s white architectural heritage, statues of erstwhile supremacists. "No, I personally don’t care about old statues," argued Logsdon. "But I understand what they were fighting for. Imagine for the sake of argument, that political correctness affected all of the people in India and affected the caste system. And they decided that the Hindu system was racist and oppressive and the people pushing political correctness decided that all the statues that honoured their gods and their system were to be forcibly torn down. How would Indians feel about that? This is the type of thing that's happening in America today. They're trying to destroy any semblance of our culture and our history. No matter how you feel about being good or bad, our history is our history. You should not tear those things down, just to make them feel better in their safe spaces." The United Kingdom, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain and France rapaciously exploited North Africa, South America, sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia including and especially India. × Europe: It’s the geographical venue of one of the worst genocides in the history of mankind, the Holocaust under Germany’s Nazis saw 6 million men, women and children murdered. They were not armed separatists, nor criminal mafia. Their biggest crime is that they were born Jewish, not within Europe’s Christian majority. Germany learned its lessons and remains deeply repentant. And yet, rightwing movements are on the rise. There were more than 900 terror attacks by Islamist terror groups in Europe between 2001 and 2017. But that’s not the only reason. There’s also a certain, God-given superiority that colonising forefathers from France, the UK and the Netherlands vested in themselves. To racist British citizens, all South Asian migrants are "Pakis", to some xenophobic French, northern Africans are "dirty Arabs", to Dutch supremacists, foreign migrants are "scum". The United Kingdom, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain and France rapaciously exploited North Africa, South America, sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia including and especially India. When nations grow more powerful than others off stolen wealth, their citizens feel endowed with divinity. But the recession, unemployment and fiery rhetoric from those who rule or aim to rule, are natural catalysts for polarisation. There’s growing religious paranoia and inflammatory rhetoric mainly under Saudi Arabian influence. It has caused a backlash. Hindus are mobilising themselves. × Asia: But is racism restricted to countries where the majority population is white? Not at all. Let’s take a look at South East Asia. Indians have been in Malaysia since medieval times. People of Indian origin constitute 86 per cent of Malaysia’s total population of 31.19 million. Here, it’s brown versus brown. It’s been largely peaceful. And yet, growing radicalisation of the country’s Islamic majority through an alien brand of Wahabi Islam has resulted in growing polarisation. Temples built hundreds of years ago on private land have been demolished. There’s growing religious paranoia and inflammatory rhetoric mainly under Saudi Arabian influence. It has caused a backlash. Hindus are mobilising themselves. Sanjeev Ramakrishnan and his NGO Mywatch, fight against such discrimination. "There is very clear discrimination in education when the maximum number of seats are given to Malays and next to Chinese. Indians hardly get any seats. Major courses like medicine and law are not given to Indians. I ask why they don’t go on merit? I am a Malaysian and by race I am Indian. But if I bid for a government contract, I must have a Malay partner with a 51 per cent stake in the business. They should surely not award contracts based on race" Ramakrishnan says this is true of every walk of life in Malaysia. People of different races live peacefully in Malaysia but the people who rule are us are trying to create a divide. Recently in a school, cups for drinking water were separated for Muslims and non-Muslims. We are fighting for the right to live as Malaysian. We are not refugees here, we are not immigrants here. My grandfather came from India but my father was born in Malaysia. So, I think I am rightfully Malaysian. A lot of Indian don’t have citizenship even if they are born here. But more Pakistani and Bangladeshi are now coming to Malaysia and are being given citizenship. Politicians in parliament have said, "if you don’t like Malaysia get out, go back to India." Indians are more affluent today, travelling a lot more today, seeing a lot more of the world today. And yet, African students in India have borne the brunt of blatant racism, not in some remote village but right in the heart of India’s capital New Delhi. × We are obsessed with fair skin, a hangover of the British Raj when it all started. The belief that the white man, his white skin, must be superior in many ways. It’s strange because, in Hindu mythology, gods like Krishna and Shiva are painted blue. This blue is meant to indicate skin so black that it appears blue. To be dark-skinned in ancient India, was to be beautiful and god-like. But that’s far from the case in modern India. When it comes to brides and bridegrooms, fair skins come at a premium. That’s now begun to take on dismaying proportions. Indians are more affluent today, travelling a lot more today, seeing a lot more of the world today. And yet, African students in India have borne the brunt of blatant racism, not in some remote village but right in the heart of India’s capital New Delhi. Polarisation: A pandemic, a frightening phenomenon. Whether we blame it on President Donald Trump, or, on the rise of the rightwing in Europe; whether we blame it on Saudi Arabian influence in the far east, or, on growing affluence and arrogance in India, there is no doubt that communities and races are huddling together, displaying absolute intolerance for the mere existence of any other than their own kind. Racism is not the only manifestation. There’s that other powerful catalyst of hate i.e. Religion. This is the first of WION's three-part series "Poles Apart".

'The colour of hatred'

Hollywood actor and political activist Danny Glover joined online rental marketplace <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbnb-new-york-in-talks-to-resolve-rental-law-lawsuit-8174">Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities</a> of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests.

&quot;Airbnb has had its own share of challenges in this arena,&quot; Glover said on Wednesday in a post.

San Francisco-based Airbnb commissioned a report last year saying it will revamp its anti-discrimination policy.

Last month, an Airbnb host was penalized for racial discrimination under an agreement between the rental website and the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH).

The host, who was later banned by Airbnb, had canceled a woman&#39;s reservation making a racist remark and was ordered to pay $5,000 in damages.&nbsp;

Airbnb launched a partnership with civil rights group National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to expand its services to minority groups.&nbsp;

Danny Glover joined Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests

Hollywood actor and political activist Danny Glover joined online rental marketplace Airbnb as an adviser to engage communities of color to help the website turn around its image of discrimination against non-white guests. "Airbnb has had its own share of challenges in this arena," Glover said on Wednesday in a post. San Francisco-based Airbnb commissioned a report last year saying it will revamp its anti-discrimination policy. Last month, an Airbnb host was penalized for racial discrimination under an agreement between the rental website and the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH). The host, who was later banned by Airbnb, had canceled a woman's reservation making a racist remark and was ordered to pay $5,000 in damages. Airbnb launched a partnership with civil rights group National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to expand its services to minority groups.

Danny Glover, actor and political activist, joins Airbnb as advisor

In a case of alleged discrimination in the US, a 40-year-old Muslim man was removed from a plane after a flight attendant publicly announced his name, seat number and said she would be &quot;watching&quot; him. 
 
The matter came to light yesterday when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) complained to transport authorities that Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was removed from the American Airlines Flight last December because of his &quot;identifiably Arabic and Muslim name&quot;. 
 
According to federal law, airlines are prohibited from discriminating against passengers based on religion, ancestry and national origin, among other criteria. 
 
CAIR sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) yesterday urging an investigation and also called for a &quot;thorough examination&quot; into prevailing practices of major airlines, The Charlotte Observer reported.&nbsp;In addition, CAIR said the DOT should develop policy guidelines on objective factors to be looked at while deciding to remove a passenger from a plane. 
 
Radwan, a chemical engineer, said he was flying from Charlotte to Detroit on December 6, 2015, on American Airlines Flight 1821. 
 
As he was taking his allotted seat, Radwan said, a female flight attendant loudly announced, &quot;Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you&quot;. 
 
After a minute, she repeated, &quot;Mohamed Ahmed, that is a very long name, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you&quot;. Then a third time, according to Radwan, she said, &quot;25-A: you will be watched&quot;. 
 
&quot;I was in total shock. I&#39;ve been flying for over 30 years, and I&#39;ve never heard something like that,&quot; he said. 
 
The flight attendant did not make such a statement about any other passenger, Radwan said. When he asked about her statements, the attendant said she was going to monitor everyone. When asked why she singled him out, the attendant accused him of being &quot;too sensitive&quot; and walked away, he said. 
 
After a couple of American Airlines employees talked to him, he was told the attendant felt &quot;uncomfortable&quot; and he was escorted off the flight. 
 
&quot;I felt too unsafe to fly with American again,&quot; he said. Radwan instead booked a much later flight, which cost him about $1,500 and interfered with his travel plans.&nbsp;Worse than the inconvenience was the humiliation of being treated like a terrorist, Radwan said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been a US citizen for 13 years, but at that moment I felt my sense of being American taken from me,&quot; he said. 
 
In April, a Muslim woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines plane at a Chicago airport after she had asked to switch seats as she was told she had made the flight attendant &quot;uncomfortable&quot;. 
 
A Muslim family of five were also escorted off a United Airlines flight in March for &quot;how they looked&quot;. 
 
(PTI)

Council on American-Islamic Relations complained to transport authorities that Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was removed because he was a Muslim

In a case of alleged discrimination in the US, a 40-year-old Muslim man was removed from a plane after a flight attendant publicly announced his name, seat number and said she would be "watching" him. The matter came to light yesterday when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) complained to transport authorities that Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was removed from the American Airlines Flight last December because of his "identifiably Arabic and Muslim name". According to federal law, airlines are prohibited from discriminating against passengers based on religion, ancestry and national origin, among other criteria. CAIR sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) yesterday urging an investigation and also called for a "thorough examination" into prevailing practices of major airlines, The Charlotte Observer reported. In addition, CAIR said the DOT should develop policy guidelines on objective factors to be looked at while deciding to remove a passenger from a plane. Radwan, a chemical engineer, said he was flying from Charlotte to Detroit on December 6, 2015, on American Airlines Flight 1821. As he was taking his allotted seat, Radwan said, a female flight attendant loudly announced, "Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you". After a minute, she repeated, "Mohamed Ahmed, that is a very long name, Seat 25-A, I will be watching you". Then a third time, according to Radwan, she said, "25-A: you will be watched". "I was in total shock. I've been flying for over 30 years, and I've never heard something like that," he said. The flight attendant did not make such a statement about any other passenger, Radwan said. When he asked about her statements, the attendant said she was going to monitor everyone. When asked why she singled him out, the attendant accused him of being "too sensitive" and walked away, he said. After a couple of American Airlines employees talked to him, he was told the attendant felt "uncomfortable" and he was escorted off the flight. "I felt too unsafe to fly with American again," he said. Radwan instead booked a much later flight, which cost him about $1,500 and interfered with his travel plans. Worse than the inconvenience was the humiliation of being treated like a terrorist, Radwan said. "I've been a US citizen for 13 years, but at that moment I felt my sense of being American taken from me," he said. In April, a Muslim woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines plane at a Chicago airport after she had asked to switch seats as she was told she had made the flight attendant "uncomfortable". A Muslim family of five were also escorted off a United Airlines flight in March for "how they looked". (PTI)

Muslim man removed from flight after attendant publicly announces she will be 'watching' him

Myanmar delegates will face some tough questions tomorrow at a key UN convention in Geneva regarding a controversial legislation which has attracted international criticism for discriminating on the basis of gender and religion. 
 
The four laws, which includes giving authorities the right to restrict the number of childbirths a women can have, may stand in violation of the convention on eradicating discrimination against women (CEDAW) which Myanmar joined in 1997, as well as for being anti-Islam. 
 
Introduced last year, this law was backed by nationalist monks and passed by the military-backed government of then-President U Thein Sein.&nbsp; 
 
However, the current government may not redress the matter. Although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi&rsquo;s NLD government has submitted a written clarification that the laws do not go breach UN&rsquo;s CEDAW policies, local newspaper The Myanmar Times quoted U Soe Kyi, the director general of the department of social welfare that the government had &ldquo;no plan&rdquo; to repeal the laws. 
 
Women&#39;s rights groups have been protesting against this law, but have found it difficult to influence the government to change it. 
 
International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, has raised an alarm about the legislation curtailing religious and gender freedom, specially the birth control policy which is seen as a direct action against the displaced Muslim population in Rakhine State, known as Rohingya. 
 
In the past two weeks, there has been a spike in violence against Muslims in Myanmar including incidents of Buddhist mobs ransacking two mosques in separate towns. Buddhist dominated security force has been criticised for not actively pursuing the matter. 
 
(Agencies)

The four laws, which include childbirth restrictions, breach the convention against women discrimination, which Myanmar joined in 1997

Myanmar delegates will face some tough questions tomorrow at a key UN convention in Geneva regarding a controversial legislation which has attracted international criticism for discriminating on the basis of gender and religion. The four laws, which includes giving authorities the right to restrict the number of childbirths a women can have, may stand in violation of the convention on eradicating discrimination against women (CEDAW) which Myanmar joined in 1997, as well as for being anti-Islam. Introduced last year, this law was backed by nationalist monks and passed by the military-backed government of then-President U Thein Sein. However, the current government may not redress the matter. Although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD government has submitted a written clarification that the laws do not go breach UN’s CEDAW policies, local newspaper The Myanmar Times quoted U Soe Kyi, the director general of the department of social welfare that the government had “no plan” to repeal the laws. Women's rights groups have been protesting against this law, but have found it difficult to influence the government to change it. International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, has raised an alarm about the legislation curtailing religious and gender freedom, specially the birth control policy which is seen as a direct action against the displaced Muslim population in Rakhine State, known as Rohingya. In the past two weeks, there has been a spike in violence against Muslims in Myanmar including incidents of Buddhist mobs ransacking two mosques in separate towns. Buddhist dominated security force has been criticised for not actively pursuing the matter. (Agencies)

UN panel to question Myanmar's anti-women, anti-Islam legislation at Geneva meet

discrimination

Discrimination, News on Discrimination, stories on Discrimination, articles on Discrimination, Discrimination stories at Wion, Discrimination news, Discrimination latest news