A group of Buddhist monks — bearing a message of peace — walked into the heart of Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, greeted by large, joyful crowds as they completed their 15-week trek from Texas.

Over 10 Monks Embarked on Spiritual Pilgrimage from Texas 

Buddhist Monks' 15-Week Walk for Peace Ends in Washington, D.C.

Buddhist Monks Complete 2,300-Mile Peace Walk to Washington

Relics of Lord Buddha arrived in Bhutan from India , welcomed with prayers by Bhutan’s senior monks and Queen Mother, in a ceremony steeped in reverence and timed for the Global Peace Prayer Festival & the birthday of the country’s fourth king. The Piprahwa relics, excavated in 1898 from an ancient stupa in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, landed in Paro on Saturday.

Buddhist Monks & Dignitaries Hail Presence Of Buddha Relics

Bhutan PM Lauds India's 'Heartfelt Gift': Monks Across The World Visit Peace Fest 

Dresses In flowers and makeup scores of boys paraded in the traditional Poy Sang Long ceremony around a temple in northern Thailand after having their heads shaved. Now this marks a symbolic start to the centuries-old Shan monkwood ordination to become Buddhist noviceses. We leave you with these images.

Thailand's traditional 'Poy Sang Long' ceremony

A couple in the Indian state of Gujarat has donated their entire wealth to become monks. Notably the husband and wife were inspired by their children who adopted monkhood a couple of years ago. Now a video by Bhavesh Bhandari and his wife donated their entire wealth of over $23 million and this is now going viral.

India: Gujarati couple inspired by their children donates their entire wealth; Become monks

A Gujarat businessman and his wife have gained attention by giving away their entire&nbsp;lifetime earnings (running in billions of dollars).&nbsp;Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari and his wife, living in Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district&nbsp;of Gujarat state&nbsp;have decided to live as monks, leaving behind all material luxuries.

The choice has surprised many, sparking discussions on social media. Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari, who comes from a well-off family in Sabarkantha, had a privileged upbringing. He worked in the construction industry, managing projects in both Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad.

The Bhandari family has strong ties with the Jain community and often interacts with monks and devotees. Now, both Bhavesh Bhai and his wife have decided to live a simple life without any luxuries like fans, air conditioners, or mobile phones.

Their children, a 16-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, chose to become monks in 2022, which inspired Bhavesh Bhai and his wife to do the same.

In a big procession in Himmatnagar, the Bhandari couple, along with 35 others, promised to live a disciplined life.&nbsp;

According to reports, they will officially embrace a life of renunciation at the Himmatnagar Riverfront on April 22.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-ayodhya-boosts-security-ahead-of-first-ram-navami-post-ram-temple-consecration-711258">Also read |&nbsp;India: Ayodhya boosts security ahead of first 'Ram Navami' post Ram temple consecration</a>

<h2>The 9-year-old who gave up material comforts</h2>

A wealthy diamond merchant's nine-year-old daughter in Gujarat became a monk last year, giving up material comforts.

Devanshi, the elder of Dhanesh and Ami Sanghvi's two daughters, took 'diksha' in the presence of Jain monk Acharya Vijay Kirtiyashsuri and hundreds of others at a venue in Vesu locality of Surat, as per a family associate.

Her father owns Sanghvi and Sons, a diamond polishing and export firm in Surat that has been operating for nearly three decades.

The girl showed interest in spiritual life from a young age. She even walked about 700 km with other monks and adopted their lifestyle before officially becoming a monk, according to her family.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;BJP releases Manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections 2024,&nbsp;on BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary

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(With inputs from agencies)

A Gujarat businessman and his wife have gained attention by giving away their entire lifetime earnings (running in billions of dollars). Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari and his wife, living in Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district of Gujarat state have decided to live as monks, leaving behind all material luxuries.

A Gujarat businessman and his wife have gained attention by giving away their entire lifetime earnings (running in billions of dollars). Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari and his wife, living in Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district of Gujarat state have decided to live as monks, leaving behind all material luxuries. The choice has surprised many, sparking discussions on social media. Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari, who comes from a well-off family in Sabarkantha, had a privileged upbringing. He worked in the construction industry, managing projects in both Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad. The Bhandari family has strong ties with the Jain community and often interacts with monks and devotees. Now, both Bhavesh Bhai and his wife have decided to live a simple life without any luxuries like fans, air conditioners, or mobile phones. Their children, a 16-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, chose to become monks in 2022, which inspired Bhavesh Bhai and his wife to do the same. In a big procession in Himmatnagar, the Bhandari couple, along with 35 others, promised to live a disciplined life. According to reports, they will officially embrace a life of renunciation at the Himmatnagar Riverfront on April 22. Also read | India: Ayodhya boosts security ahead of first 'Ram Navami' post Ram temple consecration The 9-year-old who gave up material comforts A wealthy diamond merchant's nine-year-old daughter in Gujarat became a monk last year, giving up material comforts. Devanshi, the elder of Dhanesh and Ami Sanghvi's two daughters, took 'diksha' in the presence of Jain monk Acharya Vijay Kirtiyashsuri and hundreds of others at a venue in Vesu locality of Surat, as per a family associate. Her father owns Sanghvi and Sons, a diamond polishing and export firm in Surat that has been operating for nearly three decades. The girl showed interest in spiritual life from a young age. She even walked about 700 km with other monks and adopted their lifestyle before officially becoming a monk, according to her family. Also watch | BJP releases Manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections 2024, on BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary (With inputs from agencies)

Indian couple from Gujarat gives up billion-dollar lifestyle to become monks

A&nbsp;Buddhist monastery in central Thailand is now without monks after all of its holy men failed drug tests and were defrocked, as reported by AFP.

According to district administrator, Boonlert Thintapthai of Phetchabun province, four monks, including an abbot, at a temple in the Bung Sam Phan district tested positive for methamphetamine on Monday.&nbsp;

The monks have been transferred to a medical facility for drug rehabilitation.&nbsp;

The monks have left the temple, and the nearby villagers are worried that they cannot perform any merit-making, he said.

Worshippers might earn merit by giving food to monks as a good deed.&nbsp;

More monks will be dispatched to the temple, according to Boonlert, so that the locals can fulfil their religious duties.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-searches-for-china-covid-protests-are-filled-with-porn-and-spam-538452">Govt bot offensive? Twitter searches on China Covid protests return porn and spam</a>

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime claims that Thailand is a significant transit country for methamphetamine that enters the country via Laos from Myanmar's unstable Shan state.&nbsp;

Pills can be purchased for less than 20 baht (about $0.50) on the street.&nbsp;

In recent years, authorities in Southeast Asia have seized unprecedented amounts of meth.

(with inputs from agencies)

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A Buddhist monastery in central Thailand is now without monks after all of its holy men failed drug tests and were defrocked, as reported by AFP. According to district administrator, Boonlert Thintapthai of Phetchabun province, four monks, including an abbot, at a temple in the Bung Sam Phan district tested positive for methamphetamine on Monday.

A Buddhist monastery in central Thailand is now without monks after all of its holy men failed drug tests and were defrocked, as reported by AFP. According to district administrator, Boonlert Thintapthai of Phetchabun province, four monks, including an abbot, at a temple in the Bung Sam Phan district tested positive for methamphetamine on Monday. The monks have been transferred to a medical facility for drug rehabilitation. The monks have left the temple, and the nearby villagers are worried that they cannot perform any merit-making, he said. Worshippers might earn merit by giving food to monks as a good deed. More monks will be dispatched to the temple, according to Boonlert, so that the locals can fulfil their religious duties. Also Read: Govt bot offensive? Twitter searches on China Covid protests return porn and spam The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime claims that Thailand is a significant transit country for methamphetamine that enters the country via Laos from Myanmar's unstable Shan state. Pills can be purchased for less than 20 baht (about $0.50) on the street. In recent years, authorities in Southeast Asia have seized unprecedented amounts of meth. (with inputs from agencies)

Thailand temple left without monks after all its holy men failed drug tests

In pics: Thousands of devotees in Bangkok celebrate Buddha’s birthday after two years of covid hiatus

Monks gather at Myanmar junta’s event to celebrate Buddha’s birthday

A delegation of Buddhist monks have arrived at president's house to hold a meeting with Gotabaya Rajapaksa and to discuss the ongoing economic crisis. The aim here is to help arrive at a solution to resolve the situation, this after citizens held protests in Sri Lanka's capital.

Sri Lanka president and monks hold key meeting to discuss economic crisis

Monks performed mask dance and prayed to Gods for world peace and warding off evil spirits. Dressed in colourful costumes, the monks also played traditional musical instruments while dancing.

Buddhist monks perform mask dance at Bhutanese monastery

A group of Thai monks and volunteers decked out in personal protective equipment carefully navigate a golf cart pulling a trailer loaded with bags of fresh vegetables through bumpy roads as they head to a village on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Thai monks craft traditional grocery truck to donate food during COVID-19 pandemic

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk.

The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop. However, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the demand for the product massively.

Now, the monks of the monastery, located in the heart of Burgundy, is struggling to get rid of thousands of cheeses that are stored in the monastery.

"Our sales are down nearly 50%," said brother Jean-Claude, in charge of marketing at the monastery. "We need to clear out our stock."

"We tried explaining to our 75 cows that they needed to produce less milk but they don’t seem to have understood," he laughed.

The drop of 50 per cent in demands has left the monks with nearly 4,000 cheese — a 2.8-tonne problem.

As of now, nearly 700kg of cheese has already been ordered in this emergency online cheese sale, bringing a ray of hope to the monastery.&nbsp;

"We’re going to make it," the marketing head of the monastery hopes.

To assure successful sale, the monks teamed up with internet startup Divine Box, that has experience in selling products manufactured in abbeys in France and other regions.

The monks are hoping to sell at least a tonne of cheese by Tuesday, with the minimum order being two wheels at £20, plus shipping.

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk. The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop.

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk. The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop. However, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the demand for the product massively. Now, the monks of the monastery, located in the heart of Burgundy, is struggling to get rid of thousands of cheeses that are stored in the monastery. "Our sales are down nearly 50%," said brother Jean-Claude, in charge of marketing at the monastery. "We need to clear out our stock." "We tried explaining to our 75 cows that they needed to produce less milk but they don’t seem to have understood," he laughed. The drop of 50 per cent in demands has left the monks with nearly 4,000 cheese — a 2.8-tonne problem. As of now, nearly 700kg of cheese has already been ordered in this emergency online cheese sale, bringing a ray of hope to the monastery. "We’re going to make it," the marketing head of the monastery hopes. To assure successful sale, the monks teamed up with internet startup Divine Box, that has experience in selling products manufactured in abbeys in France and other regions. The monks are hoping to sell at least a tonne of cheese by Tuesday, with the minimum order being two wheels at £20, plus shipping.

'Cows, stop producing milk': Monks in France organise emergency cheese sale

A group of Buddhist monks marched against Myanmar's military junta on Tuesday, joining a campaign for an end to the generals' rule and for the release of detained leaders of the ousted elected government, including Aung San Suu Kyi.&nbsp;

About 20 monks in dark red robes walked through the streets of the main city of Yangon to a United Nations office, urging citizens to join their protest.&nbsp;

"I would like to request that all citizens help eliminate the power of the military dictatorship until we can get rid of this system," said one of the protesting monks, Sandar Thiri.&nbsp;

Monks held an English-language banner with the message: 'Monks. who don't want a military dictatorship'.&nbsp;

Some wore red masks to ward off the coronavirus and carried signs saying 'reject military coup'.&nbsp;

Thousands of people from all walks of life have come out onto the streets of towns and cities across the country to protest against the February 1 military overthrow of the government of veteran democracy champion Suu Kyi.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-chokes-internet-for-second-consecutive-night-amid-protests-363909">Myanmar military chokes internet for second consecutive night amid protests</a>

Historically, monks in the predominately Buddhist country have helped organise communities, and at times led opposition to authority, in particular during British colonial rule.&nbsp;

Big pro-democracy protests in 2007 were called the 'Saffron Revolution' because of the prominent involvement of monks.&nbsp;

Those protests, though suppressed, ultimately led to the military's decision to gradually withdraw from politics, a process brought to a halt by this month's coup.&nbsp;

The army took power alleging that its complaints of fraud in a November 8 general election, in which Suu Kyi's party had won a landslide, were being ignored.&nbsp;

It guaranteed on Tuesday that it would hold an election and hand over power, denied its removal of the government was a coup or that its leaders were detained, and accused protesters of violence and intimidation.

A group of Buddhist monks marched against Myanmar's military junta on Tuesday, joining a campaign for an end to the generals' rule and for the release of detained leaders of the ousted elected government, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

A group of Buddhist monks marched against Myanmar's military junta on Tuesday, joining a campaign for an end to the generals' rule and for the release of detained leaders of the ousted elected government, including Aung San Suu Kyi. About 20 monks in dark red robes walked through the streets of the main city of Yangon to a United Nations office, urging citizens to join their protest. "I would like to request that all citizens help eliminate the power of the military dictatorship until we can get rid of this system," said one of the protesting monks, Sandar Thiri. Monks held an English-language banner with the message: 'Monks. who don't want a military dictatorship'. Some wore red masks to ward off the coronavirus and carried signs saying 'reject military coup'. Thousands of people from all walks of life have come out onto the streets of towns and cities across the country to protest against the February 1 military overthrow of the government of veteran democracy champion Suu Kyi. Also Read: Myanmar military chokes internet for second consecutive night amid protests Historically, monks in the predominately Buddhist country have helped organise communities, and at times led opposition to authority, in particular during British colonial rule. Big pro-democracy protests in 2007 were called the 'Saffron Revolution' because of the prominent involvement of monks. Those protests, though suppressed, ultimately led to the military's decision to gradually withdraw from politics, a process brought to a halt by this month's coup. The army took power alleging that its complaints of fraud in a November 8 general election, in which Suu Kyi's party had won a landslide, were being ignored. It guaranteed on Tuesday that it would hold an election and hand over power, denied its removal of the government was a coup or that its leaders were detained, and accused protesters of violence and intimidation.

Myanmar monks march, seek end to military rule

Monks and novices are banned from joining political protests and urgent notifications have been sent to temples advising them that monks could be expelled for participating.

Thailand: Monks prohibited from participating in political protests

While Lord Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya on Indian soil, the principles and philosophy of Buddhism was practised from historical times in full measure in Tibet, amongst other countries. Tibet emerged as one of the principal countries in the world, where Buddhism is the sole religion. This was so until the Chinese aggressors occupied Tibet and systematically tried to undo Buddhist culture and traditions in Tibet.

The greatest loss for&nbsp;Buddhists around the world was the loss of independence for Tibet when China entered the country and massacred innocent Tibetan protestors several decades back.

While the Tibetans who had to leave Tibet after Chinese aggression have been fighting for the liberation of Tibet, the world conscience has still not heard the cry of Tibetans for freedom and to protect Buddhist culture and traditions.

While it is said that Tibet has lost its freedom which is absolutely true, what has not been adequately said is that Buddhists around the world have lost the citadel of Buddhism.

There are reported to be around 535 million Buddhists in the world, spread in several countries including China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Taiwan, India and others.&nbsp;

Just as Muslims think that their life would not be complete without visiting Mecca and Hindus think that their life would not be complete without visiting Varanasi, Buddhists are conscious of the fact that visit to Tibet and praying at the Buddhist monastery in Tibet is a compelling necessity for them. They are now denied this opportunity.

When the government of Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country, denied a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, &nbsp;obeying the dictates of the Chinese government, the Buddhists in Sri Lanka did not launch any significant or meaningful protest.

While the political leaders and Buddhists in Sri Lanka utilize every opportunity to visit &nbsp;Bodh Gaya in India to pay respects to Lord Buddha and pray in the sanctified place, they do not seem to be adequately concerned about the harm done to the Buddhist religion by the Chinese government occupying Tibet and destroying the Buddhist culture and tradition.

The central theme of Buddhist philosophy is adherence to non-violence, maintaining a spirit of love towards everyone and compassion for the less privileged people. Certainly, Buddhists cannot take arms to defend Tibet, even when the occupier of Tibet is an unscrupulous and dictatorial regime. But, certainly, they can use the moral force that is gained by them due to their adherence to the Buddhist philosophy, to convince the world about the need to liberate Tibet and restore the glory of the country, for the benefit of not only Buddhism but also the entire world community.

The two countries that can decisively help Tibet in getting its freedom are India and the USA, where a considerable section of citizens sympathise with the Tibetan cause and want to see a liberated Tibet soon.

The present time is ripe&nbsp;as the world community is now increasingly realising the ruthlessness of the Chinese government, the response of the world community and several governments to the appeal of the Buddhists around the world for doing justice to Tibet would be overwhelming.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

While Lord Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya on Indian soil, the principles and philosophy of Buddhism was practised from historical times in full measure in Tibet, amongst other countries.

While Lord Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya on Indian soil, the principles and philosophy of Buddhism was practised from historical times in full measure in Tibet, amongst other countries. Tibet emerged as one of the principal countries in the world, where Buddhism is the sole religion. This was so until the Chinese aggressors occupied Tibet and systematically tried to undo Buddhist culture and traditions in Tibet. The greatest loss for Buddhists around the world was the loss of independence for Tibet when China entered the country and massacred innocent Tibetan protestors several decades back. While the Tibetans who had to leave Tibet after Chinese aggression have been fighting for the liberation of Tibet, the world conscience has still not heard the cry of Tibetans for freedom and to protect Buddhist culture and traditions. While it is said that Tibet has lost its freedom which is absolutely true, what has not been adequately said is that Buddhists around the world have lost the citadel of Buddhism. There are reported to be around 535 million Buddhists in the world, spread in several countries including China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Taiwan, India and others. Just as Muslims think that their life would not be complete without visiting Mecca and Hindus think that their life would not be complete without visiting Varanasi, Buddhists are conscious of the fact that visit to Tibet and praying at the Buddhist monastery in Tibet is a compelling necessity for them. They are now denied this opportunity. When the government of Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist country, denied a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, obeying the dictates of the Chinese government, the Buddhists in Sri Lanka did not launch any significant or meaningful protest. While the political leaders and Buddhists in Sri Lanka utilize every opportunity to visit Bodh Gaya in India to pay respects to Lord Buddha and pray in the sanctified place, they do not seem to be adequately concerned about the harm done to the Buddhist religion by the Chinese government occupying Tibet and destroying the Buddhist culture and tradition. The central theme of Buddhist philosophy is adherence to non-violence, maintaining a spirit of love towards everyone and compassion for the less privileged people. Certainly, Buddhists cannot take arms to defend Tibet, even when the occupier of Tibet is an unscrupulous and dictatorial regime. But, certainly, they can use the moral force that is gained by them due to their adherence to the Buddhist philosophy, to convince the world about the need to liberate Tibet and restore the glory of the country, for the benefit of not only Buddhism but also the entire world community. The two countries that can decisively help Tibet in getting its freedom are India and the USA, where a considerable section of citizens sympathise with the Tibetan cause and want to see a liberated Tibet soon. The present time is ripe as the world community is now increasingly realising the ruthlessness of the Chinese government, the response of the world community and several governments to the appeal of the Buddhists around the world for doing justice to Tibet would be overwhelming. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Buddhists around the world must raise voice for Tibet liberation

A group of Tibetan monks blessed and released an endangered sea turtle into the waters in Islamorada, Florida Keys, on Thursday.

Visiting Tibetan monks help release sea turtle

Ultra-nationalist monks in Myanmar accepted a cash donation from the military on Monday while condemning Aung San Suu Kyi and her government for allowing Rohingya Muslims to enter the country "illegally".

Hundreds of monks swathed in saffron and maroon robes filed early morning into a Yangon monastery for the annual meeting of the Buddha Dhamma Parahita Foundation. The group was known as Ma Ba Tha until a ban by the government and religious authorities in 2017 aimed at curbing its influence.

Their hostility towards the Rohingya helped whip up public support for a brutal military crackdown nearly two years ago. Some 740,000 fled the country in violence branded as "genocide" by UN investigators.

Despite the ban -- offline and on Facebook -- the group has continued to operate under its new name.

Increasingly taking a radical stance against civilian leader Suu Kyi's government, the group has also sidled-up to the country's still-powerful military. Monks regularly appear at pro-army nationalist rallies and the military returned the favour at Monday's session.

Yangon Region Commander Major-General Thet Pon openly donated 30 million kyat&nbsp;in cash to the group.

In a written statement, the ultra-nationalist monks said they "harshly condemn" the scrapping of various laws, which they claimed had "allowed -- and continue to allow -- Bengalis to enter the country illegally".

The term "Bengali" is a common slur in Myanmar for the Rohingya, implying they are illegal interlopers from Bangladesh.

The hardliners even urged people in next year's election to vote against Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which is widely expected to return to power.

They also sniped at Suu Kyi herself for "stepping foot" in a pagoda reserved for men.

One notable absentee at the meeting was co-leader Wirathu, dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" and also blacklisted by Facebook.

He is currently on the run after a court issued an arrest warrant for alleged sedition following several provocative speeches at nationalist rallies. 
The hardline monks condemned what they called the "unlawful" charges.&nbsp;

Ultra-nationalist monks in Myanmar accepted a cash donation from the military on Monday while condemning Aung San Suu Kyi and her government for allowing Rohingya Muslims to enter the country "illegally".

Ultra-nationalist monks in Myanmar accepted a cash donation from the military on Monday while condemning Aung San Suu Kyi and her government for allowing Rohingya Muslims to enter the country "illegally". Hundreds of monks swathed in saffron and maroon robes filed early morning into a Yangon monastery for the annual meeting of the Buddha Dhamma Parahita Foundation. The group was known as Ma Ba Tha until a ban by the government and religious authorities in 2017 aimed at curbing its influence. Their hostility towards the Rohingya helped whip up public support for a brutal military crackdown nearly two years ago. Some 740,000 fled the country in violence branded as "genocide" by UN investigators. Despite the ban -- offline and on Facebook -- the group has continued to operate under its new name. Increasingly taking a radical stance against civilian leader Suu Kyi's government, the group has also sidled-up to the country's still-powerful military. Monks regularly appear at pro-army nationalist rallies and the military returned the favour at Monday's session. Yangon Region Commander Major-General Thet Pon openly donated 30 million kyat in cash to the group. In a written statement, the ultra-nationalist monks said they "harshly condemn" the scrapping of various laws, which they claimed had "allowed -- and continue to allow -- Bengalis to enter the country illegally". The term "Bengali" is a common slur in Myanmar for the Rohingya, implying they are illegal interlopers from Bangladesh. The hardliners even urged people in next year's election to vote against Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which is widely expected to return to power. They also sniped at Suu Kyi herself for "stepping foot" in a pagoda reserved for men. One notable absentee at the meeting was co-leader Wirathu, dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" and also blacklisted by Facebook. He is currently on the run after a court issued an arrest warrant for alleged sedition following several provocative speeches at nationalist rallies. The hardline monks condemned what they called the "unlawful" charges.

Myanmar's hardline monks rail against Rohingya, Aung San Suu Kyi

The main Buddhist temple in the capital of South Korea on Monday inaugurated a ceremony to initiate child monks into the order for a weeks long training session in honor of the Buddha’s upcoming birthday on May 12.

Temple in South Korea initiates child monks ahead of Buddha’s birthday

Gunmen in Thailand's deep south shot dead two Buddhist monks and wounded two others inside a temple, police said Saturday, capping a week of deadly violence as the prime minister vowed to "punish" those responsible.

Black-clad assailants carrying rifles crept into Rattanaupap temple in Narathiwat province near Malaysia's border on Friday evening and started firing, local superintendent Pakdi Preechachon told AFP.&nbsp;

"The attack took place around 7:30 pm (1230 GMT) when an unknown number of gunmen dressed in black entered the temple through a rear area via a creek," Pakdi said.

"Two monks were shot dead at the temple while two others were wounded."

Since 2004 clashes between ethnic Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the region a century ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths.

The death toll in the south dropped to a record low last year as Thailand's junta tightened its security web but violence has boiled over in recent days, raising concerns about soft targets at schools and religious institutions.

In the past, Buddhist monks have been targeted only infrequently.

But they have been told to suspend morning alms collection starting from Saturday in three southern provinces and the southern army commander has instructed security officials to step up safeguards of Islamic leaders who could also be at risk.

Junta leader and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha condemned the temple shootings.

"The prime minister denounced such a brazen attack and instructed officials to investigate and find the assailants to punish them," said government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta.

Human Rights Watch, which said in a statement that at least 23 monks had been killed since the outbreak of the insurgency in 2004, called the assault "ghastly" and a war crime because gunmen went after civilians and a place of worship.

The Sheikhul Islam Office, a national representative of Muslim communities in Thailand, denounced the violence against the monks and expressed sorrow over the incident.&nbsp;

"There are no religions that teach people to kill innocent people, it's the work of some group of people who want to create divisiveness," it said in a statement Saturday.

Pictures taken in the aftermath show monks standing next to heavily armed Thai soldiers and an alms bowl inside the temple compound with bullet holes in it.

No one has claimed responsibility, but that is not unusual for the conflict.

Last week, an imam in the same province was shot dead but it was unclear if the temple attack was related.

Friday's shooting came the same day as four security officials were wounded by two separate roadside bombs and an insurgent was shot dead in a clash near a school that sent students home for the day.

Four civil defence volunteers were also killed in a drive-by shooting outside a school on January 10 in the south's Pattani province, with security forces injuring a boy as they gunned down rebels believed to be responsible.

In a rare public statement dated January 4 the main Malay-Muslim rebel group — the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) — which has command and control over most of the insurgent foot soldiers, swore to "keep fighting".

"Siam (Thailand) can't hold out," the BRN wrote, signing off with a warning: "Do not help and support Siam."

Security analyst Don Pathan said the uptick in violence was connected to efforts from Thai negotiators and Malaysian facilitators across the border to "pressure the BRN ruling council to come to the table without offering possible concessions."

Black-clad assailants carrying rifles crept into Rattanaupap temple in Narathiwat province near Malaysia's border on Friday evening and started firing, local superintendent Pakdi Preechachon said.

Gunmen in Thailand's deep south shot dead two Buddhist monks and wounded two others inside a temple, police said Saturday, capping a week of deadly violence as the prime minister vowed to "punish" those responsible. Black-clad assailants carrying rifles crept into Rattanaupap temple in Narathiwat province near Malaysia's border on Friday evening and started firing, local superintendent Pakdi Preechachon told AFP. "The attack took place around 7:30 pm (1230 GMT) when an unknown number of gunmen dressed in black entered the temple through a rear area via a creek," Pakdi said. "Two monks were shot dead at the temple while two others were wounded." Since 2004 clashes between ethnic Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the region a century ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths. The death toll in the south dropped to a record low last year as Thailand's junta tightened its security web but violence has boiled over in recent days, raising concerns about soft targets at schools and religious institutions. In the past, Buddhist monks have been targeted only infrequently. But they have been told to suspend morning alms collection starting from Saturday in three southern provinces and the southern army commander has instructed security officials to step up safeguards of Islamic leaders who could also be at risk. Junta leader and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha condemned the temple shootings. "The prime minister denounced such a brazen attack and instructed officials to investigate and find the assailants to punish them," said government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta. Human Rights Watch, which said in a statement that at least 23 monks had been killed since the outbreak of the insurgency in 2004, called the assault "ghastly" and a war crime because gunmen went after civilians and a place of worship. The Sheikhul Islam Office, a national representative of Muslim communities in Thailand, denounced the violence against the monks and expressed sorrow over the incident. "There are no religions that teach people to kill innocent people, it's the work of some group of people who want to create divisiveness," it said in a statement Saturday. Pictures taken in the aftermath show monks standing next to heavily armed Thai soldiers and an alms bowl inside the temple compound with bullet holes in it. No one has claimed responsibility, but that is not unusual for the conflict. Last week, an imam in the same province was shot dead but it was unclear if the temple attack was related. Friday's shooting came the same day as four security officials were wounded by two separate roadside bombs and an insurgent was shot dead in a clash near a school that sent students home for the day. Four civil defence volunteers were also killed in a drive-by shooting outside a school on January 10 in the south's Pattani province, with security forces injuring a boy as they gunned down rebels believed to be responsible. In a rare public statement dated January 4 the main Malay-Muslim rebel group — the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) — which has command and control over most of the insurgent foot soldiers, swore to "keep fighting". "Siam (Thailand) can't hold out," the BRN wrote, signing off with a warning: "Do not help and support Siam." Security analyst Don Pathan said the uptick in violence was connected to efforts from Thai negotiators and Malaysian facilitators across the border to "pressure the BRN ruling council to come to the table without offering possible concessions."

Two monks shot dead as violence flares in Thailand's deep south

Myanmar's&nbsp;hardline&nbsp;monks&nbsp;will dodge&nbsp;bans on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and keep using it to "tell the truth", they said on Friday, after the social media giant barred several Buddhist nationalists for hate messages targeting Rohingya Muslims.

United Nations officials investigating a possible genocide in&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;have said&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;has been a source of propaganda against the minority in a country where it has become a near-ubiquitous communications tool as the economy opens up.

Myanmar's nationalist&nbsp;monks&nbsp;and activists, who have emerged as a political force in recent years, have been sharing violent and angry rhetoric on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;targeting the minority, seen by many in the Buddhist-majority country as illegal immigrants.

"It is a violation of freedom of expression," Thuseitta, a member of the Patriotic&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;Monks' Union told Reuters hours after&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;identified him as a "hate figure".

"We will keep using&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;with different names and accounts to tell the truth to people."

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to neighbouring&nbsp;Bangladesh, the United Nations and aid agencies have said, following an army crackdown after Rohingya insurgent attacks last August.

Washington has called the army response "ethnic cleansing" - a charge&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;denies, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against "Bengali terrorists".

Pinnyawenta, another monk from the union whose account was deactivated in May after repeatedly being asked by&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;to remove some posts, said he had registered again under another name and would "continue to write about the truth" on the site.

In an email message,&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;told Reuters it was "investing more in the teams who are working on&nbsp;Myanmar" as it seeks to "understand and respond to&nbsp;Myanmar's unique technical challenges".

"There's always more we can do to get ahead of these repeat offenders, and we are committed to improving our detection tools to remove them from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;as quickly as possible," the company said.

The California-based company will invest more in artificial intelligence to deal with languages inMyanmar, it said.

Facebook&nbsp;added that it had designated as "hate figures and organizations" a radical Buddhist group, Ma Ba Tha, and several prominent&nbsp;monks&nbsp;known for vitriol towards Rohingya, blocking them from the platform.

The move had led to the removal of "a lot of harmful and violating content", it said.

Ei Myat Noe Khin, a manager of Yangon-based Phandeeyar, which helped&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;translate its Burmese-language community standards, urged the company to hire more people who are unbiased and understand&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;well.

That would be the only way for&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;to tackle the proliferating accounts behind the rumours spread to trigger violence, riots and conflict, she added.

United Nations officials investigating a possible genocide in Myanmar have said Facebook has been a source of propaganda against the minority in a country

Myanmar's hardline monks will dodge bans on Facebook and keep using it to "tell the truth", they said on Friday, after the social media giant barred several Buddhist nationalists for hate messages targeting Rohingya Muslims. United Nations officials investigating a possible genocide in Myanmar have said Facebook has been a source of propaganda against the minority in a country where it has become a near-ubiquitous communications tool as the economy opens up. Myanmar's nationalist monks and activists, who have emerged as a political force in recent years, have been sharing violent and angry rhetoric on Facebook targeting the minority, seen by many in the Buddhist-majority country as illegal immigrants. "It is a violation of freedom of expression," Thuseitta, a member of the Patriotic Myanmar Monks' Union told Reuters hours after Facebook identified him as a "hate figure". "We will keep using Facebook with different names and accounts to tell the truth to people." Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, the United Nations and aid agencies have said, following an army crackdown after Rohingya insurgent attacks last August. Washington has called the army response "ethnic cleansing" - a charge Myanmar denies, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against "Bengali terrorists". Pinnyawenta, another monk from the union whose account was deactivated in May after repeatedly being asked by Facebook to remove some posts, said he had registered again under another name and would "continue to write about the truth" on the site. In an email message, Facebook told Reuters it was "investing more in the teams who are working on Myanmar" as it seeks to "understand and respond to Myanmar's unique technical challenges". "There's always more we can do to get ahead of these repeat offenders, and we are committed to improving our detection tools to remove them from Facebook as quickly as possible," the company said. The California-based company will invest more in artificial intelligence to deal with languages inMyanmar, it said. Facebook added that it had designated as "hate figures and organizations" a radical Buddhist group, Ma Ba Tha, and several prominent monks known for vitriol towards Rohingya, blocking them from the platform. The move had led to the removal of "a lot of harmful and violating content", it said. Ei Myat Noe Khin, a manager of Yangon-based Phandeeyar, which helped Facebook translate its Burmese-language community standards, urged the company to hire more people who are unbiased and understand Myanmar well. That would be the only way for Facebook to tackle the proliferating accounts behind the rumours spread to trigger violence, riots and conflict, she added.

Myanmar hardline monks vow to stay on Facebook despite ban

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