A car-ramming targeting Israeli troops in Jerusalem wounded 14 people Thursday while two Palestinians were shot dead in clashes in the occupied West Bank, as violence spiked a week after Washington's controversial Middle East peace plan.

A third person was killed by Israeli officers inside the Old City in east Jerusalem after firing on police, Israeli officials said.

The alleged perpetrator of the car-ramming was arrested Thursday evening after a day-long manhunt. The suspect was not immediately identified.

The army said it was deploying additional troops across the West Bank ahead of Friday prayers, often a gathering point for Palestinian demonstrations.

The ramming occurred in central Jerusalem shortly before 2:00 am (0000 GMT) where the soldiers had been marching, the army said, adding that one of them was "severely injured". &nbsp;

Public radio said they were recruits on their way to an induction ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray. &nbsp;

The attacker fled to the occupied West Bank but was arrested near the Gush Etzion settlement, Israeli police said.

Before the arrest, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited near the settlement and pledged a firm response.

"Terrorism will not defeat us; we will win!" he said

It was the most serious escalation in violence since US President Donald Trump revealed his peace plan on January 28.

A spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas blamed Trump's peace proposal for the unrest.

"It was the deal of the century that created this atmosphere of escalation and tension," Nabil Abu Rudeinah said.

Soaring tensions

Netanyahu hit back, directly addressing Abbas and accusing him of stoking violence.

"This will bring you nothing -- neither the stabbings, car-rammings... or incitement to violence. We will do whatever it takes to keep us safe."

The Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip and has fought three wars with Israel, hailed the car-ramming as a "practical response" to Trump's plan but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

Trump's plan unilaterally gives Israel most of what it has sought in previous negotiations including an "undivided capital" in Jerusalem.&nbsp;

The plan angered Palestinians, whose leaders called for street protests over what they saw as its pro-Israel bias.&nbsp;

Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner were scheduled to meet UN Security Council members on Thursday to present the plan, which he drew up.&nbsp;

Abbas is due to the UN next week to express opposition to the US initiative.

While the initial Palestinian response to the plan saw little violence, tensions have soared in recent days.&nbsp;

In the northern West Bank town of Jenin on Thursday, Israeli forces shot dead two people -- 19-year-old Yazan Abu Tabikh and Palestinian policeman Tareq Badwan.

The Israeli army said it had gone to the area to demolish the home of a Palestinian involved in the killing of a Jewish settler in 2018.&nbsp;

Troops then shot at Palestinians who had "hurled explosive devices and fired towards them", the army said.&nbsp;

Palestinian security sources said that Abu Tabikh was among the protesters when he was killed, but Badwan was in the courtyard of a police station close to the clashes when he was hit.

Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told reporters troops had shot a member of the Palestinian security forces and the army was investigating.

Gaza flare-up

Separately a man opened fire on Israeli forces near the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, with forces responding by shooting him dead.

Police identified the gunman as an Arab resident of northern Israel who recently converted to Islam and is known to authorities over previous crimes.&nbsp;

The army said that it had decided to "reinforce Judea and Samaria Division with additional combat troops", using the biblical terms for the West Bank. &nbsp;

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions early Thursday, after Palestinians fired rockets or mortar rounds at Israel and launched incendiary balloons.&nbsp;

Since Trump's plan was announced, there has been almost daily fire from Gaza into southern Israel, drawing Israeli retaliation.&nbsp;

There have been no reported casualties.

A car-ramming targeting Israeli troops in Jerusalem wounded 14 people Thursday while two Palestinians were shot dead in clashes in the occupied West Bank, as violence spiked a week after Washington's controversial Middle East peace plan.

A car-ramming targeting Israeli troops in Jerusalem wounded 14 people Thursday while two Palestinians were shot dead in clashes in the occupied West Bank, as violence spiked a week after Washington's controversial Middle East peace plan. A third person was killed by Israeli officers inside the Old City in east Jerusalem after firing on police, Israeli officials said. The alleged perpetrator of the car-ramming was arrested Thursday evening after a day-long manhunt. The suspect was not immediately identified. The army said it was deploying additional troops across the West Bank ahead of Friday prayers, often a gathering point for Palestinian demonstrations. The ramming occurred in central Jerusalem shortly before 2:00 am (0000 GMT) where the soldiers had been marching, the army said, adding that one of them was "severely injured". Public radio said they were recruits on their way to an induction ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray. The attacker fled to the occupied West Bank but was arrested near the Gush Etzion settlement, Israeli police said. Before the arrest, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited near the settlement and pledged a firm response. "Terrorism will not defeat us; we will win!" he said It was the most serious escalation in violence since US President Donald Trump revealed his peace plan on January 28. A spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas blamed Trump's peace proposal for the unrest. "It was the deal of the century that created this atmosphere of escalation and tension," Nabil Abu Rudeinah said. Soaring tensions Netanyahu hit back, directly addressing Abbas and accusing him of stoking violence. "This will bring you nothing -- neither the stabbings, car-rammings... or incitement to violence. We will do whatever it takes to keep us safe." The Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip and has fought three wars with Israel, hailed the car-ramming as a "practical response" to Trump's plan but stopped short of claiming responsibility. Trump's plan unilaterally gives Israel most of what it has sought in previous negotiations including an "undivided capital" in Jerusalem. The plan angered Palestinians, whose leaders called for street protests over what they saw as its pro-Israel bias. Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner were scheduled to meet UN Security Council members on Thursday to present the plan, which he drew up. Abbas is due to the UN next week to express opposition to the US initiative. While the initial Palestinian response to the plan saw little violence, tensions have soared in recent days. In the northern West Bank town of Jenin on Thursday, Israeli forces shot dead two people -- 19-year-old Yazan Abu Tabikh and Palestinian policeman Tareq Badwan. The Israeli army said it had gone to the area to demolish the home of a Palestinian involved in the killing of a Jewish settler in 2018. Troops then shot at Palestinians who had "hurled explosive devices and fired towards them", the army said. Palestinian security sources said that Abu Tabikh was among the protesters when he was killed, but Badwan was in the courtyard of a police station close to the clashes when he was hit. Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told reporters troops had shot a member of the Palestinian security forces and the army was investigating. Gaza flare-up Separately a man opened fire on Israeli forces near the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, with forces responding by shooting him dead. Police identified the gunman as an Arab resident of northern Israel who recently converted to Islam and is known to authorities over previous crimes. The army said that it had decided to "reinforce Judea and Samaria Division with additional combat troops", using the biblical terms for the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions early Thursday, after Palestinians fired rockets or mortar rounds at Israel and launched incendiary balloons. Since Trump's plan was announced, there has been almost daily fire from Gaza into southern Israel, drawing Israeli retaliation. There have been no reported casualties.

Israel troops wounded in Jerusalem car-ramming as violence flares

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday called the Citizenship Amendment Act a historic law during his address to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.

"The Citizenship Amendment Act is a historic law. It has fulfilled wishes of our founding fathers including Mahatma Gandhi," he said.

He also said that debate and discussion on any issue strengthen democracy while violence during protests weaken it.

In a reference to abrogation of Article 370, Kovind said there is happiness among people of India that people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have got rights on par with the rest of the country. 
&nbsp; 
The President said Parliament has created a record in the first seven months of the new government headed by Narendra Modi by enacting several landmark legislations. 
&nbsp; 
"My government is taking strong steps for making this decade as India's decade and this century as India's century," he said.&nbsp;

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday called the Citizenship Amendment Act a historic law during his address to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament. "The Citizenship Amendment Act is a historic law.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday called the Citizenship Amendment Act a historic law during his address to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament. "The Citizenship Amendment Act is a historic law. It has fulfilled wishes of our founding fathers including Mahatma Gandhi," he said. He also said that debate and discussion on any issue strengthen democracy while violence during protests weaken it. In a reference to abrogation of Article 370, Kovind said there is happiness among people of India that people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have got rights on par with the rest of the country. The President said Parliament has created a record in the first seven months of the new government headed by Narendra Modi by enacting several landmark legislations. "My government is taking strong steps for making this decade as India's decade and this century as India's century," he said.

President Ramnath Kovid hails Citizenship Amendment Act, calls it a  'historic law'

Marking the beginning of the Budget Session of the Lok Sabha, President Ramnath Kovind addressed the joint sitting of Parliament and said that violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country.

"My govt taking strong steps for making this decade as India's decade," said&nbsp;Kovind.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/caa-opposers-refuse-to-see-persecution-of-religious-minorities-in-pakistan-pm-modi-277068">Also read: CAA opposers refuse to see persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan — PM Modi</a>

He added that the government is clearly of the view that mutual discussions and debates further strengthen democracy.

"At the same time, any kind of violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country," he said. ​

Addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, President Kovind said, "Our constitution expects from this Parliament and every member present in this House to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the countrymen and make necessary laws for them, keeping national interest paramount."

"The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution through two-thirds majority by both the Houses of Parliament is not only historic but it has also paved the way for equal development of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh."&nbsp;

"The mature way in which the countrymen behaved after the Supreme Court's decision on Ramjanmabhoomi is also praiseworthy," the President said.

Calling this decade as India's decade President Kovind said that "India has made significant improvement in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking. The government runs on "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas" and policies have been implemented without any religious bias." ​

Marking the beginning of the Budget Session of the Lok Sabha, President Ramnath Kovind addressed the joint sitting of Parliament and said that violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country.

Marking the beginning of the Budget Session of the Lok Sabha, President Ramnath Kovind addressed the joint sitting of Parliament and said that violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country. "My govt taking strong steps for making this decade as India's decade," said Kovind. Also read: CAA opposers refuse to see persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan — PM Modi He added that the government is clearly of the view that mutual discussions and debates further strengthen democracy. "At the same time, any kind of violence in the name of protest weakens the society and the country," he said. Addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, President Kovind said, "Our constitution expects from this Parliament and every member present in this House to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the countrymen and make necessary laws for them, keeping national interest paramount." "The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution through two-thirds majority by both the Houses of Parliament is not only historic but it has also paved the way for equal development of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh." "The mature way in which the countrymen behaved after the Supreme Court's decision on Ramjanmabhoomi is also praiseworthy," the President said. Calling this decade as India's decade President Kovind said that "India has made significant improvement in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking. The government runs on "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas" and policies have been implemented without any religious bias."

Violence in name of protests weakens country: President Ramnath Kovind

More than 500 pieces of textile art were joined together on Mexico City's iconic Zocalo Square on Sunday (January 26) in a collective artwork that seeks to draw attention to the violence that organizers say women and children face in their daily lives in Mexico and around the world.

Collective quilt art seeks to combat violence and misogyny in Mexico

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases.

This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. 
 
"Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement.

<h6><img alt="naval" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dafe4ee-d01a-459e-b8be-40b7c0c721bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_18.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff.

In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up.

<h6><img alt="Pensacola" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f74135e4-4463-431b-bc6b-681f78a7b572" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_35.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station&nbsp;Pensacola, in&nbsp;Pensacola, Florida, US&nbsp;December 6, 2019 | Reuters 
 
Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place.&nbsp;</h6>

The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month.

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. "Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement. Image: This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff. In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up. Image: Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in Pensacola, Florida, US December 6, 2019 | Reuters Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place. The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pentagon restricts access to guns for foreign trainees

The world is faced with pressing issues – climate change, economic growth, inequality, anti-establishment protests and violence. Even as the other issues are receiving some attention, not much is being done with respect to addressing the wave of violence sweeping across the world. It is in this context that it becomes critical to delve into the root cause of violence and strive for a peaceful world. &nbsp;

Violence is not only killing people, but it is also undermining the progress of nations and humane values. What prompts an individual to resort to harming others? &nbsp;As we say this, let us recount, more than 71 soldiers in Nigeria have been killed by 100 militants in the deadliest attack against Niger military, India recently saw some worst crime against women while London and Amsterdam, witnessed multiple stabbing incidents and so on. Amidst this vicious circle of suffering and ferocity is it wishful thinking to strive for a world free of violence? A world without violence might sound utopian or a line straight from the script of a feel-good feature film. But we need to understand that a world without violence is surely attainable, provided we all work towards it. Violence is an attitude, an approach that needs to be dealt skillfully. Crushing protests and dissenting views is not the solution. Violence and aggression as a tendency need to be addressed at an individual, structural and societal level.&nbsp;

If we delve deeper and try to analyse the reasons for violence, we would find that we all are stakeholders in this large-scale violence. Let us analyse the factors contributing to this violence. &nbsp;

Lack of belongingness and trust&nbsp;

It is the lack of belongingness and trust towards our fellow brethren which is giving rise to this cycle of hate and aloofness. The feeling of somebodies or the lack of belongingness has long been driving a wedge between us and others, be it during the era of capitalism, colonialism, or apartheid, where the weak were subjugated at the hands of the powerful. Unless we address the lack of belonging, violence will continue to spread as a wildfire and would be hard to curtail. &nbsp;

The violence could be as small as a quarrel or fight between a husband and wife or can take the form of large-scale violence. As we are growing into a so-called “better off society”, we are trusting each other less. The magnitude of violence being experienced in the 21st century is indeed heartening. Violence is not the nature of man. However, man is the only animal who kills his fellow beings. Other animals rarely kill animals of their fraternity, rather they stand for their protection. &nbsp;

Lack of trust is preventing nations from enjoying the fruits of development. This mistrust between nations is making them allocate billions of dollars in defence budget alone. This amount could very well have gone for nation-building or for providing a social safety net to people. While people living below the poverty line in India have fallen from 70 per cent in 1947 to 22 per cent in 2016, still the fruits of development are still to fully trickle down to all the sections of the society.&nbsp;

Several polls conducted worldwide demonstrate that millennials have far lesser inclination to trust the society, the Government, the judiciary than they used to earlier. Today’s policies, laws and social habits showcase a falling sense of interpersonal trust. Security checks are becoming more rigorous than before given the uncertain times we live in. This didn’t use to be the case earlier. One core reason behind the growing incidence of depression is the feeling of alienation and lack of confidence in our fellow beings. We seldom find an avenue to vent out our feelings or have someone to hear to us impartially while at the same time maintain our confidentiality. If not addressed at the individual level, this takes the form of fear psychosis and becomes social aggression at the societal level. Many of the culprits behind gun-shooting incidents or terror attacks have often been found to be anti-social in character. &nbsp;

Ideologies alienate us&nbsp;

Ideology is the root cause of all violence. Thousands of wars have been fought, still fighting not for any real thing, but just for mere ideologies. The rigid notion that only our ideology is supreme or ours is the only truth have left numerous scars the world over which are hard to heal. The violence during the World War II, the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War era of the 1990s, the 9/11 attacks in the US and 26/11 in India are still fresh in the minds of the people. Sanatan tradition in its unadulterated form is not an ideology but the art of living. The Sanskrit aphorism Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi, meaning “I am the Infinite” has long been propounded by our holy Upanishads. The aphorism signifies that Brahman is the infinite reality, the all-encompassing existence in itself, and only when the ego (somebodies) dies can it be realised. Unless we see the same atman or soul in each of us as the basis of our being, irrespective of caste, creed, race and religion, we won’t be at peace. Our holy scriptures have also advocated that one should see one (God) in many while many in one. The moment one drops ideologies and refuses to be blinded by it, suddenly one becomes aware. And that heightened awareness is the source of peace in and around the world.&nbsp;

Freedom to ask questions&nbsp;

While many may not agree, but we need to encourage people to ask questions. All the greatest inventions of our times and mass political movements, all owe their success to raising pertinent questions. Not providing people an outlet to ask questions and seek a response often gives rise to frustration, pent-up emotions, a feeling of subjugation which then take the shape of violence. &nbsp;

The Indian civilisation right from its inception has encouraged people to ask questions. At a time when asking questions was forbidden in other religions and parts of the world, all major holy scriptures in India - be it the Narada Bhakti Sutra or the Bhagawad Gita have started with a question. India is also the land which gave rise to the Guru-Shishya parampara (Guru-Disciple tradition) where asking questions was encouraged. The prevailing chaos globally could be blamed in part to curbing the dissenting voices and forbidding people from asking relevant questions. Notwithstanding, India has a history of respect for all religions, which is unparalleled in the rest of the world. &nbsp;

Role of language in violence&nbsp;

Not many know, but language too has a role in exacerbating violence. A physical wound may heal sooner, but it may take ages for a verbal scar to heal. Violence is almost always accompanied by language. Anthropologists are right when they say that aggression is biological while violence is social. More than often the accompanying language gives violence its social character. There have been several instances in India where influential public figures have been booked for hate speech and for instigating violence. One can’t also turn a blind eye to language-related violence as seen in Bangladesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra. Many political parties owe their successes to the linguistic card played by them.&nbsp;

Technology: A boon or a bane&nbsp;

The increased usage of technology and gadgets is subtly contributing to violence. While technology has made it easier to communicate seamlessly, at the same time it has increased levels of alienation. Youth playing games on mobile which involve killing and maiming the enemy often induces a sense of aggression among the teens. The easy access of pornographic material on gadgets is unfortunate too. It has emerged that several pedophiles and sexual predators have been influenced by such material online in committing sexual crimes. The advent of messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Telegram has made it easier for militant outfits to radicalise the youth or recruit them. Many of the ISIS recruits claim to have got influenced by groups created by the outfit on Telegram.&nbsp;

Often, fake and unsubstantiated content is shared on such Messaging Apps, be it the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir or misconceptions regarding the intended purpose of policies as framed by the Government. India has been witnessing widespread protests pertaining to the objective of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens exercise. Unless the policy formulators proactively educate the public correctly about the exact significance of their policies and check rumour-mongering, such chaos is bound to occur as the reality is far from what is projected in these viral posts. Any violence emanating out of the lack of trust for the government’s policies often gives rise to mob-mentality and ends in massive destruction of public property, while claiming lives too. The misuse of the internet by anti-social elements has been one of the key considerations making the Indian government tread with caution in fully restarting internet services in Kashmir post the revocation of Article 370 in August.&nbsp;

Gadgets in a way have become our companion. People tend to spend 14-16 hours with them, even keeping them besides them when sleeping. We get a high when we see our gadgets instantly obeying our commands. However, we become restless and aggressive when our friends and family refuse to respond or interact in the same vein. This needs to be addressed. Gadgets should be used for constructive purposes – learning a new skill, course, meditating, exploring new places or reading something positive.&nbsp;

Way forward 
 
Great things have been accomplished through non-violence. J. Krishnamurti, the enlightened author of Beyond Violence, once wrote: “Violence is like a stone dropped in a lake: the waves spread and spread; at the centre is the ‘me’. As long as the ‘me’ survives in any form, very subtly or grossly, there must be violence.”&nbsp;

There is a mystical incident -- Towards the end of the British Rule in India, when the independence movement was at its peak, some British soldiers captured a Hindu saint on the suspicion that he was a spy. This saint was passing through a military cantonment area, and he had been in silence – observing a Maun Vrat – for 30 years. The soldiers interrogated him, but he chose not to break his “Maun Vrat” (silence). This unusual behaviour strengthened their suspicion and the soldiers became so furious, they stuck a bayonet in his chest. In his last moment, the saint uttered one Sanskrit word: 'Tattvamasi', meaning ‘That Art Thou’. It implies that even the killer is divine even though he is not aware of his divinity.&nbsp;

Non-violence simply means you should be so powerful that nobody can undermine you by being violent towards you. It should not be out of weakness but out of power. Being powerful, you shouldn’t hurt or kill the latter, but rather protect them. You could even empower the other by educating him to shun the path of ignorance, of violence and come back into the mainstream. So, my idea of nonviolence is different from Mahavir, Buddha and Gandhi.&nbsp;

My idea is non-violence should be out of an abundance of power. Don’t use that power to kill, to destroy; but use that power to create, enlighten and protect. And if anybody tries to harm you or anybody else, do everything to prevent that harm.&nbsp;

Violence has to be completely removed from the world, but it can happen only if nonviolent people are powerful; otherwise, how can you manage? If violent people are powerful and non-violent people are powerless, then the violent people will overrule the non-violent. That has been our experience of two thousand years. I don’t support weakness. I support power; but power with compassion, love and creativity. &nbsp;

Given my more than two decades of experience of working in Kashmir, North-east, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Nepal, it is clear that people could be transformed and be made to shun violence by educating them about the constructive power of non-violence and by hearing to them non-judgmentally with compassion. &nbsp;

Furthermore, I feel that all the pressing issues in the world can only be solved through dialogue, and not war or bullets. Be it the decades of civil strife in Columbia or the centuries-long dispute pertaining to the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, both of which witnessed widespread bloodshed in the past, all have been resolved amicably through discussion and dialogue, thus setting a new precedence for our future generations. &nbsp;

Role of spirituality &nbsp;

In the prevailing times, the role of spirituality in addressing violence can’t be under-emphasized. Turning to holy scriptures irrespective of religion, their correct interpretation and education, yoga and meditation can go a long way in creating a society filled with tolerance and compassion. The United Nations recognising the significance of Yoga and declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga is laudable in this context. Yoga and meditation is also being taught across prisons the world over and has found a large number of takers. Many convicts feel their life would have been different had they been introduced to it earlier. &nbsp;

It needs to start from our families&nbsp;

Addressing the growing incidents of violence and preventing the societal fabric from deteriorating has become our moral responsibility. Spreading peace and compassion needs to start from our homes. By treating our loved ones with compassion, we can surely encourage them to do the same with others and hope this to have a spiral effect. At the same time, it becomes important to turn to our scriptures. The tenets of non-violence have been extensively propagated for long by them. The mention of non-violence comes before truth in the highly revered Patanjali Yoga Sutra. &nbsp;

Feeling of belongingness and treating others with respect has been one of the key pillars of India’s tradition. It was among the first countries in the world to propagate the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, a Sanskrit phrase found in the Maha Upanishad, meaning "the world is one family". It is these ideals which made India to welcome thinkers, scholars and visitors from all over the world. &nbsp;

India never attacked any country on its own in the known history and never tried to colonise any part of the world. It neither advocated that our truth is the only truth nor projected others as non-believers and sinners. India was and will continue to remain a melting pot of the peaceful co-existence of several religions, languages, dialects and cultures. Even as greed, materialism and religious dogma dominate the world, India, despite its shortcomings, still holds the torch that can light a new flame of awakening. The country is well-equipped to deal with any differences of opinion in a peaceful manner&nbsp;

If we all – individuals, society, governments, world leaders, NGOs, civil society, spiritual organisations work in unison for fostering brotherhood and peace, a world without violence is surely attainable.&nbsp; 
 
(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The world is faced with pressing issues – climate change, economic growth, inequality, anti-establishment protests and violence. Even as the other issues are receiving some attention, not much is being done with respect to addressing the wave of violence sweeping across the world.

The world is faced with pressing issues – climate change, economic growth, inequality, anti-establishment protests and violence. Even as the other issues are receiving some attention, not much is being done with respect to addressing the wave of violence sweeping across the world. It is in this context that it becomes critical to delve into the root cause of violence and strive for a peaceful world. Violence is not only killing people, but it is also undermining the progress of nations and humane values. What prompts an individual to resort to harming others? As we say this, let us recount, more than 71 soldiers in Nigeria have been killed by 100 militants in the deadliest attack against Niger military, India recently saw some worst crime against women while London and Amsterdam, witnessed multiple stabbing incidents and so on. Amidst this vicious circle of suffering and ferocity is it wishful thinking to strive for a world free of violence? A world without violence might sound utopian or a line straight from the script of a feel-good feature film. But we need to understand that a world without violence is surely attainable, provided we all work towards it. Violence is an attitude, an approach that needs to be dealt skillfully. Crushing protests and dissenting views is not the solution. Violence and aggression as a tendency need to be addressed at an individual, structural and societal level. If we delve deeper and try to analyse the reasons for violence, we would find that we all are stakeholders in this large-scale violence. Let us analyse the factors contributing to this violence. Lack of belongingness and trust It is the lack of belongingness and trust towards our fellow brethren which is giving rise to this cycle of hate and aloofness. The feeling of somebodies or the lack of belongingness has long been driving a wedge between us and others, be it during the era of capitalism, colonialism, or apartheid, where the weak were subjugated at the hands of the powerful. Unless we address the lack of belonging, violence will continue to spread as a wildfire and would be hard to curtail. The violence could be as small as a quarrel or fight between a husband and wife or can take the form of large-scale violence. As we are growing into a so-called “better off society”, we are trusting each other less. The magnitude of violence being experienced in the 21st century is indeed heartening. Violence is not the nature of man. However, man is the only animal who kills his fellow beings. Other animals rarely kill animals of their fraternity, rather they stand for their protection. Lack of trust is preventing nations from enjoying the fruits of development. This mistrust between nations is making them allocate billions of dollars in defence budget alone. This amount could very well have gone for nation-building or for providing a social safety net to people. While people living below the poverty line in India have fallen from 70 per cent in 1947 to 22 per cent in 2016, still the fruits of development are still to fully trickle down to all the sections of the society. Several polls conducted worldwide demonstrate that millennials have far lesser inclination to trust the society, the Government, the judiciary than they used to earlier. Today’s policies, laws and social habits showcase a falling sense of interpersonal trust. Security checks are becoming more rigorous than before given the uncertain times we live in. This didn’t use to be the case earlier. One core reason behind the growing incidence of depression is the feeling of alienation and lack of confidence in our fellow beings. We seldom find an avenue to vent out our feelings or have someone to hear to us impartially while at the same time maintain our confidentiality. If not addressed at the individual level, this takes the form of fear psychosis and becomes social aggression at the societal level. Many of the culprits behind gun-shooting incidents or terror attacks have often been found to be anti-social in character. Ideologies alienate us Ideology is the root cause of all violence. Thousands of wars have been fought, still fighting not for any real thing, but just for mere ideologies. The rigid notion that only our ideology is supreme or ours is the only truth have left numerous scars the world over which are hard to heal. The violence during the World War II, the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War era of the 1990s, the 9/11 attacks in the US and 26/11 in India are still fresh in the minds of the people. Sanatan tradition in its unadulterated form is not an ideology but the art of living. The Sanskrit aphorism Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi, meaning “I am the Infinite” has long been propounded by our holy Upanishads. The aphorism signifies that Brahman is the infinite reality, the all-encompassing existence in itself, and only when the ego (somebodies) dies can it be realised. Unless we see the same atman or soul in each of us as the basis of our being, irrespective of caste, creed, race and religion, we won’t be at peace. Our holy scriptures have also advocated that one should see one (God) in many while many in one. The moment one drops ideologies and refuses to be blinded by it, suddenly one becomes aware. And that heightened awareness is the source of peace in and around the world. Freedom to ask questions While many may not agree, but we need to encourage people to ask questions. All the greatest inventions of our times and mass political movements, all owe their success to raising pertinent questions. Not providing people an outlet to ask questions and seek a response often gives rise to frustration, pent-up emotions, a feeling of subjugation which then take the shape of violence. The Indian civilisation right from its inception has encouraged people to ask questions. At a time when asking questions was forbidden in other religions and parts of the world, all major holy scriptures in India - be it the Narada Bhakti Sutra or the Bhagawad Gita have started with a question. India is also the land which gave rise to the Guru-Shishya parampara (Guru-Disciple tradition) where asking questions was encouraged. The prevailing chaos globally could be blamed in part to curbing the dissenting voices and forbidding people from asking relevant questions. Notwithstanding, India has a history of respect for all religions, which is unparalleled in the rest of the world. Role of language in violence Not many know, but language too has a role in exacerbating violence. A physical wound may heal sooner, but it may take ages for a verbal scar to heal. Violence is almost always accompanied by language. Anthropologists are right when they say that aggression is biological while violence is social. More than often the accompanying language gives violence its social character. There have been several instances in India where influential public figures have been booked for hate speech and for instigating violence. One can’t also turn a blind eye to language-related violence as seen in Bangladesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra. Many political parties owe their successes to the linguistic card played by them. Technology: A boon or a bane The increased usage of technology and gadgets is subtly contributing to violence. While technology has made it easier to communicate seamlessly, at the same time it has increased levels of alienation. Youth playing games on mobile which involve killing and maiming the enemy often induces a sense of aggression among the teens. The easy access of pornographic material on gadgets is unfortunate too. It has emerged that several pedophiles and sexual predators have been influenced by such material online in committing sexual crimes. The advent of messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Telegram has made it easier for militant outfits to radicalise the youth or recruit them. Many of the ISIS recruits claim to have got influenced by groups created by the outfit on Telegram. Often, fake and unsubstantiated content is shared on such Messaging Apps, be it the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir or misconceptions regarding the intended purpose of policies as framed by the Government. India has been witnessing widespread protests pertaining to the objective of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens exercise. Unless the policy formulators proactively educate the public correctly about the exact significance of their policies and check rumour-mongering, such chaos is bound to occur as the reality is far from what is projected in these viral posts. Any violence emanating out of the lack of trust for the government’s policies often gives rise to mob-mentality and ends in massive destruction of public property, while claiming lives too. The misuse of the internet by anti-social elements has been one of the key considerations making the Indian government tread with caution in fully restarting internet services in Kashmir post the revocation of Article 370 in August. Gadgets in a way have become our companion. People tend to spend 14-16 hours with them, even keeping them besides them when sleeping. We get a high when we see our gadgets instantly obeying our commands. However, we become restless and aggressive when our friends and family refuse to respond or interact in the same vein. This needs to be addressed. Gadgets should be used for constructive purposes – learning a new skill, course, meditating, exploring new places or reading something positive. Way forward Great things have been accomplished through non-violence. J. Krishnamurti, the enlightened author of Beyond Violence, once wrote: “Violence is like a stone dropped in a lake: the waves spread and spread; at the centre is the ‘me’. As long as the ‘me’ survives in any form, very subtly or grossly, there must be violence.” There is a mystical incident -- Towards the end of the British Rule in India, when the independence movement was at its peak, some British soldiers captured a Hindu saint on the suspicion that he was a spy. This saint was passing through a military cantonment area, and he had been in silence – observing a Maun Vrat – for 30 years. The soldiers interrogated him, but he chose not to break his “Maun Vrat” (silence). This unusual behaviour strengthened their suspicion and the soldiers became so furious, they stuck a bayonet in his chest. In his last moment, the saint uttered one Sanskrit word: 'Tattvamasi', meaning ‘That Art Thou’. It implies that even the killer is divine even though he is not aware of his divinity. Non-violence simply means you should be so powerful that nobody can undermine you by being violent towards you. It should not be out of weakness but out of power. Being powerful, you shouldn’t hurt or kill the latter, but rather protect them. You could even empower the other by educating him to shun the path of ignorance, of violence and come back into the mainstream. So, my idea of nonviolence is different from Mahavir, Buddha and Gandhi. My idea is non-violence should be out of an abundance of power. Don’t use that power to kill, to destroy; but use that power to create, enlighten and protect. And if anybody tries to harm you or anybody else, do everything to prevent that harm. Violence has to be completely removed from the world, but it can happen only if nonviolent people are powerful; otherwise, how can you manage? If violent people are powerful and non-violent people are powerless, then the violent people will overrule the non-violent. That has been our experience of two thousand years. I don’t support weakness. I support power; but power with compassion, love and creativity. Given my more than two decades of experience of working in Kashmir, North-east, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Nepal, it is clear that people could be transformed and be made to shun violence by educating them about the constructive power of non-violence and by hearing to them non-judgmentally with compassion. Furthermore, I feel that all the pressing issues in the world can only be solved through dialogue, and not war or bullets. Be it the decades of civil strife in Columbia or the centuries-long dispute pertaining to the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, both of which witnessed widespread bloodshed in the past, all have been resolved amicably through discussion and dialogue, thus setting a new precedence for our future generations. Role of spirituality In the prevailing times, the role of spirituality in addressing violence can’t be under-emphasized. Turning to holy scriptures irrespective of religion, their correct interpretation and education, yoga and meditation can go a long way in creating a society filled with tolerance and compassion. The United Nations recognising the significance of Yoga and declaring 21 June as the International Day of Yoga is laudable in this context. Yoga and meditation is also being taught across prisons the world over and has found a large number of takers. Many convicts feel their life would have been different had they been introduced to it earlier. It needs to start from our families Addressing the growing incidents of violence and preventing the societal fabric from deteriorating has become our moral responsibility. Spreading peace and compassion needs to start from our homes. By treating our loved ones with compassion, we can surely encourage them to do the same with others and hope this to have a spiral effect. At the same time, it becomes important to turn to our scriptures. The tenets of non-violence have been extensively propagated for long by them. The mention of non-violence comes before truth in the highly revered Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Feeling of belongingness and treating others with respect has been one of the key pillars of India’s tradition. It was among the first countries in the world to propagate the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, a Sanskrit phrase found in the Maha Upanishad, meaning "the world is one family". It is these ideals which made India to welcome thinkers, scholars and visitors from all over the world. India never attacked any country on its own in the known history and never tried to colonise any part of the world. It neither advocated that our truth is the only truth nor projected others as non-believers and sinners. India was and will continue to remain a melting pot of the peaceful co-existence of several religions, languages, dialects and cultures. Even as greed, materialism and religious dogma dominate the world, India, despite its shortcomings, still holds the torch that can light a new flame of awakening. The country is well-equipped to deal with any differences of opinion in a peaceful manner If we all – individuals, society, governments, world leaders, NGOs, civil society, spiritual organisations work in unison for fostering brotherhood and peace, a world without violence is surely attainable. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Power of non-violence: Issues must be resolved through dialogue, and not violence

Internet services have been restored in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, reported news agency ANI. The services were suspended on December 15 after violent protests over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/caa-protests-bullet-pierces-through-cops-vest-gets-stuck-in-wallet-269531">Citizenship (Amendment) Act</a>. 
 
"After the protest in the Aligarh Muslim University by students today, it cannot be denied that some anti-social elements can incite violence among the people using internet services to circulate inflammatory messages or content on social media, so to prevent that internet services remain suspended from 10 pm tonight till 10 pm tomorrow," the District Magistrate had said on December 15.

According to the registrar of Aligarh Muslim University Abdul Hamid, the university is slated to stay shut until January 5, 2020 as protests continue to intensify all over the country. 
 
Earlier on Thursday, Vice-Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor, "Protestors should protest in a democratic and peaceful way. The sentiments should be conveyed in a lawful manner. If not, it will be exploited politically." 
 
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

(With inputs from ANI)

Internet services have been restored in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, reported news agency ANI. The services were suspended on December 15 after violent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Internet services have been restored in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, reported news agency ANI. The services were suspended on December 15 after violent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. "After the protest in the Aligarh Muslim University by students today, it cannot be denied that some anti-social elements can incite violence among the people using internet services to circulate inflammatory messages or content on social media, so to prevent that internet services remain suspended from 10 pm tonight till 10 pm tomorrow," the District Magistrate had said on December 15. According to the registrar of Aligarh Muslim University Abdul Hamid, the university is slated to stay shut until January 5, 2020 as protests continue to intensify all over the country. Earlier on Thursday, Vice-Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor, "Protestors should protest in a democratic and peaceful way. The sentiments should be conveyed in a lawful manner. If not, it will be exploited politically." The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. (With inputs from ANI)

Uttar Pradesh: Internet services resumed in Aligarh

Clashes ensued among prisoners in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-honduras-discuss-temporary-work-opportunities-for-hondurans-251210">Honduras</a>, killing 18 inmates and injuring 16.&nbsp;

According to prison officials, the fighting erupted at a jail in the town of Tela.

The prison is 200 kilometres from the country's capital, Tegucigalpa. Until now, no trigger or cause has been ascertained.

Fusine, the combined national security force had found arms and ammunition in the prison, including 9-millimetre guns.

Earlier, only three deaths were reported, with the toll quickly rising. By Saturday, 14 dead and 15 wounded were identified by the authorities.&nbsp;

Digna Aguilar, a prison spokesperson said that authorities had to enter the area carefully "for fear of being among the victims" because several inmates carried firearms, which slowed the investigation.

Watch: Mexico to help create 20,000 jobs in Honduras to curb migration

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mexico-to-help-create-20000-jobs-in-honduras-to-curb-migration-238977/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-honduras-agree-to-create-20000-jobs-and-stem-migration-238995">Honduran</a> President Juan Orlando Hernandez, grappling with a recent wave of prison killings, had ordered the army and the police on Tuesday to take full control of the country's 27 prisons, which are badly overcrowded with some 21,000 inmates.&nbsp;

But as of Friday, the military had yet to take complete control of the Tela detention centre, according to Aguilar.

Hernandez was triggered to announce the scheme amid recent violence in prisons. 
On December 14 of five members of feared gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) by a fellow detainee at the high-security prison in La Tolva, 25 miles east of Tegucigalpa.&nbsp;

A day earlier. Pedro Idelfonso Armas, the warden of El Pozo, the country's main high-security prison, in the western city of Santa Barbara, was shot dead in the south of the country.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/honduras-says-not-considering-safe-third-country-migration-deal-with-us-248818">Honduras has been trying to deal</a> with drug trafficking, gangs, poverty and corruption.

It suffers from one of the highest homicide rates in the world outside areas of armed conflict, having registered 41.2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018.

Described by the local media as ''gang violence'', the tussle led to 17 deaths in the facility and one in the hospital.

(With inputs from agencies)

Clashes ensued among prisoners in Honduras, killing 18 inmates and injuring 16. According to prison officials, the fighting erupted at a jail in the town of Tela.

Clashes ensued among prisoners in Honduras, killing 18 inmates and injuring 16. According to prison officials, the fighting erupted at a jail in the town of Tela. The prison is 200 kilometres from the country's capital, Tegucigalpa. Until now, no trigger or cause has been ascertained. Fusine, the combined national security force had found arms and ammunition in the prison, including 9-millimetre guns. Earlier, only three deaths were reported, with the toll quickly rising. By Saturday, 14 dead and 15 wounded were identified by the authorities. Digna Aguilar, a prison spokesperson said that authorities had to enter the area carefully "for fear of being among the victims" because several inmates carried firearms, which slowed the investigation. Watch: Mexico to help create 20,000 jobs in Honduras to curb migration Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, grappling with a recent wave of prison killings, had ordered the army and the police on Tuesday to take full control of the country's 27 prisons, which are badly overcrowded with some 21,000 inmates. But as of Friday, the military had yet to take complete control of the Tela detention centre, according to Aguilar. Hernandez was triggered to announce the scheme amid recent violence in prisons. On December 14 of five members of feared gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) by a fellow detainee at the high-security prison in La Tolva, 25 miles east of Tegucigalpa. A day earlier. Pedro Idelfonso Armas, the warden of El Pozo, the country's main high-security prison, in the western city of Santa Barbara, was shot dead in the south of the country. Honduras has been trying to deal with drug trafficking, gangs, poverty and corruption. It suffers from one of the highest homicide rates in the world outside areas of armed conflict, having registered 41.2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018. Described by the local media as ''gang violence'', the tussle led to 17 deaths in the facility and one in the hospital. (With inputs from agencies)

18 prisoners dead, 16 injured after clash in Honduras jail

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hawaii-governor-declares-emergency-for-maui-wildfires-235492">Hawaii</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life.

A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details.

"The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter, adding that officials would provide further information when it became available.

NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US&nbsp;Navy uniform, the witness told the station.

Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-bloody-history-of-mass-shootings-240651/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Hawaii News Now reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US&nbsp;Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km&nbsp;from Honolulu.

The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting.

The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December&nbsp;7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan.

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life.

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life. A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details. "The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter, adding that officials would provide further information when it became available. NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US Navy uniform, the witness told the station. Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings Hawaii News Now reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km from Honolulu. The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting. The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan.

US Navy sailor injures three at Hawaii's Pearl Harbour base, kills self

Five Afghans were killed and a Japanese aid worker wounded Wednesday in an attack in Jalalabad city in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said.

The attack comes as humanitarian groups remain on high alert just days after an American aid worker for the UN was killed in a bombing in Kabul.

Tetsu Nakamura, a doctor who heads Peace Japan Medical Services, known as Peshawar Kai in Japanese, was targeted by gunmen while in a vehicle in Jalalabad.

"Dr Nakamura was wounded and his three security guards, a driver and another colleague were killed," Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for Nangarhar's governor, told AFP.

Nakamura is well known in Japan for his aid work, which dates back decades.

The Peshawar Kai website states that Nakamura began aid work in Peshawar in northwest Pakistan in 1984, going on to open a clinic in a remote Nangarhar village in 1991.

The organisation in 1998 established a hospital in Peshawar to serve as the group's permanent base for medical programmes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Jalalabad resident Auzubillah, who only uses one name, told AFP that he heard shooting at about 8:00 am (0330 GMT).

"I saw there were gunmen attacking a Japanese and his security guards," he said. "Then the gunmen left the area through a small street."

Photos from the scene showed a white pickup truck with a large cabin. Its side windows appeared to have been shot out, and at least three bullet holes could be seen in the windscreen.

No group immediately claimed responsibility.

According to Zahir Adil, a spokesman for Nangarhar's public health department, Nakamura was taken to a regional hospital.&nbsp;

The bodies of the five others, all Afghan, were also taken to the hospital.

Aid agencies and non-governmental groups are sometimes targeted in Afghanistan's war.&nbsp;

On November 24, Anil Raj, an American who worked for the UN Development Programme in Afghanistan, was killed when his vehicle was targeted in a bombing in Kabul.&nbsp;

Also in the capital, the Taliban in May targeted Counterpart International, a US-funded non-profit group working with marginalised people. Nine people were killed in that attack.

Five Afghans were killed and a Japanese aid worker wounded Wednesday in an attack in Jalalabad city in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said. The attack comes as humanitarian groups remain on high alert just days after an American aid worker for the UN was killed in a bombing in Kabul.

Five Afghans were killed and a Japanese aid worker wounded Wednesday in an attack in Jalalabad city in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said. The attack comes as humanitarian groups remain on high alert just days after an American aid worker for the UN was killed in a bombing in Kabul. Tetsu Nakamura, a doctor who heads Peace Japan Medical Services, known as Peshawar Kai in Japanese, was targeted by gunmen while in a vehicle in Jalalabad. "Dr Nakamura was wounded and his three security guards, a driver and another colleague were killed," Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for Nangarhar's governor, told AFP. Nakamura is well known in Japan for his aid work, which dates back decades. The Peshawar Kai website states that Nakamura began aid work in Peshawar in northwest Pakistan in 1984, going on to open a clinic in a remote Nangarhar village in 1991. The organisation in 1998 established a hospital in Peshawar to serve as the group's permanent base for medical programmes in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Jalalabad resident Auzubillah, who only uses one name, told AFP that he heard shooting at about 8:00 am (0330 GMT). "I saw there were gunmen attacking a Japanese and his security guards," he said. "Then the gunmen left the area through a small street." Photos from the scene showed a white pickup truck with a large cabin. Its side windows appeared to have been shot out, and at least three bullet holes could be seen in the windscreen. No group immediately claimed responsibility. According to Zahir Adil, a spokesman for Nangarhar's public health department, Nakamura was taken to a regional hospital. The bodies of the five others, all Afghan, were also taken to the hospital. Aid agencies and non-governmental groups are sometimes targeted in Afghanistan's war. On November 24, Anil Raj, an American who worked for the UN Development Programme in Afghanistan, was killed when his vehicle was targeted in a bombing in Kabul. Also in the capital, the Taliban in May targeted Counterpart International, a US-funded non-profit group working with marginalised people. Nine people were killed in that attack.

Five Afghans killed in Jalalabad attack, Japanese doctor wounded

The US&nbsp;House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require the Trump administration to toughen its response to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-secrets-of-chinas-xinjiang-camps-leaked-to-foreign-media-264363">China's crackdown on its Muslim minority</a>, demanding sanctions on senior Chinese officials and export bans.

The Uighur Act of 2019 is a stronger version of a bill that angered Beijing when it passed the Senate in September. It calls on President Donald Trump to impose sanctions for the first time on a member of China's powerful politburo, even as he seeks a deal with Beijing to end a damaging trade war buffeting the global economy.

The bill, passed 407 to 1 in the House, requires the US&nbsp;president to condemn abuses against Muslims and call for the closure of mass detention camps in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

It calls for sanctions against senior Chinese officials who it says are responsible and specifically names Xinjiang Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, who, as a politburo member, is in the upper echelons of China's leadership.

China has consistently denied any mistreatment of Uighurs and says the camps are providing vocational training. It has warned of retaliation "in proportion" if Chen were targeted.

The revised bill still has to be approved by the Senate before being sent to Trump. The White House has yet to say whether Trump would sign or veto the bill, which contains a provision allowing the president to waive sanctions if he determines this to be in the national interest.

The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The bill comes days after Trump angered Beijing by signing into law congressional legislation supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.

China responded to that on Monday by saying US&nbsp;military ships and aircraft would not be allowed to visit Hong Kong, and announced sanctions against several US&nbsp;non-government organizations.

Analysts say China's reaction to the passage of the Uighur bill could be stronger, though some doubted it would go so far as imposing visa bans on the likes of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has called China's treatment of Uighurs "the stain of the century" and has been repeatedly denounced by Beijing.

On Tuesday, the editor-in-chief of China's Global Times newspaper said China might ban all US&nbsp;diplomatic passport holders from entering Xinjiang and that Beijing was also considering visa restrictions on US&nbsp;officials and lawmakers with "odious performance" on the Xinjiang issue.

Watch: The chilling story of Uighurs in China

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-chilling-story-of-uighurs-in-china-263016/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Modern-day concentration camps"

Republican Congressman Chris Smith called China's actions in "modern-day concentration camps" in Xinjiang "audaciously repressive," involving "mass internment of millions on a scale not seen since the Holocaust."

"We cannot be silent. We must demand an end to these barbaric practices," Smith said, adding that Chinese officials must be held accountable for "crimes against humanity."

Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi called China's treatment of the Uighurs "an outrage to the collective conscience of the world."

"America is watching," she said.

Chris Johnson, a China expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said passage of the bill could lead to a further blurring of lines between the trade issue and the broader deteriorating Sino-US&nbsp;relationship, which China in the past has tended to keep separate.

"I think there's a sort of piling on factor here that the Chinese are concerned about," he said.

Trump said on Monday the Hong Kong legislation did not make trade negotiations with China easier, but he still believed Beijing wanted a deal.

However, on Tuesday, he said an agreement might have to wait until after the US&nbsp;presidential election in November 2020.

Johnson said he did not think passage of the Uighur act would cause the delay, but added: "It would be another dousing of kindling with fuel."

The House bill requires the president to submit to Congress within 120 days a list of officials responsible for the abuses and to impose sanctions on them under the Global Magnitsky Act, which provides for visa bans and asset freezes.

Democratic lawmaker Brad Sherman said it was "long past the point when this should have been done," adding: "It should not be linked to ongoing negotiations on trade or any other issues."

The bill also requires the secretary of state to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-visa-restrictions-on-chinese-officials-demands-end-to-uighur-repression-254612">submit a report on abuses in Xinjiang</a>, to include assessments of the numbers held in re-education and forced labour camps. United Nations experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in the camps.

It also effectively bans the export to China of items that can be used for surveillance of individuals, including facial and voice-recognition technology.

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require the Trump administration to toughen its response to China's crackdown on its Muslim minority, demanding sanctions on senior Chinese officials and export bans.

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require the Trump administration to toughen its response to China's crackdown on its Muslim minority, demanding sanctions on senior Chinese officials and export bans. The Uighur Act of 2019 is a stronger version of a bill that angered Beijing when it passed the Senate in September. It calls on President Donald Trump to impose sanctions for the first time on a member of China's powerful politburo, even as he seeks a deal with Beijing to end a damaging trade war buffeting the global economy. The bill, passed 407 to 1 in the House, requires the US president to condemn abuses against Muslims and call for the closure of mass detention camps in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. It calls for sanctions against senior Chinese officials who it says are responsible and specifically names Xinjiang Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, who, as a politburo member, is in the upper echelons of China's leadership. China has consistently denied any mistreatment of Uighurs and says the camps are providing vocational training. It has warned of retaliation "in proportion" if Chen were targeted. The revised bill still has to be approved by the Senate before being sent to Trump. The White House has yet to say whether Trump would sign or veto the bill, which contains a provision allowing the president to waive sanctions if he determines this to be in the national interest. The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The bill comes days after Trump angered Beijing by signing into law congressional legislation supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. China responded to that on Monday by saying US military ships and aircraft would not be allowed to visit Hong Kong, and announced sanctions against several US non-government organizations. Analysts say China's reaction to the passage of the Uighur bill could be stronger, though some doubted it would go so far as imposing visa bans on the likes of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has called China's treatment of Uighurs "the stain of the century" and has been repeatedly denounced by Beijing. On Tuesday, the editor-in-chief of China's Global Times newspaper said China might ban all US diplomatic passport holders from entering Xinjiang and that Beijing was also considering visa restrictions on US officials and lawmakers with "odious performance" on the Xinjiang issue. Watch: The chilling story of Uighurs in China "Modern-day concentration camps" Republican Congressman Chris Smith called China's actions in "modern-day concentration camps" in Xinjiang "audaciously repressive," involving "mass internment of millions on a scale not seen since the Holocaust." "We cannot be silent. We must demand an end to these barbaric practices," Smith said, adding that Chinese officials must be held accountable for "crimes against humanity." Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi called China's treatment of the Uighurs "an outrage to the collective conscience of the world." "America is watching," she said. Chris Johnson, a China expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said passage of the bill could lead to a further blurring of lines between the trade issue and the broader deteriorating Sino-US relationship, which China in the past has tended to keep separate. "I think there's a sort of piling on factor here that the Chinese are concerned about," he said. Trump said on Monday the Hong Kong legislation did not make trade negotiations with China easier, but he still believed Beijing wanted a deal. However, on Tuesday, he said an agreement might have to wait until after the US presidential election in November 2020. Johnson said he did not think passage of the Uighur act would cause the delay, but added: "It would be another dousing of kindling with fuel." The House bill requires the president to submit to Congress within 120 days a list of officials responsible for the abuses and to impose sanctions on them under the Global Magnitsky Act, which provides for visa bans and asset freezes. Democratic lawmaker Brad Sherman said it was "long past the point when this should have been done," adding: "It should not be linked to ongoing negotiations on trade or any other issues." The bill also requires the secretary of state to submit a report on abuses in Xinjiang, to include assessments of the numbers held in re-education and forced labour camps. United Nations experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in the camps. It also effectively bans the export to China of items that can be used for surveillance of individuals, including facial and voice-recognition technology.

US House approves Uighur bill demanding sanctions on senior Chinese officials

The war that has ravaged&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/200-yemen-rebels-to-be-freed-amid-peace-push-saudi-led-coalition-264761">Yemen</a>&nbsp;has especially impacted the country's estimated 4.5 million people living with disabilities, Amnesty International warned in a report Tuesday.

The London-based human rights group called on donors, aid groups and UN agencies to take steps to better assist people with disabilities in displaced people's centres.

"Yemen's war has been characterised by unlawful bombings, displacement and a dearth of basic services, leaving many struggling to survive," said Rawya Rageh, senior crisis adviser at Amnesty.

"The humanitarian response is overstretched, but people with disabilities,&nbsp;who are already among those most at risk in armed conflict,&nbsp;should not face even greater challenges in accessing essential aid."

The conflict between Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-backed Huthi rebels has raged since 2015, sparking what the United Nations terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Amnesty reported that many people with disabilities who have been forced to flee the violence had to leave behind their crutches or wheelchairs in the chaos of war.

In the worst cases, it was the disabled people themselves who were left behind by their families after being separated while fleeing their homes, said the report.

Published on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the report documented the experience of 53 women, men and children with a wide spectrum of disabilities.

Amnesty pointed to "design flaws" in camps for the displaced, including in latrines and at aid distribution points, that were impacting people with disabilities.

These "strip people with disabilities of their independence and dignity by forcing them to rely on their families or others," it said.

A 75-year-old man with limited mobility said he needed to have his sons take him to the latrine, telling the group's researchers: "They drag me. They can't carry me."

Rageh called on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-tough-times-ahead-for-honey-trade-as-war-cripples-country-263486">organisations providing humanitarian aid</a> to "do more to overcome the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from meeting even their most basic needs".&nbsp;

The brutal war and economic collapse had&nbsp;hit hard public health care and social welfare services, "resulting in a systematic failure to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities".&nbsp;

"Many rely on handouts or fend for themselves,&nbsp;with some forced into poverty to pay for basic supplies like medicines or adult diapers," Amnesty said.

"One man with a disability was forced to beg along the highway."

The war that has ravaged Yemen has especially impacted the country's estimated 4.5 million people living with disabilities, Amnesty International warned in a report Tuesday.

The war that has ravaged Yemen has especially impacted the country's estimated 4.5 million people living with disabilities, Amnesty International warned in a report Tuesday. The London-based human rights group called on donors, aid groups and UN agencies to take steps to better assist people with disabilities in displaced people's centres. "Yemen's war has been characterised by unlawful bombings, displacement and a dearth of basic services, leaving many struggling to survive," said Rawya Rageh, senior crisis adviser at Amnesty. "The humanitarian response is overstretched, but people with disabilities, who are already among those most at risk in armed conflict, should not face even greater challenges in accessing essential aid." The conflict between Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-backed Huthi rebels has raged since 2015, sparking what the United Nations terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Amnesty reported that many people with disabilities who have been forced to flee the violence had to leave behind their crutches or wheelchairs in the chaos of war. In the worst cases, it was the disabled people themselves who were left behind by their families after being separated while fleeing their homes, said the report. Published on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the report documented the experience of 53 women, men and children with a wide spectrum of disabilities. Amnesty pointed to "design flaws" in camps for the displaced, including in latrines and at aid distribution points, that were impacting people with disabilities. These "strip people with disabilities of their independence and dignity by forcing them to rely on their families or others," it said. A 75-year-old man with limited mobility said he needed to have his sons take him to the latrine, telling the group's researchers: "They drag me. They can't carry me." Rageh called on organisations providing humanitarian aid to "do more to overcome the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from meeting even their most basic needs". The brutal war and economic collapse had hit hard public health care and social welfare services, "resulting in a systematic failure to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities". "Many rely on handouts or fend for themselves, with some forced into poverty to pay for basic supplies like medicines or adult diapers," Amnesty said. "One man with a disability was forced to beg along the highway."

Disabled people hardest hit by war in Yemen: Amnesty

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/terror-checks-intensified-as-london-attack-enters-election-fray-265598">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> said on Sunday he would strengthen prison sentences, vowing to boost security after an attack in&nbsp;London&nbsp;by a man jailed for terrorism who had been released early.

Less than two weeks before Britain heads to the polls, law and order has taken top billing since Usman Khan, wearing a fake suicide vest and wielding knives, killed two people on Friday before being shot dead by police.

Johnson's Conservatives have championed tough police and prison measures, but opponents have criticised them for overseeing almost a decade of cuts to public services.

Johnson said if he won the Dec. 12 election, he would invest more in the prison system and toughen sentences.

"I absolutely deplore the fact that this man was out on the street, I think it was absolutely repulsive and we are going to take action," he told BBC interviewer Andrew Marr.

He portrayed his rival for prime minister, Jeremy Corbyn, as weak on crime, blaming the Labour Party for a law passed more than a decade ago that provided for some prisoners to be released early automatically.

Johnson said around 74 people convicted of serious offences had been released under the legislation, and that they were <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uk-judge-warned-of-london-bridge-attack-convicts-plans-to-carry-out-attack-in-kashmir-265543">being monitored</a> to prevent any threat to the public.

Corbyn, a veteran peace campaigner, said convicted terrorists should "not necessarily" serve their full prison terms.

"It depends on the circumstances, it depends on the sentence, but crucially it depends on what they've done in the prison," he told Sky News.

Watch: London Bridge attack - UK PM Johnson visits attack site

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/london-bridge-attack-uk-pm-boris-johnson-visits-attack-site-265509/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Election echoes

Corbyn said Conservative cuts to community policing and to probation, mental health, youth and social services could "lead to missed chances to intervene in the lives of people who go on to commit inexcusable acts".

"You can't keep people safe on the cheap," he said in a speech.

Khan's attack, which took place on&nbsp;London&nbsp;Bridge, stirred memories of the last election in 2017, when three militants killed eight people and injured at least 48 in the same part of the capital.

On Friday, bystanders wrestled Khan to the ground before police shot him dead. The police found no immediate evidence to suggest Khan had been working with others.

The two people killed were Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, police said.

Both were graduates involved in a prisoner rehabilitation programme that was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/london-bridge-attack-corbyn-says-convicted-terrorists-should-not-necessarily-serve-full-sentence-265566">organising a conference that Khan was attending</a>, where he chose to start his attack.

Two people remained in hospital in a stable condition on Sunday, while a third left hospital.

The attack brought a sombre tone to a rancorous election campaign, which is presenting voters with a stark choice between Labour, with its promise to raise taxes on the rich and businesses to fund a much-expanded state, and the Conservatives' pledge to "get Brexit done" and move on to other issues.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he would strengthen prison sentences, vowing to boost security after an attack in London by a man jailed for terrorism who had been released early.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he would strengthen prison sentences, vowing to boost security after an attack in London by a man jailed for terrorism who had been released early. Less than two weeks before Britain heads to the polls, law and order has taken top billing since Usman Khan, wearing a fake suicide vest and wielding knives, killed two people on Friday before being shot dead by police. Johnson's Conservatives have championed tough police and prison measures, but opponents have criticised them for overseeing almost a decade of cuts to public services. Johnson said if he won the Dec. 12 election, he would invest more in the prison system and toughen sentences. "I absolutely deplore the fact that this man was out on the street, I think it was absolutely repulsive and we are going to take action," he told BBC interviewer Andrew Marr. He portrayed his rival for prime minister, Jeremy Corbyn, as weak on crime, blaming the Labour Party for a law passed more than a decade ago that provided for some prisoners to be released early automatically. Johnson said around 74 people convicted of serious offences had been released under the legislation, and that they were being monitored to prevent any threat to the public. Corbyn, a veteran peace campaigner, said convicted terrorists should "not necessarily" serve their full prison terms. "It depends on the circumstances, it depends on the sentence, but crucially it depends on what they've done in the prison," he told Sky News. Watch: London Bridge attack - UK PM Johnson visits attack site Election echoes Corbyn said Conservative cuts to community policing and to probation, mental health, youth and social services could "lead to missed chances to intervene in the lives of people who go on to commit inexcusable acts". "You can't keep people safe on the cheap," he said in a speech. Khan's attack, which took place on London Bridge, stirred memories of the last election in 2017, when three militants killed eight people and injured at least 48 in the same part of the capital. On Friday, bystanders wrestled Khan to the ground before police shot him dead. The police found no immediate evidence to suggest Khan had been working with others. The two people killed were Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, police said. Both were graduates involved in a prisoner rehabilitation programme that was organising a conference that Khan was attending, where he chose to start his attack. Two people remained in hospital in a stable condition on Sunday, while a third left hospital. The attack brought a sombre tone to a rancorous election campaign, which is presenting voters with a stark choice between Labour, with its promise to raise taxes on the rich and businesses to fund a much-expanded state, and the Conservatives' pledge to "get Brexit done" and move on to other issues.

Will strengthen prison sentences after London Bridge attack: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

At least&nbsp;nine&nbsp;people were&nbsp;trampled&nbsp;to death and two others were injured early Sunday in the chaotic aftermath of a&nbsp;police&nbsp;raid in a&nbsp;poor&nbsp;Sao&nbsp;Paulo&nbsp;neighbourhood, authorities there said.

Residents blamed&nbsp;the police&nbsp;for causing the panicky stampede, local media reported.

The dead included a woman, seven men and a 14-year-old boy, Lieutenant Colonel Emerson Massera, a&nbsp;police&nbsp;spokesman, told reporters.

He said a unit of 38 military&nbsp;police&nbsp;had carried out an operation in the southern favela of Paraisopolis when two men on a motorcycle fired at the troops before fleeing in the direction of a nearby street party, where they continued firing, sparking the stampede.

He said some 5,000 people had gathered for a "funk dance," a weekend street party popular in poorer districts of&nbsp;Sao&nbsp;Paulo&nbsp;and Rio de Janeiro.&nbsp;

Neighbours demand justice

But the mother of a 17-year-old girl injured in the incident told the website G1 that&nbsp;the police&nbsp;were to blame.

She said&nbsp;police&nbsp;sparked the stampede&nbsp;after&nbsp;they closed a street, lobbed pepper-gas canisters and fired rubber bullets.

"It was a policeman who attacked my daughter with a glass bottle," said the woman, who did not give her name.&nbsp;

She went on: "When I saw her, I didn't recognize her. Her face was deformed, and she lost a lot of blood."

Globo television broadcast a video showing a person being kicked by a policeman and said it had been filmed by a favela resident.

The Paraisopolis&nbsp;neighbourhood&nbsp;association denounced&nbsp;the police&nbsp;action.

"Early this morning, young people were cornered in alleyways and killed," it said in a statement on social media. "We demand justice."

Paraisopolis is one of&nbsp;Sao&nbsp;Paulo's largest favelas, with 50,000 inhabitants. Many of them live in ramshackle houses along unpaved streets lacking basic services.&nbsp;

Locals defend the funk dances as an important outlet for the young.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;police&nbsp;spokesman Emiliano da Silva Neto said the parties provide cover for crime and illicit drug use, adding, "It's out of control."

Massera said that as&nbsp;police&nbsp;chased the two shooters into the street where the party was underway, they were met with a hail of stones and responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades.&nbsp;

Da Silva Neto said all those who died had been&nbsp;trampled, and none had been shot.&nbsp;

The military&nbsp;police&nbsp;have launched an investigation.

At least nine people were trampled to death and two others were injured early Sunday in the chaotic aftermath of a police raid in a poor Sao Paulo neighbourhood, authorities there said.

At least nine people were trampled to death and two others were injured early Sunday in the chaotic aftermath of a police raid in a poor Sao Paulo neighbourhood, authorities there said. Residents blamed the police for causing the panicky stampede, local media reported. The dead included a woman, seven men and a 14-year-old boy, Lieutenant Colonel Emerson Massera, a police spokesman, told reporters. He said a unit of 38 military police had carried out an operation in the southern favela of Paraisopolis when two men on a motorcycle fired at the troops before fleeing in the direction of a nearby street party, where they continued firing, sparking the stampede. He said some 5,000 people had gathered for a "funk dance," a weekend street party popular in poorer districts of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Neighbours demand justice But the mother of a 17-year-old girl injured in the incident told the website G1 that the police were to blame. She said police sparked the stampede after they closed a street, lobbed pepper-gas canisters and fired rubber bullets. "It was a policeman who attacked my daughter with a glass bottle," said the woman, who did not give her name. She went on: "When I saw her, I didn't recognize her. Her face was deformed, and she lost a lot of blood." Globo television broadcast a video showing a person being kicked by a policeman and said it had been filmed by a favela resident. The Paraisopolis neighbourhood association denounced the police action. "Early this morning, young people were cornered in alleyways and killed," it said in a statement on social media. "We demand justice." Paraisopolis is one of Sao Paulo's largest favelas, with 50,000 inhabitants. Many of them live in ramshackle houses along unpaved streets lacking basic services. Locals defend the funk dances as an important outlet for the young. But police spokesman Emiliano da Silva Neto said the parties provide cover for crime and illicit drug use, adding, "It's out of control." Massera said that as police chased the two shooters into the street where the party was underway, they were met with a hail of stones and responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades. Da Silva Neto said all those who died had been trampled, and none had been shot. The military police have launched an investigation.

Sao Paulo: Nine killed after police enter poor neighbourhood

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent&nbsp;protests&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-strikers-expand-demands-include-possible-talks-with-rebels-265296">Colombian capital Bogota last week</a>, fearful his&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;accent would give him away.

The 26-year-old had arrived in the sprawling city high in the Andes almost two years ago, one of more than a million&nbsp;Venezuelans who have fled crime and an economic meltdown at home to seek refuge in&nbsp;Colombia.

Herrera never expected to feel more unsafe here than in Venezuela, which has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, but that changed when violence erupted in Bogota during a nationwide strike and authorities imposed a citywide curfew.

Transport came to a standstill, forcing Herrera and two&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;colleagues to walk almost 20 km&nbsp;to reach their homes in southern Bogota.

As they walked, they heard the muttering among other frustrated commuters about&nbsp;Venezuelans ruining the country.

"It was really frightening. We decided not to speak," said the young cook, who works at a fast-food restaurant in a Bogota shopping mall.

Non-governmental organizations and researchers say rumours blaming&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;for isolated looting and vandalism connected to the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;have caused a sharp rise in xenophobia over the last 10 days.

Posts on social media and messages forwarded on messaging application WhatsApp - many mentioning&nbsp;Venezuelans - stoked panic among Bogota residents on the night of the curfew, as the city's emergency line was inundated with calls reporting residential break-ins that police say never happened.

Backlash in other countries

More than 4 million&nbsp;Venezuelans have left their country in recent years, fleeing severe food and medicine shortages and hyperinflation. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-protest-leaders-push-duque-on-dialogue-265184">Nearly 1.5 million</a> have settled in neighbouring&nbsp;Colombia, many arriving with scant resources.

"There has been an increase in xenophobia in recent days," said Ronald Rodriguez, director of the Observatory on Venezuela at Rosario University in Bogota.

"These (rumours) happened in my apartment building too. I was able to speak to at least 50 neighbours that evening and every one of them, without exception, accused those with&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;nationality," said Rodriguez.

A mass deportation on Monday of 59&nbsp;Venezuelans who&nbsp;Colombia's migration agency said were involved in vandalism during the marches only helped fuel prejudice, Rodriguez said.

"This action led people to believe it was&nbsp;Venezuelans who caused all the problems," he said.

Neither the rumours nor the deportations are unique to&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;as the exodus of&nbsp;Venezuelans stirs tensions in neighbouring countries from Brazil to Chile.

In June, Peru flew home hundreds of&nbsp;Venezuelans with criminal records amid allegations that&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;were responsible for a rise in crime. Peru's interior minister warned&nbsp;against&nbsp;xenophobia in September after false rumours spread on social media alleging&nbsp;Venezuelans were trying to kidnap children.

Unlike its neighbours,&nbsp;Colombia&nbsp;has not imposed stringent immigration requirements, instead of encouraging&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;to register with authorities so they can access social services. For decades, Venezuela provided shelter to&nbsp;Colombians fleeing their country's civil conflict.

In response to questions about the deportations,&nbsp;Colombia's migration agency shared a press release saying the "bad behaviour of a few is creating an outbreak of xenophobia, damaging the image of their fellow countrymen."

Dihabal, 28, an undocumented migrant who asked his surname not be used, shares a small, squalid room in Bogota with his brother.

He says many&nbsp;Colombians, hearing their accents or assuming because of their clothes that they are&nbsp;migrants, have called them "venecos" - a derogatory term for&nbsp;Venezuelans.&nbsp;

"For a couple of bad people, we all pay," he said.&nbsp;

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent protests in the Colombian capital Bogota last week, fearful his Venezuelan accent would give him away.

Daniels Herrera kept quiet on his long walk home from work following violent protests in the Colombian capital Bogota last week, fearful his Venezuelan accent would give him away. The 26-year-old had arrived in the sprawling city high in the Andes almost two years ago, one of more than a million Venezuelans who have fled crime and an economic meltdown at home to seek refuge in Colombia. Herrera never expected to feel more unsafe here than in Venezuela, which has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world, but that changed when violence erupted in Bogota during a nationwide strike and authorities imposed a citywide curfew. Transport came to a standstill, forcing Herrera and two Venezuelan colleagues to walk almost 20 km to reach their homes in southern Bogota. As they walked, they heard the muttering among other frustrated commuters about Venezuelans ruining the country. "It was really frightening. We decided not to speak," said the young cook, who works at a fast-food restaurant in a Bogota shopping mall. Non-governmental organizations and researchers say rumours blaming Venezuelan migrants for isolated looting and vandalism connected to the protests have caused a sharp rise in xenophobia over the last 10 days. Posts on social media and messages forwarded on messaging application WhatsApp - many mentioning Venezuelans - stoked panic among Bogota residents on the night of the curfew, as the city's emergency line was inundated with calls reporting residential break-ins that police say never happened. Backlash in other countries More than 4 million Venezuelans have left their country in recent years, fleeing severe food and medicine shortages and hyperinflation. Nearly 1.5 million have settled in neighbouring Colombia, many arriving with scant resources. "There has been an increase in xenophobia in recent days," said Ronald Rodriguez, director of the Observatory on Venezuela at Rosario University in Bogota. "These (rumours) happened in my apartment building too. I was able to speak to at least 50 neighbours that evening and every one of them, without exception, accused those with Venezuelan nationality," said Rodriguez. A mass deportation on Monday of 59 Venezuelans who Colombia's migration agency said were involved in vandalism during the marches only helped fuel prejudice, Rodriguez said. "This action led people to believe it was Venezuelans who caused all the problems," he said. Neither the rumours nor the deportations are unique to Colombia as the exodus of Venezuelans stirs tensions in neighbouring countries from Brazil to Chile. In June, Peru flew home hundreds of Venezuelans with criminal records amid allegations that migrants were responsible for a rise in crime. Peru's interior minister warned against xenophobia in September after false rumours spread on social media alleging Venezuelans were trying to kidnap children. Unlike its neighbours, Colombia has not imposed stringent immigration requirements, instead of encouraging migrants to register with authorities so they can access social services. For decades, Venezuela provided shelter to Colombians fleeing their country's civil conflict. In response to questions about the deportations, Colombia's migration agency shared a press release saying the "bad behaviour of a few is creating an outbreak of xenophobia, damaging the image of their fellow countrymen." Dihabal, 28, an undocumented migrant who asked his surname not be used, shares a small, squalid room in Bogota with his brother. He says many Colombians, hearing their accents or assuming because of their clothes that they are migrants, have called them "venecos" - a derogatory term for Venezuelans. "For a couple of bad people, we all pay," he said.

Protests in Colombia spark backlash against Venezuelan migrants

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-70-dead-in-syria-regime-clashes-with-idlib-terrorists-265594">Syria's last opposition bastion</a>, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said.

The battles since Saturday on the edge of the jihadist-dominated Idlib region are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said.

"Fighting raged at dawn Monday on several axes in the southeastern Idlib countryside," the Britain-based monitoring group said.

Fifty-one regime fighters had been killed over 48 hours, while 45 of their opponents including 31 jihadists had also lost their lives, the Observatory said.

The Syrian government does not usually divulge casualty figures.

Watch: Nearly 700 children killed in Syria since the beginning of 2019 - UNICEF

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nearly-700-children-killed-in-syria-since-beginning-of-2019-unicef-263952/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Idlib region, home to around three million people including many displaced by Syria's eight-year civil war, is largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

It is one of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/syria-military-presence-risks-us-credibility-with-world-community-264856">last holdouts of opposition</a> to forces backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The president has long repeated that his government would eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey.

The late August ceasefire had brought about relative calm, months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-about-100000-syrians-left-istanbul-since-early-july-263412">war in Syria</a> has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of Syria's last opposition bastion, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said.

Regime forces and armed groups were locked in heavy clashes Monday on the edge of Syria's last opposition bastion, with 96 fighters killed over two days, a war monitor said. The battles since Saturday on the edge of the jihadist-dominated Idlib region are the most deadly since a Russia-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late August, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said. "Fighting raged at dawn Monday on several axes in the southeastern Idlib countryside," the Britain-based monitoring group said. Fifty-one regime fighters had been killed over 48 hours, while 45 of their opponents including 31 jihadists had also lost their lives, the Observatory said. The Syrian government does not usually divulge casualty figures. Watch: Nearly 700 children killed in Syria since the beginning of 2019 - UNICEF The Idlib region, home to around three million people including many displaced by Syria's eight-year civil war, is largely under the control of a group dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. It is one of the last holdouts of opposition to forces backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The president has long repeated that his government would eventually reimpose its control over the northwestern region on the border with Turkey. The late August ceasefire had brought about relative calm, months into a devastating Russia-backed regime offensive that killed around 1,000 civilians and ousted hundreds of thousands from their homes. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Death toll in Syria's Idlib touches 100: Sources

Hundreds of office workers in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-to-disperse-anti-government-protesters-265558">Hong Kong's business district</a> gathered on Monday for the first in a week of lunchtime protests backing the pro-democracy movement after its resounding victory in district polls held last week in the Chinese-ruled city.

A day earlier police again resorted to firing tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters as they marched past the city's Kowloon waterfront, after first going to the US&nbsp;consulate on Hong Kong island to show gratitude for Washington's support.

There was no such confrontation at the two-hour rally in the central business district on Monday, as some people went back to their offices after their demonstration of solidarity. Others said they would be striking for the full five days.

The gathering in Chater Garden probably drew Hong Kong's best-dressed protesters, and organisers have called on them to come out every day this week.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-new-rallies-to-take-place-today-after-weekend-of-unrest-265688">Protests over the last six months</a> have drawn a wide swathe of Hong Kong society,&nbsp;from students to pensioners. Even white-collar professionals, like those in Chater park, have sometimes blocked roads in recent weeks, leading to face-offs with police.

Monday's rally appeared aimed specifically at bringing in more workers from advertising agencies to help build publicity.

Fred, a 24-year-old advertising professional said he and his colleagues had helped create promotional materials in their own time for the so-called "yellow economy", the businesses seen as supporting the pro-democracy movement.

Many pro-democracy protesters have adopted the colour yellow and yellow balloons have been seen at rallies.

"From the advertising perspective, we can help promote the brands that speak out for Hong Kong," said Fred.

Another protester in the park said his advertising agency had closed for the week in solidarity and hoped other agencies would do likewise.

"We are trying to come out and be the first industry to come out and stop working for five days," said 28-year-old Ryan.

"We are just stopping work for companies. But the advertising talent will keep advertising for the movement, designing posters and leaflets."

Watch: Protesters march for 'five demands'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kong-protesters-march-for-five-demands-265555/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tear gas

During Sunday's protest, police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pensioners-and-students-gather-for-hong-kong-protest-265423">anti-government protesters</a>, some of whom chanted "revolution of our time" and "liberate Hong Kong". That followed a period of relative calm after November 24 district elections delivered an overwhelming victory to pro-democracy candidates.

The protest in the busy shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui followed a "thanksgiving" march by hundreds to the US&nbsp;consulate.

Shops and businesses in Tsim Sha Tsui closed early as police sprayed volleys of tear gas at demonstrators, arresting some and forcing hundreds to flee towards the harbour.

The protesters' demands include an end to Beijing's alleged meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, universal suffrage and an inquiry into police use of force.

The unrest since June has at times forced the closure of government offices, businesses, schools and the international airport, helping drive the city into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter.

Hundreds of office workers in Hong Kong's business district gathered on Monday for the first in a week of lunchtime protests backing the pro-democracy movement after its resounding victory in district polls held last week in the Chinese-ruled city.

Hundreds of office workers in Hong Kong's business district gathered on Monday for the first in a week of lunchtime protests backing the pro-democracy movement after its resounding victory in district polls held last week in the Chinese-ruled city. A day earlier police again resorted to firing tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters as they marched past the city's Kowloon waterfront, after first going to the US consulate on Hong Kong island to show gratitude for Washington's support. There was no such confrontation at the two-hour rally in the central business district on Monday, as some people went back to their offices after their demonstration of solidarity. Others said they would be striking for the full five days. The gathering in Chater Garden probably drew Hong Kong's best-dressed protesters, and organisers have called on them to come out every day this week. Protests over the last six months have drawn a wide swathe of Hong Kong society, from students to pensioners. Even white-collar professionals, like those in Chater park, have sometimes blocked roads in recent weeks, leading to face-offs with police. Monday's rally appeared aimed specifically at bringing in more workers from advertising agencies to help build publicity. Fred, a 24-year-old advertising professional said he and his colleagues had helped create promotional materials in their own time for the so-called "yellow economy", the businesses seen as supporting the pro-democracy movement. Many pro-democracy protesters have adopted the colour yellow and yellow balloons have been seen at rallies. "From the advertising perspective, we can help promote the brands that speak out for Hong Kong," said Fred. Another protester in the park said his advertising agency had closed for the week in solidarity and hoped other agencies would do likewise. "We are trying to come out and be the first industry to come out and stop working for five days," said 28-year-old Ryan. "We are just stopping work for companies. But the advertising talent will keep advertising for the movement, designing posters and leaflets." Watch: Protesters march for 'five demands' Tear gas During Sunday's protest, police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters, some of whom chanted "revolution of our time" and "liberate Hong Kong". That followed a period of relative calm after November 24 district elections delivered an overwhelming victory to pro-democracy candidates. The protest in the busy shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui followed a "thanksgiving" march by hundreds to the US consulate. Shops and businesses in Tsim Sha Tsui closed early as police sprayed volleys of tear gas at demonstrators, arresting some and forcing hundreds to flee towards the harbour. The protesters' demands include an end to Beijing's alleged meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, universal suffrage and an inquiry into police use of force. The unrest since June has at times forced the closure of government offices, businesses, schools and the international airport, helping drive the city into recession for the first time in a decade in the third quarter.

Hong Kong: Series of week-long lunchtime protests begin

Nineteen <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-overtakes-united-states-in-number-of-diplomatic-missions-264784">Chinese</a> officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday.

Deng Shiping was overseeing the construction of a playground at the middle school where he worked in Huaihua city, central <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sets-up-hong-kong-crisis-centre-in-mainland-open-to-replacing-chief-liaison-264564">Hunan province</a>, when he disappeared in 2003.

The cold case was finally solved after his body was unearthed from the playground in June.

The raft of civil servants accused of concealing the crime includes police officers, local Communist Party committee members, government officials and school staff.

Two suspects have been prosecuted for the murder.

One of the men, Du Shaoping, had been contracted to build the school's playground, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Deng was overseeing the "quality of construction" of the building project and relations were tense with Du, Xinhua said.

The victim's daughter told Beijing News that Du had given her father gifts and cash, but Deng handed them over to the accounting staff of the school.

Du had told construction staff at the site that Deng was "too strict on the quality of the project and he wants to kill him", Beijing News reported.

The investigation found that Du and another man killed Deng in January 2003 and buried him under the playground.

The day after Deng disappeared, Du's uncle Huang Bingsong,&nbsp;who was also the principal of the school,&nbsp;was seen directing the bulldozer at the building site.

Deng's family reported the disappearance and suggested to police his corpse might be buried under the playground, but said police repeatedly failed to investigate or properly file the case.

After the murder, the principal helped hide the crime by "seeking help from local public security officers and other public servants", Xinhua said.

Xinhua said the 19 officials were found guilty of dereliction of duty or other violations of discipline and law.

Ten of them are awaiting a criminal trial, including six police officers and Huang, according to the Paper, a local daily.

The nine others face administrative punishments, including being sacked or "disciplined".

A total of 13 members of Du's crime group were also arrested and prosecuted for suspected crimes including illegal detention, affray and forced transactions.

Nineteen Chinese officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday.

Nineteen Chinese officials face punishment for covering up a murder after the victim's body was found buried under a school playground some 16 years after the crime, state media said Wednesday. Deng Shiping was overseeing the construction of a playground at the middle school where he worked in Huaihua city, central Hunan province, when he disappeared in 2003. The cold case was finally solved after his body was unearthed from the playground in June. The raft of civil servants accused of concealing the crime includes police officers, local Communist Party committee members, government officials and school staff. Two suspects have been prosecuted for the murder. One of the men, Du Shaoping, had been contracted to build the school's playground, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Deng was overseeing the "quality of construction" of the building project and relations were tense with Du, Xinhua said. The victim's daughter told Beijing News that Du had given her father gifts and cash, but Deng handed them over to the accounting staff of the school. Du had told construction staff at the site that Deng was "too strict on the quality of the project and he wants to kill him", Beijing News reported. The investigation found that Du and another man killed Deng in January 2003 and buried him under the playground. The day after Deng disappeared, Du's uncle Huang Bingsong, who was also the principal of the school, was seen directing the bulldozer at the building site. Deng's family reported the disappearance and suggested to police his corpse might be buried under the playground, but said police repeatedly failed to investigate or properly file the case. After the murder, the principal helped hide the crime by "seeking help from local public security officers and other public servants", Xinhua said. Xinhua said the 19 officials were found guilty of dereliction of duty or other violations of discipline and law. Ten of them are awaiting a criminal trial, including six police officers and Huang, according to the Paper, a local daily. The nine others face administrative punishments, including being sacked or "disciplined". A total of 13 members of Du's crime group were also arrested and prosecuted for suspected crimes including illegal detention, affray and forced transactions.

19 Chinese officials punished for covering-up murder in 2003

The Hong Kong police are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/too-scared-to-escape-isolated-protesters-hold-out-on-trashed-hong-kong-campus-263740">pursuing arrests as students continue to hole up</a> in the ravaged Polytechnic University in the Kowloon peninsula. Today, eight students were arrested after they surrendered to the riot police who had surrounded the campus.

The siege at the university on the Kowloon peninsula appeared to be nearing an end with the number of protesters dwindling to less than 100, days after some of the worst violence since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June.

The mood on the nearly deserted campus was rather calm today after a night of protesting roaming the grounds looking for undercover officers. Others hid, terrified they would be arrested by infiltrators.

"We are feeling a little tired. All of us feel tired but we will not give up trying to get out," said a 23-year-old demonstrator who gave his name only as Shiba as he ate noodles with egg and sausage in the protesters' canteen.

"We spent yesterday trying to find ways to get outside but failed, so we came for some breakfast," he said.

A Reuters reporter saw six black-clad protesters holding hands walk towards police lines, while a first aid worker said two more surrendered later.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/senior-china-diplomat-says-beijing-will-never-allow-anyone-to-destroy-hong-kongs-stability-263609">Demonstrators are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling</a> in freedoms promised to Hong Kong when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and are calling for full democracy, among other demands.

Watch: China slams US'&nbsp;Bill on Hong Kong

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-china-slams-us-bill-on-hong-kong-263458/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-trying-to-settle-university-scuffle-peacefully-one-country-two-systems-to-be-upheld-263534">Beijing has said it is committed to the "one country, two systems"</a> formula under which Hong Kong is governed. It denies meddling in Hong Kong affairs and accuses foreign governments, including Britain and the United States, of stirring up trouble.

One older protester, who estimated only around 30 demonstrators remained, said some had given up looking for escape routes and were now making new weapons to protect themselves in case police stormed the campus.

The Chinese-ruled city has enjoyed two days and nights of relative calm ahead of district council elections that are due to take place on Sunday.

The government has said it is committed to proceeding with the elections and is monitoring the situation to ensure the election can be held safely.

All polling stations will be guarded by armed officers in riot gear for the first time in the history of local elections, the South China Morning Post reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Hong Kong police are pursuing arrests as students continue to hole up in the ravaged Polytechnic University in the Kowloon peninsula. Today, eight students were arrested after they surrendered to the riot police who had surrounded the campus.

The Hong Kong police are pursuing arrests as students continue to hole up in the ravaged Polytechnic University in the Kowloon peninsula. Today, eight students were arrested after they surrendered to the riot police who had surrounded the campus. The siege at the university on the Kowloon peninsula appeared to be nearing an end with the number of protesters dwindling to less than 100, days after some of the worst violence since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June. The mood on the nearly deserted campus was rather calm today after a night of protesting roaming the grounds looking for undercover officers. Others hid, terrified they would be arrested by infiltrators. "We are feeling a little tired. All of us feel tired but we will not give up trying to get out," said a 23-year-old demonstrator who gave his name only as Shiba as he ate noodles with egg and sausage in the protesters' canteen. "We spent yesterday trying to find ways to get outside but failed, so we came for some breakfast," he said. A Reuters reporter saw six black-clad protesters holding hands walk towards police lines, while a first aid worker said two more surrendered later. Demonstrators are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in freedoms promised to Hong Kong when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and are calling for full democracy, among other demands. Watch: China slams US' Bill on Hong Kong Beijing has said it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula under which Hong Kong is governed. It denies meddling in Hong Kong affairs and accuses foreign governments, including Britain and the United States, of stirring up trouble. One older protester, who estimated only around 30 demonstrators remained, said some had given up looking for escape routes and were now making new weapons to protect themselves in case police stormed the campus. The Chinese-ruled city has enjoyed two days and nights of relative calm ahead of district council elections that are due to take place on Sunday. The government has said it is committed to proceeding with the elections and is monitoring the situation to ensure the election can be held safely. All polling stations will be guarded by armed officers in riot gear for the first time in the history of local elections, the South China Morning Post reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong university siege: 8 students arrested after surrender

California police on Monday probed possible links to Asian gang violence in the state's latest mass shooting, after at least two suspects shot dead four men during a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-killed-six-wounded-in-california-backyard-shooting-police-262863">backyard football game screening</a>.

The attack took place Sunday evening in central California's Fresno city at the home of members of the Hmong community, police said.

At least two suspects armed with semi-automatic pistols "walked into the backyard and began immediately firing into the crowd" of around 16 people, said Fresno police chief Andy Hall.

The gunmen fired randomly before fleeing on foot, he added.

Watch: Another shootout at California, at least 10 shot and 4 killed

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/another-shootout-at-california-atleast-10-people-have-been-shot-4-killed-262862/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene while a fourth died in a hospital. Six more were receiving treatment Monday but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

All of the victims were adult males.

While no motive has been established, Hall said a number of incidents involving Asian gangs had taken place in the area in recent weeks, including one murder.

Some people at the party had been involved in a "disturbance" earlier in the week, he said.

"There is no indication that the residents, or anyone at the residence, were affiliated with a gang," said Hall.

"However, whenever we have a major incident like this we always look towards criminal and gang activity."

To avoid possible "retaliation" and prevent any outbreak of violence, the Fresno police would set up a task force specifically dedicated to Asian gangs, he added.

California police on Monday probed possible links to Asian gang violence in the state's latest mass shooting, after at least two suspects shot dead four men during a backyard football game screening.

California police on Monday probed possible links to Asian gang violence in the state's latest mass shooting, after at least two suspects shot dead four men during a backyard football game screening. The attack took place Sunday evening in central California's Fresno city at the home of members of the Hmong community, police said. At least two suspects armed with semi-automatic pistols "walked into the backyard and began immediately firing into the crowd" of around 16 people, said Fresno police chief Andy Hall. The gunmen fired randomly before fleeing on foot, he added. Watch: Another shootout at California, at least 10 shot and 4 killed Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene while a fourth died in a hospital. Six more were receiving treatment Monday but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. All of the victims were adult males. While no motive has been established, Hall said a number of incidents involving Asian gangs had taken place in the area in recent weeks, including one murder. Some people at the party had been involved in a "disturbance" earlier in the week, he said. "There is no indication that the residents, or anyone at the residence, were affiliated with a gang," said Hall. "However, whenever we have a major incident like this we always look towards criminal and gang activity." To avoid possible "retaliation" and prevent any outbreak of violence, the Fresno police would set up a task force specifically dedicated to Asian gangs, he added.

Police looking for two suspects in California backyard shooting which killed four

Three <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-police-chief-along-with-3-bodyguard-killed-in-taliban-ambush-262472">Taliban</a> commanders part of a swap between prisoners for two western hostages have landed in Qatar, Reuters reported today.

This swap can be attributed to the efforts made by Afghan government to conduct direct talks with the Taliban. The latter have always referred to the Afghan government as an illegitimate puppet regime.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-still-holding-western-hostages-spokesman-262471">hostages held by the Taliban</a> include an American named Kevin King and an Australian named Timothy Weeks. They're both university professors slated to be released today.

"Our three prisoners had been freed on Monday night," said one of the sources, a senior Taliban leader in Afghanistan, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the deal.

"Soon after their release, they were flown to Doha and handed over to the political office in Qatar", the source added.

This swap came in the aftermath of an announcement on November 12 by President Ashraf Ghani. He had said that Afghanistan would free Anas Haqqani, a senior figure in the eponymous Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst violence in recent years, and two Taliban commanders.&nbsp;

An earlier swap was scheduled but was later cancelled as the Taliban abruptly shifted their hostages to a new location as the commanders were unable to land in Qatar.

The Haqqani network has in recent years carried out large-scale militant attacks on Afghan civilians. It is believed to be based in Pakistan and is part of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

King and Weeks were kidnapped in August 2016 from outside the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul where both worked as professors.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exchange-of-prisoners-between-taliban-afghan-government-yet-to-take-place-262209">They appeared in a hostage video</a> a year later looking dishevelled and pleading with their governments to secure their release.

There has been no word from the Afghan government as well as the United States embassy in Kabul.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Three Taliban commanders part of a swap between prisoners for two western hostages have landed in Qatar, Reuters reported today. This swap can be attributed to the efforts made by Afghan government to conduct direct talks with the Taliban.

Three Taliban commanders part of a swap between prisoners for two western hostages have landed in Qatar, Reuters reported today. This swap can be attributed to the efforts made by Afghan government to conduct direct talks with the Taliban. The latter have always referred to the Afghan government as an illegitimate puppet regime. The hostages held by the Taliban include an American named Kevin King and an Australian named Timothy Weeks. They're both university professors slated to be released today. "Our three prisoners had been freed on Monday night," said one of the sources, a senior Taliban leader in Afghanistan, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the deal. "Soon after their release, they were flown to Doha and handed over to the political office in Qatar", the source added. This swap came in the aftermath of an announcement on November 12 by President Ashraf Ghani. He had said that Afghanistan would free Anas Haqqani, a senior figure in the eponymous Haqqani network responsible for some of the worst violence in recent years, and two Taliban commanders. An earlier swap was scheduled but was later cancelled as the Taliban abruptly shifted their hostages to a new location as the commanders were unable to land in Qatar. The Haqqani network has in recent years carried out large-scale militant attacks on Afghan civilians. It is believed to be based in Pakistan and is part of the Taliban in Afghanistan. King and Weeks were kidnapped in August 2016 from outside the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul where both worked as professors. They appeared in a hostage video a year later looking dishevelled and pleading with their governments to secure their release. There has been no word from the Afghan government as well as the United States embassy in Kabul. (With inputs from Reuters)

Taliban commanders slated to be swapped for Western hostages arrive in Qatar

As violence continues to eclipse Hong Kong, China's military today defended the deployment of soldiers into the city. They referred to the violence as the ''most pressing task''.

The brief clean-up operation came at the end of a week of particularly intense clashes between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-set-fire-to-hold-off-police-at-university-campus-262783">police and protesters</a> that had caused chaos across Hong Kong.&nbsp;Soldiers, besides trying to quell the violence, were seen helping out clean nearby streets that were soiled by protesters.

"There were some Hong Kong citizens clearing roadblocks near the PLA Hong Kong garrison," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters at a security event in Bangkok when asked about the brief deployment.

"The soldiers from the PLA Hong Kong garrison joined these citizens in clearing these roadblocks and their efforts were welcomed by Hong Kong citizens", Qian added.

China has made it clear that it won't entertain any of the demands put forward by the protesters while adding that no violence will be tolerated.

After another weekend of violence and protesters setting fire to the entrance of a university entrance on Monday morning to defend themselves from police, Wu issued another warning.

"Ending violence and restoring order is the most pressing task we have in Hong Kong," Wu said after China's defence minister Wei Fenghe met his US counterpart, Mark Esper, in Bangkok.

China's People Liberations' Army has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.

However, these troops barely leave their barracks. They were last seen on the streets to help clean up after a typhoon in 2018.

According to Hong Kong's Basic Law, troops from mainland China can operate in the city if local authorities request it.

Hong Kong authorities may, "when necessary", ask the central government for assistance from the garrison "in the maintenance of public order and in disaster relief", according to Article 14.

Article 18 of the Basic Law allows the central government to effectively suspend Hong Kong's laws if there is a "state of war" or "turmoil" which "endangers national security or unity".&nbsp;

Hong Kong's government said on Saturday that it did not request the Chinese troops to clean up the streets.

Recently, A government ban on demonstrators wearing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-mask-law-to-quell-protests-unconstitutional-hong-kong-high-court-262838">face masks</a>, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, was ruled unconstitutional by the territory's high court.

Owing to the unrest in Hong Kong, many Asian carriers have <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/asian-airlines-slash-flights-to-hong-kong-as-unrest-escalates-262832">cancelled flights</a> to Hong Kong.

(With inputs from AFP)

As violence continues to eclipse Hong Kong, China's military today defended the deployment of soldiers into the city. They referred to the violence as the ''most pressing task''.

As violence continues to eclipse Hong Kong, China's military today defended the deployment of soldiers into the city. They referred to the violence as the ''most pressing task''. The brief clean-up operation came at the end of a week of particularly intense clashes between police and protesters that had caused chaos across Hong Kong. Soldiers, besides trying to quell the violence, were seen helping out clean nearby streets that were soiled by protesters. "There were some Hong Kong citizens clearing roadblocks near the PLA Hong Kong garrison," Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters at a security event in Bangkok when asked about the brief deployment. "The soldiers from the PLA Hong Kong garrison joined these citizens in clearing these roadblocks and their efforts were welcomed by Hong Kong citizens", Qian added. China has made it clear that it won't entertain any of the demands put forward by the protesters while adding that no violence will be tolerated. After another weekend of violence and protesters setting fire to the entrance of a university entrance on Monday morning to defend themselves from police, Wu issued another warning. "Ending violence and restoring order is the most pressing task we have in Hong Kong," Wu said after China's defence minister Wei Fenghe met his US counterpart, Mark Esper, in Bangkok. China's People Liberations' Army has maintained a garrison in Hong Kong since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997. However, these troops barely leave their barracks. They were last seen on the streets to help clean up after a typhoon in 2018. According to Hong Kong's Basic Law, troops from mainland China can operate in the city if local authorities request it. Hong Kong authorities may, "when necessary", ask the central government for assistance from the garrison "in the maintenance of public order and in disaster relief", according to Article 14. Article 18 of the Basic Law allows the central government to effectively suspend Hong Kong's laws if there is a "state of war" or "turmoil" which "endangers national security or unity". Hong Kong's government said on Saturday that it did not request the Chinese troops to clean up the streets. Recently, A government ban on demonstrators wearing face masks, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, was ruled unconstitutional by the territory's high court. Owing to the unrest in Hong Kong, many Asian carriers have cancelled flights to Hong Kong. (With inputs from AFP)

China defends deploying soldiers in Hong Kong, calls it 'most pressing task'

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protest-armoured-vehicle-set-ablaze-as-fierce-clashes-continue-262751">main entrance ablaze</a> Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons.

The police warning, which came after one officer was struck by an arrow, marked a further escalation of the near six-month crisis engulfing the city.

China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate dissent, and there are growing concerns that Beijing could intervene directly to end the spiralling unrest.

Several loud blasts were heard around dawn on Monday before a wall of fire lit up an entrance to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), AFP reporters said, as what appeared to be a police attempt to enter the campus was repelled by protesters determined to hold their ground.

Police said they had fired three live rounds in the early hours of Monday at a protest site near the university but that no one appeared to have been hit.

Intense clashes throughout Sunday, which saw a police officer hit in the leg by an arrow and protesters meet police tear gas with volleys of petrol bombs, rolled overnight across the Kowloon district, as a call went out to defend the besieged campus.

There, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/arrow-fired-by-hong-kong-protester-hits-police-officer-report-262703">protesters had hunkered down under umbrellas</a> from occasional fire from police water cannon and hurled Molotov cocktails at an armoured vehicle, leaving it ablaze on a flyover near the campus.

Police declared the campus a "riot" scene,&nbsp;rioting is punishable by up to 10 years in jail,&nbsp;and blocked exits as spokesman Louis Lau issued a stark warning in a Facebook live broadcast.

"I hereby warn rioters not to use petrol bombs, arrows, cars or any deadly weapons to attack police officers," he said.

"If they continue such dangerous actions, we would have no choice but to use the minimum force necessary, including live rounds, to fire back."

Three protesters have been shot by police in the unrelenting months of protests, but all in scuffles as chaotic street clashes played out -- and without a sweeping warning being given by a force that overwhelmingly depends on tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

Fear gripped protesters still trapped inside the campus -- whose occupation is a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature.

"I feel scared. There's no way out. All I can do is fight to the end," one protester joining the barricade in front of the university building said early Monday.

Watch: Chinese army in Hong Kong for first time since protests began

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-army-in-hong-kong-for-first-time-since-protests-began-262651/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

'Helpless'

Owen Li, a PolyU council member and student, said panic had taken hold of the few hundred protesters believed to be holed up.

"Many friends feel helpless... we appeal to all of society to come out and help us."

Throughout Sunday, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the campus, firing rocks using a homemade catapult from the university roof, while an AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers,&nbsp;several carrying sports bows,&nbsp;patrolling the site.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clean-up-begins-in-hong-kong-after-week-of-chaos-and-destruction-262563">Violence has worsened in recent days</a>, with two men killed in separate incidents linked to the protests this month.&nbsp;

Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain.

Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers as reinforcements, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's transport network and closed schools and shopping malls.

The protests started against a now-shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for fully free elections in the former British colony.

The financial hub has been nudged into a recession by the unrelenting turmoil.

A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday.&nbsp;

"Squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said.

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the main entrance ablaze Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons.

Pro-democracy demonstrators holed up in a Hong Kong university campus set the main entrance ablaze Monday to prevent surrounding police moving in after officers warned they may use live rounds if confronted by deadly weapons. The police warning, which came after one officer was struck by an arrow, marked a further escalation of the near six-month crisis engulfing the city. China has repeatedly warned that it will not tolerate dissent, and there are growing concerns that Beijing could intervene directly to end the spiralling unrest. Several loud blasts were heard around dawn on Monday before a wall of fire lit up an entrance to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), AFP reporters said, as what appeared to be a police attempt to enter the campus was repelled by protesters determined to hold their ground. Police said they had fired three live rounds in the early hours of Monday at a protest site near the university but that no one appeared to have been hit. Intense clashes throughout Sunday, which saw a police officer hit in the leg by an arrow and protesters meet police tear gas with volleys of petrol bombs, rolled overnight across the Kowloon district, as a call went out to defend the besieged campus. There, protesters had hunkered down under umbrellas from occasional fire from police water cannon and hurled Molotov cocktails at an armoured vehicle, leaving it ablaze on a flyover near the campus. Police declared the campus a "riot" scene, rioting is punishable by up to 10 years in jail, and blocked exits as spokesman Louis Lau issued a stark warning in a Facebook live broadcast. "I hereby warn rioters not to use petrol bombs, arrows, cars or any deadly weapons to attack police officers," he said. "If they continue such dangerous actions, we would have no choice but to use the minimum force necessary, including live rounds, to fire back." Three protesters have been shot by police in the unrelenting months of protests, but all in scuffles as chaotic street clashes played out -- and without a sweeping warning being given by a force that overwhelmingly depends on tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets. Fear gripped protesters still trapped inside the campus -- whose occupation is a twist in tactics by a leaderless movement so far defined by its fluid, unpredictable nature. "I feel scared. There's no way out. All I can do is fight to the end," one protester joining the barricade in front of the university building said early Monday. Watch: Chinese army in Hong Kong for first time since protests began 'Helpless' Owen Li, a PolyU council member and student, said panic had taken hold of the few hundred protesters believed to be holed up. "Many friends feel helpless... we appeal to all of society to come out and help us." Throughout Sunday, activists parried attempts by police to break through into the campus, firing rocks using a homemade catapult from the university roof, while an AFP reporter saw a team of masked archers, several carrying sports bows, patrolling the site. Violence has worsened in recent days, with two men killed in separate incidents linked to the protests this month. Chinese President Xi Jinping this week issued his most strident comments on the crisis, saying it threatened the "one country, two systems" model under which Hong Kong has been ruled since the 1997 handover from Britain. Demonstrators last week engineered a "Blossom Everywhere" campaign of blockades and vandalism, which forced the police to draft in prison officers as reinforcements, shut down large chunks of Hong Kong's transport network and closed schools and shopping malls. The protests started against a now-shelved bill to allow extradition to China but have billowed to encompass wider issues such as perceived police brutality and calls for fully free elections in the former British colony. The financial hub has been nudged into a recession by the unrelenting turmoil. A poster circulating on social media called for the "dawn action" to continue on Monday. "Squeeze the economy to increase pressure," it said.

Protesters set fire to hold off police at university campus in Hong Kong

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons.

The Argentine pontiff, 82, flies to Asia on Tuesday, where he will first visit Thailand and then Japan, including the two cities destroyed by devastating US nuclear attacks during the Second World War.

Despite both countries having less than 0.6 per cent Catholic populations, Francis is thirsty for interreligious dialogue with them.

He will arrive in Thailand on Wednesday before flying on to Japan on Saturday, where he will stay until November 26.

Sunday is set to be a marathon day with visits to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where at least 74,000 people and 140,000 people respectively were killed by the atomic bombs attacks.&nbsp;

The August 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and of Nagasaki three days later contributed to Japan's surrender and the end of the Second World War on August 15, months after Nazi Germany capitulated.

Father Yoshio Kajiyama, director of the Jesuit social centre in Tokyo, was born in Hiroshima shortly after the war and is eagerly awaiting the pope's anti-nuclear speech.

"My grandfather died the day of the bomb in Hiroshima, I never knew him. Four days later my aunt died when she was 15 years old," said the 64-year-old.

"If you grow up in Hiroshima, you can't forget the bomb."

No nukes message

The pope will make "as vigorous an appeal as possible in favour of concerted measures to completely eliminate nuclear weapons," the Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the United Nations in September.

"Using atomic energy to wage war is immoral," the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics told Japanese television in September.

A previous member of Japan's diplomatic mission to the Vatican, Shigeru Tokuyasu, said he hopes the visit will pull the world back from "the globalisation of indifference" over nuclear weapons.

But, said Tokuyasu, the pope should avoid discussing the politically sensitive issue of nuclear energy.

Francis is also set to meet victims of the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan and the subsequent tsunami that between them killed 18,500 people and sparked the nuclear power catastrophe at Fukushima.

Fear of nuclear war

Francis is used to railing against countries that make money from weapons and has already voiced his fear of a nuclear war.

In January last year, he printed cards with a photo of a Nagasaki bomb victim, inscribing the words "the fruit of war" above his signature.

The 1945 photo, captured by American photographer Joe O'Donnell, showed a small boy standing ramrod straight carrying his dead younger brother on his back while waiting for his turn at a cremation site.

The late pope John Paul II visited Japan in 1981, where at Hiroshima's peace monument he pointed to war as "the work of man".

In August, the city of Hiroshima called on Japan to sign the U.N. treaty calling for a ban on nuclear weapons, something that all the world's nuclear powers have refused to do.

Japan, with its pacifist post-war constitution, adhered in 1967 to the principle of "not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory," despite counting on the US nuclear umbrella for protection.

Multiethnic Thailand

Before arriving in Thailand on Wednesday, the pope praised the "multiethnic nation" which "has worked to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence, not only among its habitants but throughout Southeast Asia."

In a video message to the Thai people, the pope said he hoped to "strengthen ties of friendship" with Buddhists.

Since&nbsp;Francis' election six years ago, he has made two trips to Asia, visiting the Philippines and Sri Lanka in 2014, followed by Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017.

On Thursday in Bangkok, the pontiff is to pay a visit to supreme patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at a Buddhist temple.

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons.

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons. The Argentine pontiff, 82, flies to Asia on Tuesday, where he will first visit Thailand and then Japan, including the two cities destroyed by devastating US nuclear attacks during the Second World War. Despite both countries having less than 0.6 per cent Catholic populations, Francis is thirsty for interreligious dialogue with them. He will arrive in Thailand on Wednesday before flying on to Japan on Saturday, where he will stay until November 26. Sunday is set to be a marathon day with visits to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where at least 74,000 people and 140,000 people respectively were killed by the atomic bombs attacks. The August 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and of Nagasaki three days later contributed to Japan's surrender and the end of the Second World War on August 15, months after Nazi Germany capitulated. Father Yoshio Kajiyama, director of the Jesuit social centre in Tokyo, was born in Hiroshima shortly after the war and is eagerly awaiting the pope's anti-nuclear speech. "My grandfather died the day of the bomb in Hiroshima, I never knew him. Four days later my aunt died when she was 15 years old," said the 64-year-old. "If you grow up in Hiroshima, you can't forget the bomb." No nukes message The pope will make "as vigorous an appeal as possible in favour of concerted measures to completely eliminate nuclear weapons," the Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the United Nations in September. "Using atomic energy to wage war is immoral," the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics told Japanese television in September. A previous member of Japan's diplomatic mission to the Vatican, Shigeru Tokuyasu, said he hopes the visit will pull the world back from "the globalisation of indifference" over nuclear weapons. But, said Tokuyasu, the pope should avoid discussing the politically sensitive issue of nuclear energy. Francis is also set to meet victims of the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan and the subsequent tsunami that between them killed 18,500 people and sparked the nuclear power catastrophe at Fukushima. Fear of nuclear war Francis is used to railing against countries that make money from weapons and has already voiced his fear of a nuclear war. In January last year, he printed cards with a photo of a Nagasaki bomb victim, inscribing the words "the fruit of war" above his signature. The 1945 photo, captured by American photographer Joe O'Donnell, showed a small boy standing ramrod straight carrying his dead younger brother on his back while waiting for his turn at a cremation site. The late pope John Paul II visited Japan in 1981, where at Hiroshima's peace monument he pointed to war as "the work of man". In August, the city of Hiroshima called on Japan to sign the U.N. treaty calling for a ban on nuclear weapons, something that all the world's nuclear powers have refused to do. Japan, with its pacifist post-war constitution, adhered in 1967 to the principle of "not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory," despite counting on the US nuclear umbrella for protection. Multiethnic Thailand Before arriving in Thailand on Wednesday, the pope praised the "multiethnic nation" which "has worked to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence, not only among its habitants but throughout Southeast Asia." In a video message to the Thai people, the pope said he hoped to "strengthen ties of friendship" with Buddhists. Since Francis' election six years ago, he has made two trips to Asia, visiting the Philippines and Sri Lanka in 2014, followed by Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017. On Thursday in Bangkok, the pontiff is to pay a visit to supreme patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at a Buddhist temple.

Pope Francis to visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki on anti-nuclear weapon mission

violence

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