<p>The Union Home Ministry has issued an advisory to all states to take precautionary measures in view of calls on social media for "Bharat Bandh" on April 10 by some groups, an official said on Monday.</p>

<p>The Ministry of Home Affairs also said the districts magistrates and SPs will be personally held responsible for any violence in their area of jurisdiction.</p>

<p>The missive came a week after a similar protest saw massive violence in different parts of the country leading to the death of about a dozen people.</p>

<p>An official of the MHA said the ministry has issued an advisory to all states to take necessary precautionary measures in view of the calls on social media for Bharat Bandh on April 10 by some groups.</p>

<p>"The MHA has advised the states to beef up security and make appropriate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident, including the issue of prohibitory orders, if necessary," the official said.</p>

<p>The states have been asked to intensify patrolling in all sensitive locations so as to prevent any loss of life or damage to property.</p>

<p>"The advisory stressed that district magistrates and superintendents of police be made personally responsible for ensuring that law and order situation remains firmly under control in the areas of their jurisdiction," the official said.</p>

<p>While the April 2 Bharat Bandh was called by groups opposing the alleged dilution of SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act by a Supreme Court order, tomorrows protest is being reportedly called by people opposed to caste-based reservations in jobs and education.&nbsp</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Agencies)</em></p>


The missive came a week after a similar protest saw massive violence in different parts of the country leading to the death of about a dozen people.

The Union Home Ministry has issued an advisory to all states to take precautionary measures in view of calls on social media for "Bharat Bandh" on April 10 by some groups, an official said on Monday. The Ministry of Home Affairs also said the districts magistrates and SPs will be personally held responsible for any violence in their area of jurisdiction. The missive came a week after a similar protest saw massive violence in different parts of the country leading to the death of about a dozen people. An official of the MHA said the ministry has issued an advisory to all states to take necessary precautionary measures in view of the calls on social media for Bharat Bandh on April 10 by some groups. "The MHA has advised the states to beef up security and make appropriate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident, including the issue of prohibitory orders, if necessary," the official said. The states have been asked to intensify patrolling in all sensitive locations so as to prevent any loss of life or damage to property. "The advisory stressed that district magistrates and superintendents of police be made personally responsible for ensuring that law and order situation remains firmly under control in the areas of their jurisdiction," the official said. While the April 2 Bharat Bandh was called by groups opposing the alleged dilution of SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act by a Supreme Court order, tomorrows protest is being reportedly called by people opposed to caste-based reservations in jobs and education. (With inputs from Agencies)

Bharat Bandh on April 10: Centre issues advisory, asks states to beef up security

<p>Six persons were killed and several others, including policemen, sustained injuries in violent protests in Madhya Pradesh during the nationwide bandh called today by Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.</p>

<p>Curfew was clamped in three districts including Bhind, where the Army was called in to control the situation.</p>

<p>"Two people were killed in Gwalior while one person each died in Bhind and Morena districts during the violence," Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar told PTI.</p>

<p>Three&nbsp;other people were killed in the protests, two in Uttar Pradesh, and one in Alwar, Rajasthan, taking the total toll to nine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Incidents of stone-pelting, arson and loot were also reported from several parts of the state during the protest, he said, adding that further details are awaited.<br />
<br />
A student leader, identified as Rahul Pathak, died in firing in Morena district, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Umesh Shukla told PTI.</p>

<p>Pathak was allegedly shot by agitators and he succumbed to injuries enroute to hospital, he said.</p>

<p>As the violence escalated, curfew was imposed in the entire city, Shukla said.</p>

<p>The protesters also stopped a train in Morena, the police said.</p>

<p>Curfew was also imposed in Gwalior and Bhind districts following violence, officials said.&nbsp;Gwalior Commissioner B M Sharma said, "Curfew has been imposed in several parts of the Gwalior city following violence during the protest."</p>

<p>The Tahtipur, Gola Ka Mandir, Hazira and Morar police station areas in Gwalior were brought under the purview of the curfew, a senior official said.</p>

<p>Curfew was also imposed in Bhind city, and Mehgaon, Lahar, Gohad and Machand areas of the district, Bhind Superintendent of Police Prashant Khare said.</p>

<p>The Army has been called in Bhind to control the situation, Khare said.</p>

<p>A person, identified as Mahavir Singh (32), died in the firing in Bhind district where while two others suffered serious injuries and were referred to a hospital in Gwalior, Bhind's chief medical and health officer J P S Kushwaha said.</p>

<p>In Jhabua, protesters looted shops during the agitation, triggering tension in the tribal town.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the protesters to maintain peace in the state as the Centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court.</p>

<p>Protests were also held in the state capital Bhopal with agitators blocking a road on the Board Office Square near the statue of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar.</p>

<p>More than two dozen vehicles were damaged, several of them torched by the protesters, eyewitnesses said.</p>

<p>In Morena district, the Chhattisgarh Express was stopped by protesters and was till at the station, they said.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act.</p>

<p>The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition, who claim that dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.&nbsp;</p>


The deaths took place in Madhya Pradesh where curfew was clamped on three districts, in one of which the army was called in to control the situation

Six persons were killed and several others, including policemen, sustained injuries in violent protests in Madhya Pradesh during the nationwide bandh called today by Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Curfew was clamped in three districts including Bhind, where the Army was called in to control the situation. "Two people were killed in Gwalior while one person each died in Bhind and Morena districts during the violence," Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar told PTI. Three other people were killed in the protests, two in Uttar Pradesh, and one in Alwar, Rajasthan, taking the total toll to nine. Incidents of stone-pelting, arson and loot were also reported from several parts of the state during the protest, he said, adding that further details are awaited. A student leader, identified as Rahul Pathak, died in firing in Morena district, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Umesh Shukla told PTI. Pathak was allegedly shot by agitators and he succumbed to injuries enroute to hospital, he said. As the violence escalated, curfew was imposed in the entire city, Shukla said. The protesters also stopped a train in Morena, the police said. Curfew was also imposed in Gwalior and Bhind districts following violence, officials said. Gwalior Commissioner B M Sharma said, "Curfew has been imposed in several parts of the Gwalior city following violence during the protest." The Tahtipur, Gola Ka Mandir, Hazira and Morar police station areas in Gwalior were brought under the purview of the curfew, a senior official said. Curfew was also imposed in Bhind city, and Mehgaon, Lahar, Gohad and Machand areas of the district, Bhind Superintendent of Police Prashant Khare said. The Army has been called in Bhind to control the situation, Khare said. A person, identified as Mahavir Singh (32), died in the firing in Bhind district where while two others suffered serious injuries and were referred to a hospital in Gwalior, Bhind's chief medical and health officer J P S Kushwaha said. In Jhabua, protesters looted shops during the agitation, triggering tension in the tribal town. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the protesters to maintain peace in the state as the Centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Protests were also held in the state capital Bhopal with agitators blocking a road on the Board Office Square near the statue of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar. More than two dozen vehicles were damaged, several of them torched by the protesters, eyewitnesses said. In Morena district, the Chhattisgarh Express was stopped by protesters and was till at the station, they said. The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act. The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition, who claim that dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.

Bharat Bandh protests: Death toll rises to 9 as violence sweeps across India

<p>By S. Suresh*</p>

<p>It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.</p>

<p>Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.</p>

<p>The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.</p>

<p>I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.</p>

<p><strong>Armed Teachers? </strong></p>

<p>During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.”</p>

<p>America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.</p>

<p>Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp</p>

<p>Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.</p>

<p><strong>Watershed Moment</strong></p>

<p>Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.</p>

<p>Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.</p>

<p>The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center.</p>

<p>With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp</p>

<p>*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Teachers are educators, not mercenaries

<p>By S. Suresh*</p>

<p>It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.</p>

<p>Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, &ldquo;More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.&rdquo; &nbsp;This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.</p>

<p>The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof&rsquo;s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.</p>

<p>I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.</p>

<p><strong>Armed Teachers? </strong></p>

<p>During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country&rsquo;s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. &ldquo;I am a Second Amendment person,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 130 people plus dead.&rdquo;</p>

<p>America&rsquo;s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of &ldquo;bullets going in the other direction&rdquo; and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation&rsquo;s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that &ldquo;certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,&rdquo; ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.</p>

<p>Not surprisingly, Trump&rsquo;s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump&rsquo;s call to arms, while many teachers&rsquo; unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers&rsquo; knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida&rsquo;s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.</p>

<p><strong>Watershed Moment</strong></p>

<p>Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida&rsquo;s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that &ldquo;Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.&rdquo; Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.</p>

<p>Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.</p>

<p>The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick&rsquo;s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA&rsquo;s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida&rsquo;s standing with the Giffords Law Center.</p>

<p>With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence.

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

<p>&nbsp;Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the withdrawal of all cases, except for serious ones,&nbsp;in connection with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/the-battle-of-bhima-koregaon-and-its-significance-28406" target="_blank">Bhima-Koregaon violence</a>.</p>

<p>He also said that his government would compensate for the loss of Rs 13 crore incurred during the violence.</p>

<p>He said that their government will not spare anyone found responsible for the violence.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Will not spare anyone found responsible for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BhimaKoregaon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BhimaKoregaon</a> incident. Government is giving financial assistance to those who suffered losses. Appointed Inquiry Committee headed by Retd Chief Justice J.N.Patel: CM Devendra Fadnavis (file pic) <a href="https://t.co/who6NgrARo">pic.twitter.com/who6NgrARo</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/973523298624720896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Fadnavis added that the Maharashtra government would form a committee under Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to examine serious offenses committed during the violence. The committee will submit recommendations to a cabinet sub-committee within three months&nbsp;deciding on the cases that should be withdrawn.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-killed-3-injured-in-clashes-at-koregaon-bhima-battle-anniversary-in-pune-28313" target="_blank">One killed, 3 injured in clashes at Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary in Pune</a></p>

<p>Out of the total 622 cases registered in the violence, 350 were serious offenses, the CM said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that as many as 1,119 people were arrested after the violence. Seventeen cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and 2,053 people were taken into preventive custody.</p>

<p>The chief minister also clarified that the government will not withdraw the cases against history-sheeters who took advantage of the situation and indulged in a shooting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The chief minister also denied Opposition&#39;s allegation that the government did not take immediate action against Milind Ekbote, chief of Samasta Hindu Ekta Aghadi. He also said that those responsible for negligence will be dealt with strictly.</p>

<p>Fadnavis announced that the state government will take control of the Samadhi (memorial) of Chhatrapati Sambhaji at Vadhu dismissing the allegation that Ekbote&#39;s organisation had taken control of the Samadhi.</p>

<p>An inquiry will also be conducted to examine the harassment against women&nbsp;during the combing operations in Aurangabad (to arrest rioters).<br />
<br />
To mark the 200th anniversary of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/the-battle-of-bhima-koregaon-and-its-significance-28406" target="_blank">battle of Koregaon</a>, several Dalits on January 1 gathered around the victory pillar erected by the British at Koregaon-Bhima - 40 kilometres from Pune. The gathering was to commemorate the&nbsp;victory of&nbsp;British East India Company over the army of Peshawa Bajirao II.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is widely believed that the Mahar community - then considered untouchable - played a key role in East India Company&#39;s win.</p>

<p>Soon, violence broke out and many vehicles were torched <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-killed-3-injured-in-clashes-at-koregaon-bhima-battle-anniversary-in-pune-28313" target="_blank">leading to the death of one youth</a>.</p>

<p>Incidents of violence were reported from many parts of Maharashtra, including Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Nagpur, Dhule, Beed, Akola, Nashik, Pune, Solapur, Thane and Palghar as Dalits protested against Monday&#39;s incidents in Koregaon-Bhima.</p>

<p>Many prominent Dalit outfits, including Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, a party headed by BR Ambedkar&#39;s grandson Prakash Ambedkar, called for a &#39;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/maharashtra-tense-after-pune-violence-28374">Maharashtra bandh</a>&nbsp;(shutdown)&nbsp;to express anger over violence.</p>

<p><em>(With input from agencies)</em></p>


Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the withdrawal of all cases, except for serious ones, in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the withdrawal of all cases, except for serious ones, in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence. He also said that his government would compensate for the loss of Rs 13 crore incurred during the violence. He said that their government will not spare anyone found responsible for the violence. Will not spare anyone found responsible for #BhimaKoregaon incident. Government is giving financial assistance to those who suffered losses. Appointed Inquiry Committee headed by Retd Chief Justice J.N.Patel: CM Devendra Fadnavis (file pic) pic.twitter.com/who6NgrARo — ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2018 × Fadnavis added that the Maharashtra government would form a committee under Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to examine serious offenses committed during the violence. The committee will submit recommendations to a cabinet sub-committee within three months deciding on the cases that should be withdrawn. Also read: One killed, 3 injured in clashes at Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary in Pune Out of the total 622 cases registered in the violence, 350 were serious offenses, the CM said. He added that as many as 1,119 people were arrested after the violence. Seventeen cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and 2,053 people were taken into preventive custody. The chief minister also clarified that the government will not withdraw the cases against history-sheeters who took advantage of the situation and indulged in a shooting. The chief minister also denied Opposition's allegation that the government did not take immediate action against Milind Ekbote, chief of Samasta Hindu Ekta Aghadi. He also said that those responsible for negligence will be dealt with strictly. Fadnavis announced that the state government will take control of the Samadhi (memorial) of Chhatrapati Sambhaji at Vadhu dismissing the allegation that Ekbote's organisation had taken control of the Samadhi. An inquiry will also be conducted to examine the harassment against women during the combing operations in Aurangabad (to arrest rioters). To mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Koregaon, several Dalits on January 1 gathered around the victory pillar erected by the British at Koregaon-Bhima - 40 kilometres from Pune. The gathering was to commemorate the victory of British East India Company over the army of Peshawa Bajirao II. It is widely believed that the Mahar community - then considered untouchable - played a key role in East India Company's win. Soon, violence broke out and many vehicles were torched leading to the death of one youth. Incidents of violence were reported from many parts of Maharashtra, including Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Nagpur, Dhule, Beed, Akola, Nashik, Pune, Solapur, Thane and Palghar as Dalits protested against Monday's incidents in Koregaon-Bhima. Many prominent Dalit outfits, including Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, a party headed by BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, called for a 'Maharashtra bandh (shutdown) to express anger over violence. (With input from agencies)

Bhima-Koregaon violence: Maharashtra government to withdraw minor cases

<p>India&#39;s representative at the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, on Thursday said that those who support terrorists have been undeterred despite international community&#39;s efforts.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Despite international community&#39;s efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven&#39;t deterred.There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network,ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin at UNSC <a href="https://t.co/PhXSuVRFie">pic.twitter.com/PhXSuVRFie</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/971942624562241536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;Despite international community&#39;s efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven&#39;t deterred. There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network, ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed,&quot; he said while talking about countering terrorism at the United Nation Security Council meeting.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indeed the challenges posed by cross border terrorism emanating from safe havens &amp; sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC <a href="https://t.co/HHFdKm19nq">pic.twitter.com/HHFdKm19nq</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/971942627552743429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism &quot;emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens &amp; sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed,&quot; he added further.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India&#39;s ambassador to UN also reiterated the continued stance of &#39;zero-tolerance&#39; &quot;for those who continue violence&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced:Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin,India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/971942631767977985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced,&quot; he shared.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India on Thursday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-highlights-human-rights-violations-by-pakistan-at-un-35150">highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan </a>at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).</p>

<p>India&#39;s response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India&#39;s Permanent Mission at UNHRC stated that &quot;Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights&quot;.</p>

<p>The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from ANI)</em></p>


Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism 'emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries'

India's representative at the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, on Thursday said that those who support terrorists have been undeterred despite international community's efforts. Despite international community's efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven't deterred.There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network,ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin at UNSC pic.twitter.com/PhXSuVRFie — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × "Despite international community's efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven't deterred. There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network, ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed," he said while talking about countering terrorism at the United Nation Security Council meeting. Indeed the challenges posed by cross border terrorism emanating from safe havens & sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC pic.twitter.com/HHFdKm19nq — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism "emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries". "Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens & sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed," he added further. India's ambassador to UN also reiterated the continued stance of 'zero-tolerance' "for those who continue violence". It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced:Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin,India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × "It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced," he shared. India on Thursday highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). India's response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India's Permanent Mission at UNHRC stated that "Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights". The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir. India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing. (With inputs from ANI)

No tolerance towards those supporting violence: Syed Akbaruddin at UN

<p>Despite Supreme Court order on Padmaavat, protest turned violent in Gujarat on Sunday over the screening of Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s upcoming controversial film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The situation turned grim after protestors burned buses and resorted to violence in Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts.</p>

<p>To avoid any untoward incident, the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner issued a notification stating that those protesting near multiplexes, malls will be booked under section 308 of IPC (attempt to commit culpable homicide).&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, some multiplex owners have already indicated they might not screen the film over continuous threats of vandalism by Karni Sena and other similar groups.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Slated to hit theatres on January 25, the film has been witnessing backlash from fringe groups, including Shri Rajput Karni Sena, in various states.</p>

<p>The BJP governed state was one among the four which banned the film from releasing before the Supreme Court&rsquo;s order.</p>

<p>Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana were the other three states to earlier ban the film&#39;s release.&nbsp;</p>


Protestors resorted to violence in Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts

Despite Supreme Court order on Padmaavat, protest turned violent in Gujarat on Sunday over the screening of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming controversial film. The situation turned grim after protestors burned buses and resorted to violence in Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Ahmedabad districts. To avoid any untoward incident, the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner issued a notification stating that those protesting near multiplexes, malls will be booked under section 308 of IPC (attempt to commit culpable homicide). However, some multiplex owners have already indicated they might not screen the film over continuous threats of vandalism by Karni Sena and other similar groups. Slated to hit theatres on January 25, the film has been witnessing backlash from fringe groups, including Shri Rajput Karni Sena, in various states. The BJP governed state was one among the four which banned the film from releasing before the Supreme Court’s order. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana were the other three states to earlier ban the film's release.

Padmaavat: Protesters set buses ablaze in Gujarat demanding ban on film

<p>The world of Latin American football is often criticized as one in which violence against women is tolerated, and now there is a new case to further soil its reputation.</p>

<p>Two top players -- Colombians Edwin Cardona and Wilmar Barrios -- who play for one of Argentina&#39;s storied teams, Boca Juniors, are accused of assaulting and threatening two women.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, they are not the first men to face such controversy.</p>

<p>The region has already been rocked by cases such as that of Brazilian international Robinho who was convicted last year in Italy of taking part in a gang rape.</p>

<p>The former coach of the Colombian national team, Hernan Dario Gomez, had to resign after hitting a woman as he left a bar in Bogota in 2011.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There have been other cases in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala and elsewhere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Latin American football women &quot;are seen as things, or prey, but not as partners,&quot; said sports psychologist Oscar Mangione, who used to be on the staff of Boca Juniors.</p>

<p><strong>- Winning is everything -</strong></p>

<p>In the new case, the women accuse Cardona and Barrios of putting them in situations of &quot;physical and verbal violence.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>These include an alleged ordeal in an elevator in which one of the players was wielding a knife, said Juan Cerolini, the plaintiffs&#39; lawyer.</p>

<p>The players were initially suspended but they were back playing last weekend, just days after their trial started and with no verdict yet returned.</p>

<p>The complaint seems to have been almost forgotten at their stadium, called La Bombonera.</p>

<p>&quot;If what they did is wrong, they had better pay. But there is always something shady going on. I want Boca to win. What can I say?&quot; said one female fan, aged in her 20s, who gave her name only as Luciana as she headed to the game in which the players returned to action.</p>

<p>&quot;What matters above all is the issue of usefulness in terms of the value of winning or the economic investment the team has made in a player,&quot; said Mangione.</p>

<p>&quot;There is no institutional policy. A kid joins the world of football at age 12 and might retire in his 30s. And in all that time he is only trained to be a football player. And this is an important span of time to train him as a man in every sense of the word,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>At the same time players, &quot;like it or not, are role models. And their behaviour enables a certain kind of behaviour which is not good,&quot; Mangione added.</p>

<p><strong>- Cultural change -</strong></p>

<p>In&nbsp;Argentina, a woman is killed every 29 hours, according to the Observatory for Violence against Women, which recorded 298 such killings last year.</p>

<p>That stands in sharp contrast to legislation in which &quot;Argentina is a pioneer&quot; in laws to protect women, said Ada Rico, head of an NGO called Casa del Encuentro.</p>

<p>&quot;You can have as many laws and measures as you want. But we are not going to get anywhere without a cultural change,&quot; she added.</p>

<p>Analia Fernandez, a journalist and amateur football player, said what is most common is to &quot;treat the player as the victim and not take the word of the accuser.&quot;</p>

<p>Right now, men&#39;s football &quot;is a place that legitimizes violence against women,&quot; she told AFP.</p>

<p>&quot;Our task is to begin to transform that kind of football. Here out on the field we women are changing things,&quot; Fernandez said from the pitch of her team in Buenos Aires.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In Latin American football women "are seen as things, or prey, but not as partners," said sports psychologist Oscar Mangione

The world of Latin American football is often criticized as one in which violence against women is tolerated, and now there is a new case to further soil its reputation. Two top players -- Colombians Edwin Cardona and Wilmar Barrios -- who play for one of Argentina's storied teams, Boca Juniors, are accused of assaulting and threatening two women. However, they are not the first men to face such controversy. The region has already been rocked by cases such as that of Brazilian international Robinho who was convicted last year in Italy of taking part in a gang rape. The former coach of the Colombian national team, Hernan Dario Gomez, had to resign after hitting a woman as he left a bar in Bogota in 2011. There have been other cases in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala and elsewhere. In Latin American football women "are seen as things, or prey, but not as partners," said sports psychologist Oscar Mangione, who used to be on the staff of Boca Juniors. - Winning is everything - In the new case, the women accuse Cardona and Barrios of putting them in situations of "physical and verbal violence." These include an alleged ordeal in an elevator in which one of the players was wielding a knife, said Juan Cerolini, the plaintiffs' lawyer. The players were initially suspended but they were back playing last weekend, just days after their trial started and with no verdict yet returned. The complaint seems to have been almost forgotten at their stadium, called La Bombonera. "If what they did is wrong, they had better pay. But there is always something shady going on. I want Boca to win. What can I say?" said one female fan, aged in her 20s, who gave her name only as Luciana as she headed to the game in which the players returned to action. "What matters above all is the issue of usefulness in terms of the value of winning or the economic investment the team has made in a player," said Mangione. "There is no institutional policy. A kid joins the world of football at age 12 and might retire in his 30s. And in all that time he is only trained to be a football player. And this is an important span of time to train him as a man in every sense of the word," he added. At the same time players, "like it or not, are role models. And their behaviour enables a certain kind of behaviour which is not good," Mangione added. - Cultural change - In Argentina, a woman is killed every 29 hours, according to the Observatory for Violence against Women, which recorded 298 such killings last year. That stands in sharp contrast to legislation in which "Argentina is a pioneer" in laws to protect women, said Ada Rico, head of an NGO called Casa del Encuentro. "You can have as many laws and measures as you want. But we are not going to get anywhere without a cultural change," she added. Analia Fernandez, a journalist and amateur football player, said what is most common is to "treat the player as the victim and not take the word of the accuser." Right now, men's football "is a place that legitimizes violence against women," she told AFP. "Our task is to begin to transform that kind of football. Here out on the field we women are changing things," Fernandez said from the pitch of her team in Buenos Aires.

Latin American football seen as rife with violence against women

<p>Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge brought up the Maharashtra caste violence that had broken out on Monday in Bhima-Koregaon near Pune. One person had died in the clashes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge added that Prime Minister Modi would have to speak on the issue. He is a &quot;mauni baba on such issues,&quot; Kharge said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Who instigated and interfered in this event?&quot; Kharge asked in the Lok Sabha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge answered his question himself. &quot;Samaaj mein division karne ke liye, kattar Hindutvavaadi, jo wahan RSS ke log hain...iske peecha unka haath hai. Unhone ye kaam karwaya hai,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kharge also asked for a Supreme Court judge to be appointed to look into the matter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Live updates: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-updates-maharastra-tense-after-pune-violence-28382">Maharashtra bandh today; Dalit protesters block roads, occupy railway tracks, stop metros</a></p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/maharashtra-tense-after-pune-violence-28374" target="_blank">Maharashtra on edge after Bhima-Koregaon violence, protests</a></p>

<p>Kharge was replied to by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.</p>

<p>&quot;Congress divide and rule ki policy use kar rahe hain. Aur sabka saath, sabka vikaas karke Narendra Modi ji desh ko saath le rahe hain,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Aag ko bujhaane ke bajaaye, bhadkaane ka kaam Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi aur Congress party kar rahi hai. Ise desh bardasht nahin karega,&quot; Kumar added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhima-Koregaon is where the last of the three Anglo-Maratha wars was fought on January 1, 1818.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The English, who had beaten the Peshwas in the war, had had a large number of Dalit soldiers in their army.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was BR Ambedkar who had first referred to the war, and the beating of the Peshwa Brahmins, as an example of caste assertion by the Dalits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Dalits have ever since commemorated the anniversary of what they see as their &quot;victory&quot; in the last of the Anglo-Maratha wars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The commemoration of the anniversary this year was reportedly opposed by Hindu groups.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The violence had broken out thereafter.&nbsp;</p>


Mallikarjun Kharge also asked for a Supreme Court judge to be appointed to look into the matter

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge brought up the Maharashtra caste violence that had broken out on Monday in Bhima-Koregaon near Pune. One person had died in the clashes. Kharge added that Prime Minister Modi would have to speak on the issue. He is a "mauni baba on such issues," Kharge said. "Who instigated and interfered in this event?" Kharge asked in the Lok Sabha. Kharge answered his question himself. "Samaaj mein division karne ke liye, kattar Hindutvavaadi, jo wahan RSS ke log hain...iske peecha unka haath hai. Unhone ye kaam karwaya hai," he said. Kharge also asked for a Supreme Court judge to be appointed to look into the matter. Live updates: Maharashtra bandh today; Dalit protesters block roads, occupy railway tracks, stop metros Also read: Maharashtra on edge after Bhima-Koregaon violence, protests Kharge was replied to by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. "Congress divide and rule ki policy use kar rahe hain. Aur sabka saath, sabka vikaas karke Narendra Modi ji desh ko saath le rahe hain," he said. "Aag ko bujhaane ke bajaaye, bhadkaane ka kaam Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi aur Congress party kar rahi hai. Ise desh bardasht nahin karega," Kumar added. Bhima-Koregaon is where the last of the three Anglo-Maratha wars was fought on January 1, 1818. The English, who had beaten the Peshwas in the war, had had a large number of Dalit soldiers in their army. It was BR Ambedkar who had first referred to the war, and the beating of the Peshwa Brahmins, as an example of caste assertion by the Dalits. The Dalits have ever since commemorated the anniversary of what they see as their "victory" in the last of the Anglo-Maratha wars. The commemoration of the anniversary this year was reportedly opposed by Hindu groups. The violence had broken out thereafter.

As Maharashtra comes to standstill, Congress demands statement from PM on Bhima-Koregaon violence

<p>President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital Wednesday, upending decades of careful US policy and ignoring dire warnings of a historic misstep that could trigger a surge of violence in the Middle East.</p>

<p>A senior administration official said Trump would make the landmark announcement -- which flies in the face of warnings from America&#39;s allies across the region and the world -- at 1 pm (1800 GMT) from the White House.</p>

<p>&quot;He will say that that the United States government recognizes that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,&quot; a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.</p>

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<p>&quot;He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality,&quot; the source added, &quot;and modern reality.&quot;</p>

<p>Plunging further into a bitter centuries-old argument between Jews, Muslims and Christians, Trump will also order planning to begin on moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.</p>

<p>&quot;It will take some time to find a site, to address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility and build it,&quot; the official said, indicating that the move will not be immediate.</p>

<p>&quot;It will be a matter of some years, it won&#39;t be months, it&#39;s going to take time.&quot;</p>

<p>The status of Jerusalem is a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming the city as their capital, and expectations of Trump&#39;s announcement have roiled the combustible region.</p>

<p>In a frantic series of calls on its eve, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the EU, France, Germany and Turkey all warned Trump against the move.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tells-mideast-leaders-he-will-move-embassy-to-jerusalem-breaking-with-us-policy-25980" target="_blank">Also read: Trump tells Arab, Israeli leaders he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem</a></p>

<p>Anticipating widespread demonstrations, US government officials have been ordered to avoid Jerusalem&#39;s Old City and the West Bank.</p>

<p>But Trump&#39;s move comes close to fulfilling a campaign promise and will delight his political donors and the conservative and evangelical base that is so vital for the embattled president.</p>

<p><strong>&#39;Red line&#39;</strong><br />
Most of the international community does not formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved in final status negotiations.</p>

<p>US officials talk of &quot;threading the needle&quot; -- fulfilling Trump&#39;s campaign pledge, while keeping the peace process on the rails.</p>

<p>The White House argues that such a move would not prejudge final talks and would represent the reality that west Jerusalem is and will continue to be part of Israel under any settlement.</p>

<p>&quot;President Trump remains committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved,&quot; a second official said.</p>

<p>&quot;President Trump is prepared to support a two State solution... If agreed to by the two parties.&quot;</p>

<p>But critics say Trump&#39;s approach is more like &quot;splitting the baby&quot; and could also extinguish his own much-vaunted efforts to broker Middle East peace while igniting the flames of conflict in a region already reeling from crises in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Qatar.</p>

<p>The armed Islamist Hamas movement has threatened to launch a new &quot;intifada&quot; or uprising.</p>

<p>Saudi Arabia&#39;s King Salman warned his close ally that moving the US embassy was a &quot;dangerous step&quot; that could rile Muslims around the world.</p>

<p>&quot;Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims,&quot; Turkey&#39;s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a raucous televised speech, echoing alarm expressed by Palestinian and Arab leaders.</p>

<p><strong>&#39;Embassy Act&#39;</strong><br />
Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its &quot;eternal and undivided capital.&quot;</p>

<p>But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.</p>

<p>Trump was pushed to act on the embassy as a result of the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which stated that the city &quot;should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel&quot; and that the US embassy should be moved there.</p>

<p>An inbuilt waiver has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, postponing the move on grounds of &quot;national security&quot; once every six months, meaning the law has never taken effect.</p>

<p>Several peace plans have unravelled over the issue of how to divide sovereignty or oversee sites in the city that are holy for Christians, Jews and Muslims.</p>


The decision upends decades of US policy and risks fuelling violence in the Middle East

President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital Wednesday, upending decades of careful US policy and ignoring dire warnings of a historic misstep that could trigger a surge of violence in the Middle East. A senior administration official said Trump would make the landmark announcement -- which flies in the face of warnings from America's allies across the region and the world -- at 1 pm (1800 GMT) from the White House. "He will say that that the United States government recognizes that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel," a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality and modern reality' × "He views this as a recognition of reality, both historic reality," the source added, "and modern reality." Plunging further into a bitter centuries-old argument between Jews, Muslims and Christians, Trump will also order planning to begin on moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "It will take some time to find a site, to address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility and build it," the official said, indicating that the move will not be immediate. "It will be a matter of some years, it won't be months, it's going to take time." The status of Jerusalem is a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming the city as their capital, and expectations of Trump's announcement have roiled the combustible region. In a frantic series of calls on its eve, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the EU, France, Germany and Turkey all warned Trump against the move. Also read: Trump tells Arab, Israeli leaders he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem Anticipating widespread demonstrations, US government officials have been ordered to avoid Jerusalem's Old City and the West Bank. But Trump's move comes close to fulfilling a campaign promise and will delight his political donors and the conservative and evangelical base that is so vital for the embattled president. 'Red line' Most of the international community does not formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved in final status negotiations. US officials talk of "threading the needle" -- fulfilling Trump's campaign pledge, while keeping the peace process on the rails. The White House argues that such a move would not prejudge final talks and would represent the reality that west Jerusalem is and will continue to be part of Israel under any settlement. "President Trump remains committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved," a second official said. "President Trump is prepared to support a two State solution... If agreed to by the two parties." But critics say Trump's approach is more like "splitting the baby" and could also extinguish his own much-vaunted efforts to broker Middle East peace while igniting the flames of conflict in a region already reeling from crises in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Qatar. The armed Islamist Hamas movement has threatened to launch a new "intifada" or uprising. Saudi Arabia's King Salman warned his close ally that moving the US embassy was a "dangerous step" that could rile Muslims around the world. "Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a raucous televised speech, echoing alarm expressed by Palestinian and Arab leaders. 'Embassy Act' Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its "eternal and undivided capital." But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. Trump was pushed to act on the embassy as a result of the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which stated that the city "should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel" and that the US embassy should be moved there. An inbuilt waiver has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, postponing the move on grounds of "national security" once every six months, meaning the law has never taken effect. Several peace plans have unravelled over the issue of how to divide sovereignty or oversee sites in the city that are holy for Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel capital

<p>The young Egyptian imam who survived the Sinai mosque massacre that killed 305 people vowed Sunday from his hospital bed to go back and resume the sermon he never finished.</p>

<p>Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when blasts erupted.</p>

<p>&quot;I was only two minutes into my sermon when I heard two explosions outside the mosque, and then I saw worshippers running in horror,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Then people entered the mosque and began firing at everyone who was still standing,&quot; the preacher said from his hospital bed in the Nile Delta town of Al-Husayniya.</p>

<p>Abdel Fattah -- who has been imam for two years at the Rawda mosque frequented by Sufis -- said his sermon on that tragic day was about &quot;Mohammed, the prophet of humanity&quot;.</p>

<p>The imam fell from the raised minbar, or pulpit when the attack broke out and was trampled by worshippers who tried to flee the carnage.</p>

<p>And when he hit the ground, people stepped over him, before the bodies of those shot by the attackers piled on top of him, pinning him down and preventing him from lifting his head to see what was going on.</p>

<p>&quot;As soon as the shooting started I fell. I didn&#39;t see or feel anything except for the two or three bloodied bodies that fell on top of me,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Among the first casualties was 62-year-old Fathy Ismail, the mosque&#39;s muezzin who called the faithful to prayer.</p>

<p>Authorities said up to 30 militants in camouflage clothing and flying the black banner of the Islamic State group surrounded the mosque and opened fire on the faithful during the main weekly prayers.</p>

<p>Abdel Fattah suffered bruising, but his health appears to be improving and he hopes to be back on his feet to continue the sermon that was brutally interrupted.</p>

<p>&quot;If my health allows it, I will return next Friday week (to Rawda mosque) and finish my sermon,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>A frame bearing Koranic verses hangs above his hospital bed.</p>

<p>The imam said it was a gift he received from a visiting delegation of Coptic Christians the day after Friday&#39;s attack.</p>

<p>The attack is thought to have been carried out by the jihadist Islamic State group because the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam.</p>

<p>IS has branded Sufis heretics for seeking the intercession of saints.</p>

<p>&quot;About a year ago, we heard rumours concerning threats against people who organise celebrations for the birth of Prophet Mohammed,&quot; Abdel Fattah said on Sunday.</p>

<p>The imam declined to say whether he, himself, belonged to the Sufi community.</p>

<p>&quot;I am a servant of God and his Prophet,&quot; he said when asked about his faith.</p>

<p>Five members of his family were by his bedside, including his 65-year-old father Abdel Fattah Mahmoud, a retired sheikh from Cairo&#39;s Al-Azhar, Egypt&#39;s highest institution of Sunni Islam.</p>

<p>Mahmoud said he had tried to persuade his son from going to work in North Sinai, a restive region, but then he recalled a Koranic verse that says no one will die unless it is God&#39;s will.</p>

<p>Egypt&#39;s North Sinai-based IS branch has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians accused of working with the authorities, since the July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.</p>

<p>&quot;Not only is Sufism under threat, but all of Islam and the whole of the Arab region is under threat,&quot; said Mahmoud.</p>

<p>His son&#39;s survival &quot;is a blessed miracle&quot;, he added.</p>


Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when it was attacked

The young Egyptian imam who survived the Sinai mosque massacre that killed 305 people vowed Sunday from his hospital bed to go back and resume the sermon he never finished. Mohammed Abdel Fattah, 26, was delivering the Friday sermon at the North Sinai Rawda mosque when blasts erupted. "I was only two minutes into my sermon when I heard two explosions outside the mosque, and then I saw worshippers running in horror," he said. "Then people entered the mosque and began firing at everyone who was still standing," the preacher said from his hospital bed in the Nile Delta town of Al-Husayniya. Abdel Fattah -- who has been imam for two years at the Rawda mosque frequented by Sufis -- said his sermon on that tragic day was about "Mohammed, the prophet of humanity". The imam fell from the raised minbar, or pulpit when the attack broke out and was trampled by worshippers who tried to flee the carnage. And when he hit the ground, people stepped over him, before the bodies of those shot by the attackers piled on top of him, pinning him down and preventing him from lifting his head to see what was going on. "As soon as the shooting started I fell. I didn't see or feel anything except for the two or three bloodied bodies that fell on top of me," he said. Among the first casualties was 62-year-old Fathy Ismail, the mosque's muezzin who called the faithful to prayer. Authorities said up to 30 militants in camouflage clothing and flying the black banner of the Islamic State group surrounded the mosque and opened fire on the faithful during the main weekly prayers. Abdel Fattah suffered bruising, but his health appears to be improving and he hopes to be back on his feet to continue the sermon that was brutally interrupted. "If my health allows it, I will return next Friday week (to Rawda mosque) and finish my sermon," he said. A frame bearing Koranic verses hangs above his hospital bed. The imam said it was a gift he received from a visiting delegation of Coptic Christians the day after Friday's attack. The attack is thought to have been carried out by the jihadist Islamic State group because the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam. IS has branded Sufis heretics for seeking the intercession of saints. "About a year ago, we heard rumours concerning threats against people who organise celebrations for the birth of Prophet Mohammed," Abdel Fattah said on Sunday. The imam declined to say whether he, himself, belonged to the Sufi community. "I am a servant of God and his Prophet," he said when asked about his faith. Five members of his family were by his bedside, including his 65-year-old father Abdel Fattah Mahmoud, a retired sheikh from Cairo's Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam. Mahmoud said he had tried to persuade his son from going to work in North Sinai, a restive region, but then he recalled a Koranic verse that says no one will die unless it is God's will. Egypt's North Sinai-based IS branch has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians accused of working with the authorities, since the July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. "Not only is Sufism under threat, but all of Islam and the whole of the Arab region is under threat," said Mahmoud. His son's survival "is a blessed miracle", he added.

Egypt mosque massacre: Imam vows to return to finish sermon

<p>In the middle of the protests against the film &quot;Padmavati&quot;, comes Vice President Venkaiah Naidu statement that giving violent threats and announcing rewards for physical harm is not acceptable in a democracy.</p>

<p>The vice-president, who was speaking at a literary festival in New Delhi, referred to the bounty that was offered for killing the film&#39;s actors Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and said one could not give violent threats and undermine the rule of law.</p>

<p>&quot;Whether these fellows have that much money or not, I doubt. Everyone is announcing Rs one crore reward. Is it so easy to have Rs one crore? (Also Read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/country-is-witnessing-hyper-nationalism-alarming-shabana-azmi-on-padmavati-row-25130"> Country is witnessing hyper-nationalism, alarming: Shabana Azmi on &#39;Padmavati&#39; row</a>)</p>

<p>&quot;This is not acceptable in a democracy. You have the right to protest in a democratic manner, go to the appropriate authorities...You cannot physically obstruct and can&#39;t give violent threats. Let us not undermine the rule of law,&quot; he said.&nbsp;(Also Read - <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmavati-row-no-shooting-for-15-minutes-across-india-tomorrow-25112">&#39;Padmavati&#39; row: No shooting for 15 minutes across India tomorrow</a>)</p>

<p>&quot;You have no right to take laws into your own hands. At the same time, you don&#39;t have the right to hurt the sentiments of others&quot;, Venkaiah Naidu said.</p>

<p>Various fringe groups led by the Rajput Karni Sena, and states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have protested against the film&#39;s release alleging that it distorts historical facts.</p>

<p>Venkaiah Naidu stressed that he was not talking about a particular film but about films and art in general. He read out names of previously banned films like &quot;Garam Hawa&quot;, &quot;Kissa Kursi Ka&quot; and &quot;Aandhi&quot;.</p>

<p>The vice president said there was a new problem over some films where people feel that they have hurt the sentiments of some religions or communities and that has led to protests.</p>

<p>The vice president also warned against selective condemnation and said it was wrong to link it with religion.</p>

<p>He said there was a difference between religion and culture. While religion was a way of worship, culture was a way of life, he said.</p>

<p>On incidents of dissent, Naidu said while dissent was agreeable, disintegration is not.</p>

<p>He said these incidents, taking place in the country, need to be identified, isolated and dealt with firmly and that according to him was a &quot;challenge&quot;.</p>

<p>He said people have to live together irrespective of caste, creed sex, religion and added that India was one despite the differences.</p>

<p>&quot;This is India&#39;s speciality and we have to uphold this speciality in young minds through literature, caricature, cinema, through art...The central theme (of all these) should be the well-being of all,&quot; he said</p>

<p>&quot;You have to accept majority...Tolerance has to be there for the people&#39;s mandate.&quot;</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from PTI</em>)</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Amid the Padmavati row, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, at a literary festival warned against undermining the rule of law in the country

In the middle of the protests against the film "Padmavati", comes Vice President Venkaiah Naidu statement that giving violent threats and announcing rewards for physical harm is not acceptable in a democracy. The vice-president, who was speaking at a literary festival in New Delhi, referred to the bounty that was offered for killing the film's actors Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and said one could not give violent threats and undermine the rule of law. "Whether these fellows have that much money or not, I doubt. Everyone is announcing Rs one crore reward. Is it so easy to have Rs one crore? (Also Read: Country is witnessing hyper-nationalism, alarming: Shabana Azmi on 'Padmavati' row) "This is not acceptable in a democracy. You have the right to protest in a democratic manner, go to the appropriate authorities...You cannot physically obstruct and can't give violent threats. Let us not undermine the rule of law," he said. (Also Read - 'Padmavati' row: No shooting for 15 minutes across India tomorrow) "You have no right to take laws into your own hands. At the same time, you don't have the right to hurt the sentiments of others", Venkaiah Naidu said. Various fringe groups led by the Rajput Karni Sena, and states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have protested against the film's release alleging that it distorts historical facts. Venkaiah Naidu stressed that he was not talking about a particular film but about films and art in general. He read out names of previously banned films like "Garam Hawa", "Kissa Kursi Ka" and "Aandhi". The vice president said there was a new problem over some films where people feel that they have hurt the sentiments of some religions or communities and that has led to protests. The vice president also warned against selective condemnation and said it was wrong to link it with religion. He said there was a difference between religion and culture. While religion was a way of worship, culture was a way of life, he said. On incidents of dissent, Naidu said while dissent was agreeable, disintegration is not. He said these incidents, taking place in the country, need to be identified, isolated and dealt with firmly and that according to him was a "challenge". He said people have to live together irrespective of caste, creed sex, religion and added that India was one despite the differences. "This is India's speciality and we have to uphold this speciality in young minds through literature, caricature, cinema, through art...The central theme (of all these) should be the well-being of all," he said "You have to accept majority...Tolerance has to be there for the people's mandate." (With inputs from PTI)

Violent threats not acceptable in democracy: Venkaiah Naidu on 'Padmavati' row

<p>The&nbsp;Israeli air force on Monday attacked a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;anti-aircraft battery that&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;said had&nbsp;fired&nbsp;a missile at&nbsp;its&nbsp;planes&nbsp;as they were on a reconnaissance mission&nbsp;over neighbouring&nbsp;Lebanon.</p>

<p>No&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;planes&nbsp;were hit in the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;launch,&nbsp;Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and &quot;incapacitated&quot; the anti-aircraft&nbsp;unit&nbsp;located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus.</p>

<p>&quot;We know according to our intelligence it was a battery controlled by the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;regime and we hold the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;regime responsible for the fire,&quot; Conricus said.</p>

<p>There was no immediate comment from Syria which, while an old enemy of&nbsp;Israel, has rarely traded blows with it directly since a 1974 ceasefire ended their last conventional war.</p>

<p>Monday&#39;s incident was additionally unusual given&nbsp;its&nbsp;publication by&nbsp;Israel, which rarely gives details on&nbsp;its&nbsp;air force activities&nbsp;over&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;and Syria to foil suspected arms transfers to Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas.</p>

<p>Such missions in Syria have increased dramatically during the country&#39;s civil war,&nbsp;Israeli official says, adding that all efforts are made to avoid accidental clashes with Russian forces helping Damascus beat back rebels.</p>

<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was due to begin a visit to&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;later on Monday. Conricus said the&nbsp;Israeli military informed Russia of&nbsp;its&nbsp;Syria strike &quot;in real time or immediately before&quot; it took place and would brief Shoigu.</p>

<p>Conricus said a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;attack on&nbsp;Israeli air force&nbsp;planes&nbsp;over&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;was unprecedented.&nbsp;Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were launched at&nbsp;Israeli warplanes&nbsp;over&nbsp;Syria in March. They were unscathed but one of the missiles, on&nbsp;its&nbsp;descent, was intercepted by&nbsp;Israel&#39;s Arrow air defence system.</p>

<p>According to Conricus, the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;battery struck on Monday had carried out the launch against the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;planes&nbsp;in March.</p>


No?Israeli?planes?were hit in the?Syrian?launch,?Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and "incapacitated" the anti-aircraft?unit?located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus

The Israeli air force on Monday attacked a Syrian anti-aircraft battery that Israel said had fired a missile at its planes as they were on a reconnaissance mission over neighbouring Lebanon. No Israeli planes were hit in the Syrian launch, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said, adding that the counter-strike took place two hours later and "incapacitated" the anti-aircraft unit located 50 km (30 miles) east of Damascus. "We know according to our intelligence it was a battery controlled by the Syrian regime and we hold the Syrian regime responsible for the fire," Conricus said. There was no immediate comment from Syria which, while an old enemy of Israel, has rarely traded blows with it directly since a 1974 ceasefire ended their last conventional war. Monday's incident was additionally unusual given its publication by Israel, which rarely gives details on its air force activities over Lebanon and Syria to foil suspected arms transfers to Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas. Such missions in Syria have increased dramatically during the country's civil war, Israeli official says, adding that all efforts are made to avoid accidental clashes with Russian forces helping Damascus beat back rebels. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was due to begin a visit to Israel later on Monday. Conricus said the Israeli military informed Russia of its Syria strike "in real time or immediately before" it took place and would brief Shoigu. Conricus said a Syrian attack on Israeli air force planes over Lebanon was unprecedented. Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were launched at Israeli warplanes over Syria in March. They were unscathed but one of the missiles, on its descent, was intercepted by Israel's Arrow air defence system. According to Conricus, the Syrian battery struck on Monday had carried out the launch against the Israeli planes in March.

Israel attacks Syrian?anti-aircraft unit

<p>Whether all insurgencies are acts of terrorism (or not) is an issue that has many facets: from political to moral, conceptual to propaganda. The political and moral angles tend to get a greater share of attention in public discourse. For instance, according to the official Indian version, Kashmiri militants are the Jihadi terrorist but to many others, they are freedom fighters. Another example is Palestinian militants, who are treated polar opposite ways by Israel and the Arab countries. UK and Spain see IRA and Basque separatists as a terrorist, whereas many Irish and Basque countrymen differ.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are hundreds of such examples, where one category of interest groups or countries view certain activities as terrorism and others don&#39;t. Those who don&#39;t, often consider it as a legitimate armed political act called &lsquo;insurgency&rsquo;. The insurgency can evolve into a war for independence or greater political power. This can also transform into a civil war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While both insurgents and terrorists advocate violence as a form of political act, there are fundamental differences between the two. The most important difference lies in the target of violence; security forces employed against the insurgents as well as physical structures and facilities related to security operation are widely considered to be the legitimate target for insurgents.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Insurgents live within their focus community like a fish in the water and often aim to graduate their struggle to a full-fledged war of independence or autonomy through the attrition of authority&rsquo;s military and administrative strength. Political scientists and security experts consider insurgency, to a considerable extent, as a natural outcome of long or intensive oppression of a community. In that sense, insurgents enjoy the support and political legitimacy to a certain extent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unlike the insurgents, however, the terrorists also target civilians and their properties. Jihadi terrorists bring in a new angle in the complexity. They aim to establish a regressive Islamic theocracy in their targeted land.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An insurgency is a natural tool of political bargain and rearrangements. But insurgency, with the basic principle of not targeting civilians, remains till date a legitimate and sometimes essential instrument of political wish, particularly in constrained and difficult environments. Centralised powers of a preexisting state tend to resist the formation of new political units by their own logic, propaganda and even force; yet widespread and spontaneous insurgencies do represent people&rsquo;s will where there are no other fair channels of its surfacing. In fact, there are recent examples of de facto states or political units achieved through armed struggle doing relatively better for its people e.g. Somali Land, Iraqi Kurdistan, Abkhazia etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;In spite of the existing distinctions, sometimes, it is difficult to distinguish between insurgency and terrorism. This mistake in categorisation happens when a well-known insurgent group or isolated fractions of such a group carry out terror attacks, killing innocent civilians. While, it&#39;s important to judge them by their acts, picking a few incidents rather than a trend to make a conclusive judgment about a group could be a big mistake.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>It is difficult to distinguish between insurgency and terrorism. This mistake in categorisation happens when a well-known insurgent group or isolated fractions of such a group carry out terror attacks.</h5>
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<p>Often it so happens that because of their semi-formal and loose command structure, insurgent groups fail to exercise required control over all its dispersed components. Sometimes, they make ideological mistakes and later correct themselves. Premature de-legitimisation of an insurgent group and branding it as a terror outfit is unfair and dangerous as it might still want to be a regular insurgent group and not a terrorist outfit. It might keep receiving support from its population. Wrong and mistimed ascribing into categories may push it towards full-fledged terrorism. Even allowing terrorists to come back to the regular fold, with conditions and if they demonstrate enough commitment, should not be off the table as it might prevent further violence on civilians. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Neutral and liberal media and civil society have a great responsibility in promoting the truth and fair assessments. Governments in developing world often tend to adopt a narrative that suits their conservative and uninformed vote bank. That brings more bad than good. Mistreatment of a complex matter often engenders other related problems and issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian media and civil society vis-&agrave;-vis Rohingya are a case in point on the matter. While Indian government and the right-wing elements of Indian society and media are hastily linking the entire two million strong Rohingya population to terrorism, reputed media houses are asking difficult yet legitimate questions about the principles behind India&rsquo;s policy towards Rohingya struggle and refugee.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Were all the Tamils who took refuge in India terrorists?</h5>
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<p>Were all the Tamils who took refuge in India terrorists? Didn&rsquo;t India negotiate with the LTTE to find out a political settlement? What about harbouring and arming Bangladeshi freedom fighters of 1971? On the other hand, some big-name journalists are showing cracks in their resolve and giving into the official Myanmar line with regards to Rohingya. For instance, Praveen Swami of the Indian Express visited Cox&rsquo;s Bazar and wrote an article to establish remote, unsure and weak terror links of Rohingya insurgents, ignoring completely the several decades long intense political and economic persecution of these people. Rohingyas are an utterly disorganised community for these reasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The deprivation of Rohingya was so high in Rakhine that they were not given admission beyond primary schools. If one has noticed how the BBC exposed the raw theatrics of Burmese military even in that stage-managed tour of journalists in northern Rakhine, the viewers would know that the Myanmar authority is the most doubtful source of any credible information. They are also trying to take advantage of the global anti-Jihadi sentiment caused by the events in the Middle-East and the Af-Pak region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Making a category swap between a terrorist and an insurgent carries a dangerous trap. It can lead us to forget how oppression breeds insurgency. In our bid to focus on the violence, we forget the oppression part and the need to ameliorate such suffocating situation so that insurgencies don&#39;t transform itself into violent acts of terrorism.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


While both insurgency and terrorism advocate violence as a form of political act, there are fundamental differences between the two.

Whether all insurgencies are acts of terrorism (or not) is an issue that has many facets: from political to moral, conceptual to propaganda. The political and moral angles tend to get a greater share of attention in public discourse. For instance, according to the official Indian version, Kashmiri militants are the Jihadi terrorist but to many others, they are freedom fighters. Another example is Palestinian militants, who are treated polar opposite ways by Israel and the Arab countries. UK and Spain see IRA and Basque separatists as a terrorist, whereas many Irish and Basque countrymen differ. There are hundreds of such examples, where one category of interest groups or countries view certain activities as terrorism and others don't. Those who don't, often consider it as a legitimate armed political act called ‘insurgency’. The insurgency can evolve into a war for independence or greater political power. This can also transform into a civil war. While both insurgents and terrorists advocate violence as a form of political act, there are fundamental differences between the two. The most important difference lies in the target of violence; security forces employed against the insurgents as well as physical structures and facilities related to security operation are widely considered to be the legitimate target for insurgents. While both insurgents and terrorists advocate violence as a form of political act, there are fundamental differences between the two. × Insurgents live within their focus community like a fish in the water and often aim to graduate their struggle to a full-fledged war of independence or autonomy through the attrition of authority’s military and administrative strength. Political scientists and security experts consider insurgency, to a considerable extent, as a natural outcome of long or intensive oppression of a community. In that sense, insurgents enjoy the support and political legitimacy to a certain extent. Unlike the insurgents, however, the terrorists also target civilians and their properties. Jihadi terrorists bring in a new angle in the complexity. They aim to establish a regressive Islamic theocracy in their targeted land. An insurgency is a natural tool of political bargain and rearrangements. But insurgency, with the basic principle of not targeting civilians, remains till date a legitimate and sometimes essential instrument of political wish, particularly in constrained and difficult environments. Centralised powers of a preexisting state tend to resist the formation of new political units by their own logic, propaganda and even force; yet widespread and spontaneous insurgencies do represent people’s will where there are no other fair channels of its surfacing. In fact, there are recent examples of de facto states or political units achieved through armed struggle doing relatively better for its people e.g. Somali Land, Iraqi Kurdistan, Abkhazia etc. In spite of the existing distinctions, sometimes, it is difficult to distinguish between insurgency and terrorism. This mistake in categorisation happens when a well-known insurgent group or isolated fractions of such a group carry out terror attacks, killing innocent civilians. While, it's important to judge them by their acts, picking a few incidents rather than a trend to make a conclusive judgment about a group could be a big mistake. It is difficult to distinguish between insurgency and terrorism. This mistake in categorisation happens when a well-known insurgent group or isolated fractions of such a group carry out terror attacks. × Often it so happens that because of their semi-formal and loose command structure, insurgent groups fail to exercise required control over all its dispersed components. Sometimes, they make ideological mistakes and later correct themselves. Premature de-legitimisation of an insurgent group and branding it as a terror outfit is unfair and dangerous as it might still want to be a regular insurgent group and not a terrorist outfit. It might keep receiving support from its population. Wrong and mistimed ascribing into categories may push it towards full-fledged terrorism. Even allowing terrorists to come back to the regular fold, with conditions and if they demonstrate enough commitment, should not be off the table as it might prevent further violence on civilians. Neutral and liberal media and civil society have a great responsibility in promoting the truth and fair assessments. Governments in developing world often tend to adopt a narrative that suits their conservative and uninformed vote bank. That brings more bad than good. Mistreatment of a complex matter often engenders other related problems and issues. Indian media and civil society vis-à-vis Rohingya are a case in point on the matter. While Indian government and the right-wing elements of Indian society and media are hastily linking the entire two million strong Rohingya population to terrorism, reputed media houses are asking difficult yet legitimate questions about the principles behind India’s policy towards Rohingya struggle and refugee. Were all the Tamils who took refuge in India terrorists? × Were all the Tamils who took refuge in India terrorists? Didn’t India negotiate with the LTTE to find out a political settlement? What about harbouring and arming Bangladeshi freedom fighters of 1971? On the other hand, some big-name journalists are showing cracks in their resolve and giving into the official Myanmar line with regards to Rohingya. For instance, Praveen Swami of the Indian Express visited Cox’s Bazar and wrote an article to establish remote, unsure and weak terror links of Rohingya insurgents, ignoring completely the several decades long intense political and economic persecution of these people. Rohingyas are an utterly disorganised community for these reasons. The deprivation of Rohingya was so high in Rakhine that they were not given admission beyond primary schools. If one has noticed how the BBC exposed the raw theatrics of Burmese military even in that stage-managed tour of journalists in northern Rakhine, the viewers would know that the Myanmar authority is the most doubtful source of any credible information. They are also trying to take advantage of the global anti-Jihadi sentiment caused by the events in the Middle-East and the Af-Pak region. Making a category swap between a terrorist and an insurgent carries a dangerous trap. It can lead us to forget how oppression breeds insurgency. In our bid to focus on the violence, we forget the oppression part and the need to ameliorate such suffocating situation so that insurgencies don't transform itself into violent acts of terrorism.

Rohingyas: Insurgents or Terrorists

<p>Thailand&#39;s&nbsp;junta&nbsp;and a Malay Muslim separatist faction have&nbsp;blamed each other for a delay in setting up a &#39;safety zone&#39; as a confidence-building measure towards ending a decades-old insurgency.</p>

<p>Talks on the zone ended last week in Malaysia without full agreement to be followed by bombings that killed a soldier and a policeman in the&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;south, where more than 6,500 people have been killed since 2004.</p>

<p>No group claimed responsibility for the latest attacks.</p>

<p>On Monday, the Mara Patani faction said that implementing a safety zone had been &quot;a little delayed&quot;, because some details, &quot;especially from the&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;side&quot;, had not been satisfactorily addressed, but that did not mean talks had failed.</p>

<p>&quot;The correct approach is to continue dialogue, not walking away from it,&quot; Abu Hafez Al-Hakim, a leader of the group, said in a statement.</p>

<p>At the weekend,&nbsp;Thailand&#39;s chief negotiator had said the insurgents were not ready for the safety zone, despite the sincerity of the&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;government.</p>

<p>&quot;If the dissidents are not ready, then people&#39;s participation in the process will be delayed,&quot; General Aksara Kerdphol said, adding that talks would continue.</p>

<p>The proposed safety zone would be jointly administered by&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;authorities and the&nbsp;separatists&nbsp;in a district of the three southern provinces that formed part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until being annexed by the mostly Buddhist&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;kingdom in 1909.</p>

<p>Within the safety zone, neither side would attack the other.</p>

<p>&quot;If you want to create&nbsp;peace&nbsp;you have to work with your enemy,&quot; Al-Hakim told Reuters, saying he was hopeful a safety zone could be set up within three to six months.</p>

<p>But the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group, which has greater control&nbsp;over&nbsp;combatants than other factions, has not joined talks. A leader of the group told Reuters last week that the current negotiations were doomed.</p>

<p>Pak Fakih said in a rare interview that safety zones could be &quot;a trick by the military in trying to uncover&nbsp;the insurgent networks&quot;.</p>

<p>The BRN neither claims nor denies responsibility for any specific attack, but says it is continuing to fight to send a signal to the government.</p>

<p>The leader of another insurgent group, Patani United Liberation Organization (PULO), also said he was uneasy about the government&#39;s safety zone plan, but would go along with it in the spirit of cooperation.</p>

<p>Violence would continue for now as the only way to get the government to listen, Kasturi Mahkota told Reuters.</p>


Talks on the zone ended last week in Malaysia without full agreement to be followed by bombings that killed a soldier and a policeman in the?Thai?south, where more than 6,500 people have been killed since 2004.

Thailand's junta and a Malay Muslim separatist faction have blamed each other for a delay in setting up a 'safety zone' as a confidence-building measure towards ending a decades-old insurgency. Talks on the zone ended last week in Malaysia without full agreement to be followed by bombings that killed a soldier and a policeman in the Thai south, where more than 6,500 people have been killed since 2004. No group claimed responsibility for the latest attacks. On Monday, the Mara Patani faction said that implementing a safety zone had been "a little delayed", because some details, "especially from the Thai side", had not been satisfactorily addressed, but that did not mean talks had failed. "The correct approach is to continue dialogue, not walking away from it," Abu Hafez Al-Hakim, a leader of the group, said in a statement. At the weekend, Thailand's chief negotiator had said the insurgents were not ready for the safety zone, despite the sincerity of the Thai government. "If the dissidents are not ready, then people's participation in the process will be delayed," General Aksara Kerdphol said, adding that talks would continue. The proposed safety zone would be jointly administered by Thai authorities and the separatists in a district of the three southern provinces that formed part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until being annexed by the mostly Buddhist Thai kingdom in 1909. Within the safety zone, neither side would attack the other. "If you want to create peace you have to work with your enemy," Al-Hakim told Reuters, saying he was hopeful a safety zone could be set up within three to six months. But the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group, which has greater control over combatants than other factions, has not joined talks. A leader of the group told Reuters last week that the current negotiations were doomed. Pak Fakih said in a rare interview that safety zones could be "a trick by the military in trying to uncover the insurgent networks". The BRN neither claims nor denies responsibility for any specific attack, but says it is continuing to fight to send a signal to the government. The leader of another insurgent group, Patani United Liberation Organization (PULO), also said he was uneasy about the government's safety zone plan, but would go along with it in the spirit of cooperation. Violence would continue for now as the only way to get the government to listen, Kasturi Mahkota told Reuters.

Thai junta, separatists trade blame over peace steps

<p>More than 80 people were arrested on Sunday (September 17) night as protests in St. Louis over the acquittal of a white policeman who had shot a black man turned violent for a third night running.</p>

<p>Police in riot gear used pepper spray and arrested the demonstrators who had defied orders to disperse following a larger, peaceful protest.</p>

<p>After nightfall, a small group remained and the scene turned to one of disorder, following the pattern of Friday and Saturday. Protesters smashed windows and attempted to block a ramp to an interstate highway, police and witnesses said. Officers tackled some protesters who defied police orders and used pepper spray before starting the mass arrests.</p>

<p>The protests in St. Louis followed the acquittal on Friday of former police officer Jason Stockley, 36, of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith, 24. Smith was shot in his car after Stockley and his partner chased him following what authorities said was a drug deal. Prosecutors argued that Stockley planted a weapon in Smith&#39;s car, but the judge believed the gun belonged to Smith.</p>


Police in riot gear used pepper spray and arrested the demonstrators who had defied orders to disperse following a larger, peaceful protest.

More than 80 people were arrested on Sunday (September 17) night as protests in St. Louis over the acquittal of a white policeman who had shot a black man turned violent for a third night running. Police in riot gear used pepper spray and arrested the demonstrators who had defied orders to disperse following a larger, peaceful protest. After nightfall, a small group remained and the scene turned to one of disorder, following the pattern of Friday and Saturday. Protesters smashed windows and attempted to block a ramp to an interstate highway, police and witnesses said. Officers tackled some protesters who defied police orders and used pepper spray before starting the mass arrests. The protests in St. Louis followed the acquittal on Friday of former police officer Jason Stockley, 36, of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith, 24. Smith was shot in his car after Stockley and his partner chased him following what authorities said was a drug deal. Prosecutors argued that Stockley planted a weapon in Smith's car, but the judge believed the gun belonged to Smith.

US: Over 80 arrested as riot police break up St. Louis protest

<p>Thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled violence in Myanmar in search of refuge could be forced to make their new homes on a barren Bangladeshi island that floods every year.</p>

<p>The Bangladesh government has appealed for international support to move the Rohingya to the island as the impoverished country confronts a growing crisis over where to house an influx that has mounted following a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state.</p>

<p>More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in overflowing UN-run camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar district, close to the border with Myanmar.</p>

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<h5>The authorities first proposed settling Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char island in 2015 but the plan was apparently shelved last year amid reports that the silt island, which only emerged from the sea in 2006, was unhabitable due to regular tidal flooding</h5>
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<p>The surge has overwhelmed the Bangladesh authorities, who are scrambling to find land to build more camps, including on the inhospitable and uninhabited Thengar Char island -- recently renamed Bhasan Char -- despite reluctance on the part of Rohingya leaders and UN officials.</p>

<p>Bhasan Char, located in the estuary of the Meghna river, is a one-hour boat ride from Sandwip, the nearest inhabited island, and two hours from Hatiya, one of Bangladesh&#39;s largest islands.</p>

<p>The authorities first proposed settling Rohingya refugees there in 2015, as the camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar became overstretched with new arrivals.</p>

<p>But the plan was apparently shelved last year amid reports that the silt island, which only emerged from the sea in 2006, was unhabitable due to regular tidal flooding.</p>

<p>The government is trying to find new room for the Rohingya, including establishing a new 2,000-acre (800-hectare) camp near Cox&#39;s Bazar, close to the Myanmar border, which will house around 250,000 Rohingya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was to visit the construction site on Tuesday.</p>

<p>As the exodus swells, however, there are fears that may not be enough to accommodate all those in need of shelter.</p>

<p>As a result, the Bangladesh government is speeding up work at Bhasan Char with a view to building a 10,000-acre facility that can house hundreds of thousands of Rohingya.</p>

<p>But they face huge challenges.</p>

<p><strong>&nbsp;&#39;Complex and controversial&#39;</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A police official in the region told <em>AFP</em> that the island, which is used sporadically by fishermen and farmers seeking to graze their animals, was susceptible to tidal flooding once or twice a year.</p>

<p>&quot;I think the island needs&nbsp;massive infrastructure before it gets habitable,&quot; the official said.</p>

<p>The presence of the Bangladesh Navy, which is involved in developing the island, has deterred pirates who used to operate in the seas around Bhasan Char.</p>

<p>&quot;The Navy has already set up two helipads and are now building roads and a shed for their use&quot;, said Mahbub Alam Talkukder, a government administrator based in the region.</p>

<p>Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H Mahmood Ali on Sunday appealed for international assistance to help transport the Rohingya to Bhashan Char during a meeting with diplomats and UN officials.</p>

<p>But Rohingya leaders remain opposed to the move, while a UN agency official warned that any attempt at a forced relocation would be &quot;very complex and controversial&quot;.</p>

<p>The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar where they are regarded as illegal immigrants, despite having lived there for generations.</p>

<p>Exhausted refugees in Cox&#39;s Bazar told AFP<em> </em>they did not want to move yet again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I fled my village in Rakhine to escape murder at the hands of the Burmese,&quot; said Ayubur Rahman, a 26-year-old who fled Rakhine before the latest violence erupted.</p>

<p>&quot;I don&#39;t want to go to the island,&quot; he told<em> </em>AFP.</p>

<p>&quot;I would rather stay here.&quot;</p>


More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in overflowing UN-run camps

Thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled violence in Myanmar in search of refuge could be forced to make their new homes on a barren Bangladeshi island that floods every year. The Bangladesh government has appealed for international support to move the Rohingya to the island as the impoverished country confronts a growing crisis over where to house an influx that has mounted following a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar's Rakhine state. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in overflowing UN-run camps in Cox's Bazar district, close to the border with Myanmar. The authorities first proposed settling Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char island in 2015 but the plan was apparently shelved last year amid reports that the silt island, which only emerged from the sea in 2006, was unhabitable due to regular tidal flooding × The surge has overwhelmed the Bangladesh authorities, who are scrambling to find land to build more camps, including on the inhospitable and uninhabited Thengar Char island -- recently renamed Bhasan Char -- despite reluctance on the part of Rohingya leaders and UN officials. Bhasan Char, located in the estuary of the Meghna river, is a one-hour boat ride from Sandwip, the nearest inhabited island, and two hours from Hatiya, one of Bangladesh's largest islands. The authorities first proposed settling Rohingya refugees there in 2015, as the camps in Cox's Bazar became overstretched with new arrivals. But the plan was apparently shelved last year amid reports that the silt island, which only emerged from the sea in 2006, was unhabitable due to regular tidal flooding. The government is trying to find new room for the Rohingya, including establishing a new 2,000-acre (800-hectare) camp near Cox's Bazar, close to the Myanmar border, which will house around 250,000 Rohingya. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was to visit the construction site on Tuesday. As the exodus swells, however, there are fears that may not be enough to accommodate all those in need of shelter. As a result, the Bangladesh government is speeding up work at Bhasan Char with a view to building a 10,000-acre facility that can house hundreds of thousands of Rohingya. But they face huge challenges. 'Complex and controversial' A police official in the region told AFP that the island, which is used sporadically by fishermen and farmers seeking to graze their animals, was susceptible to tidal flooding once or twice a year. "I think the island needs massive infrastructure before it gets habitable," the official said. The presence of the Bangladesh Navy, which is involved in developing the island, has deterred pirates who used to operate in the seas around Bhasan Char. "The Navy has already set up two helipads and are now building roads and a shed for their use", said Mahbub Alam Talkukder, a government administrator based in the region. Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H Mahmood Ali on Sunday appealed for international assistance to help transport the Rohingya to Bhashan Char during a meeting with diplomats and UN officials. But Rohingya leaders remain opposed to the move, while a UN agency official warned that any attempt at a forced relocation would be "very complex and controversial". The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar where they are regarded as illegal immigrants, despite having lived there for generations. Exhausted refugees in Cox's Bazar told AFP they did not want to move yet again. "I fled my village in Rakhine to escape murder at the hands of the Burmese," said Ayubur Rahman, a 26-year-old who fled Rakhine before the latest violence erupted. "I don't want to go to the island," he told AFP. "I would rather stay here."

Bangladesh plans to move Rohingya to uninhabited island

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indonesian-minister-to-meet-suu-kyi-amid-protests-over-rohingya-19834">Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi</a> has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.</p>

<p>&quot;The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term,&quot; Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital.</p>

<p>The latest violence in Myanmar&#39;s northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.</p>

<p>The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution.</p>

<p>Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against &quot;terrorists&quot; responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October.</p>

<p>Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings.</p>

<p>&quot;Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in,&quot; H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told <em>Reuters</em>, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members.</p>

<p>&quot;If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good.&quot;</p>

<p>CONSCIENCE AWAKENED?</p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi.</p>

<p>&quot;PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar,&quot; said H.T. Imam.</p>

<p>The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600.</p>

<p>That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh.</p>

<p>The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar.</p>

<p>Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed &quot;deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims&quot; and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take &quot;immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population&quot;.</p>

<p>Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community.</p>

<p>Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the &quot;shameful&quot; treatment of the Rohingya, saying &quot;the world is waiting&quot; for her to speak out.</p>


Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh. Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday. "The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term," Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital. The latest violence in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh. The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar's roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution. Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "terrorists" responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October. Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings. "Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in," H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members. "If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good." CONSCIENCE AWAKENED? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi. "PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar," said H.T. Imam. The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600. That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh. The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed "deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims" and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take "immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population". Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community. Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the "shameful" treatment of the Rohingya, saying "the world is waiting" for her to speak out.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi under pressure as almost 125,000 Rohingya flee violence

<p>Much has been written about violence that erupted over a &quot;Unite the Right&quot; march in Charlottesville when white nationalists and counter-protesters met oddly with each other. The march saw taunting and shoving from both parties that led to a huge brawl.</p>

<p>According to some initial reports, a car ploughed&nbsp;into another vehicle near a group of counter-protesters. The brawl became quite ugly with a 32-year-old&nbsp;girl named Heather D. Heyer losing her life. There were nineteen others injured while at least 34 people were wounded in the clashes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Standing tall against any such violent acts of spreading hatred and fear, celebrities&nbsp;took to social media to share their support for Charlottesville:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">How tragic that this is what we&#39;ve come to. My prayers are w those in Charlottesville &amp; every American who is the target of hate &amp; violence.</p>
&mdash; Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/896507632692756480">August 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My heart is in Charlottesville today, and with everyone made to feel unsafe in their country.</p>
&mdash; Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/896463243366903808">August 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXsv_PfFNwU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I would like to speak out against these ignorant ass fools marching in Charlottesville. Believe it or not, they do not represent the majority of &quot;white people&quot;. Most of &quot;us&quot; white folk (I&#39;ll say it again, I subscribe to the human race and we&#39;re all pink on the inside) are embarrassed of these small dicked privileged spoiled ass losers. Like these good people in this picture. Most people are good people, there are small groups of every sort that make it ugly for the rest of us. I apologize on behalf of these idiots. Maybe mommy and daddy should cut off their allowances.</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by P!NK (@pink) on <time datetime="2017-08-12T15:44:13+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 12, 2017 at 8:44am PDT</time></p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXvqPgfFrxQ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">With everything that&#39;s going on, it&#39;s so easy to look the other way and say &quot;I don&#39;t want to watch the news, it&#39;s too negative&quot; or dismiss what&#39;s going on in our country because it&#39;s too scary to actually be true. But it is. Violence and hate is overwhelming our country today and it&#39;s time that this generation changes that. Black, Muslim, gay, bisexual, trans, etc. you are perfect the way you are and you ARE LOVED. Do not listen to evil no matter how loud it gets. I am with you during this time and things will change. #stopthehate #prayforpeace #prayforcharlottesville ???</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on <time datetime="2017-08-13T18:51:44+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 13, 2017 at 11:51am PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I pray a true leader will rise to expel hatred from America. This is not US! This is Anti-American <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisIsNotUS?src=hash">#ThisIsNotUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Charlottesville?src=hash">#Charlottesville</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeKind?src=hash">#BeKind</a></p>
&mdash; xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/896449416013332481">August 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXu-VEhD4mU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Thank you for this @cleowade #loveistheway</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on <time datetime="2017-08-13T12:28:01+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 13, 2017 at 5:28am PDT</time></p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXvip9QhRau/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">If you&#39;re not outraged , you&#39;re not paying attention..... sending love to all and healing to those injured !</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on <time datetime="2017-08-13T17:45:26+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 13, 2017 at 10:45am PDT</time></p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXtFMTchdqn/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I really don&#39;t know what to say...but this is terrorism. This is America TODAY...not 40 years ago, and your president is silent. Disgusting.</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya) on <time datetime="2017-08-12T18:49:30+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 12, 2017 at 11:49am PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">sad and true. <a href="https://t.co/8I2daQFg65">https://t.co/8I2daQFg65</a></p>
&mdash; Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMKristenBell/status/896237021533831168">August 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXtFu86gp62/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Message to the people of Charlottesville, from my mother, Leslie Cockburn, who is running for Congress in VA. #lesliecockburnforcongress #charlottesville www.lesliecockburnforcongress.com</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Olivia Wilde (@oliviawilde) on <time datetime="2017-08-12T18:54:14+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 12, 2017 at 11:54am PDT</time></p>
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<p>(WION)</p>

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White supremacists marched across the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, leaving at least three dead and many injured

Much has been written about violence that erupted over a "Unite the Right" march in Charlottesville when white nationalists and counter-protesters met oddly with each other. The march saw taunting and shoving from both parties that led to a huge brawl. According to some initial reports, a car ploughed into another vehicle near a group of counter-protesters. The brawl became quite ugly with a 32-year-old girl named Heather D. Heyer losing her life. There were nineteen others injured while at least 34 people were wounded in the clashes. Standing tall against any such violent acts of spreading hatred and fear, celebrities took to social media to share their support for Charlottesville: How tragic that this is what we've come to. My prayers are w those in Charlottesville & every American who is the target of hate & violence. — Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) August 12, 2017 × My heart is in Charlottesville today, and with everyone made to feel unsafe in their country. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017 × I would like to speak out against these ignorant ass fools marching in Charlottesville. Believe it or not, they do not represent the majority of "white people". Most of "us" white folk (I'll say it again, I subscribe to the human race and we're all pink on the inside) are embarrassed of these small dicked privileged spoiled ass losers. Like these good people in this picture. Most people are good people, there are small groups of every sort that make it ugly for the rest of us. I apologize on behalf of these idiots. Maybe mommy and daddy should cut off their allowances. A post shared by P!NK (@pink) on Aug 12, 2017 at 8:44am PDT × With everything that's going on, it's so easy to look the other way and say "I don't want to watch the news, it's too negative" or dismiss what's going on in our country because it's too scary to actually be true. But it is. Violence and hate is overwhelming our country today and it's time that this generation changes that. Black, Muslim, gay, bisexual, trans, etc. you are perfect the way you are and you ARE LOVED. Do not listen to evil no matter how loud it gets. I am with you during this time and things will change. #stopthehate #prayforpeace #prayforcharlottesville ??? A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Aug 13, 2017 at 11:51am PDT × I pray a true leader will rise to expel hatred from America. This is not US! This is Anti-American #ThisIsNotUS #Charlottesville #BeKind — xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) August 12, 2017 × Thank you for this @cleowade #loveistheway A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Aug 13, 2017 at 5:28am PDT × If you're not outraged , you're not paying attention..... sending love to all and healing to those injured ! A post shared by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Aug 13, 2017 at 10:45am PDT × I really don't know what to say...but this is terrorism. This is America TODAY...not 40 years ago, and your president is silent. Disgusting. A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya) on Aug 12, 2017 at 11:49am PDT × sad and true. https://t.co/8I2daQFg65 — Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) August 12, 2017 × Message to the people of Charlottesville, from my mother, Leslie Cockburn, who is running for Congress in VA. #lesliecockburnforcongress #charlottesville www.lesliecockburnforcongress.com A post shared by Olivia Wilde (@oliviawilde) on Aug 12, 2017 at 11:54am PDT × (WION)

Celebrities come out to condemn violence in Charlottesville

<p>The Saharanpur district authorities Friday&nbsp;refused permission to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to visit the strife-torn district.</p>

<p>Rahul was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5.</p>

<p>&quot;Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has not been given permission to visit Saharanpur,&quot; said Senior Superintendent of Police, Saharanpur, Bablu Kumar.</p>

<p>Bablu Kumar replaced SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey, who was suspended on May 24 in the wake of clashes in the district.</p>

<p>BSP chief Mayawati had recently toured the village and lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for &quot;failing to maintain law and order&quot; in the state.</p>

<p>Saharanpur has witnessed widespread caste-based clashes this month.</p>

<p>Violence first broke out in Saharanpur about 40 days ago following a procession to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. On May 5, a person was killed and 15 people were injured in clashes between two communities.</p>

<p>About a dozen police vehicles were set ablaze and 12 policemen were injured on May 9.</p>

<p>On May 23, another person was shot dead and two others were wounded, following which the government suspended the SSP and district magistrate and transferred the divisional commissioner and the deputy inspector general of police.</p>

<p>The Centre has sent 400 anti-riot police personnel to Saharanpur to help the state restore peace in the region.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


The Congress vice-president was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5

The Saharanpur district authorities Friday refused permission to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to visit the strife-torn district. Rahul was scheduled to visit tomorrow Shabbirpur village, where Dalit houses were torched on May 5. "Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has not been given permission to visit Saharanpur," said Senior Superintendent of Police, Saharanpur, Bablu Kumar. Bablu Kumar replaced SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey, who was suspended on May 24 in the wake of clashes in the district. BSP chief Mayawati had recently toured the village and lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for "failing to maintain law and order" in the state. Saharanpur has witnessed widespread caste-based clashes this month. Violence first broke out in Saharanpur about 40 days ago following a procession to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. On May 5, a person was killed and 15 people were injured in clashes between two communities. About a dozen police vehicles were set ablaze and 12 policemen were injured on May 9. On May 23, another person was shot dead and two others were wounded, following which the government suspended the SSP and district magistrate and transferred the divisional commissioner and the deputy inspector general of police. The Centre has sent 400 anti-riot police personnel to Saharanpur to help the state restore peace in the region. (PTI)

Rahul Gandhi denied permission to visit strife-torn Saharanpur

<p>Prohibitory orders have been imposed in India&#39;s southern city of Bengaluru after violence broke out over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute.<br />
<br />
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said section 144 -- outlawing the assembly of more than 10 people -- had been imposed&nbsp;in Bengaluru city, Pandavapura town and four dam sites, The Hindu reports.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The southern Indian states of Karnataka -- of which&nbsp;Bengaluru is the capital -- and Tamil&nbsp;Nadu have been embroiled in a decades-long battle over the sharing of the waters of the Cauvery river.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
At least 30 Tamil Nadu-registered vehicles were attacked in&nbsp;Karnataka, with stones pelted at them. Some vehicles were also set on fire.<br />
<br />
The violence erupted hours after India&#39;s top court ordered Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, modifying an earlier directive that the state release 15,000 cusecs by September 16.<br />
<br />
Around 200 people involved in the protests have been detained, the Indian&nbsp;Express quoted the Karnataka home minister as saying.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Some&nbsp;15,000 policemen have been deployed in Bengaluru in the wake of the violence.<br />
<br />
Karnataka chief minister&nbsp;Siddaramaiah has also called for an emergency meeting to discuss ways to allay tensions in the state.<br />
<br />
He also wrote a letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, informing her that he is &quot;firmly committed to maintaining law and order in the state&quot;.<br />
<br />
And he chastised the protesters. &quot;For both states to live in peace, such incidents should not occur,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Earlier today in Chennai, the&nbsp;capital of Tamil Nadu,&nbsp;a few men attacked a hotel owned by a man from Karnataka.<br />
<br />
The dispute, which dates back to the 20th century, stems from Karnataka&#39;s refusal to share Cauvery river waters with Tamil Nadu. Karnataka&nbsp;insists the water-sharing agreement is skewed heavily in favour of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand,&nbsp;says it has 3,000,000 acres of land that are dependent&nbsp;on the release of Cauvery waters.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Tamil Nadu cars attacked, set on fire in Karnataka

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in India's southern city of Bengaluru after violence broke out over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute. Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said section 144 -- outlawing the assembly of more than 10 people -- had been imposed in Bengaluru city, Pandavapura town and four dam sites, The Hindu reports. The southern Indian states of Karnataka -- of which Bengaluru is the capital -- and Tamil Nadu have been embroiled in a decades-long battle over the sharing of the waters of the Cauvery river. At least 30 Tamil Nadu-registered vehicles were attacked in Karnataka, with stones pelted at them. Some vehicles were also set on fire. The violence erupted hours after India's top court ordered Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, modifying an earlier directive that the state release 15,000 cusecs by September 16. Around 200 people involved in the protests have been detained, the Indian Express quoted the Karnataka home minister as saying. Some 15,000 policemen have been deployed in Bengaluru in the wake of the violence. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has also called for an emergency meeting to discuss ways to allay tensions in the state. He also wrote a letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, informing her that he is "firmly committed to maintaining law and order in the state". And he chastised the protesters. "For both states to live in peace, such incidents should not occur," he said. Earlier today in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, a few men attacked a hotel owned by a man from Karnataka. The dispute, which dates back to the 20th century, stems from Karnataka's refusal to share Cauvery river waters with Tamil Nadu. Karnataka insists the water-sharing agreement is skewed heavily in favour of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, says it has 3,000,000 acres of land that are dependent on the release of Cauvery waters. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Cauvery dispute: Prohibitory orders imposed in India's Silicon Valley after violence breaks out

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has led a bloody war on drug suspects, today named over 30 politicians, officials and judges whom he linked to narcotics and warned them to surrender.<br />
<br />
Police and shadowy vigilantes have been blamed for killing over 800 drug suspects since Duterte&#39;s election on May 9.<br />
<br />
&quot;Due process has nothing to do with my mouth. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers,&quot; Duterte said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began naming the suspects.&nbsp;He listed seven judges and over 25 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local officials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs.<br />
<br />
Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions.<br />
<br />
&quot;If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, &#39;Shoot them&#39;,&quot; he told reporters and soldiers in the southern city of Davao.<br />
<br />
Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded &quot;I might be wrong&quot; about the guilt of those he named.<br />
<br />
He said the military and police had compiled the list which he insisted was not coloured by politics or personal links, adding that some of those named were even his friends.<br />
<br />
Duterte&#39;s spokesman Martin Andanar later said that criminal cases would be filed against those named.<br />
<br />
&quot;The president is encouraging all of the persons of interest, the alleged drug lords and drug coddlers to come out in the open, to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation,&quot; he told reporters.<br />
<br />
Some of those named have since come out in radio and television and denied their guilt.<br />
<br />
Duterte won election by vowing to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives.&nbsp;He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed.<br />
<br />
The country&#39;s largest broadcaster ABS-CBN has listed 852 drug suspects killed since Duterte&#39;s election.<br />
<br />
In his speech, Duterte scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying they were free to protest.<br />
<br />
&quot;I do not care,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
However the head of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made an emotional appeal to the public to denounce the wave of drug killings.<br />
<br />
&quot;I am a human being. That is all it takes for me to stand up and say &#39;enough&#39;,&quot; archbishop socrates Villegas said in a message read at all Catholic masses in his archdiocese, located 160 kilometres north of Manila.<br />
<br />
He said the largely Catholic Philippines was becoming a &quot;killing fields nation&quot; for tolerating the violence.<br />
<br />
Despite criticism from foreign and local human rights organisations and even UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, surveys have shown Duterte enjoys wide public support.<br />
<br />
(AFP)

Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has led a bloody war on drug suspects, today named over 30 politicians, officials and judges whom he linked to narcotics and warned them to surrender. Police and shadowy vigilantes have been blamed for killing over 800 drug suspects since Duterte's election on May 9. "Due process has nothing to do with my mouth. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers," Duterte said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began naming the suspects. He listed seven judges and over 25 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local officials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs. Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and cancelled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions. "If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, 'Shoot them'," he told reporters and soldiers in the southern city of Davao. Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded "I might be wrong" about the guilt of those he named. He said the military and police had compiled the list which he insisted was not coloured by politics or personal links, adding that some of those named were even his friends. Duterte's spokesman Martin Andanar later said that criminal cases would be filed against those named. "The president is encouraging all of the persons of interest, the alleged drug lords and drug coddlers to come out in the open, to surrender themselves and submit themselves to thorough investigation," he told reporters. Some of those named have since come out in radio and television and denied their guilt. Duterte won election by vowing to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. The country's largest broadcaster ABS-CBN has listed 852 drug suspects killed since Duterte's election. In his speech, Duterte scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying they were free to protest. "I do not care," he said. However the head of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made an emotional appeal to the public to denounce the wave of drug killings. "I am a human being. That is all it takes for me to stand up and say 'enough'," archbishop socrates Villegas said in a message read at all Catholic masses in his archdiocese, located 160 kilometres north of Manila. He said the largely Catholic Philippines was becoming a "killing fields nation" for tolerating the violence. Despite criticism from foreign and local human rights organisations and even UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, surveys have shown Duterte enjoys wide public support. (AFP)

Philippine president identifies 30 officials linked to narcotics

India&#39;s Kashmir Valley remained tense today as people stayed away from roads due to prohibitory orders and a shutdown call given by separatists over the killing of a militant.<br />
<br />
The northern Jammu and Kashmir state has been on the boil since July 8, when security forces gunned down 22-year-old Burhan Wani, a commander of the Hizbul-Mujahideen, a group fighting Indian control of the Muslim-majority region.<br />
<br />
Armed police personnel patrolled deserted markets and roads as residents largely stayed indoors. Barricades and barbed wire were laid out on roads in sensitive areas.<br />
<br />
Violent protests in parts of the Valley, a subsequent curfew and a shutdown called by separatist leaders against Wani&#39;s killing, have kept normalcy away from the Valley.<br />
<br />
In the latest instance of violence, security forces opened fire on curfew-defying protesters on Friday, killing three and injuring 100 others, including security personnel.<br />
<br />
An opposition party leader in Kashmir blamed excessive use of force for the situation.<br />
<br />
&quot;The situation is getting worse. It is bad for all of us, for common people as well as political parties. We had warned the government before that they should stop using excessive force and pellet guns and the rampant arrests and crackdowns that are causing difficulties to people in the valley should also be stopped, only then can we hope for a silver lining of improved situation,&quot; said a regional opposition leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar.<br />
<br />
Authorities had lifted curfew from all districts on July 26, except the sensitive South Kashmir belt.<br />
<br />
However, it was re-imposed the next day after separatists called for protest march to Kulgam district town against Wani&#39;s killing.<br />
<br />
Fifty-five people have been killed and more than 5,000 wounded, including Indian security personnel, in the almost month-long unrest. More than 300 people have suffered injuries because of pellet guns, including 171 with eye injuries, further fuelling the anger against the forces and the government.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Fifty five people have been killed and more than 5,000 injured, including Indian security personnel, in the almost month-long unrest

India's Kashmir Valley remained tense today as people stayed away from roads due to prohibitory orders and a shutdown call given by separatists over the killing of a militant. The northern Jammu and Kashmir state has been on the boil since July 8, when security forces gunned down 22-year-old Burhan Wani, a commander of the Hizbul-Mujahideen, a group fighting Indian control of the Muslim-majority region. Armed police personnel patrolled deserted markets and roads as residents largely stayed indoors. Barricades and barbed wire were laid out on roads in sensitive areas. Violent protests in parts of the Valley, a subsequent curfew and a shutdown called by separatist leaders against Wani's killing, have kept normalcy away from the Valley. In the latest instance of violence, security forces opened fire on curfew-defying protesters on Friday, killing three and injuring 100 others, including security personnel. An opposition party leader in Kashmir blamed excessive use of force for the situation. "The situation is getting worse. It is bad for all of us, for common people as well as political parties. We had warned the government before that they should stop using excessive force and pellet guns and the rampant arrests and crackdowns that are causing difficulties to people in the valley should also be stopped, only then can we hope for a silver lining of improved situation," said a regional opposition leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar. Authorities had lifted curfew from all districts on July 26, except the sensitive South Kashmir belt. However, it was re-imposed the next day after separatists called for protest march to Kulgam district town against Wani's killing. Fifty-five people have been killed and more than 5,000 wounded, including Indian security personnel, in the almost month-long unrest. More than 300 people have suffered injuries because of pellet guns, including 171 with eye injuries, further fuelling the anger against the forces and the government. (Reuters)

A month on, India's Kashmir Valley remains tense

UEFA began disciplinary proceedings today against Portugal, Hungary and Belgium for incidents in their Euro 2016 matches the previous day.<br />
<br />
Portugal is charged with allowing a pitch invasion, Hungary for allowing crowd disturbances and other offences and Belgium for its fans setting off fireworks and throwing objects.<br />
<br />
A fan ran on to the pitch in Portugal&#39;s 0-0 draw with Austria at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday and posed for a selfie with Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.<br />
<br />
In Marseille, Hungarian fans clashed with stewards in the Stade Velodrome as they tried to climb a fence to join up with another group of Hungarians before the 1-1 draw with Iceland.<br />
<br />
Hungary is also accused of allowing its fans to set off fireworks and throwing objects.<br />
<br />
The punishment in that case will be announced on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Belgium also faces charges that its supporters threw fireworks and other objects during the 3-0 win against the Republic of Ireland in Bordeaux.<br />
<br />
UEFA said it was yet to decide a date for its disciplinary committee to meet on the cases of Belgium and Portugal.<br />
(AFP)

A fan ran on to the pitch after Portugal's 0-0 draw with Austria in Paris and posed for a selfie with Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo

UEFA began disciplinary proceedings today against Portugal, Hungary and Belgium for incidents in their Euro 2016 matches the previous day. Portugal is charged with allowing a pitch invasion, Hungary for allowing crowd disturbances and other offences and Belgium for its fans setting off fireworks and throwing objects. A fan ran on to the pitch in Portugal's 0-0 draw with Austria at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday and posed for a selfie with Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. In Marseille, Hungarian fans clashed with stewards in the Stade Velodrome as they tried to climb a fence to join up with another group of Hungarians before the 1-1 draw with Iceland. Hungary is also accused of allowing its fans to set off fireworks and throwing objects. The punishment in that case will be announced on Tuesday. Belgium also faces charges that its supporters threw fireworks and other objects during the 3-0 win against the Republic of Ireland in Bordeaux. UEFA said it was yet to decide a date for its disciplinary committee to meet on the cases of Belgium and Portugal. (AFP)

UEFA opens disciplinary probes against Portugal, Hungary and Belgium

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