Watch George Floyd Murder Trial Live Stream below in this article:

Viewers can tune in online to watch the George Floyd murder trial live stream on mobile devices and other internet connected devices.

This morning, the trial started with opening statements from the prosecution as well as the defense attorneys representing officer Chauvin.

Both opening arguments concluded just before noon eastern time this morning. After a 20-minute recess, the trial has resumed with the first of what will be a long list of witness testimony.

In its opening statement, the prosecution focused on the fact that officer Chauvin did not “get up” or “let up” after kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds. It is their contention that this is what caused the death of Mr. Floyd.

The defense, meanwhile, is trying to show that Mr. Floyd died as a result of a heart condition complicated by the ingestion of narcotics and the stress of the situation.

Youtube: Live stream of the trial from USA Today.

The trial is expected to continue for some time. The major news networks, including HLN and CNN, are broadcasting the live trial coverage continuously while also providing a live stream of the trial online.

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It has the power to influence people’s lives immensely, yet the ever-prevalent social stigmas are treated like the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.

Though the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was primarily responsible for modulating what private TV channels broadcast, it has spent years blocking western and Indian content from Pakistani screens. However, in recent times it has been notorious for consistently banning dramas depicting social taboos.

The board became active, especially since the past year, taking down local serials, left, right and centre. It started from Udaari, a few years back, while the recent hit list consists of the much-anticipated drama ‘Dil na umeed to nahi’. A strong female lead seems to be the common factor in all these dramas.

PEMRA and its controversial ban History.

1. Dil na umeed to nahi – (I haven’t lost hope)

PEMRA reportedly issued a notice to TV One, citing the drama Dil na umeed to nahi for airing ‘objectionable content’. The channel also received a five-day notice to review the telecast and censor the necessary scenes. After the verdict, PEMRA made headlines in print and electronic media alike. Simultaneously, social media was abuzz with netizens calling out the authority for its bias decision. The majority of the audiences opined that they need more such dramas to highlight social issues in society.

The drama features a stellar cast with Yumna Zaidi as the main protagonist, Nauman Ijaz, Yasra Rizvi, Samiya Mumtaz and Wahaj Ali, playing significant roles. The gripping storyline revolves around a prostitute Sumbul, who had a traumatic childhood as a victim of human trafficking. Regardless, she pushes through adversity to emerge as a strong woman who fights against injustice for her fellow call-girls.

Additionally, the story-driven play portrays a mix of social stigmas like child-abuse, prostitution, human trafficking and child marriages.

Dil na umeed se tou nahi comes under the production banner of Kashf Foundation, famous for making serials highlighting social issues like child abuse, sexual harassment and prostitution.

• Udaari (Lit: to fly)

Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed starrer Udaari was the first drama serial to bring social evils like sexual harassment, child abuse and rape to Pakistani screen sets.

Udaari hit the television screens in 2016, making waves for its bold representation of an unorthodox subject. The 25-episode narrative brought child sexual abuse to the forefront and helped create awareness among the masses.

After the telecast of the first few episodes, Hum TV received a show-cause notice from PEMRA, asking to explain the airing of a few unpalatable scenes. Other channels also got warnings to produce dramas in compliance with social values or get ready to face the ban.

• Pyar Ke Sadqay (For the sake of Love)

Pyar ke sadqay premiered on Hum TV from January to August 2020. It was another such drama to stir up controversy. This Hum Sitaray serial showcased Omair Rana as an obsessive father-in-law who pursues his son’s naive wife (Yumna Zaidi) romantically and makes consistent advances on her. However, the drama depicted the real picture of our society, as statistics indicate that 34 per cent of sexual abusers are close family members.

However, this time PEMRA issued a press release stating that the drama’s plot went against viewers discretion as they did not want to see such disrespect of “sacred relations”. The board also mentioned that they have been receiving several complaints on a daily basis, since the show went on air.

After repeated notices to TV channels, PEMRA finally announced a ban on the rerun of 2 dramas, one of which was Pyar ke sadqay.

All around the world, Entertainment industries are venturing into creative projects and genres, educating audiences on societal issues. However, in Pakistan, such bans on dramas depicting societal challenges does nothing but hinder the creative process of the Pakistani entertainment industry.

Instead of banning social campaigns, PEMRA can ask channels to shift broadcast timings to after 9 PM that cater to mature audiences. Doing so will be a win-win situation for all, the audience as well as the makers.

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A huge number of women belonging from all socioeconomic backgrounds, along with men who identify themselves as feminists, took to the streets on women’s day and demanded the rights of women.

The injustice is prevalent across Pakistan highlighted by a lack of education, basic health rights, employment opportunities for women. And perhaps the most fundamental and important of all – a lack of security for all those women who are present in the Pakistani society.

The Aurat march in Pakistan brought a lot of attention to the whole topic. The media shared the impactful speeches which were made at the marches in major cities such as Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. This included the sharing of the posters made by individuals themselves.

Many prominent celebrities were a part of the women’s day march and raised their voice. Each year the march causes a bustle in society and conversation regarding this topic is initiated too.

Changes must be made. However, improvement can only come for the women once every individual, regardless of their gender, realizes the importance of this conversation.

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In a candid conversation, during an appearance in The Late Late Show with James Corden, he got honest about the plans he has regarding his move and gave a couple of reasons.

Watch the James Corden inverview with Prince Harry below:

With such a bold statement, many controversial articles were written and a great amount of time on news channels was spent regarding this situation.

Prince Harry, to clarify the situation, followed on and made a couple of more statements to cool down and clarify the whole fiasco.

Prince Harry made it very clear that, although he plans to work as a regular citizen, leaving the royal status behind, he will ‘never walk away from his family’.

In his interview, he even said that ‘it was never walking away rather about stepping down’. He also added in the conversation that the British media served a very toxic role in his life.

While his father couldn’t walk away from such an environment, he made sure to keep him and his family safe from this and decided to make a leap of faith in this way.

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In Japan, where coronavirus-related suicides are increasing, Prime Minister Suga named ‘Minister of Loneliness’ Tetsushi Sakamoto, who acted as Regional Minister.

Social life has ground to a stop in Japan’s battle against the coronavirus, leaving the people to feel constantly depressed and lonely.

The rise in suicides has occurred in the world. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has designated Tetsushi Sakamoto, Minister of Regional Development, as Minister liable for the concerns of the lone people.

Sakamoto claimed in his first speech about his current assignment, “I was advised by Prime Minister Suga to examine the problem and to bring out a holistic approach in cooperation with the ministry in question. I plan to carry out programs aimed at avoiding social isolation and protecting people’s relations.”

Sakamoto also addressed his intention to organize an emergency conference by the end of February and to welcome and listen to others who have helped many people cope with mental health problems, in particular depression and exclusion. Consultations will also be held on support programs, and will also be accompanied by Suga.

The Ministry of Health of Japan has confirmed that the rate of suicide, which has been decreasing in Japan for 10 years as part of strenuous contributions, has begun to increase again for the first time since the end of 2020. In Japan, where 20,919 people committed suicide in 2020, the rise in female and youth suicides is projected to be due to financial hardships exacerbated by the outbreak.

A 70 Percent Rise in The Women Suicide Rate.

Suga has previously reported that about 880 Japanese women committed suicide in October 2020, which is 70% more than the same time last year.

Michiko Ueda, a suicide researcher, said “There are many women who are not married. They have managed to live their own life, work, and survive but generally have no stable jobs. So, they have financial and social issues in harsh times.”

Japan ranks 121 among 153 countries in the 2020 Gender Equity Survey issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

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Pakistani society is becoming aware of women’s rights and Aurat March involves countless women marching on roads with placards (against social values and in favour of women’s rights) in their hands. These placards called for equal opportunities for women, justice for victims of abuse, violence, and harassment, labor rights for women, daycare centers at the workplace, dowry, female fetus abortion, economic justice, and highlighted several major issues.

The march was labeled as propaganda by elitist women to instill western values in the lower roots of the society. Despite making it controversial by a large segment of society, next year in 2019, thousands of marchers came out instead of so much resistance by anti-feminists in Pakistan. This time the marchers didn’t only include people from the upper classes, but a large number of participants came from rural areas, underprivileged classes, trans community, and so on. The participants claimed that the sole purpose behind Aurat March is to claim equal rights for women/trans and don’t promote any Agenda.

The game got even bigger in 2020. The activists didn’t just rely on placards instead they had prepared a manifesto to show their demands and planned to build alliances in different segments of the society. Famous politicians including PTI’s (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) Shireen Mazari also supported the Aurat March and showed solidarity with the participants.

Artists have played a major role for Aurat March participating and earning wide media attention. Theatres, songs, poems, speeches, social media posts were made by artists in solidarity with Aurat March.

Famous actress Mahirah Khan has announced that she will be a part of Aurat March 2021. According to her, she will be participating to let people know that she is a part of this ideology. She added that the march might not be able to make a difference, but the impact it makes is huge. Mukhtara Mai, a social and gender activist, who was also a victim of gang rape in her past, also tweeted a video message of her inclusion in Aurat March 2021.

Last year, a large number of celebrities attended the march and some even shared their experiences of harassment and molestation. These celebrities included Mira Sethi, Adnan Malik, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Nadia Afgan, Osman Khalid Butt, Hajra Yamin, Ali Tareen, Saba Hamid, Samina Ahmed, among many others.

The placards that led to the nationwide outrage and made the march controversial were “Mera Jism, Meri Marzi” (My Body, My Choice), “Apna Khana Khud Garam kro” (Make food for Yourself), Follow Women’s Consent, Forced Hijab, and Taboo topics like menstruation, and the list goes on.

Religious segments on the other hand are not happy with the March and are trying their best to stop it. There have been even reports of threats by extremist groups as well. The agenda for 2021 revolves around budget increase for health, and trans and disabilities rights. Let’s see what this year holds for the newly born ritual.

The post Aurat March – a Women’s Day Ritual in Pakistan appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

This is according to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said that all the 26 European Union member states had agreed to fully back it. According to the agreement, implementation could be over in three months.

Such good news couldn’t have arrived at a better time for the adventure-hungry tourists whose escapades had been halted by the Coronavirus. Summer holidays are a few months away, and with the Covid fatigue among tourists, the excitement of going on a European summer holiday is palpable already.

Still, travel restrictions may remain in place

The EU has been intensifying its Covid 19 vaccination drive even as it remains wary of possibilities of deadlier waves. Measures meant at easing travel restrictions across the bloc remain in limbo, thanks to new Covid 19 variants.

Equally coy about the resumption of free international travel in the summer is Priti Patel, the Home Secretary. According to him, summer could prove a little too soon for a holiday, owing to the erratic situation in the UK and across the EU.

But these travel restrictions notwithstanding, rolling out a single vaccine passport means that savvy vacationers could have a reason to start hunting for holiday destinations. Travel trials like PocDoc’s ‘fit to fly’ certificates at the Edinburgh Airport also signify the region’s tourists’ readiness as soon as the international borders open.

Massive travel bookings already taking place

Right now, every eager traveler is holding onto faith, hoping that UK premier Boris Johnson’s projections for a summer holiday from as early as May 17 come to fruition. Holiday bookings have been increasing tremendously, with EasyJet reporting a whopping 337% surge in ticket sales and a further 630% in holiday bookings.

It is clear, therefore, that maybe it isn’t too early to book a European post-Covid holiday. Greece is calling, much like the Swiss getaways, Spanish beaches, and several Asian and African vacation destinations.

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Liguria is a magical place, a long and narrow region in Northern Italy, bathed by the splendid Ligurian Sea and dominated to the North by the Ligurian Alps and the Ligurian Apennines. A land of poets and fishermen, which smells of basil and flowers. A wonder for the eyes and the spirit.

Unfortunately, Liguria is a place prone to landslides. Unstable and suffering from serious geological problems for some decades, the land has become extremely fragile over the years. This is mainly due to man who, building ever closer to the sea, has undermined a balance, ignoring the laws of physics and logic.

A land, that is sometimes abandoned to itself and on which the necessary prevention works are not carried out. Due to geographic, climatic and geological causes, this region amplifies the destructive damage of floods and studies show that by 2050 these destructive events will increase by up to 30%.

Floods, storms and landslides have forced families to evacuate and many people have died as a result of all this.

On 22 February 2021 in Camogli, a small fishing village in the province of Genoa, part of the cemetery collapsed into the sea.

This collapse, caused by the erosion of the cliff located under the cemetery and aggravated by the strong storms that involved Liguria, dragged about 200 coffins and two chapels containing the bodies into the sea.

Rescuers have been trying for days to bring the coffins back to port, but some have remained wedged between the rocks, making recovery difficult. It is a race against time to try to recover as many coffins and corpses as possible, in fact, there is a fear of a worsening of the sea weather conditions.

Fortunately, in the days prior to the collapse, the area had been cordoned off after hearing strange creaks. As a result,there were no casualties. Victims, however, are the poor bodies floating in the water, some even carried ashore by seagulls, who took advantage of this misfortune.

The pain of relatives is tangible and the worry of not being able to get the bodies of their loved ones back is high.

The solidarity of the community is already making itself heard; online fundraising for the reconstruction of the cemetery has started and help has arrived from companies specialized in climbing works for the recovery of the bodies.

This place, of overwhelming beauty, has been hit once again and it is the task of the human being to try to preserve and respect nature in the best possible way and without presumption.

“Nature challenges us to be in solidarity and attentive to the custody of creation, also to prevent, as far as possible, the most serious consequences.” (Pope Francis)

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Hence, the CBN has instructed all financial institutions to immediately close accounts belonging to crypto exchanges and businesses transacting in cryptocurrencies. According to the CBN, failure to comply will result in “severe regulatory sanctions”.

While there has been an uproar in the country, the CBN earlier warned of taking such measures in a circular they released on January 12, 2017, citing the risks associated with transactions in cryptocurrency. In September 2020, the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission further said it would regulate trade in digital currencies to protect investors and promote transparent transactions.

However, Nigerians are particularly suspicious of this directive, believing it to be a direct attack on the EndSARS movement that occurred in October 2020. While cryptocurrency has been in Nigeria for a long time, it skyrocketed in popularity in the wake of this movement against police brutality. The central bank tried to cut funding for the protests by suspending the bank accounts of prominent supporters. However, this prompted a switch to Bitcoin (BTC) and other crypto donations.

The President of the Bank Customer Association of Nigeria (BCAN), however, stated that this new directive doesn’t stop people from trading in cryptocurrencies, but it makes it impossible to do so through the banking system. Even if this is the case, trading in cryptocurrencies will be more difficult.

Furthermore, the largest global cryptocurrency platform, Binance, has temporarily suspended deposits in Nigerian naira following this directive.

Given the country’s high unemployment rate, cryptocurrency trading has been a major way several youths in the country are making ends meet. With this source of livelihood under serious threat, only time will tell what the future holds.

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A human rights activist of Yoruba ethnicity named Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo but popularly known as Sunday Igboho (because he hails from the Igboho clan of Oyo State) is at the forefront of these activities.

For as long as I can remember, several articles, news, pictures, and videos have been circulated unveiling the untold brutality that a certain sect of people called the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria have meted out on those living in or around any place or space they choose to invade.

Such is the case of the Yoruba people of Ogun state whose indigenes have been killed, maimed, had their women raped, farms destroyed, properties plundered and people kidnapped for huge ransoms by the Fulani Herdsmen. Severally, they have cried out to the government securities for help but there has been nothing done to stop further brutality or halt its occurrence.

Sunday Igboho (with the backing of voodoo, according to witnesses and evidence) then decided to take laws into his hands since no government directive was given to curb the violence. He then gave the Herdmens a quit notice to leave the Yoruba lands alone and return to their own lands since they could not live in peace.

When the date given for the quit notice expired, he and his supporters went into the Fulani settlement in Ogun State and had a confrontation with them accompanied by the Police Area Commander in that division. This confrontation led to a violent outburst that resulted in 2 people losing their lives. In an aftermath of events, the mob vandalized and burned down some of the properties belonging to the Seriki (chief) of the Fulanis, this also led to an act of similar revenge taken out on Sunday Igbohos house.

A cite taken out of the webpage of the Guardian newspaper said this: Speaking with journalists… He said: “We observe there is an injustice from the herdsmen because they are close to the Federal Government. Any Fulani herdsman who engages in kidnapping should be flushed out.”

A British Nigerian political activist known as Nnamdi Kanu; who has been at the forefront fighting for the independence of the Igbo ethnic people made a post on the 23^rd of January saying:

“Before your very eyes, Nigeria is turning to a pathetic APARTHEID State, mercilessly implementing the supremacy of one tribe over all others. And you do nothing. Incredible!”

Amidst all these, there has not been any solid order made for or against the banditry and incessant killings in the areas the Herdsmen have ravaged.

In an interview carried out by the Punch Newspaper, Sunday Igboho made this statement: “We are Yoruba people in our own right, we can fight for freedom. Our fathers and brothers were killed by herders while our people die in silence. Our mothers and sisters are raped, farmlands are vandalized and crops are eaten up by their cattle. They kidnap and take big ransom. Just as the case in Igangan, our people in Ogun could not bear it any longer, so they called for help. That was what happened.”

When asked if he had discussed with the governors on how to handle the issue of the herdsmen menace, he had this to say:

“No, but obviously if they call me for a meeting to discuss the burning issue of security to end the impunity by the killer herders, I shall gladly oblige. I am ready for any genuine approach to stopping the herders’ madness against our parents, brothers, and sisters in Yorubaland. Why should our people, harmless for that matter, be going through all the horrible experiences without getting justice? And everybody folds their arms, looking on as if nothing is wrong.”

What seems to be utterly fascinating is the authority and audacity with which Sunday uses to go about his fight for justice even at the expense of his life, making bold declarations and authoritative statements such as an excerpt taken from www.idomavoice.com which says: ‘In an interview with PUNCH on Sunday, Igboho said no human being can kill him and he will not be distracted. The Yoruba warlord was quoted as saying, “I am not afraid of anything or anyone but God. God is the owner and controller of every soul. It is only God who can kill me. No human being can kill me, so I cannot be afraid of any mortal.’

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