Six In The Morning Monday 15 March 2021

 

Catholic Church 'cannot bless same-sex unions'

The Catholic Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions, the Vatican office responsible for doctrine has said.

It is "impossible" for God to "bless sin", the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) said on Monday.

But the CDF did note the "positive elements" in same-sex relationships.

In October, Pope Francis said in a documentary that he thought same-sex couples should be allowed to have "civil unions".

Outrage in Myanmar after activist allegedly tortured to death

Photographs seen by the Guardian testify to the gruesome death of prominent community leader Zaw Myat Lynn

• Warning: some readers may find material in this story distressing

Luke Harding in London

Mon 15 Mar 2021 04.00 GMT

Under cover of darkness, the soldiers rolled up outside a school building on the outskirts of Myanmar’s main city, Yangon. It was 1.30am. The military began searching the Suu Vocational College, in the north-west suburb of Shwe Pyi Thar. They moved swiftly from room to room.

They had come to arrest Zaw Myat Lynn, a prominent community organiser and teacher. He was an activist with the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi. In November, the NLD won a landslide election victory. It was in power until last month, when the military abruptly ended civilian rule.

Zaw Myat Lynn had been at the forefront of local anti-coup protests. He shared graphic videos of soldiers beating and shooting peaceful demonstrators. On Facebook he spoke out in fearless terms against Myanmar’s ruling junta. Its armed enforcers were “terrorists” and “dogs”, he wrote, adding “people should fight the army even if it costs our lives”.

Germany suspends AstraZeneca vaccine over blood clot concerns

Decision taken as ‘precaution’ on advice of country’s national vaccine regulator

Tom Batchelor@_tombatchelor

Germany is suspending use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine amid concern over reports of blood clots linked to the jab.

The health ministry said the decision was taken as a "precaution" and on the advice of Germany's national vaccine regulator, the Paul Ehrlich Institute, which called for further investigation of the cases.

A spokesman for Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would decide “whether and how the new information will affect the authorisation of the vaccine”.

Razan Zaitouneh — The missing face of Syria's revolution

Her fight against injustice made her enemies on all sides of the war. Ten years after Syria's revolution, DW looks back on her life — and the dark fate that awaited Razan Zaitouneh in rebel-held territory.

Razan Zaitouneh was beaming as she swayed among the protesters. She was caught up in defiant revelry as she joined the crowds in chanting against the Syrian regime.

When the revolution kicked off, it was as if Zaitouneh had waited her entire life for it. She was among the first activists to call on the Syrian government to release political prisoners in an open letter published a day after the first major protests on March 15, 2011.

Labour law changes: Are Qatar’s migrant workers better off?

Six months after Qatar abolished the need for an NOC to switch jobs, migrant workers tell Al Jazeera of their continued struggle.

By 

Faras Ghani

15 Mar 2021

Shayne* has been working for the same company in Qatar for seven years, reporting for duty six days a week at a food stall.

She has not received a salary increment during this period – and her pay was less than what was in the contract she signed in the Philippines before travelling to Qatar.

Looking for a new challenge, and a higher salary due to the increasing needs of her family back home, Shayne decided to resign in December last year and look for a new job.

These Asian countries are giving dual citizens an ultimatum on nationality -- and loyalty

Jessie Yeung, CNN • Updated 15th March 2021

Anna was born with the right to dual citizenship, because she has a Japanese mother and American father. She spent her life traveling between both countries, and says she felt deeply connected to the two cultures.

But Japan requires those with multiple passports to pick one by the age of 22 -- an impossible choice for Anna, who requested a pseudonym for privacy reasons.

"I'm mixed race, I've lived both in Japan and the US, I speak both languages, I am completely split down the middle in terms of my identity," she said. "It's like asking someone whether they love their mother or father more. It's such a cruel question."