monday to friday. this is news live from berlin the u.n. security council says listen to desperate plea. chance for democracy or un silence despite a week of deaths and detentions for the international community action against the violence. pope francis meets one of the most senior clerics in shiite islam

on the 1st papal visit to the pontiff is calling for an end to religious extremism . and we take a closer look at an international program helping countries in africa to vaccinate some of their most vulnerable against covert 19. and a warm welcome to our viewers around the world i'm michel oku the u.n. special envoy has called for a robust international response after this week's violence against protesters she made the remarks during a closed door meeting of the u.n. security council in new york but the council's unlikely to pass a resolution on miramar because of china and russia's veto wielding seats more than 50 people have been killed over the past 7 days as protesters keep up their calls

for a return to democracy. oh. the march for democracy purse of years in me and maher despite brutal crackdowns by the military authorities. demonstrations are regularly dispersed by tear gas the violence has escalated in the last week with police making mass arrests and adopting more lethal force. with radio free asia published this c.c.t.v. footage it allegedly shows authorities beating up medical volunteers in yangon on wednesday the broadcaster says they were then taken to prison the video follows reports that police opened fire on medical workers in the city where several protesters died was self-styled front line protesters keep the

demonstrations going they equip themselves with shields helmets and gas masks and it's their job to assist anyone injured. with their religion or rule those who died in the revolution had family of the original they had their whole lives ahead of them joe or the police some of them were younger than me it makes me very angry but we can't do anything so we're protesting peacefully and have to fight until the end goal or the old. god. hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of 25 year old our carmo he was one of many who died on with the state. oh my god he was my eldest son. he got shot while he was trying to save his friend who was also shot. i.

didn't. know what you to police a shot writes at his heart without remorse you know what i feel so angry that they're suppressing us again like they did under military rule they're destroying our lives for their own sakes we're going to do you know the overtones on it are you know nobody. the revolution must prevail the mourners chant together. the journalist ayman tenders joining me now from young gun a people are back on the streets today after tough crackdowns from the military this week do you think it will get even worse this weekend it's quite possible there's quite a number of sort of confluence ing offense that are happening right now the committee representing elected officials have made an announcement that government workers have until the 7 midnight to join the civil disobedience to put or face

essentially sanctions from the public and the government the military has also ordered all thanks to open. and you know they're in a sense losing control of government workers as well as institutions with over 600 police who have now left military controlled ministries as well as over 10 diplomats or at least 10 diplomats who have publicly stated that they will not obey orders from the hunt so it's quite likely that you will see further escalation as the military loses more control. well clearly the military has exhibited no signs of backing down if anything they're showing an even firmer hand do protesters believe they have a chance of making any difference. yes so if you listen to any of the protests are happening or watch what's happening by chance are still very aggressive about what they think they're very optimistic about the chances of winning almost all the chats are about how they will not lose how this is the last

fight and in fact the songs that people are singing are about this sort of final battle so i think we're in a situation in which protesters have decided that you know there's no future except a democratic one well according to reports the military has jailed many journalists how do you and your fellow colleagues man if she continue working. so most of the journalists who happen the rest of have been taken while they are working so what number of journalists started doing is not identified themselves as press and then the sort of visible way while they're doing their work the my helmet right now doesn't say press and this jacket while it does say press i do take it off if i feel like i've been danger of being targeted as a member of the press and also one journalist was taken from his home and one thing that many journalists are doing right now is not sleeping and they're not sure that they stay at least half

a step ahead of security officials amundsen journalists and young gun thanks so much. francis is holding a groundbreaking meeting with the leading cleric in shia islam francis is in the city of najaf to hold talks with the grand ayatollah ali sistani the meeting will be a major step in deepening times to shia on friday pope francis met with christians in baghdad iraq's christian community has been growing smaller every year it's now estimated just half a 1000000 iraqi christians remain in the country. the pilgrim of peace as pope francis calls himself is aware of the risks he's taking amid an ongoing pandemic and regional conflict we assume this is an emblematic trip and it is my duty to a martyred land here with. this one. but he's not traveling alone he's protected by one of the largest security deployments in

recent iraqi history $10000.00 personnel by some estimates including special forces 24 hour drone surveillance and undercover intelligence officers it's the 1st visit by a pope to iraq coming just days after a rocket attack that seemed to put the trip in doubt his 1st remarks in baghdad acknowledge the difficult days most iraqis have had to endure without a military escort. of course. over the past several decades iraq has suffered the disastrous effects of wars the scourge of terrorism and sectarian conflicts often grounded in a fundamentalism or incapable of accepting the peaceful coexistence different ethnic and religious groups you know the name of god cannot be used to justify acts of murder exile terrorism and oppression if you open it. for over 2 decades now sectarian conflict has driven most of iraq's christians out of the

country in 2014 the so-called islamic state began targeting christians driving hundreds of thousands more from their homes the pope's visit as a symbol of victory over this tide of violence this cathedral in baghdad was the site of a 2010 terrorist attack the pope's visit there too strong reactions from the community . we feel indescribable joy not only me but everyone seeing pope francis in iraq as a historic event. francis also plans to visit mosul are recaptured stronghold of the islamic state and the pontiff is meeting today with iraq's top shia muslim cleric grand ayatollah ali al sistani who's never met with the pope before it's a big moment for christians and muslims alike i'm joined by journalist when to hold away ease in erbil following the papal visit oh and i'm curious how iraqis

particularly non christians reacting to the pope's visit. very affectionately actually yummies is known as bubba amongst a lot of the love of the non christians i think have generally the posted because he's showcasing an upper limit of iraq which is 2 losses to thought as you know very sectarian country a lot of conflict and things like that but this kind of shows a bit of a unity across the different faiths within this country i mean as you said in your report you know the christian community particular often decimate since the war and they've kind of they've they've cut it's been a mass exodus so it's seen the fact that the paid the principal to come here is we reaffirm that there is actually a good strong dollar between the different major faiths this country by measuring of course this is an expression significant moment for rex christian communities yeah extremely arm i think they're extremely proud that the pontiff has decided to come to iraq his 1st trip off there since the pandemic they were extremely

decimated by the war against the so-called islamic state in the one of the areas where he's visiting a caricature which was just south that it's just south of mosul you know the church there were all of the christians for catholic christians fled from that area so that the people have sort seen spoken to in a in a bit with their very much you know happy and pleased that points of society to come here and you know then we have. their faith own we understand that the meeting between the pope and the grand ayatollah ali al sistani is now over remind our viewers why is this meeting so important why was it so important. so stunning is some sense the head of the largest community the ship community of iraq on his firm occlusive each instance not that make that many political statements actual but the fact that he's chosen to meet even though that meeting is private and you know there's not not that

a lot will all come what's come of it i think the fact that they've they've met it's very strange there's sort of strong connection between between the fight between the 2 eucharistic need to understand shia community chichi community of iraq so i think it's it's symbolic for so many so many different reasons but primarily because it shows it shows a strong dollar between the muslim community and christian community of this country. that's one hauled away in erbil really appreciate your time oh well some wealthy nations have already vaccinated millions of people against covert 19 many african countries are struggling to secure even a small number of doses the world health organization's kovacs initiative aims to help poor countries roll out vaccines now nigeria kenya and rwanda have started inoculating health workers and other vulnerable people. it's an historic moment for

these medical workers they are the 1st kenyans to receive a call back 19 vaccine. to take me because i want somebody. that i want you know. the east african nation has begun rolling out dozers from the global kovacs program an initiative launched by the world health organization to ensure low and middle income countries have fair access to back scenes it's a crucial resource for the world's poorest continent on thursday kenya's president stressed the importance of global corporation vaccine nationalism is something that we should. we take a life thing. if you ask any expert there is no single country that will be able to be sued unless all of us are safe so we have an obligation

to ensure that this vaccine is made a very widely. and as a special to the citizens of the globe this week the 1st batch of more than 1000000 astra zeneca dozes arrived in nairobi kenya hopes to vaccinate 1200000 people by june. nasa's mars rover perseverance has taken its 1st drive since landing on the planet 2 weeks ago take a look at this vehicle covered a 7 metre trail in a trip last in just over half an hour images sent by the probe showed real tracks in the red dust perseverence landed in a deep crater on the washing surface which scientists believe may once have been a c. perseverence will conduct a test that could give us more clues about whether life existed on mars.

incredible that's all from us for now up next doc film takes a look at terror and violence in somalia don't forget you can get all the latest news and headlines and i a website that steve dot com for me and the rest of the team here in berlin i'm michael local thanks for watching. i'm scared of that volume or not tired and in the end it's i mean you're not allowed to stay here any more we will send you back. are you familiar with this. river smugglers went by and said. what's your.