How India's 'cockroach' protests toppled a government minister

 

For the first time in more than a decade, a government minister in India has resigned following pressure from a street protest movement. The demonstrations erupted after the chief justice compared unemployed youths to cockroaches.

For many young Indians, the remark became the tipping point after years of high unemployment and repeated exam paper leaks that had shattered the hopes of millions of job seekers. The Guardian spent a week embedded with protesters as they faced police crackdowns, arrests and intimidation, documenting an extraordinary week that culminated in the education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

Meta To Use Newsmax Propaganda As AI News Source

 I’m guessing Fox News was unavailable.

Thanks to the Meta/Newsmax deal your next Facebook, Threads or Insta search may bring you AI “answers” straight from the same Trump propagandist network that recently paid out $67 million for promoting 2020 election lies. That was a year after it reportedly paid out $40 million to settle another lawsuit over the same lies.

A press release from Newsmax announced, “Under the agreement, Meta will have access to Newsmax's digital news content. Meta will be able to draw upon Newsmax's significant current reporting as well as archived content across its platforms to support AI queries across Meta's apps and devices.”

What should we compare this to: China Central Television, KCNA (North Korea), Sputnik TV or Radio Moscow? 
Propaganda fed to you with a lot of honey, sugar and subterfuge. 

The Cockroach Effect: Modi vs India’s Gen Z

 

New Delhi has been rocked by some of India's biggest student protests in years, led by a viral movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party. After tens of thousands took to the streets over frustrations sparked by exam leaks, the Indian state mounted a heavy-handed response. Much of the mainstream media coverage has focused on the unrest rather than the grievances behind it, leaving alternative outlets to tell the full story.

France and Spain race to control fires as new heatwave hits

Fire crews across Spain and France are battling to contain some of the worst wildfires Europe has ever experienced. Firefighters in Spain managed to stabilize several of the blazes, and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says there is a "light at the end of the tunnel" in their fight to contain the flames. But another heatwave is predicted for later this week, threatening to worsen an already desperate situation across the region.

 

More than 40,000 without power across Kyushu island, says energy provider

People trapped in Japanese mall hit by earthquake, with others missing after factory chimney collapse Summary Many people are trapped inside a Japanese shopping centre after an earthquake, the fire service says One witness reported the second floor of the mall in Kumamoto collapsing - BBC Verify has looked at some of the images from the site Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing - but the figure has not been confirmed Elsewhere in the Kumamoto prefecture, people are reported missing at a paper factory after a chimney collapsed A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), causing power cuts, damaged roads, a collapsed castle wall, and a destroyed footbridge

Wildfire has 'life of its own', says French minister, with blaze nine miles from Bordeaux outskirts

 

Wildfire has 'life of its own', says French minister, with blaze nine miles from Bordeaux outskirts

Iran warns countries aiding US attack •

 Middle East tensions are once again driving up global oil prices, with Brent crude climbing above $100 a barrel for the first time since May. While much of the focus has been on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the alternative shipping route through the Red Sea is becoming increasingly dangerous after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they targeted two Saudi oil tankers. The escalation comes as US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was considering a "massive attack" on Iran, prompting Tehran to warn it would hold accountable any country that assists the United States in such an operation.

'Cockroach Movement' protests pile pressure on India's government

 

India's government is facing its biggest youth-led challenge in years. Thousands of protesters from the so-called ‘Cockroach Movement’ have taken to the streets of New Delhi demanding the education minister's resignation. After clashes with police and a crackdown near parliament, is the movement becoming a wider political threat?

Russian polls signal growing discontent as Putin's approval hits wartime low

For years, Vladimir Putin's approval rating barely budged, remaining comfortably above 70 percent despite war, sanctions and economic pressure. Now, Russia's state pollster is recording a steady decline, with support falling to its lowest level since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

 

Report reveals extent of Kenyan deaths on Russian frontline

 

The spectacle and symbolism of Khamenei’s funeral

 

Once again, the Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of the latest escalation in the war between Iran, the United States and their allies. The ceasefire collapsed just days after millions of Iranians took to the streets to pay homage to late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of foreign reporters and social media influencers were granted rare access to Iran to cover the funeral, signalling just how carefully Tehran is calibrating its media messaging.

Images Reveal Impact of Jared Kushner-Backed Luxury Resort in Albania

A New York Times analysis of satellite images shows the damage a proposed luxury resort near Zvernec, Albania could inflict on delicate natural habitats. The project is being developed by real estate partners of Jared Kushner.

 

DEEP & DUB TECHNO NEW MIX // Solitude (No AI)

 

Europe is considering to ban under-16s from social media |

 

The European Union is weighing a region-wide social media ban for children under 16. The proposal comes amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people. Supporters argue that stronger EU-wide safeguards may be needed to better protect children and teens from online risks.

How President Trump made $1.4bn in crypto and what it has to do with corruption

 Donald Trump is one of the richest people ever to serve as U.S. president. But critics say his wealth is growing while he's still in office. This is raising questions about conflicts of interest, cryptocurrency (and the €1.4bn he’s made in it), and the influence of money in American politics.

Did FIFA lift Balogun's match suspension after a Trump phone call?

 Football's governing body FIFA is under fire for allegedly reversing a US footballer's match suspension following an intervention from US President Donald Trump. US striker Folarin Balogun had been sent off the field last week following a red card in a game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. But an automatic one match suspension thereafter was suspended by FIFA after reports emerged that Trump had called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino complaining about it.

How xenophobia went viral in South Africa

 

The online campaign stoking South Africa’s latest xenophobic backlash.

South Africa is experiencing an ugly wave of xenophobia driven by a coordinated digital campaign by anti-migrant groups.

As prejudiced rhetoric seeps into mainstream news coverage, a growing number of South African journalists are trying to figure out who’s really pulling the strings behind the movement.

German riot police clash with protesters attempting to block far-right AfD conference

 

Riot police have clashed with opponents of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party on the streets of Erfurt in Germany, where thousands met to block roads and prevent AfD delegates from attending the party’s biennial national conference to elect its leadership.

Police reported 20,000 protesters were demonstrating in the eastern city, where Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are expected to be re-elected as the party’s co-leaders in the run-up to crucial regional elections in which AfD could win power at state level for the first time. Their opponents, led by the 'Resistance' alliance, staged sit-in blockades in the city centre in an attempt to prevent the AfD’s approximately 600 delegates from reaching the conference grounds