Page 2 - Protest

Madagascar president says coup underway as soldiers join protests

An attempted coup is underway in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the country's president said on Sunday. A statement from President Andry Rajoelina's office said it wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force has been initiated. The statement did not immediately identify who was attempting to overthrow the government, but members of the armed forces joined youth-led protests against Rajoelina on Saturday. The protests against service failures and alleged government corruption and nepotism have been going on since Sept. 25.

Madagascar's Gen Z protesters clash with police, demand president's removal

About 1,000 protesters marched in Madagascar's capital on Thursday and clashed with police who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse them in parts of the city. The violence marked the third week of what has been the most significant unrest in years in the Indian Ocean island nation. Police could be seen patrolling the streets of Antananarivo in armoured cars and charging at protesters, most of them wearing masks. It wasn't immediately clear if there were any injuries. The protests, led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar, are the latest in a series of demonstrations that the United Nations says has left 22 people dead and dozens injured. The government has disputed this number. The protests were first sparked by water and power cuts but soon expanded to include frustrations over allegations of corruption and nepotism. The protests led Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina to fire his entire Cabinet, but this has failed to appease the young people, who are now calling

Hundreds of thousands march across Europe in support of Palestinians

Hundreds of thousands of people across several European cities marched Sunday in support of Palestinians and an aid flotilla's attempt to reach Gaza. Istanbul held the largest of multiple demonstrations being staged in Turkiye. Footage showed crowds walking from the iconic Hagia Sophia to the banks of the Golden Horn, where they were greeted by dozens of boats decked in Turkish and Palestinian flags. The marchers called for Muslim solidarity with Palestinians following midday prayers in front of the former Byzantine cathedral, now converted to a mosque. The protests were among others planned Sunday in European cities to mark the second anniversary of Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's attacks have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry that is part of the Hamas-run government. In the Turkish capital Ankara, protesters held up flags and placards condemning the genocide in Gaza. This oppression, which

Gen Z anger at ruling elites fuels protests in countries across the world

Protests continued on Friday in Madagascar, where police have killed at least 22 people, even after President Andry Rajoelina sacked his entire government in response to the unrest

India rejects Bangladesh claim of its role in Khagrachhari clashes

India on Friday trashed as "false and baseless" a senior Bangladeshi official's claim of its involvement in violent clashes in Bangladesh. Following the clashes at Khagrachhari district in Chittagong Hill Tracts in southwestern Bangladesh last week, de-facto home minister Jahangir Alam Chowdhury alleged that the unrest was being fuelled by India. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India categorically rejects these "false and baseless allegations". "The interim government, which is unable to maintain law and order in Bangladesh, has routinely sought to shift the blame elsewhere," he said. "It would do well to introspect and conduct serious investigations into the action of local extremists committing violence, arson and land grab against the minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts," he added. Jaiswal was responding to a question on Chowdhury's remarks during a weekly media briefing. There has been a sharp downturn in India-Bangladesh relations a

Ladakh L-G says normalcy restored in Leh, pledges to avert future unrest

The Lieutenant Governor said that, all educational centers up to the eighth grade have been opened

Schools up to class 8 to reopen in Leh as situation returns to normal

With the situation limping back to normalcy after violent clashes on September 24 left four people dead in Leh, the authorities have ordered reopening of all schools up to Class 8 from Friday. However, they called for strict adherence to the prohibitory orders that ban assembly of five or more persons, an official order said. "It is hereby ordered that all shops and schools up to Class 8 within Leh district shall remain open, and small buses (public transport) shall be permitted to ply between 10 am and 6 pm on October 3, subject to strict adherence to the restrictions laid down under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita," it read. The order was issued by Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Shabbir Hussain on directions of the district magistrate. The situation in the district began getting back on track when authorities relaxed the curfew for seven hours on September 30 and gradually increased the duration on Wednesday and Thursday.

LBA confirms member's suicide in Ladakh, says he admired Sonam Wangchuk

A general council member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) has committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence, its president Chering Dorjay Lakruk said on Thursday. Stenzin Dorjay, a resident of Skitmang village, some 100 km from Leh town, was a big fan of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk who was detained under National Security Act and lodged in Jodhpur jail on September 26, Lakruk, also co-chairman of Leh Apex Body (LAB), told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. Survived by his wife and two children, Dorjay was found dead by hanging at his house early Wednesday. His brothers claimed that he was highly depressed after the September 24 violence that left four persons dead and scores of others injured. "He was a member of our general council and was linked to our movement (in support of statehood and safeguards under the sixth schedule of the Constitution). He was a big fan of Wangchuk, I know it because I saw him with Wangchuk on September 24," Lakruk said.

Two killed as youth-led anti-government protests turn deadly in Morocco

Anti-government demonstrators in Morocco filled the streets for a fifth straight night on Wednesday, as protests over the state of public services descended into deadly violence. Police opened fire at the protesters in a southern town, reportedly in self-defence, killing two people. The deaths in Leqliaa, about 500 kilometres (312 miles) south of the capital of Rabat, were the first fatalities as anger mounts across this North African country over conditions and government spending. Morocco's state news agency, MAP, cited local authorities as saying the two troublemakers were killed by police acting in self-defence. It said those shot were attempting to seize police weapons, though no eyewitnesses could corroborate the report. There were no further details. The demonstrations, organised by a leaderless movement dominated by internet-savvy youth, have taken the country by surprise and emerged as some of Morocco's biggest in years. By midweek, they appeared to be spreading to new ...

Curfew relaxed in Leh, markets open after shutdown, residents relieved

The protests were a result of people demanding statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, which turned into clashes with the police officials in Leh

Thousands march in Serbia in resistance to autocratic leader Vucic

Thousands joined protest marches in several Serbian towns on Wednesday reflecting persistent resistance to autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic's rule despite a government crackdown. Crowds gathered to mark 11 months since a concrete canopy collapsed in a northern Serbian city that killed 16 people and triggered a major anti-government movement. Protesters believe that the crash at the renovated train station in Novi Sad resulted from graft-fuelled negligence in construction projects. The building's renovation was part of a wider railway overhaul with Chinese companies. Holding up lights on their phones, the protesters in Belgrade walked in silence to honour the victims who included children. Huge crowds also gathered in Novi Sad, braving heavy rain falling in the city. No incidents were reported, unlike at previous several demonstrations when riot police used tear gas against the protesters. University students - a main force behind the rallies - are demanding justice in the Nov

Datanomics: Decoding the unrest in Ladakh and rising unemployment

The budget allocation for the region for most years showed a decline compared to Budget Estimates

Madagascar president sacks govt following days of deadly Gen Z protests

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina fired the prime minister and the rest of his government Monday in response to days of deadly Gen Z-led protests in the Indian Ocean island over the failure of the electricity and water supplies. Rajoelina said in a speech on national television that Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and other government officials would stay on an interim basis until a new government is formed. He invited applications for government positions and gave a three-day time frame to review proposals for a new prime minister. Your demands have been heard, and I apologise if there are members of the government who have not done the work that the people expected, Rajoelina said. The protesters had called for the resignation of both Ntsay and Rajoelina, but Rajoelina gave no indication that he would step down. The protests against chronic electricity and water cuts began on Thursday and drew thousands onto the streets, prompting the government to order nighttime curfews in t

Amid political turmoil, ousted Nepalese PM Oli dismisses exile rumours

Oli recently vacated the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar on September 9 after weeks of Gen Z-led protests culminated in the fall of his government

Delhi riots: HC denies bail to Tahir Hussain, order says allegations grave

While denying bail to former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the murder case of IB staffer Ankit Sharma during February 2020 riots, the Delhi High Court order has highlighted the "extremely grave" allegations against him. Justice Neena Krishna Bansal said the incident was not merely an "ancillary crime, but a gruesome manifestation" of a larger conspiracy. "Dragging of Ankit Sharma by an enraged mob, his brutal murder with 51 injuries, and the subsequent disposal of his body in a drain, defines the gravity of the offence," the court said. The verdict prima facie found Hussain not only a "passive participant" but a "key figure" in the events. "Viewing this incident as an off-shoot of the larger conspiracy is essential to appreciate its full gravity and the prima facie role of the applicant (Hussain) within it," the bail rejection order added. On February 26, 2020, complainant Ravinder Kumar informed the Dayalpur police station officials that his son Ankit Sharma, who was posted in

Bengal school job aspirants protest over fair recruitment process

A section of school job aspirants, who appeared for recent exams conducted by WBSSC, staged a demonstration in Salt Lake on the eastern fringes of Kolkata on Thursday, demanding fair recruitment in government-aided schools. They gathered at Karunamoyee Metro station and took out a one-km march to Bikash Bhavan, the state education department headquarters. The agitators, who appeared for the State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission on September 7 and 14, were demanding the abolition of the provision of awarding 10 extra marks to untainted teachers who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court order and have participated in the fresh exams. The Supreme Court ordered the sacking of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff at state-aided schools, describing the 2016 recruitment process as vitiated and tainted. The protesters claimed the 10-grace-marks provision would deprive new candidates and violate the norms that ensure a level playing .

Ladakh protests: What led to the violent clashes that killed 4 in Leh

The protests followed a 15-day hunger strike over the statehood demand, led by environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk

How angry Gen Z kids in Nepal sparked Asia's deadliest uprising of 2025

The protests escalated dramatically on Sept. 8, when police fired on groups of young demonstrators, killing more than 20 people

4 killed in Ladakh as statehood protests turn violent, LG clamps curfew

Four killed; 45, including 22 police personnel, injured

South Asia lived with inequality. Then 'nepo babies' fuelled public outrage

South Asia stayed calm as the upper-middle class aspired to a globalised life, but slowing growth, tech shifts, and travel limits, amplified by TikTok and Instagram, are stoking frustration