Protests

Journalist Don Lemon charged with civil rights crimes in anti-ICE protest

The United Nations chief is warning that the world body faces "imminent financial collapse" unless its financial rules are overhauled or all 193 member nations pay their dues - a message likely directed at the United States and the billions it owes. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a letter to all UN member nations obtained Friday by The Associated Press that cash for its regular operating budget could run out by July, which could dramatically affect its operations. "Either all member states honor their obligations to pay in full and on time - or member states must fundamentally overhaul our financial rules to prevent an imminent financial collapse," he said. While Guterres didn't name any country in the letter, which was reported earlier by Reuters, the financial crisis comes as the US, traditionally the largest donor, has not paid its mandatory dues to the United Nations. The US now owes USD 2.196 billion to the UN's regular budget, plus it will owe USD 767 million for

Students call for protest outside UGC office in Delhi over new guidelines

Students from upper caste communities called for a protest outside the University Grants Commission headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday, saying that the new regulations issued by the commission could lead to chaos on campuses. Those behind the protest call have appealed for unity from the student community, urging them to say "No to UGC discrimination" and requesting them to gather in large numbers to register their opposition. The new rules notified by the UGC on January 13 -- the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 -- have sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them. Under the new regulations, introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, the UGC has asked institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students. Speaking to PTI, Alokit Tripathi, a PhD ...

At least 6,126 killed in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests: Activists

Activists said Tuesday that at least 6,126 people were killed in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests and many more are still feared dead. The new figures came from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran. The group verifies each death with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given authorities cutting off the internet and disrupting calls into the Islamic Republic. Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest "terrorists." In the past, Iran's theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

Iran issues 1st official death toll from protests, saying 3,117 were killed

Iranian state TV has issued the first official death toll from recent protests, saying 3,117 people were killed in the demonstrations that began December 28. The figure is lower than the 4,560 people activists say died. State television on Wednesday night carried a statement by the Martyrs Foundation providing the toll. It said that of those killed, 2,427 were civilians and security forces. It did not elaborate on the rest. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency on Wednesday put the death toll at 4,560. The agency has been accurate throughout the years on demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll.

Iran protests: US-based activist agency says it has verified 3,919 deaths

A US-based activist agency said Sunday it has verified at least 3,919 deaths during a wave of protests that swept Iran and led to a bloody crackdown, and fears the number could be significantly higher. The Human Rights Activists News Agency posted the revised figure, up from the previous toll of 3,308. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the toll. Iranian officials have not given a clear death toll, although on Saturday, the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the United States for the deaths. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualt

Pentagon puts 1,500 troops on alert for possible Minnesota deployment

The US Army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence in the midwestern state escalates, the officials said, though it is not clear whether any of them will be sent

India's Tel Aviv Embassy advises against non-essential travel to Israel

Earlier, the MEA issued an advisory urging Indian citizens to avoid travel to Iran until further notice and has asked those already in Iran to leave immediately using available commercial flights

Iran signals fast trials, executions; warns US, Israel against action

Iranian officials signaled on Wednesday that fast trials and executions lay ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests, while the Islamic Republic promised retaliation if the US or Israel intervenes in the domestic unrest. The threats emerged as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate, even as President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements in a span of 24 hours that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran. In comments to reporters, the Republican president said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran that help is on the way and that his administration would act accordingly to respond to the Islamic Republic's deadly crackdown. We've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping it's stopped it's stopping, Trump said at the White House while signing executive orders and legislation.

Iran aired nearly 100 coerced confessions from protesters, say activists

They are shown handcuffed, their faces blurred. The confession videos, broadcast on Iranian state media, feature dramatic background music interspersed with clips appearing to show protesters attacking security forces. Some showcase gruesome homemade weapons that authorities claim were used in the attacks. Others highlight suspects in grainy security footage, appearing to set fires or destroy property. Iran alleges these confessions, which often include references to Israel or America, are proof of foreign plots behind Iran's nationwide protests. Activists say they are coerced confessions, long a staple of Iran's hard-line state television, the only broadcaster in the country. And these videos are coming at an unprecedented clip. Iranian state media has aired at least 97 confessions from protesters, many expressing remorse for their actions, since the protests began on Dec 28, according to a rights group that is tracking the videos. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency

Iran allows limited overseas calls as protest death toll nears 2,000

Iran eased some restrictions on its people and, for the first time in days, allowed them to make phone calls abroad via their mobile phones on Tuesday. It did not ease restrictions on the internet or permit texting services to be restored as the death toll from days of bloody protests against the state rose to at least 2,000 people, according to activists. Although Iranians were able to call abroad, people outside the country could not call them, several people in the capital told The Associated Press. The witnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said SMS text messaging still was down and internet users inside Iran could not access anything abroad, although there were local connections to government-approved websites. It was unclear if restrictions would ease further after authorities cut off all communications inside the country and to the outside world late Thursday. Here is the latest: Iranian official calls Trump and Netanyahu 'real killers of peopl

Trump warns of 'strong actions' in Iran as death toll crosses 500: Updates

Donald Trump said Iran may be nearing a red line as protests spread nationwide, deaths rise and Washington reviews strong options while closely monitoring the situation

Iran warns protesters with death penalty, calls them 'enemies of God'

Movahedi Azad said individuals who have taken part in the protests, assisted rioters, or contributed to acts of vandalism and insecurity would face swift and uncompromising legal action

Dozens feared dead as largest anti-govt protests intensify in Iran

Social media footage trickling out of Iran amid a blanket shutdown of internet and telecommunications networks showed hundreds of thousands marching and chanting anti-regime slogans

What to know about protests in Iran driven by inflation, economic strain

Galloping inflation and a currency crisis have provoked demonstrations across the country

ED raids on I-PAC office: Mamata Banerjee protests, ED's key allegations & more | TMC

A dramatic face-off unfolds in West Bengal as the Enforcement Directorate moves the Calcutta High Court, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

We will hit them very hard: Trump on action if Iran kills protesters

Protests over Iran's worsening economy have spread to 111 cities and towns, leaving at least 35 people dead and more than 2,000 arrested

At least 35 people killed, 1,200 detained in Iran's economic protests

The death toll in violence surrounding protests in Iran has risen to at least 35 people, activists said Tuesday. The figure came from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which said more than 1,200 people have been detained in the protests, which have been ongoing for more than a week. It said 29 protesters, four children and two members of Iran's security forces have been killed. The group, which relies on an activist network inside of Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest. The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported late Monday that some 250 police officers and 45 members of the Guard's all-volunteer Basij force have been hurt in the demonstrations.

Why protests are growing across Iran amid rising nuclear tensions

Widening protests in Iran sparked by the Islamic Republic's ailing economy are putting new pressure on its theocracy. Tehran is still reeling from a 12-day war launched by Israel in June that saw the United States bomb nuclear sites in Iran. Economic pressure, intensified in September by the return of United Nations sanctions on the country over its atomic programme, has put Iran's rial currency into a free fall, now trading at some 1.4 million to USD 1. Meanwhile, Iran's self-described Axis of Resistance a coalition of countries and militant groups backed by Tehran has been decimated in the years since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. A new threat by US President Donald Trump warning Iran that if Tehran violently kills peaceful protesters, the U.S. will come to their rescue" has taken on new meaning after American troops captured Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran. Here's what to know about the protests and the challenges facing Iran's ...

Two more killed in Iran protests over economic crisis, toll rises to 10

Violence surrounding protests in Iran sparked by the Islamic Republic's ailing economy killed two other people, authorities said Saturday, raising the death toll in the demonstrations to at least 10 as they showed no signs of stopping. The new deaths follow US President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran violently kills peaceful protesters, the United States will come to their rescue. While it remains unclear how and if Trump will intervene, his comments sparked an immediate, angry response from officials within the theocracy threatening to target American troops in the Mideast. The weeklong protests, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The deaths overnight into Saturday ...

At least seven killed as protests over ailing economy widen across Iran

Widening demonstrations sparked by Iran's ailing economy spread Thursday into the Islamic Republic's rural provinces, with at least seven people being killed in the first fatalities reported among security forces and protesters, authorities said. The deaths may mark the start of a heavier-handed response by Iran's theocracy over the demonstrations, which have slowed in the capital, Tehran, but expanded elsewhere. The fatalities, two on Wednesday and five on Thursday, occurred in four cities, largely home to Iran's Lur ethnic group. The protests have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The most-intense violence appeared to strike Azna, a city in Iran's Lorestan province, some