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Iranian police say 139 foreigners arrested over unrest in Yazd province

Iranian police said 139 foreign nationals have so far been arrested in the central province of Yazd for their participation in recent protests, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday, without specifying their nationalities. Yazd, a predominantly desert province with a relatively small population above 1 million, was one of many provinces affected by nationwide protests in January. The protests, which started in December over economic hardships and quickly turned political, were repressed in the most violent crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The official death toll stands at 3,117, although rights groups say many more people have been killed. US-based rights group HRANA has said that nearly 50,000 people have so far been arrested. Authorities blame Israel and the United States for fomenting the violence. "These (foreign) individuals played an active role in organising, inciting, and directing riotous actions, and in some cases were in contact with netwo...
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Papua New Guinea blocks Facebook as part of test to curb harmful content

Papua New Guinea’s government has blocked Facebook, saying the move is a "test" aimed at curbing misinformation, hate speech, and explicit content. The shutdown, enforced under the country’s anti-terrorism laws, began on Monday and has continued into Tuesday. Authorities have not confirmed when access will be restored. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers, media groups, and business leaders, who argue it undermines free speech and disrupts economic activity. Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili said the government is not attempting to suppress free speech but wants to ensure "responsible usage" of social media. "The unchecked proliferation of fake news, hate speech, pornography, child exploitation, and incitement to violence on platforms such as Facebook is unacceptable," Tsiamalili said in a statement. With an estimated 1.3 million users, Facebook is the dominant social media platform in PNG. It plays a crucial role in political discourse, commerce, and community engagement. Opposition MP Allan Bird called the move "draconian," warning that the government is heading "into dangerous territory." The Media Council of PNG also condemned the ban, calling it an "abuse of human rights." Business groups expressed concern that the ban would impact small traders who rely on Facebook for sales. "The informal sector will be the most affected," said John Pora, chairman of PNG’s Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation. The country’s National Information and Communications Technology Authority said it was unaware of the government’s plan, raising further questions about the ban’s execution. Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has yet to comment on the shutdown.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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