At least 10 protesters died and 87 others were injured on Monday during violent clashes with police in Kathmandu, Nepal. Security forces used rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators demanding the government lift its ban on social media platforms and address widespread corruption.

The government blocked access to 26 unregistered social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, starting Friday, sparking public outrage and confusion among millions of users who rely on these platforms for news, entertainment, and business.

Shekhar Khanal, spokesperson for Kathmandu Valley police, confirmed the casualties and said the protests continued despite police efforts to quell them. Many injured protesters were treated at Civil Hospital, where tear gas also affected medical staff.

The demonstrations began peacefully, with protesters waving national flags and singing the anthem before tensions escalated near the parliament area. Protesters breached barriers and even entered the parliament grounds, prompting police to respond with force. Authorities imposed curfews in key parts of the capital, including areas around the parliament and the prime minister’s office.

Similar protests took place in other parts of Nepal as citizens voiced frustrations not only over the social media restrictions but also against entrenched corruption and government authoritarianism.

“We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalized in Nepal,” said 24-year-old student Yujan Rajbhandari. Another protester, Ikshama Tumrok, 20, called for change, saying the current generation must end the cycle of oppression.

Videos highlighting the stark contrast between ordinary Nepalis’ struggles and politicians’ luxurious lifestyles have gone viral on platforms like TikTok, which remains accessible.

The government had previously given banned companies seven days to register locally and comply with regulations following a Supreme Court order last year. Despite stating its commitment to freedom of expression, Nepal has a history of restricting digital platforms, including a recent ban on Telegram and a temporary ban on TikTok that was lifted after compliance agreements.

The situation remains tense as authorities work to restore order amid ongoing protests.

Britain’s Duchess of Kent, who was known for her links to the Wimbledon tennis tournament, has died at 92, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

The duchess, born Katharine Worsley into an aristocratic Yorkshire family in northern England, was married to the Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

For many years, she presented the trophies to the winners at Wimbledon.

“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

“The King and Queen and all members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” it added.

The Union Flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-mast at midday as a mark of respect.

AFP

From manipulated images to out-of-context photos, false claims that Donald Trump is seriously ill — or even dead — have swirled online, with the misinformation persisting even after the US president publicly rejected it on Tuesday.

At a White House press conference, Trump dismissed social media rumours about his health as “fake news,” following the 79-year-old’s noticeable absence from public appearances and press events last week.

Since last Friday, there were around 104,000 mentions of the hashtag “Trump dead” on the Elon Musk-owned platform X, generating a cumulative 35.3 million views, according to an analysis from the misinformation watchdog NewsGuard.

Some social media users cited online maps purportedly showing road closures near Maryland’s Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre as evidence that Trump was being treated for a serious ailment at the facility.

But there were no credible reports of road closures around the medical facility.

Other social media users shared an image of an ambulance parked outside the White House, claiming it was taken last month and citing it as evidence of a health crisis involving Trump.

It was actually an old photo posted by a journalist on X in April 2023 — while Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was still in office, according to NewsGuard.

Some users claiming that Trump was dead shared an out-of-context image of the White House flag flying at half-staff, a traditional gesture used to honour the death of a prominent official.

In reality, Trump had issued a proclamation last week ordering flags at the White House, military posts, and naval stations across the country to be lowered in honour of the victims of a school shooting in Minneapolis.

Some users also posted a zoomed-in image of Trump’s face, claiming it showed a deep line above his eye that indicated a recent stroke.

But NewsGuard found that the original image was out of focus and showed no signs of a line over Trump’s eye. The image used in the false posts was digitally enhanced using an AI tool.

The misinformation — which appeared to originate from liberal anti-Trump accounts on X, Bluesky, and Instagram — persisted even after Trump stated on Truth Social over the weekend: “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”

The falsehoods continued to circulate following Trump’s press conference on Tuesday, where he publicly dismissed the health rumours.

Shortly after the conference, one Bluesky account falsely claimed that the “White House just announced” the president was dead.

The falsehoods highlight how facts are increasingly under assault on a misinformation-filled internet landscape, an issue exacerbated by public distrust of institutions and traditional media.

The health of US presidents has always been closely watched, but with the White House seeing its two oldest ever occupants since 2017, the scrutiny is now heavier than ever.

Trump — the oldest man ever to be elected US president — has alleged that Democrats covered up the mental and physical decline of Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January.

Biden’s health was a key issue in the 2024 election, and the then-president was forced to drop his campaign for a second term after a disastrous debate performance against Trump.

AFP