MODI PRAISES YOUTH IN BORDER VILLAGES AS GOVERNMENT FACES FALLOUT FROM EXAM LEAK PROTEST MOVEMENT

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a video conference with participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme, praising young people working in border regions — even as his government continues to manage the fallout from weeks of mass youth protests over an exam paper leak scandal.

The demonstrations, led by the so-called Cockroach Janta Party movement, forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — a rare concession from the Modi government, which had initially dismissed the protests as illegitimate.

Protesters have now left their camp at the Jantar Mantar site in central New Delhi, but say they will hold the government to its reform commitments.

Neha Poonia reports from New Delhi.

IN: “Dharmendra Pradhan, when...”
OUT: “...up as well.”
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Reporter Neha Poonia in New Delhi says the Indian government is now rushing through legislation to dramatically increase penalties for exam fraud, alongside the ministerial resignation.

IN: “If you look...”
OUT: “...Indian judicial system.”
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US AND IRAN HOLD FIRE FOR SECOND DAY AS OMAN BROKERS TALKS ON STRAIT OF HORMUZ SHIPPING ROUTES

The United States and Iran have held their fire for a second consecutive day, as negotiators work to revive an interim ceasefire deal to end the war.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has said US President Donald Trump is giving the talks room, while a senior Iranian source has told Reuters that Tehran will maintain the pause as long as Washington does — though there is, in the source's words, more scepticism than optimism about a breakthrough.

An Omani delegation is now in Tehran to discuss the management of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — the issue at the heart of the conflict.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

IN: “AP is reporting...”
OUT: “...the two sides.”
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Jagruti Dave in Washington says the Financial Times is reporting that negotiators are discussing how to split commercial shipping between two routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

IN: “The US prefers...”
OUT: “...and Iran continues.”
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Jagruti Dave in Washington says the conflict risks entangling two separate wars, after Ukraine struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea — an attack Tehran has called hostile and criminal.

IN: “You know, Vladimir...”
OUT: “...potentially getting entangled.”
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WILDFIRE CLOSES IN ON BORDEAUX AS 220,000 FLEE HOMES IN SOUTHWEST FRANCE

A wildfire raging through southwest France is now just nine miles (fifteen kilometres) from the city of Bordeaux, with the mayor warning the blaze is approaching the city's entry points.

More than two hundred and twenty thousand people have been forced from their homes in the Gironde region, after a further fifty-five thousand were evacuated overnight on Sunday. The fire has burned more than forty thousand hectares, making it one of France's worst land devastations since the Second World War.

Will Denselow reports from France.

IN: “These firefighters behind...”
OUT: “...get under control.”
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IRAN CONFIRMS RECIPROCAL PAUSE IN STRIKES AS US AMBASSADOR WALTZ SAYS TRUMP 'GIVING TALKS SOME SPACE'

Iran has confirmed it is halting its attacks for as long as the United States maintains its pause in strikes, though a senior Iranian source has told Reuters there is more scepticism than optimism about whether the lull will produce a broader agreement.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Oman held talks in Tehran over the past two days about the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war handled a fifth of the world's oil trade.

Washington has publicly opposed any arrangement that would give Tehran control over the waterway.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

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OUT: “...at this stage.”
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WILDFIRE CLOSES IN ON BORDEAUX AS QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN SOUTHWEST FRANCE

A wildfire raging through southwest France has forced the evacuation of more than a quarter of a million people — the largest peacetime displacement in the country since the Second World War.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez says the main blaze in the Gironde region is now just 19 miles (30 kilometres) from the centre of Bordeaux, with shifting winds and dry conditions making the fire extremely difficult to contain.

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to rebuild, while Germany has sent helicopters, a military transport aircraft and rescue crews to help.

William Denselow reports from France.

IN: “When it comes...”
OUT: “...towards the fires.”
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Reporter William Denselow near the fire line in southwest France says rapidly changing wind conditions are making the blaze extremely unpredictable for crews on the ground.

IN: “Around half an...”
OUT: “...crews to contain.”
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William Denselow in southwest France says the scale of the fires is not confined to France, with record-breaking burns expected across the European Union.

IN: “We're expecting record...”
OUT: “...mitigate going forward.”
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DRC EBOLA DEATH TOLL SURGES PAST 1,350 AS HEALTH WORKERS DOWN TOOLS OVER UNPAID WAGES

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed three thousand, with more than 1,350 deaths — a forty per cent rise in fatalities in just five days.

The outbreak has been complicated by armed conflict in the northeast, where rebel groups fighting over mineral sites have prevented health workers from reaching patients.

The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that without urgent action, the epidemic could become the worst ever documented.

Chris Ocamringa has more from the DRC.

IN: “You know, the...”
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FRANCE ORDERS NEW OVERNIGHT EVACUATIONS AS 30 WILDFIRES BURN SIMULTANEOUSLY IN SOUTHWEST

French authorities have ordered new overnight evacuations in at least five towns in the Gironde department, as roughly 30 fires burned simultaneously across the southwest of the country.

More than 200,000 people have now been evacuated from their homes in France and Spain combined, with the blazes fuelled by a heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring across southwest Europe.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said the fires have reached a level never seen before in France.

William Denselow reports from France.

IN: “French President Emmanuel...”
OUT: “...in the region.”
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William Denselow in France says climate researchers estimate the summer has been more than five degrees warmer on average than previous years, with analysts warning the trend is set to worsen.

IN: “It's estimated, according...”
OUT: “...the rising temperatures.”
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HOUTHIS FIRE MISSILES AND DRONES AT SAUDI ARAMCO OIL FACILITIES AS EXCHANGE OF STRIKES ESCALATES

Yemen's Houthi rebels have fired missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco oil facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan, with satellite imagery showing fires burning at a major refinery — the latest escalation in the exchange of strikes between the two sides.

Saudi air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting Yanbu, while at least five explosions were reported in Jizan, forcing commercial flights to divert.

The attacks came a day after Saudi Arabia struck Houthi targets in the port city of Hodeidah, and analysts say the broader strategy involves alternating military force with diplomatic overtures to pressure Iran.

Jagruti Dave reports from DC.

IN: “One night they're...”
OUT: “...the negotiating table.”
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Jagruti Dave in DC says the key question now is how the United States chooses to deploy additional military assets in the region and whether Washington opts for a diplomatic or a more confrontational approach.

IN: “It all really...”
OUT: “...troops, for example.”
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HOUTHIS FIRE MISSILES AND DRONES AT SAUDI ARAMCO FACILITIES AS RED SEA TENSIONS ESCALATE

The Houthi armed forces say they have struck Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday, firing dozens of missiles and drones at the Red Sea installations after the Saudi-led coalition bombed Houthi targets in Hodeidah on Friday night.

Saudi Arabia had been rerouting millions of barrels of oil per day through its east-west pipeline to the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea coast after the war with Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthi attacks now threaten that alternative export route at a time when global energy supplies are already under severe strain.

Blake Sifton has more from the region.

IN: “When the war...”
OUT: “...global energy supplies.”
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Reporter Blake Sifton in the region says the overnight pause in US-Iran strikes — the first in a fortnight — is being seen as a small but significant development.

IN: “Yesterday, we did...”
OUT: “...exchanged airstrikes overnight.”
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INDIAN GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS ALL THREE PROTEST DEMANDS AS COCKROACH JANTA PARTY CALLS OFF NATIONWIDE DEMONSTRATIONS

The Cockroach Janta Party has called off its nationwide protests after the Indian government accepted all three of the movement's demands — including compensation of around a hundred thousand dollars for families of students who died by suicide linked to the NEET exam paper leak.

The breakthrough came after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's surprise resignation on Saturday — a departure government sources had ruled out just hours earlier.

Opposition parties are now demanding a public apology from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the police crackdown on demonstrators.

From New Delhi, Ishan Garg reports.

IN: “Some public policy...”
OUT: “...on the streets.”
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INDIA'S EDUCATION MINISTER PRADHAN RESIGNS UNDER PRESSURE FROM STUDENT PROTEST MOVEMENT OVER EXAM LEAKS

India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, bowing to weeks of pressure from one of the country's largest student movements in years over leaked entrance exam papers.

Pradhan announced the decision on social media platform X on Saturday, saying he had sent his resignation letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — even as police fired tear gas at demonstrators at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi.

The so-called Cockroach movement, which began over alleged leaks in competitive exams including the NEET medical entrance test, has grown into a broader protest over unemployment and government accountability.

Neha Poonia reports from New Delhi.

IN: “Before this resignation...”
OUT: “...a remarkable development.”
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Neha Poonia in New Delhi says the resignation is unprecedented — noting that for more than a decade, the Modi government had appeared politically untouchable in the face of public pressure.

IN: “We've never seen...”
OUT: “...of its own.”
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INDIA'S EDUCATION MINISTER PRADHAN RESIGNS AMID MASS STUDENT PROTESTS OVER EXAM PAPER LEAKS

India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, bowing to weeks of pressure from tens of thousands of students who took to the streets demanding his removal over leaked entrance exam papers.

The resignation — posted on the social media platform X on Saturday — marks the first major concession by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to one of the most visible waves of public dissent it has faced in years.

It came even as police fired tear gas at demonstrators in central New Delhi, where eighteen metro stations had been shut down.

Ishan Garg reports from New Delhi.

IN: “This certainly comes...”
OUT: “...the protests themselves.”
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SAUDI ARABIA ACTIVATES RED SEA WARNINGS AS FIRST NIGHT IN TWO WEEKS PASSES WITHOUT US STRIKES ON IRAN

Friday night marked the first time in roughly two weeks that the United States did not carry out strikes on Iran, and Tehran did not target American assets in the region.

The pause came after US Central Command said it had struck Iranian military command centres on Thursday, with Iranian state media reporting at least four people were killed in several areas.

US President Donald Trump said he believes Iran would like to reach a deal but that he does not think Tehran is ready, while warning that American forces remain prepared for further action.

From Iranstrikes, Blake Sifton reports.

IN: “Well amid all...”
OUT: “...to the war.”
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ISRAELI MILITARY FINDS SETTLERS ENTERED OFF-LIMITS WEST BANK ZONE BEFORE DEADLY CLASH THAT KILLED SIX

An Israeli military investigation has found that dozens of armed settlers entered a restricted area of the occupied West Bank without authorisation on Friday, triggering a deadly confrontation near the city of Nablus that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead.

The Israeli military has sealed the area around the village of Tell and the nearby city of Nablus, deploying additional troops and cancelling leave for soldiers stationed in the West Bank.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Palestinian villages in the area to be demolished and their populations evacuated.

Blake Sifton has more from Tel Aviv.

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OUT: “...would be demolished.”
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Blake Sifton in Tel Aviv says settlers calling for revenge have launched attacks on Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank in the aftermath of the incident.

IN: “Israeli settlers across...”
OUT: “...up olive trees.”
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S&P 500 TURNS NEGATIVE LATE FRIDAY AS CHIP STOCKS SLIDE AND TRUMP WEIGHS IRAN ESCALATION

The S&P 500 turned negative late on Friday as chip stocks dragged the index lower, while US President Donald Trump was reported to be meeting senior advisers to decide whether to escalate military action against Iran.

Oil prices fell sharply after reports that Pakistan, with China's backing, is seeking to restart talks between Washington and Tehran — with Brent crude dropping nearly four per cent to close below ninety-seven dollars a barrel after briefly topping a hundred dollars on Thursday.

The Dow Jones was the only major index to post gains on Friday, boosted by a three per cent jump in Apple shares.

Mitch Mccann reports from New York.

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OUT: “...US and Iran.”
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EU'S KALLAS REJECTS US 'FORCED LABOUR' TARIFF RATIONALE AS 'NOT REALLY GROUNDED' AT ASEAN SUMMIT

European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas has dismissed the forced labour justification behind new US tariffs on the European Union, telling the ASEAN foreign ministers' summit that the rationale does not apply to a bloc with paid holidays and robust labour standards.

The new levies of up to twelve-and-a-half per cent took effect on Friday, covering sixty trading partners including the EU, but Brussels says European exports will face charges at the same level or lower than those set under a trade agreement reached with the White House a year ago.

The Commission also says exemptions for certain European products agreed under that deal will continue to apply.

From Brussels, Will Denselow reports.

IN: “What the Trump...”
OUT: “...new tariffs regime.”
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INDIA'S COCKROACH JANTA PARTY CALLS NATIONWIDE PROTESTS DEMANDING EDUCATION MINISTER'S RESIGNATION OVER EXAM PAPER LEAK

Protesters are gathering across India on Friday as the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party has called for demonstrations in every district, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET exam paper leak scandal.

The Indian government has deployed twenty companies of central reserve police to the capital, and Delhi Metro has shut at least sixteen stations as crowds swell near the main protest site at Jantar Mantar.

The movement has rejected the government's offer of talks, saying its core demand for the minister's removal has not been addressed.

Ishan Garg reports from New Delhi.

IN: “The numbers at...”
OUT: “...to remain peaceful.”
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Ishan Garg in New Delhi says the movement faces a critical test of momentum, after one of its key figures broke ranks and ended a hunger strike following talks with government ministers.

IN: “The Cockroach Janata...”
OUT: “...demands still remain.”
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Reporter Ishan Garg in New Delhi says that while a compromise venue for talks may be emerging, the government is widely reported to be unwilling to meet the protesters' central demand.

IN: “The government had...”
OUT: “...parties as well.”
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NEW US TARIFFS ON 60 COUNTRIES TAKE EFFECT AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SHIFTS TO STRONGER LEGAL FOOTING

New American tariffs of up to twelve and a half per cent on sixty of the country's trading partners have taken effect, covering virtually all goods imported into the United States.

The duties, imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act, replace a global ten per cent tariff that expired on Friday after reaching its statutory time limit — and are designed to stand on firmer legal ground after the Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump's earlier tariff regime in February.

The administration says the new levies target countries that have failed to prevent goods made with forced labour from entering global trade.

Kate Fisher reports from Washington.

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Kate Fisher, our reporter in Washington, says the immediate economic impact may be limited because businesses have already adjusted to the previous baseline tariff level.

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OUT: “...of baseline tariff.”
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INDIA'S COCKROACH MOVEMENT REJECTS MODI'S FAST-TRACK COURTS PLEDGE AS DELHI LOCKS DOWN AHEAD OF NATIONWIDE RALLIES

India's youth-led Cockroach movement and opposition parties have rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge to set up fast-track courts to prosecute those behind examination paper leaks, saying the education minister must resign first.

Authorities in New Delhi have shut down sixteen metro stations and blocked mobile internet services across central Delhi ahead of nationwide rallies called for Friday.

Modi has now gone further, releasing a midnight video announcing plans for a strict new law on paper leaks.

Ishan Garg reports from New Delhi.

IN: “Prime Minister Modi...”
OUT: “...parliament on Monday.”
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Ishan Garg in New Delhi says the protests have expanded well beyond the original exam leak scandal, with students voicing frustration over rising education costs and failures in government recruitment examinations.

IN: “It's certainly moved...”
OUT: “...in the country.”
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(ALT)

Ishan Garg in New Delhi says opposition backing has given the Cockroach movement greater momentum, but analysts warn it also risks the protests being dismissed as politically driven rather than a genuine expression of youth frustration.

IN: “As far as...”
OUT: “...movement goes next.”
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EU HITS GOOGLE WITH FIRST-EVER DIGITAL MARKETS ACT FINES TOTALLING NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS

The European Commission has fined Google a total of 890 million euros (approximately one billion dollars) for two breaches of the Digital Markets Act — the first penalties ever imposed on the tech giant under the landmark competition law.

The Commission found Google had unfairly promoted its own services in search results and had prevented app developers from directing customers to cheaper alternatives outside the Google Play Store. Google has pushed back, with Alphabet's president of global affairs saying the ruling "continues to break everyday products."

Will Denselow reports from Brussels.

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OUT: “...might be available.”
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Will Denselow, our reporter in Brussels, says the Commission's message to major technology platforms is unambiguous — regardless of where they are based, they must follow European rules.

IN: “We know that...”
OUT: “...by the rules.”
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