NEW DELHI, JUL 25: India’s youth protesters have agreed to end their demonstration, a spokesperson of the ‘cockroach’ movement told reporters after talks with the government on Saturday.

The announcement came hours after the education minister resigned following the weeks-long protests demanding he quit over exam leaks.

India’s education minister resigned on Saturday, handing a major victory to youth protesters who had demanded he quit to take responsibility for examination paper leaks, and who erupted in celebration on news of his departure.

“We have done it,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party that led the protests, to loud cheers at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi.

India’s biggest street protests of recent years have become a political flashpoint, posing one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as politicians joined youngsters’ calls to demand action.

“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar (protest site) and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,” Dharmendra Pradhan wrote in his post.

“I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth.”

The minister announced his resignation on X just as police fired tear gas to scatter young protesters in New Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round of talks with ministers.

Youngsters at the Jantar Mantar site shouted “Jai Hind,” a patriotic slogan meaning “Victory to India”.

Thousands of supporters of India’s youth-led “cockroach” movement had been protesting since June, but anger boiled over since police on Monday injured dozens of students, launching baton charges and firing tear gas to deter crowds of protesters marching on parliament.

The protests, led largely by young people and triggered by discontent over leaks of question papers for high-stakes entrance exams, reflect anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.

Federal authorities even on Saturday restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try to limit the protest in the capital, the latest day of such restrictions.

MUMBAI, JUL 25 /DNA/  – A state-wide shutdown in Maharashtra, backed by Dalit student groups and community organizations, brought normal life to a halt on Thursday as protesters voiced deep-seated frustration over the erosion of equal opportunities, delayed justice, and systemic discrimination. The bandh, the latest in a series of escalating demonstrations, laid bare the simmering anger within marginalized communities over what they describe as the state’s inadequate response to their long-standing grievances.

From early morning, protestors blocked key roads and railway tracks in cities like Nagpur, Pune, and Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, while marketplaces remained shuttered in solidarity. At the epicenter of the agitation in Nagpur, thousands of students marched under a sea of blue flags, chanting slogans demanding the protection of constitutional rights and harsher penalties for hate crimes targeting Scheduled Castes.

“These demonstrations are not just about one incident; they reflect broader frustrations about discrimination, unequal treatment, and the failure of authorities to protect our community,” said Priya Sonkamble, a law student and protest organizer. “When marginalized communities take to the streets to defend their rights and future, our voices deserve to be heard—not silenced.”

The immediate trigger for the unrest stems from recent legal battles over reservation policies in education and public employment, which protesters argue are being systematically diluted. However, activists stress that the agitation runs much deeper, fueled by a surge in caste-based violence and perceived institutional apathy. Students claim that campuses remain hostile environments where access to equal opportunities is blocked by tacit discrimination, and complaints are routinely ignored.

Throughout the day, protest leaders listed key demands, including the strict enforcement of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, an increase in scholarships and hostel facilities for Dalit students, and an unequivocal guarantee that existing reservation quotas will not be revised through judicial or executive intervention. They also demanded an immediate halt to what they term the “criminalization of protest,” citing cases where peaceful demonstrators were detained.

The bandh, though largely peaceful, caused significant disruption. Internet services were suspended in several sensitive districts to prevent the spread of rumors, while police personnel in riot gear were deployed outside university campuses. State Home Ministry officials reported minor incidents of stone-pelting in Latur district, but no major injuries.

In a short statement, the state government appealed for calm and assured that the chief minister is “sensitive to the concerns of the student community.” However, critics argue that official assurances ring hollow without concrete action.

Political analysts note that the Maharashtra bandh is symptomatic of a wider national trend where Dalit-Adivasi communities are increasingly resorting to mass mobilizations to make themselves heard. “The frustration is palpable,” said Dr. Anand Teltumbde, a scholar on caste and social movements. “When the legal and political system fails to deliver justice, the street remains the only platform for the disenfranchised. Ensuring equal access to education and protecting the right to peaceful protest are not concessions; they are essential to upholding the rule of law.”

As evening fell and the bandh officially ended, student leaders vowed to continue their struggle. With the monsoon session of the state legislature approaching, the protests serve as a stark reminder that without meaningful dialogue and reform, the chasm between India’s marginalized communities and the state is poised to widen.

BAMAKO, JUL 25 /DNA/ – The Republic of Mali has reiterated its “position in favor of Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region,” while reaffirming its support for the Autonomy Plan presented by Morocco as “the only credible and realistic solution for resolving this regional dispute”. This stance was expressed in the Joint Communiqué adopted at the close of the 4th High-Level Joint Commission on Morocco-Mali Cooperation, which concluded Friday in Bamako under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita, and Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop.

The Joint Communiqué “reiterated the Republic of Mali’s support for the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, as well as for the Autonomy Plan presented by the Kingdom of Morocco, as the only credible and realistic solution for resolving this regional dispute, in accordance with Resolution 2797 adopted on October 31, 2025, by the United Nations Security Council”. This position follows on from the Malian government’s Declaration of April 10, 2026, announcing the Republic of Mali’s official withdrawal of its recognition of the so-called separatist entity “Polisario”.

The 4th session of the Joint Cooperation Commission between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Mali was held on July 21-24 in Bamako.

NEW DELHI: Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday he had resigned, handing a major victory to youth protesters nationwide who had demanded that he quit to take responsibility for examination paper leaks.

The minister announced his resignation on X just as police fired tear gas to scatter young protesters in the Indian capital, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round of talks with ministers to push for the move.

“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,” Pradhan wrote in his post.

“I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth.”

“We have done it,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party that led the protests, to loud cheers at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi.

Cheers erupted among the thousands of protesters who have been rallying in central Delhi and elsewhere as the news spread.

India’s biggest street protests of recent years have become a political flashpoint, posing one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as politicians joined youngsters’ calls to demand action.

Thousands of supporters of India’s youth-led “cockroach” movement had been protesting since June, but anger boiled over since police on Monday injured dozens of students, launching baton charges and firing tear gas to deter crowds of protesters marching on parliament.

The protests, led largely by young people and triggered by discontent over leaks of question papers for high-stakes entrance exams, reflect anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.

Federal authorities even on Saturday restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try to limit the protest in the capital, the latest day of such restrictions.

WASHINGTON, JUL 24: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he does not believe China or Russia are “participating” in the ongoing Iran conflict but warned that if they did get involved “it would be very bad for them.”

“President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said Putin had also told him that he would not sell weapons to Iran and that he believed Russia and China were not participating in the Iran conflict.

“If they did, it would be very bad for them — Certainly not in their best interests,” Trump posted.

The United States and Iran have been at war since the US and Israel launched strikes in February, killing senior Iranian officials, including the country’s supreme leader.

Four people familiar with US intelligence said Iranian strikes on CIA targets in the Gulf earlier in the war had prompted US intelligence to investigate whether Russia was assisting Iran with targeting information or drone technology. The Kremlin on Thursday declined to comment on the report.

The United States has sanctioned individuals and companies in Russia and China for helping Iran buy weapons.

ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN/BEIJING, JUL 24: Pakistan is exploring a path toward a resumption of stalled US-Iran talks over ending their nearly five-month-old war, three Pakistani sources said, following a push initiated by China.

Exploratory discussions took place during a visit by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni to Islamabad this week – his second within the last 10 days, the sources said.

Momeni, who is considered close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, met with Pakistani government leaders and army chief Asim Munir this week, according to Pakistani government statements.

All three sources cautioned that the obstacles to any talks with the US remain high.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, also discussed the new Middle East effort with Chinese officials when he visited China last week, all three Pakistani sources said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

“The Chinese are unhappy because Iran’s attacks on other Gulf states and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are hitting their interests,” a Pakistani government official said.

Disruptions in the Red Sea would hit another key trade route Beijing relies on.

Dar and the Pakistani military’s public relations wing did not respond to requests for comment.

In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said “China supports the mediation efforts made by Pakistan and other parties.”

It added that China will continue to “play an active role in restoring peace and tranquillity in the Middle East Gulf region as soon as possible.”

Halt in attacks needed, says official
Beijing is Iran’s largest trading partner and primary buyer of its exported crude oil despite international sanctions on Tehran, benefiting from a steep discount on the energy source.

Over the years, China has also increased support for Iran’s security through dual‐use components, chip equipment and satellite navigation systems, even though China has not overtly provided military aid to Iran since the war began.

Beijing has consistently backed Pakistan’s mediation efforts and had in March dispatched its special envoy to lead a shuttle-diplomacy trip around the Middle East.

The US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June to move toward ending the war after mediation by Pakistan and Qatar. It was intended to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent agreement.

But indirect talks yielded no progress. Both sides blamed each other for violations, and the conflict resumed.