Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

London's Metropolitan Police have made a significant U-turn in their policy towards Palestine Action supporters, arresting 18 individuals who protested outside the Met's headquarters, New Scotland Yard. The protesters, holding signs that read 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,' were arrested under terrorism legislation.The arrests come after the Met had previously stated they would adopt a 'proportionate approach' and stop arresting Palestine Action supporters following a High Court ruling in February that deemed the ban on the group as a terrorist organization unlawful. However, Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman announced that the force would resume arrests, citing the need to 'enforce the law as it is at the time, not as it might be at a future date.'The move has drawn sharp international criticism, including from the UN, which has warned that the ban appears 'disproportionate and unnecessary.' Amnesty International has also intervened in the court case, stating that thousands have been 'arrested for something that should never have been a crime.'The arrests took place as the rest of the city was filled with demonstrators marching against the far right. A mass sign-holding event, titled Everyone Day, has been called by Defend Our Juries at Trafalgar Square on April 11, as the government's appeal heads to court.

Demonstrators took to the streets of cities across the United States for the first 'No Kings' protest since the joint US and Israeli war against Iran began one month ago. The protests, which mark the third round of nationwide 'No Kings' demonstrations, saw over 3,300 events planned across all 50 states, with large crowds expected in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.The main event was scheduled for the Minneapolis-St Paul area in Minnesota, known as the Twin Cities, which became a focal point for Trump's hardline immigration crackdown in December. More than 3,000 federal immigration agents descended on the Twin Cities, leading to accusations of excessive force during deportation raids.In January, agents shot and killed two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, prompting nationwide outrage and calls for reform. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed as a result of the operation, which was wound down in February.Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders addressed attendees, and rock icon Bruce Springsteen performed at the event, along with folk singer Joan Baez. Actor Robert De Niro told the crowd in Minnesota in a pre-recorded address, 'You've shown bravery in the face of armed attack by government thugs, and you stood together and ran them out of town'.The previous two 'No Kings' marches took place in June and October and drew millions of people. Trump responded to the October protest by posting an AI-generated video depicting himself dumping faeces on the protesters. The US is currently in the midst of campaigns for its pivotal midterm elections in November, which will see Trump's Republican Party seek to defend its majorities in both chambers of Congress.Democrats are hoping to gain seats as Trump's popularity droops. Sanders was among the speakers who reminded protest attendees of the importance of the upcoming vote, saying, 'We will not allow this country to descend into authoritarianism or oligarchy. In America, we the people will rule'.

Nepal's police have arrested former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-Home Affairs Minister Ramesh Lekhak over their alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protesters last year.The detentions on Saturday came a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his cabinet were sworn in after the first elections since the 2025 uprising that toppled Oli's government.According to The Kathmandu Post, Oli, 74, was taken into custody from his residence in Bhaktapur, a suburb of the capital, Kathmandu. Images later showed Oli walking into a hospital, dressed all in white, and surrounded by police officers.Lekhak was also detained on Saturday from another area of Bhaktapur, his personal secretary Janak Bhatta told the Post.In a statement on Facebook, new Home Minister Sudan Gurung wrote, "promise is a promise: No one is above the law"."This is not vengeance against anyone, it is simply the beginning of justice. I believe the country is now headed in a new direction," said Gurung.Oli has yet to issue a statement regarding the arrest.At least 77 people were killed in the anticorruption uprising on September 8-9, 2025, which began over a brief social media ban but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship.At least 19 young people were killed in the crackdown on the first day of protests.The demonstrations spread nationwide the following day as parliament and government offices were set ablaze, resulting in the government's collapse.During the caretaker administration, a government-backed commission into the deadly uprising recommended the prosecution of Oli and other senior officials.Its report said it was "not established that there was an order to shoot", but said "no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives".Oli has previously denied ordering security forces to open fire on protesters. During his failed bid for re-election in the March 5 poll, he blamed "infiltrators" for the violence.Prime Minister Shah, 35, a rapper-turned-politician, and his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections this month on a platform of youth-driven political change.Shah challenged and defeated Oli in the four-time ex-prime minister's own constituency.At Shah's first cabinet meeting on Friday, it was decided to implement the recommendations made by the investigative commission.

Balendra Shah, Nepal's youngest prime minister, has been officially sworn in following his party's decisive election victory that came after months of youth-led protests which resulted in the government's collapse in September.The rapper-turned-politician was appointed prime minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel on Friday, after his three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secured 182 seats in the 275-member parliament during the March 5 election. This vote marked Nepal's first election since the anticorruption Gen Z-led demonstrations that tragically claimed 76 lives.The 35-year-old leader made a distinctive appearance during his swearing-in ceremony at the President House, wearing black trousers, a matching jacket, his signature black Nepali cloth cap, and sunglasses, in the presence of diplomats and senior government officials.A day prior to his formal appointment, the new premier, better known as Balen, released his first public statement since the historic election through a rap song shared on social media platforms. Titled Jay Mahakaali (Victory to Goddess Mahakali), the song features lyrics such as 'Nepal is not scared this time, the heart is full of red blood … Laughter and happiness will reach every household this time.' The accompanying music video, showcasing large crowds cheering during his campaign, has garnered nearly three million views.'The strength of unity is my national power,' Shah raps in the track that emphasizes his political message of national cohesion.A former mayor of Kathmandu, Shah holds the distinction of being Nepal's first Madhesi premier – representing people from the southern plains bordering India – to lead the Himalayan nation.China extended its official congratulations to Nepal on Shah's swearing-in, with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing support for its Himalayan neighbor in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.The political transition follows months of protests driven by widespread discontent over unemployment and systemic corruption in the nation of 30 million people. Approximately one-fifth of Nepal's population lives in poverty, with an estimated 1,500 citizens leaving the country daily for work abroad.Although Shah did not directly participate in the demonstrations, he publicly expressed solidarity with the largely Generation Z protesters who spearheaded the movement that brought down the previous administration.Political instability has long plagued Nepal, with 32 governments taking office since 1990, none of which have completed a full five-year term. The Nepali Congress party, the country's oldest political organization, secured only 38 seats in the recent election, placing it a distant second. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) of KP Sharma Oli, who resigned following the Gen Z unrest, now controls 25 parliamentary seats.Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki had been leading the nation through the interim period preceding the parliamentary election that brought Shah to power.

The US military operation in Iran has cost a staggering $20bn to date, sparking widespread outrage and protests among American citizens. As tax day approaches, a growing movement of individuals is refusing to pay their federal income taxes to protest against the war. The protesters argue that the war is unjustified and that they do not want their tax dollars to fund military actions that have resulted in civilian casualties, including the killing of over 150 girls in Iran and 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza. They claim that the US government has not consulted Congress or the American people before launching the military operation, which is a clear violation of the separation of powers. The movement is inspired by a long history of war tax resistance in the US, dating back to the American Revolution. In 1637, the Algonquin Nation refused to pay taxes to the Dutch to support their new military fort, and Quakers were the first organized religion to oppose wartime taxation as a rule. War tax resisters are not simply refusing to pay taxes; they are also redirecting the taxes they would have paid to alternative causes, such as relief aid for those affected by the war. This approach is based on the principle that taxpayers have a right to choose how their taxes are spent and that they should not be forced to fund actions that go against their values. The movement is gaining momentum, with up to 50% of federal taxes going towards military spending. While some individuals may face consequences for not paying taxes, many war tax resisters have never faced penalties, and only two individuals have served time for non-payment of taxes in protest of US military interventions since World War II. The war tax resistance movement is part of a broader effort to challenge the US government's military adventurism and to promote civil disobedience as a means of bringing about change. As one protester noted, 'Silent resistance is untenable now. Public and open rejection of our 'peace' president and his military adventurism is the only way for this tactic to have its maximum effect.'

The ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran has sparked concerns about the motivations behind Donald Trump's continued military actions. Kenneth Roth, a Guardian US columnist and former executive director of Human Rights Watch, draws a striking parallel between Trump's approach and that of Richard Nixon during the Vietnam War. Nixon's quest for 'peace with honor' in Vietnam led to years of devastation, resulting in over 20,000 American soldiers killed and a significantly higher toll among Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian civilians. Similarly, Trump's conflict with Iran appears to be driven by a desire to assert dominance and protect his political reputation, rather than a clear military objective. The article questions the rationale behind Trump's continued bombing of Iran, citing claims that Iran's ballistic missile capacity has been functionally destroyed and its nuclear program 'obliterated.' With 7,000 Iranian protesters killed in January, the Trump administration's call for regime change seems unlikely to succeed. The current fixation on Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20% of the world's oil and gas, has led to soaring petroleum prices. Trump's threat to destroy Iran's electrical infrastructure by the end of the week, unless Tehran agrees to allow the strait to reopen, raises concerns about war crimes and humanitarian consequences. Roth suggests that a de facto ceasefire, where Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu stop bombing, could be a more fruitful path to deescalation. However, Trump's desire for 'unconditional surrender' and the Iranian regime's insistence on lifting sanctions and affirming its right to nuclear enrichment complicate negotiations. The article concludes that Trump's pursuit of 'honor' and 'victory' in the conflict may come at a significant cost to the people of Iran, the global economy, and the United States itself, echoing the lessons of the Vietnam War.