political unrest Archives

AppWizard

September 30, 2025

Madagascar Protesters Turn to Offline Messaging App as Crisis Deepens

Protests erupted in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on September 25, 2025, due to daily power cuts exceeding 12 hours, escalating into violence and resulting in five fatalities. Law enforcement responded with rubber bullets and tear gas, and a curfew was imposed. The protests, led by three municipal officials, were named “Leo Délestage.” Amid the unrest, interest in the offline messaging app Bitchat surged, with downloads reaching over 71,000 in the week of the protests. Bitchat operates via Bluetooth without requiring internet access, catering to the digital inequality in Madagascar, where only 6.6 million of 32 million residents have internet access. Similar patterns of increased Bitchat downloads were observed in Nepal and Indonesia during political unrest. Bitchat, launched in July 2025 by Jack Dorsey, is designed for decentralized and private communication, making it a vital resource for protesters in Madagascar.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

From Minecraft to Superman and 28 Years Later: 20 movies we can’t wait to see

- Disney's live-action musical fantasy "Snow White," featuring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, is set to release on March 20. - The Latvian animated film "Flow," which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, will also be released on March 20. - A CGI-heavy "Minecraft Movie," featuring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, is scheduled for April 3. - "Death of a Unicorn," a black comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, will be released on April 10. - "The Correspondent," based on the true story of journalist Peter Greste, will premiere on April 17. - Ryan Coogler's horror film "Sinners," set in the 1930s segregated South, will also be released on April 17. - Marvel's "Thunderbolts," the 36th installment in the franchise, is set for May 1. - The musical biopic "Monsieur Aznavour," featuring Tahar Rahim, will be released on May 8. - "Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning," rumored to be one of the most expensive films ever made, will premiere on May 22. - Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme," featuring a star-studded cast, is set for June 5. - The live-action adaptation of "How To Train Your Dragon" will be released on June 12. - "28 Years Later," a sequel to "28 Days Later," will premiere on June 19. - Pixar's "Elio," about an 11-year-old boy mistaken for Earth's leader, is set for June 19. - "Jurassic World Rebirth," starring Scarlett Johansson, will be released on July 3. - James Gunn's new Superman film, featuring David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, is set for July 10. - "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," a retro-futuristic origin story, will premiere on July 24. - Paul Thomas Anderson's untitled project, rumored to be based on a Thomas Pynchon novel, is set for August 7. - "The Bride!" directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, featuring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, will be released on September 25. - Edgar Wright's remake of "The Running Man" is scheduled for November 6. - The conclusion of "Wicked," titled "Wicked: For Good," featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, will premiere on November 20.

AppWizard

August 26, 2024

France’s Macron says arrest of the head of the Telegram messaging app wasn’t political

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, was not politically motivated. Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport as part of a judicial investigation into 12 criminal violations, including child pornography, drug trafficking, fraud, and failing to comply with legal requests from investigators. His detention has been extended until Monday night, with a possible prolongation until Wednesday. Durov holds citizenship in Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The Russian officials have reacted with outrage, suggesting the arrest is politically motivated. Telegram, founded by Durov, has nearly a billion users and claims compliance with EU laws. Durov's detention is subject to French law, allowing for up to four days of holding before charges or release. The Russian Embassy in Paris has reported denied access to Durov. Elon Musk showed support for Durov with a "#freePavel" post. Telegram has previously faced scrutiny and fines from various governments for its content moderation practices.

AppWizard

August 10, 2024

Russia and Venezuela have blocked encrypted messaging app Signal

Recent developments have led to significant restrictions on the encrypted messaging app Signal in Russia and Venezuela. In Russia, Signal has been blocked due to alleged violations of local legislation related to terrorism and extremism, enforced by the telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor. Although access to Signal has been curtailed across most internet providers, users can still access the app by enabling a 'censorship circumvention' feature. In Venezuela, Signal was blocked following contentious presidential election results that declared President Nicolás Maduro the victor, prompting protests and government restrictions on social media to suppress dissent. Additionally, Maduro has imposed a 10-day ban on X, citing violations of network rules, while Russia experienced a significant YouTube outage. These actions reflect a broader trend of limiting access to digital platforms, raising concerns about freedom of expression and communication during political unrest.