Iran Crackdown on Protests Reportedly Killed Thousands, Activists Say
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A bloody crackdown by Iranian authorities on nationwide protests resulted in the deaths of at least 6,126 people, according to activists, on Tuesday. The protests, the cause of which was not specified in the provided sources, have drawn international attention. The announcement coincided with the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier group in the Middle East, though the connection between the two events was not explicitly stated beyond the carrier group being present to "lead any American military response to the crisis," according to the Associated Press.
The protests and subsequent crackdown occurred against a backdrop of other global events and concerns. Last week, political and business leaders met in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss economic growth as a solution to global crises, including poverty and climate change, Time reported. However, some experts, including the United Nations expert on poverty, have argued that economic growth alone is not a sufficient solution to these problems. "Economic growth is no magic bullet. And it certainly wont solve global poverty," Time quoted the expert as saying.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump made controversial remarks about Somalis at the Davos gathering, according to Time. Trump reportedly accused Somalis of stealing billions of dollars and made disparaging comments about their intelligence. "Were cracking down on more than 19 billion in fraud that was stolen by Somalian bandits. Can you believe that Somalia, they turned out to be higher IQ than we thought?" Time quoted Trump as saying.
In other news, the film industry is taking note of the political climate. Beta Cinema has acquired worldwide sales rights for "Keep Her Quiet," an upcoming English-language investigative thriller starring Zar Amir, Jonathan Pryce, and Amir El-Masry, Variety reported.
Despite the global turmoil, some individuals and organizations are working towards positive change. Time highlighted several "Closers" of 2026, including Marc Philpart of the Black Freedom Fund in California, Thelma Golden of The Studio Museum in Harlem, and Dara Eskridge of Invest STL in St. Louis, all of whom are working to create a more equitable world.
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