Global Pulse

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  • Ukrainian soldiers and civilians welcome new army commander

    Ukrainian soldiers and civilians welcome new army commander

    As Ukraine enters its fifth year of facing Russia’s full-scale invasion, a wave of public discontent has forced a high-level shakeup in the country’s top military leadership, with frontline troops and ordinary residents broadly welcoming the change but pushing for further adjustments to the defense cabinet.

    The unrest began last week, when President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly replaced Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular reformist former defense minister who drew widespread support among rank-and-file soldiers for his policy priorities. Thousands of protesters took to Ukrainian streets to demand Fedorov’s reinstatement and the dismissal of then-army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky, marking the largest war-related public demonstrations Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Bowing to public pressure, Zelensky announced Syrsky’s removal on Tuesday and appointed Mykhailo Drapaty, a decorated combat officer, to take over the army’s top post.

    Interviews with AFP from frontline areas and across Kyiv this week reveal mixed but largely positive reaction to the leadership shakeup, with continued calls for Fedorov’s return to government. In Izium, a Ukrainian city just 30 kilometers from current Russian frontline positions, a 22-year-old frontline soldier who goes by the military call sign Khrest called Syrsky’s departure “a good thing” but made clear that discontent would not fade without Fedorov’s reinstatement.

    Khrest explained that Fedorov had pushed to implement widespread fixed-term service contracts for mobilized troops, a longstanding core demand for Ukrainian soldiers. Many currently serve without a defined end to their deployment even after three and a half years of full-scale war. “He’s introducing contracts so that mobilised soldiers at least know how long they’ll have to serve,” Khrest told AFP, adding that Fedorov also prioritized guaranteeing regular rest periods for frontline troops.

    Another Izium-based soldier, 30-year-old Ananas, echoed that support for Drapaty’s appointment and criticism of Syrsky. Though Syrsky was celebrated for leading the successful 2022 defense of Kyiv and the Kharkiv counteroffensive that reclaimed large swathes of northeastern Ukraine, he drew intense criticism from rank-and-file troops for his tolerance of heavy personnel casualties and a recent scandal over abuse of new recruits. “He threw a lot of people into the meat grinder at the start of the war,” Ananas said, adding “I think he got off lightly by simply being dismissed.” Ananas also alleged Syrsky was tied to the abuse scandal at the Skelia assault unit. Syrsky previously described the reported violations as “shameful” and confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against those responsible.

    Ananas also praised Fedorov’s work to expand Ukraine’s drone program, noting the former minister pushed to prioritize drone operations to reduce troop casualties. “People like that should not be removed. They are doing the right thing,” he said, warning that public discontent would persist unless Fedorov returned to cabinet.

    Svitlana, a 48-year-old nurse serving with an airborne assault unit, described Drapaty, a widely respected career combat officer, as a positive replacement for Syrsky, and thanked civilian protesters for pushing for the leadership change. “I believe only civil society can influence these processes. While we are here defending rights, people went out and defended theirs,” she said. She also praised Fedorov for his work digitizing military administration and called him a “good manager,” though she cautioned against idealizing the former minister, noting that military pay had fallen slightly during his tenure, creating financial strain for soldiers’ families. She has not yet formed an opinion on Fedorov’s successor, Yevgen Khmara, a veteran of Ukraine’s security services.

    In Kyiv, many civilians echoed the calls for further changes to the government. For 69-year-old Oleg, Syrsky’s dismissal was not enough to meet protester demands. “People got together to support Fedorov… the aim has not yet been achieved,” he said. Oleg argued that Zelensky’s reshuffle was an attempt to redirect public attention away from broader government shortcomings, and argued real change would require more shakeups at the highest levels of government.

    Twenty-one-year-old political science student Taisiia Obod echoed that sentiment, saying she hoped Fedorov would be given a new role within government and that his reform agenda would continue to be implemented. The reshuffle comes as Ukraine continues to contend with incremental Russian advances along the frontline and growing uncertainty over Western military support, putting sustained pressure on the country’s political and military leadership.

  • Ancient Lebanese city of Tyre added to heritage danger list

    Ancient Lebanese city of Tyre added to heritage danger list

    Against the backdrop of ongoing cross-border conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, one of the Mediterranean’s most historically significant ancient settlements has been formally recognized as a cultural site at immediate risk. On Wednesday, during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, UNESCO voted to add the ancient Lebanese city of Tyre to its official List of World Heritage in Danger.

    Located roughly 80 kilometers south of Beirut and just 20 kilometers north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, Tyre was first inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Founded approximately 4,700 years ago, the coastal city carries layers of civilizations across millennia, having been ruled by Phoenician, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine powers. Its protected heritage zones hold exceptionally well-preserved Roman-era archaeological remains, including a iconic 2nd-century triumphal arch and an ancient hippodrome that draw scholars and tourists from across the globe.

    But the site’s future has been thrown into peril by months of cross-border hostilities. In June this year, one of Tyre’s two protected heritage zones suffered a direct Israeli airstrike. According to Lebanese culture ministry officials speaking to Agence France-Presse after the strike, an on-site administrative building was destroyed in the attack, while flying debris from nearby bombardments caused visible damage to irreplaceable archaeological features including stone columns, decorative capitals, and intricate ancient mosaics.

    As violence intensified in subsequent months, the Israeli military issued mandatory evacuation orders for populated districts of Tyre that overlap with portions of the archaeological site. Tens of thousands of local residents fled the area en masse, though a large majority have since returned to their homes after the immediate intensity of strikes ebbed. In its official announcement of the new danger listing, UNESCO noted that the site has already sustained direct damage from bombardment, and worsening conditions have created growing alarm over its long-term preservation, particularly given the persistent risk of further military impacts. The UN body confirmed that the conditions required to protect and conserve Tyre’s “outstanding universal value” no longer exist, and added that the designation came at the formal request of the Lebanese government.

    Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame welcomed UNESCO’s decision, saying the designation would draw urgent attention from the global body and its member states to a culturally critical site located at the heart of one of the world’s most volatile ongoing conflicts. Earlier this year, Salame publicly condemned Israel for failing to adhere to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, an international treaty that requires all warring parties to avoid targeting recognized cultural sites. He also accused Israeli forces of intentionally disregarding “blue shield” markings—the internationally recognized emblem established by a UNESCO-linked committee to mark protected cultural sites during armed conflict.

    The conflict that pushed Tyre to this point began when Hezbollah opened rocket fire on Israeli targets to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader by a joint US-Israeli operation. Israel responded with intense air strikes and limited ground incursions into southern Lebanon that have killed more than 4,300 Lebanese people to date, leaving cultural sites and civilian communities across the border region facing widespread destruction and displacement.

  • Even camels can’t cope: Africa’s ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures

    Even camels can’t cope: Africa’s ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures

    For generations, dromedary camels have been the unchallenged masters of Africa’s harshest arid landscapes, earning their nickname as the “ships of the desert” for their extraordinary ability to withstand scorching temperatures and severe drought. It is this legendary resilience that led 80% of the world’s one-humped camel population to settle in North Africa and the Horn of Africa, and that pushed countless livestock herders to switch from cattle and sheep to camels as climate conditions worsened across the region. But new research and on-the-ground accounts from herders and veterinarians make clear that even these iconic hardy animals are no match for the record-breaking extreme heat sweeping the continent – a rapidly growing threat that is pushing camels, and the communities that depend on them, into crisis.

  • Hosepipe ban across Republic of Ireland but NI avoids same precaution

    Hosepipe ban across Republic of Ireland but NI avoids same precaution

    As unusually prolonged warm and dry conditions stretch across Ireland, national water utility Uisce Éireann, formerly known as Irish Water, has implemented a full nationwide six-week hosepipe ban that took effect immediately after midnight on Friday. The restrictions will remain in force through August 26, marking a significant expansion of local conservation measures that were rolled out just one week earlier across the greater Dublin region and parts of six other southern and eastern Irish counties.

    Utility officials cited two key drivers behind the new nationwide order: consistently soaring consumer demand for water paired with weeks of well-below-average rainfall that has depleted reserve supplies across the country. A national heat warning was also issued for the Republic of Ireland earlier this month, when temperatures climbed well above seasonal averages, exacerbating strain on water infrastructure.

    Under the newly enacted Water Conservation Order, the use of hosepipes is strictly prohibited for a range of non-essential activities, including residential garden watering, private vehicle and boat cleaning, and filling personal recreational items such as paddling pools, as well as private ponds and outdoor fountains. Uisce Éireann emphasized that such restrictive measures are only enacted when absolutely necessary, and urged all residents to shift to only essential water use for the duration of the ban. “Conserving and reducing water consumption in these circumstances is critical to ensure continuity of supply,” the utility stated in an official release.

    Across the Irish border in Northern Ireland, regional water provider NI Water has announced it has no plans to introduce matching hosepipe restrictions at this time. The organization noted that current reservoir levels across the region remain at reasonable levels for mid-July, even after three consecutive days of temperatures above 25°C during the second heatwave to hit Northern Ireland this summer.

    Despite holding off on a ban, NI Water is encouraging all residents to maintain voluntary water conservation efforts, as current demand still runs far higher than typical seasonal levels. Paul Bryce, NI Water’s head of water operations, stressed that local communities should not take reliable water access for granted amid the ongoing warm spell. “Every drop counts,” Bryce said. “By continuing to use water wisely, customers can help reduce pressure on the network and help ensure water continues to be available for everyone who needs it.” The organization also issued a public safety reminder, urging people to avoid unregulated recreation around open reservoirs, which remain dangerously cold and deep even during periods of high air temperature.

  • Russia’s businesses under strain from Ukraine’s attacks on Wildberries

    Russia’s businesses under strain from Ukraine’s attacks on Wildberries

    Nearly four and a half years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has expanded its long-range drone campaign to target critical domestic logistics infrastructure inside Russia, shifting focus from energy facilities to warehouses operated by Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retail marketplace. Over a four-day span, four separate Wildberries distribution hubs have been hit by drone attacks, leaving eight workers dead, dozens injured, and an estimated $1 billion worth of stored inventory reduced to ash.

    The first wave of attacks struck over the weekend, targeting facilities in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and Kotovsk in the Tambov region, roughly 250 miles from the Ukrainian border. Seven night-shift employees were killed in the Kotovsk strike, with one additional fatality recorded at Elektrostal. Follow-up attacks overnight Wednesday hit two more hubs in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk in Russia’s Stavropol region, with Wildberries owner Tatiana Kim confirming additional unspecified casualties.

    Ukrainian officials have framed the strikes as a deliberate strategic move targeting infrastructure that supports Russia’s military effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed the shift in targeting, stating “We are, quite justly, bringing the war back home – to Russia.” Kyiv claims the targeted warehouses stored sanctioned electronic components used for Russian drone manufacturing and military navigation equipment. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers have also acknowledged that Russian volunteers and military suppliers regularly use major online marketplaces including Wildberries to source tactical gear and dual-use components for frontline forces.

    Independent verification of military stockpiles at the targeted sites has not been obtained, and the Kremlin has denied that domestic online platforms are used to supply the Russian army. Regardless of the military intent, the strikes have imposed devastating costs on thousands of independent Russian small and medium-sized sellers who rely entirely on Wildberries to store, distribute, and sell their goods to consumers across the country.

    Unlike Western marketplace giant Amazon, which operates both a first-party retail business and third-party seller platform, Wildberries and its primary competitor Ozon function almost exclusively as intermediary marketplaces. More than 85% of Russia’s economically active population uses the two platforms, and in many remote, underserved regions of the country, they are the only reliable source of everyday goods from clothing to household appliances. This business model means nearly all losses from the attacks fall to independent sellers, not the company itself.

    Hundreds of sellers have reported losing their entire stockpiles in the strikes, with many sharing devastating accounts of financial ruin on Russian social media. One seller, a mother of a disabled child who built her small business from scratch, wrote in a viral expletive-laden post that she had lost 1 million rubles ($12,700) in inventory, writing “We’re already getting screwed over from every direction as it is.”

    A stationery seller who delivered her full back-to-school inventory to the Elektrostal warehouse just one day before the attack lost all of her stock just weeks before the critical autumn shopping season. A teenage clothing retailer reported 1.4 million rubles ($13,300) in lost inventory and has paused new shipments, noting “The outlook for working with Wildberries is very murky. Right now I have enough of a safety cushion to survive the current losses, but if there are more strikes, I probably won’t manage.”

    Most sellers do not expect any meaningful compensation for their losses. Less than two weeks before the first strike, Wildberries updated its seller contracts to add drone attacks to its list of force majeure events, exempting the company from liability for inventory destroyed in attacks. While Kim has promised not to abandon affected sellers, offering temporary fee waivers and discounted shipping rates, these measures have done little to ease widespread anxiety among the platform’s seller base.

    The strikes come as Russia’s civilian small business sector already faces mounting pressure under the weight of wartime economic policies. Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly naming support for small and medium-sized enterprises a top priority even during the war, the sector has faced a cascade of new challenges in 2026. In January, the national value-added tax was increased from 20% to 22% to fund additional defense spending, and targeted tax breaks for small businesses were eliminated. Data from business intelligence platform Kontur.Fokus shows more than 209,000 small and medium-sized companies closed in the first quarter of 2026, a 9% increase from the same period in 2025.

    Additional pressures include widespread internet restrictions, a crackdown on independent messaging apps that disrupted business operations, and a national fuel crisis triggered by earlier Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil depots and refineries. Analysts note the Wildberries strikes represent another major blow to a sector already reeling from cumulative strain.

    “There are already a lot of nails, and they keep hammering them in. Is [the attack on Wildberries warehouses] another nail in the coffin? Well, yes, of course,” said Ruben Eniklopov, a professor at Barcelona’s Pompeu Fabra University. While Russian small businesses have demonstrated surprising resilience through the first years of the war, high inflation, widening budget deficits, and a 23% drop in oil and gas revenues compared to the first half of 2025 have left the civilian economy increasingly fragile. Russia’s large peacetime financial reserves are increasingly being diverted to fund the war effort, crowding out support for civilian economic growth.

    The Wildberries strikes mirror a recent pattern of reciprocal targeting of civilian logistics infrastructure by both sides. In recent weeks, Russia has launched drone and missile strikes on sorting terminals and warehouses belonging to Ukraine’s largest private postal operator Nova Poshta, major retail chain ATB, and confectionery group Roshen. With frontline combat largely stalled in a stalemate, both sides have expanded long-range strike campaigns to disrupt supply chains and put increasing pressure on the opposing side’s domestic population.

  • Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs

    Google burning through cash with spiralling AI costs

    In the intensifying global race to dominate the next generation of artificial intelligence technology, two of the world’s most high-profile tech and clean energy companies have booked rare dips into negative free cash flow, as aggressive capital spending on AI and next-generation infrastructure outpaces near-term incoming cash.

  • Watch: What we know about the US-Saudi nuclear deal

    Watch: What we know about the US-Saudi nuclear deal

    A proposed nuclear cooperation deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia has emerged as a landmark development in international diplomatic and energy circles, drawing widespread global attention for its far-reaching geopolitical and strategic consequences. BBC correspondent Sarah Smith has delivered a detailed breakdown of what is currently known about the agreement, unpacking its complex implications for both regional dynamics and global non-proliferation efforts.

    The framework of cooperation, which has been months in the making, centers on enabling Saudi Arabia to develop its civilian nuclear energy sector, with support from US companies and diplomatic backing from the White House. Unlike military nuclear programs that focus on weapons development, this deal is structured around peaceful applications of nuclear technology, including power generation, medical research, and water desalination – critical needs for a desert nation like Saudi Arabia that is seeking to diversify its energy mix away from fossil fuels.

    Yet the agreement has sparked significant debate around the world. One of the core points of contention is Saudi Arabia’s refusal so far to commit to the strictest international non-proliferation standards, specifically the Comprehensive Safeguards Additional Protocol that allows for more intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Critics warn that without this commitment, there is a risk that technology transferred for civilian use could eventually be diverted to develop a nuclear weapons program, which would upend the fragile security balance in the already volatile Middle East.

    For the United States, the deal carries major strategic goals. It aims to strengthen the decades-long security alliance between Washington and Riyadh, counter growing Iranian influence in the region, and open up billions of dollars in commercial opportunities for American nuclear technology firms. It also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 reform agenda, which seeks to modernize the kingdom’s economy and infrastructure ahead of a post-oil future.

    Sarah Smith’s analysis outlines that while the agreement is being framed as a landmark step in bilateral relations, it still faces significant hurdles. It must win approval from the US Congress, where many lawmakers from both major parties have raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and nuclear proliferation risks. Additionally, regional powers including Iran have already voiced strong opposition, arguing that the deal would create a new nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

    As negotiations continue to finalize the details of the agreement, global powers and non-proliferation watchdogs are closely monitoring every development, acutely aware that the outcome will shape regional security and global non-proliferation efforts for decades to come.

  • Watch: What it was like inside Maduro’s court hearing

    Watch: What it was like inside Maduro’s court hearing

    For the first time, international press were granted access to a federal courtroom in the United States where a critical procedural hearing unfolded for Nicholas Maduro, the ousted former Venezuelan leader. The BBC’s senior correspondent Kayla Epstein was among the few journalists allowed inside the venue, offering a rare on-the-ground perspective of a legal proceeding that has drawn global geopolitical attention.

    During the session, the presiding judge formally announced a concrete start date for Maduro’s upcoming criminal trial, moving the high-profile case one step closer to a full judicial resolution. The hearing itself unfolded in an orderly, controlled atmosphere, with tight security protocols in place to manage the extraordinary public and diplomatic interest surrounding the proceedings. Maduro was present for the scheduling hearing, participating in the procedural steps alongside his legal team before the court.

    The case marks a historic moment in US-Venezuela relations, bringing a former head of state before an American criminal court on charges that stem from years of international scrutiny of the Maduro government’s activities. The scheduling announcement sets the stage for a months-long legal process that is expected to unpack complex allegations related to narco-terrorism, corruption, and other criminal activities, and will almost certainly amplify already tense diplomatic tensions between the US and remaining Maduro-aligned factions in Venezuela. Epstein’s firsthand access offers the public an unfiltered look at the opening stages of a trial that will be watched closely by policymakers, diplomatic observers, and voters across the Americas.

  • Chinese FM urges US to properly manage differences, address China’s legitimate concerns

    Chinese FM urges US to properly manage differences, address China’s legitimate concerns

    In a high-stakes bilateral meeting held Wednesday in Manila, Philippines, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pushed back against a recent string of antagonistic statements and actions from the United States, issuing a clear call for Washington to respect Beijing’s core interests, uphold the long-standing one-China principle, effectively manage bilateral disagreements, and address China’s fully legitimate concerns. The meeting, which brought together Wang – who also serves as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee – and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes at a critical turning point for China-US relations. Wang opened the discussion by noting that 2026 marks a pivotal juncture after the landmark Beijing summit between the two nations’ heads of state, during which top leaders laid out a clear roadmap for building a constructive, strategically stable bilateral relationship. This agreed-upon direction, Wang emphasized, represents meaningful progress for the two global powers as they work to navigate peaceful coexistence. It aligns with the core interests of both the Chinese and American people, and matches the widespread hopes of the broader international community for stable great power relations. Today, the shared task for both sides is to remain firmly on the path charted by their leaders, Wang argued, urging the US to work with China to push past distractions and unnecessary barriers. Turning the consensus reached at the highest level into actionable policy and mutual understanding across all levels of government and societal sectors, he said, remains the urgent priority going forward. Wang further noted that productive, well-managed relations between China and the US can deliver global public goods: through bilateral strategic stability, the two countries can advance broader world peace and security, and constructive engagement can open new doors for global collective action on pressing shared challenges. Beyond bilateral topics, the two top diplomats also exchanged detailed views on a range of pressing international and regional hotspot issues. Following the closed-door discussions, both sides characterized the meeting as pragmatic, positive, and constructive. They reached a shared agreement to maintain open and functional political and diplomatic communication channels, put in place thorough preparations for the next round of high-level China-US exchanges, and continue working toward substantive progress in building the agreed-upon constructive and strategically stable bilateral relationship.

  • Indian police cracked down on ‘cockroach’ protesters. They went home and made memes about it

    Indian police cracked down on ‘cockroach’ protesters. They went home and made memes about it

    When tens of thousands of demonstrators with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led Indian grassroots movement, marched toward India’s parliament in New Delhi on Monday to demand government accountability over a series of high-profile exam paper leaks and recruitment scandals, few could have predicted the defining image of the day would not be tear gas canisters or baton charges—but viral Instagram memes and deadpan jokes.

    The CJP movement first emerged from widespread student anger over persistent exam irregularities, and has since expanded into a broader call for transparency, targeting Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan with demands for his resignation. Pradhan has rejected these calls, instead accusing opposition parties of exploiting young people’s frustrations for political gain. The Monday demonstration, one of the largest anti-government gatherings in New Delhi in recent years, quickly escalated when police moved to disperse the crowd, firing tear gas and charging protesters with batons. Authorities also shut down mobile internet access across the protest zone to limit information sharing. By the end of the day, both sides reported injuries: protesters said dozens of demonstrators had been beaten by police, while law enforcement confirmed multiple officers were also hurt.

    Once internet access was restored, a flood of first-person content—short video reels, personal dispatches, and sardonic memes—poured onto social media platforms, capturing the day’s chaos through a uniquely young, internet-native lens. Among the most viral content was a pre-protest “fit check” (a popular social media trend where creators show off their outfits) filmed by 20-year-old Chhavi, who smiled at her camera and joked, “Going to get beaten by cops, guys.” Hours later, after enduring the police crackdown, Chhavi still posted her content smiling—posing beside riot officers, flashing victory signs, and documenting the chaos unfolding around her.

    Chhavi’s video was far from an anomaly. Other young protesters shared equally striking, dryly humorous content: one young woman calmly reapplied lipstick in front of a line of fully geared riot police; another quipped she was “serving face at the protest because the government couldn’t serve justice”; one reel cut abruptly from a casual outfit reveal to footage of protesters fleeing tear gas; another offered a deadpan “product review” of tear gas, rating its scent and stinging power like a new street food vendor.

    To outside observers, this mix of humor and violence can seem contradictory. But for the young creators behind the content, the jokes are not a dismissal of danger—they are a way to live alongside it. Most of the self-deprecating humor centers on the absurdity of their own experiences: joking about the kilometers logged running from baton charges, or the strangeness of filming an outfit reveal moments before tear gas fills the street. The fear never disappears; it simply coexists with laughter.

    Digital culture and political science experts argue this trend signals a fundamental shift in how a generation raised entirely online engages in political protest. “Older generations separated political life from everyday life,” explained Joyojeet Pal, a University of Michigan professor specializing in technology and society. “Younger generations grow up with politics alongside their memes, their family pictures and their daily commutes.”

    Critics have accused some protesters of treating state violence as social media content, chasing viral engagement instead of taking the movement seriously. But Chhavi pushed back on that claim, saying the choice to laugh was a coping mechanism in the face of terror. “I was adrenaline-soaked, scared, petrified,” she said. “It was either laugh in the face of fear or cry.”

    Payal Arora, a digital anthropologist at Utrecht University, notes that the instinct to document political upheaval with smartphones has grown increasingly common across global protest movements. What was once the exclusive work of professional journalists is now done by ordinary participants, preserving moments that would otherwise be lost to official erasure. “The act of capturing a protest is often an end in itself,” Arora said. “Their message is more like: ‘This happened. We were there. We will remember.’”

    Nishant Shah, director of the Digital Narratives Center at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Journalism and Communication, says misinterpreting the protesters’ humor as detachment misses its core purpose. Humor has long been a unifying tool in protest movements worldwide, helping ease tension, build collective solidarity, and sustain participants through moments of intense fear. “Even when the cause is brutal and the fight fierce,” Shah said, “there is joy, laughter, songs and hope. Without those things, protests don’t sustain themselves.”

    For 21-year-old first-time protester Ishaan, that purpose was clear when he posted his own viral reel after a tear gas canister landed near his position. Instead of fleeing immediately, he pulled out his phone to film, and captioned the clip of drifting white smoke: “Delhi Police doesn’t realise I’m from Jamuna Paar.” The joke is familiar to most Delhi residents: Jamuna Paar, the low-income eastern neighborhoods across the Yamuna River, has long been mocked for its chronically neglected civic infrastructure. “The smell there is worse than the tear gas,” Ishaan explained with a laugh. He emphasized the joke was never meant to trivialize what happened. “It was about refusing to let fear dictate the memory of the day,” he said.

    Every generation of protest movement develops its own shared cultural language to bind participants together: India’s independence movement relied on rousing songs and speeches; trade unions carried iconic banners; 20th century student movements embraced hand-painted posters and street theater; more recent movements, from anti-citizenship law protests to the year-long farmers’ protest, used murals, constitutional readings, and border livestreams to build their community. The CJP movement’s language is that of a generation raised online, and experts say dismissing it as frivolous is a failure to understand how modern protest works.

    The dynamic nature of memes sets them apart from older forms of protest communication, Shah explained: a meme gathers meaning as other protesters remake it, parody it, and share it across their own networks. Sharing the meme becomes an act of protest in itself. That was the case for 18-year-old engineering student Manit, who attended his first protest Monday and almost chose not to film anything. “I was scared,” he said. “Then I looked around. Everyone was recording, talking to the camera, just being themselves. So I asked my friend to record me.”

    His viral reel looked identical to the casual workout content he posts regularly—until the final frame, which revealed the running distance logged on his fitness app had been accumulated while fleeing a police baton charge. “I escaped the lathi charge,” he laughed. “I ran and ran and ended up completing my workout too.” For Manit, the approach makes perfect sense. “Not all young people read the news,” he said. “If humour can make important conversations accessible, why wouldn’t we use it?”

    *Names of some protesters have been changed to protect their identities.*