Role of social media comes under scrutiny

Cuban authorities launch a national campaign to vaccinate children aged two to 18 against Covid-19. With the Delta variant spreading across the island of 11.2 million, the country's health care system has been pushed to the brink, and the government says it will only gradually re-open schools for in-person instruction in October after the vaccination campaign among children is completed.

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, women's rights have been quashed. Women are being told what to wear, what to study and being segregated from men at universities. After a violent crackdown on female protesters, a demonstration has taken place in Kabul by women deemed supportive of the Taliban's ultra-hardline interpretation of Islam. Images of that rally have sparked considerable reaction on social media. FRANCE 24's Haxie Meyers-Belkin tells us more.

The US government has predicted that climate change will exacerbate geopolitical tensions around the world in a series of new reports. The assessments also highlight how global warming will drive mass migration.

A live broadcast video from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been removed from Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. In the video, the president falsely stated that UK citizens are developing AIDS after receiving two Covid-19 vaccine doses. After the video was posted, fact-checking and governmental entities scrambled to clarify that there is no evidence to demonstrate a link between Covid-19 vaccines and the development of viruses such as HIV.

Facebook began this week by announcing more than $9 billion in quarterly profits, an increase of about 17 percent. The social media giant also announced that it now has close to three billion users. But all is not well on the Facebook front as Mark Zuckerberg’s platform has been facing a deluge of scathing reports.

Despite a rise in infections, the parties set to form a new government want to end the national state of emergency. But Germany should not yet expect a "freedom day."

Japan is holding a parliamentary election, which is the first big test for the new prime minister. A poor showing for the ruling party could threaten a return to the country's history of revolving-door premiership.

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A teenager in the United States was rescued after flashing a hand signal that was popularized on TikTok indicating domestic violence. Experts say sharing such resources on social media can help those most at risk.

Religious and political leaders branded the march in the central city of Kalisz a vehicle for hate that did not add to the patriotism of the celebration. Israel called for its organizers to be brought to justice.

In an interview with FRANCE 24 at the Paris Peace Forum, US billionaire Frank McCourt strongly criticised tech giants, saying social media is "undermining our democracies". The owner of French football club Olympique de Marseille told us more about his Project Liberty plan. He has invested $100 million in the initiative, which he hopes will "transform the way the internet works".

A fourth wave of COVID infections has seen case numbers reach record levels in Germany. The health minister has said a lockdown "can't be ruled out."