647 cases of paid news registered during LS polls 2019: ECI

Agencies

May 19, 2019

New Delhi, May 19: A total of 647 cases of paid news have been registered while 909 social media posts were removed from various social media platforms in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Among the cases of paid news, 57 were detected during the last phase of voting on Sunday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed.

For the first time, the ECI had implemented the voluntary code of ethics for social media and deployed experts and nodal officials in all constituencies. The ECI said that a total 909 posts have been taken down by various social media platforms out of which Facebook has taken down 650 posts, Twitter 220 posts, ShareChat 31, Google five and WhatsApp three.

Out of a total of 650 posts taken down by Facebook, 482 are political posts posted during the 'silence period', while 73 are a political advertisement, two are for the violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Forty-three posts have been taken down for voter misinformation and 28 are for violating public morality and decency. Also, 11 posts have been taken down by Facebook for exit poll related element, hate speeches and undue influences.

Eight political posts have been taken down from Twitter, and 34 have been taken down for the violation of MCC, 102 for spreading voter misinformation and impersonating apex poll regulator, 74 posts for exit-polls and two for hate speeches and undue influences. On ShareChat total 31 posts have been taken down for the violation of MCC. On Google, six posts have been taken down for voter misinformation, one each for hate speech and political posts.

On WhatsApp one post has been taken down for the MCC violation and two for hate speeches. The ECI informed that in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 1,297 posts had been taken down across various social media platforms for violating the EC rules or MCC.

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US attempted 93 ‘regime change’ operations across the world since 1946, admits envoy

News Network

December 7,2025

Since 1946, the United States has attempted 93 coups or “regime change” operations across the world — including two in Iran, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has admitted.

Speaking to the UAE-based IMI Media Group, in remarks published by The National, Barrack said Washington tried twice to overthrow the Iranian government but failed both times.

“For (Trump) then to be imputed with regime change — we had two regime changes in Iran already. Neither one worked. So I think wisely leave it to the region to solve,” said Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey.

His comments come six months after the US joined Israel in airstrikes against Iran during ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

On June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran that killed at least 1,064 people and hit civilian infrastructure. Days later, the United States targeted three nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — in what Iran called a clear violation of international law. Iranian retaliation eventually forced a halt to the assault on June 24.

Barrack further claimed that US President Donald Trump and Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio are “not into regime change” and prefer a regional approach driven by Middle Eastern countries themselves. According to him, regional dialogue and non-interference by outside powers offer a more durable path forward.

He added that Washington is still open to an agreement with Tehran if Iranian authorities show “seriousness” and willingness to engage constructively.

However, Iran maintains the US has not shown readiness for meaningful talks. In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations could advance only if Washington acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and lifts unilateral sanctions.

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