Viral

• A new social media group dubbed the 'Cockroach' group has gone viral in India, surpassing the Instagram follower count of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within just five days of its creation. • The group focuses on mobilizing Gen Z by discussing critical socio-economic issues, including inflation, unemployment, and national politics, utilizing a humorous tone to engage young audiences. • This surge in popularity highlights a growing trend of youth-led digital activism and a shift in how India's younger generation expresses political discontent.

• Viral social media posts have falsely claimed that the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest was secretly bought, sparking widespread accusations of rigging. • These claims gained significant traction online, fueling a broader debate regarding the transparency of the competition's voting rules and promotional strategies. • The controversy highlights the vulnerability of high-profile international events to misinformation and the intense public scrutiny surrounding the contest's integrity.

• A viral feud between two AI startup founders over $31 million in funding has highlighted the volatile nature of Silicon Valley's current "attention economy." • Both companies are targeting users in developing markets, reflecting a trend where massive capital is being deployed into nascent sectors and very young founders. • The conflict underscores a shift in venture capital trends; a recent Crunchbase analysis shows that in 2025, over half of seed rounds exceeded $10 million.

Condolences poured in for the Louisiana beaver-like legend who once appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News showSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailCondolences have poured in for a Louisiana couple who successfully battled wildlife authorities to keep their domesticated nutria as a pet, watched the semi-aquatic rodent appear on cable news and accumulate a social media following tens of thousands strong, and then endured the animal’s recent death from cancer.Denny and Myra Lacoste announced Neuty’s death on Monday on Instagram, where more than 37,000 users followed an account dedicated to documenting the nutria’s life. Continue reading...

Zsolt Hegedűs’s celebrations since the election of Péter Magyar have sparked joy across the countryAs Hungary’s Péter Magyar took office, ousting Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power, the daylong event on Saturday was laced with symbolism, from the return of the EU flag to parliament to the ringing out of the European anthem, Ode to Joy.But it was the 56-year-old tipped to be the new health minister – and more specifically, his dance moves – that may have become the most potent symbol of Hungary’s new political era. Continue reading...

Guess the Party challenges players to pin candidates’ politics to their appearances, with guess rates varying wildlyIs a bristly grey moustache a telltale sign of a Reform candidate? Is pink hair a giveaway for the Greens? Perhaps a sharp suit is the best telltale for the Tories – or spectacles and a rucksack for Labour?Players of a viral politics game have been finding out that it’s never that simple to judge the colour of a candidate’s rosette just by how they look. The game, invented by Sam Hamill-Stewart, challenges players to look at pictures of local election candidates and guess their party affiliation. Continue reading...

Victoria Bonya says authorities too scared to raise issues with Vladimir Putin, whose approval ratings are decliningThe Kremlin is grappling with the fallout from the viral spread of a celebrity blogger’s criticism of Russian authorities, as Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings register their sixth consecutive weekly decline.Victoria Bonya, a household name in Russia who rose to fame in 2006 on Dom-2, the country’s answer to the reality TV show Big Brother, posted a video on Monday warning the Russian president that a string of mounting problems risked spiralling out of control. Continue reading...

• Researchers tested ARN-75039, an orally bioavailable small-molecule inhibitor, as a potential therapeutic against Lassa virus, which causes Lassa fever—a disease for which no preventative vaccine currently exists. • The compound represents a new approach to treating Lassa virus infection through direct viral entry inhibition rather than vaccines. • This research advances therapeutic options for a high-consequence pathogen that poses public health concerns, particularly in West African endemic regions.

Fake X account posing as his vet sparked global false reports of Jonathan’s death while soliciting crypto donationsAt 194 years old, Jonathan, the giant tortoise, was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam.News outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today falsely reported his death after an X account posing as Jonathan’s vet broke the news. Continue reading...

Jess Wilson’s party has made a splash on social media but will they work together in the state election race?Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJess Wilson doing bombs into a swimming pool. Brad Battin in a muscle shirt curling 20kg, tattoos on show. John Pesutto throwing a discus, clad in blue jeans. Matthew Guy running, clutching a pink baton.The current Victorian Liberal leader and three of her predecessors feature in a social media video to mark what would have been the opening ceremony of the regional Commonwealth Games on Tuesday – if the state government hadn’t cancelled them. Continue reading...

Advisers say to ‘assume the cameras are always rolling’ as exchanges can be decoded in seconds and posted onlineRoyals and celebrities are being warned by their representatives and advisers to watch what they say when they are out of the house – or palace – as a lip-reading phenomenon means videos can be posted online and translated in seconds.Prince William was recently embroiled after a video of him speaking to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was translated by an expert lip-reader who was working as part of a forthcoming Channel 5 documentary, Lip-Reading the Royals. Continue reading...

A doctored image circulated on March 14, 2026, purporting to show a Simpsons episode with 'Trump dead' and dates 1946-2026, sparking concerns amid US-Iran war tensions after strikes on Kharg Island. Fact-checks confirm the image is a fabricated hoax, AI-generated or edited, with showrunners stating no such episode exists and similar fakes have spread before. The virality coincides with President Trump's announcement of US attacks on Iran's energy lifeline following joint US-Israel strikes killing Ayatollah Khamenei. Public reactions included fears like 'Can this Simpson prophecy be true?', but experts dismiss it as meme bait on a tense news day.