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India Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Chinese social media propaganda targets India and its tourism sector
Clips part of the propaganda campaign were selectively edited to show Western influencers criticising India and praising China. (Representative image) China targets India's tourism via propaganda on Weibo and YouTube Campaign highlights hygiene, safety and transport issues in India China uses influencers to shape its narratives globally After its alleged propaganda about the Indian Rafale jet losses during Operation Sindoor, China has launched another campaign to target India, specifically its tourism sector. India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team has uncovered at least 100 accounts on Chinese social media platform Weibo and YouTube amplifying videos to portray India as a filthy, unwelcoming and unsafe destination for foreign travellers. To lend credibility to their campaign, these accounts selectively pick up parts from vlogs of Western influencers complaining about certain aspects of Indian life, during their visit. The propaganda campaign features five edited videos focusing on areas where India has struggled to improve, such as public hygiene, cleanliness, public transport, urban road traffic management and women's safety. The campaign started on Weibo on July 17 with a widely shared video of a British influencer, who visited India after China. The clip, accompanying a hashtag in Chinese which loosely translates to "British internet celebrity who complained about China, breaks down in India", shows her breaking down in tears, saying, "I feel stupid about complaining about China." The Chinese hashtag was used on popular social media platform Weibo. SELECTIVE EDITS Clips part of the propaganda campaign were selectively edited to show Western influencers criticising India and praising China. Videos of influencers who visited both India and China are included in this campaign. The edited videos were shared with Chinese subtitles and voice-over narration, tailoring the content for domestic audiences. But the reality is somehow different. Though the criticism of India's poor public cleanliness and women's safety by foreign tourists is a harsh reality, their perception is not as black and white as these Chinese propagandists try to frame. In their original videos, these foreign influencers point out flaws where they see them and praise things they find alluring. For instance, a vlog on the Australia-based "Travel for Phoebe" YouTube channel documents an incident of harassment while praising Indian food and scenic destinations in Rajasthan's Udaipur. The Chinese propaganda campaign, however, picks up only the part where harassment is reported. CAMPAIGN ON YOUTUBE The campaign wasn't limited to Weibo. At least four Chinese YouTube channels uploaded similar content, featuring foreign influencers. Propaganda videos on YouTube, dozens in number, carry provocative and derogatory titles such as, "Are Chinese toilets cleaner than Indian restaurants?", "The worst country on earth" and "Bloggers went to India happily, went home crying". China is known to use social media influencers in influence operations targeting other countries to boost its image, and promote its narrative and interests. Earlier this month, China announced a programme inviting US content creators on a 10-day, fully sponsored trip to promote its positive image, as per Bloomberg. Last year, Indian security agencies flagged several Indian influencers whose travel and production expenses were allegedly funded by China to create content promoting a pro-China narrative. After its alleged propaganda about the Indian Rafale jet losses during Operation Sindoor, China has launched another campaign to target India, specifically its tourism sector. India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team has uncovered at least 100 accounts on Chinese social media platform Weibo and YouTube amplifying videos to portray India as a filthy, unwelcoming and unsafe destination for foreign travellers. To lend credibility to their campaign, these accounts selectively pick up parts from vlogs of Western influencers complaining about certain aspects of Indian life, during their visit. The propaganda campaign features five edited videos focusing on areas where India has struggled to improve, such as public hygiene, cleanliness, public transport, urban road traffic management and women's safety. The campaign started on Weibo on July 17 with a widely shared video of a British influencer, who visited India after China. The clip, accompanying a hashtag in Chinese which loosely translates to "British internet celebrity who complained about China, breaks down in India", shows her breaking down in tears, saying, "I feel stupid about complaining about China." The Chinese hashtag was used on popular social media platform Weibo. SELECTIVE EDITS Clips part of the propaganda campaign were selectively edited to show Western influencers criticising India and praising China. Videos of influencers who visited both India and China are included in this campaign. The edited videos were shared with Chinese subtitles and voice-over narration, tailoring the content for domestic audiences. But the reality is somehow different. Though the criticism of India's poor public cleanliness and women's safety by foreign tourists is a harsh reality, their perception is not as black and white as these Chinese propagandists try to frame. In their original videos, these foreign influencers point out flaws where they see them and praise things they find alluring. For instance, a vlog on the Australia-based "Travel for Phoebe" YouTube channel documents an incident of harassment while praising Indian food and scenic destinations in Rajasthan's Udaipur. The Chinese propaganda campaign, however, picks up only the part where harassment is reported. CAMPAIGN ON YOUTUBE The campaign wasn't limited to Weibo. At least four Chinese YouTube channels uploaded similar content, featuring foreign influencers. Propaganda videos on YouTube, dozens in number, carry provocative and derogatory titles such as, "Are Chinese toilets cleaner than Indian restaurants?", "The worst country on earth" and "Bloggers went to India happily, went home crying". China is known to use social media influencers in influence operations targeting other countries to boost its image, and promote its narrative and interests. Earlier this month, China announced a programme inviting US content creators on a 10-day, fully sponsored trip to promote its positive image, as per Bloomberg. Last year, Indian security agencies flagged several Indian influencers whose travel and production expenses were allegedly funded by China to create content promoting a pro-China narrative. Join our WhatsApp Channel
India.com
22-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Why Trump attacked Iran after seeking two weeks to decide? Report says Iran's Fordow nuclear site showed...
(File) Israel-Iran war: Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said he would decide within 'two weeks' whether or not to attack Iran, but two days later, American bombers launched attacks at Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, effectively marking the US' entry into the Israel-Iran war. But what prompted Trump to attack the Iranian nuclear sites at such short notice? What changed between June 20 and June 22, which prompted the US to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities? Why Trump attacked Iran after seeking 'two weeks' to decide? According to a report by India Today, citing high-resolution satellite imagery its Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) obtained from US firm Maxar Technologies, 'unusual ground activities' were allegedly witnessed at the Fordow nuclear enrichment site on June 19 and June 20. A fleet of 16 cargo trucks were positioned along the access road leading to the tunnel entrance of the facility on June 19, while June 20 satellite images showed the trucks had been repositioned approximately one-kilometer northwest along the access road, the report said. More trucks and bulldozers were seen near the entrance of Fordow's main facility in subsequent images, it said. Experts have analyzed satellite imagery from the Fordow nuclear site since Israel attacked it on June, but these reveal no suspicious activity. However, the latest images, the report claims, showed 'unusual' activity on the ground. US bombs Iranian nuclear sites On Sunday morning, US B-2 Stealth bombers dropped GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, purportedly destroying the sites. The bunker busters, each weighing about 13,600 kilos, are capable of penetrating up to an estimated 200 feet of reinforced concrete. The US attack came just two days after Donald Trump sought two weeks time to decide whether the US would join Israel in its war against Iran. But analysts believe that US action may have been prompted because Iran was preparing to shift its nuclear assets, including enriched Uranium, to secret locations from its nuclear facilities.
India Today
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Video forensic suggests Khamenei may have moved away from residence
In the raging conflict between Israel and Iran is a central figure: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader. Political rhetoric from his adversaries suggests his life could be at Trump has said that the US knows his exact location but 'won't take him out' for now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out the possibility of his Amid growing reports about Khamenei being shifted to a bunker, his latest official video, released on June 18, offers subtle yet telling signs of a possible relocation. A forensic analysis of the footage suggests major changes and downgrades in production quality and setup, indicating makeshift arrangements, far from his usual studio-quality environment.A day after Trump's demand of an 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER' of Iran, Khamenei released a video message on his Telegram channel, cautioning that any US military action would result in 'serious and irreparable consequences'. It marked his second public appearance since the attacks began on June a forensics analysis, India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) noticed unusual technical deviations in the production of the latest video as against previous videos released by his office. The unusual changes suggest that Khamenei has been relocated to another place, or at least the video was shot in a completely different the tight shot—showing only beige curtains, an Iranian flag, and a portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei's predecessor, who died in 1989—offered no clear indication of his location, some visual clues do offer some the new video, Khamenei is seen using a lapel mic instead of the higher-quality stand microphones typically used in his addresses. The overall video quality also appears lower. While previous videos from his office maintain high-resolution standards, this one looks significantly compressed, suggesting a less sophisticated setup.A technical comparison is even more revealing. His June 10 address, which is under four minutes long, had a file size of 24 MB with a video bitrate of 892 kbps and audio at 95.4 kbps. The June 18 video, despite being more than nine minutes long, is only 18 MB in size. The video bitrate drops to 256 kbps, and the audio quality plunges to a mere 2.4 kbps.A higher bitrate translates into higher image quality, and vice versa. As its name suggests, bitrate is the rate at which bits (of data) are processed or transferred. The bitrate is measured in seconds. The bitrate measuring units range from bps for small units, and Kbps, Mbps & Gbps for higher bit numbers strongly suggest that the video was recorded using downgraded or improvised equipment, pointing to a likely shift in location. The absence of standard broadcast tools and the sudden drop in technical quality lend weight to the theory that Khamenei may now be operating from a more secure, possibly underground, aligns with reports from the London-based news channel, Iran International, which claimed that he had been moved to an underground bunker in Lavizan, northeastern low bitrate strongly suggests that the video was manually or tool-compressed after filming. The audio was also downsampled—likely to remove ambient noise that could reveal clues about his marks a clear deviation from his typical broadcast quality, which involves professional-grade cameras and high-fidelity aggressive compression of audio and video quality is likely intended to strip ambient cues and reduce metadata, thereby minimising the risk of geolocation or acoustic POWER CENTREFor decades, Ayatollah Khamenei has been at the heart of Iran's hard-line foreign policy, positioning the country as a counterweight to American, Israeli, and Saudi influences across West Iran's supreme leader, he sits above all other branches of government. He appoints the heads of the judiciary, state media and key security agencies, and he holds final authority over who can run for Khamenei also controls foreign and military policy, overseeing the Revolutionary Guards Corps, which defends Iran's Islamic system and sits apart from the rest of the military, and the powerful Quds Force, which directs Iran's foreign operations across the Middle East. His authority extends to the nuclear program, placing him at the centre of Iran's escalating confrontation with Watch
Newsweek
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russian Troops Advance Into Another Ukraine Region: Moscow
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russian soldiers have advanced into Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, the Moscow's Defense Ministry has said. Why It Matters Moscow is pushing into new territory in a region which has remained under Ukrainian control throughout the conflict, while simultaneously blaming Ukraine for stalling peace negotiations. Russian control of the Dnipropetrovsk region, just west of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, would mean a threat to Kyiv from the southeast. What To Know The Russian Defense Ministry said in a post on Telegram on Sunday: "Units of the 90th Tank Division of the Center Forces Group have reached the western border of the Donetsk People's Republic and continue to develop the offensive in the territory of the Dnipropetrovsk region." Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) maps do not yet show the invasion of the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to analysis by the independent Russia-language news channel Agency News. However, the maps show that the combat zone is located in close proximity to the region's border, according to OSINT project DeepState. Pro-Russian blogger Yuriy Podolyaka wrote about the announcement on Telegram, saying: "As they say in such cases, now officially…But in fact, we have already entered there on a fairly wide front." Russian TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov was one of several who previously claimed that the Russian army had entered Dnipropetrovsk in May. Ukrainian authorities denied this at the time, calling the reports and photos circulating about it fake. Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, via email, for comment. Kyiv recently released a map showing what it says are Russia's plans to seize half of Ukraine by the end of next year. The Ukrainian Presidential Office deputy head, Colonel Pavlo Palisa, made the claims, and they were followed by President Donald Trump warning that he would use further sanctions against Moscow if the war dragged on. The map presented by Kyiv shows territorial intentions far beyond the formal demands Moscow has made before it would agree to a ceasefire. Trump has warned of further sanctions on Russia if it drags out peace negotiations. A bipartisan sanctions bill in the U.S. seeks to impose a 500-percent levy on imports from countries that buy Russian oil and raw materials. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service a fire burns following an attack by Russian drones in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, on April 16, 2025. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service a fire burns following an attack by Russian drones in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, on April 16, 2025. AP What People Are Saying The Institute for the Study of War said in its Saturday report: "Any increased economic pressure against Russia—while a positive policy development—by itself is insufficient to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table or change Putin's theory of victory. The continuation of Western military aid to Ukraine remains pivotal to the execution of a pressure campaign against Russia that could force Putin to recalculate his theory of victory." Ukrainian Presidential Office Deputy Head Colonel Pavlo Palisa said Thursday: Russia's "plan for next year is to occupy the whole part of Ukraine which is situated on the left bank of the Dnieper River," and "occupy the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions to cut Ukraine's access to the Black Sea." President Donald Trump said about U.S. sanctions: "If I think Russia will not be making a deal or stopping the bloodshed…I'll use it if it's necessary." What Happens Next Ukraine's response to Russia's claims about the Dnipropetrovsk region is yet to be seen. Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker said on Wednesday that Trump had asked the Senate to postpone voting on the bill, which, if implemented, would impose measures that include:
New Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Satellite proof debunks Pakistan's fake strikes' claims on Indian air bases after Operation Sindoor
In the aftermath of India's precision military campaign, Operation Sindoor, Pakistan ramped up a disinformation campaign, falsely claiming successful strikes on Indian airbases at Adampur in Punjab and Bhuj in Gujarat. However, multiple independent satellite imagery reviews have exposed Islamabad's assertions as fabrications. At the centre of the fact-checking campaign is Damien Symon, a top Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) analyst, who has systematically debunked each claim. His analysis revealed that Pakistan used outdated images, misrepresented routine maintenance as battle damages on Indian forces. Adampur air base: The 'damaged Sukhoi' Pakistani reports had claimed that a China-made JF-17 fighter jet damaged a Sukhoi Su-30 at the Indian Air Force's Adampur air base during the four-day conflict last month. But Symon, using satellite imagery from March 2025, two months before the hostilities, showed that the jet in question was actually a MiG-29 undergoing maintenance. The dark patches Pakistan interpreted as burn marks were consistent with soot from regular engine testing.
