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Rights groups say the crackdown on mass protests has turned even more deadly this week. Protest organizers outside the country now estimate the death toll at more than two thousand people, far higher than earlier counts from activists. Phone service for international calls has been partially restored, but internet access is still sharply restricted across much of the country.

​Iran’s government is facing mounting global pressure as security forces move to crush spreading street protests. Demonstrators have rallied for a third week against economic hardship, political repression, and internet blackouts, even as officials restrict access to social media platforms. Security forces have been accused of firing on crowds, with human rights groups reporting hundreds of deaths and mass arrests.

Marches stretched from Los Angeles to Washington, where demonstrators chanted outside federal buildings and called for state oversight of immigration enforcement. The protests follow the killing of thirty‑seven‑year‑old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during an encounter that remains under investigation.

In a bold maritime operation on Wednesday, U.S. forces seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela’s shadow fleet, one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea. The Coast Guard boarded the vessels amid efforts to redirect oil sales away from the Maduro regime. Officials announced plans to handle 30 to 50 million barrels at market prices with all revenue flowing directly to Washington. This move has stirred chaos in global markets while drawing sharp rebukes from Russia and China.

This happened amid fresh rocket fire that rattled communities across southern borders late Monday. The airstrikes zeroed in on hidden weapon caches and command posts run by Hamas fighters. Palestinian health workers rushed to treat dozens of wounded people caught in the blasts. Global diplomats urged both sides to pull back before the violence spirals out of control.

Streets in the capital and other cities are quieter than usual as people stay inside, watching events unfold on television and social media. Authorities say the main international airport remains open and the National Assembly is still set to be sworn in on Monday. Venezuela’s supreme court has directed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to take over as acting president.