MediaWatch

Web users show solidarity for the victims of a deadly attack on a church in the southern French city of Nice, as #catholique trends online. Also, following the attack, the former Malaysian prime minister published a series of controversial tweets, the most shocking of which was eventually flagged by Twitter but not removed. Many were left wondering what happened to censorship on the social media platform.

Lockdown flashbacks: The French online community reacts to "Confinement Season Two" after President Emmanuel Macron announces a second nationwide lockdown. In other news, Charlie Hebdo strikes again with a new cartoon of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

After a newborn baby was found abandoned in the toilets at Doha International Airport, 13 Australian women had to undergo a forced "genital examination" before boarding their flight from Doha to Sydney. The newborn is still unidentified, according to Hamad International Airport. In other news, Lebanon has its own version of "Lady Liberty": a new statue has been unveiled, made of glass, metals and debris from the Beirut port explosion. Finally, Kazakhstan capitalizes on Borat's sequel and creates a "Very nice!" tourism ad using the character's catchphrase.

A statue of General Baquedano in Chile, which was painted and repainted red during demonstrations, has become a symbol of sometimes violent protests in the country. But first: the beheaded teacher in France was the "victim of an angry social media campaign", according to Reuters. In other news, a cat geoglyph that dates back to 200-100 BC has been found in Peru's Nazca hills. The geoglyph emerged during maintenance work at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The killing of more than one million minks has started in Denmark. The animals will be culled due to a massive Covid-19 outbreak in nearly 60 mink fur farms in North Jutland. In response, the Dutch government has ordered all mink fur farms to permanently close by March 2021. In other news, Disney strengthens its content advisory for racism in many of its classic films, including "Peter Pan" and "Dumbo". And we discover a coronavirus ad gone wrong in Berlin.

#BoycottNBC is trending, as the network faces a backlash for scheduling the Trump event at the same time as Biden’s ABC town hall. In other news, a French museum has had to cancel an exhibit on Genghis Khan after an interference by the Chinese government. Chinese authorities asked the museum to remove the words “Genghis Khan”, “Mongol”, and “empire” from the exhibit. The museum’s director accuses the Chinese government of “censorship” and “attempts to rewrite history”.

Argentina has recorded 485 deaths in a single day, its highest tally since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, France is introducing new legislation to protect child stars on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. It's the first country to do so. In other news: Happy 80th birthday to John Lennon! The slain Beatle's birthday is being marked around the world, nearly 40 years after his assassination.

As the spread of Covid-19 continues to worsen in France, some of the worst affected areas have been placed on maximum alert. But are the new measures enough, or should there be another lockdown? Plus, the fly that stole the show at the vice presidential debate. 

The vice presidential debate "actually matters this time", according to the Washington Post and other media. Meanwhile, in environmental headlines: last month was the hottest September ever on record, the Amazon rainforest could become a savannah and California has its first "gigafire" in modern history. In other news, tributes pour in on social media following the death of Eddie Van Halen at 65.

In Chile, protests restart where they left off before the pandemic; a video of a 16-year-old boy being thrown off a bridge by police has gone viral and sparked outrage in the country. Here in France, restaurants in the capital now have to register contact details for customers, a measure that already exists in neighbouring countries such as Portugal, Italy and Germany. But many find the measure controversial.

In a positive twist, the LGBTQ community seizes the Proud Boys hashtag and posts images of love, not hate. Meanwhile, the hashtag #Rihannaiscancelled is trending. The pop star faces backlash for using a song containing an Islamic hadith during her Savage X Fenty show; many are accusing her of cultural appropriation. But first, we look the many ways Donald Trump is being accused of "staging" his appearances over the weekend.

We take at the look at some of the flood of reactions on the internet to Donald Trump testing positive for Covid-19. Plus, as tensions rise with Armenia, Azerbaijan's military has released a bizarre music video. And has new Netflix show "Emily in Paris" hit the mark? Not if you ask the French.

Leaked documents about how the British government is considering treating asylum seekers have caused an outcry. The leaks were published by different news sources, detailing how Downing Street and the Home Office plan to crack down on migration. Proposals range from sending migrants to offshore asylum centres to having asylum seekers processed on disused floating ferries. Critics and the opposition consider the plans to be "inhumane". Meanwhile in France, #FreeUyghurs is trending in light of Chinese National Day.

We take a look at some of the many hashtags surrounding US President Donald Trump’s tax returns. Following the New York Times's bombshell findings, Twitter is alight with anger, disgust and humour. #750dollars #FakeBillionaire and #VoteHimOut are just some of the many trending terms. The 45th POTUS says the reports are all "Fake News". We also look at how the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is playing out online. The social media discussion is a polarised one, with official accounts from both Armenia and Azerbaijan pointing the finger of blame at each other.  

We take a look at online reactions to the stabbing in Paris that left two journalists badly injured. The attack in Paris's 11th district seems symbolic to many, taking place as it did outside Charlie Hebdo's former offices, and as alleged accomplices in the 2015 terrorist attack stand trial.

Uncle Ben's rice has rebranded as Ben's Original. The brand announced the name and logo change in an effort to eliminate racist imagery. Following the Black Lives Matter movement, other brands have made similar changes. Meanwhile in France, new restrictive measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 have been met with a backlash. Demonstrations will be held in Marseille on Friday as protesters say "no to a reconfinement of the economy".  

Many airlines including Qantas are following the trend. People who miss flying can now take a flight with destination of nowhere. This was the airline's fastest-selling flight in its history, as people rush to buy roundtrip scenic flights that land where you depart. In other news, we look at Charlie Hebdo's never-ending battle for "liberté". French media are supporting the satirical weekly in an open letter, following new death threats against its staff. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s UN speech draws backlash over environmental issues.  

From today in France, the Covid-19 rules in primary schools are being relaxed. But with cases continuing to rise, the move is worrying some parents and teachers. Meanwhile, the UK is bringing in new restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, as the public mood grows more critical of the government. Finally, we take a look at reactions to the UN General Assembly's 75th session - a virtual event which is also being called the world's worst Zoom meeting.

Donald Trump has said that he will announce his nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by the end of the week, just weeks before the presidential election. The announcement has inflamed Democrats, who insist the decision should wait until after the vote. A Trump nomination would tilt the court 6-3 in favour of conservatives. Meanwhile in France, there's debate over what exactly constitutes "Republican attire" for schoolchildren.

Donald Trump is setting up a “Patriotic Education Commission” to promote a "pro-American curriculum" in US schools–or a propagandist “Hitler Youth” programme, as some commentators see it. Elsewhere, women protesters in Belarus and an anonymous website targeting Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, are both employing a doxing strategy.

The retail brand maintains that they have an ‘indirect business relationship’ with a yarn supplier in Xinjiang province accused of using forced labour by Uyghur Muslims. Meanwhile, what are the so-called ‘Anti-LGBT free zones’ in Poland?

The candidate has been struggling with Cuban and Venezuelan voters. Trump tweeted a video of a Biden event that Twitter labelled ‘manipulated media.’ In other news, we may run out of names for hurricanes in this year’s record-breaking season.  

French President Emmanuel Macron compares the dismissal of 5G technology to an "Amish model". Opponents say he is avoiding the debate over the health and environmental issues tied to the development of a 5G network. But first, online and offline, jailed Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni becomes a symbol of press freedom. In other news, actor John Boyega quits as Jo Malone's brand ambassador. The British perfume brand replaced him with a Chinese star for the campaign in China, in an ad that features Boyega's personal story.

The Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris was seen wearing a pair of low-rise black Converse during a campaign appearance in Milwaukee. The online community is praising the move as it resonates with different voters. Meanwhile in France, the hashtag #Lundi14Septembre is trending, as female students urge others to dress "provocatively" or "indecently" to protest sexism and harassment in school.

A French movie called "Mignonnes" ("Cuties") that arrived on Netflix this week has been met with controversy. Critics of the film say it sexualizes young women, while many argue that the initial marketing of the film didn't do it justice. In other news, big tech names have announced major changes to their platforms. The efforts by Google, Twitter and Facebook aim to avoid misinformation before the upcoming elections in the US.

A woman has been denied entry to Paris's Musée d'Orsay due to a plunging neckline. The museum issued an apology on Twitter, after the young lady denounced the incident through an open letter on the social network. She was ultimately able to enter after putting on a jacket. Meanwhile, Britain's Got Talent receives more than 10,000 complaints over the group Diversity's BLM inspired-performance. Critics said the performance was "overtly political" and "inappropriate for BGT", while others viewed it as "powerful".  

A video of a man shooting himself originated on Facebook and has now been circulating on TikTok for days. The TikTok community is advising users to stay away from the platform until the video has been completely removed. Meanwhile, French daily newspaper L’Humanité has published and later unpublished a controversial cartoon - we tell you why.

American Airlines has created a new policy allowing staff members to wear Black Lives Matter pin badges while on duty. While many support the move, others consider it to be offensive. Meanwhile, there's a revival of the #BoycottMulan campaign, after the Disney remake was released this weekend. The boycott originated last year when the film's lead actress, Liu Yifei, voiced public support for the Hong Kong police.

As the trial begins of alleged accomplices in the 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting, the satirical magazine has republished cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed - we take a look at reactions. Also, Emmanuel Macron awards Lebanese singer and icon Fairouz with the Legion of Honour - the diva is symbol of unity in a divided country. 

Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Beirut for his second visit since the massive blast there one month ago. Meanwhile, Lebanese Twitter users are not convinced by the new prime minister, saying the change is purely superficial. Elsewhere, the far-right French magazine Valeurs Actuelles is under fire for depicting a left-wing MP of African heritage as a slave with chains around her neck. Finally, British singer Adele is criticised for dressing up as a Jamaican for London's Notting Hill Carnival, but many online are defending her. 

As the rate of contagion of the coronavirus continued to speed up across much of the world, and the World Health Organization declared a pandemic… some good news came in the form of a 23-year jail sentence for convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein. We take a look at online reaction to both stories.

Individual cases of those who have caught coronavirus are grabbing headlines, such as the culture minister here in France. Meanwhile, as markets suffer a disastrous day in the US, we take a look at online reactions. Finally, the fear factor is expanding - we take a look at some examples.

A memoir by film director Woody Allen has been dropped by publishers Hachette Book Group after its employees staged a walkout in protest at the plan. Staff said they stood in solidarity with Ronan and Dylan Farrow, Allen's estranged children, as well as other victims of alleged sexual assault; Dylan Farrow accuses Allen of having molested her in the 1990s. Last year, Hachette Book Group published Ronan Farrow's best-selling book, "Catch and Kill", about the #MeToo movement. Earlier this week, Farrow blasted the company for not informing him about the project to publish Allen's memoir.

The "ideological poles of the party" have emerged as the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination: Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. We take a closer look at coverage.

It was wall-to-wall coverage of the coronavirus again today - we take a look at some of the ways the epidemic is being covered. 

It's a "cri de coeur" written by French writer Virginie Despentes and published in the daily paper Libération. In it, Despentes launches a blistering attack on the world of French cinema but also goes on to criticise a broader culture of impunity in France when it comes to the powerful and how they treat the weak. Firstly though, we look at tensions between Greece and Turkey connected to the refugee emergency emerging from Idlib, Syria. 

The César Awards are France's equivalent of the Oscars, but they're mired in controversy this year. Roman Polanski's latest film has received 12 nominations, but many feel the convicted child rapist should not be honoured for his work. There are protests outside the ceremony in Paris. Polanski and his cast and crew have chosen not to attend. One French actress has accused the country of "missing the boat" when it comes to #MeToo. There are others, though, who believe art and crime should be judged independently of one another. 

Fears of a coronavirus epidemic play into the hands of those who for political, ideological reasons would like to see a return of hard borders in Europe. Elsewhere, the virus is becoming a political football in the US. Finally, sales of Corona beer have slumped. 

In Iran, Italy, the US and elsewhere, a fear factor is spreading over risk of a coronavirus pandemic - we take a look at some online reactions and coverage. 

Narendra Modi's policies have sparked bitter divisions in India between Hindus and Muslims and this has spilled onto the streets of the capital. The lightning rod for the latest unrest is a citizenship law that discriminates against Muslims. 

Harvey Weinstein's conviction for rape has lit up social media - we take a look at some notable reactions. Meanwhile, it's all mutual love and backslapping in India as Donald Trump pays a visit although unrest on the streets of New Delhi has also generated a lot of reaction. Finally, a cat stands for local elections in Rennes, France.

A harrowing video of a 9-year-old boy - taunted because of his dwarfism - has produced a global reaction. The recording of Quaden Bayles, in a state of desperation, has prompted calls for kindness, celebrity support and epic crowdfunding success. Plus, what does Donald Trump have against "Parasite"? 

Not for the first time, a French president has launched a campaign against political Islam in the run-up to elections. Some question whether the move is a bid to win over conservative voters ahead of upcoming local elections. Elsewhere, China has expelled three journalists from the Wall Street Journal in what appears to be retaliation for the US authorities listing five Chinese media as propaganda machines.

Reality TV presenter Caroline Flack ended her own life last Saturday, leading to an outpouring of grief in the UK; many felt they personally knew Flack because of her presence on social media. Yet this proximity with the public was a double-edged sword, with recent turmoil in her private life playing out in the tabloids and on social networks. Elsewhere, a Syrian father has found a heroic way of preventing his daughter from experiencing trauma amidst shelling. Finally, a cartoon that speaks volumes about how the private lives of French politicians have been changed by technology.

The shock resignation of Benjamin Griveaux from Paris's mayoral race continues to resonate here in France. Was Russia involved in bringing down an ally of Emmanuel Macron? Did Twitter censor some of the related content circulating on its platform last week? Also, we take a look at a blackface scandal on French TV.

Benjamin Griveaux will not be standing in next month's Paris mayoral election. The president's chosen candidate has pulled out, condemning "ignoble attacks" against him, after a sex tape and other images were posted online. Opinion is divided over whether the married father of three has a right to a private life, a long-held French belief that's protected many politicians in the past, or - if by sending such images - he's violated his own privacy. The man behind the revelations - a Russian artist in exile - says he wanted to expose Griveaux's hypocrisy over family values. 

The French president visited the Alps on Thursday, drawing attention to rapidly melting glaciers and broader climate change concerns. Internet users were sceptical and the term "greenwashing" was used frequently. Elsewhere, French political figure Isabelle Balkany has gone viral for a pose she struck while waiting for her husband to be released from prison on tax fraud charges. 

The battle to decide who'll take on Donald Trump in the next US presidential election has taken a dramatic turn. Former VP Joe Biden has suffered a heavy blow in New Hampshire, but is there time to bounce back? Meanwhile, many have been left wondering if Bernie Sanders' win was convincing enough. Plus, what did Chevy Chase have to do with anything?

Grief and anger have prompted strong reactions to the death of a whistleblower in China. Dr Li Wenliang has fallen victim to the coronavirus he tried to warn people about back in December. Silenced by the police, he has become a symbol of Chinese state censorship. Even his death was reportedly manipulated by the authorities. 

As Donald Trump's impeachment saga comes to a close, we take a look at viral moments that speak volumes about the dumbing down of American political life. Meanwhile in Germany, theatrical stunts are also at the centre of a political drama in the state of Thuringia. 

A teenager from Grenoble is at the centre of a debate on freedom of speech and the right to blaspheme, after she became a target of death threats for criticising Islam online. The divisive discussion that has followed is a reminder of the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo shooting. The satirical weekly's mockery of religion led its top cartoonists to be killed by vengeful jihadists. #JeSuisMila (I am Mila) is the online campaign of support for free speech in all its forms, even when it offends, in an echo of the #JeSuisCharlie hashtag that emerged after the 2015 terror attack.