Politics
China penalises ByteDance and Alibaba platforms in content crackdown
China’s top internet regulator said Tuesday it would take action against ByteDance-owned news app Jinri Toutiao and Alibaba’s internet browser company UCWeb for allegedly displaying harmful content, a day after announcing a two-month social media crackdown.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) vowed on Monday to combat content containing “malicious incitement of conflict” and “negative outlooks on life such as world-weariness”.
Beijing requires social media companies to moderate content on their platforms, with posts strictly controlled to avoid anything deemed to be too subversive, vulgar, pornographic or generally harmful.
The CAC had already announced penalties this month against three popular digital platforms— micro-blogging platform Weibo, short video app Kuaishou and Instagram-like Xiaohongshu—for allegedly neglecting content management duties.
Authorities have not specified what punitive actions are being taken against those platforms.
The CAC said on Tuesday that measures taken against news aggregator app Toutiao included “summoning the company for a meeting, ordering rectification within a specified time limit, issuing a warning, and strictly dealing with those responsible”.
The platform had failed to fulfil its primary responsibility of managing information content and allowed “harmful content” to appear on the main section of its trending search list, “thereby damaging the online ecosystem”, the statement said.
It gave no further details about the content type or punishments.
“Internet regulators will continue to focus on prominent illegal and non-compliant activities that undermine the online ecosystem,” the CAC added.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, the CAC said it would take similar measures against UCWeb after the Alibaba-owned platform displayed entries relating to “extremely sensitive and malicious” events and topics such as “online violence and the privacy of minors”.
The two-month campaign announced on Monday by the CAC aims “to regulate the malicious incitement of conflict and the promotion of violence and vicious currents”, the CAC said.
The statement then listed specific online issues authorities hope to tackle in the crackdown, including “exploiting social hot spots to forcibly associate identity, region or gender with other information, stigmatising and hyping them”.
NEW YORK: United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for an immediate end to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, the US president said that Washington would continue playing its role in promoting peace worldwide.
He said that recognition of a Palestinian state would be too great a reward for Hamas, repeating his call for the release of hostages, dead or alive.
“Those who supported peace should united in demanding the release of the hostages, he added.
“As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognise the Palestinian state. The rewards would be too great for Hamas,” he said.
During his address, Trump pledged that his administration will lead an international effort to enforce a biological weapons convention by pioneering an AI verification system
“I’m … calling on every nation to join us in ending the development of biological weapons once and for all,” he said.
Trump said that Iran can never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
“My position is very simple: The world’s number one sponsor of terror cannot be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon,” Trump added.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh has passed away, the Saudi News Agency reported on Tuesday.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered their condolences to his family, the Saudi people, and the Islamic world.
According to Saudi media, the funeral prayer of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh will be held after Asr prayer at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
“With the passing of Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world have lost a distinguished scholar who made significant contributions to the service of Islam and Muslims,” the Royal Court stated.
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh was appointed as Saudi Grand Mufti by King Fahd in 1999 as the successor of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Baz.
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh was also the president of the Council of Senior Scholars and had also performed the duties of delivering the Hajj sermons.
Furthermore, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has ordered that his funeral prayers in absentia also be performed at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and in all mosques across the Kingdom.
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, has passed away at the age of 82 after a period of illness (Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un).
According to official announcements, his funeral prayer will be held at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque after the Asr prayer.
In addition, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has directed that absentee funeral prayers (Salat al-Gha’ib) be offered for the late Grand Mufti at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and in all mosques across the Kingdom after Asr.
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh served as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, head of the Council of Senior Scholars, and President of the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Ifta.
He was the third Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, following Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh and Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz.
Born on November 30, 1943, in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz lost his father before the age of eight. Despite his early hardships, he memorised the Holy Qur’an at a young age and later lost his eyesight in his twenties.
His dedication to religious learning led him to pursue higher studies in Shariah, and he went on to serve in various scholarly councils and as the imam and khateeb of Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque. He also delivered important sermons at Masjid Namirah during Hajj.
Throughout his career, Sheikh Abdulaziz authored numerous scholarly works on Islamic jurisprudence, faith, and matters of halal and haram.
His contributions included collections of fatwas, research writings, and guidance on key religious issues, which were widely followed across the Muslim world.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended their deepest condolences to the family of the late Grand Mufti, the Saudi people, and Muslims worldwide.
American brand Gap Inc appoints UMPG CEO Jody Gerson to its board
DHS Has Been Collecting US Citizens’ DNA for Years
At UNGA, Trump calls for immediate end to Gaza war
-
Fashion1 week agoUK retailer ASOS & ITF sign deal to protect transport workers’ rights
-
Tech1 week agoHow AI Is Upending Politics, Tech, the Media, and More
-
Fashion1 week agoIndia’s new GST makes artisan-made ethnic wear costlier
-
Fashion1 week agoONLY, RE&UP, Deniz Partner to Advance Circular Fashion
-
Tech1 week agoApple’s iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 Are Available Now. Here’s What’s New on Your iPhone and iPad
-
Tech1 week agoThe Moccamaster Is Built for a Lifetime—and You Can Save $40 Right Now
-
Fashion1 week agoFrance’s Kering & Mayhoola reaffirm long-term Valentino partnership
-
Fashion6 days agoCanadian brand Roots’ Q2 FY25 sales rise 6.3%, DTC growth hits 12.7%