Reuters has removed a four-minute video of a private conversation between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping after Chinese state television withdrew its legal permission for the footage. The video, which captured the leaders discussing the possibility of a person living to 150 years of age, was distributed to over a thousand media outlets before the takedown request. Reuters complied with CCTV’s demand to remove the video from its website and notified its customers, citing exceeded license terms and the “editorial treatment applied to this material.” Despite the removal, Reuters maintains the accuracy of the published content and sees no violation of its journalistic standards.
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On Thursday, the K.P. Sharma Oli government banned 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube, due to their failure to register in Nepal by the imposed deadline. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology instructed the Nepal Telecommunication Authority to make the unregistered sites inactive after repeated requests and a final seven-day ultimatum. Critics, such as the Center for Media Research, condemn the ban as detrimental to Nepal’s democratic image, arguing that the government’s stringent oversight conditions likely deterred platform registration. This action follows a Supreme Court ruling mandating platform registration, with the government facing prior criticism for attempts to control online activity and previous bans on platforms like TikTok.
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Alberta has temporarily paused its book ban, originally intended to regulate discussions on gender identity, sexual orientation, and human sexuality, after concerns arose over the removal of classic literary works from school libraries. The initial ambiguity of the ban led to school boards interpreting it broadly, including dystopian novels like *The Handmaid’s Tale* and *1984* in the list of books slated for removal. Premier Danielle Smith stated the pause would allow officials to clarify the policy, specifying that the ban targets books with pornographic images while preserving classic literature. Smith accused school boards of “vicious compliance” and playing “games” during the implementation of the ban.
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The FDA’s chief vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad, demanded the removal of six YouTube videos featuring himself, which were hosted on a channel run by Dr. Jonathan Howard, a critic of medical misinformation. Howard’s entire channel, containing numerous videos of doctors and commentators, was subsequently deleted by YouTube, citing copyright infringement. Howard stated his intention was to preserve public comments made by these individuals during the early pandemic. The videos were a collection of public statements. A spokesperson for the FDA stated Howard’s actions constituted copyright violation and that the videos remain available on Prasad’s podcast channel.
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In an effort to uncover bias in Wikipedia articles, House Republicans are launching an investigation and demanding the Wikimedia Foundation reveal the identities of editors who have edited articles perceived as critical of Israel. The investigation, led by Reps. Comer and Mace, requests identifying information on editors, potentially leading to doxing, a practice that could result in harassment. This probe aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s long-standing goal to unmask Wikipedia editors it deems biased. Critics express concerns that this investigation is a politically motivated attempt to censor unflattering information about Israel.
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The US government is reportedly demanding that most states remove sex education materials referencing transgender and non-binary people. This directive, issued by the Trump administration, threatens to withhold federal funding from educational institutions that fail to comply by a specified deadline. The Department of Health and Human Services asserts that teaching “gender ideology” falls outside the scope of the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) funding criteria, which could see over $81.3 million cut. The move is viewed as part of the President’s commitment to protect children, with the Human Rights Campaign stating it is another aspect of the ongoing fight to erase government recognition of transgender people.
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Several Florida cities are facing deadlines to remove rainbow crosswalks after being ordered to do so by the state’s transportation department. The directive follows a July 1st federal guidance from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, stating roads are for safety, not political messages, which prompted the orders. Some local communities are complying with the order, while others, such as St. Petersburg, are protesting the removals. Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has supported the removals, as they believe roads should not be used for social or political expression.
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The White House, under President Trump’s direction, has released a list of objectionable exhibits and artwork at various Smithsonian museums, claiming the institution is too “woke.” The list, published with the headline “President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian,” targets content related to race, slavery, immigration, and transgender identity. White House officials stated the administration aims to remove “divisive ideology.” The Smithsonian, in response, maintains its commitment to factual historical presentation.
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HarperCollins is removing claims about Melania Trump and her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein from future editions of Andrew Lownie’s book, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.” The decision was made to mitigate potential legal risks, following Melania’s threat to sue Hunter Biden over similar allegations. This action comes after the book had already been published in around 60,000 copies. The book also contains claims about Prince Andrew’s relationship with Epstein.
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A federal judge has invalidated significant portions of a Florida law enabling parents to remove objectionable books from schools, siding with publishers and authors who challenged the legislation. Judge Carlos Mendoza found the law’s ban on material describing sexual conduct to be overly broad and its interpretation unconstitutional. Consequently, schools are instructed to adhere to a U.S. Supreme Court standard for assessing whether a work is obscene. The ruling comes after the removal of numerous books, including literary classics, spurred by the law passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature.
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John Q. Hosedrinker