'The Guardian' exits X, citing platform’s “Toxic Environment”
London, Nov 14: The Guardian, a prominent UK-based media outlet, has announced it will no longer post content on its X account (formerly Twitter), citing a “toxic media environment” as the reason for its exit. In a statement on its website, The Guardian said that the “benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives” and indicated that its resources would be better allocated to other platforms that effectively promote its journalism.
The Guardian has raised concerns over “disturbing content” frequently promoted on X, including far-right conspiracy theories and racist rhetoric, which has intensified during the US presidential election campaign. “This is something we have been considering for a while,” the statement read, adding that the platform’s influence under Elon Musk’s ownership has “shaped political discourse” in concerning ways. The statement also mentioned that the media outlet’s presence on X “plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” urging readers to support its journalism directly on its website.
Although The Guardian will stop posting on X, it confirmed that users will still be able to share its stories on the platform. Additionally, the organization may embed posts from X in its articles, and reporters will continue to use the platform for “news-gathering purposes.”
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, widely criticized for his transformation of Twitter into X after acquiring the platform in 2022, was appointed head of a new government department by President-elect Donald Trump. Alongside politician Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk will co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In his announcement, Trump praised Musk and Ramaswamy as “two wonderful Americans” who will work to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies” in line with his administration’s “Save America” movement.
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Bondi Beach shooting suspect conducted firearms training with his father, Australian police say
Melbourne (AP): A man accused of killing 15 people at Sydney's Bondi Beach conducted firearms training in an area of New South Wales state outside of Sydney with his father, Australian police documents released on Monday allege.
The men recorded a video about their justification for the meticulously planned attack, according to a police statement of facts that was made public following Naveed Akram's video court appearance Monday from a Sydney hospital where he has been treated for an abdominal injury.
Officers wounded Akram at the scene of the Dec. 14 shooting and killed his father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram.
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The New South Wales state government confirmed Naveed Akram was transferred on Monday from a hospital to a prison. Neither facility was identified by authorities.
The statement alleges the 24-year-old and his father began their attack by throwing four improvised explosive devices toward a crowd celebrating an annual Jewish event at Bondi Beach, but the devices failed to explode.
Police described the devices as three aluminium pipe bombs and a tennis ball bomb containing an explosive, black powder and steel ball bearings. None detonated, but police described them as “viable” IEDs.
Authorities have charged Akram with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder in relation to the wounded survivors and one count of committing a terrorist act.
The antisemitic attack at the start of the eight-day Hanukkah celebration was Australia's worst mass shooting since a lone gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania state in 1996.
The New South Wales government introduced draft laws to Parliament on Monday that Premier Chris Minns said would become the toughest in Australia.
The new restrictions would include making Australian citizenship a condition of qualifying for a firearms license. That would have excluded Sajid Akram, who was an Indian citizen with a permanent resident visa.
Sajid Akram also legally owned six rifles and shotguns. A new legal limit for recreational shooters would be a maximum of four guns.
Police said a video found on Naveed Akram's phone shows him with his father "reciting their political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack.”
The men are seen in the video “condemning the acts of Zionists” while they also “adhere to a religiously motivated ideology linked to the Islamic State,” police said.
Video shot in October shows them “firing shotguns and moving in a tactical manner” on grassland surrounded by trees, police said.
“There is evidence that the Accused and his father meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months,” police allege.
