Meta bans Russian state media outlets over 'foreign interference activity'
San Francisco: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced on Monday that it is banning Russian state media networks from its platforms worldwide, alleging that the outlets had employed deceptive tactics for covert influence operations online.
"After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity," the world’s biggest social media company stated.
The company noted that the enforcement of the ban would be implemented over the coming days. Meta's platforms include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.
This move follows allegations from the United States that RT and its employees funnelled $10 million through shell entities to covertly fund influence campaigns on social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube, according to an unsealed indictment reported by AFP.
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Chandrababu Naidu alleges animal fat used in Tirupati laddu during YSRCP regime; YSR Congress denies
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in making the famous Tirupati laddu, a consecrated sweet, during the previous YSRCP government.
However, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRC party has denied the charges.
The Tirupati Laddu prasadam is given at the revered Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
"Even Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients...they used animal fat instead of ghee," claimed Naidu while addressing an NDA legislature party meeting here on Wednesday.
The CM asserted that pure ghee was now being used and everything has been sanitised at the temple, leading to improved quality.
However, senior YSRCP leader and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy termed Naidu's allegation as "malicious" and said that the TDP supremo would "stoop to any level for political gain".
Taking to X, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh targeted the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration over the issue.
“The Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala is our most sacred temple. I am shocked to learn that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee in the Tirupati Prasadam,” he said.
Targeting the previous YSRCP government, Lokesh alleged that it could not respect the religious sentiments of crores of devotees.
YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subba Reddy, who served as the chairman of TTD for two terms, alleged that Naidu had severely damaged the sanctity of the holy Tirumala and the faith of crores of Hindus with his comments.
“His comments about the Tirumala prasadam are extremely malicious. No person would speak such words or make such accusations,” said Subba Reddy in a post on X.
