12/02/2026

THURSDAY | FEB 12, 2026

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India imposes three-hour takedown rule

Duo charged with foreign interference CANBERRA: Australian police said yesterday they have charged two Chinese nationals with foreign interference, accusing them of spying on a Buddhist group at the behest of police in China. The pair – a 25-year-old man and a 31-year old woman – have each been charged with one count of “reckless foreign interference”, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment. When the two appear in court, police will allege they worked with a Chinese national charged last August for covertly gathering information on the Guan Yin Citta Buddhist group in Canberra. They are alleged to have worked under the command of China’s Public Security Bureau, the country’s main domestic law enforcement body. China’s Foreign Ministry called on the Australian government to take care in its handling of the case. “China urges Australia to handle the case prudently and properly, and to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens,” Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a news conference, denying knowledge of the specific details of the case. Australia’s federal police said they began investigating the case last year on a tip from Canberra’s spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. China’s sprawling security apparatus has long been accused of infiltrating community organisations as a way to keep tabs on expats and dissidents. Guan Yin Citta describes its goals as encouraging “people to recite Buddhist scriptures, practise life liberation and make great vows to help more people”. Beijing considers the group to be a “cult”. – AFP HONG KONG CONVICTS FATHER OF PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST HONG KONG: A court here convicted the father of a wanted activist yesterday for handling money belonging to his daughter overseas, the first such verdict issued under the city’s national security law. Hong Kong placed a US$128,000 (RM501,985) bounty on pro-democracy advocate Anna Kwok in 2023, and later made it a crime for anyone to deal with an absconder’s funds or other financial assets. Her father Kwok Yin-sang, 69, was found guilty of attempting to withdraw a balance of around US$11,000 by terminating an insurance policy he bought for his daughter when she was an infant. He was the first person charged for this offence and pleaded not guilty at trial. Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi said the defendant clearly knew that his daughter was an absconder and that the insurance policy met the legal definition of funds that belonged to her. – AFP HONG KONG: The Chinese captain of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge of criminal damage, following allegations that his vessel damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Wan Wenguo, 44, the captain of the container ship Newnew Polar Bear , is alleged to have damaged a natural gas pipeline and telecom cables between Finland and Estonia on Oct 8, 2023, according to a charge sheet reviewed by Reuters. It stated that Wan had been “reckless” and “without lawful excuse damaged the property belonging to another”. A lawyer for Wan, Jerry Chung, earlier said 18 prosecution witnesses would be called to testify in the case that includes one charge of criminal damage, as well as two charges of failing to ensure the ship complied with safety requirements. Wan also pleaded not guilty to those two charges. – Reuters CAPTAIN CLAIMS TRIAL IN BALTIC SEA CABLE CASE

NEW DELHI: India’s government said social media companies would have to take down unlawful content within three hours of being notified about it, tightening on Tuesday an earlier 36-hour timeline in what could be a compliance challenge for Meta, YouTube and X. The changes amend India’s 2021 IT rules, which have already been a flashpoint between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and global technology companies. The new regulations will take effect from Feb 20. The move reinforces India’s position as one of the world’s most aggressive regulators of online content, requiring platforms to balance compliance in a market of 1 billion o Critics say online content regulation impractical

social media companies to police content more aggressively, with governments from Brussels to Brasilia demanding faster takedowns and greater accountability. India’s IT rules empower the government to order the removal of content deemed illegal under any of its laws, including those related to national security and public order. The country has issued thousands of takedown orders in recent years, according to platform transparency reports. Meta alone restricted more than 28,000 pieces of content in India in the first six months of last year following government requests, it disclosed. “This rule was never in consultation. International standards provide a longer timeline,” a social media executive said on condition of anonymity. The amended rules also relaxed an earlier proposal that would have required platforms to visibly label AI-generated content across 10% of its surface area or duration, instead mandating that such content be “prominently labelled”. – Reuters

internet users against mounting concerns over government censorship. The government directive did not give any reason for the change in the timeline for takedowns. “It’s practically impossible for social media firms to remove content in three hours,” said Akash Karmakar, a partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu who specialises in technology law. “This assumes no application of mind or real world ability to resist compliance.” India has taken many steps to control online speech, empowering scores of officers in recent years to order content removal. That has often drawn criticism from digital rights advocates and prompted clashes with companies including Elon Musk’s X. Facebook-owner Meta declined to comment on the changes, while X and Alphabet’s Google, which operates YouTube, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There is mounting global pressure on

BR I E F S

Protesters gather in front of Parliament House in Canberra. – AFPPIC

Canberra protest calls for Herzog arrest CANBERRA: Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Australia’s Parliament House yesterday to protest the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. in Gaza during an Israeli airstrike in April 2024, an incident that sparked widespread grief and calls for justice in Australia.

day trip on Monday, with tensions escalating after clashes between police and demonstrators earlier in the week. Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Monday, leading to clashes with police in several locations. Herzog is in Australia on an official visit and has been accompanied by heavy security including police, Israeli security personnel and snipers since his arrival in Sydney, where he met Jewish community leaders following the Bondi shooting in December. Last year, a UN Human Rights Council special commission of inquiry into the war in Gaza said Israel was committing genocide and cited statements made by Herzog in 2023 as evidence of genocidal intent. – Bernama

Albanese confirmed that he raised the issue with the Israeli president during their meeting, along with what he described as “a range of other government concerns”. He emphasised that Canberra expects transparency from Israel as investigations continue. “We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges. We will continue working to ensure transparency and appropriate action,” he said. Protests have continued across Australia against Herzog’s visit since his arrival on a four

They waved Palestinian flags and displayed placards with slogans against Israel, with the rally also drawing support from several politicians, including ACT Senator David Pocock and Greens leader Larissa Waters, ABC News reported. Independent lawmaker Zali Steggall used the occasion to press Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on what accountability Australia would seek from Herzog over the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Frankcom was among several aid workers of the non-profit World Central Kitchen killed