China shuts down websites, deletes posts in crackdown on online "rumors"April 13, 2012 - 00:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - China has closed 42 websites and deleted more than 210,000 posts since mid-March in a crackdown on online "rumors", state media said Thursday, as a major political scandal rocked the country. According to AFP, the announcement on the official Xinhua news agency came as Chinese authorities ramped up efforts to control online speculation about the purge of a top leader whose wife is suspected in the murder of a British businessman. It did not refer to this week's dramatic developments surrounding the high-profile and populist former leader Bo Xilai, who was sacked as Chongqing party secretary last month. But China's weibos - microblogs similar to Twitter that have taken the country by storm -- have buzzed with speculation about Bo's suspension from the powerful 25-member Politburo and the investigation of his wife for murder. "Actions of creating and spreading rumors via the Internet disrupt public order and undermine social stability, and will never be tolerated," the report quoted Liu Zhengrong, an official with the State Internet Information Office, which controls the web, as saying. Authorities have stepped up their efforts to censor sensitive information amid fears of political instability ahead of a generational transfer of power due to take place later this year. Last month, two leftist political websites said they had been ordered to shut down for a month for "rectification" after they had "maliciously attacked state leaders" and given "absurd views" about politics. The latest announcement of site closures came after China said last month it had shut down websites, made a string of arrests and punished two popular microblogs after rumors of a coup that followed Bo's sacking. Authorities closed 16 websites for spreading rumors of "military vehicles entering Beijing and something wrong going on in Beijing", Xinhua said at the time. Police arrested six people and the country's two most popular microblogs introduced posting restrictions for three days after a surge in online rumors about a coup led by China's security chief Zhou Yongkang. In an editorial, the People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, pledged to punish those responsible for the "lies and speculation", but the crackdown drew swift condemnation online. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |