Musk says Twitter has suspended rapper Ye over swastika post
Twitter has suspended rapper Ye after he tweeted a picture of a swastika merged with the Star of David.
It is the second time this year that Ye has been suspended from the platform over antisemitic posts.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk confirmed the suspension by replying to Ye's post of an unflattering photo of Musk. Ye called it his "final tweet."
"I tried my best. Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended," Musk tweeted.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has made a series of antisemitic comments in recent weeks. On Thursday, Ye praised Hitler in an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Ye's remarks have led to his suspension from social media platforms, his talent agency dropping him and companies like Adidas cutting ties with him. The sportswear manufacturer has also launched an investigation into his conduct.
Ye was suspended from Twitter in early October after saying in a post that he was going to go "death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE." His account was reinstated by the end of the month just as Musk took control of the company, but the billionaire tweeted that "Ye's account was restored by Twitter before the acquisition. They did not consult with or inform me."
Twitter's longtime practice before Musk took over was to suspend offending users temporarily and to escalate that to a permanent ban only if they kept breaking the rules. Musk has said he wants to avoid permanent bans and that speech should be allowed so long as it doesn't break the law in the countries where Twitter operates.
But Musk is now under pressure to clean up Twitter after changes he made following his purchase of the platform resulted in what watchdog groups say is a rise in racist, antisemitic and other toxic speech.
A report published Friday by the Anti-Defamation League said Musk's moves have empowered extremists on the platform. The ADL said that in its role as a "trusted flagger" of antisemitic tweets, it reported two batches to the company on Nov. 2 – just days after Musk took over – and again on Nov. 17 after he had changed its policies and slashed Twitter's workforce.
"In two weeks, Twitter went from taking action on 60% of antisemitic tweets to taking action on only 30%," the group said.
ADL said it has noted both more antisemitic content and less moderation of antisemitic posts, a situation it says is likely to grow worse because of the cuts to Twitter's content-moderation staff.
A top European Union official warned Musk this week that Twitter needs to do a lot more to protect users from hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content ahead of tough new rules requiring tech companies to better police their platforms, under threat of big fines or even a ban in the 27-nation bloc.
Ye's Twitter ouster came after his bid to buy the right wing-leaning social media site Parler was called off. Ye had offered Parler in October, but Parlement Technologies, which owns Parler, said Thursday that the deal had fallen through.
"This decision was made in the interest of both parties in mid-November," Parlement Technologies said.
Parler is a small platform in the emerging space of right-leaning, far-right and libertarian social apps that promise little to no content moderation to weed out hate speech, racism and misinformation, among other objectionable content. None of the sites have come close to reaching mainstream status.
The rapper now appears to have migrated to another right-wing platform, former U.S. president Donald Trump's Truth Social, where an account under Ye's name posted about Musk on Friday. A representative for Truth Social didn't respond to a request for comment but Ye's profile carried a red check mark "reserved for well known, highly searched VIPs" to show the account is genuine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PM Trudeau presenting premiers with health-care funding offer
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is presenting the federal government's offer for billions in new health-care funding to the provinces and territories at a highly anticipated meeting in Ottawa today. At the first in-person meeting of all First Ministers in years, Trudeau is set to outline how much money his government is willing to provide, and what his expectations are for improving care.
Newborn, toddler saved from rubble in quake-hit Syrian town
Residents digging through a collapsed building in a northwest Syrian town discovered a crying infant whose mother appears to have given birth to her while buried underneath the rubble from this week's devastating earthquake, relatives and a doctor said Tuesday.
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
One-third of households say they're financially worse off compared to year ago: poll
A new poll finds one-third of Canadian households say their financial situation has worsened over the last year. According to a Leger poll commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, 34 per cent of Canadian households say they're financially worse off compared with a year ago.
U.S. actor facing sex charges in Nevada also facing charge in B.C.
A former actor in the movie 'Dances With Wolves' who is facing eight sex-related charges in Nevada is also facing a charge in British Columbia.
Quake deaths pass 6,200 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a powerful earthquake. The death toll soared above 6,200 and was still expected to rise.
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands pledge Ukraine Leopard 1 tanks
Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands say they plan to provide Ukraine with at least 100 refurbished Leopard 1 battle tanks.
Canada announces $10 million in aid to Turkiye, Syria after deadly earthquake
Ottawa says Canada will contribute $10 million to earthquake relief efforts in Turkiye and Syria as part of an initial aid package.
U.K. police officer, exposed as serial rapist, jailed for life
A former London police officer was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years for raping and sexually assaulting a dozen women over a 17-year period.
Canada
-
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
-
PM Trudeau presenting premiers with health-care funding offer
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is presenting the federal government's offer for billions in new health-care funding to the provinces and territories at a highly anticipated meeting in Ottawa today. At the first in-person meeting of all First Ministers in years, Trudeau is set to outline how much money his government is willing to provide, and what his expectations are for improving care.
-
Mother charged with sexual abuse of toddler in Edmonton area after FBI tip
A Strathcona County toddler has been rescued from suspected sexual exploitation, and the child's mother has been charged, police said.
-
Dog named Kujo likely to 'kill or injure,' B.C. court rules in euthanasia decision
A dog named Kujo will be euthanized after a B.C. judge determined the animal is "likely to kill or injure" if released from the pound.
-
U.S. actor facing sex charges in Nevada also facing charge in B.C.
A former actor in the movie 'Dances With Wolves' who is facing eight sex-related charges in Nevada is also facing a charge in British Columbia.
-
Thieves cut huge hole in Ottawa restaurant wall to get at jewelry store next door
An Ottawa restaurateur says he was shocked to find his restaurant broken into and even more surprised to discover a giant hole in the wall that led to the neighbouring jewelry store.
World
-
Residents kept out as air checked near derailed Ohio train
It's unclear when evacuated residents might be able to return home to the area where officials released and burned toxic chemicals from the wreckage of a derailed train, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.
-
Quake deaths pass 6,200 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a powerful earthquake. The death toll soared above 6,200 and was still expected to rise.
-
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands pledge Ukraine Leopard 1 tanks
Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands say they plan to provide Ukraine with at least 100 refurbished Leopard 1 battle tanks.
-
U.K. police officer, exposed as serial rapist, jailed for life
A former London police officer was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years for raping and sexually assaulting a dozen women over a 17-year period.
-
Newborn, toddler saved from rubble in quake-hit Syrian town
Residents digging through a collapsed building in a northwest Syrian town discovered a crying infant whose mother appears to have given birth to her while buried underneath the rubble from this week's devastating earthquake, relatives and a doctor said Tuesday.
-
N. Korean leader orders military to improve war readiness
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to expand its combat exercises and strengthen war preparedness as he looks to escalate an already provocative run in weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening tensions with its neighbors and Washington.
Politics
-
PM Trudeau presenting premiers with health-care funding offer
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is presenting the federal government's offer for billions in new health-care funding to the provinces and territories at a highly anticipated meeting in Ottawa today. At the first in-person meeting of all First Ministers in years, Trudeau is set to outline how much money his government is willing to provide, and what his expectations are for improving care.
-
Emergencies Act commission report to be delivered Feb. 20
The federal commission looking into the Liberal government's decision to use the Emergencies Act is being granted an extension to deliver its report to the cabinet and the public at the same time this month.
-
Canada announces $10 million in aid to Turkiye, Syria after deadly earthquake
Ottawa says Canada will contribute $10 million to earthquake relief efforts in Turkiye and Syria as part of an initial aid package.
Health
-
Vaccine uptake higher among people who knew someone who died of COVID-19: U.S. survey
A U.S. survey found that people who had a personal connection to someone who became ill or died of COVID-19 were more likely to have received at least one shot of the vaccine compared to those who didn’t have any loved ones who had been impacted by the disease.
-
2 B.C. cities have the longest average wait times for walk-in clinics in Canada
The average wait time for walk-in clinics in British Columbia is more than double the national average, according to online clinic tracker Medimap.
-
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.
Sci-Tech
-
Wikipedia again up and running as Pakistan lifts ban on site
Pakistan lifted its ban on Wikipedia services before dawn Tuesday, after the country's media regulator blocked the site last week for not removing purportedly blasphemous content, claiming it hurts the sentiments of Muslims.
-
Google opens Bard chatbot to test users, plans more AI for search
Google parent Alphabet is planning to launch a chatbot service and more artificial intelligence for its search engine as well as developers, making a riposte to Microsoft in a rivalry to lead a new wave of technology.
-
Full snow moon considered 'micromoon' because of distance from Earth
February's full snow moon, which first appeared this weekend, will light up the sky over the next two nights, with the spectacle already reaching full illumination on Sunday morning. But this year's full moon was smaller than those of recent years.
Entertainment
-
Tickets for Beyonce's 1st concert of world tour sell out
Tickets for the first concert of Beyonce's upcoming 'Renaissance' world tour sold out Tuesday, and concert management group Live Nation said a second concert in Stockholm was added because of the high demand.
-
Comedian and former talk show host Samantha Bee to host the Canadian Screen Awards
Toronto native Samantha Bee is returning home to host the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. Organizers for the ceremony celebrating the best in Canadian film and television said Bee will helm the pre-recorded broadcast to cap off Canadian Screen Week, during which there will be numerous in-person events for the first time in four years.
-
The Grammys ended in controversy, again. Here's what to know
A night in music brimming with shocking upsets, historic wins, tributes for artists like the late rapper Takeoff and hip-hop's 50th anniversary, the 65th Grammys were back in full swing Sunday. Once again, Beyonce was in the running for the top honor. Once again, the show ended with someone else winning album of the year.
Business
-
Canadian business insolvencies up 37.2 per cent in 2022, consumer insolvencies up 11.2 per cent
The number of insolvencies filed by Canadian businesses in 2022 was up 37.2 per cent compared with 2021. The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy says there were 3,402 business insolvencies last year, up from 2,480 in 2021.
-
One-third of households say they're financially worse off compared to year ago: poll
A new poll finds one-third of Canadian households say their financial situation has worsened over the last year. According to a Leger poll commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, 34 per cent of Canadian households say they're financially worse off compared with a year ago.
-
Luxury parka maker Canada Goose to expand into eyewear, luggage and home categories
Luxury outerwear maker Canada Goose Holdings Inc. has charted a new five-year growth path it says could nearly triple its annual revenue by 2028.
Lifestyle
-
Lucky player in Washington wins US$747 million Powerball prize
Someone in Washington state overcame steep odds to win a US$754.6 million Powerball jackpot.
-
Tiny wines find home in B.C.'s market, as Canadians consider reducing consumption
Wine lovers have growing options on the shelf to enjoy their favourite beverage as producers in B.C. offer smaller container sizes.
-
'Natural power': 17-year-old undefeated Quebec boxer gears up for Canada Games
She started throwing punches to get exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now 17-year-old Talia Birch is gearing up to compete in the Canada Games as it opens up to female boxers for the first time
Sports
-
Ticket demand, anticipation grows as LeBron nears Kareem
Seats for Tuesday's NBA game that could see LeBron James break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA scoring record are selling for as much as US$75,000 -- each.
-
Clippers surge late, overcome Thomas' 47 to top Nets 124-116
Paul George scored 29 points, Kawhi Leonard added 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a career-high 47 points from Cam Thomas in his first start to beat the short-handed Brooklyn Nets 124-116 on Monday night.
-
NBA approves sale of Phoenix Suns, Mercury to Mat Ishbia
Mortgage executive and former Michigan State guard Mat Ishbia is the new majority owner of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, after the NBA's board of governors approved his plan to purchase the controlling stake of those franchises from Robert Sarver.
Autos
-
Renault, Nissan boards agree to equalize mutual stakes
Automakers Renault and Nissan on Monday formalized their reboot of a relationship that had grown rocky, culminating in the spectacular fall of top executive Carlos Ghosn, who had led successful turnarounds at both companies before his arrest and daring escape.
-
Use of electric vehicles associated with fewer asthma-related ER visits on a local level, study shows
New research suggests that cutting fossil fuel emissions by adopting electric vehicles can improve air quality and potentially reduce respiratory problems in communities. But these benefits may not apply to all neighbourhoods in the same way.
-
Super Bowl draws epic air show of private planes to Phoenix
Former NFL player Jim Bob Morris is heading to the Super Bowl in Phoenix from Bloomington, Illinois, in a newly refurbished set of wheels. His ride has new paint, new seating and even a new bathroom.
