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Chinese steel factory officials detained after explosion that leaves 4 dead, 6 missing

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese police have detained those in charge of a steel factory in the Inner Mongolia region after an explosion killed four people and left 84 others hospitalized, state media said.

The death toll rose to four during the day Monday as rescuers searched for the missing. State broadcaster CCTV said six more people remained unaccounted-for.

The 3 p.m. blast at a Baogang United Steel plant in the city of Baotou on Sunday caused tremors in the surrounding area and sent a massive cloud of white smoke skyward.

A pressurized storage tank designed to hold steam and high-temperature water exploded, city officials said. Baogang United Steel is a major state-owned company.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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