Australia says it cancelled Kanye West's visa over Heil Hitler song
The American rapper released the song that praised the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler across social media and music streaming platforms in May.
SYDNEY – Kanye West, also known as Ye, has had his Australian visa cancelled after he released Heil Hitler, a song promoting Nazism, the country's home affairs minister said on July 2.
The American rapper released the song that praised the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler across social media and music streaming platforms in May.
The song came a few months after West made a string of anti-Semitic posts on X, which included comments such as 'I love Hitler' and 'I'm a Nazi'.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said while previous offensive comments made by West did not affect his visa status, officials 'looked at it again' after the song's release.
'It was a lower level (visa), and the officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism. We don't need that in Australia,' he told national broadcaster ABC.
'We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry,' he added.
Mr Burke added that West has family in Australia and has been a longtime visitor prior to the visa cancellation. The singer married his wife Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, in December 2022.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore 3 out of 4 in Singapore cannot identify deepfake content: Cyber Security Agency survey
Singapore Ong Beng Seng's court hearing rescheduled one day before he was expected to plead guilty
Singapore Three hair salons raided in clampdown on touting, vice, drugs in Geylang and Joo Chiat
Singapore GrabCab, Singapore's newest taxi operator, hits the roads with over 40 cabs to be rolled out in July
Singapore The romance continues: Former 'Singapore girl', 77, returns to Osaka Expo after 55 years
Singapore 2 men face charges over fatal maritime accident near Pedra Branca island
Singapore Police looking into claim by driver who caused teen's death that he was an NUS student
Singapore 3 weeks' jail for man who touched himself on train, flicked bodily fluid on female passenger
Mr Burke's office declined to comment on the exact date of the visa cancellation.
In October 2024, US conservative influencer Candace Owens was also barred from entry into Australia.
Mr Burke said 'Australia's national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else'. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
AI-driven human trafficking scams from South-east Asia spreading globally: Interpol
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Interpol stated that victims from at least 66 countries have fallen prey to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam centres. Online scam centres driven by human trafficking have become a global threat in the digital age. The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has revealed a recent crime trend, stating that ' human trafficking-fueled scam centres ' have rapidly expanded their networks from South-east Asia to new areas in West Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and worldwide in recent years. In its March 2025 report, Interpol stated that victims from at least 66 countries have fallen prey to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam centres. Seventy-four per cent of victims were taken to the traditional 'hub' areas in South-east Asia, while scam centres in other countries are emerging, with West Africa potentially becoming the new hotspot for this type of crime. Many human trafficking victims are lured through fake job advertisements, then detained in compounds and forced to engage in online fraud, including investment scams, money transfers, romance fraud, and online gambling. Those who resist are often threatened, and some face brutal abuse or even torture. While not all workers in scam centres are human trafficking victims, those coerced into committing crimes are often intimidated with debt, forced to work endlessly, and some endure severe psychological distress. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says Another form of victimisation involves those deceived online in other parts of the world, who lose large sums of money and, in some cases, their financial stability. Interpol describes these online scam centres as a 'double-edged threat', impacting both those forced to commit fraud and victims deceived through screens from other countries. The trend has intensified since 2023, prompting the issuance of an urgent Orange Notice to warn of the serious and escalating threat. International operations coordinated by Interpol with police forces from various countries have uncovered multiple cases of human trafficking for forced criminal activities. For example, in 2024, authorities raided a large scam centre in the Philippines, and in Namibia, a centre was dismantled where 88 young people were forced to engage in fraud. Police seized 163 computers and 350 mobile phones for investigation. In addition to forced labour and systematic deception, Interpol has also warned that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a new tool for criminals. AI is being used to craft highly convincing fake job advertisements and create deceptive profiles and images through Deepfake technology to lure victims into various scams, such as romance scams or sextortion. These criminal networks also use the same trafficking routes to smuggle drugs, weapons, and protected wildlife, such as tigers and pangolins. This means that 'scam centres' are no longer just hubs for cybercrime, but are increasingly becoming epicentres for a variety of transnational crimes. Interpol's data also highlights the profile of 'human trafficking facilitators', key drivers behind this crime. Over 80 per cent are male, and 61 per cent are aged between 20 and 39 years. Meanwhile, 90 per cent are of Asian descent, with 11 per cent from Africa or South America, reflecting the complexity of global criminal networks. Mr Cyril Gout, acting Director of Police Services at Interpol, emphasised that addressing this threat requires genuine international cooperation. This includes intelligence sharing between countries, building partnerships with NGOs that assist victims, and collaborating with technology companies whose platforms are exploited for scams. Interpol continues to push for strict legal action, conducting joint operations with countries worldwide. These efforts have helped rescue many human trafficking victims, arrest perpetrators, and seize criminal assets. Through mechanisms like I-grip which halts illegal money transfers, hundreds of millions of dollars have been blocked. In an era where cybercrime evolves as quickly as the technology used for deception, surveillance, and global collaboration, have become essential in combating online scam centres, which are increasingly tied to new forms of human trafficking. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
22 minutes ago
- Straits Times
61 missing after boat sinks near Indonesia's Bali: Local rescue agency
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The vessel sank in the Bali Strait as it sailed to Bali from Indonesia's main island Java. DENPASAR - At least 61 people were missing after a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, a local search and rescue agency said on July 3. The vessel sank around 11.20pm on July 2 in the Bali Strait as it sailed to the famous holiday destination from Indonesia's main island Java, Surabaya search and rescue agency said in a statement. 'The ferry's manifest data totalled 53 passengers and 12 passenger crews,' the Java-based agency said, adding rescue efforts were still underway. 'The ferry, which is estimated to have sunk at 23:20 local time, also contained 22 vehicles including 14 trucks,' it said. The agency said in a later statement that four people were rescued in the early hours of July 3. Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, a South-east Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Asia Malaysian nurses following the money abroad for more opportunities Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island. AFP
Straits Times
39 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong arrives in Hong Kong
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Commissioned in 2019, the more than 300m Shandong is China's second carrier and key to the country's regional ambitions. HONG KONG - China's first domestically built aircraft carrier sailed into Hong Kong on July 3, just days after the city marked 28 years under Chinese rule. Commissioned in 2019, the more than 300m Shandong is China's second carrier and key to the country's regional ambitions under President Xi Jinping, who oversaw a massive naval buildup that has rattled Asian neighbours. Beijing earlier announced the Shandong and its escort vessels – which include the destroyer Zhanjiang and frigate Yuncheng – will visit the Chinese finance hub for five days and host 'tours and cultural exchange activities'. The flotilla was spotted early on the morning of July 3 sailing off the southern coast of Hong Kong island. The Shandong's visit came days after it concluded combat drills in the western Pacific, alongside China's first aircraft carrier the Liaoning. Both ships are of a modified Soviet design with a distinctive 'ski jump' deck for aircraft takeoff. China's third and more advanced carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing sea trials. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Asia US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam: Sources Business Microsoft cutting 9,000 jobs companywide in second major wave of layoffs this year Opinion How Apple gave 'the gift of fire' to Chinese electronics firms Life Sean 'Diddy' Combs to remain jailed ahead of sentencing, judge rules Singapore Granddaughter of Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim fails to keep 3 insurance policies from creditors' reach Asia Dalai Lama says only his organisation can name his successor; Beijing pushes back World Iran's nuclear programme degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says Tickets to visit the vessels in Hong Kong were snapped up within minutes on social media app WeChat. 'The idea appears to impress upon the Hong Kong public... the ruling (Chinese Communist Party's) quest for building what's termed as the status of a maritime great power,' said Dr Collin Koh, a naval affairs specialist at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. The Shandong is the second Chinese aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong, following a 2017 visit by the Liaoning. China has rapidly upgraded its naval forces as it seeks to expand its reach in the Pacific and challenge a US-led alliance. The US Department of Defence said in a December report that numerically China has the largest navy in the world, with a battle force of more than 370 ships and submarines. Japan authorities said China's dual-carrier exercise in the Pacific in June was the first of its kind and reflected intentions to improve operational capabilities in distant areas. Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore said China's latest exercises suggest 'both aircraft carriers are ready to engage in more sophisticated operations' but some unknowns remain, including the operational tempo they can bear. In April, the Shandong took part in drills testing the Chinese navy's ability to 'blockade' Taiwan, according to the Eastern Theater Command. China insists that the self-ruled democracy is part of its territory and has refused to rule out seizing it by force. The Shandong was also reportedly present in Philippine waters in April during a joint US-Philippines military exercise, deepening tensions between Manila and Beijing. AFP
