The tabloid published a statement in its yesterday edition apologizing to the public for the controversy caused over some of the on its graphic motion news Web site.

"Starting Saturday, we have begun to classify our stories, as required by the Taipei City government, and we have also decided not to sue Mayor Hau and the city government over the penalties imposed on us earlier this week," the statement added.

In response, Hau said the city government will ask the National Communications Commission (NCC) and the Ministry of the Interior Monday to check whether Apple Daily's classification criteria comply with the Children and Youth Welfare Law and the Internet content rating regulations.

However, until the relevant central government agencies report on the issue, Hau said, the city government is obliged to protect youngsters from exposure to unclassified animated news.

"Therefore, the city's Bureau of Social Affairs will continue to monitor Apple Daily's graphic motion news Web site for a while and maintain its ban on access to the paper's online and mobile services on the city's school campuses and libraries," Hau said.

Apple Daily, published by Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai, launched the online motion news service Nov.16. It uses animated graphics to reconstruct stories of sexual assault, murders and other violent crimes that are reported in the newspaper. The graphic videos can also be accessed by mobile phone users by scanning a bar code printed in the newspaper.

The frequent use of disturbing motion graphics and narration to present the news stories on the Web site has sparked anger among parents, educators and civic groups.

Amid the public uproar, the Taipei city government last week slapped the newspaper with a NT$1 million (US$31,056) fine, and ordered all primary and secondary schools and libraries in the capital city to stop subscribing to the daily after it was found that the media outlet had failed to abide by the news rating regulations prescribed in the Children and Youth Welfare Law.

At first, Apple Daily criticized the penalties as "trampling on press freedom" and threatened to sue Mayor Hau for what it called a coercion offense.

In a press statement issued Saturday, Hau said he has always respected news freedom. "But the news media must not air improper content, with no restraint, on the pretext of news freedom, " he added.