“Let US Own 50% TikTok”: Trump After App Restores Service

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 20, 2025 | top-stories

Washington DC:

Hours after going dark, TikTok began restoring its services on Sunday after incoming President Donald Trump said he would revive the social media app’s access in the United States when he returns to power on Monday. The Chinese social media app also thanked Mr Trump for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance”, hours after TikTok was forced to suspend its operations in the US to comply with the Biden administration’s ban order.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the Bytedance-owned app said in the earlier statement, while it also thanked the US President-elect.

“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive. It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States,” the post said.

In another message to its users, TikTok said, “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US.”

The praise for the Republican came after Donald Trump took to his Truth Social and said he is planning to issue an executive order after taking over as the 47th President of the US to delay the enforcement of the TikTok ban for 90 days.

He said would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

“I would like the United States to have a 50 per cent ownership position in a joint venture,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Mr Trump said the executive order would specify there would be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before his order.

Hours later, addressing a rally ahead of his inauguration, Mr Trump on Sunday said, “Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it”. He added that the US will seek a joint venture to restore the short-video sharing app used by 170 million Americans.

TikTok stopped working for American users late on Saturday before a law shutting it down on national security grounds took effect on Sunday. US officials had warned that under Chinese parent company ByteDance, there was a risk of Americans’ data being misused.

Mr Trump had earlier said he would most likely give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app.

But the Republican leader’s stance to save TikTok is in stark contrast to his first term in office. In 2020, he aimed to ban the app over concerns the company was sharing Americans’ personal info with the Chinese government. More recently, Trump has said he has “a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” crediting the app with helping him win over young voters in the 2024 election.

In August 2020, Trump signed an executive order giving ByteDance 90 days to sell TikTok but then blessed a deal structured as a partnership rather than a divestment that would have included both Oracle and Walmart taking stakes in the new company.

Source link

On Mohammed Siraj's Champions Trophy Exclusion, Rohit's Blunt Verdict: “Effectiveness Comes Down…” | Cricket News

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 19, 2025 | top-stories

A significant point which came out from India’s squads for the ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy was the exclusion of pacer Mohammed Siraj, with captain Rohit Sharma saying his effectiveness goes down by a little bit when not handed the new ball. Rohit also said that Siraj, who has 71 ODI wickets against his name in 44 games, including picking a remarkable six-fer in the 2023 Asia Cup final, was not locked in for a certain role in the team, especially with question marks still around Jasprit Bumrah’s availability.

In place of Siraj, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has earned a spot after becoming the highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He joins the fast-bowling department for the twin 50-over assignments alongside Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya.

“That’s purely because we thought over it. We are not sure about Bumrah, whether he is going to play or not. So, we thought of wanting someone who can bowl with the new ball and at the backend. So we picked Arshdeep to bowl at the backend. Shami, we all saw what he can do with the new ball.”

“That is where we feel that Siraj’s effectiveness comes down a little bit when he is not bowling with the new ball. We discussed it at length about it, as we are only taking three seamers there because we wanted all these all-rounders with us. It’s an unfortunate thing that he has to miss out.”

“But we had no option but to get the guys who can perform a certain role. I personally feel we have guys who can bowl with the new ball, be effective in the middle, and at the back end, as well as cover all facets of the game. With these three bowlers, we think we can do that,” said Rohit in the press conference in Mumbai after the squad announcement.

In eight ODIs, Arshdeep has picked 20 wickets and brings in the variety via his left-arm angles and variations. For the England ODI series, India have also got seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, with Rohit equating his inclusion with that of young left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.

“Arshdeep hasn’t played a lot of ODIs, but he has been around the white-ball circuit for a long time. I don’t think I feel comfortable saying he is not experienced. He has bowled some tough overs, played T20Is and can handle that pressure. Shami is a stalwart in white-ball cricket, and what he did in the World Cup was superb to watch.”

“With Harshit, we needed something different. He has shown he has got the potential. So, we need to back him. It’s very hard to ignore numbers, but look at Jaiswal. We picked him based on what he has done in the last 6–8 months. He has not played a single ODI game, but we still picked him because he has shown potential.”

“Sometimes, we need to do that, and in that, some players will miss out, which is very unlucky and unfortunate. If you talk about everyone, we can’t please everyone. Yes, it’s a tough call, but we needed to take it, as at the end of the day, you try and make the best team, and the best possible squad to win games under different situations,” added Rohit.

Shami is back in the 50-over set-up after last featuring in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he picked 24 wickets to become the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. An Achilles injury needing surgery kept him out of action for nearly a year, before making a competitive comeback in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy in Indore last year.

Though Shami missed out on the Test series in Australia due to knee swelling, he has been picked for the five T20Is against England, starting on January 22 in Kolkata. “We don’t have to speak about the quality that he brings. To get him involved in T20Is was precisely that – just to get him back into international cricket and play under pressure a little bit even though it’s 20-over cricket,” said chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

“You have to be at high intensity and just to get him up to pace before the ODIs start. I mean, he has got obvious quality. So if he was fit, he was always going to be part of the discussion. We are hoping that he comes through these games. By the time the Champions Trophy comes around, he is at 100 per cent,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Topics mentioned in this article

Source link

“Reserve Right To Resume War”: Benjamin Netanyahu On Eve Of Gaza Ceasefire

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 18, 2025 | top-stories

New Delhi:

Hours before the start of a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they won’t be able “to move forward with the framework” until they get the list of hostages who Hamas will release.

“We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Hamas is solely responsible,” Mr Netanyahu said in a post on X in Hebrew.

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu said Israel reserves the “right to resume war if necessary” with US support. He said he will ensure all hostages are brought back to Israel.

“We reserve the right to resume the war if necessary, with American support,” Mr Netanyahu said in the televised statement. He added that Israel had “changed the face of the Middle East” since the war began.

Of the 251 people taken hostage, 94 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on Sunday morning, mediator Qatar said after Israel’s cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.

Since Qatar and the US, which mediated the deal along with Egypt, announced the agreement on Wednesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued.

On Saturday, Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency said at least five members of a family were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, news agency AFP reported. Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after air raid sirens blared and the military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen, whose Iran-backed Huthi rebels say they support the Palestinians.

In more than 15 months of war between Hamas and Israel, there has been only one previous truce, for one week, in November 2023. That deal also saw the release of hostages held by the militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Israel’s justice ministry earlier said 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed as part of the deal’s first phase — none before 4 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said an initial 42-day ceasefire would see 33 hostages released by militants in Gaza.

Sheikh Mohammed told Sky News the framework signed this week was the same as one agreed on December 23, adding it amounted to “13 months of a waste of negotiating details”.

The truce is to take effect on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration for a second term as US President.

Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war and resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,899 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

With inputs from AFP

Source link

Maha Kumbh 2025: Spiritual Guru Jaya Kishori Takes Dip In Prayagraj, Shares “Happiness” Mantra

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 18, 2025 | top-stories

New Delhi:

Spiritual orator and motivational speaker Jaya Kishori has appealed to the youth to experience the Maha Kumbh at Sangam to “achieve peace, happiness and bliss”. In an exclusive interview with NDTV on the sidelines of Maha Kumbh 2025 in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, Ms Kishori shared her “surreal” experience of taking a dip in the Sangam for the first time. She believes she is “blessed” to do “Amrit Snan”.

Before the Snan (bath), Ms Kishori experienced a mix of nervousness and excitement but tension vanished as soon as she took the dip, she said, and added, “You feel calmness from within. You feel a different kind of energy within you, a positive one, and I think this is what every youth is struggling towards.”

Ms Kishori said that today’s youth want permanent happiness. “What we call in our shastras, anand; not maza or masti, anand. If you want that, please attend these kinds of things … You will find something very different, but a very positive and enriching experience.”

Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest gathering of humanity, began on January 13 and will culminate on February 26. Held once every 12 years, people attend Maha Kumbh to take a dip in the sacred waters, believed to wash away sins and purify the soul. This year, Maha Kumbh is expected to host around 45 crore people over the 45 days celebration.

In October last year, Ms Kishori received huge backlash for carrying a custom Dior “Book Tote” worth over Rs. 2 lakh. Known for her teachings on non-materialism and spiritual growth, Ms Kishori spoke about blending materialism with spirituality and gave an example of Arjuna.

“In Bhagavad Gita, not once Arjuna said that you have to leave everything or you have to leave the kingdom. He was taught to fight and live up to his dharma (religion). And, his dharma was to fight. If you are a student, your dharma is to study. Not that you don’t have to earn money through that. Everybody is working towards money,” she said.

Ms Kishori further explained that one has two options after student life – grihastha (householder) and vairagya (detachment). “If you are opting for grihastha, you should have a materialistic life. Buying something is not a problem. It is when things buy you. With money, you can take your country forward. But keep spirituality with you.”

In March 2024, the spiritual orator received the ‘Best Creator Award for Social Change’ from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was praised for blending modernism with spirituality.

Source link

Saif Ali Khan's Attacker Seen In New Video, Climbing Staircase With Face Covered

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 17, 2025 | top-stories

Mumbai:

A new CCTV footage has emerged showing the man who stabbed Saif Ali Khan climbing the stairs before entering the actor’s house yesterday. The footage – time-stamped 1:37 am – shows the intruder advancing cautiously so as not to alert any of the residents of the 12-story building. He had his face covered and was carrying a bag.

In another footage from the building’s sixth floor, which emerged yesterday, the intruder was seen taking the stairs while fleeing after the incident. He was not seen thereafter. It is suspected he had used the fire shaft to escape after that, the same way he had come upstairs.

There was no sign of the intruder in the CCTV footage in the lobby area, suggesting he did not use the main gate to enter and exit the building. Sources said he had scaled the wall of an adjacent building to enter ‘Satguru Sharan’ compound. The actor’s home spreads over four floors in the building in the posh Bandra locality.

The cops suspect he may have changed clothes to avoid being caught while fleeing the scene. Sources said he was spotted near the Bandra railway station after the incident.

Read: “If Knife Was 2 mm Deeper…”: Doctors Say Saif Ali Khan Out Of ICU

The intruder was first spotted in Mr Khan’s younger son Jeh’s room by his nanny. She confronted him, but couldn’t stop him, while another house help alerted Mr Khan. The actor then tried to fight off the intruder but was attacked with a knife. With six stab injuries, including one on his neck and another near his spine, he was rushed to the nearby Lilavati Hospital and was operated on.

A senior doctor at the hospital told reporters today that the actor is recovering well and has been shifted out of the ICU. He would have sustained a severe injury if the knife had gone in 2 mm deeper, said Dr Niraj Uttamani, the Chief Operating Officer at Lilavati.

Read: “Don’t Make Noise”: Intruder Who Stabbed Saif Ali Khan Told Nannies Before Attack

The police have detained a suspect for questioning. Not much is known about the suspect despite a facial similarity between him and the suspect caught on the CCTV.

The attack has raised questions over the role of the security guards in the posh area. It has also fuelled Opposition salvo over the law-and-order situation in the city.

Mumbai Police has registered a case of robbery, trespassing, and causing grievous hurt.

Source link

Maid Saw Intruder, Screamed, Saif Confronted Him: What Happened Last Night

by Hansraj Agrawal | Jan 16, 2025 | top-stories

Mumbai:

As Saif Ali Khan recovers from a shock knife attack by an intruder last night, police are piecing together the sequence of events at the 54-year-old’s Bandra home before he reached Lilavati hospital, bleeding from six stab injuries, one of them in his spine.

The actor, his wife and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan and their sons live in a 12-storey building in Bandra West, home to many Bollywood actors. Their residence is spread over four floors.

Police have said that the probe so far has found that the attacker entered the actor’s home to commit burglary. According to police sources, the intruder entered the compound next to the building where the actor stays. He then scaled the wall to cross over.

Once inside the compound, the intruder took a flight of stairs on the rear side of the building to reach the floor on which the actor lives. Police have said the intruder gained access to Mr Khan’s apartment through a fire escape. Follow LIVE UPDATES here

According to reports, Mr Khan’s house help Eliyama Phillipes alias Lima was the first to spot the intruder around 2 am last night. She screamed and this alerted Mr Khan. A fight between the actor and the intruder followed. The intruder stabbed Mr Khan six times before escaping the spot. CCTV cameras have captured him entering and exiting the building from the rear side, sources in police said. Police are questioning the house help, among others.

There are glaring questions about the response of the security guards on duty at the high-profile building and how the intruder managed to enter the actor’s home undetected.

Mr Khan has suffered six stab injuries and is currently out of danger, doctors have said. “Mr. Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital around 2AM with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained severe injuries to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. Emergency surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team,” Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital said.

“I am happy to confirm that Mr. Saif Ali Khan is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now,” he added.

Police have said they have identified a suspect and multiple teams are trying to arrest him.

Senior police officer Dixit Gedam said, “It has been discovered that the accused used the fire escape to enter their house. So far, the investigation suggests that it was an attempted burglary. We are making every effort to arrest the accused as soon as possible. Once he is arrested, we will be able to disclose further details.”

Source link

Times Top News

Times Top News