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TikTok –  the popular social media app used by over 170 million Americans –  is preparing to cease operations in the United States on Sunday as a federal ban looms, barring last-minute intervention. The ban, which stems from a law signed in April last year, mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. assets by January 19 or face nationwide restrictions. Despite ongoing court proceedings and political debate, the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to deliver a definitive ruling on the matter. Sources close to TikTok disclosed that users attempting to open the app post-ban will receive a…

Renowned Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was critically injured in a knife attack during a burglary attempt at his Bandra residence in the early hours of Thursday. The actor, who suffered multiple stab wounds, was rushed to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery and is reportedly out of danger. According to Mumbai Police, an unidentified intruder entered the actor’s home around 3 am, leading to a confrontation. During the altercation, the assailant stabbed Khan six times, inflicting two deep cuts. Family members were reportedly present in the house at the time but were unharmed. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit…

The government announced a fresh hike in the prices of petrol and diesel through an official notification issued on Wednesday for the next fortnight, starting from January 16 (Thursday).  The increase raised petrol prices by Rs3.47 per litre, setting the new rate at Rs256.13 per litre. High-speed diesel prices experienced a surge of Rs2.61 per litre to reach Rs260.95. Earlier this year, the federal government increased the petrol and diesel prices for the next fortnight, starting from January 1 (Wednesday). According to details, the price of petrol increased by 0.56 paisa per litre while high-speed diesel rates rose by 2.96…

A report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has identified Pakistan as one of the most environmentally affected countries, citing repeated floods, heatwaves, and water shortages as critical issues. The report warned that these challenges posed significant threats to food security, infrastructure stability, and employment opportunities. Mishal Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Amir Jahangir commented on the findings, stating, “Pakistan has demonstrated resilience amidst global uncertainties. However, stronger governance and enhanced regional cooperation can pave the way for greater stability.” The WEF report underlined the urgent need for sustainable solutions to mitigate environmental risks while emphasising the importance of strategic regional…

Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has declared that Pakistan’s ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) program will be its last, signaling optimism about the country’s economic reforms and future trajectory. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, the minister emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to completing reforms agreed upon with the IMF while shifting focus to a development-oriented economic model. The finance minister highlighted significant improvements in Pakistan’s sovereign credit ratings following the IMF bailout package. He revealed that inflation, which had peaked at 38% in May 2023, has now dropped to just 3%, largely due to effective economic measures and reforms. Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed…

Israel and Hamas reached an agreement to cease hostilities in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official privy to the deal confirmed on Wednesday. The accord marked a significant step towards concluding a 15-month conflict that has devastated the Middle East. The deal emerged after protracted negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with support from the United States. It coincided with the imminent inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on 20 January, adding urgency to the diplomatic efforts. The conflict intensified on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen breached Israeli security barriers, infiltrated communities, and killed 1,200…

An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, focusing on further deepening comprehensive reform, will be published on Thursday. The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year’s second issue of Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

China will roll out more measures to expand opening up and attract more foreign investment in 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Wednesday. Efforts will be made to further ease market access, MOC official Li Yongjie told a press conference. She said that after China placed zero restrictions on foreign investment in its manufacturing sector last year, it will now advance the opening up of its services sector this year – particularly through pilot programs in the telecommunications, medical care and education fields. Regarding the optimization of the country’s business environment, Li pledged continued efforts to promote…

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing on Wednesday. Noting that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 68 years ago, China-Sri Lanka relations have always maintained healthy and stable development, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between different countries. With the joint efforts of the two sides, the strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and everlasting friendship between China and Sri Lanka has been further developed, Xi said. The high-quality Belt and…

BEIJING (Xinhua) :Chinese internet users on a popular social networking platform have noticed a sudden influx of foreign newcomers who claim to have migrated from TikTok due to concerns about a potential ban by the U.S. government within the week. On Xiaohongshu, a Chinese platform with combined features of Instagram and Pinterest, hashtags such as #TikTokRefugee have garnered hundreds of thousands of posts from accounts mostly registered in the United States. The surge in activity has propelled Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote abroad, to the top of the U.S. Apple app store download rankings within just a few days. TikTok,…