
-
Mexico says to sue Google if it insists on using 'Gulf of America'
-
Top Russia, US officials to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday
-
Europe leaders battle for unity after Trump shock
-
Djokovic calls for overhaul of 'unfair' anti-doping system
-
Rio swelters in heatwave in run-up to Carnival
-
Israel says committed to Trump plan for Gaza displacement
-
Argentine prosecutors to probe Milei over 'cryptogate'
-
Turkey seals hotel spa illegally set up inside ancient cistern
-
France hosts emergency meeting on Europe response to Trump
-
Revamped Finnish museum says 'Good Bye, Lenin!'
-
Bayern hopeful Kane fit for Celtic clash
-
European leaders meet on response to US Ukraine shift
-
Muhsin Hendricks: S.Africa's gay imam who broke the mould
-
WHO chief urges pandemic accord action after US withdrawal
-
Italy probing Amazon over 1.2b euros in third-party seller VAT
-
Russell, Graham in Scotland squad to face England in Six Nations
-
Israeli military set to miss Lebanon withdrawal deadline despite pushback
-
France cuts prison activities to smooth facial massage outcry
-
Kenya's HIV patients victims of US aid freeze
-
Starmer to meet Trump 'next week': UK govt
-
US tensions add fire to final stretch of German election campaign
-
Italy's Milan upstages Pogacar in UAE Tour first stage
-
Pope's condition 'complex', hospital stay extended: Vatican
-
Liverpool can cope with title nerves: Van Dijk
-
Greece to open museum of ancient undersea treasures
-
European markets rise ahead of Ukraine war talks
-
'Now or never' for pandemic accord, says WHO chief after US pulls out
-
New Zealand's Williamson makes joint move to Middlesex and London Spirit
-
Hollywood should resist Trump pressure, says director Todd Haynes
-
Ukraine war death toll: huge but not fully known
-
Ex-Tour de France winner Thomas to retire at end of season
-
African players in Europe: Marmoush wreaks havoc in 14 minutes
-
Sri Lanka budget banks on car taxes to boost coffers
-
Singapore opposition leader fined for lying to parliament
-
Stock markets start week on mixed note
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to US tax system: reports
-
Champions Trophy set for liftoff after India-Pakistan row, boycott calls
-
US tensions plague final phase of German election campaign
-
Rodgers urges Celtic to be bold against Bayern
-
Chatbot vs national security? Why DeepSeek is raising concerns
-
Court finds Singapore opposition leader guilty of lying to parliament
-
DeepSeek removed from South Korea app stores pending privacy review
-
Rights groups slam Australian plan to transfer criminals to Nauru
-
End of the road for Kolkata's beloved yellow taxis
-
S. Korea says DeepSeek removed from local app stores pending privacy review
-
Navalny's widow seeks to rally divided Russian opposition
-
Taiwan bounty hunters kill invading iguanas as numbers soar
-
Japan 2024 growth slows despite stronger fourth quarter
-
Most Asian markets start week on positive note
-
UK ready to send troops to Ukraine as European leaders to hold war talks

TikTok plans total US shutdown as ban deadline looms: report
Social media giant TikTok plans to completely shut down its operations in the United States this Sunday if a ban ordered by legislators goes through as planned, a report said.
The platform, which counts over 170 million American users, will implement an immediate blackout rather than allowing existing users continued access as had been expected, according to sources who spoke to The Information.
The apparent shutdown comes as TikTok faces a January 19 legislative deadline to sever ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance or cease US operations.
While the law only requires app stores to remove TikTok and cloud providers to stop hosting US user data, the company will opt for a full suspension of service, The Information said.
Users attempting to open the app after the deadline will encounter a message redirecting them to a statement about the federally mandated ban, along with options to download their personal data, the report said.
TikTok's reported plan would follow skeptical questioning from Supreme Court justices during oral arguments last Friday, suggesting they would uphold the ban.
The company has challenged the law on First Amendment grounds, which protect freedom of speech.
The shutdown would coincide with the US presidential transition, as Donald Trump, who has expressed opposition to the ban, takes office Monday.
ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok's US operations, though analysts say this position could shift as the reality of a forced market exit looms.
In an internal email obtained by The Verge on Tuesday, TikTok assured its US employees that their "employment, pay, and benefits are secure" and offices will remain open even if the situation remains unresolved by Sunday's deadline.
The company told staff it was "planning for various scenarios."
TikTok declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
J.Bergmann--BTB