HONG KONG — Apple said it had removed Meta's WhatsApp messaging app and its Threads social media app from the App Store in China to comply with orders from Chinese authorities. The apps were removed from the store Friday after Chinese officials cited unspecified national security concerns. Their removal comes amid elevated tensions between the U.S. and China over trade, technology and national security. The U.S. has threatened to ban TikTok over national security concerns. But while TikTok, owned by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, is used by millions in the U.S., apps like WhatsApp and Threads are not commonly used in China. Instead, the messaging app WeChat, owned by Chinese company Tencent, reigns supreme. Other Meta apps, including Facebook, Instagram and Messenger remained available for download, although use of such foreign apps is blocked in China due to its "Great Firewall" network of filters that restrict use of foreign websites such as Google and Facebook. "The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns," Apple said in a statement. "We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree," Apple said. A spokesperson for Meta referred to "Apple for comment." Apple, previously the world's top smartphone maker, recently lost the top spot to Korean rival Samsung Electronics. The U.S. firm has run into headwinds in China, one of its top three markets, with sales slumping after Chinese government agencies and employees of state-owned companies were ordered not to bring Apple devices to work. Apple has been diversifying its manufacturing bases outside China. Its CEO Tim Cook has been visiting Southeast Asia this week, traveling to Hanoi and Jakarta before wrapping up his travels in Singapore. On Friday he met with Singapore's deputy prime minister, Lawrence Wong, where they "discussed the partnership between Singapore and Apple, and Apple's continued commitment to doing business in Singapore." Apple pledged to invest over $250 million to expand its campus in the city-state. Earlier this week, Cook met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, pledging to increase spending on Vietnamese suppliers. He also met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Cook later told reporters that they talked about Widodo's desire to promote manufacturing in Indonesia, and said that this was something that Apple would "look at."

Democratic-majority Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week, sending it to President Biden to sign into law.

Demonstrators say mass tourism is overwhelming the Atlantic archipelago.

Sundsvall,  Sweden — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s short videos of his three-day trip to China this week proved popular in posts on Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, which the European Union, Canada, Taiwan and the United States banned on official devices more than a year ago, citing security concerns. By Friday, one video showing highlights of Scholz’s trip had garnered 1.5 million views while another of him speaking about it on the plane home had 1.4 million views.  Scholz opened his TikTok account April 8 to attract youth, promising he wouldn’t post videos of himself dancing.  His most popular post so far, about his 40-year-old briefcase, was watched 3.6 million times.  Many commented, "This briefcase is older than me." Scholtz is one of several Western leaders to use TikTok, despite concerns that its parent company, ByteDance, could provide private user data to the Chinese government and could also be used to push a pro-Beijing agenda.   Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has 258,000 followers on TikTok, and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris has 99,000 followers.  U.S. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign team opened a TikTok account in February, despite Biden himself vowing to sign legislation expected to be voted on as early as Saturday to force ByteDance to divest in the U.S. or face a ban.  Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully tried to ban TikTok in 2020, in March reversed his position and now appears to oppose a ban.  ByteDance denies it would provide user data to the Chinese government, despite reports indicating it could be at risk, and China has firmly opposed any forced sale. Kevin Morgan, TikTok's director of security and integrity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says more than 134 million people in 27 EU countries visit TikTok every month, including a third of EU lawmakers.  As the European Union’s June elections approach, more European politicians are using the popular platform favored by young people to attract votes.  Ola Patrik Bertil Moeller, a Swedish legislator with the Social Democratic Party who has 124,000 followers on TikTok, told VOA, "We as politicians participate in the conversation and spread accurate images and answer the questions that people have. If we're not there, other forces that don't want good will definitely be there." But other European politicians see TikTok as risky.   Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Monday expressed his uneasiness about social media platforms, including TikTok, being "used by various threat actors for several purposes, such as recruitment for espionage, influencing through disinformation and fake news, or mapping regime critics. This is disturbing." Konstantin von Notz, vice-chairman of the Green Parliamentary Group in the German legislature, told VOA, "While questions of security and the protection of personal data generally arise when using social networks, the issue is even more relevant for users of TikTok due to the company's proximity to the Chinese state."  Matthias C. Kettemann, an internet researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research in Hamburg, Germany, told VOA, "Keeping data safe is a difficult task; given TikTok's ties to China doesn't make it easier."  But he emphasized, "TikTok is obliged to do these measures through the EU's GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation] anyway from a legal side." But analysts question whether ByteDance will obey European law if pressed by the Chinese state. Matthias Spielkamp, executive director AlgorithmWatch, told VOA, "Does TikTok have an incentive to comply with European law? Yes, there's an enormous amount of money on the line. Is it realistic that TikTok, being owned by a Chinese company, can resist requests for data by its Chinese parent? Hardly. How is this going to play out? No one knows right now." Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.

Opponents and rights groups allege repression has increased in recent years.

Lawmakers say Hemedti's and the RSF's activities and abuses make them deserving of sanctions from the United States.

Funerals are held for Palestinians killed in Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood, as Israel continues to target Rafah.

The 'strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity', Turkish president says.

The 29-year-old chess player and child education advocate played in part to raise money for underprivileged children.

Those opposed to the changes fear they could allow further extensions to President Faure Gnassingbe's rule.

President Biden expected to swiftly sign bill that lets law enforcement conduct electronic surveillance without warrant.

Parents in Northern Ireland do not get any free childcare, unlike those in other parts of the UK.

The objects were stolen from the court of the Asante king during the 19th century Anglo-Asante wars.

The women blockade a bridge in shifts to protest against a mine that has made their village unfit to live in.

Thai police say the latest violence was triggered when Karen groups launched an attack against Myanmar troops.

In the flurry of headlines about Iran’s retaliation against Israel, the Gaza story takes a hit.

Police had earlier said the Florida man was being viewed as 'sort of a conspiracy theorist'.

Showdown looms: Speaker Mike Johnson struggling to rally Republican malcontents, dependent on Democratic votes.

The US built a base in the desert city of Agadez at the cost of $100m for manned and unmanned surveillance flights.

Killing of Noe Ramos Ferretiz and Alberto Garcia bring to 17 the number of slain candidates ahead of June 2 polls.