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Ceasefire in Gaza officially goes into effect
A long-awaited ceasefire has officially gone into effect in the Gaza Strip, bringing an end to 15 months of war.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events – day 1,060
Here are the key developments on the 1,060th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Timeline: The path to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in Gaza
The ceasefire deal began on Sunday, January 19. Here's a look at the long road to a deal that could end the Gaza war.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect in Gaza
The long-awaited ceasefire comes into effect, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Palestinian enclave.
Coco Gauff laments TikTok shutdown, reaches Australian Open quarterfinals
The world number two wrote 'RIP TikTok' on a camera after the match in reference to the app's discontinuation in the US.
Netanyahu says Israel has a right to keep fighting in Gaza
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has a right to continue military operations in Gaza.
TikTok goes dark for US users ahead of Trump’s inauguration
The ban follows months of legal battles and heightened scrutiny over the popular app's Chinese ownership.
Islam Makhachev retains lightweight belt against Renato Moicano at UFC 311
In an epic, action-filled bantamweight title match, Merab Dvalishvili defends his title against Umar Nurmagomedov.
Israel delays Gaza ceasefire due to captive names not provided
Israeli PM says the ceasefire in Gaza will not begin until Hamas releases the names of the first phase captives.
Palestinians in Gaza desperate to travel abroad for life-saving treatment
Patients eagerly await the reopening of the Rafah crossing to get the critical medical care they need to survive.
Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire won’t start until Hamas gives captives’ list
Israeli PM orders army not to begin truce until names are released. Hamas says delay due to 'technical field reasons'.
TikTok goes dark for US users; company pins hope on Trump
WASHINGTON — TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect Sunday requiring the shutdown of the app used by 170 million Americans.
President-elect Donald Trump said earlier in the day he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app.
TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, told users attempting to use the app around 10:45 p.m. ET (0345 GMT): "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned."
Other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app Capcut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday.
"The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate," Trump told NBC. "If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday."
It was not clear if any U.S. users could still access the app, but it was no longer working for many users and people seeking to access it through a web application were met with the same message that TikTok was no longer working.
TikTok, which has captivated nearly half of all Americans, powered small businesses and shaped online culture, warned on Friday it would go dark in the U.S. on Sunday unless President Joe Biden's administration provides assurances to companies such as Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect.
Under a law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent or shut down its U.S. operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security.
The White House reiterated on Saturday that it was up to the incoming administration to take action.
"We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington on Friday accused the U.S. of using unfair state power to suppress TikTok. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," a spokesperson said.
Users move to alternatives
Uncertainty over the app's future had sent users -- mostly younger people -- scrambling to alternatives including China-based RedNote. Rivals Meta and Snap had also seen their share prices rise this month ahead of the ban, as investors bet on an influx of users and advertising dollars.
"This is my new home now," wrote one user in a RedNote post, tagged with the words "tiktokrefugee" and "sad."
Minutes after TikTok's U.S. shutdown, other users took to X, formerly called Twitter.
"I didn’t really think that they would cut off TikTok. Now I’m sad and I miss the friends I made there. Hoping it all comes back in just a few days," wrote @RavenclawJedi.
NordVPN, a popular virtual private network, or VPN, allowing users to access the internet from servers around the world, said it was "experiencing temporary technical difficulties."
Web searches for "VPN" spiked in the minutes after U.S. users lost access to TikTok, according to Google Trends.
Users on Instagram fretted about whether they would still receive merchandise they had bought on TikTok Shop, the video platform's e-commerce arm.
Marketing firms reliant on TikTok have rushed to prepare contingency plans this week in what one executive described as a "hair on fire" moment after months of conventional wisdom saying that a solution would materialize to keep the app running.
There have been signs TikTok could make a comeback under Trump, who has said he wants to pursue a "political resolution" of the issue and last month urged the Supreme Court to pause implementation of the ban.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the U.S. presidential inauguration and attend a rally with Trump on Sunday, a source told Reuters.
Suitors including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion. Media reports say Beijing has also held talks about selling TikTok's U.S. operations to billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, though the company has denied that.
U.S. search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted a bid on Saturday to ByteDance for Perplexity to merge with TikTok U.S., a source familiar with the company's plans told Reuters. Perplexity would merge with TikTok U.S. and create a new entity by combining the merged company with other partners, the person added.
Privately held ByteDance is about 60% owned by institutional investors such as BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees own 20% each. It has more than 7,000 employees in the U.S.
Trump admin to launch immigration raids on day one amid deportation push
Several large cities are reportedly expected to be hit by Trump's immigration authorities shortly after inauguration.
South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, formally arrested
A court in Seoul grants request for an arrest warrant, saying there was 'concern' that Yoon could 'destroy evidence'.
Israel must withdraw from Lebanon by January 26 deadline: President Aoun
Lebanon's new president's comments come after the UN chief called on Israel to end its 'occupation' of southern Lebanon.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire: What do we know about the captives held in Gaza?
There are believed to be about 100 Israeli captives still being held in Gaza, including soldiers and civilians.
Liverpool need Nunez brace in injury time to down Brentford
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez scores twice in injury time at Brentford as Reds' extend lead at top to seven points.
‘Heartbreaking’: More than 60 killed in Nigeria tanker explosion
The death toll likely to go up in the latest tanker explosion in Africa's largest economy amid rising fuel cost.
Houthis to halt Israel, Red Sea attacks if Gaza truce comes into force
Spokesman al-Bukhaiti says Houthis will stop operations in support of Gaza when truce comes into effect on Sunday.
Who is Steve Witkoff, Trump’s man at the Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks?
The real estate magnate and Trump golf partner is said to have played a key role in the deal.