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Hi, I'm VOA's Alexis Strope with your worldwide news update.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban after he takes office on Monday as the app with 170 million American users buzzed with nervous anticipation ahead of a shutdown set for Sunday. Reuters correspondent Jillian Kitchener has the story. Trump told NBC, quote, "If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday." TikTok's over 170 million American users are in limbo. The Chinese-owned app said late on Friday it will "go dark" in the U.S. on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to companies such as Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect. The White House dismissed TikTok's comment as a "stunt," and President Joe Biden said it was up to Trump to take action. On Friday, TikTok CEO Shou Chew thanked Trump for helping the platform's continuity. "On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I wanna thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States." A source told Reuters Chew plans to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday. That was Reuters correspondent Jillian Kitchener. The U.N.'s humanitarian affairs agency says it has ratcheted up its preparations for providing aid to Gaza after the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas takes effect. Muhannad Hadi, the agency's humanitarian coordinator for the territory, said Saturday the United States and its partners are ready to leverage the opportunity for large-scale relief. Hadi referenced in a statement the agreements reached on implementing humanitarian components in the first phase of the cease-fire, including the provision of supplies, including water, food, health and shelter, to people across Gaza and the long-awaited release of hostages. This is VOA News. Chicago prepares for deportation arrests targeting hundreds next week after Donald Trump takes office. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. Federal immigration officers will target more than 300 people with histories of egregious, violent crimes after President-elect Donald Trump takes office Monday, marking his administration's initial attempt towards fulfilling his promise of large-scale deportations. The operation will be concentrated in the Chicago area, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because plans have not been made public. Trump is expected to cast a wider net than President Biden, whose focus on picking up people away from the border was largely limited to those with serious criminal histories. Trump aides have said they will arrest others, such as spouses or roommates who are not targets but happen to be in the country illegally. I'm Julie Walker. South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been formally arrested days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul as he faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month. Yoon's arrest early Sunday could mark the beginning of an extended period in custody for him, lasting months or more. The Seoul Western District Court granted law enforcement's request for an arrest warrant on Yoon following an hours-long deliberation, saying he was a threat to destroy evidence. Yoon and his lawyers on Saturday appeared before the court's judge during a hearing and argued for his release. At least 70 people were killed and more injured in northern Nigeria on Saturday when a fuel tanker truck overturned, spilling fuel that exploded. Reuters correspondent Olivia Zollino reports. That's according to the Federal Road Safety Corps, which said most of the victims were impoverished locals who had rushed to scoop up the spilled gasoline after the truck overturned. Such incidents have become common in Africa's largest oil-producing country. The price of gasoline in Nigeria has soared more than 400 percent since Nigeria's president scrapped a decades-old subsidy when he came into office in May, 2023. A spokesperson to the Niger state governor said residents should give priority to their safety when gas tanker trucks are involved in accidents. That was Reuters correspondent Olivia Zollino. Kenya's interior minister says the East African nation has deployed 217 more police officers to Haiti as part of a Kenya-led multinational force to curb gang violence. The minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, said in a statement on Saturday that the officers left Kenya on Friday. Kenya first sent troops to the Caribbean nation in June, and the total deployment now exceeds 600. Kenya's President William Ruto has pledged to deploy 1,000 troops as part of the U.N.-backed force in Haiti. Gang violence has left more than 700,000 Haitians homeless in recent years, with many crowding into makeshift and unsanitary shelters after gunmen razed their homes. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Alexis Strope, VOA News. |