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TikTok faces threat as Apple, Google plan removal from stores

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States is beaming its touch light on the operations of a popular video-sharing app, TikTok.

The US had demanded that app stores owned by Google and Apple take down the Chinese app. The long-drawn battle between the American government and TikTok dates back to the administration of Donald Trump.

Trump had directed that TikTok be either deleted or the Chinese app sells its US operation to an American buyer or investor. The administration of the current President, Joe Biden, has also been critical of the video-sharing app.

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While Trump banned TikTok in September 2020, resulting in a court case filed by ByteDance, the parent company of the video-sharing app, Biden has chosen the option of stricter regulatory oversight over the firm’s operation.

TikTok has also faced challenges in India, after being permanently banned from the country in January 2021, alongside over 50 other Chinese apps. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Findings showed that there are one billion TikTok users worldwide. 43.7 percent of TikTok users are aged 18 to 24. 57 per cent of TikTok users are female. The majority of TikTok users are in Southeast Asia, home to 226.8 million of them.

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FCC Commissioner, Brendan Carr, on June 24, sent letters to the Chief Executive Officers of Google and Apple, Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook, respectively, where TikTok was accused of harvesting swaths of sensitive data that are being accessed in Beijing, China.

Carr wrote: “As you know TikTok is an app that is available to millions of Americans through your app stores, and it collects vast troves of sensitive data about those US users.

TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance — an organization that is beholden to the Communist Party of China and required by the Chinese law to comply with PRC’s surveillance demands.”

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“It is clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data harvesting being combined with Beijing’s unchecked access to that sensitive data.

“I am writing to the two of you because Apple and Google hold themselves out as operating app stores that are safe and trusted places to discover and download apps. Nonetheless, Apple and Google have reviewed and approved the TikTok app for inclusion in your respective app stores. Indeed, statistics show that TikTok has been downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store nearly 19 million times in the first quarter of this year alone.

“It is clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data harvesting being combined with Beijing’s unchecked access to that data. Therefore, I am requesting that you apply the plain text of your app store policies to TikTok and remove it from your app stores for failure to abide by those terms.”

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Actor Kunle Remi welcomes first baby with wife, Tiwi

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Actor Kunle Remi welcomes first baby with wife, Tiwi

Nollywood actor Kunle Remi and his wife, Tiwi, have welcomed their first child following a challenging medical journey.

The couple shared their emotional path to parenthood, revealing the hardships they endured, including a difficult medical discovery, prolonged bed rest, and over 80 days of faith-driven visits to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

In an emotional video post on Wednesday, the actor via his official Instagram page, @kunleremiofficial, expressed gratitude to God, reflecting on the trials and triumphs of their journey.

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Remi wrote: “From an early arrival… to the unfolding of God’s perfect timing.

“From waiting, countless NICU visits, and clinging to God for 11 weeks and three days (that’s 80 days of faith).

“Our story is living proof that God is God — unfailing, unwavering, and faithful till the very end.

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“From an unexpected and unsettling medical discovery… to complete bed rest.

“From juggling demanding work schedules… to hopping on flights, both locally and internationally.”

The couple’s love story has been in the public eye, since the actor surprised Tiwi with a marriage proposal during a visit to the United States in early 2024.

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They later held a grand wedding in January 2024, attended by top Nollywood celebrities

Fans and colleagues have since flooded social media with congratulatory messages, celebrating the couple’s resilience and the arrival of their baby.

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2Baba’s Family Declares Him Missing, Petitions DSS Amid Controversy

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The family of Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has raised alarm over his disappearance, declaring him missing and petitioning the Department of State Services (DSS) for urgent intervention.

The petition, signed by Wilson Anuge of Anuge, Anuge & Co., has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread concern among fans and the entertainment industry.

The document states: “We are writing to urgently seek your assistance regarding a profoundly troubling situation involving a member of the Idibia Family.

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“Mr. Innocent Idibia (also known as Tuface or 2Baba), our client, is reasonably believed to be missing since Monday, February 10.

“We believe that Mr. Innocent left his residence in the early hours of February 10 in his loungewear, suggestive that he was going on his habitual walk, but he has not returned home since then.

“In spite of the best efforts of his family members, staff, and management of his record label to reach or locate him, including reaching out to his friends and acquaintances, all efforts have proved abortive.

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“They have been unable to establish any contact or ascertain his whereabouts.”

This development comes just 24 hours after 2Baba’s mother, Rose Idibia, made an emotional appeal to Nigerians, urging them to intervene in a situation involving Edo State lawmaker, Hon. Natasha Osawaru.

In a viral video, Mrs. Idibia accused the 31-year-old granddaughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and Deputy Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly of casting a spell on the music star.

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She alleged that her son was not in his right state of mind when he proposed to Osawaru, adding that his ongoing divorce battle with his estranged wife, Annie Idibia, had left him vulnerable.

“Good evening, Nigerians. My name is Mrs. Rose Idibia, the mother of 2Face,” she said in the video.

“This message is for Miss Natasha Osawaru of Edo State. I’m calling on all mothers in Nigeria to help me beg her to free my son.

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“My son is going through a divorce process, and he is clearly not in his right senses now. I know my son well. That is not him.

“Please Natasha, the beads you put on his hand and on his neck, remove them and free him.”

2Baba’s rumored romance with Osawaru has been a trending topic all week, with reports of the singer visiting the Edo State Assembly complex and later being spotted with the lawmaker at a Lagos nightclub.

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The situation has fueled public speculation, adding to concerns over the singer’s mysterious disappearance.

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President Tinubu Hails Tems for Grammy Win, Celebrates Nigerian Music’s Global Impact

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President Tinubu Hails Tems for Grammy Win, Celebrates Nigerian Music's Global Impact

President Bola Tinubu has extended heartfelt congratulations to Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, for her remarkable achievement in winning the Best African Music Performance award at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President praised the singer for her outstanding artistry, which has once again brought global recognition to Nigeria. “The President celebrates the rise of a new generation of young and multi-talented Nigerian musical artists who have propelled Afrobeats to international prominence, projecting the country’s reputation as a powerhouse of musical innovation, creativity, and cultural influence,” the statement read.

Tinubu highlighted the far-reaching impact of Nigerian music: “From Africa to Antarctica, Asia to Australia, Europe to the Americas, the Nigerian music industry, particularly, Afrobeats has become a source of national pride, promoting a sense of identity and self-expression while uniting people across borders.”

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The President also congratulated other Nigerian artists nominated at this year’s Grammys: Yemi Alade, Asake, Wizkid, Lojay, Davido, and Burna Boy. He expressed gratitude for their role in putting Nigeria on the global map of great musical achievements, showcasing the country’s creative excellence.

“You are all inspiration and role models to many young people. The nation remains deeply grateful for your contributions to music, job creation, and tourism promotion. I wish you all continued success in your musical careers,” President Tinubu added.

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