TikTok Goes Dark in the US as Federal Ban Takes Effect
TikTok ceased functioning in the United States late Saturday, hours before a federal ban on the app was set to take effect
Taiwan raised alarms as it identified six Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels in the vicinity between 6 am on January 14 and 6 am on January 15, according to reports from Taiwan News. The Ministry of National Defence (MND) revealed that one of the aircraft, a BZK-005 reconnaissance drone, breached the Taiwan Strait median line, reaching the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
In response, Taiwan actively monitored the People's Liberation Army (PLA) activities, deploying aircraft, naval boats, and air defense missile systems. Additionally, a Chinese balloon was observed crossing the Taiwan Strait median line southwest of Keelung, disappearing later after traveling northeast.
This incident follows a concerning trend, with Beijing deploying a total of 114 military aircraft and 65 naval ships around Taiwan. The use of grey zone tactics by China, intensifying since September 2020, raises tensions in the region. Grey zone tactics involve efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance, aiming to achieve security objectives without direct and substantial use of force.
The European Commission has launched investigations into Chinese e-commerce giants Temu and Shein over concerns related to consumer protection
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that he has instructed the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare a plan allowing residents of Gaza to leave if they wish
France has delivered the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that Russia has suffered significant losses in its six-month-long Kursk operation
Google has decided to scale back some of its diversity hiring targets, following an executive order from President Donald Trump
Teodora Georgieva, the head of the Bulgarian office of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), raised serious concerns at a legal conference in Sofia on Tuesday, accusing Bulgarian authorities of obstructing investigations
Bulgaria's Perperikon: A European Counterpart to Peru's Machu Picchu
Bulgarians Among EU's Least Frequent Vacationers, Struggling with Affordability