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Ottawa Backs Down on Digital Tax Dispute Amid Pressure from Trump White House

Canada has reportedly agreed to delay its planned digital services tax (DST) following pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a recent statement from the White House. The tax, which was originally slated to target tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Google, had been a major sticking point in U.S.-Canada trade discussions. The White House claimed Canada “caved” to U.S. demands after months of negotiations, with Trump’s team arguing the tax unfairly targeted American firms. The Canadian government, however, framed the delay as a strategic move to preserve economic stability and avoid retaliatory tariffs. Critics within Canada argue that the government’s decision reflects a growing trend of yielding to U.S. economic influence, while others say the delay is pragmatic given ongoing global talks about a coordinated approach to taxing digital revenues. The issue remains contentious, and observers are watching closely to see whether Canada will revive th...

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TikTok Goes Dark for US Users Amid National Security Concerns

 

TikTok, the viral social media platform, has officially gone dark for its 170 million American users. This unprecedented shutdown follows a law enacted by Congress, which mandates the app's ban unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its shares. The app's sudden inaccessibility has left millions of users in the lurch, with a message stating, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now".

The shutdown comes just before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Trump has indicated that he will work on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office, potentially granting a 90-day extension to finalize an agreement. This intervention could provide a temporary reprieve for the app, which has been at the center of national security debates due to its Chinese ownership.

TikTok's fate now hangs in the balance, with users and creators eagerly awaiting further developments. The platform's shutdown marks a significant moment in the ongoing tension between the U.S. and China over data privacy and national security concerns.

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