TikTok CEO to Testify Before US Congress in March Amid Increased Scrutiny Over Security Concerns

TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew will appear before the US Energy and Commerce Committee in March, as lawmakers scrutinize the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.

Chew will testify before the committee on March 23, which will be his first appearance before a congressional committee, said Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Republican chair of the panel, in a statement on Monday.

The news comes as the House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to hold a vote next month on a bill aimed at blocking the use of TikTok in the United States over national security concerns.

"ByteDance-owned TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist Party to access American user data," McMorris Rodgers said, adding that Americans deserve to know how these actions impact their privacy and data security.

TikTok confirmed on Monday Chew will testify.

"We welcome the opportunity to set the record straight about TikTok, ByteDance, and the commitments we are making to address concerns about US national security before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce," a company spokesperson said, adding the company hopes "by sharing details of our comprehensive plans with the full committee, Congress can take a more deliberative approach to the issues at hand."

The company also said "there is no truth to Rep. McMorris Rodgers' claim that TikTok has made US user data available to the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese Communist Party has neither direct nor indirect control of ByteDance or TikTok."

McMorris Rodgers and other Republican lawmakers have demanded more information from TikTok. They want to know its impact on young people amid concerns about harmful content, and they want additional details on the potential sexual exploitation of minors on the platform, the statement said.

For three years, TikTok – which has more than 100 million US users – has been seeking to assure Washington that the personal data of US citizens cannot be accessed and its content cannot be manipulated by China's Communist Party or anyone else under Beijing's influence.

The US government's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a powerful national security body, in 2020, ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok because of fears that US user data could be passed onto China's government.

CFIUS and TikTok have been in talks for more than two years aiming to reach a national security agreement to protect the data of US TikTok users. The White House on Friday declined to comment on whether it would support a legislative ban on TikTok or the status of the talks.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Samsung One UI 5.1 Features Leaked Ahead of Launch, Will Debut on Galaxy S23 Series: Report

Samsung could reportedly launch its latest OS update, One UI 5.1, which will succeed the One UI 5.0. The latest OS will debut on the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, according to a report by WinFuture, which also revealed a full list of features that could be expected on the latest OS update from Samsung.

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OnePlus 11R 5G Confirmed to Pack Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, 100W Fast Charging

OnePlus 11R 5G will be launched in India on February 7 and the company has been teasing some of its specifications. The latest teaser shows the phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. It will feature 5,000mAh battery with support for 100W SuperVOOC fast charging.

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Kangana Ranaut's Tweet On Uniform Civil Code, Actor Uorfi Javed's Reply

A comment on blockbuster Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan triggered a viral back-and-forth on Twitter between actor Kangana Ranaut, and actor and influencer Uorfi Javed.

It all started with Kangana Ranaut's comment on an appreciation post for Shah Rukh Khan, which said, "Hindu Muslims love SRK equally" and that "India is super secular".

"Very good analysis... this country has only and only loved all Khans and at times only and only Khans...And obsessed over Muslim actresses, so it's very unfair to accuse India of hate and fascism ... there is no country like Bharat in the whole world," wrote Kangana Ranaut, commenting on a Bollywood producer's post.

Very good analysis… this country has only and only loved all Khans and at times only and only Khans…And obsessed over Muslim actresses, so it's very unfair to accuse India of hate and fascism … there is no country like Bharat 🇮🇳 in the whole world https://t.co/wGcSPMCpq4

- Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) January 28, 2023

Uorfi Javed reacted to the two-day-old tweet by the 'Manikarnika' actor and commented: "Oh my gosh ! What is this division , Muslim actors , Hindu actors . Art is not divided by religion . There are only actors."

Oh my gosh ! What is this division , Muslim actors , Hindu actors . Art is not divided by religion . There are only actors https://t.co/Eap3yYAv0p

- Uorfi (@uorfi_) January 30, 2023

Kangana Ranaut, who is an open supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reacted to Uorfi Javed's tweet: "Yes, my dear Uorfi that will be an ideal world but it's not possible unless we have The Uniform Civil Code, till the time this nation is divided in the constitution itself it will remain divide, Let's all demand Uniform Civil Code from @narendramodiji in 2024 Manifesto. Shall we?"

Back to Uorfi, who sought to make light of Ms Ranaut's suggestion. "Uniform wound be a bad idea for me maam !  I'm popular only because of my clothes," said the Instagram favourite known for her outrageous fashion.

Then she followed it up with a "clarification".

Before people start commenting how dumb I am , im being sarcastic here guys ! SARCASM HUMOUR FUNNY , https://t.co/yhpfdr5ykc

- Uorfi (@uorfi_) January 30, 2023

Ms Ranaut, who often posts outrageous and no-filter content on Twitter, had earlier posted similar tweets on Pathaan. "I do believe Indian Muslims are patriotic and very different from Afghan Pathans ... the crux is India will never be Afghanistan, we all know what is happening in Afghanistan, it's beyond hell there, so apt name for the movie Pathan according to its storyline is the Indian Pathan."

Ms Ranaut returned to Twitter recently after a ban for nearly two years. The microblogging website banned her account in May 2021, after she posted controversial content linked to post-election violence in Bengal.

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Michael Jackson’s Nephew Cast as Michael Jackson in Upcoming Biopic on the Late ‘King of Pop’

The Michael Jackson biopic, originally announced in 2019 and revealed as titled ‘Michael', has finally cast a lead actor to play the late 'King of Pop'. Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of Michael Jackson, has been confirmed to be playing his uncle in the biopic, which currently does not have a release date. The film is being directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer series), and is produced by Graham King, who previously helmed Freddie Mercury's biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody.

The announcement of the lead casting was made by Lionsgate, with producer Graham King saying "I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael,” as per a report by SlashFilm. "I am beyond thrilled that he has come on board to portray his uncle and cannot wait for the world to see him on the big screen as Michael Jackson,” continued King, who produced 2018's critical and commercial success Bohemian Rhapsody.

I'm humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael's story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I'll see you soon.

Photo by Jourdynn Jackson pic.twitter.com/Xow9Mkakup

— Jaafar Jackson (@JaafarJackson) January 30, 2023

The announcement was confirmed by Jaafar Jackson himself in a tweet, which also features an image of the actor in costume. Jaafar is the 26-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson, the elder brother of Michael Jackson, and his former bandmate on The Jackson 5, the singing group comprising members of the Jackson family.

The film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, and is reportedly being made with the approval of Michael Jackson's estate. This does mean that the film will likely be able to use the late singer's original music and footage as needed, but as suggested by the Slashfilm report, this could mean that many of the controversies surrounding Jackson and his career could be washed over or underplayed. As of now, ‘Michael' does not have a confirmed release date, but is expected to start filming this year.

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Watch: Rare 4-Foot-Long Eel Washes Up On Beach In US, Internet Stumped

While surveying a beach, a marine researcher found a 'rare,' 4-foot-long American eel washed up in Texas, CNN  reported. The video of the lifeless marine creature was shared on Facebook by the official page of Mission-Aransas Reserve. Jace Tunnell, director of the Mission-Aransas Reserve, who spotted the eel in the sand called the find “rare”.

In the video, he showed off the massive 4-foot-long American eel to viewers and explained more about the sea creature. "But this thing is massive. It's got to be like 4-foot-long," he said. This particular eel is also likely a female, Mr Tunnell said in the video. "They're larger than the males," he said. "Females can have up to 4 million eggs."

American eels are typically a lot smaller and commonly used for fishing bait, Mr Tunnell said, adding "Obviously, this one's too big for that." 

Watch the video here:

The post was captioned as, ''Have you ever seen an American Eel up close, or read about their wild life cycle of living in freshwater and then going way out into the ocean to spawn 4 million eggs right before dying? Listen to this episode of #beachcombing with Jace Tunnell to learn more about this amazing fish.''

According to US. Fish and Wildlife Services, American eels live mostly in freshwater, usually estuaries and rivers, but go far out into the ocean to spawn their eggs before dying.

The internet was left stumped and amazed by the rare creature, while some were creeped out. 

Reacting to the video, one user wrote, ''What a truly great find! Very informative narrator too!!'' Another commented, ''First time to see one up close. Really interesting. Thank you again for educating us.'' A third added, ''Oh my goodness! It's so big!'' Yet another said, ''Nightmare time.''

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Samsung Tipped to Offer Four Exclusive Colour Options for Galaxy S23 Series on Official Online Store

Samsung Galaxy S23 series is one of the most eagerly awaited smartphone lineup this year. The series is expected to launch with three models, all of which will be revealed at the February 1 Galaxy Unpacked event. The Galaxy S23 lineup will most likely include a base model, a Plus model, and a high-end Ultra variant. Numerous leaks and hints about the upcoming smartphones have surfaced in recent weeks. According to previous reports, the phones were to be available in four colour variants. A new leak suggests that Samsung Galaxy S23 series models may have more colour options, exclusively at the online Samsung store.

Tweets by tipsters Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) and SnoopyTech (@snoopytech) suggest that the Galaxy S23 series of smartphones are likely to be available in more colour options than previously reported. The tweet by Ross Young said that the models will be available in additional Gray, Light Blue, Light Green, and Red colour options, along with the Phantom Black, Cotton Flower (Cream), Botanic Green, and Misty Lilac colourways tipped before. The tweet by SnoopyTech added that the additional colours will be available only on the Samsung online store.

A previous report said that the Samsung Galaxy S23 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant may be priced at Rs. 79,999 in India. The same report added that the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage Samsung Galaxy S23+ will be available at Rs. 89,999 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is expected to be priced at Rs. 1,14,999.

The Galaxy S23 series is reportedly expected to have Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection for all its models. Earlier reports tipped that the phones are expected to be powered by a custom Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC with a clock speed of up to 3.36GHz.

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra is expected to feature a 200-megapixel HP2 primary sensor, as opposed to the 108-megapixel HM3 sensor in its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The top-of-the-line handset can also reportedly capture 4K quality portrait videos at 30 frames per second.

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The Last of Us Episode 4 Trailer: A Road Trip Poses Big Trouble for Joel and Ellie

The Last of Us episode 4 trailer is out. HBO has dropped a preview for next week's episode of the post-apocalyptic drama based on the eponymous PlayStation video game, teasing a new character in the form of Kathleen, a ruthless leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City. Melanie Lynskey, best known for her run on Yellowjackets, will portray the role — signifying big trouble for our survivor duo Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Titled 'Please Hold My Hand', the episode will be directed by Jeremy Webb (The Umbrella Academy) and will reportedly be only 50 minutes long — significantly shorter than the 75-minute runtime of episode 3. The Last of Us episode 4 premieres February 6 at 8:30am IST/ February 5 at 9pm ET on Disney+ Hotstar and HBO Max, respectively.

The trailer for The Last of Us episode 4 kicks off by introducing Ellie's (Ramsey) new pet peeve - a disgust for the smell of coffee, as the pair take a break, out in the woods. “It smells like burnt sh-t,” she tells Joel (Pascal), who unbothered by her comments, instantly takes a loud slurp from the flask. While not explicitly mentioned, to Ellie's credit, the coffee must have been strained using some smelly rag or his sock — seeing as they've been travelling for a while. Episode 3 introduced our unlikely greasy-haired ally Bill (Nick Offerman), who was given a surprising love story spin with his partner Frank (Murray Bartlett) in the TV series.

The Last of Us episode 4 trailer puts Joel and Ellie on the road, as they continue their journey to Wyoming. Ellie, who isn't familiar with being in a car, struggles to help with map navigation, causing the duo to halt at a hostile territory. “This is my second day in a f--king car, man. Stop,” she says, upon noticing an injured survivor begging them for help. Believing that he's probably bitten and infected, Joel resumes driving the car, crashing into some debris. “This has gone too far. It has to stop,” an unseen hostage tells the new character Kathleen (Lynskey), who is seen holding a gun to his head. “Where is he?”, she asks with tears in her eyes, presumably referring to Joel. The Last of Us episode 4 trailer then cuts to display some action sequences of our duo stealthily navigating their way across the dilapidated town, and engaging in combat with the last surviving citizens.

“We'll get through this,” Joel assures Ellie at the end of the Last of Us episode 4 trailer, before heading out onto the streets. Circling back to the new character Kathleen, over on Twitter, writer Neil Druckmann commended her performance in the series. “OMG! You crushed your episodes! Can't wait for people to see your character!”, he said, confirming that Lynskey will appear in multiple episodes.

Last week, HBO renewed The Last of Us series for a second season, with Druckmann adding that it will explore the events of the award-winning video game sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Craig Mazin, showrunner and director on episode 1 of the Last of Us also suggested that the continuation might end up being a two-parter, claiming that the story is 'more than a season's worth of television'.

New episodes of The Last of Us stream every Monday on Disney+ Hotstar, at 8:30am IST in India, and Sunday at 9pm ET on HBO Max wherever available. Season 1 comprises of nine episodes.

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Series 128GB Variant Tipped to Feature Older, Slower Storage Technology

Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to be unveiled by the South Korean conglomerate as part of the Samsung Galaxy S23 flagship series on February 1 at a Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event. The 128GB storage variant of the upcoming flagship smartphone could utilise a slower storage technology than other models from the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, according to a tipster.

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Samsung Tipped to Offer Four Exclusive Colour Options for Galaxy S23 Series on Official Online Store

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series, which will include a base model, a Plus model, and a high-end Ultra variant, will be unveiled on February 1 at the Galaxy Unpacked event. Previous reports indicated that the phones would be available in four colour options. According to a new leak, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series models may be available in more colour options, exclusively ...

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"I'd Rather Die Than Tie Up With BJP Again," Says Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar today said he would "rather die" than return to an alliance with the BJP and accused the ruling party of launching cases against his deputy Tejashwi Yadav "deliberately, without basis".

The Bihar Chief Minister was responding to BJP leaders accusing him of "abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trust" while rejecting speculation of a reunion, once again.

"The question does not arise. I'd rather die than tie up with them," he told reporters, Tejashwi Yadav standing next to him.

The Chief Minister and Janata Dal United leader said his decision to revive his alliance with the BJP, following corruption cases against Tejashwi Yadav and his father Lalu Yadav, was a "mistake".

"Listen carefully. They (BJP) went through so much effort. They slapped cases against Tejashwi and his father to get me on board. Now again, they are trying to get after them. These people keep doing such things," Nitish Kumar said.

The Chief Minister scoffed at the BJP's claim that it would win 36 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the national election next year. He sought to "remind" the BJP that when they were allies it used to get the votes of all his supporters, including Muslims, who have always been "wary" of the BJP's Hindutva ideology.

Mr Kumar's comments come after BJP leaders said there is "no question" of partnering again with an "unpopular" Chief Minister.

"We have sought to stamp out rumours among our party cadre about such a realignment. Of course, the CM has the proclivity to oscillate like a pendulum. But we are not going to be cheated by him again," said BJP's Bihar chief Sanjay Jaiswal.

"Nitish Kumar has grown hugely unpopular. It was his unpopularity that had caused his JDU to do badly in the assembly polls of 2020 when we did much better. Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed magnanimity in deciding to stick to the promise made before elections and Nitish Kumar, the habitual betrayer that he is, abused the PM's trust," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Realme GT Neo 5 Launch Date Revealed via Poster, Will Feature 240W Fast Charging: Details

Realme GT Neo 5 launch date has been revealed via a teaser poster. The upcoming smartphone is confirmed to launch in China in February. The smartphone will succeed the Realme GT Neo 3 5G, which was launched in 2022. It will offer 240W charging support, according to the company.

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Sidharth Has A "Bold Announcement To Make". Fans Hope It's About Wedding

Chatter about Sidharth Malhotra's rumoured relationship with Kiara Advani reached fever pitch when reports about their wedding surfaced last year. While both have remained mum on the subject, fans of Kiara and Sidharth have been waiting for any kind of update from the stars. On Sunday, Sidharth Malhotra shared a post on social media that he has a “bold announcement to make.” He shared an image with the text: “'I have a bold announcement to make!” In the caption, Sidharth Malhotra added: “Something bold and exciting coming up tomorrow!” The cryptic post has led to speculations among fans that it could be a wedding update.

One fan wrote, “We know you are getting married.”  “Shaadi ki announcement (fingers crossed emoji),” said another. “Marriage with Kiara plzz,” read a comment. However, some were sceptical. A user commented, “Don't trust you, it's an advertisement.”

Well, it looks like we will have to wait and watch. See Sidharth Malhotra's post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sidharth Malhotra (@sidmalhotra)

In January, the couple made their relationship Instagram official on the occasion of Sidharth Malhotra's birthday. Kiara Advani shared a special post for Sidharth on his 38th birthday. The post features the couple smiling at each other, with Kiara playfully captioning it: "Whatcha lookin at birthday boy." The post received attention from fans and fellow celebrities, including Ananya Panday who commented "I think I took this picture. Cuties." 
 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani)

On Saturday, Sidharth Malhotra dropped a post thanking fans for their love and feedback on Mission Majnu, his latest film. Sharing an image with the cast of the film, he said, “Celebrating the love coming our way for this special character and the film. Thank you for showing all the love and support for #MissionMajnu.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sidharth Malhotra (@sidmalhotra)

Sidharth Malhotra recently shared a photo from the sets of the upcoming cop-drama series Indian Police Force, which is directed by Rohit Shetty. The series also stars Shilpa Shetty and Vivek Oberoi. The photo shows Sidharth pointing a gun inside a train, with Rohit Shetty and his team overseeing the shot. Along with the photo, Sidharth wrote: “Rohit Shetty. Ek number Team shooting action. #IndianPoliceForce #rohitshettyteam #Hyderabad.”

In the image, Rohit Shetty's hand is in a sling due to an injury he sustained on the sets. Police Force: Sidharth Malhotra's BTS Moment With "Ek Number Team"n-police-force-3714417

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sidharth Malhotra (@sidmalhotra)

 

Sidharth Malhotra was last seen in Mission Majnu with Rashmika Mandanna. In addition to Indian Police Force, Sidharth Malhotra will be seen in the action film Yodha with Disha Patani and Raashii Khanna.

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Google Employee Laid Off While On Leave Caring For Sick Mother

Tech giant Google announced 12,000 job cuts globally this month. The recent layoffs have greatly impacted employees, prompting them to express their grief and share their stories about their time at the tech giant. Impacted by the job cuts, Paul Baker, who worked at Google as Video Production Manager, revealed he was fired while he was on carer's leave. 

In a LinkedIn post, the former Google employee revealed that he had taken a month's leave to take care of his ailing mother, who was suffering from terminal cancer, according to an Insider report attached to his post. During his leave, he was informed by a friend about the layoffs. He then found his work laptop had been "cut off," following which he switched on his personal laptop to discover an email from the company saying he was being let go, as per the report. 

According to his bio, Mr Baker joined Google in late 2018 and worked at the company's office in Venice, Los Angeles, as a video production manager. 

Sharing his experience, Mr Baker wrote in the LinkedIn post, ''With the advent of 12k Google employee lay-offs on Friday and reading numerous hard-breaking/inspiring stories, I'm ready to share my story. While on carer's leave for my immediate family member's terminal cancer, I too was laid off. After the initial shock it morphed into sadness because I miss the people. I miss immersing myself into my Google career and culture.''  

Despite all this, he still looks back fondly at his time at the company, saying he ''will miss it''.  

''Through it all, I'm lucky & proud I played a pivotal role in creating scalable video and a wonderful community within Google. I'll truly miss it,'' he added.  

In a similar story, a Google employee who gave birth to her second child on January 19 shared she was laid off while she was still in the hospital, holding her hours-old newborn baby. Another Google employee, who was laid off, revealed he worked as a recruiter at the company. He got to know about getting laid off when his call with a potential candidate was cut off abruptly. 

Google last week announced it's making 12,000 roles redundant, becoming the latest tech major to cut jobs after years of growth. Chief executive officer (CEO) Sundar Pichai stressed the cuts were made after careful consideration and stated that Google will "support" employees as they look for other opportunities. 

"We've decided to reduce our workforce by approximately 12,000 roles. We've already sent a separate email to employees in the US who are affected. In other countries, this process will take longer due to local laws and practices," Mr Pichai said in a statement. 

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UK PM Dismisses Conservative Party Chairman After Tax Probe

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday fired Conservative party chairman Nadhim Zahawi after an inquiry into Zahawi's tax affairs found a "serious breach" of ministerial rules, the government said.

"As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty's Government," Sunak wrote in a publicly released letter to his Iraqi-born ally, following a scandal that cast doubt on the premier's own judgement and vows of integrity.

The government also released the inquiry report by Sunak's newly appointed independent ethics advisor, Laurie Magnus.

Magnus pulled no punches in finding that Zahawi effectively lied to successive Conservative leaders when he came under investigation by the UK's tax authority, which led to the politician handing over a fine for late payment reportedly worth £5 million ($6.2 million).

Zahawi gave shifting explanations in the affair, and initially tried to silence journalists and a tax consultant with threats of libel lawsuits.

Sunak's decision to dismiss Zahawi, rather than invite him to resign with some saving of face, underlined the serious political stakes at play at a time when millions of Britons are struggling to pay the bills.

Sunak appointed Zahawi as Conservative party chairman, and cabinet minister without portfolio, when he entered 10 Downing Street in October, when he vowed to deliver "integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level".

Zahawi was previously in the cabinet under both Liz Truss and Boris Johnson -- who appointed him as chancellor of the exchequer, in ultimate charge of the UK tax agency.

The opposition Labour party said Sunak should have fired Zahawi immediately when the allegations emerged in newspaper reports this month, rather than seeking to buy time by asking Magnus to investigate.

The scandal underlined that Sunak was a "weak" prime minister, senior Labour MP Bridget Phillipson told Sky News.

"The stench of sleaze just hangs around the Conservative party," she said.

Sunak has faced questions himself about his family's tax affairs after it emerged that his wife Akshata Murty had for years enjoyed "non-domicile" status, which shielded her from paying UK taxes on her overseas income from her family's Infosys business group.

And last week he apologised for receiving his second police fine, after he was filmed not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat of a moving car.

As chancellor himself under Johnson, Sunak was fined along with the then prime minister for attending an illegal workplace party during a Covid lockdown.

The "partygate" scandal was one of several that brought down Johnson.

Sunak's vows of integrity were in sharp contrast to that record, but he remains stalked by his predecessor's dealings in government.

A separate probe is underway into reports that just before he was made chairman of the BBC by Johnson, former banker Richard Sharp was involved in securing a private credit line for up to £800,000 ($990,000) for the then-PM from a Canadian businessman.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Wanted To Raise Flag In Srinagar Tomorrow But...": Congress Leader

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Pics: Alia Bhatt And Katrina Kaif Get Clicked At Zoya Akhtar's House

Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt were spotted at filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's house on Saturday. Both the actresses smiled for the shutterbugs stationed outside the filmmaker's residence as they made their way out to get into their respective cars. Katrina and Alia, along with Priyanka Chopra will be seen in Farhan Akhtar's Jee Le Zaraa, a film written by Zoya Akhtar. Alia looked beautiful in an all-black ensemble and accessorised her look with hoop earrings and black heels. On the other hand, Katrina Kaif looked cool in a white t-shirt paired with blue jeans and a military-printed jacket. She left her hair open and sported a no-makeup look.

Check out the pictures below: 

Jee Le Zaraa is one of the most highly-anticipated films in recent times, as it stars three veteran stars Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra. The movie was announced in 2021, on the day when Dil Chahta Hai, Farhan Akhtar's directorial debut, completed 20 years. It is touted to be a road trip movie celebrating friendship and love. The movie will be produced under the banner of Excel Entertainment.

Last year speaking to Pinkvilla, Katrina Kaif opened up about Jee Le Zara. She said, "We're all looking forward to it. That film's had its journey, yes but I think when finally it does happen it's gonna be a lot of fun." The actress also revealed her plans of making her co-stars Priyanka and Alia use a whole lot of makeup that she will carry from her beauty brand. She said, "Jee Le Zaraa is a super exciting film. And on that film, I'm going to be taking the whole range of makeup (from her beauty brand) to the girls and be like 'Girls now you have to use this."

Meanwhile, Katrina Kaif will be next seen in Tiger 3. On the other hand, Alia Bhatt has two releases this year - Heart Of Stone and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.

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"Appropriate Age For Motherhood Is 22 To 30 Years": Assam Chief Minister

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said women should embrace motherhood at the "appropriate age" as it otherwise leads to medical complications. Speaking at a government function here, Mr Sarma iterated his government's commitment to stop underage marriages and motherhood.

His comments come in the backdrop of the state government deciding to bring stringent laws and evoking the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to check child marriages and underage motherhood.

"Thousands of husbands will be arrested in the next five-six months as it is a crime to have sexual relations with a girl below 14 years of age, even if he is her legally wed husband," Mr Sarma said.

The legal age for the marriage of a woman is 18 years and those who marry younger girls will also be brought to book. "Many (men who marry girls) could face life imprisonment," he said.

Speaking about motherhood, Mr Sarma said, "Women should not wait too long to become mothers as it leads to complications. The appropriate age for motherhood is 22 years to 30 years".

Women who have not married yet should do it soon, he said with a smile.

"We have been speaking against early motherhood. But at the same time, women should not wait too long either as many do ... God has created our bodies in a manner that there is an appropriate age for everything," he added.

The Assam cabinet on Monday decided to book men who marry girls below 14 years of age under the POCSO Act. Those who marry girls in the age group of 14-18 years will be tried under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

The decision was taken to curb the high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the state, whose primary cause is child marriage, Sarma had said after the cabinet meeting.

An average of 31 per cent of the marriages in the state are in the prohibited age group, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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US Plans To Process "Record" Number Of Visas For Indians In 2023: Official

The US embassy and its consulates in India plan to process a "record" number of visas for Indians this year, Mumbai Consular Chief John Ballard said, in view of delays and a backlog in almost every visa category.

Currently, the wait time for Indians applying for work visas ranges from 60-280 days, while for travellers, it is around one and a half years.

The external affairs ministry has raised the issue of visa delays with US authorities on several occasions as well as matters related to further ease issuing of visas for all categories of Indian travellers.

The embassy adjudicated over 1,25,000 student visas last year, a record number for Indians, and expects even more Indian students to apply for visas this year, Ballard said.

The US official also told PTI that the embassy has almost reached its pre-pandemic levels of visa processing, and expects to surpass those levels in this year.

"Last year, we adjudicated over 8,00,000 total visa adjudications and we are almost up to our pre-pandemic levels, which we expect to surpass in 2023," Ballard said.

The only category in which the embassy is looking to reduce the backlog is for first-time B1 and B2 tourist and business travel visas, he said.

"We recently opened up 2.5 lakh of B1/B2 visa appointments throughout India and we have dozens of officers, who have come from embassies around the world and Washington DC, specifically to help us to conduct interviews for first-time B1/B2 applicants," the Mumbai consular chief said.

In addition, for visa renewals, applicants can now send their application by e-mail, and the embassy has arranged for embassies around the world to adjudicate those cases, allowing them to focus on conducting interviews for first-time applicants, he said.

Ballard said that "adjudications are just part of the many initiatives that we are currently undertaking to help reduce the backlog for visa wait times." "Every post within the mission, all of our consulates were recently open on a Saturday and we'll do it again in February and in March, and we will also be fully staffed by the end of the summer. So we would look to do even more initiatives, moving forward to find ways to reduce the backlog for wait times. We expect to process record number of visa this year with these initiatives," he said.

He was asked about the delays and backlogs in different categories of views.

Ballard emphasised that issuances and refusals for any visa category depend on the individual applicant and the category of visa they are applying for.

"B1/B2 visa applicants must be able to demonstrate the purpose of their travel to the US and their ties to India that would ensure their return," the official said.

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BharatPe Reveals Founder Ashneer Grover's Salary. It Was...

The salary of top executives of BharatPe, including its founder Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, has been revealed after a regulatory filing by the fintech startup. The ex-Shark Tank India judge earned Rs 1.69 crore in FY22 while his wife, who was BharatPe's head of controls, took home a salary of Rs 63 lakh, according to Moneycontrol. 

The filings showed that the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BharatPe, Suhail Sameer, took home Rs 2.1 crore in FY22 and co-founder Shashvat Nakrani earned Rs 29.8 lakh during the same period. Board member Kewal Handa and chairman Rajnish Kumar, the former State Bank of India chief, were paid Rs 36 lakh and Rs 21.4 lakh, respectively, the report added.

The disclosed salaries of these executives, however, do not include the share-based payment made to them. According to the company's financials, it spent Rs 70 crore in share-based payments in FY22, which was an increase of 218% from the previous year, the report stated.

BharatPe sacked Ashneer Grover and his wife last year in March for alleged financial irregularities. The founder had resigned from the company and its board days later. The fintech company, in December 2022, filed a criminal lawsuit against Ashneer Grover and his family seeking Rs 88.67 in damages. It accused the founder of cheating and embezzling funds. 

Suhail Sameer stepped down as CEO of BharatPe earlier this month. A statement by BharatPe said that he will “transition from chief executive officer to strategic advisor effective January 7, 2023”. He said last year that BharatPe did not have enough money to pay salaries to its employees as Ashneer Grover stole all. 

Last week, the Delhi High Court issued summons to Ashneer Grover on a suit by BharatPe's co-founder Bhavik Koladiya who wants to reclaim the shares he transferred to Mr Grover.

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Pics: Masaba With Dad Viv Richards At Party Post Wedding To Satyadeep

Masaba Gupta and Satyadeep Misra, who had a court marriage on Friday, hosted an intimate post wedding party in Mumbai later that night. The party was attended by their family, including Masaba's parents Vivian Richards and Neena Gupta-step-father Vivek Mehra. Masaba and Satyadeep's close friends Sonam Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Konkona Sen Sharma and others were also pictured arriving at the venue. Vivian Richards, West Indies cricketing legend, looked handsome in a formal ensemble and happily posed for the shutterbugs for a family picture.   

The newlyweds looked adorable when they posed for the media for the first time as a couple. For the occasion, Masaba opted a black full-sleeve top paired with a blue draped skirt, while Satyadeep looked dapper in a white shirt and pants and layered it with a beige blazer. 

Check out the pictures below: 

Newlyweds Masaba-Satyadeep, Vivian Richards, Neena Gupta-Vivek Mehra, Satyadeep's mother Nalini and his sister Chinmaya in a family portrait.

Newlyweds Masaba Gupta and Satyadeep Misra happily posed for the shutterbugs.

Masaba-Satyadeep posed separately with Vivian Richards and Neena Gupta.

Neena Gupta happily posed with husband Vivek Mehra.

Satyadeep Misra's posed with mother Nalini and his sister Chinmaya.

Sonam Kapoor, who is Masaba Gupta's BFF looked pretty in a black ensemble. She styled her hair into a neat bun and added a rose to accentuate her look. On the other hand, Dia Mirza, who shares a close bond with Satyadeep Misra, arrived with husband Vaibhav Rekhi. Dia looked pretty in a golden and black gown. Check out the pictures below: 

Rhea Kapoor's husband Karan Boolani and Gaurav Kapur were also spotted at the wedding. 

Neena Gupta's friends Soni Razdan and Kunal Kapoor arrived with kids  Zahan Prithviraj Kapoor and Shaira Laura Kapoor.  

Konkona Sen Sharma, Anmol Parashar and Sandhya Mridul happily posed for the shutterbugs.

On Early Friday,  Masaba Gupta and Satyadeep Misra shared their wedding pictures on Instagram in a joint post, and wrote, "Married my ocean of calm, this morning, Here's to many many lifetimes of love, peace, stability and most importantly laughter. And thanks for letting me pick the caption - this is gonna be great!" Take a look below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Masaba (@masabagupta)

Masaba Gupta and Satyadeep met on the sets of her popular show Masaba Masaba.

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"Feeling Overwhelmed And...": Director Siddharth On Pathaan Success

Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan was one of the most awaited films of this year. And ever since its release, the movie has been breaking records at the box office. On seeing this response, director Siddharth Anand, in a statement, said that he is "feeling incredibly overwhelmed". The spy-thriller marked SRK's return to the big screens after four years and became the biggest opener in Hindi cinema with a record of Rs 55 crore. On breaking the records, the director said, "Scripting history. Everyone wants it, but one can't plan it. It just happens. And when it does, it's actually a very humbling experience. I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed right now and inspired to get back on the film set and try and create something really special for audiences again. That's my state of mind," as per a report in ANI. 

Siddharth Anand added, "With War and now Pathaan, we, the Hindi film industry have given films that have pan India appeal. I have always believed that cinema has no language. Cinema is about an emotion and if it connects with people, it can really go to dizzying heights and that's what's happening with Pathaan."

He concluded by saying, "Today is a victory of Indian cinema because we are all Indians first. It is such an exciting phase for our country that films from across India are making records, breaking records and most importantly entertaining the people of our country globally."

Pathaan, produced by Yash Raj Films, also stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in the lead. 

Coming back to the box office collection, Pathaan, in just two days, has entered Rs 200 club as the worldwide ticket sales for two days add up to over Rs 200 crores. On the second day, Pathaan's Hindi version made around Rs 70 crore - the first Hindi film to approach this number in a single day's takings. Pathaan's Hindi version now totals Rs 123 crore. 

In a tweet shared by trade analyst Taran Adarsh, he wrote, "All BO records demolished. Pathaan creates history on Day 2 as well. First Hindi film to near Rs 70 crore on a single day. Wed 55 cr, Th 68 cr (Republic Day). Total: Rs 123 cr. Hindi version. India biz. Unimaginable. Unprecedented. Unstoppable." In another tweet, he reported the Tamil and Telugu earnings.

Take a look below: 

#Pathaan #Tamil + #Telugu: Wed 2 cr, Thu 2.50 cr. Total: ₹ 4.50 cr.

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 27, 2023

Directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan stars SRK in the title role of a RAW agent who teams up with Deepika Padukone's ISI agent to fight against a terror threat from John Abraham.

(With ANI Inputs)

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US Panel to Vote on TikTok Ban Over National Security Concerns in February

The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to hold a vote next month on a bill aimed at blocking the use of China's popular social media app TikTok in the United States, the committee confirmed on Friday.

The measure, planned by the panel's chair Representative Michael McCaul, a Republican, would aim to give the White House the legal tools to ban TikTok over US national security concerns.

"The concern is that this app gives the Chinese government a back door into our phones," McCaul told Bloomberg News, which reported the vote timing earlier.

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump attempted to block new users from downloading TikTok and ban other transactions that would have effectively blocked the app's use in the United States, but lost a series of court battles over the measure.

The Biden administration in June 2021 formally abandoned that effort. Then in December, Republican Senator Marco Rubio unveiled bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok, which would also block all transactions from any social media company in or under the influence of China and Russia.

But a ban of the short video app, which is owned by ByteDance and is popular among teens, would face significant hurdles in Congress to pass, and would need 60 votes in the Senate.

For three years, TikTok - which has more than 100 million US users - has been seeking to assure Washington that the personal data of US citizens cannot be accessed and its content cannot be manipulated by China's Communist Party or anyone else under Beijing's influence.

TikTok said Friday "calls for total bans of TikTok take a piecemeal approach to national security and a piecemeal approach to broad industry issues like data security, privacy, and online harms."

The US government's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a powerful national security body, in 2020 ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok because of fears that US user data could be passed on to China's government.

CFIUS and TikTok have been in talks since 2021, aiming to reach a national security agreement to protect the data of US TikTok users.

TikTok said it had a "comprehensive package of measures with layers of government and independent oversight to ensure that there are no backdoors into TikTok that could be used to manipulate the platform" and invested roughly $1.5 billion (roughly Rs. 12,300 crore) to date on those efforts.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the bill on Friday. "It's under review by (CFIUS) so I am just not going to get into details on that," Jean-Pierre said.

Last month, Biden signed legislation that included a ban on federal employees using or downloading TikTok on government-owned devices. More than 25 US states have also banned the use of TikTok on state-owned devices.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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The Infinix Zero Ultra has a decent set of specifications on paper, but does the phone justify its high asking price? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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