iWorld
Trump approves TikTok deal ‘in concept’
NEW DELHI: It seems that the Byte Dance owned short video platform TikTok has got a breather in the US after the president had ordered the app to be banned in the region, citing national security concerns.
During the weekend, President Donald Trump gave his nod to a multiparty deal ‘in concept’, under which TikTok will be partly owned by Oracle and Walmart. Media reports say that TikTok is seeking a valuation of 60 billion dollars of. Oracle will hold 12.5 per cent and Walmart will hold 7.5 per cent stake. Sequoia Capital and General Atlantic, already investors in TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance, are also expected to take stakes in the new company.
“I have given the deal my blessing. If they get it done that’s great. If they don’t, that’s OK too,” Trump told reporters Saturday. “I approved the deal in concept.”
TikTok and ByteDance both welcomed President Trump’s approval of a proposed deal, which would still need to be signed off by the Chinese government.
TikTok said the deal would ensure US national security requirements were fully satisfied, while ByteDance said it was working to reach an agreement that was “in line with the US and Chinese law” as soon as possible.
TikTok interim chief executive Vanessa Pappas said in a video posted on Saturday that the app was “here to stay” in the US.
#WeAreTikTok and we are here to stay! pic.twitter.com/AaA8OhpvGx
— TikTok (@tiktok_us) September 19, 2020
President Trump’s support for the deal comes days after his administration said it would bar people in the US from downloading TikTok through any app store starting 20 September.
The deal is more like a joint venture between three companies where Oracle will be acting as a “trusted partner” safeguarding the data of users. If one looks closely at the newly proposed deal, it is not what president Trump has initially demanded as it still allows TikTok’s Chinese owner Bytedance a controlling stake.
It is expected that TikTok Global will likely be headquartered in Texas and will hire “at least” 25,000 people, Trump said. TikTok will need to recruit thousands of content moderators, engineers and marketing staff that were previously located in China and around the world.
At present, the ban on TikTok has been delayed by a week by the US authorities.
For the record, the app has been already banned in India by the Indian government along with several other Chinese apps.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
