Mamdani brings NYC back to TikTok
NEW YORK, April 1: Nearly three years after New York City banned TikTok over security concerns, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the city is returning to the platform. The move reverses a 2023 prohibition under former Mayor Eric Adams, following federal and state restrictions over fears that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, could share data with China. City agencies can now post on TikTok under strict cybersecurity rules: dedicated devices must be used, accounts created with agency credentials, and sensitive data kept separate. NYC Cyber Command emphasized the shift is meant to broaden communications with residents about services, emergencies, and city events. Mamdani, a social media-savvy mayor, has already posted videos on rental hearings and a community problem-solving contest, using the platform to engage New Yorkers directly while maintaining security precautions. (Agencies)
Six dead, two injured in NW Pakistan jirga shooting
PESHAWAR, April 1: At least six people were killed and two others injured when a gunman opened fire on a tribal elders’ meeting in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, police said Wednesday. The elders of the Istrana tribe had gathered to meet Zulfiqar Marwat, a wanted suspect, to resolve a dispute over a snatched motorcycle. During the meeting, Marwat opened fire, killing six members on the spot and injuring two others, before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. Authorities launched a search operation after receiving intelligence about Marwat’s whereabouts. During the raid, Marwat and his accomplices fired at police, prompting retaliatory fire in which Marwat was killed. Police recovered several weapons and a motorcycle from the location. The incident highlights ongoing tribal disputes and the persistent security risks faced by local communities in northwest Pakistan. (PTI)
Russian military plane crash kills 29 people on board
MOSCOW, April 1: A Russian military An-26 transport plane crashed in annexed Crimea on Tuesday evening, killing six crew members and 23 passengers, Russian news agencies reported Wednesday, citing the Defence Ministry. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight over the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and lost contact with ground control around 6 pm. The Investigative Committee confirmed that seven crew members and 23 passengers were on board, though it remained unclear if one crew member survived. Sources at the crash site said the plane struck a cliff in a mountainous, forested area. The Defence Ministry indicated that a technical malfunction caused the crash and ruled out any damaging external interference. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation for violating flight regulations, while search and recovery operations continue. The An-26 is a Soviet-era military transport turboprop aircraft widely used for troop and cargo transport. (AP)
