Yazılar

TikTok Allows US Android Users to Download App Through Its Website

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On Friday, TikTok announced it would enable U.S. Android users to download the app directly from its website using package kits. This move aims to bypass the ongoing restrictions on the platform in the U.S., where Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok to their app stores.

Since January 19, a new U.S. law has required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the app or face a potential ban due to national security concerns. Although President Donald Trump signed an executive order that delayed enforcement of the law by 75 days, discussions continue regarding the future of TikTok, which has around 170 million U.S. users.

Trump also signed an order to create a sovereign wealth fund, which could be used to potentially purchase TikTok. U.S. officials have raised concerns about the potential misuse of American data under ByteDance’s ownership.

While some lawmakers argue in favor of banning TikTok, citing security risks, free speech advocates have opposed such measures. TikTok counters that its content recommendation system and user data are stored in the U.S. on cloud servers operated by Oracle. The company also maintains that decisions regarding content moderation for American users are made in the U.S.

Siemens Healthineers Shares Rise on Q1 Revenue Beat Despite China Order Delays

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Siemens Healthineers (SHLG.DE) reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter revenue on Thursday, with a 5.9% year-on-year increase, despite challenges posed by delayed customer orders in China. The company’s Q1 group revenue reached 5.48 billion euros ($5.69 billion), slightly surpassing the 5.37 billion euros forecast by analysts.

The revenue boost was driven by a 16% surge in U.S. revenues, counteracting a 6% decline in sales from China, which the company attributed to “continued delays in customer orders.” Like many of its peers in the healthcare technology sector, Siemens Healthineers has been impacted by China’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign, leading to reduced hospital equipment orders in the region.

Siemens Healthineers’ Chief Financial Officer, Jochen Schmitz, stated that the company expects continued challenges in China, forecasting a decline in sales in the “medium to high percentage range” during the first half of the year. He also noted a “flat trend” in China’s performance over the following quarters.

Despite the challenges, Siemens Healthineers remains cautiously optimistic, with CEO Bernd Montag emphasizing that while global trade disruptions, such as U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, are a concern, the risk to the healthcare and medical technology sectors remains relatively low. He added that U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports would have a “minor” impact on the company’s business.

The company also expects a stronger U.S. dollar to play a role in its financial outlook. Siemens Healthineers confirmed its full-year guidance, with revenue growth anticipated to fall within the lower end of the projected range of 5% to 6% for the second quarter.

 

Mexico President Condemns Google’s Name Change of Gulf of Mexico

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her disapproval on Thursday over Google’s decision to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico on its Google Maps platform. This move followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to rename the body of water to the “Gulf of America.”

In a letter addressed to Google, Sheinbaum’s government argued that the United States cannot unilaterally rename a body of water that it shares with both Mexico and Cuba. The change would apply only to U.S. users of Google Maps once it is officially updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System. For users in Mexico, the name “Gulf of Mexico” will remain, while internationally, both names will be shown.

The conflict between Sheinbaum and Trump over the name change has escalated, with Sheinbaum previously jesting that, if countries were to start renaming geographical locations, North America should be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing a 1607 map of the region.

Mexico’s position is based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which asserts that a country’s sovereignty only extends 12 nautical miles (about 22 kilometers) from its coastline. As a result, Sheinbaum emphasized that the U.S. could only change the name of the Gulf within its own 12 nautical miles, not beyond that.

In her morning press conference, Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico had requested Google to feature the term “Mexican America” when searched. She called for Google to prominently display this on its platform as part of the broader conversation about territorial naming rights.