Tooba Masood

Featured in: Favicon

dawn.com

tribune.com.pk Favicon

scroll.in

trtworld.com Favicon

samaa.tv

brecorder.com Favicon

theamericanscholar.org Favicon

trtafrika.com

Articles

Biden removes Cuba from terror blacklist - A diplomatic olive branch?

Jan 16, 2025 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

In a surprising yet significant move, outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration has announced that they will be removing Cuba from its terrorism blacklist. Cuba, an hour later, announced that it would release over 500 prisoners from jail, following talks with Pope Francis. Both moves are seen as significant steps in improving bilateral ties between the two countries — after years of diplomatic stagnation and increasing international calls for Washington to ease its stance on Havana.
TikTok faces potential US ban in nine days - what led to this showdown?

Jan 10, 2025 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

The clock is ticking on TikTok’s future in the US, as the Supreme Court is set to hear an oral argument on Friday (January 10) challenging legislation that seeks to ban the popular short-form video app nationwide. The audio of the public session will be live-streamed. It all began last year when outgoing President Joe Biden signed legislation requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the platform by January 19, 2025.
Mystery illness in DRC puts health officials on the edge

Dec 10, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

As most of the global focus remains on conflicts in the Middle East, a mysterious epidemic-like disease has killed dozens of people in a remote part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, putting health experts on the edge as the world still reels under the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that at least 31 people, most of the children, have died in DRC’s Kwango province since the illness was first detected in late October.
What Oxford’s Word of the Year reveals about humanity’s online addiction

Dec 3, 2024 | trtworld.com | Edibe Betul Yucer |Tooba Masood

If you thought doomscrolling is dangerous, there is more bad news for those glued to their smartphones. Oxford Languages has just announced ‘brain rot’ as the Word of the Year for 2024, underpinning growing global concerns over the cognitive toll from endless digital consumption. The word was selected following an online poll of over 37,000 participants. The term's usage grew 230 percent between 2023 and 2024, as more people grappled with the effects of endless online content scrolling.
Is the TikTok beauty filter ban good for teens? Experts say yes.

Dec 3, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

Karachi, PAKISTAN ––– TikTok’s recent decision to ban teenagers under 18 from using beauty filters may make some kids roll their eyes, but grown-up experts and health professionals say this is a long overdue step in the right direction. Starting next year, the short-form video hosting service, which has over a billion active users, will restrict minors from using popular beauty filters like Bold Glamour, which uses AI to drastically change facial features.
Will Indonesia's 'Ban or Pay Up' strategy force tech giants to comply?

Dec 2, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

Last month, Indonesia banned the sale of Apple’s iPhone 16s, which was launched globally in September. The ban also extends to other Apple products like the Apple Watch Series 10. According to, the government has also moved to block the iPhone 16’s IMEI registrations, rendering imported devices unusable within the country. Similarly, the Google Pixel phones have also been banned in the country, though these devices are not officially distributed in the Indonesian market.
Restricting social media for Aussie teens? New limits on access explained

Nov 26, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

Since the early days of Facebook and MySpace where users had to be 18 or over, social media platforms have struggled with age restrictions. Facebook’s original 18+ rule was later lowered to 13 in most countries and 14 in some. Today, apps like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram require users to be at least 13, but age verification remains unreliable, making it easy for underage users to bypass restrictions.
Why are Indian Muslims in Sambhal protesting?

Nov 25, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

Four Muslim men were killed as a crowd opposing the survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the Sambhal area of Uttar Pradesh state clashed with the police on November 24. Tensions erupted in Sambhal, a town 158 km from New Delhi, as a dispute over the Shahi Jama Masjid—a mosque dating to the Mughal era—escalated into violence, leaving four dead and prompting the imposition of curfews and internet blackouts.
Do legends live forever, or must they die in the arena?

Nov 20, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

On Saturday, Iron Mike faced a knockout of a different kind, losing to YouTuber Jake Paul. Then on Tuesday, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, of the Davis Cup without a win. Fans of both icons—fiercely loyal, perpetually hopeful—were left grappling with the fragility of their heroes. These moments make many ponder a thorny question: When the arena fades, can legends endure? Tyson and Nadal, in their own ways, illuminate the tension between legacy and time, triumph and twilight.
Air purifiers, masks, nebulisers new normal as Pakistanis fight smog

Nov 14, 2024 | trtworld.com | Tooba Masood

Breathing clean air in Lahore is something the city’s 14 million people do not take for granted. These days, they have to wear a mask, buy an air purifier, and continuously wash their face and eyes. All of this is because of the toxic smog. A thick grey cloud has enveloped Lahore and other parts of Punjab province, which borders India, as air pollution has degraded to unprecedented levels in the region.