Amazon makes last-minute bid for TikTok

Amazon has made a last-minute bid to buy TikTok, which faces a US ban if not sold by its Chinese owner, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. The offer arrived in a letter to officials involved in talks regarding the sale of TikTok to appease US national security concerns, according to the New York Times. President Donald Trump has downplayed risks that TikTok is in danger of being banned in the United States, saying he remains confident of finding a buyer for the app’s US business by a Saturday deadline. US media reported that Trump plans to meet with top White House officials on Wednesday to discuss possible solutions. The Times added that its sources said the parties involved in the talks did not appear to be taking Amazon’s bid seriously. According to reports, the most likely solution would see existing US investors in ByteDance roll over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company.