Latest news bulletin | December 19th – Morning

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  • The 'virgin' Sophie Rain set to make $60m on adult site: The rise and backlash of OnlyFans' biggest star

    After earning $43 million in 2024, Sophie Rain will surpass that this year amid fierce ethical debates about her child-like looks and controversial pals

  • Mum's battle with Meta and Snapchat after son took life in "challenge"

    A bereaved mum is fighting social media giants Snapchat and Meta over fears her 14-year-old son killed himself in a 'online challenge' gone wrong. Ellen Roome is campaigning to access accounts of her son Jools Sweeney as she believes it holds the answers as to why he took his own life. Jools was found dead in his bedroom after taking his own life but a coroner was unable to confirm if he was in a suicidal mood before his death. Ms Roome said Jools did a "lot of online challenges" and fears he fell victim to a 'dark and dangerous' one such as Blackout - linked to the deaths of dozens of young people. She has since been campaigning for "Jools' Law" - which would allow parents to access the social media accounts of their children if they died. The petition, which gained 126,000 signatures, was debated in Parliament on Monday, January 13. To help with the funds visit their page here: https://pay.collctiv.com/jools-4827?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3vPyGcm1wmgaYrx7FCnSQxCecJHqvlh5I0agDY3OAkdPJnoTy1ay4HGYY_aem_1tNc3uLvLJhq-xH5HGunYg

  • 'I hope new users stick around': U.S. influencer on 'TikTok refugees'

    STORY: "Welcome to Chinese social media' says Paul Ashton, an American influencer in China who is no stranger to 'Red Note', the social media platform known in China as Xiaohongshu.This week, a person close to the platform told Reuters more than half a million American users piled into the platform in protest of an imminent ban on Tiktok.Ashton is based in Shanghai, but online he goes by Baobaoxiong - literally, 'hug hug bear' - and his videos have billions of views.He was excited to see the surge of so-called 'TikTok refugees' as a foreigner in China and RedNote veteran."I have loved seeing the way, the enthusiasm and the joy at which I've seen a lot of Chinese netizens engaging with people that are English speakers. Like, one of my favorite memes I've seen so far is just like, "hello, Americans, show us your cats!" Like, if there's one thing that binds the internet, it's that we all love cat pictures, you know?"While China has for years tightly controlled its cyberspace through its "Great Firewall" - and Chinese social media platforms have in the past run separate domestic and abroad versions of their apps, RedNote is unique as it only maintains one version of its app and it gives both Chinese and American users a rare opportunity to interact directly with each other."I'm not sure how many of the new users will actually stick around and hang out. But I hope that they do.""Because I think that that would be a really important shift in cultural exchange that for the first time in a long time, puts the ball in China's court a little bit more. But then even more specifically, puts the ball in the hands of Chinese people in China."In China, RedNote as a platform is popular for finding recommendations for beauty, travel or food.On Wednesday many of its users posted selfies and messages welcoming new American users.Though Beijing-based academic Liu Xingliang, who studies the digital economy, says RedNote was caught unprepared."It is an accident. But since it is an accident, it is actually good for them, and there also may be certain risks. If they want to catch this wave of prosperity, I think they may have to do at least a few things. The first thing is to make your interface and UI more friendly.""It is the first time that a large number of people have had such a very large-scale exchange, and the exchanges between the two sides are relaxed and enthusiastic. From what I've seen, they were all learning about each other's living habits, local conditions and customs."There were also signs that some new foreign users were testing the platform's censorship limits with some posting on social media network X that they were unable to post about topics known to be sensitive in China such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.For now - China's welcoming the migration of TikTokers to RedNote with open arms.Chinese state media CCTV ran reports saying that TikTok users had found a "new home".And China's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday the use of social media is a "personal choice", and China "encourages and supports" people-to-people exchanges.

  • Americans Are Scrambling To China's RedNote As TikTok Faces The Axe, And The Cultures Are Colliding In Unexpected — And HILARIOUS — Ways

    "Red Note got me wondering why we're always beefing with China. Love them."

  • Netflix signs YouTube phenom Ms. Rachel, as the creator ecosystem and Hollywood become increasingly intertwined

    Netflix's new deal with Ms. Rachel, the kid content phenom, marks the latest major influencer agreement to come to streaming.

  • As TikTok faces a US shutdown, here are some alternative apps to check out

    TikTok has warned of a looming shutdown in just six days, as the Supreme Court is currently weighing the law that would ban the app. The law gives TikTok parent company ByteDance until January 19 to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban in the country. TikTok is hoping for a pause to the law, but if that doesn’t happen, the app will effectively be banned in the country.

  • American killed fellow Goldsmiths student ‘after she urged him to take an STI test after sex’, court told

    Joshua Michals is accused of leaving partner and fellow student Zhe Wang to die in a ‘pool of blood’

  • Mainland model Yang Zeqi found after going missing at Thai-Myanmar border

    The male model is believed to be another victim of abduction and filming scam

  • Son and Girlfriend Found Dead in Home Had Been Living with His Parents' Slain Bodies for Months

    William Vosler and his wife Eileen Vosler were found dead inside a freezer along with notes stating when they'd died

  • This Architect Explained Why This One House Survived The LA Fires, And The Reasons Are Truly Fascinating

    "A couple glass panels will require replacement. Otherwise fine."

  • Nato jets scrambled as Russia launches massive aerial strike on Ukraine

    Putin’s air force pounded critical infrastructure facilities close to the Polish border

  • Brunei's Prince Mateen and Princess Anisha Rosnah mark one-year wedding anniversary with beautiful picture

    Brunei's Prince Mateen and Princess Anisha Rosnah looked stunning in a new picture shared to mark their one-year wedding anniversary. Take a look here...

  • Exclusive-Trump team asks three US senior career diplomats to resign, sources say

    Aides to President-elect Donald Trump have asked three senior career diplomats who oversee the U.S. State Department's workforce and internal coordination to step down from their roles, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said, in a possible signal of deeper changes ahead for the diplomatic corps. The team overseeing the State Department's transition to the new administration, the Agency Review Team, has requested that Dereck Hogan, Marcia Bernicat and Alaina Teplitz leave their posts, the sources said. While political appointees typically submit their resignations when a new president takes office, most career foreign service officers continue from one administration to the next.

  • Arne Slot is like a chess grandmaster who is even bolder than Jurgen Klopp at changing games

    Modern football can often be compared to a form of speed chess. That being the case, Arne Slot is proving himself quite the grandmaster.

  • Michelle Obama signals she’s done with Trump

    Michelle Obama is done with President-elect Trump, if her decision to skip next week’s inauguration means anything. The former first lady, who once called on Democrats to go high when Trump’s Republican Party goes low, will not be going to the Capitol to watch Trump take the presidential oath for a second time, leaving her…

  • Amorim wants Manchester United to match ‘leader’ Maguire’s commitment

    The head coach praised Maguire’s attitude during the FA Cup win at Arsenal, saying: ‘He was dead in the end – that’s what I want from every player’

  • Rita Ora can't get enough of this orange itsy bitsy bikini

    The singer just showed off her toned physique while soaking up the sun in New Zealand. See photos

  • Unstoppable Isak breaks Alan Shearer record as Newcastle storm into top four

    As the records start to tumble at Newcastle United, and their irresistible charge up the Premier League table continues, it is time to ponder whether Eddie Howe’s side are now title contenders?

  • Brooke Shields Reveals Why She's "Glad" She Never Had Kids With Andre Agassi

    The tennis player told the actress, "I would not have made this easy for you."

  • Trump's Greenland bid stirs debate in China about what to do with Taiwan

    For years, the U.S. government has urged China to show "restraint" in pushing its claim on Taiwan and to drop military threats to bring the democratically governed island under its control. Now - some Chinese commentators say - the power of that long-held U.S. message has been undermined by the threats by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, by force if necessary. Trump takes office on Jan. 20.