Latest news bulletin | December 15th – Midday
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.
Latest stories
Evening StandardThe '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
- SWNS
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
- Reuters
China gives a wary welcome to influx of 'TikTok refugees' on RedNote
SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Users of the Chinese social media app RedNote welcomed "TikTok refugees" from the United States with selfies and messages on Wednesday, as Beijing said it encouraged stronger cultural ties with other countries in response to the sudden influx. Known in China as Xiaohongshu and as a platform to find lifestyle recommendations on areas from beauty to food, the app has in recent days been transformed into an unexpected bilateral channel for U.S.-China exchanges, with users swapping photos and questions about pets, favourite foods and their lives. Not everyone was happy, though, with some grumbling that their platform was being taken over and nationalist bloggers warning against American influences.
- INSIDER
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.
- Malay Mail
IGP: Minister’s son eloped, wedding cert real
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Police have verified the claimed marriage of a minister’s son in a neighbouring country last year...
- People
Newlywed Wife Is Allegedly Stabbed to Death by Husband After Traveling Overseas to Meet up with Him: Authorities
Marvil Facturan-Kocjančič, a native of the Philippines, was killed seven days after arriving in Slovenia
- InStyle
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."
- Malay Mail
After sandwich maker claims chicken ham was ‘halal’, Jakim says ingredients don’t make the cert
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — A food maker’s insistence that it only used halal ingredients was no defence against its unauthor...
- People
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
- Reuters
North Korea's suicide soldiers pose new challenge for Ukraine in war with Russia
After a battle in Russia's snowy western region of Kursk this week, Ukrainian special forces scoured the bodies of more than a dozen slain North Korean enemy soldiers. But it is among mounting evidence from the battlefield, intelligence reports and testimonies of defectors that some North Korean soldiers are resorting to extreme measures as they support Russia's three-year war with Ukraine. "Self-detonation and suicides: that's the reality about North Korea," said Kim, a 32-year-old former North Korean soldier who defected to the South in 2022, requesting he only be identified by his surname due to fears of reprisals against his family left in the North.
- Malay Mail
Rice, lard, and walks: Chinese woman turns 124, shares her secrets to longevity
NANCHONG, Jan 14 — A Chinese woman believed to be among the oldest in the world has shared her secrets to longevity afte...
- People
After Family Excludes Her from a Group Trip, Woman Wins the Lottery — and Says She Won't Be Sharing the Winnings
The woman says she only learned her family was planning a trip without her when her sister posted about it on Instagram
- AFP News
Thai PM says nearly fell for foreign leader phone scam
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra almost fell victim to a phone scam using AI to impersonate a foreign leader's voice, she said Wednesday.The PM, the youngest daughter of telecoms billionaire and ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said she received a message in a voice sounding identical to a well-known leader, without identifying the person.
- Malay Mail
Chinese families desperate for help as relatives fall victim to yet another human trafficking case in Thailand
BANGKOK, Jan 14 — Desperate Chinese families are urgently seeking help after their relatives disappeared in Thailand, su...
- INSIDER
The cost of the Los Angeles wildfires' damage could be at least $250 billion. Here's who pays the bills.
With high property values, catastrophic damage, and lost economic activity, the Los Angeles wildfires could cost up to $275 billion. Here's who pays.
- InStyle
Prince William Has "Big Plans" for Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie's Kids
The heir is thinking ahead.
- Associated Press
Israel supplied Iran with centrifuge platforms containing explosives, top official acknowledges
Israel supplied Iran with centrifuge platforms containing explosives for its nuclear enrichment program, a top Iranian official has acknowledged for the first time, underscoring the sophistication of sabotage programs targeting the Islamic Republic. The comments by Mohammad Javad Zarif, a former foreign minister who serves as vice president for strategic affairs for reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, appear aimed at explaining to the country’s disaffected public the challenges Iran's government faces under crushing Western sanctions over the program. The comments also acknowledged details previously reported in Israel about a 2021 attack on Iran's underground Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.
- NY Daily News
Ivanka Trump reveals why she won’t return to the White House
As her father prepares to take up the presidency for a second time next week, Ivanka Trump revealed that she “hates politics” and has no intention of returning to work at the White House. The 43-year-old former presidential adviser shared the multiple reasons she decided to sit this term out while appearing on Tuesday’s episode of the “Him & Her” podcast. After Donald Trump lost the 2020 ...
- Malay Mail
Now, Loke says no definite date for KLIA’s aerotrain to start service
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 15 — The completion date for the Automated People Mover System (Aerotrain) at Kuala Lumpur International...
- Evening Standard
Sofia Vergara and Lewis Hamilton spark romance rumours with New York lunch date
Sofia Vergara has been single since splitting from Justin Saliman in late 2024