List of All Articles with Tag 'tok'

NBA legend Charles Barkley doesn't always feel great about the current basketball product, but two NBA players help him keep the faith.

In today’s world, social media is usually the culprit for circulating conspiracy theories and stories. The recent viral discussion online is the Russian sleep experiment, as some wonder if it was real, after a video claimed a film covering the incident is being made. The story first surfaced on a Creepypasta forum. The post described to readers a Soviet-era experiment where scientist created a stimulant that allowed soldiers to go without sleep for 30 days. As the story goes, in order to prove and showcase the effects of the stimulant, five prisoners were selected and promised freedom at the end of the test. The five men were then locked in the chamber and gas was pumped inside it. However, the story reveals that the experiment did not go well as all the men began to experience symptoms of sleep deprivation. Halfway through the 30 day time period, the scientists conducting the experiment were forced to enter the chamber as there was no visibility due to the gas. When they opened the door one prisoner was dead and the other four had several horrific injuries that were presumed to be self-inflicted. Despite some belief that the Russian sleep experiment is real, it is in fact a work of fiction, as is almost all stories posted to Creepypasta. Stories are shared on the platform to scare readers, with the website initially reposting stories found on existing platforms such as 4chan and Reddit. Over time, the site allowed people to post anonymously and share their own stories. However, it is true that a movie has been based on the story. On Apple TV+ you can stream The Sleep Experiment if you’re in the mood for a horrifying watch. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The latest slate of NBA rumors involves Dillon Brooks' continued delusions, Giannis warning the Bucks, and Lillard avoiding the Blazers in conversation.

Nineteen large platforms have to start complying with new rules as soon as Friday or risk big fines.

As it is the month of August, it's no surprise that Taylor Swift's song August is a currently trending, as people on TikTok have been using the music in videos to channel their main character energy. But a new spin on the trend has seen people's pets take center stage as they are dramatically spun around as Swift sings in the song: "Back when we were still changin' for the better / Wanting was enough / For me, it was enough / To live for the hope of it all..." From dogs, cats, to a hamster, a goat, even a racoon and a hedgehog are some examples of the animals being spun around as part of the trend, with many looking bewildered at their owner's actions. Here are some viral examples that have racked up millions of views: @.naaaat HIS ARMS REACHING OUT I CANNOT @shaneequah_ safe to say indie loved it #fyp#lambs#petspinningchallange @lizzie3427 He tried to kill me after this #fyp #taylorswift #racoon #august #spintrend @sabz.i i don’t think i did this right @emmacchristie Sorry tilly While the owners may be having fun making these TikToks with their pets, animal charity Cats Protection warned that doing this action is not in the best interests for the welfare of pets. "At no point should an animal deliberately be put in a position to feel fear, anxiety, frustration or experience pain for the benefit of human entertainment," Central Behaviour Officer Daniel Warren-Cummings told Metro. "Cats in particular will experience extreme stress by being swung or spun around and it could even cause them physical harm." "In the videos highlighted, the cats are showing clear signs of distress. Even more disappointingly, these are being described as cute or funny in the comments section by people who appear to count themselves as cat lovers. Warren-Cummings added: "It’s clear from the language that the owners don’t understand that animals don’t feel and behave the same way humans do and this undercuts the distress that the cats are experiencing.’ He also noted that even if the actions in the video are brief, it is still "unethical and should not be encouraged.’ Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Provides an overview of the Cook Islands, including key facts about this Pacific country.

Americans tell the BBC how what they see online is changing their political views.

Deadly road accidents involving vehicles overloaded with migrants are a regular occurrence in Mexico.

Provides an overview of Tokelau, including key events and facts about this Pacific Ocean territory.

A Taylor Swift lookalike has come under fire for causing chaos when she went out in public pretending to be the pop star as part of an internet prank. Ashley Leechin - who has 1.6m followers on TikTok - sported a white top, blue jeans, accessorised with a red bag, red leather cap, and signature red lipstick in a look reminiscent of Swift's Red era. With several 'security guards' surrounding her, Leechin turned up to The Grove, a popular shopping mall in Los Angeles where she was swarmed by Swifties who believed they were seeing the Anti-Hero singer in the flesh. Leechin then showed up at Downtown Disney, the shopping district of Disneyland in Anaheim, California where she repeated the prank and appeared to fool members of the public. @paolaamarcella Yall think this was taylor? #viral #taylorswift #thegrove #fyp #losangeles The two instances were part of a prank video by YouTuber Victor Galvan (Vic In The Game) who has posted videos of similar stunts, with his latest video being a "Fake Bad Bunny prank.". Clips of Leechin being swarmed by fans quickly made rounds of social media, with people criticising her for pretending to be the popular musician out in public, calling the stunt "irresponsible," especially in light of fans recently congregating outside a restaurant where the real Taylor Swift was eating. One person wrote: "You guys are really irresponsible for doing this given the recent events and the likelihood of security concerns that could arise. Also, this is disgusting!" "This is such weird behavior," another person said. Someone else added: "How is this Ashley girl gonna say she did it because other celebrities hire dupes in the past??? Taylor didn’t hire you, you did it for attention." "Taylor should sue them or get a restraining order against that Ashley," a fourth person commented. Leechin has since responded to the negative online reaction and took to TikTok where she explained she collaborated with Galvan, so wasn't the one who hired the bodyguards, and described the stunt was a "social experiment." @noitisashley13 Sorry late post. ‘A day in the life of a celebrity’ - only because it was Taylor everyone is blowing this out of proportion. If it were anyone else, it would have had a completely different outcome. This is why celebrities would hire decoys so they can enjoy their private event or quiey evening. Thank you to everyone who was so kind & sweet yesterday. Not going squash any other rumors because that is pointless. Just a friendly reminder, please do not bully any of my friends. You can bully me because it seems to be an okay thing to do in the ‘swiftie’ fandom but please do not bully my friends because they were incredible to work with. #itsjustashley #vicinthegame #taylorswift "This social experiment was to live a day in the life of a celebrity to see what would happen if I went out looking like Taylor Swift and so from all the videos that you guys have seen [of] fans swarming, this goes to how far a fandom will go," she said. Leechin also said the stunt was a "positive experience," and added it "was not to be malicious it was not to mock anyone," but admitted the timing was "horrific" referring to Swift recently being swarmed by fans. "It was not a 'malicious act' by any means & I want everyone to know that words do not affect me," Leechin wrote in a recent Instagram Story. "Decoys have been hired multiple times by celebrities in the past (many more than just JLo & Ben [Affleck]). The massive amount of positivity I have received outweighs your negativity. "This really shows how far a fandom will go & the true possessiveness that some fandoms have over a celebrity." In another story, she added: "Please don’t expect me to turn off my comments, stop making content or disappear for that matter. It is called freedom of speech for a reason and you have as much air as you want to say what you need to say. "The videos surfacing are taken way out of context & I just want to say to those who have messaged me and have said very kind things, I see you and I thank you. I just hope those who are angry over speculation do not dwell on this and can eventually enjoy their day." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON New York City on Wednesday banned TikTok on government-owned devices, citing security concerns, joining

By Michael Martina and David Shepardson WASHINGTON Close to half of American adults support a ban on the