Latest news with #Zs
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Flip phone summer': Gen Z vows to resurrect low-tech — before their ‘brains turn to mush'
Gen Z is flipping the script this season. Hanging up on the addictive call of the smartphone, tweens, teens and 20-somethings are, instead, going retro, ditching their digital devices for 2000s-era flip phones. 'Flip phone summer,' declared Makayla Aubrey, posing with her throwback artifact in a trending clip. 'Life will be so simple.' 4 Aubrey and her fellow Gen Zers have declared this season 'Flip Phone Summer,' vowing to replace their smart devices with the Y2K-era accessories. Tiktok / @makaylaaubreyyyy It's an ease that comes with less time on screens. The Zs, youngsters under age 27, have recently begun rehabbing their high-tech fixations with the help of low-tech tools. It's a generational effort towards disconnecting from the World Wide Web, and reconnecting with the real world in oldfangled ways. 4 Young adults online claim their lives are becoming consumed by their smartphones. Andrii Lysenko – Forgoing iPhone photoshoots, Gen Zers are virally all in favor of snapping pics on vintage digital and disposable cameras, insisting that 'a camera from 2007 gives off a certain vibe that something like an iPhone can't produce.' The whippersnappers are, too, preferring cassette tapes and vinyl records over music streaming platforms, and Walkman headphones over ultramodern Bluetooth earbuds. 4 Dumbphones, such as flip phone and Blackberrys, offer users a break from the incessant buzz of today's buzzy iPhones and Androids. F-Stop Boy – Their newfound fascination with Y2K-style horns, however, started with the BlackBerry. Nicknaming the once in-demand devices 'dumbphones,' owing to their unique keyboards and limited capabilities, Zoomers have been zooming to sites like Facebook Marketplace and eBay, purchasing BlackBerrys to supplant their more sophisticated cellulars. Now, as flip phones rise from the ashes as the hot months' hottest commodity, Gen Zs are crediting the vintage mobiles with restoring their grip on reality. 4 TikTokkers like AR Justin are popularizing the 'Flip Phone Summer' movement, making the old-school cell phones cool again. Tiktok / @ar_justin 'It's an unplugged summer,' Meni, who admittedly spent 13 hours staring at screens each day, announced in the caption of a TikTok clip. 'I swear that my brain is just mush,' she said, blaming her smartphone, its alluring apps and constant notifications, for the regression. 'I no longer live my life,' continued the brunette. 'I just watch other people live theirs, and feel s—ty about mine.' Meni went on to laud her early aughts flip phone, along with an old-timey e-book reader, praising the resurrected gadgets for saving her from sure destruction. 'I love the freedom.'
Hype Malaysia
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
M&M'S® x ILLIT's Sweet Collaboration Sparks 'It's More Fun Together' Moments Across Asia!
Things just got a whole lot sweeter! Global chocolate brand M&M'S® has officially announced rising K-pop sensation ILLIT (아일릿) as its Asia ambassadors — fondly introduced as 'Friends of M&M'S®'. This marks the first time a K-pop group has partnered with the iconic colourful bite-sized chocolate brand. The collaboration launches a major regional campaign under the brand's refreshed tagline, 'It's More Fun Together'. If 'Magnetic' has been living rent-free in your playlist since 2024, you're not alone. ILLIT's debut single went viral, hit the Billboard Hot 100, and instantly captivated Gen Zs with its famed dance choreography. Fast forward to 2025, they've dropped their third mini album bomb—bringing back joyful beats, fresh looks, and energy levels that match a handful of M&M'S. Catherine Yap, Mars Wrigley Asia, Chocolate Marketing Director shared, 'ILLIT's vibrant music, captivating performances, and their ability to spread positivity mirror M&M'S mission of bringing people together through the power of fun. Each member brings a unique personality that syncs with the colorful cast of M&M'S Spokescandies – Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, Brown, and Purple – perfectly aligning with our brand message.' ILLIT expressed their excitement, 'We've loved M&M'S since we were kids and they've been part of our growing up, so we're thrilled to be joining them as ambassadors now as ILLIT. We look forward to having lots of 'fun together' through exciting collaborations in the upcoming campaign — M&M'S & ILLIT, FRIENDS FOREVER!' At the heart of this newly formed friendship is the 'M Dance Challenge', inspired by ILLIT's chart-topping debut track 'Magnetic'. Featuring a bespoke, fun, and catchy choreography curated to the song, the challenge invites fans to participate through music and movement. Keep your eyes peeled for tons of bite-sized content packed with sweet moments between ILLIT and our lovable M&M'S Spokescandies—because when chocolate and K-pop collide, it's an undeniable burst of fun. The M&M'S x ILLIT campaign will officially roll out from July 2025, across South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore. Check out the official collaboration teaser and ILLIT's 'Jellyous' dance challenge with the M&M'S mascots:
AFP
16-07-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Image of protesters damaging road is from South Africa, not Kenya
'This is what the Gen Zs from KIKUYU community Did to the Roads in during the SABA SABA PROTESTS. Kamau, Maina, Mwangi Why are you Destroying property, Infrastructure serving your PEOPLE? (sic),' reads an X post published on July 10, 2025. 'Rigathi Gachagua is Leading KIKUYUS TO POLITICAL HELL. ANYWAY, President William Ruto MUST Rule kenya till 2032, whether you like it or NOT (sic),' the post adds. Image Screenshot of the false post, taken July 11, 2025 Kamau, Maina and Mwangi are common names from Kenya's largest tribe, the Agikuyu/Kikuyu, while Gachagua, who hails from the community, is Kenya's ex-deputy president who was impeached last year after falling out with President William Ruto. The image shows several people, one with a pickaxe raised, gathered on a section of a damaged road. Similar claims were published elsewhere on X here and here. Saba Saba aftermath June 7, 2025, marked 35 years since Kenya's historic 'Saba Saba' (Swahili for 'Seven Seven') protests for multi-party democracy, which subsequently led to the 1991 repeal of Section 2A of the Kenyan Constitution which had enshrined Kenya as a one-party state (archived here). At the time, the protests descended into violence, resulting in multiple injuries, deaths and over 1,000 arrests. This year's Saba Saba anniversary commemoration saw nationwide protests, marked by a violent police response, looting and destruction (archived here and here). In response to the protests, Ruto claimed that the opposition was attempting to 'overthrow' his government through 'unconstitutional means' and vowed firm action against the alleged 'coup plotters' (archived here). Gachagua, now Ruto's rival, in turn accused the government of orchestrating violence and economic sabotage during the protests, claiming goons were sponsored by the state to cause chaos and then blame it on the Kikuyu community (archived here). However, social media posts with an image purportedly showing a road vandalised by youth during the recent protests are false. South African road AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches and found that the image was taken in South Africa on September 22, 2020. South African media reports featuring the image identified the damaged road as a section of KwaZulu-Natal's R33, located between the towns of Pomeroy and Dundee (archived here, here and here). According to the reports, residents of Msinga local municipality destroyed the road during service delivery protests. In a Facebook post dated September 23, 2020, the provincial transport department also published the image and condemned the vandalism (archived here). 'MEC Ntuli condemned the destruction of infrastructure and malicious damage to property after members of the community blocked the R33 and dug up the road in protest yesterday,' reads the post. Government representatives subsequently visited the site in Pomeroy two days later (archived here). AFP Fact Check has previously debunked claims linking the same image to supporters of a Kenyan member of parliament. On this occasion, the KwaZulu-Natal transport department confirmed that it indeed showed the R33 at Pomeroy.
Perth Now
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Charlize Theron 'not allowed' to use slang
Charlize Theron's daughters won't let her use their favourite slang words. The 49-year-old actress - who has adopted kids Jackson, 12, and nine-year-old August - think she is "too old" for certain popular terms, while she is "not allowed" to use other phrases because they have gone out of fashion. Walking the red carpet in a fishnet Givenchy outfit at the Los Angeles premiere of her latest movie The Old Guard 2, Charlize told Extra of her look: "August gave it a thumbs-up." Host Terri Seymour then asked: "What do they say? Would it be 'snatched'? Do we say you're looking 'snatched'?" Charlize admitted: 'Apparently, I'm not allowed to say it. There's so many things I'm just not allowed to say anymore. I'm still learning my way. ''Rizz' is something that I can't say. Nobody says it, apparently. There's a lot of like, 'You can't say that because you're old,' but she was like 'Nobody even says that anymore,' so every day is an education. All of it. "Things change so fast… I wouldn't go by my understanding of this very intricate language of the Gen Alphas and Zs." And while Charlize "loved" her retro hairstyle in The Old Guard 2, she recently admitted her kids were horrified by her mullet. Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she said: "I have two girls, and they're very, very... they're mostly very girly. And they think of me as a princess. And they want Mom to look like a princess. "But they came back from school. I was in my bathroom and I was getting it cut and it had already been coloured. And I just remember looking over and they both came into the room really excited, and then they just both froze. And they just went... and one started crying. "One literally started bawling their eyes out. And I had to actually sit down with her and say, 'We all get to be who we want to be. And right now, Mom wants to wear a mullet.' I don't tell you what to do with your hair." Impersonating one of her children, Charlize added: "I still don't like it." The Mad Max: Fury Road actress revealed last month that her children are unimpressed by her Hollywood career. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Theron quipped: "My children have zero respect for me. "It's just unbelievable, I feel like I'm pretty humble, but every once in a while I'm like, 'There's a f****** Oscar right there.' They are so not impressed with me." Charlize recalled an incident when her youngest child unflatteringly compared her with Tom Cruise. She explained: "I was picking up my youngest from dance yesterday and we drove past the new Mission Impossible poster where Tom Cruise is hanging onto some yellow plane, and he just looks really cool. "My kids were with me when I shot Old Guard 2 and I worked on this incredibly intricate sequence where we brought in this amazing helicopter pilot, Fred North, and we were gonna choreograph me fighting helicopters and jumping on this real helicopter and hanging off. Shooting 99 per cent of it on a real helicopter as it's trying to shake me off like a rag doll. "We took like two weeks to shoot this sequence and I was like, 'Wow, I just did that, that's really amazing.' And my child yesterday just looked at this poster of Tom Cruise and went, 'It's weird, he looks so much cooler than you did when you were hanging off the helicopter.' "I was just like, 'I hung off the helicopter, [can I have] some credit?'"
SoraNews24
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Transforming Totoro neck pillow plushies turn travel naps into Ghibli cuddle sessions【Photos】
Totoros Big and Medium are ready to support your neck and warm your heart. A neck pillow is a very handy thing to have if you're traveling to or around Japan. It's a long flight to the country from many other nations, and if you've got a long-haul express train or highway bus ride making up part of your Japan trip itinerary, there are going to be plenty of opportunities to catch a few Zs while in transit from one town to another. And if you'd like your handy neck pillow to also be an adorable travel companion, those are both roles that Totoro is ready to fill. Part of Studio Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku's travel products lineup, the Totoro Neck Pillow folds up into a cute plushie cushion when it's in standby mode. Undo the snap strap, though, and it quickly converts into a soft but supportive neck pillow, with the Totoro multiplying into several anime forest spirits on the fabric pattern. The appeal of this bead-filled pillow goes beyond its good looks, too, as it also has a hood built in, giving you a little extra privacy and also shading you from ambient light, helping you relax and doze off even if it's not lights-out in the vehicle you're traveling in. In addition to the best-known gray 'Big Totoro,' there's also a blue 'Medium Totoro' design. The Big Totoro and Medium Totoro names, though, are simply reflections of the specific My Neighbor Totoro characters that inspired their visual designs, as both pillows are the same size, 35 centimeters (13.8 inches) across. They're also identically priced at 3,080 yen (US$21), recently restocked and available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here, so you can have yours in plenty of time for the debut of Tokyo's new sleeper trains. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
