Trump’s $499 ‘phone scam’? 590,000 buyers left empty-handed as cheap Temu alternative surfaces

Viral Post on X Alleges 590,000 Buyers Paid $499 for Trump Phone, $45 Temu Lookalike Found A fresh controversy is brewing on X (formerly Twitter) after a viral post by prominent pro-Ukraine commentator and meme account Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) alleged that hundreds of thousands of people paid for US President Donald Trump–branded mobile phones that have yet to materialise. The claim, shared on X, alleges that 590,000 buyers purchased the so-called “Trump Phone” priced at $499, with no confirmed deliveries so far.Bricktop tweeted, “590,000 idiots purchased Trumps Mobile phone that went on sale. Not a single person has received it. Trump started taking money in June 2025. With a price of $499, they claimed it would ship in August/September 2025 The same phone and spec was found on Temu for $45. (sic)” Orders taken months ago, shipping deadlines missed
According to the viral post, customers began placing orders in June 2025, after promotional material suggested the phone would ship ..

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Man drives U-Haul into crowd protesting against Iranian government in Los Angeles, police say

A chaotic scene unfolded in Los Angeles on Sunday after a man drove a U-Haul truck into a crowd protesting against the Iranian government, police say.
The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. local time near the federal building in the Westwood neighborhood of the city, ABC7 reports.
Footage from the incident shows protestors trying to pull the suspect out of his vehicle after the collision, according to The LA Times. The protestors continued to lash out at the suspect as police escorted him away.
A sign reading “No Shah. No Regime. USA: Don’t Repeat 1953. No Mullah” was then ripped off the truck, according to the outlet.
Police told the Associated Press that one person was hit by the truck but nobody was seriously hurt.
open image in galleryThe LAPD is working alongside the FBI to determine the motive of the driver, officials say (Getty Images)Two others were evaluated by paramedics and both declined treatment, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
The driver of the truck, who has not..

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: UK announces Project Nightfall to provide Kyiv with new missiles

CloseRussia unleashes ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic missile on freezing civiliansThe Ministry of Defence has announced it will develop new tactical ballistic missiles for Ukraine, code-naming the initiative “Project Nightfall”.
Defence secretary John Healey said the UK was determined to arm Ukrainians with advanced weapons to fight back against Vladimir Putin's invasion.
The new missiles will have a conventional 200kg warhead and be capable of striking targets at a range of 500km – deep inside Russian territory.
Healey said last week's hypersonic missile strike on western Ukraine showed “how Putin thinks he can act with impunity, targeting civilian areas with advanced weaponry”.
The defence secretary was in the Ukrainian capital when that attack took place, and heard the air raid sirens at the time.
Later on Monday the UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting to discuss Russia's use of its Oreshnik hypersonic missile just 60 miles from the border of Nato member Po..

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Hong Kong’s Ma On Shan loses its only cinema amid wave of theatre closures

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyHong Kong’s Ma On Shan loses its only cinema amid wave of theatre closuresEmperor Cinemas shuts down its MOSTown shopping centre theatre on Monday, saying vouchers and coupons still valid at other branches
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPElizabeth CheungPublished: 1:37pm, 12 Jan 2026The only cinema in the Ma On Shan area has shut down, joining the wave of theatre closures in Hong Kong that began during the pandemic.
Emperor Cinemas announced on Monday that its branch in MOSTown, a shopping centre in Ma On Shan, had ceased operations on the same day. No reason for the closure was given.
“Thank you for your support. Emperor Cinemas (Ma On Shan) will cease operations from 12 January 2026,” the company said in a social media post.
AdvertisementThe group said all movie vouchers and coupons issued by the Ma On Shan outlet would remain valid at the eight remaining branches in Hong Kong during their validity period.
Movie premiums that ..

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Financial firm Ares doubles Hong Kong office footprint as real estate outlook improves

AdvertisementHong Kong propertyBusinessFinancial firm Ares doubles Hong Kong office footprint as real estate outlook improvesRents for prime offices in Central could rise up to 5 per cent, according to JLL, while Knight Frank expects a gain of as much as 8 per cent
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCheryl ArcibalPublished: 1:10pm, 12 Jan 2026Updated: 1:11pm, 12 Jan 2026Ares Management, one of Asia’s largest alternative investment managers, is doubling its real estate footprint in Hong Kong, a move that aligns with a broader expansion by financial firms and demand for office space in the core Central business district.
The Los Angeles-based asset manager would add about 12,500 sq ft of space in Gloucester Tower, where it has been a tenant since 2017, according to a statement from the landlord Hongkong Land on Monday. The new lease will be effective in March.
“We are delighted that Ares has chosen to expand in Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio, underscoring our position as the ..

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Iran warns it will retaliate if US attacks, as hundreds killed in protests

Iran warns it will retaliate if US attacks, as hundreds killed in protests3 hours agoShareSaveShayan Sardarizadeh,Richard Irvine-Brown,BBC Verify,Ghoncheh HabibiazadandSarah Namjoo,BBC PersianShareSaveWatch: Protesters and security forces clash in Iran protestsIran has warned it will retaliate if attacked by the US, as BBC sources and activists report hundreds of protesters have now been killed in an escalating government crackdown.
“Things here are very, very bad,” a source in Tehran said on Sunday. “A lot of our friends have been killed. They were firing live rounds. It's like a war zone, the streets are full of blood. They're taking away bodies in trucks.”
The BBC counted about 180 body bags in footage from a morgue near Tehran. The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency says it has verified the deaths of 495 protesters and 48 security personnel nationwide.
Another 10,600 people have been detained over the fortnight of unrest, the agency says.
The US has threatened to ..

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Trump tells Cuba to ‘make a deal, before it is too late’

Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late'13 hours agoShareSaveGeorge WrightShareSaveGetty ImagesDonald Trump has urged Cuba to “make a deal” or face consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money would now stop.
The US president has been turning his attention to Cuba since US forces seized Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro in a 3 January raid on its capital, Caracas.
Venezuela, a long-standing ally of Cuba, is believed to send around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to the island.
Cuba's foreign minister responded by saying his nation retained the right to import fuel “without interference”, while its president said: “No one dictates what we do.”
The Trump administration's tactic of confiscating sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers has already begun to worsen a fuel and electricity crisis in Cuba.
On Friday, it seized a fifth oil tanker it said was carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of O..

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Crypto in 2026 won’t be won by luck: Top Dubai experts reveal trading tips for profit that actually work

Viral Trades Are Dying, Forget Moonshots: Dubai’s Top Crypto Minds Say This Is How You Win Profits in 2026 Dubai, January 11, 2026: With the global cryptocurrency economy evolving rapidly, crypto traders in the UAE are sharpening their strategies for what many analysts predict will be a pivotal year. According to Dubai market specialists, 2026 could be a breakthrough period for retail and institutional crypto traders alike, provided they adopt smart, risk-aware tactics tailored to market realities.The call to action comes as the UAE crypto market continues to grow, with Statista forecasts suggesting local crypto revenues could reach $254.3 million by 2025 and an estimated 3.78 million users in the country, roughly a 39% penetration rate. This boom, backed by regulatory frameworks like Dubai’s world-first Virtual Assets Regulation (VAL) law, sets the stage for Dubai to serve not just as a regional hub but a global centre for digital asset trading and innovation.As cryptocurrency markets..

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Twitch ban halts Drututt’s momentum as League of Legends season draws massive attention

League of Legends streamer Drututt was hit with a seven-day Twitch ban just days after the new season launched. The suspension followed his use of a controversial hashtag, which he says was self-directed humor, not exclusionary. Fans are split over Twitch’s decision, especially as the ban disrupts his momentum during peak interest and a key competitive announcement. Just days into the new season of League of Legends, controversy has once again followed one of its most outspoken creators. Popular streamer Drututt found himself locked out of Twitch at the worst possible moment, right as fans were flooding streams to understand sweeping gameplay changes. The timing could not have been harsher, and the reason behind the ban has sparked fierce debate across the community.This is not unfamiliar territory for Drututt, whose confrontational humor and rule-testing style have often placed him under the platform’s microscope. Still, many viewers argue this latest suspension crossed into overreach..

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Minneapolis ICE shooting live updates: Protests erupt across the country after Renee Good’s death as new footage of shooting released

CloseCell phone footage shows shooting of Renee Good from ICE agent's perspectiveProtests have erupted across the country after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, identified as Jonathan Ross, fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
Demonstrators in Minneapolis and other cities across the U.S., including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh and Washington, D.C., have turned out this weekend for nonviolent protests, being called “ICE Out For Good.” Photos showed demonstrators holding signs demanding ICE leave their cities or remembering Good’s legacy.
Large anti-ICE protests have been ongoing in Minneapolis, drawing hundreds of local and state law enforcement officers. A large crowd formed Saturday in the city’s Powderhorn Park, where protesters have chanted Good’s name and waved signs with slogans like “ICE will melt,” according to CNN.
While the Minneapolis protests have been largely peaceful, at least 29 individuals were arrested Friday evening after a hotel wa..

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