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Dem senator who bashed Hegseth’s qualifications stands by DOD sec who oversaw botched Afghan withdrawal

Dem senator who bashed Hegseth’s qualifications stands by DOD sec who oversaw botched Afghan withdrawal

FIRST ON FOX: A Democrat senator admitted Tuesday that he would support Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s confirmation again if the vote was held today despite Austin’s many controversial actions and repeatedly grilling Trump’s SecDef nominee Pete Hegseth over his qualifications earlier in the day. “Would you vote for Lloyd Austin if there were a vote on him today?” Fox News Digital asked Blumenthal on Tuesday.  “I would support General Austin as Secretary of Defense,” Blumenthal responded. “I did when he was nominated. I would support Secretary Mattis that was nominated by President Trump during his first term. I would not support this nominee because [Hegseth] lacks the financial management skills, the character and confidence, as well as the moral compass.” During the hearing, Blumenthal told Hegseth, “I don’t believe that you can tell this committee, or the people of America that you are qualified to lead them. I would support you as the spokesperson for the Pentagon. I don’t dispute your communication skills, but I believe that we are entitled to the facts here.” TRUMP TEAM FIRES BACK AFTER DEM SENATOR DECLARES ‘THE FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING’ Austin has been widely criticized by conservatives, as well as some Democrats, for presiding over the chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as several other perceived missteps during his tenure, including a situation where he was forced to directly apologize to President Biden for not informing him that he was hospitalized.  “Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin oversaw the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal, let the Chinese make rapid advancements to catch up to our defense capabilities, went MIA for days leaving the Pentagon without a leader, prioritized DEI policies over defense needs, and allowed Biden’s policy of appeasement,” GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X on Tuesday. “We need a DECISIVE leader who can focus the Department of Defense on its mission of protecting America. We need Pete Hegseth.” Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., an Army veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, unsuccessfully handed Austin articles of impeachment in 2023, blaming him for a “25,000-plus recruitment shortage” and saying there were “8,400 people who were unconstitutionally purged from the military … you’ve got pronouns and DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] being taught at our military academies when we need to be focusing on what the next threat is and how we mitigate it.” “Not only do I believe that you should have resigned … I myself perceive this as a dereliction of duty, and I take that very seriously,” Mills told Austin during the hearing before recounting what he believed were Austin’s failures during the Afghanistan withdrawal. “Political optics was placed above the true military strategy, where we should have held Bagram Air Base, held the detention center … not shut down and entrap Americans by taking over HKIA (Hamid Karazai International Airport), the commercial airspace and abandoning thousands of Americans.” BIDEN’S ‘POLITICAL’ AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY GUTTED US CREDIBILITY, ARMY VET CONGRESSMAN SAYS AS HEARINGS BEGIN Conservatives on social media also brought up a controversy from 2010 when Blumenthal was first running for Senate, where he suggested on multiple occasions he had served in Vietnam when he had not. Blumenthal, who received several draft deferments before serving in the Marine Corps. Reserve,  ultimately acknowledged that he had “misspoken” about his record but described those instances as few and far between. “Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, who lied about serving in Vietnam to get elected, berating combat vet Pete Hegseth is a bit hard to take,” Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich posted on X on Tuesday. “Reminder: Sen. Blumenthal lied for his entire adult life about fighting in a war that he did not,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X.  In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Blumenthal made the case that Tuesday’s hearing was about Hegseth’s record and not his.  “The people of Connecticut have always been clear about my record of military service, which is why they overwhelmingly elected me three times to the United States Senate,” Blumenthal said. “This hearing was about Pete Hegseth’s record of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement that showed him to be unqualified and unprepared to command 3.4 million Americans who protect our nation’s security.” Fox News’ Michael Lee contributed reporting.

Rubio to pitch foreign policy credentials to Senate as he vies to become America’s top diplomat

Rubio to pitch foreign policy credentials to Senate as he vies to become America’s top diplomat

Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is bracing himself for the hot seat as he prepares to sit through the often-arduous confirmation hearing process on Wednesday with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as he vies to lead the State Department under the next Trump administration.  Though Rubio is not expected to get off easy in front of the panel of his colleagues posed to pressure him on everything ranging from the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and a trade war with China, which Trump has threatened to drastically increase, he is expected to pass through more smoothly than other candidates Trump has slated for his Cabinet. In an excerpt of Rubio’s remarks obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of his address to the Senate body, he highlights the security threats that have emerged following the end of the Cold War and the belief that democracy could succeed across the globe and international free trade was the way of the future. “While America far too often continued to prioritize the ‘global order’ above our core national interests, other nations continued to act the way countries always have and always will, in what they perceive to be in their best interest,” the remarks read. “And instead of folding into the post-Cold War global order, they have manipulated it to serve their interest at the expense of ours.” “The postwar global order is not just obsolete; it is now a weapon being used against us,” he added.  Senate Democrat Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois already threw his support behind his Republican peer and on Monday said, “Sen. Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and, as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world.” SENATE DEMOCRATIC WHIP DECLARES SUPPORT FOR RUBIO CONFIRMATION: ‘MANY SIMILAR VIEWS ON FOREIGN POLICY’ “I believe Senator Rubio has a thorough understanding of the United States’ role on an international scale, has served with honor on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is a good choice to lead the State Department. I plan to vote yes on his nomination when it comes before the Senate,” Durbin said in a statement after a meeting in which they discussed security issues involving Russia’s threat in the Baltic Sea and the NATO alliance.  Trump announced his nomination of Rubio for the top diplomatic job in November, which the senior member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said was not only a “tremendous honor” but a “tremendous responsibility.” “The job of the secretary of state is to execute on the foreign policy set by the elected president of the United States. And I hope to have the opportunity to do it, if my current colleagues here in the U.S. Senate confirm me so,” he told reporters on the Hill.  But Rubio’s commitment to execute the wishes of the executive office could also prove to be his most difficult hurdle, not only during Senate questioning but also in taking up the job should he be approved by the upper chamber.  Trump has repeatedly made clear he expects unwavering loyalty from Cabinet members, advisers in the White House and even military leaders, and reports this week suggest the incoming administration may be planning on clearing house in the National Security Council to ensure the president is only surrounded by those who support his agenda, according to an Associated Press report.  While Rubio and Trump see eye-to-eye on issues like U.S. support for Israel, remaining tough on China and opposing dictatorial powers in Latin America – all of which are unlikely to garner much opposition from Democrats in the Senate – there are issues that could prove tricky for the three-term senator to navigate. TRUMP NOMINEE PETE HEGSETH FENDS OFF DEMOCRATIC ATTACKS AT FIERY CONFIRMATION HEARING Rubio and Trump have a history of exchanging barbs, particularly during the 2016 presidential race. The duo have long patched up their hostilities in large part because Rubio has more closely aligned himself behind Trump, a move that has meant he is no novice when it comes to walking the political tightrope between appeasing Trump and pursing issues important to him. This balancing act became evident on the campaign trail when Rubio was asked about controversial comments made by the Trump camp when it came to U.S. support for Ukraine and how to end the now three-year war. “I’m not on Russia’s side, but unfortunately the reality of it is that the way the war in Ukraine is going to end is with a negotiated settlement,” Rubio said in a September interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”  Rubio dodged questions on whether he backed comments made by Vice President-elect JD Vance when he suggested Ukraine cede land to Russia and agree to a demilitarized zone along the current front lines. Instead, he said, “I would be comfortable with a deal that ends these hostilities and that, I think, is favorable to Ukraine, meaning that they have their own sovereignty, that they don’t become a satellite state or a puppet state.” Rubio also backed Trump after concern mounted over the now-president-elect’s position on NATO when he said he would encourage any nation, including Russia, to “do whatever the hell they want” to any NATO nation not fulfilling their defense spending commitments. “Donald Trump is not a member of the Council on Foreign Relations,” Rubio told CNN’s Jake Tapper in February. “He doesn’t talk like a traditional politician, and we’ve already been through this. You would think people would’ve figured it out by now.” That said, Rubio in 2019 also helped reintroduce bipartisan legislation that would prohibit any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval, a move that Trump threatened during his first term and which remained a top concern that was echoed by Trump’s former NSC adviser, John Bolton, during the latest presidential race.  Rubio’s unwavering outward loyalty to the incoming president could be tested if he is questioned about the president-elect’s

Trump attorney general nominee Pam Bondi to testify before Judiciary Committee

Trump attorney general nominee Pam Bondi to testify before Judiciary Committee

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection to be attorney general in his new administration faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning at a confirmation hearing.  Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew from consideration.  The Wednesday hearing begins at 9:30 a.m., and Bondi will be questioned by both Republican and Democrat members of the committee. ‘WASTE LESS, SAVE MORE’: DOGE CAUCUS MEMBER ROLLS OUT EXPANSIVE BILL PACKAGE AHEAD OF TRUMP INAUGURATION “I hope that the Democrats give the same … courteous consideration to [her] that Republicans did of [Attorney General Merrick] Garland,” Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital ahead of the hearing. “[A]nd I hope people stay within their timeline, because we’ve got to move right along,” he added. Members of the committee include Grassley and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Katie Britt of Alabama and Mike Crapo of Idaho.  Also on the committee are ranking member Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as Democrat Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Chris Coons of Delaware, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California, Peter Welch of Vermont and Adam Schiff of California. Durbin met with Bondi last week but emerged from their discussion with remaining concerns.“In today’s meeting, I raised concerns with Ms. Bondi regarding her record – one in which she served as a personal attorney to President-elect Trump, was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, and has echoed the President-elect’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents. In addition, Ms. Bondi has a long track record of opposing fundamental civil rights, including reproductive rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ rights,” he said in a statement. SCHUMER GATHERS KEY COMMITTEE DEMS TO TALK LOOMING HEGSETH CONFIRMATION HEARING “The role of the Attorney General is to oversee an independent Justice Department that upholds the rule of law and is free of undue political influence. Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an Attorney General who will put her oath to the Constitution ahead of her fealty to Donald Trump,” he added. The ranking member is likely to question Bondi during the hearing on these same subjects.  On Monday, Durbin outlined several concerns he has with Trump’s pick. “The obvious concern with Ms. Bondi is whether she will follow the bipartisan tradition of the post-Watergate era and oversee an independent Department of Justice that upholds the rule of law. Ms. Bondi is one of four personal lawyers to President-elect Trump who he has already selected for Department of Justice positions. She was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. She has echoed the President[-elect]’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents, and she has a troubling history of unflinching loyalty to the president-elect,” he said in floor remarks. MEET LEADER JOHN THUNE’S ALL-STAR CABINET AS REPUBLICANS TAKE OVER SENATE MAJORITY The attorney general hopeful met with Grassley in early December, after which he said in a statement, “Pam Bondi is a well-qualified nominee with an impressive legal career, including eight years as Attorney General of the State of Florida and nearly two decades spent as a prosecutor. Bondi is prepared to refocus the Justice Department (DOJ)’s attention where it ought to be: on enforcing the law and protecting Americans’ safety.” The Judiciary chair promised the committee would “move swiftly to consider her nomination when the 119th Congress convenes in January.” SCHUMER DIRECTS DEMS TO PUT PRESSURE ON TRUMP NOMINEES AHEAD OF CONFIRMATION HEARINGS Trump praised Bondi in his November announcement, writing in part, “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore.” “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” he continued. “I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!” Since being picked by Trump, Bondi has received several influential endorsements. Recently, 60 former Democrat and Republican attorneys general urged senators to confirm her in a letter. Further, dozens of former Justice Department officials called on the Judiciary Committee last week encouraging them to confirm Trump’s choice.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveils plan to offer free tuition at city, state colleges

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveils plan to offer free tuition at city, state colleges

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, announced Tuesday a plan to offer free tuition for certain degree programs at state and city colleges. The governor announced the education proposal during her state of the state address, in which she also vowed to give students free meals at schools, make it more difficult for hedge funds to buy homes, cut taxes for middle-class earners and expand the child tax credit. Under the free tuition plan, New York residents between the ages of 25 and 55 who enroll in associate degree programs in nursing, teaching, technology, engineering and other fields at colleges operated by the State University of New York and the City University of New York would have their tuition covered. NEW YORK GOV. KATHY HOCHUL SEEKS EXPANDED INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT LAWS OVER VIOLENT CRIMES ON SUBWAY The state would also cover the cost of books and other college fees. “When my dad got a college education, our whole family got a shot at a better life — and I want every New Yorker to have that opportunity,” Hochul said in a statement. “Under my plan, every New Yorker will have the opportunity to pursue a free degree at SUNY and CUNY community colleges to help fill the in-demand jobs of tomorrow.” Other states have similar tuition programs, and several others offer various discounted tuitions for state colleges. New York residents already receive discounted tuition at the vast network of state and city colleges, which consists of nearly 90 schools, and a program that already provides free tuition at the institutions for residents who make less than $125,000 a year. Hochul also said she wants to address the problem of smartphones in K-12 schools by creating a statewide standard for distraction-free learning in the state. Additionally, Hochul said she will work to address crime, expand mental health treatment services and to strengthen security in the New York City subway system after a surge in violent crimes on the subway. This would include plans to add police patrols on overnight trains and install barriers and better lighting on platforms. NY LAWMAKERS DEMAND SUBWAY CHIEF’S OUSTER AFTER COMMENT DISMISSIVE OF CRIME ISSUE: ‘IN PEOPLE’S HEADS’ The governor’s proposals will be debated in the Democrat-controlled state legislature. She is expected to face a contested Democratic primary election next year. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

India’s disappearing camels: How a law to save them is wiping them out

India’s disappearing camels: How a law to save them is wiping them out

Rajasthan, India – Jeetu Singh’s camel stands calm, munching the leaves of a Khejri tree in the Jaisalmer district of India’s desert state of Rajasthan. Her calf occasionally suckles on her mother’s breasts. While the newborn is the latest addition to Singh’s herd, sadness is palpable on his face. His otherwise sparkling eyes have turned gloomy, gawping at the grazing camels. When Jeetu, 65, was a teenager, his family had more than 200 camels. Today, that number has gone down to 25. “Rearing camels was no less than a competitive affair when we were children,” he tells Al Jazeera. “I used to think my camels should be more beautiful than those reared by my peers.” He would groom them, apply mustard oil to their bodies, trim their brown and blackish hair, and decorate them with colourful beads from head to tail. The camels would then adorn the landscape with the festooned frieze of symmetry they form while walking in herds as the “ships of the desert”. “All that is memory now,” he says. “I only keep camels now because I am attached to them. Otherwise, there is no financial benefit from them.” Conservationist Hanuwant Singh Sadri kisses a camel in Pali district, Rajasthan [Amir Malik/Al Jazeera] Across the world, the camel population rose from nearly 13 million in the 1960s to more than 35 million now, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which declared 2024 as the International Year of Camelids to highlight the key role the animal plays in the lives of millions of households in more than 90 countries. Advertisement But their numbers are on a drastic decline in India – from nearly a million camels in 1961 to just approximately 200,000 today. And the fall has been particularly sharp in recent years. The livestock census conducted by India’s federal government in 2007 revealed that Rajasthan, one of a few Indian states where camels are reared, had about 420,000 camels. In 2012, they reduced to about 325,000, while in 2019, their population dipped further to a little more than 210,000 – a 35 percent downfall in seven years. That decline in Rajasthan’s camel population is being felt across the vast state – India’s largest by area. Some 330km (205 miles) from Jeetu’s home lies the Anji Ki Dhani village. In the 1990s, the hamlet was home to more than 7,000 camels. “Only 200 of them are present now; the rest are extinct,” says Hanuwant Singh Sadri, a camel conservationist for more than three decades. And in the Barmer district’s Dandi village, Bhanwarlal Chaudhary has lost nearly 150 of his camels since the beginning of the 2000s. He is left with just 30 now. As the 45-year-old walks with his herd, a camel leans towards him and kisses him. “Camels are connected to the language of our survival, our cultural heritage and our everyday life,” Chaudhary said. “Without them, our language, our being has no meaning at all.” Chaudhary with his herd in Dandi village of the Barmer district, Rajasthan [Amir Malik/Al Jazeera] 2015 law the biggest blow Camel-keepers and experts cite various reasons for the dwindling number of camels in India. Tractors have replaced their need on farms, while cars and trucks have taken over the roads to transport goods. Advertisement Camels have also struggled because of the shrinking grazing lands. Since they cannot be stall-fed like cows or pigs, camels must be left for grazing in open areas – like Jeetu’s camel eating the leaves of the Khejri tree. “That open set-up is hardly available now,” Sadri says. But the biggest blow came in 2015, when the Rajasthan government under the Hindu majoritarian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) passed the Rajasthan Camel (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act. The law prohibits the transport, illegal possession and slaughtering of camels. “Even decorating them could amount to causing them hurt, as the definition of causing them harm is loosely worded,” Chaudhary tells Al Jazeera. Punishment under the law ranges from a prison term between six months and five years, and penalties between 3,000 rupees ($35) and 20,000 rupees ($235). Unlike all other laws – where the accused is innocent until proven guilty – this law flips conventional jurisprudence. “The burden to prove innocence rests with the person prosecuted under this act,” it reads. The dark and light brown camels stand together in water in Pokhran. Called khadeen, the waterbody is a lifeline for both people and animals in the area [Radheshyam Pemani Bishnoi/Al Jazeera] With the enforcement of the act, the camel market was outlawed – and so were camel breeders if they intended to sell their animals. Buyers suddenly became “smugglers” under the law. The act was crafted on the assumption that the slaughter of camels was behind the decline in their population in Rajasthan. It banned camel transport to other states, says Chaudhary, thinking it would serve three purposes: the camel population would increase, the livelihood of the breeders would increase and the camel slaughter would stop. Advertisement “Well, it missed its first two targets,” Chaudhary says. ‘Suddenly, there were no buyers’ Sumit Dookia, an ecologist from Rajasthan who teaches at a university in New Delhi, has a question for the government over the law. “Why is it that the camel population is still shrinking,” he asks, if a law meant to revive their numbers is in force? Chaudhary has the answer. “We rear animals to sustain our lives,” he says, adding that without a market or a fair price, keeping such huge animals is not an easy task. “The law locked horns with our traditional system where we used to take our male camels to Pushkar, Nagore or Tilwara – three of the biggest fairs for camels,” adds Sadri. Sadri says the breeders used to get good money for their camels in those fairs. “Before the law was passed, our camels were sold from 40,000 ($466) to 80,000 rupees ($932),” he says. “But as soon as

TikTok users in US flock to ‘China’s Instagram’ ahead of ban

TikTok users in US flock to ‘China’s Instagram’ ahead of ban

Taipei, Taiwan – As a TikTok ban looms in the United States, young Americans are flocking to the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu as “TikTok refugees” in search of a similar experience. The app has risen to the top spot on the iOS and Google Play stores in the US in recent days as users prepare for TikTok to be banned on national security grounds from Sunday unless Chinese parent company ByteDance divests its ownership. Chinese lifestyle app Lemon8, which is also owned by ByteDance, has ranked as the second most downloaded app. Xiaohongshu, which has been described as China’s answer to Instagram, allows users to post photos, videos and text and is known for its female-heavy user base. While boasting about 300 million monthly active users, Xiaohongshu’s reach is smaller than that of other popular apps in China, such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, which claim 1.2 billion-plus users. A surge in new users, some of them describing themselves as “TikTok refugees,” is now flooding the app’s “Discover” page with videos seeking tips on how to use “RedNote,” the app’s new nickname in the US. Advertisement “Hello. I don’t know what’s happening any more. Americans are coming here. So sorry if y’all hate us. I promise we’ll do our best,” a female user calling herself “Star404” said in a short-form video posted on Tuesday. “Don’t even worry, we’re going to do so great. This is so much better than TikTok. Just not Meta. Instagram reels, I can kind of dig. Facebook and YouTube shorts, no shot. Never happening,” she said. The irony of many users moving from one Chinese-owned app to another has not been lost on observers like Ryan Broderick, the author of Garbage Day, a newsletter that covers the internet. “It’s definitely funny that American teenagers are protesting the looming TikTok ban by using a much more culturally Chinese app,” Broderick told Al Jazeera. “At the moment, RedNote doesn’t seem to be siloing Chinese content or requiring users to have a Chinese phone number, so it’s turned into a sort of fun cultural chaos on the app, an experience that never really even happened on TikTok,” he said. The post by “Star404” racked up more than 4,000 comments in 24 hours, mostly from Chinese users welcoming her to the platform or joking about language challenges. Another user, “Fern,” expressed her gratitude to the flood of Chinese followers that came her way after joining the platform. “We need to talk about you guys blowing up my video about moving to Rednote to 50,000 new followers in less than 24 hours. You guys are insane,” she said. “But thank you so much for all the support, I really appreciate it.” Advertisement While amusing to many Chinese Xiaohongshu users, the surge in American users has reportedly put the app’s owner in an awkward spot. Chinese media outlet PConline on Tuesday reported that Xiaohongshu employees have been instructed to “not discuss, not promote, and not share” news about their new US user base, citing sources within the company. “This wave of traffic has become the sword of Damocles hanging over Xiaohongshu’s head. In fact, for Xiaohongshu, which inexplicably received this traffic, the risks far outweigh the opportunities,” the report said. Those potential risks include regulatory complications. Chinese social media platforms typically require users to register with a Chinese phone number, while content is subject to government censorship. For this reason, Chinese tech companies often create domestic and foreign versions of their apps, said Yiwen Lu, a researcher at ChinaTalk, a newsletter and podcast focusing on Chinese technology. TikTok is an international version of Douyin, while Lemon8 was specifically designed by ByteDance for the foreign market. For now, Chinese and American users are seeing the same content on Xiaohongshu. However, some users have reminded their American counterparts that the app comes with its own set of rules. “Friendly reminder: On Chinese social media platforms, please do not mention sensitive topics such as politics, religion, and drugs!!! Please adhere to the One China policy and reject pornography, gambling, and drugs,” one user wrote under Star404’s post. Advertisement “[You] can say everything here, except the history [of China] from 1949-2025,” another user said. ChinaTalk’s Lu said that American users will have a hard time replicating their TikTok experience on the app – especially when it comes to monetising content. “The monetisation models vary greatly – XHS positions itself as a shopping platform, with most creators earning revenue through paid partnerships. This difference makes it challenging for creators to fully transition their work and income streams to XHS in the short term,” Lu told Al Jazeera. Livestream shopping, a hugely popular form of e-commerce in China, has taken off on Xiahongshu in recent months. In the US, many TikTok users still shop through links to Amazon or the shopping platform LTK, short for “Like to Know.” Lu and Broderick both expressed doubt that the influx of US users would last due to differences between the platforms and the fact many users had joined as an act of protest. Still, the migration to Xiaohongshu should serve as a warning to the US government and Big Tech, Broderick said. “It’s a funny way to hopefully make US politicians realize that Chinese apps are coming for the US whether they like it or not,” he said. “And, similarly, it’s a good way of letting Silicon Valley know that their products are stagnating and no amount of federal bans are going to make young people excited about Meta products again.” Adblock test (Why?)