Kroger Co. has withdrawn a batch of Juneteenth-themed cakes from one of its Atlanta supermarkets after a video criticizing the designs drew more than 10 million views on TikTok within two days. The clip, posted on 18 June, showed cookie-style cakes hastily decorated with slogans such as “Free @ Last” and “June 19 Free,” sparking accusations that the retailer was trivializing the federal holiday commemorating the end of US slavery. In a statement to Newsweek, Kroger said the items were "inconsistent with our provided guidance and not of the quality we would expect to see from our stores." The company added that the products had been removed and that it had addressed the matter with store employees as well as the customer who filmed the video. The incident underscores increasing scrutiny of corporate Juneteenth marketing. Walmart faced a similar backlash in 2022 over a limited-edition ice cream, and civil-rights advocates have warned companies to treat the holiday with cultural sensitivity.

TikTok has dismissed as “patently false and irresponsible” an allegation by Representative Brad Sherman that the social-media platform’s Chinese owners spent about $300 million buying President Donald Trump’s official “TRUMP” meme coin to influence policy. Sherman made the accusation after Trump this week granted a second 90-day reprieve on a U.S. ban that requires ByteDance to divest TikTok’s American operations. The California Democrat argued that the additional delay violates a law allowing only one extension and suggested the purported token purchase amounted to a bribe. TikTok said Sherman mischaracterized a letter he co-signed and denied any link to the claimed transaction. The congressman’s tweet cited a May filing by a little-known firm, GD Culture Group, outlining a $300 million investment plan for the TRUMP token; there is no publicly documented connection between that company and ByteDance. The White House and the Office of Government Ethics have not commented.

President Donald Trump on 19 June signed an executive order granting TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance Ltd., a third 90-day reprieve to divest the video-sharing app’s U.S. operations, moving the cutoff date to 17 September 2025 and averting an immediate ban. Congress passed a law in 2024 requiring TikTok to be sold or shut down by 19 January 2025 over national-security concerns. Trump postponed enforcement on his inauguration day, again in April, and now for a third time, saying the additional window will help secure “a good deal” that keeps the service online while protecting Americans’ data. TikTok, which says it serves 170 million U.S. users and 7.5 million domestic businesses, welcomed the decision and said it continues to work with Vice President J.D. Vance’s office. Talks with prospective buyers—including Amazon and an Oracle-backed consortium—have stalled, in part after Beijing balked following Washington’s new 145 % tariff on Chinese imports. Some Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators argue the president has no legal authority for successive extensions, noting the statute allows only one delay without a binding sale agreement. No lawsuits have been filed so far, and the Justice Department has suspended penalties on app stores and internet providers while negotiations continue.

Alexandra Kay, a former “American Idol” contestant who built a large following on TikTok by filming herself singing while brewing coffee, has opened her first brick-and-mortar café. The shop, called Coffee Girl, began serving customers on 20 June in downtown Waterloo, Illinois, a community about 25 miles south of St. Louis. Kay’s viral “Coffee Song” videos turned the 33-year-old singer into a social-media personality and helped her amass millions of followers. The new store translates that online persona into a physical space, offering coffee drinks and baked goods while giving fans a place to connect with the brand offline. Coffee Girl’s launch marks Kay’s first step into retail as she continues to record and tour as a country artist.

Sami Sheen, the 21-year-old daughter of actors Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, posted a TikTok video on 19 June accusing her sister, 20-year-old Lola Sheen, of holding “homophobic and transphobic” views. Sami said Lola had blocked her phone number after she confronted her about Lola’s public reposts of content from Christian podcaster Bryce Crawford, including clips that mock Pride celebrations and describe being transgender as a sin. In the three-minute video, Sami, who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said she invited Lola to a Pride party and was “laughed at,” and claimed her sister told her “every woman needs a man to provide for them.” She added that the pair were raised to be accepting and called on Lola to “do better.” Lola, who has spoken publicly about finding renewed Christian faith after being baptized, has not responded to the allegations. Neither Charlie Sheen nor Denise Richards has commented on the dispute. The disagreement comes amid Pride Month in the United States and follows previous public tension within the Sheen family, including Sami’s estrangement from her father earlier this year.

A 26-year-old TikTok influencer and cryptocurrency trader was kidnapped and beaten in Juvisy-sur-Orge, Essonne, France. The abductors demanded a ransom of €50,000 in cryptocurrency. After checking his digital wallet, the kidnappers discovered that the trader did not have the requested funds and subsequently released him. The incident highlights concerns around the authenticity of some social media trading influencers, with reports suggesting that many may exaggerate their financial status. The case was reported by Europe 1 and has drawn attention to the risks faced by crypto influencers in France.

France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil d’État, on 16 June upheld objections from the data-protection regulator CNIL and the Haute Autorité pour la transparence de la vie publique, blocking a senior CNIL executive from leaving the agency to take a position at TikTok. The court agreed that the move risked conflicts of interest and could undermine the confidentiality of sensitive regulatory information held by the watchdog. The ruling came as the National Assembly’s commission of inquiry into TikTok resumed hearings on 18 June. Commission chair Arthur Delaporte criticised the platform’s content-moderation practices, saying that ‘behind these margins of error are people’s lives’ and accusing company representatives of providing incomplete information. Delaporte also rebuked influencer Alex Hitchens for using the televised session for self-promotion. Tensions flared during the hearing when deputy Sébastien Delogu, who is not a member of the commission, was seen signalling to influencer Nasdas—one of the witnesses—not to answer a question. Delaporte said it was the first time he had seen a lawmaker intervene in that manner during an inquiry and warned that such behaviour could compromise the integrity of parliamentary proceedings.

The United States is preparing to let its temporary pause on certain China tariffs lapse, according to comments from Cantor Fitzgerald Chairman Howard Lutnick and the U.S. Commerce Secretary. Both officials said tariff levels will remain unchanged, signaling that the suspension—introduced after the 145% levy on Chinese goods took effect on April 9—will not be renewed when it expires in early July. With roughly three weeks left before the deadline, trade talks appear stalled. People familiar with the discussions say Beijing has told U.S. negotiators it will not finalize any sector-specific agreements until a broader trade framework is agreed in principle. The stance reduces the likelihood of a last-minute reprieve for importers that have benefited from the tariff pause. The impasse is also weighing on the fate of TikTok. President Donald Trump granted the video-sharing app a 75-day reprieve in April, its third such extension, while the company and prospective American buyers seek regulatory clearance. Industry lawyers note that the administration’s willingness to keep the platform online could complicate its legal rationale for a permanent ban if no broader trade deal emerges.

TikTok personality Michael Armstrong and his wife, Emma Armstrong, announced the stillbirth of their baby boy three weeks before the due date, at 37 weeks into Emma's pregnancy. The couple expressed their heartbreak, noting that medical professionals found no indication of what caused the stillbirth. This announcement follows a recent family tragedy in which Michael Armstrong's father was killed in a car accident seven weeks prior. The Armstrongs have shared their grief publicly, including a Father's Day tribute featuring videos of the late son.

A 26-year-old TikTok personality who promotes cryptocurrency trading was abducted on 15 June in Juvisy-sur-Orge, Essonne, a suburb south of Paris, according to Europe 1 and other French outlets. Four assailants allegedly beat the influencer and demanded a €50,000 ransom to be paid in digital assets. The kidnappers released their captive after checking his crypto accounts and finding he did not hold the requested funds. Police have opened an investigation, but the victim’s identity and any potential arrests have not been disclosed.

The Trump administration included media personality Tucker Carlson on a list of potential investors for TikTok's U.S. operations. The list was assembled as the White House sought buyers for the video-sharing app amid ongoing negotiations with TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance. U.S. Vice President JD Vance reportedly advocated for Carlson's inclusion on the list, alongside investment firms Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Blackstone. The administration was working to facilitate a deal that would transfer TikTok's U.S. business to American ownership before a government-imposed deadline, which was extended twice by President Trump, with the current deadline set for June 19. The proposed deal would have seen new investors, such as a16z and Blackstone, acquire roughly half of TikTok's U.S. business, while existing major investors, including General Atlantic, Susquehanna, and KKR, would retain about 30%. However, the agreement stalled after Beijing withheld approval, following the escalation of a U.S.-China trade dispute. Tucker Carlson stated, "No sé nada al respecto," regarding his inclusion on the list, and reiterated his opposition to banning TikTok in the United States. The future of TikTok's U.S. operations remains uncertain as the deadline for ByteDance to divest the app approaches.

TikTok has permanently banned the account of Natalie Reynolds, a prominent content creator, following widespread backlash over a video in which she mocked a homeless woman with mental health issues in the United States. The incident, described as a cruel prank, led to public outrage and prompted Reynolds to plead for the reinstatement of her account. The ban has deeply affected Reynolds, who was seen crying and protesting outside TikTok's headquarters, expressing her distress over the loss of her platform. This action by TikTok reflects the company's stance on content that targets vulnerable individuals and violates community standards.