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TikTok has launched a new text-based feature to rival other social media platforms like Meta’s Threads and Elon Musk’s X app. The Chinese-owned app unveiled the new feature on the same day that Mr Musk rebranded Twitter to X, which the tech billionaire plans to transform into an “everything app” like China’s WeChat. TikTok claimed in a blog post published on Monday that the latest format would “empower” its users. “Text is the latest addition to options for content creation, allowing creators to share their stories, poems, recipes, and other written content on TikTok – giving creators another way to express themselves and making it even easier to create,” the blog post stated. “With text posts, we’re expanding the boundaries of content creation for everyone on TikTok, giving the written creativity we’ve seen in comments, captions, and videos a dedicated space to shine.” TikTok gained huge popularity through short-form video content – briefly overtaking Google to become the most popular destination on the internet in 2021 – and has since expanded to support images in an effort to take on Instagram. Earlier this month, TikTok also launched a music streaming service that offers an alternative to giants like Spotify and Apple Music, however it is currently only available in Brazil and Indonesia. TikTok said in a press release at the time that it “plans for further growth in other markets”. The new text feature looks more similar to Instagram Stories in appearance, offering colourful backgrounds and the ability to add stickers to a post. Unlike Threads or X, TikTok’s text posts will also support sounds that play in the background, similar to its video- and image-sharing features. “Sounds are core to the TikTok experience, which is why we’ve incorporated them into text posts,” the company explained in a note to users. “You’ll be able to add tunes that readers can groove to as they peruse your writing.” Posts have a 1,000-character limit – shorter than the 10,000 limit offered to paying X users but more than the 500-character limit on Threads. Read More What is Elon Musk’s ‘everything app’ X? Schoolboy almost dies from swallowing magnets for TikTok challenge Woman shares honest review of New York City apartment TikTok mom slammed after making 5-year-old son run in 104 degree heat

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A woman has sparked a debate with her recent claim that she has discovered the best time of the year to get pregnant. Lily Scott shared a recent video about the topic to TikTok, where she claimed she knows she is “right” in her belief that February is the best month to get pregnant. According to Scott, who outlined a number of reasons for her claim, the first is because Valentine’s Day takes place during the month. “You guys go all in, have the best time of your life,” she said. “Obviously you can’t pick if you ovulate, so anytime, Valentine’s Day or after, that’s when you’re doing said deed.” The mother, who’s based in Washington, DC, then claimed that February is a perfect time to get pregnant because women would most likely feel a “little sick” during the months of March, which she said is a “throwaway month,” April, and May. As noted by the Mayo Clinic, many people experience morning sickness during the first three months of pregnancy. In her video, Scott explained that by June, women who’d gotten pregnant in February would reach their second trimester and start to feel better, “just in time for summer”. “Maybe you do it European style, have a glass of wine one or two days a week, you get to travel still, you’re feeling good,” she continued of her reasons why the timing would be perfect. “There’s no pressure to look good, because you have a bump at this point.” She went on to explain that pregnant women would then reach their third trimester by fall, which she said is “fine” because of the opportunity to get “cosy”. She also claimed that, because of the colder weather, women would be able to layer up if they wanted to cover their growing baby bump. “You’re in your third trimester so everyone know’s to pull back when asking you to do things,” she alleged. “You don’t feel super confident in your skin because now you’re going from cutely pregnant to completely massive. That’s okay. Here’s a sweater. Put on a scarf, another scarf. Nobody cares. You’re getting cosier and cosier.” @thelillyscott Clearly I’ve thought this through. And yes, I absolutely acknowledge that this is ideal and concieving doesnt always just happen! Just having fun with a hypotjetical here!! #besttimetobepregnant #pregnancy #pregtok #pregnanttiktok #preggo #familyplanning #secondpregnancy @Lillyscott ♬ original sound - Lillyscott She noted that once a woman is 40 weeks pregnant, it’ll be around Halloween time and it will be “chilly” weather outside, which can be beneficial to women who find they are getting “really hot” at this point in their pregnancy. In the video, Scott then included astrology as another benefit of a February pregnancy, as she noted that the child would likely be a scorpio, the astrological sign for people born between 23 October and 21 November. She also claimed that the mother would then be on maternity leave during Thanksgiving, and that her family could help her out with different chores around the home. The TikTok user then suggested that a six-week maternity leave would end right around Christmas, when many people receive “time off anyway”. “And your partner is probably going to get off during that time, so you’ll get extra help,” she alleged. She also explained the benefits of having a one-month old baby around this time of the year, continuing: “Your baby’s a month old, it’s the holidays. No one’s going to ask you to get a present for them, no one’s going to ask you to wrap anything. People are going to bring you gifts.” By April or May, the hypothetical mother would be recovering after giving birth, and could have finished breastfeeding, according to Scott. As noted by the World Health Organization, it is recommended that babies are exclusively breastfed until they’re six months old. When they are six months old, they can start eating solid foods in addition to being breastfed. In her TikTok video, Scott also predicted that, when the baby is six-months old, mothers would have more opportunities to travel again while caring for their child, as these travel plans would be happening in the summer months. Scott’s video, which she captioned: “Clearly I’ve thought this through. And yes, I absolutely acknowledge that this is ideal and conceiving doesn’t always just happen. Just having fun with a hypothetical here,” has since been viewed more than 5.7m times, with many viewers divided by the TikToker’s controversial claim. According to some skeptics, February is the not the best month to get pregnant because it would mean being pregnant during the summer months. “Pregnant during the summertime? Never,” one person responded, while another said: “But then you have to carry a baby during the hot summer.” “Having three pregnancies, two of which being through summer...I highly recommend NOT being pregnant through summer…Start in July or August,” a third individual added. Others were unconvinced by the suggestion due to the astrological sign associated with the due date. “But I don’t want a Scorpio as a baby,” one person wrote. “Or you end up being born on Thanksgiving and it kills your birthday vibe forever,” another viewer claimed. One viewer pointed out another downside to giving birth in November, writing: “I didn’t like being postpartum in the winter. No sun, days short and miserable lol.” However, others agreed with Scott’s advice, with some revealing they’d be welcome to their babies being born around November or December. “Watching this four months pregnant in June and you could not be more right,” one person wrote, while another added: “Currently living this and can confirm it all.” Speaking to Today, Scott revealed that she came up with the theory while thinking about when she wants to have her next child. “I’ve been thinking about when I want to get pregnant again - the second you have your first baby, everyone asks when the next one is coming,” she said. “We all know it can take time to get pregnant.” She also clarified her comments about Scropios and the month of March, adding: “There are so many different perspectives [about astrology]. I wasn’t saying that March babies are unwanted - they’re special and amazing! I love Scorpios.” The Independent has contacted Scott for comment. Read More Mother sparks viral debate for ‘shaming’ parent who refused to give her daughter a slice of cake Woman sparks debate for refusing to be a bridesmaid in future sister-in-law’s wedding Mother sparks debate after admitting to calling in sick to take kids on term-time holiday

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Police say a man who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea was formally arrested and faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of violating the aviation security law