By Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Justin Baldoni’s Ex-Publicist Sues Over Alleged Blake Lively Smear Campaign
Joining the It Ends With Us legal battles is Justin Baldoni’s former publicist, who filed a lawsuit for breach of contract, as she claims she was forced out of representing the film’s director due to fear that Blake Lively was going to make the accusations against Baldoni public.
Prescription Songs, Kobalt, and More Formally Move to Consolidate 13 Infringement Suits Against NBA Teams
Multiple NBA Teams are facing the punishment of using unauthorized music on their social media pages as music publishers move to consolidate 13 copyright infringement cases against the teams.
Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ Manslaughter Case is Over After Prosecutor Drops Appeal
Almost 3 years after Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of ‘Rust,’ the special prosecutor on Alec Baldwin’s case has dropped her appeal of the decision to drop the manslaughter case against him.
5 People Charged in Liam Payne Death; Friend and Hotel Workers Accused of Negligent Homicide
Justice is on its way to being served for the death of One Direction member Liam Payne, with 5 people, including a friend of the singer and four hotel employees, being charged with negligent homicide and furnishing drugs.
PPL Faces Embezzlement Investigation Following Account Irregularities
The London-based collection society PPL is facing an embezzlement investigation after firing one staff member due to findings from an internal investigation from early 2024.
The Song, and Rapper, Inspiring Mozambique’s Youth Uprising
Mozambican rapper, Azagaia, is the voice of a revolution in Mozambique as his song “Povo no Poder” has become the song of protests filled with cries over the disputed presidential election, given the country’s alleged fraud and government corruption. The song explicitly criticizes the current government while putting into words the frustration that citizens are feeling.
Arts
Arkansas Book-Banning Law Declared Unconstitutional
A District Court has declared that Act 372 of Arkansas law is unconstitutional, as it is overbroad and void for vagueness with language such as “appropriateness,” when referring to librarians and book store owners who could face criminal prosecution for shelving books deemed harmful, including those challenged by individuals based on appropriateness.
Washington Post Cartoonist Quits After Drawing of Bezos, Other Billionaires with Trump Rejected
One Washington Post cartoonist quit after claiming that her bosses blocked the publication of her “satirical cartoon” that portrayed well known billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, kneeling in front of Donald Trump.
Sports
Dartmouth Basketball Players End Unionization Attempt
After a much anticipated attempt to become the first college athletic program to unionize after avoiding an NLRB decision to stop the unionization, Dartmouth’s Men’s Basketball Team has given up on the attempts following concerns that the incoming presidential administration will not be supportive of the unionization.
A Doping Feud Almost Cost Salt Lake City the Olympics. It Still Might.
Out West winter-enthusiasts should not hold their breath waiting for the anticipated 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics, given that the Justice Department is leading an investigation into the possibility that antidoping authorities covered up positive drug tests.
Florida State Players Suing Leonard Hamilton Reveals Deeper NIL Issues Throughout College Sports
Despite now being a few years into the world of college athlete NIL deals, there are still kinks to be worked out, as can be seen with 6 former FSU basketball players suing Coach Leonard Hamilton for withholding $250,000 in NIL compensation that he allegedly verbally agreed to pay them. Aside from the issue of the deal being verbal, worries are growing over the uncertainties surrounding an active coach being held accountable for alleged comments made to former students.
U.S. Biathlon Officials Ignored Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Female Racers for Decades, Athletes Say
Since the 1990s, women biathletes have been describing the abusive culture by men in the sport, forcing the women to end their careers prematurely. After over 3 years of allegations, female biathletes are making it known publicly that officials of the sport blatantly ignored the sexual harassment and abuse.
California School District Pays $17.5M to End Coach’s Sexual Abuse Cases
Four former high school students from Tamalpais High School have been paid a $17.5M settlement in the cases against the schools predatory tennis coach for his acts in the 1990s and 2000s.
Interior Dept. Is Caught Between Tribes in Casino Battles
Three separate Native American Tribes - Scotts Valley, Koi Nation, and Coquille, are seeking approval from the Interior Department to build casinos on newly acquired land. Legal battles have since erupted, as neighboring tribes and local governments argue that the casino projects threaten cultural heritage. Pressure is being put on President Biden’s administration to make a decision on the matter before the end of his term.
Video Games Can’t Afford to Look This Good
Video game graphics have become more realistic as the years pass on, however, these graphics are only made possible at the hands of billions of dollars when players may not be craving that hyper-realistic looking game in the first place.
Media & Technology
Net Neutrality Rules Struck Down by Appeals Court
An almost 20-year legal battle to regulate broadband internet providers as utilities has come to an end, as a federal appeals court ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lacks authority from blocking or slowing internet content.
Social Media Companies Face Global Tug-of-War Over Free Speech
Although European online regulators are pushing for moderate censorship, Trump has picked Brendan Carr and Andrew Ferguson as top FCC and Federal Trade Commission officials. They have vowed to remove all online censorship, causing an even wider free speech divide between the U.S. and Europe.
Trump’s Threat to Defund All U.S. Public Media has NPR and PBS on the Back Foot
Despite putting on the front that he will be de-censoring all media, soon-to-be-President Trump is also threatening to defund US Public media, calling NPR “a liberal disinformation machine.” In the start of his 2020 presidency, PBS earned bipartisan Congressional support, however that may not be the case in 2025.
Italy Fines OpenAI Over ChatGPT Privacy Rules Breach
OpenAI has been fined 15M Euros by an Italian data regulation authority that found the company to have “violated the principle of transparency and the related information obligations towards users” by processing users’ personal data.
General News
Biden Blocks Takeover Bid of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon
President Biden has blocked Japan’s Nippon Steel from acquiring U.S. steel. Despite being criticized on both sides of the aisle, the appraisal by unions seems to have influenced Biden’s decision.
Chief Justice Roberts Condemns Threats to Judicial Independence
Chief Justice Roberts used his year-end report on the federal judiciary to condemn threats to judicial independence, denounce intimidation and disinformation, and advise against defiance of court rulings as tension and violence towards judges in the U.S. has increased.
Mike Johnson Wins Reelection as House Speaker in Dramatic Vote to Open New Congress
Despite a projected multiple-day vote, Speaker Johnson was reelected as Speaker of the House.
Biden Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Denzel Washington and More.
The United States’ highest civilian honor was awarded by President Biden to 18 recipients, ranging from Hillary Clinton, Denzel Washington, and Bono, to Lionel Messi.
Trump Transition Updates: Ethics Report Accuses Gaetz of Paying for Sex, Including With 17-Year-Old
A report from the House Ethics Committee pointed to Matt Gaetz and his “regular” use of illegal drugs, payments made for sex, and sexual relations with a 17-year old. These are obvious violations of House rules; however, the committee could not conclusively verify that the former representative violated sex trafficking laws.
Biden Gives Life in Prison to 37 of 40 Federal Death Row Inmates Before Trump Can Resume Executions
In his final weeks as POTUS, Biden has commuted 37 people on federal death row before Trump takes office and expands capital punishment.
U.S. Surgeon General Urges Cancer Warnings for Alcohol Drinks
The U.S. Surgeon General wants alcoholic beverages to contain a cancer warning similar to the warning found on tobacco, as he warns that alcohol increases the risk of at least 7 different types of cancer.
New Orleans Attacker Most Likely Acted Alone, Officials Say,
Despite 2 tragic events occurring on the same early morning within mere hours from each other, one in New Orleans and one in Las Vegas, authorities say that the New Orleans attacker who killed 14 people acted alone and there is “no definitive links” between the attacks.
Five Laws Going into Effect for NY in 2025
New Yorkers will start to notice changes this year, as 5 new laws go into effect regarding restaurant reservations, insulin on insurance prices, paid prenatal leave, canceling gym memberships, and fashion model protections.
The States Restricting Guns and Legalizing Marijuana in the New Year
Minnesota, Delaware, and NY will be putting stricter gun laws into effect in the new year, as states including Nebraska, Kentucky, and Texas move closer to legalized marijuana. Washington, California, Ohio, Florida, and Illinois will also have new laws targeting crime, health, education and children, and wages.
Welcome to the Congestion Zone: New York Toll Program Is Set to Begin
New Yorkers and drivers looking to enter the city below 60th Street are now met with a $9 congestion price fee, with hopes to use the fee as a way to “finally tack the gridlock that is slowing down emergency vehicles, polluting air and wasting people’s time in traffic.” Many, however, including those from surrounding counties, find this to be a dangerous and misguided plan.
NY Prison Where Man Died After Being Beaten by Guards Will Get a New Leader
Gov. Hochul announced that a new superintendent will be placed at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County after guards at the prison were seen on body camera footage punching, kicking, and beating inmate Robert Brooks during a medical examination the day before he was pronounced dead.
Awaiting Sentencing, Menendez Pleads for Leniency and Blames His Wife
Former NJ Senator Robert Menendez is attempting to take advantage of his wife’s upcoming trial by pleading for leniency, as his lawyers argue that his actions were influenced by Nadine Menendez.
Russia Sentences U.S. Citizen to 15 Years in Prison for Espionage
U.S. citizen Eugene Spector, who has been serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence for a bribery conviction, has just been sentenced again to 15 years for espionage. The conviction has caused speculation as to whether the sentencing will be used to leave time for future prisoner swaps.
Commentaires