Week In Review
- Elissa D. Hecker - Editor
- Jun 23
- 7 min read
By Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Will the NMPA and X Settle? Judge Approves Pause for ‘Good-Faith Efforts to Fully and Amicable Resolve’ the Copyright Suit
The 90 day pause in the Copyright suit signals a possible resolution, as the parties have been urged to report back to the court if a settlement deal is reached.
Which DSPs Paid Out $10M+ to Alleged Fraudster Michael Smith? Spotify, Pandora, and (Probably) SoundCloud Say They’re Off the Hook
In response to the $10 million streaming fraud case, Spotify and Pandora say their fraud controls kept their losses minimal, while SoundCloud pointed to its payout model as a defense. Other platforms have yet to comment, raising questions about their role in the scheme.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Faces Uphill Climb as Trial Defense is Set to Begin
Diddy will argue in his sex trafficking and racketeering case that women willingly participated in his parties, but prosecutors allege that he coerced them through violence and threats over two decades. His defense faces challenges in the form of surveillance footage showing the disgraced rapper forcibly handling a woman.
Chris Brown Pleads Not Guilty in Alleged 2023 Nightclub Bottle Attack in U.K
Chris Brown will face trial in London next year after pleading not guilty to a 2023 nightclub attack.
Up to 70% of Streams of AI-Generated Music on Deezer Are Fraudulent, Says Report
The French streaming platform has found that 70% of AI-generated music streams are fraudulent, with bots inflating listens and collecting royalties.
Arts
The Art at the Heart of the Nationwide No Kings Protests
Protestors took to the streets across the country to protest President Trump, and at the center of the protests were handmade signs depicting striking visuals that will go down in history as the tool to define the No Kings movement.
Politics Looms Over the World’s Biggest Contemporary Art Fair
European art leaders at Art Basel voiced worries about U.S. trade tariffs, the dangers involved in loaning artworks, and the necessity to reevaluate their involvement in global art fairs, given the difficult economic and political environment
Sports
Wisconsin Sues Miami for Tampering With Football Transfer
The University of Wisconsin has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit accusing UMiami of illegally tampering with a football player under contract, marking the first legal attempt to enforce a school’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreement to prevent a transfer.
Red Flags In the NCAA House Settlement That Could Trigger the Next Wave of Litigation
Antitrust vulnerabilities, costly arbitration processes, transfer buyouts, new recruiting rules, and NIL loopholes raise red flags that threaten destabilizing the existing settlement framework that exists and could trigger a new wave of litigation related to college sports.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Successfully Lobby For a Pay Raise
Following the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” bringing attention to the lack of fair wages paid to the infamous cheer squad in the NFL, the Cheerleaders have successfully pushed for a 400% pay raise.
Cheerleaders Can Now Go Pro: Varsity Spirit’s New League Offers Pay
Varsity Spirit is launching the Pro Cheer League, a professional cheerleading league for athletes 18 and older, aiming to extend cheerleading careers beyond college with four teams in major U.S. cities, leveraging its established fan base to grow both domestically and globally.
Federal Judge Calls on NASCAR, Teams to Settle Bitter Antitrust Battle
A federal judge urged NASCAR and two teams, including Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, to settle their costly and contentious antitrust dispute, warning that prolonged litigation could harm all parties involved.
Dodgers Say They Asked Federal Agents to Leave Parking Lot
Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security appeared outside Dodger Stadium, sparking protests and forcing the Dodgers to postpone plans to announce immigration support initiatives, amid ongoing outrage over immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles.
FIFA Abandons Principles Once Again by Dropping Anti-Racism Messages
Despite FIFA’s recent rhetoric about cracking down on racism, the league has quietly dropped its usual anti-discrimination messaging at the Club World Cup, raising concerns that it is once again compromising its values to avoid political discomfort.
A Totally Spontaneous Expression of Joy, Contractually Sponsored by Moët & Chandon
In 2018, the Golden State Warriors secretly brought a gold bathtub filled with expensive Moët & Chandon Champagne into the opposing locker room to celebrate their championship win, highlighting how Champagne sponsorships have become a lucrative and emotional part of sports celebrations, with brands like Moët investing millions to associate with these high-profile moments.
$4,785. That’s How Much It Costs to Be a Sports Fan Now
With leagues like the MLB and NBA moving towards streaming deals as opposed to broadcast agreements, the cost to being a sports fan is on the rise.
Media & Technology
Supreme Court Greenlights Reckoning on CA EV Mandate
In a 7-2 ruling, SCOTUS allowed fuel producers to sue CA over its EV mandate, finding they could suffer economic harm from reduced sales and thus have standing.
DeepSeek AI Generates as Many Emissions as Flying from London to NY
A new study reveals that AI tools like ChatGPT come with significant environmental costs, showing that advanced language models with complex reasoning can generate up to 50 times more CO2 emissions than simpler models due to higher energy use from increased token generation.
Layoff Notices Delivered to Hundreds of Voice of America Employees
639 employees of Voice of America and its parent agency received layoff notices, including three employees who left their desks for a cigarette break and returned to find their badges confiscated.
Trump’s Plan to Ban U.S. States From AI Regulation Will ‘Hold Us Back’, Says Microsoft Science Chief
Microsoft’s chief scientist warned that Trump’s proposed 10-year ban on state-level AI regulation would hinder, not accelerate, AI progress, despite Microsoft reportedly backing the ban through lobbying efforts.
New Body Camera Video Shows Hispanic Journalist Arrested During ICE Protest
Journalist Mario Guevara was arrested by police officers in Atlanta during an ICE protect, while wearing a Press vest after police asked the journalist to stay off the street.
Ukraine’s Security Service is Teaching Teenagers How to Avoid Recruitment by Russian Intelligence
SBU, Ukraine’s security service, is educating teens on how to avoid being recruited by Russian intelligence, which targets minors via phone apps with offers of easy money for espionage or sabotage.
General News
U.S. Launches Strikes on 3 Iranian Nuclear Facilities, Trump Says
In his Presidential Address, Trump reported that the U.S. launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, with the goal of stopping the nuclear threats.
Supreme Court Prevents Retired Firefighter From Suing Former Employer Under the Americans With Disabilities Act
In an 8-1 decision, SCOTUS ruled that a retired firefighter cannot challenge the termination of her health insurance post-retirement, with Justice Brown Jackson dissenting the decision.
Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Tying Transportation Funds to States’ Cooperation With Immigration Efforts
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from conditioning transportation funds on states' cooperation with immigration enforcement, ruling the policy unlawful and a misuse of federal authority.
DNC Leader Faces Growing Scrutiny Amid Party Turmoil
DNC Chair Ken Martin is facing mounting pressure as party infighting, leadership departures, and donor frustrations paint a picture of disarray within the Democratic Party just six months into Trump’s second term.
Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction Preserving Harvard’s Ability to Host International Students
A federal judge granted Harvard a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s revocation of its ability to enroll international students, allowing Harvard to continue enrollment while the lawsuit proceeds. Trump’s entry ban on Harvard-sponsored visa holders remains temporarily blocked.
Trump Is Silent About Juneteenth on a Day He Previously Honored as President
Despite honoring Juneteenth in his first Presidential term, Trump remained silent this Juneteenth, failing to acknowledge the end of slavery in the U.S.
‘Look My Child in the Eye’: Parent Confronts GOP Over Medicaid Cuts
Families advocating for children with complex medical needs took to Capitol Hill to oppose Medicaid cuts, emphasizing that the reduction will endanger children needing medical care.
Trump’s SNAP Benefit Cut Plans Suffer Blow
A Republican plan to shift part of SNAP costs to states was blocked by the Senate parliamentarian for violating budget rules, forcing GOP leaders to seek other ways to fund tax cuts without cutting nutrition aid for millions. The proposal, aimed at saving $128 billion, would have required states to cover at least 5% of SNAP benefits, risking significant reductions in food assistance.
Mahmoud Khalil Arrives in NJ After Release From ICE Custody
After being held in ICE custody for more than 100 days, Mahmoud Khalil has returned to his family despite the current administration’s fight to deport the green card holder.
NYC Mayoral Candidate Brad Lander Released After Immigration Court Arrest
Brad Lander was briefly detained by ICE after escorting someone from immigration court. He denied claims that he assaulted an officer. Released with help from Governor Hochul, Lander condemned Trump’s immigration policies as federal officials accused him of interfering with law enforcement.
In Deep Red Iowa, Ukrainians Found Home and Community. Now Their Fate is in Limbo.
After finding a new home in Iowa, Ukrainians who came to the U.S. seeking safety worry about being deported as they begin to lose their ability to work.
Karen Read’s Defense Changed its Strategy for Retrial – and Won
At retrial, Karen Read’s defense shifted from blaming a third-party culprit to focusing on investigative failures, a strategic pivot that likely contributed to her acquittal on the most serious charges.
A White Nationalist at University of Florida Wrote a Paper Promoting Racist Views. It Won Him an Award.
The University of Florida suspended law student Preston Damsky after racist social media posts, despite previously awarding him a top paper arguing the Constitution protects only white people and advocating for extreme racist policies.
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