Week In Review
- Elissa D. Hecker - Editor
- Oct 6
- 13 min read
By Seth Nguyen
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News.
Entertainment
U.S. government set to side with Cox in court to overturn billion dollar damages judgement
Not only is the government backing Cox Communications as it tries to overturn the billion dollar ruling in its long-running copyright battle with the major labels, but Solicitor General D. John Sauer now wants ten minutes to tell Supreme Court judges directly why they should side with the ISP.
Growing backlash after AI actress could be first to be signed by talent agency
Some of Hollywood’s biggest names are sounding the alarm over an AI generated “actor” whose company is reportedly seeking representation.
In ‘landmark’ move, SESAC and GMR join ASCAP and BMI’s ‘Songview’ copyright database, expanding platform to 38m+ works
ASCAP and BMI’s Songview database, launched in 2020, will now include data from all four major U.S. performing rights organizations—ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and SESAC—covering over 38 million songs. The expansion aims to make Songview the most comprehensive and transparent source for U.S. music copyright and ownership data. GMR and SESAC information will be added over the coming months, enhancing visibility into split works. Industry leaders and lawmakers hailed the move as a major step toward greater transparency and efficiency in music licensing.
Sean Combs Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison After Apologizing for ‘Sick’ Conduct
Sean Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $500,000 for transporting women for prostitution, with the judge stressing accountability for abuse. With time served, he will remain incarcerated until 2028.
Sean Combs Now Faces Not Just Prison and a Fine, but Shunning
Combs was sentenced to over four years for coercing former girlfriends in prostitution-related offenses. The trial exposed abuse and misconduct, wrecking his reputation and businesses, leaving his comeback uncertain despite his history of reinvention.
Kristi Noem Says ICE Will Be ‘All Over’ the Super Bowl
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told a podcaster ICE agents will be “all over” the Super Bowl in February — where Bad Bunny is set to headline — prompting concerns the halftime crowd could face immigration enforcement. Bad Bunny has warned fans about ICE; DHS defended enforcing immigration laws.
Arts
AAP Applauds Court’s Preliminary Approval of Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement
A judge preliminarily approved a $1.5 billion settlement in Bartz v. Anthropic over the AI company’s use of pirated books to train its models, marking a major step in holding AI firms accountable for copyright infringement.
Trump Fires Members of Humanities Council
The White House fired members of the National Council on the Humanities to align the agency with the Trump administration’s priorities, following earlier staff cuts, canceled grants, and a shift toward patriotic and conservative-linked projects.
‘Rampant’ Book Bans Are Being Taken for Granted, Free Speech Group Warns
A PEN America report finds that book restrictions in U.S. public schools have become widespread and routine, with over 3,750 titles banned in 87 districts in 2024–25 and nearly 23,000 cases tracked over four years across 45 states. Common targets include books with L.G.B.T.Q. themes, race, or sexual content. State laws and federal involvement have expanded bans, often limiting local control and parental choice, while high-profile books like To Kill a Mockingbird and A Queer History of the United States have been removed from school shelves.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Naked Baby on Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’
A federal judge dismissed Spencer Elden’s lawsuit claiming Nirvana’s Nevermind album cover, featuring him as a naked baby, constituted child sexual abuse imagery. The judge ruled that the photo was not sexually explicit and noted Elden had benefited financially and publicly from it over the years. The decision ends a four-year legal battle against the band and Kurt Cobain’s estate.
After Declining to Give Trump a Sword for King Charles, a Museum Leader Is Out
Todd Arrington, director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, was forced to resign after reportedly refusing a Trump administration request to give an original Eisenhower sword as a gift for King Charles. The library cited legal obligations to preserve government property, and Arrington’s ouster may also have been influenced by disputes over a new education center. His departure is part of broader tensions between Trump and nonpartisan cultural institutions like the National Archives.
Police Seize Possible Forgeries From Dalí Show in Italy
Italian police seized 21 Salvador Dalí lithographs from a Parma exhibition on suspicion they were fakes. The raid followed concerns raised by the Gala Dalí Foundation after a similar show in Rome. Curator Vincenzo Sanfo defended the works, claiming he has documentation proving their authenticity, including a series published with Dalí’s consent in 1983. Authorities are investigating the exhibition organizers, while the foundation said the Parma show was not vetted by them.
Sports
WNBA players say CBA negotiations are stalling as deadline nears
With the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire Oct. 31, players say negotiations with the league are far from a deal. Union leaders, including Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier, criticized the WNBA for a lack of accountability and failure to fairly value players. The main dispute centers on revenue sharing and salaries, with players demanding a greater share of the league’s growth. Other key issues include charter travel, player safety, and maternity protections. Players say talks have been combative and that league leadership must “match the players’ commitment” to the sport’s growth.
Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia can’t be stopped. But what about his court battle with the NCAA?
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, initially ruled ineligible under NCAA rules, was allowed to play this season by federal judge William L. Campbell Jr., after Pavia sued over restrictions on his eligibility and NIL earnings. His case sparked dozens of similar lawsuits challenging NCAA eligibility rules, though the NCAA has largely prevailed so far. While the Pavia ruling is narrow, it highlights legal uncertainty around NCAA rules, antitrust challenges, and athletes’ rights, creating ongoing instability in college sports.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6678418/2025/10/01/diego-pavia-lawsuit-juco-eligibility-vanderbilt/
Transgender athlete Sadie Schreiner sues Princeton, alleging discrimination at track meet
Trans athlete Sadie Schreiner is suing Princeton for allegedly barring her from a track meet due to her gender identity; Princeton denies discrimination, citing NCAA rules.
Former Jets employee accuses team of retaliation amid sexual misconduct investigation
Former Jets VP Elaine Chen sued the team, claiming she was fired in retaliation after complaints of sexual misconduct were made against team president Hymie Elhai. The Jets denied the allegations, saying that Chen and her husband helped fabricate the claims and obstructed their investigation. Chen alleges discrimination and retaliation, while the Jets insist her firing was for legitimate business reasons related to misconduct and a conspiracy against Elhai.
Is Sports Betting Illegal in Your State? Not if You Call It a ‘Prediction Market.’
Kalshi, a prediction market app, lets users bet on sports nationwide, bypassing state gambling laws and taxes, drawing criticism from regulators and lawmakers.
Sports Betting Apps Have a Powerful New Tool to Keep Users Gambling
In-game sports betting is rapidly growing in the U.S., fueled by apps, AI, and real-time data, generating billions for sportsbooks and leagues. Experts warn it raises addiction and financial risks, prompting some lawmakers to propose restrictions.
Media/Technology
A Global Crackdown on Free Speech Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension reflects a wider global trend of leaders suppressing free speech. Humor threatens autocrats by mocking their authority, and crackdowns often escalate from criticism to media control. While China leads in censorship, U.S. political pressure on media sets a precedent that could normalize restrictions worldwide.
Judge Reinstates Over 500 Voice of America Journalists and Staff
A judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse Voice of America layoffs, citing noncompliance with earlier orders to maintain global broadcasts, reinforcing the agency’s press freedom mandate.
She Was Fired for a Comment on Her Private Facebook Account
After criticizing Charlie Kirk online, Ball State University employee Suzanne Swierc was doxed, threatened, and fired.
California Governor Signs Sweeping A.I. Law
California passed one of the nation’s toughest A.I. safety laws, requiring major companies to disclose risks, report incidents, and protect whistle-blowers. The law also establishes a state consortium for ethical A.I. research. Tech giants opposed it, while Anthropic voiced support.
YouTube Settles Trump Lawsuit Over Account Suspension for $24.5 Million
YouTube will pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit by Trump and others over account suspensions following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, with $22 million going to Trump. The settlement comes after YouTube, Meta, and X restored his accounts and follows similar payouts from other media firms. The move ends prolonged legal battles and coincides with YouTube relaxing some content moderation policies.
What We Know About ChatGPT’s New Parental Controls
OpenAI added parental controls to ChatGPT, letting parents set limits and get alerts if teens show self-harm risk. Teens can bypass controls, so safeguards work best with active parental guidance.
Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political Ads
A new report found that Facebook profits from deceptive political ads, including deepfakes impersonating officials like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Despite policy violations, many advertisers kept posting, spending $49 million on nearly 150,000 ads. Critics say Meta prioritizes revenue over enforcement, allowing scams to target users as global pressure mounts for stronger oversight.
OpenAI’s Sora Makes Disinformation Extremely Easy and Extremely Real
The new AI app Sora allows users to generate hyper realistic videos of events that never happened, including crimes, protests, and political scenarios. While OpenAI built some safeguards—like rejecting violent content or unauthorized likenesses—experts warn the app could fuel disinformation, manipulate public perception, and make it harder to trust digital content. Even non-experts may struggle to distinguish real from fake, raising risks for propaganda, false evidence, and “liar’s dividend” effects.
Top A.I. Researchers Leave OpenAI, Google. and Meta for New Start-Up Periodic Labs, founded by ex-OpenAI and DeepMind researchers, aims to use AI to accelerate real-world scientific discoveries in physics, chemistry, and other fields. Unlike other AI labs focused on chatbots or superintelligence, Periodic combines physical experiments with AI analysis, using robots to run and optimize experiments. With $300M+ in seed funding, the startup hopes its AI systems can learn from trial-and-error experimentation to speed up breakthroughs, though achieving major discoveries will take time.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/technology/ai-meta-google-openai-periodic.html
OpenAI Completes Deal That Values It at $500 Billion
OpenAI has sold employee shares to investors, valuing the company at $500 billion and making it the world’s most valuable privately held company, surpassing SpaceX. Employees sold about $6.6 billion in shares to investors, including SoftBank and Thrive Capital. The company’s valuation has rapidly grown over the past year, fueled by investments from Microsoft, Nvidia, and others as it develops AI technologies like ChatGPT.
$55 Billion Deal for Electronic Arts Is Biggest Buyout Ever
Electronic Arts will be taken private in a $55 billion buyout led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake, with financing from JPMorgan. The deal, the largest of its kind, offers shareholders a 25% premium and faces U.S. security review due to Saudi involvement. EA will stay in California under CEO Andrew Wilson, with the buyout expected to close in 2026.
Journalist Mario Guevara Is Deported After Being Held for Over 100 Days
Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, known for livestreaming immigration raids, was deported by ICE after over 100 days in Georgia custody. Arrested in June at a “No Kings” protest outside Atlanta, the related charges were later dropped. Guevara’s lawyers and press freedom groups say his detention was retaliation for his reporting, though the White House says it was due to a 2012 immigration order. Guevara, who has family in the U.S., lost significant weight and suffered during detention.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/us/mario-guevara-journalist-deported.html
General News
Senate Fails to Pass Spending Bill; Shutdown Hours Away
Click on this link to get 24/7 live updates on D.C. politics.
Trump Seizes On Shutdown to Punish Political Foes
During a government shutdown, President Trump has halted or delayed over $27 billion in federal funding—mostly to Democratic-led states and cities—citing alleged waste or political reasons. The cuts affect transit, green-energy, and other programs, prompting lawsuits claiming the administration is illegally withholding congressionally approved funds. Critics say the moves are unprecedented and politically motivated, while Trump aides defend them as fiscal stewardship.
Partisan Shutdown Messages Could Hurt Civil Service, Experts Warn
During the shutdown, the Trump administration used federal channels to blame Democrats, raising concerns about Hatch Act violations and undermining the nonpartisan civil service. The practice sparked a lawsuit and fears that the administration’s actions could erode public trust in the government.
Supreme Court Allows Lisa Cook to Remain at Fed, for Now
The Supreme Court halted Trump’s attempt to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook, scheduling arguments for January. The president claims that he fired her over alleged mortgage fraud, which she denies. Lower courts ruled in Cook’s favor, warning that her removal would threaten the Fed’s independence. The case marks the first presidential effort to oust a Fed governor and could redefine limits on presidential authority.
Supreme Court Lets Trump Revoke Deportation Protections for Venezuelans
The Supreme Court temporarily allowed the Trump administration to end deportation protections for over 300,000 Venezuelan immigrants under Temporary Protected Status. The decision, following a lower court ruling in favor of the migrants, puts many at risk of immediate deportation. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, criticizing the majority for prioritizing executive power over families’ stability. The case continues amid ongoing litigation.
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Hawaii Law Limiting Guns on Private Property
The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to Hawaii’s law banning guns on private property open to the public, even for licensed owners, potentially clarifying limits on public carry rights.
Fight Over Hidden Report on Trump Documents Case Goes to Appeals Court
Court records reveal Trump’s attorney-client privilege disputes, while a judge has kept a special counsel’s report on his classified documents case secret, prompting a petition to release it.
Groups File Suit Over Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
A coalition of unions, schools, hospitals, churches, and other groups sued the Trump administration over its $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas, arguing it was unlawful, bypassed required regulatory procedures, and would harm workers, students, patients, and nonprofits nationwide. The plaintiffs claim the fee exceeds the president’s authority and would worsen staffing shortages in healthcare, education, and research.
Judge Rules Trump Unlawfully Targeted Noncitizens Over Pro-Palestinian Speech
A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment by using threats of deportation to intimidate noncitizen students who protested in support of Palestinians. The judge condemned the administration for systematically targeting campus activists, creating fear, and chilling free speech, though he did not immediately block further deportations. The ruling is hailed as a landmark defense of noncitizens’ free speech rights.
Judge Blocks Trump’s Deployment of National Guard in Portland, Ore.
A federal judge blocked Trump from sending Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, ruling that the deployment likely exceeded his authority and targeted mostly peaceful protests.
Judge Finds ‘Likelihood’ That Charges Against Abrego Garcia Are Vindictive
A Nashville judge ruled that there is a “realistic likelihood” that Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s indictment is a vindictive prosecution, potentially retaliating for his lawsuit over a wrongful deportation, and allowed his lawyers to investigate the Justice Department’s motives.
Fired Prosecutor Assails Justice Dept.’s Pursuit of Trump’s Enemies
Michael P. Ben’Ary, chief of the national security section in the Eastern District of Virginia, was fired after false claims linked him to efforts to block charges against James Comey. In a letter, he criticized the Justice Department for prioritizing political targets over national security, warning that his removal undermines terrorism cases, including a major Kabul airport attack trial. His firing, following other departures, has left the office’s critical national security unit severely understaffed.
Trump and Hegseth Recount Familiar Partisan Complaints to Top Military Leaders
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of generals and admirals to Quantico for a politicized, campaign-style event. Trump attacked President Biden and suggested using U.S. cities as military “training grounds,” while Hegseth denounced “woke” policies. Military leaders stayed silent, and critics condemned the meeting as a wasteful and inappropriate use of the military for politics.
What Women Heard in Hegseth’s Remarks About Physical Standards
Hegseth suggested that women in combat succeed due to lowered standards, but pioneering female officers Scholley and Wilder rejected this, insisting that women earned their roles through the same rigorous tests as men.
Kennedy Fires National Institutes of Health Scientist Who Filed Whistle-Blower Complaint
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, a leading NIH scientist, was fired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy three weeks after filing a whistle-blower complaint alleging that the Trump administration undermined vaccine research and defied court orders. Her dismissal, part of a broader purge of institute directors, is viewed as retaliatory and raises concerns about political interference in public health science.
U.S. Deports Planeload of Iranians After Deal With Tehran, Officials Say
The Trump administration deported a flight of Iranians from the U.S. to Iran, marking a rare direct repatriation despite Iran’s poor human rights record. Some deportees, including political dissidents and religious converts, did not consent and had pending asylum cases. The deportations, part of a broader campaign against undocumented migrants, were coordinated with Iranian officials, but human rights advocates warn that returnees could face persecution amid worsening economic conditions.
U.S. Military Attacked Boat Off Venezuela, Killing Four Men, Hegseth Says
The U.S. military, under Trump’s orders, killed four men near Venezuela in a controversial campaign against suspected drug traffickers, treating them as “unlawful combatants.” Critics say the strikes may violate international law, while Venezuela condemned the attacks.
Trump Administration Reverses $187 Million in N.Y. Counterterrorism Cuts
The Trump administration restored $187 million in Homeland Security funding to New York after bipartisan pressure, reversing cuts that threatened counterterrorism and law enforcement programs.
Trump to Withhold $18 Billion for New York-Area Transit Projects
The Trump administration froze $18 billion in federal funds for New York’s Second Avenue Subway expansion and Hudson River Gateway tunnel projects, citing a review of the state’s “discriminatory” contracting tied to diversity programs. Critics said the move was politically motivated, aimed at pressuring Democrats amid the government shutdown. New York and New Jersey officials condemned the decision, warning it could delay critical infrastructure, cost jobs, and harm the regional economy. Lawsuits are expected, and both projects continue temporarily despite the funding pause.
Florida Hands Over Prime Miami Property for Trump Library
Florida donated a prime downtown Miami site to the nonprofit planning Trump’s presidential library, allowing for a library, museum, or commercial development.
Gig Drivers Win the Right to Unionize in California
California has passed a law allowing gig drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft to unionize while remaining classified as independent contractors. The legislation enables sectoral bargaining, letting drivers negotiate wages and benefits across multiple companies, and could serve as a model for other states. The compromise follows years of disputes over driver classification and Prop. 22, balancing labor protections with the flexibility companies say drivers value.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/business/uber-lyft-drivers-unionize-california-newsom.html?searchResultPosition=1
This City Was Forced to Overhaul Its Police Department. Crime Plummeted.
A federal judge is set to end Newark’s decade-long consent decree overseeing its police department, citing “vast improvements” in policing, reduced crime, and better community relations. The 1,100-officer force is now more diverse, better trained, and uses body cameras and modernized policies. While some violent crimes and internal issues remain, officials credit the decree with improving accountability and trust. The end of oversight marks a milestone for Newark, though city leaders and monitors stress continued commitment to reform.
Here Is the Full Text of the Gaza Plan Released by the White House
The White House proposed an immediate Gaza cease-fire with hostage and prisoner exchanges, Israel’s withdrawal, and Gaza’s demilitarization. A temporary technocratic committee, overseen by an international body led by Trump, would govern and direct redevelopment with global investment. An international stabilization force would secure Gaza, while Hamas would be excluded from governance. The plan outlines eventual Palestinian self-determination if reforms are met; if Hamas refuses, aid and reconstruction would proceed only in secured areas.
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