Keeping Up With America

Son of a man who was beaten and died in a New York prison sues guards, officials: The son of an inmate who died after a prolonged beating by New York prison guards said in a federal lawsuit Wednesday that his father’s attackers “systematically and casually beat him to death” in a correctional system that tolerates violence.

Drake files federal lawsuit against UMG for defamation over promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’: Drake is moving forward with his legal battle against his own record label and filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group for defamation, alleging that it spread a “false and malicious narrative” when it promoted Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”

Supreme Court tackles Texas adult website age-verification restriction: The Supreme Court on Wednesday grappled with a challenge to a Texas law aimed at preventing young people from accessing pornographic content online, with justices expressing support in principle for government action on the issue.

Trump attorney general pick Pam Bondi faces questions over DOJ independence: Senators questioned President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Justice Department on Wednesday, asking former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi whether she would stand up to a president who had pushed out the two men he previously appointed to be U.S. attorney general.

Some LGBTQ people race to claim rights, fearing rollbacks under Trump: In the week after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, Isla Lima submitted paperwork to change her gender from male to female in official documents, as some LGBTQ people worry their rights could be cut back.

Around the World

Mockery of woman conned out of $855K by AI-generated Brad Pitt leads TV channel to pull interview: The French victim of the elaborate, yearlong scheme was hit with “a wave of harassment” online after her interview was aired, the station said.

Russian missile attack forces Ukraine to shut down power grid: The attack comes a day after the Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of firing multiple Western-made missiles at Russia’s Bryansk region on the border.

Lets Talk Business and Tech

JPMorgan Chase is boosting buybacks even after CEO Jamie Dimon called the stock expensive

Nvidia-backed AI video platform Synthesia doubles valuation to $2.1 billion

DoubleLine’s Gundlach says the Fed looks like Mr. Magoo, focuses too much on ‘short-termism’

Richer, Wiser, Happier

What gold assets offer the most liquidity to investors?: Amid the uncertainty marking today’s economic landscape, gold continues to attract investors who are seeking the unique benefits this precious metal offers, including stability and protection against inflation. But the precious metal’s appeal also reached new heights in 2024, as prices remained on a steady upward trajectory, eventually surging past $2,700 per ounce. While the price of gold has moderated somewhat in the time since, the momentum that defined gold last year has carried into early 2025, with gold’s price recently ticking back up and enticing even more investors to buy in.

3 Key Ways That Bitcoin Could Save Your Bacon in a Pinch in 2025 and Beyond | Alex Carchidi, Fool. Bitcoin (BTC 2.98%) is unique as an asset in a few key ways that could make it a safe haven in difficult economic circumstances. To the cryptocurrency’s boosters, these features are nothing new and are part of the core value proposition that argues for holding it forever. But to everyone else, Bitcoin’s potential to save your bacon in tough times is probably under the radar, so let’s explore the topic a bit further.

Home equity loans dos and don’ts to know for 2025: Borrowing money via a home equity loan has multiple advantages right now. For starters, the average home equity amount currently sits around $320,000, giving homeowners access to a large amount of money to borrow from. And because the home serves as collateral, interest rates on home equity loans are much lower than some popular alternatives. While the average interest rates on personal loans sit close to 13% now and are near 23% for credit cards, home equity loan interest rates for qualified borrowers are in the mid-8% range now, making them nearly three times cheaper than credit cards.

Sports and Showbiz Shenanigans

Jamal Murray scores season-high 45 in Denver Nuggets’ win | Gunnar Gundy joining father’s Oklahoma State staff as QB coach

Fox Sports Hopes to Steer NFL Fans to IndyCar Debut | Denzel Washington Still Has Never Been Nominated for a BAFTA After Latest ‘Gladiator 2’ Snub

Justin Baldoni claims Ryan Reynolds used ‘Deadpool’ character to ‘bully’ him in legal letter | Tom Cruise apologized to Brooke Shields for disparaging ‘rant,’ memoir says

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