American singer, songwriter, TV personality; one of pop’s defining artists
The Senate has confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence by a 51-47 vote, removing acting DNI Bill Pulte. Clayton has faced tough questioning over his refusal to plainly say Joe Biden won the 2020 election and about his willingness to resist political pressure. His confirmation clears the way for renewed talks on reauthorising Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The Independent and The Guardian report that Taylor Swift’s songs have been removed from Team Trump and White House videos after copyright issues. The TikTok posts, which mocked Swift and referenced August, no longer have sound. Swift has not commented publicly amid long-standing feuds with Donald Trump.
Dolly Parton has died after a brief cancer battle, prompting tributes from peers and fans around the world. The Queen of Country leaves a legacy of hit songs, philanthropy, and a cross-genre influence that shaped music and culture.
Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell have filed a federal lawsuit accusing Anthropic and its founders of illegally torrenting and using tens of thousands of copyrighted lyrics and sheet music to train Claude. The publishers say Claude can reproduce protected lyrics verbatim and generates AI songs that compete with human composers; they seek statutory damages and an injunction.
A Connecticut family combines two households into one larger home, renovating a private studio to create a shared living space. They sold a Florida home for profit and financed a renovation to accommodate a multi-generational household in a commuter-friendly area near LaGuardia, balancing mortgage costs with a previous rental.
British comedian Brand is facing trial on multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault spanning 1999-2009. Six women accuse him of non-consensual acts; Brand denies all charges. The trial, at Southwark Crown Court, is expected to last about six weeks and all complainants have lifelong anonymity.
The Russell Brand trial has heard from multiple complainants across ten years, with charges including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. Brand denies all charges as the case unfolds in Southwark Crown Court, with witnesses detailing alleged assaults dating from 1999 to 2009.
A new documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, You Can See Everything, has opened strongly, blending true-crime tension with media ethics. Viewers are exploring Holmes’s claims, her relationship with Billy Evans, and the documentary’s approach to truth as Fielder and Oppenheim shape two connected films.