Lisa Hresko got a major promotion at the indie music group A2IM. She is now its Chief Operating Officer after serving as General Manager. The organization's new charitable arm, the Foundation of Independent Music, also named her its first President.
Hresko joined back in 2017 and has been key to their growth. She helped launch their sales certification program and expanded their Indie Week conference internationally. Her work on trade strategy even scored a presidential export award.
Leadership from A2IM and the Beggars Group praised her dedication and deep knowledge of the indie sector. The new CEO said he looks forward to working with her to build on the group's existing work for its members.
Deezer dropped its year-end listening recap before Spotify or Apple Music. Their "My Deezer Year 2025" feature, using a rom-com theme, shows users their top artists and songs. Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish were the most-streamed artists globally on the platform.
The data shows users listened to about 123 hours of music on average. Deezer also reports a huge surge in AI-generated music, with over 50,000 fully AI tracks now uploaded daily. The company tags these albums and excludes them from its recommendations.
A Deezer executive said human creativity and curation are still essential. Looking forward, they predict a rise in mood-based listening, longer artistic projects, and a renewed interest in classic back catalog music.
The Supreme Court is hearing a case that could wreck your internet. It involves Cox Communications and a massive lawsuit from big record labels like Sony, Universal, and Warner. The labels say Cox knew its customers were pirating tons of songs but refused to cut them off, even with a manager telling staff to ignore copyright law.
A previous jury hit Cox with a billion-dollar verdict for helping piracy happen. An appeals court ordered a new trial, meaning damages could jump to 1.5 billion. Cox argues that holding them responsible would force them to disconnect huge numbers of people, from homes to coffee shops. The justices seem unsure about where to draw the line.
During arguments, Justice Sotomayor noted Cox's lax approach likely...
Megan Thee Stallion just won a defamation case against a blogger named Milagro Cooper, who posts as Milagro Gramz. A federal jury in Florida decided Cooper lied about the rapper, whose legal name is Megan Pete, regarding the 2020 shooting by Tory Lanez. They also said Cooper caused emotional harm and shared a fake, explicit video.
The lawsuit claimed Cooper ran a harassment campaign after Megan identified Lanez, legally Daystar Peterson, as her shooter. Lanez is already serving a decade in prison for the felony assault. Megan testified that Cooper acted as a paid mouthpiece for Lanez, spreading false claims that she was not shot. Cooper admitted to getting money from Lanez's dad.
The jury awarded Megan 75 grand. Her lawyer said the...
The president pardoned former Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernandez. He was convicted last year for running a massive drug trafficking conspiracy. The pardon followed a flattering letter from Hernandez, delivered by advisor Roger Stone, which framed his prosecution as political persecution akin to the president's legal troubles.
Hernandez was released from a West Virginia federal prison. His letter praised the president's resilience and claimed his case was built on unreliable witness testimony. The pardon contradicts the administration's stated focus on combating drug trafficking, particularly targeting Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro.
This action aligns with the president's pattern of granting clemency to allies. He has issued over two...
Costco is suing the administration over its import tariffs. The retailer filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing the president overstepped by using a 1977 emergency powers law for these levies. It claims only Congress holds that authority.
The lawsuit seeks refunds should the Supreme Court rule the tariffs illegal. It echoes other cases from smaller importers already before the justices. The administration defends its use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as lawful.
A White House statement warned of large economic consequences from overturning the tariffs. Even if the administration loses, other legal avenues exist for imposing import taxes. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the core legality soon.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu is suing ten major food corporations. The lawsuit targets Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, and others like Nestlé and General Mills over their ultraprocessed products. It argues these companies knowingly market harmful foods, burdening the city with healthcare costs for related diseases.
This first-of-its-kind government case uses California's unfair competition laws. Chiu's office has a track record against tobacco and opioid companies. The suit seeks financial damages for public health impacts, aligning oddly with the current administration's health messaging.
The food industry's trade group pushed back, claiming the category lacks a clear definition. Similar regulatory efforts have emerged...
A special election in Tennessee's Seventh District is the last major political test this year. Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn are competing for Mark Green's old seat. National groups poured money into it, with Trump's super PAC spending heavily despite the district's usual red tilt.
Democrats have overperformed in other 2025 special elections. A close result here, even a loss, could spook Republicans ahead of 2026. Turnout in the Nashville portion is key, but bad weather might suppress votes. Behn's progressive record on guns and trans rights is a GOP attack line.
The final margin matters for momentum. A narrow Republican win would still signal a shifting environment. This race forces Democrats to compete in hostile...
The Supreme Court is hearing a case from First Choice Women's Resource Centers, an anti-abortion nonprofit in New Jersey. The state attorney general subpoenaed their donor lists, investigating whether the group misled people about providing abortion services. First Choice, backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom and the ACLU, sued, claiming a First Amendment violation.
The legal fight is about timing. The justices must decide if the group's federal lawsuit is premature or ripe, since state courts have not enforced the subpoena yet. A win for the clinics lets their constitutional challenge proceed in federal court. A loss forces them into state court first.
This follows the Dobbs decision, which increased scrutiny on these centers...
