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Author: BBC News

  • Judge drops Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

    Judge drops Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

    A judge has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us.

    Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Lamar’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being “certified paedophiles”, were a “non-actionable opinion” and could not be considered defamatory.

    Drake filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group (UMG), the record label behind both rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be published and promoted, saying it spread a “false and malicious narrative”.

    Drake’s spokesperson said he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

    Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

    It has become the biggest hit of Lamar’s career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl halftime show in February.

    In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers “the most infamous rap battle in the genre’s history”.

    “The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse,” the judge wrote.

    “Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff.”

    Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name Lamar in the lawsuit.

    His lawyers accused UMG of launching “a campaign to create a viral hit” out of a song that made the “false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response”.

    A UMG spokesperson told the BBC’s US media partner, CBS News, that from the outset, the lawsuit “was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day”.

    “We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career,” the spokesperson added.

  • Chinese EV giant BYD sees UK sales soar by 880%

    Chinese EV giant BYD sees UK sales soar by 880%

    Chinese car making giant BYD says the UK has become its biggest market outside China, after its sales there surged by 880% in September compared to a year earlier.

    The company says it sold 11,271 cars in the UK last month, with the plug-in hybrid version of its Seal U sports utility vehicle (SUV) accounting for the majority of those sales.

    It comes after figures from the car industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that sales of electric vehicles (EVs) jumped to a record high in September.

    The UK is particularly attractive to firms like BYD as the country has not imposed tariffs on Chinese EVs, unlike other major markets such as the European Union and the US.

    BYD, which offers cheaper models than many of its Western rivals, said its share of the UK market jumped to 3.6% in September.

    The company will launch more new hybrid and electric cars in the months ahead, said the BYD’s UK manager Bono Ge. He added that the brand’s future in Britain looks “hugely exciting”, having just opened its 100th retail outlet.

    UK EV sales hit a record high last month, with sales of pure battery electric vehicles rising to almost 73,000, according to the SMMT.

    Sales of plug-in hybrid cars grew even faster, it said.

    The Kia Sportage, Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai were the best-selling cars in September. Chinese models – the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U – were also in the top 10.

    But despite the surge in overall EV sales in the UK, petrol and diesel vehicles still made up more than half of new car sales last month, according to the SMMT.

    In October last year, the EU announced it would hit imports of Chinese EVs with levies of up to 45%.

    The measure is aimed to protect European car makers from being undermined by what the EU believes are unfair Chinese-state subsidies.

    Chinese car makers like BYD have been effectively shut out of the US by high tariffs, which were backed by both President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.

    Despite slowing sales in China, BYD remains well ahead of US rival Tesla globally.

    Its sales have also outpaced European rivals, including Jaguar and BMW.

    In July this year, the UK government allocated £650m ($875m) of discounts for car buyers in a bid to boost the adoption of EVs.

    Car buyers can claim subsidies of up to £3,750 on purchases of brands including Nissan, Peugeot and Vauxhall.

    But the scheme excludes Chinese-made vehicles due to the emissions produced in their manufacture.

    BYD has criticised the decision and said it would damage the UK’s car market in the long-term.

  • Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome birth of their first daughter

    Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome birth of their first daughter

    Pop superstar Rihanna has given birth to her third child, a girl, with partner A$AP Rocky.

    The baby has been given her father’s stage name – except for a letter.

    Rocki Irish Mayers was born on 13 September, the singer announced in an Instagram post, sharing a snap of her cradling her daughter alongside a picture of miniature pink boxing gloves.

    The couple, who also share two sons Riot and RZA, announced Rihanna’s latest pregnancy at this year’s Met Gala.

    Fans have rejoiced at the birth announcement on social media, with the post racking up more than 5 million likes in two hours.

    Several weeks ago, the Barbados-born celebrity, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, also celebrated 20 years since the release of her first album.

    This news was met by followers with both congratulations and demands for her next project. It has been just under a decade since her most recent album, Anti.

    During that time, Rihanna has launched multiple businesses, including her popular makeup range Fenty Beauty and a lingerie company. The 37-year-old’s net worth has been estimated by Forbes at over a billion dollars.

    When the fashion and beauty mogul debuted her pregnancy on the Met Gala blue carpet in May, she wore an outfit tailored to her growing bump.

    “It is time to just show the people what we were cooking up,” Rihanna told reporters.

    The Diamonds singer has announced her previous pregnancies with similar flair. In 2023, she revealed the news of her second child while performing at the Super Bowl halftime show in a red bodysuit.

    The couple’s baby news is not the first time they have made headlines this year. In February, A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of firing a gun at a former friend, in a trial that saw Rihanna bring her two sons to court.

  • Cardi B civil trial: “I didn’t touch her”

    Cardi B civil trial: “I didn’t touch her”

    Emani Ellis claims the US rapper cut her cheek with a 3in (7.5cm) fingernail and spat on her during an altercation outside an obstetrician’s office in Los Angeles in 2018, leaving her “deeply traumatised”.

    Cardi B told a civil trial on Tuesday that Ms Ellis had filmed and followed her against her will when she arrived for an appointment about a pregnancy that was not yet public knowledge.

    The star said she confronted Ms Ellis but denied assaulting her. “I didn’t touch her,” said the rapper. “It was like a verbal fight, but it didn’t get physical at all.”

    The Bodak Yellow and I Like It rapper told jurors that when she stepped out of an elevator, Ms Ellis, who was working as a security guard in the building, told someone on the phone that she was there, then followed her down a hallway.

    The performer, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, added that Ms Ellis appeared to record her on her phone, invaded her privacy and refused to “back up”, before a face-to-face “verbal altercation” ensued.

    She admitted shouting an obscenity at Ms Ellis while telling her to “get out of my face”, adding: “We’re literally screaming at each other.”

    Her lawyer noted how the star had “feared for her unborn baby” and also accused Ms Ellis of having “changed your story”.

    Ms Ellis earlier told the court she said the rapper’s name out of excitement when she saw her, but didn’t tell anyone she was there and didn’t film her.

    Ms Ellis claims the rapper accused her of trying to spread news about her being at the doctor’s office, then hurled insults and threats, and attacked her.

    A plastic surgeon testified that he had treated Ms Ellis for a “hyper-sensitive” scar on her cheek, “most likely” caused by fingernails, after first examining her in 2022.

    Ms Ellis sued the star in 2020 for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as negligence and false imprisonment.

  • Lil Nas X faces four felony charges after LA arrest

    Lil Nas X faces four felony charges after LA arrest

    Rapper Lil Nas X has pleaded not guilty to injuring a police officer and resisting arrest after he was detained last week while wandering the streets of Los Angeles naked.

    The rapper, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, is facing three felony counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one felony count of resisting arrest. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

    Police said when they responded to a call about a nude man wandering the streets, the Grammy-winning artist charged at them.

    He was taken to the hospital for a possible overdose after the incident, which happened in the early hours of Thursday, authorities said.

    The 26-year-old artist was arraigned in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday. His bail was set at $75,000 (KSh. 9.69M), according to American news channel CBS.

    Unverified videos and images published by TMZ appear to show the rapper wandering the streets before the police altercation unfolded. They show the ‘Old Town Road’ singer dancing along a Los Angeles street in Studio City, wearing just white underwear and white cowboy boots.

    Later, he was seen completely nude and walking in the centre of a road. Footage published by TMZ shows him approaching a passing car while rapping lyrics from Kanye West’s song “Monster”.

    His white cowboy boots, meanwhile, were apparently picked up by a passerby who listed them on eBay with a price tag of $10,000 (KSh. 1.296M).

    LA police told the BBC they had responded to reports of a nude man walking in the street along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. He charged at officers when they got to the scene, Officer Drake Madison said.

    Lil Nas X spent the weekend in jail after the arrest.

    Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said three officers were injured during the incident while trying to take the rapper into custody.

    “Attacking police officers is more than just a crime against those individuals but a direct threat to public safety,” he said on Monday. “Anyone who assaults law enforcement will face serious consequences, no matter who they are or how famous they may be.”

    The rapper is expected to release his highly anticipated second studio album, ‘Dreamboy,’ later this year and has recently teased new music on Instagram.

    Lil Nas X became the first openly gay man to receive a Country Music Association award after he won with ‘Old Town Road’ in 2019.

    He won two Grammy Awards in 2020 for ‘Old Town Road’, after collaborating with Billy Ray Cyrus.

    The song also won two Grammys and broke the record for the longest-running number one song on the Billboard Hot 100, after 17 weeks at the top of the charts.

    The singer has courted controversy throughout his career, with some conservatives in the US criticising the music video for his hit single Montero (Call Me By Your Name).

    The singer responded with a fake apology video on YouTube, which cut into Montero’s infamous lap-dancing scene, and wrote on Twitter that he wanted his haters’ tears to “fill my Grammy cup”.

  • Jerry Adler, who starred in ‘The Sopranos’, dies aged 96

    Jerry Adler, who starred in ‘The Sopranos’, dies aged 96

    Actor Jerry Adler, best known for playing consigliere Herman ‘Hesh’ Rabkin in ‘The Sopranos’, has died aged 96.

    Although he found fame on the small screen, Adler did not start acting until his early 60s, as he was preparing to retire from an illustrious behind-the-scenes Broadway career.

    The theatre veteran worked alongside stars including Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury and Richard Burton during more than three decades in the industry.

    The Brooklyn-born actor “passed peacefully in his sleep” on Saturday, representatives said on behalf of his family, according to the Associated Press and Fox News.

    Adler worked as a stage manager, supervisor and director on more than 50 Broadway productions – after being offered his first job by his father, who worked in the industry, while at university.

    He stage-managed the original 1956 production of ‘My Fair Lady’, starring the then-20-year-old Julie Andrews, and 1969’s Coco, in which Kathryn Hepburn played the founder of fashion house Chanel.

    He went on to supervise the original production of the beloved musical ‘Annie’ in 1977 and the 1980 play ‘Camelot’, starring Richard Burton.

    He first stepped into the world of TV in the 1980s and early ’90s, stage managing a handful of productions, including several Tony Awards.

    But it wasn’t until he was preparing to retire that Adler began acting, after a phone call from a friend casting the 1992 film ‘The Public Eye’.

    He then went on to further film roles, including 1993’s ‘Manhattan Murder Mystery’ and 1996’s ‘Getting Away with Murder’.

    But he found fame for his role in HBO’s acclaimed series ‘The Sopranos ‘ as an advisor to James Gandolfini’s mob boss Tony and an old friend of his father.

    He later took on recurring roles in CBS’s ‘The Good Wife’ and spin-off ‘The Good Fight’, as boorish law partner Howard Lyman, and FX’s ‘Rescue Me’, as New York fire station chief Sidney Feinberg.

    Other notable roles included Rabbi Alan Schulman on CBS’ ‘Northern Exposure’ and the handyman Mr. Wicker on NBC’s ‘Mad About You’.

    He also made one-off appearances in iconic US shows such as ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘The West Wing’.

    Adler returned to Broadway as an actor – first in the 2000 play Taller than a Dwarf – and then in 2015’s ‘Fish in the Dark’ – bringing his career full circle.

  • US strikes deportation deals with Honduras and Uganda

    US strikes deportation deals with Honduras and Uganda

    The US has reached bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration, according documents obtained by the BBC’s US partner CBS.

    Uganda has agreed to take an unclear number of African and Asian migrants who had claimed asylum on the US-Mexico border, while Honduras will receive several hundred deported people from Spanish-speaking countries, CBS reports.

    The move is part of an attempt by Donald Trump’s administration to get more countries to accept deported migrants who are not their own citizens.

    Human rights campaigners have condemned the policy, saying migrants face the risk of being sent to countries where they could be harmed.

    Under the agreement, Uganda has agreed to accept deported migrants as long as they do not have criminal histories, but it’s unclear how many the country would ultimately take, according to CBS.

    Honduras agreed to receive migrants over two years, including families travelling with children, but documents suggest it could decide to accept more.

    Both deals are part of the Trump administration’s broader push for deportation arrangements with countries on several continents – including those with controversial human rights records.

    So far, at least a dozen nations have agreed to accept deported migrants from other countries.

    Last week, the US State Department announced it had signed a “safe third country” agreement with Paraguay to “share the burden of managing illegal immigration”.

    The White House has also been actively courting several African nations, with Rwanda saying earlier this month it will take up to 250 migrants from the US.

    A condition of the deal specifies that Rwanda would have “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement”, a government spokesperson told the BBC.

    Rwanda has previously been criticised for its human rights record, including the risk that those sent to the East African nation could be deported again to countries where they may face danger.

    Earlier this year, Panama and Costa Rica agreed to take in several hundred African and Asian migrants from the US.

    Government documents show the Trump administration has also approached countries like Ecuador and Spain to receive deported migrants, CBS reported.

    Since the start of his second term, Trump has embarked on sweeping efforts to remove undocumented migrants – a key election promise that drew mass support during this campaign.

    In June, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to resume deportations of migrants to countries other than their homeland without giving them the chance to raise the risks they might face.

    At the time, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority ruling, calling the decision “a gross abuse”.

    UN rights experts and human rights groups have also argued that these removals to a nation that is not the migrant’s place of origin could violate international law.

  • Investigation begins into livestreamed death of Kick streamer

    Investigation begins into livestreamed death of Kick streamer

    An investigation has been launched into the death of a French streamer known for extreme challenges.

    Raphaël Graven, also known as Jeanpormanove, was found dead at a residence in Contes, a village north of Nice, prosecutors said.

    The 46-year-old had been subject to bouts of violence and sleep deprivation during streams, and died in his sleep during a live broadcast, local media reported.

    Confirming a judicial investigation was underway, French government minister Clara Chappaz described Mr Graven’s death and the violence he endured as an “absolute horror”, adding he had been “humiliated” for months.

    A spokesperson for Kick, a live-streaming platform similar to Twitch, on which users can broadcast content and interact with other users in real-time, told the BBC the company was “urgently reviewing” circumstances around the streamer’s death.

    “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeanpormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends and community,” they said.

    The platform’s community guidelines were “designed to protect creators”, and Kick was “committed to upholding these standards across our platform”, the spokesperson added.

    Chappaz, the minister delegate for artificial intelligence and digital technologies, said she had referred the issue to Arcom, the French media regulator, and Pharos, a French system used to report online content.

    Sarah El Haïry, France’s High Commissioner for Children, described the death as “horrifying”.

    “Platforms have an immense responsibility in regulating online content so that our children are not exposed to violent content. I call on parents to be extremely vigilant”, she wrote on X.

    The prosecutor’s office confirmed it had opened an investigation into the cause of death and ordered an autopsy, the AFP news agency reports.

    Jeanpormanove had more than one million followers across his various social media platforms and had built a strong community on Kick.

    One of his co-creators, Naruto, announced Jeanpormanove’s death on Instagram and paid tribute to his “brother, sidekick, partner,” and asked people to “respect” his memory and not republish any clips showing him dead or unconscious.

    Owen Cenazandotti, a fellow French streamer who appeared alongside Mr Graven in his recent streaming marathon, has asked followers not to share videos of his “last breath” in a post on Instagram.

  • K-pop band Huntr/X first all-girl band to top Billboard since Destiny’s Child

    K-pop band Huntr/X first all-girl band to top Billboard since Destiny’s Child

    “Golden”, the breakout song from animated film KPop “Demon Hunters”, has clinched the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, setting yet another record for the Netflix animated film.

    The animation, about K-pop girl band Huntr/x, who use music to protect humans from demons, has become Netflix’s most-watched animated film since its release in June.

    It is the ninth song associated with K-pop to take the top spot on the Hot 100. Additionally, according to Billboard, “Huntr/X is the first all-women collective of three or more members to top the Hot 100 in 24 years, since Destiny’s Child dominated with “Bootylicious” for two weeks in August 2001.”

    The upbeat hit clocked nearly 32 million official streams in the first week of August, according to Billboard.

    “Unlike other animated films, where songs are often added as a filler or commercial hook, the music here was woven into the narrative in a way that enhanced it rather than distracted,” Maggie Kang, the Korean-Canadian co-director of the film.

    Golden is not the only track from the movie that has achieved commercial success. Coming in at number eight on the Hot 100 is the song Your Idol by Saja Boys, the fictional rivals of Huntr/x.

    Both Golden and Your Idol topped US Spotify charts in July shortly after the film’s release, beating real life K-pop bands BTS and Blackpink.

    Earlier this month, Golden climbed to the number one spot in the Official UK Singles Chart – becoming only the second K-pop single to do so, after South Korean rapper Psy’s Gangnam Style in 2012.

    Official Charts CEO Martin Talbot said that this represented “another landmark moment for the globally dominating South Korean genre”.

    “For the many music fans who have been to their enormous concerts, bought their merch and streamed their iconic songs, this will forever be the summer of Oasis – but K-pop’s superstars are certainly giving the Gallaghers a run for their money,” he said.

    The track, sung by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, debuted at number 81 on the Hot 100 on 5 July, before steadily climbing to the top of the chart.

    Ejae, who also co-wrote the track, had known Golden would be a “banger” – though the song’s massive success still came as a surprise.

    “It’s like I’m surfing for the first time and a big wave just came through,” she said.

    The film Kpop Demon Hunters has also become a massive hit for Netflix, becoming its fourth-most watched movie of all time within weeks of its release.

    Reports say the streaming platform is considering turning it into a franchise with several sequels, hoping to replicate the success of Disney’s Frozen.

  • Former ‘Superman’ actor becomes ICE agent

    Former ‘Superman’ actor becomes ICE agent

    Ex-Superman actor Dean Cain has announced he is planning to join the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, known as ICE.

    In an interview on Wednesday, Cain, who is already a sworn law enforcement officer, said, “I will be sworn in as an ICE agent asap”.

    It comes after he released a video encouraging members of the public to join following a recruitment drive by the agency, which is behind the Trump administration’s ramped-up immigrant deportation efforts.

    Cain played the role of Superman between 1993 and 1997 in the TV series, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

    Cain has gone on to star in a number of other films and TV shows, and has also directed.

    In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Cain would be sworn in as an “honorary ICE Officer” in the coming month.

    “Superman is encouraging Americans to become real-life superheroes by answering their country’s call to join the brave men and women of ICE to help protect our communities to arrest the worst of the worst,” said DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

    In late July, ICE announced it was aiming to recruit an additional 10,000 new personnel, doubling the agency’s headcount as it ramps up deportations across the country.

    It is specifically hoping to recruit deportation officers, along with attorneys, criminal investigators, student visa adjudicators and other roles.

    Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday, Cain said: “I put out a recruitment video yesterday – I’m actually a sworn deputy sheriff and a reserve police officer – I wasn’t part of ICE, but once I put that out there and you put a little blurb on your show, it went crazy”.

    “So now I’ve spoken with some officials over at ICE, and I will be sworn in as an ICE agent asap.”

    “People have to step up. I’m stepping up. Hopefully a whole bunch of other former officers, former ICE agents will step up, and we’ll meet those recruitment goals immediately and we’ll help protect this country,” Cain added.

    US President Donald Trump has vowed to ramp up the pace of deportations from the US to one million per year.

    Part of that effort has included increased immigration raids since Trump became president.

    They have sparked protests in cities across the US, with critics calling the raids unlawful.

    On 29 July, ICE announced it was offering recruitment bonuses of up to $50,000 (KSh.6.4M) and student loan help to Americans interested in helping with the Trump administration’s deportation drive.

    As part of the recruitment drive, the DHS unveiled recruitment posters akin to those used during World War Two, with the words “America Needs You” and “Defend the Homeland” with images of Uncle Sam, US President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials.

    By Wednesday the agency said it had received more than 80,000 applicants for the 10,000 positions. Speaking on Fox News, Noem said they had removed age limits for how old applicants could be.

    ICE currently has 20,000 officers and support personnel, spread across the country at 400 offices.

    The recruitment drive comes just weeks after Trump signed his sweeping spending bill into law.

    The bill included more than $76bn allocated to ICE – almost 10 times what it had been receiving previously – and making it the highest funded federal law enforcement agency.