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A federal judge has thrown out the majority of Blake Lively's claims against Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director of the domestic violence film It Ends With Us.In a court ruling on Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims in Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni, including claims of sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation. Only three claims will now be heard at trial: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation.The decision leaves Lively's case with a narrower focus, limited to her claims that Baldoni was behind a retaliatory campaign which shared and boosted negative stories about her online.“This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial,” Sigrid McCawley, an attorney for Lively, said in a statement.The case is set to go to trial in May after mediation failed last month.

Kara Lawson watched her Duke Blue Devils fall 70‑58 to the No. 1 UCLA Bruins in the Elite Eight, ending a 20‑year wait for a Final Four appearance. The loss followed a stunning buzzer‑beater upset of No. 2 seed LSU in the Sweet 16, but the Blue Devils couldn’t replicate that performance against UCLA.After the game, Lawson told reporters, "What a great season it’s been for us, and this group has been a joy to coach every day." She highlighted the team’s resilience after a rocky start that saw six defeats between early November and late December.Notre Dame’s season ended similarly, with a 70‑52 defeat to the defending champion UConn Huskies in the Elite Eight. Head coach Niele Ivey reflected on the journey, noting that the roster’s revival after a difficult 2025 season "gave me a lot of joy" and that coaching with joy makes her a better leader.Vanderbilt’s Commodores, coached by Shea Ralph, also saw their tournament run halted, losing 67‑64 to Notre Dame. Ralph, who inherited a program with strong support but limited recent success, deliberately built a culture of joy. Star guard Mikayla Blakes praised Ralph for restoring her love for the game, saying, "She found joy in my life and helped me enjoy basketball again."Looking ahead, the semifinals will feature two marquee matchups: South Carolina vs. UConn and UCLA vs. Texas. Both games promise high‑stakes basketball as the remaining teams vie for the championship.The tournament also underscores broader trends in women’s basketball. A decade ago, the NCAA reported that only 4.5% of high‑school players advance to college, and just 1.4% reach Division I. The WNBA’s expansion to 15 teams this season creates more professional slots, yet demand still outpaces supply, making the focus on joy and development all the more vital.Texas coach Vic Schaefer echoed the sentiment, describing the season as "the most fun" he’s had in over thirty years of coaching. With senior guard Rori Harmon preparing to graduate, Schaefer emphasized the team’s mission‑driven mindset and the pure enjoyment they find on the court.In a sport where the pipeline narrows at every level, the prevailing message from coaches and players alike is clear: joy remains the driving force that sustains teams through triumphs and setbacks alike.

Out of roughly 43 million Americans who collectively owe close to $1.7 trillion in student loans, only a limited number have seen their balances wiped clean. For those fortunate few, the impact has been profound, reshaping financial stability and opening new career possibilities.Laura Kluss, a 41‑year‑old clinical social worker from Sacramento, California, received forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program at the end of 2025. Her loan, which had ballooned into the six‑figure range, was reduced to zero, allowing her to consider a shift from government work to the private sector without the weight of debt.Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education began alerting approximately 164,000 additional federal borrowers that they may qualify for automatic loan discharge. The outreach focuses on individuals who attended any of more than 150 colleges alleged to have misled students about graduation rates, employment outcomes, or true program costs.For borrowers like Kimberly from Pennsylvania, the news feels like “hitting the lottery.” She explained that the forgiveness will enable her to settle other obligations, such as her mortgage and vehicle loan, and she warned that “college is a scam unless you become a doctor or a lawyer,” urging prospective students to consider trade schools instead.Ian Hobbs, a 43‑year‑old adjunct professor in Arizona, also saw his loans discharged, yet he stresses lingering repercussions. He noted that a high debt‑to‑income ratio has blocked mortgage approvals and job opportunities for over a decade, describing the experience as akin to “indentured slavery.”Jennifer Alfonso, a disabled stay‑at‑home wife from Florida, is awaiting a decision on a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge. She said that relief would prevent automatic deductions from her SSDI benefits, which currently leave her barely able to cover basic living costs.Alfonso also cautioned others to verify a school’s accreditation, recounting her own ordeal with an unaccredited institution that forced her to restart her nursing education after transferring credits.Brad Hufeld, a retiree in Delaware, Ohio, has carried a loan for 23 years after his college closed before he could graduate. He highlighted the personal toll, including the loss of his mother during that period, and urged borrowers to read the fine print before signing up for any program.A woman in her 60s working at a bottling plant in Kentucky, who filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy two years ago, expressed hope that forgiveness could finally allow her to retire and keep her bills current.Finally, a 65‑year‑old semi‑retired truck driver in Texas, whose loan finances a truck‑driving certification rather than a degree, said that discharge would improve his credit score and provide much‑needed financial relief, adding a reminder to “do your homework before committing to any educational path.”p>

Puka Nacua, the Los Angeles Rams’ standout wide receiver, entered a rehabilitation program months before a civil suit was filed against him, according to his legal counsel.Attorney Levi McCathern told The California Post that Nacua’s decision to seek treatment was not a reaction to the lawsuit, but an effort to "improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life" and that he will remain in rehab for an extended period.The plaintiff, Madison Atiabi, alleges that during a New Year’s Eve dinner in Los Angeles last year, Nacua uttered a profane anti‑Jewish slur and subsequently bit her shoulder, leaving visible teeth marks. She also claims Nacua bit a friend’s thumb with enough force to cause acute pain.McCathern vehemently refutes the antisemitic accusation, describing the alleged bites as "horseplay" and citing multiple sober witnesses who assert that Nacua never made the offensive remarks attributed to him.In December, Nacua issued a public apology after a livestream gesture was criticized for echoing antisemitic tropes, further intensifying scrutiny of his conduct.On the field, the 24‑year‑old had a breakout season, leading the NFL with 129 receptions, 1,715 yards, and 10 touchdowns. He continued his dominance in the playoffs, topping the league with 24 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns.With his contract set to expire this offseason, Nacura is eligible for an extension that could rank him among the highest‑paid receivers in NFL history, though the Rams have yet to announce any negotiations.

A Lebanese‑French visual artist, Ali Cherri, has lodged a formal complaint with the French war‑crimes unit in Paris, accusing Israel of committing a war crime after a 2024 airstrike on his family home in Beirut killed his parents and a domestic worker. The filing marks the first time a French court has taken up a case concerning Israel’s bombing of Lebanon and is an unusual move by an individual to pursue war‑crimes accountability. Israel has faced repeated accusations of violating international humanitarian law in Lebanon and Gaza, including attacks on civilians, medical facilities and forced displacement, yet no Israeli officials have been prosecuted to date. Cherri said, "Our demand is that an investigation is opened so that we know for a fact what happened, to name this attack as a war crime against civilians, and hopefully be able to name the people responsible." The apartment, built by his grandparents in central Beirut, was struck a few hours before a cease‑fire between Hezbollah and Israel took effect on 26 November 2024. The 13‑month conflict had already claimed roughly 4,000 Lebanese lives. The blast, which gave no prior evacuation warning, destroyed three floors, killing Cherri’s 86‑year‑old father Mahmoud Naib Cherri, 76‑year‑old mother Nadira Hayek, their employee Birki Negesa and four other civilians. In February, Amnesty International’s investigation concluded there was no military target at the time of the strike and urged that the incident be examined as a war crime. Forensic Architecture, a UK‑based investigative group that helped draft the complaint, produced a 3‑D reconstruction of the building and identified the munition as a GBU‑39 guided bomb – a 250 lb US‑made weapon frequently used by Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The analysis underscored the targeted nature of the attack and, according to the group, demonstrated direct responsibility of the Israeli army. Amnesty International’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Heba Morayef, called the French civil complaint “a rare opportunity” to hold Israel accountable in a European court, given the usual impunity. The case arrives amid renewed hostilities: on 2 March Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, prompting an Israeli aerial campaign and ground invasion that has killed 1,318 people so far. Photographer Mohammed Shehab, who collaborated with Forensic Architecture on the Cherri investigation, was himself killed in an Israeli strike on 11 March, which also claimed his infant daughter’s life and wounded his wife – an incident the group described as “circumstances similar” to the Cherri bombing. While Cherri doubts any Israeli officials will face criminal charges, he insists that filing the suit is a moral duty to give a voice to victims who cannot pursue legal recourse themselves.

Israel has recently enacted a law that institutionalizes the execution of Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks. This move is seen as a new phase in Israel's dehumanization of Palestinians, expanding a legal system designed to target and oppress them.The law does not create a new reality but rather enshrines a longstanding policy of using lethal force against Palestinians into law. This reality is already normalized in Israel, where Palestinians have been systematically killed in Gaza and the West Bank, often with near-total impunity.In the months since October 2023, Israel has increased the number of Palestinians in detention to over 10,000, many without trial, and subjected them to conditions that amount to torture. More than 80 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody amid documented abuse and inhumane conditions.This law emerges under a political leadership that openly embraces violence and dehumanization, led by senior government ministers who have built their power on incitement and the normalization of harm against Palestinians. The legislation faces virtually no political opposition and hardly provokes public debate in Israel.Globally, democratic states have been moving away from the death penalty, recognizing it as a violation of fundamental human rights. However, Israel is not an exception but a central driver of the erosion of international law, maintaining systems of lethal violence and oppression against Palestinians.A state that institutionalizes the execution of one population under its control while subjecting them to systemic violence and discrimination is not democratic; it is a system of lethal control. What is happening to Palestinians is already reshaping political and moral boundaries beyond Palestine, including in the US.

The UK government is set to implement disability benefit cuts affecting nearly 730,000 severely ill and disabled people, reducing their universal credit support by half. The 'health element' of universal credit will be cut to £50 per week and then frozen, unless claimants meet strict criteria for being terminally ill or having a 'severe' and 'lifelong' condition. Charities and disabled people's organizations warn that this change will push people into deep financial hardship and, in some cases, destitution. They fear that families losing out on this vital income could face eviction, go without food and heating, and lose access to the care they depend on. The cut applies to new claimants, meaning that if someone applies for help next Monday, they will be on average £3,000 a year worse off by the end of the decade than if they'd applied this week. This has raised concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the current welfare system. Critics argue that the government's approach to welfare reform is flawed, as it fails to account for the complexities of disability and illness. They suggest that a more comprehensive approach is needed, including investing in mental health services and preventive healthcare, to address the root causes of disability and support those in need.

Irish MEP Barry Andrews toured makeshift shelters in Beirut last month, where displaced families are living on dirty mattresses and blankets and suffering from infections. The conditions, he said, are worse than during Israel’s 2024 incursion, underscoring the human cost of Israel’s retaliatory strikes after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel.On returning to Dublin, Andrews became one of the first European lawmakers to urge the European Union to revive sanctions against Israel. He argued that the EU must also address state‑backed settler violence in the West Bank, attacks on health workers in Gaza, and Israel’s recent move to reinstate the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism.The EU’s leverage lies in its association agreement with Israel, a commerce and cooperation accord that underpins a €68 billion (€59 bn) trading relationship and includes cooperation on energy and scientific research. Former EU representative to the Palestinian territories, Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, says the bloc should suspend this agreement, halt all military aid, and cease trade with illegal settlements, warning that inaction will further damage the EU’s reputation.Andrews described the EU’s reaction to the Iran‑Israel‑Lebanon war as “weak and pathetic,” adding that it effectively gives Israel a “permission slip for endless war crimes.” The European Commission condemned the Knesset’s death‑penalty vote as “very concerning” and a “clear step backwards,” while the Council of Europe called it a “legal anachronism” incompatible with modern human‑rights standards.Human‑rights figures note that in the past four weeks more than 1,240 people have been killed in Lebanon—including at least 124 children—and over 1.1 million have been displaced. In Gaza, the death toll has risen by 673 since the October ceasefire, bringing the total to 72,260 deaths.EU leaders have been divided on how to respond. Former Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed unprecedented sanctions last September, citing a “man‑made famine” in Gaza, but the proposal failed to secure a majority in the Council of Ministers, losing momentum after the U.S. announced a cease‑fire plan.Member states also differ: Ireland, Spain and Slovenia champion the Palestinian cause, whereas Germany, Austria and Hungary—led by Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—have resisted measures such as sanctions on West Bank settlers.Despite these divisions, a senior EU diplomat warned in mid‑March that the bloc may need to “increase pressure on Israel again,” citing the “highly problematic” situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Another diplomat highlighted the importance of engaging with Israeli civil society, noting an open letter from 600 Israeli security officials urging an end to the Gaza war.In a recent statement, a Commission spokesperson reiterated that diplomatic engagement with Israel continues, describing it as the standard approach when partners “do not see developments eye to eye.” Yet former EU envoy Kühn von Burgsdorff cautioned that the EU cannot appear as a “sidekick” to an “erratic, unreliable” U.S. president or a “warmongering, annexationist” Israeli prime minister, as such a stance would undermine Europe’s global standing.

A Lahore court has ruled in favor of Pakistani singer Ali Zafar in his defamation case against fellow singer Meesha Shafi. On Tuesday, the court ordered Shafi to pay Zafar 5 million rupees ($17,900) in damages.Zafar sued Shafi for defamation in 2018 after she accused him of sexual harassment in Pakistan’s highest-profile #MeToo case.The court’s ruling states that a 2018 social media post by Shafi and an interview she gave to a lifestyle magazine contained “false, defamatory and injurious imputations” against Zafar. The court found that her allegations of sexual harassment of a physical nature had not been proved to be true or shown to be made for the public good, and therefore constituted actionable defamation.The court's decision has sparked concerns that it may set a “deeply troubling precedent” that could discourage victims of sexual harassment from speaking out. Nighat Dad, Shafi's lawyer, stated that the appeal is likely to challenge the judgement on several grounds, including the trial court's selective interpretation of evidence and failure to consider material evidence presented by Shafi.The dispute between Shafi and Zafar has unfolded over several years, with both parties filing complaints against each other. Shafi’s original complaint of sexual harassment against Zafar has been pending before the Supreme Court for several years, and her civil defamation suit against Zafar is also still pending.