Israel sanctions, TikTok music fight, and a manatee party.

Adam Rogers
February 02, 2024

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Big Stories

President Biden signed an executive order targeting Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The order allows the Biden administration to put sanctions on people or government officials who directed or participated in acts or threats of violence against Palestinian civilians. This includes actions that forced Palestinians to leave their homes, destruction or seizure of Palestinian property, or acts of terrorism against Palestinian civilians. Sanctions have already been placed on four Israeli settlers.
President Biden has raised concerns over settler violence during his term. There have been nearly 500 Israeli attacks against Palestinians since Oct. 7, according to the UN humanitarian office. However, the Israeli government claims it has taken action recently and reduced the number of violent attacks in the area.
The Biden administration has also imposed 5 rounds of sanctions against Hamas leaders and operatives since Oct. 7.

Universal Music Group (UMG) will stop licensing its music to TikTok

UMG — representing Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, and more — has been in contract negotiations with TikTok for weeks. Their current deal expired on Wednesday, which means TikTok will no longer be able to use UMG’s music catalog.
UMG said that TikTok proposed paying its artists a rate that is significantly less than the rate other platforms pay. They added that “TikTok is trying to create a music-based business without paying fair value for the music.”
TikTok countered by saying UMG is putting its own greed above the interests of its artists.
UMG is the world’s largest music label — pulling roughly 4 million of their songs from the platform is a big blow for TikTok.

The European Union has approved $54 billion in funding for Ukraine for the next three years.

The money will help Ukraine keep its economy running in 2024 and maintain essential services like health care, social programs, and pensions.
The funding was expected to be approved during a December summit, but Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban vetoed it. The EU pressured Orban to fall into line this go around. He got on board after the union agreed to discuss the package every year and to review it if needed.
Members of the EU hope that their decision will help President Biden convince Congress to follow suit. US senators have held up funding for Ukraine and Israel because they can’t agree on how much should go to Ukraine and how much should go to US-Mexico border security.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he is sending The Florida National Guard and State Guard to Texas to help with the border crisis. The reinforcements will help Texas add more barriers — including razor wire. Last month the Supreme Court ruled that razor wire installed to stop illegal border crossings should be removed. (More)

Women's higher susceptibility to autoimmune diseases may be linked to a molecular coating on their X chromosomes, which males don’t have. The coating can trigger immune responses, leading to chronic inflammation. The discovery could lead to new ways to diagnose and manage autoimmune disorders in women. (More)

Disney streaming services are following Netflix’s lead and cracking down on password sharing. Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu will begin limiting outside accounts for existing subscribers starting March 14. (More)

The US has ordered a series of retaliatory strikes against an Iran-backed militia in response to the drone strike that killed 3 US soldiers and injured more than 30. The US will launch the response strikes into Syria and possibly Iraq over a few days. (More)

F1 driver Lewis Hamilton will switch teams from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season. Hamilton is a seven-time world champion and winner of a record 103 races. He will finish out this season with Mercedes. (More)

The most romantic city in America is…Baltimore?

Hundreds of manatees gathered at a Florida state park to escape the cold.

Americans want more control over when they work.

Analyzing the careers of people making at least $150K in 50 cities.

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