According to CNN, “the US will provide new funding to protect reporters targeted because of their work and support independent international journalism.”

Announced at the Summit for Democracy on December 8, 2021, Secretary of State Blinken explained that the US government wanted to support journalists and their work through funding, more than any other government.

Fox News argues that Biden is using taxpayer dollars to fund journalism, which has caused a stir within the Republican Party.

According to The Guardian, the newly announced Trump Media & Technology Group, or TMTG, has been in collaboration with a company called Digital World Acquisition Corporation, which is a blank-check acquisition firm. But what is a blank-check acquisition firm?

“Blank-check companies like Digital World, also called special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, sell their shares to investors first and then go looking for a business to merge with. They aren’t supposed to have a deal lined up before selling shares,” says The New York Times.

Regulators from the SEC are now investigating documents related to TMTG, but have stated that this investigation has not been prompted by a violation of the law.

Want to watch performances from Carnegie Hall in the comfort of your own home? You’re in luck!

Carnegie Hall is launching a new on-demand video platform to share recorded content from the performances that take place in the legendary theatre.

According to Voice of Alexandria, “Carnegie Hall+, created in a partnership Unitel, was to launch Wednesday night. It costs $7.99 monthly and is available through the Apple TV app and smart televisions, Roku, Amazon Fire and other devices.”

Performances available via Carnegie Hall+ feature operas, ballets, and concerts.

The iconic designer not only worked for Louis Vuitton, but also founded his own brand, Off White. Breaking barriers and being an innovator is what Virgil was known for, adored by his family, friends, and fans. According to The New York Times, “Mr. Abloh transformed not just what consumers wanted to wear, bridging hypebeast culture and the luxury world, but what brands wanted in a designer — and the meaning of “fashion” itself.”

His work was prominent in the media industry, especially through his collaboration and friendship with Kanye West. Many wonder who will replace Virgil Abloh as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton, and some have even rumored that Kanye West will step in his place.

As the fashion industry mourns the loss of a genius, Virgil’s creations and memory will never leave us. His impact on fashion, the media industry, and the world will never be forgotten.

Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of Sondheim’s West Side Story is one of the most anticipated films of the end of 2021. A delayed production from COVID-19, West Side Story opens in movie theatres on December 10, 2021.

Despite the excitement and anticipation for the film, the male lead Tony is portrayed by Ansel Elgort, which has stirred up quite a bit of controversy.

You probably recognize Elgort from movies such as The Fault in our Stars and Baby Driver, but we haven’t seen him in a while. Why, you ask? In June of 2020, Elgort was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2014. According to BBC, he denied these claims and responded by saying “I cannot claim to understand Gabby’s feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened.”

After these allegations, Elgort disappeared from social media and the big screen until now.

The response to Elgort starring in West Side Story was overwhelmingly negative, overshadowing the performance of the rest of the cast, such as Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose.

Former Dance Moms star and current Nickelodeon pop star, Jojo Siwa is the new unexpected LGBTQ icon using social media and Dancing with the Stars to share her story.

Jojo Siwa broke the internet when she came out as gay in April 2021. She then became the first Dancing with the Stars contestant to have a same-sex dance partner.

Siwa and her dance partner Jenna Johnson made history as the first women to dance together on the show, becoming fan favorites and making it to the finale. The LGBTQ represenation of Jojo Siwa on Dancing with the Stars has allowed her to reach a much broader audience and advocate for the gay community publicly.

Jojo and Jenna landed in second place during the finale of Dancing with the Stars.

House of Gucci, one of the most anticipated movies of 2021 receives less than glowing reviews after it’s release on November 24.

Directed by Ridley Scott, the 2 hour and 37 minute long film was at the top of the must-watch list for many movie lovers, but it didn’t quite live up to the hype.

With a 61% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The reactions to House of Gucci were quite mixed, but everyone who saw it can agree that Lady Gaga was the star of the show. According to mashable.com, “Gaga’s scenery-chewing performance has been commended as “magnetic,” and in some ways the saving grace of House of Gucci.”

The film’s box office gross of $33.9 million shows the film was a success financially, most likely due to the amazing advertising and the star-studded cast.

Not only did the House of Gucci stir up conversation with movie-goers, the Gucci family themselves also had something to say about their portrayal in the film.

The heirs of Aldo Gucci and the company itself said “The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years [played by Al Pacino in the film] — and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them.” and according to Variety, the film “attributes ‘a tone and and an attitude to the protagonists of the well-known events that never belonged to them.'”

Pop star and entrepreneur Ariana Grande has launched a new media venture, R.E.M. Beauty. Chapter One of her makeup line was released on November 2, featuring eye, lip, and face products.

In a message from Ariana herself on the R.E.M. Beauty website, she states, “It means so much to me to be able to create a product line for absolutely everybody and anybody who wants to wear it and feel incredible. Make up is so personal and to have the opportunity to help people feel even more beautiful than they already are in their own skin, and also to just provide tools that support and encourage people in their creativity and self-expression is a gift that I’ll never take for granted.”

As a “multi-talented creator,” Ariana has used her fame and her large following on social media to build hype and excitement for the new beauty brand. Many celebrities, especially music artists such as Rihanna for Fenty Beauty and Selena Gomez for Rare Beauty, have ventured into the makeup industry, but Ariana hopes that her contribution will be valuable and meaningful for its consumers.

According to Vogue, “The singer, who is known for her trademark feline flick and camera-ready make-up, was nervous about launching a new beauty brand in an already ‘crowded’ market, but has brought her own time spent in the make-up chair and on stage to the party, delivering hardworking formulas that she has personally tested over the past few years. ‘Hopefully it will inspire people to express themselves in a new way and share that with the world,’ she says.”