Four former Northwestern University football players have come forward to allege a culture of abuse and hazing in the school's athletics department, prompting civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent more than 15 former male and female Northwestern athletes. The allegations come in the wake of the firing of Northwestern's longtime football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, last week, and the former players are speaking out to ensure that no other student-athletes have to endure the same treatment.
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Two IRS agents testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, revealing that the Justice Department had stifled their investigation into tax crimes by Hunter Biden and pursued weaker charges than they had recommended. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) used her question time to display what appeared to be naked pictures of Hunter Biden, but other Republicans did not want to delve into the whistleblower allegations. The testimony of Shapley and Ziegler has raised questions about the Justice Department's handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes.
On Monday, a Delta Air Lines flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta was canceled after multiple passengers and at least one crew member became ill due to "uncomfortable temperatures" on the plane. First responders were called to the scene, including a passenger and a flight attendant who had to be transported to a local hospital. Delta Air Lines is currently investigating the incident and has apologized to the affected passengers, offering them full refunds.
Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne announced his resignation on Wednesday following an independent review into his past research as a neuroscientist. The review found flaws in five papers in which he was a principal author, but cleared him of any fraud or falsification of scientific data. The Board of Trustees expressed their appreciation for Tessier-Lavigne’s service and their commitment to ensuring the highest standards of integrity in research and scholarship. No successor has been announced.
Sheryl Crow, a Grammy award-winning musician from a small town, has taken to Twitter to express her disapproval of Jason Aldean's new song, "Try That in a Small Town," which has been criticized for its threatening lyrics. She argued that there is nothing small-town or American about promoting violence and that even people in small towns are sick of it. The song has been met with mixed reactions from fans, with some praising Aldean for his stance on small-town values and others criticizing him for its violent undertones.
Judge Lewis Kaplan denied former President Donald Trump's request for a new trial in the civil case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of sexual assault in the mid-1990s. The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded Carroll $5 million in damages, which Kaplan ruled was justified. The ruling is a major victory for Carroll and a reminder that no one is above the law.
Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie "Oppenheimer" is set to be his longest yet, running at "kissing three hours" and featuring a reel of 70mm film that is 11 miles long. Cillian Murphy is already earning rave reviews for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Nolan recommends seeing the movie at an IMAX theater for the full experience.
Women in Texas are suing the state for clarity on exceptions to its strict abortion laws, after being denied care during their failed pregnancies. The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights, is the first of its kind since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. The women are seeking a preliminary injunction to allow lifesaving care for women in the state, and two of the women involved in the lawsuit spoke about the impact of Texas' abortion law at the hearing. A ruling is expected soon.