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Justice Department reaches settlement to pay $88M to families and survivors of Charleston church shooting

According to agency officials and a news release on Thursday, the Justice Department has agreed to pay $88 million to families and survivors of the 2015 deadly church shooting in Charleston, S.C., due to a failure in its gun background check system. A federal jury sentenced White supremacist Dylann Roof to death in January 2017 after he openly admitted to killing nine people at the historic Black church Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a bible study. A month before the sentencing, the jury convicted him on 33 federal charges, including hate crimes.

The 21-year-old Roof was arrested for a felony drug offense in Lexington County, S.C., a few months before he purchased the Glock 41 semi-automatic pistol used to kill nine people on June 17, 2015. Court records show that an examiner for the FBI’s background check system failed to contact the arresting agency for an incident report, which would have blocked him from purchasing the gun from Shooter’s Choice in West Columbia, S.C.  About a year ago, a federal judge ruled that a federal agent failed to follow the FBI’s system for conducting background check ruled under the Brady Act, which denies gun purchases to someone with a felony allowing lawsuits by family members and survivors to proceed.

The settlement in the lawsuit against the illegal gun purchase will provide $63 million for family members of the victims and $23 million for survivors. South Carolina state Sen. Clementa Pickney, 41, who was also a church pastor, Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26, Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; DePayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45; and Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., 74, all died in the 2015 shooting.

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News Daypop

Facebook rebrands company to ‘Meta’ emphasizing ‘Metaverse’ vision

Facebook on Thursday announced that it has changed its company name to Meta. The name change, which was announced at the Facebook Connect augmented and virtual reality conference, reflects the company’s growing ambitions beyond social media with the metaverse, a classic sci-fi term Facebook has adopted to describe its vision for working and playing in a virtual world. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta in an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future.

Zuckerberg says he expects the metaverse to reach a billion people within the next decade. The metaverse, he says, will be a place people will be able to interact, work and create products and content in what he hopes will be a new ecosystem that creates “millions” of jobs for creators. In explaining the rebrand, Zuckerberg said the name “Facebook” just doesn’t encompass “everything we do” any more. In addition to its primary social network, that now includes Instagram, Messenger, its Quest VR headset, its Horizon VR platform and more.

Facebook, now known as Meta, will also change its stock ticker from FB to MVRS, effective Dec. 1, the company said in the announcement of its name change.

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Sports Daypop

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Kyle Beach comes forward as the person who accused former coach Brad Aldrich of sexual assault

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Kyle Beach identified himself Thursday as “John Doe” in a sexual assault allegation against former coach Brad Aldrich. Beach was with the Blackhawks organization during the club’s 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs when he said former video coach Brad Aldrich assaulted him. According to an internal probe that was made public Tuesday, Beach told the team but senior Blackhawks staff did not take immediate action against Aldrich. The internal report found that Blackhawks management didn’t want to take any immediate action against Aldrich because the team was in the midst of their playoff run, which ended with the club winning the Stanley Cup. According to the internal probe, Aldrich did not deny that a sexual encounter with the player occurred, but he contended that it was consensual. The report didn’t name Beach and called him “John Doe” throughout the 107-page finding. The report led to the resignation of general manager Stan Bowman and a $2 million fine against the club.

Beach said: “So for me right now, it’s important to come forward to share my story because this is so much bigger than Kyle Beach. Yes, I’m a survivor, but there’s millions of people in this world that have been affected by sexual abuse or sexual assault, and I’m speaking out now to hopefully give them a voice, to give them the power to come forward so that we can make a change in this world and hopefully make this a safer place in sports but also in work and life and every day.”

The Blackhawks organization said after Beach went public: “First, we would like to acknowledge and commend Kyle Beach’s courage in coming forward. It was inexcusable for the then-executives of the Blackhawks organization to delay taking action regarding the reported sexual misconduct. No playoff game or championship is more important than protecting our players and staff from predatory behavior.” In addition, National Hockey League Players’ Association Executive Director Don Fehr said: “Kyle Beach has been through a horrific experience and has shown true courage in telling his story. There is no doubt that the system failed to support him in his time of need, and we are part of that system.”

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Sports Daypop

Arizona Cardinals’ J.J. Watts expected to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Arizona Cardinals’ J.J. Watt is expected to undergo shoulder surgery that is likely to be season-ending, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Watt injured his shoulder against his former team the Houston Texans on Sunday, but still managed to play the rest of the game with the injury. The former All-Pro has 16 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble this season.

On Wednesday, the Cardinals ruled Watt out for Thursday night’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers due to his shoulder injury and he did not practice all week. While Watt was able to play through the injury on Sunday, it appears the issue was more serious than anticipated. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the recovery timetable for this procedure is likely at least three months.

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Country Daypop

Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and more added as performers at the 55th Annual CMA Awards

The 55th Annual CMA Awards announced on social media the first round of performers for this year’s show.

This year’s performances will include Jimmie Allen, Brothers Osborne, Eric Church, Dan + Shay, Mickey Guyton featuring Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards, Carly Pearce together with Ashley McBryde, and Blake Shelton. Other artists scheduled to perform are Jason Aldean with Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton, and Chris Young with Kane Brown.

Luke Bryan will serve as host LIVE from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

Additional performers and presenters for the 55th Annual CMA Awards will be revealed in the coming weeks. You ca n check out the full list of nominees here – CMA Award Nominations 2021.

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Country Daypop

Dierks Bentley extends his ‘Beers On Me’ tour into 2022

Dierks Bentley revealed details behind the second leg of his 2022 ‘Beers On Me’ tour. Following the first half of the tour, Bentley will embark on the winter run beginning Jan. 6th in London, ON. The 21-city tour will feature special guests including Jordan Davis, Tenille Arts and Lainey Wilson. Bentley also dropped the official video for the single Beers On Me featuring Bentley, Hardy and Breland.

Bentley shared in a press release: “People think we are crazy to go to Canada and the Northwest in January, but we’ve learned from previous tours that it’s a great time to bring a party up there. For me personally, I don’t mind that there is plenty of ice, snow, and mountains for some adventure between shows.”

Tickets for 2022 ‘Beers On Me’ Tour will be available to the general public starting Friday, Nov. 5, at 10:00 at www.dierks.com.

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Entertainment Daypop

Watch the new trailer for ‘Tiger King 2’ set to debut on Netflix this November

The official trailer for Tiger King 2 has just been released. A synopsis from Netflix reads- “With Joe Exotic behind bars and Carole Baskin closing in on ownership of his disreputable zoo, the Emmy-nominated saga continues its twisted course with “Tiger King 2” as newfound revelations emerge on the motivations, backstories, and secrets of America’s most notorious big cat owners. Old enemies and frenemies, including Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover, and James Garretson return for another season of murder, mayhem, and madness. Thought you knew the whole story? Just you wait.”

Tiger King 2 will pick right where the original series left off.  Joe Exotic’s ‘Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park’ has closed down and Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in a Texas prison for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot to kill Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist. Exotic, 58, says in the 2 minute clip in a phone call from jail:  “There’s an innocent man in prison. Everybody from the zoo is out there making money, and I’m paying the price for every one of them people. If you give a damn, it’s time to speak up.” Season 2 will also look into Baskin’s own mysterious background involving her former husband, Don Lewis. He vanished in 1997 and was declared legally dead in 2002. Fans have long speculated that the 60-year-old had something to with his demise.

The five-episode Tiger King 2 premieres on Nov. 17.  Watch the new trailer here:

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Entertainment Daypop

Chris Evans voices Buzz Lightyear in teaser for Pixar origin story ‘Lightyear’

Disney and Pixar dropped the new teaser for the “Toy Story” prequel “Lightyear,” which focuses on the character of Buzz.  Chris Evans voices the main character in the upcoming film, which tells the story of the hero that inspired the toy.  The teaser follows a young test pilot who eventually becomes the space ranger that “Toy Story” fans know and love today.

Evans posted on Twitter along with the teaser: “I’m covered in goosebumps. And will be every time I watch this trailer. Or hear a Bowie song. Or have any thought whatsoever between now and July cause nothing has ever made me feel more joy and gratitude than knowing I’m a part of this and it’s basically always on my mind
💙🚀💫

“Lightyear” is set to be released June 17, 2022. Check out the teaser for the upcoming film – here.

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Rock Daypop

Fred Durst teases artwork and October 31st release date for new Limp Bizkit LP

Fred Durst is teasing some of the artwork for Limp Bizkit’s long-awaited new album, hinting that it could drop on October 31st – Halloween. Durst polled fans on social media about the new album last week, implying that songs from the long-awaited LP were finally finished.  He asked:  “Should I drop a new song?  Maybe ‘Turn It Up, B*tch’ or ‘Goodbye’? Hmm, or should I just drop the whole new album, all 12 songs? What do you think?”  Last weekend, Durst shared an Instagram story of “Album Cover Piece 1” with the text: “Instead, all [jack-o-lantern emoji]’s will drop on Halloween.”  Durst and the band also shared a second piece of the artwork featuring a colorful UFO, implying the band is set to release something this Halloween.

Limp Bizkit returned to live performing earlier this year when Durst appeared at Lollapalooza sporting his new “Dad Vibes” look; the band subsequently released the official “Dad Vibes” single at the end of September. Limp Bizkit have been working on the follow-up to 2011’s Gold Cobra for years under the working title of Stampede of the Disco Elephants; however, there’s no word on whether that album name will remain. According to guitarist Wes Borland, the band has “probably, in the last 10 years, been in the studio to try and complete the record, I wanna say, seven times.”

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Rock Daypop

All That Remains announce ‘The Fall Of Ideals’ 15th anniversary tour

    Miss May I, Varials and Tallah All That Remains   

All That Remains