Variety

A California jury ordered singer Chris Brown to pay $12.9 million in damages to Maria Avila, a housekeeper mauled by his 200-pound Caucasian shepherd dog in 2020. Avila's sister and husband also received compensation for emotional distress. Brown testified the dog was for security, not a personal pet, and claimed he left the scene before paramedics arrived due to celebrity concerns.

Walmart is acquiring Vibe.co, a French advertising-technology firm, for $1.4 billion to enhance its Walmart Connect advertising solutions. The deal includes $1.2 billion in cash and $180 million in executive compensation, aiming to attract small- and medium-sized advertisers.

Mystikal, a Louisiana rapper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree rape. The victim requested the maximum sentence, and Mystikal acknowledged deserving it if the allegations were true.

Fox Corp. is acquiring streaming platform Roku in a $22 billion cash-and-stock deal, with the transaction expected to close in 2027. The combined company will merge Fox’s content and Tubi service with Roku’s connected TV platform and 100 million global streaming households. Fox shareholders will own 73% of the new entity, while Roku shareholders will hold 27%.

YouTube will begin automatically labeling AI-generated videos to enhance transparency and user awareness. The feature, set to roll out in 2026, uses automated detection technology to identify and mark such content.

Spotify has partnered with major publications like Rolling Stone, Variety, Billboard, WIRED, and Pitchfork to add narrated long-form articles to its audiobook library, expanding its content offerings for subscribers.

Pope Leo warns that opaque AI controlled by a few companies could lead to 'New Forms of Dehumanization.' The article, published on Variety, highlights concerns about concentrated AI power and its societal risks.

Disney has no plans to shut down Hulu as a standalone streaming service or app, and will continue to sell subscriptions in the US. Disney took total ownership of Hulu in June 2025. The decision means users can continue watching content on Hulu without needing a Disney+ subscription.

George Clooney defends late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after President Trump and Melania Trump criticized a joke about the first lady appearing like an 'expectant widow' ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Clooney emphasized that Kimmel is a comedian, suggesting humor should be protected.

A jury ruled that Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly. Variety's Jem Aswad provided additional context on the ruling for CBS News.