President-elect Donald Trump has nominated loyalist Kash Patel to serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Trump posted Saturday night on Truth Social. “Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.”
It remains unclear whether Patel could be confirmed, even by a Republican-led Senate. In any case, find out more about him below.
Who Is Kash Patel?
Patel, the son of Indian immigrants, is a former public defender who rose through senior national security roles during Trump’s first term. In 2018, he served as an aide to Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, where he gained Trump’s favor during the Russia investigation. Trump praised Patel for this in his social media post, stating he “played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution.” In 2019, Patel joined the National Security Council before becoming chief of staff to the acting defense secretary in the final year of Trump’s first term.
Since then, Patel has been a vocal Trump supporter, promoting the false claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” and pushing the baseless “deep state” conspiracy theory. He has alleged that federal officials sought to undermine the president and called for replacing “anti-democratic” civil servants in law enforcement and intelligence with “patriots” loyal to the American people. In his 2023 memoir, Government Gangsters, Patel described the political climate as a “battle between the people and a corrupt ruling class,” branding the “Deep State” as an unelected cabal bent on controlling the presidency and dictating what Americans can know.
In addition to his memoir, Patel has published two pro-Trump children’s books.
Patel also serves on the board of Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns Truth Social, and holds a consulting contract reportedly worth at least $120,000 annually.
Who Is the Current Director of the FBI?
Christopher Wray is the current FBI Director, having been appointed by Trump in 2017. However, Wray quickly lost favor with the president and his allies before Trump left office in 2021.
While the FBI director position typically carries a 10-year term, Wray’s potential removal had been widely anticipated due to Trump’s ongoing public criticism of him and the FBI, especially following the search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property for classified documents and two investigations that led to his indictment.
With many offering multiple restaurants, swimming pools, theatres, and other attractions, cruise ships can be a rather overwhelming experience, particularly for passengers who have just embarked on their holiday.
In a blog post, Carnival recommended that tourists embarking on a cruise holiday should always start by giving themselves plenty of time to avoid missing the departure.
They advised: “Give yourself extra time to navigate an unfamiliar departure city and account for unexpected traffic jams so that you arrive promptly at your scheduled time.
“This will reduce the amount of time you spend in line and keep you from getting stressed. It will also ensure that you can check your bags and explore the ship at your leisure.”
Typically, tourists will be given a check-in time for embarkation day, which is the time of day they should be able to board the ship from. However, it is generally a good idea to make sure they are at the cruise terminal a short while beforehand.
This is to eliminate the risk of unforeseen circumstances such as traffic jams, breakdowns, or flight delays from causing passengers to arrive several hours late.
Whilst cruise lines pride themselves in being particularly accommodating to passengers, they very rarely remain in port for all guests to board, with those who miss the ship needing to travel to the next port.
Carnival also recommended that guests check the layout of the ship they are joining in order to know where to visit first, particularly given that their cabin may not be ready for several hours.
They continued: “Many first-time cruisers don’t realize that they won’t be able to go directly to their staterooms upon boarding.
“Pass the time while you wait for your room to be ready and for the ship to set sail by enjoying lunch on the Lido Deck of the ship. This is a great way to make sure you aren’t starving by dinner time!”
Finally, the popular cruise line also recommended that passengers who have just boarded a cruise ship make sure they do the muster drill as soon as possible to avoid complications.
Whilst cruising is often seen as a time to relax on the open seas, all passengers must know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency breaking out on board before the vessel leaves the port.
Previously, all passengers on a cruise ship would need to visit their allocated muster station on the ship at the same time. However, in recent years, training is typically done in each cabin via the TV, or by travelling to the muster station at a convenient time within each guest’s first few hours on the ship.
A lot can happen in three years, a truth that perhaps no group of people is better able to quantify than Severance fans. The Apple TV+ series faced numerous delays after its Season 1 release in February 2022, such as a 148-day WGA Strike and reported tensions between co-showrunners Dan Erickson and Mark Friedman behind the scenes. Production delays are all too common nowadays, such as with Netflix’s Stranger Things or Max’s The Last of Us. And, with eight-episode seasons being the new normal, many fans may feel it just isn’t worth it to continue staying tuned.
But it’s not just a matter of staying relevant — locations changing and child actors aging can lead to continuity issues. Season 1 of Severance may have been a masterclass in pacing with the way it unfurled its mystery and tensions between characters, but what good did that crescendo do if it was then followed by a three-year radio silence? And, worst of all, changes in the life of a TV viewer may mean they literally cannot continue watching — or at least not like they used to. Fans recently weighed in on Reddit to describe how the Severance Season 2 delay impacted them personally, and it’s so much more dire than you might think.
First, just for perspective, several fans chimed in to talk about how they now have an entire three-year-old child that they didn’t have when the show first aired.
One fan also reminisced about a lost loved one who they shared Severance Season 1 with.
This comment, in particular, really highlights what TV means to people beyond just a superficial level of enjoyment. It bonds people together, creates memories, and contributes to a feeling of “home.” It starts conversations, creates opportunities for discussion and debate and getting to know someone. These opportunities are diminished by a production delay, and while the strikes were obviously not the fault of the Severance team, the current TV streaming model is simply unsustainable.
The devil’s in the details (and NSFW waffle parties) when it comes to Severance on Apple TV+. And fans are taking notice.
To expect a casual viewer to remember plot threads about Cobel’s mother — like how she told Innie Mark that her mother was an atheist, but Outie Mark that her mother was Catholic or that her Lumon shrine included hospital gear labeled “Charlotte Cobel” — is a big ask. Arguably the most heartbreaking comment on the thread was from a viewer whose mother’s condition deteriorated in the time it took for Severance Season 2 to come out:
So Streaming Contributed to the ‘Severance’ Season 2 Postponement?
In 2023, Variety exposed the cracks in the industry that only became more pronounced amid the strikes. They said this of the streaming industry’s rise and fall:
“For decades, pilot development episodic television was done assembly-line fashion on a steadily predictable schedule. The cap gun would go off in January, when each of the major networks would select two dozen or so scripts to greenlight to pilot production. Back then, industry insiders would grouse about the rushed pace of producing make-or-break series pilots in a three-month period in advance of the May upfronts. It was nonetheless a process that imposed a schedule for production and decision-making. In hindsight, it feels to many like a level of discipline that has been missing from the Peak TV binge.
Obviously, now, things have changed. “‘It was all or nothing, but at least you knew where you stood after a pilot season,’ Chupack reflects. ‘Now you can wait so long to hear anything on a greenlight and you can go months and months between seasons if you do get picked up.’” Shows on streaming, alternatively, don’t share the same constraints. So, if a series can get away with creative disagreements postponing its production schedule, it will.
Blade Runner 2099 resumes production and offers exciting new updates.
Another big difference between the old model and the new one is that many-episode seasons led to a number of “filler episodes,” a term which may carry a negative connotation to some but ultimately allowed space for certain episodes to be devoted to character development rather than plot advancement.
With fewer episodes per season now, every episode is chock-full of important details that further the story. Severance is a key example of this. During the pandemic, people may have had more time to sit and focus intently on intricate plots, but now, people crave good shows to watch in the background while they do chores or eat dinner. Again, remembering those plots after a delay was always going to be a big ask; but it’s an even bigger one now that the working world is mostly back to normal.
Charles Shreger, an NYU business professor, spoke with Marketplace about why streaming networks are now flooded with series meant for “ambient streaming.” He said you might subscribe to a streaming service for the prestige dramas, like Succession, but you’ll stay for a library full of series that’ll keep you just engaged enough that you can multitask. Severance is streaming on Apple TV+, with Season 2 arriving on January 17.
The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan tease a challenging evolution for Peter and Rose’s relationship in its upcoming sophomore season. Based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, the Netflix thriller follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Basso), who is thrust into a deadly conspiracy after Rose Larkin (Buchanan), a tech entrepreneur fleeing for her life following the murder of her aunt and uncle, informs him of a high-ranking mole in the U.S. government. The Night Agent season 2 is set to premiere January 23.
In an interview with Swoon, Basso and Buchanan opened up about the complexities of Peter and Rose’s bond. Following their kiss in The Night Agent season 1 finale, the pair went their separate ways. When the Netflix series returns, 10 months will have passed since they last saw each other. During that time, Peter has been deeply entrenched in his new role as a Night Agent, secretly investigating matters of national security, while Rose has stepped back from the tech industry, shifting her focus to a new role as a lead programmer. Here’s what they had to say:
Basso: Peter is not the main character in real life or in that world. No one cares that him and Rose had a great relationship in Season 1 — which I don’t think personally was that great. Ithink they sort of had a little Stockholm syndrome. At the same time, they can’t come back and just be ignoring the fact that it only worked because they were both on the run.
Buchanan: That does leave this open question of, are they in a committed relationship or do we just leave it and maybe pick it up later? And I think that’s really fun to play because it’s like, what are they? Are they just friends, or what’s going on here? I think in Season 2 when she comes back, she’s kind of built up this expectation that things might be what it used to be, and then she’s going to learn that he’s not quite the same person that she knew…
…[I] think Peter is not willing to show any sort of emotion. I think that’s part of his training. He was told to distance himself from anyone in his personal life, and you can kind of feel throughout Season 2 that push-pull. And I think Rose is kind of respecting his boundaries and being like, ‘Okay, well, I’ll sleep in the room. You sleep on the couch, we’re doing this thing. Cool.’ It’s quite a funny dynamic.
What Peter & Rose’s Challenges For The Night Agent Season 2 Mean
Season 2 of The Night Agent is poised to explore the emotional fallout of Peter and Rose’s whirlwind partnership. In season 1, their bond was forged in a crucible of danger where the two had “no choice but to trust one another,” as Basso recounts. However, with Peter now a hardened operative in the field and Rose adjusting to life outside the conspiracy, their paths have diverged. It surely doesn’t help their love affair that Peter’s cover is blown during an undercover mission, as seen in The Night Agent season 2 trailer, and his higher-ups become suspicious of a mole in the CIA.
Before he became a breakout Netflix star on The Night Agent, Gabriel Basso appeared in a number of successful and underrated movies and TV shows.
With his own government now hunting him, Peter is forced to go on the run, his growing paranoia making him suspicious of everyone around him. Besides, Basso notes, “I don’t think he wants to put [Rose] in danger.” Fresh off the betrayal of his mentor and superior Diane Farr (Hong Chau), Peter is struggling to rebuild his sense of trust and stability. His experiences have left him wary of forming close connections, even with Rose, whose return forces Peter to confront the possibility that even those he cares about most could become collateral damage in the dangerous world he inhabits.
Our Take On Peter & Rose’s Season 2 Dynamic
Love, Loyalty, And The Price Of Trust
Peter and Rose’s relationship, wrought from chaos and survival, faces its toughest challenge in The Night Agent season 2. Stripped of the adrenaline and urgency that once defined their bond, they’re forced to confront who they are without the conspiracy tying them together. As Peter’s paranoia and emotional distance collide with Rose’s unwavering determination to reconnect, their tension brings profound emotional weight to the thriller’s pulse-pounding narrative. By digging into these raw, messy dynamics, The Night Agent could transform their love story into one of its most captivating elements.
The Night Agent is a suspenseful thriller in which a dedicated FBI agent becomes embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy after answering an emergency line call. Set against the backdrop of political intrigue, the agent uncovers a mole within the White House, posing significant risks to national security.
Release Date
March 23, 2023
Network
Netflix
Cast
Hiro Kanagawa
, Rebecca Staab
, Curtis Lum
, Gabriel Basso
, Nick Andrews
, Ronald Patrick Thompson
, Luciane Buchanan
, Lorna Rose Harris
, Ava Sleeth
, Todd Matthews
, Micah Steinke
, Jamall Johnson
, Kelly Richard Nelson
, Stephen Adekolu
, Joshua Mazerolle
, Tyler Gibson
, Jennifer Lines
, Caleb Di Pomponio
, Elliot Gosh
, Daniele Parenti
, Elliot O’Connor
, Fola Evans-Akingbola
, Sarah Desjardins
, Eve Harlow
, Phoenix Raei
Character(s)
FBI Director Willett
, Cynthia Hawkins
, Cisco
, Peter Sutherland
, Marine Corps Guard #1
, Mark Hale
, Rose Larkin
, Kelsey Snow
, 13-Year-Old Maddie
, Eli
, Trooper Korman
, Agent Carlson
, Factory Owner
, Chester
, Bearded Worker
, Sheriff Thomas
, Zookeeper
, Andrew
, Male Patron
, Marine #5
, Sarah Redfield
, Chelsea Arrington
, Maddie Redfield
, Ellen
, Dale
Creator(s)
Shawn Ryan
Producers
James Vanderbilt
, Shawn Ryan
, William Sherak
, Julia Gunn
, David Beaubaire
, Paul Neinstein
, Marney Hochman
Seasons
2
Story By
Matthew Quirk
Writers
Seth Fisher
, Munis Rashid
, Corey Deshon
Directors
Adam Arkin
, Guy Ferland
, Millicent Shelton
, Ramaa Mosley
Max Christie, the Lakers’ youngest starter, summarized the team’s defensive problems simply Wednesday morning. When the Lakers communicate and when they play with connectivity, they stop teams.
And when they don’t, well, they look like they did in the first half Wednesday night.
Playing the Miami Heat on Wednesday for the first time since Tyler Herro exposed their worst defensive tendencies earlier this season in an embarrassing loss, Herro and the Heat did it again.
It was the worst kind of failure, one where the Lakers were prepared for the challenge and so obviously overwhelmed. But as Herro hit three after three against their helpless defense, the Lakers still had one weapon they could deploy: time. It was, after all, just one half.
There was still time, and no one on the Lakers knows that better than LeBron James.
James scored seven straight points late in the fourth quarter against his former team as the Lakers redeemed themselves late and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 117-108 win.
Anthony Davis, disengaged in the first half, dove at loose balls. James, sluggish in the early two quarters, hounded the ball. Austin Reaves, saddled with foul trouble, pushed the ball toward help.
And as the Lakers defense came to life, their offense energized. Passes crisply dissected the Heat’s zone defense, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent doing damage in the gaps their ball movement created.
They were challenged pregame and didn’t respond. They were challenged again at halftime and things were different.
The Lakers talked. They connected. They performed.
Miami scored just 19 points in the third and just 23 in the fourth, the Lakers rediscovering some of the defensive snarl that had coach JJ Redick hopeful that his team could develop a defensive-first mentality — a continual work in progress.
Pregame, the Lakers, acknowledging an obvious need for size and toughness, waived rookie guard Quincy Olivari with the intention of signing 6-foot-11, 270-pound center Trey Jemison to a two-way contract, according to sources familiar with the transaction not authorized to speak publicly.
As the 2025 NBA trade deadline approaches (Feb. 6, 3 p.m. ET), several teams across both conferences will be reevaluating their rosters over the next three weeks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the dominant team in the West behind MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but the rest of the conference continues to be a battleground that may force other contenders to pursue a superstar for their playoff hopes. Will the Golden State Warriors make a splashy move before next month to help save their season? Or will the Phoenix Suns continue their chase of disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler?
In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics remain the contenders to beat, but last season’s lowly Detroit Pistons are in the hunt for the postseason this time, losing only one game in January so far. And the return of Paolo Banchero for the Orlando Magic will put other East teams on notice for the remainder of the season.
With 22 days left until the trade deadline, this is where all 30 teams stack up in this week’s power rankings.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Cleveland saw its 12-game winning streak snapped in unceremonious fashion, getting blown out at home against a Pacers team that outscored the Cavs 68-40 in the second half. The loss set up a challenging week for the squad, with road games at Indiana, Oklahoma City and Minnesota. The Cavaliers got revenge over the Pacers. However, the Thunder will be looking for revenge against them and the Wolves are starting to resemble their playoff form from last season. — Dave McMenamin
As the midway point of the season nears, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s MVP case can be built around his massive leads in two major statistical categories. He had 1,192 points entering Tuesday night, which was 161 more than any other player. His plus-minus was plus-474, which was 142 points better than any other player. Not to mention Gilgeous-Alexander has played every game for the West-leading Thunder. — Tim MacMahon
Next games: @ TOR (Jan. 15), vs. ORL (Jan. 17), vs. ATL (Jan. 18), @ GS (Jan. 20)
Boston is 9-7 across its past 16 games following a 19-5 start, allowing Cleveland to break away at the top of the Eastern Conference. What’s been the biggest cause for Boston’s struggles? After a hot start from beyond the arc this season, their 3-point shooting percentage has slumped to 34.6 (23rd in the league) over that stretch. — Tim Bontemps
Next games: @ DEN (Jan. 15), @ SAC (Jan. 16), @ POR (Jan. 18), vs. DET (Jan. 20)
Houston captured its third victory this season against the Grizzlies on Monday to become the only team this season to defeat Memphis three times. The win also marked the team’s fourth in a row as Jalen Green tied a career high with 42 points. Green, 22, has tallied 25-plus points in five consecutive outings, while Amen Thompson had his second five-block game of the season in Monday’s win. The Rockets are 5-3 against the top-six teams in the NBA, helping solidify their contender status at the top of the West. — Michael Wright
Next games: @ PHI (Jan. 15), vs. MIN (Jan. 17), vs. ATL (Jan. 20), @ BKN (Jan. 21)
The bad news is entering Monday’s matchup, at just 29.9%, no team has shot worse from three over the past 10 games than the Knicks. The good news? New York — still the third-most efficient offense in basketball — managed to win six of those contests. The real question, after a blowout loss to Oklahoma City at the Garden, is how the Knicks stack up against elite opponents. They have the league’s toughest remaining schedule. — Chris Herring
Memphis has racked up 97 30-point quarters this season, while allowing 121.2 points per game throughout January. But the Grizzlies are 2-4 this month with Ja Morant missing three of those outings due to injury. The latest setback took place Monday, courtesy of the Rockets, who captured a victory despite committing 23 turnovers for 31 Grizzlies points. Memphis led by 13 points with 9:55 left but were outscored 33-20 down the stretch. The Grizzlies will look to close out their four-game road trip in San Antonio, where they’ll face Victor Wembanyama and the surging Spurs twice. — Wright
Next games: vs. HOU (Jan. 15), @ MIA (Jan. 17), @ ORL (Jan. 19), vs. PHI (Jan. 21)
The Nuggets weren’t sure how things would go when they added Russell Westbrook to the mix in the offseason, hoping the former MVP would bring energy, pace, hustle and playmaking alongside Nikola Jokic. But through nearly 40 games, Westbrook has exceeded every expectation and appears to be getting better in his 18th season. His chemistry with Jokic is impressive, and the Nuggets are 7-3 since inserting Westbrook into the starting lineup on Dec. 27 — the third-best record in the West during that span behind the Thunder (8-1) and Kings (7-1). In his four games entering Tuesday, Westbrook averaged 22.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists. He made two or more 3’s in a game twice and had four blocks and three steals during that stretch. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Third-year guard Jaden Hardy was a major bright spot for the Mavs during Kyrie Irving‘s five-game absence due to illness and a back injury. Hardy averaged 15.4 points in 22.6 minutes during that span, shooting 49.1% from the floor and 51.9% from 3-point range. The next step in the 22-year-old Hardy’s development: “Consistency,” coach Jason Kidd said. — MacMahon
Next games: @ MIL (Jan. 15), @ BOS (Jan. 17), vs. DEN (Jan. 19), @ TOR (Jan. 21)
Welcome back, Paolo Banchero! The Magic’s All-Star forward had 34 points Friday against the Bucks in his first game since an oblique strain sidelined him in October. Although that didn’t translate into a victory, Orlando got back in the win column Sunday, beating the 76ers with 20 points from Banchero and 27 from Cole Anthony. Banchero’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Magic, who are still without Franz Wagner due to an oblique strain and have seen Jalen Suggs miss the past five games with a back strain. — Kevin Pelton
Next games: vs. MIA (Jan. 15), vs. BKN (Jan. 17), @ LAC (Jan. 19), vs. WAS (Jan. 21)
The Dorian Finney-Smith trade hasn’t resulted in the immediate returns L.A. hoped it would. The Lakers have gone 2-4 since acquiring the 3-and-D wing, and Monday’s loss to San Antonio was Finney-Smith’s worst performance of the lot, scoring 4 points on 1-for-4 shooting and managing minus-13 in 20 minutes. And obviously, the team’s six-day hiatus because of the Southern California wildfires hasn’t helped either. “It’s been a crazy two weeks since I’ve been in L.A., man,” Finney-Smith said. “I ain’t going to lie to you.” — McMenamin
Next games: vs. BKN (Jan. 15), @ POR (Jan. 16), vs. LAL (Jan. 19), vs. CHI (Jan. 21)
After losing their first four games at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers finally got comfortable in owner Steve Ballmer’s technological palace, winning 13 of their past 15. Since Nov. 4, only Cleveland (17-2) and Oklahoma City (14-2) have better home records. The defense held Miami to 98 points in the team’s win Monday, the 11th time holding an opponent under 100 points, tied with the Heat and Timberwolves for third most this season. Kawhi Leonard has been back for only three games and has played no more than 21 minutes in any of those contests. But once he gets stronger, the Clippers defense could really take off — it is currently fourth in the league (108.6). — Youngmisuk
Indiana went on a six-game winning streak to start January, including a victory over the Cavaliers on Sunday despite guard Tyrese Haliburton missing the second half with a hamstring injury. The Pacers have risen in the East standings during this hot streak to No. 5, but may have to find ways to win without its star guard. Haliburton strained the same hamstring in January 2024 and missed nine of 10 games. — Jamal Collier
A blowout loss on the road against the Knicks dropped the Bucks to 0-8 against the East’s top-three teams (Cleveland, Boston, New York) this season, prompting star Giannis Antetokounmpo to implore the team to “get our stuff together” after the game. Milwaukee needs to keep racking up wins to protect its place in the standings as it is set to host another East team ahead of the team in the standings, the fifth-seeded Magic, on Wednesday. — Collier
Next games: vs. GS (Jan. 15), @ NYK (Jan. 17), vs. CLE (Jan. 18), @ MEM (Jan. 20)
Anthony Edwards scored 20 points in the fourth quarter in Monday’s win against the Wizards, finishing with 40 and continuing an impressive hot streak. He’s the third-leading scorer in the NBA since Jan. 4, averaging 33.6 points during that span. The Wolves need him to continue that run as they enter a brutal stretch, facing the Warriors, Knicks, Cavs and Grizzlies in the next week. — Collier
Next games: @ LAL (Jan. 15), vs. DEN (Jan. 17), vs. SA (Jan. 19), vs. POR (Jan. 21)
Miami wraps up its six-game road trip Wednesday night against the Lakers. All eyes, though, will be on the Heat when they return home Friday night to take on the Nuggets — the first game Jimmy Butler is eligible to return after a seven-game suspension. The drama-filled saga will continue whether or not Butler plays, and if he does, what will that look like? — Bontemps
The Kings’ seven-game winning streak under interim coach Doug Christie finally ended with their first loss in 2025 on Tuesday in Milwaukee, but Sacramento remains one of the league’s hottest teams despite a recent three-game absence for star guard De’Aaron Fox. DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis stepped up their play in Fox’s absence for two of the Kings’ best wins all season — including a 17-point win at TD Garden over the defending champion Boston Celtics last Friday. Fox’s return to the lineup didn’t slow Sacramento down in Sunday’s win at Chicago, already the Kings’ fourth by six points or fewer under Christie — more than they had under Brown (three). — Pelton
Since the start of 2025, the Pistons can’t stop winning. Their 7-1 record in January, capped by Monday’s impressive victory over the Knicks, is one win away from matching their most in a month since March 2019 — and that came last November, when Detroit was 8-9. Cade Cunningham is averaging 26.5 points on 50% shooting and 8.3 assists in January, continuing his push for a first All-Star appearance, while Malik Beasley‘s 15.8 PPG has helped the Pistons overcome the loss of starting guard Jaden Ivey to a fibula fracture. — Pelton
Heading into Tuesday’s game in Atlanta, Phoenix recorded a three-game winning streak, its longest since early November. While it’s too early to tell if Bradley Beal coming off the bench will be a permanent fix, it’s shown some sign of promise. In five games as a reserve, Beal has shot 53% (compared to 48% as a starter), and his scoring has stayed steady at 17.4 points (just a tick down from 17.8 as a starter). More importantly, Phoenix is 4-1 since the shift. — McMenamin
Late-game collapses during a three-game skid left San Antonio seeking redemption heading into their two-game matchup against the Lakers. The Spurs arrived in Los Angeles early Thursday for their first matchup against the Lakers, but didn’t play until Monday due to the wildfires in Southern California. Chris Paul said last week after a loss in Chicago that San Antonio needed to find grit late in games. The Spurs showcased just that, snapping their losing streak against the Lakers and proving the young club is gradually learning what it takes to close contests. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell each tied for a team-high 23 points in the outing. — Wright
It’s been a rough go for Atlanta since stringing together four consecutive victories to close out 2024, with the Hawks dropping four games since the start of 2025. And as euphoric and heart-stopping as that one win was — Trae Young hit a buzzer-beater from just beyond half court to defeat Utah on the road last week — the fact that it was necessary against the worst team in the West was telling. Atlanta’s been a bottom-three defense since the start of the new year, something it needs to address if it wants to avoid a fourth straight season of the play-in. — Herring
The frustration continues to build in Golden State as the Warriors lost to the nine-win Raptors on Monday without Draymond Green (illness/back), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), Gary Payton II (calf) and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen). Warriors coach Steve Kerr called this as frustrating a night as they have had, citing a lack of execution and discipline on both ends. He blamed himself. With just over three weeks before the trade deadline, Stephen Curry says the Warriors should not panic and make any “desperate” moves at the expense of the franchise’s future. –Youngmisuk
Next games: vs. ATL (Jan. 15), vs. CHA (Jan. 17), @ POR (Jan. 19), @ LAC (Jan. 21)
The Bulls are getting a healthy version of Zach LaVine this season and he’s posting a career high in field goal (51.7) and 3-point percentage (45.0). LaVine has scored at least 30 points in six straight games, the longest streak of his career. He joins Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of two players this season with a 30-point scoring streak spanning as many games. — Collier
Next games: vs. NYK (Jan. 15), @ IND (Jan. 18), @ MIL (Jan. 19), @ DEN (Jan. 21)
The next three weeks will define Philadelphia’s season. The 76ers gave a strong effort against the Thunder on Tuesday night, losing a competitive game despite the team’s three All-Stars (Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey) sitting out, as well as several rotation players. But with 11 of the remaining 12 games before the trade deadline being against winning teams, which includes five back-to-back sets, a struggle here for Philadelphia could spell doom for the 76ers’ chances of getting even into the play-in — let alone the playoffs. — Bontemps
Next games: vs. LAC (Jan. 16), vs. HOU (Jan. 18), vs. CHI (Jan. 19), @ MIA (Jan. 21)
An uneven January continued for the Blazers, who went from having a 19-point win in New Orleans on Wednesday to blowing a 10-point lead with four and a half minutes remaining in Thursday’s six-point loss to Dallas. In the opener of a five-game homestand Saturday, Portland got blown out by the short-handed Heat. One positive has been the consistent play of forward Deni Avdija. Since Dec. 21, Avdija is averaging 18.6 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting better than 50% from the field. — Pelton
Next games: @ LAC (Jan. 15), @ LAL (Jan. 17), @ OKC (Jan. 19), vs. NYK (Jan. 21)
After dealing away starters Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Nets — who got out to a pleasantly surprising 9-10 start — are starting to fall into preseason expectations. They dropped five straight before beating Portland on Tuesday. — Herring
Rookie Isaiah Collier had a season-high 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including the game-winner in the final seconds of overtime in Sunday’s win over the Nets. It was only his second game scoring in double figures, but Collier has recently displayed consistent playmaking ability. He has averaged 7.8 assists as a starter in the past five games, dishing out at least six dimes in each outing. — MacMahon
The rest of this season in Toronto is going to be about getting chemistry going between Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, the team’s two long-term building blocks. Although Quickley has been in Toronto for a full calendar year, because of injuries to Barnes last season and Quickley this season, they’ve barely played together. The Raptors are hoping that will change over the next three months. — Bontemps
Center Mark Williams, who has battled injuries throughout the first three seasons of his NBA tenure, had perhaps the best performance of his young career Sunday, logging 24 points and 16 rebounds in a loss to the Suns. (Though the Hornets did manage to snap a 10-game skid by beating Phoenix in a previous matchup) Still, it’s much easier to live with defeats — particularly during a rebuild — when they can pull off some promising wins. — Herring
Winners of four of their past seven, the Pelicans are off to their second-worst 40-game start in franchise history. However, Trey Murphy III remains a blossoming bright spot. The fourth-year vet produced his third 30-point game of the season in a close loss to Boston on Sunday, which also featured Zion Williamson‘s return from a one-game suspension. Despite Herb Jones being out indefinitely due to a right labrum tear, New Orleans appears to be trending in a positive direction on the injury report with trade candidate Brandon Ingram inching closer to a return. — Wright
Next games: vs. PHX (Jan. 16), @ GS (Jan. 18), @ SAC (Jan. 19), @ LAL (Jan. 21)
The Wizards have dropped seven straight games, including a 41-point loss to the Thunder on Sunday. Washington will have to endure a six-game West Coast trip in the span of 10 days, starting Saturday, but it should be a good learning experience for the Wizards’ young core. Alexandre Sarr has three double-doubles this month but will be tested against some veteran forwards on this trip, facing Draymond Green, Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, Lauri Markkanen and Dereck Lively II. — Youngmisuk
Tiger Woods was routed at his own game Tuesday night, but his defeat was still more appealing to sports fans than the NBA.
Woods’ TGL debut was watched by more than 1 million viewers, up 9% from the league’s first match last week and more head-to-head than the NBA drew on TNT.
For the second consecutive week, the TGL produced a one-sided match with Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club falling 12-1 to the Los Angeles Golf Club. Albeit in the new virtual golf league, it marked Woods’ first competitive golf since missing the cut at the Open Championship last July.
Tuesday’s match peaked at 1.13 million viewers from 8:30 to 8:45 p.m. ET, according to the Sports Business Journal. The match technically ended at 8:50 p.m. and the telecast ended at 9:18 p.m.
Head-to-head, the Cavaliers-Pacers game on TNT attracted 956,000 viewers, followed by 853,000 viewers for the Nuggets-Mavericks game that started at 9:35 p.m. The TGL match also nearly doubled the 587,000 viewers for Duke’s blowout of Miami in a men’s basketball game that followed on ESPN, according to the SBJ.
The TGL has provided an overall boost in the time slot for ESPN. A Syracuse-Pitt men’s basketball game in the same window last year produced 566,000 viewers.
Woods’ team absorbed the second consecutive rout to kick off TGL’s inaugural season, following Bay Golf Club’s 9-2 victory over New York Golf Club on Jan. 7. That match drew nearly 1 million viewers, and eclipsed the audience numbers for any LIV Golf broadcast on The CW over the past two years.
Woods’ team will have a chance for quick redemption when it faces Boston Common Golf in the debut for Rory McIlroy‘s team Jan. 27.
The 15-match regular season runs through March 4, followed by the playoffs later that month.
Decimated by fire season, it seems impossible that the Los Angeles area could even begin to think about awards season.
As fires that have killed at least 25 and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses continue to burn, the idea of glitzy red carpets, brimming swag bags and arguments over who should have won best picture feel like they belong to another time, another world.
The heart of the entertainment industry is devastated, literally and emotionally, and the true extent of the damage won’t be known for months. So it’s not surprising that some have called for the upcoming Grammys and Oscars to be canceled.
Is now really the time to contemplate celebrities flaunting borrowed diamonds and haute couture, delivering emotional speeches while clutching coveted statuary?
Yes. Yes it is.
In recent days, many guilds and organizations, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, have postponed nomination announcements and delayed or canceled other January events. The Recording Academy, however, announced that the Grammys will take place, as scheduled, at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 2 — with, as Recording Academy and MusiCares Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. and Board of Trustees chair Tammy Hurt wrote in a letter to members, “a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”
And despite a recent erroneous report in the British press, the Oscars will be following suit.
“After consultation with ABC, our board, and other key stakeholders in the Los Angeles and film communities, we have made the carefully considered decision to proceed with the 97th Oscars ceremony as planned on March 2nd,” Academy Chief Executive Officer Bill Kramer said in a statement to The Times.
“This year’s ceremony will include special moments acknowledging those who fought so bravely against the wildfires. We feel that we must go forward to support our film community and to use our global platform to bring attention to these critical moments in our history.”
The academy, he said, will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“The spirit of Los Angeles and our film community has always been one of resilience, and the Oscars represent not just a celebration of film, but the industry’s strength and unity in the face of adversity.”
For some, the ability of these awards shows to help raise money for the many in need is the best argument for them to take place. But, as Kramer points out, there are other compelling reasons as well.
Whether you like them or not, the Oscars and the Grammys remain important rituals, dependable moments in time around which Los Angeles, the country and indeed the world regularly gather. To celebrate or deride, it doesn’t matter. They are a fixed part of our cultural conversation and calendar year — and as we discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of such rituals only adds to the sense of powerlessness and demoralization that accompanies any crisis.
It’s difficult to imagine asking those who have lost their homes to put on a tux or shimmy into foundation garments, but never before will a sea of famous faces be seen as such an act of defiance.
Despite dwindling ratings, the Oscars is the most-watched awards show in the world; its trophy remains the ultimate icon of success. Though postponed and rescheduled several times in its 94-year history, the Oscars have never been canceled. Not during war or plague, not after assassination or the 9/11 attacks. To do so now would send a message diametrically opposed to the historic resiliency of both the city and the industry it represents.
We must always celebrate the work that unites and defines us, makes us laugh, cry, think and aspire. Especially in the midst of tragedy.
And that work must continue despite the destruction and grief. The fires are only the latest blow to many already struggling to find work, make the rent, feed the kids. For almost five years, the entertainment industry has been beset, first by the pandemic, then by the writers’ and actors’ strikes and the constriction that followed.
The economy of every awards season, even one muted or modified to reflect national trauma or local devastation, is critical to thousands of people. To those involved in the nominated works, the studios that produce them and the shows themselves — it takes roughly 1,000 people to put on the Oscars, not counting presenters and guests — of course. But also to the hotel workers, florists, restaurants, construction crews, cab drivers, stylists, seamstresses, rental companies, cleaners — the number of people required to mount, oversee and break down these enormous events is incalculable.
Including all the press involved. The crucial fire coverage you have been reading in The Times and other outlets is paid for, in part, by awards season advertising.
It may seem cruel and impossible to expect Los Angeles to pull herself together and start throwing nationally televised parties in a matter of weeks. But I know this city. In the the 30-plus years I’ve lived here, I’ve watched her endure fire, flood, plague, civil unrest and a 6.7 earthquake that flattened houses and broke freeways in half.
Like the steel jacaranda she is, Los Angeles will never surrender. She will weep for what is lost. And then she will dry her eyes, fish out a few glad rags, throw on a little makeup and get a blowout.. She will stand, straight-backed in the rubble, greeting guests and passing out Champagne in broken tea cups with a smile so dazzling that no one will even notice anything’s amiss.
So use the Oscar and the Grammy telecasts to raise money and awareness. Suggest that those businesses in the habit of giving A-listers exclusive goodies donate to fire relief instead. Acknowledge and honor all that the industry, the front-line workers and the city have endured with a more sober ceremony — though not too sober, because God knows we could use a laugh. Just don’t talk about how they should be canceled altogether. That would make a bad situation only worse.
The show is here, just as it’s always been. And now more than ever, the show must go on.
Zach Bryan has turned his focus to the world of film, recruiting actor Matthew McConaughey to help tease a new project called Motorbreath.
Bryan’s new announcement came about in a pair of posts shared to Instagram on Wednesday morning (Jan. 15). In the first, he shared a clip of a new track ostensibly titled “Birdie”. Though no information was provided alongside the snippet, the intimately-recorded acoustic cut sees Bryan namechecking the likes of Elliott Smith in the lyrics.
The second post, however, is much more substantial, enlisting the help of McConaughey (who previously starred in Bryan’s “Nine Ball” music video in 2024) to announce the upcoming film.
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“This is not a film about a band, this is a film about a boy from Oklahoma,” McConaughey explains. “A boy who joined the Navy, with a love of writing. That writing connected with people, a lot of people. This film is about a group of best friends taking a two-week motorcycle ride across America, while recording one final major label album. Oh, and the title of the film, you ask? Motorbreath.”
Currently, no further information has been shared in regard to the details surrounding Motorbreath, such as a release date. It does, however, follow on from a snippet of a song by the same name that Bryan shared to social media in early November.
Bryan’s latest release, The Great American Bar Scene, arrived in July as his third album since signing to Warner Records. The record – which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 – followed on from the arrival of his chart-topping self-titled effort the year prior.
Earlier in January, Bryan took to social media to defend his friends from the “harassment” they’ve received from “f–kin weird couch warriors” following his highly-publicized breakup with Brianna LaPaglia (aka Brianna Chickenfry) in October.
Professor Pritt said “even just a single mutation” may allow bird flu to pass “efficiently between people” (stock) (Image: Getty Images)
A recent bird flu death has sparked fears that a “brand-new virus” could potentially mutate under the right conditions and lead to a “global pandemic”.
The alarm was raised last week when the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the first US death linked to bird flu. A 65-year-old individual contracted the H5N1 avian influenza strain and was hospitalised.
Whilst the patient had pre-existing health conditions, investigations found no further cases or signs of human-to-human transmission, yet other human infections have been recently documented.
In November 2024, Canada reported a hospitalisation of a teenager with the same D1.1 genotype identified in the Louisiana case, and Missouri also noted a bird flu incident last September.
This anxiety is exacerbated by instances of another genotype, B3.13, reportedly affecting dairy cows in America, leading to California officials declaring a state of emergency, reports the Mirror.
Professor Pritt said pigs can be infected with both human and bird influenza strains (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Mayo Clinic’s Professor Bobbi Pritt spotlighted the dire possibilities of the virus mutating to become easily transmissible among humans, stating: “If the virus were to mutate and gain the ability to efficiently spread from person to person, then this could result in a large outbreak, or even a global pandemic.”
The US government is keeping a close eye on the situation, swiftly testing and quarantining infected animals, discarding milk from any infected dairy cows, and developing a vaccine for livestock due to these concerns.
However, if bird flu continues to circulate in large numbers of animals and keeps transmitting to humans, the conditions necessary for human-to-human transmission may become unavoidable. Professor Pritt confessed her unease about the variety of animals being infected.
She warned: “The continued circulation of bird flu in a large number of animals and continued transmission to humans increases the likelihood that mutations may occur that make the virus more adapted to humans.”
Professor Pritt admitted that she felt “nervous” about the number of different types of animals being infected (stock) (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“This is because RNA viruses such as influenza virus can make frequent mistakes as they replicate, resulting in mutations in the RNA sequences. The greater the number of infected animals and people, the larger the number of replicating viruses, and the greater the likelihood that a mutation could occur.”
Professor Pritt pointed out recent studies suggesting that “even just a single mutation” might enable bird flu to spread “efficiently between people”. The virus found in the Canadian teenager showed mutations that made it “more adapted” to infecting humans.
Professor Pritt has warned of the notable spike in animal infections, especially given the growing diversity of species affected. She confirmed: “Yes, what sets this current outbreak apart from past outbreaks of avian influenza is the high number of infected animals and the large number of different types of animals being infected.”
She further highlighted the serious potential risk presented by pigs as: “Pigs, in particular, present a large potential risk as they can be infected with both human and bird influenza strains, and this may allow the viruses to mix and swap genes if they infect the same cell at the same time. This mixing of gene segments could potentially produce a brand-new virus capable of infecting humans.”
Most people infected by the B3.13 genotype after exposure to dairy cows experienced mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis and coughing, while others suffered more seriously with pneumonia, according to Professor Pritt.
Concerns have been raised about D1.1, a strain seen in wild birds, for its potential to cause severe disease, yet Professor Pritt indicated that it’s “difficult to draw any conclusions at this time”.
The NHS says various bird flu strains have caused concern over the years such as H5N1, H7N9, H5N6, and H5N8; notably, H5N8 was confirmed to have infected humans in Russia in February 2021.
The NHS says a number of different bird flu strains have caused concern over the years (stock) (Image: Getty Images)
Bird flu strains H5N8 and H5N1 have been detected in UK birds, including poultry and captive and wild species. A different strain, H5N6, has also been found in our wild bird population, but it’s not the same as the one that caused human infections in China.
Symptoms of bird flu can include a high temperature, feeling hot or shivery, body aches, headaches, coughing or shortness of breath.
Other symptoms may include nausea, abdominal and chest pain, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis and bleeding from your nose or gums.
For more information on bird flu, visit the NHS website here.
