• Musicians, actors, and entertainers are among the top five occupational groups with the highest suicide rates, according to a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from 2011 to 2015.

• The unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry, financial instability, intense public scrutiny and lack of healthcare access all contribute to the mental health challenges faced by entertainers.

• Researchers advocate for the music industry to adopt the Zero Suicide Framework. It includes increasing conversations about suicide prevention, providing training to recognize warning signs, implementing evidence-based interventions, ensuring continuity of care, and investing in ongoing research.

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Many entertainers face immense mental health challenges. A Frontiers new paper highlights that musicians and actors are among the professions with the highest suicide rates.

A report by Dr. George Musgrave, a musician and academic, and Dr. Dorian Lamis, a clinical psychologist, highlights the growing crisis. Their research draws from a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which ranks musicians, actors, and entertainers among the top five occupational groups with the highest suicide rates from 2011 to 2015.

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Musgrave and Lamis point to several factors that contribute to these struggles. The unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry, financial instability, and intense public scrutiny all play a role.

Musgrave says some musicians enter the industry with pre-existing mental health conditions, but they’re stepping into a work environment that’s almost entirely unsuited to their emotional needs.

Lack of healthcare access creates a treatment gap

For many musicians, inconsistent healthcare makes it harder to get help. Lamis notes that their employment instability often means losing access to mental health resources. Touring artists, in particular, struggle to stay connected to their providers.

Industry-wide change needed

Musgrave and Lamis argue that the music industry must take a more proactive approach. They suggest using the Zero Suicide Framework, a seven-part model designed to prevent suicides in high-risk groups.

Applying this model to the music industry would include:

• Increasing conversations about suicide prevention among industry leaders.
• Providing training for managers, friends, and family to recognize warning signs.
• Implementing evidence-based interventions, such as the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale.
• Ensuring continuity of care for musicians on tour with scheduled mental health check-ins.
• Investing in ongoing research to improve mental health resources for entertainers.

Protecting entertainers’ mental health

The report calls for collaboration between researchers, industry executives, and mental health professionals. Musgrave and Lamis believe the industry must do more to protect its artists.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for support.

• The Chicago City Council Finance Committee approved a $280,000 settlement for Miracle Boyd, injured during the July 2020 protests.
• Boyd claimed excessive force by a former police officer caused her injury. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability recommended the officer’s termination, but the officer resigned instead.
• The settlement will go before the full City Council on Wednesday.

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The Chicago City Council Finance Committee awarded $280,000 to a woman who had a tooth knocked out. The incident occurred during an altercation with police during the July 2020 protests.

During the chaos, protesters were attempting to tear down the Christopher Columbus statue, which was located in Grant Park at the time. Protesters threw objects like rocks, fireworks, and frozen water bottles at police officers.

Miracle Boyd filed a lawsuit claiming that a now-former Chicago police officer used excessive force, striking her in the face and knocking out a tooth. Boyd stated that the city should be responsible.

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“I just really hope that CPD gets itself together and these alders continue to grant justice to all victims and survivors of police violence through the city of Chicago,” Boyd said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) concluded that the officer used excessive force and lied in his report. COPA recommended the officer’s termination, but he instead resigned from his position. The officer did not face criminal charges.

Alderman Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward said she personally knows Boyd and feels the settlement is insufficient.

“There’s plenty to be said here, and I’ll say what I got to say, but I just want to say this. I really don’t have to say anything. I feel like the young people, and Miracle herself said enough, but we gonna be here and $280,000 ain’t enough to fix what was broken that day,” Ald. Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward said.

Alderman Nicholas Sposato of the 38th Ward disagreed.

“These people were there to do nothing but wreak havoc, fight with the police, and tear down a statue because they didn’t agree with the art that’s been up for 90 years,” Ald. Nicholas Sposato of the 38th Ward said.

The Finance Committee voted 22 to 7 in favor of Miracle Boyd’s $280,000 settlement. The settlement will go before the full City Council on Wednesday.

Chicago taxpayers funded at least $107.5 million in lawsuits alleging police misconduct in 2024 alone, according to WTTW News.

• Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced he would withdraw a resentencing request for Erik and Lyle Menendez. The convicted murderers are serving life without parole for killing their parents in 1989.

• Hochman emphasized that the Menendez brothers’ decades-long claim of self-defense remains unconvincing and central to denying their release from prison.
• The consideration for resentencing stemmed from a California law enabling resentencing for certain cases. Former DA George Gascón initiated the policy before his defeat to Hochman in a recent election.

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Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said on Monday that he would no longer seek to reconsider the life sentences of convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez. Hochman told reporters on Monday that he would request to withdraw a resentencing proposal for the two convicted murderers.

The Menendez brothers are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole in the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.

Their backstory

The two brothers rose to infamy after a high-profile murder trial that led to their conviction for murdering their parents on Aug. 29, 1989. Several documentaries were produced about the Beverly Hills murders and subsequent 1996 conviction, including a Netflix series. 

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Why the reversal?

The brothers claimed self-defense at trial, saying they believed their parents were planning to kill them that night. They both maintain that was the case decades later, something Hochman believes is key in not letting them out of prison.

“…the Menendez brothers have continued to lie for over 30 years about their self-defense – that is, their purported actual fear that their mother and their father were going to kill them the night of the murders,” Hochman said in the filing.  

The brothers attempted to overturn their convictions as recently as 2005. 

What changed?

A California law that led to the resentencing of 227 people and the release of 174 was considered a reason for resentencing, according to a report from the nonprofit RAND.

The request for resentencing originated from former District Attorney George Gascón, who Hochman beat in a reelection bid last November. Gascón had been subject to multiple recall attempts in his time in Los Angeles. 

• Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, are launching a new podcast called “IMO” (In My Opinion). The show will feature candid conversations, personal stories, and a variety of high-profile guests.
• Higher Ground, the production company founded by Michelle and former President Barack Obama, is producing the podcast.
• The podcast’s launch comes amid speculation about Michelle and Barack Obama’s marriage.

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, are launching a new podcast. The show, titled “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson,” will be the first video podcast from their production company, Higher Ground.

The podcast, short for “In My Opinion,” was officially announced on Monday and will feature candid conversations, personal stories, and a variety of high-profile guests.

According to The New York Times, which previewed the first two episodes, the podcast will be available as an audio and video experience.

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The debut episode will introduce the concept of the show. The second episode will feature actress and producer Issa Rae. Other confirmed guests include actor Seth Rogan with his wife, Lauren, filmmaker Tyler Perry and former NBA star Dwyane Wade alongside his wife, actress Gabrielle Union-Wade.

Michelle and Craig will also take questions from listeners, offering advice and insights on various aspects of life.

Podcast launch follows Obama divorce speculation

The podcast launch comes as speculation about Michelle and Barack Obama’s marriage continues.

Recently, Straight Arrow News investigated the swirling dating rumors involving Barack Obama and actress Jennifer Aniston. Neither Michelle nor Barack have publicly addressed the ongoing divorce speculation.

The former president attended a Los Angeles Clippers basketball game without Michelle, and social media users quickly noticed her absence. However, he was seen courtside with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie Snyder.

The night before the game, TMZ spotted the former president at dinner with his daughters, Sasha and Malia, without Michelle. Despite the rumors, Barack was still wearing his wedding band.

When does “IMO” premiere?

The first episode of “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” premieres Tuesday, March 11.

The sibling duo will also appear at SXSW on March 13 and tape a live episode of the podcast there.

• A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. ICE arrested him for allegedly leading anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.
• The U.S. State Department revoked his green card, and he is being held in a Louisiana detention facility.
• Khalil, who has not been charged with any crimes, allegedly played a key role in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

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A federal judge in New York has temporarily blocked efforts by the Trump administration to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. He allegedly led anti-Israel protests at Columbia University.

“Following my previously signed executive orders, ICE proudly apprehended and detained Mahmoud Khalil, a radical foreign pro-Hamas student on the campus of Columbia University. This is the first arrest of many to come,” President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The U.S. State Department also revoked Khalil’s green card.

A green card holder is a noncitizen who has been granted authorization to live and work permanently in the United States. If a green card holder is found to have been involved in a riot or any criminal activity, they can face legal consequences such as arrest, fines, imprisonment or deportation, depending on the severity of their case.

Khalil has not been charged with any crimes.

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What’s next for Khalil?

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Khalil on Saturday, March 8. He is currently being held in a detention facility in Louisiana. His lawyers have filed a motion for him to be returned to New York City, Fox News reports.

“To preserve the Court’s jurisdiction pending a ruling on the petition, Petitioner shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court orders otherwise,” the judge ruled Monday, March 10.

What else is happening with Khalil and the university?

The arrest comes just days after the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University over what it calls “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”

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Khalil was a graduate student at Columbia University and served as a student negotiator who met with university administrators. He was allegedly a key figure in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests and encampment that erupted on the university’s campus in the spring, The Associated Press reports. Khalil graduated in December 2024.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12.

• ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan faces allegations of pressuring an accuser to recant sexual harassment claims, which he has denied. The ICC learned of the allegations but did not act due to the victim’s hesitance.
• Amid these allegations, Khan announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. It drew condemnation from Israeli allies, including the U.S.
• President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC. Trump criticized its jurisdiction and actions against the U.S. and Israel, as neither country is a party to the Rome Statute.

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A British prosecutor who sought international criminal charges against Israeli and Palestinian leaders allegedly harassed a woman. She claimed he sexually abused her and then tried to get her to deny the matter.

Karim Khan is a British attorney who has served as chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. He allegedly bombarded his accuser to recant her sexual abuse claims, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.

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What were the allegations?

Sources tell the British news outlet that Khan repeatedly pressed his alleged victim for more than five months to back away from the allegations of sexual harassment she had accused him of. He allegedly pushed for her to write a letter disavowing the claims. 

Khan has repeatedly denied the accusations.

The ICC was made aware of the harassment claims against Khan from a third party in May 2024. However, the ICC didn’t take action due to the victim’s hesitance to cooperate with the investigation. An October 2024 statement from the president of the Assembly of States Parties acknowledged the allegations of misconduct.

“The Court has a zero-tolerance policy towards prohibited conduct, such as harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination and abuse of authority,” said President Päivi Kaukoranta.

Amid these allegations, Khan had announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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How did the US respond to the warrants?

The filing brought swift condemnation from Israel’s allies, including the United States. President Donald Trump announced sanctions against the ICC in February.

“The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant,” the announcement said. “The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.”