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On the third day of a massive blackout in Cuba, small street protests erupted in the capital city of Havana. The protests followed the Cuban authorities’ announcement that their attempt to restore power for the third time met with failure, leaving millions of people without electricity and raising further doubts about the government’s ability to effectively restore power. Reports from Reuters indicated that on October 18, Cuba’s largest power plant went offline due to a malfunction, causing the national grid to fail around midday. Consequently, state media reported that the grid experienced another outage early on the 19th.

By the evening of October 19, officials claimed there had been some progress in restoring power, yet the national grid was down again by nightfall. Authorities stated that nearly 20% of the population had regained electricity, with priority given to public facilities such as transportation and hospitals.

The Havana Electric Company announced on Telegram at 10:25 PM that the national power system had completely disconnected once more. However, this post was later removed from the official account without any explanation. As of the morning of October 20, which marked the third day of the blackout, millions remained without power.

Shortly after the post from Havana Electric, the Cuban Ministry of Energy stated they were working diligently to restore power and reported that the western subsystem, which includes the capital, had disconnected again.

The Ministry of Energy expressed on social media that “the process of rebuilding the power system remains complex.” The third failure of the national grid underscores the serious challenges faced by the authorities in their efforts to restore electricity, as local residents continue to suffer from severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.

As we explore the Great Wall of China, the largest and most widely distributed cultural heritage site in the world, it’s important to understand its significance. Spanning over two thousand years and tens of thousands of miles, the Great Wall embodies the resilience and patriotic spirit of the Chinese people. It stands as a representative symbol of the Chinese nation and an important emblem of Chinese civilization.

So, just how long is the Great Wall? How was its length measured? Where does it extend geographically? What is its state of preservation? And what new methods and philosophies for protection have emerged? In today’s episode of “Cultural China,” we delve into the remarkable stories behind the Great Wall.

Recently, a 40th anniversary event themed “Love China, Restore the Great Wall” took place in Beijing’s Yanqing District, organized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration. Experts and scholars from various cultural heritage departments, universities, and research institutions engaged in extensive discussions about methods and philosophies for preserving the Great Wall.

Liu Wenyan, Deputy Director of the China Cultural Heritage Academy and the National Cultural Park Protection Research Institute, stated, “For the first time, we have clarified the foundational data of the Great Wall. By combining traditional archaeological approaches with modern surveying techniques, we’ve established its total length to be 21,196.18 kilometers. We now also know the locations and conservation status of various remains, allowing us to achieve a significant understanding of the wall’s defensive system. With this knowledge, we can implement refined management practices to enhance the quality of preservation.”

With over 20,000 kilometers of the Great Wall, a rigorous and scientific evaluation system has been developed for its segmentation and marking. Experts have identified approximately 43,000 remains along its journey.

Liu explained, “We follow specific segmentation principles. For instance, when there’s a change in material, we create a new section. Gaps also warrant segmentation, and different historical periods naturally correspond to different segments. This allows us to categorize the wall into diverse portions.”

The Great Wall has endured for more than 2,000 years, from the feudal conflicts of the Spring and Autumn periods to the unification of China by Qin Shi Huang, and through the continuous repairs and expansions during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It features a rich variety of structures, including watchtowers, beacon towers, and fortresses, making it a magnificent architectural wonder and an unparalleled cultural landscape in human history.

Winding through rugged mountains, the Great Wall is vulnerable to rain erosion. Monitoring shows that rain can significantly damage earth-constructed sections, causing cracks and holes that may ultimately lead to collapse. Through long-term field investigations, experts have discovered that certain surface algae can protect the rammed earth from rain damage. After screening various algae species, filamentous blue-green algae were identified as effective in forming a protective biological soil crust, which has now been successfully cultivated on the surface of the rammed earth sections.

Liu Liang, Director of the Rock and Soil Innovation Center at the Eighth Geological Team of the Hebei Provincial Geological Mineral Bureau, noted, “This is a section of rammed earth wall, where the dark green biological soil crust effectively prevents rain erosion. The filamentous blue algae can intertwine with the soil. Additionally, these algae secrete polysaccharides that bind soil particles, creating a spatial network structure that provides excellent protection for the rammed earth wall.”

Moreover, a new patrol robot is currently in development. This innovative machine can navigate the Great Wall and its watchtowers independently, utilizing advanced technologies like 360-degree imaging, lidar, and infrared monitoring, which will significantly improve both the efficiency and quality of preservation efforts. The focus is shifting from “rescue preservation” to “preventive preservation.”

Liu Wenyan emphasized, “The philosophy of restoration adheres to minimal intervention, which means we try not to alter the current state of the Great Wall and aim to prevent any new risks. The wall was built with the principle of adapting to local conditions, utilizing different materials in various regions. If the rammed earth sections in the west remain towering like those at Badaling, it would contradict natural scientific principles. Just as humans age, the wall naturally wears down. We want to respect its original appearance, as we believe this represents the highest form of respect for both the Great Wall and our cultural heritage.”

On October 18-20, the “Smart Collaboration in Ba Gui: Distinguished Doctors’ Training Program” was launched in Guangxi, with opening ceremonies held at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and the Guangxi International Zhuang Medicine Hospital.

During the launch event, over 30 top medical experts from 18 prestigious institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Peking University People’s Hospital, the PLA General Hospital, and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, engaged in mentorship sessions with more than 200 outstanding young and mid-career doctors from Guangxi. The event also featured the unveiling of “Distinguished Doctor Workspaces” in collaboration with the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and the Guangxi International Zhuang Medicine Hospital, along with on-site consultations and treatment guidance activities.

Throughout the event, the Beijing medical experts conducted in-depth research visits to the Fangchenggang Medical Innovation Empowerment Center and the Regional Medical Center. They held discussions with relevant departments of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Fangchenggang City regarding the construction of the Fangchenggang International Medical Open Experimental Zone, providing valuable insights and recommendations.

Officials from Guangxi stated that this initiative serves as a pivotal opportunity to strengthen the connections between exceptional specialty doctors in Guangxi and high-level medical experts from Beijing. By combining “bringing in” and “going out” strategies, a series of measures will be implemented to establish a long-term mechanism for expert guidance that will enhance Guangxi’s medical technology and bolster the healthcare workforce, ultimately contributing to the development of a healthier Guangxi.

In recent years, Guangxi has prioritized medical innovation as a fundamental support for building a comprehensive and cyclical health service system. The region has established 39 clinical medicine research centers and 53 key (nurturing) laboratories in critical areas such as thalassemia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and digestive disorders, while accelerating the translation of clinical research achievements. This has attracted a group of leading talents proficient in both foundational and clinical research, fostering a number of influential disciplines recognized both domestically and internationally. Additionally, the Fangchenggang International Medical Open Experimental Zone has seen the establishment of the Fangchenggang Wanquing Research Institute for Dermal and Fungal Disease Prevention and Control, effectively promoting high-quality development within the experimental area.

During a press conference held by the Hainan Provincial News Office on October 16, key developments were announced aimed at addressing the challenges of land and sea use for rural industrial development. A joint initiative titled “Measures to Strengthen the Guarantee of Land and Sea Elements for Rural Industrial Development and Promote Rural Revitalization” (referred to as the “Measures”) has been established by multiple departments in Hainan Province to facilitate rural revitalization and efficient resource utilization.

The conference highlighted that the land and sea use designated for rural industrial development pertains to the needs of agricultural modernization. This includes areas directly supporting farming, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery production, circulation, processing, storage, agricultural technological innovation, agricultural cultural education, rural leisure tourism, forest wellness tourism, and recreational fisheries. Relevant projects in Hainan’s reclamation area are also applicable under these measures.

Cheng Chunman, Deputy Director of the Hainan Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Planning, stated that to bolster land and forest index guarantees, the Measures stipulate that at least 5% of newly allocated construction land and forest quota must be dedicated annually to meet rural industrial demands. The initiative encourages diverse models such as market entry, joint ventures, and equity stakes for utilizing collective construction land. Additionally, it promotes the exploration of the registration of rights related to agricultural land and associated buildings.

For the aquaculture sector, specific provisions have been made regarding marine resource allocation. Given the unique site selection requirements for “South China Aquatic Breeding” in Hainan, it has been established that relevant provincial units will oversee the unified organization and delineation of areas designated for aquaculture breeding, ensuring compliance with ecological protection standards for any new approvals concerning the placement and breeding activities of broodstock (excluding enclosed aquaculture).

To further reduce costs associated with rural industrial land use, the Measures propose various differentiated supply methods such as “lease first, transfer later,” combinations of leasing and transferring, and flexible lease terms. The annual rent for the “lease first, transfer later” method can be set at no less than 3% of the total land price, collected on an annual basis.

To align with the characteristics of rural industrial projects, the Measures allow for point-based land use processing for rural leisure agriculture and tourism projects located outside urban development boundaries. Projects involving multiple land uses can be supplied in a combined manner.

Liu Yushu, Director of the Land Spatial Use Control Division at Hainan Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Planning, explained that land use for acceptable sporadic facility projects can utilize approaches such as “no expropriation, no transfer” or “only expropriation, no transfer.” Rural industrial projects like rural tourism that occupy collective farmland can adopt the “only transfer, no expropriation” approach. As of October 15, approximately 840 acres of land for rural industrial projects have been allocated using the “only transfer, no expropriation” method, marking a 47% year-over-year increase.

During a recent interview on October 15, former Kuomintang Chairman Hung Hsiu-chu expressed a warm invitation to Taiwanese friends, saying, “The mainland is vast, and in many places, if our Taiwanese friends make an effort to explore, they will be pleasantly surprised. It all depends on whether you choose to come.”

Hung was in Xi’an for the opening of the Fifth Cross-Strait Economic and Technological Cooperation Conference, where she also visited several locations in Shaanxi, including Yan’an and Baoji.

She highlighted the significance of cross-strait exchanges, noting that Shaanxi is an essential birthplace of Chinese civilization with rich cultural heritage. Moreover, she acknowledged the region’s advancements in technology and talent cultivation, which she believes would greatly benefit young people from Taiwan.

In recent years, cooperation between Shaanxi and Taiwan has increased significantly across various fields—including trade, culture, education, and technology. More Taiwanese businesses are establishing themselves in the region, invigorating both the local economy and the emotional ties between the two areas. Statistics show that by the end of June 2024, there were 1,062 Taiwanese-funded enterprises in Shaanxi, and trade between Shaanxi and Taiwan consistently ranks among the top three in the province’s foreign trade.

During the conference, Hung emphasized the need to activate the cultural resources of the ancient capital. She stressed the importance of promoting collaboration, particularly in key areas such as culture, education, and tourism, to enhance exchanges between international and cross-strait educational and research institutions. She especially encouraged the younger generation in Taiwan to visit Shaanxi, a place steeped in Chinese culture and innovation.

Hung also pointed out that as many industries on the mainland undergo transformation and upgrades, it is vital for Taiwanese businesspeople to familiarize themselves with various policies, including environmental protection, to achieve better results through joint efforts.

Reflecting on her visit to the Baoji Bronze Museum, Hung remarked, “For over 5,000 years, regardless of changing dynasties, we have been known as China. If we can arrange for young people in Taiwan to visit here, I believe they will walk away with a profound experience.”

Notably, during her visit to Nangou Village in Yan’an, Hung took an interest in how the local community is leveraging apple cultivation for rural revitalization.

She praised the mainland’s poverty alleviation efforts, stating, “I’ve seen how well Nangou Village has developed its apple industry, which has improved the local economy and increased residents’ incomes. I was very moved by this, so I adopted an apple tree in the village.”

Chinedu Eze
The hope that air passenger traffic in Nigeria will improve this year has not materialise as the half year passenger traffic report showed that the sector has been stagnated by economic challenges.
Numbers obtained from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), showed that a total number of 5, 609, 146 passengers travelled between January-June.
While numbers for H1 2023 could not be accessed as at the time of filing this report, the 2024 half year air passenger traffic record is a clear indication of the distressed state of the Nigerian economy.
The NCAA), also indicated that total in-bound and out-bound international passenger traffic within the period was 1, 933, 144.
This shows that while more Nigerians are travelling out of the country as aginst domestic air travel, a development some industry experts attributed to low capacity and high airfares.
Analysis of the numbers showed that from January to June 2024, Aero Contractors airlifted 376, 713 passengers; Arik Air carried 447, 403 passengers; Dana Air carried 299, 040 passengers and Overland Airways airlifted 83, 435 passengers.
Also, Air Peace carried 2, 194, 476 passengers during the period, while Max Air airlifted 419, 392 passengers; Ibom Air, 587, 063 passengers; United Nigeria Airlines carried 481, 740 passengers and Green Africa carried 214, 817 passengers.
ValueJet carried 218, 448 passengers; Rano Air, 211, 243 passengers, NG Eagle airlifted 50, 182 and Azman Air lifted 26, 112 during the period under consideration.
Also, out of 1992 flights Aero Contractors recorded 740 delays; Arik Air recorded 1, 378 delays in 2, 331 flights, Dana Air, 999 in 1446 flights and Overland Airways, 696 in 1227 flights.
Air Peace also recorded 5, 350 delays in 11, 111 flights, Max Air recorded 1, 247 in 2, 297 flights; Ibom Air recorded 1, 508 delays in 3, 879 flights; while United Nigeria operated 3, 912 and recorded 2, 439 delays.
Green Africa operated 2, 368 flights and recorded 836 delays; ValuJet, 1659 flights and recorded 582 delays; Rano Air, 2, 464 flights and recorded 761 delays; NG Eagle, 567 flights with 33 delays and Azman Air operated 145 flights with 76 delays.
Further analysis showed that domestic airlines recorded a lot of flight cancelation during the period, as Aero Contractors operated 1992 flights and recorded 33 cancellations; Arik Air, 2331 flights with 32 cancelations; Dana Air, 1446 flights with 7 cancellations and Overland Airways, which operated 1227 flights recorded 57 cancellations.
Air Peace during the period operated 11, 111 flights and cancelled 294 flights, Max Air operated 2297 flights and cancelled 23; Ibom Air, 3879 and cancelled 71 flights; United Nigeria Airlines, 3912 flights and canceled 82, while Green Africa Airways operated 2368 flights and cancelled 50.
Also, ValueJet operated 1659 flights and cancelled 18; Rano Air, 2464 flights and cancelled 14; NG Eagle operated 567 flights and cancelled 15 and Azman Air operated 145 flights but no record of cancellations.
In total, domestic airlines operated 35, 398 flights in the first half of year 2024; while international airlines operated 7, 144 flights.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director,Flight and Logistics Solutions Limited, Amos Akpan, said: “As the number of aircraft in operation by domestic airlines get fewer, schedules shrink, airports have fewer flights, and the domestic air traveller’s option become limited (less or no options). Domestic airlines cannot access forex to pay for turn around maintenance of their aircraft. There are fewer aircraft operating scheduled commercial flights within Nigeria now than three years ago. The reason the situation is not glaring is because the macro economic conditions has limited the ability of the domestic air traveller from taking trips by air.”
According to him, domestic airlines are losing customers to alternative modes and wondered how the industry would survive and rebound without a review of certain government policies.
“All stakeholders are continuously engaging with the government and the international aviation community for applicable solutions to our problems. The problems have been identified and the solutions are also known. The performance and status of current operators in the Nigerian aviation industry indicates they match internationally specified standards for the industry.
Those who wish to travel during this coming christmas season will pay higher fares than ever done in Nigeria because the cost of producing the service will reflect on the sales price.We are inclined to postulate here that the Nigerian economy might cause most people that would have traveled by air to either find alternative mode or they won’t travel,” he said.
However, the Executive Secretary of Aviation Round Table (ART), Olu Fidel Ohunayo, told THISDAY that low capacity spiked up fares because demand became higher than supply and the distress in the economy has reduced disposable income of the middle class, adding that even if there is capacity, many may not have the money to pay for the ticket to fly.
Ohunayo also observed that the recent statement credited to NCAA; that if it were to go by the result of these audits it ought to ground all the airlines, might discourage lessors from leasing aircraft to airline operators.
“I think the recent statement by the regulator that none of the airlines is financially viable would also put panicbutton that would not sound well in the ears of the regular international lessors, insurance companies and business partners. The battle is on. While we look at the macroeconomic issues for the federal government to solve, the industry can also begin to solve theirs and one of the ways that I am looking at is, I think they need to look at that rigid age limit of aircraft,” he said.
He said that there are some airports that need narrow body aircraft and some of the aircraft that could be acquires for operation might be older than the minimum age limit policy, which will hamper Nigerian operators from acquiring such aircraft.
“These airports need very small aircraft for flights to go to support the major airports. So we need small airports to have flights and the only way they can have flights is when you introduce 20, 10, 25-seater aircraft. Most of these aircraft are normal.They have been re-kitted, updated and made to meet with noise levels. The engines have been retuned to be more fuel efficient and it’s approach to fly in Europe and America for these kinds of airports. So we are not having them here because of the age limit,” he said.
All these, he said, would encourage Nigerian carriers to have capacity to meet the passenger demand, remarking that the use of smaller airports in Nigeria has become important because of insecurity in the country, noting that these airports will be serviced by narrow body aircraft that will feed the bigger airports with wider body equipment.
“Because of the insecurity, these people are not risking that road. So they all take to those cities where they are sure of connecting flights, Abuja, Lagos or Port Harcourt. So we need to open up this small airports for flights.And when you do this, you are making better use of your airspace, you are having more employment within the industry, more experience for the operational personnel, more revenue for all the agencies, more improvement to Nigeria’s GDP. So we must look beyond the present Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and look at that option of licensing a new set of people (operators),” he added.

Murder charge in Los Angeles against teenage son of acclaimed photojournalist, praised for ‘shining a spotlight on siege of Sarajevo’
Guardian staff and agenciesTue 15 Oct 2024 21.33 EDTLast modified on Wed 16 Oct 2024 02.55 EDTShareThe British photojournalist Paul Lowe has been fatally stabbed on a hiking trail in California and his teenage son arrested for murder, according to police.
Lowe, who covered conflicts including the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war, was found dead on 12 October in the San Gabriel mountains.
The 60-year-old had been stabbed in the neck, records at the Los Angeles medical examiner’s office said.
Lowe’s 19-year-old son Emir was charged with one count of murder and was due to appear on Wednesday at the West Covina courthouse, the Los Angeles county district attorney’s office told the PA news agency.
A kid playing with a ball next to a tank trap: Paul Lowe’s best photographRead moreThe Los Angeles county sheriff’s department told PA: “The homicide bureau presented the case to the Los Angeles county district attorney’s office for filing considerations today.
“The district attorney’s office filed one count of murder on suspect Emir Lowe for the murder of his father Christian Paul Lowe. There is no additional information at this time.”
According to police, the incident happened at about 3.28pm at Mount Baldy Road, near Stoddard Canyon Falls. A statement from the sheriff’s department said officers responding to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon found a “white male adult suffering trauma to his upper torso”.
“San Bernardino fire department personnel responded and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
“A white male adult was seen driving away from the scene and was subsequently involved in a solo traffic collision a few miles away. The male was detained pending further investigation.
“The investigation is ongoing and there is no additional information at this time.”
King’s College London, where Lowe was a visiting professor in war studies, said the award-winning photojournalist would be “deeply missed”.
A statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, read: “It is with deep sadness that we received the news of Professor Paul Lowe’s passing.
“Paul was a visiting professor in the department of war studies, a professor of photojournalism at the University of the Arts London, and an award-winning photojournalist with VII Academy. A friend, colleague and collaborator whose work had a huge impact in shining a spotlight on the siege of Sarajevo and addressing its legacy, we were privileged to work with him on several projects related to art and reconciliation.
“His boundless energy, warmth, creativity, initiative and enthusiasm were contagious and uniquely inspiring. He will be deeply missed. We send our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time.”
Lowe in August 2022 discussed his work in besieged Sarajevo for the Guardian photography series My best shot: “There was a sense of incredulity that this could be happening in a European capital city.”
With the Press Association

Band alleges that Universal Music Group owes it more than $200m after concealing royalties
Callum JonesSun 13 Oct 2024 06.00 EDTShareOne of the world’s largest music companies has been accused of depriving “potentially hundreds” of artists and bands of their royalties by the 90s nu-metal band Limp Bizkit.
Three decades after it rose to prominence, the band and its founder, Fred Durst, alleges that Universal Music Group (UMG) owes more than $200m after fraudulently concealing royalties from the band.
In a lawsuit filed in California, attorneys representing Durst, Limp Bizkit and Flawless Records accused UMG of using software “deliberately designed to conceal artists’ (including Plaintiffs’) royalties” so it can pocket the profits.
UMG is one of the most powerful forces in the global music industry, with a roster spanning from Taylor Swift and Neil Diamond to Dr Dre and Renee Rapp. The company did not respond to multiple invitations to comment.
Limp Bizkit claims it was not paid “a single cent by UMG in any royalties” until taking legal action, despite a “tremendous” resurgence in popularity in recent years, with its songs played hundreds of millions of times on streaming platforms in 2024 alone.
The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, claims that many more bands and acts might also be getting shortchanged. Attorneys for Durst, Limp Bizkit and Flawless Records go so far as to suggest that a pre-trial discovery process – in which both sides of a case exchange information – will “show that potentially hundreds of other artists have likewise been wrongfully defrauded regarding their royalties, showing that the system was intentionally designed to commit fraud on Plaintiffs and other artists”.
Break stuff! How Limp Bizkit, rioting fans and a huge candle handout led to a music festival fiascoRead more“These accusations are massive,” said Jay Gilbert, a music industry consultant and former executive at UMG and Warner Music Group. He is skeptical.
“My gut tells me that this isn’t a systematic scheme to withhold royalties. It’s more of an accounting issue that’s blown up,” Gilbert said. “It sounded pretty damning and pretty heavy-handed, but in my experience, I think it’s something less dramatic.”
This lawsuit was “the nuclear option”, added Mark Tavern, who previously worked at record companies including UMG and Sony Music. “I think it’s designed to force a settlement, and make it happen quickly.”
“It’s a bit over the top,” said Tavern, who now lectures on the music industry at the University of New Haven. “It can probably be easily explained by bureaucracy, or incompetence,” or the sheer volume of payments processed by a music firm as large as UMG, he said.
Durst claims he was told by UMG that he had not received any royalty statements because his account was still so far from recoupment, with executives at the firm suggesting it had paid Limp Bizkit some $43m in advances over the years, according to the lawsuit.
When representatives of Durst and Limp Bizkit gained access to UMG’s portal for royalty statements in April, however, they claim to have noticed balances that indicated it owed more than $1m.
In August, UMG paid just over $1m to Limp Bizkit and $2.3m to Flawless Records, according to the lawsuit, which says executives blamed the failure to pay sooner on an error with new software.
Questions over royalty payments arise “all the time”, according to Gilbert, but rarely explode into the open. “This sort of dirty laundry is not aired commonly,” he said, with issues typically resolved through audits “behind the scenes”.
The global music industry has been rapidly transformed over recent decades, first by the rise of downloads, and then by streaming. Finding and listening to songs has never been easier, thanks to hundreds of millions of tracks that stack the libraries of platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Take Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit. It was first released in May 2000, but you might hear it in passing while watching TV, scrolling through social media, or playing a video game. Gone are the days when you would visit a local record store, go through the racks, find the album, and ultimately listen back to the song. It’s just a few taps away.
chart shows spotify’s monthly active listeners rising rapidly between about 2015 and 2023Even Limp Bizkit’s attorneys acknowledged that the band – which split up in 2006, and reformed in 2009 – had a “relatively quiet period” in the early 2010s. In the lawsuit, however, they claim that interest in the band began to increase “exponentially” around 2017, leading it to sell out arenas and headline festivals.
“There is a big pop-punk revival going on,” observed Tavern. “The current generation [of fans] is looking back 20 or 25 years.”
Such “heritage” acts and artists, as they are referred to by music industry executives, are prized by record labels.
UMG sought Durst’s approval to reissue Limp Bizkit’s 2000 album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water on vinyl last year, according to the lawsuit, and “repeatedly asked” him to get involved with an anniversary rerelease of Significant Other, another of its albums. To Durst, it seemed like a “money grab”.
The complaint alleges that the plaintiffs are still owed much more than they have been paid. Durst, Limp Bizkit and Flawless Records are demanding a jury trial. Their case is already making waves.
​“Everyone is talking about it,” observed Tavern, who noted the complicated nature of calculating music royalties in the streaming era had led to widespread confusion – and, sometimes, suspicion of the industry’s dominant firms. ​
“The way the money gets paid is totally different now, and much more convoluted,” he said. “You can point to 450 million streams, but that is not the same as 450 million records.”
Gilbert said: “I think cooler heads will prevail,” suggesting that attorneys for either side would probably meet privately to examine the facts. “This thing will be resolved,” he said. “I think it’s going to go away.”

Surrey PoliceSara's father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool, and uncle, Faisal Malik have denied murderA 10-year-old girl who allegedly died at the hands of her father, stepmother and uncle was hooded, burned and beaten during more than two years of abuse, a court has heard.
Sara Sharif began wearing a hijab to hide her facial injuries in January 2023, months before her body was discovered at her home in Woking, Surrey, jurors at the Old Bailey were told.
A post-mortem examination found Sara had suffered dozens of injuries including "probable human bite marks", an iron burn and scalding from hot water.
Her father Urfan Sharif, 42, stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, have denied murder.
Surrey PoliceSara Sharif's body was found at her home in Woking on 10 August last yearProsecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said the hijab was “indicative of the need to conceal injuries to her face and head from the outside world”.
Sara's primary school noticed a bruise under her left eye in June 2022, a bruise on her chin and a dark mark on her right eye in March 2023, the court heard.
She gave multiple conflicting tales of how she got the injuries and used her headscarf to conceal her face when questioned by teachers, Mr Emlyn Jones KC said.
A neighbour found it “unusual” that Sara was the only member of her large extended family that lived at the address to be dressed in a hijab, the court heard.
Sara was withdrawn to be home schooled in April 2023.
Surrey PoliceUrfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik are each facing two charges relating to the death of Sara SharifMr Emlyn Jones KC also gave accounts from neighbours, including one woman who heard two days before Sara's death "a single high pitched scream, which lasted a couple of seconds and stopped suddenly".
A woman who lived near the family's previous address in West Byfleet said she heard “shockingly loud” sounds of smacking and “gut wrenching screams” of young female children.
Warning: This article features details that some people might find distressing
Another West Byfleet neighbour said they heard banging and rattling sounds, often accompanied by the sounds of a child crying or screaming, the court heard.
She did consider reporting what she heard to social services but ultimately decided against it, Mr Emlyn Jones KC added.
Mr Emlyn Jones KC said a bloodstained cricket bat, a rolling pin with Sara’s DNA on it, a metal pole, a belt and rope were found near the family’s outhouse.
“You can now look again at the bruises and broken bones Sara had suffered with a clearer understanding of how at least some of those injuries appear to have been inflicted,” he told the jury.
Faisal Malik, Beinash Batool and Urfan Sharif have all denied murderPlastic bags bound with parcel tape were also found in wheelie bins at the family’s property, after Ms Batool ordered 18 rolls of parcel tape in two separate online orders, prosecutors said.
“It is obvious what these are. They are homemade hoods. They had been placed over Sara’s head and taped in place,” Mr Emlyn Jones KC said.
“If this was being done by one of the adults in the house, why aren’t the others releasing her? Why aren’t the others helping her, preventing this terrible treatment?” he added.
Surrey PoliceUrfan Sharif left a note found near Sara's body, tucked under a pillow, in which he confessed to killing his daughterMs Batool also sent text messages to her sisters admitting she knew Sara was being hurt by her husband in the house, jurors were told.
"She’s covered in bruises, literally beaten black,” said one message in May 2021.
"Poor girl can’t walk,” it added.
In the summer of 2022, Ms Batool also sent text messages to her sister expressing concern over how she would conceal Sara’s bruising.
“I can’t even cover it up," she said.
“He beat Sara up yesterday, and I can’t send her to school on Monday looking like that."
Giving evidence, a police officer said he found Sara in a bunkbed, covered with a white sheet.
He said the sheet was “like it had been laid” on top of her body.
Sara Sharif's father tells police he killed her in emergency callThe court previously heard Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Malik travelled to Islamabad, Pakistan, with Sara's five brothers and sisters on 9 August 2023, the day before her body was found.
Prosecutors said Mr Sharif called police from Pakistan and admitted he killed Sara about an hour after his family’s flight had landed in Islamabad.
Jurors were told Mr Sharif's case was that Ms Batool was responsible for Sara's death, and he made a false confession on the phone call and also in a note to protect his wife.
Police release body-worn camera footage of Sara Sharif home searchSara had suffered 11 fractures to her spine, burns to her buttocks, caused by a domestic iron, six “probable human bite marks” and signs of a traumatic brain injury, the court also heard.
The three defendants, who lived with Sara before her death, are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, which they deny.
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