Rupert Murdoch is stepping down from Fox.

Succession

Please consider playing this song while reading today’s top story.

The Story

Rupert Murdoch is stepping down from Fox. 

Buckle up f*cklehead.

Yesterday, the 92-year-old decided it was time to hang up his newsboy hat after a nearly 70-year career. The Australian-born media magnate launched Fox News in 1996 — America's most-watched cable network. He’s also stepping down as the head of News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. As for how Murdoch’s retirement is shaping up, he plans to stay on as chairman emeritus. Next in the line of succession: his eldest son Lachlan. 

So he’s his number one boy?

Looks like it. Pour one out for Rupert's five other children. Lachlan’s management style appears to be pretty similar to his dad's, so expect Season 2 of Fox News to look a lot like Season 1. In a statement, the eldest Murdoch son thanked his dad for “his vision, his pioneering spirit, his steadfast determination, and the enduring legacy he leaves.” This comes after a rough year at Fox's TV network: they settled a defamation lawsuit against Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million and lost their top dog, Tucker Carlson. 

theSkimm

With 1 million daily viewers, Fox News is the highest-ranking news channel in the country. Now, new leadership will have to navigate a company in a world where people are pulling away from cable news.

Who got a parting gift…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Yesterday, President Biden announced a $325 million military aid package for Ukraine during Zelenskyy’s visit. It’s the second time Zelenskyy visited Washington since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The assistance includes air defense capabilities and anti-tank weapons, including the first US Abrams tanks. Zelenskyy said the aid is “exactly what our soldiers need now.” Also on Zelenskyy’s agenda: convincing lawmakers to make sure $24 billion more in aid for Ukraine is part of the government's spending bill. Additional aid to Ukraine has been a sticking point in government funding negotiations as lawmakers try to avoid a government shutdown next week.

Who’s got a big-ticket agenda item…

The FDA. This week, independent advisers reportedly met to discuss the possibility of creating artificial wombs. The goal: give extremely premature babies a chance to survive. Preterm births are the top killer of children under 5, according to the WHO. The number of preterm births in the US was 10.5% as of 2021. The artificial wombs haven’t been tested in humans yet, but there’s been a few studies carried out on animals. As for now, the FDA is reportedly discussing what kind of data scientists would need to show during trials and the needed regulations.

Who’s taking it to the courts…

Sophie Turner. Yesterday, she sued her soon-to-be-ex-husband Joe Jonas to return their two daughters to England. She alleges he’s holding onto the girls’ passports and said that there were already plans in place to move their daughters to England. A rep for Jonas has called Turner’s allegations “misleading” and designed to move divorce proceedings to the UK. They also said since the divorce proceedings are happening in Florida, relocating the kids would violate a court order. Another talker: photos of Turner hanging out with Taylor Swift.

…Oh and speaking of the Queen in the North, “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin is one of 17 authors suing ChatGPT-owner OpenAI for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges their work was used without permission to train ChatGPT to make it smarter.

What hasn’t gotten better…

India and Canada’s relations. Yesterday, India stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens over “security threats” against Indian diplomats in Canada. India’s move is the latest in a series of tit-for-tat actions with Canada. It comes after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India’s government agents of playing a role in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar: information Canadian officials now say came from surveilling Indian diplomats in the country.

What’s giving us a reason to go touch some grass…

Free national parks visits.

What's re-opening the pods...

“Love Is Blind.”