FireAid has retained major law firm Latham & Watkins to review its grantmaking process amid a growing furor about the distribution of $100 million raised during the all-star benefit concerts for Los Angeles wildfire relief in January.

An online maelstrom about FireAid has been fueled by Republican congressman Kevin Kiley, who sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) last week claiming donations were diverted to nonprofits with only “tenuous” connections to fire relief. President Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend, calling the concert series a “Democrat-inspired scam” and saying “$100 million is missing.”

FireAid has called these claims “misinformation,” maintaining that the money raised from two concerts at L.A.’s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum went to nonprofits who provided direct relief to victims of the Palisades and Eaton fires.

In a letter to Kiley on Monday (July 28), FireAid says again that all the nonprofits it’s distributing the $100 million to “are both worthy and have close relationships to the recovery efforts in response to the fires.” The organization also notes that it has “maintained transparency” throughout the process, documenting all grants on its website.

Nonetheless, the organization says it has retained the white-shoe law firm Latham & Watkins to “conduct a comprehensive review of FireAid’s governance and grantmaking processes” and “ensure FireAid remains true to its original mission of directly supporting fire survivors.”

“This review will also include assessing whether recipient organizations are using funds in alignment with FireAid’s stated purpose and commitments,” reads Monday’s letter to Kiley. “We look forward to sharing the results of our ongoing review with you in the near future and updating you at your convenience.”

FireAid’s letter is signed by Makan Delrahim, an L.A.-based Latham & Watkins partner who previously served as head of the DOJ’s antitrust division. Delrahim now advises private clients on mergers and acquisitions, government investigations and crisis management.

The dual FireAid concerts featured a star-studded list of performers including Green Day, Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, Lil Baby, Tate McRae, Sting, Alanis Morissette, John Mayer, a Nirvana reunion, Joni Mitchell, a reunited No Doubt, P!nk and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The shows were livestreamed, drawing in more than 50 million viewers, and raised $100 million from ticket and merchandise sales, sponsorships, donations from the public and private gifts.

FireAid distributed $50 million of the funds in February to more than 120 nonprofits focused on providing fire survivors with food assistance, emergency housing, mental health services, childcare and more.

A second round of grants came in June, with the organization allocating $25 million to causes including environmental recovery, remediation and soil testing. The last $25 million tranche is on track to be distributed by the end of the year.

Sphere Entertainment Co. has taken an important step toward its intended future of hosting concerts and events at multiple Sphere venues outside of the original Las Vegas location.

On Friday (July 25), the company’s Sphere Entertainment Group, the division behind the Sphere venue in Las Vegas, finalized a franchise agreement, and other contracts, with the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT), related to the construction and operation of Sphere Abu Dhabi, according to a Monday (July 28) SEC filing. When the parties first announced their intentions to work together in 2024, the planned building was described as “echoing the scale of the 20,000-capacity Sphere in Las Vegas.”

Sphere currently makes money through concerts, corporate events and The Sphere Experience, which shows immersive motion pictures on the 160,000-square-foot, wraparound video screen. Learning how to hold multiple events per day allows Sphere to maximize usage of the state-of-the-art, $2.3 billion building. But considering the venue had a $108 million operating loss in the fourth quarter 2024, a franchise model is vital for the company’s long-term health. “This year, the biggest opportunities are the nuts and bolts of how well we operate the business. That is going to provide a boost,” Sphere Entertainment Co. CEO James Dolan said during the company’s March earnings call. “Longer term, the expansion of more Spheres is what is going to deliver the most [return].”

The just-signed 25-year franchise agreement gives DCT the right to build and operate additional Sphere venues in the Middle East and North Africa for a period of 10 years after the opening of Sphere Abu Dhabi. Additionally, DCT has the option to extend the franchise agreement up to two 10-year renewal periods. Sphere Entertainment Group has also granted DCT licenses for Sphere’s technology, patents, trademarks, The Sphere Experience content and “other ancillary content.” The Sphere Experience content includes Postcard from Earth by Darren Aronofsky; V-U2: An Immersive Concert Film about U2’s inaugural residency at Sphere; and a new version of The Wizard of Oz that opens on Aug. 28.

DCT will pay Sphere Entertainment Group a franchise initiation fee for the right to build the venue and royalties for use of its intellectual property. The remainder of the franchise fee will be paid off upon execution of the agreements and installment payments leading up to the opening of Sphere Abu Dhabi. DCT, which will fully fund the building’s construction, will also pay an ancillary content royalty and fees for “pre-construction and construction-related services to DCT.” Before Sphere Abu Dhabi opens, the two parties will enter into an operational services agreement, which calls for Sphere Entertainment Group to provide “agreed upon operational services” to DCT. 

Correction: A previous version of this article said Sphere had a $143 million operating loss in 2024. That amount was the operating loss for Sphere Entertainment Co, which includes MSG Networks, in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Five months after Drake cut short his tour of Australia and New Zealand, the remaining dates have officially been cancelled.

Originally announced in November 2024, Drake’s Anita Max Win Tour marked the rapper’s first visit to Oceania since 2017. Launched in Australia in February 2025 with multiple dates in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the 16-date sold-out tour was planned to wrap in early March following additional shows across Brisbane and Sydney, and two performances in Auckland, New Zealand.

However, on Feb. 26, it was announced that the remaining dates had been postponed due to a “scheduling conflict.” 

A statement from Drake’s representatives noted at the time that the musician’s team were “actively working on rescheduling these dates along with adding some additional shows,” though no further updates arrived.

Now after months without any information as to the status of these unrealized shows, ticketholders received word on Tuesday, July 29 (Australia time) that the remainder of the tour had officially been cancelled.

“Despite extensive efforts to find a solution, rescheduling within the necessary timeframe was not possible,” a statement from Live Nation Australia read. “Drake remains committed to returning and performing these shows when his schedule permits.”

Drake returned to the stage earlier this month as part of his $ome $pecial $hows 4 U.K. tour alongside PartyNextDoor in support of their collaborative $ome $exy $ongs 4 U album.

The trek began with a series of dates in England, which will be followed by additional shows throughout Europe until the end of September. A planned performance in Manchester on Monday, July 28 was postponed this week, with an “unseen ferry schedule” necessitating the gig’s move to Aug. 5.

Drake’s earlier run of Australian dates also made headlines thanks to the 6 God’s generosity towards fans during his concerts. He previously handed out $20,000 to a pair of fans in Perth, gave $45,000 to some OVO faithful in Melbourne and upgraded a pregnant fan to VIP in Sydney and blessed her with $30,000 ahead of her baby’s arrival. 

As part of the tour’s final shows, he also promised to look after the cancer treatment of a fan’s mother while in Brisbane.

The Anita Max Win Tour was named after a viral moment from Drake’s December 2023 livestream on Kick, where he introduced a new “alter ego” named Anita Max Win. The name is a playful pun on the gambling phrase “I need a max win,” referring to hitting the maximum payout on a slot machine. 

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Step into the future with A$AP Rocky‘s latest Ray-Ban collab. Entitled the Next Generation, the collection features three radically different styles from what the classic eyewear brand is known for. Labeled as Ultra Wrap 001, Ultra Wrap 002 and Ultra Wrap 003, the three-piece release was initially unveiled during Rocky’s AWGE fashion show during Paris Men’s Fashion Week. A month later, the next-gen glasses are finally available online at Ray-ban.com.

Designed to shatter the boundaries of conventional eyewear, each model features an ultra-wrapped profile, with sculptural lines and finishes in black, gold and mirrored effects. Only the 003 model has separate lenses, whereas the 001 and 002 are single-lensed. Otherwise, each pair gives off a sleek, space-age design ripped straight out of a sci-fi film such as Blade Runner or Dune.

A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban Ultra Wrap 001 Sunglasses

$874

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A part of the Next Generation collection, the Ultra
Wrap 001 sunglasses feature a radically reengineered style delivering a hyper-futuristic design.

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If you’re looking for a more classic pair of Ray-Ban shades that are more affordable, Rocky’s previous collaborations are just as stylish, but way cheaper. From the retooled classic Puffer frame, which comes in a variety of colors for $202, to the lightly gilded Blacked Out collection, a sleek makeover of the Mega Wayfarer, Mega Clubmaster and Mega Balorama for $266, there’s plenty of great options for fans to choose from.

As of July 24, the Next Generation frames are priced at premium, ranging from $874 to $901. Each pair also comes with unique collector’s packaging, containing a sealed plexiglass cube stamped with the Ray-Ban x A$AP Rocky seal. Shop the Ultra Wrap 002 and Ultra Wrap 003 sunglasses below.

A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban Ultra Wrap 002 Sunglasses

$874

Buy Now on Ray-Ban

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A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban Ultra Wrap 003 Sunglasses

$874

Buy Now on Ray-Ban

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