M.I.A. leaves Jay Z’s label. A New Year’s Eve tweet announcement from musician M.I.A. shared the news that she is leaving Jay Z’s management label Roc Nation, which she signed with in 2012. The move comes after a year in which her album Matangi’s release was delayed and her documentary pulled by Roc Nation after a teaser leaked. (Fear not, M.I.A. fans. It was later picked up by a non-profit documentary group, teaser below.) Is M.I.A. going to start her own label? Maybe — she recently asked for CVs from people to work in art production, music, merch, film, web and marketing. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Drone deaths decline. The Guardian reports on new data that indicates Obama’s mid-year decision to wind down drone strikes has accounted for fewer deaths resulting from drones in 2013. Council on Foreign Relations scholar Micah Zenko’s published tally of rone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, showing a drop from 92 strikes in 2012 to 55 in 2013, from an estimate of 505-532 people killed in 2012 to 271 in 2013. [The Guardian]
Indian boy goes missing in Secaucus. A 15-year-old boy from India on a school trip to the U.S. went missing New Year’s Day in New Jersey. He was with a group of students and adults at a Walmart in Secaucus when he went missing. The boy’s name and photograph were not released. NJ.com reported yesterday that the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is conducting a missing person’s investigation. [NJ.com]
