LAS VEGAS — A group of six men and ten women were chosen on Thursday to deliberate over the case of a former gang leader accused of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur nearly three decades ago, a case that remains a defining moment in hip-hop history.

The murder trial, set in Las Vegas, is expected to begin with opening statements on Monday.

For years, the family and fans of the iconic rapper have awaited answers about the tragic 1996 drive-by shooting that claimed Shakur’s life while he was at the zenith of his career.

At just 25, Shakur was gunned down near the bustling Las Vegas Strip during a turbulent period marked by heated rivalries in a music industry heavily influenced by gang tensions.

Three years ago, authorities charged Duane “Keffe D” Davis with murder, labeling him as the mastermind behind the assassination. Davis, who has denied the charges, faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

Sixteen jurors were picked for the trial, which is expected to last about a month. During the selection process, potential jurors were asked about their favorite books and movies, if they had any strong feelings about gangs, and whether they had listened to Shakur’s music.

Shakur still is considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. With hits like “California Love” and “Dear Mama,” more than 75 million of his records have been sold worldwide, including seven albums released after his death.

He was in the passenger seat of a BMW driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight on Sept. 7, 1996, when shots were fired from a Cadillac at a red light. Knight survived but Shakur died six days later.

Prosecutors have not accused Davis, now 63, of pulling the trigger that night, instead saying that he made the calls that led to Shakur’s death and provided the gun.

In Nevada, a person can be convicted of murder for helping another person commit the crime.

Davis is the only person still alive who was in the car where prosecutors said the fatal shots originated.

The case against Davis was revived when Davis published the book “Compton Street Legend,” about the shooting and his time in the Crips, in 2019 as well as his statements during police and media interviews.

Davis’ attorneys unsuccessfully fought to block from the trial details written in the book and said during a 2008 police interview. They argued the book was fictionalized and had a co-author, making it impossible to know which parts Davis wrote.

They also argued Davis’ previous interview with a federal task force was supposed to be confidential and not used against him.

Among those who could be called to testify in the trial is Knight, the rap music mogul whose label represented Shakur. He continually has said that he wants no part in the trial.

Knight, who is serving a 28-year sentence for running over and killing a Compton businessman in 2015, is the only surviving person who was in the car with Shakur at the time of the shooting.

Prosecutors expect to call between 35 and 45 witnesses, ranging from people who saw Shakur moments before he was shot to those who were associates of both Shakur and Davis at the time. Sean “Diddy” Combs, who Davis claimed wanted Shakur and Knight dead, will not be one of those witnesses, attorneys said.

Matthew McConaughey continues to enjoy financial success from the popular film “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

The star disclosed that this 2003 romantic comedy, where he shares the screen with Kate Hudson, remains his most lucrative project to date.

“‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ is truly the gift that keeps on giving,” McConaughey shared during Thursday’s episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast.

Calling it a cherished work, McConaughey expressed that it is “probably my favorite rom-com I’ve done, and it’s a fan favorite too.”

He continued, noting, “It still sends the most consistent residual checks of any film I’ve ever made. By a long shot.”

The 56-year-old also divulged which month of the year he’d rake in the most money from the film.

“When it used to be just DVDs or cable, every March I’d get a big check because Valentine’s Day,” he shared.

McConaughey went on, “But, I mean, look: the movie for me, for that genre, let me just own that genre. ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Day’ … that’s a real anchor in the rom-com genre through time.”

Directed by Donald Petrie, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” follows women’s magazine columnist Andie Anderson (Hudson) who tries to drive a new boyfriend, ad exec Ben Barry (McConaughey), away in ten days for an article.

Ben, meanwhile, secretly makes a bet with his co-workers that he can make Andie fall in love with him in the same timeframe.

The film cemented McConaughey, who was already in 2001’s “The Wedding Planner,” as one of the go-to actors for 2000s rom-coms.

He went on to star in “Failure to Launch,” “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” and “Fool’s Gold,” the last of which reunited him with Hudson, 47.

Afterwards, McConaughey’s career shifted to more serious roles, including his Oscar-winning turn in 2013’s “Dallas Buyers Club.”

McConaughey, who has always spoken highly of his “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” experience, previously revealed that a fortune teller approached him on the street and convinced him to do the film.

“He immediately goes, ‘There’s a movie you’re considering right now. It’s a romantic comedy. You have to do this or it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. It is going to be a blast, it is going to be an incredible experience and it is going to make a bunch of money,’” he recalled in a 2014 Vanity Fair interview.

McConaughey said while he initially thought the “studio hired” the mystery man to sway his decision, the advice stuck with him.

“I laughed at the thought, but I also remember taking a more serious consideration,” he explained. “I think I even accepted the offer the next day.”

Hudson, meanwhile, previously called working with McConaughey on the film “truly an amazing experience.”

“It’s like, you have great loves of your life, and then, like, as actresses I think you have great loves in your work,” she told Vanity Fair last year. “And he’s one of my great loves.”

Hudson added, “I feel really lucky that I got to experience that with someone as talented and as fun as Matthew.”

At one point, America’s leading financial institutions were locked in a fierce race to demonstrate their commitment to addressing climate concerns.

Today, however, it’s clear that Wall Street’s enthusiastic green initiative is waning.

In a significant shift, the nation’s top six banks—JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo—have decided to part ways with the Net Zero Banking Alliance, as highlighted in a recent report from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.

However, this mass departure isn’t exactly breaking news. The bulk of these exits occurred throughout 2024 and the early months of 2025, culminating in the alliance’s decision to end its membership program in October 2025.

What’s capturing attention now is the fresh attempt to evaluate just how distanced Wall Street has become from the climate-centric networks that once had a firm grip on corporate America.

The Committee to Unleash Prosperity says support for major ‘net zero’ initiatives – efforts to balance carbon emission with carbon offsets – among the financial institutions it examined has plunged by almost 90 percent over the past four years.

And Jerry Bowyer, CEO of Bowyer Research and one of the authors of the study, told the Daily Mail that the retreat represents a fundamental shift in the way Wall Street views climate policy.

‘The net-zero finance boom really began around 2020 and 2021,’ Bowyer said.

‘The finance industry was still treating net zero as the price of admission to polite global opinion. Then reality intruded.’

He said energy demand, fiduciary responsibilities, antitrust concerns, political pressure and the practical limitations of transforming the world’s energy system had all contributed to the reversal.

‘The laws of physics and engineering do not bend to ESG branding,’ he said.

The Net Zero Banking Alliance was launched in 2021 and grew rapidly, reaching 140 banks representing $75.5 trillion in assets as recently as November 2024. But the biggest US players soon began walking away.

Goldman Sachs exited in December 2024, followed by other major American banks. By October 2025, the alliance had stopped operating as a membership organization and instead became a provider of voluntary climate guidance. 

The latest report argues that the retreat has become far broader than a handful of high-profile departures.

Bowyer told the Daily Mail that the trend became ‘unmistakable’ in late 2024 and early 2025 and the banking alliance had ‘lost many of the institutions that gave it credibility.’

The shift is also visible among the world’s biggest asset managers.

The Net Zero Asset Managers initiative once had more than 300 members overseeing almost $60 trillion. It suspended operations in January 2025 after BlackRock and other major US firms withdrew, before relaunching in October with less demanding membership requirements and a greater focus on guidance. 

Climate Action 100+, another major environmental coalition, has also lost prominent financial institutions, including JPMorgan, State Street and BlackRock’s US operations.

The retreat does not mean that Wall Street has abandoned environmental concerns altogether. Some banks still publish extensive sustainability policies, maintain emissions reporting systems or remain members of less prominent climate organizations.

The report identifies Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Pimco and Citigroup as among those retaining stronger links with environmental groups. Bowyer said this distinction is important.

‘Firms will keep some climate language for public relations purposes, but the grandiose alliance model has been badly damaged,’ he said.

‘The more serious institutions will move back toward fiduciary duty, energy realism, and client choice. They may not all admit that net zero failed, but their behavior is already saying it.’

JPMorgan, for example, continues to have substantial sustainability material on its website despite leaving the major alliances.

Wells Fargo has gone further. In February 2025, it abandoned sector-specific 2030 financed-emissions targets and its goal of achieving net-zero financed emissions by 2050, according to the report.

The bank said at the time that many of the conditions needed to help its clients transition had not occurred. 

Meanwhile, Vanguard was an early defector from the asset-management initiative, leaving in December 2022.

The political environment has also changed dramatically. In October 2022, 19 state attorneys general launched an antitrust investigation into six major US banks over their involvement in the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

Bowyer believes politics played a role in the retreat – but argues it was only part of the story.

‘The politics got them into these groups,’ he said. ‘Physics and economics got them out.’

He said the change began before the administration changed hands, describing it as ‘a steady progression away from the radical climate change policies, including net zero.’

There is another force making the old Wall Street climate commitments increasingly difficult to maintain: artificial intelligence. The explosion in AI is creating enormous demand for electricity as technology companies race to build vast data centers.

That is forcing the US to confront an awkward reality. While financial institutions may want to reduce exposure to fossil fuels, the technology driving the latest economic boom requires huge amounts of reliable power – and gas and other conventional energy sources remain part of that equation.

For Bowyer, this is one of the clearest examples of why he believes the net-zero model is running into practical limits.

‘Modern economies run on energy, and energy systems cannot be transformed by press release,’ he said.

‘The path to a cleaner and more prosperous economy is innovation, abundance, and competition, not coercive decarbonization targets.’

The shift represents a striking reversal from the early 2020s, when ESG – environmental, social and governance investing – was one of the biggest trends in finance.

US ESG and environmentally focused funds attracted around $485 billion in 2021, according to Bloomberg Intelligence figures. By 2025, those funds had suffered $82 billion in outflows.

But declaring ESG or climate investing dead would be premature. European investors remain considerably more engaged with climate issues, while some US financial institutions continue to maintain emissions targets and sustainability programs.

Instead, what appears to be disappearing is the idea that every major Wall Street institution needs to belong to the same high-profile climate coalition. Bowyer believes that process could continue.

‘Wall Street’s retreat from net zero is the market correcting a political mistake,’ he said.

“It’s one-of-a-kind. I’ve honestly never encountered anything like this before,” remarked Carl DeFazio, a seasoned private investigator.

Over two months have passed since the tragic discovery of a New Jersey mother and psychotherapist’s lifeless body in her Chester residence, yet investigators continue to keep details of this chilling homicide under wraps.

The victim, 35-year-old Brooke Hanlon, was brutally murdered, suffering multiple stab wounds within the confines of her home on Pottersville Road, on June 6.

DeFazio, who brings his experience as a former U.S. Marine and retired NYPD officer to the case, noted that while the ongoing silence breeds curiosity and speculation, there’s a chance significant progress is being made behind the scenes. Such secrecy might be a strategic move by law enforcement to maintain the investigation’s integrity.

“I always look at what they’re not telling you,” he said. “They always, especially in a homicide case, hold one or two things back that only the perp would know.”

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation and has yet to reveal a suspect or person of interest.

The investigation started when Conor Hanlon, Brooke’s husband, made a 911 call reporting his wife was unresponsive and not breathing.

Officers responded to the call and within minutes pronounced her dead at the scene, classified the death as “suspicious.”

Sources confirmed to News Media the couple’s 12-month-old baby was inside at the time of the incident. The child was unharmed.

DeFazio noted that in high-profile homicides, initial 911 audio and the presence of family members inside the home are among the very first things investigators dissect to establish a timeline.

A computer-aided dispatch (CAD) log released to News Media revealed several days of investigative activity at the home.

DeFazio said the first few days of an investigation are critical to preventing missteps.

“I always start at the beginning — the crime scene — and work my way out. A lot of investigators will go in there with a suspect and try to make the facts fit their suspect. That’s the wrong way to do it,” DeFazio said.

“I look at what they didn’t do. Did they interview the neighbors? Did they rope off the house? Did they take DNA samples? Did they find a crime weapon? Was there a struggle? Were there any defensive wounds? I’d really love to see the ME’s [medical examiner’s] report.”

News Media previously spoke to neighbors who revealed they are still on edge and constantly looking over their shoulders for a potential murderer on the loose.

DeFazio said investigators in complex homicide cases must audit every detail from day one—ranging from financial policies like life insurance to underlying personal relationships—which often explains why police hold back information while piecing together a timeline.

News Media has repeatedly reached out to Conor Hanlon for comment. He has not been charged with any crime or wrongdoing.

WASHINGTON — A prominent anti-abortion organization is urging a Senate investigation into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over its past funding of research involving fetal organs and tissue.

Earlier this year, the NIH declared a halt to funding research using fetal tissue from elective abortions. However, the group known as 40 Days for Life is advocating for an examination of government-sponsored studies conducted prior to the implementation of this new policy.

“We possess a distinct insight into the harm caused by abortion—to women, society, and the unborn. Each day, we witness the abortion industry’s malpractice, including the misuse of aborted fetal body parts and tissues,” stated Shawn Carney, president of the group, in a letter issued on Thursday.

Carney made a formal appeal to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, encouraging them to initiate the investigation.

“We earnestly request your committees to examine whether the NIH’s practices adhered to legal, regulatory, Congressional funding mandates, and ethical standards required of our nation’s public health authorities,” he emphasized.

On July 29, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci over taxpayer-funded research with fetal parts when he appeared before a Senate panel to face questioning on COVID-19.

During a line of questioning that went viral, Ernst recounted how researchers took parts from human fetal organs and put them into mice.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer Ernst’s questions about the practice.

“American taxpayers financed experiments in which researchers surgically implanted livers, thymuses, and chunks of lung from nearly five-month-old aborted human babies into mice—experiments the researchers themselves named ‘BLT-L’ mice and described as a ‘sandwich of aborted body parts,’ Carney wrote.

Since 2018, NIH spending on human fetal tissue research has declined from nearly $120 million that fiscal year to approximately half that amount in fiscal year 2024, according to the agency itself.

The Trump administration argued in ending government fetal tissue research that alternatives such as “organoids, tissue chips, computational biology, and other cutting-edge platforms” have rendered the practice unnecessary.

The Trump administration has also taken steps to reduce animal testing in government-funded research.

Reps for Cassidy, Grassley, and the NIH did not immediately return requests for comment on the 40 Days for Life letter.