Spears not returning to stage: As of Sept. 29, the court released singer Britney Spears from her conservator and father, Jamie Spears. During her conservatorship, Britney’s management team forced her to perform under the threat of being sued. Following over a decade of the relationship she has deemed “reflects a toxic environment,” Britney reportedly has plans to retire from her position as a singer-songwriter after 24 years.
Significance: Since 2008, Jamie was Britney’s conservator and possessed complete control over her life and money. Britney was unable to have more children, manage her own money, get married and decide not to perform on stage. After 13 years, Britney announced her desire to retire from her life in the spotlight. Though the court suspended her father’s responsibility over Britney, she is still fighting against the court’s decision that she still needs a conservator.
King Abdullah of Jordan funneled funds: On Oct. 3, the Pandora Papers, “an offshore data tsunami” and the world’s largest journalistic collaboration, uncovered 11.9 million records exposing over 330 politicians. Among those politicians, the Pandora Papers identified King Abdullah II of Jordan, an Arab nation on the east bank of the Jordan River, as one of the beneficiaries of these hidden accounts. The Pandora Papers accuse Abdullah of using shell companies to purchase more than $100 million worth of property.
Significance: Though the purchases were not illegal, Abdullah rejected the claims and characterized them as being ”defamatory and designed to target [his] reputation.” The incentives behind keeping Abdullah’s investments secret were supposedly for privacy and security purposes. Citizens of Jordan have yet to see if the accusations will have any long-term effects on their country, but the secrets of Abdullah’s hidden purchases are unfolding.
