By Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Grand Jury to Weigh Recharging Alec Baldwin with Manslaughter
A new investigation was initiated to find if the gun used on the set of Rust that killed the movie’s cinematographer could have been modified to discharge without the need to pull the trigger. The investigation has found that actor Alec Baldwin’s statement that he did not pull the trigger could not be accurate, leading to a decision for a grand jury to recharge Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-involuntary-manslaughter-recharge-1235569600/
A Lawyer for Pras Michel Used AI to Craft Closing Arguments. Now, the Fugees Rapper Wants the Conviction Tossed
Pras Michel was found guilty of fraud, but now the rapper claims that he did not have a fair trial after learning that his attorney used AI to assist him in writing his closing arguments.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/pras-michel-used-ai-craft-closing-arguments-1235621236/
Juice WRLD Estate & Dr. Luke Sued by Alleged Co-Writer Over Unpaid Profits From ‘Not Enough’
Late rapper Juice WRLD and record producer Dr. Luke are being sued by PD Beats, who claims he co-wrote the song ‘Not Enough’ and is not being properly credited. The late rapper’s estate and the producer are refusing to recognize the alleged song-writer as a co-owner of the copyright.
https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/juice-wrld-estate-dr-luke-sued-alleged-co-writer-not-enough-1235447223/
SAG-AFTRA to Restart Contract Negotiations on Tuesday
With the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike surpassing 100 days, the union asks for more benefits, control over AI likenesses, and shares of streaming revenue as it heads to the negotiation table again early next week.
https://laist.com/news/sag-aftra-to-restart-contract-negotiations-this-week
SAG-AFTRA Applauds Announcement of the NO FAKES Act
Congress has proposed a new bill, the NO FAKES Act, that aims to protect the voice and likeness of artists as intellectual property protections need to grow and change as AI technology continues to rapidly grow and change.
https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-applauds-announcement-no-fakes-act
SAG-AFTRA Clarifies Halloween Costume Rules After Uproar, Ryan Reynolds Mocks
Actors will have to follow specific rules this Halloween to ensure they continue supporting the ongoing strike while in costume. SAG-AFTRA says anyone who wears a costume making reference to film pop culture will be a “scab” on the strike.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sag-aftra-clarifies-halloween-costume-rules-ryan-reynolds-1235624100/
Adapting ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ for TV, and the Blind
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “All the Light We Cannot See,” will be made into a Netflix short series, staring two blind actresses playing the lead character. The director of the series and author of the book say they will ensure the significance of having blind actresses play lead roles will make the show true to blind watchers and readers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/arts/television/all-the-light-we-cannot-see-adaptation.html
Universal Music Strikes ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Strategic AI Partnership with BandLab Technologies
Instead of fearing AI technologies, UMG is embracing the everchanging technology by partnering with BandLab Technologies to “ethically” use AI in a way that will “pioneer market-led solutions with pro-creator standards to ensue new technologies serve the creator community effectively and ethically.”
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-strikes-first-of-its-kind-strategic-ai-partnership-with-bandlab-technologies1/
Jimmy Buffett Posthumously Releases Two New Collaborations
While many are still mourning the loss of Jimmy Buffet after his battle with cancer, the late singer’s fans will get the chance to enjoy the release of his final album on November 3rd. The album will feature collaborations with Emmylou Harris and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/10/17/jimmy-buffett-posthumously-releases-two-new-collaborations/?sh=3b5190654772
SACEM Demands Authorization for AI Data Mining and Machine Learning of Its Catalogs
SACEM, a French song rights collecting organization, released a statement urging establishment of a “sustainable and virtuous balance” between creator and publisher rights and AI companies and users, in attempts to protect and restore the exclusive rights of creators.
https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/10/15/sacem-demands-authorization-for-ai-data-mining/
Arts
“Kidnapped” Posters Express Anguish Over Israeli Hostages
Two Israeli artists on a trip to NY decided to take their talents and create a public street art and activist campaign containing the word “Kidnapped” with photos of Israeli citizens kidnapped by Hamas as a way to support bringing the civilians back home.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/nyregion/israeli-gaza-kidnapped-posters.html?searchResultPosition=1
Stark Gender Imbalance at U.S. Opera Companies Extends Beyond Podiums
New studies show that women are disproportionately represented in Opera Companies, from directing to conducting, and in design positions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/arts/music/gender-imbalance-at-us-opera-companies.html?searchResultPosition=1
Cleveland Museum Sues to Stop Seizure of Statue Believed to Depict Marcus Aurelius
A headless statue has been seized by NYC authorities from the Cleveland Museum of Art, and now the museum is suing the Manhattan DA on claims that there was no legal authority backing the seizure of the statue believed to depict Marcus Aurelius.
https://apnews.com/article/roman-statue-cleveland-museum-turkey-manhattan-7c27e14203ef16cb9b4f357638f1540a
U.S. Book Bans Are Taking a Toll on a Beloved Tradition: Scholastic Book Fairs
Beloved Scholastic Book Fairs will suddenly look different than previous years, as Scholastic is being accused of giving into the censorship of book banning, as it will separate the books mentioning race and sexuality in a package from the rest of the displayed books, and allow schools to choose if they will display and sell them at all.
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/17/1206219484/scholastic-book-fair-diversity-book-bans
If the Sky Were Orange: Art in the Time of Climate Change
The Blanton Museum will be opening an exhibit that focuses on the issue of climate change. “If the Sky Were Orange” will be made up of work by 10 different artists and will be curated by scientists and writers who have dedicated their work to contemporary climate issues.
https://blantonmuseum.org/exhibition/if-the-sky-were-orange-art-in-the-time-of-climate-change/
The Art World Opens Up to an Underrepresented Group
The “Into the Brightness” exhibition at the Oakland Museum features work from 300 different artists that are members of Creative Growth and its sister organizations, all of which are groups dedicated to celebrating artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/arts/design/artists-underrepresented-creative-growth-oakland.html
Salman Rushdie Says Literature’s Role is to ‘Create Beauty’ in Times of Conflict
Author Salman Rushdie received the Peace Prize at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The author, who himself was involved in a brutal stabbing last year, shined light on the importance of literature in times of despair, alluding to the current war in the Middle East.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/books/2023/10/22/salman-rushdie-frankfurt-book-fair/
Yayoi Kusama Apologizes for Past Derogatory Comments About Black People Ahead of New Show
Artist Yayoi Kysama included derogatory terms in her autobiography that she released 20 years ago. Now, she apologizes for her choice of words and the pain she may have caused as she debuts her new show, “Infinite Love.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/yayoi-kusama-apologizes-racist-comments-black-people-ahead-new-art-sho-rcna121272
A Painting Stolen From a Museum in Glasgow Has Been Returned After More Than 30 Years
30 years after a Robert Gemmell Hutchison painting was stolen from the Haggs Castle Museum of Childhood, the painting has been returned with the help of the Art Loss Register, a register that retrieves missing artwork.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/glasgow-museum-painting-stolen-returned-2382173
Fashion Mogul Peter Nygard Sexual Assault Trial Begins in Toronto: His Charges and History of Legal Troubles, Explained
Founder of Nygard International, Peter Nygard, began his trial in Toronto for five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement, to all of which he pleaded not guilty.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/09/28/fashion-mogul-peter-nygard-sexual-assault-trial-begins-in-toronto-his-charges-and-history-of-legal-troubles-explained/?sh=4ee77e5c6814
Sports
Billions in TV Revenue, Athletes as Employees on the Line as College Sports Face More Legal Threats
The NCAA is facing an antitrust lawsuit along side multiple college sports conferences as the issue of college athletes getting paid continues to raise questions regarding the growing similarity between college sports and major league sports.
https://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/new-threats-closing-in-on-college-sports-18428016.php
How Rich Donors and Loose Rules Are Transforming College Sports
Since NIL deals have become available for college athletes, the economics of college sports have completely changed. University donors are now choosing to pay college athletes via donor collectives, giving the donors a bit of a tax break and providing players with new incentives to choose to play at certain schools.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/21/us/college-athletes-donor-collectives.html?searchResultPosition=1
Adidas Wins in Rico Suit by Louisville Hoops Prospect Bowen
A U.S. Court of Appeals has rejected Brian Bowen II’s appeal in the racketeering lawsuit he brought against Adidas, a decision that might bring the case in front of the Supreme Court to address the laws surrounding NCAA amateurism.
https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2023/adidas-wins-in-college-basketball-prospects-rico-suit-1234742122/
Laws and Increased Communication Have Led to Schools Taking Concussions More Seriously
Sports-related concussions have been an issue for as long as contact sports have been around, but now more than ever, schools are taking the issue more seriously as seen in new Washington and Idaho laws providing timelines for when concussed athletes may return to playing.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/oct/15/laws-and-increased-communication-have-led-to-schoo/
Yeshiva University Soccer’s Emotional Win
As the world continues to mourn the loss of the lives lost in Israel, Yeshiva University’s Men’s Soccer Team, on which six team members are from Israel, celebrates their win by waving an Israeli flag.
https://www.fox5ny.com/video/1299235
Developer Promises Affordable Housing if Granted NYC Casino License
The Soloviev Group is hoping to gain the rights to build a casino near the U.N., and in the developer’s plan to gain those rights, it as promised to offer affordable housing for over 510 apartments.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/nyregion/casino-un-manhattan-soloviev-group.html?searchResultPosition=1
Media & Technology
Supreme Court Lifts Restrictions on Biden Administration Communications with Social Media Companies
The Supreme Court lifted all restrictions on the Biden Administration’s use of social media after it was previously restricted in its ability to communicate with social media companies regarding false news.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/20/politics/supreme-court-social-media/index.html
FCC Wants to Re-Instate Net Neutrality Rules
The FCC has ruled to re-establish net neutrality rules, which provides for open internet protections. The rules were extinguished during the Trump Administration, and will now be voted on again in the coming months.
https://telecoms.com/524420/fcc-wants-to-re-instate-net-neutrality-rules/
OpenAI in Talks for Deal That Would Value Company at $80B
OpenAI, the tech company that has taken over households and companies over the previous months, has been valued at $80B in a potential upcoming deal. This amount is triple what the company was valued at just under six months ago.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/technology/openai-artifical-intelligence-value.html
State Bar Associations Escalate Work on Ethical Issues Raised by AI
As ethical questions continue to arise over the use of AI, state bar associations have been forming workgroups that will focus on creating guidelines for using the new technology ethically in the legal profession.
https://www.esquiresolutions.com/state-bar-associations-escalate-work-on-ethical-issues-raised-by-artificial-intelligence/?utm_campaign=MCI&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=278852192&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--pbGEvCKGukGW4kzfjLkmrVKgX9yAk3V6fm8eOiyupavwRgwyxXDloLBsCFX8dJ6YY_D9gknAWprpkVEaB-acF8T_oRMypOQQ84Qzmo_evLjyLPNs&utm_content=278852192&utm_source=hs_email
NY Attorney General Sues Crypto Firms in $1B Fraud Case
NY Attorney General Letitia James brought a lawsuit against Gemini Trust, Genesis Capital, and Digital Currency Group, claiming that the crypto firms lied to investors about where their loans went.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/business/cryptocurrency-lawsuit-new-york-winklevoss.html
Judge Won’t Let Alex Jones Use Bankruptcy to Avoid Sandy Hook Damages
Alex Jones will have to pay the $1.4B he owes to the families of the Sandy Hook school shooting after a judge ruled that his business’s bankruptcy will not prevent him from paying the damages.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/us/politics/alex-jones-sandy-hook.html?searchResultPosition=1
Trump Fined $5,000 for Breaking Gag Order by Leaving Abusive Post Online
Former President Trump will have to pay $5,000 after posting online an attack about the judge’s clerk, violating the gag order placed on him.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/nyregion/trump-fraud-trial-gag-order-fine.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20231020&instance_id=105734&nl=from-the-times®i_id=67127294&segment_id=147905&te=1&user_id=0236c45b7ba3058bdd4cb83eb64a9d71
Music Publishers Sue AI Company Anthropic for Copyright Infringement
Anthropic AI Company is being sued by Universal Music, Concord, and ABKCO for copyright infringement as the publishers claim that Antropic has used lyrics they have control over without acquiring licenses.
https://completemusicupdate.com/music-publishers-sue-ai-company-anthropic-for-copyright-infringement/
Hamas Hijacked Victims’ Social Media Accounts to Spread Terror
Hamas terrorists are not just killing, raping, and kidnapping Israelis, they are also hacking into their social media accounts to terrorize the friends and families of victims by posting their heinous crimes on the victims’ pages.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/17/technology/hamas-hostages-social-media.html
Clearview AI Successfully Appeals $9M Fine in the U.K.
Clearview AI is avoiding a $9M fine after a British appeals court has ruled that a jurisdictional issue exists in the lawsuit involving a NY company and foreign law enforcement agencies.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/technology/clearview-ai-privacy-fine-britain.html?searchResultPosition=1
Australia Fines X for Failing to Provide Information About Child Abuse Content
X, formally Twitter, is being fined for $386,000 by an Australian regulator for online safety after the social media platform failed to answer questions regarding how the platform combats content that may be abusive to children.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/16/australia-fines-x-for-failing-to-provide-information-about-child-abuse-content/
General News
There’s Still No House Speaker. What Happens Now?
It has been almost three weeks since there has been a House Speaker, and an internal election will have to be held yet again to elect a new republican nominee.
https://www.nytimes.com/article/house-speaker-whats-next.html
Settlement Over Trump Family Separations at Border Limits Future Separations for 8 Years
The Biden administration and the American Civil Liberties Union have proposed a settlement that bars the federal government from enabling immigration policies that separate children from their parents for eight years and that will provide separated families that were separated under the Trump Administration with temporary legal status and short term housing aid.
https://apnews.com/article/separated-children-trump-biden-border-immigration-f9a73685d0ddbcda86e5b69997f5f7dd
Justice Barrett Calls for Supreme Court to Adopt an Ethics Code
Justice Barrett has said that the Supreme Court should adopt an Ethics Code in attempts to help the Court with rules that will provide for public transparency.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/us/politics/supreme-court-ethics-code-amy-coney-barrett.html
Ghost Gun Rules Will Stay in Place for Now, Supreme Court Rules
The Supreme Court has reinstated Ghost Gun regulations that apply to weapons that are self-made from kits without including serial numbers or requirements for background checks.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/16/ghost-guns-supreme-court-oconnor-biden/
Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty in Georgia Trump Case
Sidney Powell, a Trump legal team member, has pleaded guilty in the Georgia case, as she agrees to work with prosecutors working to convict the former president of election interference.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/us/sidney-powell-guilty-plea-trump-georgia.html
Kenneth Chesebro, a Trump-Aligned Lawyer, Pleads Guilty in Georgia
Another Trump attorney, Kenneth Chesebro, has pleaded guilty in the Georgia election interference case and has been criminally charged with conspiracy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/us/kenneth-chesebro-trump-guilty-plea-georgia.html
Judge Temporarily Lifts Narrow Gag Order on Trump in 2020 Election Interference Case
Trump will now be allowed to make public statements regarding the ongoing election interference case as a federal judge has ruled to temporarily lift the gag order she previously put in place.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-temporarily-lifts-narrow-gag-order-on-trump-in-2020-election-interference-case
Inside Trump’s Back Room Effort to Lock Up the Nomination
It is no secret that Former President Trump has been avoiding Republican Party debates as the Presidential nomination race continues, but sources claim that Trump and his team have been working for months on his plan to secure the nomination through behind the scenes alliances.
https://electionlawblog.org/?p=139173
NYSBA Decries Hate Speech Supporting Repugnant Attacks
The NYSBA has denounced the attacks by Hamas on Israeli citizens and recognizes the violations
of international laws that continue to occur in Israel as the Association’s Task Force on
Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Asian Hate decries hate speech of any kind.
https://nysba.org/new-york-state-bar-association-decries-hate-speech-supporting-repugnant-attacks/?utm_campaign=MCI&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=278852192&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--9mQS0WgCZHkShPZeSaJPJPxJOEk0v-NKM11zZwGhB0y4vcizRPVpmnrhJBAAMEdQE4scLSu97yT_gAxs6hr9bIJLaeQlX4edx4jQCV7PPfuGOfEE&utm_content=278852192&utm_source=hs_email
White Judge Who Pointed Gun at Black Man in Court is Ousted
A New York Judge was removed from his position after pointing a gun at a Black man who appeared in his courtroom and repeatedly bragging about it, using racist vocabulary to discuss the litigant.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/nyregion/judge-removed-loaded-gun.html?searchResultPosition=1
Malaysian Prisoners Reach Plea Agreements at Guantánamo Bay
Two men who have been charged with killing more than 200 people in an Indonesia bombing have scheduled their entry for pleas for early 2024, 20 years after originally being captured.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/us/politics/bali-bombing-gitmo-prisoners.html
Hamas Releases 2 American Hostages from Gaza, in a First Since Oct. 7 Attack
Two American hostages were released from the terrorist organization Hamas for “humanitarian reasons,” making the these victims the first to be released, as over 200 hostages remain in Gaza.
https://www.jta.org/2023/10/20/united-states/hamas-releases-two-american-hostages-to-israel?utm_source=JTA_Maropost&utm_campaign=JTA_alert&utm_medium=email&mpweb=1161-63547-99166