Week In Review
By Giancarla Sambo
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News:
Entertainment
Violent Gang, or Rap Label? Prosecutors Say Young Thug's YSL Is Both
With a blockbuster case set to begin, the superstar rapper sits at the intersection of complex questions about art, crime, and the criminal justice system.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/arts/music/young-thug-ysl-trial.html
'Romeo and Juliet' Stars Claim Nude Scene Was Child Abuse. Do They Have a Case?
The actors, now 72 and 71, accuse the late director Franco Zeffirelli of coercing them into performing a bedroom scene in the nude, after first promising that they could wear flesh-colored underwear.
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/romeo-and-juliet-child-abuse-leonard-whiting-olivia-hussey-1235484491/
'Uptown Funk' at Heart of New Royalties Lawsuit Against BMG
Years after members of the Gap Band were added as co-writers of the hit song, their heirs say they aren't getting paid their cut.
https://www.billboard.com/pro/uptown-funk-royalties-lawsuit-gap-band-sues-bmg/
Rising Labor Tensions in Hollywood: Why Directors Predict Tough Negotiations With Studios
Throughout its 87-year history, the Directors Guild of America has staged a strike only once - a walkout in 1987 that lasted 5 minutes (or 12 minutes by some accounts). But this year may be different.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-01-14/directors-contract-negotiations-dga-wga-labor-dispute-hollywood
The New Soldiers in Propane's Fight Against Climate Action: Television Stars
An industry group is spending millions of dollars to push back against efforts to move heating away from oil and gas.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/climate/climate-propane-influence-campaign.html
Arts
Computer Scientist Says AI 'Artist' Deserves its Own Copyrights
Computer scientist Stephen Thaler on Tuesday asked a Washington, D.C., federal court to rule that his artificial intelligence system is entitled to copyrights for art that it created. Seeking a pre-trial win in a lawsuit he filed last June; Thaler asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to overturn a U.S. Copyright Office decision that said creative works must be made by humans to receive copyright protection.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/computer-scientist-says-ai-artist-deserves-its-own-copyrights-2023-01-11/
Florida School Board Cancels Paula Vogel's 'Indecent,' a 'queer Jewish love story' About a Censored Yiddish Play
In 1923 in New York, a Yiddish play that featured the first lesbian scene on a Broadway stage was censored for being indecent. In 2023 in Florida, a play about the first play has been canceled for the same reason.
https://www.jta.org/2023/01/09/culture/florida-school-board-cancels-paula-vogels-indecent-a-queer-jewish-love-story-about-a-censored-yiddish-play?utm_source=JTA_Maropost&utm_campaign=JTA_DB&utm_medium=email&mpweb=1161-52631-99166
How These Sign Language Experts Are Bringing More Diversity to Theater
As productions increasingly include characters and perspectives from a variety of backgrounds, deaf and hearing people who translate the shows for deaf audiences are trying to keep up.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/arts/sign-language-experts-diversity-theater.html
D.C. Court Weighs Writer's Defamation Suit Against Trump
At issue is whether former President Trump was acting in his official capacity as president when he made disparaging comments about a writer who had accused him of rape.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/us/politics/trump-carroll-suit.html
As Historical Dramas Mushroom, So Do Complaints About Their Inaccuracies
The following stories are not based on real events. In fact, they're made up - even though they're meant to seem real. Recent cases that have been filed are being watched closely.
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/15/nytfrontpage/scan.pdf
Harry Styles Sues Over Fake Merch on the Internet, Says He Must Protect 'Unknowing' Fans
The "As It Was" star is battling counterfeit Harry merchandise by borrowing a legal maneuver used by big retail brands like Nike and Ray-Ban.
https://www.billboard.com/pro/harry-styles-fake-merch-lawsuit/
Korean War Memorial Is Riddled with Errors
"People ask us how we could spend so much effort doing this. I say, how could we not? We feel we owe it to these guys." Ted Barker of the Korean War Project spoke about tracking the thousands of mistakes he estimates are on a wall dedicated to American service members who died fighting in the conflict.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/pageoneplus/quotation-of-the-day-korean-war-memorial-is-riddled-with-errors.html
As Russians Steal Ukraine's Art, They Attack Its Identity, Too
Russian forces have looted tens of thousands of pieces, including avant-garde oil paintings and Scythian gold. Experts say it is the biggest art heist since the Nazis in World War II, intended to strip Ukraine of its cultural heritage.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/world/asia/ukraine-art-russia-steal.html
Sports
Women's Soccer Bans Ex-Coaches and Fines Teams After Misconduct Report
Findings released in December revealed issues throughout the league, including several instances of sexual and emotional abuse.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/sports/soccer/nwsl-coaches-ban.html
Will New York City's Soccer Stadium Cost Taxpayers $0 or $516 Million?
An independent budget analysis suggests that the city will be losing $516 million in tax revenue from its deal to place a new soccer stadium in Queens.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/nyregion/soccer-stadium-queens-taxpayer.html
Gervonta Davis Sets Up for Ryan Garcia Bout Amid Legal Troubles
Davis stopped Héctor Luis García in a bout that showed his power and precision. He wants to fight Ryan Garcia next, but he also has court cases from a crash and an altercation with a woman.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/08/sports/boxing-gervonta-davis.html
Russia Found 'No Fault' for Figure Skater in Doping Violation
Kamila Valieva, whose positive test came to light during the Olympics, received a light penalty, drawing a sharp rebuke from the World Anti-Doping Agency.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/sports/kamila-valieva-doping-olympics.html#:~:text=The%20Russian%20Anti%2DDoping%20Agency,of%20the%20country's%20top%20athletes.
Technology/Media
Three-Quarters of Teenagers Have Seen Online Pornography by Age 17
Sexually explicit content has become so prevalent online that teenagers are deluged, according to a new report by a nonprofit child advocacy group.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/technology/porn-teens-online-report.html#:~:text=Three%2DQuarters%20of%20Teenagers%20Have,17%20%2D%20The%20New%20York%20Times
With Many Retailers Offering Online Sales, Phony Sites Blend In
Preying on shoppers strapped for cash and time, scammers are setting up fake sites that claim to have deep discounts on premium brands.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/business/online-shopping-scams.html
Sam Bankman-Fried Responds to Fraud Charges: 'I Didn't Steal Funds'
The disgraced founder of the crypto exchange FTX denied that he stole anyone's money and said that customers could still get their deposits back.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/technology/sam-bankman-fried-fraud-charges.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20didn't%20steal%20funds,least%20%245%20billion%20in%20funds.
NY's Right to Repair Law Shaped by Contentious IP, Safety Issues
New York's new, first-in-the-nation electronic repair law includes last-minute amendments lauded by industry groups as necessary to protect intellectual property and consumer safety, while advocates say they paint a false narrative that weakens its goal of helping consumers repair their devices.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/nys-right-to-repair-law-shaped-by-contentious-ip-safety-issues
Can Ron DeSantis Avoid Meeting the Press?
The Florida governor easily won re-election despite little engagement with mainstream news outlets, another sign of partisan division ahead of the 2024 presidential race.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/business/media/ron-desantis-media-journalists.html
How Finland Is Teaching a Generation to Spot Misinformation
The Nordic country is testing new ways to teach students about propaganda. Here's what other countries can learn from its success.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/world/europe/finland-misinformation-classes.html
What Drove a Mass Attack on Brazil's Capital? Mass Delusion
The riot in Brazil laid bare a daunting threat to that country's democracy: Unlike past putsch attempts in Latin America, this one was driven by deeply rooted conspiracy theories.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/world/americas/brazil-riots-bolsonaro-conspiracy-theories.html
General News
Federal Trade Commission Proposes to Eliminate Noncompetes
The Federal Trade Commission announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to ban noncompetes. This may mean that companies will no longer be able to require employees and contractors to sign noncompete clauses and would also dissolve existing noncompete agreements. Many think that the rules will be challenged.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/01/13/ftc-proposes-to-get-rid-of-noncompetes-
Supreme Court Evaluates Scope of Attorney Client Privilege
The justices struggled to decide how to deal with documents that include both legal and business advice.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/us/politics/supreme-court-attorney-client-privilege.html
Is Encouraging Unauthorized Immigration Free Speech or a Felony?
The Supreme Court will decide whether a 1986 law that makes it a crime to urge people to stay in the United States unlawfully can be squared with the First Amendment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/us/politics/supreme-court-immigration-free-speech.html
Supreme Court Leaves New York's Gun Law in Place for Now
The law, enacted in response to a decision in June striking down a restrictive gun control law, imposed new requirements on carrying guns in public.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/us/new-york-gun-law-supreme-court.html
House Narrowly Approves Rules Amid Concerns About McCarthy's Concessions
After initially balking at a package of changes to House rules that enshrine concessions the speaker made to ultraconservative members, Republicans united to push them through.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/us/politics/house-rules-republicans-mccarthy.html
I.R.S. Backlogs Continue as Republicans Mount Offensive
The National Taxpayer Advocate expressed hope that better days were ahead for the tax collection agency.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/business/irs-tax-returns-backlog.html
Garland Appoints Special Counsel to Investigate Handling of Biden Documents
The appointment of Robert K. Hur comes two months after the attorney general named a special counsel to investigate former President Donald J. Trump's mishandling of classified material.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/us/politics/biden-documents.html
Discovery of More Classified Records Raises Questions Over Biden's Handling of Documents
The revelation is sure to intensify Republican attacks on the president, who has called former President Trump irresponsible for hoarding sensitive documents at his estate in Florida.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/us/politics/biden-classified-documents.html
How Biden's Discovery of Classified Files Compares with the Trump Case
The Justice Department is scrutinizing how both presidents came to have classified records after they left office. But there are major differences.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/us/politics/biden-trump-documents-compare.html
Divided House Approves G.O.P. Inquiry Into 'Weaponization' of Government
Republicans pushed through a measure to create a powerful new committee to scrutinize what they have charged is an effort by the government to target and silence conservatives.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/us/politics/house-republican-committee-weaponization-government.html
As Infrastructure Money Lands, the Job Dividends Begin
Trillions of dollars in government spending will profoundly affect the labor market, but in ways hard to measure, and mostly under the surface.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/business/economy/infrastructure-jobs.html
George Santos Faces Calls to Resign From 4 G.O.P. Congressmen and N.Y. Lawmakers Request House Ethics Investigation
Republican officials in New York sharply denounced the embattled representative, even as leaders in Washington have said they will not push him to step down and 2 Democrats filed an official complaint about Santos's financial disclosures with the House's bipartisan ethics committee.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/george-santos-nassau-resign.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/nyregion/george-santos-ethics-inquiry.html
Santos's Lies Were Known to Some Well-Connected Republicans
Santos inspired no shortage of suspicion during his 2022 campaign, including in the upper echelons of his own party, yet many Republicans looked the other way.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/nyregion/george-santos-republicans-lies.html
Restoration of the Ozone Layer Is Back on Track, Scientists Say
Rogue emissions from China of ozone-depleting chemicals had threatened to delay recovery by a decade, but then the emissions stopped, according to a U.N.-backed report.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/climate/ozone-hole-restoration-montreal-protocol.html
Hochul to Unveil a $1 Billion Plan to Tackle Mental Illness in New York
In a State of the State address, the governor seeks to create new beds for people with severe mental illness and offer more mental health care to children.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/nyregion/hochul-mental-health-plan.html
Why Left-Leaning Democrats May Torpedo Hochul's Choice of Top Judge
Gov. Hochul has not given up on her nomination of Hector LaSalle to lead the state Court of Appeals, but the Legislature could refuse to approve him.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/hector-lasalle-chief-judge.html
Brooklyn Judge Accused of Making Racist and Homophobic Remarks Resigns
Misconduct claims against Judge Harriet Thompson of Brooklyn Surrogate's Court were scheduled to be considered at a hearing next week.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/nyregion/judge-thompson-resigns-brooklyn-surrogates-court.html
Start Firm to Combat Threats to Democracy
Mark F. Pomerantz, Carey R. Dunne and Michele Roberts, the former head of the N.B.A. players union, will launch a pro bono law firm, the Free and Fair Litigation Group.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/trump-investigation-prosecutors-law-firm.html
Trump's Longtime Finance Chief Sentenced to 5 Months in Jail
Allen H. Weisselberg served the family company for decades but agreed to testify about its tax fraud in exchange for a lighter punishment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/nyregion/trump-finance-chief-allen-weisselberg-sentenced.html
Trump's Company Gets Maximum Punishment for Evading Taxes
The Trump Organization must pay $1.6 million for giving executive off-the-books benefits and pay.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/nyregion/trump-organization-tax-fraud.html#:~:text=Former%20President%20Donald%20J.%20Trump's,and%20the%20maximum%20possible%20punishment.