By Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
These Classic Characters Are Losing Copyright Protection. They May Never be the Same.
Characters including the original Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh are now in the Public Domain.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/arts/public-domain-mickey-mouse.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
French Montana Beats Copyright Case, But Judge Sympathizes with Accuser: ‘Imitation is Flattery’
Although rapper French Montana won the lawsuit against him accusing him of illegal sampling, the judge acknowledged that while there was no copyright infringement, the claimant was correct in arguing that the rapper imitated their work.
https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/french-montana-wins-copyright-case-judge-sympathizes-with-accuser-1235576433/
Former Rock Musician Arrested on Murder Charge After Girlfriend’s Disappearance
Theobald Lengyel, former member of rock group Mr. Bungle, was arrested after being accused of killing his girlfriend who had disappeared a month ago.
https://fox59.com/news/national-world/former-rock-musician-arrested-on-murder-charge-after-girlfriends-disappearance/
Woman Sues Jermaine Jackson, Alleging He Sexually Assaulted Her in 1988
Former Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson was sued by a woman who accused him of rape and sexual assault under the California Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-sues-jermaine-jackson-alleging-sexually-assaulted-1988-rcna131592
Nigel Lythgoe Departs ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
The host of So You Think You Can Dance stepped down from his role on the competition show after superstar Paula Abdul alleged that he sexually assaulted her.
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/06/1223303666/nigel-lythgoe-so-you-think-you-can-dance-sexual-assault-allegations
Arts
Hundreds of Online Museum Collections Suffer in Cyber Attack
A cyber attack on Gallery Systems put hundreds of art collections at risk, as the site is home to vital information about objects in museums around the world.
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/cyber-attack-museums-gallery-systems-1234692222/
Russian Oligarch Takes Sotheby’s to Court Over Claim That He ‘Was Overcharged by $1B for Artworks’
In a lawsuit against Sotheby’s, Russian Oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev claims that he was overcharged and allegedly “duped” into spending over $1B on art that is actually worth significantly less.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/05/business/russian-oligarch-sues-sothebys-after-he-was-overcharged-by-1-billion/
Citing Risk to Elie Wiesel’s ‘Night,’ Iowa Judge Blocks Key Parts of State Book Ban Law
An Iowa state law banning books in school libraries that include “sex acts” has been mostly banned by a federal judge who pointed out that the law was so broad as to prohibit schools from keeping non-fiction books about the Holocaust off of their library shelves.
https://www.jta.org/2024/01/02/united-states/citing-risk-to-elie-wiesels-night-iowa-judge-blocks-key-parts-of-state-book-ban-law?utm_source=JTA_Maropost&utm_campaign=JTA_DB&utm_medium=email&mpweb=1161-66703-99166
Sports
USTA Hires Attorneys to Review Handling of Sexual Abuse and Harassment Allegations
Two attorneys from Debevoise & Plimpton have been hired by the USTA to review how the tennis association is handling recent complaints and allegations of sexual abuse and harassment within the organization.
https://theathletic.com/5179686/2024/01/04/usta-tennis-attorney-sexual-abuse-review/
Oscar Pistorius Released on Parole After Serving Half His Sentence for Killing Reeva Steenkamp
The Olympian who was sentenced on manslaughter charges after shooting his girlfriend that he “thought was an intruder” was released on parole after serving for nine years.
https://people.com/oscar-pistorius-released-on-parole-after-serving-half-his-sentence-for-killing-reeva-steenkamp-8421463
Spain Soccer Star Jennifer Hermoso Testifies in Sexual Assault Probe Against Luis Rubiales
Forward of Spain’s soccer team, Jennifer Hermoso, testified in the sexual assault case against Luis Rubiales regarding the unwanted kiss heard around the world following the team’s World Cup victory.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/sport/spain-jennifer-hermoso-testify-luis-rubiales-spt-intl/index.html
Media & Technology
Boom in AI Prompts a Test of Copyright Law
After authors, artists, and musicians have started bringing lawsuits against AI companies, copyright law might start to look different as the new technology continues to reach unprecedented territory.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/business/media/copyright-law-ai-media.html
Inside the News Industry’s Uneasy Negotiations with OpenAI
Multiple media companies have been attempting to make licensing deals with OpenAI, but many of these deals have yet to come to fruition.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/29/business/media/media-openai-chatgpt.html
General News
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Trump is Eligible for Colorado Ballot
For the first time in nearly 24 years, SCOTUS will be playing a key role in the upcoming presidential election as it hears the case on Trump’s potential ban from the CO Primary Ballot.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/us/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot.html?searchResultPosition=1
Trump Warns of ‘Big Trouble’ As Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Colorado Ballot Case
Following the CO state decision to leave Trump off the state’s primary ballot, the former president warns of ‘Big Trouble’ if the Supreme Court does not rule to overturn that decision.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4392902-trump-warns-big-trouble-as-scotus-agrees-hear-colorado-case/
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Idaho’s Strict Abortion Ban
SCOTUS is also hearing arguments challenging Idaho’s abortion ban, which has been criticized by President Biden as an extreme law that “denies women critical emergency abortion care required by federal law.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/us/politics/supreme-court-idaho-abortion-ban.html?searchResultPosition=1
Chief Justice Weighs in on AI, Ignores Looming Trump Cases
Chief Justice Roberts focused on artificial intelligence in his year-end report, which simultaneously avoided the topic of ethics and former President Trump’s historic time in the court room.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/31/john-roberts-supreme-court-year-end-report-00133370
Foreign Governments Spent Millions at Trump Businesses While He Held Office, Democrats Say
A report has been released by House Democrats showing millions of dollars spent by foreign companies on Trump businesses while he was still in office – a move that the House Democrats say violate the Emoluments Clause.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/foreign-governments-spent-millions-at-trump-businesses-while-he-held-office-democrats-say
The Jan. 6 Riot Inquiry So Far: Three Years, Hundreds of Prison Sentences
Three years have officially gone by since the Jan. 6th insurrection, and still, investigations into what led to the attacks on the Capitol continue as prosecutors have dubbed the riot inquiry the “largest in the history of the Justice Department.”
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/01/04/us/january-6-capitol-trump-investigation.html
New State Laws on Hot-Button Issues Take Effect Today
As 2024 commences, new state laws focusing on gun safety, diversity initiatives, and marijuana will start to take effect.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/us/new-state-laws-2024.html
FDA Allows First-Ever Canadian Drug Imports to U.S.
The FDA is allowing imports of drugs from Canada as the U.S. purchases bulk drugs from a foreign country for the first time for cheaper prices.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/01/05/fda-allows-first-ever-canadian-drug-imports-to-us-report-says/?sh=59828c3b938f
NY Could Become First State to Offer Paid Leave for Prenatal Care
Gov. Hochul announced a proposal that discusses the potential for paid prenatal care leave for mothers, a move that would make NY the first state to make such an offer.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/nyregion/hochul-prenatal-care-maternal-mortality.html?searchResultPosition=1
Jack Smith Responds After Trump Legal Team Argues for Special Counsel to Be Held in Contempt
Following the Trump legal team’s argument that prosecutors from Jack Smith’s office should be held in contempt, Smith responded by saying that there have been no violation of court orders in the former president’s election interference case.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jack-smith-responds-trump-legal-team-arguing-special-counsel-held-cont-rcna132607
NYC Sues 17 Charter Bus Companies for $700M Over Transporting Asylum Seekers to the City from Texas
17 different charter bus companies have been sued for over $700M by NYC for transporting migrants to NYC from Texas on “rogue buses.”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/us/migrant-crisis-new-york-bus-company-lawsuit/index.html#:~:text=The%20lawsuit%2C%20which%20names%2017,in%20the%20city%20since%202022
National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre Steps Down Amid Corruption Charges
LaPierre, CEO of the NRA, has stepped down and resigned from the association with Andrew Arulanandam taking over as interim CEO just days before his corruption trial begins in NY.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/05/nra-vice-president-steps-down-amid-corruption-charges-00134094