Week In Review
- Elissa D. Hecker - Editor
- 3 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Jason Isbell Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Suno, Accusing AI Music Company of Exploiting Artists’ Identities
Jason Isbell and three other musicians are suing AI music company Suno, alleging that it commercially exploits musicians’ identities without consent without permission to generate music in their style.
Now Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Sue Anthropic in Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit: ‘One of the Largest and Most Blatant Ongoing Thefts of Intellectual Property History.’
Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell are suing Anthropic for allegedly using copyrighted songs without permission to train its Claude AI models. The publishers are seeking billions in damages, calling it one of the largest ongoing thefts of intellectual property.
All Eyez On Guilty: Tupac Trial Jury Reaches Verdict In ‘Poetic Justice’ Star’s 1996 Drive-By Shooting Death
Duane “Keffe D” Davis was found guilty of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder, nearly 30 years after the rapper’s death. Davis, who was not accused of being the shooter, faces a possible life sentence.
Arts
Why the Supreme Court's Ballroom Ruling Could Matter Beyond the Ballroom
The Supreme Court’s ballroom ruling could have broader implications for the separation of powers, making it harder to challenge presidential spending that Congress has not authorized. The decision also limits who can sue over projects based on “aesthetic injuries.”
A Sculpture In Perpetual Motion, Removed
The Smithsonian removed a kinetic sculpture, “Blue”, that had been a fixture in Washington for decades, sparking debate over who gets to decide what public art belongs in public spaces. The piece’s removal has raised questions about preservation, ownership, and the changing role of public art.
What Does Met’s U-turn on John Galliano Augur for Him, the Gala, and Anna Wintour?
The Met canceled its planned 2027 exhibition honoring designer John Galliano after backlash over his past antisemitic and racist remarks. The reversal was a rare public setback for Anna Wintour, who strongly supported Galliano’s rehabilitation.
Sports
Former Cal Softball Coach Accused of Coercing Player into Sexual Relationship in Bombshell Lawsuit
A former Berkley softball player is suing ex-coach Chelsea Spencer, alleging that Spencer pressured her into a sexual relationship and retaliated by reducing playing time when the student athlete tried to end it. The lawsuit also accuses UC Berkeley of failing to intervene despite concerns about the relationship.
Ex-TCU S Jacob Fields Charged Over Alleged Punch of Teammate
Former TCU safety Jacob Fields was charged with aggravated assault after allegedly punching and kicking teammate Dozie Ezukanma in the locker room. Ezukanma suffered a brain bleed and was hospitalized for three days.
Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz to Stand Trial Next Year Amid Sports Betting Scandal
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will stand trial over allegations that they rigged pitches to help sports bettors profit. Prosecutors say the scheme involved advance information about specific pitches in exchange for bribes.
Dodgers Owner Mark Walter Embroiled in Financial Investigation
Dodgers owner Mark Walter is facing a federal investigation into whether his insurance companies improperly provided billions of dollars in loans to other parts of his business empire. The scrutiny could put pressure on Walter to sell assets, including the Dodgers.
LA Rams Owner Kroenke Reaches Agreement to Buy Angels
Stan Kroenke has agreed to buy a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Angels from longtime owner Arte Moreno for a record-setting $4 billion valuation. The deal is expected to close in 2027 pending MLB approval.
Private Equity Eyes College Sports Revenue, Schools Weigh Costs
Private equity firms are increasingly looking to invest in college sports as schools face rising costs and new revenue-sharing obligations. Some schools see outside investment as a way to stay competitive, while others worry about giving up control.
Media & Technology
Anthropic Sued Over Alleged Theft of ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Songs
Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell are suing Anthropic, alleging that the AI company used tens of thousands of copyrighted songs without permission to train its Claude models. The publishers are seeking billions in damages.
The Google Ad Tech Remedies Matter to You, Too
A federal judge’s new remedies in Google’s ad-tech antitrust case stop short of breaking up the company’s advertising business. Critics argue that Google’s continued dominance could mean higher ad costs, less transparency for publishers, and fewer choices for consumers.
In Re: OpenAI, Inc: Statement of Interest of the United States, Declaring that Training Is Not Infringement as Fair Use Battles Rage
The U.S. government filed a statement supporting OpenAI in its copyright case, arguing that training AI models on copyrighted works is generally fair use and highly transformative. The statement suggests that restricting AI training could hurt U.S. innovation and competitiveness. The position could significantly impact the growing number of copyright lawsuits between AI companies and creators.
OpenAI and Hugging Face Partner to Address Security Incident During Model Evaluation
OpenAI disclosed a security incident during a Hugging Face model evaluation in which an AI agent accessed systems beyond the intended testing scope. The incident was contained and OpenAI said there was no evidence of resulting real-world harm. However, it limited what the evaluators could review.
New York City School System to Ban AI for Elementary and Middle School Students
New York City public schools will ban student use of generative AI from 2K through eighth grade for one year, affecting roughly 600,000 students. The policy is aimed at protecting independent thinking and human connection in the classroom.
NYC Broke Record-Keeping Rules with Mamdani’s Secret Influencer Signal Chat, Mayor’s Top Attorney Seemingly Admits
NYC officials admitted that a Signal group chat used to coordinate with pro-Mamdani influencers violated public-record requirements because messages were set to disappear. City Hall has since told staff to disable the disappearing-message feature.
China Censors Videos Showing Deadly Flash Floods on the Nepal-Tibet Border
A devastating flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border killed more than 1,300 people and left thousands missing, while footage of the disaster has been heavily censored in China. The lack of images and survivor accounts has raised concerns about transparency in the tightly controlled region.
General News
U.S. Envoys Witkoff and Kushner Hold Talks in Ukraine After Meeting with Putin
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russia’s Putin and then Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in a renewed effort to restart peace talks. While the discussions were described as encouraging, no major breakthrough was reached.
Top military officials faced polygraphs over leaks of sensitive information on weapons stockpiles, sources say
Top military officials were reportedly subjected to polygraph tests as the Pentagon investigated leaks involving sensitive information about U.S. weapons stockpiles. The move reflects an aggressive effort from the administration to identify the sources of the leaks.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-military-officials-polygraphs-leaks-pentagon-weapons-hegseth-trump/
Missouri Asks Supreme Court to Let it Use New Trump-Backed Congressional Districts in Midterms
Missouri’s Supreme Court has cleared the way for a new congressional map that could reshape the state’s districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The map is expected to benefit Republicans and could potentially cost Democrats a seat.
Judge Declares Mistrial in Lindsay Clancy Case After Jury Deadlock
After days of jury deliberation, Judge Sullivan declared a mistrial when the jury could not reach a unanimous conclusion.
What Did the Lindsay Clancy Judge Tell the Jury About Reasonable Doubt?
The Lindsay Clancy case, which has drawn global attention, has also sparked broader discussion about the legal standard of reasonable doubt and how juries must weigh evidence in complex criminal cases.
The Future Gloria Steinem Wanted for Her Apartment
Following her passing, Gloria Steinem hoped her Upper East Side home would remain a space for women to gather, organize, and continue the activism she championed throughout her life. Now it will continue as a hub for organizing and social justice work through her foundation.
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