"Roberto Saviano, Italy's best-known anti-Mafia author, went on trial for libel on Tuesday for calling Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a 'bastard'. If convicted, he could face up to three years' imprisonment, but under Italy's legal system a fine of around €500 euros or a suspended sentence are more likely." - Reuters
While Carey might’ve filed a petition to be the one and only “Queen of Christmas,” that royal title will remain free for anyone to claim this winter. - Washington Post
My composition chops were extremely rusty and needed buckets of WD-40 put on them. What was interesting is how once you get started, you actually get in the zone; all of a sudden wonderful things start occurring to you. - Van
The 85-year Grammy winner, whose biggest hits were "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song," has been diagnosed with the neurological syndrome amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("Lou Gehrig's disease"). - AP
The former longtime host of NBC's The Tonight Show, who is now 72, reportedly suffered burns to his face in a gasoline fire which broke out in the garage where he keeps his collection of vintage cars. - The Hollywood Reporter
“The hard part is figuring out how to do it in a levered way,” he said. “It’s not easy. Building Amazon was not easy. It took a lot of hard work — a bunch of very smart, hard-working teammates, and I’m finding — and I think Lauren is finding the same thing — that charity, philanthropy, is very similar.” -...
Music was an essential ingredient in Sendak’s creative process. “The work can’t happen without music,” he said in 1994. “I think everything I’ve done is a collaboration with a composer.” - ArtForum
Rubin was a geologist before he discovered the joys of art films in San Francisco. "For nearly three decades before it went dark in 1996, the 270-seat Biograph was an oasis for a small but devoted class of film buffs." - Washington Post
"Costa was a leading exponent of música popular brasileira. ... She never considered herself a traditional protest singer, or even politically motivated until the last few years when she spoke out against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro." - Washington Post
As an art critic at The New York Times, O'Dougherty "championed emerging artists like Eva Hesse and established names like Mark Rothko. ... A restless spirit, Mr. O’Doherty left The Times after just three years, eager to make his own work." - The New York Times
"Lin's works continue to grab the public's attention — and, she also hopes, the public's activism. But she might never get truly used to living in the public eye." - NPR
Haggis was ordered to pay $7.5 in damages and may end up owing more in punitive damages related to the 2013 sexual assault. Five women have accused him of assault and rape, dating back to 1996. - BBC
"The jury deliberated for nearly six hours and the unanimous panel of four men and two women awarded the plaintiff, Haleigh Breest, $7.5 million in compensation and recommended punitive damages, which will be decided Monday." - Variety
“No restitution or repair can undo the damage done by those who would vandalize such a sacred and historical site as White River Narrows, but this ruling demonstrates that such crimes will not be met with a slap on the wrist.” - Hyperallergic
