“A federal appeals court on Wednesday declared unconstitutional a New York law that largely banned sales and in-store displays by antiques dealers of ivory and rhinoceros horns in the state. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan sided with two trade groups that said the law signed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo violated antiques dealers’ First Amendment commercial speech rights. The court called the law broader than necessary to promote New York’s substantial interest in stopping illegal ivory sales in the state, noting that it also covered goods that could be sold legally interstate or internationally.” (11/13/24)
“Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has surprised lawmakers by declaring that he would appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during questioning in the House of Representatives about his administration’s war on drugs. … Duterte’s response was a reversal of his long-standing rejection of foreign interference in his policies. The 79-year-old former leader is facing separate probes in the House and Senate related to crimes that took place during the drug war that was carried out under his term, which human rights activists say has led to the extrajudicial killings of thousands. He is also under investigation by the ICC for crimes against humanity related to the killings.” (11/13/24)
“On show in a historic palazzo in the central Italian city of Pisa this week are about 450 works arranged by some headline-grabbing names: Gustav Klimt, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and others. Alongside them are paint tubes, paintbrushes and cans of spray paint that reflect the versatility of the works’ creators. The catch: The pieces are all fakes. The works are among the more than 2,100 pieces seized by Italy’s specialized art theft squad over the past year in an effort to break up a Europe-wide network of art forgers and dealers accused of selling counterfeit pieces to unsuspecting buyers.” (11/13/24)
“President-elect Trump and President Biden both pledged a smooth transition between administrations as they met at the White House on Wednesday morning. ‘I look forward … to having a smooth transition. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated, what you need,’ President Biden said as cameras and reporters were briefly allowed in the Oval Office for the meeting. Speaking second, Trump emphasized that ‘politics is tough and in many cases it’s not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today.’ ‘I appreciate very much the transition that’s so smooth. It will be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that,’ the former and future president added.” (11/13/24)
“European food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway.com is selling Grubhub for $650 million, a fraction of the billions it spent to buy the U.S. platform just three years ago. Wonder Group, a New York-based food ordering company that touts ‘fast fine’ dining, is set to be Grubhub’s new owner. Under terms of the deal, announced Wednesday, Wonder will acquire Grubhub from Just Eat Takeaway.com for $150 million in cash and $500 million in senior notes. That’s far less than than the pricetag on Grubhub’s last sale. Back in 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge in demand for takeout meals, Just Eat agreed to buy Grubhub for $7.3 billion — reportedly beating Uber to a merger — in a transaction that was later finalized in 2021.” (11/13/24)
“U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith plans to step down along with other members of his team before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Smith brought two of the cases against Trump, one involving classified documents Trump kept after leaving office and the other involving his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. A Florida-based federal judge in July dismissed the documents case. The Justice Department is now evaluating how to wind down Smith’s election-related case.” (11/13/24)
“Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli is contesting a class action lawsuit filed by US consumers over alleged high levels of heavy metals found in its dark chocolate bars. The lawsuit, launched in February 2023, follows a report by the US consumer organization Consumer Reports, which raised concerns about the presence of lead and cadmium in chocolates from several manufacturers, including Lindt. Lindt has denied the allegations, stating in a statement that its products comply with all applicable safety standards. … The class action lawsuit was triggered by a 2022 Consumer Reports investigation that tested 28 dark chocolate bars sold in the US. Lindt’s products were found to have elevated levels of lead and cadmium, though they were not among those with the highest concentrations.” (11/13/24)
“Niger’s military rulers on Tuesday withdrew French humanitarian NGO Acted’s licence to operate amid tensions with its former colonial ruler. Acted has been working in the impoverished country since 2009, notably tending to displaced people in a nation hit by jihadist violence. … Another non-profit, Niger’s APBE, likewise saw its licence withdrawn. ‘The march towards national sovereignty is in full progress in Niger!’ said pro-government personality and influencer Ibrahim Bana on social media.” (11/13/24)
“Hours after Donald Trump was elected president for the second time, Dr. Clayton Alfonso had two messages from patients seeking to replace their IUDs. Over the next few days, three women inquired about getting their tubes tied. All of them said the election was the reason they were making these choices now. Requests for long-term birth control and permanent sterilizations have surged across the nation since the election, doctors told The Associated Press. And companies that sell emergency contraception and abortion pills say they’re seeing significant spikes in requests from people who are stockpiling the medications — one saw a 966% increase in sales of emergency contraception from the week before in the 60 hours after the election.” (11/13/24)
“The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled Wednesday that the slogan ‘Russian warship, go fuck yourself’ cannot be claimed by Ukraine as an EU trademark. The accidental war slogan was at the center of a heated trademark battle between Ukraine’s State Border Guard and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The phrase was first coined by a Ukrainian soldier responding to the Russian navy’s demand to surrender as it prepared to attack Snake Island in the Black Sea in the early hours of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in 2022. In the years since, the phrase has become a symbol of Kyiv’s resilience against Moscow. But Ukraine claimed that authorship of the phrase should belong to Kyiv, to avoid anyone else claiming the trademark and profiting off the slogan.” (11/13/24)
