Three Things for April 7
1. Ed Sheeran wins copyright dispute
British performer Ed Sheeran won a copyright battle over his 2017 pop song “Shape of You” on Wednesday, April 7.
Sami Chokri, an artist whose stage name is Sami Switch, accused Ed Sheeran of copying his song “Oh Why” from 2015. Chokri’s team argued the choruses of each song had striking similarities.
“Andrew Sutcliffe, the lawyer for the co-writers of ‘Oh Why,’ argued that there was an ‘indisputable similarity between the works.’ He claimed that Sheeran had ‘Oh Why’ in his head ‘consciously or unconsciously’ when ‘Shape of You’ was written in 2016,” reports AP News.
The trial lasted 11 days, and in yesterday’s court hearing, High Court Judge Antony Zacaroli ruled in favor of Sheeran’s claim that he did not copy Chokri’s song.
“It is so painful to hear someone publicly and aggressively challenge your integrity,″ Sheeran said. “It is so painful to have to defend yourself against accusations that you have done something that you haven’t done, and would never do.″
2. Biden nominates the first woman to command US Coast Guard
President Joe Biden nominated Admiral Linda Fagan to potentially serve as Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Fagan assumed the Vice Commandant position in June 2021, when she began her work reporting to the Coast Guard Headquarters as the Commander. She has served on all seven continents.
“Possessing extensive interagency as well as intergovernmental experience, Admiral Fagan has worked with both the International Maritime Organization and International Labor Organization on flag state and port state issues. This work includes the development of the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS), and the Consolidated Maritime Labor Convention,” reports the United States Coast Guard.
If confirmed, Fagan would be the first woman to lead a branch of the military.
“Admiral Fagan's nomination will inspire generations of American women to strive to serve at the highest level in the Armed Forces," said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, as reported by NPR.
3. Southern storms kill two in Georgia and Texas
Strong storms ripping through the South have caused two fatalities in Georgia and Texas.
“A woman died Tuesday evening in Pembroke, Georgia, where a suspected tornado ripped part of the roof from the Bryan County courthouse, destroyed the entrance to a local government building across the street, and damaged homes in nearby neighborhoods, said Matthew Kent, a county government spokesman,” reports AP News.
Over 50,000 homes and businesses were without power throughout Texas to South Carolina. The outages were followed by nonstop tornado warnings throughout Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
“In eastern Texas, W. M. Soloman, 71, died when storm winds toppled a tree onto Solomon’s home in Whitehouse, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Dallas, Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley said. Officials said trees fell on at least four homes there,” reports AP News.
The extreme weather is predicted to move further north. Residents of Atlanta, Birmingham and Chattanooga will still be at risk, according to officials.
