FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, July 25, 2001

RETURN OF THE JEDI: George Lucas filing a federal trademark-infringement suit against a Buffalo, New York, medical suppy company that wants market a line of energy-beam related medical devices as Light Sabers.

NOT ANOTHER JACKASS: Police in Bozeman, Montana, have arrested three teen boys after they shot plastic bullets at passers-by. One of the boys said the attack was inspired by MTV's Jackass. They face misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges.

MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS: Howard Stern permanently banning E! personality A.J. Benza after the gossip hound allegedly slapped Stuttering John during a melee at Stern's studio yesterday.

DUET: 'N Sync's Justin Timberlake telling Rolling Stone he and pop princess girlfriend Britney Spears plan to record a song together when the timing is right.

HEPBURN UPDATE: Doctors saying Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn, who was hospitalized last week for a urinary infection, will probably be released by the weekend.

EXPRESSING THEMSELVES: MTV executives reportedly upset at Madonna after she gave one of her Video Music Awards statuettes to charity and it wound up on the auction block at Sotheby's. The award was for her 1989 "Express Yourself" video. MTV is considering having winners sign a statement saying they will never sell or give away their trophies.

CHANGING ITS TUNE: In a huge move that could alienate what's left of Napster's user base, Hank Barry (who stepped down as CEO yesterday) confirming the song-swapping service will no longer support MP3 format files for storing music, but instead will rely on its own propietary NAP format.

IN THE HOT SEAT: Missouri's attorney general filing two lawsuits against Access Resources Inc., the company that promotes Miss Cleo's psychic hotline, alleging its business rips off state residents.

FIRE IN THE HULL: Mel Gibson in talks to star in The Captain and the Shark, a feature film about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II, the worst sea disaster in U.S. Navy history. Barry Levinson is poised to direct.

GETTING POLITICAL: Dave Matthews Band encouraging fans to reject President George W. Bush's proposed national energy plan, referring to the President's plan on their Website as the "Drill America First" policy.

KUDOS! Radiohead's Amnesiac, PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, and the self-titled debut from Gorillaz among the dozen finalists for the 2001 Mercury Music Prize, the most prestigious music award given in the U.K.

THE FINAL FRONTIER: Director Stuart Baird (Executive Decision, U.S. Marshalls) signing on to helm the 10th installment of the Star Trek feature franchise.

STILL ABOARD: The publicist for Nicole Kidman denying rumors the actress was dumped from Danish director Lars von Trier's next film, Dogville.

KIDS' NIGHT: Nickelodeon's 10th anniversary Rugrats special drawing an astonishing 70 share among kids aged 2 to 11, according the Nielsen Media Research, meaning 70 percent of kids watching TV in homes that get the program, tuned in.

DOUBLE BILL: An Indianapolis home builder pleading guilty to theft and will pay John Mellencamp more than $98,000 after admitting double-billing the rocker him for work done on his home. The builder could get three years in prison.