FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, September 19, 2002

OLD BLACK MAGIC: A federal court on Wednesday throwing out writer Nancy Stouffer's claims that Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, stole words and characters from Stouffer's books. The court also fined Stouffer for $50,000, accusing her of lying and doctoring evidence to support her claims. Stouffer claims to have come up with the term "muggle" in her series of Larry Potter books.

SO THAT'S WHY THE NEW BOOK'S LATE: Meanwhile, Rowling announcing Thursday that she and husband Neil Murray are expecting their first child together next spring. Rowling also has a daughter from her previous marriage.

STORK WATCH: Grammy-winning R&B singer Toni Braxton and her music producer husband, Keri Lewis, expecting their second child early next year. The couple have a son named Denim who was born last December.

SPEAKING OF BABIES: Marie Osmond and her music producer husband Brian Blosil have adopted a baby girl named Abigail. The couple, who married in 1986, now have eight children, a combination of both adopted and natural.

RERUN: For the second year in a row, Spanish artist Alejandro Sanz. sweeping the top awards at the Latin Grammys, taking home trophies for Best Record, Song and Album of the Year for MTV Unplugged. Other winners include Colombian pop star Carlos Vives, who won two awards, including Best Tropical Song.

AY, CARAMBA! Ratings for the Latin Grammys were way down, with the show drawing just 4.2 million viewers. The ceremony was actually beaten by reruns on the other networks.

RSVP-ING: CBS ordering a small-screen version of the indie smash hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding for midseason. Like the feature, the TV Wedding will star Nia Vardalos as a woman who starts dating a non-Greek man behind her parents back. The network wants to order 13 episodes.

GETTING THEIR LICKS IN: HBO to broadcast the Rolling Stones' January 18 concert live from New York's Madison Square Garden. It will be the Stones' first live concert for TV.

FASHIONABLE CHOICE: VH1 tapping David Bowie, Pink and Santana to perform at its VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards airing live on October 15 from Radio City Music Hall. Will & Grace' Debra Messing is set to host.

IT AIN'T WORKING: A U.S. State Department advisory commission on public diplomacy concluding that a public service announcement produced by the Hollywood 9/11 committee won't sway public opinion among Muslims overseas. Instead, the commission recommended that Tinseltown produce documentaries along the lines of pro-government World War II propaganda films.

IN FOCUS: Veteran cinematographer Wilmer Bulter, whose credits include Jaws, Grease and three Rocky sequels, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers. The award will be presented on February 13.

SCARY SALES: Disney's Monsters, Inc. setting a record for first-day DVD and video sales, selling 5 million copies for September 17, beating out record debuts by The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and The Lion King.

FREAKY EXIT: Annette Bening inexplicably dropping out of Walt Disney's comedy remake of Freaky Friday.

THE KID LANDS ON TV: Comedy Central greenlighting 10 episodes of a still-untitled animated series revolving around the real-life and fictional adventures of legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans. Evans will executive produce and lend his voice to the project, which is expected to air in summer 2003.

KUNG-FU FAIRY TALE: Disney in talks with famed Chinese choreographer Yuen Wo Ping to direct a live-action martial-arts version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves set in 1890s China. Instead of the dwarves, however, Snow White will team with seven Shaolin monks.

KUDOS! Appalachian music legend Jean Ritchie, considered one of the greatest dulcimer players of all time, among 15 artists honored Wednesday by the National Endowment of the Arts. She was recognized for connecting world audiences to the rich folk heritage of her home region.

NOT SO ROSIE: Comedian and former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell announcing she has decided to pull out of her magazine, Rosie, after battling the publisher G + J USA for editorial control. G + J is threatening a lawsuit.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: A Beverly Hills judge setting an October 7 trial date for Winona Ryder, who's facing charges of shoplifting at a Saks store.

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED: ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC to receive the Governors Award at the Emmys on Sunday for their jointly produced September 11 telethon, America: A Tribute to Heroes.