By Giancarla Sambo
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News:
Entertainment
Rap Star Bankrolled Gangs That Killed on His Orders, Prosecutors Say
Sheff G, whose real name is Michael Williams, dangled rewards like fame and money, according to an indictment that included 31 other people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/nyregion/sheff-g-drill-rapper-charged.html
Ed Sheeran Prevails in a Second ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Lawsuit, as Judge Dismisses Similar Copyright Case
What might have felt like double jeopardy has turned into a double win for Ed Sheeran, as the pop superstar prevailed in yet a second copyright infringement lawsuit filed over the song “Thinking Out Loud”. The same judge who oversaw the previous case dismissed this additional suit before it ever went to trial.
https://variety.com/2023/music/news/ed-sheeran-second-copyright-lawsuit-dismissed-thinking-out-loud-1235616116/
Strippers Unionize at California Club After Long Fight
The club agreed not to block the dancers from affiliating with Actors’ Equity in what appears to be the industry’s first unionization since the 1990s.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/business/strippers-union-labor.html
Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough to Settle Dispute Over Family Trust
Lawyers for Elvis Presley’s ex-wife and granddaughter are seeking to keep the agreement, which appears to end a battle over control of the estate, under seal.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/arts/priscilla-presley-riley-keough-elvis-estate.html
Disney Argues New Florida Law Nullifies DeSantis-Backed Suit
The company wants a state court case involving development at Disney World dismissed, saying actions by the Florida governor and his allies made it moot.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/business/media/disney-world-ron-desantis-lawsuit.html
‘Rust’ Prosecutors Seek Further Tests on Gun Handled by Alec Baldwin
The prosecutors, who dropped criminal charges against Alec Baldwin after learning that the gun he was rehearsing with might have been modified, are sending the gun to a forensic specialist.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/arts/rust-prosecutors-alec-baldwin.html
A Top Japanese Talent Agency Apologizes Amid Sexual Abuse Accusations
The chief executive of the agency said she had not been aware of the claims against the agency’s founder, despite years of them coming to light.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/world/asia/johnny-kitagawa-abuse-apology.html
No Joke: China Fines a Comedy Firm $2 Million for ‘Insulting’ the Military
The penalty came after a popular comedian joked about a military slogan often used by China’s leader, Xi Jinping, who has strictly curbed expression.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/world/asia/china-comedy-2-million-fine.html
Journalist Spit on by Johnny Depp’s Cannes Director Speaks Out: Maiwenn Is ‘Outspokenly Anti-#MeToo’
“Jeanne du Barry” opened the Cannes Film Festival, marking Depp’s return to the red carpet, following legal battles that have largely defined the actor for the past few years. Ahead of the film’s premiere, the director, French actor, and filmmaker Maiwenn, admitted to assaulting a journalist by spitting on him.
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/journalist-maiwenn-spit-on-interview-johnny-depp-director-1235614162/
Arts
Supreme Court Rules Against Andy Warhol in Copyright Case
The justices considered whether the artist was free to use elements of a rock photographer’s portrait of the musician Prince. In a 7-2 decision, the Court sided with the photographer.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/us/supreme-court-warhol-copyright.html
Tony Awards Broadcast Can Proceed After Striking Writers’ Union Agrees
The Tony Awards, a key marketing opportunity for Broadway, can go ahead in an altered form after the striking screenwriters’ union said that it would not picket this year’s broadcast.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/theater/agreement-tony-awards-writers-strike.html
Florida School District Is Sued Over Book Restrictions
A free-speech organization and the country’s largest book publisher said that the district violated the First Amendment and the Equal Protection clause.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/books/ban-florida-school-lawsuit-pen.html
After Decades of Drinks and Laughs, Is It Last Call at the Friars Club?
The New York headquarters of the legendary entertainment fraternity is facing the threat of foreclosure as its leaders look for a buyer willing to help keep the party going.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/arts/friars-club-last-call.html
Sotheby’s Provenance Disputed in Claim by Heirs for Art Lost in Nazi Era
The relatives of a Jewish gallery owner who left a Tiepolo painting behind when he fled Austria say the auction house posted a misleading history of the work during a 2019 sale.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/arts/design/sothebys-provenance-nazi-art.html
Sports
Mickelson Among Players Interviewed in Antitrust Inquiry Into Pro Golf
The Justice Department met with PGA Tour lawyers, but a timeline for the completion of its review is unclear.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/sports/golf/liv-pga-antitrust-phil-mickelson.html
Brittney Griner Is Creating a New Normal, for Herself and the W.N.B.A.
Griner returns to basketball after her detention in Russia with a bigger platform and a desire to reshape women’s sports.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/sports/basketball/brittney-griner-wnba-season.html
An N.F.L. Doctor Wants to Know Why Some Players Get C.T.E. and Others Don’t
The newly opened National Sports Brain Bank plans to study head trauma specific to athletes. Jerome Bettis has already pledged to donate his brain.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/sports/football/pittsburgh-sports-brain-bank.html
USC, Pac-12, NCAA Subject of Complaint by Labor Board Wanting Athletes Classified as Employees
Employee status and unionization may eventually be on the table for college athletes.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/usc-pac-12-ncaa-subject-of-complaint-by-labor-board-wanting-athletes-classified-as-employees/
Technology/Media
Supreme Court Won’t Hold Tech Companies Liable for User Posts
The justices ruled in one case that a law allowing suits for aiding terrorism did not apply to the ordinary activities of social media companies.
www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/us/politics/supreme-court-google-twitter-230.html
Possible Cyberattack Disrupts The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Inquirer, citing “anomalous activity” on its computer systems, said it was unable to print its regular Sunday edition and told staff members not to work in the newsroom at least through Tuesday.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/business/media/philadelphia-inquirer-cyberattack.html
TikTok Users Sue Montana, Calling State Ban Unconstitutional
A spokeswoman for the state attorney general said that his office had “expected a legal challenge” and was “fully prepared to defend the law.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/business/media/tiktok-ban-free-speech-montana.html
Extremism Finds Fertile Ground in Chat Rooms for Gamers
In the past year, about half the people who played online multiplayer games in the world’s major gaming markets encountered extremist statements, a new study found.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/technology/video-games-extremism.html
Twitter Accuses Microsoft of Improperly Using Its Data
In a letter to Microsoft’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, Twitter said the tech giant had violated a data agreement.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/technology/twitter-microsoft-misusing-data.html
A.I.-Generated Content Discovered on News Sites, Content Farms and Product Reviews
The findings in two new reports raise fresh concerns over how artificial intelligence may transform the misinformation landscape online.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/technology/ai-generated-content-discovered-on-news-sites-content-farms-and-product-reviews.html
Another Side of the A.I. Boom: Detecting What A.I. Makes
More than a dozen companies have popped up to offer services aimed at identifying whether photos, text, and videos are made by humans or machines.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/technology/ai-chat-gpt-detection-tools.html
In Battle Over A.I., Meta Decides to Give Away Its Crown Jewels
The tech giant has publicly released its latest A.I. technology so people can build their own chatbots. Rivals like Google say that approach can be dangerous.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/technology/ai-meta-open-source.html
Microsoft Says New A.I. Shows Signs of Human Reasoning
A provocative paper from researchers at Microsoft claims A.I. technology shows the ability to understand the way people do. Critics say those scientists are kidding themselves.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/technology/microsoft-ai-human-reasoning.html
For Gen Z, Playing an Influencer on TikTok Comes Naturally
There’s stuff to promote now. The followers can come later.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/business/tiktok-influencers-gen-z.html
E.U. Approves Microsoft’s $69 Billion Deal for Activision
The green light follows objections to the blockbuster deal by American and British regulators on the grounds that it would undercut competition.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/technology/eu-microsoft-activision-blizzard.html
General News
Supreme Court Takes Up Case on Trump Hotel Records
The justices will decide whether individual House Democrats have standing to sue for documents concerning possible conflicts of interest.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-hotel-records.html
Supreme Court to Consider South Carolina Voting Map Ruled a Racial Gerrymander
A unanimous three-judge panel found that a Congressional voting district anchored in Charleston, S.C. violated the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/supreme-court-south-carolina-voting-map.html
Supreme Court Won’t Block Illinois Laws on High-Powered Rifles
The justices struck down a New York gun control law last year, announcing a new test to evaluate the constitutionality of such measures.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/supreme-court-gun-laws-illinois.html#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Supreme%20Court%20on,on%20requests%20for%20emergency%20relief
After Biden Predicted Chaos at the Border, a Quieter Than Expected Weekend
The days after pandemic-era immigration restrictions were lifted showed the ability of federal authorities, local governments, and private nonprofits to temporarily triage the situation at the border.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/us/politics/biden-border-restrictions-lifted.html
After Years of Political Hype, the Durham Inquiry Failed to Deliver
A dysfunctional investigation led by a Trump-era special counsel illustrates a dilemma about prosecutorial independence and accountability in politically sensitive matters.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/durham-report-trump-russia.html
Drug Shortages Near an All-Time High, Leading to Rationing
A worrisome scarcity of cancer drugs has heightened concerns about the troubled generic drug industry. Congress and the White House are seeking ways to address widespread supply problems.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/health/drug-shortages-cancer.html
Celtics Tickets, Political Revenge: U.S. Attorney Accused of Broad Misconduct
Rachael S. Rollins, who plans to resign from her office in Boston, tried to aid a political ally, lied under oath and violated the Hatch Act, a pair of government watchdog reports found.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/rachael-rollins-ethics-violations.html
E.P.A. Announces Crackdown on Toxic Coal Ash From Landfills
The Biden administration is moving to close a loophole that had exempted hundreds of inactive coal ash landfills from rules designed to prevent heavy metals like mercury and arsenic from seeping into groundwater, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/climate/epa-coal-ash-landfills.html
Feinstein Suffered More Complications From Illness Than Were Publicly Disclosed
Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, whose recent bout with shingles included contracting encephalitis, is frailer than ever. She remains unwilling to entertain discussions about leaving the Senate.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/us/politics/feinstein-illness-shingles-senate.html#:~:text=Health%20Complications%3A%20The%2089%2Dyear,an%20iconic%20American%20political%20figure.