Blogs

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

Actors Ratify Deal With Hollywood Studios, With Reservations

The SAG-AFTRA vote formally ends six months of labor strife; however, some members were not happy about the contract’s artificial intelligence protections.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/business/sag-aftra-actors-ratify.html

Judge Allows 9,000 Women to Sue Disney for Pay Disparity

The suit is the largest ever certified under California’s Equal Pay Act, which makes it illegal for workers to be paid less for substantially similar work based on their gender.

https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/disney-gender-pay-lawsuit-class-certification-approved-1235830178/

Terrence Howard Names Racism As a Factor in Lawsuit Accusing CAA Agents of Low-balling His "Empire" Pay

In a complaint, the actor alleged that his agents brokered a deal with the network that padded their own pockets.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/terrence-howard-names-racism-factor-104445861.html

'Yellowstone' Creator Files Lawsuit Against Hit Show's Star Actor

Bosque Ranch, a company owned by showrunner Taylor Sheridan, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a coffee company recently launched by actor Cole Hauser, who plays cowboy Rip Wheeler on the Western series.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/yellowstone-coffee-logo-trademark-lawsuit-cole-hauser_n_65720ea3e4b001ec86a74132

Jonathan Majors Case Begins With a Debate: Was He an Abuser or a Victim? Majors’s Ex-Girlfriend Tells Jury His Rage Was Explosive and Terrifying

Prosecutors said a March altercation came after years of bad behavior by the actor. His lawyer said he had been bloodied by the woman he is accused of assaulting, while on a recording, the actor demanded that Grace Jabbari support him as though he were the president and she the first lady: “I’m a great man. A great man.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/nyregion/jonathan-majors-trial-assault.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/nyregion/jonathan-majors-grace-jabbari-testimony.html

Michael Jackson Estate Says Digital Sale Of Early Jackson Recording Violates Estate Rights

Lawyers for Jackson's estate warn that the sale could "expose you to liability" and is "the opposite of honoring Michael Jackson."

https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/michael-jackson-estate-responds-sale-early-jackson-5-recording-1235546705/

Lil Durk Sued for ‘Fraud’ by Startup Claiming He Granted Song Rights to Two Different Companies

Exceed Talent Capital says that it paid the rapper for the right to turn "Bedtime" into a fractional investment vehicle — only to find he had an exclusive deal with Alamo Records.

https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/lil-durk-sued-song-rights-2-companies-fraud-1235545673/

Former Top Tucker Carlson Producer Is Accused of Sexual Assault

Fox News fired the accused producer alongside Carlson this year after its $787.5 million settlement in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/business/media/fox-news-producer-sued-assault.html

Adam McKay Accused of Using Self-Published Novel as ‘Don’t Look Up’ Inspiration in Lawsuit

A writer who claims the 2021 comedy “Don’t Look Up” was substantially similar to his self-published novel is suing writer-director Adam McKay and Netflix for copyright infringement.

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/adam-mckay-lawsuit-copyright-infringement-dont-look-up-1235829081/

A3 Implosion: Talent Agency Chairman Adam Bold Accused of Breach of Contract, Fraud, and Misconduct

Adam Bold, the self-made millionaire and majority owner of talent representation firm A3 Artists Agency, has been hit with a lawsuit from his partners accusing him of sexual misconduct and running the company into the ground.

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/a3-agency-adam-bold-lawsuit-fraud-sexual-harassment-1235821133/

50 Cent Developing Documentary on Diddy Allegations, Vows to Donate Proceeds to Sexual Assault Victims

After the news of a fourth allegation of sexual assault against Combs was revealed, 50 Cent announced via X (formerly Twitter) that proceeds from his upcoming documentary about Combs will go to victims of sexual violence. G-Unit Film & Television will be producing the untitled film.

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/50-cent-diddy-documentary-donate-proceeds-to-victims-1235827607/

After Sexual Assault Suits, Are Sean Combs’s Empire and Brand at Risk?

The music mogul was celebrated as a transformative force in hip-hop, but fallout from new accusations of abuse impacted some business relationships and his legacy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/01/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-accusations-legacy.html

Gerard Depardieu Faces New Sexual Assault Allegations in Police Complaint

Hélène Darras, a French actor, filed a police complaint alleging that Depardieu sexually assaulted her during the filming of “Disco” in 2007.

https://variety.com/2023/film/global/gerard-depardieu-sexual-assault-complaint-allegations-1235825489/

Arts

Senate Introduces Long-Awaited Bill Promising Changes for Ticket Buying

The Fans First Act would require disclosures about fees and the location of tickets, strengthening a law banning bots and setting stiff penalties for violations.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/arts/music/fans-first-act-ticket-bill.html

Off Broadway, a Vital Part of New York Theater, Feels the Squeeze

The small theaters that help make the city a theater capital are cutting back as they struggle to recover from the pandemic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/theater/new-york-theater.html

The Book World Still Isn’t Diverse. Dhonielle Clayton Is Trying to Change That.

Her solution? A packaging business that sells ideas for commercial genre fiction featuring characters from broadly diverse backgrounds.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/10/books/dhonielle-clayton-diversity.html

Marvel Settles Lawsuit With Spider-Man Co-Creator's Estate

Steve Ditko also co-created Doctor Strange, among other iconic characters.

https://ew.com/marvel-settles-lawsuit-spider-man-co-creator-steve-ditko-estate-8413648

Tyga Dropped a Parody Vans Sneaker, But a Federal Court Says That It Is Illegal

There are "no special First Amendment protections" for a sneaker that the rapper released with a Brooklyn art collective, a federal court says.

https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/tyga-parody-vans-sneakers-illegal-wavy-baby-1235540484/

Mattel Has a New Cherokee Barbie. Not Everyone Is Happy About It.

Cherokee language on the packaging of the Wilma Mankiller doll said, “Chicken Nation” instead of “Cherokee Nation.” Critics said Mattel made other errors.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/mattel-cherokee-barbie-wilma-mankiller.html

Valery Gergiev, a Putin Ally, Chosen to Lead Bolshoi Theater

The Russian maestro, who heads the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, will also control the Bolshoi in Moscow, replacing Vladimir Urin, who spoke out against the Ukraine war.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/01/arts/music/valery-gergiev-bolshoi.html

The World Loves Corridos Tumbados. In Mexico, It’s Complicated.

Inspired by a century-old genre from the Mexican countryside, the latest pop music phenomenon is drawing thousands of young fans — and criticism for its violent references.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/arts/music/corridos-tumbados-peso-pluma-mexico.html

Sports

NCAA proposes creation of new subdivision with direct compensation for athletes

In a groundbreaking move, NCAA president Charlie Baker  proposed the creation of a new subdivision within Division I that would allow the highest-resourced schools the ability to compensate athletes through a trust fund and direct name, image, and likeness (NIL) licensing agreements, where schools would be required to offer at least half their athletes a payment of at least $30,000 per year through a trust fund.

https://theathletic.com/5114092/2023/12/05/ncaa-subdivision-athlete-compensation-charlie-baker/

https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6

Team’s Sale Reflects Growing Links Between Pro Sports and Gambling

The proposed purchase of the N.B.A.’s Dallas Mavericks by a casino operator is the latest sign of how fully leagues have embraced the gaming world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/03/business/pro-sports-gambling.html

Mom of Trans Athlete at Center of Florida Sports Controversy Speaks Out

Jessica Norton, the mom of the transgender athlete, along with several other school employees, including the principal and assistant principal, have been reassigned to non-school sites pending the outcome of a district investigation into allegations of improper student participation in sports.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/mom-trans-athlete-center-florida-sports-controversy-speaks/story?id=105375794

Biden backs an Indigenous lacrosse team for the 2028 Olympics. It's an uphill fight.

President Biden has thrown his support behind an Indigenous lacrosse team that wants to compete under its own flag in the 2028 Olympics. However, it may be an uphill battle, as the International Olympic Committee has signaled resistance to amending its rules.

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/06/1217564234/biden-indigenous-lacrosse-olympics

'Blind Side' Couple Claims Michael Oher Tried Extorting $15 Million From Them

The NFL star previously accused the Tuohy family, whose relationship with Oher inspired the 2009 film, of profiting off his story through a conservatorship.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/blind-side-couple-claims-michael-oher-tried-extorting-15-million-from-them_n_6570d6bee4b0a10def8b5707

Former Jaguars Employee Accused of Stealing More Than $22 Million From Team

Amit Patel, who worked for the Jaguars for five years starting in 2018, is named in court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars were not named in the federal filing – the organization was referred to as “Business A” – but the team confirmed it was the victim of Patel’s alleged crimes. 

https://theathletic.com/5118308/2023/12/06/jacksonville-jaguars-employee-theft-amit-patel/

Athletes From Russia and Belarus Are Cleared to Compete at Paris Olympics

A decision by the International Olympic Committee paves the way for individuals from the two countries to take part over the objections of Ukraine and others.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/world/europe/olympics-russian-athletes-paris.html

Technology/Media

Russia’s Latest Disinformation Tactic Exploits American Celebrities

Videos from Elijah Wood, Mike Tyson, and others have been used — unknowingly to them, it seems — in social media posts and Russian news coverage critical of Ukraine’s leader.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/technology/russia-disinformation-mike-tyson-priscilla-presley.html

Meta Plans to Add Encryption to Messenger, Stoking a Privacy Debate

The move is part of an effort to make the app more like WhatsApp and iMessage. Law enforcement authorities say the privacy makes it harder to track criminals.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/technology/meta-messenger-encryption.html

Data Breach at 23andMe Affects 6.9 Million Profiles, Company Says

Hackers were able to obtain access because some customers reused old passwords.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/us/23andme-hack-data.html

Elon Musk Fired Twitter Executive for Raising Security Concerns, Lawsuit Says
Alan Rosa says he objected to budget cuts that would have put Twitter, now X, at risk of violating a security practices settlement.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/06/elon-musk-fires-twitter-executive-security-concerns

E.U. Agrees on Landmark Artificial Intelligence Rules

The agreement over the A.I. Act solidifies one of the world’s first comprehensive attempts to limit the use of artificial intelligence.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/technology/eu-ai-act-regulation.html

Swiss Digital Licensing Org Targets Twitter for Copyright Infringement

SUISA Digital's lawsuit, filed in Munich, follows a National Music Publishers Association suit in June. The suit alleges that music compositions controlled by SUISA Digital are found on the platform and that the company has made no effort to license them or act promptly to remove the infringing content.

https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/suisa-digital-lawsuit-twitter-x-copyright-infringement-music-licensing-europe-1235540423/

General News

Supreme Court Dismisses Disability Activist’s Case as Moot

The activist, Deborah Laufer, had sued hundreds of hotels as a “tester,” having no intention of booking a stay, accusing them of inadequate disclosures about whether rooms were accessible.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/supreme-court-accessible-hotels.html

Supreme Court Appears Split Over Opioid Settlement for Purdue Pharma

The justices’ questions reflected the tension between the practical effect of unraveling the settlement and broader concerns about whether the Sacklers should be granted such wide-ranging immunity.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/us/politics/supreme-court-purdue-pharma.html

Johnson Plans Vote on Impeachment Inquiry, Predicting Unanimous G.O.P. Support

The speaker said he would move forward with a vote that Republicans have long avoided for fear that some in their ranks would refuse to endorse an investigation without incriminating evidence.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/johnson-biden-impeachment-house.html

Tuberville Drops Blockade of Most Military Promotions

Under pressure from senators in both parties, the Alabama Republican allowed more than 400 promotions to move forward, saying he would continue to block only the most senior positions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/tommy-tuberville-military-promotions.html

The A.C.L.U. Has a New Client: The National Rifle Association

The civil liberties group says it opposes the N.R.A. and its mission, but has agreed to represent it in the Supreme Court in a free-speech case.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/09/us/aclu-nra-scotus-free-speech.html

F.D.A. Approves Sickle Cell Treatments, Including One That Uses CRISPR

Patients with the genetic disease have new opportunities to eliminate their symptoms, but the treatments come with obstacles that limit their reach, including astronomical costs.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/health/fda-sickle-cell-crispr.html

Accounts of Sexual Violence by Hamas Are Aired Amid Criticism of U.N.

A presentation at the U.N., organized in part by Sheryl Sandberg, accused the body of ignoring the rape and mutilation of women in the Oct. 7th assault on Israel, and heard gruesome details from witnesses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-sexual-violence-un.html

Kamala Harris Breaks Record of Tiebreaking Votes in the Senate

The vice president has provided the decisive vote in the Senate 32 times, in a reflection of the Democrats’ narrow majority and broader polarization in politics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/kamala-harris-tiebreaking-vote-record.html#:~:text=She%20cast%20her%2032nd%20tiebreaking,Ms.%20Harris%20cast%20her%20vote

Math Scores Dropped Globally, but the U.S. Still Trails Other Countries

In a global exam for 15-year-olds, only a handful of places, including Singapore, Japan, and Australia, kept math performance high through the pandemic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/math-scores-pandemic-pisa.html

Appeals Court Upholds, but Narrows, Gag Order on Trump in Election Case

The decision largely left in place an order limiting what the former president can say about his upcoming federal trial, but allowed him more leeway to criticize Jack Smith, the special counsel.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/us/politics/trump-gag-order-election-case.html

Prosecutors Intend to Show Long Pattern of Threats and Baseless Claims by Trump

In a court filing, federal prosecutors laid out plans to use the former president’s trial on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election to show a yearslong history of using lies and intimidation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/trump-election-trial.html?searchResultPosition=1

Why a Second Trump Presidency May Be More Radical Than His First

Donald Trump has long exhibited authoritarian impulses, but his policy operation is now more sophisticated, and the buffers to check him are weaker.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/us/politics/trump-2025-overview.html

Trump Seeks Freeze of Election Case as He Appeals Immunity Ruling

In an effort to delay the former president’s federal trial on charges of trying to overturn the election, his lawyers asked for a pause while they challenge the ruling that he is not immune from prosecution.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/us/politics/trump-election-trial-appeal-immunity.html

Colorado Supreme Court Takes Up Trump’s Eligibility to Be President

A district court judge ruled last month that the 14th Amendment barred insurrectionists from every office except the nation’s highest. “How is that not absurd?” one justice asked of that notion.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/politics/trump-colorado-14th-amendment-ballot.html

Nevada Charges Republican Party Leaders in 2020 Fake Elector Scheme

The six Republicans charged included the State party’s chairman and vice chairman, as well as the chairman of the Republican Party in Clark County.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/politics/trump-fake-electors-nevada.html

Retired U.S. Diplomat Accused of Working as a Secret Agent for Cuba

Manuel Rocha, a former ambassador to Bolivia, secretly aided Cuba’s “clandestine intelligence-gathering mission,” U.S. authorities said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/us/diplomat-cuba-foreign-agent-rocha.html

One Law Firm Prepared Both Penn and Harvard for Hearing on Antisemitism

The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and M.I.T. came under fire after dodging questions about their policies. One has since apologized for her remarks and another has resigned.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/dealbook/wilmerhale-penn-harvard-mit-antisemitism-hearing.html

Texas Woman Asks Court to Allow Her Abortion, then Texas Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Court-Approved Abortion

The court, responding to an appeal from Attorney General Ken Paxton, put on hold a lower court order allowing an abortion for a woman whose fetus has a fatal condition and which threatens her future fertility if the pregnancy is forced to term.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/us/texas-abortion-court-ken-paxton.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/texas-abortion-lawsuit.html

‘Medical Freedom’ Activists Take Aim at New Target: Childhood Vaccine Mandates

Mississippi has long had high childhood immunization rates, but a federal judge has ordered the state to allow parents to opt out on religious grounds.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/03/us/politics/mississippi-childhood-vaccine-mandates.html

The Police Force Where Female Officers Warn Other Women to Stay Away

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating claims of gender and racial discrimination at the New Jersey State Police.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/nyregion/state-police-new-jersey-women.html

As Winter Approaches, Fears Grow for Homeless Migrants

Migrants slept on New York City sidewalks last week. Some advocates worry about what will happen when families need to reapply for shelter after Christmas.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/nyregion/nyc-migrant-crisis-cold.html

New York’s Ban on Guns in Parks and Other ‘Sensitive’ Sites Is Affirmed

In a major victory for the state, a federal appeals court also upheld its right to deny firearms to people whom local officials deem dangerous.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/nyregion/new-york-gun-law.html

U.S. Charges 4 Russian Soldiers With War Crimes Against an American

The Justice Department said it had begun investigating the “murder of more than 30 Americans” by Hamas fighters during the Oct. 7 attack in Israel.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/russia-ukraine-war-crimes-hamas.html

Netanyahu Corruption Trial Resumes, Adding to Israeli Leader’s Challenges

Courts in Israel had suspended non-urgent cases after the Oct. 7 attacks, including the prime minister’s multiyear trial.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/world/middleeast/netanyahu-corruption-trial.html

Air-Conditioning Use Will Surge in a Warming World, U.N. Warns

Electricity use for cooling could double by 2050, driving up the greenhouse gas emissions that cause warming.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/climate/air-conditioning-electricity.html