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
The Family of a Former Supreme Battles for Control of Her Life
Cindy Birdsong’s relatives have asked a court to place her in a conservatorship after they became concerned that her longtime friend had too much say over her care and finances.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/arts/music/supremes-cindy-birdsong-conservatorship.html
‘Rust’ Armorer Passed Off Cocaine After Shooting, Prosecutors Say
Prosecutors accused Hannah Gutierrez-Reed of transferring the drugs on the day the film’s cinematographer was killed. Her lawyer said she would plead not guilty.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/arts/rust-armorer-cocaine.html
Kevin Spacey Begins U.K. Trial on Sexual Assault Accusations and Prosecutor Calls Him a ‘Sexual Bully’
The actor faces 12 charges related to incidents that prosecutors say involved four men and occurred between 2001 and 2013.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/movies/kevin-spacey-sexual-assault-trial.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/movies/kevin-spacey-trial.html
Arts
Gay Rights vs. Free Speech - Supreme Court Backs Web Designer Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage
The 6-3 decision, which turned on the Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment, appeared to suggest that the rights of L.G.B.T.Q.IA+ people are on more vulnerable legal footing, particularly when they are at odds with claims of religious freedom. They settled a question left open in 2018: Whether businesses open to the public and engaged in expression may refuse to serve customers based on religious convictions.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/30/us/gay-rights-free-speech-supreme-court
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/us/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage.html
What Opera Singers Gained, and Lost, Performing While Pregnant
Women in the industry are speaking out about what they feel are cancellations motivated by their appearance rather than sound, even as there is a belief that pregnancy and childbirth have positive effects on the voice.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/arts/music/women-pregnancy-opera-classical-music.html
Sports
NCAA Sets Up Confrontation With State Lawmakers Concerning NIL Guidelines
The NCAA set up a confrontation with state lawmakers around the country concerning its rules governing athletes’ ability to make money from their name, image, and likeness.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2023/06/27/ncaa-nil-lawmakers-guidelines-confrontation/70360959007/
LIV Golf Resists Senate Request for Greg Norman’s Testimony on Saudi Deal
Less than two weeks before a planned hearing about a transaction that could reshape golf, lawmakers are struggling to assemble a witness list.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/sports/golf/liv-pga-greg-norman-senate-hearing.html
NBA Players Face Risk When Partnering With Cannabis Companies
The relationship between professional sports and cannabis has long been complicated, with leagues and teams often taking a hardline stance against marijuana use by players. Yet times are changing, and the NBA is at the forefront of this shift by shattering the grass ceiling.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/nba-players-face-risk-when-partnering-with-cannabis-companies
The Secret Deal for a Tribal Casino and Why It Imploded
As a deadline loomed for reaching a gambling deal with the Seneca Nation of Indians, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office tried to give the tribe a new casino near Rochester. It backfired.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/nyregion/hochul-casino-rochester-senecas.html
No Alcohol For Fans Who Attend 2024 Paris Olympics −Except For VIPs
A Paris 2024 spokesperson explained that the ban on booze stems from the application of Evin's law, a 1991 statute pertaining to the sale and advertisement of alcohol.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2023/06/27/paris-olympics-2024-alcohol-ban-for-fans-stadiums-except-vips/70360060007/
Polish Authorities Detain Athlete on Charges of Being Russian Spy
It was the 14th arrest stemming from the dismantling of what officials say was a plot to sabotage arms shipments to Ukraine.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/world/europe/poland-russia-spy-suspect.html
Technology/Media
Supreme Court Puts First Amendment Limits on Laws Banning Online Threats
The case concerned Billy Counterman, a Colorado man who became obsessed with a singer-songwriter, sending her disturbing messages on Facebook.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/us/politics/supreme-court-first-amendment-colorado.html
Publishers Clearing House Pays $18.5 Million in ‘Dark Patterns’ Suit
Publishers Clearing House, the direct marketing company that uses sweepstakes to sell magazine subscriptions, agreed to pay $18.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission, which accused the company of using what is known as dark patterns to trick customers into paying for products or giving up their data.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/26/business/publishers-clearing-house-dark-patterns-lawsuit.html
Trump Countersues E. Jean Carroll, Claiming She Defamed Him This Time
The former president, who was found liable for sexually abusing Carroll, argued that she should not have said he raped her.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/nyregion/trump-e-jean-carroll-lawsuit.html
Fox News Agrees to Pay $12 Million to Settle Hostile Workplace Suit
The settlement with a former producer, Abby Grossberg, is the latest development in a series of legal battles involving Fox.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/business/media/abby-grossberg-fox-news-settlement.html
As Creators Sue Montana, Its TikTok Footing the Bill
“We walked into the lion’s den almost a whole week before TikTok decided to come and back us up on this, because we see how important this is.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/pageoneplus/quotation-of-the-day-as-creators-sue-montana-its-tiktok-footing-the-bill.html
Microsoft and Activision Chiefs Testify That Merger Will Benefit Consumers
In federal court, Satya Nadella and Bobby Kotick opposed an attempt by the FTC to delay Microsoft’s $70 billion acquisition of a video game giant.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/business/microsoft-activision-ceo-testify.html
General News
SCOTUS Issues Key Decision on Territorial Reach of Lanham Act
On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Abitron Austria GmbH v. Hetronic International, Inc. concerning whether trademark plaintiffs can recover damages for sales made outside of the United States.
https://www.pryorcashman.com/publications/scotus-issues-key-decision-on-territorial-reach-of-lanham-act
Supreme Court Rejects Affirmative Action Programs at Harvard and U.N.C.
In earlier decisions, the Court had endorsed taking account of race as one factor among many to promote educational diversity.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/us/politics/supreme-court-admissions-affirmative-action-harvard-unc.html
Rejection of Affirmative Action Draws Strong Reactions From Right and Left
Conservatives hailed the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling, which could drastically alter college admissions policies across the country, while Democrats rued the change.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/29/us/affirmative-action-supreme-court
Affirmative Action Ruling May Upend Hiring Policies, Too
The Supreme Court decision on college admissions could lead companies to alter recruitment and promotion practices to pre-empt legal challenges.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/business/economy/hiring-affirmative-action.html
Supreme Court Allows Unusual Pennsylvania Law on Corporate Suits
A novel Pennsylvania law requires corporations that do business in the state to consent to being sued there, even if the suits have nothing to do with the state.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/us/supreme-court-corporations-lawsuits.html
Supreme Court Sides With Postal Carrier Who Refused to Work on Sabbath
The unanimous decision interpreted a federal civil rights law to require employers to make substantial efforts to accommodate their workers’ religious practices.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/us/politics/supreme-court-religion-sabbath-postal-worker.html
No NY office? No problem: New York Gives Green Light to Out-of-State Attorneys
The State Legislature has paved the way for out-of-state attorneys to practice in the Empire State without the need to maintain a physical office within its boundaries.
https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2023/06/27/no-ny-office-no-problem-new-york-gives-green-light-to-out-of-state-attorneys/
Stress Tests Show Largest Banks Are Sturdy, Fed Says
The Federal Reserve tested banks’ abilities to endure a real estate crash, high unemployment, and trading turmoil.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/business/stress-test-banks-federal-reserve.html
Indiana Supreme Court Upholds Abortion Ban
The court said that the state Constitution provides a limited right to abortion, but not a “fundamental” one.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/us/indiana-abortion-ban-upheld.html
Governor Vetoes Louisiana’s Ban on Transition Care for Transgender Minors
Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana vetoed a ban on gender-transition care for transgender minors, standing in the way of his state becoming the latest to prohibit that kind of care.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/us/louisiana-transgender-care-ban-minors.html#:~:text=Gov.%20John%20Bel%20Edwards%20of,schools%20and%20among%20young%20people.