By Darby Daly Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News:
Entertainment
Bill Cosby Team Says Accuser Gave Conflicting Account of "Sex Assault"
A 2018 essay based on an interview with the accuser, Judy Huth, depicts her encounter with Bill Cosby in 1975 differently than in her testimony. Huth has said the essay is wrong.
Grammys To Recognize Songwriters
The honor is part of a slate of changes, including a best score soundtrack award for video games and a merit award for best song for social change.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/arts/music/grammy-awards-new-categories.html?searchResultPosition=1
Harvey Weinstein Facing Indecent Assault Charges in Britain
The British authorities have authorized criminal charges against Harvey Weinstein on two counts of indecent assault against a woman in 1996 in London.
Arts
Man Breaks Into Dallas Museum of Art and Damages Ancient Greek Artifacts
A man smashed his way into the Dallas Museum of Art and damaged three ancient Greek artifacts dating to the 5th and 6th centuries B.C. The man, identified by the Dallas police as Brian Hernandez, 21, "seriously damaged" four pieces of art, Agustin Arteaga, the museum's director, said in an interview.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/03/us/dallas-museum-of-art-break-in-vandalism.html?searchResultPosition=1
Mongols Motorcycle Club Says Its Leader Was an Informant
The biker group hopes to set aside a $500,000 racketeering conviction, alleging that its former president cooperated with the government during a trial. A trademark case was the basis of the initial claim.
How Fashion Giants Recast Plastic as Good for the Planet
An influential system overseen by retailers and clothing makers ranks petroleum-based synthetics like "vegan leather" as more environmentally sound than natural fibers. That's not necessarily the case.
Sports
Oklahoma's Abortion Law Raises Questions about NCAA's Softball World Series
The NCAA has restricted previous events in response to state lawmakers. It faces that test again in Oklahoma, where softball championships are a mainstay and a restrictive abortion ban recently became law. It remains to be seen as to whether such laws have an affect on potential recruits.
Larry Nassar Survivors Seeking More than $1 Billion from FBI for Not Intervening in Abuse
Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations against him.
The Tampa Bay Rays Tweeted about Gun Control and Ron DeSantis Vetoed their $35M Baseball Complex
During a game against one another, both the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays live-tweeted facts about gun violence. Using sources that study the American phenomenon of gun violence, the Rays and Yankees spent all the game on social media to generate awareness about the topic.
Chargers Owner Dean Spanos Sued by Sister for Financially Ruinous Business; Family Rebuts "False Charges"
After the Broncos' record $4.65 billion sale to the Walton-Penner family, one of Denver's AFC West rivals, the Chargers, could be next on the list of National Football League (NFL) franchises to be sold. That's mostly because of a longstanding legal dispute that continued this week, when the sister of current Chargers owner Dean Spanos filed a lawsuit accusing her brother of "misogynistic" and "financially ruinous" business practices, arguing that the Spanos family has no choice but to sell the team in order to pay off its debts.
PGA Ban of LIV Golfers Tries to Evade Litigation Hazards
For golf fans wondering if the PGA Tour can legally discipline its members for playing for LIV Golf's first event at the Centurion Club outside London, that question now has an actual dispute and could be litigated.
Son of Orioles Owner Sues Family over Control of Team, Reveals Plans to Sell
Louis Angelos--son of owner Peter Angelos, who has suffered from serious health issues in recent years--is suing his brother, John, and mother, Georgia. In the complaint, Louis accuses John of taking control of the team against their father's wishes as his health declined. The lawsuit was first reported by the Baltimore Banner.
Togethxr Sues XFL for Trademark Infringement
The media and entertainment company Togethxr--founded by some of the most notable names in women's sports -- filed a lawsuit against the XFL over the league's logo. The civil complaint alleges that the logo for the third rendition of the pro football league utilizes an X design that is "confusingly similar to Togethxr's brand and logo" and that it unveiled the logo without Togethxr's permission. Togethxr is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction that would prevent the XFL Properties from using the logo. Togethxr also requested any profits the XFL derived from the alleged trademark infringement, and for the XFL to pay for "corrective advertising" and cover Togethxr's court costs.
ATP Approves Raft of Changes to Share Tennis's Wealth
The package includes profit-sharing between tournaments and players and the expansion of Masters 1000 tournaments in an effort to narrow the gap between them and the Grand Slams.
What Now for Deshaun Watson?
New revelations about Watson, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with women he hired for massages, have drawn only silence from the Browns but have left some of the team's fans in anguish.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/sports/football/deshaun-watson-browns.html?searchResultPosition=1
Brittney Griner Receiving, Answering WNBA Players' Emails While Still Detained in Russia
In one small bit of normalcy, Griner has been able to receive emails and letters from WNBA players during her detainment in Russia. Hundreds of emails have been sent by players to an account that Griner's agent set up to allow them to communicate with her.
After Doping Scandal, Figure Skating Will Raise Age Limit to 17
The minimum age for elite skaters will be phased in over three years and be in place in time for the 2026 Olympics. Eric Radford, a three-time Olympic medalist from Canada, stepped up to the microphone at a meeting of figure skating's global governing body, where delegates were preparing to vote to increase the minimum age limit for elite competitors in the sport to 17 over the next three years.
Saudis Unsettle the Golf World with Big Money
First, the Saudis signed up a handful of the best-known names in golf to headline their new global tour, tempting players like Phil Mickelson and a few other past champions with staggering paychecks. Then they lured even bigger stars, the kind whose talents could make the series a credible rival to pro golf's existing gold standard, the PGA Tour. Then, the PGA Tour struck back. The tour suspended 17 players who are participating in the first event of the new tour, the LIV Golf International Series, not long after they had hit their first tee shots.
France Bans Expressions Like 'E-sport' and 'Streamer' in Crackdown on English Gaming Jargon
France has introduced a list of French words and expressions to replace common English gaming jargon in the country's latest battle against "franglais". The alternative expressions were published in the France's Journal Officiel -- the government gazette of the French Republic -- making them the official terms to be used by government workers. Among the expressions affected are "early access", which now becomes "accès anticipé", "pro-gamer", which is now "joueur professionnel", and "cloud gaming", which will now be known as "jeu vidéo en nuage".
Explaining Canada Soccer Player Strike: Panama Game Canceled Over Contract Dispute, but Curacao Match is a Go
Recent weeks have left Canadian soccer in a quagmire of controversy, public disagreement, finger-pointing, statements and counter statements, and player dissent. That combustible mix led to the cancellation of a senior men's national team match on Canadian soil on the same day when it was supposed to be played (June 5).
Technology/Media
Twitter Said to Agree to Give Elon Musk Access to Stream of Tweets
The move may make it tougher for Musk, who has said he is not getting enough information from the company, to end the $44 billion acquisition. The social media company has agreed to allow Musk direct access to its "firehose," the stream of millions of tweets that flow through the company's network on a daily basis, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. Whether Musk will get full or partial access to that "firehose" is unclear.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/technology/twitter-musk-firehose-tweets.html?searchResultPosition=1
Fraud and Identity Theft Trial to Test American Anti-Hacking Law
A woman is accused of downloading data of more than 100 million Capital One customers. Her lawyers argue that a conviction would criminalize legitimate research practices.
Lina Khan, a Big Tech Critic, Tries Answering Her Own Detractors
In an interview, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission laid out some of her plans now that she has a Democratic majority at the agency. Lina Khan was appointed by President Biden to shake up an agency that has long quivered at the power of the tech giants, but her record has lacked a signature action against the industry. Most notably, Khan, who has contended that there is an antitrust argument against Amazon, has not brought such a monopolization case against the e-commerce giant.
Thefts, Fraud and Lawsuits at the World's Biggest NFT Marketplace
OpenSea, one of the highest-profile crypto start-ups, is facing a backlash over stolen and plagiarized nonfungible tokens.
Fight Looms Over New York's Bid to Slow Crypto-Mining Boom
Crypto interests are lobbying Gov. Kathy Hochul to veto a groundbreaking bill that would temporarily halt new crypto-mining projects at fossil-fuel burning plants.
Mayor Adams Takes Steps to Transform New York City Into Global Hub for Digital Games Industry
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today took steps to transform the city into a global hub for the digital games industry by announcing The City University of New York (CUNY) is creating and funding a Bachelor's Degree program in Digital Game Design at City College of New York (CCNY). The creation of the gaming design degree is expected to drive inclusive growth by providing college students a public and affordable option for careers in the rapidly growing digital games industry and related fields.
General News
January 6th Committee Appears to Lay Out Road Map for Prosecuting Trump
The first prime-time hearing into the Jan. 6th attack confronted the fundamental question that has haunted Donald J. Trump since he left office: Should he be prosecuted in a criminal court? The House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack explicitly declared that he conspired to overturn an election. The attorney general, however, has not commented and and a jury of his peers may never hear the case.
The House Select Committee opened the hearings by showing video of aide after aide to former President Trump testifying that his claims of a stolen election were false, as the panel laid out in meticulous detail the extent of the former president's efforts to keep himself in office. It outlined that Trump executed a seven-part conspiracy to overturn a free and fair democratic election.
Supreme Court Allows Pennsylvania to Count Undated Signed Ballots
The Supreme Court said that election officials in Pennsylvania may count mailed ballots accompanied by voters' declarations that were signed but not dated. The Court's order came in a tight race for a seat on a state court, but it is likely to affect other contests in the state as well.
Supreme Court Sides With Border Agent Accused of Using Excessive Force
In a 6-to-3 decision, the Justices made it harder to sue federal officials for money in cases accusing them of violating the Constitution.
As Survivors Demand Action, House Passes Gun Bill Doomed in the Senate
On a day of wrenching testimony from victims of the school shooting in Uvalde, Democrats pushed through a gun control package facing solid G.O.P. opposition and no path in the Senate.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/us/politics/gun-violence-bill-uvalde-buffalo.html?searchResultPosition=1
Hundreds Have Left N.Y. Public Defender Offices Over Low Pay
Hundreds of staffers have left New York City's public defender organizations over the past year, frustrated by the low pay, which they say undervalues their public service and puts them on an uneven footing with the prosecutors whom many of them face in court each day.
A Racist Researcher, Exposed by a Mass Shooting
The work of Michael Woodley, a Briton who was cited by the teenager who killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, included pseudoscientific theories that have been used to justify racism.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/world/europe/michael-woodley-buffalo-shooting.html?searchResultPosition=1
A Conservative Quits Georgetown's Law School Amid Free Speech Fight
Ilya Shapiro, who tweeted that a "lesser Black woman" would get a Supreme Court nod, was cleared by a school investigation. He decided to leave anyway.
As the Great Salt Lake Dries Up, Utah Faces An 'Environmental Nuclear Bomb'
Climate change and rapid population growth are shrinking the lake, creating a bowl of toxic dust that could poison the air around Salt Lake City.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/climate/salt-lake-city-climate-disaster.html?searchResultPosition=1
Breast Cancer Drug Trial Results in 'Unheard-Of' Survival
For some patients with metastatic tumors not significantly affected by other forms of chemotherapy, the treatment halted their cancer's growth. The patients had metastatic breast cancer that had been progressing despite rounds of harsh chemotherapy and a new treatment with a drug that targeted cancer cells with laserlike precision was stunningly successful, slowing tumor growth and extending life to an extent rarely seen with advanced cancers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/health/enhertu-breast-cancer-chemotherapy.html?searchResultPosition=1
Test to Return to the U.S. by Air Will Be Dropped
In a move hailed by the travel industry, passengers are now able to board flights into the U.S. without a negative coronavirus test.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/us/politics/us-testing-travel-mandate-covid.html?searchResultPosition=1
White House Outlines Coronavirus Vaccine Plan for Children Under 5
Vaccine deliveries to U.S. states are contingent on the Food and Drug Administration authorizing pediatric doses, a step that could occur soon.