Week In Review
- Elissa D. Hecker - Editor
- Aug 1, 2023
- 8 min read
By: Victoria Vitale
Edited By Elissa D. Hecker
Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News:
Entertainment
Searching for Someone to Deliver a Hollywood Ending
Thanks to a changing culture and differing business models, the entertainment industry lacks power brokers with the stature to bring on labor peace.
‘Barbenheimer’ Is a Huge Hollywood Moment and Maybe the Last for a While
The big launch of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” should have been a celebratory moment, but an industry on pause has darkened the mood.
Hollywood Strike Leaves Influencers Sidelined and Confused
Despite not being in the actors’ union, many content creators are passing up deals to promote films or TV shows because they don’t want to be barred from the guild or face online vitriol.
Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilty of Sexual Assault
A British jury found the actor not guilty of nine charges.
With Actors on Strike, Sony Pushes Big Releases to 2024
The union has barred members from publicizing their work, and without red carpets and the buzz machine in full swing, other studios are likely to follow.
Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Death of ‘The Wire’ Actor
Carlos Macci, 72, was part of a crew that sold Michael K. Williams fentanyl-laced heroin that killed him in 2021.
Judge Rejects Hong Kong’s Bid to Ban Pro-Democracy Song From Internet
The authorities sought a court injunction that could have pressured Google and other tech firms to remove “Glory to Hong Kong.”
Arts
A Crisis in America’s Theaters Leaves Prestigious Stages Dark
As they struggle to recover after the pandemic, regional theaters are staging fewer shows, giving fewer performances, laying off staff and, in some cases, closing.
Booksellers Move to the Front Lines of the Fight Against Book Bans in Texas
With a book-rating law set to take effect in September, a group of booksellers, along with publishers and authors, filed suit to argue that it is unconstitutional.
How Supreme Court Justices Make Millions From Book Deals
The deals have become highly lucrative for the justices, including for those who used court staff members to help research and promote their books.
Biden to Name National Monument for Emmett Till and His Mother
The monument will consist of three protected sites in Illinois and Mississippi.
German Bank Agrees to Return a Kandinsky to Heirs of a Jewish Family
A German government advisory panel on Nazi-looted art recommended that the bank return the work, which had been exhibited in a Munich museum for decades.
Sports
To Entice Women to Racing, the F1 Academy Picks Up Where the W Series Left Off
The academy is another attempt to get women into Formula 1 in various roles, but also behind the wheel.
Abuse and Racism Accusations Bring ‘#MeToo Moment’ to Northwestern
In lawsuits, former athletes accuse the sports program of having a pervasive culture of hazing and sexual abuse, and two coaches have been fired. Lawyers say more athletes may come forward.
From Norway, a Voice Unafraid to Call Out FIFA From the Inside
Lise Klaveness is a rarity in soccer: a woman leading a national federation. But in pointing out her sport’s failures, she has made powerful enemies.
Russia Takes Its Ukraine Information War Into Video Games
Propaganda is appearing in Minecraft and other popular games and discussion groups as the Kremlin tries to win over new audiences.
Joe Lewis, Billionaire Owner of Tottenham Hotspur, Is Charged With Insider Trading
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan accused the British billionaire of illegally funneling nonpublic information to associates to trade on.
Technology/Media
How Do the White House’s A.I. Commitments Stack Up?
Seven leading A.I. companies made eight promises about what they will do with their technology. Our columnist sizes up their potential impact.
Are Google and Meta to Blame for the Racist Massacre in Buffalo?
Two new lawsuits filed by the victims’ families are the most recent attempt to hold social media companies responsible when men steeped in violent ideologies on those platforms open fire. However, they are unlikely to succeed.
Researchers Poke Holes in Safety Controls of ChatGPT and Other Chatbots
When artificial intelligence companies build online chatbots, like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Bard, they spend months adding guardrails that are supposed to prevent their systems from generating hate speech, disinformation and other toxic material.
Giuliani Concedes He Made False Statements About Georgia Election Workers
Rudolph W. Giuliani said he still had “legal defenses” in a case brought by two election workers who said he had defamed them as he asserted that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.
Russia’s Online Censorship Has Soared 30-Fold During Ukraine War
A report from Citizen Lab laid out how much online censorship has increased on one of Russia’s biggest social media sites.
Researchers Poke Holes in Safety Controls of ChatGPT and Other Chatbots
A new report indicates that the guardrails for widely used chatbots can be thwarted, leading to an increasingly unpredictable environment for the technology.
General News
Trump Faces Major New Charges in Documents Case
The office of the special counsel accused the former president of seeking to delete security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago. The manager of the property, Carlos De Oliveira, was also named as a new defendant.
Justice Department Opens Investigation into Memphis Police Conduct
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the city of Memphis and its police department for alleged discriminatory policing and civil rights violations against residents, including examining allegations of pervasive problems with excessive force and unlawful stops of Black residents that were amplified by the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols.
Education Dept. Opens Civil Rights Inquiry Into Harvard’s Legacy Admissions
An inquiry into admissions preference for family of alumni and donors began after the Supreme Court’s decision last month limiting affirmative action.
Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administration’s New Asylum Policy
Immigrant advocacy groups had challenged the administration’s decision to sharply limit who is allowed to apply for asylum in the United States.
UPS Reaches Tentative Deal With Teamsters to Head Off Strike
United Parcel Service faced a potential walkout by more than 325,000 union members after their five-year contract expires next week.
Biden Orders U.S. to Share Evidence of Russian War Crimes With Hague Court
The step signals a major shift in American policy and ends months of resistance by Pentagon officials who feared setting a precedent that could pave the way for the court to prosecute U.S. troops.
U.S. Moves to Improve Airplane Bathrooms for People With Disabilities
New regulations announced by the Transportation Department will mandate that more new planes have accessible lavatories, though the requirement will not take effect for years.
This Looks Like Earth’s Warmest Month. Hotter Ones Appear to Be in Store.
July is on track to break all records for any month, scientists say, as the planet enters an extended period of exceptional warmth.
The Secret History of Gun Rights: How Lawmakers Armed the N.R.A.
They served in Congress and on the N.R.A.’s board at the same time. Over decades, a small group of legislators led by a prominent Democrat pushed the gun lobby to help transform the law, the courts, and views on the Second Amendment.
$60 Million Refund Request Shows Financial Pressure on Trump From Legal Fees
The situation signals a potential money crisis as the former president runs a campaign while under indictment in two jurisdictions and, soon, potentially a third.
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