Factbox-U.S. state abortion legislation to watch in 2023

By Gabriella Borter and Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) – State legislatures are wrestling with how much to restrict or expand abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Here is a snapshot of pending and passed legislation seeking to restrict or protect access in 2023. RESTRICTIONS FLORIDA: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis…

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Senate confirms Biden court pick despite Manchin opposition

By Jacqueline Thomsen (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed President Joe Biden’s nominee to the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, overcoming rare Democratic opposition from Senator Joe Manchin. Nancy Abudu, a lawyer for the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) legal advocacy group, was confirmed on a 49-47 vote. She will be the…

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US Supreme Court leaves protections for internet companies unscathed

By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court handed internet and social media companies a pair of victories on Thursday, leaving legal protections for them unscathed and refusing to clear a path for victims of attacks by militant groups to sue these businesses under an anti-terrorism law. The justices in a case involving Google LLC’s…

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Biden appeals court nominee Delaney asks to withdraw after bipartisan opposition

By Jacqueline Thomsen (Reuters) -Former New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney on Thursday asked U.S. President Joe Biden to withdraw his nomination to the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals amid opposition from both Democrats and Republicans, according to a letter seen by Reuters. In the letter to Biden, Delaney said he believes “it is…

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Warhol estate loses U.S. Supreme Court copyright battle over Prince artwork

By Blake Brittain WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Andy Warhol’s estate lost its U.S. Supreme Court copyright fight with celebrity photographer Lynn Goldsmith on Thursday as the justices faulted the famed pop artist’s use of her photo of Prince in a silkscreen series depicting the charismatic rock star. The 7-2 ruling, authored by liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, upheld…

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Hollywood actors’ union asks members to authorize possible strike

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The board of Hollywood’s actors union asked members on Thursday to give negotiators the power to call a strike, a move that would add new pressure to major studios already facing a writers’ strike. The SAG-AFTRA actors union set a June 5 deadline for its 160,000 members to…

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Hammer of gun in ‘Rust’ shooting possibly modified -prosecutors

By Andrew Hay (Reuters) – The hammer of the gun actor Alec Baldwin was holding when it fired a live round killing “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins may have been intentionally modified, New Mexico special prosecutors said in a court filing this week. The comments came a month after prosecutors dropped a criminal charge against Baldwin…

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