Good morning, it's Tuesday, June 16, and we're following a huge day at the Supreme Court. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

LGBTQ Protections Upheld

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The pivotal decision extends protections to gay and transgender employees under the law's Title VII provisions, specifically its inclusion of sex as a protected class. 

Three cases were under consideration, including the firing of a Clayton County, Georgia, child welfare worker who joined and promoted a gay softball league. He alleges he was subsequently criticized by the community and fired under false pretenses (see background). The arguments were the highest-profile LGBTQ cases in front of the court since its 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.  

Justice Neil Gorsuch delivered the majority opinion, joining Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's four liberal justices. The decision employed a "but-for" test—meaning discrimination would not have occurred if the subject had been of the opposite sex—in reaching its conclusion; read the full opinion here (PDF).

The court also declined to hear a bevy of gun-rights cases, making it more than a decade since a major Second Amendment case was argued, and turned down a Trump administration challenge to California's sanctuary city laws. 

Finally, the court also declined to review the precept of qualified immunity, which can shield government officials, including law enforcement, from prosecution. See background on the legal doctrine here.

The 2021 Oscars Delayed

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said yesterday it would delay the 2021 Academy Awards by eight weeks, citing the effect of the pandemic on the film industry. The ceremony will now be held April 25. As Hollywood's most prestigious award, Oscar eligibility typically ends Dec. 31 of the previous year; consideration for feature films this year will extend to Feb. 28, 2021.  

A large number of blockbusters have been pushed to the fall—Daniel Craig's final James Bond film, "No Time to Die," was one of the first to be delayed—disrupting the long-term planning of release dates. With studios scheduling around big-budget releases and the holiday calendar, some fear delays could cause a glut of marquee films in early 2021. Other studios are opting to forgo theatrical releases, like Tom Hanks' "Greyhound," which will head straight to Apple TV. 

At least one high-end estimate suggested the global film industry could lose $160B in growth over five years due to the pandemic. 

Emergency Use Approval Pulled

The Food and Drug Administration revoked its emergency authorization of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) for treatment of COVID-19, saying the antimalarial drugs were unlikely to be effective and could result in harmful side effects. A number of world leaders, including President Trump, touted the drugs on the heels of anecdotal reports that they reduced symptoms in some severe COVID-19 patients. 

As clinical work advanced, research on HCQ—including randomized control trials, the gold standard in such studies—showed no benefits in treating COVID-19 symptoms. Studies of its ability to prevent infection or symptoms also came up short. However, communication of the results was obscured by two separate high-profile retractions that came after data from the studies could not be verified. Scientists say the retractions should not invalidate the conclusion that the drugs are not useful in the fight against the coronavirus. 

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A SHORT SUMMER

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Rapper Drake leads all artists with six nominations for the 2020 BET Awards, which will be simulcast on CBS for the first time (June 28, 8pm ET, BET/CBS) (More)

> WNBA announces it will play a shortened season in Florida in July; players will receive full salaries (More) | MLB commissioner unsure if 2020 season will take place as negotiations with players continue (More)

> New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins hired as CNN contributor on social justice issues (More) | Running back Ezekiel Elliott among Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans players that test positive for COVID-19 (More)

Science & Technology

> Fifty-million-year-old insect fossil suggests an unexplained migratory link between prehistoric Canada and Australia, despite no known land connection with the continent during that time period (More)

> Study finds drugs that promote a healthier microbiome also help prevent atherosclerosis, where plaque builds up on artery walls; establishes a link between gut bacteria and high blood pressure (More)

> Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) to introduce legislation making Section 230 protections, which shield internet tech companies from liability for user-posted content, contingent on ending many types of microtargeted ads (More)

Business & Markets

> Six eBay executives arrested for cyberstalking and harassing journalists who criticized the e-commerce platform in an online newsletter (More)

> US stock markets erase early slump, end up (S&P 500 +0.8%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +1.4%) as Federal Reserve announces it will purchase US corporate bonds (More)

> World’s second-largest fashion retailer H&M sees quarterly revenues drop 50% (More) | Gym chain 24 Hour Fitness files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to close 100 of approximately 400 locations (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Federal authorities to review the separate hanging deaths of two black men in Southern California; local officials have thus far ruled each death a suicide (More) | President Trump expected to sign executive order on police reform today (More)

> Beijing reports nearly 80 new, locally transmitted coronavirus cases, following two months without any new cases; officials worry cluster could catalyze larger outbreak (More) | US reports 2.1 million new cases, with 116,127 deaths, as of this morning; see three-day moving average (More)

> North Korea destroys an inter-Korean liaison office as tensions between the two countries rise; move comes as nuclear talks with the US stall (More)

IN-DEPTH

Jon Stewart Returns

NYT | David Marchese. Five years after walking away from his run as host of "The Daily Show"—one of the most popular cable television shows at the time—Jon Stewart returns ahead of his new film, "Irresistible." The timing couldn't be better for someone who thrives on political and social satire. (Read, $$)

A Reckoning for Refinery29

CNN | Kerry Flynn. Once one of the fastest-growing media companies in the US, Refinery29 built its brand under the premise of diversity, inclusion, and empowerment. That was until last week, when a simple—and what critics would deem superficial—statement of solidarity with nationwide protests inspired an internal revolt. (Read)

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ETCETERA

Visualizing the racial wealth gap by asset class​.

This animation shows how quickly the COVID-19 death toll racked up.

More and more newspapers are cutting mug shot galleries.​

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Ranking the most expensive countries in the world.

Spies can now eavesdrop by monitoring a light bulb's vibrations. ($$, Wired) 

Bored and furloughed, woman hatches three ducks from supermarket eggs.

Hummingbirds can see colors we can't even imagine. 

Watch a captivating starling murmuration.

Clickbait: This cat can be seen from space.

Historybook: Economist Adam Smith born (1723); First roller coaster opens in Coney Island, New York (1884); Ford Motor Company is incorporated (1903); Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space (1963); Rapper Tupac Shakur born (1971).

"The seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone."

- Tupac Shakur

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