The Evening: A case about free speech and social media

Also, Trump's lawyers said he can't secure a bond for his fraud judgment.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 18, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. A Supreme Court case on free speech Trump's bond troubles Plus, Shakira's new album The dispute was the latest in a series of cases requiring the Supreme Court to assess the meaning of free speech in the internet era. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times Justices were wary of curbing federal input on social media The Supreme Court today heard arguments from Missouri and Louisiana, two Republican-led states that accused the Biden administration of violating the First Amendment by urging social media platforms to remove content that the government considered misinformation. The majority of justices appeared to be entirely unconvinced. Many instead suggested that government officials should be able to try to persuade private companies not to publish information, so long as the requests are not backed by coercive threats. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan, both former White House lawyers, said that similar interactions between the government and news outlets, which are not uncommon, are part of a valuable and legal dialogue. The case arose from a barrage of communications from administration officials urging platforms to take down posts on topics like the coronavirus vaccines and claims of election fraud. A ruling on the case will most likely not arrive until June, when decisions on nearly all of the court's biggest cases are announced. In a separate but related case, a majority of the justices embraced arguments by the National Rifle Association that a New York State official violated the First Amendment by trying to dissuade companies from doing business with it after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, in which 17 people were killed. In other Supreme Court news, my colleague Adam Liptak interviewed Justice Stephen Breyer, who retired in 2022 and wanted to sound the alarm over the court's current direction. Donald Trump might now face a financial crisis. Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times Trump said he can't secure a bond for his fraud judgment Donald Trump's lawyers said in a filing today that it would be practically impossible for the former president to secure a bond to cover the $454 million judgment imposed on him in his civil fraud case in New York. If Trump is unable to come up with the financial backing by March 25, the New York attorney general's office might move to seize some of his assets. Faced with that threat, he has asked an appeals court to pause the judgment or accept a bond of only $100 million. Trump's lawyers said that he had approached about 30 companies in search of a roughly half-billion dollar bond, but they all turned him down. Their reason appears to be that Trump, whose fortune is largely in real estate, does not have enough liquidity to cover such an enormous bond. Vladimir Putin addressed thousands of people in Moscow's Red Square, after claiming a landslide election win. Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times Putin doubled down on his Ukraine focus During an event today celebrating his election victory, Vladimir Putin emphasized that his fight to add territory to his country wasn't over, signaling that the war in Ukraine would continue to dominate his rule. Russians at the celebration in Red Square braced for what might come next in a country at war led by a newly emboldened leader. The big concern now for many is of another military draft. "I worry about it, I worry about it every day," said a government analyst who gave his name as Maksim. "We don't know what will happen even tomorrow." In Russia, many residents say they back Putin. But it is far less clear what they might do if they were given alternatives. Protesters in Gambia in favor of ending the ban on female genital mutilation. Malick Njie/Reuters Gambia voted to revoke a ban on female genital cutting A vast majority of Gambia's parliament voted today in favor of a bill revoking the country's ban on female genital cutting. If the bill passes the final stages, which analysts say is likely, Gambia would become the first nation to roll back protections against the practice. An influential imam led calls to repeal the ban, which was put in place in 2015 but not enforced until last year, when three practitioners were given heavy fines. He claimed that cutting is a religious obligation and culturally important. Internationally, the practice is considered a gross violation of human rights. It frequently leads to serious health issues and is a leading cause of death in the countries where it is practiced. More top news Gaza: The Israeli military raided Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, in an operation it said was aimed at senior Hamas officials who had regrouped there. New York: Mayor Eric Adams was accused in a legal complaint of sexually assaulting a colleague in 1993, when he was a police officer. Carcinogen: The Biden administration finalized a ban on the only type of asbestos still used in the U.S. Politics: Paul Manafort, who was pardoned by Trump after a fraud conviction, is said to be in discussions to return to help with the Republican National Convention. Health: New studies by the National Institutes of Health found no evidence of brain injury in the diplomats and spies who had symptoms of Havana syndrome. Covid: The more time students spent in remote instruction, the further they fell behind. Experts say school shutdowns did little to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Tesla: As the share price plunges, investors wonder whether Elon Musk's company can withstand intensifying competition in the electric vehicle market. Media: The owner of Sports Illustrated chose a new company to publish the magazine. TIME TO UNWIND "The she-wolf is all over this album," Shakira said. A.J. Mast for The New York Times Shakira is back with an energizing album Shakira, the Colombian pop superstar, has had a rough few years: She broke up with her partner of more than a decade, helped her father through a head injury and paid a $8.2 million fine to settle a tax evasion case. Those trials, especially the breakup, form the backbone of her first album in seven years, "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" ("Women No Longer Cry"), which is out on Friday. Our critic talked to Shakira about what it was like to make such a personal album. Jodie Comer, top, and Idris Elba next to the video game characters they brought to life. Headshots via Getty Images; Screenshots (clockwise) via THQ Nordic, Krafton, and CD Projekt You might recognize these video game characters A stream of actors who built their careers in Hollywood have recently taken their talents into the digital world. You can spot Idris Elba in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and Megan Fox in Mortal Kombat 1. A remake of the 1992 horror game Alone in the Dark will be released this week. It features Jodie Comer, of "Killing Eve" fame, and David Harbour, who is best known for "Stranger Things." "I hope that people are still watching two-hour movies decades from now," Harbour said, "but I know they will be playing video games." "I ski better now than when I was younger," said Classie Page, 87. Kate Russell for The New York Times Dinner table topics Never too late: The skiers of the Wild old Bunch of Alta, Utah, are still out on the slopes, chasing powder in their 80s and 90s. Farming for gold: Internet cafes for playing crypto-earning video games are opening across the Philippines. The harvest has begun. In and out of love: Four readers shared stories about their pandemic relationship regrets. The power of stories: A Bronx teacher sent an impassioned request to an author his students love. Tommy Orange answered. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Bake: One-bowl chocolate cake is one of our five easy baking recipes for beginners. Watch: A documentary explores Stormy Daniels's involvement with Donald Trump from her perspective. Read: These two novels will make you sweat and shiver. Listen: Seven artists are shaping the sound of 2024. Here's a track list. Declutter: When is it time to toss a pair of pants that no longer fit? Detect: Health misinformation is evolving. Here's how to spot it. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ONE LAST THING "Mix activity with alcohol, and the people will come," said Oyama Valashiya, a finance recruiter. Peter Flude for The New York Times Buy low and drink up At a London pub called the 411, every Wednesday is a frenzy. That's because of Wall Street Wednesdays: when the pub offers drink prices that fluctuate like the stock market. The young and the thirsty gather at the bar and wait for a market crash, during which they yell "buy, buy, buy" and grab up discounted drinks. The event is part of a rise in what some call "competitive socializing," where games take center stage at bars across the city. "People like gimmicks nowadays," one patron said. Have a playful evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018