The Daily Sting, Thursday: Pulse Lawsuit Dismissed, Harry Potter Version of ‘Pokémon Go’ Is Coming
As we near the end of the week, let’s take a look at the day’s top headlines, starting with a federal court’s Pulse lawsuit that was officially thrown out by its judge. The lawsuit, which accused the city of Orlando and its police officers of improper response to the attack, will not move forward. And are you stoked to play a Harry Potter game that’s similar to Pokémon Go?
In other news, why is the soundtrack to Mariah Carey’s Glitter currently at number one on the iTunes album chart? Which European country just withdrew $10 million of aid to Tanzania due to its anti-gay problem? And Jim Obergefell, plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case that gave the country gay marriage nationwide, has said he’s worried the right doesn’t stand a chance in the America of today.
From dismissal of the Pulse lawsuit to a new Harry Potter game on the horizon, here are the day’s queerest headlines:
1. Federal Judge Dismisses Pulse Lawsuit Against Orlando and City’s Police Department (News)
Nearly 60 plaintiffs, including survivors of the June 12, 2016, Pulse nightclub attack and some family members of those killed, were signed onto a lawsuit seeking to sue the city of Orlando and its police department for not properly responding to the deadly attack. But a Florida federal judge has dismissed the Pulse lawsuit, saying the case did not have a “plausible claim.” At the time of the Pulse massacre, it was one of the most deadly mass shootings in American history.
2. Denmark Withdraws Tanzanian Aid Money Due to Mistreatment of LGBTQ People (World)
Hornet reported earlier this month on the horrors currently underway in Tanzania, where LGBTQ people are being hunted down in the region of Dar es Salaam, the governor of which said he intended to “catch every homosexual.” The news out of Tanzania has by now spread worldwide, and one of the country’s biggest donors, Denmark, has decided to withdraw the equivalent of $10 million because of it. “I am very concerned about the negative development in Tanzania,” says Denmark’s Development Minister Ulla Tornaes. “Most recently the totally unacceptable homophobic statements from a commissioner. I have therefore decided to withhold DKK 65m in the country. Respect for human rights is crucial for Denmark.”
3. U.S. Gay Marriage Plaintiff Jim Obergefell: ‘I’m Scared It Could Be Overturned’ (Politics)
Back in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges was decided by a 5-4 vote in favor of nationwide gay marriage. Now that Donald Trump has placed two ultra-conservative new justices on the court, what does that mean for the country’s LGBTQ community? Well, if you ask Jim Obergefell, plaintiff in that landmark case, nothing good: “The federal judiciary has changed dramatically, and all it takes is the right case to get in front of the right judges for that to end up in front of the Supreme Court again. And if that happens, right now I just have to rely on Chief Justice Roberts being a stronger believer in precedence than he is overturning something he didn’t agree with in the first place,” he told TMZ this week.
4. Why Is the Glitter Soundtrack Currently the Number One Album on iTunes? (Music)
Did we accidentally time travel back to 2001? Why in the world would the soundtrack for the film flop that was Mariah Carey’s Glitter be on the top of the iTunes charts? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, we have Carey’s fans — whom she dubs “lambs” — to thank … along with the price of the album being cut to a cool $4.99. The concerted effort comes days before the release of Carey’s upcoming 15th studio album, Caution.
5. A Harry Potter Game in the Same Vein as Pokémon Go Is Coming (Gaming)
Get ready to “Unravel a global mystery, cast spells and encounter fantastic beasts and iconic characters along the way,” because a Harry Potter game similar to Pokémon Go is on its way. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will be an augmented reality (AR) game that has players figure out the identity of an individual attempting to expose the wizarding world.
