Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Paramount cleared to buy Warner Bros.Paramount reached an agreement to resolve an antitrust lawsuit that had been delaying its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, eliminating the last significant barrier to the creation of a media company colossus. A group of states, led by California’s Democratic attorney general, had sued Paramount in July, arguing that an acquisition of Warner Bros. would concentrate too much of the industry under its ownership. The deal would also make David Ellison, the chief executive of Paramount and an ally of President Trump, one of the most powerful people in entertainment. After weeks of negotiations, Paramount and the states have agreed to a number of concessions in order to complete the deal. The entertainment giant committed to:
Related: Have a look at all of the film franchises, shows, characters, streaming services and news networks the combined company would own.
News outlets sue Trump over press freedomCNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the Trump administration for barring them from the White House grounds, arguing that the ban violated their First Amendment rights to cover the president. Trump banned the three outlets on Friday for what he described as negative news coverage, and their reporters were later denied access to the White House. Today, major TV networks suspended their pooled coverage of Trump after the White House refused to let CNN serve as a pool representative. (When the administration offered its own stream of the president’s ribbon cutting for a new helipad, the audio was garbled.) Trump defended his actions on social media. “The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” he wrote. “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”
Houthi threat rattles the White HouseYemen has once again spiraled into full-blown war. Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, is fighting the Iran-backed Houthis, who have attacked ships and disrupted routes vital to the Saudi oil industry. The Saudi crown prince has implored Trump to intervene militarily against the Houthis. The president initially rebuffed his requests, then, over the weekend, told the Pentagon to prepare airstrikes. But as bombs were being loaded onto the planes, he reversed course and decided to hold off, according to Trump administration officials. Most of the president’s inner circle was either deeply skeptical or outright opposed to joining the Saudi fight, especially given the existing strains facing the U.S. military in the war with Iran, according to a senior official. Intervening in Yemen could open another front in the war. Read our exclusive reporting on war deliberations inside the White House. (And for more context: Why are the Houthis and Saudi Arabia back at war?)
United Nations seeks relevance on A.I.The frenzied reckoning over artificial intelligence, and its existential risk to humanity, has raised the stakes of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington later this week. The subject also tops the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders are gathered in the shadow of rogue A.I. hacking episodes that have set off an anxious debate worldwide. As the body seeks a new secretary general, officials will also address wars and global energy prices. But some foreign policy experts have compared the urgency of global A.I. cooperation to the need for nuclear arms control during the Cold War. In other A.I. news:
More top news
The Best TV ShowsTelevision has defined 21st century popular culture. And today, The Times is releasing the first installment of its 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list. We polled hundreds of TV stars, showrunners, craftspeople and executives to winnow it down. (See how your favorite actors and creators voted.) The final rankings are full of surprises, even for the editors, so sign up for the Watching newsletter for each installment, culminating on Sept. 25, when we’ll reveal the No. 1 show of the 21st century. You can also cast your own ballot, and we’ll release a separate list to show how Times readers voted.
Buoyer’s remorse?Four and a half years after acquiring a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry on a costly whim, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost turned their boat into a floating comedy venue on Manhattan’s East River, at least for a night. The ferry has languished in a tidal strait, racking up docking fees and regulatory headaches. But last week, more than 300 people filed onto the 277-foot “Snapple Island Ferry” (rechristened by the fruit juice brand sponsoring the event) for a “hot and nauseous” comedy show. Dinner table topics
Cook our satisfying polenta with Parmesan and olive oil-fried eggs. Try “interdental scrubbers” if you’re hating dental floss. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of the healthiest kinds of nuts. Read a space opera, a genre that’s gone from punchline to literature. Pick up one of these 13 lenses to level up your mirrorless Canon camera. Play: Today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. For more, find all our games here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
