Paramount And Skydance Merger Approved And Trump Visits Powell At Federal Reserve: Morning Rundown

Federal authorities regulators o.k. an $8 cardinal merger betwixt Paramount and Skydance. Jerome Powell pushes backmost during Donald Trump’s sojourn to nan Federal Reserve’s headquarters. And nan female down nan viral “Jet2 holiday” soundbite is amazed astatine its popularity.

Here’s what to cognize today.

Paramount’s $8 cardinal merger pinch Skydance is approved

The Federal Communications Commission said it had approved Skydance Media’s $8 cardinal bid to get CBS News genitor institution Paramount aft Skydance made respective concessions to nan Trump administration. The merger paves nan measurement for a tectonic displacement successful ownership of 1 of America’s 3 awesome networks. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said successful a news merchandise that nan move would bring alteration to CBS News’ coverage, claiming “Americans nary longer spot bequest nationalist news media to study fully, accurately, and fairly.”

Among nan concessions that Skydance made pinch regulators was an statement to not instrumentality immoderate DEI programs. The institution besides said it would “undertake a broad review” of CBS and instal an ombudsman for astatine slightest 2 years who will see “complaints of bias” astatine CBS News. Other companies that person billion-dollar transactions pending earlier nan FCC person besides backed disconnected DEI programs, including Verizon and T-Mobile.

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Earlier this month, Paramount Global settled a suit pinch President Donald Trump for $16 cardinal complete a suit successful which he alleged that nan measurement CBS edited a “60 Minutes” question and reply pinch erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris was “election and elector interference.”

And past week, CBS announced it was canceling “The Late Show,” presently hosted by Stephen Colbert, who had precocious criticized nan settlement. CBS said nan cancellation was “purely a financial determination against a challenging backdrop successful precocious night.”

The lone Democrat successful FCC leadership, Commissioner Anna Gomez, criticized nan Trump administration’s push to unafraid promises from companies, including anti-DEI measures. “Even much alarming,” Gomez said successful an emailed statement, nan FCC “is now imposing never-before-seen controls complete newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, successful nonstop usurpation of nan First Amendment and nan law.”

In summation to CBS News, Paramount’s assets see Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, The CW, MTV, BET and respective movie franchises. Hours aft Paramount announced Wednesday that nan creators of “South Park” agreed to nutrient 50 caller episodes successful a woody reportedly weighted astatine $1.5 billion, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker excoriated nan company and aggressively skewered Trump successful nan premiere section of nan Comedy Central show.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Powell pushes backmost during Trump’s sojourn to Federal Reserve

Trump visited nan Federal Reserve’s office amid ongoing renovations astatine nan building, wherever ongoing renovations person served arsenic nan administration’s latest imaginable pretext for removing Fed Chair Jerome Powell from his post. Wearing a difficult hat, nan president said nan building costs had ballooned to “about $3.1 billion,” up from $2.5 billion. But Powell, opinionated adjacent to Trump, retorted, “I haven’t heard that.” After Trump handed him a portion of paper, Powell said nan elevated costs Trump was citing included of a 5-year-old project.

Trump’s sojourn to nan Federal Reserve was notable not only because of his evident dissatisfaction toward Powell’s refusal to little liking rates, but besides for its rarity. The past president to sojourn nan Fed office was George W. Bush successful 2006. Before that, Gerald Ford visited successful 1975, and Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurated nan building successful 1937.

Trump, who arsenic precocious arsenic past week suggested he mightiness occurrence Powell, told reporters yesterday, “I conscionable don’t deliberation it’s necessary” to occurrence him. When asked if location was thing Powell could do to get Trump to “back off,” Trump said, “lower rates,” arsenic he slapped Powell’s backmost successful a friends manner. Read nan afloat communicative here.

More authorities news:

• Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is expected to meet for nan 2nd time pinch Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accomplice. But tin Maxwell beryllium trusted to show nan truth astir Epstein? Her lawyer says yes, but her actions successful nan look of past lawsuits formed doubts.

• Republican leaders are divided complete whether to widen Affordable Care Act funding that is slated to expire astatine nan extremity of nan twelvemonth could mean higher security premiums and millions of group losing wellness coverage.

• The Trump administration’s allegations of “treason” against erstwhile President Barack Obama has forced erstwhile aides to fig retired how to not springiness excessively overmuch oxygen to nan claims without letting them to spell unchecked.

• The U.S. is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks aft nan latest consequence from Hamas “shows a deficiency of desire” for a deal, Trump’s typical envoy Steve Witkoff said.

• Trump signed an executive bid prohibiting “third party, pay-for-play” payments to assemblage athletes aft nan alleged assemblage transportation portal has go a multimillion-dollar marketplace successful caller years.

The wrestling world remembers Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan, nan larger-than-life wrestler who brought nan theatrical sports genre to caller heights of mainstream popularity, has died astatine nan property of 71. Police successful Clearwater, Florida, responded to a cardiac apprehension telephone yesterday morning, according to a connection from nan city, and he was pronounced dormant astatine a section hospital. Hogan’s head said he passed distant surrounded by loved ones.

The WWE celebrated nan hallway of famer arsenic “one of popular culture’s astir recognizable figures,” and chap wrestling icon Ric Flair remembered him arsenic a bully friend who “was ever location for maine moreover erstwhile I didn’t inquire for him to be.”

Hogan became a fixture successful Republican authorities successful caller years and appeared astatine past year’s Republican National Convention. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance posted statements memorializing him. “One of nan first group I ever genuinely admired arsenic a kid,” Vance said. Read nan afloat communicative here.

Read All About It

• More than 300 documents released a time aft Bryan Kohberger was handed a life condemnation successful nan murders of 4 University of Idaho students reveal caller specifications astir nan grisly killings.

• President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will admit Palestine arsenic a state, amid increasing world anger complete group starving successful Gaza. Within hours, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said nan U.S. “strongly rejects” nan move.

• Tariffs are eating into toymakers’ and car companies’ profits, from a $1 cardinal deed to Hasbro conscionable successful nan 2nd 4th to a projected $4 cardinal to $5 cardinal nonaccomplishment for nan twelvemonth for General Motors. Here’s how different companies are faring.

• The female seen successful nan viral video of a mates trying to hide aft being featured connected a “kiss cam” astatine a Coldplay performance resigned from her job.

Staff Pick: The sound of nan summertime isn’t a opus — it’s an ad

Chelsea Stahl / NBC News; Getty Images

“Nothing thumps a Jet2 holiday.” If that building rings a bell, congratulations connected being highly online. Audio from nan ad, mixed pinch Jess Glynne’s 2015 deed “Hold My Hand,” has go nan meme of nan summer, wherever users ironically juxtapose nan soundbite pinch footage of chaotic vacation experiences.

But if you’ve been wondering really nan narrator of nan British hose advertisement feels astir her viral fame, shaper Fiona Day has you covered. Zoë Lister said she has been perfectly stunned by really overmuch nan meme has resonated, particularly successful nan U.S.

Even if you cognize thing astir nan meme, this communicative is simply a awesome look astatine really nan astir innocuous point tin extremity up changing someone’s life — moreover if it’s conscionable nan sound of their voice. — Josh Feldman, platforms editor

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

More than 67,000 cases of Power Stick deodorant person been recalled. Here’s what to know. Plus, nan NBC Select squad has been search Nintendo Switch 2 availability, and it’s backmost successful banal astatine immoderate retailers — for now.

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