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  • Nick Hakim’s ‘I Can See’ Is a Hazy Alt-R&B Masterpiece: Album Review

    “Stoner R&B” is not an insult: It’s the opposite, a loose term to describe a sprawling genre of music that includes everything from Dijon and Frank Ocean to Brent Faiyaz and Jhene Aiko. It’s R&B that has smoked a strong blunt, with languid grooves, heavy bass, psychedelicized production and an unhurried vocal approach. Unlike the tight rhythms, choppy guitars and urgency of traditional R&B, it’s not in a hurry to get anywhere.

    When Nick Hakim first emerged in 2014 with his “Where Will We Go” EPs and subsequent albums, he was a bright new voice in the genre, but as the years went by, his music sailed further and further out until, by 2022’s “Cometa,” conventional song structures had pretty much drifted off.

    But his fourth and latest album, “I Can See,” is his most focused work to date — and despite the unhurried tempos and smoky vibes, it’s a very seriously structured set of songs, with multiple layers of his soft, soulful vocals and shimmering keyboards. “Real Here Now” is one of the most gorgeous R&B songs you’ll hear all year and is almost like an Usher song from a parallel universe, but as always his music has a crossover appeal that defies pigeonholing: The following song, “U Can Make It,” is a densely layered track built around a thudding electronic bass drum, echo-drenched piano and layers and layers of vocals.

    The unusually hazy sound of this album is as vital as the songs — the vocals and instruments waft in and out of the mix like music from a passing car or sounds from the apartment next door; you’re not always sure exactly what you’re hearing, not that it matters. Equal parts electronic and organic, it pairs conventional snare and rimshot sounds with heavy digital bass, piano so heavily treated that it sounds like a warped calliope, and backing vocals that float in and out like a chorus of ghosts.

    After the more-conventionally structured songs of the album’s first half, the last few continue “Cometa”’s journey toward the cosmos, growing murkier and piling on effects reminiscent of dub reggae. Indeed, “I Can See” is a realm beyond alternative R&B — it’s more like R&B from a different planet.

  • ‘Widow’s Bay’ Creator on Writing Season 2 After Buzzy Launch: “I Learned a Lot About What You Don’t Need”

    ‘Widow’s Bay’ Creator on Writing Season 2 After Buzzy Launch: “I Learned a Lot About What You Don’t Need”

    The writing process has just begun for the second season of Apple TV‘s latest hit series Widow’s Bay.

    Show creator Katie Dippold participated in Collider’s Showrunners on Showrunning panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, where she opened up about the project’s startling success. Starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a New England island that the residents are convinced is haunted, Widow’s Bay quickly became one of television’s buzziest shows after its April launch and went on to land a whopping 19 Emmy Award nominations, including best comedy series.

    “It took a long time,” Dippold said about how soon she got a sense that the show had picked up as many fans as it did. She joked that she remains “terrified” of Reddit but eventually took enough of a look on the social media platform to see that the amount of discussion about Widow’s Bay was increasing wildly. “Seeing that was really shocking.”

    The writer, also known for her work on such features as The Heat and Snatched, explained that she did not know that the series had been renewed for a second season until just before the news went public. “But I was still always hoping and thinking about it,” she continued, pointing out that the writers room for season two started earlier this week. “It’s a great room, and then we’re going to be writing for the next 20 weeks.” Dippold noted that her goal is to begin filming next year for the show that also stars Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Stephen Root.

    As for lessons from the initial season that the first-time showrunner plans to incorporate for the second one, Dippold said, “I learned pretty quickly in making it.” Dippold pointed out that she felt that the comedy worked because the actors played things straight and dramatic: “Throughout the process, it was making sure everything served that, and so that’s top of mind going into season two. Also, the scripts were longer and pretty dense. I had to make last-minute cuts for time, so I’ll just be more mindful of that because we didn’t need that much.”

    She added, “In the edit, I just could see, ‘Oh, you actually didn’t need any of this stuff anyway.’ I learned a lot about what you don’t need and getting to things quicker.”

    In her review of Widow’s Bay for The Hollywood Reporter, critic Angie Han wrote, “At its best, Widow’s Bay highlights the blurry line between comedy and horror.”

  • Sui traders eye range lows at $0.70 as oversold RSI signals potential buying zone

    Sui traders eye range lows at $0.70 as oversold RSI signals potential buying zone

    Sui [$SUI] faced a 5% price drawdown in the past 24 hours, with a 9.6% uptick in daily trading volume. This was worrisome as it suggested a short-term increase in selling pressure.

    The rest of the crypto market has faced losses over the past day, too. Bitcoin [BTC] and Ethereum [ETH] were down 1.05% and 1.14%, respectively. Compared to these market leaders, Sui was underperforming in the short-term.

    Why the Sui downturn is surprising

    Coinbase announced that $SUI can be staked directly on the exchange. Staking rewards would directly accumulate to the user’s account. It offered an easy, effortless way of earning rewards.

    Source: Ted on X

    Trader Ted noted that the bullish catalyst could help the altcoin break past the descending trendline resistance in place since early June. The token has defended the $0.66 support zone well so far.

    Some more consolidation followed by a bullish breakout was a viable scenario, the trader wrote.

    Source: $SUI/$USDT on TradingView

    The swing low at $0.65, made in June, marked the swing structure’s low. The RSI on the 1-day timeframe recently climbed above neutral 50, but the losses of the past three days sent the momentum indicator tumbling once more.

    The OBV was in a downtrend, although the selling pressure has eased in July.

    A pullback, in the form of a rally toward $1.12-$1.25, the Fibonacci golden pocket, was technically possible. However, it was far from playing out in reality.

    Traders’ call to action- Wait

    Source: $SUI/$USDT on TradingView

    In July, $SUI has been trading within the $0.70-$0.77 range. Traders can look to trade the token within this range. The RSI on the 4-hour chart was in oversold territory as the token approached the range lows.

    While this can be a buying opportunity, a breakout past the $0.82 local resistance zone would be a stronger buy signal for swing traders. Similarly, a breakdown below $0.65 would signal that the next impulse bearish price move was imminent.

    Final Summary

    • The Coinbase staking news has served as a sell-the-news type event.
    • The short-term range between $0.70-$0.77 might provide trading opportunities, but the $0.82 supply zone is also one to keep an eye on.

  • Guillermo del Toro said ‘Absolutely No Goddamn AI’ in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ 3D Re-Release: ‘We’re Protecting a Lineage of Art’

    Guillermo del Toro had one rule when bringing “Pan’s Labyrinth” back to theaters for its 20th anniversary: “No goddamn AI.”

    The filmmaker returned to San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the film’s 20th anniversary, which returns to theaters Oct. 9 in 3D and HDR for the first time.

    The filmmaker said he converted “Pan’s Labyrinth” into 3D by hand and opted not to use AI.

    “Obviously I said, ‘Absolutely no goddamn AI,’” he said, which was met with the audience’s applause. “What we’re protecting is the beauty and the redeeming power of art. It’s not about who gets the job. We are protecting a lineage of art. If we cut a generation of people from learning their craft, you’re cutting the rest of the history of that medium away from them for what?”

    When doing the conversion, del Toro said he had two options: to do it quick, or to do it good.

    “I chose good. You have to put in time. You have to do every element by hand. A human made a decision of depth,” he said.

    During the panel, del Toro teased a documentary that explores the process of creating the original film, which features appearances and commentary from Jacob Elordi, Cate Blanchett and Charlie Day.

    Also offered in 2D HDR, Cineverse and Fathom 4K will bring the re-release to the big screen, with each version being overseen by del Toro himself. Tickets will be available to purchase on Sept. 9.

    “Pan’s Labyrinth” follows a young girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), who travels into a fantasy world after fleeing the danger of 1944 Francoist Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. While there, she befriends a mysterious faun and navigates the realm of deadly beasts. Starring alongside Baquero are Doug Jones, Maribel Verdú and Sergi López.

    “Pan’s Labyrinth” earned $83 million worldwide at the box office in 2006 and received six Oscar nominations and three wins for best makeup, cinematography and art direction.

    Del Toro returned to Cannes Film Festival earlier this year to debut a 4K restoration of the film, which was met with several minutes of applause. Two decades ago, the film made Cannes history of the longest standing ovation, totaling 22 minutes.

  • KULRTech moves $9.45mln in Bitcoin – Is a complete exit next?

    KULRTech moves $9.45mln in Bitcoin – Is a complete exit next?

    Since the October 2025 peak, Bitcoin has failed to sustain an uptrend, falling 48% from its $ATH. Amid this extended market weakness, long-term holders, especially institutions, have seen their losses skyrocket.

    The rising losses have pushed many of these firms to a breaking point, and they are not only capitulating but also walking away.

    KULRTech dumps $9 million in Bitcoin

    Treasuries that rushed to accumulate Bitcoin [$BTC] from late 2024 and 2025, fearing they would miss out, have found themselves operating at a loss.

    Others were pushed to capitulate to avoid more losses, and one such Bitcoin treasury company is KULRTech.

    KULRTech has been aggressively dumping its $BTC over the past months. According to Arkham data, KULRTech transferred 145.8 $BTC worth $9.45 million to Coinbase Prime.

    Source: Arkham

    After multiple transfers, its holdings of 1,021 $BTC worth $101 million now have only 100 $BTC worth $6.47 million left.

    In its selling spree, the company has mostly exited at a loss. AMBCrypto earlier reported that KULR Bitcoin holdings saw over $18 million in losses.

    Now with only 100 $BTC left, it seems the company is on the verge of completely exiting its position. Thus, if weakness continues, the company is likely to sell and exit the market entirely.

    Source: Yahoo Finance

    Even more impactful for KULRTech, the company’s stock value was hit the hardest by extended Bitcoin poor performance.

    Yahoo Finance data showed that the company’s stock declined 78% from its $ATH of $43 recorded after it announced its $BTC investment. As of this writing, the firm’s stock value was around $2.7.

    Treasuries holdings value plunges $47 billion from 2025 peak

    KULR Technology Group, Inc is one of the many Bitcoin treasury companies operating at a loss. Also, it joins a long list of these firms aggressively selling.

    Interestingly, while Treasury companies have increased their holdings in 2026, they have yet to reclaim peak value.

    Source: CoinGlass

    In 2025, Bitcoin treasury companies held 1.02 million $BTC worth approximately $128.5 billion at the peak. Now, these firms hold 1.25 million $BTC worth $81.5 billion, marking a $47 billion drop from the 2025 peak.

    Thus, although holdings have increased by 230k $BTC, the value remains extremely low, signaling rising losses. For example, Strategy is currently operating on $9 billion in losses.

    With these major investors holding at a loss and continually selling, the Bitcoin market still remains at extreme risk. Thus, fear from treasuries could drive continued market weakness, further reducing the capital that $BTC relied on significantly for the 2024-2025 rally.

    Final Summary

    • KULR Technology Group transferred 145.8 $BTC worth $9.45 million to Coinbase Prime, reducing total holdings to 100 Bitcoin.
    • Bitcoin treasuries have increased holdings by 230k $BTC since October 2025, but value dropped from $128 billion to $81 billion.

  • Trump Says White House Correspondents Dinner Is ‘Largest Group of Trump Derangement Syndrome People Ever Put Together at One Time’

    President Donald Trump attended his first-ever White House Correspondents Association Dinner, with this year’s rescheduled gala held Friday evening in Washington, D.C., and delivered some pointed remarks to the assembled journalists in a rambling speech that stretched on for just over an hour — and personally insulted several journalists, politicians and celebs that he’s sparred with.

    “I am delighted to be here at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Amazing people, a lot of people that I like,” Trump said. “Some I don’t like at all, but I respect most of them.”

    At first Trump seemed unsure of the tone he wanted to impart, and suggested that — compared with barbs he was planning to deliver at the original WHCA dinner, which was disrupted by a gun-wielding attacker — he was pulling his punches. “I said, ‘What do we do here? Is this supposed to be fun? Am I supposed to be serious? Am I supposed to be a comedian?’ So I guess you said, maybe a little bit of everything.”

    But Trump quickly started bashing the press. “This evening it’s really all about the fake news media and your handling of prizes — writing and producing and performing made-up stories like the Academy Awards,” Trump said. The Academy Awards “used to be the the epitome of ratings outside of the Super Bowl… Now it’s down in the dumps. Nobody wants to watch it anymore because they took on Trump. They hit me all night long.”

    He told the journalists, “when I’m gone. You’re all going to be broke. Your business model is going to be finished. No, it’s true. When I’m not around, you’re going to be broke. There’s not going to be anybody to report on. Nobody gives a damn about anybody else.”

    Trump said “mostly, I’ve given up on you and the media, so that now I just gave up on you, and I’m number one on TikTok. Did you see that?… I gave up on you, people. I gave up on traditional press, and it obviously worked because we did win in a landline” (by which he meant “landslide,” which is not true). Trump boasted that “I was able to get [TikTok] sold to a group of very wealthy people, mostly Americans.”

    Trump said he did not attend past WHCA dinners because “I thought the press treated me very, very unfairly, and I don’t know. I think I made the right decision because they need to go where maybe you’re not wanted, but they did want me. They wanted me for ratings, and they wanted me for other reasons, but not for love. And I said, ‘You know, I’m not going to go.’ First time that ever happened… And I didn’t go for four years because I got treated terribly by the press.”

    This year, Trump noted, the WHCA decided not to have a comedian. “They considered using Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon,” Trump said. “These guys — they’re terrible. They’re terrible. Stephen Colbert. These are people without talent… They have no talent, but they are not comedians. They’re not funny people. They’re angry people. They’re sick people.”

    Trump held forth for about 64 minutes after he took the podium at 9:33 p.m.

    Trump joked that Paramount CEO David Ellison, who is the owner of CBS News (“He bought it, spent a lot of money, and he’s going to make, I think, fantastic changes and keep some of the great stuff going”) next year will rename the WHCA dinner “the Trump White House Correspondents’ Dinner.” “He told me that, and I like that very much. We’re going to change the name of it, OK?” Trump said, alluding to his unsuccessful effort to add his name to the Kennedy Center.

    He also said at another point in his talk, “I, for one, wish Bari Weiss all the best at CBS News. She’s a wonderful woman,” which drew an audible murmur from the audience.

    He said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt “may have one of the hardest jobs in the White House” because she has to “deal with all of you all the time, and you can be very difficult. You can be very, very difficult people. But I’m probably being a little bit oversensitive. Sometimes I really do think that some of you don’t like me.”

    He quipped, “This place is the really the largest group of Trump derangement syndrome people ever put together at one time, I suspect,” eliciting a smattering of laughter.

    Trump slammed some of his favorite perceived enemies. He said the winner of the lowest ratings and the “lowest IQ on television” was “actually Don Lemon,” who Trump called “the dumbest man on television. I said, you know, when you say some things, you never make a comeback. It’s not like, ‘Oh gee, hey Don, let’s have dinner some night.’”

    Trump also took aim at CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. He said, “I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award” but said it “was all about me. It’s a fake. She shouldn’t get the award. It was a fake, but I didn’t mind.” (In a statement issued as Trump was still speaking, Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, said: “We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fair mindedness with which the CNN team reports the news. Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the U.S. Constitution. CNN will continue to exercise this right.”)

    Trump then went on a weird tangent about Collins, calling her “a young, active woman” but that “she never smiles. I said, ‘Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position. You’re at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person. Just smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.’” Then Trump tried to joke that Collins had signed “a major new sponsorship. But then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can. It was Dylan Mulvaney,” Trump said, referring to transgender influencer who was enlisted by the beer company in 2023, a campaign that suffered a huge backlash. “Dylan Mulvaney cost Bud like $35 million in market cap. It was the worst commercial ever made, by the way. For those few people that want to hear that, most people don’t care, but I would. I wouldn’t want to hire Dylan anytime soon,” said Trump.

    About another CNN anchor, Anderson Cooper, Trump said: “I like Anderson actually because he’s covered me well for many years, and he went bad as soon as I went for politics. But for years, he loved interviews. I did so many interviews with him, and he was great. But you know, he’s got a little different persuasion than me, in many ways actually.”

    Trump also lashed out at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer, Rosie O’Donnell (a “sick older woman”), CNN’s Jake Tapper and Bruce Springsteen. About Springsteen, Trump said: “What the hell happened to that guy? He looks like hell… I’m sure he doesn’t like the way I look, but I don’t look so bad.” He complained that Springsteen made “four political speeches in his three-hour show,” leading Trump to joke, “The tour has been renamed ‘Bored in the USA,’ and his new song was so bad.”

    Trump, of course, has had a hostile relationship with the press. He not only routinely complains that news outlets are “fake news” and insults individual journalists but he has also sued multiple news outlets over coverage he dislikes, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, ABC News and CBS News’ “60 Minutes.”

    At the WHCA dinner, the Wall Street Journal reporters behind the paper’s story about a birthday letter purportedly written by Trump to Jeffrey Epstein won the $10,000 Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability award. Trump, who has denied he penned the Epstein letter, filed a lawsuit over the story, demanding $20 billion in damages. A judge dismissed his original suit but Trump refiled the complaint in May 2026 and the matter is pending. The Journal’s lawyers called Trump’s lawsuit “an affront to the First Amendment.” At the dinner, Trump awkwardly shook the hands of the Journal reporters who were there to receive the prize, then threw up his hands in mock resignation and returned to his seat.

    “This has not been an easy evening. All these awards… Do I get a say in those awards?” Trump joked during his remarks.

    Near the end of his remarks, Trump joked that he would run for a fourth term — and he donned a “Trump 2028” hat — repeating his baseless claim that he actually won the 2020 U.S. presidential election. (He did not.) Trump said he plans to return to the correspondents’ dinner in 2027.

    Meanwhile, Trump also made a joke at the expense of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his secretary of Health and Human Services. “Bobby Kennedy’s right here. He personally ran over the cow in his car… he brought it here for you to eat tonight,” Trump said. “So it’s very fresh. And Bobby also suggested an appetizer featuring his favorite cut of male raccoon roadkill. But we drew the line at that, Cheryl. We said, no, we’re not going to do that. We’re not doing that. We love Bobby.”

    Friday’s WHCA dinner took place at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in D.C. It featured a performance by mentalist Oz Pearlman, whereas the association has traditionally invited a comedian to roast the sitting president.

    The WHCA dinner was rescheduled after the first gathering, on April 25, was interrupted by an evident assassination attempt on Trump. The gunman who crashed through security at the Washington Hilton was apprehended and charged. Trump spent time discussing the April attack in his remarks, thanking the law enforcement personnel who subdued the suspect.

    Outgoing WHCA president Weijia Jiang, senior White House correspondent for CBS News, delivered opening remarks at the start of the event. She then shared hosting duties with Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, who will serve as the organization’s president for the 2026-27 term.

  • GLP-1s are changing US healthcare, should everyone be on them?

    GLP-1s are changing US healthcare, should everyone be on them?

    NewsFeed

    GLP-1 drugs, originally developed to treat diabetes and now widely used for obesity, are reshaping healthcare in the US. As research uncovers potential benefits beyond weight loss, experts are asking whether these medications could one day be used far more widely.

    Published On 25 Jul 2026

  • 382,000-Member Police Group Supports Revised Crypto CLARITY Act

    382,000-Member Police Group Supports Revised Crypto CLARITY Act

    Nation’s Largest Police Labor Group Reverses Course

    The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has endorsed the latest version of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act after lawmakers revised provisions that had raised concerns about cryptocurrency-related prosecutions.

    Founded in 1915, the FOP describes itself as the largest law enforcement labor organization in the United States, representing more than 382,000 active and retired officers. Its size gives the group a prominent voice in federal debates affecting policing, criminal investigations, and officer resources.

    In a July 24 letter to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and ranking member Elizabeth Warren, FOP National President Patrick Yoes said the organization’s concerns had been “satisfactorily addressed.”

    The endorsement reverses the FOP’s earlier position. In its April opposition letter, the organization warned that language involving noncontrolling blockchain developers could restrict prosecutors pursuing financial crimes involving cryptocurrency.

    Revisions clarified that protections for certain noncontrolling software developers and decentralized technologies would not curtail investigations, prosecutions, or the application of established criminal statutes.

    Law Enforcement Positions Shift

    The FOP joins the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), which became the first major police organization to endorse the legislation. NOBLE said the bill would expand investigative capabilities while preserving established criminal authorities, marking an early law enforcement endorsement for the proposal.

    Major County Sheriffs of America stopped short of endorsing the bill but withdrew its opposition after further discussions. The group’s move to a neutral position suggested that revisions had eased some concerns.

    Opposition has not disappeared. A coalition representing more than 70,000 prosecutors, sheriffs, police chiefs, and other professionals previously called for changes to the CLARITY Act, arguing that broad exemptions could weaken oversight and investigative tools.

    Revised Bill Expands Enforcement Tools

    The revised bill would protect digital asset companies and stablecoin issuers from liability when they voluntarily delay suspicious transactions or act at law enforcement’s request. Temporary holds could give investigators time to prevent losses, trace stolen assets, and disrupt illicit transfers.

    The legislation also addresses crypto ATM fraud and applies Bank Secrecy Act obligations to covered digital commodity exchanges, brokers and dealers. An official section-by-section summary says those businesses would face anti-money laundering, customer identification, and due diligence requirements.

    Title IX would establish a grant program to strengthen state and local digital asset enforcement capabilities, create a law enforcement and national security training program, establish a digital asset cyber innovation center, and fund research into emerging technologies used in cryptocurrency-related crime. The provisions also include initiatives aimed at protecting older Americans from fraud and improving coordination among federal, state, and local agencies.

    Democrats Reject Latest Senate Draft

    U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released an updated CLARITY Act draft July 22 after Senate banking and agriculture lawmakers combined their market-structure proposals. The measure addresses securities oversight, commodities regulation, decentralized finance, illicit-finance controls, and federal ethics requirements involving digital assets.

    Seven Democratic senators rejected the Republican text, contending that the proposal still falls short of an acceptable bipartisan agreement. Their joint statement opposing the current draft identified unresolved concerns involving elected officials’ ethics, consumer protections, illicit finance, conflicts of interest, and market integrity.

    Although the seven lawmakers pledged to continue negotiations, Republicans are expected to need Democratic votes to reach the 60-vote threshold typically required to invoke cloture if the legislation faces a filibuster. The timing of a floor vote will depend on whether negotiators can resolve the remaining political and regulatory disputes.

  • Paramount Agrees To Not Close Warner Bros Discovery Transaction Until Next Year Or Until Lawsuit Merits Are Resolved

    Paramount Agrees To Not Close Warner Bros Discovery Transaction Until Next Year Or Until Lawsuit Merits Are Resolved

    Paramount has agreed not to close its proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery until June 1, 2027, or until shortly after the merits of lawsuits brought by state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America are resolved.

    The agreement is an extraordinary new development in the merger transaction, which has won regulatory approval from the federal government and European regulators.

    After a court filing spelling out the agreement came during the last hour of trading on Wall Street, shares in Paramount added to what was already a lackluster day. They fell 3.3% on the day to finish at $8.21 after touching a 52-week low of $8.17. The stock slid another penny in after-hours trading.

    Click here to read Paramount’s agreement not to close the transaction as legal proceedings take place.

    U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin this week granted the states a temporary restraining order pausing the transaction for 14 days to hold a hearing on whether to grant a lengthier preliminary injunction. She later extended the TRO by another 14 days, through August 17. Now both sides have indicated that they want to schedule a trial.

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in a statement on social media, called the agreement “a major victory for a free and fair economy, for the entertainment industry, for workers, for consumers, and for affordability.” He planned to share additional thoughts with the media at a Friday afternoon press briefing.

    Hanging over the legal proceedings has been the prospect that Paramount would be on the hook to pay a $7 million-per-day “ticking fee” to Warner Bros Discovery for every day that the transaction does not close past September 30. The agreement opens the very real possibility that legal proceedings will extend well beyond that date. There is a $7 billion breakup fee if the deal falls apart.

    In their filing in federal court Friday, the attorneys for the parties wrote, “The transaction at issue in State of California and Writers Guild shall not close, be consummated, or otherwise be completed and Defendants will not take any steps, directly or indirectly, to integrate or consolidate their operations pursuant to the Transaction until the earlier of (1) five days after the merits determination in these matters, or (2) June 1, 2027. This stipulation and order extends to Defendants’ agents, officers, servants, employees, attorneys, and other persons who are in active concert or participation with Defendants.”

    A Paramount spokesperson said, “Today’s agreement is a significant win because the result is exactly what we have sought from the outset: a direct path to a trial based on the evidence. This is the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers, and good for creators, a conclusion dozens of competition authorities around the world have already reached. Plaintiffs’ market definitions bear no relationship to the realities of today’s marketplace and cannot withstand scrutiny. We look forward to proving our case at trial.”

    The judge still has to sign off on the plan, but she had asked attorneys for the plaintiffs and defendants to meet to try to agree to a schedule.

    In a joint statement on the agreement, the WGA West and WGA East said, “Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery today agreed to what the state Attorneys General and the WGA both sought from the court: the merger will be put on hold pending the outcome of the states’ and the WGA’s cases or until June 1, 2027, whichever comes first. It remains our view that this merger is unlawful, and we will continue the fight to block it.”

    New York Attorney General Letitia James, representing one of a dozen seeking to block the transaction, said in a statement, “From the workers and artists who bring stories to life to the families who buy tickets at the box office, Paramount’s illegal takeover of Warner Bros. is a bad deal for all those who count on a competitive entertainment industry. Halting this merger while our case proceeds is a critical victory in our efforts to uphold the law and protect the film and television industries. I look forward to continuing our case to stop this illegal merger.”

    The sides also agreed to scrap the current briefing schedule, as well as an August 3 hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction. They also agreed to file a joint statement regarding the scheduling of a trial by July 31.

    The state attorneys general sued July 13 to block the transaction, claiming that it would stifle competition for wide release theatrical film distribution, anticipated big budget blockbusters, and basic cable television channel licensing. The WGA filed its own suit a day later, contending that the merger would illegally limit competition for writers services.

    Paramount called the state AGs lawsuit a “flawed application of the antitrust laws and is wrong on both the facts and the law. We will vigorously defend the transaction and demonstrate that this challenge is inconsistent with sound competition policy and the competitive realities of the media marketplace.”

  • Donald Trump Says LeBron James Is “Maybe A Racist” After 76ers Move & Prefers Michael Jordan: “I Only Like People Who Like Me”

    Donald Trump Says LeBron James Is “Maybe A Racist” After 76ers Move & Prefers Michael Jordan: “I Only Like People Who Like Me”

    Donald Trump is weighing in on LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as he continues his NBA career after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.

    During a press conference Friday at the White House, a reporter asked Trump where he stood on the James versus Michael Jordan debate.

    “Well, Michael Jordan is a guy who is a friend of mine — play golf with him. He’s a really good guy,” Trump said.

    He continued, “I think LeBron is… Maybe he’s a racist. Maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know, but I only like people that like me. So I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”

    James has been open about his political choices, voicing his support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 election; for the 2024 election, James endorsed Harris in her presidential run. Claims that Jordan endorsed Trump for the last presidential election were debunked by his management team, who said “there is absolutely no truth” that the former NBA star publicly endorsed a candidate.

    James made news earlier in the day after he confirmed he was headed to the 76ers for “a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.”

    “I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,” James posted on X. “I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”

    ESPN reported that James signed an $8 million, two-year deal with the 76ers. The basketball star made almost $53 million playing with the Lakers last year.

    Watch Trump make the comments about James in the video below.