STOP STUDIO MERGERS

“President Trump says the US has begun a blockade of Iranian ports. He's trying to get Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war. Iran responded with threats on US allied ports in the region that poses serious risks for the global economy and the nearly week-long ceasefire.”

“The Lebanese Red Cross says its paramedic Hassan Badawi suffered a direct strike by an Israeli drone while carrying out his humanitarian duty during an emergency response mission in Bint Jibail near the Israeli border. The Red Cross notifies the Israeli military via United Nations peacekeepers whenever it sends out an ambulance team. Lebanon's health ministry called Badawi's killing a violation of international humanitarian law.”

“US District Court Judge Darren Gales wrote that Trump had failed to allege sufficiently that the journal had acted with what's called actual malice, either knowledge of story is or failure to seek the truth. Gales found the journal had made numerous efforts to verify its reporting and included Trump's denial. The judge left the door open to Trump refiling the suit, however, and a spokesperson for his legal team tells NPR, it will do just that.”

“More than a thousand movie stars, writers, and directors declared their unequivocal opposition to the proposed Paramount merger with Warner Brothers Discovery in an open letter. A large swath of the industry came out against the $111 billion deal that would consolidate the two legacy studios, arguing it would reduce jobs in an already downsized Hollywood.”

“The NAR is revising its housing forecast down for the year. That's because the war with Iran has raised the cost of borrowing, and that sent mortgage rates up. The association went from rejecting a double-digit increase in existing home sales to just 4%. New home sales are projected to be flat.”