Paramount Skydance has settled a lawsuit with dozens of US states, removing a major hurdle to its $110bn (£82.8bn) merger with Warner Bros Discovery.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta told a news conference that state officials agreed to terms after securing commitments to protect competition across film and television, and broadcasting.

Still, “the settlement is not a vote of support for this merger,” Bonta said. “I don’t think these two companies should merge.”

Paramount chief executive David Ellison hailed the resolution, saying: “Our shared aim was an outcome that best serves consumers, workers and – most importantly -the creative community so vital to the art of visual storytelling.”

In a statement, Ellison said that now the state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America concerns had been addressed, “we have complete clearance for this merger and look forward to putting these commitments into action”.

Ellison had previously threatened to move studio operations out of California.

The settlement will help boost film production in the US, Bonta said, adding that under the agreement, Paramount must release at least 30 films each year.

Bonta stressed the agreement guarantees a massive boost to domestic output, “$300m to $1.5bn more, at minimum, for film and TV production right here in our country”.

“Importantly, that is the baseline. That is the minimum,” Bonta said, noting that production commitments could surge by up to 700% if Congress passes a federal film tax credit.

Under the deal’s initial terms, Paramount must ensure 20% of all film production takes place in the US for the first two years, rising over 30% over the following three years.

While mergers typically lead to corporate overlap and redundancies, Bonta maintained that it would be a “job creator” that will put people back to work across the industry.

A study which could suggest introducing trams or a light rail network to combat Cambridge’s congestion could be released later this year, as readers remain divided over the city’s transport strategy

Advertisement

Residents and CambridgeshireLive readers have been sharing their views on the prospect of introducing trams to Cambridge.

A study examining whether trams or a light rail system could help alleviate the city’s traffic problems may be published later this year. Officials from the Cambridge Development Corporation attended a meeting of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s scrutiny and overview committee to answer questions from councillors.

The development organisation was formed earlier this year to speed up the construction of new housing and infrastructure across Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, though concerns have been raised that it could remove planning authority from local councils.

One of our commenters, Freddly, said: “If trams are to be introduced, it’s important that the space comes from cars and vans, that is, from the motor vehicle carriageway. If there is to be ‘a squeeze’ on another mode, that mode needs to be cars and vans. They are the least efficient way of moving people around (increasingly 1 person in an SUV the size of a small tank), and they do not remotely pay for their current dominance of space in our cities.”

Whynot2 retorts: “Trams by their very nature are not designed to run along a footpath; they will be built using the road. More importantly, if they ever build a tramway, is it going to be overhead or underground power supply? No city or borough that has installed a tramway has done it anywhere near the proposed budget, and you won’t like that, would you? One last question: what happened to the metro system that they proposed?”

Brexit498 asks: “Have you done another of your cost-benefit analyses? If you are in a Mini or a Range Rover, you make no difference to congestion. The University wants to rent land, and the council wants the tax: the result is a city that cannot accommodate the people who pay for this greed.”

Rootintootinredux says: “Remember when the guided bus was their solution to the tram system? That sure worked, didn’t it?”

Scuba99 writes: “I’m holding out for a monorail above the colleges.”

Oopsiblewoff feels: “They should start by cancelling the new busway and ripping up the current one. The whole of Cambridge must become pedestrian and cycle-only. Cyclists should also be allowed to freely connect to the tram network for additional energy. Free of charge.”

Brexit498 agrees: “Agree, the busway is rarely used.”

Reece48 says: “A light rail network is the answer; more buses were never a good idea to deal with the projected growth in and around the city.”

Time4change27 thinks: “A scandalous waste of money! The corporation and the cost of the Mayor are unnecessary. Scrap the lot, including the GCP, and fix the existing roads with the money saved from employing consultants. Expanding bus services would cost less than a light rail system and actually work.”

Campete2 writes: “For buses to work requires eradicating congestion, which means getting cars off the roads they use. Which means either a congestion charge or more roads prohibited to cars entirely. Sadly, many of what the various authorities are doing (including the GCP) is pushing ahead with car-dependent development and encouraging more car use.”

Reece48 adds: “We are in the here and now; in fact, they are behind the curve. House building in and around Cambridge is growing at a very fast rate. If they don’t agree soon on a modern transport system for the city, it will become like London, a congested nightmare.”

Over on our Facebook page, Susan D comments: “Why not consider giving us something to come into Cambridge for…very few shops to choose from, but coffee places galore. Surely the only people excited about visiting Cambridge are the foreign tourists. Nothing much there for the rest of us.”

Steve B says: “There are two hopes in getting trams. Bob Hope and No Hope. The roads are too narrow to have dedicated tram lines. With the high amount of cyclists, there would be a higher incidence of collisions. Trams can’t dodge around a cyclist who obstructs their route as they’re on rails. With the incidents of fatalities on the Cambridge Busway, can you imagine the chaos with trams? Trams are nearly as wide as a bus, but as said, they have to follow the tram lines; they can’t pull close to the kerb, just sit in the middle of the road. If you check out Manchester’s tram system, it runs on multi-lane roads, cuts through the countryside on the outskirts, and bypasses some areas. Cambridge City is too enclosed, and are they being powered by overhead pantographs or batteries?”

Are you for or against trams in Cambridge? Comment below or HERE to have your say.

There has been plenty to discuss after JJ Spaun left Rory McIlroy forced to settle for joint-second at the BMW PGA Championship

It was close but no cigar for Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship. The Northern Irishman put up a good fight but ended up in a tie for second as JJ Spaun finished two clear of the field.

American star Spaun has been enjoying his time in England and fought off a fierce challenge to triumph at Wentworth. However, he won’t be involved in the upcoming Presidents Cup.

That’s one of a number of big events left to play between now and the end of the year. Spaun isn’t the only one with plenty of play ahead of him, with McIlroy aiming to chase down Patrick Reed and claim top spot in the Race to Dubai.

Spaun and McIlroy both spoke after their weekend’s exertions, with the former making comments which will have left an impression with local fans. Here’s our round-up of the latest lines.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

Spaun’s unexpected Jeremy Clarkson influence

JJ Spaun revealed his affection for England even before securing victory at Wentworth, reflecting on his and his family’s love for ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ as well as an enjoyment of the local crowd. The American posted a final round 67 to claim the title ahead of McIlroy, Aaron Rai, Adam Scott and Manuel Elvira.

“We love coming here, as far as being in the atmosphere, the English culture, we love it,” the American said at the midway point in the tournament. He expanded on this after his victory, revealing that he and his family are particularly fond of the TV programme ‘Clarkson’s Farm’.

“I think we really enjoyed it because we went to the Cotswolds before watching his show, and it gravitated to how we understood the culture there, the community, and then obviously looking like an idiot trying to farm. It’s a good laugh. We enjoy the show and we love the Cotswolds,” the 36-year-old added.

Advertisement

“We’ve grown fond of him along with English culture. We take holidays in December in the Cotswolds and really enjoy his show. I went to his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, with hopes to catch a glimpse but he wasn’t around.”

McIlroy’s Spaun surprise

Rory McIlroy spoke about how impressed he was by Spaun over the weekend. This made it all the more surprising when he learned his rival wasn’t part of the United States team for the upcoming Presidents Cup.

“He’s been playing great for the last couple of years. I think it’s great of him to come over here [to the UK} and play,” the world No.2 said. “He made the Presidents Cup, didn’t he? He didn’t? Oh, geez,”.

“I was going to say, that’s a good way to go into the Presidents Cup. Sorry. But it’s great that he’s over here, and he’s obviously had a great week.”

The introduction of a royal forest forced villagers to leave their homes

Cambridgeshire is a county that has a fascinating history, but some of it has been lost over years gone by. Much of the county’s history is well-known, such as places where the Romans settled or Cambridge’s prominent university history.

However, there is some history that has become forgotten over time and lost. There is one village known as Houghton that people didn’t know existed for years.

The lost Anglo-Saxon village was hidden beneath ground for around 900 years. Although there is a Houghton that exists today between Wyton and St Ives, this Houghton was located less than half a mile from Brampton.

No one knew it existed until 2018 when it was discovered by National Highways while work was taking place to build a new A14 route between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

Around 250 archaeologists unearthed the lost village, and discovered it was occupied between the 11th and 13th centuries. Through further research, people eventually found out the village was abandoned.

This was due to the expansion of a “royal forest” in the area. Royal forests were introduced by the Normans at the end of the Anglo-Saxon period.

They were designated large areas of England used as hunting grounds and could only exclusively be used by the monarchy. When Henry II ascended to the throne in 1154, the whole of Huntingdonshire was declared a royal forest.

When this was declared, villagers in Houghton were no longer allowed access to the local woodlands, which they relied on for food and fuel. Without the necessary means to survive, they were forced to leave.

With Brampton and Godmanchester being so close, it’s possible these villagers moved to these areas.

The school says it is making ‘significant improvements’

A Cambridgeshire school has been told it needs to make “significant improvement”, following its latest Ofsted inspection. Highfield Littleport Academy in Elm Side, Ely, underwent an Ofsted inspection on July 7.

When the school was last inspected in 2022, it was rated good in all areas . However, the areas assessed in its latest inspection have been rated as ‘needs attention’ and ‘urgent improvement’.

Ofsted has told the school that it requires “significant improvement”. The report said: “His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.”

A spokesperson for the Active Learning Trust, which oversees the school, said it was “disappointed with the report”. However, they added: “It’s important to recognise that Highfield Littleport has made significant improvements and progress since the inspection took place in July.

“This includes welcoming several new members of staff since September. New staff include a children’s communications specialist, an autism specialist and a play therapist, all helping to remove any barriers to learning, as well as the four new calming rooms and sensory room available to pupils.”

The school welcomed a new headteacher, Adam Daw, just five weeks before the inspection took place. The spokesperson added: “[He] is extremely well placed to support Highfield Littleport on this improvement journey. His excellent and thorough leadership at Highfield Ely has already been widely recognised by parents and children as well as by Ofsted.

“We are pleased that Ofsted recognised that pupils feel safe, valued and want to attend Highfield Littleport, and we look forward to working together with staff at Highfield Littleport to ensure that every pupil can achieve their full potential.”

The school was rated as needing urgent improvement for curriculum and teaching and achievement. It was rated as needing attention for: attendance and behaviour, inclusion, leadership and governance and personal development and wellbeing.

Inspectors said pupils weren’t “achieving well enough” at the school, and they sometimes “disengage from learning because tasks are either too easy or too hard”. The school’s curriculum was also described as “unclear”.

Inspectors added: “Over time, staff have been given the freedom to plan new ideas, but leaders have not checked this closely enough to make sure what pupils learn stays ambitious and well thought through.”

For pupils who are pre-verbal or non-verbal, they “do not build their communication skills properly” at the school. Inspectors also said that many pupils have gaps in reading, writing and maths.

“These gaps are not picked up routinely, so pupils move forward with shaky foundations,” the report added.

The school’s facilities were praised for “supporting pupils’ wider development”, such as having access to a gym. The school’s attendance is also above national average, and leaders were praised for “building strong relationships with families, so pupils feel safe, valued and want to attend.”

Inspectors did acknowledge that the school’s “standards slipped suddenly because of turbulence in leadership”. They added: “The trust responded appropriately and as quickly as it reasonably could. Still, this disruption unsettled staff and some left.

“Leaders struggled to recruit experienced replacements. This has weakened pupils’ learning and achievement. Very recent leadership changes have steadied the school. Parents and carers, pupils and staff now report renewed confidence in leadership.”

Ofsted suggested a number of improvements including that it needed to define a clearer curriculum, ensure teachers’ response to pupils’ needs, and identify gaps in pupils’ foundational skills.

Friedrich Merz’s demeanour was grim as he stepped before the cameras on Sunday evening to address his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party after two more disappointing state election results. Following what the German chancellor had called the CDU’s “worst defeat in many years” in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago, Merz described the result of Sunday’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania election as a “disaster”.

His party won just 4.9% of the vote in the largely rural, eastern, coastal state. This means that, for the first time, it fell short of the 5% threshold needed for entering a state parliament.

The CDU found itself squeezed in a contest between the minister-president of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Manuela Schwesig, and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). As in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD topped the poll but fell short of a majority.

Schwesig’s campaign was criticised for trying to unite all voters opposed to the AfD behind her and thus harming the chances of other parties. But complaining about political opponents trying to win over your supporters is hardly a compelling argument for the CDU.

In Berlin, the evening got worse for Merz. Exit polls suggested the party was on course for 20% there, but in the final count it slipped back to 18.8%. This represents a loss of 9.5 percentage points compared to the last election three years earlier. The Left Party was triumphant, with 25.7% of the vote (up 13.4 percentage points compared with 2023).

Here, too, there were state-specific reasons for the CDU’s result. Its governing mayor, Kai Wegner, did not stand for reelection after criticism of his handling of power cuts earlier in the year and his apparent decision to play tennis rather than manage the crisis.

Just 20% of Berlin voters were satisfied with the performance of Wegner’s government – in a state where successive leaders from the SPD and CDU have struggled to address challenges around housing affordability, crime and education.

But still, one poll finding from election night was telling: just 1% of CDU voters thought Merz was helpful to the party in these elections. So, where does all of this leave Merz – and what happens next?

In his post-election statement, Merz recalled local election victories in Hesse and Lower Saxony in March and September. He also doubled down on his ambition to undertake structural reforms as the “antidote to the authoritarian poison which is penetrating ever more deeply in our society”.

But the autumn will be tough for Merz. His coalition partner in the federal government, the SPD, has made it clear it expects changes to proposed pension reforms – in particular allowing those with a full contribution history to continue to retire at 63.

It has also called into question health and social care reforms already agreed before the summer, suggesting they may need revision. And Merz faces rebellious CDU backbenchers threatening to block the federal budget if bigger tax cuts are not agreed.

The eight CDU minister-presidents issued a statement recently, seemingly aimed at ending the debate over Merz’s position. The statement said: “The path to restoring public trust in Christian democracy lies in listening and taking political action, not in discussions about personnel.”

But Robin Alexander, a German journalist who reports on the CDU, uncovered that the road to this statement owed much more to disagreements within the party about the way forward than representing unequivocal backing for Merz.

And the SPD’s Schwesig, whose internal stock has risen with her election result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, has now criticised Merz’s election night statement. She called for more “humility” rather than doubling down.

What happens next?

Almost nobody expects Merz to lead the CDU into the next federal elections as party leader and candidate for the role of chancellor. These elections are scheduled for 2029. But there are several possible scenarios moving forward.

First, Merz could carry on as party leader and chancellor but the CDU could nominate an alternative chancellor candidate for the 2029 election. However, the alternative candidate’s political authority would be rather limited.

Second, Merz could hand over the reins to an alternative as party leader, while carrying on as chancellor. Former German chancellors Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel both did this in 2004 and 2018 respectively. But this would be a blow to Merz’s authority.

Third, Merz could be forced out as chancellor and party leader by CDU grandees sooner rather that later. In this scenario, there would be some hurdles to the process. A successor would need to win a majority among MPs in a secret ballot, which is no foregone conclusion.

Perhaps the most likely successor candidate is Hendrik Wüst, minister-president of North-Rhine Westphalia. But he stands for a rather moderate course that would not be welcomed by all in the CDU, especially those looking for a rightward turn to combat the AfD.

Bavaria’s minister-president, Markus Söder, is another possible option. But he has a weaker starting point. Söder leads the CDU’s sister party, the Christian Social Union, and lost the battle to stand as chancellor in 2021.

At that time, the CDU made clear its expectation was that the chancellor would be one of its own number. The CDU has gone into federal elections with a CSU chancellor candidate twice before, in 1980 and 2002, and ended up losing on both occasions.

Boris Rhein from Hesse has also occasionally been floated as an alternative to Merz, but has a relatively low public profile. In each case, contenders might want to keep their powder dry for longer, let Merz push on with difficult reforms and seek to enter the fray closer to the next election.

More fundamentally, while Merz has struggled to govern and has been brutally exposed by these elections, the main issue is with the huge strategic difficulty faced by the CDU. How can it push through structural reforms with a reluctant coalition partner, while at the same time retaining moderate voters and shoring up its right flank against the AfD?

Merz might depart, but these dilemmas will live on.

Lindsay Clancy‘s lawyer has asked a judge to probe the phone data of the sole juror who voted against acquitting the killer mom in her case which ended this month. 

Eleven of 12 jurors were ready to clear Clancy of criminal responsibility last Friday, but their deadlock forced the judge to declare a mistrial, leaving the case unresolved. 

Neither side disputed that Clancy strangled five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson and eight-month-old Callan Clancy in the family’s Massachusetts home in January 2023 before trying to end her own life. 

However, her defense attorney Kevin Reddington said she was a loving mother in the grip of a rare condition called postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors argued that she knew what she was doing.

The sole holdout juror, Michael P. Desronvil, 48, sided with prosecutors and said that he had no doubts about Clancy’s guilt, in opposition to the verdict reached by the other jurors. 

Now, Reddington has asked the judge, William Sullivan, to examine Desronvil’s mobile phone metadata during the time the jury was deliberating over the case, according to a motion seen by the New York Times. 

The motion also asks the judge to question Desronvil about the truthfulness of the statements he provided during jury selection and the use of his phone or any outside information during deliberations. 

Reddington has requested the questioning to be on the record, in the presence of attorneys from both sides.  

The sole holdout juror, Michael P. Desronvil (pictured), said last week that he had no doubts about Clancy’s guilt, in opposition to the verdict reached by the other jurors

‘The inquiry will not touch the substance of deliberations,’ the motion reads. 

It is unclear whether the jury’s decision could be reversed. 

Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, did not deny that she killed her three children, but argued she should be found not guilty by reason of insanity as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time.

While 11 of the jurors agreed with this characterization of the killings, Desronvil did not buy the story.

Since a mistrial was declared, several jurors have publicly accused him of refusing to meaningfully engage with their arguments, with some describing him as ‘arrogant’.

Fellow juror Paula Devlin, 65, told the Daily Mail that the holdout juror made ‘no sense’ when pressed on his reasons for his vote and was ‘quiet’ for most of the week-long deliberations.

He was more focused on policing the tenor of the group’s discussions than offering explanations for his conviction that Clancy was guilty, she said.

Clancy did not deny that she killed her three children, but argued she should be found not guilty by reason of insanity as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time

Fellow juror Paula Devlin, 65, told the Daily Mail that the holdout juror made ‘no sense’ when pressed on his reasons for his vote and was ‘quiet’ for most of the week-long deliberations

Advertisement

‘The main thing he focused on is sometimes we would all want to talk at once, and that was very upsetting to him.

‘He would get upset and say, ”Listen to what she’s saying, listen to what he’s saying, be respectful’.”

‘We were trying to say to him, that sometimes somebody says something and they get lost in their thought or they can’t find the right word, and somebody else puts that word in there for them or finishes their thought, that’s how normal conversation works.

‘But when that would happen, he would get upset and just take all this time lecturing us about not being respectful.’

Devlin also claimed the holdout rarely fraternized with the group during the trial, instead preferring to speak to his wife or watch videos on his phone.

She said the 11 jurors who decided Clancy was not guilty of murder or manslaughter in the deaths of her kids felt ‘defeat’ and ‘anger’ when the mistrial was declared.

Meanwhile, the father of the three slain children, Patrick Clancy, revealed on Sunday that he suffered a panic attack and ended up needing medical treatment while giving grueling testimony at his ex-wife’s trial.

The grieving father sat down with 60 Minutes to share his heartbreak over the deaths of his three children Cora, five, Dawson, three and Callan, eight months old, as well as the toll that their mother’s trial took on him.

Cora, five; Dawson, three; and Callan, eight months, were found strangled to death at their home in Duxbury, Massachusetts on January 24, 2023 

Patrick was one of the key witnesses in the case, testifying to Clancy’s spiraling mental health and describing the moment that he returned home to find his children dead.

Throughout his hours-long testimony, the Daily Mail saw the 38-year-old struggling to contain his emotions, physically trembling, taking deep breaths and wiping away tears as he relived the painful memories from that day in January 2023.

Speaking about the ordeal to 60 Minutes, Patrick shared that he had experienced a ‘massive, traumatic panic attack’ during a recess in proceedings inside Plymouth County Superior Court, Massachusetts.

‘We did take a break right before they played the 911 call, which I knew was going to be just horrific,’ he said.

‘And I went to a back room, and I started having this massive, traumatic panic attack. My heart was pounding.’

Patrick said he was put in an ambulance and offered medication, but turned it down, insisting he wanted to resume testifying.

‘I said “I don’t want it because I want to go back and I want to finish this so I can be done with this,”‘ he said of that moment. ‘And I went back and I finished the testimony.’