Closer

European Commission says Paramount Skydance’s decision to end Universal venture addresses merger concernsParamount Skydance’s £80bn takeover of Warner Brothers took a step closer to being realised after it won conditional approval from the European Union.The European Commission said Paramount’s offer to ⁠end a film ⁠distribution ​joint venture with Universal Pictures addressed its concerns over the potential merger. As part of its commitments in the EU, Paramount has 13 months from the date of closing the deal to pull out from the venture. Continue reading...

The new PM talks less about the continent than his predecessor, but his agenda is more closely aligned with the EU’s• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereEurope’s leaders queued up this week to welcome Andy Burnham as Britain’s seventh prime minister since the Brexit vote – all expressing the hope that his tenure would continue the thaw in EU-UK relations initiated by his predecessor, Keir Starmer.Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission chief, said she was looking forward to strengthening cross-Channel ties, adding that a “very good” first discussion had confirmed a common commitment to “bringing the EU and UK closer and closer”. France’s Emmanuel Macron said he hoped for a deeper relationship that gave “new momentum to the partnership” between the EU and the UK. Germany’s Friedrich Merz said he, too, was looking forward to forging an even closer bond. Continue reading...

• Astronomers utilized the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to investigate the mechanisms by which early galaxies filled the infant cosmos with cosmic dust. • To uncover these secrets, researchers studied a closer, more recent galaxy to provide a detailed proxy for understanding ancient galactic environments. • This discovery is significant because the JWST's advanced capabilities allow scientists to observe high-detail environments that were previously unreachable.

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is conducting a diplomatic tour of Asia to strengthen ties with regional middle powers. • The initiative reflects a growing trend of Asian nations seeking "insurance policies" as the United States is perceived as an increasingly unreliable partner. • These strategic shifts are occurring as China continues to expand its influence and dominance across the region.

Trump’s effort to revamp the landmark stretched well past the goal of having it ready by the Fourth of JulyThe newly drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s bottom surface has noticeably faded since it was lined with a protective coating in a color Donald Trump called “American flag blue” this spring.An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewed the fenced-off reflecting pool on Wednesday from the top of the Washington Monument. The new liner appears grayer than when the pool was repainted and refilled with water in early June. Debris that had been visible earlier this week after the pool was drained is now largely gone, after work crews removed it. Continue reading...

Five months of U-turns and false boasts leave Donald Trump in worse position than when he startedDonald Trump has taken the war with Iran into a new, murkier phase as the two sides move further and further from the vague memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 17 June.And as during the opening phase of the conflict, the US leader’s objectives and methods are clouded in confusion, daily U-turns and boasts that within hours are revealed to be false. Continue reading...

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik during a speech at Indonesia's Parliament on Tuesday. • Modi highlighted Patnaik's daring 1947 mission as a pilot, during which he helped rescue top Indonesian leaders fighting against Dutch colonial rule. • The gesture emphasizes the historical ties between India and Indonesia, with Modi stating that Patnaik's actions brought the two nations closer.