All posts tagged: state

California slams Paramount’s threat to leave state as ‘blackmail’ over settlement talks

California slams Paramount’s threat to leave state as ‘blackmail’ over settlement talks

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday denounced reports that Paramount might relocate its studio operations out of state unless officials drop a legal challenge to its proposed merger with Warner Bros., calling the threat a “blackmail” attempt. Variety reported Tuesday that Paramount-Skydance CEO David Ellison told company executives last week he is prepared to move the combined studio business away if Bonta and other state attorneys general fail to negotiate a settlement over their lawsuit blocking the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Ellison said the relocation process could start as early as Oct. 1 without settlement talks. Paramount has not commented on the threat, which was first reported by newsletter Puck. Bonta firmly rejected the alleged warning and reiterated his intention to challenge the deal. “In a span of weeks, Paramount agreed to halt the merger until a court decision or …

Jury in Luigi Mangione’s state trial will be anonymous, judge rules

Jury in Luigi Mangione’s state trial will be anonymous, judge rules

Published by Sam Flores

Luigi Mangione appeared Tuesday in a New York courtroom where plans were nearly finalized for his state murder trial, which the judge ruled will have an anonymous jury because of security concerns. Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to several state charges in the December 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown. If convicted, Mangione faces up to life in prison. On Tuesday, Justice Gregory Carro ordered the parties to team up on crafting a jury questionnaire — a task that could prove challenging given the case’s notoriety. Jury selection is set to begin Sept. 8, and the trial is expected to last about six weeks. Luigi Mangione at a court hearing May 18. Jeenah Moon / Pool via AFP-Getty Images The parties are expected to coordinate on a survey that will address each side’s concerns and identify potential jurors who may be biased. It was unclear when the questionnaire would be finalized; Mangione’s defense team said it expects to have a proposed draft this week. Jurors who …

Samuel Bottomley, Callum Scott Howells in ‘The State of Us’ Film

Samuel Bottomley, Callum Scott Howells in ‘The State of Us’ Film

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Hollywood Reporter can unveil an exclusive clip from Ollie Gardner and Jake Harvey’s The State of Us, ahead of its premiere in competition at Edinburgh International Film Festival on Friday. Led by California Schemin‘s Samuel Bottomley and It’s a Sin breakout star Callum Scott Howells, the British indie follows a boisterous tearaway called Frankie (Bottomley), who is struggling to come to terms with the inevitability of losing his best friend Taylor (Howells) to cancer. Frankie impulsively breaks Taylor out of hospice care for one final night of fun and debauchery, but what promises to be a night of hedonism quickly becomes something much more complicated. In the clip, Bottomley’s character can be seen cajoling Howells’ Taylor into having a drink and letting loose at a house party. On the dance floor, Taylor feels some semblance of relief as he reconnects with his childhood best friend. The characters in The State of Us are loosely based on Harvey’s childhood friendship group, in particular a friend called Jake Andrews, who died from cancer at the age …

Connecticut judge rejects Kalshi injunction against state sports betting enforcement challenge

Connecticut judge rejects Kalshi injunction against state sports betting enforcement challenge

Published by skeptic

A federal judge has handed Connecticut regulators an early victory in their fight with prediction market operator Kalshi, refusing to stop the state from enforcing its gambling laws while the lawsuit moves forward. Kalshi has appealed the Connecticut federal district court's denial of its motion for preliminary injunction to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The next step: asking Judge Oliver and then the CA2 to enter an immediate injunction pending appeal to block state-law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/vL7smu42Gc — Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) August 11, 2026 U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver denied Kalshi’s request for a preliminary injunction in an August 10 memorandum and order. The company had asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut to prevent the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and other state officials from enforcing gaming laws against its sports-event contracts before the case is resolved. It has since appealed the Connecticut federal district court’s denial. Connecticut judge rejects Kalshi federal preemption arguments as it called for injunction Kalshi maintains that its event contracts fall under the Commodity Exchange …

What to Expect in Minnesota’s State Primary

What to Expect in Minnesota’s State Primary

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota Democrats will decide a competitive U.S. Senate primary Tuesday in another face-off between moderate and progressive candidates that could define the party’s identity heading into the midterm elections. Republicans will choose nominees they hope will end their 20-year drought in statewide elections. The state has been at the center of a political maelstrom in President Donald Trump’s second term, as the Republican president has focused much of his ire on Minnesota and its Democratic leaders. Walz’s retirement announcement, as well as that of Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, triggered a reshuffling of races throughout the ballot. In the race to replace Smith, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination. Smith has backed Flanagan, while Walz has not made an endorsement. Flanagan also has support from key figures in the party’s progressive wing, including U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of the 5th Congressional District. Sanders is an independent but caucuses with …

Wildfires Force 20,000 to Flee as British Columbia Declares State of Emergency

Wildfires Force 20,000 to Flee as British Columbia Declares State of Emergency

Published by Sam Flores

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in western Canada, with dozens rescued by aircraft. Premier David Eby announced the emergency as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, nearly half of them out of control in hot, windy weather and prolonged drought. Thousands fled on jammed roads as officials warned that “explosive” conditions could threaten more communities. Summerland, home to about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated overnight, along with about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. Eby’s office confirmed “significant structure loss” but said officials could not yet assess the damage because the area remained an active fire zone. The speed of the fire forced even emergency officials to flee. Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said he had to abandon the emergency operations center and evacuate his family. “I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave …

British Columbia Declares State of Emergency as More Than 20,000 Flee Wildfires

British Columbia Declares State of Emergency as More Than 20,000 Flee Wildfires

Published by Sam Flores

By Paige Taylor White and Nivedita Balu PENTICTON, British Columbia, Aug 8 (Reuters) – British Columbia ⁠declared ⁠a state of emergency on Saturday after ⁠thousands of people in the western Canadian province were ordered to flee a fast-moving wildfire that nearly ​doubled in size overnight.  The Bald Range wildfire was burning out of control and grew rapidly to about 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres), prompting evacuation orders in Summerland, Peachland and ‌other districts west of Okanagan Lake in ‌the province’s southern interior. The region produces most of B.C.’s wine and is Canada’s second-largest wine-producing area.  Premier David Eby told a news conference on Saturday ⁠that one fire ⁠official had likened the fire to “a bomb going off”. “He described flames on 100-foot tree, flames ​going 200 feet above that, and the fire creating its own weather system, which creates lightning, which then feeds on itself,” Eby said. “Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued,” the premier said, adding it remained …

Kalshi plans appeal after Utah judge backs state gambling enforcement powers

Kalshi plans appeal after Utah judge backs state gambling enforcement powers

Published by skeptic

Kalshi is heading toward an appeal after a federal judge in Utah ruled that the Commodity Exchange Act does not shield the prediction-market company’s sports contracts from state gambling laws. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby sided with Utah officials on Tuesday (August 4), granting them summary judgment while rejecting Kalshi’s bid for a preliminary injunction. The company wanted the court to find that federal commodities regulation prevented Utah from enforcing its anti-gambling statutes against Kalshi. Kalshi will appeal the Utah federal court decision to the Tenth Circuit. When that happens, there will be prediction market appeals in 7 out of 13 federal judicial circuits (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th & 10th), with 2 more (7th & 8th Circuits) ready to join soon. #CircuitSplit — Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) August 4, 2026 Legal expert Daniel Wallach said August 5 that Kalshi will take the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. It would bring prediction-market appeals into seven of the 13 federal judicial circuits, he said, while the Seventh and Eighth …

Kalshi presses Iowa court to block state sports contract enforcement efforts

Kalshi presses Iowa court to block state sports contract enforcement efforts

Published by skeptic

Kalshi is asking a federal judge in Iowa to block state officials from enforcing gambling laws against sports event contracts available through its federally regulated prediction market. In a July 31 filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, the company argued that Congress placed trading on designated contract markets under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s “exclusive jurisdiction”. Kalshi says Iowa would intrude on that authority by treating trades on its exchange as violations of state law. NEW: #Kalshi asks an Iowa federal court to block state gambling enforcement, arguing federal law gives the CFTC exclusive authority over its contracts. @RWW pic.twitter.com/i7FEWAZRik — Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) August 3, 2026 The filing supports Kalshi’s bid for a preliminary injunction against Attorney General Brenna Bird, the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission and several commission officials. Kalshi says it only wants to prevent state gambling and criminal statutes from being applied to transactions executed on its designated contract market, rather than restrict Iowa’s enforcement powers. State officials have characterized Kalshi’s sports contracts offered to …