Paramount demands $1.9 billion from states, citing Warner deal delays
Tech scion David Ellison's company wants the coalition of 12 states and the WGA to cover the 'ticking fees' that Paramount could incur due to Warner deal delays.
Business, jobs, economics and entrepreneurship.

Consumers from the Los Angeles region who order through Grubhub will soon have some of their orders delivered by four-wheeled robots.
Tech scion David Ellison's company wants the coalition of 12 states and the WGA to cover the 'ticking fees' that Paramount could incur due to Warner deal delays.
The Motion Picture Assn. said it reached an agreement with ByteDance over its AI tools.

Green hydrogen has gone bust in California, with project cancellations, ongoing fuel disruptions and station build-outs at a standstill.

As Disney looks to keep fans engaged, the company increasingly is turning to a video game technology across its theme parks and film and TV production.
A federal judge dealt a blow to Meta just days before a blockbuster trial where the company is accused of developing products that are addictive to children.

Diablo Canyon doesn't look like a nuclear power plant that's getting ready to retire.
With the Department of Justice, the SEC and state insurance regulators probing Mark Walter's businesses, the Dodgers owner has a lot on the line.

Palisades Village shopping center reopens 19 months after the devastating 2025 Pacific Palisades wildfires, marking a major milestone in local recovery.
In a star-studded presentation Friday night of Disney's upcoming films and TV shows, new Chief Executive Josh D'Amaro thanked Disney's super fans at the D23 fan event.
The California Gig Workers Union is on the cusp of being certified as the collective bargaining representative for Uber and Lyft drivers in the state.

Waymo announced today it received approval from California regulators to expand its service area across 18 counties, including the cities of San Diego and Sacramento.
Netflix said it has closed Hollywood-based Night School and plans to close Helsinki, Finland-based Moonloot.

Los Angeles's iconic Pink's Hot Dogs, a local favorite for more than half a century, is setting up shop in Japan.
G3 Enterprises, which makes wine corks and bottles, announced plans to lay off 66 workers, in yet another hit to California's wine industry
A new rule proposed by the Department of Transportation would allow airlines to display taxes, fees and base fares for flights with the same or greater prominence as the total price.
The tax-advantaged retirement accounts devised for the middle class have been exploited by the rich. Now plans are afoot to close the loophole.

More than 6 million customers in California will have Spectrum service.
Union leaders are asking David Ellison commit to keeping Paramount's operations in Hollywood and maintaining historic levels of film production in the U.S.
More than 500 people have lost jobs at FedEx, Staples and LAZ Parking; two facilities in Palm Springs and Victorville will close.
Venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, has tried to forge his own legacy that includes sports investments.
Paramount's board has approved David Ellison's contingency plan to move headquarters from Hollywood as early as this fall, according to people familiar with the situation.
In a sweeping 6,500-word manifesto published Monday, Zuckerberg declared that the biggest risk for AI is that one government or a few companies have too much control of the technology.
Brin has been pouring money into Building a Better California, a group that's backing two measures that could nullify a proposed billionaire tax.
A recent survey of metropolitan areas showed that Anaheim, Irvine and Santa Ana had some of the greatest income growth nationwide.
Trump's anti-vaccine orders will encourage vaccine refusals, placing millions of children at risk.

The chair of the California Senate's utilities committee said Tuesday he was "deeply troubled" by electric company executives' recent threats to take action to protect their shareholders if they don't get legislation in Sacramento to limit their wildfire liabilities.

Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled ready-to-use food products in multiple grocery stores containing potentially contaminated jalapeños linked to a salmonella outbreak.
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation said all manufacturers of pesticide products containing paraquat have "voluntarily canceled" their product registrations.
Next month, a new label intended for AI music personas, will appear on Spotify. The Swedish streaming platform will label AI-generated music and remove the tracks from users' personal recommendations.
The Trump administration's investments in corporate stocks make it a significant shareholder in an unprecedented 30 companies. Voters and economists are uneasy.

The California toxic substances agency cites what "appears to be a major source of contamination" that "may present a substantial hazard to human health."
Archer Aviation, the San Jose-based air taxi startup, announced Monday it was taking control of Boeing's Wisk Aero as well as the air traffic software provider SkyGrid.
Nine shows, including a sequel to the 1995 hit "Clueless" and the second season of "S.W.A.T. Exiles" received a California production incentive.
Amazon's robotaxi company Zoox will launch paid rides in Las Vegas on Monday after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted it a commercial exemption for purpose-built robotaxis.
Spectrum owner Charter Communications is nearing the finish line in its long-awaited $34.5-billion purchase of Cox Enterprises to form the nation's largest internet and cable television company. But consumer groups are seeking more protections for diversity and other measures.
Attorneys for Meta and other companies have argued that because social media addiction has not been formally recognized by the medical community, they cannot be held liable when sued over it. But the standard for a diagnosis is changing, and judges have been skeptical of those arguments.
The new penalty is in addition to the $375 million Meta was ordered to pay in March. The company plans to appeal.
Nearly a year after the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax incentive for new electric vehicles, California is stepping in to try to motivate buyers to go electric.
State Sen. Ben Allen, who represents the Pacific Palisades fire zone, won the Democratic Party's endorsement for insurance commissioner over former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, who won the backing of the California Federation of Labor Unions.
TikTok on Wednesday said it is closing its Nashville office, laying off 250 employees.
Apple, Amazon and other companies are collecting billions in tariff refunds, but their customers may not see the money.

Major new tenant in El Segundo
Walt Disney Co. reported a 6% bump in revenue and 21% boost in segment operating income during its fiscal third quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

Disneyland's costumed character and parade workers say Disney's current contract proposal leaves out paid parental leave, cuts a paid holiday and offers no first-year raise.

Indie filmmakers say California's tax credit skips them. L.A. County's proposed Evergreen Fund would offer grants instead — if it survives the budget.

The Port of Long Beach has invested in a 13-story tower downtown that will be home to shipping and logistics companies and the port's internal training program.
Walt Disney Co. has announced a partnership with TikTok in which some creators will be able to make Disney-related videos that appear on both the social media platform and Disney+.

Sky-high earnings for oil companies and California refiners in the second quarter are renewing calls from California legislators to crack down on industry profits.
Federal authorities are investigating billions in related-party loans made by two insurers owned by Mark Walter reportedly to entities associated with him or his holding company.