Paramount Skydance launched a hostile $108.4 billion all-cash bid for Warner Bros Discovery, disrupting Netflix's tentative $72 billion equity agreement secured Friday after weeks of bidding battles with Paramount and Comcast. Paramount's $82.7 billion offer including debt with a $5.8 billion break-up fee payable by Netflix,  proposes $30 per share versus Netflix's $28 per share for assets. The deal faces intense antitrust scrutiny. Paramount accused Warner Bros of abandoning fair bidding, allegedly predetermining Netflix as winner. President Trump indicated the Netflix-Warner Bros combination raises market share concerns, telling reporters he'd have input. Bloomberg reported Trump met Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos mid-November, suggesting Warner Bros sell to the highest bidder. (PC: YouTube, Variety & Spyglass)

US President Donald Trump expressed concerns about Netflix's $83 billion Warner Bros. acquisition Sunday, citing the streaming giant's substantial market share as potentially problematic. Trump confirmed he'll participate in the regulatory decision while praising Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who recently visited the White House, for doing "one of the greatest jobs in movie history." The deal would give Netflix HBO Max, Warner Bros. studios' extensive catalog including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, DC superheroes, and classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane. Television channels Discovery and CNN would be spun off pre-sale. Netflix beat Comcast and Paramount Skydance after Warner Bros. Discovery invited offers in October.

Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund—one of Microsoft’s biggest shareholders—voted against Satya Nadella’s reappointment as chair of the board and rejected his $96.5 million pay package at Microsoft’s Dec 5 AGM. The moves reflect the fund’s long-standing governance stance: it opposes the concentration of power when one person is both CEO and board chair, and criticizes what it considers excessive executive compensation. However, despite its opposition, Nadella’s compensation and leadership were still approved by the broader shareholder base. (PC: X)

Global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has joined AI startup Perplexity as an investor and brand ambassador. He also unveiled a custom AI assistant called “Ronaldo Hub,” where fans can ask questions, browse his personal archive, and relive his greatest goals. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas welcomed Ronaldo, saying their partnership will make Perplexity “the best AI for asking questions.” With over 650 million social media followers, Ronaldo brings huge global reach to the AI firm. (PC: ETtech)

India’s government is reviewing a telecom industry proposal to mandate permanent satellite-based location tracking on smartphones, sparking fierce privacy concerns. Apple, Google, and Samsung strongly oppose the plan, warning it would turn devices into “dedicated surveillance tools.” The Cellular Operators Association of India suggested activating A-GPS technology to provide precise user locations, but critics argue this would be unprecedented globally and a regulatory overreach. The debate follows the Modi government’s recent withdrawal of an order requiring preloaded cyber safety apps after backlash. Privacy advocates stress risks to sensitive groups like military officials and journalists, while experts warn of higher surveillance power and reduced user transparency. (PC: ZDNET)

Netflix has agreed to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s film and streaming businesses, including HBO Max, for $72bn in cash and stock, creating a new entertainment giant. The deal, unanimously approved by both boards, positions Netflix ahead of rivals Comcast and Paramount. CEO Ted Sarandos said combining Warner Bros’ franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones with Netflix originals such as Stranger Things will “define the next century of storytelling.” Warner Bros films will still release in cinemas, while its TV studio can produce for third parties. Analysts warn of regulatory hurdles, possible reduced output, and higher consumer prices, though Netflix expects $2–3bn in savings from overlaps. (PC: Variety)

Simone Tata, step-mother of Ratan Tata and a major force in India’s beauty and retail sectors, passed away at 95 in Mumbai. She had been battling Parkinson’s symptoms and was airlifted from Dubai earlier this year for treatment. Born in Geneva, she moved to India after marrying Naval Tata in 1955. Simone helped build Lakmé into a leading Indian cosmetics brand and later founded Trent Ltd., which launched Westside. She led both companies for decades, shaping India’s consumer market. After retiring in 2006, she stayed away from public life and was last seen at Ratan Tata’s funeral in 2024.

The rupee fell below the 90-per-dollar mark for the first time on Wednesday, hitting 90.11 in early trade. The drop shocked traders as the currency faced strong global and domestic pressure. Foreign investors have been pulling money out of India, and the strong US dollar has added more strain. Delays in the India–US trade deal and record-high commodity prices have also hurt sentiment. Experts say muted RBI intervention led to a faster fall. Markets now wait for the RBI policy update on Friday. Analysts warn the rupee may stay volatile and could fall further if global cues remain weak. (PC: India Today)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared a "code red" for ChatGPT as competitors Google and Anthropic rapidly gain ground in the AI race. In an internal memo, Altman announced delays to several projects including advertising plans, shopping and health agents, and the personal assistant "Pulse." The company will prioritize making ChatGPT faster, more reliable, and accurate. Altman established daily team calls and encouraged cross-team movement to accelerate development. Google's momentum has intensified, with its Gemini 3 model outperforming competitors and its infrastructure advantage enabling efficient AI deployment across Search, YouTube, and Gmail. OpenAI faces pressure to generate $200 billion annually by 2030, while Google already earns $120 billion yearly.(PC: Dubai Immo)

Apple refuses to comply with India's confidential order requiring smartphone manufacturers to preload the government's Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app within 90 days. The company will inform New Delhi it doesn't follow such mandates globally due to privacy and security concerns for its iOS ecosystem. The app, designed to track stolen phones and prevent misuse, must remain non-disableable and be pushed via software updates to existing devices. India's telecom ministry defends the measure as combating "serious endangerment" of cybersecurity, but opposition parties and privacy advocates criticize it as surveillance overreach targeting India's 730 million smartphones. Samsung and Xiaomi are reviewing the order, while Apple maintains it "can't do this. Period." (PC: Smartpix)