UK culture secretary issues intervention notice on Sky-ITV deal

Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in a sweeping victory over Republicans, according to Variety. The result would give Democrats major power over legislation and set the political agenda. Control of Congress matters because it shapes lawmaking, oversight, and the balance of power with the presidency.

Herbert Blomstedt, the Swedish conductor whose career spanned more than seventy years, has died at the age of 99. He led major orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and NDR Symphony Orchestra, and continued performing into his nineties. His death marks the loss of one of classical music's most enduring and widely respected figures.

Paris Creator Week is positioning itself as a major global gathering for the creator economy, likened to the Cannes film festival. A new study forecasts the global creator economy market at $1.2 trillion. The event highlights growing efforts to formalize and expand the creator industry worldwide.

Italian filmmaker Tinto Brass, known for provocative erotic films including "Caligula" and "Salon Kitty," has died at 93. Brass was a controversial figure in Italian cinema whose work blurred the line between art house and exploitation. His 1979 film "Caligula," produced by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione, became a notorious cult classic.

NBCUniversal and Hornbill Capital backed EloElo, the parent of Indian microdrama platform Story TV, in an $80 million funding round. The investment signals growing interest in India's short-form microdrama market and could support Story TV's expansion.