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Paramount Global is raising subscription rates for its flagship streaming services, the media giant said Monday, as it looks to recalibrate its business and pay off debt.

The revision in pricing comes at a time when merger talks between Non-Executive Chairwoman Shari Redstone and David Ellison’s Skydance Media for a potential sale of Redstone’s controlling stake in Paramount Global to the independent studio have failed, according to sources.

The Paramount+ with Showtime plan will cost $12.99 a month, with a hike of $1, effective Aug. 20 for new users and Sept. 20 for existing customers.

The Paramount+ Essential subscription rate will increase by $2, to $7.99 a month for new subscribers, effective Aug. 20. However, current users of the plan will continue to pay $5.99 per month.

The subscription price of the limited Paramount+ commercial option will increase by $1, to $7.99 for current customers from Sept. 20.

Paramount co-CEOs told employees earlier in June that the company will focus on transforming its streaming business, reducing costs and divesting some assets to help pay its debts, according to an email seen by Reuters.

An exit by advertisers and cord-cutting have hammered Paramount’s traditional TV business, which accounts for more than half its revenue.

Its streaming service, which is smaller than its rivals’, has more than 71 million subscribers, compared with Netflix’s 269.60 million.

Comcast’s Peacock streaming service also announced a rate revision in April for its premium and premium-plus plans.

Warner Bros Discovery is also looking to raise prices for its Max streaming platform, Bloomberg News reported in May.

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Entertainment

MTV EMAs red carpet: Stars arrive in Manchester ahead of ceremony

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MTV EMAs red carpet: Stars arrive in Manchester ahead of ceremony

Music stars have hit the red carpet in Manchester for the MTV Europe Music Awards.

Taylor Swift leads the nominations this year, with singers including Sabrina Carpenter, Raye, Charli XCX, Beyonce, Coldplay and Eminem also up for prizes.

It is the first time the MTV event, which was cancelled last year amid security concerns, has taken place in the UK since 2017, when it was held in London.

Manchester is well represented, with DJ Paulette, Blossoms, and Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez among the guests.

Here are the pictures as they come in from the red carpet.

Bez and Shaun Ryder attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Bez and Shaun Ryder representing Manchester at the MTV EMAs. All pics: PA/ Reuters/AP

Rita Ora and Taika Waititi attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Host Rita Ora and her husband, filmmaker Taika Waititi

Raye attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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British star Raye is up for best artist and best live act

Tyla attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Pic: Ian West/PA
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Singer Tyla is nominated for best new act, best Afrobeats, and best R’n’B


Maya Jama poses on the red carpet for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards at Manchester Co-op Live in Manchester, Britain, November 10, 2024. REUTERS/Mina Kim
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TV presenter and Love Island host Maya Jama channelled Liz Hurley’s famous Versace safety pin dress

DJ Paulette attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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DJ Paulette, one of the first female DJs at Manchester’s famous Hacienda nightclub

Busta Rhymes attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Hip-hop star Busta Rhymes is being honoured with the global icon award

Tommy Villiers and Piri attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Drum and bass duo Piri (left) and Tommy Villiers

Shawn Mendes attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Siger-songwriter Shawn Mendes

Neneh Cherry poses on the red carpet for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards at Manchester Co-op Live in Manchester, Britain, November 10, 2024. REUTERS/Mina Kim
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Mum and daughter Neneh Cherry (pictured) and Mabel (below) hit the red carpet together

Mabel poses on the red carpet for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards at Manchester Co-op Live in Manchester, Britain, November 10, 2024. REUTERS/Mina Kim
Molly Marsh attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Love Island star Molly Marsh

Gemma Atkinson attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Radio presenter and former soap actress Gemma Atkinson

Bimini Bon-Boulash attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Drag queen Bimini Bon-Boulash

Jordan Adetunji attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Rapper and singer Jordan Adetunji

Singer Xhoana X and Gavin Rossdale, who is performing and presenting an award
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Singer Xhoana X and Bush star Gavin Rossdale, who is performing and presenting an award

poses on the red carpet for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards at Manchester Co-op Live in Manchester, Britain, November 10, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Singer-songwriter Teddy Swims is nominated for best new artist and best push

Konan and Krept attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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British hip-hop duo Krept (right) and Konan

Olly Alexander attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Singer and actor Olly Alexander

Leila Ouahabi attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Spanish footballer Leila Ouahabi

Katherine Ryan attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Comedian Katherine Ryan

Tom McFarland attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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Jungle’s Tom McFarland

Joe Baggs attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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TikTok star and former GoggleboxerJoe Baggs

Members of Le Sserafim pose on the red carpet for the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards at Manchester Co-op Live in Manchester, Britain, November 10, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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South Korean group Le Sserafim

 attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire
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TV personality and former The Only Way Is Essex star Vas J Morgan

Pic: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP

 poses for photographers upon arrival at the MTV European Music Awards 2024 in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
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TV presenter Vick Hope

Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah and Maddie Haynes of Say Now attending the MTV Europe Music Awards 2024 at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday November 10, 2024.
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Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah and Maddie Haynes of Say Now

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Donald Trump’s top team: Who is in, who is out and who are the leading contenders?

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Donald Trump's top team: Who is in, who is out and who are the leading contenders?

As the dust settles on Donald Trump’s US election win, the president-elect has begun choosing who will be in his administration for his second stint in the White House.

During the campaign, Mr Trump avoided directly confirming any appointments but frequently dropped hints about who he would like in his top team.

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So who is in, who is out and who are the leading contenders for jobs?

Who is in?

Susie Wiles

Susie Wiles at Nashville International Airport in July. Pic: AP
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Susie Wiles at Nashville International Airport in July. Pic: AP

Susie Wiles is a veteran Republican campaign manager – having helped Ronald Reagan and Ron DeSantis get elected as well as Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024. She is the first member of his team to be announced – and becomes the first female chief-of-staff in American history.

The 67-year-old, who lives in Florida, has a political career that spans decades but has largely kept out of the limelight and rarely given interviews.

She is the daughter of late American footballer Pat Summerall and one of her first jobs in politics was as an assistant to one of his former New York Giants teammates when he became a Republican representative.

Outside politics, she has worked in the private sector as a lobbyist, for both Ballard Partners, whose clients include Amazon, Google, and the MLB (Major League Baseball), and then Mercury, which works with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and the Embassy of Qatar.

This time around, Mr Trump credited her with his “best-run” presidential campaign, describing her as “incredible” at a Milwaukee rally earlier this year, and an “ice maiden” in his victory speech.

Who is out?

Nikki Haley

Former Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley takes the stage on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 16, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar
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Former Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley on day two of the Republican National Convention this summer.
Pic: Reuters

Ms Haley was once Mr Trump’s main rival during his run for the Republican presidential nomination.

Despite losing the contest, she proved her popularity with parts of the GOP and previously served in his first presidential cabinet as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

The 51-year-old also served as governor of South Carolina but news of her not being involved this time around was broken by the president-elect on his own social media platform, Truth Social.

In a short statement, Mr Trump said he would not be inviting either her nor former secretary of state Mike Pompeo back but thanked them for their service.

@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
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@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social

In response, Ms Haley, who eventually endorsed Mr Trump despite harshly criticising him in the party primaries, said: “I was proud to work with President Trump defending America at the United Nations.

“I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years.”

Mike Pompeo

Mr Pompeo also served as the director of the CIA under Mr Trump and had been mentioned in some reports as a possible defence secretary or in relation to another role linked to national security, intelligence or diplomacy.

Mr Trump confirmed Mr Pompeo would not be returning to his cabinet in the same post that he ruled out Ms Haley.

Former Sec. of State Mike Pompeo speaks during the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Pic: AP

Previously among Mr Trump’s closest allies, Mr Pompeo is one of the fiercest US defenders of Ukraine.

Mike Waltz, a congressman from Florida, and Tom Cotton, a Harvard College and Harvard Law School-educated Army officer-turned-senator from Arkansas, are also believed to be in the running for the defence role.

Who is yet to be decided?

Elon Musk

Elon Musk speaking at an event which was the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump. Pic: Carlos Barria/Reuters
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Elon Musk joined Donald Trump on the campaign trail. Pic: Reuters

Tech billionaire Elon Musk became one of Mr Trump’s staunchest supporters in the months leading up to the election and spent at least $119m (£92m) canvassing for him in the seven battleground states.

His loyalty looks set to be rewarded as Mr Trump has promised the X owner a role as the head of a new Department of Government Efficiency (or DOGE for short, a reference to the Dogecoin cryptocurrency Mr Musk often promotes).

The department would be “tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government”, Mr Trump said at an event in September.

It could give the billionaire the power to slash through the US federal bureaucracy both he and Mr Trump say has long held America back.

Robert F Kennedy Jr

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as he endorses Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Robert F Kennedy Jr. Pic: AP

Robert F Kennedy Jr abandoned his independent presidential campaign to back Mr Trump in August.

It was a move that saw the prominent vaccine sceptic condemned by many members of his family, but as with Musk, his public support looks set to be rewarded by the president-elect.

Mr Trump has pledged to give him a role focusing on health policy and Mr Kennedy has hinted at one possible initiative, stating on X that “the Trump White House will advise all US​ water systems to remove fluoride from public water”, on inauguration day.

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Mr Kennedy – the son of politician Robert F Kennedy and the nephew of assassinated president John F Kennedy – made a name for himself as a vaccine sceptic during the COVID-19 pandemic and has frequently repeated debunked claims, including linking vaccines to autism in children.

Don Jr, Eric and Lara Trump

Donald Trump Jr. speaks to the news media, as Lara and Eric Trump stand nearby, across the street from former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Pic: AP
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Don Jr, flanked by Eric and Lara, defending his father outside his hush money trial in May. Pic: AP

Mr Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, were among his senior advisers during his first term. But will the businessman once again keep any family members close when he is in the Oval Office?

In June 2023, Mr Trump said he did not want his children to serve in a second administration, saying it was “too painful for the family”.

Nevertheless, while Ms Trump and Mr Kushner have stayed away from politics since, two of Mr Trump’s other sons – Don Jr and Eric – have played prominent roles on the campaign trail.

Eric’s wife, Lara Trump, already has a significant role in US politics, as she serves as co-chair of the Republican Party.

Richard Grenell

Former U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Richard Grenell speaks during a ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Grenell receives the Order of the Serbian Flag from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
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Richard Grenell. Pic: AP

Among Mr Trump’s closest aides on foreign policy, Richard Grenell is thought to be a potential pick for national security adviser.

His private dealings with foreign leaders and often caustic personality have made him into a controversial figure, but he could well be part of Mr Trump’s second administration.

Mr Grenell has in the past supported establishing an autonomous zone in eastern Ukraine to end the war, an idea that Kyiv rejected as unacceptable.

Larry Kudlow

White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow speaks before a television interview at the White House, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Washington. Pic: AP
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Larry Kudlow hosts shows on Fox News and Fox Business. Pic: AP

Fox News personality Larry Kudlow served as director of the National Economic Council for much of Mr Trump’s first term and is said to have an outside shot at becoming his treasury secretary this time around.

Other names being linked to the post include John Paulson – a billionaire hedge fund manager and donor, who hosted a fundraiser that raked in more than $50m (£38m) for the former president.

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio speaks during  Donald Trump's campaign rally at Trump's golf resort in Doral, Florida.
Pic: Reuters
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Marco Rubio has previously tried to land himself on the Republican presidential ticket. Pic: Reuters

Marco Rubio, a Florida senator who unsuccessfully ran against Mr Trump to be the Republican’s presidential candidate in 2016, is a potential candidate for secretary of state.

His policies are very much in line with Mr Trump’s and he was a contender to be his 2024 running mate before JD Vance landed the role.

Bill Hagerty – another of the running mate contenders – is also being linked to the position, as is Robert O’Brien, who served as Mr Trump’s fourth and final national security adviser during his first term.

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Politics

Elon Musk reposts call to end the Federal Reserve Bank 

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Elon Musk reposts call to end the Federal Reserve Bank 

The United States dollar has lost approximately 96% of its value since the Federal Reserve Bank was established in 1913.

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