Amitabh Bachchan statue installed at a temple in Kolkata

• The US Department of Justice has approved Paramount Skydance's £82.8bn ($111bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery.
• The merger would unite major brands including CNN, HBO, CBS, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
• State regulators, UK watchdogs and industry critics are still scrutinising the deal.

The proposed Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros Discovery merger has moved a step closer to reality after receiving approval from the US Department of Justice, clearing one of the biggest regulatory hurdles facing the £82.8bn ($111bn) deal.

The Paramount-Warner Bros merger, one of the largest media industry deals in recent years, would reshape the entertainment landscape by bringing together some of the world's best-known television networks, film studios and streaming businesses under a single corporate umbrella. However, despite the federal approval, the transaction remains under scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions and could still face legal challenges before it is completed.