Happy Monday. Here are four stories and developments that are shaping the week ahead.
1. Trump Receives FIFA Peace Prize at World Cup Draw
Former President Donald Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup final draw on Friday, in a ceremony that appeared designed with his presence in mind.
FIFA framed the award as recognition for Trump’s “efforts to promote global peace,” though critics immediately blasted the gesture as politically motivated and deeply unearned, especially given recent global tensions and ongoing controversies around U.S. military operations.
The moment dominated headlines worldwide and sparked questions about how global sports institutions are redefining their involvement in political messaging.
2. Netflix is Now the Sole Bidder to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery
Netflix has entered exclusive negotiations to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and television studios and Max streaming service in a deal valued at about $72 billion, after beating out rival bids from Paramount and Comcast for those assets.
The deal, which would combine Netflix’s dominant global streaming platform with the Warner Bros. studio and the HBO catalog, would mark one of the largest media takeovers in history and further accelerate consolidation across Hollywood.
The rest of Warner Bros. Discovery’s cable networks, including CNN, TNT and other Discovery-owned channels, would be spun off into a separate company.
The scale of the merger is expected to trigger aggressive antitrust review in the U.S. and could give Netflix even greater power over how entertainment is financed, distributed and consumed.
Read more from my coverage here.
3. DoD Reviewing Caribbean Strike Video for Possible Release
The Defense Department is reviewing the surveillance footage of the Sept. 2 Caribbean boat strike, including the controversial second strike on survivors, to determine whether the video can be released publicly, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said over the weekend.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Hegseth emphasized that officials must assess whether releasing the footage could compromise ongoing military operations, even as calls for transparency grow louder in Congress.
Lawmakers who have viewed the video, including members of both parties, have described it as deeply troubling and continue to pressure the administration to make the footage available to the public.
4. National Park Service Removes MLK Day & Juneteenth From Fee-Free Calendar, Adds Trump’s Birthday
The National Park Service released its 2026 fee-free day schedule and quietly removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, two dates historically tied to civil rights, while adding former President Trump’s birthday as a new free-entry day.
The agency did not offer an explanation for the changes, fueling criticism from civil rights organizations and Democratic lawmakers who called the move politically charged and inconsistent with Park Service tradition.
Supporters argue it’s within administrative discretion, but the shift underscores how even symbolic federal-calendar decisions have become deeply politicized.
I’ll have more updates throughout the week on BDN. Thanks for reading and have a great Monday.