David Folkenflik

The New York Times will argue in court Thursday that the White House is abusing the justice system to intimidate reporters over a story that angered President Trump. 

Paramount's owners were hoping they'd be firmly in control of rival Warner Bros. Discovery by the end of this week. Monday's temporary restraining order puts that plan on hold.

California is among the states suing to block Paramount from buying Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood mega-merger that would unite some of the nation's largest movie studios and TV newsrooms.

The Times says federal agents turned up on the doorsteps of several of its journalists to force grand jury testimony next week over their coverage of the Air Force One plane gifted to Trump by Qatar.

The decision paves the way for a proposed $111 billion merger uniting two rival studio giants — Paramount, owner of CBS, and the much larger Warner, which includes HBO and CNN.