The board of Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount's hostile bid. Meanwhile, Nick Reiner appeared for the first time in Los Angeles Superior Court and was denied bail. And for nearly a year, Times reporters have been covering the rebuilding efforts in Pacific Palisades, following the devastating fires that destroyed thousands of homes. Meanwhile, Times reporters are reporting that four alleged members of a child sex abuse network have been charged; investigators say the group, CVLT, is mostly dismantled, but has splintered into another entity. Also, some exciting news for sports fans: it may be a bit easier to score tickets to the World Cup in 2026, with a new supporter entry tier for tickets at a fixed rate of $60. And, just up the 101 in Santa Barbara, the city's newspaper, the Santa Barbara News-Press, is back and with a new editor. In business, experts are saying L.A. County's $700 million estimate to retrofit its old headquarters is grossly inflated, and Instacart is facing backlash following an AI experiment that charged customers different prices for the same items.

The suspected gunmen of an antisemitic terrorist attack in Australia are a father and son, reportedly inspired by ISIS. In the U.S., the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.6%, the highest it's been in four years. Meanwhile, in Texas, the state is moving to expand conservative student clubs in public high schools, with Governor Greg Abbott emphasizing his support for Turning Point USA. Also, in Southern California, forecasters are monitoring a strong storm that's expected to reach the coast on December 23rd and last through Christmas Day. And, new reporting is showing the impact of Brendan Carr's leadership at the Federal Communications Commission on San Francisco-based station KCBS and beyond. In business, the company behind Roomba files for bankruptcy, and an Amazon warehouse near LAX sells for a record price.