Hollywood
Actor-comedian Robin Williams found dead in apparent suicide
NEW DELHI: In a development that left millions in shock, Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams was found dead in his California home in what is suspected by investigators to be a possible suicide. He was 63.
The Marin County Sheriff’s office said Williams was found unconscious and not breathing inside his home in Tiburon, California around noon local time, and was pronounced dead shortly after. Tiburon is across the Golden Gate Bridge north of San Francisco.
President Barack Obama also paid laudable tributes to the American actor.
Williams was famous for films such as Good Morning Vietnam and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.
His publicist said he had been “battling severe depression”.
Also known for his stand-up comedy, Williams had inspired Kamal Haasan to make ‘Chachi 420’, based on Williams’ ‘Mrs Doubtfire’. In fact, many of his films including ‘Jumanji’ did very well at the Indian boxoffice.
Robin McLaurin Williams born on 21 July 1951, was also a film producer and screenwriter.
Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy (1978–1982), Williams went on to establish a successful career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting.
His film career included such acclaimed films as The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Awakenings (1990), The Fisher King (1991), and Good Will Hunting (1997), as well as financial successes such as Popeye (1980), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire(1993), Jumanji (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Night at the Museum (2006), and Happy Feet (2006). He also appeared in the video “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.
Nominated for the academy award for Best Actor three times, Williams received the academy award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.
There are four completed Williams films expected to be released posthumously: “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” “Merry Friggin’ Christmas,” “Boulevard,” and “Absolutely Anything.” Given his love for his craft and his fans, the final work feels like a gift left behind by the beloved actor.
Hollywood
Trump invested over $1.1m in Netflix bonds at the peak of Warner Bros bidding battle
Financial disclosures show U.S. president also bought Warner Bros Discovery debt during high-stakes media takeover race.
WASHINGTON: New government financial disclosures show that U.S. president Donald Trump purchased more than $1.1 million worth of bonds issued by Netflix over the past three months. The transactions occurred during a period when Netflix was engaged in a competitive bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, a potential merger that the Trump administration had publicly criticised on antitrust grounds.
Between December and January, the president acquired Netflix bonds valued between $1.1 million and $2.25 million. The bonds carry a 5.375 per cent interest rate and are scheduled to mature in November 2029. Financial disclosures also revealed an additional investment in Warner Bros Discovery bonds. The purchase was valued between $500,002 and $1 million, with the debt reportedly bought at roughly 92 cents on the dollar. The bonds are now trading at around 95 cents on the dollar, leaving the position currently in profit.
The timing of the investments has drawn scrutiny because the administration had been openly critical of Netflix’s market activities at the time. While the president’s trust was purchasing the debt, the administration reportedly pressured Netflix to remove board member Susan Rice and expressed concerns that a Netflix–Warner merger could harm competition.
The White House has dismissed conflict-of-interest concerns, stating that the president’s assets are managed independently by his children. Spokesperson Anna Kelly said U.S. presidents are legally exempt from the conflict-of-interest laws that apply to other federal officials.
Despite the financial interest, Netflix ultimately lost the race to acquire Warner Bros Discovery. Paramount Skydance secured the deal on 27 February with a $110 billion offer. The acquisition was backed by Larry Ellison, who guaranteed $40 billion to support the bid, while major lenders including Bank of America, Citigroup and Apollo Global Management provided $39 billion in financing.
The final acquisition leaves the combined Paramount entity carrying roughly $85 billion in debt, while Netflix withdrew its bid roughly two weeks before the official disclosure report was released.
