Hollywood
2014 BAFTA: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo among honourees
MUMBAI: Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Emma Watson, Judi Dench and director Mike Leigh were announced as this year’s honourees for the BAFTA Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards.
Hosted by Rob Brydon, the award ceremony will take place on 30 October and air on BBC America on 2 November.
The recipients are chosen by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles board of directors.
The Iron Man star is this year’s recipient of the ‘Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film’. Prior winners include Warren Beatty and Tom Hanks. His latest movie The Judge with Robert Duvall is slated to release on 10 October.
The Emmy Nominee Mark Ruffalo, is being honored with the ‘Britannia Humanitarian Award’ for his work with Water Defense. Ruffalo co-founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping waterways and drinking water sources free from contamination and will be seen in November in Foxcatche. Prior winners include Idris Elba and Don Cheadle.
British director Mike Leigh, whose latest film Mr. Turner opens in December, will receive the ‘John Schlesinger Award for British Artist of the Year’. This honour pays tribute to a British artist “whose outstanding performances in a year have demonstrated the high quality of their craftsmanship. “
While the Harry Potter star Emma Watson is the recipient of the ‘Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year’. Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench will be honoured with the ‘Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution.’
The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers to advancing the entertainment arts.
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.
