Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio honoured for environmental work
MUMBAI: The Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio was awarded with the prestigious Clinton Global Citizen Award for his work to protect the environment.
Serving as the kickoff for the 10th annual Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York, the 8th annual Citizen Awards, honoured outstanding individuals in civil society, philanthropy, public service and the private sector who exemplify global citizenship through their vision, leadership and impact in addressing global challenges.
DiCaprio was presented his award by World Wildlife Fund CEO Carter Roberts, who said, “Now more than ever nature needs a voice. Leonardo DiCaprio is that voice.”
Accepting the award, the Hollywood star said, “Climate change is compromising the very livability of our planet. DiCaprio also urged the audience of global leaders and philanthropists to put environmental issues at the forefront of the human agenda.
The evening was hosted by ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ host, Seth Meyers, and included performances from The Roots, Aloe Blacc, Natalie Merchant and Jason Mraz.
Earlier some 300,000 participants, including DiCaprio, alongside fellow environmental activists Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, Sting and Evangeline Lilly took to the streets in the largest march for climate change ever. DiCaprio will also be speaking at the UN Climate Summit this week.
Eva Longoria, Seth Meyers, Randy Jackson and Chelsea Clinton also attended the award ceremony.
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
