Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio named UN Messenger of Peace
MUMBAI: The Hollywood actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, has been appointed as a United Nations Messenger of Peace to raise awareness about climate change.
On the new appointment, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said, “DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message.
“I am pleased he has chosen to add his voice to UN efforts to raise awareness of the urgency and benefits of acting now to combat climate change,” he added.
DiCaprio will also address a UN summit meeting on climate change on 23 September, a day before the UN General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders begins. Leaders from the 193 member states of the United Nations are expected to attend the climate session.
“I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history – it is a moment for action. How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet,” the actor said in a statement.
The Academy Award-nominated star of The Wolf of Wall Street and The Aviator joins other celebrities, from Audrey Hepburn to Angelina Jolie, who have represented various UN organisations.
In 1998, the actor established the ‘Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’, whose mission is protecting Earth’s last wild places and building a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world, the United Nations said in the statement.
The organisation has contributed funds toward protecting tigers in Nepal, elephants in the wild, and marine animals, including sharks.
In February, DiCaprio pledged a donation of $3 million to marine conservation and followed with an additional $7 million pledge several months later.
On 21 September, two days before the UN Climate Summit in New York, the Clinton Foundation will honour the actor for his committed environmentalism during a Manhattan gala event featuring Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton.
There are currently 11 other messengers of peace and one goodwill ambassador, the United Nations said. Other Hollywood industry notables who have been given the Messenger of Peace title by the UN in recent years include Edward Norton, Michael Douglas, Charlize Theron, George Clooney and Stevie Wonder.
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.
