Dec 2 (Reuters) – Florida lawmakers are mulling plans to reverse a move that would strip Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) of its right to operate a private government around its famous theme-parks, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people briefed on the plan.
In April, lawmakers had given their final approval to a bill ending Walt Disney’s designation as a self-governing entity, in an apparent response to its opposition to a state law limiting the teaching of LGBTQ issues in schools.
The new law would also mean that Disney would have to pay more taxes, state governor Ron DeSantis had said in April when he signed the bill. read more
The state lawmakers are working on a compromise that would allow Disney to keep the arrangement largely in place with a few modifications, the FT report said.
A spokesperson at DeSantis’ office said that the governor “does not make U-turns,” but added that a plan was in the works and would soon be released.
“We will have an even playing field for businesses in Florida, and the state certainly owes no special favors to one company. Disney’s debts will not fall on taxpayers of Florida.”
The FT report added that the return of Bob Iger as CEO last month could help pave the way for a resolution on the law.
The bill signed in spring this year by DeSantis eliminates special governing jurisdiction that allowed the company to operate Walt Disney World Resort as its own city.
Disney had condemned Florida’s LGBTQ legislation dubbed as “don’t say gay” bill by critics, which bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade.
Disney did not respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Akanksha Khushi and Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Rhea Binoy; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Shailesh Kuber
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Dow down 0.13%, S&P 500 down 0.39%, Nasdaq down 1.09%
Disney jumps on Iger’s return as CEO
Grindr falls after rocketing in debut
Tesla down on vehicle recall, China COVID concerns
Nov 21 (Reuters) – Wall Street’s main indexes ended Monday roughly down on fears that China could resume stricter measures to fight COVID-19 after it said it faces its most severe test of the pandemic.
Beijing said on Monday it would shut businesses and schools in hard-hit districts and tighten rules for entering the city, as infections ticked higher.
“There is this fear that China might reinstitute some of the COVID restrictions that they’ve just purportedly started to lift,” said Carol Schleif, deputy chief investment officer at BMO Family Office.
U.S. casino operators with businesses in China including Wynn Resorts Ltd (WYNN.O), Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS.N), MGM Resorts International (MGM.N) and Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd all fell at least 2%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 45.41 points, or 0.13%, to 33,700.28, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 15.4 points, or 0.39%, to 3,949.94 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) dropped 121.55 points, or 1.09%, to 11,024.51.
Trading volume was low on Monday, and likely to lessen towards the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, leaving markets more prone to volatility.
Volume on U.S. exchanges was 9.43 billion shares, compared with the 11.88 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.
“If you want to blame a little bit of profit taking on some concerns on spikes in COVID cases, that’s fine,” said Jack Janasiewicz, lead portfolio strategist and portfolio manager at Natixis Investment Managers Solutions. “It gets really tricky because of volume.”
Stocks trimmed losses in early afternoon after the San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly commented that officials need to be careful to avoid a “painful downturn.”
Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester echoed Daly, saying she supports a smaller rate hike in December.
The S&P 500 energy sector index (.SPNY) fell almost 3% on Monday to its lowest level in four weeks as oil prices tumbled more than 5% after a report that Saudi Arabia and other OPEC oil producers were discussing an output increase. The index, however, pared losses after Saudi Arabia denied talks about it.
Energy was the only major S&P 500 sector eying gains for the year, surging around 63%.
Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) jumped 6.30% after Bob Iger’s return as chief executive to the entertainment giant.
The S&P 500 extended its fall from the previous week when multiple Federal Reserve officials reiterated the central bank’s pledge to raise rates until inflation was in check, as investors now await the release of minutes from the Fed’s November meeting on Wednesday.
Traders are widely betting on a 50-basis point hike in the December meeting, with a peak for rates expected in June.
Among other stocks, Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) plummeted 6.84% after the electric-car maker said it will recall vehicles in the United States over an issue that may cause tail lights to intermittently fail to illuminate.
Gay dating app Grindr (GRND.N) tumbled 46.00% amid a broader market weakness, after skyrocketing in its debut on the New York Stock Exchange in the previous session.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.27-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.60-to-1 ratio favored decliners.
The S&P 500 posted 9 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 96 new highs and 220 new lows.
Reporting by Carolina Mandl, in New York, Ankika Biswas, Shubham Batra and Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur, Shounak Dasgupta and Grant McCool
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Nov 14 (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) said it bought more than $4.1 billion of stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (2330.TW), , a rare significant foray into the technology sector by billionaire Warren Buffett’s conglomerate.
The news sent shares in TSMC up more than 6% in Taiwan on Tuesday, as it boosted investor sentiment for the world’s largest contract chipmaker, which saw its shares hit a two-year low last month due to a sharp slowdown in global chip demand.
In a Monday regulatory filing describing its U.S.-listed equity investments as of Sept. 30, Berkshire said it owned about 60.1 million American depositary shares of TSMC.
Berkshire also disclosed new stakes of $297 million in building materials company Louisiana-Pacific Corp (LPX.N) and $13 million in Jefferies Financial Group Inc (JEF.N). It exited an investment in Store Capital Corp (STOR.N), a real estate company that agreed in September to be taken private.
The filing did not specify whether Buffett or his portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler made specific purchases and sales. Investors often try to piggy back on what Berkshire buys. Larger investments are normally Buffett’s.
While Berkshire does not normally make big technology bets, it often prefers companies it perceives to have competitive advantages, often through their size.
TSMC, which makes chips for the likes of Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Qulacomm (QCOM.O) and Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), posted an 80% jump in quarterly profit last month, but struck a more cautious note than usual on upcoming demand.
“I suspect Berkshire has a belief that the world cannot do without the products manufactured by Taiwan Semi,” said Tom Russo, a partner at Gardner, Russo & Quinn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which owns Berkshire shares.
“Only a small number of companies that can amass the capital to deliver semiconductors, which are increasingly central to people’s lives,” he added.
Berkshire has had mixed success in technology.
Its more than six-year wager during the last decade in IBM Corp (IBM.N) did not pan out, but Berkshire is sitting on huge unrealized gains on its $126.5 billion stake in Apple, which Buffett views more as a consumer products company.
Apple is by far the largest investment in Berkshire’s $306.2 billion equity portfolio.
Berkshire disclosed the TSMC stake about 2-1/2 months after it began reducing a decade-old, multi-billion dollar stake in BYD Co (002594.SZ), China’s largest electric car company.
In the third quarter, Berkshire added to its stakes in Chevron Corp (CVX.N), Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N), Celanese Corp (CE.N), Paramount Global (PARA.O) and RH (RH.N).
It also sold shares of Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI.O), Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK.N), General Motors Co (GM.N), Kroger Co (KR.N) and US Bancorp (USB.N).
Buffett, 92, has run Berkshire since 1965. The Omaha, Nebraska-based company also owns dozens of businesses such as the BNSF railroad, the Geico auto insurer, several energy and industrial companies, Fruit of the Loom and Dairy Queen.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Bradley Perrett
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Sept 28 (Reuters) – Some major advertisers including Dyson, Mazda, Forbes and PBS Kids have suspended their marketing campaigns or removed their ads from parts of Twitter because their promotions appeared alongside tweets soliciting child pornography, the companies told Reuters.
DIRECTV and Thoughtworks also told Reuters late on Wednesday they have paused their advertising on Twitter.
Brands ranging from Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), NBCUniversal (CMCSA.O) and Coca-Cola Co (KO.N) to a children’s hospital were among more than 30 advertisers that appeared on the profile pages of Twitter accounts peddling links to the exploitative material, according to a Reuters review of accounts identified in new research about child sex abuse online from cybersecurity group Ghost Data.
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Some of tweets include key words related to “rape” and “teens,” and appeared alongside promoted tweets from corporate advertisers, the Reuters review found. In one example, a promoted tweet for shoe and accessories brand Cole Haan appeared next to a tweet in which a user said they were “trading teen/child” content.
“We’re horrified,” David Maddocks, brand president at Cole Haan, told Reuters after being notified that the company’s ads appeared alongside such tweets. “Either Twitter is going to fix this, or we’ll fix it by any means we can, which includes not buying Twitter ads.”
In another example, a user tweeted searching for content of “Yung girls ONLY, NO Boys,” which was immediately followed by a promoted tweet for Texas-based Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. Scottish Rite did not return multiple requests for comment.
In a statement, Twitter spokesperson Celeste Carswell said the company “has zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation” and is investing more resources dedicated to child safety, including hiring for new positions to write policy and implement solutions.
She added that Twitter is working closely with its advertising clients and partners to investigate and take steps to prevent the situation from happening again.
Twitter’s challenges in identifying child abuse content were first reported in an investigation by tech news site The Verge in late August. The emerging pushback from advertisers that are critical to Twitter’s revenue stream is reported here by Reuters for the first time.
Like all social media platforms, Twitter bans depictions of child sexual exploitation, which are illegal in most countries. But it permits adult content generally and is home to a thriving exchange of pornographic imagery, which comprises about 13% of all content on Twitter, according to an internal company document seen by Reuters.
Twitter declined to comment on the volume of adult content on the platform.
Ghost Data identified the more than 500 accounts that openly shared or requested child sexual abuse material over a 20-day period this month. Twitter failed to remove more than 70% of the accounts during the study period, according to the group, which shared the findings exclusively with Reuters.
Reuters could not independently confirm the accuracy of Ghost Data’s finding in full, but reviewed dozens of accounts that remained online and were soliciting materials for “13+” and “young looking nudes.”
After Reuters shared a sample of 20 accounts with Twitter last Thursday, the company removed about 300 additional accounts from the network, but more than 100 others still remained on the site the following day, according to Ghost Data and a Reuters review.
Reuters then on Monday shared the full list of more than 500 accounts after it was furnished by Ghost Data, which Twitter reviewed and permanently suspended for violating its rules, said Twitter’s Carswell on Tuesday.
In an email to advertisers on Wednesday morning, ahead of the publication of this story, Twitter said it “discovered that ads were running within Profiles that were involved with publicly selling or soliciting child sexual abuse material.”
Andrea Stroppa, the founder of Ghost Data, said the study was an attempt to assess Twitter’s ability to remove the material. He said he personally funded the research after receiving a tip about the topic.
Twitter’s transparency reports on its website show it suspended more than 1 million accounts last year for child sexual exploitation.
It made about 87,000 reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a government-funded non-profit that facilitates information sharing with law enforcement, according to that organization’s annual report.
“Twitter needs to fix this problem ASAP, and until they do, we are going to cease any further paid activity on Twitter,” said a spokesperson for Forbes.
“There is no place for this type of content online,” a spokesperson for carmaker Mazda USA said in a statement to Reuters, adding that in response, the company is now prohibiting its ads from appearing on Twitter profile pages.
A Disney spokesperson called the content “reprehensible” and said they are “doubling-down on our efforts to ensure that the digital platforms on which we advertise, and the media buyers we use, strengthen their efforts to prevent such errors from recurring.”
A spokesperson for Coca-Cola, which had a promoted tweet appear on an account tracked by the researchers, said it did not condone the material being associated with its brand and said “any breach of these standards is unacceptable and taken very seriously.”
NBCUniversal said it has asked Twitter to remove the ads associated with the inappropriate content.
CODE WORDS
Twitter is hardly alone in grappling with moderation failures related to child safety online. Child welfare advocates say the number of known child sexual abuse images has soared from thousands to tens of millions in recent years, as predators have used social networks including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram to groom victims and exchange explicit images.
For the accounts identified by Ghost Data, nearly all the traders of child sexual abuse material marketed the materials on Twitter, then instructed buyers to reach them on messaging services such as Discord and Telegram in order to complete payment and receive the files, which were stored on cloud storage services like New Zealand-based Mega and U.S.-based Dropbox, according to the group’s report.
A Discord spokesperson said the company had banned one server and one user for violating its rules against sharing links or content that sexualize children.
Mega said a link referenced in the Ghost Data report was created in early August and soon after deleted by the user, which it declined to identify. Mega said it permanently closed the user’s account two days later.
Dropbox and Telegram said they use a variety of tools to moderate content but did not provide additional detail on how they would respond to the report.
Still the reaction from advertisers poses a risk to Twitter’s business, which earns more than 90% of its revenue by selling digital advertising placements to brands seeking to market products to the service’s 237 million daily active users.
Twitter is also battling in court Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk, who is attempting to back out of a $44 billion deal to buy the social media company over complaints about the prevalence of spam accounts and its impact on the business.
A team of Twitter employees concluded in a report dated February 2021 that the company needed more investment to identify and remove child exploitation material at scale, noting the company had a backlog of cases to review for possible reporting to law enforcement.
“While the amount of (child sexual exploitation content) has grown exponentially, Twitter’s investment in technologies to detect and manage the growth has not,” according to the report, which was prepared by an internal team to provide an overview about the state of child exploitation material on Twitter and receive legal advice on the proposed strategies.
“Recent reports about Twitter provide an outdated, moment in time glance at just one aspect of our work in this space, and is not an accurate reflection of where we are today,” Carswell said.
The traffickers often use code words such as “cp” for child pornography and are “intentionally as vague as possible,” to avoid detection, according to the internal documents. The more that Twitter cracks down on certain keywords, the more that users are nudged to use obfuscated text, which “tend to be harder for (Twitter) to automate against,” the documents said.
Ghost Data’s Stroppa said that such tricks would complicate efforts to hunt down the materials, but noted that his small team of five researchers and no access to Twitter’s internal resources was able to find hundreds of accounts within 20 days.
Twitter did not respond to a request for further comment.
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Reporting by Sheila Dang in New York and Katie Paul in Palo Alto; Additional reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Kenneth Li and Edward Tobin
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Italians expected to elect right-wing alliance
Meloni would be country’s first woman prime minister
Early vote follows collapse of Draghi government
ROME, Sept 25 (Reuters) – Italians were voting on Sunday in an election that is forecast to return the country’s most right-wing government since World War Two and pave the way for Giorgia Meloni to become its first woman prime minister.
A right-wing alliance led by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party appeared set for a clear victory when the last opinion polls were published two weeks ago.
But with a polls blackout in force in the two weeks before the election, there is still scope for a surprise.
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Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and voting will continue until 11 p.m. (2100 GMT) when exit polls will be published.
However, the complex calculations required by a hybrid proportional/first-past-the-post electoral law mean it may be many hours before the composition of a new slimmed-down parliament is known.
“Long live democracy,” said Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, one of Meloni’s main allies, as he voted in Milan on Sunday morning.
Meloni would be the obvious candidate for prime minister as leader of an alliance that also features former premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.
Berlusconi, 85, also voted in Milan, wearing one of his typical double-breasted suits. Meloni was expected to vote in her home city of Rome later in the day.
A resident of Rome said he was hoping the right would win.
“The left, from what I hear, has no serious manifesto and the parties are on their own, whereas the right at least has a coalition,” said the voter, who gave his name as Paolo.
Turnout was around 19% at noon local time, according to provisional data, broadly in line with the 2018 national election. There had been speculation that a large number of Italians would opt not to vote after a low-key summer campaign.
Even if there is a clear cut result, the next government is unlikely to take office before late October, with the new parliament not meeting until Oct. 13.
MELONI’S RISE
Victory would cap a remarkable rise for Meloni, whose party won only 4% of the vote in the last national election in 2018.
Meloni, 45, plays down her party’s post-fascist roots and portrays it as a mainstream conservative group. She has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with an economy hit hard by rising prices.
Italy’s first autumn national election in over a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s broad national unity government in July.
Italy has a history of political instability and the next prime minister will lead the country’s 68th government since 1946 and face a host of challenges, notably rising energy costs.
The outcome of the vote will also be watched nervously in European capitals and on financial markets.
European Union leaders, keen to preserve unity after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are concerned that Italy will be a more unpredictable partner than under former European Central Bank chief Draghi.
For markets, there are the perennial worries about Italy’s ability to manage a debt pile that amounts to around 150% of gross domestic product.
($1 = 1.0252 euros)
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Writing by Keith Weir
Editing by Jane Merriman and Susan Fenton
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India’s richest man, Adani, seeks to expand media business
NDTV says Adani unit moved without its consent
Adani takeover may not be friendly -legal expert
Deal to buy NDTV could heat up competition among billionaires
BENGALURU, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s conglomerate on Tuesday said it seeks to control a majority stake in the popular New Delhi Television (NDTV.NS) (NDTV), a move the TV news group said was executed without its consent.
A unit of the Adani Group said it had used financial rights in a bid to purchase a 29.18% stake in NDTV, laying out plans for a subsequent open offer for a stake of another 26% in line with Indian regulations.
Hours after the announcement, NDTV issued a statement saying the move by the Adani Group “was executed without any input from, conversation with, or consent of the NDTV founders.”
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One of the nation’s most popular news organisations, NDTV is regarded as one of the few media groups that often takes a critical view of the ruling administration’s policies. It operates three national channels: NDTV 24×7 in English, NDTV India in Hindi and a business news channel. read more
“From NDTV’s statements, it seems this may not be a friendly takeover which generally is as per agreed terms and mechanism, and in fact, may end up being a hostile takeover,” said Dipti Lavya Swain, founder and managing partner, DLS Law Offices. He is not connected to the situation.
Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment on NDTV’s statement.
While Adani did not disclose financial details of the group’s planned 29.18% stake purchase, it said its subsequent open offer would be for 294 Indian rupees ($3.68) per NDTV share, which would be worth 4.93 billion rupees.
That open offer price is at a 20.5% discount to NDTV’s Tuesday’s close of 369.75 rupees.
NDTV was founded by one of India’s most famous TV news personalities, Prannoy Roy, and his wife in 1988. Other than TV news channels, the group also runs online news websites.
On Monday, NDTV said in a stock exchange disclosure that Radhika and Prannoy Roy were not in discussions with any entity for a change in ownership or a divestment of their stake in NDTV.
They individually and through their company continue to hold 61.45% of NDTV, the statement said.
BATTLE OF BILLIONAIRES
In March, Adani, who is Asia’s richest man, made his first bet in the media sector by taking a minority stake in local digital business news platform Quintillion. But the proposed NDTV transaction marks Adani’s highest-profile media bet to date.
“NDTV is the most suitable broadcast and digital platform to deliver on our vision,” Adani Group executive Sanjay Pugalia said in the statement.
The move could set the stage for Adani to face off in the sector with fellow tycoon Mukesh Ambani.
Ambani, chairman of oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), controls Network18 (NEFI.NS) which runs business channels including CNBC TV18.
Adani Group has several publicly listed companies in sectors including airports and ports, power generation and transmission, coal and gas trading.
India’s TV news industry is worth $351 million, Elara Capital said in a note, adding that 70% of this market was dominated by Hindi news. Other than Ambani, the other big player is Times Group which runs many news channels and newspapers.
Elara Capital said Adani’s planned bid to control NDTV was at “very premium valuations” but added “this move will enable a large corporate house backing for a news channel.”
Adani Group said NDTV had recorded a revenue of 4.21 billion rupees and a net profit of 850 million rupees in the fiscal year that ended in March 2022, with negligible debt.
Fitch Group’s debt research unit CreditSights on Tuesday published a report that said Adani Group is “deeply overleveraged” and that its many investments in capital-intensive businesses could pose long-term risks to investors. read more
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Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman, Chris Thomas in Bengaluru and M. Sriram and Shilpa Jamkhandikar in Mumbai
Writing by Sudarshan Varadhan and Aditya Kalra
Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri, Mike Harrison and Matthew Lewis
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NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) – U.S. companies including Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) said on Friday they will cover employees’ expenses if they have to travel for abortion services after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the landmark 1973 ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, handing a momentous victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who want to limit or ban and, in some states criminalize, the procedure. read more
Many states are expected to further restrict or ban abortions following the ruling, making it difficult for female employees to terminate pregnancies unless they travel to states where the procedure is allowed.
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For example, in Oklahoma a bill due to take effect in August bans abortion except in medical emergencies and penalizes providers who violate the law with up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. States offering abortion protections include New York and Maryland. read more
Disney told employees on Friday that it remains committed to providing comprehensive access to quality healthcare, including for abortions, according to a Disney spokesperson. read more
The company’s benefits will cover the cost of employees who need to travel to another location to access care, including to obtain an abortion, it said.
Meta will reimburse travel expenses for employees seeking out-of-state reproductive care, but the company was also “assessing how best to do so given the legal complexities involved,” according to a spokesperson.
Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS.N) Chief Executive Lauren Hobart said on LinkedIn that the company would pay up to $4,000 in travel for employees or their family members and a support person if abortion was not available nearby.
Abortion rights demonstrators protest outside the United States Supreme Court as the court rules in the Dobbs v Women’s Health Organization abortion case, overturning the landmark Roe v Wade abortion decision in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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Companies that offer reimbursements for abortion-related travel could be vulnerable to lawsuits by anti-abortion groups and Republican-led states, and even potential criminal penalties.
Lawyers and other experts said employers could face claims that their policies violate state laws banning, facilitating or aiding and abetting abortions.
Ride hailing company Lyft (LYFT.O) said it would legally shield drivers in abortion cases, saying it would expand a recent policy as new state laws were passed. “No driver should have to ask a rider where they are going and why,” a spokesperson said.
A draft of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion was leaked in May. At that time, many other companies, including online review site Yelp (YELP.N), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), and Tesla (TSLA.O), said they would help cover the cost of travel for employees seeking reproductive services. Apple (AAPL.O) repeated that it supported employees making their own decisions on reproductive health and that its healthcare covered travel for services unavailable nearby.
Yelp co-founder and Chief Executive Jeremy Stoppelman on Friday said the ruling “puts women’s health in jeopardy, denies them their human rights, and threatens to dismantle the progress we’ve made toward gender equality in the workplace since Roe.”
Alaska Air Group (ALK.N), parent of Alaska Airlines, said on Friday it is “reimbursing travel for certain medical procedures and treatments if they are not available where you live. Today’s Supreme Court decision does not change that.”
Other companies offering the benefit include Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), online dating sites OkCupid and Bumble Inc (BMBL.O), Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), the nation’s largest bank. read more
OkCupid sent in-app messages to customers in 26 states likely to ban abortions, gearing up for a political fight. “Act now by calling your representatives and demanding freedom and choice,” said a copy of the message tweeted by OkCupid Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Hobley.
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Reporting by Nivedita Balu and Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru, Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles, Doyinsola Oladipo and Daniel Wiessner in New York and David Shepardson in Washingon; Writing by Anna Driver; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Rosalba O’Brien
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LOS ANGELES, June 13 (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie “Lightyear” in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries, a source said on Monday, and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world’s largest movie market.
A “Lightyear” producer told Reuters that authorities in China had asked for cuts to the movie, which Disney declined to make, and she assumed the movie would not open there either. The animated film depicts a same-sex couple who share a brief kiss, which prompted the United Arab Emirates to ban the film.
The United Arab Emirates said the couple’s relationship violated the country’s media content standards. read more Homosexuality is considered criminal in many Middle Eastern countries.
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Representatives of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Lebanon, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why they would not allow the film to be exhibited.
“Lightyear” is a prequel to Pixar’s acclaimed “Toy Story” franchise. Chris Evans voices the lead character, Buzz Lightyear, a legendary space ranger.
In the film, Buzz’s close friend is a female space ranger who marries another woman. A scene showing milestones in the couple’s relationship includes a brief kiss.
Disney has not received an answer from Chinese authorities on whether they would allow the film in cinemas, “Lightyear” producer Galyn Susman said. But she said filmmakers would not make changes to the movie. China has rejected other on-screen depictions of homosexuality in the past.
“We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut,” Susman told Reuters at the movie’s red-carpet premiere in London.
China is not a “make or break” market for Pixar, one theater industry source said. It contributed a mere 3% to the global box office for “Toy Story 4,” which grossed more than $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales in 2019, according to Comscore.
Any objections to “Lightyear” over LGBTQ issues were “frustrating,” Evans said.
“It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity, but it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be,” Evans said.
“Lightyear” is set to debut in theaters in the United States and Canada on Friday.
In May, Disney refused requests to cut same-sex references in Marvel movie “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.” Saudi Arabia and a handful of other Middle Eastern countries did not show the film.
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Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski; Additional reporting by Kristian Brunse in London; Editing by Richard Chang
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Coordinated campaign of support by Johnson’s cabinet
LONDON, June 6 (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a confidence vote on Monday after a growing number of lawmakers in his Conservative Party questioned the British leader’s authority over what has been dubbed the “partygate” scandal.
Johnson, who scored a sweeping election victory in 2019, has been under increasing pressure after he and staff held alcohol-fuelled parties in his Downing Street office and residence when Britain was under strict lockdowns due to COVID-19.
He was met with a chorus of jeers and boos – and some muted cheers – at events to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in recent days.
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On Monday, the once seemingly unassailable Johnson was also lambasted by ally Jesse Norman, a former junior minister who said the 57-year-old prime minister staying in power insulted both the electorate and the party. read more
“You have presided over a culture of casual law-breaking at 10 Downing Street in relation to COVID,” he said, adding the government had “a large majority, but no long-term plan”.
Norman is one of a growing number of Conservative lawmakers to publicly say that Johnson has lost his authority to govern Britain, which is facing rising prices, the risk of recession and strike-inflicted travel chaos in the capital London.
Jeremy Hunt, a former health minister who ran against Johnson for the leadership in 2019, said the party knew it was failing the country. “Today’s decision is change or lose,” he said. “I will be voting for change.” read more
Johnson’s anti-corruption chief John Penrose resigned. “I think it’s over. It feels now like a question of when not if,” he told Sky News.
A majority of the 359 Conservative lawmakers – at least 180 – would have to vote against Johnson for him to be removed, a level some Conservatives say might be difficult to reach, given the lack of an obvious successor.
If passed, there would then be a leadership contest to decide his replacement, which could take several weeks.
DRAWING A LINE?
Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee that represents rank-and-file Conservative lawmakers, said a vote would be held between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (1700-1900 GMT) and the result would be announced later on Monday. read more
In what might concern Johnson’s team, he said he was not aware of “any orchestrated campaign” to oust the prime minister, which suggests a more spontaneous rebellion than ones that have felled leaders in the past.
A spokesperson for Johnson’s Downing Street office said the vote would “allow the government to draw a line and move on” and that the prime minister welcomed the opportunity to make his case to lawmakers. read more
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Party, at Buckingham Palace, in London, Britain, June 4, 2022. Paul Ellis/Pool via REUTERS
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Johnson, a former London mayor, rose to power at Westminster as the face of the Brexit campaign in a 2016 referendum, and took a hardline stance once in power.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, Brexit opportunities minister, told Sky News that completing Britain’s departure from the European Union would be “significantly at risk without his drive and energy”.
Johnson has locked horns with Brussels over Northern Ireland, raising the prospect of more barriers for British trade and alarming leaders in Ireland, Europe and the United States about risks to the province’s 1998 peace deal.
OUTCOME UNCERTAIN
Ministers have also been at pains to point out what they describe as the highpoints of Johnson’s administration – saying Britain’s quick rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations and its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine proved the prime minister could take the “big decisions”.
“I am backing him today and will continue to back him as we focus on growing the economy, tackling the cost of living and clearing the COVID backlogs,” finance minister Rishi Sunak said on Twitter in a choreographed expression of support.
In letters sent out to Conservative lawmakers, Johnson also made the same point, urging them to support him.
Johnson, or his possible successor, face a raft of problems. British households are confronted by the biggest cost-of-living squeeze since records began in the 1950s, with food and fuel prices surging while wages lag.
For some Conservatives, Johnson is guilty of squandering a large majority, unable or unwilling to set the agenda after becoming hamstrung by scandals.
But others expect him to survive the vote, and although wounded, he could reset his administration.
For those hopeful of replacing him, bookmaker Ladbrokes put Hunt, a former health and foreign minister, as its favourite, followed by foreign minister Liz Truss. read more
For many in Britain, the revelations of what went on in Downing Street, including fights and alcohol-induced vomiting, when many people were prevented from saying goodbye to loved ones at funerals, were difficult to stomach. One gathering that went on until the early hours took place on eve of the April 2001 funeral for the queen’s husband Prince Philip. read more
Two in five Conservative members, according to pollster YouGov, say lawmakers should vote to remove Johnson.
Mel Chetwood, a 61-year-old archivist, said the sight of Johnson being booed by a royal-supporting audience was key.
“That felt like a turning point to me.”
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Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Additional reporting by Andrew Macaskill, William James, Alistair Smout, William Schomberg, Farouq Suleiman and Helena Williams; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton, Alex Richardson and Mark Heinrich
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
LOS ANGELES, March 28 (Reuters) – Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock on Monday for slapping the comedian at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony, issuing a statement after the film academy said it might take action against Smith for an incident that overshadowed the industry’s top awards.
Smith, in a post on Instagram, said his behavior at the televised ceremony was “unacceptable and inexcusable.”
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Smith wrote. “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
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Smith strode on stage and struck Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife. Less than an hour later, Smith won best actor for his role as the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard.”
Rock, in a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, had referenced the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Smith’s wife has a disease that causes hair loss.
“Jokes at my expense are part of the job,” Smith said on Monday, “but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”
“I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” he added.
Earlier Monday, the 9,900-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned Smith’s actions and said it was reviewing the matter.
“We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law,” the academy added.
The group’s conduct policy states it is “opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination” and expects members to uphold the values “of respect for human dignity, inclusion, and a supportive environment that fosters creativity.”
Violations may result in suspension or expulsion from the organization, revocation of Oscars, or loss of eligibility for future awards, according to the policy.
SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, called the Smith’s actions “unacceptable” and said it had been in touch with the academy and broadcaster ABC “to ensure this behavior is appropriately addressed.”
Will Smith (R) hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
It is rare but not unprecedented for the film academy to revoke membership. Producer Harvey Weinstein was expelled in 2017 after more than three dozen women accused him of sexual assault.
In his statement, Smith also apologized to the academy, show producers, attendees, viewers, the Williams family and “my King Richard family.”
Studio executives were publicly silent about Smith on Monday. The 53-year-old actor has projects in the works with Netflix Inc (NFLX.O), Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Apple TV+ (AAPL.O). The companies did not respond to requests for comment. read more
One of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, Smith has anchored lucrative film franchises such as “Independence Day” and “Men in Black.” His films have grossed more than $9 billion at global box offices, according to researcher Comscore.
Oscars producers had been hoping for a memorable night on Sunday to rebound from record-low ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic. They brought in three hosts, opened the show with Beyonce and shortened some acceptance speeches.
But it was Smith’s outburst that went viral, with pictures and video ricocheting across social media.
Television viewership jumped sharply this year, to an average of 15.36 million people, a 56% boost from 2021, according to preliminary estimates.
Feel-good movie “CODA” won best picture, marking a turning point in Hollywood because the film was streamed by Apple TV+ (AAPL.O) rather than debuting exclusively to theaters.
Many Hollywood celebrities denounced Smith’s actions. read more
“Will Smith owes Chris Rock a huge apology. There is no excuse for what he did,” filmmaker Rob Reiner said on Twitter.
Others supported Smith for defending his wife.
“That’s what your husband is supposed to do, right? Protect you,” comedian Tiffany Haddish told People magazine.
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Reporting by Lisa Richwine;
Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta and Dawn Chmielewski;
editing by Jonathan Oatis, Marguerita Choy and Sandra Maler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.