In this March 19, 2017 file photo, Director Luc Besson poses for photographers with his Inspiration award at the Empire Film Awards show in London. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
By Angela Charlton
PARIS (AP) --
French authorities said Saturday they are investigating a rape accusation against "Valerian" filmmaker Luc Besson, who denies wrongdoing.
A judicial official told The Associated Press that a 27-year-old woman filed a complaint Friday accusing the 59-year-old director of drugging and penetrating her at the hotel Bristol in Paris.
The official was not authorized to be publicly named.
BFM television and Europe-1 radio cite Besson's lawyer as saying he denies the accusations. His attorneys did not return messages from the AP.
The reports came as the Cannes Film Festival is wrapping up; accusations of sexual misconduct and inequality in the movie industry have been prominent themes at the festival this year.
Besson has produced nearly 100 films and written and directed many of them. His films include the "Taken" series, "The Fifth Element" and "Leon." His Europa Corp. production company didn't respond to requests for comment.
Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.
The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.
The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.
DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.
"While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.
The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.
The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.
DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More
