In this file photo dated Monday, Sept. 2, 2013, movie director Terry Gilliam arrives for the screening of his movie 'The Zero Theorem' at the 70th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, FILE)
LISBON, Portugal (AP) --
Portuguese authorities have rejected a television program's claims that one of the country's most cherished historic monuments was damaged during the shooting of a film by director and former Monty Python star Terry Gilliam.
The General-Directorate for Heritage says an investigation has found that the 12th-century Convent of Christ suffered only "insignificant" damage during a recent location shoot for "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote." The report published Monday said a program by public broadcaster RTP alleging wider damage "lacked rigor and revealed a lack of scientific knowledge."
Gilliam has previously called the allegations "ignorant nonsense."
The convent was a stronghold of the Knights Templar, a Christian military order founded in 1119, and is classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
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
