US Business

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named its new CEO Tuesday, ending a tumultuous 11 years under Dawn Hudson that included the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, a huge expansion of the group’s membership — and Will Smith’s infamous slap.

Hudson first announced plans to step down last October, shortly after the successful opening of the Academy’s major new film museum in Los Angeles. She will be replaced by Bill Kramer, who oversaw that museum launch.

Kramer is “the ideal choice to lead at this pivotal moment for the organization,” Academy president David Rubin said in a statement.

As Hollywood’s most elite group of filmmakers, which also oversees the Oscars, the Academy has had to navigate multiple controversies in recent years, including accusations of a lack of racial diversity.

Most notably, the group was pummeled with criticism for a dearth of Black Oscar nominees during the #OscarsSoWhite movement, which emerged in 2015. 

Hudson oversaw and fulfilled a pledge to double the number of women and minority members by 2020, significantly expanding overall membership from around 6,000 to nearly 10,000 in the process.

“She initiated unprecedented efforts to create more space for diverse voices, both within the membership and our industry,” said Rubin.

Hudson and senior leadership faced criticism for their perceived lack of reaction after Smith struck comedian Chris Rock on stage during this year’s Oscars ceremony.

The Academy has said Smith was asked to leave the Hollywood ballroom shortly after the attack — but that claim was disputed, including by Smith’s representatives.

Smith — who won the Academy Award for best actor shortly after the altercation — was later banned from attending the Oscars for the next decade.

Kramer, who will start as CEO next month, oversaw nearly $400 million in fundraising for the Academy Museum, which was decades in the planning, and has become a top priority for the organization’s future.

The museum — home to Tinseltown memorabilia from Judy Garland’s “Wizard of Oz” ruby slippers to Dracula’s cape — has sold more than 550,000 tickets in nine months, the Academy said.

Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of seeking to “inflict harm” on him by selling her 50 percent stake in their French vineyard to a Russian oligarch with “poisonous associations and intentions.”

The allegations, made in new court filings as part of Pitt’s lawsuit against Jolie over the sale of Chateau Miraval, are the latest barb in a bitter legal battle between the former Hollywood power couple who filed for divorce in 2016.

Last October, Jolie sold her share of the southern France vineyard — where she and Pitt had their wedding — to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Russia-born billionaire Yuri Shefler’s drinks conglomerate.

Pitt sued in February, saying the couple had agreed never to sell their interests without the other’s consent, and accusing Jolie of seeking “unearned” profits.

In an amended complaint seen by AFP, Pitt’s lawyers argue “Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt” with the sale, and describe Shefler as “a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions.”

The filing received by a Los Angeles court last Friday alleges Shefler “maintains personal and professional relationships with individuals in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.”

Shefler has long been an outspoken critic of Putin, and his Stoli Group drinks conglomerate is based in Latvia. 

In March, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Shelfer issued a statement saying he has been “exiled from Russia since 2002 due to my opposition to Putin,” and rebranded his company in “solidarity with Ukraine.”

But Pitt’s latest filing says: “Despite Shefler’s desperate attempt to disassociate himself from the Putin regime, the Stoli brand is now a massive international liability.”

It adds: “Stoli vodka is synonymous with Russia, as the countless images of consumers pouring Stoli vodka down the drain make clear.”

“Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Miraval’s insurer has sought assurances that Shefler is not aligned with Putin and that affiliation with Stoli would not create commercial risk,” the filing says.

The complaint also lists Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within Shefler’s alleged “network of ill-reputed professional associates” which “threatens lasting harm to Miraval’s reputation.”

– ‘False narrative’ –

The Stoli Group did not immediately respond to request for comment.

A source close to the situation told AFP that Jolie decided to sell as she and her children “have not been able to return” to Chateau Miraval, and she had made multiple offers to her ex-husband before signing the deal with Shefler.

Pitt’s lawsuit against Jolie was “an extension of a false narrative” and “the truth of the situation has still not been made public,” said the source.

Once Tinseltown’s highest-profile couple, Pitt and Jolie first got together after co-starring as married assassins in the 2005 film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.

The A-listers announced in 2018 they had reached an amicable settlement over their children — three biological and three adopted — but any deal appeared to quickly fall apart.

Last July, Jolie scored a win in their custody battle as the private judge overseeing their divorce and custody matters was disqualified from the case.

Voters in famously liberal San Francisco will decide Tuesday if the city’s chief prosecutor is just a little bit too liberal even for them.

District Attorney Chesa Boudin faces a recall vote sparked by perceptions of rising crime and exploding homelessness that blight what was once one of the most livable cities in the United States.

Critics charge that it is his fault; that his refusal to seek the death penalty, his use of treatment — not punishment — for criminals with drug habits, and his attempt to reform the police have given criminals free rein.

The recall attempt mirrors a larger discontent in some American cities where liberal voters who have traditionally shunned the tough-on-crime rhetoric of the political right are calling for a crackdown.

In Los Angeles, a similarly minded district attorney is fending off a second attempt to fire him for his supposedly soft approach to prosecution.

And in Seattle, taxpayers are chafing at rocketing robberies and surging violent crime, at a time the number of law enforcement officers working the city has shrunk in the wake of campaigns to “Defund the Police”.

Boudin, 41, who was elected in 2019, has a thoroughly progressive pedigree.

His parents were radicals in the Weather Underground militant leftist group, and were jailed for their part in an armed robbery that left two police officers dead.

He worked for a while as a translator for left-wing Venezuelan firebrand Hugo Chavez, and spent much of his career as a public defender.

His policies in office — not prosecuting children as adults, aggressively prosecuting wrongdoing by police officers, and reducing the prison population — are not radical by European standards, but stand out in the United States.

Statistics show overall crime has not increased during his time in office, though burglaries and car break-ins are up.

But a few well-publicized incidents — smash-and-grab raids at swanky department stores, and vicious anti-Asian attacks — have combined with the long shadow of pandemic frustration.

Boudin says the recall effort has been driven by right-wing businesspeople and by less-than-liberal police officers.

“This is a Republican- and police union-led playbook to undermine and attack progressive prosecutors who have been winning elections across the country,” he told The Guardian.

“The playbook involves delegitimizing and fear-mongering and recalling. It’s a tactic being used by folks who are increasingly unable to prevail in elections when they put forward their views about public safety and justice.”

But the recall push has also garnered support closer to home, with many fellow Democrats lukewarm about Boudin, including Mayor London Breed, who is likely to appoint a moderate if the recall succeeds.

Tuesday’s vote is one of a number of ballots taking place in the United States, most of them primaries that will decide who goes through to a run-off in November, when Americans will cast midterm votes for Congress and in a slew of local and state races.

Los Angeles is likely to narrow down a crowded field of mayoral candidates to two, including a former Republican promising to be tough on crime.

Democrats in solidly blue New Mexico vote on a new attorney general, and there are contests in New Jersey, Iowa, South Dakota and Montana.

Uber and Google’s autonomous vehicle unit Waymo on Tuesday said they are joining forces to get driverless trucks hauling cargo on roads across the United States.

Due to the vast distances between American cities and with truck transport key to the economy, companies see self-driving as a way to cut costs and reduce risk.

Waymo will allow its technology to mesh with an Uber Freight platform that connects truckers with loads in a spin on how Uber lets people summon rides using smartphone apps.

“Uber Freight’s network of shippers, carriers, and marketplace technology is a great match for the Waymo Driver,” Waymo head of commercialization for trucking Charlie Jatt said in a statement.

Carriers that buy trucks equipped with Waymo systems will be able to opt in to having the vehicles deployed as “autonomous assets” on the Uber Freight network, the companies said.

The firms will also explore together the potential for creating hubs where cargo is easily handed off from self-driving trucks to human truckers.

“Both companies envision a future where autonomous trucks tackle the long-haul portion of driving, easing some of the burden of the increasing demand for freight while also enabling drivers to shift into short-haul jobs,” they said in the release.

Before driverless trucks are allowed onto roads and highways, however, multiple tests must still be conducted to ensure they are safe.

Waymo has been testing self-driving trucks in a handful of US states.

“Uber Freight’s extensive, efficient, and reliable digital network is essential to making autonomous trucks a reality,” said unit head Lior Ron.

The Freight unit has been steadily growing, according to quarterly earnings releases.

Former world number one Dustin Johnson said Tuesday he has resigned from the US PGA Tour to play in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series, which tees off outside London this week.

The decision effectively rules the American two-time major winner out of participating in the Ryder Cup, which pits the United States against Europe every two years.

Johnson was speaking at a press conference at Centurion Club ahead of the inaugural event in the series, which starts on Thursday.

The world number 15 had said in February he was committed to playing on the PGA Tour, which has refused releases for members to play in the LIV Golf opener — which will clash with the Canadian Open.

But Johnson has now quit, following a similar decision by veteran US golfer Kevin Na, who is also in the field for the event in St Albans.

The 37-year-old, who has won more than $74 million on the PGA Tour, said: “Right now, I’ve resigned my membership from the Tour.”

Johnson, who is reportedly receiving $150 million in appearance fees to play in the new series, said it was difficult to predict the consequences of his decision.

When asked whether he had opted for money over his country, he said he had chosen “what’s best for me and my family”.

“The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and it’s something that has definitely meant a lot to me,” added Johnson, who won all five of his matches in the United States’ record 19-9 win over Europe at Whistling Straits last year.

“I’m proud to say that I’ve represented my country and hopefully I will get a chance to do that again, but I don’t make the rules.”

One of the uncertainties has been whether players who split with established tours to join LIV Golf — which does not currently offer ranking points — would still be allowed to play in golf’s four majors.

Former Masters and US Open champion Johnson can still play in the tournaments, which are separately governed, due to his stellar record.

The United States Golf Association confirmed on Tuesday that players taking part in the LIV opener would be free to play in next week’s US Open in Brookline, Massachusetts.

– Mickelson entry –

It has been reported that Spain’s Sergio Garcia and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace, who are in the 48-man field for the opening LIV event, have also resigned from the PGA Tour.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson confirmed on Monday he would play in St Albans in a major coup for the organisers.

Mickelson has not played since the publication of comments in February, in which he criticised the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s Saudi backers.

The PGA Tour has warned of disciplinary action for players who play in the LIV series but the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour, has been more opaque, saying it was “evaluating each request on a case-by-case basis”.

The new series, which comprises eight tournaments this year, is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Players will compete as individuals and teams for eye-watering purses of $25 million in all seven regular-season events, played over 54 holes with no cut.

The eighth and final event will be a team championship, with a total prize fund of $50 million.

Amnesty International has said the series is an example of Saudi Arabia attempting to “sportswash” its human rights record.

The golfers were questioned on the human rights issue on Tuesday, including the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

A US intelligence assessment found that the Gulf kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, “approved” an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi, a columnist who was critical of Saudi’s rulers.

Saudi officials deny this and say that his killing in the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate — which sparked worldwide outrage — was a “rogue” operation.

“The Khashoggi situation, we all agree that was reprehensible,” 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell told reporters on Tuesday.

“No-one’s going to argue that fact but we’re golfers. We are not politicians. I know you guys hate that expression, but we are really not, unfortunately. We are professional golfers.

“If Saudi Arabia wanted to use the game of golf as a way for them to get to where they want to be and they have the resources to accelerate that experience, I think we are proud to help them on that journey using the game of golf.”

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged lawmakers to approve additional investments in renewable energy and higher taxes on the wealthy on Tuesday, as she defended the administration’s efforts to blunt the impact of inflation.

“I believe there’s lot that Congress can do to ease the cost burdens that households are experiencing,” Yellen told the Senate Finance Committee in the first of two days of testimony on President Joe Biden’s budget for the 2023 fiscal year.

Besides renewable energy investments — which Yellen said could help address high gasoline prices — the Treasury secretary backed more spending on affordable housing and efforts to rein in pharmaceutical prices.

She also highlighted the Biden administration’s historically large release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease prices that drivers are facing at the pump, which have skyrocketed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, hitting new records daily, with the national average at $4.92 a gallon Tuesday.

“Gas prices, while very high … would be higher without that,” Yellen said.

Yellen said the full-year 2022 inflation forecast is “likely to be higher” than the four percent initially projected. The forecast will be updated in the coming weeks, she said.

“Inflation is really an economic problem at this point, and it’s critical that we address it,” Yellen said, adding, “I do expect inflation to remain high, although I very much hope that it will be coming down now.”

The hearings come as Biden contends with a low favorability rating ahead of key midterm elections, with the pain from higher gasoline and food prices outweighing a strong job market and 3.6 percent unemployment.

Yellen was warmly received by Senate Democrats, but Republicans pointed to the administration’s energy and climate policies as a reason for the energy crunch and characterized Biden’s 2021 American Rescue Plan as a main reason for inflation.

“What I heard you say is that it is OK to raise taxes right now and that it is proper to have more stimulus spending to deal with this crisis,” said Senator Mike Crapo, a Republican representing Idaho.

“I just have to say I disagree with you on that.”

Yellen defended the American Rescue Plan, saying the administration took action in response to forecasts that unemployment could top nine percent given the headwinds amid the Covid-19 upheaval.

At the time, she said, “The overwhelming risk was that Americans would be scarred by a deep and long recession.”

Republicans also took Yellen to task for comments early 2021 characterizing inflationary pressures as “transitory,” the same word used early on by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. 

Yellen said her remarks at the time did not foresee the supply chain problems that surfaced later in 2021, or the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

But Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, said given Yellen’s past assurances, “it makes me wonder why Americans should put any confidence in your pronouncements and decisions and recommendations today.”