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Netanyahu Says Gaza Documentary ‘NAZA’ Is ‘Shocking Incitement’

Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
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Netanyahu Says Gaza Documentary ‘NAZA’ Is ‘Shocking Incitement’

Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ‌on Monday that a new documentary film which alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into targeting decisions in Gaza was part of a wave of global incitement against Jews.

"NAZA", directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday and received a 25-minute standing ovation when it was screened on Thursday.

The film takes its title from an Israeli military term for expected "collateral casualties" and is built around anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers involved in the war.

"It's ‌shocking. We are ‌fighting global antisemitic incitement and when it comes ‌from ⁠within us it ⁠is intolerable," Netanyahu said in a video posted on Telegram. "And now two Israeli directors portraying Israeli forces as war criminals receive applause at the Venice festival."

Netanyahu's comments followed a statement from the Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, who said the film constituted an attack on the state of Israel.

"Based on what has been published thus ⁠far, this is not a film offering criticism ‌of the army, nor is it ‌an attempt to establish the truth. It is based on blood libels, ‌deliberate distortions of reality, and grave, false accusations against Israeli soldiers and ‌commanders," Zamir said.

The military said that Zamir has instructed the Military Advocate General, whose legal powers are confined within the military, "to examine and advance possible legal measures concerning the film and those involved in it."

The filmmakers could ‌not immediately be reached for comment.

"We believe that the denial of a crime is what ⁠helps it persist ⁠and this is why it is especially important for us that Israelis watch this film, it is our country that is doing these crimes," Abraham said in his acceptance speech on Saturday.

Gaza health authorities say more than 73,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's military campaign that has left much of Gaza in ruins.

The war was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians.

Israel says it has gone to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties as it battles Hamas fighters who embed in sites, such as hospitals, schools and shelters. Hamas denies using Gaza's civilians as human shields.

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Entertainment

China's First AI Film Hits Cinemas, But Ticket Sales Lag

Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film. Hector RETAMAL / AFP
Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film. Hector RETAMAL / AFP
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China's First AI Film Hits Cinemas, But Ticket Sales Lag

Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film. Hector RETAMAL / AFP
Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film. Hector RETAMAL / AFP

China's first fully AI-generated feature film opens in cinemas on Friday in what promises to be a tough box-office test for the country's booming tech industry as advance ticket sales lag.

More than 10,000 screenings of the sci-fi thriller "Sanxingdui: Future Past" are scheduled for Friday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.

Public reception, however, has been less than enthusiastic, said AFP.

Presale revenue as of Friday morning stood at 80,000 yuan ($11,980), while total box-office takings were forecast to remain below 150,000 yuan, only a fraction of the reported production cost, according to Maoyan.

Ticket prices range from 20 to 90 yuan, bringing the number sold to a few thousand at most.

Jiang Defu, CEO of the production company Bona Film Group, acknowledged the lukewarm reception in a recent interview but said the film was pushing boundaries.

"We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience," he told Chinese film industry outlet Yuli.

"I think that is not easy at all."

Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film, which cost more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), Bona said, although all the actors, their voices and the backdrops are AI-generated.

The film touches on the theme of humanity in a future shaped by AI.

But that was not enough to convince Iris Yang, who attended a free preview screening of the film on Thursday for acquaintances of the production team and industry workers.

Yang said she would not have paid for a ticket, given the movie's quality.

"If AI generation can match the theatrical experience of 'Avatar', I think I would be willing to pay for it," she said, referring to the US franchise known for the quality of its animation.

AI-generated video has gained popularity in the world's second-largest economy. On Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, AI-generated short dramas garnered more than 200 billion views in September alone.

But "the audience won't automatically pay for the tickets just because it's an AI-generated film", independent AI director Zhang Jun told AFP.

Online, Chinese social media users also seemed unconvinced by the launch of AI movies in cinemas.

"If it's free to watch on streaming platforms, it could become legendary. But paying to watch? People are not going to accept it at this stage," one user on Weibo commented.

In Hollywood, the rise of AI has sparked concern among film workers about the prospect of job losses.

An AI-generated sci-fi feature called "Gods Don't Give Gifts" is scheduled for US release on December 4.

And a virtual Hollywood actor called Tilly Norwood, whose interviews have gone viral while fueling job fears, is also set to star in an upcoming movie called "Misaligned".

Entertainment

Spotify Adds 11 Mn Active Users in 3rd Quarter to Reach 788 Mn

FILE PHOTO: Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Ilustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Ilustration/File Photo
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Spotify Adds 11 Mn Active Users in 3rd Quarter to Reach 788 Mn

FILE PHOTO: Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Ilustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Small figurines are seen in front of displayed Spotify logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Ilustration/File Photo

Music streaming giant Spotify on Thursday said it had added 11 million monthly active users in the third quarter and had reached 788 million active users by the end of September, in line with the company's forecast.

The uptick represented an 11-percent growth in users compared to a year earlier, Spotify said in a statement, adding that paying subscribers had grown by nine percent compared to a year earlier, reaching 306 million, just above the company's forecasted 305 million.

"This was a quarter where we did what we said. We've built a strong business that keeps compounding," AFP quoted co-chief executive Alex Norstrom as saying in a statement.

Revenue for the third quarter came in at 4.97 billion euros ($5.6 billion), up 16 percent from a year earlier.

Operating income meanwhile rose 15 percent to 672 million euros.

Looking forward, the company said it expected to add 30 million additional active users to the platform by the end of the year to reach 818 million.

Spotify also said it expects to reach 316 paying subscribers.

In recent years, the company has started expanding from music, first investing heavily into podcasts and now offering audiobooks.

In early October, the streaming giant announced that it was expanding access to its audiobook service to more than 180 markets, up from the previous 22.

Amid growing concern across the music industry over AI-generated content overwhelming streaming catalogues, the company has recently taken steps to identify and label AI content.

Earlier this week it reported that it had taken "more than 50 million slop and spam tracks" out of recommendations -- meaning the songs would not be suggested to listeners -- this year.

In August it announced that it was launching a new "AI Persona" badge to identify content producers that are AI-generated and not real people.

In April, the company launched its "Verified by Spotify" badge, signaling that a profile has been reviewed and meets its authenticity standard.

Entertainment

UK Actor Noel Clarke Pleads Not Guilty to Six Offence Charges

Actor Noel Clarke poses for photographers at the British Academy Film Awards Nominees Party at Kensington Palace in London, Britain February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Actor Noel Clarke poses for photographers at the British Academy Film Awards Nominees Party at Kensington Palace in London, Britain February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall
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UK Actor Noel Clarke Pleads Not Guilty to Six Offence Charges

Actor Noel Clarke poses for photographers at the British Academy Film Awards Nominees Party at Kensington Palace in London, Britain February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Actor Noel Clarke poses for photographers at the British Academy Film Awards Nominees Party at Kensington Palace in London, Britain February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall

British actor and filmmaker Noel Clarke appeared in a London court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to six charges, including two counts of sexual assault.

Clarke also denied three ‌counts of ‌voyeurism and ‌one ⁠count of exposing himself, ⁠with the allegations spanning 2007 to 2016, Reuters said.

The 50-year-old stood in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court ⁠and spoke only to ‌confirm ‌his name, date of birth ‌and address and ‌enter his not guilty pleas.

He was granted bail ahead of his next ‌appearance at Southwark Crown Court on November ⁠18.

Clarke ⁠is best known for writing and starring in "Kidulthood" (2006), which explored bullying, drug abuse and extreme violence among young people in London, and for a recurring role in sci-fi show "Doctor Who".