Israel-Palestine conflict affects US, Europe
Entertainment
Calter Wronkite, a renowned American journalist and broadcaster has made a commitment to reporting on issues with fairness and accuracy in journalism.
Today's entertainment news round-up includes highlights from around the world. Firstly, Netflix star Julia Styles visited Israel this week to provide support for Palestinian refugees struggling with displacement. She did not say what she did during her visit but said it was an opportunity to listen and learn. Her mother is Australian and she has now lived in the United States since the age of 5. Styles grew up in the United States and has now moved back home to Australia but remains a huge fan of Netflix and regularly posts her impressions of Australian TV shows. She also said that as an actress, there were many roles she could have done but she chose acting because she enjoyed acting and wanted to pursue it. Julia Styles has always been involved with charitable work over the years so she may have seen her trip to Israel as an opportunity to further her charity. The US media focused on her recent tweet about the refugee issue and her visit which got her a lot of attention online and in the newspapers. The visit came in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With the Syrian refugee crisis currently taking place and affecting over six million people worldwide, it only got bigger during the summer months. There is concern the number will rise to eight million before the end of 2019 after over four million refugees arrived in Europe since 2015. This has led some to call for more help and aid for the region while others believe these refugees will soon find their way back home to where they came from. Apart from the Israelis who are causing trouble, the refugees have to worry about the danger caused to them as they travel through various regions. The majority of the refugees arrived in Turkey where thousands have been killed or injured trying to flee ISIS, Turkish rebels and death squads. These conflicts cannot be ignored and the world needs to take notice but at the same time there is no one solution to the crisis and there should not be any condemnation of the side responsible for the violence.
However, the refugees also have to think about what future awaits them now that they are outside of the Middle East region. They need support, housing and jobs and the cost of this is being borne by the Western governments. In the past year alone, $47 billion has been spent by the United States and Australia on resettling these refugees along with other countries around the world. At the same time, the refugees face many obstacles and challenges while moving into new countries. Making friends, learning local customs, finding suitable work and adapting to different cultures are all factors that might scare many refugees away and force others to give up their dreams of creating a better life for themselves. Despite the many struggles the Palestinian refugees face, they still have hope that someday they can return to their homeland. In July, Haart joined the Muslim Brotherhood, which she denies she believes in but said it was a necessary step to understand the context and background behind the conflict over Palestine. She stated that she felt she did not see her way clear to understanding the situation fully without visiting Israel because she needed to find out more about the history and geography before she could make an informed decision to speak out about the situation. However, Haart has not publicly spoken on the Israeli-Palestine issue since joining the group as her previous comments were removed from her social media accounts. In addition to Haart's recent trip to Israel, there were some other entertaining issues of interest today such as Netflix's musical drama 'The Color Purple'.
The movie follows two generations of one family from a small town in Georgia in 1935 through World War II to the Civil Rights era in 1960. This drama is based on the novel by Alice Walker and tells the story of Althea Waters, an African American woman who goes from being a slave to being a civil rights activist and eventually a powerful figure in African American politics.
The Color Purple is currently streaming online and has received great feedback from critics and audiences alike. The movie has been described as beautiful, inspiring, romantic and realistic. It has also been praised for its representation and portrayal of many parts of society in the United States. Actor Viola Davis won several awards including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the movie and is known for her roles in the TV series 'How to Get Away with Murder' and 'American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace'. Some celebrities have compared the movie to Shakespeare and are eagerly awaiting the film's sequel. It is rumored that the second part of the movie will be even more successful than the first. So far, 'The Color Purple' has been well-received by many people in terms of entertainment and it certainly seems like something everyone should watch.
Also worth checking out is the announcement that Disney has reached an agreement to acquire the 2D animation studio 'Blue Sky Studios'. Blue Sky was one of the first animation studios to make a major hit on YouTube. On October 16, 2009, The Cat in the Hat produced by Blue Sky became the most viewed video on YouTube when it surpassed Snow Day. Blue Sky Studios had previously made over 350 animated feature films since 1978. They were known for their classic characters such as Heidi and Thomas the Tank Engine. These types of movies had become so popular that they required their own separate marketing division to promote them to consumers. It is said that Blue Sky produced around 32 million dollars per year on average and was also known for its large workforce which enabled it to continue producing quality animated movies while competing with other big studios. This change can now bring these same characters closer to children who love watching animated movies especially at this time when many families are spending quality time together.
However, the deal still needs approval from the competition watchdog and the Department of Justice. Once approved, Disney will buy Blue Sky Studios from its parent company, Blue Nile Entertainment. This deal would be very significant as it could bring more animated movies into the company's library and also increase distribution globally. One such deal could be the release of Bambi for Apple devices or Amazon Video. There are a lot of animated films available, but it is hard to find unique ones that bring emotions. Some companies like Disney may have even more to lose as they also have a reputation for having their intellectual properties stolen from others. However, it is worth keeping an eye out for these developments. All in all, today brings us some exciting and entertaining news as we hear about Julia Haart visiting Israel, The Color Purple gaining recognition and getting several awards, Disney acquiring Blue Sky Studios. While you wait for them to come out, there are plenty of other shows and documentaries available on Netflix as well.
