Israel: Last News

“Saturday Night Live” normally sets up big laughs in its traditional cold opens, but occasionally it faces tragedy head-on.Amid 50 years of gut-busting comedy, Lorne Michaels’ iconic sketch show has replaced humor with heartache during tear-inducing tributes to 9/11, mass shootings, wars and more, offering somber reflections to stir its Studio 8H audience and home viewers.Here are some of the most memorable cold open moments when jokes were jettisoned and heartstrings were pulled. A post shared by Saturday Night Network (@thesnlnetwork)When original cast member Gilda Radner died from ovarian cancer on Saturday, May 20, 1989, it shocked many — as well as oft-scene mate Steve Martin, who was set to host that night’s episode when he learned of her passing at age 42.“You know, I’ve been coming here to do ‘Saturday Night Live’ since 1976, and the thing … that brings me back to the show is the people you get to work with,” said an emotional Martin, fighting back tears, as he kicked off the episode.

viral video using AI-generated celebrities to protest Kanye West‘s antisemitism has defended his decision to use the stars’ likenesses without their permission.The video features AI-generated versions of Mark Zuckerberg, Scarlett Johansson, Drake, David Schwimmer, Jerry Seinfeld, Ben Stiller and more sporting a white t-shirt with the Star of David in a middle finger emblem, with West’s name written beneath it.Adam Sandler, Mila Kunis, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Steven Spielberg are among the other major stars whose likeness is used in the video, which serves as a direct response to West’s long history of antisemitic comments and his recent attempt to sell a swastika t-shirt on his website.In a new interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Guy Bar, the Israeli founder of an AI tech hub called Elevaitor, explained why he decided to use AI-generated celebrities instead of Jewish activities to make the video.“It had to be [created] very, very fast. If you take time [after West’s T-shirt controversy], it wouldn’t be relevant,” said Bar.

David Cunio and his twin brother Eitan were at the Berlin Film Festival in 2013 as the stars of Israeli director Tom Shoval’s first feature Youth which world premiered to acclaim in Panorama.

The directors of the Oscar-nominated documentary No Other Land are sharply criticizing Pres. Trump’s plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and dispatch its Palestinian inhabitants to other Arab countries.

Tilda Swinton took a stand while attending the 2025 Berlin Film Festival.

Stormzy has come under fire for appearing to delete a Pro-Palestine social media post amid his new collaboration with McDonald’s.In January it was revealed that the rapper had teamed up with McDonald’s for the UK and Ireland’s first Famous Order meal, which gives fans the chance to buy his favourite menu items and a limited edition merch range.Following the announcement and the subsequent launch on Wednesday (February 12), Stormzy has been criticised for collaborating with the fast food chain, due to their perceived support of Israel.The Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement has supported a global boycott of McDonald’s after franchises in Israel gave out thousands of free meals to Israeli forces following Hamas’ attack on the country on 7 October.Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project are among those critiquing the partnership, issuing an open letter yesterday (February 13) that asks the rapper to “stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their hour of need and respect the BDS committee’s call for a global boycott of McDonald’s by ending his new partnership with them.”“Dear @stormzy, help us take genocide off the menu…”We are calling on Stormzy to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and respect the @BDSmovement call for a boycott of McDonald’s by ending his new partnership with them.✍️ Write to him: https://t.co/IX7HIkd8fi pic.twitter.com/FhtgnRffi6— Peace & Justice Project (@corbyn_project) February 13, 2025Stormzy has previously been vocal in his support for Palestine, playing at a benefit concert to raise funds for aid in January 2024.Now, though, some fans have noticed that the rapper has removed a social media post from October 2023 that read: “1. Free Palestine.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As “The Chosen” Season 5 prepares to premiere in theaters next month, creator/exec producer Dallas Jenkins has unveiled three key art posters — shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz — to promote the upcoming eight episodes. Jenkins and series star Jonathan Roumie shared the posters while on a press tour stop in New York’s Times Square on Thursday. The three posters will promote the three parts of Season 5, dubbed “The Chosen: Last Summer,” which will be released by 5&2 Studios — the newly-formed production company now behind the global hit — in U.S.

Macklemore has released his new protest song ‘Fucked Up’, aiming at Israel, Donald Trump and Elon Musk.The song sees the musician – real name Benjamin Haggerty – rap “The world’s on fire, we don’t own the water / Inmates hired for a couple dollars, y’all / New era ushered, but white supremacy is still in charge / Talkin’ colonizing Gaza from the White House lawn,” referring to the devastating LA Wildfires as well as Trump’s presidency and his plan for the United States to take ownership of the Gaza Strip.Macklemore goes on to call Musk in the chorus, saying: “They got me fucked up (Woo, woo) / And Elon, we know exactly what that was, bruh,” referring to the tech billionaire making two Nazi-like gestures during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.The song also takes aim at tech corporations and CEOs, billionaires, media censorship and more but highlights how there is strength in resistance.The final verse of the track sees the rapper look towards the next couple of years with Trump in the White House and raps: “The next four years, it’s time to ride / Fuck ICE, free Congo, Sudan, and Palestine / If you still haven’t said shit about the genocide / Know your grandkids one day are gonna ask you, “‘Why?'”. Directed by Omar Alali, ‘Fucked Up’s accompanying music video opens with a title card with a quote from esteemed socialist Eugene V.

The opening night of the Berlin Film Festival is only just getting underway and political and humanitarian sentiment is already to the fore with multiple demonstrations on the red carpet and nearby.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent A group of artists and filmmakers held a vigil Thursday on Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz, as the Berlin Film Festival kicked off, to call for the release of David Cunio, an Israeli actor who was one of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, from the Nir Oz kibbutz. Cunio is also the subject of the documentary “A Letter to David,” by filmmaker Tom Shoval, which premieres Feb.

Amanda Seyfried and Happy Valley alums James Norton and Sally Wainwright will be adding a dose of star power to this year’s Series Mania, while Pamela Adlon is to head up the jury.

Humza Yousaf has said the situation in Gaza is "hell on Earth" and his father-in-law has been left a “shell” following the devastating war.

a fake viral video that features Johansson and other Jewish celebrities condemning Kanye West’s antisemitism. The clip, which was reportedly created by Israeli generative AI expert Ori Bejerano, shows more than 20 stars wearing a white T-shirt that has the middle finger flipped off and a Star of David in the middle of the hand with West’s first name right below it.Johansson denounced the fake footage in a statement to People on Wednesday.“It has been brought to my attention by family members and friends, that an A.I.-generated video featuring my likeness, in response to an antisemitic view, has been circulating online and gaining traction,” she said.“I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind,” the mom of two continued. “But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by A.I.

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the European Film Market, Bankside Films has revealed multiple pre-sales on BAFTA nominee Kirk Jones’ Tourette’s drama I Swear, which is currently in post production.

EXCLUSIVE: Your Honor has become the first Israeli drama to be adapted for the Chinese market.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Berlin Film Festival prides itself on being a political event, which dates back to its inception in 1951 as a beacon of democracy in West Berlin, surrounded by Communist East Germany in the Cold War era. This year’s edition, the festival’s 75th, takes place in the final two weeks of a federal election in Germany that is expected to see a lurch to the right, with the right-wing Alternative for Germany party doubling down on its anti-refugee rhetoric.

Jack Dunn Several dozen pro-Palestine protestors gathered Tuesday outside the Hollywood premiere of “Captain America: Brave New World” and called for a boycott of the film over its inclusion of the Israeli superhero Ruth Bat-Seraph, aka Sabra, played by Shira Haas. Protestors held signs that read “Sabra has got to go,” “Disney supports genocide,” “Boycott ‘Captain America'” and “Pray 4 Princess Jasmine.” They chanted phrases such as “Free, free, free Palestine” and “Disney, Disney you can’t hide.” The inclusion of Sabra, who was a Mossad agent in the comics, sparked controversy among Palestinian fans.

EXCLUSIVE: A week after Jay Sures’ home was vandalized by pro-Palestinian protesters, a plethora of Hollywood power players are today offering the UTA Vice-Chairman and UC Regent their support against the “hateful incident.”

Four major generative AI chatbots – OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini and Perplexity AI – did a shoddy job of summarizing the news, a study by the BBC found.

EXCLUSIVE: Ten-year Artists First vet Itay Reiss has been named one of the firm’s partners.

The Berlinale has posted a set of questions and answers on its home page laying out its position on freedom of expression, antisemitism and support for Palestinian, as it gears up for the opening of its 75th edition on Thursday against a politically charged backdrop.