LONDON: Netflix Inc. has temporarily stopped all future projects and acquisitions in Russia as it assesses the impact of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.
The streaming giant had four Russian-language series in production and post-production, including “Zato,” a detective drama.
Russia has been facing boycott in the film and TV industry. The Cannes film festival issued a statement on Tuesday saying it would ban official Russian delegations from its 2022 festival unless the Ukraine conflict ends.
Earlier this week, Netflix said that in the current circumstances it has no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service, despite a regulation that would require it to distribute state-backed channels.
Russia is one of the 190 countries where Netflix is available.
Netflix pauses all projects, acquisitions in Russia
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Netflix pauses all projects, acquisitions in Russia
- Netflix temporarily stops all future projects and acquisitions in Russia, joins other international companies like Apple
Egyptian host Ramez Galal under heat following a lawsuit for his Ramadan prank show
DUBAI: Egyptian actor and host Ramez Galal is under fire following a lawsuit by Egyptian actress Asmaa Galal after her appearance on his Ramadan prank show “Ramez Level the Monster.”
Ramez, known for his prank programs, returned to the screen this year for the latest edition of his show, but Asmaa took legal action against him once the episode was aired, claiming that his commentary constituted mockery and bullying.
She claims Ramez opened the episode segment by making disparaging remarks about her appearance, criticizing her choice of tight leggings, commenting on her body, and questioning whether her features were natural.
According to a statement from her lawyers’ office, the actress agreed to appear on the show on the understanding that it followed the usual prank format, without being informed of any added voice-overs or edited commentary in post-production.
However, the episode included phrases and remarks that the statement said amounted to personal insults and bodily mockery, with no relevance to the prank itself.
Her legal team emphasized that while satire and entertainment are protected forms of expression, they do not justify defamation or personal humiliation, particularly when targeting someone’s dignity or physical appearance.
The statement also noted that she initially chose to remain silent out of respect for Ramadan, but ultimately decided to respond, stressing that personal dignity remains a red line regardless of the entertainment context.
The episode has caused a significant backlash, with the National Council for Women in Egypt rejecting the treatment of women in such shows, affirming that personal dignity is a “red line.”
Ramez’s show has attracted controversy for years with accusations of torture, alleged harassment and physical contact.
