Global Week in Review: Netflix Pays Millions to Stream African War Film

Plus, Islamic State militants 'bulldozed' ancient Iraq site.

Netflix Pays Millions to Stream African War Film - Islamic State militants 'bulldozed' ancient Iraq site and more global news. — Patrice Peck Netflix recently made waves in the entertainment and technology industry when news broke of its nearly $12,000,000 acquisition of rights to the highly-anticipated film Beasts of No Nation, The Root reports. The African war drama, which stars Idris Elba, will stream on Netflix worldwide during its theater release later this year. Based on Uzodinma Iweala’s 2005 book of the same name, the film centers on the life of a young African boy who becomes a child soldier. “It could be a game changer,” Amy Kaufman, a producer on the film, said. “This has the potential to change the way people perceive how movies and art are delivered to them.”(Photo: Harper Perennial)

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Netflix Pays Millions to Stream African War Film - Islamic State militants 'bulldozed' ancient Iraq site and more global news. — Patrice Peck Netflix recently made waves in the entertainment and technology industry when news broke of its nearly $12,000,000 acquisition of rights to the highly-anticipated film Beasts of No Nation, The Root reports. The African war drama, which stars Idris Elba, will stream on Netflix worldwide during its theater release later this year. Based on Uzodinma Iweala’s 2005 book of the same name, the film centers on the life of a young African boy who becomes a child soldier. “It could be a game changer,” Amy Kaufman, a producer on the film, said. “This has the potential to change the way people perceive how movies and art are delivered to them.”(Photo: Harper Perennial)

Islamic State Militants 'Bulldozed' Ancient Iraq Site - Iraq’s tourism and antiquities ministry accused the Islamic State of “bulldozing” the ancient city of Nimrud on Thursday, AFP reports. Last month, the jihadists destroyed artifacts in Mosul’s museum with sledgehammers and torched its library. "Their plan is to destroy Iraqi heritage, one site at a time," said Abdulamir Hamdani, an Iraqi archaeologist from Stony Brook University in New York. "Hatra of course will be next,” he added, referring to a 2,000-year-old UNESCO-listed site.(Photo: David Lees/Corbis)

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Islamic State Militants 'Bulldozed' Ancient Iraq Site - Iraq’s tourism and antiquities ministry accused the Islamic State of “bulldozing” the ancient city of Nimrud on Thursday, AFP reports. Last month, the jihadists destroyed artifacts in Mosul’s museum with sledgehammers and torched its library. "Their plan is to destroy Iraqi heritage, one site at a time," said Abdulamir Hamdani, an Iraqi archaeologist from Stony Brook University in New York. "Hatra of course will be next,” he added, referring to a 2,000-year-old UNESCO-listed site.(Photo: David Lees/Corbis)

South Korea Officials Investigate Attack on US Envoy - An anti-U.S. activist in South Korea reportedly slashed the nation’s U.S. ambassador on Thursday, AP reports. Mark Lippert suffered deep gashes on his face and hand, along with damaged tendons and nerves. Suspect Kim Ki-jong, a 55-year-old with a long history of anti-American and violent protests, told cops he was protesting annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that begin on Monday. He could face charges, including attempted murder, assaulting a foreign envoy, obstruction and violating a controversial law that prohibits praise or assistance for North Korea, according to police.(Photo: Yonhap, Kim Ju-sung/AP Photo)

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South Korea Officials Investigate Attack on US Envoy - An anti-U.S. activist in South Korea reportedly slashed the nation’s U.S. ambassador on Thursday, AP reports. Mark Lippert suffered deep gashes on his face and hand, along with damaged tendons and nerves. Suspect Kim Ki-jong, a 55-year-old with a long history of anti-American and violent protests, told cops he was protesting annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that begin on Monday. He could face charges, including attempted murder, assaulting a foreign envoy, obstruction and violating a controversial law that prohibits praise or assistance for North Korea, according to police.(Photo: Yonhap, Kim Ju-sung/AP Photo)

Nigerian Refugees Fleeing Boko Haram Risk Lives to Cross Lake to Chad Camps - AP recently reported on a Chadian refugee camp that has become home to more than 6,000 Nigerians who have fled Boko Haram’s violence. The UN and Chad’s government jointly run the camp, which sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The article also spotlighted Kellogg Abakar (not pictured), a 30-year-old woman who escaped the Jan. 3 massacre on her hometown of Baga with some of her children. Then-pregnant, Abakar had to deliver her child before boarding a boat to safety in neighboring Chad. "If I had stayed there they would have killed me too,” she told AP.(Photo: Jerome Delay/AP Photo)

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Nigerian Refugees Fleeing Boko Haram Risk Lives to Cross Lake to Chad Camps - AP recently reported on a Chadian refugee camp that has become home to more than 6,000 Nigerians who have fled Boko Haram’s violence. The UN and Chad’s government jointly run the camp, which sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The article also spotlighted Kellogg Abakar (not pictured), a 30-year-old woman who escaped the Jan. 3 massacre on her hometown of Baga with some of her children. Then-pregnant, Abakar had to deliver her child before boarding a boat to safety in neighboring Chad. "If I had stayed there they would have killed me too,” she told AP.(Photo: Jerome Delay/AP Photo)

Liberia’s Last Known Ebola Patient Is Released - On Thursday, Beatrice Yardolo became Liberia’s last confirmed case of Ebola discharged from a hospital, marking a major milestone in the West African’s nation battle against the deadly virus, USA Today reports. "This does not signify that Ebola is over in Liberia,” said Tolbert Nyeswah, an assistant health minister who heads Liberia's response to the virus. "What we know is that 13 of the 15 counties have gone more than 42 days without cases of Ebola.” The virus has killed more than 4,100 people in Liberia since the outbreak began last December.(Photo: Abbas Dulleh/AP Photo)

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Liberia’s Last Known Ebola Patient Is Released - On Thursday, Beatrice Yardolo became Liberia’s last confirmed case of Ebola discharged from a hospital, marking a major milestone in the West African’s nation battle against the deadly virus, USA Today reports. "This does not signify that Ebola is over in Liberia,” said Tolbert Nyeswah, an assistant health minister who heads Liberia's response to the virus. "What we know is that 13 of the 15 counties have gone more than 42 days without cases of Ebola.” The virus has killed more than 4,100 people in Liberia since the outbreak began last December.(Photo: Abbas Dulleh/AP Photo)

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More Than 30 Dead in East Ukraine Mine Blast - BBC reports that a gas blast at a coal mine in a rebel-held area of East Ukraine has left at least 30 people dead, according to rebels. The group only confirmed 23 deaths at the Zasyadko mine, while the country’s official claimed as many as 33 people may have died. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has reportedly called for access to the site for government rescuers and police. (Photo: Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

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More Than 30 Dead in East Ukraine Mine Blast - BBC reports that a gas blast at a coal mine in a rebel-held area of East Ukraine has left at least 30 people dead, according to rebels. The group only confirmed 23 deaths at the Zasyadko mine, while the country’s official claimed as many as 33 people may have died. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has reportedly called for access to the site for government rescuers and police. (Photo: Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

Amid Hard-Hitting Economic Crisis, Venezuelans Commemorate Chavez - Venezuelans celebrated the life and death of Hugo Chavez on Thursday, despite the nation’s current economic crisis which threatens to undo the former socialist president’s legacy of lifting thousands out of poverty, AP reports. A recent survey by three local universities claims more than 1 million people are believed to have fallen back into poverty in the two years since Chavez death. Support for his hand-picked successor, President Nicolas Maduro, has since significantly dropped. "When Chavez was around things were better,” a staunchly pro-Chavez housewife told AP. "I don't know what's wrong with Maduro but the situation is grave."(Photo: Fernando Llano/AP Photo)

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Amid Hard-Hitting Economic Crisis, Venezuelans Commemorate Chavez - Venezuelans celebrated the life and death of Hugo Chavez on Thursday, despite the nation’s current economic crisis which threatens to undo the former socialist president’s legacy of lifting thousands out of poverty, AP reports. A recent survey by three local universities claims more than 1 million people are believed to have fallen back into poverty in the two years since Chavez death. Support for his hand-picked successor, President Nicolas Maduro, has since significantly dropped. "When Chavez was around things were better,” a staunchly pro-Chavez housewife told AP. "I don't know what's wrong with Maduro but the situation is grave."(Photo: Fernando Llano/AP Photo)

South Africa to Probe Spy Allegations - South Africa’s State Security Agency issued a statement against four national officials on Thursday, announcing an investigation on spying claims made against them, AllAfrica.com reports. The accused — Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, former Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader and current Harvard student Lindiwe Mazibuko and President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union Joseph Mathunjwa — have dismissed the accusations. "I have never heard such madness in my life...Those people are clowns,” said Malema. "Our biggest problem is that our 'intelligence' is not intelligent."(Photo: Guntmar Fritz/Corbis)

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South Africa to Probe Spy Allegations - South Africa’s State Security Agency issued a statement against four national officials on Thursday, announcing an investigation on spying claims made against them, AllAfrica.com reports. The accused — Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, former Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader and current Harvard student Lindiwe Mazibuko and President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union Joseph Mathunjwa — have dismissed the accusations. "I have never heard such madness in my life...Those people are clowns,” said Malema. "Our biggest problem is that our 'intelligence' is not intelligent."(Photo: Guntmar Fritz/Corbis)