"Under the Baobab" – DW launches new vodcast
The vodcast aims to provide a platform for constructive dialogue on political, economic, cultural, and social issues. The first season centers on West Africa, with contributions from Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, among others. Future episodes will expand to include perspectives from across the continent.
Hosted by Mimi Mefo Newuh and George Okachi, Under the Baobab features interviews with a wide range of guests, including policymakers, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, and community leaders, who share personal stories, debate fresh perspectives, and collaborate on innovative solutions to Africa's most urgent challenges. From pivotal elections and youth leadership to pressing human rights issues and community-driven innovations, Under The Baobab challenges narratives and fosters African conversations centered on progress, impact, and tangible results. A symbol for community and reflection
'The Baobab tree is sacred across Africa—a place where communities gather to reflect, decide, and solve', says George Okachi. 'That's exactly what we're building with this show: a space for meaningful, personalized conversations and bold ideas.'
Mimi Mefo Newuh adds: 'We mix accountability with a solution-oriented approach—something rare in today's digital media. The mix of honesty, humor, and insight is the ideal way to share important messages.'
Claus Stäcker, Director of Programs for Africa: 'The global zeitgeist seems to be more focused on polarization: Under the Baobab stands for the opposite: discussing things, tolerating different viewpoints, listening to experts. And users can access it as a video on demand whenever they have the opportunity - their participation and comments are highly welcomed – that's how we at DW see ourselves – as bridge builders.'
The first few episodes focusing for example on Nigeria, Cameroon and Tanzania are live, and new episode are published weekly on dw.com as well as on Spotify , Apple Podcasts and more.
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3 days ago
- DW
"Under the Baobab" – DW launches new vodcast
Deutsche Welle's English for Africa has launched Under the Baobab, a weekly vodcast focused on current affairs and social developments across the African continent. The vodcast aims to provide a platform for constructive dialogue on political, economic, cultural, and social issues. The first season centers on West Africa, with contributions from Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, among others. Future episodes will expand to include perspectives from across the continent. Hosted by Mimi Mefo Newuh and George Okachi, Under the Baobab features interviews with a wide range of guests, including policymakers, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, and community leaders, who share personal stories, debate fresh perspectives, and collaborate on innovative solutions to Africa's most urgent challenges. From pivotal elections and youth leadership to pressing human rights issues and community-driven innovations, Under The Baobab challenges narratives and fosters African conversations centered on progress, impact, and tangible results. A symbol for community and reflection 'The Baobab tree is sacred across Africa—a place where communities gather to reflect, decide, and solve', says George Okachi. 'That's exactly what we're building with this show: a space for meaningful, personalized conversations and bold ideas.' Mimi Mefo Newuh adds: 'We mix accountability with a solution-oriented approach—something rare in today's digital media. The mix of honesty, humor, and insight is the ideal way to share important messages.' Claus Stäcker, Director of Programs for Africa: 'The global zeitgeist seems to be more focused on polarization: Under the Baobab stands for the opposite: discussing things, tolerating different viewpoints, listening to experts. And users can access it as a video on demand whenever they have the opportunity - their participation and comments are highly welcomed – that's how we at DW see ourselves – as bridge builders.' The first few episodes focusing for example on Nigeria, Cameroon and Tanzania are live, and new episode are published weekly on as well as on Spotify , Apple Podcasts and more.
DW
7 days ago
- DW
Taiwan imagines a Chinese invasion with TV and games – DW – 08/07/2025
Taiwanese creatives are creating fictional, yet plausible, depictions of a Chinese invasion. Some say the imaginary scenarios are helpful, others say they only create fear. A new Taiwanese series about a fictional Chinese invasion has sparked heated debate after its Saturday premiere topped drama rankings on public TV and multiple streaming platforms. The ten-episode drama titled "Zero Day Attack" is set in 2028, imagining China using a missing warplane as a pretext to launch a blockade when a newly elected Taiwanese president is about to take office. Some viewers praised the show for helping "every Taiwanese understand how the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] infiltrates us," while others accused it of "selling a sense of national doom." Taiwan is a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims is part of China, with the CCP vowing to "reunify" with the mainland by using force if necessary. For years, Taiwanese filmmakers largely avoided cross-strait conflict plots to avoid jeopardizing access to China's lucrative media market. Yu-Hui Tai, an associate professor of political economics of communication at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, said a trend is emerging where imagining a Chinese invasion is no longer taboo. "[The trend] reflects how we've broken the spiral of silence," she told DW. "It's gone from something we didn't want to talk about to something we can now imagine and even simulate." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Witnessing the severity of the war in Ukraine, I felt that if we didn't address this topic now, there might never be another chance," showrunner and screenwriter Cheng Hsin-mei told DW, adding that production on Zero Day Attack began in late 2022, the same year Russia invaded Ukraine. Taiwan has emerged as one of the globe's most contentious flashpoints as China intensifies its military presence in the region, and carries out regular exercises around the island. While most democratic countries including the United States — Taiwan's largest security backer – adhere to the "One-China Policy," which means they do not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, they oppose any unilateral attempts by either side to change the current status quo. In May, Zero-Day Attack premiered at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit in Denmark, where it received a standing ovation. The series is also set to premiere at a debut event in Washington, DC in September and launch on a Japanese streaming platform in mid‑August. But before the series officially aired, its trailer already sparked controversy domestically. With about half the series' budget coming from government subsidies, Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of using public funds to promote a "sense of national doom" — a charge echoed by many KMT supporters. Cheng responded that government subsidies are common for most local film and TV projects, arguing that "the sense of national doom" comes from "the reality that a powerful authoritarian regime continually warns it will not abandon the use of force against Taiwan." Unlike typical war dramas filled with epic battle scenes, Zero Day Attack focuses on Taiwan's internal struggles amid a potential war, portraying the political divisions and chaos on the island. The concept was developed through research and consultation with national security experts, Cheng said, as "modern warfare relies on various forms of infiltration to sow fear or prompt surrender." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Like the TV series, games that aim to bring about awareness and knowledge of China's political infiltration strategies have also emerged on the market. Earlier this year, the board game 2045 was officially released after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The game simulates a Chinese military attack in 2045, following which Taiwan divides into six different forces including self-defense units and pro-unification groups. Another board game even turned the story idea into a mobile game called Reversed Front. It created a virtual "Oriental Continent" that allows players to infiltrate the Chinese Communist Party from Taiwan, Hong Kong, or other surrounding areas. In June, Hong Kong authorities banned the mobile game for allegedly "violating the National Security Law." The ban, however, only fueled a surge in downloads. "We aim to present a realistic picture of the political landscape in East Asia," said Johnny, the spokesperson of Reversed Front, who used a pseudonym given the sensitivity of the topic. "Regardless of the threat or methods of infiltration from Beijing, we hope Taiwan can learn how to take countermeasures," he told DW. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, concerns about the psychological impact of these works have grown, with critics warning they could increase public anxiety. A Taiwanese board game store told DW that while most customers visit to unwind and relax, playing 2045 can leave some feeling emotionally strained or under pressure. "There will inevitably be anxiety," said Tammy Lin, a distinguished professor at Taiwan's National Chengchi University who studies digital games and media psychology. "For Taiwan, this is a nightmare‑level topic that people would rather not mention or confront," she told DW. Tai, the professor for political economy of communication, said it is natural for the films and games to evoke a spectrum of emotions, given Taiwan's deep partisan divides over cross‑strait relations. "How we facilitate dialogue among these differing emotions instead of letting them clash is a real test of Taiwanese wisdom," she said. Tai also noted that Beijing is likely to see these TV shows and games as Taiwanese public sentiment drifting further away from China, which could prompt the Chinese government to "intensify its ideological efforts." China's Defense Ministry has already criticized Zero Day Attack, calling it a politically motivated production aimed at "forcing compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait into conflict and to harm and ruin one another." "Division is a fertile ground for information warfare and fake news," Tai said, "The question is: do we want to create fear or foster rational dialogue?" To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
7 days ago
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Wim Wenders: Cinema and the 'art of getting lost' – DW – 08/07/2025
As the German auteur turns 80, a retrospective looks at how his global journeys and cinematic vision have been shaped in part by the beauty of losing his bearings. For Wim Wenders, getting lost is not a failure but a form of bliss. "When you're lost, you really abandon yourself and you there," he tells DW. For over five decades, the German filmmaker has invited audiences to lose themselves in his films that drift through unfamiliar landscapes and quiet emotional spaces. As Wenders turns 80 this August, the Bundeskunsthalle in the western German city of Bonn is presenting a major retrospective exhibition that showcases his expansive body of work — including film, photography, etchings and writing — all revolving around the enduring theme of what it means to move through the world. Movement for Wenders was never just about distance — it was about discovery. Born in Düsseldorf in 1945, near the end of World War II, he grew up in a city almost entirely reduced to rubble. At the exhibition's launch, Wenders — who often refers to himself as a traveler — recalled the surreal contrast between postwar Germany and the distant places he discovered through his grandfather's encyclopedia and his father's newspapers. "That was a huge discovery for me and that was the driving force of my life. The world was better. I always wanted to know everything about it … If I had stayed home, I wouldn't be here," he told DW. That childhood yearning to explore laid the foundation for a creative career spanning continents and genres. Wenders began making films in the 1970s, emerging as a key figure in the New German Cinema movement alongside fellow filmmakers Werner Herzog and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. His road movie trilogy — "Alice in the Cities," "The Wrong Move" and "Kings of the Road" — explores one of his central themes: people in motion, emotionally and physically, searching for connection or belonging. His international reputation was cemented by "Paris, Texas" (1984), a haunting exploration of loss and redemption set in the American Southwest. The film follows a man who emerges from the desert with no memory and embarks on a journey to reconnect with his young son. Now considered a classic, it earned Wenders both the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the BAFTA for Best Director. The 1987 film "Wings of Desire" features angels — one of Wenders' favorite motifs — floating above a divided post-war Berlin, observing life below until one falls in love with the human world. It reportedly inspired the 1998 Meg Ryan-Nicholas Cage film "City of Angels," though some critics felt the remake did a disservice to Wenders' original. More recently, "Perfect Days" (2023), a quiet character study set in Tokyo, follows a janitor whose simple routines reveal joy, isolation, and the sacredness of daily life. The film won Koji Yakusho the Best Actor award at Cannes and was selected as Japan's official entry for the 2024 Oscars. That same year, Wenders released "Anselm," a 3D documentary portrait of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer — his contemporary, born three months apart. "Every film is a journey," Wenders once said, "not just physically, but a journey toward understanding something." And what is a journey without a soundtrack? Music has always played a crucial role in Wenders' work. A standout example is the Oscar-nominated "Buena Vista Social Club" (1999), in which he traced the story of aging Cuban musicians rising from obscurity to global renown. The Grammy-winning album of the same name not only sold over 8 million copies worldwide, but it also re-drew worldwide interest to traditional Cuban music. Wenders has even directed music videos, including U2's "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)." Beyond film, Wenders has long been a prolific photographer, known for stark images of abandoned spaces, overlooked corners, and long, silent roads. His photography reflects his filmmaking, focusing on emptiness, stillness, and the dignity of space. Meanwhile, Wenders' own explorations continue. In addition to several trips to China, he has finally checked India off his bucket list. "I traveled through India for four weeks. I still haven't [been] to Patagonia, one of my earliest dreams ... I have never [been to] Antarctica [or] the North Pole. I've avoided cold zones. I know all the warm parts of the planet, but not all the cold ones," he joked to DW. Wenders also recalls — almost wistfully — the pre-digital era, when getting lost deliberately in new cities was possible. "In all the big cities of the world, I tried to get lost when I got there for the first time. And when I managed to get lost, I think I really understood the city — but only then." With GPS on every phone and maps everywhere, truly getting lost feels rare — making it all the more important to Wenders. "When you're lost, you see," he told DW. "If you have your map and you know your way, you don't see as much as when you're lost." As the exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle opens, one doesn't need to be a Wenders fan to be drawn in. His work speaks to anyone who has ever felt out of place or longed for something more. His stories remind us that by getting lost, we may discover new ways of seeing — not just the world, but ourselves.
