Focus on Africa More than 100 dead in Congo floods
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The UN says "a double crisis" is facing the DR Congo, as it suffers flooding and mass displacement caused by ongoing conflict.
Why is Sierra Leone's largest diamond miner laying off more than 1,000 workers?
And we visit churches in South Africa where polygamy is allowed.
Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Richard Kagoe in Nairobi with Nyasha Michelle, Yvette Twagiramariya and Tom Kavanagh in London
Technical Producer: Pat Sissons and Kane Morgan
Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
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Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
New version of Peace Child musical to premiere in Llangollen
The show will be part of a gala concert to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations' founding on July 9, 2025, at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. The concert, Uniting Nations: One World, will also include composer and conductor Sir Karl Jenkins. The revamped Peace Child musical will start the evening and have a climate emergency theme. It imagines how young people from China, France, Russia, the UK, and the USA might change the UN to create a peaceful, sustainable world. The story was developed at the Perth and Hay Literary Festivals. North Wales singer Shea Ferron, winner of the International Voice of Musical Theatre at the 2024 Llangollen International Eisteddfod, will play a key role in the production. David Woollcombe, president of Peace Child International, said: "This is an audacious undertaking in turbulent times, but for over 40 years, young people have never failed to offer compelling solutions where leaders have faltered. "I am confident that our talented cast will rise to the challenge and deliver once again in Llangollen. "I am so thrilled that we shall be bringing young people from Russia, China, the United States, Britain, and France, the P5 as they are known, to perform a new version of Peace Child in the Eisteddfod's Uniting Nations Concert." After its premiere, Peace Child will go to the Ljubljana Festival in Slovenia on August 23, before ending with a gala performance at the United Nations in New York on October 24, 2025, to mark UN Day. The second half of the concert features Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins conducting his choral work One World, performed by a global choir and orchestra. This piece calls for peace, justice, and unity. This concert is expected to be a major highlight of the 2025 Llangollen International Eisteddfod. For more information and to book your tickets, visit the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod website.
ITV News
15 hours ago
- ITV News
Sir David Attenborough speaks to Prince William about dangers of destroying world's oceans
Prince William will urge world leaders to 'think big' on their actions to protect our seas as legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough warned about the consequences of destroying the 'great treasure' that is the world's oceans. They were speaking ahead of World Oceans Day on Sunday, when the Prince will tell a UN conference in the south of France that we should act with urgency, and Sir David releases his new film about the harm we are doing to our oceans. Ahead of World Oceans Day, a video of a conversation between the heir to the throne and Sir David has been released in which the renowned conservationist speaks about his horror that so much damage is being done to the marine environment because it is largely 'hidden' from view. Despite filming many hundreds of hours of wildlife programmes during his lifetime, the broadcaster, who recently turned 99, spoke about how he was shocked by some of the images in his new film, Ocean with David Attenborough. 'The things I was appalled by, when I first saw the shots that we have taken for this film, are what we have done to the deep ocean floor," he said. 'It's just unspeakably awful, and if there were anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms." Prince William will make a key address to world leaders on Sunday, on the day designated by the UN each year as World Oceans Day. The royal will speak at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco in southern France in his capacity as founder of the Earthshot Prize – William's ten-year scheme to find solutions to some of the biggest environmental threats to our planet. The Prince is expected to say: 'Halfway through this decisive decade, I call on all of you to think big in your actions. Let us act together with urgency and optimism while we still have the chance.' Prince William has launched his own environmental docuseries called 'Guardians' in collaboration with United for Wildlife, which focuses on rangers across the world who risk their lives to protect wildlife and habitats. The most recent 'Guardians' episode, released on Friday, features those who protect a marine area called 'the Aquarium of the World' in Mexico's Sea of Cortez. Talking with Sir David Attenborough about his own project, William asks: 'From what you have obviously seen over the years, what state would you say the oceans are in right now?' 'The awful thing is," Attenborough replies, 'That it's hidden from you and from me and from most people.' He hopes his latest film will 'expose something new' and encourage more people to speak up and act to protect the oceans. 'If this film does anything - if it just shifts public awareness - it will be very, very important," he said. Attenborough added: 'I can only hope that people who see it will recognise that something must be done before we destroy this great treasure.' The Prince of Wales said it was fascinating to learn that in the depths of the oceans there are 'things that no human has ever seen' before. 'Beyond question," Sir David agreed. It is 'wonderful', he told the Prince, that new technology means 'we are in a situation when, in fact, it is possible to go into places where nothing like you has ever been there before". Speaking ahead of Prince William's keynote speech in Monaco on Sunday, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: 'There should be no doubt that this speech is The Prince of Wales calling for action to save our oceans now. The world is watching. This is him using his platform to call for more to be done sooner rather than later.' Despite being just one year away from his 100th birthday, Sir David Attenborough remains as engaged and enthusiastic about his work as ever. 'It's a huge privilege and excitement," he says.
The National
16 hours ago
- The National
Palestinian artists to take to the stage at Edinburgh Fringe
Among the 3352 shows announced at the launch of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme on Tuesday is Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine, which looks to celebrate Palestinian art and culture "with freedom and without censorship". The event last took place in 2015, and thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign and the tireless work of volunteers, it will return to the world's largest performing arts festival in the summer. READ MORE: UK won't recognise Palestine at UN conference despite 'discussions', reports say The mini-festival, taking place in Portobello Town Hall between August 12 and 15, will feature a number of Palestinian artists involved in a wide range of different practices – including music (both traditional and electronic), dancers, a puppet show, poetry, a musical, an autobiographical one-man show, live art and lecture performances. The crowd-funding campaign, which has so far raised £37,979, has paid for the artists' travel and visa costs, as well as the fees they will be paid during the festival. Artists are travelling from all over the world, such as from Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, the US, Ireland, Holland as well as from within the UK. Organisers are also hoping to bring across several artists who are currently in Gaza, although there is currently "no clear route" to enable this to happen under Israel's brutal bombardment of the enclave. One of those currently in Gaza is playwright and director Rafat Al Aydi, from Theatre Day Productions, who has translated his play, titled Ruh al Ruh, into English to be performed at the festival. READ MORE: Israeli forces kill six Palestinians near Gaza aid site The play was written in one day and one night in Gaza last summer and focuses on a couple trying to come to terms with life under war and occupation. After the performance, a talk with Al Aydi will then take place if a connection with Gaza can be established. Other artists in Gaza which organisers are trying to bring over include Lafi, a rap artist from the Jabalia refugee camp, and his sound technician Abdelrahman Nabahin, who is also a visual artist. 'There's joy and warmth in Palestinian art' Sara Shaarawi, an Egyptian playwright now based in Scotland, is one of the festival's organisers. She was also involved with the festival back in 2015, and hopes this year's event will "give people a chance to feel all the different types of art that Palestinians artists make". She praised the support from volunteers and those who have donated to the crowdfunder, but stressed more needed to be done to ensure the artists performing at the festival have the best experience. (Image: Beth Chalmers) Shaarawi (above) said: 'There's a huge amount of donated labour and time and it's been lots of people offering and volunteering their skills, which has been really moving. 'The support is very much coming from the grassroots, which has its challenges and its hazards, but it's also a beautiful thing to see the arts community come together to make this happen. 'While we're almost there and we're confident, we still need about £15,000 to make this fully happen.' READ MORE: Owen Jones: The UK media has ignored this hugely revealing scandal in Israel Shaarawi said the money would go towards specialist equipment, "to make sure that performers' work is presented in the highest quality we can", as well as on things like community meals to make the hosting of the artists more "special". 'It's about making sure that we can actually properly host this group of people and make sure they're taken care of and that they enjoy their time in Edinburgh," she added. The filmmaker said that Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza has made it even more necessary for Palestinian artists to have a space at a festival as big as the Fringe. She said: 'This festival [the Fringe] came to be post-war as a place of healing, as a place of processing and coming together. 'With what's happening in Gaza and Palestine right now and to the Palestinian community all over, it's really important that they have a space in a festival that's on the scale of the Fringe." Shaarawi added that it was important for art to "reach out to people and humanise stories, especially when enormous violence happens". READ MORE: Majority of people in the UK support sanctions against Israel, new poll finds 'The narratives, stories and voices you see in Palestinian art, they're such joy and celebration and warmth and hospitality," she continued. "At this moment it's particularly important with all the challenges and censorship that they've been facing that they feel they are not only welcomed but celebrated." Shaarawi also said that artists have an "immense responsibility" to support Palestinian artists. "Our institutions are not stepping up in the way that they could, our Government is not really doing anything about this. "It's a way for us to reach out and support our colleagues and friends at a time when things are really difficult. "As governments and countries are lacking in words, it's important for artists to not only look outward, but to reach outward as well." The Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine mini-festival will take place at Portobello Town Hall between August 12 and 15. More information can be found here. Click here to donate to the group's fundraiser.
