i , this is bbc news. barry humphries, the character best known for his character dame edna everage has died at the age of 89. the australian prime minister has taken to twitter to pay tributes to humphreys, calling him one of gifted. the sudanese army says the evacuation of some foreign nationals has begun, is fighting in the capital khartoum continues for a second week. and what is behind a sharp decline in the number of african lions? we will be talking to two experts about the endangered species.

hello and welcome to the programme. i'm luxmy gopal. we start with the news that the australian comedian barry humphries, best known for his character dame edna everage, has died at the age of 89. he'd been receiving treatment at a hospital in sydney following hip surgery. barry humphries was a leading figure on the british comedy scene with his many satirical characters. his family said he never lost his brilliant mind and unique wit. our arts correspondent, david sillito, looks back at his life. dame edna everage! hello, possums! dame edna always said she was born with a priceless gift: the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others.

iam i am awaiting us. —— i am weightless. listen, you could do with losing a little. success has gone to yourjowls! you're being very, very cruel! for more than 50 years, she took pleasure in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done, but... have you? not quite as much as some! laughter and applause no... no, you are still recognisable, that's what i... laughter she was so familiar that it was easy to forget that behind the glasses and frocks was a man called barry humphries. that's me standing outside. oh, one of the big clocks they've got... he arrived in britain in 1959, an australian comedian with a devilish delight in satirising the people he'd grown up with. most of us who go to england try to get rid of our australian accents if we can. because we've always felt, with our accents, rather inferior,

you see, to our english cousins. as indeed we are. the real barry humphries was an art lover, a painter, a collector of rare books, polite, a loyalfriend. the opposite of another of his characters. and i have the honour to be the australian cultural attache. how are you, sirjohn? les patterson. barry. g'day. but he and sir les did have one thing in common — drink. it took a divorce and a spell in hospital to convince him to give up the booze in 1971. i had such a wonderful trip overseas, you know. but throughout his life he always had edna. from her beginnings as a mousy parody of the suburban melbourne values he'd escaped... still, i dare say in a week or so i will have my australian accent back again! what is it, a little choker, darling? ..to the brash housewife superstar.

gorgeous, darling. did it all come off the one chandelier? # it's my niceness # i pride myself on my niceness #. for many, edna was so real, so engaging, it was easy to forget that the wit, the charm, the sheer audacity was all down to the brilliant comic mind of a man called barry humphries. i've been draped! # my wonderful niceness #. the comedian barry humphries who's died at the age of 89. our correspondent in sydney, phil mercer, told us he really took the world by storm, didn't he, barry humphries as dame edna everage having audiences with royalty and millions of fans, i think it's that particular role

that will define the life of a man whose career spanned so many generations. he was awarded many honours in the world of acting and also in civic society as well. the national treasure i think here in australia. and there will be an enormous amount of sadness at his passing at the age of 89. he was admitted into hospital in february after a fall at his apartment here in sydney. he was treated at st vincent's hospital and we have heard from his family saying that he was himself until the bitter end, never losing his brilliant mind and also making light of his condition and planning new shows. so that's a measure of the man fighting until the very end. but barry humphries has died here in sydney. he was 89 years of age.

our correspondent phil mercer there. tributes have been pouring in from around the world. our reporter naomi choy smith brings us some of those messages from the newsroom naomi? yes, those tributes are -aourin naomi? yes, those tributes are pouring in _ naomi? yes, those tributes are pouring in especially, _ naomi? yes, those tributes are pouring in especially, of - naomi? yes, those tributes are| pouring in especially, of course, from australia where, as phil mercer mentioned, barry humphries is was a national treasure. we can begin here with jason donovan, australian soap star famous for his role with jason donovan, australian soap starfamous for his role in neighbours who treated this tribute saying barry humphries was quite simply an entertaining genius. the characters he created brought laughter to millions. australians has lost one of their greatest. but as jason donovan there. danni minogue, another australian i can of course tweeting a legacy of lacks that he will leave —— another australian icon. also in the political spectrum we had the australian by mr anthony albanese each tweeting his tribute saying the brightest star in the galaxy was always barry a great wit, satirist,

writer and an absolute one—of—a—kind he was both gifted and the gift. other australian politicians the new south wales premier also posting this tribute but even across the world in the uk of course we are also seeing all kinds of tributes pouring in from comedians like matt lucas who hosted the great british bake off until recently posting this tribute, the photo of the two comedians together there saying i wonder if all geniuses are as lovely as barry humphries. and vicki gervase, another british comedy legend also posting his tribute to the comedy genius as he called barry humphries. —— ricky gervaise. meanwhile rob right and you can see on the bbc web page where we have all kinds of tributes and you different stars have posted all of these messages about barry humphries. rob brydon has also paid tribute there so this has really struck a chord across the world.

naomi, thank you, looking at tributes being paid to barry humphries who has died at the age of 89. we can now turn our attention to sedan. ——we can now turn our attention to sudan. in sudan, the army says foreign nationals from the uk — as well as the united states, france and china — are to be evacuated "in the coming hours". the head of the military agreed to facilitate the operation, as fighting in the capital khartoum enters its second week. saudi state tv is reporting that planes carrying evacuees have begun arriving injeddah the un estimates that at least 400 people have been killed across sudan since the fighting began a week ago , the most intense taking place in the capital khartoum. explosions and gunfire have been heard across the city in the past few hours. that's despite the sudanese army announcing a three—day halt to fighting — from friday. the conflict is the result of a power struggle between the national army led by general abdel fattah al—burhan and the rsf para—military group led by general mohamed hamdan dagalo. the two men had been sharing power since leading a coup in 2021, but recently disagreed with how sudan should be ruled

moving forward. our africa correspondent andrew harding is following the story from johannesburg. clearly a very, very difficult situation for everybody involved and for these foreign diplomats trapped in the city centre, various governments trying to get them out. there are two options it seems at the moment that are coming to the fore. one is overland. we know that some saudi diplomats made it. it is not a 12 hour drive from khartoum to the red sea coast and there it is possible to take a ship or perhaps fly out. the other option when it was being considered by some sort of militaryjet landing in the centre of khartoum where the main airport is. that will public coming from djibouti on the red sea coast as

well, another country where we know the americans and the french have military bases and we know that that is something that is being actively considered. the problem is that while the airport is very close to people in the centre of khartoum it is still not secure and we have heard reports this morning of heavy fighting all around khartoum despite his attempts at the ceasefire so getting people physically from wherever they hold up to the airport and then being able to bring a plane and then being able to bring a plane and safely as still, i think a huge headache. as for the fighting, although it has continued in the centre, we have also heard reports that it's beginning to spread so the south, along the blue nile river that runs from car soon opened ethiopia's highlands —— beginning to spread further south. there is a town about a two mile drive s. of khartoum which seem to be where a lot of the paramilitary in the regular army have withdrawn too. that looks like the next stage in

the fighting to take place in sudan. joining me is alyona synenko, red cross regional spokesperson for africa: what is the situation for people there and your team on the ground? the situation for the civilians in khartoum is dramatic and becoming worse and worse with every single day this uninterrupted fighting that continues. as your correspondent has described it, it has been heavy shelling very close to residential neighbourhoods. neighbourhoods have been without water, running out of food. the situation in hospitals is catastrophic and also for staff sheltering in place and able to move or do their work. it has been a tree difficult as well.— difficult as well. given how volatile the _ difficult as well. given how volatile the circumstances | difficult as well. given how i volatile the circumstances are difficult as well. given how - volatile the circumstances are and how challenging it is, how likely do think it is that your team can at any point soon carry out their work

safely help people who need it? we safely help people who need it? - continue calling on all those who have any kind of influence on what is happening on the ground in sudan to help provide us the humanitarian space that we urgently need to be able to reach hospitals of each the wounded. also the civilians in sudan to be able to go out or reach safety of the red cross volunteers built it collect dead bodies which have now been lying on the streets for days. very difficult situation you are describing and looking ahead given it has been a week and fighting still continues to a second week, how much more severe do you expect the humanitarian situation to become? . ., ., , . ,

become? humanitarian consequences are spiralling — become? humanitarian consequences are spiralling and _ become? humanitarian consequences are spiralling and becoming _ become? humanitarian consequences are spiralling and becoming more - become? humanitarian consequences are spiralling and becoming more andj are spiralling and becoming more and more severe especially now as we look at the hospitals with hospital personnel not being able to reach their work stations, hospitals running out of supplies and now they have been without water and electricity for days. theyjust cannot provide the vital care to the wounded people and the number of wounded people and the number of wounded people and the number of wounded people is growing so i'm afraid that we're just going to see the rising human toll and more and more death and when we look at these numbers we should not forget that there are people behind each of these numbers. just briefly, a little few seconds ago we were seeing live pictures from car soon were from reuters there where we know that explosions and gunfire have been heard. given what is happening just in the short term in the interim is there anything in the short term that would facilitate your team is being able to do any sort of work there at all? fix,

your team is being able to do any sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting- _ sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting. this _ sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting. this is _ sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting. this is the _ sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting. this is the only - sort of work there at all? a pause in fighting. this is the only thing l in fighting. this is the only thing that can facilitate the work of our teams because right now if you look at that we have received reports about humanitarian workers being killed and theyjust cannot work under such conditions, putting their own lives at risk so the pores and fighting is the only thing that can help us reach people in need. == fighting is the only thing that can help us reach people in need. -- the pauls infighting. _ help us reach people in need. -- the pauls infighting. that _ help us reach people in need. -- the pauls infighting. that was _ help us reach people in need. -- the pauls infighting. that was a - pauls infighting. that was a representative from the red cross. memorial service taking place in london to mark the 30th anniversary of a black british teenager. a memorial service has taken place here in london, to mark the 30th anniversary of the murder of a black british teenager. stephen lawrence was 18 when he was killed by a gang, in an unprovoked racist attack at a bus stop in south—east london.

it led to a landmark report that concluded london's metropolitan police were �*institutionally racist�*. today stephens family — and religious leaders — met to remember him. stephen lawrence's mother was simply and solely unequivocally motivated by racism. it was a deepest tragedy for his family. it was an affront to british society. and the...skewing and mistiming of the murder investigation by the mets because of institutional racism was a severe blow to the lawrences and the rest of the nation. let's get a round—up of the day's sports news now. over to chetan pathak: thank you. we start with the first of this weekend's fa cup semi finals. manchester city are hoping to win a premier league, champions league and fa cup treble this season —it�*s championship side sheffield united who stand in their way at wembley stadium later. our correspondent natalie pirks is there for us: we are at that point and we where seasons can be made or broken. the sheffield united there is the

tantalising prospect of automatic promotion back to the premier league if they beat west bromwich here today and they are trying to reach the fa cup final for the first time since 1936 but standing on their way are the current premier league champions on theirfifth are the current premier league champions on their fifth consecutive fa cup semifinal. pep guardiola's side are coming to the boil atjust the right time. you mention the trouble though they could do that it would be the first time that's been donein would be the first time that's been done in english football bowl since 1999 and the signs for sheffield united are ominous and city are yet to concede a goal in this fa cup campaign. they are unbeaten in 15 matches and the blaze haven't won an fa cup semifinal the last five times of asking. make no mistake, if they were to meet city today would be huge upset. manager says there is no—one on the planet that thinks they can do it but as we saw last night between southampton and arsenal, nothing is certain in

football. . 3-3 3—3 draw on friday night. next to the english premier league, there are five games today, most involving sides fighting to avoid relegation. that includes leeds united, who remain just three points from safety. harry wison and andreas pereira. in just under 45 minutes, the other games kick off with everton, leicester and nottingham forest all hoping to end the day outside of the bottom three. aston villa could move within three points of the top four if they win at brentford. meanwhile at the top of the english non—league pyramid, wrexham's hollywood season could get its fairy tale ending with promotion back to the football league for the first time in 15 years. it's the moment their film star owners rob mackle—henney and ryan reynolds have been waiting for since they took over in north wales a couple of years ago. it will happen if they beat boreham wood this evening — or even if notts county lose earlier in the day. chelsea look like they'll have it all to do in their champions league

semifinal against barcelona — they're1—0 down in theirfirst leg. it took just four minutes for the spanish side to score through caroline graham hansen with a brilliant strike from outside the box. chelsea nearly equalised through guro reiten twice — her first effort ruled out for offside before her second being cleared off the line. there are about five minutes left to play — the second leg takes place on thursday. next to the women's six nations, england, top of the table, are on a record streak of 22 wins and seeking a fifth successive title. they've just got under way against ireland in cork, the home side have lost their opening three games of the six nations and were beaten 69—0 in this fixture last year. scotland, looking to end a run of 12 successive defeats, play italy later.

scotland's anthony mcgill has given himself a commanding lead over jack lisowski in the second round of the world snooker championships. the players shared the opening two frames but mcgill has been in control ever since, finishing with a century break. he's got the chance to win the match with a session to spare when they resume tomorrow afternoon. meanwhile earlier in the day, mark allen needed just one frame in the morning session to beat stuart bingham after leading 12—4 overnight. the irishman will play either neil robertson orjakjones in the quarterfinals, with the concluding session of that match about to get under way. elsewhere in the snooker, ronnie o'sullivan is about to continue his game against hossein vafaei as he looks to win with just one session to spare. follow that on the bbc sport website. that's all the sport for now. the african lion is one of the most endangered species in the world.

there are as few as 20,000 of them left in the wild. their numbers have dropped by almost half, across the continent in just the last two decades. with me now is dr shivani bhalla, a kenyan conservationist who next week will be recognised for her work with an award from the whitley fund for nature. she's here withjeneria lekilelei — director of community conservation at ewaso lions project. thank you both so much forjoining me. to start when he first of all dr shivani bhalla, what led you to the project? i shivani bhalla, what led you to the ro'ect? ., , ., shivani bhalla, what led you to the ro'ect? . ., , pro'ect? i always love lyons. i grew u . project? i always love lyons. i grew u- seeinu project? i always love lyons. i grew up seeing lines _ project? i always love lyons. i grew up seeing lines of _ project? i always love lyons. i grew up seeing lines of my _ project? i always love lyons. i grew up seeing lines of my parents - project? i always love lyons. i grew up seeing lines of my parents and l up seeing lines of my parents and felt his passion for them very quickly realised lines were in huge trouble in the population in northern kent near where we live and work was unknown and we didn't know what was happening to them for them full and the numbers were plummeting

across kenya and that was what made us looking at these lions to see what is happening and what can we do to bring back the lion population. i understand they are more endangered than elephants and lions. that is not something people would messily accept —— elephants and rhinos. nobody knows this. they think there are lots everywhere. but there are only about 20,000 africa and they are only living in 8% at the historical range and since the first lion king and second liking movie the number drop by half and it is a huge concern for notjust the number drop by half and it is a huge concern for not just the the number drop by half and it is a huge concern for notjust the whole african continent but all of us living in countries where lions are so important and at least such a big role. . , . so important and at least such a big role. ., , ., so important and at least such a big role. ., role. that is a good comparison, the chanauin role. that is a good comparison, the changing numbers _ role. that is a good comparison, the changing numbers between - role. that is a good comparison, the changing numbers between the - role. that is a good comparison, the changing numbers between the lion | changing numbers between the lion king films. how conservation is the lion conservation project tried to your culture, jeneria lekilelei? luckily lions come through our

culture — luckily lions come through our culture to _ luckily lions come through our culture to give worries of all to play _ culture to give worries of all to play in — culture to give worries of all to play in lieu— culture to give worries of all to play in lion conservation and women of all_ play in lion conservation and women of all to— play in lion conservation and women of all to play through lion conservation and that is why our urojecl — conservation and that is why our urojecl in — conservation and that is why our project in northern kent near is really— project in northern kent near is really trying into our culture in northern — really trying into our culture in northern ken year. -- really trying into our culture in northern ken year. -- northern ken ear. northern ken year. -- northern ken year- you — northern ken year. -- northern ken year- you have _ northern ken year. -- northern ken year. you have said _ northern ken year. -- northern ken year. you have said here _ northern ken year. -- northern ken year. you have said here on - northern ken year. -- northern ken year. you have said here on the - year. you have said here on the line's roar keeps you hope and can you explain that. we line's roar keeps you hope and can you explain that.— you explain that. we believe lions like elephants _ you explain that. we believe lions like elephants are _ you explain that. we believe lions like elephants are our— you explain that. we believe lions like elephants are our ancestors l you explain that. we believe lions i like elephants are our ancestors and they mean— like elephants are our ancestors and they mean so much to our country. lions_ they mean so much to our country. lions when— they mean so much to our country. lions when they roll and you can feel it _ lions when they roll and you can feel it. means it is a good sign of hope _ feel it. means it is a good sign of hope that— feel it. means it is a good sign of hope that there will be no rain and no drought— hope that there will be no rain and no drought at all and no problems and that— no drought at all and no problems and that is— no drought at all and no problems and that is why lions around my village — and that is why lions around my village is — and that is why lions around my village is very important.- and that is why lions around my village is very important. yes, the line's role — village is very important. yes, the line's role as _ village is very important. yes, the line's role as a _ village is very important. yes, the line's role as a sound _ village is very important. yes, the line's role as a sound and - village is very important. yes, the line's role as a sound and just - village is very important. yes, the line's role as a sound and just the | line's role as a sound and just the image of a lion as a symbol so

poignant, aren't they? what is the key to helping the lion population against all the challenges of the drought and other climate change —related issues affecting the population. i -related issues affecting the population-— population. i wouldn't lion population _ population. i wouldn't lion population reached - population. i wouldn't lion population reached its - population. i wouldn't lion - population reached its highest in the last year. the last few years it is slowly increasing and finally we hit the 50 mark on the key to having our lines doing well now is the communities who live alongside lions who are the ones making decisions for lions. it is the warriors. it is the elders likejeneria lekilelei. it is our women. they are the ones who are actually involved in conserving the lions. they have lived with lines of a generation so it is not like their existence is something new. the challenges it is getting harder and it is getting much harderfor getting harder and it is getting much harder for communities to live alongside lions but having the communities themselves decide what is best for their land and wildlife like lions that is what is really caused them to the numbers and for them to be well protected. —— calls

them to be well protected. —— calls them to be well protected. —— calls them to numbers. them to be well protected. -- calls them to numbers.— them to numbers. assuming communities _ them to numbers. assuming communities are _ them to numbers. assuming communities are on - them to numbers. assuming communities are on board i them to numbers. assuming i communities are on board and them to numbers. assuming - communities are on board and support that they must be very real practical challenges they face, too. how do you reconcile the two? definitely. droughts are such a common occurrence now. we see, we feel, we hear climate change every single day. our river dries up over time. this is such a problem for communities. it is such a problem for their cows and camels in lions and other wildlife so communities themselves are figuring out what they need to do to really help their land. this is community led conservation and to me that will address all the challenges we have in biodiversity with facing huge biodiversity crisis globally but community led conservation, to me, is the only solution to this crisis that we face.— that we face. this pro'ect is an exam - le that we face. this pro'ect is an example of t that we face. this pro'ect is an example of hope, _ that we face. this pro'ect is an example of hope, of_ that we face. this project is an example of hope, of where - that we face. this project is an i example of hope, of where things that we face. this project is an - example of hope, of where things are going in the right direction, but what are the biggest obstacle is that you have faced in this project?

may have changed over time. so when we first started dr shivani bhalla the biggest threat lions face was young warriors killing lions because their camels and cows were being killed is understand a very young livestock owner would be very upset and go out and glad to understand a very young livestock owner would be very young livestock owner would be very upset and go out and shoot lions were through the they were able to really stop that mov warriors now protect lions instead of killing them. over time the threats and challenges increased in change. now we are facing threats of drought and climate change. we are facing threat of disease which is something 15 years ago i never would have imagined. we have development coming and blocking lion coverdell and other key areas for our wildlife so the time threats and challenges faced but we have remained adaptable, flexible, including other demographics, men, women, children, elders, to come on board and really protect what is theirs. —— —— development blocking lions�*

corridors. development blocking lions' corridors-— development blocking lions' corridors. ., . ., corridors. thank you so much for cominu corridors. thank you so much for coming in. _ corridors. thank you so much for coming in. dr— corridors. thank you so much for coming in, dr shivani _ corridors. thank you so much for coming in, dr shivani bhalla - corridors. thank you so much for coming in, dr shivani bhalla and| coming in, dr shivani bhalla and jeneria lekilelei. thank you so much for coming in. hello. it�*s felt positively springlike across the uk in the weekjust gone. temperatures widely in the mid—teens, low twenties in western scotland. north sea coast always somewhat chillier, but for all of us, some colder prospects in the days ahead. low pressure rolls across the uk through the remainder of the weekend, bringing outbreaks of rain, setting up some quite strong winds across northern scotland by the end of sunday. and they are northerly winds, and they will advance arctic air all the way south across the uk for the early part of the new week. so, a big change to come. for the rest of today, some showery rain moving across england and wales, perhaps something heavier and more persistent moving into the south coast by the end of the night. some rain for northern ireland, southern and central scotland. to the north, i think the skies somewhat clearer. we�*re looking at a mild night, frost—free with temperatures in the mid range of single figures.

on into sunday, quite a spell of wet weather targeting the south east of england and east anglia. it is the london marathon. not the nicest conditions for spectators and quite a keen wind picking up later on in the day i think will add to the cooler feel. but the really cold winds are starting to dig down into northern scotland by the end of the day on sunday. temperatures already down on the figures we�*ve seen through the last week. but as we look at monday and that arctic air sinks south, the northerly wind really picks up everywhere. the colder feeling will be much more pronounced. and you can see what that northerly wind is ushering into scotland and across the higher ground of northern england — snow showers possible down even to lower levels across scotland. it�*s rain that we�*re looking at, though, still hugging southern england, perhaps affecting parts of south wales, and our temperatures sliding down widely into single figures. we�*ve got to factor in that northerly wind, and then you can see for the likes of aberdeen, it�*s going to feel only a couple

of degrees above freezing through monday daytime. and then monday night into tuesday, gardeners, watch out. if you�*ve put any tender plants out, it�*s time to get the fleece out because we are looking at quite a widespread frost. colder still i think monday night in to tuesday. we continue with that chillier feel into the middle part of the week. but current thinking has us picking up a more south—westerly atlantic influence to our weather for thursday and friday and the temperatures coming up. but it does look like we could see some quite wet prospects to end this week. but in the short term, it�*s the chillier weather that we have to look out for.

this is bbc news. the headlines... the australian entertainer barry humphries has died at the age of 89. he was best known for performances of his alter egos dame edna everage and sir les patterson. the australian prime minister anthony albanese has taken to twitter to pay tribute to barry humphries, calling him �*one—of—a—kind�* and �*gifted�*. australian actorjason donovan said the country had �*lost one of its greatest�*. sudan�*s army says the evacuation of some foreign nationals has begun, as fighting in the capital khartoum continues for a second week. the uk government says it�*s doing everything possible to support british nationals trapped in sudan.

british politician dominic raab has hit out at what he calls