i'm not over out of my will not succeed in defining the shadow not succeed in taking people off the streets because we're tired of this dictatorship. taking the stand global news that matters. to me. this instead of the news africa coming up on the program the escalating conflict in ethiopia prime minister i'll be asked me it seems to me is no need for concern of military offensive in the countries involved in the region all to. back up the country be headed for civil war. and as joe biden and common at paris prepares to take over the white house many african leaders have wishes so what can the continent expect from a biden administration. it's

good to have your company if you know pia's prime minister made insists his country will not descend into chaos that's despite reports of heavy casualties in fighting between the military and regional forces in ethiopia is to region that's in the north of the country near the border to eritrea ethiopia's federal government launched the offensive against forces of the to gripe people's liberation front last wednesday blaming them for and is haq on a military base now the t p l if dominates that ethiopia politics for decades that was until made came into office in 2018 since then the to gripe leadership has claimed the federal government is unfairly targeting their its new group in corruption crackdowns for

his fost be accuses the t.p.m. if off attempting to destabilize the country. intends on perpetrating a culture of impunity and restoring. the un do people it's they trade in the past that people live border guards have continuously mounted was covert and overt appends blunder to mine the people of ethiopia and now the new administration now the to grab leadership have promised to continue fighting and so the federal government agrees to negotiate bats and members of parliament in edges of a bus say they did not recognize the t.p.i. left as a legitimate administration and have voted to abolish the state government. for more on this i'm joined by william davidson he's a senior analyst for ethiopia at the crisis group he joins me from address walk on william what more do we know about the military operation underway in to grab

well we know that the fighting is concentrated in west to grey and that's where the federal forces primarily and from her region and this is citizens are active gauge midwest a great reports of significant obviously had significant casualties coming into an horror health clinics and mostly of federal troops but it may well be the case that grain casualties are being treated into gray and it has very limited information coming out of the great because of the communications blackout and other than that no reports its recent new activity gauge ments by the way the airstrikes and military targets around mclay the cup to the to great and a couple of days ago. when you know what's the feeling around whether or not regionally days into grad has left prime minister abbey as man no choice but to

send the military in. that's obviously the view from the federal government and supporters of the military intervention and very much the narrative is that it's a grand forces attacked a military base and also in the us to take rand will surround mecca laid a regional capital and they say that's just simply unacceptable and i think the key point to understand here is that there is this communications knockout integrate and it's been very hard to verify and information and also there is a lone political build up to this conflict where there is a possibility on both sides to have taken measures to avoid apart the conflict that did occur we ended up in a situation where it reached one federal government schools each other unlawful and that's what led to the conflict. and how close does this conflict bring ethiopia to

a civil war when i think that depends on your definition of civil war again the federal government this is talking about this is a sort of you know so it's limited law enforcement operation simply to remove the t.p.a. left leadership the leadership of taking a region. but the problem of course is that regional leadership is in command of a powerful regional security apparatus animates of the federal military integrate seem to have sided with the tick rate government or at least are not supporting a federal intervention so that means that we actually have a very serious and potentially sustained clash so it's not a full blown civil war at the certainly not crossing anything like the whole of the ethiopians but it is a very serious clash between the federal government and what is a relatively well arms regional government and some people would obviously classify that as a civil war 'd in of itself right and could this be resolved diplomatically and if so what kind of compromises would need to be made. well of course there is always

hope that these things can be so diplomatically and there's certainly efforts both within ethiopia and outside and to encourage the parties to come to the negotiation table and we know what certain preconditions that's something which that's a great leadership is willing to do the problem is that the parties these parties were formally part of the same ruling coalition and then since 2018 they have gradually grown into its opponents and they got with this very stark constitutional debate over the legitimacy of tigger a running its own breach no election and now they have entered a conflict stays so at the moment there is no or none of the warring parties or really the searing negotiated solution the 1st step i think to do so would be some sort of immediate unconditional cease fire and then the parties would have to agree that they are at least legitimate enough or doris's. to talk to each other is a moment they are simply treating each other as enemy combatants so we need to get

every past that stage to get some sort of talks going at the moment it doesn't look likely but who knows if the cockpit jesper tracked it and hopefully both sides will start looking more seriously the prospects of dialogue and he says national community and regional leaders can help put pressure on the parties to do that all right that's crisis perhaps but in dave's and in at this of a thank you again. now reactions to u.s. president elect joe biden's victory continue to pour in or hear what some of africa's leaders have saved the famous week at the views from the streets in south africa some back way and come yet. it was very good yes very good because. it is a lot of nonsense to mark know since everybody is going to respect the new i'm happy because hopefully we will have less of that racial bias that we mean by us. for what. might be might not because the. sanction.

let's hope by then is going to do the same if he's going to do that then we support him if not then i want. there way he handled this kind of a thing to an old time piece so that he's not thinking for the people he's not putting people's lives forward is just like putting his 9 year into supply chain to school with 100 people but. i'm glad i'm a peaceful the new president remember there was before there was one of african soil president obama what difference to africa so i don't see how they're different or so it's just neutral and congratulations for president elect joe biden vice president coming to harris at the pouring in from leaders on the conscience as well nigeria's president will have a divorce at that. age mr biden to deploy his fost experience attacking the

negative consequences often nationalists politics on world affairs which have created divisions and uncertainties and to introduce grace engagement with africa on the basis of reciprocal respect and shared interests and then the chair of the african union my habits congratulated the 2 and say it the african union commission looks forward to a new stronger u.s. africa relationship based on mutual respect and shared values off international cooperation. and for more on this i'm joined by september a political scientist at the university of pretoria in south africa welcome to news africa so we've seen congratulating messages from african leaders to joe biden and camila harris what can we expect to see in terms of u.s. africa relations and the biden administration. our thanks so much for having me i think that what we can expect is to see a u.s.

administration that's far more interested in africa donald trump is there a match not particularly interested in the african continent except. as it related to a u.s. china relations and he really did see africa as a battleground in terms of the u.s. his trade relations with china and he was not the key visited the african continent and any point during his presidency so i think that we'll see a lot more interest in africa particularly in development and security issues and trade issues trying to hide in the mystery and what has been biden's record on africa. so biden himself doesn't have a particularly any detailed record on africa at all and he supported barack obama's africa policy as the vice president and obama but we've heard from the speculation about who could be his possible choices for secretary of state

international security advisor and samantha power and susan rice susan rice who has a ph d. on zimbabwe and was the u.n. was the u.s. is represented at the united nations is a keen african missed and has had a long interest in security and development issues on the continent i mean one thing about her though is that she's quite hawkish on africa issues and has been a great supporter of sanctions against mugabe regime for example and was an advocate of a hostile stance on sudan and. so it'll be interesting to see how those people around biden influence his african conason ok i don't have too much more time with you but i do want to get this in so whatever it can lead to would you say needs a white house visit the most. i say this from south africa would need a white house visit i think it would help him greatly show up his political position

in the country but also on the continent and i certainly think that i certainly think that and nigeria would also be wanting to have a white house rather soon in the with ministration and the other way around where would biden need to visit 1st. i think that he will need to visit west africa 1st actually so i think that he would want to visit nigeria and ghana gonna go to election in december and so. i'm to meet the you did the returning incumbent president early next year i think certainly ethiopia given the conflicts the discussion on. and that may be a place that he wants to visit in order to engage with. it and and yeah and in south africa could be an option all right stand by him thank you and that is it for now be sure to check out all of the stories on the dot com forward slash africa we're also on facebook and on twitter so we love to hear from you at these events

know what you think of all the stories that we haven't destroyed that we should be covering the next time. and on demand. language courses. video and or you know. any time where. w. media center. has a virus spread. why do we panic and when we'll. just through the topic from cover and i weekly radio show is called spectrum if you

would like any information on the chrono virus or any other science topic you should really check out our podcast you can get it wherever you get your podcast you can also find us at dot com. science. welcome to arts and culture and what a weekend it was a collective sigh of relief was autumn ball across europe on saturday when democrat joe biden won the necessary votes to defeat president donald trump a reality that's still sinking in for cultural figures also coming up we'll look at how worldwide coronavirus restrictions are affecting the film industry and the

future of festivals as streaming becomes the norm. and in our series $100.00 german must reads german swiss novelist benedict well confronts death and loss in the end of loneliness. but 1st her world is populated by dragons dark fairies and mythical monsters germany's clinia form is a hugely successful children's fantasy author and illustrator her in-car trilogy was a best seller in germany and in the u.s. well based now in california she's just published the 4th book in her mira world series and i'll speak to her right after this. conelly a phone co earned a degree in education and began working as an illustrator of children's literature before starting to write her own books. for fantasy novels for children and young adults have been translated into 37 languages selling millions of copies

it's time magazine named her one of its 100 most influential people 420058 reflection of the impact of her work which hasn't chanted generations of young readers worldwide. is also a regular guest on the red carpet as several of her books have been turned into films that includes the 1st volume of her in kurt trilogy one of her most successful books. her personal paradise is in california where she lives on a farm where canary a phone call has made her home in the united states for the past 15 years. and joining me from her farm near malibu where it's very early in the morning is cornelia phone welcome to arts and culture for. now i'm just wondering if it sunk in yet that the era of the president you have dubbed he who cannot be named

is soon to be over in american politics how did it feel to wake up to that realisation this morning. with each side of relief but also with great sadness because almost 50 percent of americans did vote for the former president which i find a saddening and quite worrying fact. indeed well you were apparently contemplating having to leave your paradise in california and return to germany if trump were elected for a 2nd term is that consideration off the table at least for now. yes but sadly mostly i want will decide when i can say you will be climate change and we all know that will not go away within 4 weeks 4 years and the players happen to devastating on this coast and i have been picking my suitcase this for 3 years now so let's you live this with our. indeed the environmental concerns obviously in california a huge issue with the forest fires that are part of your rim of heaven foundation

you have an artist in residence program that you host on your farm but the corona crisis has obviously been a real setback in this regard how important are these workshops and how optimistic are you that your cultural activities can resume. well he was looking about very strange years like this is there a. way some things that give us out there is so we had a moment restructuring the program and seeing what we could bring in these times when the european artist cannot have much i have extensive programs now with south america with american universities and we're also bringing 6 children here to recover our undivided season stead of locked in an apartment so always full of enlightening ideas a year said stories are especially needed in these difficult times just published the 4th novel in your mirror a world series on silver trail congratulations but you write fantasy i'd like to know how much of the real world really make that into your books politically

speaking well the real world is there you can trust it as we see everything in a moment so i. often get much just as a reality as so-called real realist writing because it mostly just dance with human everyday lives and with our very narrow perspective on this front. now just a final question here miss funky you us german relations are current currently at an all time low and i'm just wondering if if you can tell us how culture can help to heal these divisions and these out misunderstandings i've tried every day with artists from europe coming in saying who said he from from what we manage and because my experience in germany is that very often the most hostile reactions to america come from people who have never been here so i think it's as though we shouldn't travel that much but it was poor plan that nevertheless i think you need

the exchange and the conversation and the collaboration with each other and that's the only thing that unites a cultural exchange obviously a fundamental part of rebuilding understanding and collective understanding and relations between europe and the united states obviously things looking up to some degree at this point in time and thank you very much for sharing your impressions with me cornelia from co thanks for joining us on alt arts and culture. a much our politics may be looking up but the coronavirus pandemic rages on and currently europe's 2nd round of lockdowns is taking the expected toll on cultural businesses and institutions particularly of course the movie industry which will look at all of this week in more detail as it's affected in so many different ways starting with canceled or drastically downsized film festival.

it turned out to be october 9th may when the cum film festival finally took place but weather wise it all looked much the same as usual as always the red carpet was rolled out but was it all worth the effort. i headed up a few interviews in which people were asking about the death of cinema. and now we know that. they were there when but which film. but all those cinemas in some countries briefly reopened movie theaters throughout most of europe are now once again empty. on the closet however the mood was relaxed. there were of course disinfection outside the festival palace. in the absence of hollywood a listers miscount 2020 attracted a lot of attention as did a promising newcomer georgian director dia really had originally planned to show

her film beginning at the festival back in may it went on to win at the sun sebastiaan film festival in september. the drama about a group of jehovah's witnesses in a small georgian town illustrates why streaming films at home on your couch just isn't the same as going to the cinema in a movie theater you can immerse yourself in the experience. how much do we really see what's really happening in front of us or who are the people in front of us that without constantly intellectualizing our bringing our a point of view to explain but to 1st experience and to see and maybe think about it later. for a while beginning received accolades in cannes it's still unclear whether many other major films will make it into movie theaters at all for being here including the new batman in which robert pattinson plays the dark knight in his younger years

the original release was scheduled for june 2021 but it now seems more likely to come out in march 28th to. watch the trailer to the end and you get the impression the production company is not feeling optimistic. and batman is not the only one who's worried. an entire industry has been hung out to dry with many theaters now on the brink the film tenet had recently provided a small boost but now theater owners are being left out in the cold. this is not true as of course this is a disaster for us and in 2 ways one thing is having to close and stop taking in revenue while continuing to incur costs to finance a movie theaters financial buffers are now in the red and the other thing which is very film specific is that people are forgetting about movie theaters and films may all be moving over to streaming services which would be devastating for us even for

him. it's probably the longest foreplay in double 07 scurried his latest outing was scheduled for release in april this year and was then pushed back to november when his bond finally coming. for your last i just want to go she actions with streaming providers are rumored to be underway will bond be in our living rooms this christmas come on. director patti jenkins has so far denied all the streaming rumors her wonder woman sequel is still set to be released in theaters but if the code price is persons all debts will be young. and how about khan 2021 director cheers the free moves says he hopes to hold the festival without masks and social distancing he's even prepared to move it from its traditional may slot to

make possible. let's stay optimistic and because corona lockdowns are a perfect time for reading it's back to books with our series 100 german must reads in 2816 german swiss novelist benedict welles published the end of loneliness which won the european union prize for literature at the time it was his 1st book to be translated into english and that the author himself was often in tears while writing gives you an idea of its emotional punch. a difficult childhood is like an invisible enemy you never know when it will strike. the end of loneliness by benedict wells's about 2 brothers and a sister whose parents are killed in a car crash the 3 orphans are sent off to boarding school where their trauma tears them apart liz throws herself into drugs and sex marty becomes obsessive compulsive and sullen and the youngest the narrator disappears into his thoughts as adults the

3 try to become a family again they even take l.s.d. together but 1st the drug just opens old wounds 'd 'd. i saw myself as a child standing in the living room and hearing from my apt that my parents were dead marty stood beside me pale and motionless but he might as well have been a 1000 miles away the words slowly started to take their terrible effect they seeped everywhere into the ground which suddenly seemed an even to my eyes were my vision was now blurred into my legs making me real across the room author benedict welles grew up away from his parents boarding schools from age 6 he was born benedict the noble grandson of a top nazi politician as a young man he changed his name to distance himself from his grandfather's crimes the end of loneliness as his most personal novel it's a melodramatic tear jerker or as one critic called it the best john irving novel

but john irving never wrote if that's your thing you'll be bawling your eyes out if that's not your thing you'll probably be rolling your eyes but i still think you might secretly love it. 'd and that's all for this edition but you can visit our website for more from arts and culture without until next time stay safe and all the best. was. coming to.

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is. a reason for hope the world is one step closer to ending the coronavirus pandemic the pharmaceutical giant pfizer and its german partner today announced their coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent effective with no bad sign it's. also coming up america's president elect joe biden hailing the vaccine news. team task force but he's also warning of a dark winter ahead in the fight against the cover.