observers. france 24.com. ♪ >> europe bakes in a heat wave which has pushed temperatures into the 40's. the heat and dry conditions have brought wildfires to parts of france, spain and portugal. the uk's former finance minister is in the lead calling this evening's boat, which leaves for hopefuls in the race to replace boris johnson. the president of ukraine, zelenskyy, fires his top two law enforcement officials. this is what he calls acts of

treason. welcome back to the france 24 newsroom in paris. i am tom and thank you for joining us. we begin in france were towns and cities across the country are recording their highest ever temperatures in some places. meteorologists have described this as a heat apocalypse. we are here in paris and the mercury has been hovering close to 40 degrees celsius in the western city. the temperature hit 42 degrees there. tomorrow could be even hotter. weeks of drought-like conditions have left the country tinder dry and the southwest firefighters are struggling to contain a massive blaze. france 24 has more now on the effort to contain the lase and evacuate people to safety. -- contain the blaze. >> this advisor make sure people are ready to go. local authorities have issued an evacuation order in a small town

in southwestern france. residents have only a few hours to leave. >> how are you? did you get the message saying you need to evacuate? >> yes, we are getting ready to leave a we are trying to find a place for the horses. it is panic mode. >> this is the latest in the long list of towns that have had to evacuate in the region. 20 kilometers away, this village has yet to be evacuated. it has become a haven for those fleeing their homes in the region. two women are being put up by locals, but they spent their days in this halt which belongs to the town. >> we are trying to be patient but it is starting to get pretty long. people are taking such good care of us, we are not used to it. when we go home, we will miss it. >> the whole town is taking part in the effort. this woman had to leave the town in a hurry on saturday, taking

all she could. >> some toiletries, the bare minimum and dog food. >> with her dog, husband and son, she is being put up by a local family chinos, but still, the situation is far from ideal. -- a family chinos but the situation is far from ideal. >> we did not have much choice. >> i understand that it is uncomfortable, but given the situation, i told them they were welcome here. more than 30,000 people have been evacuated since the start of the fires in the area. >> the u.k. today issued its first ever extreme heat morning. as the sweltering conditions continue to move north, hot weather which is expected to bring temperatures of 40 degrees centigrade in some areas of the u.k. tomorrow has caused transport tales because the cute caused railway lines to buckle and to airports where forced to

close runways after cracks appeared. monday's peak temperature was 38.1 degrees centigrade or in the east of england. that is just shy of the highest temperature ever recorded, 38 point seven degrees set three years ago. there are now for hopefuls left in the race to take over the reins of the conservative party and replace the british prime minister boris johnson. with a third round of voting this evening, the former finance minister came out on top, followed by the foreign minister liz and the duty of trade minister came in third place. let's get the latest from france 24's emily, who joins us now. just tell us what happened? emily: they were illuminated -- and eliminated. very much anti-brexit which is a rare thing in the conservative party. a former soldier is in favor of

a no-fly zone over ukraine. now, rishi continues to beat the front runner. he is a candidate of experience, authority, who commands the most support in the parliamentary party with a clear fiscal policy. but for many grassroots members, he is far too rich and privileged to understand the struggle of those on the grassroots members who in the country were killed in cost-of-living is the main issue. if you look at a recent poll that asked members of the conservative party who will have the final vote in this contest, who the clear favorite is as prime minister, they come first to has 27%, 82 votes.

it could well be among the last two. they sound more confident in debates, but they have been struggling to define her policy very clearly. in fact, in recent tv debates, she was attacked. they said her fiscal policy was unfounded and she would be ready to borrow more money if she became prime minister dan the former head of the labour party, jeremy. so liz trust, former foreign secretary, she is the candidate of the right wing, of the far right of the conservative party. but she has had difficulty to gain authority in the debates and she is clearly seen by many as a lightweight candidate, despite the fact that she is the foreign secretary. last but not least, with 58

votes, the most articulate in debates. and she could in the next round gain from the votes of those who supported, because she is probably the one could federate the center votes and some of the right wing votes again. so interesting to see what will happen next. >> indeed. just tell us, what does happen next? what are the next important dates for our diary in this race? >> there are two votes to be taken by members of the parliamentary mps, who will select the finalist on wednesday. we will know the name of the last two, those who will be selected, you know, by the members of the association of conservative parties around the country. they will choose among the last

two, those in the final and the final named, the named -- the name that they choose will be announced on the fifth of september. these will be the new heads of the conservative party and the new prime minister. >> ok, we'll thank you very much for that update. thank you very much indeed. the president of ukraine yesterday fired his top two law enforcement officials, that is the prosecutor general and security chief. he called them acts of treason. residents say that kyiv authorities are investigating more than 650 such cases which officials are suspected of aiding and abetting russia. we have more. >> president so linsky addressed the nation, -- below tamir zelenenskyy is a chance to rally. but it took a different turn. >> today i made the decision to

dismiss the prosecutor general and remove the head of the security service of ukraine. >> in the video posted on telegram, he did not mention the officials by name and he did not need to. the firing of the top prosecuting general and the head of the ukrainian security service are being described as the biggest municipal saving since the start of the war. the president says he let the officials go after revelations of more than 60 members of their agencies have been working against ukraine and russian occupied territories. >> 651 criminal proceedings have been registered regarding state treason and employees, prosecutors officers, institutions and other law enforcement agencies. >> the dismissals, as the investigation of tens of thousands of war crimes with russia -- which russia has been

accused of committing in ukraine remains underway. they have played a key role in the probe. the president has wasted no time in filling the vacant post, he has assigned alexi as the new prosecutor general. he has yet to name a new replacement for the former head of the ukrainian security service. >> ukrainian emergency services say that six people have been killed in russian selling in an eastern region. this happened when two-story building was struck. it is about 50 kilometers south of the last ukrainian controlled towns in the donbass. fraser jackson has more. >> she has lived her whole life in this building. this is what is left now. over the weekend, russia once again heavily bombed this residential area in the eastern town.

resulting in several deaths. kalina was afraid for her life. >> there were violent explosions throughout the neighborhood and then everything went quiet again and i started to close my eyes. suddenly, a storm of black smoke and fire fillemy window. i was lifted off the ground. >> despite it being the focus of the ground fighting, enes of destruction are visible outside the donbass region. in kharkiv, the country's second city, rockets and missile fire have punctuated daily life since the start of the war with fresh strikes on monday morning. this resident is being urgently treated outside of her home after sustaining a head injury. russian shelling was reported in the southern city and in nickel poll where the factories were damaged. european foreign ministers are eyeing up a toughening of

sanctions on the kremlin, sanctions that they hope will force vladimir putin to end the war in ukraine. >> meanwhile the eu foreign ministers have agreed give ukraine 500 million euros in funding to supply the country with arms. this latest funding will bring two and a half billion euros, the total security support for ukraine since the russian invasion began in february. the eu's top diplomat today warned that russia's blockade of ukrainian ports is leaving tens of thousands of people at risk of starvation. >> russia has to allow ukrainian grana to be exported. they continue claiming that they are using food as a weapon. without any consideration for human being life. it has to be said. loudly. >> the french government has

put forward a bill in parliament to help families cope with the current cost of living. the purchasing power bill, which includes a three and a half percent increase in pensions and welfare benefits, is being debated at the lower house today. the government no longer has a majority there, and passing legislation like this is far from simple. we have more now from the national assembly. >> there were cheers, jeers, and even a brief walkout by a small group of left-wing mps in france's lower house this monday as debate began on emmanuel macron's 20 billion euro bill aimed at reducing storing costs of living -- soaring cost of living and combating france's worst inflation. the bill was presented by a french economy minister, bruno lemaire, and it involves 20 measures from capping increases in electricity and gas prices to rebates at the petrol pump. all of this a direct consequence

of the war in ukraine. the big challenge for micron will be trying to get this bill adopted by the parliament without an absolute majority, which of course he lost last month in the parliamentary elections. to that effect, the opposition can move forward 1000 amendments to this bill. he left, for instance, want to tax the super rich, while the conservatives want petrol places -- prices to be capped. these nitty-gritty details will be hammered out between now and thursday. the big question will be will emmanuel macron be a sitting duck president or will he be able to convince a hostile parliament to adopt this bill at alleviating the struggles of french citizens. >> reporting there. that doesn't fourth world news, thank you for watching. stay tuned to france 24. ♪

♪ >> that was franco cameroonian songwriter james. after years in the background as a be maker, james, who is the son of a late afro jazz pioneer

is stepping out into the light with the first album under his own name, wolves of africa. part one was released in july, part two will come out in november. to tell me more about it i am joined by james. welcome to france 24. >> thank you for having me. >> it is a treat to have you on the show. what inspired this album you have been working on for several years now, this double album, wolves in africa? >> i wanted to have something fresh, put something fresh to the table as far as music. i have been working for so long behind the scenes, producing for other artists. but i really wanted to tell my story and add something new and fresh to the table when it comes to world music and afro fusion. >> you started off as musical producer and a beat maker. you were just talking about it there, you work for prestigious artists in the united states. puff daddy, snoop dogg's, here in the france, a rapper. what pushed you to come out of the shadow and right under your

own name? >> i was doing kind of the same music as any other producers and even though, you know, i was really humbled to be able to be able to make a living out of music, i felt like i was missing something. i felt like i was going towards my 30's and i wanted to leave something behind, you know? so i was a fan of pharrell williams, swiss beets, who are able to pave the way. they were able to have their own musical signature and that was kind of the motive that i was looking for. i always say to myself that whenever i have the opportunity to actually produce music for myself, i will try to really aim at this. >> the result is incredible, definitely recommend listening to your album, wolves of africa. you perform under the name james bks, b isk best kept secret but

now thes secret is out of the bag. >> definitely. >> let's listen to another track off of your album. ♪ >> so that was off james bks solo album, wolf of africa. a huge hit there, which actually features the late cameroonian legend. you actually found out in early adulthood that he was your biological father. you ran into him in a hotel. can you tell us more about that encounter? >> yes.

basically, when my mom saw that i was taking the same path as him, not knowing who was my dad, she actually told me the secret. and that was something that i rejected at first, because i was not raised in love. i had two wonderful stepfathers who gave me the love i needed, so i thought i did not need that at first. you know? i moved back to france and i was just trying to put away the contract that i had, you know, at first with the regional label. it did not really go that well and i was trying to go back from zero and really learn about the music industry and the music business. that is when i ran into him. and when we first met, we exchanged a few words. and it took me a few months to actually get to know him and tell him who i was. and when we actually reunited for real, that bond really was

unbelievable. >> it changed her life and you went on to carrabba late tesch collabate with him. he sadly passed away in 2020. does he influence your creative process? >> yes. most ethnic or if it was not for him i would not have reconnected to my roots from camerin. he allowed me to see different perspectives of how it is and what type of goods there is from there. he introduced me to his musicians, i got to go on tour. and he really changed my perspective on my roots. >> because you were talking about your roots, you're born in france to parents from cameroon, moved to the u.s. as a young adult. moved back to france. you have all sorts of influences, whether it is hip-hop in the united states, in france, and music from across africa.

the music that you write, are you telling your own story in your songs? >> pretty much yes. and that is why nobody would be able to do it if it was not me. at one point, i was behind the scenes and i was working with all of these wonderful artists, but nobody would be able to actually carry my story. so i decided to take the mic and pursue my destiny. >> you have collaborated with incredible artists. the black eyed peas and the british actor idris elba, you released music on his album. he participates in a single off of your album. how did that friendship come about? >> you got to listen to the very first record that we put out together. and we really became close and he is like a big brother to me. he allowed me to express myself, to have a platform. and yeah, we have been friends ever since, working together.

>> we're looking at new greed on your album. in some other music news that is making headlines, exciting summer releases, the american living legend beyonce is dropping her seventh studio album, renaissance. it is her first solo project in six years. she says creating this album allowed her a place to dream and to find it escaped during a scary time for the world. i hope you find joy in this music and i hope it inspires you to release the wiggle, she says, to get this carefree, dance heavy summer album off the album. it is called break my soul. take a listen. ♪

>> so break my soul thereby beyonce, hotly anticipated album. james, you have a summer suggestion for us as well. tell us about it. >> the new record from ed sheeran just got released a few weeks ago. that record is really good. >> so that is what you're going to be dancing to this summer? >> most definitely. >> release the wiggle. next, the former white stripes front man jack white is living up to his workaholic reputation. just two month after releasing his fourth solo album, he's releasing his fifth, entering heaven alive. it has been an eventful year for the blue haired rocker. he proposed to his girlfriend olivia jean on, marrying her on the spot appeared with 12 grammies under his belt since forming the white stripes in 1997, jack white continues to crank out the hits. check out this tuna. it is called if i died tomorrow.

♪ >> so back to you, james, your new album wolves of africa you released on your own label and it is called grown kid. this gives you extra freedom but does it come with responsibility as well? >> yes. i have been working on a record for the past four years, so it has been a long road, but i am really, really proud of what we did, what we accomplished with my team. being really helping us put the

final piece on the table and yeah, i am so happy that i am finally able to express myself that way. >> your music videos are amazing as well. definitely recommend checking them out. finally, some music news from muse, they are releasing a hotly anticipated ninth studio album at the end of the summer called will of the people. it goes from metal all the way to pop according to the british rockers, who produced the album themselves. this is their best yet, front man matt bellamy says it was influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world. this album is a personal navigation through fears and the preparation for what comes next. we are going to leave you with a check off that album called will of the people, but before we go, i want to thank my guest today, james bks. thank you for being with us on france 24. and definitely check out his album, wolves of africa part one is out now. check out part two in november. for more arts and culture news, head to our website and stay in touch on social media.

stay tuned, more news is coming up right after this. ♪ >> your needs are changing and so is france 24.com. articles, reports, the latest international news. all of our programs are available on replay together with live broadcasting 24/7. intuitive, fast and available in four languages. france 24.com. liberte, egalite, actualite. ♪

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07/122 07/18/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> what was his response about khashoggi? pres. biden: he basically said he was not personally responsible for it. i indicated he was. he said he was not personal responsible for and he took action against those who were responsible. amy: president biden