♪ >> e.u. member states agreed to reduce consumption of natural gas to protect themselves against further supply cuts from russia. from despair to hope so says the president of tunisia after yesterday's referendum which looks almost certain to approve a new constitution. more deadly violence in the democratic republic of congo. at least three u.n. peacekeepers and 12 protesters have been killed. demonstrators are calling for

the u.n. mission to leave the country. welcome back to the france 24 newsroom in paris. we begin in brussels where e.u. energy ministers have agreed to reduce gas consumption to agree to end dependence in russia. while the plan commits member states to reduce gas by 15% during the winter, some exceptions are going to be made. feel the country to oppose was hungry which rejected the deal as being useless. that plan passed on a majority vote. our reporter tells us more. >> emergency plan by the you to save fuel for the upcoming winter. number states agreed to voluntarily cut gas use by 15% from august to march. >> the principle is we will share the pain equally. clear alignment of unity and solidarity and we wanted to send a clear signal to the world and

to the kremlin. >> the latest move comes amid concerns over further display further supply disruptions from moscow. this after the russia state on owned energy giant said it would cut supplied to nord stream 2 pipeline by 20%. >> since the war against ukraine began, there is a clear pattern of russia behavior. uncertainty come increased prices and undermine e.u. unity. this pattern is unlikely to change. >> they say supply cuts are due to a turbine which has not arrived after maintenance in canada. the company claiming the second turbine is showing defects. >> the strategy is to keep the price high in europe to make the political price even higher and divide europe to split off solidarity with ukraine. this council has sends a strong signal against that and i think

this will be heard in moscow. europe cannot be divided. >> while the e.u. aims to show a united front, the deal to russian gas is a watered-down version of the orinal text with a host of exemptions included. hungary voted against the measure which it says is unenforceable. the foreign minister was in moscow looking to boost gas supplies from russia. >> dave keating is in brussels and has more on what was agreed today. >> the european commission president was trying to portray this as a moment of great unity but behind the scenes, there was a lot of disunity appeared hungry voted -- there was a lot of disunity. hungary voted against it. they were the only country. what got all the other countries over the line was the series of exemptions and derogation's which means the commission

proposed instrument by which it will be able to declare an energy emergency if russia shuts off the gas tax and mandates rationing, that is gone because of the way this has been watered-down by energy ministers. the commission can only recommend that instrument be triggered and it will be up to governments whether it is triggered. there are so many exemptions. countries not connected to the gas grid, spain and portugal, do not need to do it. a country not elected feel electricity grid -- not connected to the electricity grid do not need to do it. people are not so happy with how this has ended up because the threat from russia is so great. russia is down to 20% of what it is sending via the nord stream pipeline. the fear is if this plan to ration gas does not have teeth,

does not make countries go into action as soon as the taps are cut off, then the e.u. is going to have a problem especially if it is not filled up the gas storage facilities in time. >> the fighting continues in ukraine. kyiv says russian forces launched multiple missile strikes on the black seacoast. all of these attacks happened near the southern port city of odesa. calling into question a breakthrough deal. researchers -- rescuers are on the ground near odesa coming through the rubble of residential buildings looking for survivors. an indication of how high the tensions between moscow and the west have become, russia's space chief announced the country is pulling out of the international space station. that announcement is not entirely unexpected but does throw into question the future of the 24-year-old space station. some experts say it will be

difficult to keep it running without the russians moscow says it will build its own outpost. >> russia is saying goodbye to the project that it has been a part of since 1993. the newly appointed head of moscow's space agency announced the decision to president vladimir putin this tuesday. without a doubt >>, -- >> without a doubt, we will fulfill all obligations to our partners but the decision to withdraw after 2024 has been taken. >> good. >> although the initial retirement date was set for 2024, nasa said it believed the station could operate until 2030. the iss's survival is in jeopardy given the key role russia plays. the decision could lead to an end to manned flights. the country says it will build its own station which could look something like this.

>> i think by this time we will begin to form a russian orbital station. i believe the future of russian manned cosmetics -- cosmonaut x should be based on a balanced scientific program. >> experts say it will likely be a decade before the country can create space station of its own. till now, space exploration was one of the few areas where cooperation between russia and western countrie had not been jeopardized by the war in ukraine. that exception is now over. ,>> the president of tunisia declared his country is moving from despair to hope. this after yesterday's referendum which looks almost certain to approve a new constitution. that constitution will see the bulk of powers concentrated under the president's office. opponents are crying foul. they say the referendum which had a turnout of over 25%, is a

step backwards toward autocracy. we will speak to our reporter who is a professor of history. when you look at the turnout of that referendum, 27.5%, not exactlcredible >> it is basically credie. it is 27%. they are still waiting for the official numbers of the electoral commission. organization said it is about 50% even. it is still not very high compared to other electoral occasions we had such as in 2011. those who decided to boycott were hoping maybe for a lower

percentage of participation. i don't think there is a winner in this process. i think said was hoping for more. basically we had a higher percentage. it is a mixed feeling people have in this case. >> what do people think the changes to the constitution in tunisia are going to chae in the short-term? >> this is a referendum about the constitution. majority of people who boycotted , the process of sidelining

opponents and -- the approach to the regime and those were basically against him. they are more related to the political elite who have ruled since 2011. very deep division in tunisian society. >> there are those who are saying tunisia is heading back toward dictatorship if not all the way back. at least towards dictatorship light territory. is that something people are saying? is that something you are hearing in the commentaries? >> it is certainly said by the opponents.

not by his supporters. his supporters are stressing we still have freedom of expression, freedom of organization. it is not exactly like the era where you cannot say anything about the regime. it is a hybrid system. it is going to be difficult to compare with something before 2011. it is a populist new forum. we will have to discover how it is going to deal with freedom. how it is going to establish its own ideas about democracy. it is going to be pushing for a majority based democracy that would sideline the minority. this is a major symptom of populism. it is a new era. different from what we could compare with in the past especially before 2011. >> people who have decided to

support the changes to the constitution are deeply dismayed by the country's economic situation. they are fed up with the lack of opportunities. youth unemployment around 40%. tackling the deep economic problems is going to be a central for the president. is this the main criteria for which he is going to be measured? >> there is no doubt about that. there is an agreement with the imf that is being cooked. it might be supported by the g7 who are controlling the imf's decision. that is going to be the real test of saied. his almost socialist speech supporting lower classes. forums are going to be agreed

upon with the imf. his political future is going to be determined by the impact of this agreement, of this possible agreement. >> we are going to have to leave it there. thank you for taking the time to speak to us. the situation in the eastern part of the democratic republic of congo is becoming increasingly tense. three u.n. peacekeepers are reported to have been killed in protest together with at least 12 demonstrators. there has been growing anger directed at the u.n. amid accusations the u.n. mission is not doing enough to stop armed groups. more than 120 armed groups rome in the east. civilian massacres are common. the conflict has been displacing millions of people. more now on what the u.n. mission does. >> a tragic conclusion to

protest in the drc. several demonstrators were killed on tuesday as anger boiled over the presence of the u.n. stabilizing michigan and the country -- stabilizing mission in the country. the casualties occurred in the eastern towns while 350 kilometers to the north, soldiers stayed with protesters on the road leading to the u.n. army base. it comes a day after crowds stormed headquarters in gorma fueled by senate calls for the organization to leave the country. >> [speaking native language] >> [speaking native language]

>> first deployed in 1999 as a u.n. observer mission, the mandate has been to conduct counteroffensive operations. locals have become disillusioned, accusing the body of failing to end the bloody conflict in the eastern drc. civilian massacres are a common occurrence at the hands of more than 100 to any army groups. the m 23 militia has resurfaced after lying dormant for years with the rebels making serious inroads into eastern congo leaving thousands is placed. the leader condemned the latest attacks. u.n. says the peacekeepers have been cap to protect civilians with more than 16,000 personnel stationed in the congo. >> that is it for the france 24 newsroom. stay tuned. ♪

♪ >> hello and welcome. we are at the 76th annual theater festival. story shape our lives. the one being performed here show how diverse our world as. starting in the prestigious courtyard where a dissident russian artist is showing his adaptation of a chekhov short story, the black mom, were characters go in search of the truth amid delusions and multiple viewpoints.

current affairs and politics seep into some of the shows here. the war in ukraine has prompted a special show for the end of the festival with a director inviting a troop to perform alongside him and his drag persona, miss knife on stage. >> [speaking native language] >> who better to kickoff the festival than an artist whose work takes in painting, video and performance? thank you so much for joining us. your latest piece is called from armor to jackets. i know that garment, the jacket, is important. can you explain why? >> i think about this work have thread -- -- after last year when americans and other troops

pullout from afghanistan. i saw a lot of images from kabul airport where troops after leaving, they just left of their belongings. -- left their belongings. to see war from its source, the weapon and using it as an art material. during my performance, i was sewing. the needle that goes, it is just a. on this pile, this material. i'm selling at all together -- i am sellwing it altogether. ♪

>> you designed a poster for this year's festival. it involves six women. a depiction of six female bodies. it is a striking image. can you explain to us the main idea you wanted to convey? >> this poster is part of a series. it was not made only for that but when it was chosen, i was happy. this is what i am doing through my entire visual work. i celebrate the bodies. when i make a work, when i make a drawing, sometimes numbers come by themselves. my sister saw it eventually and she said six girls, six sisters. i said, i did not choose for that. it is just coming by itself. >> you're based in europe now but since you left your native afghanistan, the situation has left jim -- situation has changed dramatically. the scenes of the taliban takeover, how did that feel

watching it from afar? >> i have this fear year before. thpeas talk was taking too long. it was going nowhere. robbery, killing, torture. killing whoever they do not like. it is happening every single day there. no school since almost like 11 months in that country. medical care. children die from simple disease. no food. we lost a lot of lives since kabul fell. >> when you were still living in afghanisn, you did a performance piece called armor in 2015 which saw you walking through the streets of kabul wearing a special designed piece of armor that emphasized certain

parts of your body. that performance was so controversial it was shut down after a few minutes. what do you think was so problematic about it for those people at that time? >> taliban terrorism ideology is different to patriarchy. they are two different things. patriarchy kills -- oppresses women as much as they can. afghan women, we were still struggling to take our right as much as we can. had the consciousness of being marked. this was problematic for the men who think the outside in certain amount of liberty, not too much. do not ask a lot of liberty. right now is like absolute

elimination of women. no women, even not men who is not taliban. no children theater can be a ash no children. -- no children. >> theater can be a home of sorts for people in exile. an iranian director has set his latest piece of drama in an airport waiting lounge. a choreographer has blended feminism and sorcery in her recent one-woman show. our reporter went to meet them both. ♪ >> the 23-year-old is one of the dancers at this year's festival. the performance is anode to freedom and sisterhood exploring the representation of women throughout history and a controversial figure of the rich her poetic dance to liz and amash -- dance solo is an homage

to >> when we think >> which is, we often think them dancing with the devil but today there is the idea which is quite present in feminism of women in the public space. women who reclaim their bodies. the female body is too often beaten, raped and killed so it is about how women take back their body and say i can stand alone and how to live experiences through my body, through my female body. ♪ > the shackled and repressed body is a running theme in the documentary playing in transit which explores the plight of exiles and place of refugees today. the acclaimed iranian director

stages in adaptation of a namesake novel by a german writer informed by his own experience of being detained at munich airport in 2018 due to visa problems before being deported back to iran. >> two weeks before the incident, i found myself in the center of munich airport. i started wondering to whom i am -- for whom i am working and telling the stories about immigrants when after the premiere i should leave because i do not have a visa. >> freedom, but what does it actually mean to be free? here, it means to enjoy a free movement without justifying oneself. >> free to move across orders and free to live through one's body. true to its reputation, the

festival takes on the themes that merits a reflection. >> as someone who has lived between two different cultures, you said half of your heart is in kabul and half in new york where for the first time you visited, you felt a sense of belonging. can you explain what that mid -- what that city means to you and why you felt so welcome? >> first day it arrived, it was snowing. kabul snow is heavy. i have not seen it in europe so i thought maybe it is because of snow but it was like snow melts but i was still feeling the same. it was very inspiring to be there. new york is not united states as i felt it. i used to hear it before but this time i see it for real. faces from all over the world. i am part of this. very quickly. >> a recent project of yours pays tribute to the women who have suffered at the hands of the taliban. that is called heroines.

can you explain more about the women who inspire this project and how important the setting of it is? >> i make this work after seeing that how women are resisting and i compare it historically in afghanistan. we should recognize today those who are raising their voice is and asking for peace in education and taking maximum risks of their lives. we named 11 streets for 11 of them. we are naming hundreds. afghans are trapped in this

country right now with no weapon in your hand. you're looking right in the eyes of the taliban. no one can be braver than them in half and history. no one. >> an exhibition of your most recent piece is on show. i noticed your image features in many of these pieces. can you tell us about the role you play in these pieces of work? >> one part is a collaboration between my collaborator who is an american artist and myself in which -- the afghan point of view of united states and yet it states of afghan pit -- and united states of afghan. we show that through love, romantic relationship, a photo,

a film. the politics of war arms, the weapon was something i looked at. i looked at it more profoundly so that is why i drawled the late arm. -- i drew the light arm. when they went out, every light arm remained. ♪ >> an event like the theater festival includes an enormous scope of different performance styles of classical theater, experiment of dance. what are the shows that attract you the most? what are you excited about seeing? >> i am someone who is interested -- any form of art,

any medium, theater, film, visual art, brings today's issues inside of those works. artooooooo7ú oñoñoñoñoñoñoñoñ

07/26/22 07/26/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> i myself wish to reaffirm this with shame and humbly beg forgiveness fo the people committed by so many christians against the indigenous peoples. amy: during an historic trip to canada, pope francis has apologizes for the abuse of indigenous children who were removed from their h a