SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER 2021

SAT 00:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqc93)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 00:06 The Real Story (w3ct1htg)
What's going wrong in the Balkans?

It’s been more than two decades since the war in Bosnia ended. It remains one of the darkest chapters in modern European history and cost over 100,000 lives. Since the Dayton Agreement was reached in 1995 a fragile peace has held, but last month the international community's chief representative there - Christian Schmidt - warned that conflict might return and the country is in danger of breaking up. Bosnia-Herzegovina's senior ethnic Serb politician, Milorad Dodik, has threatened to pull the territory he governs inside Bosnia out of state-level institutions including the army. The issue that drove so much of the war - Serb nationalism - now appears to be on the rise across the Western Balkans. Serbia has deployed armoured vehicles and aeroplanes along its border with Kosovo and is accused of stoking religious tensions in neighbouring Montenegro. So how dangerous is this moment in Balkans history? Are the EU and the US doing enough to diffuse tensions? And how much of the blame can be laid at the feet of Serbia’s ally Russia?

Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of experts.
Producers: Junaid Ahmed and Paul Schuster.


SAT 01:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqh17)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:06 World Business Report (w172xzlkh41336h)
US inflation hits highest level for nearly 40 years

American shoppers, especially those on low incomes have felt the pinch of higher prices, with annual inflation at rates not seen for 40 years.
The latest figures show prices rose 6.8% in the year to November. We hear from people struggling with those price rises in Louisville, Kentucky. And Sasha Twining speaks to former White House economic adviser, Professor Steve Hanke of Johns Hopkins University.
Also on the programme, we hear about GM's $3 billion investment in electric vehicles, hear from Myanmar as workers stage a "silent strike" and hear from the entrepreneur trying to make freelancers the new mainstream.


SAT 01:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfdv9m)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 01:32 WorklifeIndia (w3ct2f46)
How is rental fashion kicking off in India?

Renting high fashion is becoming popular worldwide as more and more people move towards sustainable fashion options. But the industry faces several challenges, especially stigma and taboo related to renting clothes. In India too, although the idea has been around for several decades, renting attires for occasions other than weddings, continues to raise eyebrows.

While many feel fashion rentals in the country may not be following stringent hygiene measures, others think renting clothes and handbags frequently helps the circular fashion economy. So is it mostly the Gen Z or millennials who are into fashion rentals? Is social media lifestyle making luxury designer wear more accessible and affordable through rental services? What is the new business model for subscription fashion services?

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors:
Aanchal Saini - CEO, Flyrobe
Ravina Sachdev - Fashion influencer
Gaurav Khanijo - Luxury fashion designer


SAT 02:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqlsc)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:06 The Newsroom (w172xyxv7byt6rm)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 02:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfdz1r)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 02:32 Stumped (w3ct1lch)
England's Ashes misery and the rise of captain Cummins

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss Pat Cummins' first match as captain of the Australian Test side in the Ashes, the omission of both Stuart Broad and James Anderson for the first Test match and if technology should be better at spotting no-balls.

Plus what’s the future of cricket’s coin toss? After two thirds of the T20 Men’s World Cup matches were won by the team that won the toss we are joined by Professor Haris Aziz who has come up with a new theory which he says would make the coin toss fairer.

Photo: Australian captain Pat Cummins celebrates with team-mates after dismissing England's Chris Woakes during the First Ashes Test Match at The Gabba. (Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)


SAT 03:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqqjh)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 03:06 The Fifth Floor (w3ct20fz)
Reporting the Channel migrant tragedy

BBC Persian’s Soran Qurbani was recently in Calais to report on the tragic deaths of 27 people, who were attempting to cross the Channel to England when their small boat sank. He explains why their stories brought back memories of his own difficult journey to the UK 10 years ago.

Story Story
An imaginary market place in West Africa is the setting for the long-running radio drama Story Story, made by the BBC’s international charity BBC Media Action. As buyers and sellers go about their business, the latest series explores attitudes towards disability and neurodiversity. Scriptwriter Bode Asiyanbi and actor E. Daniels take us behind the scenes.

Vietnamese spy
BBC Vietnamese has been revisiting the fall of Saigon in 1975, and telling the story of a long overlooked spy whose warnings to the CIA about its imminent capture were ignored. Editor Giang Nguyen is passionate about history and tells us more about the spy who could have changed history.

Encanto through Colombian eyes
The new Disney film Encanto tells the story of a Colombian family living in a magic house. BBC Mundo’s Carlos Serrano is Colombian himself and, watching the film, discovered five details that maybe only Colombians will 'get', including music, food and yellow butterflies.

(Photo: A refugee at a migrant camp on the outskirts of Calais. Credit: Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)


SAT 03:50 Witness History (w3ct1wzl)
The explosion heard by millions

In 2005 thousands of tonnes of petrol ignited at a fuel depot 40 kilometres North-West of London. The explosion was the largest in the UK since the end of the WWII. The blast, which severely damaged surrounding homes and properties, was reportedly heard in Holland. Despite the enormous amount of damage, nobody was killed. The fire destroyed large parts of the depot, leading to shortages of fuel at petrol stations in the weeks that followed. Five firms were eventually fined millions of dollars for safety failures that led to the blast. Greg Smith tells Witness History what it was like to be inside the depot at the time of the explosion.

Produced and presented by Nick Holland.

Image: Fire at Buncefield oil depot on 12th December 2005. Credit: Peter MacDiarmid/Getty Images


SAT 04:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqv8m)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 04:06 The Reith Lectures (w3ct2zpb)
AI in warfare

From drones to robots, what should be the role of AI in military operations? Weapons that locate, select, and engage human targets without human supervision are already available for use in warfare, so what role will AI play in the future of military conflict? Will AI reduce collateral damage and civilian casualties, or will autonomous weapons kill on a scale not seen since Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Will future wars be fought entirely by machines, or will one side surrender only when its real losses, military or civilian, become unacceptable? Stuart Russell will examine the motivation of major powers developing these types of weapons, the morality of creating algorithms that decide to kill humans, and possible ways forward for the international community as it struggles with these questions.

The lectures are chaired by presenter, journalist and author, Anita Anand.


SAT 05:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntqz0r)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:06 The Newsroom (w172xyxv7bytl00)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 05:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dffb94)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 05:32 Trending (w3ct2yqr)
The Denial Files

8. Russia’s climate scepticism problem

In the eyes of the Kremlin, global warming is a threat that needs to be dealt with. So, President Putin is taking action: he wants Russia to go carbon neutral by 2060.

And yet, Russia remains one of the world’s top producers of fossil fuels: oil and gas that bring in big money into the state’s coffers. And that poses a question: does Moscow mean business when it comes to climate action?

If you look at the media, at what’s said in political circles, climate scepticism is still alive and kicking. Global warming is often portrayed as part of sinister Western cabal to hinder Russia’s economic progress.

Trending and BBC Russian have been investigating where those views stem from, and how damaging they could be - not only for Russia, but for the entire planet.


SAT 05:50 Ros Atkins on ... (w3ct2dp9)
Compulsory Covid vaccinations

The new Omicron variant poses a potential risk of spiralling coronavirus infections globally and governments around the world are putting plans in place to tackle it. One solutions is to make Covid vaccines compulsory. This week, Ros Atkins, looks at the debate around Covid vaccine mandates.

(Photo: A health worker prepares a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Credit: Getty Images)


SAT 06:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntr2rw)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 06:06 Weekend (w172xytkgfk2h0z)
Mexico to combat people-trafficking after deadly truck crash

After 54 migrants die in a truck crash, Mexico will work with Guatemala, the US, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador to combat people-trafficking.

Also on the programme: International donors agree to transfer hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent famine in Afghanistan. And what will Germany's new leader, Olaf Scholz, mean for the future of Europe?

Joining Anna Holligan to discuss these and other issues are Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Tim Judah, Balkans correspondent at The Economist.

(Image: A group of migrants board a truck on the Puebla-Mexico highway. Credit: EPA/Hilda Rios)


SAT 07:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntr6j0)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 07:06 Weekend (w172xytkgfk2ls3)
Mexico to work with international group to combat people-trafficking

After 54 migrants die in a truck crash, Mexico has announced it will work with Guatemala, the US, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador to combat people-trafficking.

Also on the programme: A Belarusian theatre group rehearsing in London have decided not to return to their country, fearing repression by Alexander Lukashenko's government. And a BBC investigation finds that the majority of female politicians in Afghanistan have fled the country since the Taliban took over.

Joining Anna Holligan to discuss these and other issues are Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Tim Judah, Balkans correspondent at The Economist.

(Image: An overturned truck is seen after a trailer crash in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas killed 54 people, most of them migrants from Central America. Credit: El La Mira/via REUTERS)


SAT 08:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrb84)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:06 Weekend (w172xytkgfk2qj7)
Humanitarian aid for Afghanistan released

The World Bank has said that international donors have agreed to send $280 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan despite the Taliban's rule.

Also on the programme: Filipino journalist Maria Ressa criticises internet firms for unleashing what she calls a "flood of toxic sludge" on social media during acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. And we speak to the Kenyan musician Willis Austin Chimano, who has come out as gay in a country where gay sex is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

(Image: A boy sells food in a park in Kabul. Credit: REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo)


SAT 08:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dffpjj)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 08:32 The Conversation (w3ct1p9j)
Unstoppable women of rugby

The first female known to have played rugby was Emily Valentine, an Irish schoolgirl, who played alongside her brothers in 1884. It took another 80 years for a women's team to be formed, and the first Women's Rugby Union World Cup was held in 1991. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women from Uganda and Spain about the game's increasing popularity and how it's changed them.

Patricia Garcia is a profession rugby player who’s competed for Spain in World Cups, Olympics and Test series, as well as appearing in 198 games over multiple 7s tournaments for her country. She now plays in the UK for Exeter Chiefs. She's also passionate about using the sport as positive force and has set up her own charity, PGR NGO, to promote social education and values through rugby.

Winnie Atyang plays rugby in Uganda and uses the sport to support and inspire young women. Winnie became a single mother to twins when she was just 17 years old, and had to drop out of school. She says the rugby community is hugely encouraging: helping her go back to school and then find work to support her family. She also believes playing the sport gives her focus, confidence and ambition.

Produced by Jane Thurlow

(Image: (L) Winnie Atyang, credit Denise Namale. (R) Patricia Garcia, credit FER (Spanish Rugby Union))


SAT 09:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrg08)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:06 BBC OS Conversations (w3ct2d6r)
Coronavirus: Pandemic PTSD

Several countries are seeing the pressure that a new wave of Covid-19 is placing on their hospitals once more, and they’re reintroducing measures to try and slow down the spread of infections.

Host Nuala McGovern brings together people working in the healthcare sector to think about the pressures on people’s mental health after almost two years of caring for those who are sick or dying due to the pandemic.

Nuala talks with hospital workers in the Dominican Republic, the United States and South Africa. For some it’s constant stress, anxiety and burnout. For others, it’s led to even more serious outcomes including post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

In South Africa, the new Omicron coronavirus variant is responsible for a sharp increase of Covid cases in the country. Two doctors share how it is affecting their hospitals in Odi, Pretoria, and Soweto in Johannesburg.

(Photo: Medical workers wearing protective suits attend to a COVID-19 patient, in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Jesenice Hospital, amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, in Jesenice, Slovenia, December 8, 2021. Credit: Borut Zivulovic/Reuters)


SAT 09:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfft8n)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 09:32 The Explanation (w3ct2z3l)
Afghanistan: Women, girls and their rights

Anu Anand talks to Yogita Limaye about the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. They reveal how a turbulent history dictates the ever-shifting attitudes towards women and girls in the country.

Presented by Anu Anand


SAT 09:50 Over to You (w3ct1l2g)
Painting pictures of a football match with words

What are the challenges of being a football commentator for the BBC? How do they prepare for a match? Listeners quiz a man at the top of his game - John Murray. Plus, do you yearn for more entertainment programmes from the World Service? A listener in Kenya argues the case.

Presenter: Rajan Datar
Produce: Howard Shannon


SAT 10:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrkrd)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 10:06 Sportshour (w172y0qbjq06zs1)
“He’s the gladiator fighting on the circuit” – Van Amersfoort on Verstappen

The BBC’s Formula 1 reporter Jennie Gow joins us from Abu Dhabi, ahead of the final race of the season, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fighting for the Drivers World Title. Verstappen is aiming for his first world title and we hear from his mentor when he started out in Formula 3. Frits Van Amersfoort tells us it became clear, within one hour of working with Max, that he was a special talent, says he hasn’t changed his approach since racing for him and compares Verstappen’s rivalry with Lewis Hamilton to the one Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost shared. Van Amersfoort also tells us he’s worked in motorsport for forty years and he’s never known people in the Netherlands as interested in the sport as they are now because of Verstappen’s success.

Paddy Lacey joins us ahead of his fight on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s defence of her undisputed lightweight titles against Kazakh challenger Firuza Sharipova. Lacey played in the same Liverpool youth team as Wolves and England defender Conor Coady before a failed drugs test ended a promising spell in the Football League. During his ban from playing football, Lacey was arrested and subsequently jailed after being found in possession of drugs and counterfeit money at the Glastonbury Festival. He’s now playing for Chester City in England’s sixth tier and forging a career as a professional boxer.

US runner Molly Seidel tells us about her route into marathon running and discusses her journey of recovery from anxiety, depression and disordered eating. Seidel won bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in what was only her third ever race over the marathon distance.

In Sporting Witness, we tell the story of how a group of Tibetan exiles and a Danish ex-footballer teamed up to create the Tibetan national football team twenty years ago. Michael Nybrandt and team captain Sonam Wangyal recall the obstacles they faced, which included threats from China, and discuss their first ever game against Greenland.

Melinda Farrell brings us the latest news from the Ashes series between Australia and England and the BBC’s Juliette Ferrington joins us from the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manchester City’s game against Wolves in the Premier League.

Photo: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen looks on at the Red Bull Racing team photo during previews ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. (Credit: Formula 1 via Getty Images)


SAT 11:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrphj)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:06 The Newsroom (w172xyxv7byv9gs)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 11:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfg1rx)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 11:32 WorklifeIndia (w3ct2f46)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:32 today]


SAT 12:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrt7n)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 12:06 The Documentary (w3ct2zvp)
Malcolm in the Midlands

Just days before his assassination, Malcolm X was to be seen striding up a quiet residential street in the English town of Smethwick – followed by a small huddle of reporters. But what led one of the world’s most prominent civil rights activists to this small town in the Midlands? And what does this have to do with British politics of the mid-1960s, and the civil rights movement in America?

Kit de Waal explores these questions, with contributions from writer and professor of sociology Gary Younge, Peniel Joseph, founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, Malcolm X biographer Tamara Payne, and United Nations youth observer Cynthia Yue.

Kit visits Marshall Street to trace the steps Malcolm X took, over 55 years ago, and speaks to local resident and playwright Paul Magson. So intrigued was Paul by this visit and the fact he had not heard of Malcolm’s visit before, he researched and wrote a play all about it.

With interview and news archive from the time, we’ll discover just how important these visits were to the community.

Image: Malcolm X in Smethwick (Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images)


SAT 13:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntrxzs)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 13:06 Newshour (w172xv5h5327x9d)
G7 warns Russia over Ukraine

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned Russia it will face "severe economic consequences" if it invades Ukraine. She said G7 foreign ministers meeting in Liverpool this weekend would put on a show of unity and make clear such a move would be a "strategic mistake". We explore the views from Moscow and Kyiv.

Also in the programme: Donors will transfer 280 million US dollars to Afghanistan for humanitarian aid; and more than 50 people are feared dead in Kentucky's worst ever tornadoes.

(Photo: G7 leaders at the Museum of Liverpool during the G7 summit of foreign and development ministers in Liverpool. Credit: Reuters).


SAT 14:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlnts1qx)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 14:06 Sportsworld (w172y0tm9mdzpgq)
Live Sporting Action

Sportsworld Saturday will bring the world Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield. The former Liverpool captain has won three of his first four games as Aston Villa manager. His old club are currently second in the Premier League table and will be hoping for another win to put pressure on title rivals Manchester City, who host Wolverhampton Wanders in the early kick-off.

Once again joining Lee James on Sportsworld this week will be former Manchester United defender Jonathan Spector, former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Katie Chapman and former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani.

We’ll also preview the thrilling finish to the Formula One season between World Champion Lewis Hamilton and title rival Maz Verstappen as both drivers are level on points in the title race going into the final race in Abu Dhabi. We’re joined by former F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen, the BBC F1 team and W Series driver Jamie Chadwick.

Plus we’ll also bring updates from cricket’s first Ashes Test between England and Australia from Brisbane, European Football and the latest from the NBA.

Photo: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool in action with Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)


SAT 18:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntsjqf)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:06 The Newsroom (w172xyxv7byw4pp)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 18:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfgwzt)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 18:32 Trending (w3ct2yqr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:32 today]


SAT 18:50 Sporting Witness (w3ct1l97)
The Tibetan football team

In 2001, a group of Tibetan exiles and a Danish ex-footballer teamed up to create the Tibetan national football team, in the face of many obstacles, including threats from China. Robert Nicholson talked to Michael Nybrandt and team captain Sonam Wangyal about their first ever game against Greenland. A Whistledown Production, first broadcast in 2017.

PHOTO: The Tibetan team lining up for their match against Greenland (Getty Images)


SAT 19:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntsngk)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 19:06 World Questions (w3ct1wfp)
Space Politics

As a new space race develops between different nations and as private companies start to explore the possibilities of space tourism, how do we regulate and govern what happens in space? Is there a danger that the environment on earth and in space could damaged by these activities ? And what are the challenges and opportunities of space exploration? Jonny Dymond brings together an expert panel to answer questions posed by World Service listeners from all over the globe.
The panel includes: former astronaut and commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield, Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space (UNOOSA), Jane Poynter, US aerospace executive and founder of Space Perspective, a luxury space travel company and David Valentine, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota.

(Photo: The Ariane 5 rocket lifts off from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: JODY AMIET/AFP via Getty Images)


SAT 20:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntss6p)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 20:06 The Arts Hour (w3ct1rtz)
American photographer Annie Leibovitz

Over a career lasting more than half a century, American photographer extraordinaire Annie Leibovitz has photographed royalty, presidents and their wives, celebrities and stars. Her latest book is a collection of her fashion photography. In an extended interview with The Arts Hour she reveals the shots she’d like to be remembered for and the unusual request she made of The Queen of England.

Actor George Takei, best known around the world as Lieutenant Sulu talks about the on-set relationships on Star Trek and about how his campaigning work for LGBT rights was driven by being in the closet for decades.

British Asian actor Riz Ahmed on his latest film Encounter in which he plays an ex-Marine who’s on the run with his 2 sons and trying to escape an invisible enemy.

And film critic Anna Bogutskaya joins Nikki to reflect on the stories of the week.

(Photo: Annie Leibovitz. Credit: Annie Leibovitz)


SAT 21:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntswyt)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 21:06 Newshour (w172xv5h5328w8f)
Deadly tornadoes rip through six American states

Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear says that at least 70 people in his state have lost their lives in a deadly tornado last night, warning that the death toll could reach beyond 100. We speak to the mayor of Bowling Green, one of the worst-hit cities.

Also in the programme: Benin's would-be first female president has been sentenced to twenty years in prison. And foreign ministers from the world's wealthiest nations meet in Liverpool, England to discuss Russia's growing military presence near the Ukrainian border.

Photo: Rescuers search through the wreckage of the Mayfield candle factory. Credit: Getty Images.)


SAT 22:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntt0py)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:06 The Newsroom (w172xyx0smc6b7x)
The world's Newsroom brings you global events as they happen


SAT 22:20 Sports News (w172y0ssvwtbcwk)
BBC Sport brings you all the latest stories and results from around the world.


SAT 22:30 BBC News Summary (w172xzkr1dfhczb)
The latest two minute news summary from BBC World Service.


SAT 22:32 The Cultural Frontline (w3ct1ptn)
Hong Kong artists: Should I stay or should I go?

Hong Kong, once a bastion of creative freedom is becoming a city where it is difficult for artists to know what they can and cannot say through their art. Tracy Harris talks to Hong Kong artists who are asking themselves: ‘should I stay or should I go?’.

The pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong brought dissenting voices into sharp focus in 2019. They were brought to a halt by the Chinese Government’s introduction of a National Security law, aimed at curbing violent protest. Film-maker Kiwi Chow’s controversial documentary about the protests, Revolution of our Times, was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Since then, he says his creative freedom has been curtailed, and he is under threat of arrest.

Some artists have gone underground and deleted their social media accounts. The protest group who installed a ghostly white statue of a female protester on Hong Kong’s most iconic location, Lion Rock, say they are living in fear of being reported to the authorities and for the time being, have ceased making art.

The National Security law does not allow people to criticise the state and most artists and galleries are self-censoring their work whilst some have felt they had to leave. Kacey Wong, whose art satirises those in power, says he could no longer express himself freely in Hong Kong and now makes art in self-imposed exile in Taiwan.

A prominent artist who photographed protesters facing police blockades, transformed the images by punching out their faces so they could not be identified. He used ‘a violent act’ to literally deface the pictures, a reflection on the dramatic change to life in Hong Kong. Now he is worried he too may have to leave Hong Kong.

Presenter: Tracy Harris
Producer: Chris Rushton

(Photo: Kacey Wong in a satirical performance-art work, The Patriot, in which he plays the Chinese national anthem imprisoned in a red cage. Credit: Kacey Wong)


SAT 23:00 BBC News (w172xzjxlntt4g2)
The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.


SAT 23:06 Music Life (w3ct1hcx)
'I modelled my studio on a sauna' with Sylvan Esso, Alexis Taylor, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Ed Russell

Sylvan Esso's Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Overmono's Ed Russell discuss how they make their music.

Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn are the electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso. They’ve been nominated for a Grammy, played some of the world’s biggest festivals, and worked with the likes of TuneYards, Flock of Dimes, and Robert Glasper – all of whom have been on previous episode of Music Life.

Alexis Taylor is the lead singer, keyboard player and guitarist in synthpop band Hot Chip. He’s also a solo artist in his own right, having released his latest record Silence earlier in the year. Ed Russell is one half of the most talked about electronic duos this year, Overmono. His love of electronic music came from eavesdropping on his older brother, who was mixing in his bedroom next door, and listening to his records that he’d “pinched”.

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is an ambient composer, performer, producer and sonic explorer. Last year, she released the LPThe Mosaic of Transformation, an “expression of love and appreciation for electricity”, and followed it with this year’s I Could Be Your Dog (Prequel), a collaborative project with LA composer Emile Mosseri.