South Africa’s ruling ANC denies allegations of harassment and killing human rights activists in the country.
The Grenfell Tower fire in London report is out after seven years. 72 people, including several from Africa, were killed. Were any lessons learnt?
And why has Ethiopia suspended flights to Eritrea ?
Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Sunita Nahar, Yvette Twagiramariya, Joseph Keen and Bella Hassan in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi.
Technical Producers: Francesca Dunne and Nick Randell
Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
China says it's ending overseas adoptions, creating uncertainty for those mid process. The growing cyber crime of sextortion. The US child deaths linked to declining bat population and the perils of sneezing.
Here on Unexpected Elements, we've been glued to the drama of the Paralympic games in Paris. But it's not just the thrill of the competition that's got us hooked, we've also become obsessed with some of the high-octane training regimes undertaken by the athletes.
Take American 'Armless Archer' Matt Stutzman, who shoots arrows through the windows of his own house and car to recreate the high pressure of the Olympic stadium. He's chasing a thrill, and so are we!
We hear about the research on one extraordinary woman who had a medical condition which caused her to have no fear.
And we follow the fate of an extraordinary marine creature, who detaches his own arm in his quest for a mate.
We hear about why humans love to be scared - as long as it's all in good fun.
And we hear about the space debris falling to earth, and the thrilling quest of a plane full of scientists who want to watch it fall.
That and loads more unexpected elements in this week's show.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Tristan Ahtone and Affelia Wibisono
Producer: Emily Knight, with Harrison Lewis, Dan Welsh and Noa Dowling
Sound engineer: Gwynfor Jones
A Chinese survey of diseased animals farmed for their fur – such as mink, foxes and raccoon dogs - has revealed high levels of concerning viruses, including coronaviruses and flu viruses, many of which appear to jump easily from species to species. John Pettersson of Uppsala University discusses the threat to us humans.
We learnt early on in the Covid-19 pandemic how important the genetic details of the virus were in tracking the spread and spotting new variants. The vaccines were designed from gene sequences shared electronically long before any biological samples became available. Virologist Emma Hodcroft has teamed up with researchers around the world to develop a new virus database, Pathoplexus, to speed up the sharing of gene sequences.
Mpox outbreaks are causing concerns in Central and West Africa - particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A smallpox vaccine has started arriving, giving some protection against mpox. But there’s good news this week in an experimental vaccine developed especially for mpox by Moderna – one of the companies that brought us the mRNA vaccines against Covid-19. Galit Alter, vice president of immunology research at Moderna, tells us animal tests show that it appears to be highly effective.
And we discuss embryonic eavesdropping with Francisco Ruiz-Raya of Glasgow University. In the yellow-legged-gull, baby bird embryos that have chattier parents tend to come out chattier themselves – and likely receive better care because of their enhanced communication.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Jonathan Blackwell
Production co-ordinator: Andrew Rhys Lewis
(Image: A mink in a mink farm in the hands of a man. Credit: Neznam/Getty Images)
Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend. The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns following Sunday's attack. We hear a moving tribute and reaction to her death, also what's it like being a female athlete?
Over 100 people have been killed in northeastern Nigeria by the group known as Boko Haram. Are the militants re-grouping?
And can AI be helpful when it comes to archiving African music?
Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Bella Hassan, Rob Wilson and Claudia Efemini in London.
Technical Producer: Nick Randell
Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
An attempt by inmates to break out of Makala high-security prison in Kinshasa, DR Congo, has led to the deaths of more than 100 people.
How can Africa benefit from ties with China?
And can traditional and modern medicine work together? We hear from someone who practices both in Uganda.
Presenter :Audrey
Producers: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan and Stefania Okereke in London. Charles Gitonga and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi.
Technical Producer: Nick Randell
Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
As African leaders gather in Beijing this week for the China-Africa summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping may have one thing under his belt to boast about - satellite TV rolled out in Africa. But have villagers really benefiited or not?
Also, an announcement asking to free members of the Muslim Brotherhood from Egypt's prisons is quickly withdrawn. Why?
And in Cape Town, artists from across the continent come together to perform challenging art for challenging times!
Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Bella Hassan and Stefania Okereke
Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa
Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp
Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
The arrival of Egyptian military planes in Somalia ratchets up tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia, raising tensions in the already fragile Horn of Africa
A dam bursts in Sudan killing at dozens of people, intensifying the suffering of a country already facing the ravages of war - we ask why dams fail so often in Africa?
And doctors in Nigeria have been striking to demand the release of one of their colleagues kidnapped by bandits.
George Soros escaped Nazi occupation in Hungary, before becoming one of the most successful investors in history. After making his name on Wall Street and setting up the hedge fund Quantum, he also become known as “the man who broke the Bank of England” after making a billion dollars in a day by “betting against” the pound. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track the incredible life of one of the world’s most polarising billionaires, and find out how the philanthropist became the target of countless conspiracy theories. According to Soros himself, he’s “a little good, a little bad”. Ultimately, Simon and Zing decide whether they think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire.
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German author Ewald Arenz answers readers' questions about his bestselling novel Tasting Sunlight. It’s the moving story of Liss, a reclusive woman who single-handedly runs her family farm, and teenage runaway Sally who takes refuge there. As they work together, Liss and Sally form an unlikely – and nurturing – friendship.
