Egypt After The Revolution
Reflections on Egypt's revolution ten years ago, and the army's prevailing hold on power.
Ten years ago Hosni Mubarak was ousted as Egyptian president after weeks of protest in Tahrir square in Cairo. Demonstrators proved an unstoppable force despite a brutal crackdown by authorities killing hundreds. But the post-Mubarak era has not heralded a period of greater freedoms. Kevin Connolly, who covered the fall of Mubarak, looks back on the protests in 2011 which have now fallen silent.
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has chosen not to impose a further lockdown, instead tightening borders, closing shopping malls and imposing a night-time curfew to keep the virus under control. Mr Macron now has one eye on the looming presidential campaign as two polls this week suggested his lead over the far-right’s Marine Le Pen may be narrowing. Hugh Schofield reports from Paris.
It's Oscar season again – and Pakistan’s entry in the best foreign film category is making the headlines. The plot centres on the fictional story of a devout Muslim and estate agent whose life is turned upside down when he dances sensually to a song at a wedding. The film has angered a religious group, and the government has postponed its release indefinitely, says Secunder Kermani.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Bulgaria’s authorities moved swiftly to impose stringent lockdowns on the country’s Roma communities. Many Roma settlements are cut off from essential services. In some neighbourhoods, military police barred the exits. As Bulgaria starts to re-open, Jean Mackenzie visits one settlement.
On the ski slopes of Lake Tahoe, it’s taboo to mention the pandemic. In the Diamond Lake ski resort, slopes are full of visitors, happy to visit the restaurants and casinos. It's a different story down the road in California, says Alice Hutton.
Presenter: Kate Adie
Producer: Serena Tarling
(Image: Poster of President Hosni Mubarak being torn down during a protest in 2011. Credit: EPA/Ahmed Youssef)
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- Thu 11 Feb 2021 11:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4