Suspicions in Soweto
From Our Own Correspondent
BBC
4.4 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 14 July 2022
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
South Africa saw a spate of violent shootings over the last week triggering conspiracy theories and suspicions. South Africa has been simmering since last Summer, when the country saw some of the worst outbreaks of violence in decades. Andrew Harding says there is a jittery mood in the country. Next, the authorities in Uzbekistan - a former Soviet republic - have declared a state of emergency and a night-time curfew in the region of Karakalpakstan following protests about moves to restrict its autonomy. Although the planned constitutional changes have now been withdrawn, Uzbek authorities have imposed a security clampdown and an information black-out. Joanna Lillis was there. At the local abortion clinics in Arkansas, the recent Supreme Court ruling in the US had an immediate impact, effectively giving states the right to determine their own abortion laws. In the case of Arkansas, the state’s Attorney-General then implemented an almost complete ban. Sophie Long was at an abortion clinic in Little Rock when the news broke. We visit one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. An eruption at the Fuego volcano four years ago devastated the surrounding region, killing at least 200 hundred people. Several thousand were displaced, but many have since returned both to live and to farm the mineral rich land in the surrounding area. Isabelle Stanley set up camp on a nearby peak. The Dolomites Marathon in the Italian Alps is one of the major annual cycling events, approximately 86 miles in length, weaving its way through spectacular mountain passes. Dominic Casciani decided to make his return after a twelve-year reprieve.
Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts |
| 0:05.1 | Today we're in Uzbekistan, where violent protests erupted recently after planned constitutional |
| 0:11.4 | changes dampened one region's quest for independence. |
| 0:16.2 | In the US, our correspondent went to an abortion clinic, rapidly forced to close its doors following |
| 0:22.5 | the recent announcement of the Supreme Court ruling. |
| 0:26.3 | Here in Guatemala, where villages have returned to their homelands in the shadow of a volcano |
| 0:32.2 | despite its deadly eruption four years ago. |
| 0:36.0 | And we're cycling through the Italian Alps, not for the faint hearted, weaving round |
| 0:41.6 | hip in bends and steep inclines and blowing the Covid cobwebs away. |
| 0:47.8 | But first South Africa, which has seen a spate of violent shootings over the last week, |
| 0:53.9 | in the township of Soweto, near Johannesburg, a group of gunmen entered a tavern on open |
| 0:59.2 | fire, killing 16 people and shattering the Saturday evening revelry. |
| 1:05.2 | Two more shootings also raised an arm, with gunmen entering two other taverns, killing |
| 1:10.6 | a further six people. |
| 1:13.6 | Incidents of violent crime and not uncommon in the country, but these shootings in quick |
| 1:18.5 | succession served as a reminder of the sense of instability underpinning everyday life. |
| 1:25.8 | South Africa has been simmering since last summer, when the country saw some of the worst |
| 1:31.0 | outbreaks of violence in decades, triggered by political infighting in the ruling ANC party. |
| 1:38.6 | Andrew Harding says there's a residual feeling that the country is on the edge. |
| 1:45.2 | It is mid-winter here in South Africa. |
| 1:47.6 | On the high bare plains around Johannesburg, 1,500 meters above sea level, the skies are |
| 1:52.8 | clear and the wind is sharp. |
... |
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