Theres every reason to celebrate plus lockdown boredom in the philippines grows, demand for house plans, creating a new cash crop for vendors. Im melissa chan. Welcome to news asia. Thank you for joining us. A hot new Television Series filmed in pakistan has upset conservatives sensitive topics like forced marriage abuse and homosexuality feature prominently into the plot lines. Well talk to our correspondent about how producers bypassed censors to get their Creative Vision to audiences. But 1st, heres a look at the show. You wont see on pakistani airwaves for women and an underground Detective Agency that catches cheating husbands. This new feminist drama has sparked outrage in conservative pakistan means which is in a male dominated society. Not every woman would dare to be one, says some watching lanny who played the main role in the series. As it is in our society woman. Another main actress took her role in the series because the story is in line with her beliefs. In addition to its depiction of independent women, the series also explores other undiscussed problems in pakistan, such as gave relationships and sexual exploitation, taboo topics. I kinder wanted to just hold a mirror up to be honest. I wanted to be able to give what i will, boyce, i could give to a voice as ive not heard before, which is, could only be released because it was being streamed on an international on demand video platform. Even so, authorities managed to censor the show by asking the platform to take it down for pakistani audiences. The series was only restored. Following much criticism of the ban. Gilani says the drama just reflects the countrys reality. To be able to tell the truth and not a lot of people are comfortable with that if you put it up in front of them of their society. Because over so many now theyve done it getting to the root of problems and breaking the taboo with the series and jelani are determined to stand up for joining us. Being ish. How are pakistanis watching the series because it looks like the Television Authority got involved, but the show is on an indian streaming platform. Hi melissa. Yeah. So the shore is being shown on an indian online streaming reps live the fife and the 5 actually claims from the authorities asked them to take the show off. If a pakistani vs a little bit from negotiations the show was made available again. But it seems like a likely that pakistanis would be it would be difficult for pakistanis to continue watch this show. As just recently, the state bank of pakistan has issued a notice to all banks in pakistan, asking them to halt all trade, got payments to all online streaming websites, including the fife. Now what the government be able to stop production of the Program Since its filmed in pakistan, its difficult to stop the production of the program because its not produced for pakistani t. V. Channels nor week with this. Online cities would have strict fences ship rules that exist in pakistan for broadcast on pakistani t. V. Channels. I think the bigger problem here is the censorship pakistan is becoming a heavily censored society, especially under the leadership of pakistans Prime Minister imran hand theres, theres a bent perception that theres this culture of pushing for strict cultural or religious of values. And theres this, theres any, any content that the government of pakistan finds that bentley indecent or in water, they try to ban it. Right . That its banning of for some time last month or banning of dating websites and pakistan. So tell us more about what makes this show controversial. So, melissa, short, dutch is mad it dont dream of incest, different sexual orientations, forced marriages. All of these issues, i think its in pakistan and pakistan is a fight the find it very difficult and very uncomfortable. Talking about such issues, but i think that the show has also become more controversial because it shows Strong Female characters, powerful women who came across such abusive situations. But instead of coming to the pressure and instead of becoming victims, fight back and they get themselves out of these abusive situations. So i think sure its become controversial not only because of the taboo topics it is talking about, but also how women that able to fight and get out of these kind of situations and fight the ticket system and to fight the male dominance that exists in pakistan. Very quickly, whats your take on the shows pretrial of women. So there are different god it does. For instance, theres a woman whos been shown as someone who drinks, who smokes, and who uses abusive language. Dont believe opposite of how bach is on, even when i portray it in t. V. Dramas. But the reality is that these kind of them in existence, pakistan, theres also a story of a young woman from slums of good archie who aspires to become a boxer who also has feelings for a young man which is completely unacceptable to her guns of a defied but she stands for this and there are different stories such as if a gay man whos apparently in a happy marriage but gone be who he is because its not acceptable in pakistan. So it is these kind of talk because for instance, theres also thought it a woman who murders her husband because he tries to rape his own daughter. So these are difficult topics, complicated issue was, and suburb called them exaggerated. And do you think the existence, pakistan banished of it . Thank you so much for speaking with us. Youre welcome. Thank you for a lot of us here in germany and elsewhere, life has been pretty different in 2020 and covert numbers continue to either rise or stay pretty high around the world, which means a tough winter ahead for many except for a few standout countries. Earlier this week, we looked at democratic taiwan. This time we look at authoritarian china. Its where the coronavirus emerged, but you wouldnt know it, judging by, well, how normal life is there . Its the weekend. And people are flocking to beijings Party District most to put the pandemic behind them. And mask wearing has never been out of the ordinary. Here. We head to a busy beijing club and inside its packed among the clubbers, just one person is wearing a mask. And theres no sign of any one social distancing. Thats because the city of 20000000 reported its last infection 14 weeks ago. And because back then everyone followed the rules out of respect, but also fear of the author, terry, and regime chinas government. I think theres a good or bad they can, they control our money. People say you dont go out our way. Dont go out. But in germany they say you dont go out or you dont loiter because you think you have the freedom, right . Thats a problem. The vast majority of chinese didnt question the governments orders, and now theres some pride that their country is fairing so well. The weekend is over and its 6 oclock in the morning. The chen family has invited us to breakfast. They didnt step outside their property during the 1st 7 weeks of the pandemic. Not because they werent allowed to, but because they felt safer staying inside, just like most beijing residents. These are the videos. The mother sent us of homeschooling, which lasted from the end of january until the end of august. Her son didnt go to school for 8 months, shrunk, shrunk. Chen is now taking a few old dzhokhar to school. She tells us that he didnt complain. Once during his time at home and that she looks back on that time fondly wanted and then i shouldnt feel it was a lovely time of year. I could see what he was learning, and i had the chance to check up and see where his weaknesses lay joke, i will keep his mask on the whole day outside in the playground and in the classroom. Part of the battle against the pandemic includes the constant checking of data. Some phones are traced and health apps like this one have become a fact of life without the official ok, youre not allowed in. And when you do get in, you still have to get your temperature taken here. Additional surveillance is the price of the return to normality. The new normal elsewhere around the world means lots more people at home with time on their hands. Do you know anyone who has gotten into gardening ever since the pandemic . I do, and its a global phenomenon. Many people under lockdown has discovered this new hobby. Take the philippines, for instance, get them while you can because greenest a new black in the philippines over a socalled planned make has swept a country. As coronavirus restrictions have confined many to their homes. You know, to do with you, going to be good to go. I want your plans as part of my daily routine in the morning rocket and on my own about it to stress relief. When you see new strutting among the might of us about the garden increase started when beautiful pictures of backyards and balconies full of delegate plants flooded social media. But the sudden demand has raised concerns of a plant poaching protected species have been stolen and posted for sell online. Authorities have now started to protect his service to stop thieves. They just, amid selous a demand for even commonplace plants has sort of that the battle plan prices have skyrocketed, it sells 4 to 5 times higher. Now during depend demick that doesnt seem to bother potential customers for them. These pretty stressed killers are worth every penny. Thats it for now we leave you now with a look at life in places across china these days. Thank you for watching. Have a good weekend and to buy a bear. I believe it is. Climate change. Happiness increase books for your children . Smarter birth free. And you hear me now . Yes. Yes, weve got a new you and her last years german chancellor will bring you back or as youve never heard her before. Surprised still. So it was just possible louis malle called me what moved and also who talked to people who followed her along the way, admirers and critics alike now as the worlds most powerful woman, shaping her legacy. Joining us from echols last stops. Germanys image as a nation of poets and thinkers, is largely due to the huge influence of enlightenment figures like butta and cilla. But how its perceived today as a modern powerhouse of culture is at least in part, facts to the work of close to tell a month more in a moment. And also coming up looking beyond hollywood, the coronavirus has impacted hundreds of thousands of livelihoods in the once booming Film Industries in india. And nigeria welcome to arts and culture. For more than 30 years, close detail, a man has been a driving force of german culture. 1st as the director of the German National library then as president of the pression Cultural Heritage foundation. And since 2008 been president of the group to institute, thats germanys cultural calling card that offer rights operates worldwide in nearly 100. 00 countries. On november 13th year, fishley retired, but who has a fishing stand off with a new documentary about his career close teacher limon is a leading figure of germanys cultural scene, a man of books. He headed the National Library in frankfurt, and oversaw the fusion with its east german counterpart in leipsic, in 1990, assuring equal footing. He went on to lead the group institute from 2008 until november 2020. And one of his last missions was in the media before the pandemic. He was invited to speak at a conference on the restitution of artifacts looted during colonial times. Is not peacemaking per se, but it functions in that spirit when it encourages Real Exchange of nobel. I am of the opinion that we are in germany can only be a Cosmopolitan Society if we were fact more than just ourselves. In 1909 lehman with the backing of then chancellor Gerhard Schroeder unveiled his master plan for the renovation of Berlins Museum island. Perhaps his greatest career achievement needed size. Every age has its people, the thought that means that now someone has to come along who has new ideas and sets new impulses so that it always has a fresh and contemporary shape. So i can let go very easily because some projects such as the humble forum, also came with their share of controversy, but close to dudley manuel. Now regard them from a distance and im joined by my colleague who coauthored the documentary a close to tell a man the last cultural diplomat is maybe not the last because we still have new russian. Welcome to this hour that was together with you, made that fellow hina, such an interesting man. And someone who has always had a real sense for how to capitalize allurements in history and to the benefit of culture as a unifier in germany as well. That wasnt an easy job, was that . Yeah, thats a side many people dont know, ignore about him. Thats in the ninetys after germany. It was a difficult time. You have to recall that a lot of people in the former socialist, germany, german democratic republic, they were embittered and feared to be overrun by companies to lose their job by institutions. And to be super flus. And he came in to reignite the 2 libraries. There were 2 libraries cold war phenomenon, National Library of the socialist, German National library in the west. And his task was to bring them together in life and in frankfurt to one united institution. And he did it with an incredible credible sensitivity and empathy. And he gave people the feeling to get them on board and to listen to them. I think thats his style. It doesnt talk to people and then decide he listens to people before deciding one of his greatest achievements, of course, is that he was one of the architects of post unification. Berlin. Yeah, that was the next job. And actually the terrible tariff it just did in leipsic on him a lot of reputation in the political sphere. So politicians start, thats the person we want to really bring Forward Museum island, the whole museum scene in berlin, which at the time around 2000 was a bit not rundown, but in disarray and underfunded. And he came in, he put up a master plan which he forcefully implemented he renovated, restored, reconstructed Museum Island, not on his own, with a lot of staff, with a lot of collaborators, of course. And with the backing of politics, you have to say he got the funding and thats one of his abilities and skills. He can convince people also politicians to get the money for cultural project. Incredible achievement. Now would you also call him a visionary because, for instance, he foresaw just how the issues of restitution, for instance, and post colonial conciliation would be for africa long before the debate that were actually seeing today. Not a visionary in the common sense of the word, but he is a person with a big sensitivity. Whats up at the moment . Theres a grass, whats to be done . Im saying . And when he took over Good Institute in the mid ninetys around 2008, i think he grasped the moment that there was a lot of interest in africa and the German Foreign policy. There was a lot of money as well for project cultural projects. So what he did, his 1st trip as a president of duty institute was travelling to africa looking at the local situation and learning. Understanding that africa would be one of the future topics of Good Institute and of well, of the world. And he was very right about that. Now i just want to ask you, because you met with close to tell him and many times over the course of this last his final, very difficult year, a difficult year, obviously, because corona brought everything to a standstill. How was that experience with him or what was it like to get close to him . Well, we thought the last year would be a celebration, you know, with events with speeches, with parties, with trips. Actually we were lucky enough to do that. Last trip to bangkok, there was a celebration in bangkok and i think we were the last film Crew International film for who under normal circumstances did filming there. Because corona came, changed everything. We didnt see him after bangkok he flew out from bangkok with one of the last regular flights. So did we, and we didnt see him for a while. We met him again. Im a Museum Island because he worked at home affairs. Everyone else here. And i think he was quite moved by the film we saw today. He things now that he should start last career as the actor and actor. And that is a true authentic to do that very much in self. Thank you. I know that film will be running on monday on day w. And we wish cup all our lent, his successor all the best. Thanks for coming in and telling us about close to and all this week weve been looking at the impact of covert 19 on the Film Industry in europe. And hollywood are of course only part of the picture. Indias bollywood and Nigerias Nollywood each produce more films per year than the u. S. Ever has. Which means the pandemic has a much wider ripple effect. Now there on her shake from india and a memory is on me. So the from nigeria are just 2 of the hundreds of thousands of people in the film business, who are now struggling to survive. On nollywood and bollywood based in lagos and mumbai are 2 of the most prolific Movie Industries in the world. Millions of viewers across continents, watch their films. But the Global Pandemic is taking its toll on the industry. And i mean the song, the saudis film school is located in central lagos. Its no longer teeming with ambitious film students hoping to make it in the movies. Numerous shoots have been put on hold or scrapped altogether. Its a sense of my income for this year. From my probably the t. V. Series or a film in the cinema. And the acting school. Was not only what has become increasingly popular and successful since the end of the 1990 s. It produces some 2000 films in series each year, mostly for the domestic market. Budgets run from almost nothing to into the billions. But when nigeria imposed a Strict Lockdown early this year, the Film Industry came to a standstill. Directors are now allowed to shoot films again, but under strict conditions. Here theyre rehearsing for a series about a family with real life members of the family. These days more and more productions are going straight to streaming without being released in a cinema at all. Companies that are just faster now, much better position such as north flips, a streaming platform in from a 1000000 muslims. The so really some 7000 cars on matters away in mumbai is the center of indias hindi language Film Industry. Known as bollywood. Its become famous for its extravagant music and dance scenes and superstars such as Shah Rukh Khan. But the corona virus has hit the indian dream factory hard behind the glitz and glamour. The industry also provides thousands of low paid workers with a livelihood. His wife and their 2 children all live in a small one room apartment. Hes worked as a backing dancer on film sets for 35 years. Hes even appeared in a Shah Rukh Khan movie but now he has no income whatsoever. Before the covert lockdown, i used to get good work. I would get one or 2 songs per month. I managed to earn about 18000. 00 rupees per month when i used to take care of my family expenses, but for the past 6 months or so, theres been nothing in the sum. Film studios have now reopened, but theyre working under strict regulations as the authorities attempt to curb the spread of the virus. No big wedding or battle scenes are allowed for example. But at least cinemas, which were shut for months, were allowed to reopen in mid october. The villain than the shoots, but just starting now. The actors especially are requesting for minimal crews. So our crew sizes i shrinking, which of course means those people who would be with us will end up being the biggest loser. As 1000 continues to rage. Unwashed has decided to look for another job. I do have hope of finding work again. The world runs on hope. After all. Films almost always have a happy ending. Hopefully there will be one for him too. Well, happy endings are really his thing, but be unstoppable than a house, or knows how to beguile us with images. That literally open up new worlds. His latest film, fireball visitors from darker worlds, sees him, teamed up with cambridge professor Clive Oppenheimer to undertake a globetrotting exploration of need here that fell to earth, both ancient and recent. Well, its a fascinating 2 or that looks at the connections between science history and with ology, and thats now streaming on t. V. As of november 13th. So well leave you with some images from that film. And until we meet again, stay safe and all the best for us here in berlin. Through out history week, your rights as captivated by imagination. Those from darker birds. As a film slower, the bigger were grappling with some tricks. Expressing feelings. I am not very creative yet, but i would love to be considered an artist monday looking for new perspectives. Real story not to be replaced by a previous comment. Doing things differently. Come to a place where we reflect on society. Constantly. Kongji dont stand for spelling, which courses video audio anytime anywhere w. The missionary and are pregnant, just a diplomat, who always gets straight to the point of the good to institutes outgoing director. Klaus de taali mon well look at his final year in office and his impressive career name. The last cultural diplomat starts nov 16th on d w. Frank food, International Gateway to the best connection, self and road and rail. Located in the heart of europe, you are connected to the whole world experience outstanding shopping and dining offers and try our services. Biala gassed at frankfurt, airport city managed by for bought this is deja vu news ally from berlin and the u. N. Says the situation in ethiopia could be spiraling out of control. Sounds of civilians who fled to neighboring sudan say they were bombed by government forces. Ethiopia says its troops have made gains in the countrys northern to grave reach. It fears are growing of a prolonged conflict. Also coming up