So, this is radio drama studio. Hello, im john wilson. Welcome to this cultural life, a radio four podcast in which i ask leading creative figures about the influences and inspirations that have fired their artistic imagination. My guest in this episode is sir kenneth branagh. A huge talent, a star of stage and screen for more than four decades now. Hes an actor, director, writer and film maker whose credits range from hamlet to tenet, from henry v to thor. We spoke in the very atmospheric radio drama studio of bbc broadcasting house. Ken, welcome to this cultural life. Thank you. A show about cultural inspiration, cultural influences. What is your earliest cultural memory, do you think . Something that had a big impact . I think, early doors, i can remember Winston Churchills funeral, i think it was 1965, seeing it on the television and just being told about the great man. The World Cup Final of 1966, where the nation stopped, and in our own household, my brother had a sort of flirtat
Moving closer to russia, which happened after coups in neighbouring burkina faso and mali. Later, leaders from the 15 countries that make up the Economic Community of west african states, and the eight leaders from the west African Economic and monetary union, will meet to discuss their response. Brandon kendhammer is politics professor at Ohio University and expert on politics in west africa. Hejoins us now. Thank you and welcome to the programme. What is your take on what we are witnessing in niger right now . Right now . Good morning. I think what right now . Good morning. I think what we right now . Good morning. I think what we are right now . Good morning. I l think what we are witnessing right now . Good morning. I. Think what we are witnessing is likely the consolidation of any Military Regime. Enough time has passed now that we have a general sense of who was in charge or who would like to be in charge and while we have seen a fair bit of International Response at this point,
Our pakistan correspondent, Caroline Davies has the latest, from the capital, islamabad. A Sunday Afternoon Political Rally by one of pakistans biggest religious parties. Hundreds crowded in, covered from the Afternoon Sun by a marquee, waving flags and chanting. Then the speaker was interrupted by the explosion. Some people were stretchered out, soaked in blood. Others were simply carried by any hands that could offer help. The District Hospital declared a Health Emergency and a call was put out for blood donations. As the wards filled up, some were taken by helicopter to nearby peshawar. The Death Toll Rose quickly. Police have said they have struggled to identify all of the dead. Among those named is a local political leader. There has been an increase in Violent Attacks in pakistan, particularly in kp province. Police have said that they have discovered evidence suggesting that the explosion might have been a suicide bomber, but have not yet confirmed it. If this was an attack, it