Days where the temperature exceeds 50C degrees have doubled since the 1980s, and now occur in more parts of the world, according to new analysis from the BBC.

The analysis was commissioned by the BBC World Service for their new series, Life at 50°C and carried out by BBC News’ data journalism unit. It reveals that temperatures reached 50C or more on 14 days per year on average between 1980 and 2009, but since 2010 the number of days that has surpassed the extraordinary temperature is now 26.

BBC News examined data across a forty-year period and found that the total number of days above 50C increased in each decade since 1980. The BBC’s research also found significant increases in maximum temperatures around the world.

Days above 50C mostly occurred in places in the Middle East and the Gulf. Scientists expect even more areas to break the 50C mark in future.

The BBC’s Life at 50°C analysis also revealed that the number of days over 45C has increased by around two weeks per year on average when comparing the same forty-year period.

Dr Friederike Otto, a leading climate scientist from the University of Oxford, told the BBC that she believes the increase in the days and places above 50C “can be 100% attributed to the burning of fossil fuels.”

Extreme heat can make disasters, such as wildfires and droughts more likely, and can have devastating consequences for human health. It can also parch the land as higher temperatures boost evaporation from the soil. Increasing temperatures could even lead to many parts of the planet becoming too hot for people to live in.

Heat stress conditions could affect as many as 1.2 billion people around the world by 2100 if current levels of global warming continue, according to a Rutgers University study published last year. This figure is at least four times more than those affected today.

The research was carried out to launch the BBC’s Life at 50°C. The series, which will run across BBC outlets and digital platforms, presents the reality of climate change through stories of people around the world and explores how communities living in cities and rural areas have had to adapt their lives to cope with extreme heat. It has been produced by BBC News Arabic, in collaboration with BBC News Mundo, BBC News Urdu, and BBC News Hindi as well as the BBC’s other Indian language services.

Highlights include four-half hour programmes on BBC World News TV channel and a collection of ambitious digital films on the BBC News YouTube channel, with stories filmed in Nigeria, Pakistan, Australia, Mexico, India, Mauritania, Iraq, and Gulf states.

Life at 50°C launches with Nigeria Burning. In the film, Farouk digs wells by hand in Kilankwa, central Nigeria. Joy cooks tapioca in the extreme heat of illegal gas flares in the Niger Delta. Now climate change is making their lives even harder; this year Farouk and his team have to dig down to an unprecedented 27 feet before they find water. Their stories show how ordinary Nigerians are exposed to the hardship of extreme heat. Haruna, who works with Farouk says: “When I was a boy the weather was not this harsh.” Digging the well exposes Farouk and his team to temperatures too hot for their instruments to measure, and while she knows it’s ‘bad’ for her health, Joy braves heats of 90C to cook by the flares to make income to help to support her family.

Watch Nigeria Burning here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-58549010  (3 mins)

ISONO, BET Africa’s first original daily drama marked its 200th episode milestone since its launch last year September. The first original vernacular daily drama co-produced with Clive Morris Production proved to be a strong contender with multiple nods at the recently announced Royalty Soapie Awards 2021, where it has scored eight nominations.

As ISONO celebrates the 200th episode milestone, the star-studded African cast continues to entertain and intrigue viewers across the continent as they deliver a compelling storyline of love, pain and betrayal. The gripping and suspenseful original daily drama recently welcomed veteran actors Jack Devnarain, Kevin Smith, legendary Nandi Nyembe and young and talented Paballo Mavundla.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this significant milestone on BET Africa’s ISONO. A big thanks & congratulations to the incredible cast, crew and our audiences across the continent who have inspired us to continue to bring local productions to the continent,” commented Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa and BET International Peer Lead. “As the channel that celebrates black culture, excellence and entertainment, we are proud to create and showcase authentic African storytelling for the culture, by the culture.”

ISONO recognises the amazing delivery of authentic and rich African storytelling by female leads, award-winning and legendary Nthati Moshesh, Moshidi Motshegwa, Charmaine Mtinta, and popular presenter Lalla Hirayama. The young smoking guns, Bohang Moeko, Didintle Khunou, Senzo Radebe, TK Sebothoma, Anga ‘Naakmusiq’ Makubalo, Ayanda Nhlapo and Natasha Thahane, continue to bring passion, excitement and action to the storyline. The young and rising stars Kgosi Mongake, Tshepo Ledwaba, Mpho Sibeko and Mpule Matlhola brought the House of Grace orphanage storyline to life by showing off their musical talents.

BET Africa and Clive Morris Productions introduced new faces and upcoming talent from Dimpho More to Omphemetse Tolo. Celebrating cross-cultural diversity and rounding off the Pan African talent pool, ISONO further included cast members from Nigeria, Anthony Oseyeni, Christin Osifuye and Chioma to expand and depict multiple narratives and continental resonance.

Manchester Mahlogonolo Mahapa who led ISONO’s narrative and creative direction said, “The show hitting its 200th episode is a major milestone and no easy feat to accomplish particularly under COVID-19 restrictions. It has been a real learning curve and also nothing short of amazing. We set out to create an authentic daily drama like no other for an African audience and we have seen it land in ways that excite us and shows us that there is an appetite for a gritty show like ISONO.”

In tonight’s 200th episode of ISONO, Simon is tangled in a web of lies, so desperate to cover each lie with another that he starts acting on compulsion, and it does not end well for him. Gabriel is ready to face Sarah while Siviwe’s memory is triggered. Could this be the end of Mother Mary’s empire?

For riveting drama and the best in African content, catch BET Africa’s original daily drama ISONO, where Dark Secrets Lead to Deadly Sin on BET AFRICA (DStv Channel 129, GOtv Channel 21) at 20:30 WAT/21:30 CAT, where the suspenseful original daily drama airs Monday to Thursday.

For more information on BET Africa’s original daily drama visit www.betafrica.tv, like and chat to us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/BETinAfrica, and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram @BET_Africa using the hashtag #ISONOBET #BETAFRICAORIGINAL

HBO’s Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union chronicles the personal and political journey of President Barack Obama as America grapples with its racial history.

Directed by seven-time Emmy winner Peter Kunhardt and executive produced by The New Yorker‘s Jelani Cobb, the three-part docuseries has a 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with RogerEbert.comcalling it “a comprehensive and compelling analysis… Kunhardt’s film brightly illuminates how essential the discussion of Obama’s handling of race is to American culture as a whole, especially when it was no accident that every president before him was a white man.”

Timed to coincide with the former president’s 60th birthday, Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union features the likes of politician Jesse Jackson, professorsHenry Louis Gates Jr. and Cornel West, political consultant David Axelrod, authors Michael Eric Dyson and Ta-Nehisi Coates, reverends Alvin Love and Jeremiah Wright, New Yorker editor David Remnick, speechwriter Jon Favreau and journalists Laura Washington and Michele Norris. Interspersed with his own speeches and news interviews, the series begins with Obama’s childhood and takes us through his perspective as the son of a white mother from Kansas and an African father, his spiritual formation by a generation of Black leaders, and his hopes for a more inclusive America.

But, as Los Angeles Times, says, “HBO’s new documentary goes places the Obama media machine might not have… It ultimately sets itself apart by taking a deeper look at the multitude of issues that surfaced after America finally chose its first Black president.”

EVERYTHING ON SHOWMAX IN SEPTEMBER

To see everything on Showmax in September 2021, including The White Lotus, 2021 Emmy nominee Gangs of London, 2021 Oscar nominees Tenet and Minari, and Flatland, the South African film that opened the Berlin Panorama, click here. Please note this release schedule is subject to change.

This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Makhadzi, the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week, Africa Rising and LootLove’s Favourite Track of the Week!

Tune in to Africa Now Radio With LootLove This Sunday, September 12th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on Cool FM in Nigeria every Sunday at 6pm.

Cover Star Interview
The chart-topping South African singer Makhadzi joins LootLove via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about her latest track, “Salungano (feat. Kabza De Small).” She also discusses her new album, African Queen, breaking streaming records — her 2020 album, Kokovha, is the most streamed South African Female Album on Apple Music in 2021 year to date — how she experiments with the amapiano wave, and the African artists she’d love to work with next.

The Big 5
LootLove shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Tems; Mellow & Sleazy and Felo Le Tee (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Madumane & Young Stunna); Killertunes & Nissi; Stonebwoy & Focalistic; and Zakes Bantwini & Kasango.

Africa Rising
South African amapiano singer-songwriter Aymos is the latest artist featured from the Africa Rising playlist, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars, and this week’s show features two singles from his latest album, Yimi Lo—“Risasekile (feat. TO Starquality & Mas Musiq),” and title track, “Yimi Lo.” Listen HERE.

Loot Loves
Each week, LootLove chooses her favourite track, taken from one of Apple Music’s African playlists. This week she features Nigerian superstar Wizkid and his single, “Mood (feat. Buju),” from Apple Music’s Naija Hits playlist. Listen HERE (and find a roundup of all LootLove’s selections on Apple Music’s LootLoves playlist, HERE).

Tune in and listen to the full episode this Sunday, September 12th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow or on Cool FM in Nigeria every Sunday at 6pm.

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Makhadzi on adapting to and experimenting with amapiano

LootLove: You also play with different sounds. You’ve obviously adapting to this incredible wave of amapiano. How has that been experimenting on the new sound?

Makhadzi: To me it was not difficult because I believe as an artist, I can sing anything as long as I get a right beat. And then the only thing I must do is to come up with a nice melody because I’m singing in my language. I’m using my language when I sing and most of the people they don’t understand my language. But the only thing that I have to make sure [foreign language ] it’s a nice melody with a nice beat.

Makhadzi on the meaning behind “Salungano” with Kabza De Small

“Salungano” is a storyteller actually. I was telling a story “yesterday I had a dream, I was with you, you were covering me and now am seeing you live. Just cover me live, I had a dream yesterday, I was with you, you were buying me drinks and now am seeing you live, please buy me drinks.” “Salungano” is a story teller.

With hundreds of shows to view across all DStv channels, the choices can get overwhelming and our customers end up missing out on exciting new shows and channels. With this challenge in mind, DStv went about researching ways to make it even easier to deliver the right content, to the right subscribers, at the right time, while taking into consideration the device they are watching on. (more…)