大象传媒

News from home and abroad with Rhod Sharp.

The Independent's reporter, Kim Sengupta, speaks to us from Aleppo, amid further reports of escalating violence in Syria's second city. He describes how the city is split between being under the control of either government forces or the rebels- but says the situation is fluid and he believes the opposition is growing in strength.

The boss of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Chandrajit Banerjee, gives his reaction to the massive power cuts which have hit 500 million people across India. He tells Rhod it is a 'huge challenge at this point in time', saying the problems lie across all areas, from generators to the power network.

American geneologist Joseph Shumway tells us about his organisation's research into President Obama's family tree. He tells us they've found evidence the President could be a descendent of one of the first documented African slaves in the US. But it's not through the lineage of his black father. They say the link is through his white mother's side of the family.

And we pay tribute to the author Maeve Binchey, who's died after a short illness. Her fellow writer Kate Mosse speaks to Rhod about her burgeoning friendship with Maeve, who she describes as the most 'generous of people - generous to her readers, generous to her characters, she was one of those who just gave an enormous amount to all those around her'.