Minister Katagum on mutual beneficence of Nigeria-South Africa trade relations

Powerful investors are demanding climate action from oil and gas giants for the sake of their bottom lines as well as the planet.

Nigerian singer Bella Shmurda in a recent sit down with The Guardian Life has called on establish entertainers to educate upcoming artists about what is needed to survive in the Nigerian music industry.

From the Venice Film Festival, critic Emma Jones speaks to Eve Jackson about the event’s most anticipated movies, including Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in "Spencer" and Pedro Almodovar's "Parallel Mothers", starring Penelope Cruz. In the studio, critic Lisa Nesselson tells us about two new movies out in French cinemas: "France" with Léa Seydoux and the erotic and mysterious Japanese film "Drive My Car".

From luxury boutiques to royal wedding favours, jute is growing in popularity worldwide as demand for alternatives to plastic soars. At a colonial-era jute mill in India's West Bengal state, hundreds of workers labour in a vast hall covered in fine dust, but the environment-friendly fibre is hanging by a thread in India, the world's biggest producer, despite recent efforts to revive the industry.

After the European car industry moved much of its production into Eastern Europe, some believe the next step is Africa, both for production and a growing consumer market. Should Germany's eastern neighbors be worried?

Ghana's smock garment used to be reserved for royal use. These days, a flood of imported yarn has opened the market to near universal use, and the smock has become a Ghanaian clothing icon. Yet the country's collapsed cotton industry has left the financial fortunes of weavers and smock makers hanging by a thread.

Former Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber has just attended the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Now a partner at the impact investor Astanor Ventures, he has long called for the private sector to play a greater role in the fight against climate change. "No one has stepped up enough at this stage. But people and companies are moving," he told FRANCE 24's Kate Moody.

Senegal's book industry has been riding high on the wave of Mohamed Mbougar Sarr's Goncourt prize. The 31 year-old sensation is reviving interest in Senegalese writers after he won France's top literary award earlier this month.

Nigeria has the second largest film output in the world, but many filmmakers struggle with low budgets and barely make a profit. But streaming platforms are giving a boost to African films.

The hotel chain Marriott has said bookings at its South African locations have been hit by new Covid-19 travel restrictions, but that they have "not seen a huge number of cancellations as yet". President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticised the travel bans imposed on his country and its neighbours after the Omicron variant was first identified there. Marriott's EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) President, Satya Anand, told FRANCE 24 that the company is hopeful the effects will merely be temporary.

German automakers are being hit hard by a semiconductor chip shortage. Suppliers are affected in particular.

India was recently gripped by a controversy involving the family of one of its most famous actors, Shahrukh Khan. In October 2021, Khan's son was arrested for alleged narcotics consumption. But according to his lawyer, there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. Many Indians believe the arrest was in fact orchestrated by India's Hindu nationalist government as a way of targeting the actor. In recent years, the government has become increasingly hostile towards some members of the country's powerful film industry. Our correspondents report.