Preview : CNN International Programme Information Weeks 48 and 49
Inside the Louvre
Picture hangers arrange the artworks in one of the Louvre’s galleries
The Louvre has stood at the heart of Paris for 800 years. By turns a medieval fortress, renaissance palace and craftsman’s commune, this landmark building has been home to emperors and artists alike. For the last 220 years though it has been a people’s art museum – the most popular in the world.
Six days a week the Louvre is abuzz with visitors – at the height of summer over 35,000 per day. These guests are captivated great works by Da Vinci and Michelangelo and the iconic glass pyramid at the museum’s entrance.
CNN’s has been given rare access to go Inside the Louvre, behind-the-scenes at this extraordinary institution, with the people who know it best – its long-serving staff. From the conservator who restored the Venus de Milo, to the handler who looks after the Mona Lisa’s famous smile to Jean-Luc Martinez, the new director-president of the Louvre, host Nick Glass speaks to the people at the heart of the gallery, building an intimate portrait of a museum like no other.
@MuseeLouvreLeading Women
CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout (left) with the first female Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra (right)
This month ‘Leading Women’ meets the co-chair of Walt Disney Company and the first female Prime Minister of Thailand.
As co-chair of the Walt Disney Company, Anne Sweeney is at the helm of a brand synonymous with family entertainment. Overseeing a portfolio of 107 child-driven television channels, Sweeney has led the company into a new digital era, releasing popular series for download on iTunes and implementing the world’s first ad-supported online episode player. She has been named one of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Entertainment’ by The Hollywood Reporter and was placed amongst Forbes’ ’ 100 most Powerful Women in the world’.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (prictured right) is well-respected in her own country, as well as internationally, for her business acumen, charisma and strong public mandate. Elected on a platform of political reconciliation, reform and poverty reduction in the first two years of her administration Shinawatra has promoted a programme of health and welfare programmes aimed at improving the lives of women and children in Thailand. She was also responsible with overseeing relief effort for the major flooding which affected the north of Thailand.
CNN.com/leadingwomen @CNNIWomen @PouYingluckThe Gateway
Becky Anderson hosts November’s edition of ‘The Gateway’ from St Petersburg, Russia
In November, ‘The Gateway’ visits the Russian port city of St Petersburg. Named after the city’s founder Tsar Peter the Great, it is the country’s window to the West, and every year half a million people flock to the former Russian capital via one of the largest ferry terminals in the world.
Nestled along the banks of the River Neva, this maritime city is also a key hub for trade. 80 per cent of Russia’s consumption is concentrated in the west of the country, placing great importance on the city’s strategic position as a gateway between Russia and the Baltic Sea. The total transport capacity of the ports in this region has grown by almost 350 per cent since the start of the 21st century.
In an attempt to boost trade further, St Petersburg Port is demanding major investments in infrastructure. Host Becky Anderson (pictured) talks to Deputy Transport Minister Viktor Olersky about the strategy for development which is set to increase Russia’s port capacity twofold by 2030.
The programme goes behind the scenes at St Petersburg Port, visiting the container handling terminal and talking to the Harbour Master about the challenges of handling traffic through the port’s one-way convoy system.
Cnn.com/gateway @BeckyCNNCNN Heroes
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute honours individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others, whether through technology, fundraising or humanitarian action. Since its inception, CNN Heroes has received over 50,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 200 heroes.
Anderson Cooper will present the ceremony from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City joined by a roster of special guest stars including actors Jason Biggs and Allison Williams and Grammy award-nominated musicians Ne-Yo and Daughtry.
Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive a $50,000 grant. One of the honorees, as voted by fans around the globe, will be named the CNN Hero of the Year, receiving an additional $250,000 grant to further aid their cause.
Viewers are able to vote for CNN Hero of the Year 2013 at www.CNNHeroes.com.
CNNHeroes.com @CNNHeroes @AC360 #CNNHeroWorld’s Untold Stories: ‘Nirbhaya,’ The Fearless One
Protests were held across India in the wake of the brutal sex attack which left the 23 year-old Nirbhaya dead (credit: Getty)
On 16 December 2012, a 23-year-old woman boarded a bus with a male friend in New Delhi, India. Five other male passengers and the driver were the only others on board. What happened next shocked the world. They beat up the male friend, and brutally raped the woman within inches of her life as the driver continued to drive the bus around Delhi. The attackers later left the victims for dead on the side of the road.
The brutality of the attack shook the nation. India, a male-driven society with a growing reputation for violence against women, was awakened. Protestors, both male and female, came out in force, calling for change. The young woman later died of her wounds in treatment. Though no one ever saw the victim’s face, or knew her real name, inspired by her courage they gave her the name ‘Nirbhaya’, the fearless one – a symbol of defiance.
The trial of the six suspects captivated India for nearly nine months, and in a country where the death penalty is rare, calls for the ultimate punishment rang out from every corner.
‘World’s Untold Stories: ‘Nirbhaya,’ The Fearless One’ explores the tragic event that has been a watershed moment for gender politics in India. For the first time — from the hospital ward to the courtroom – viewers can hear extensive interviews with Nirbhaya’s parents, the police, doctors and prosecutors who were directly involved in the case that is shaping India’s cultural fabric — and its future.
Cnn.com/untoldstories