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From Our Own Correspondent: DR Congo and France

08/07/2013

DR Congo and France

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, DR Congo and France

Rising crime and violence in Kinshasa. And, the African big cats in Europe's circuses

Why crime and violence is rising on the dusty streets of Kinshasa. And, how African big cats are still being used to entertain in the travelling circuses of Europe.

Jonny Hogg examines the reasons why violent crime is rising in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has always been a city throbbing with energy, where people struggle to the top and the hustle never stops. But now it's taking on a more frightening edge, as its army of homeless and dispossessed residents lose hope of making it by legitimate means. These days, the street kids are ever more numerous, the crime ever more violent and the gangs are turning ruthless. 

Meanwhile, along the motorways and carparks of the EU, life is a giant yawn (at best) for the African big cats still being used to entertain in travelling circuses. Natasha Breed has spent years observing and filming lions in the wild in Kenya. What does the body language of their captive cousins tell her?

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