US launches fresh strikes on Iran

Summary

Global News Podcast: "US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran"

Host: Charlotte Gallagher, BBC World Service
Date: July 12, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Charlotte Gallagher guides listeners through an urgent round-up of significant world events. The main theme is the rapidly intensifying US-Iran crisis, with the United States launching new airstrikes in response to Iranian military actions in the Strait of Hormuz. The episode also covers press freedom controversies tied to the Trump administration, wildfires in Spain, Chinese Christian persecution, Russian-Ukraine conflict updates, Alberta’s independence referendum, and a satirical campaign to purchase Infowars. Each segment features expert commentary, on-the-ground reporting, or direct testimony from those involved.

---

Key Segments and Discussion Points

---

1. US Strikes on Iran & Strait of Hormuz Closure

[01:14 – 05:47]

• Situation: The US launched a third round of airstrikes this week against Iranian positions along the Persian Gulf’s northern shore after Iran attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the GFS Galaxy, in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Details:
  • The container ship’s engine room caught fire, one crew member is missing, and the vessel is disabled.
  • In retaliation, the US military struck Iranian shoreline targets.
• Diplomacy:
  • Recent Muscat talks (Oman) between Iran and Oman and Qatar ended without an agreement.
  • Oman's proposal: Dual sea lanes (Omani and Iranian sides); Iran demands joint management.
• Analysis by Kashayar Junaidi (BBC Persian):
  • Iran is "escalating on purpose, testing the Americans" while sending a dual message of openness to both diplomacy and further escalation ([04:38]).
  • Continuous US strikes prompt Iranian counterattacks on US bases in the region.
  • Trump administration declares the ceasefire over but leaves diplomatic channels open.

Notable Quote:
"Iran is sending a twofold message ... trying to use (the Strait of Hormuz) to exert the highest level of pressure on the Americans ... They're trying to escalate on purpose, testing the Americans."
— Kashayar Junaidi [04:38]

---

2. US Press Freedom & Air Force One Security Concerns

[05:47 – 09:20]

• Incident: New York Times journalists subpoenaed after reporting security flaws of the new Air Force One (acquired via Qatar, outfitted for Trump). The Secret Service reportedly recommended Trump fly the old plane for security reasons (lacking anti-missile capabilities).
• First Amendment Outrage:
  • Concerns center on the federal government compelling journalists to reveal sources.
• Expert Commentary:
  • Mark Sheff Jr. (National Press Club) labels the move "an absolute violation of the First Amendment rights... a violation of press freedom." ([06:29])
  • Nick Johnson (BBC Correspondent) clarifies both the legal stakes for press freedom and government arguments about protecting national secrets.
  • The subpoenas labeled "a brazen act" by the New York Times’ legal team ([07:45]).
  • Journalists unlikely to comply; legal battle expected.

Notable Quote:
"They're going after reporters to reveal their sources, and that is an absolute violation of the First Amendment rights here in the United States."
— Mark Sheff Jr. [06:29]

---

3. Southern Spain Wildfires

[09:20 – 11:22]

• Impact: 12 people killed, over 6,000 hectares burned in Andalusia. Over 1,000 evacuated.
• Challenges: Insufficient warning for some evacuees, lack of robust forest management.
• Eyewitness Voices:
  • Paula Jeeps: "We're so upset for the people, so we’re all in shock, really." ([10:40])
  • Locals highlight recurring issues and need for lessons to be learned.
• Climate Context: Ongoing heatwaves increase wildfire risks across southern Europe.

---

4. Persecution and Release of Chinese Christians

[11:22 – 14:23]

• Background: Pastor Jin Mingri (Ezra Jin), leader of China’s Zion Church, released after Trump’s intervention; other pastors, including Gao Yingjie, remain imprisoned.
• Testimony from Sherry Gao (wife of still-imprisoned pastor):
  • Expresses hope and faith following Jin’s release; shares about poor prison conditions and health struggles of her husband.
  • Highlights lack of understanding and dialogue between the government and underground churches.
• Broader Theme: Broader government crackdown on unregistered Christian movements since October.

Notable Quote:
"It's a miracle for Christians. We always believe in miracles."
— Sherry Gao [13:27]

---

5. Russian Attacks & Ukraine’s Counterstrikes

[17:24 – 19:56]

• Russian Bombardments:
  • Multiple Ukrainian regions hit; 5 killed in Sumy, 2 in Odessa—among dead, a 13-year-old girl.
  • Firefighters and civilians recount the destruction: "It felt like the whole building had been lifted up and then dropped back into place." ([18:24])
• Ukraine’s Strikes:
  • Kyiv damaging Russian ships, aiming at energy and shipping infrastructure in the Sea of Azov (key for Russian wheat exports).
  • Attacks already affecting international wheat prices.
• Wider war trend: Focus increasingly on infrastructure as a tactic.

---

6. First Compensation for Havana Syndrome Victims

[19:56 – 22:49]

• Development: US government pays nearly $3 million to staff affected by "Havana Syndrome"—mysterious illnesses with symptoms like dizziness, nausea, headaches.
• Expert Analysis: Dr. Thomas Withington (Royal United Services Institute) describes:
  • Unclear cause; speculation on usage of sonic weapons, but much remains classified and mysterious.
  • Every update raises more questions about the illness’s origins and mechanisms.

Notable Quote:
"Every time we get one of these reports, we get a vignette of information... often that is just getting us deeper into the mysterious elements of this."
— Dr. Thomas Withington [22:09]

---

7. Alberta’s Referendum on Independence

[22:49 – 27:09]

• Setting: Coverage of rising separatist sentiment in the province of Alberta, Canada. October referendum to consider further independence steps.
• Perspectives:
  • Alberta identity highlighted at the Calgary Stampede.
  • Separatist voices point to grievances with federal (Liberal) governments and pandemic response.
  • Christopher Scott (restaurant owner/activist): "Independence in Alberta is necessary and inevitable." ([25:51])
  • Federal and Indigenous leaders argue for unity; First Nations highlight treaty uncertainties.
• Polling: Majority favor staying in Canada, but concerns exist about divisiveness and lack of consultation with Indigenous communities.

---

8. Satirical Bid to Buy Infowars (InfoWars Parody Plan)

[27:09 – 31:17]

• Background: Following Alex Jones’s bankruptcy, The Onion (satirical site) seeks to buy the InfoWars website as part of families’ court settlements over Jones’s Sandy Hook lies.
• Voices:
  • Robby Parker (father of Sandy Hook victim): Praises the move as a "breath of fresh air," contrasting The Onion’s approach (“pure and innocent and funny and light”) with Jones’ harmful actions ([28:03]).
  • Ben Collins (CEO, The Onion): Asserts that ridicule is an effective tool against extremism and that the families support the parody plan.
• Legal Update: Despite $1.3 billion judgment, Sandy Hook families have not received compensation; Collins optimistic that The Onion will eventually own and repurpose Infowars.

Notable Quote:
"Ridiculing them tends to work, exposes their lies and shines a spotlight on who they really are from the inside out."
— Ben Collins [29:07]

---

Notable Quotes Recap

• Kashayar Junaidi (on Iranian strategy):
  "They're trying to escalate on purpose, testing the Americans." [04:38]
• Mark Sheff Jr.:
  "That is an absolute violation of the First Amendment rights here in the United States." [06:29]
• Sherry Gao:
  "It's a miracle for Christians. We always believe in miracles." [13:27]
• Dr. Thomas Withington:
  "Often that is just getting us deeper into the mysterious elements of this." [22:09]
• Christopher Scott:
  "Independence in Alberta is necessary and inevitable." [25:51]
• Robby Parker:
  "It felt like such a breath of fresh air to have one, have them kind of be on our side..." [28:03]
• Ben Collins:
  "Ridiculing them tends to work, exposes their lies..." [29:07]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:14 – Top Stories Overview
• 03:05 – Details of US-Iran Escalation
• 06:29 – US Press Freedom Controversy
• 09:49 – Southern Spain Wildfire Report
• 12:16 – Chinese Christian Interview
• 17:24 – Ukraine War Update
• 19:56 – Havana Syndrome Compensation
• 22:49 – Alberta Referendum Feature
• 28:03 – Infowars Parody Campaign
• 31:17 – Episode Ends

---

Tone and Style

The episode maintains BBC's clear, informative, and professionally neutral style, balancing breaking news, direct testimonies, and expert analysis.

---

Summary

This edition of the Global News Podcast offers an insightful snapshot of crisis inflection points across politics, society, and international affairs—from war and press freedom, to climate disasters, separatism, and the power of satire. The show deftly weaves voices from those directly impacted with analysis from correspondents and experts, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking to stay informed on worldwide current affairs.

Transcript

[Advertisement Voice]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

Imagine buying a toy for your kid, but it doesn't come with batteries. That sucks. But honestly, it's even worse. When you buy business software, you end up with fragmented, disconnected systems that cost a fortune and don't talk to each other. Odoo completely changes that. Odoo comes fully complete with all your business apps perfectly integrated and working together seamlessly. It's everything your business needs in one place, saving you time, headaches and serious money. Stop paying for missing pieces. Go to odoo.com that's odoo.com to learn more. Self Directed Investing Trading Full Service Wealth Management Automated Investing Financial Planning Thematic Investing Retirement Planning. Phew. And to think that's just a small taste of what Schwab offers. Because Schwab knows that when it comes to your finances, choice matters. No matter your goals, investing style, life, stage or experience, Schwab has everything you need all in one place so you can invest your way. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Charlotte Gallagher and in the early hours of Sunday 12th July, these are our main stories. The US launches more airstrikes against Iran as Tehran says it shut the Strait of Hormuz again. What next for the diplomatic efforts to resolve this? The Trump administration issues subpoenas to several journalists after an article questioned how safe the new Air Force One is. And we'll get the latest on the wildfires ripping through southern Spain. Also in this podcast, we're in the western Canadian province of Alberta as people there consider breaking away.

[Canadian Political Commentator]

I think we're all very worried that Alberta's politics could be consumed by this forever. If it's a little close and it looks like maybe there's a trend towards separatism.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And we hear about a bid by a satirical website to convert the right wing conspiracy platform InfoWars into a parody of itself. We begin with the news that the US has launched another round of strikes against Iran. The US Central Command said it was in response to an Iranian attack on a container ship crossing the Strait of Hormuz. A little earlier, Iran said it had closed the strait until further notice. State media said the Revolutionary Guards Navy had fired a warning shot at a vessel it said attempt to sail an unapproved route. Meanwhile, talks aimed at opening up the strait have been held in Oman, attended by the Iranian foreign minister, but not the us Kashar Junaidi of BBC Persian is following developments. He told me more about the US strikes.

[Kashayar Junaidi]

According to Centcom, the US Central Command in the Middle east, at 7:15pm Eastern time, American forces started their third round of strikes this week against Iranian positions in the northern shores of the Persian Gulf. And these attacks were in response to an earlier attack by Iranian forces against a container ship from with a Cypress flag called GFS Galaxy. Apparently the attack has resulted in a missing of one of the crew members and the ship is not able to move because the engine room is on fire. So the Americans announced that in retaliation to this attack, they've hit several positions along the Iranian shoreline. This attack comes as the irgc, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, issued a statement announcing that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed till further notice. That's after these talks between Iran and Oman and Qatar in Muscat actually ended without any, any solution, any agreement. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Alek, she was in Oman for these talks, but apparently there has been no agreement between both sides. The Omani side is insisting that there should be two sea lanes open, one on the Omani side, one on the Iranian side. And the Iranians are insisting on a joint management.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Is there a route out of this? Because it seems at the moment we're going backwards, not forwards with any kind of diplomatic plan to end this.

[Kashayar Junaidi]

Definitely. And you know, by this, Iran is sending a twofold message on the situation of Straits of Hormuz. Now they believe that the Strait of Hormuz is their most powerful weapon and they're trying to use it to exert the highest level of pressure on the Americans. So they're showing that they are open to both diplomacy and escalation if needed. Right now what they are doing is like they're trying to escalate on purpose, testing the Americans. And Americans are of course showing that they're serious. This is the third time American forces have hit Iranian positions on the northern shores of the Persian Gulf. Of course, each time Iran responds by attacking U.S. bases in the neighboring countries. President Trump has announced that the ceasefire between Iran and the US Is over, but the talks will continue. Of course, talks today, my first step of talks after the week long pause, which was because of the funeral of Ali Khamenei. The talks were not fruitful, but it seems that both sides have decided that the talks will carry on.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Kashayar Junaidi from BBC Persian not so long ago, the Qatari government gave President Trump a plane which he then had kitted out as his brand new Air Force One. Donald Trump flew to the NATO summit in Turkey in the new plane but unexpectedly swapped it for the old Air Force One when he traveled to Britain. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that security on the new plane was not up to scratch and quoted an anonymous source. But now the Trump administration has summoned the journalist to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan. On Wednesday, Mark Sheff Jr. Of the National Press Club had this to say about the subpoenas.

[Mark Sheff Jr.]

They're going after reporters to reveal their sources, and that is an absolute violation of the First Amendment rights here in the United States. Violation of press freedom. This is a matter of the administration wanting to find out who the leakers are by pressuring journalists, by intimidating journalists. That's what's wrong here. And this is about journalist relationship with their sources. And that can't be violated by the government.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Our correspondent Nick Johnson told me more about the case.

[Nick Johnson]

The issue here is that the New York Times had talked to a source who wants to remain anonymous, who said that the Secret Service had urged Donald Trump to switch planes on his way home from Turkey. So he arrived in Turkey on the new Air Force One, came back out on the old Air Force One, and the New York Times is reporting the reason the Secret Service urged him to make that switch was because. Because the new plane wasn't kitted out in the same level of security as the original one. And that crucially included anti missile capabilities.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

So these journalists have been subpoenaed. How is this going down in the U.S. i mean, given that press freedom is protected by the First Amendment.

[Nick Johnson]

Yeah, that's certainly been the main concern from the New York Times and other pro free press organizations here in the United States. And we've heard from the New York Times themselves that federal agents actually turned up at the homes of some of these reporters to issue these subpoenas. So these journalists will have to appear in front of a grand jury in New York next week, and there will be a decision by the grand jury as to whether a criminal offense may have been committed. The U.S. department of justice said that they value and appreciate the important role that the press plays here in the US but that the Department of Justice also plays an important role to make sure that the people entrusted with our nation's secrets do what they're supposed to do with that information, which means not sharing classified information. But you're right, this goes to the heart of the First Amendment. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press. A lawyer from the New York Times called these subpoenas that we'd issued against their journalists a brazen act in an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what's happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs. It's also worth saying that this isn't the first time the New York Times have had issues with Donald Trump. There are a number of ongoing legal

[Charlotte Gallagher]

cases and from what the U.S. department of justice had said to you, it seems like they want these journalists to hand over their sources, which of course it's very, very unlikely that they would do that.

[Nick Johnson]

It's highly unlikely they would do that. You're right, there's an unnamed source that has given this information. But this is something that I'm sure the New York Times will fight in court. The other side of the argument will be that there's nothing wrong with them reporting facts to the public. I think it's how they got that information. The Department of Justice will be focusing on Nick Johnson.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Now to southern Spain where firefighters have started to contain wildfires which have killed 12 people and burned more than 6,000 hectares of land. Calmer winds and higher humidity levels have allowed them and 20 aircraft to directly tackle the flames. In Andalusia, the 12 people who died are reported to have been fleeing the area from there. Our Europe correspondent Nick Beek sent this report.

[Nick Beek]

The battle to contain this devastating fire has become a little easier for the 500 members of the emergency services now involved. But it's too late for those who perished trying to flee one of Spain's worst ever wildfires. Images have emerged of a procession of burnt out cars on the charred hillside. As we drove up towards the village, we soon saw how far the flames had ripped through this parched countryside. Officials said some of those killed had not taken the designated evacuation route. But some survivors told us they'd received little information and there was no mobile phone warning. More than a thousand people have been moved to emergency accommodation in a sports centre housing some of the evacuees we met Paula Jeeps, originally from Kent.

[Paula Jeeps]

It's just awful. We're so upset for the people, so we're all in shock, really. I'm just hoping that they get the fires under control so we can get everything back to normal.

[Nick Beek]

Her husband Barry said it seemed lessons were not learned from a previous fire in the area.

[Amal Rajan]

It's not managing the forest properly because if you get old trees, you've got branches on the ground. The fire gets going and it's up on the top of a ridge with always got wind is a pattern for a tragedy.

[Nick Beek]

But with such dry conditions and Spain and much of southern Europe plunged into another heat wave. Trying to keep this season's Wildfires under control could be a huge and dangerous task.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Nick Beek reporting from Spain. There was jubilation for some Chinese Christians last week when the pastor Jin Mingri was suddenly released from a Chinese prison and flown to the US to be reunited with his. Jin Mingri, also known as Ezra Jin, was the founder of the Zion Church, a so called underground church in China that's not officially sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party. His release came after Donald Trump directly petitioned China's leader Xi Jinping for him to be freed. The Chinese crackdown on underground churches began last October with overnight police raids that led to his detention along with several other pastors from the same church. One of them, Gao Yingjie, is still behind bars in China. Celia Hatton spoke to his wife Sherry Gao from South Korea yesterday.

[Sherry Gao]

My husband's lawyer just visited him so they got to updated him about what happened just like you shared about Pastor Jimin's release. So when he heard the news, he was just overwhelmed with joy. The lawyers described to me that he had tears with joy and he was really excited about this news.

[Celia Hatton]

And how is your husband doing? What are the conditions in prison like?

[Sherry Gao]

The living condition, the food still terrible, but he's really going through these days by his faith.

[Celia Hatton]

And what is the outlook for his imprisonment? We know he's been been charged. Can you talk us through his case?

[Sherry Gao]

The lawyers told me he looked really skinny. Obviously he has lost lots of weight. I mean average, they like lost 30 pounds, something like that. I think it might be the similar case for my husband also like two years ago he had very serious disease with his appendix, so he almost got killed.

[Celia Hatton]

What was your reaction when you heard about Ezra Jin's release and how might it reflect on the prospects of your husband being released?

[Sherry Gao]

I think definitely it's a miracle for Christians. We always believe in miracles. I'm sure my husband and the rest of the people will also experience maybe not the same way, but definitely a miracle from the, from the Lord.

[Celia Hatton]

I can, I can really hear your, your faith coming through there chair. You had to escape China along with your son. Why do you think these Christian underground churches seem to pose such a threat to the Chinese authorities? Why does Beijing interpret it that way?

[Sherry Gao]

To me I feel like as Christians we are doing something really beneficial for the country. I don't know why they have such fear of our base. So I think it's really like if they can open, have conversations with us to really see and look what we are doing so they won't interpret it

[Charlotte Gallagher]

as a threatening Celia Hatton speaking to Sherry Ga. Still to come in this podcast, we're

[Dr. Thomas Withington]

getting more information that's coming out, but often that is just sort of getting us deeper into the mysterious elements of this. Well, what's actually causing it? Why do some people get symptoms but other people don't?

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The first ever compensation for people suffering from Havana Syndrome. But what is it?

[Advertisement Voice]

When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdown. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

Grainger knows when you're a procurement manager for an office park, you're not managing one building, you're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners. Lights about to fail, Filters ready to clog H Vac on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind. Count on Grainger for quality products, easy reordering and 24. 7 support. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile Now. I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited premium wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] switch upfront payment

[Advertisement Voice]

of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for a 12 month plan required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees Extra initial plan term only greater than 50 gigabytes me slow when network is busy See Terms Decisions

made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day. But what policy changes should investors be watching? Listen to Washington Wise, an original podcast for investors from Charles Schwab to hear the stories making news in Washington right now. Host Mike Townsend, Charles Schwab's Managing Director for Legislative and Regulatory affairs, takes a non partisan look at the stories that matter most to investors, including policy initiatives for retirement, savings, taxes and trade, inflation concerns, the Federal Reserve, and how regulatory developments can affect companies, sectors and even the entire market. Mike and his guests offer their perspective on how policy changes could affect what you do with your portfolio. Download the latest episode and [e-mail] WashingtonWise or wherever you listen.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

This is the Global News Podcast Several regions of Ukraine were hit in Russian bombardments on Saturday. The head of the northeastern sumy region says five people were killed and 30 others wounded in Russian bomb attacks on the local capital. Police say one of those killed was a 13 year old girl waiting at a bus stop. Two people were killed in the southern Odessa region. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been striking more Russian shipping, Danny Eberhard reports.

[Danny Eberhard]

After the overnight bombardment of Kyiv, President Zelensky posted video of firefighters trying to douse the smouldering remains of smashed buildings. He said the attacks had damaged civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, offices and a seminary. This Kyiv resident, Tysha Rebecca, swept up the glass from her shattered windows.

[Paula Jeeps]

The blast wave was incredibly powerful.

[Tysha Rebecca]

It slammed the doors.

[Paula Jeeps]

It felt like the whole building had been lifted up and then dropped back into place. After that, everything started shaking. The doors, the windows, everything flew open. It was terrifying.

[Danny Eberhard]

Meanwhile in Odessa, the regional governor spoke of damage to civilian infrastructure, residences and a medical clinic. Russia has a very different take the strikes in Odesa region, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow said, damaged port infrastructure used for military cargo and fuel, whereas in Kyiv it said it had hit sites for the production and storage of drones, though that has not been confirmed. Russia is certainly desperate to hit such targets given the damage Ukrainian drones are doing to key Russian energy infrastructure and shipping. Ukraine's military is continuing concerted attacks on both to exacerbate Russia's energy crisis and harm revenues the Kremlin uses to fuel the war. Kyiv said it has hit more than 20 additional ships in the Sea of Azov, which Russia controls. Those include oil tankers in Russia's shadow fleet, but also ships used for dry cargo. Russia is one of the world's biggest exporters of wheat and up to a quarter of its wheat exports go through the Sea of Azov. Nervousness about the impact of Ukrainian strikes is already affecting international wheat future price. While Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to fight territorial battles on the front lines, it's the battle to harm each other's infrastructure that's increasingly centre stage.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Danny Eberhard. For the first time, the US government has paid compensation to staff affected by so called Havana Syndrome. That's the mysterious ailment reported a decade ago by staff working in the embassy in the Cuban capital. The U.S. department of Defense says it's given out nearly $3 million in compens, but what exactly is Havana Syndrome? Rebecca kesby spoke to Dr. Thomas Withington, an analyst with the defence think tank, the Royal United Services Institute.

[Dr. Thomas Withington]

In terms of the symptoms, there's a number that seem to be fairly common. Dizziness, nausea. We've heard of things like nosebleeds, for instance. I think it would be fair to say acute physiological discomfort is certainly the overriding one that. That most of the sufferers appear to have reported. And that appears to be how this syndrome sort of manifests itself, these very unpleasant physiological sensations. Such as I said headache, nausea, that kind of thing.

[Rebecca Kesby]

Yeah, it's all sort of shrouded in mystery, isn't it? I mean, are these weapons legal? Because there have been reports that some sort of sound weapon may have been used when President Maduro was captured in Venezuela earlier this year.

[Dr. Thomas Withington]

It's a very good question. I think what complicates this is that we know so little about the kind of weapons that are being used, assuming they are being used. Of course, you mentioned the capture of Nicolas Maduro and we had these reports the sonic weapon being used to aid that effort. Now, sonic weapons themselves are not new, personally speaking. I've actually been in demonstrations where they've been used and I can tell you they're particularly unpleasant. But my own very small and limited experience of that was not really, you know, I didn't feel any sort of nausea or I didn't have any kind of pronounced physiological symptoms. I just didn't want to be in the area where this thing was being activated. But, of course, what we know in terms of what's happening in the public domain, compared to what is happening in the military domain and classified space, obviously that's a lot more mysterious and by its very nature, it's much more difficult to get information about that.

[Rebecca Kesby]

Yeah. Now, we call it Havana Syndrome, but I mean, it's never really been proved exactly what happened to cause it, has it?

[Dr. Thomas Withington]

Again, an excellent question. And you know that something I always think about is whenever something new comes out about Havana Syndrome, such as the news we've had concerning the compensation or reports we've had in the past, every time we get one of these reports, we get a vignette of information. In many ways, we just end up with even more questions that we need to ask. So we're getting more information that's coming out, but often that is just sort of getting us deeper into the mysterious elements of this. Of, well, what's actually causing it? How could it be caused? Why do some people get symptoms but other people don't? And it's really, really difficult to try and clear up those questions with any sort of definitive answers.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Dr. Thomas Withington speaking to Rebecca Kesby. Citizens in the Canadian province of Alberta will vote in October on whether to remain a part of the country or move forward with a referendum to become an independent state. Both the Conservative opposition and the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney are campaigning against separation. But those wishing to le say successive governments have let the western province down. The BBC's Nadine Youssef traveled to Alberta and its famous rodeo festival, the Calgary Stampede.

[Nadine Youssef]

The place is absolutely packed with people wearing cowboy hats, cowboy boots, eating fried food. When you walk around here, you would think that you are at a rodeo in Texas. But all the attendees that we spoke to and the participants tell you that this is a uniquely Western Canadian event. It's a celebration of Alberta's history and culture. And of course, at an event where Alberta identity is front and center, there's been a lot of conversations about the upcoming referendum in October.

[Tysha Rebecca]

The Stampede is an example of the culture here in Teresa Hell, a born

[Nadine Youssef]

and raised Albertan who has lived in Calgary all her life. She believes the values on display here show why Alberta should go it alone.

[Tysha Rebecca]

People believe in getting down and dirty and working hard. And our goal in independence is hopefully to bring that type of value system back into Alberta.

[Nadine Youssef]

The majority of people we spoke to at the Stanford Stampede didn't share this view and supported a united Canada. Mps from Canadian federal parties are using the Stampede to make their case.

[Canadian Political Commentator]

We've talked directly about Alberta separatism today.

[Nadine Youssef]

This is Corey Hogan. He's just one of three Liberal MPs in Alberta, historically the conservative heartland of Canada.

[Canadian Political Commentator]

You look at the polls and you'll see 70, 30 support for staying in Canada. 80, 20 support for staying in Canada. But I think we're all very worried that Alberta is qualified could be consumed by this forever if it's a little close. And it looks like maybe there's a trend towards separatism.

[Nadine Youssef]

However, those campaigning for separatism claim that Alberta has long been treated unfairly. They point the finger at the successive Liberal governments of Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney. We've driven north of Calgary to meet one of the campaigners for independence.

[Christopher Scott]

There you are, sir.

[Chris]

Thank you, Chris.

[Nadine Youssef]

For Whistle Stop owner Christopher Scott, the troop break with Ottawa occurred during COVID 19.

[Christopher Scott]

I was raised believing that Canada was a free country. And that kind of came to a head when I had the police and health services here threatening me because I just wanted to exist and work and earn a living.

[Nadine Youssef]

Chris was arrested in 2021 for protesting COVID lockdowns outside his restaurant and was later accused of breaching health restrictions, charges which were eventually thrown out.

[Christopher Scott]

Independence in Alberta is necessary and inevitable. You can't go that long with people underrepresented before something breaks.

[Nadine Youssef]

Separatists spent the last few months gathering signatures for a petition that asked to make the referendum binding. Their effort was successfully quashed in court by Alberta first nations, who argued they were not properly consulted on the matter. At a neighborhood barbecue in in Calgary hosted by nearby first nations to celebrate Stampede, the mood is firmly against separation. First nations land in Alberta is governed by treaties signed between Indigenous people and the British crown nearly 150 years ago.

[Chief Samuel Crowfoot]

We have to fight it. We have to. And so we did.

[Nadine Youssef]

Speaking to me a few feet away from where one such treaty was signed, Chief Samuel Crowfoot of Siksika Nation tells me there is no clarity on what would happen to those treaties if Alberta were to separate.

[Chief Samuel Crowfoot]

There is no guarantee. There's no talk from the separatists, no reach out from any of the movements here to talk with any First Nation, as far as I'm aware, about what this new area of Alberta would look like if we were to separate from Canada.

[Nadine Youssef]

As the Calgary Stampede winds down and the fairground goes quiet, it is clear that this is only the starting gun of what will be a long debate for Alberta's future ahead of October.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Nadine Youssef reporting from Canada. Now we're going to go back to the horrific killings at the Sandy Hook School in Connecticut in the US in December 2012, when 20 children aged just six or seven years old were shot dead, as well as six staff members. Almost immediately, a man called Alex Jones spread false claims that the shooting was staged on his website, infowars. After a long legal battle, Jones was ordered by a court to pay more than $1 billion to the families. But it's not happened as he was declared bankruptcy. So the owners of a well known satirical website, the Onion, are trying to buy the Infowars website so they can launch a parody of it. Robby Parker's six year old daughter Emily was one of those murdered at Sandy Hook. He said he supported the Onions move.

[Robby Parker]

It felt like such a breath of fresh air to have one, have them kind of be on our side and almost have other people joining in this fight with us and doing it for reasons that were so pure and innocent and funny and light compared to the dark and evil and just atrocious things that we had been dealing with. Alex Jones pushed the limits on one side and went too far with it. And I feel like the Onion is going to use the First Amendment in a way that's going to be on the other side for showing the hypocrisy, shining a light on things, bringing laughter and in a way, bringing people together in a way that Alex Jones will never be able to do.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Amal Rajan has been speaking to the CEO of the Onion, Ben Collins.

[Ben Collins]

Well, we thought it would be funny, first of all, and it is. But we also wanted to do a good thing and we wanted to provide people some hope that if you do the right thing, occasionally it might be rewarded.

[Amal Rajan]

What would you say to those people who argue that satire, parody is not the appropriate response when the issue at stake here is the murder in daylight of school children at Sandy Hook in 2012?

[Ben Collins]

So I was an extremism reporter for 10 years before I was a head, an Onion CEO, and I reported on them all the time. I called those people who were doing that stuff, family members who were affected by it and all these things. I can tell you that reporting on it doesn't really do much. In fact, it's only increased these people's purchase and import in American life since then. Ridiculing them tends to work, expose their lies and trying to spotlight on who they really are from the inside out. We've done this through the express permission of the Sandy Oak families via a phone call with them less than a month ago. And they were just saying, keep going. A lot of them had told us that they felt free to speak up for the first time and be themselves. These are parents of murdered children. And we gave them permission to make fun of these people in public again, because otherwise they're big, bad, scary monsters. But there is this man behind the curtain element to all this stuff. These guys are. They're nobodies at the end of the day. They've just been able to co opt our culture for really dastardly ends.

[Amal Rajan]

If you're honest, what is your assessment of how likely it is that you'll be able to ultimately buy infowars?

[Ben Collins]

We feel really, really good about it. We have the backing of the families. And the families, by the way, are the people who are ultimately in control of this stuff. Alex Jones has gone all the way to the Supreme Court with one of the two cases involved in this, the one that he owes $1.35 billion to these families. They will ultimately end up within fours and we are very excited to buy that stuff and resell some of it so they can get some more cash as well from the estates.

[Amal Rajan]

And to be clear, for people who haven't followed the case or your attempt to buy the website very closely or carefully, as things stand, we're 14 years on from the massacre at Sandy Hook and the families have not received any compensation, have they?

[Ben Collins]

Yeah, it's a complete perversion of justice. It's actually been almost five years since he was ordered to hand over that $1.4 billion and he still hasn't done it. He's moved assets around, he's handed stuff over to his dad, he has tried to decl player infowars value list, despite the fact that we have been willing to pay money for this the whole time. It's been a mess. But again, all it takes is somebody on the other side saying, actually, no, this one you're not going to get away with.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Ben Collins from the Onion speaking to Amal Rajan. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail] you can also find us on X@BB BBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. Don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Darcy o' Brie and the producer was Emma Joseph. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Charlotte Gallagher. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Advertisement Voice]

This is the story of the One. The one who keeps multiple buildings running smoothly day after day. Plumbing that flows, H Vac that hums. Cleaning supplies that keep surfaces sparkling. That's why she counts on Grainger. With easy reordering online and 24. 7 support, Grainger helps her keep the products she needs on hand so shelves stay stocked and buildings stay ready. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.