African countries join forces to prevent Ebola spreading

Summary

Global News Podcast: African Countries Join Forces to Prevent Ebola Spreading

Host: Charlotte Gallagher (BBC World Service)
Date: May 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Global News Podcast delivers major stories from around the globe, focusing principally on the joint efforts by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan to stem the spread of Ebola, as well as other reports from current international headlines. Key topics include: the regional response to the Ebola outbreak, allegations of mistreatment on a Gaza aid flotilla, negotiations between the US and Iran, the state of women’s rights under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, and the controversial Enhanced Games in Las Vegas.

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Key Stories & Discussion Points

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1. African Nations Collaborate to Combat Ebola

[02:24 – 05:52]

Theme:
Three central African nations—DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan—have announced a joint strategy to prevent Ebola from escalating into a larger continental crisis.

Key Details & Insights:

• Over 200 deaths and 900 suspected cases, according to updated WHO data.
• The collaborative plan focuses on:
  • Increased border monitoring
  • Improved frontline worker protection
  • Expanded health system capacity

Expert Commentary:
Thomas Nardi (BBC Correspondent in Kampala):

"What they are doing is they are trying to increase border monitoring, improve protection for frontline workers, and then also expand capacity... The WHO announced on Sunday that the number of suspected cases have risen to over 900 and then 101 confirmed cases." (03:01)

• The outbreak is centered in DRC’s Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces.
• Health authorities face immense challenges working in regions controlled by rebel groups, with poor infrastructure and difficult terrain.
• No proven vaccine or treatment exists for this Ebola strain.

Challenges:

• Fragile regional security and weak health systems undermine disease containment.
• Funding shortfalls are critical; Africa CDC estimates $300 million needed, but only $110 million pledged (Gates Foundation: $50M; UN: $60M).

"Funding has been a very big challenge in the fight against this virus." — Thomas Nardi (05:13)

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2. Gaza Flotilla Activist Allegations

[05:52 – 10:35]

Theme:
Reports of serious abuse following Israeli authorities’ interception of a Gaza aid flotilla. Activists allege mistreatment, including sexual assault and physical violence.

Key Details & Quotes:

• Video showed Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir taunting detained activists.
• Over 400 activists detained; some allege violent and degrading treatment.

Juliet Lamont (Australian Activist):

"It was horrific, you know, on all levels, psychologically and physically. I don't think I've ever experienced something as…awful on all levels...I was sexually assaulted three times from when they intercepted our boat in international waters." (06:37)

• Describes being handcuffed, shackled, kicked (resulting in broken bones), waterboarded, and sexually assaulted in a shipping container by masked men.

"They humiliate you and they go, 'What are you doing in Israel? Go back to where you came from.' And you're constantly told that the level of violence will increase if you do anything." (08:17)

• Intends to press charges when back in Australia; cannot identify assailants due to their balaclavas.

Israel Defense Forces Response:

"The IDF rejects allegations of abuse by IDF soldiers during the operations... No specific incidents of deviation from these binding procedures are known within the IDF... Any concrete complaints submitted to the IDF on the matter will be examined thoroughly." (09:35)

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3. Dangerous Chemical Leak in California

[10:35 – 12:42]

Theme:
Tense situation develops after a toxic chemical leak at a manufacturing facility in Orange County, California.

Key Details:

• Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency.
• 50,000 people evacuated amid fears of tank rupture or explosion.
• Firefighters observed a potential crack relieving pressure, possibly improving outlook.
• County Health Officer cautioned residents to watch for a "fruity and heavy smell" and to stay out of the evacuation zone.

"If that vapor goes into the air and people inhale that, it causes significant damage." — Dr. Regina Chin Xiao Kuang (11:44)

On-the-ground voices:
Residents expressed confusion, anxiety, and frustration over the slow containment response and possible health risks.

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4. Afghan Women’s Lives Under Taliban Ban

[21:09 – 26:02]

Theme:
Exploration of the devastating effect of the Taliban’s ongoing ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan—five years on.

Personal Stories:

• Young woman in Kabul:

  "Before the ban, my parents passionately encouraged me to study... But now they say the best way for me is to get married because I can't go to school, to university. I can't even work. I feel like I'm burning in hell." (22:28)

• Mother in Kabul with two daughters:

  "I was fearful that the Taliban will question why I'm not getting her married... I wanted my girls to learn. But here in Afghanistan, it's over for us." (23:22 – 23:35)

Interview with Taliban Deputy Spokesman:

• Offered no substantive answers, deflecting questions to the Ministry of Education and reiterating women’s rights under “Islamic law.”

"This question is for the Ministry of Education." (25:23)
"Islamic Emirate is committed to granting women their rights according to Islamic law." (25:39)

BBC Assessment:
Taliban responses remain vague with no timeline for reopening girls’ education; growing sense among Afghan women that their dreams for education and independence are lost under the current regime.

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5. Enhanced Games: Legalized Doping in Sports

[26:02 – 30:05]

Theme:
Coverage of the debut “Enhanced Games” in Las Vegas, an event where athletes are allowed—indeed, encouraged—to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Key Features:

• Around 40 athletes compete, many openly using testosterone, growth hormone, peptides, and steroids.
• Medical supervision is provided and athletes receive significant financial rewards:
  • Up to $25 million in prize money
  • $250,000 for winning some events
  • $1 million for breaking a world record (though these records aren’t recognized)
• Organizers argue open doping merely exposes a reality long hidden in elite sport.

"Think of everything that's banned in the Olympics and anything that's banned by the World Anti Doping Agency, but that's approved by the FDA and that's what they're on." — Shaima Khalil, BBC correspondent (26:54)

• Sports federations and anti-doping officials criticize the event as an affront to fair play.

"The Olympics have failed to do something substantial about doping in elite sport. They're just bringing it out in the open." — Athlete perspective via Shaima Khalil (28:43)

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6. US-Iran Negotiations and Regional Fallout

[14:29 – 20:04]

Theme:
Updates on a possible US-Iran agreement and its implications for regional stability and US domestic politics.

Key Details:

• President Trump instructs negotiators “not to rush,” keeping expectations low despite earlier optimism.
• Key issues pending: Iran’s nuclear ambitions, control of Strait of Hormuz, and release of Iranian assets.

Republican Response:

• Senior party figures criticize potential deal, fearing it would strengthen Iran and hurt Israel.

"Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury will be for naught." — Senator Roger Wicker (16:19)

Iranian Perspective:

"Iran is refusing to relinquish its claim... to management of the Strait of Hormuz. And the Americans are refusing to entertain the idea of releasing Iran's assets before... the end of the line in 60 days." — Khasra Naji (18:25)

Violence Continues in Lebanon:

• Despite talks, Israeli strikes persist; over 3,100 killed in subsequent fighting. Iran insists ceasefire must include Lebanon, but Israel keeps military options open.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ebola crisis:

  "Funding has been a very big challenge in the fight against this virus." — Thomas Nardi (05:13)

• Gaza flotilla:

  "If this happens to... 500 ordinary citizens... what will happen to Palestinians who don't have that visibility every day?" — Juliet Lamont (07:46)

• Afghanistan’s ban on education:

  "I feel like I'm burning in hell." — anonymous Afghan woman (22:47)

• Enhanced Games:

  "Think of everything that's banned in the Olympics and anything that's banned by the World Anti Doping Agency, but that's approved by the FDA and that's what they're on." — Shaima Khalil (26:54)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:24] – Ebola outbreak: regional response
• [05:52] – Gaza flotilla raid: activist testimony and IDF response
• [10:35] – California chemical leak
• [14:29] – US-Iran negotiations, Republican backlash
• [21:09] – Afghanistan: women’s education ban
• [26:02] – Enhanced Games in Las Vegas

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Overall Tone

Throughout the episode, the podcast maintains a serious, urgent, and empathetic tone, especially when addressing humanitarian and public health crises. The style is factual and analytical, featuring powerful first-hand accounts and expert analysis, amplifying often-overlooked perspectives.

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Note: This summary omits sponsor messages and advertisements, focusing strictly on substantive discussions and news reporting.

Transcript

[Host/Interviewer]

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[Podcast Sponsor Announcer]

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[Charlotte Gallagher]

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Charlotte Gallagher and in the early hours of Monday, 25th May, these are our main stories. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan adopt a joint plan to counter the spread of Ebola across the region and President Trump tells US negotiators not to rush into a deal with Iran, despite earlier suggestions an agreement had largely been reached. Also in this podcast it was horrific,

[Juliet Lamont]

you know, on all levels.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The story of an activist on the Gaza flotilla raided by Israeli forces and its elite sports ultimate taboo.

[Shaima Khalil]

Think of everything that's banned in the Olympics and anything that's banned by the World Anti Doping Agency, but that's approved by the FDA and that's what they're on.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

We go to the Enhanced Games, literally the Olympics on steroids. African countries are working together to try and stop the current Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo from turning into a wider continental crisis. There have now been more than 200 deaths and 900 suspected cases as the disease spreads through conflict, hit region with weak health systems. Our correspondent Thomas Nardi told me more

[Thomas Nardi]

In Kampala, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda itself and then South Sudan decided to adopt a joint plan and it's basically to counter the spread of the Ebola virus across the region. What they are doing is they are trying to increase border monitoring, improve protection for frontline workers, and then also expand capacity. And we've seen that the number have started increasing. The WHO announced on Sunday that the number of suspected cases have risen to over 900 and then 101 confirmed cases. And this is as a result of improved testing, tracking and then surveillance in the affected regions. But I think the health ministers in the three countries did express concern about the fact that trade and then also conflict in the region co worsen the ongoing outbreak in the DRC and in

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Uganda, unfortunately, where the outbreak has centered, particularly in the drc, It's a very fragile area in terms of regional conflict and also a very fragile health system.

[Thomas Nardi]

Certainly the outbreak remains active in three provinces. In the drc we have the Ituri province where commercial flights have now been suspended. In the capital Bunya, we also have North Kivu and Saf Kivu. And then we know that the virus has also spread to rebel controlled territories, which is quite difficult for health authorities to get to in order to contain the spread. And sometimes in very remote areas where health facilities are non existent or they are poor health infrastructure in those particular areas. So it's really very difficult for the authorities to kind of control or prevent the spread of the virus. And we know that this particular strain has no proven vaccine or treatments.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And are these countries getting enough support from other parts of Africa and also from the international community as well?

[Thomas Nardi]

Funding has been a very big challenge in the fight against this virus. Africa CDC on Saturday said that they needed about $300 million to contain the spread. And so far is the Gates foundation, which has announced an initial $50 million in emergency funding to support the Ebola response in the DRC. And we know that the UN has also allocated about $60 million to support the fight against the virus. So funding remains a very big challenge. You need money to be able to support frontline health workers who are trying very hard to ensure that they contain the spread of the virus.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Thomas Nardi. There was outrage earlier this month when video emerged of Israel's Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir taunting activists as they kneeled with their hands tied and their heads on the ground. More than 400 of them from countries around the world had been detained after the flotilla they were on carrying aid to Gaza was boarded by Israeli forces. Now some of the activists have made serious allegations about their treatment at the hands of the Israelis, including in some cases, sexual assault. One activist spoke to James Kumarasami about her experience. Her name is Juliet Lamont and warning, you may find some of the details in this interview distressing.

[Juliet Lamont]

It was horrific, you know, on all levels, psychologically and physically. I don't think I've ever experienced something as, yeah, awful on all levels. But, you know, we got out at the end of it. I was sexually assaulted three times from when they intercepted our boat in international waters. So it's, it's outrageous the way that they treated us.

[Host/Interviewer]

What, what are you comfortable telling us about?

[Shaima Khalil]

What, what exactly happened to you?

[Juliet Lamont]

You know, firstly, when I was taken off the, the boat, I was handcuffed behind my back and my legs were shackled and I was stood on and my ribs were broken, my coccyx was broken from a kick to the back. They kept sort of pouring water onto my face so that I thought I was going to drown. Then I was taken into a shipping container that was really dark with five men in it and I was bashed and my pants were pulled down and I was digitally raped by the men. They smashed me in the face so that when I was sort of spat out of that container into a communal area, open air area where the rest of us were, my face was bleeding. Yeah, it was like some kind of realm of, you know, Dante's, you know, hell purgatory. And you know, and it makes you think that if this happens to, you know, 500 ordinary citizens who are acting on, you know, the behalf of the world, then what will happen to Palestinians who don't have that visibility every day? It's just, it really needs to end and our global leaders need to act.

[Host/Interviewer]

Can you just tell us, I mean, were they talking to you? What did they say, the people that you were dealing with there?

[Juliet Lamont]

I mean, there's this, you know, they humiliate you and they go, you know, what are you doing in Israel? Go back to where you came from. And you're constantly told that the level of violence will increase if you do anything. So, you know, you become a shell of yourself and you know, you start taking the orders. You're in stress positions so you've got

[Host/Interviewer]

to some broken ribs, broken coccyx. How are you getting about?

[Juliet Lamont]

Really painfully with lots and lots of codeine. But when we were, the Turkish government gave us flights out of Israel. We were immediately taken to hospitals, our testimonies were taken. And when we get back to Australia in 24 hours, I will then go to another hospital and go through the same thing just to make sure everything's been documented.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, I was going to ask you legally, what are your intentions?

[Juliet Lamont]

Every delegation from each country will get a case together to hopefully press charges.

[Host/Interviewer]

Are you in a position to identify your assailants?

[Juliet Lamont]

No. Because they wear balaclavas.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Yeah.

[Juliet Lamont]

And big men. I'm five foot. I'm five foot. I'M a blonde, five foot, 55 year old woman.

[Host/Interviewer]

But they didn't identify themselves in any way at all?

[Juliet Lamont]

No, no, they just humiliated us, insulted us, you know, used our bodies as sort of punching bags.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Well, we asked the Israel Defense Forces for a response to the allegations. They sent us this statement which has been voiced up by a BBC producer.

[IDF Statement Voiceover]

The IDF rejects allegations of abuse by IDF soldiers during the operations to protect the legal naval security blockade. IDF orders require respectful and appropriate treatment of flotilla participants on the intercepted vessels. And there are clear and established procedures in this regard. No specific incidents of deviation from these binding procedures are known within the idf. Any concrete complaints submitted to the IDF on the matter will be examined thoroughly. The maritime area adjacent to Gaza is subject to a naval blockade imposed for security reasons in accordance with international law aimed at preventing smuggling and terrorist activity that endanger the security of the State of Israel and its civilians. The legality of the blockade and its enforcement in accordance with international law have also been recognized by a special committee established by the United nations for this purpose. The idf, which enforces the lawful naval blockade. Intercepted vessels attempting to violate the blockade using recognized and lawful means in accordance with international law.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Next, in the US The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as crews race to prevent a toxic chemical leak at a manufacturing facility in Orange County. Officials were initially preparing for two scenarios. The chemical tank ruptures and spills or it blows up. But there may now be a air thin third option. Here's Orange county's fire chief, TJ McGovern.

[Host/Interviewer]

Our firefighters went in and they were able to visualize the tank. What they found was a potential crack in the tank which could potentially be relieving some of the pressure in there. With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

But with the worst case scenario still in mind, emergency workers are trying to cool the overheating tank. The County Health Officer, Dr. Regina Chin Xiao Kuang, said anyone who notices a fruity and heavy smell should alert authorities.

[Shaima Khalil]

So in this situation, our biggest concern

[Charlotte Gallagher]

is when this chemical reacts and the temperatures rise, it can cause a vapor.

[Shaima Khalil]

If that vapor goes into the air and people inhale that, it causes significant damage. No matter what happens with the situation,

[Charlotte Gallagher]

whether the polymer just leaks out and

[Shaima Khalil]

then just hardens or if it does explode and there is a vapor, you are all safe as long as you are out of the zone that was determined to be an evacuation zone.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Around 50,000 people remain under evacuation orders in the Garden Grove suburb of Los Angeles, but local shelters are running out of space.

[Host/Interviewer]

You know how like when people go out drinking they like bar hop? For the last 24 hours I've been like evacuation site hopping.

[Thomas Nardi]

I've worked in refineries my entire life

[Charlotte Gallagher]

so I know the danger of the

[Thomas Nardi]

chemicals that they're talking about.

[Host/Interviewer]

What I don't understand is why they

[Thomas Nardi]

haven't been able to contain this.

[Shaima Khalil]

I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen and I don't know if anything that already is in the air is going to affect us.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The unknown is really scary. Still to come in this podcast, the BBC reports from inside Afghanistan.

[Juliet Lamont]

Before the ban, my parents passionately encouraged me to study, but now they say the best way for me is to get married.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

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[Charlotte Gallagher]

This is the global news podcast Donald Trump has lashed out at critics of his negotiations with Iran, calling them losers. But several senior Republicans fear that unconfirmed reports of a possible 60 day ceasefire would strengthen Iran's influence in the region and undermine Israel. Earlier on Sunday, President Trump said both sides must take their time, saying the US's blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place until an agreement is reached. 24 hours ago, it had seemed that a US deal with Iran was edging closer. Here's our North America correspondent, Peter Bose.

[Host/Interviewer]

The impression yesterday was given that the deal was imminent, but honestly, I don't think it was. The precise words of the president, largely negotiated and still to be finalized. And really that is still the situation. In fact, the president, Donald Trump, seems to be a little bit more cautious now, saying that he's told his negotiators not to rush into a deal and that time is on the US's side. He's been quite complimentary about Iran in some of the language that he's been using, but I think he's trying to lower expectations that a deal is indeed imminent. I think some sort of agreement is in the works. We might hear about it in the coming days, but I think that will just be the beginning, potentially the beginning of the end of this conflict. It seems as if there is still quite a lot to negotiate, and especially those issues at the heart of the matter, whether Iran will ever get a nuclear weapon and some of those other really difficult points like the Strait of Hormuz, which it seems as if must be open before they can move on to those difficult issues later in the negotiations.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And there's been some backlash from Donald Trump's own party, hasn't there?

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, I think the reaction has been really interesting from some pretty senior Republicans who generally are very close to Donald Trump. Lindsey Graham saying that he fears that a deal would still leave Iran in a strong position in the region and lead to, as he put it, a nightmare for Israel. Some very strong words from Senator Ron Roger Wicker, who's the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He warned that the rumored 60 day ceasefire with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith, he said, would be a disaster. And he added, everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury will be for naught. And just one more. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, again generally very close to the president, said he was deeply concerned by the reports that he's hearing about this emerging deal.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And with the midterms on the horizon, how do you think President Trump is going to sell this to the American public? Are they going to be asking, well, what has this war achieved?

[Host/Interviewer]

That's going to be one of the questions. I think we still need to see the detail of what he will be selling to the American public. I think the first thing that Americans want to notice is that petrol prices are coming down. That can't happen until the Strait of Hormuz completely and freely open to shipping crude oil prices come down. All of that is going to take some time. So I think that's going to be the first issue that Americans will judge progress on. But then there'll be those questions about whether this war should have been fought in the first place and whether ultimately it has achieved anything over what President Obama achieved a few years ago. And there's been much debate comparing that deal with potentially what this President Donald Trump could be about to achieve.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

As you heard from Peter there, the US And Iran haven't reached any agreement about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said that would form part of later discussions. We got more from Khasra Naji from BBC Persian.

[Khasra Naji]

The only thing solid that we have heard is from Iran's President Masoud Pezechyan. He repeated again that Iran was not after a nuclear weapon, wanting to reassure the world. Beyond that, nothing really. But hardline newspapers and news agencies in Iran are making a lot of noise saying that what Trump says is not the reality of the talks or the agreement that so far has been reached. And they are referring to two things. One is the Strait of Hormuz. The other is the release of Iran's frozen assets. I get the impression that's the sticking point in a sense, that Iran is refusing to relinquish its claim and its claim to management of the Strait of Hormuz. And the Americans are refusing to entertain the idea of releasing Iran's assets before the whole negotiations got through and they've got to the end of the line in 60 days time. So that's where we're still at.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

While speculation mounts that the US And Iran may be close to some kind of peace deal, there's been no let up in the violence in Lebanon. Israel's military has continued to hit what it says are Hezbollah targets in the south and east of the country. Despite Iran's insistence that any agreement must include a meaningful ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel is making it clear it reserves the right to take military action beyond its northern border. Our correspondent John Sudworth is in Beirut.

[John Sudworth]

The Lebanese have long earned the right to be skeptical about talk of peace deals and ceasefires, even as hope raise that the US And Iran may be getting closer to an agreement with the promise. It may also include an end to hostilities in Lebanon. The violence is continuing with more Israeli strikes on villages in the south in a weekend of violence that included the deaths of six medics. The war reignited in March after the US launched its strikes on Iran and Iran's proxy militant force in Lebanon, Hezbollah, began firing rockets at Israel. More than 3,100 people have been killed in Israel's subsequent bombardments and ground invasion, hundreds of them since a temporary ceasefire was announced last month. Iran says any deal with the US must also include peace in Lebanon. But with some senior Israeli politicians warning that a ceasefire would be acquiescence, the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is stressing Israel's right to continue to defend itself against all threats.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

John Sudworth it's been almost five years since the Taliban stopped girls over the age of 12 going to school in Afghanistan, and there's no sign the ban will be lifted in the future. Activists on the ground say it's led to an increase in forced and underage marriages. Our correspondent Yogurt Alemi has been speaking to women inside Afghanistan. Their identities have been hidden and their voices changed due to fear of reprisal from the Taliban.

[Yogita Alemi]

Driving through Kabul, we pass a school. The walls that flank its gates read, knowledge is power, knowledge is light. But that power has been taken from the women of this country for the past five years. One of the things we've noticed over the years is that it's getting harder and harder to find Afghan women and girls who are willing to speak to us because of the environment of fear that persists. But incredibly, there are still people who want the world to hear their voices. We're on our way now to meet a young woman who's travelled hundreds of miles from her home province to the city of Kabul. She's taking English lessons and she's trying every way possible to keep some form of education going.

[Juliet Lamont]

Before the ban, my parents passionately encouraged me to study. They believed in me and told me I can definitely achieve my dream of becoming a pilot. But now they say the best way for me is to get married because I can't go to school, to university. I can't even work. I feel like I'm burning in hell.

[Yogita Alemi]

We've just traveled to an area in the west of Kabul to meet a family. We meet an elderly mother with two daughters. She worked as a cleaner to put her girls through school. But when the Taliban banned education, she pushed her elder daughter to get married. She explains why with tears welling up in her eyes. I was fearful that the Taliban will

[Charlotte Gallagher]

question why I'm not getting her married.

[Yogita Alemi]

I had wanted her to be educated, work and contribute to society.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

I'm illiterate, so I'm like a blind

[Yogita Alemi]

person, but I wanted my girls to learn.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

But here in Afghanistan, it's over for us.

[Yogita Alemi]

Her elder daughter now has two children, an infant and a toddler, both girls. Having a husband is not the only dream a woman has. She needs to stand on her own two feet first, become independent, and then

[Juliet Lamont]

she can marry and start a family.

[Thomas Nardi]

But I went into this new life

[Charlotte Gallagher]

with none of that. My dreams remain unfulfilled.

[Yogita Alemi]

We've come to the Government Media and Information Centre in central Kabul to interview the Taliban government's deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrath. We've been here before in this building, and one of the things about this interview and the way it's done, especially for television and video, is that that we can't be pictured in the same frame. And he also wants it across from me because I'm a woman. But there is no editorial interference. We are free to ask whatever questions we want and we're just waiting for him to arrive.

[Host/Interviewer]

Hello.

[Yogita Alemi]

Hello. Welcome. It's now been more than four and a half years you've been in government. How can you continue to justify this ban on education on girls and women?

[Host/Interviewer]

The restriction on education beyond grade six is a separate issue. When secondary and higher education for girls will be opened is a question for the Ministry of Education. And hopefully they will provide a satisfactory response.

[Yogita Alemi]

For nearly five years now, we have been speaking to women and girls in your country. At the very beginning, they used to tell us maybe it will open in a few years. Now they tell us they do not believe that their education will be reopened under your watch. Is that true? Do you recognize that a whole generation of women, their lives, their dreams, they're already over.

[Host/Interviewer]

As I have already said, this question is for the Ministry of Education.

[Yogita Alemi]

You won't allow there to be female doctors, female nurses, female midwives. That is affecting. It's not just about the right to education there. It is about the right to health. It's about their right to a life.

[Host/Interviewer]

Islamic Emirate is committed to granting women their rights according to Islamic law.

[Yogita Alemi]

Over the past four and a half years, whenever we've questioned Taliban officials about women's education, we've heard similar responses. They've either been vague, no specific timeline, or there's been outright deflection. We have asked the Education Ministry for a response. We have not received one.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Yogita Lamai. A highly controversial new sporting event has got underway in Las Vegas. It's called the Enhanced Games because the athletes will be allowed to use performance enhancing drugs like steroids. Around 40 athletes are competing, risking their Reputations and perhaps even their health for big cash prizes. Sprinter Reese Prescod is one of those taking part.

[Podcast Sponsor Announcer]

Let's say I was in England, for example, and people ask about the Enhanced Games. Everyone's a bit like, there's always a bit of, like a side eye towards it, if that makes sense. Whereas, like, we trained in the Middle East. People ask me, oh, what's like Enhanced Games? Like, they're like, oh, this is really good. This sounds really exciting. Is it like peptides? What is it? They're really big on it. And then you come to America, like, America here you tell everyone you're competing in House Games. They're like, right on. Like, they absolutely love it.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Our correspondent Shaima Khalil is in Las Vegas.

[Shaima Khalil]

Think of everything that's banned in the Olympics and anything that's banned by the World Anti Doping Agency, but that's approved by the fda and that's what they're on. So testosterone, growth hormone, peptides, steroids, stimulants. These are the things that these athletes here are not only allowed to take, they're encouraged to take under medical supervision. I'm surrounded by giant screens, booming music, as you can hear cheering crowds. And on the face of it, athletes are, you know, promising speeds, they're promising strength, and it looks, looks like, you know, a big sporting event. And in a way it is. But it's, of course, very different because this is an event that allows its athletes to use performance enhancing drugs. It's promising them huge, huge money, $25 million in prize money. All in all, we've just seen a couple of swimming races where two athletes, one of them actually competing clean, won $250,000, a quarter of a million dollars for, for winning the event. But also, if you break a world record, you're, you're promised a million dollars. Of course, the, the, these records will not count when it comes to, you know, Global Aquatics Federation or Athletics Federation, because not only do they dismiss the Games, they condemn the Games because they say that it goes against everything that fair play and elite sport is about. But when you speak to organizers here, when you think, when you speak to athletes here, they say doping has always been around in elite sport. They're just bringing it out in the open. And one thing that all athletes have told me is that they're being rewarded very handsomely, much, much more than they have during their Olympic careers.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

And do these athletes, do they look like normal athletes or can you tell that perhaps they're on steroids or something like that?

[Shaima Khalil]

That's really? That's really interesting. I think. I think some of them, you. You can really tell because there are before and after pictures. So there was a really, really famous picture that went viral of the Australian swimmer, one of the very first athletes that signed on to be the face of. Of the Enhanced Games, if you will. And you see his before picture before being enhanced and his after picture just completely buffed, you know, just. He's gained a completely different upper body. And when you see him in real life, you can just see what he's, you know, what he's been doing. Interestingly, though, I've been asking them, what regiment are they on? What have. What have they been taking? Because, you know, I said, look, you say that you're out in the. We are out in the open. What do you. What. Tell us what you're on. And they wouldn't share their. Their protocol, as they call it, but they say that they're under medical supervision. And they also keep saying that the Olympics have failed to do something substantial about doping in an elite sport. And when I put that to the US Anti Doping Agency CEO, he said, look, yes, there are failures in the system, but the answer is not to dope, it's to reform the system and make sure that the integrity of fair play is consistent.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

That was Shaima Khalil in Las Vegas. 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 XBC World Service. Don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Chris Hansen and the producer was Paddy Maguire. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Charlotte Gallagher. Until next time. Goodbye. This summer, don't squeeze in. Spread out. Find homes big enough for your whole guest list on vrbo. From family reunions to trips with friends, vrbo has spacious summer stays for every group size and budget. That's vacation rentals done. Right, start exploring on VRBO and book your next day now.