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Global News Podcast
Australian PM Albanese makes stunning comeback with landslide win
00:33:34
The opposition leader acknowledged his opponents had won a historic victory
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- [00:00]
Simon Jack
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.
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Zing Singh
I'm Zing Singh.
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Simon Jack
And I'm Simon Jack.
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Zing Singh
And together we host Good Bad Billionaire.
- [00:11]
Simon Jack
The podcast exploring the lives of some of the world's richest people.
- [00:14]
Zing Singh
In the new season, we're setting our sights on some big names.
- [00:17]
Simon Jack
Yep, LeBron James and Martha Stewart, to name just a few.
- [00:20]
Zing Singh
And as always, Simon and I are trying to decide whether we think they're good, bad or just another billionaire.
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Simon Jack
That's good. Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service.
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Zing Singh
Listen now wherever you get your BBC podcasts. This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janet Jalil and in the early hours of Sunday, the 4th of May, these are our main stories. Australia's governing Labour Party has won an increased majority in a general election which was upended by Donald Trump's policy on tariffs. The medical charity MSF has condemned a deadly attack on one of its hospitals in South Sudan as fear of a return to civil war there. Warren Buffett, one of the world's most influential investors, has surprised shareholders by announcing he'll retire by the end of the year. Also in this podcast, three women and.
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Simon Jack
A child, their socks soaked with the water swamping literally at their feet below and the slathering mouths of several alligators looking at them. Hungry alligators.
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Zing Singh
How five people whose plane crashed in alligator infested waters in the Amazon managed to survive just days after Canada's general election resulted in a left leaning leader making an unexpected comeback because of fears about President Trump's tariffs. The same has, it seems, happened in Australia. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was returned to power with his Labour Party expanding its majority majority despite opinion polls at the start of the year showing it trailing the Liberal National Coalition. The Conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton, who had been compared to Donald Trump, lost the seat that he's held for more than two decades. He said he accepted full responsibility for the defeat. Our Australia correspondent, Katie Watson sent this report from the Labour election party headquarters in Sydney.
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Simon Jack
There was celebration, relief and some disbelief too among Labour supporters that this win was called so quickly. This is beyond belief. It's so exciting. Euphoric. The beer tastes better. Since we're winning, I'm delighted. It's fantastic. I can't believe you've done so well.
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Zing Singh
In the crowd, there were plenty of cheers on stage.
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Simon Jack
There were even a few tears as Anthony Albanese spoke to his supporters. Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future and to serve these values. Seize these opportunities and build that better and stronger future. Australians have chosen a majority labor government.
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Zing Singh
This is quite the turnaround for Anthony.
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Simon Jack
Albanese going into these elections. It was a tight race, but Donald Trump changed that just a few days after he had a similar effect on Canada's elections. Here in Australia, voters opted for an incumbent, a familiar face in an uncertain world. Attempts by the leader of the opposition coalition, Peter Dutton, to take from the Trump playbook, such as forcing public servants to stop working from home, didn't work out and he lost his seat in Queensland. Now, we didn't do well enough during.
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Zing Singh
This campaign, that much is obvious and.
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Simon Jack
I accept full responsibility for that. Earlier on, I called the Prime Minister.
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Zing Singh
To congratulate him on his success.
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Simon Jack
It's an historic occasion for the Labor.
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Zing Singh
Party and we recognise that Australia's Labour.
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Simon Jack
Party has won a major victory. Anthony Albanese has promised to lead the country through global tumult. But now the hard work of delivery begins.
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Zing Singh
Katie Watson reporting. The medical charity Medecine Sans Frontier has described a deadly attack on one of its hospitals in South Sudan as horrific. A spokesperson for MSF in the town of Old Fangak said helicopter gunships carried out the bombing, which reportedly killed at least seven people and wounded 20 others. Witnesses have blamed the South Sudanese military. It has not commented. I heard more from our Africa regional editor, Will Ross.
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Simon Jack
The MSF organization has spoken of helicopter gunships dropping a bomb on this pharmacy in Old Fangak town and then firing on the town itself for about 30 minutes. And then there was a lull and then a drone struck the market in the same town. So obviously MSF is outraged at this and the targeting of a pharmacy. But it's interesting that just hours earlier that the head of South Sudan's army, a man called Paul Majok Nang, he had promised that there would be punitive strikes after several barges on a river. This same state, Jongle State, had been hijacked and he blamed those attacks on. On a militia that's linked to the vice president, Riak Mashar. So it is all part of this feud between President Salva Kiir and his deputy, Riak Machar, who's currently under house arrest. But just hours between the promise of these punitive strikes by the head of the army and this particular town being hit, and the pharmacy, as you say, the hospital serving tens of thousands of people, and that the whole of South Sudan is dead, desperately in need of. Of stability so that things like health care can improve.
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Zing Singh
And we've already got civil war in neighboring Sudan and now there are fears that there could also be civil war in South Sudan.
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Simon Jack
Yeah, I mean, you could, you can say that the 2018 peace deal that ended a civil war in South Sudan has basically collapsed. You've got these two sides now that are really at war. The fear is that it's going to grow into a wider civil war. You're talking about many, many thousands of people who are armed. And these two characters, President Salvakir and Vice President Riak Masha, are from the two largest ethnic groups. And the UN's been warning that misinformation and hate speech has been fueling the political and ethnic tensions in the, in the country. And there's just a fear of this going back to a full blown civil war. And the last one, you know, left more than 2 million displaced and 400,000 people dead.
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Zing Singh
Will Ross, the world's most famous and arguably most successful investor, Warren Buffett, has announced he plans to step down as the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway by the end of the year. Mr. Buffett, who's 94 years old, has built up the company over the past six decades into a financial juggernaut, which is now worth well over a trillion dollars. He's also been a fierce critic of Donald Trump's tariffs policy. Despite his advanced. Mr. Buffett's decision came as a surprise to shareholders. He's named his vice chairman, Greg Abel, as his successor. Celia Hatton asked Stephen Foley, US Accounting editor for the Financial Times, how Warren Buffett had made his fortune and why he's such an iconic figure.
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Simon Jack
There's never been anyone like Warren Buffett, and it's hard to believe there'll ever be anyone like Warren Buffett again. He's been investing since very, very early in his Life. In his 20s, he was investing in a st portfolio. He bought Berkshire hathaway in his 30s. And he's made just extraordinary amounts of money for all of those who've invested alongside him. It's why tens of thousands of people go every year to Omaha, Nebraska, to the annual shareholder meeting of Berkshire Hathaway to ask him questions about everything from how to invest, how to lead a good life to the global economy. There's so many such a broad range of questions come up at this, at this meeting. And he's got such an extraordinary legacy of people who've learned investing from his annual letters to shareholders over the past 60 years. And so did his retirement announcement really.
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Zing Singh
Come as a huge surprise?
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Simon Jack
Well, it did to me. I was just looking back at a piece that I wrote back 15 years ago where he said, I plan to work past 100. So, yes, retiring at the young age of 94 is a surprise. And he did wait till the very end of his marathon meeting today to spring it on everyone. Okay, so he's an unusual figure in many respects.
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Zing Singh
He lived, he still lives quite simply, doesn't he?
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Simon Jack
Oh, absolutely none of the trappings of the rest of the billionaire class you see flitting around the world or, or well, on our TV screens now. He still lives in the, the house that he bought in 1958. And he's, he's still got that folksy charm. It's one of, one of the reasons that, that he's been able to educate people in the way it did. He has, he's a, he's a funny man, a humble man, no ego. And yet he is able, extraordinary influence in the capital markets.
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Zing Singh
And so what do you think has.
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Simon Jack
Driven him for so long? He hasn't done it for the money, has he?
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Zing Singh
Or what's his goal here?
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Simon Jack
Well, he does like to win. He also says that he's had this business gene since he was seven years old and read a book about how to make $1,000. This is just in his genetic makeup. And he has thoroughly enjoyed going to work every single day for the past 60 of Berkshire Hathaway. I think part of the mood changed, I think 18 months ago when his longtime vice chair, Charlie Munger passed away at the age of 99. And we have been talking in a different tone since then about when there might be a changing of the guard at Berkshire. What do you think that he's going to go on to do? How might he spend his retirement? Well, he certainly promised not to sell a share of Berkshire. He's promised Greg Abell, who will take over from him as chief executive at the end of the year if the board agrees. He's promised that he will be around to give advice. He promises he'll be able to pop into the office and give that advice if it's needed. But he also has a lot of money to give away, too, and he has quite a legacy in philanthropy.
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Zing Singh
Stephen Foley of the Financial Times Gaza's Hamas run civil Defense Agency says 11 people have been killed by Israeli strikes on a refugee camp in the southern city of Khan Younis. Three of those who died were said to be babies. The IDF hasn't commented on this latest attack, but previously said it was escalating operations in Gaza to put pressure on Hamas to release all the remaining hostages in the territory. Meanwhile, it's announced further Demolitions in the occupied west bank as part of its operations against Palestinian armed groups. Since January, some 40,000 people have been forcibly evicted from their homes in three refugee camps which are now blockaded by Israeli troops. Emer Nader reports from one of them. Jenin.
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Simon Jack
It's been three months since Jumal was forced out of his home. He's one of thousands of Palestinians from Jenin refugee camp in the west bank who don't know when or if the Israeli military will let them return there. There is my house. The house is less than a kilometer away. But Jummah has only been allowed one brief visit. My house was standing when I last saw it. I went to bring my UN8 card. Now he has no idea how much of his home remains. I can see so much destruction and damage in the camp. A lot of destruction and demolition in the west bank. Refugee camps home to Palestinians displaced from Israel have become the base of militias who say they're fighting Israeli occupation. Israel calls them terrorists and in January stepped up its campaign against them, entering the camps and forcing out residents before beginning a wave of building demolitions. Here's Mohammad Jarrar, the mayor of Jenin. There are big challenges in terms of providing services to citizens. As everyone knows, the infrastructure in Jenin camp has been totally demolished. Israel's goal is to try to make Jenin camp totally unfit to live in. And I am telling you it has now become completely unlivable. Israel says the demolitions are necessary for its counterterrorism operations, improving military movement through the camps, but doesn't confirm which buildings it's destroyed. In March, Israel issued a map of over 90 buildings it said it would demolish in Jenin camp. Jumaz appeared to be among them. Using satellite imagery, we've identified that at least 33 of those buildings have been destroyed, including Jummahs. The UN says it estimates that Israel has demolished 200 buildings housing 600 apartments in Jenin camp alone. Now living in temporary accommodation, Jummah is indignant about losing his home. Why did they diminish my house? I want to know. I want the Israeli army to give me justification. I had no links to militants. I am a peaceful person. Juma, like thousands of other Palestinians in the west bank, now doesn't know where he will live next. Without compensation and with few of his life's belongings. I am only looking to live in peace and freedom. That's it. I swear. I am so sick of it all. We have had enough.
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Zing Singh
Displaced Palestinian resident Juma ending that report by Emir Nader. Journalists around the World marked World Press Freedom Day on Saturday. The aim is to support colleagues and pay tribute to those killed in the line of duty. It was started by the UN General General assembly in 1993 to remind governments of their commitments to press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists says 2024 was the deadliest for journalists, with 124 media workers killed, nearly two thirds of them Palestinians killed by the Israeli army. Kasha Madeira spoke to Sasha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International uk, who reflected on the importance of World Press Freedom Day.
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Simon Jack
Sadly, a day when we record the worst ever numbers of journalists killed. But we're also, I'm sad to say, seeing around the world an increasing rise in authoritarianism. Targeting the press and targeting press freedom so often is one of the earliest signs of an increase in authoritarianism that targets wider human rights and freedoms as well. I mentioned that one of the difficult areas was what was happening in Gaza. And I know that you've just come back from the occupied West Bank. What was your perception there? Bring us up to date with what you saw yesterday. I returned to London from the occupied west bank and overall, beyond the issues just to facing the press, I was shocked by the speed and deepening movement, trying to kind of change facts on the ground in such a devastating way in that illegal occupation, but focusing specifically on the press in the occupied Palestinian territory. You said in your introduction around two thirds of the number of journalists killed in the last year were in Gaza. We've seen targeting of journalists in Gaza. There's evidence literally for specific targeting, which of course is against international law, but also restrictions on journalists, strong restrictions on foreign access, denying electricity, other kind of key methods that journalists need to be able to do their work. In the west bank, where I just was. Just two days ago, Ali Al Samoudi was arrested. He was someone who'd worked closely with Shireen Abu Akhli, who was killed in 2022 covering an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the west bank. And that arrest two days ago, there's still no evidence that's been produced for the accusations that the Israeli ministry has made. So. So, yes, Gaza is an appalling situation, but also in the west bank, we're increasingly seeing that targeting of journalists, that targeting of free speech as part of the illegal occupation, and increasing authoritarian action supporting that occupation. Now, Sasha, you know that Israeli government will refute the accusation that they target journalists. Obviously this is what you saw yourself, but you touched upon this becoming an issue globally around the world as governments become more authoritarian. What is your concern ultimately when it comes to the direction of travel, for journalists simply trying to do their job, press freedom is absolutely critical to democracy. Press freedom is absolutely critical to the protection of human rights. The targeting of the press is very often one of the first methods for an increase in authoritarianism. I think one of the things that alarms me, looking back on the last year, is breadth and depth across the world of increased targeting of the press, but also in locations where really, I think even if you thought a year ago, you would have been surprised at what's happened. Let's just think about the actions of President Trump in the first hundred days or so. We've seen media outlets threatened with lawsuits. We've seen preferential selection of journalists to cover the White House and to cover activities. And we've seen public calls for journalists to be fired. Just as one example, Eugene Robinson, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the Washington Post, who wrote a critical editorial of the Trump administration, but a very reasoned critical editorial, just doing his job, faces a public call for his firing from the President of the United States.
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Zing Singh
Sasha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International uk Still to come, what it shows.
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Simon Jack
Is Donald Trump sitting on a golden throne wearing what you would describe as white clerical robes and a mitre.
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Zing Singh
The White House posts an AI generated image of Donald Trump dressed up as a pope just days after the death of Pope Francis. I'm Zing Singh.
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Simon Jack
And I'm Simon Jack.
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Zing Singh
And together we host Good Bad Billionaire.
- [19:36]
Simon Jack
The podcast exploring the lives of some of the world's richest people.
- [19:39]
Zing Singh
In the new season, we're setting our sights on some big names.
- [19:42]
Simon Jack
Yep, LeBron James and Martha Stewart, to name just a few.
- [19:45]
Zing Singh
And as always, Simon and I are trying to decide whether we think they're good, bad or just another billionaire.
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Simon Jack
That's good. Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service.
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Zing Singh
Listen now wherever you get your BBC.
- [19:56]
Simon Jack
Podcasts.
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Zing Singh
You'Re listening to the global news podcast. Ukraine's President Zelensky has urged world leaders to stay away from celebrations in Russia next weekend to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany, saying he can't guarantee their safety. President Putin has declared a three day ceasefire with Ukraine to coincide with the commemorations. But Mr. Zelensky has dismissed this as playing games. Two European leaders who were expected to attend the events in Moscow are reported to have fallen ill. More from our Europe regional editor, Paul Moss.
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Simon Jack
Political leaders from around the world are due to attend the annual May 9 victory parade in Moscow, all of them on good terms with Russia. Now, President Zelensky has told them not to go for their own security. It isn't clear if this was intended as a threat. Ukraine has launched deadly drone strikes on Moscow, but Mr. Zelensky also suggested Russia itself might plant bombs and then try to blame Ukraine. Other leaders are under pressure of a different kind. Serbia's President Vucic was expected at the Moscow parade. He is an ally of Vladimir Putin, but the European Union had warned his attendance would hamper Serbia's chances of ever becoming an EU member. It seems Mr. Vucic may now avoid this dilemma as he's been treated in a military hospital for chest pains. His cardiologist said he wouldn't be able to resume normal duties for several days. Also apparently succumbing to health problems is Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico. He said still to be suffering the consequences of an assassination attempt last year. Slovakia is already in the European Union, and the EU's foreign affairs chief, Kaia Kallis, had said no member state should be sending representatives to the parade. It seems Mr. Fico, too, may avoid making what would inevitably be a controversial choice if he's in hospital at the time.
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Zing Singh
Paul Moss well, the full scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago was a wake up call for much of Europe. It prompted many nations to reassess how much they should spend on defence. Nowhere more so than Poland, which shares borders with both Ukraine and Russia and is now rapidly building what could be the largest military in Europe. And Donald Trump's return to the White House and his lukewarm support for the United States traditional allies has given added urgency to Poland's preparations for possible war. From the Polish city of Wrocaw, Will Vernon sent this report.
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Simon Jack
It's early on a Saturday morning. We're at a military training ground. Ordinary Polish men and women are learning military skills and these courses are going on all over the country every two weeks or so. The military officers who are running this course here tell me this program is essential so that people are ready to defend the country from threats. First and foremost, they say, the threat of invasion by Russia. My name is Captain Adam Shelitzki, coordinator of this project. The time are dangerous right now. We need to be ready. We have military threat from the east. This program is now being expanded. The Polish government wants every adult male in the country to receive some kind of military training.
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Zing Singh
Ukraine is not far away from us, so we have to know what we can do when Russia comes here.
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Simon Jack
Maybe that sense of Poland being threatened has only intensified since Donald Trump returned to the White House. During a visit to Warsaw in February, the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Europe mustn't assume that the US troop presence on the continent will last forever. As a result, some Poles are taking rather extreme precautions. We're in a warehouse in the city of Tarnowski, Gordon. I'm just stepping into the bunker now, which they've mocked up, I guess, in a garage. It's about 9 square meters, made of reinforced steel. Now, the owner of this company, Janusz, tells me that he's seen a huge increase in orders since the election of Donald Trump. What do people tell you who are buying a shelter or they're considering buying. What kind of things are they telling you? They're most afraid of Russia. People don't really believe in Article 5 that NATO would come to defend Poland. People are building the shelters just because they don't know what to expect tomorrow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland aims to build the strongest army in the region. It is very serious. We are spending close to 5% of our GDP on defence. Tomasz Szatkowski is Poland's official representative to NATO and an advisor to the Polish president on defence in case Russians are continuing their aggressive intentions towards Europe. We're going to be the first one and we're going to be the gatekeeper. But the military buildup is that envisaging some point in the future where Poland might have to fight alone as an insidious nation in Europe, our general Staff should possess in their secret lockers operational plans for operations within NATO, smaller coalitions of the will and operations, in case we have to do it on our own. In a recent survey, only 11% of people said they would join the army as volunteers in the event of war. One third said they would flee. Most of the students I asked said they weren't ready to defend Poland. It's very hard to say. I think I'd run. I think the war is very close, but it feels quite far. I guess I just don't really see anything worth dying for here. If the government has any hope of achieving its aim of increasing the size of the Polish army to reach half a million troops, it seems the young people of Poland may yet take a bit of convincing before they're ready to join up.
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Zing Singh
Will Vernon reporting. The British government is to warn all UK companies to treat cybersecurity as an absolute priority after attacks on retailers including Ms. And Harrods. The co op group apologised on Friday after hackers managed to obtain the personal details of customers and staff. A group called Dragonforce has told the BBC it was behind the breach. Here's our cyber correspondent, Joe.
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Simon Jack
Ms. Co Op and Harrods are all victims of a group calling itself Dragon Force. The English speaking gang contacted me, promising to continue their spree and clearly enjoying the chaos they're causing. Police are investigating, but the nature of cybercrime means finding out exactly who they are and where they are will be difficult. Professor Kieran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security center, says piercing through the anonymity of hackers will prove hard. This is a very murky world. There seems to be something unusual about this group. This phrase, Dragon Force that has been used started off as a name for actual malicious code rather than a group of people. And they're claiming to be using this malware and from their conversations with the BBC, seem to be native speakers of English, whereas many of these other criminals are Russian. The hackers wouldn't talk about their ongoing ransomware attack on ms, which has led to all online shopping being suspended and empty shelves in some stores. Nor would they discuss what's happening at Harrods, where offices have been taken offline. But the criminals did share information about their extortion attack on co Op. All staff and potentially 20 million customers have had their private data stolen. The co op has now admitted it's been breached, but says no passwords or bank details were accessed. The firm has issued a full disclosure and apologised for the situation.
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Zing Singh
Joe Tidy. Donald Trump has long lived by the maxim that there's no such thing as bad publicity. But even by his standards, the AI generated image he's posted, first on his personal social media account and then on White House accounts of himself dressed up as pope. Is George dropping, not to mention deeply offensive to the millions of Catholics mourning the recent death of Pope Francis. A man who couldn't have been more different to Mr. Trump as he tried to set an example by living a simple life and championing the cause of migrants. Mr. Trump had already upset some by wearing a blue suit and chewing gum at the Pope's funeral at the Vatican and then joking that he should be the next Pope.
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Simon Jack
I'd like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice. No, I don't know. I have no preference, I must say. We have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who's very good, so we'll see what happens.
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Zing Singh
And criticism of Mr. Trump has only grown louder since he posted the AI generated image. Our World affairs correspondent, Joe Inwood told me more about it.
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Simon Jack
What it shows is Donald Trump sitting on A golden throne, wearing what you would describe as white clerical robes, the outfit you'd associate maybe with the Pope, and a mitre. That's the traditional shaped hat that the Pope would have worn. He's got a gold cross around his neck and he's holding a single finger in the air with a rather pensive look on his face. Essentially, it is an AI generated image of Donald Trump as the Pope. Now, the extraordinary thing about this is it wasn't just that he posted it on his own social media account, but it was then subsequently reposted by the White House official social media account. And I think that is why this post was met not just with outrage, but with disbelief.
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Zing Singh
Donald Trump is arguably the most powerful man in the world, so why would he do something like this? Which diminishes the office of the US President at a time when Catholics are mourning the death of Pope Francis.
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Simon Jack
Yeah, and it is worth pointing out he was at the funeral just seven days ago. I think one of the things that Donald Trump has often tried to do is to use the office not just to exercise power, but also to putting it bluntly, get a rise out of people. He's been described, I mean, by his critics as an Internet troll in the White House. And I think this is probably will be viewed in that same vein. When Donald Trump last Wednesday was asked by reporters who he wanted the next Pope to be, his answer was essentially, me, I'd be a great pope before then saying, not quite in these words, but I'm joking, and actually suggested a cardinal from New York who could be the Pope. So that was a joke. And I think his supporters will see this in the same vein as that, as a joke, something done to rile people to get a rise. I don't think anyone thinks he's really suggesting he could be Pope, but I think, as you say, given coming so closely after the death of Pope Francis, it's being seen as rather offensive.
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Zing Singh
He does have support from conservative Christians in the US over what he's done to diminish abortion rights. And we have the conclave meeting in a few days time. This is likely to backfire, isn't it? If he's hoping that a conservative, perhaps American cardinal could become the next Pope.
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Simon Jack
It certainly is not going to be popular with many of his Catholic supporters. It's worth remembering that 56% of U.S. catholics voted for Donald Trump at the last election. And that's despite the fact he was up against Joe Biden, who was himself a well known Catholic.
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Zing Singh
And he was criticized by Catholics in the US Indeed.
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Simon Jack
But Donald Trump got the majority of the support and I think it will be seen. And of course, his vice president is Catholic as well, the last world leader, we think, to meet the Pope before he died. And so he has a Catholic, a conservative support base. Whether how they will view this, whether they will see it as a joke, they will think it's a mistake. I mean, it's going to depend on each individual's view in terms of the impact it has, I think, on the conclave. I mean, I'd be very surprised if anyone thought that the words of the president of the United States would have an impact on the workings of that conclave. I mean, it's widely said we don't really know how it works. And it doesn't start for a few days. Some may be swayed, but I don't think people really think he's going to be impacting the direction that that would take.
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Zing Singh
JO Inward now to an amazing story of survival. This is the moment a helicopter found five people clinging tightly to each other as they stood in the Amazon river on top of their submerged small plane which had been forced to make an emergency landing in alligator infested waters. The five, the pilot, three women and a child had to stand there for 36 hours with the water lapping their ankles as the alligators prowled around them. Amazingly, all five were brought to safety by the helicopter rescue crew which had been looking for them since they went missing on Friday. It's thought that fuel leaking from the plane may have kept the reptiles at bay. With more details, here's Sean Dilley.
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Simon Jack
The pilot's losing altitude. He's ditched down in the swamp. Somehow. You're alive, you get out, you think it's okay. You climb onto the underbelly of the fuselage with the wheels poking up in the air. I want you to see this picture and you think I'm safe. But they're not. Because poised on this tiny bit of aircraft fuselage, you've got these. A man, three women and a child, their socks soaked with the water swamping literally at their feet below. And the slathering mouths of several alligators looking at them, hungry alligators, as the kerosene drips into the water, potentially actually driving them away. They couldn't move. They couldn't so much as drink because of the alligators. The only food they had was flour, as in the grain, flour to eat upon. So eventually, sort of a day and a half having landed in the swamp, they were spotted by fishing vessels and they raised the alarm, rescue workers came out, brought them to safety. And again, I just wanted you to picture their faces. The exhaustion, the anguish, the fatigue, but also the relief of cheating death not once, but twice.
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Zing Singh
Sean Dilley. And before we go, we have a quick, quick request. We want to hear where you're listening from so we can update our shiny new map. In the office. You can email globalpodcastbc co with your town or city. And while you're there, feel free to leave us a voice note as we love to hear from you. The address again is globalpodcastbc.co.uk and thanks to Patrick from Honolulu, who's already replied. Also Traeger, who listens to the podcast from Yelivara in the Arctic Circle and Maria from Valencia in Spain. This edition was mixed by Darren Garrett. The producer was Liam McSheffrey. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janat Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye. I'm Zing Singh.
- [34:51]
Simon Jack
And I'm Simon Jack.
- [34:52]
Zing Singh
And together we host Good Bad Billionaire.
- [34:54]
Simon Jack
The podcast exploring the lives of some of the world's richest people.
- [34:57]
Zing Singh
In the new season, we're setting our sights on some big names.
- [35:00]
Simon Jack
Yep, LeBron James and Martha Stewart, to name just a few.
- [35:03]
Zing Singh
And as always, Simon and I are trying to decide whether we think they're good, bad or just another billionaire.
- [35:09]
Simon Jack
That's good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service.
- [35:12]
Zing Singh
Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.