Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)

Episode: Brazil's Bolsonaro Begins Jail Term

Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Janak Jalil

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a comprehensive update on the global news landscape, with the headline story focusing on Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro as he begins a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup. The podcast also covers new femicide legislation in Italy, the conversion of Pope Francis’ Popemobile to aid children in Gaza, a shocking New Zealand murder case, war crimes in Mali, a landmark EU court ruling on same-sex marriages, and Roald Dahl’s hidden life as a spy and Bond screenwriter.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Jair Bolsonaro Begins Prison Sentence in Brazil

[00:55-09:56]

• Background: Jair Bolsonaro, ex-president of Brazil, was sentenced to 27 years for plotting a coup after losing re-election; recently transferred from house arrest to police custody after attempting to disable his ankle monitor.
• Prison Conditions: Bolsonaro serves his sentence in a special room at the police HQ in Brasilia: private bathroom, TV, air conditioning, mini fridge, and no contact with other inmates.
• Public Reactions:
  • Supporters protest outside police HQ, calling the sentence unjust and politically motivated.
    • “Absolutely outraged. The best president of our lives. The left has turned everything upside down. This is political persecution.” [02:00]
  • Opponents celebrate the verdict as a victory for democracy.
    • “Today is a day when we can finally breathe and say that we continue to stand in defence of democracy.” [02:30]
• Reporter Analysis (Mimi Swaby):
  • Bolsonaro’s presidency described as divisive, fueling environmental devastation, Covid denialism, hostility to minorities, and a failed coup involving a plan to assassinate Lula da Silva.
  • Described as “South America’s Donald Trump” by some supporters.
  • Military chiefs refused coup participation, leading to Bolsonaro’s conviction.
  • Notably, ex-US president Trump tried to intervene, imposing high tariffs to pressure the Brazilian judiciary.
    • “President Trump used his political and economic might...50% tariffs on Brazilian products.” [04:35]
  • Bolsonaro was deemed a flight risk after trying to “solder off his ankle monitor” during a “medicine-induced hallucination.”
    • “He said it was medicine induced...he thought the ankle monitor was eavesdropping on his conversations.” [06:30]
  • No further appeals available; legal team expected to push for house arrest citing health concerns.
    • “Analysts...expect that Bolsonaro will serve some time...but perhaps not all of it.” [08:44]

2. Italy Passes Landmark Femicide Law

[09:56-17:12]

• Legislative Change: Italian parliament unanimously designates femicide (killing of women because of their gender) as a standalone crime, punishable by life imprisonment.
• Public Sentiment & Marches (Sarah Rainsford in Rome):
  • Marches in Rome reflect public demand for cultural change, not just legislation.
  • Judge Paolo Di Niccola defines femicide as:
    • “The murder of a woman driven by hatred, discrimination, or the desire to control because she’s a woman.” [12:04]
  • Giulia’s murder by an ex-boyfriend led to national reckoning; her father, Gino Ceccatin, and sister Elena highlight need for emotional education:
    • “Julia’s sister...called [the killer] not a monster, but a healthy son of a deeply patriarchal society.” [13:07]
    • “If you feel everything black while your girlfriend has split up, you are in serious trouble...because you cannot handle this emotion.” [14:02]
  • The new law intends to change cultural perceptions and officially note the motivation behind such murders.
    • “From now on, those found guilty of killing women because they are women will face a life sentence and every single femicide will be properly recorded and counted.” [16:57]

3. Pope Francis’ Popemobile Converted for Gaza Children

[17:12-20:10]

• Symbol & Function: The late Pope Francis’ Popemobile now serves as a mobile medical clinic for children in Gaza, fulfilling his dying wish.
  • Can treat approximately 200 children per day; features medical supplies, a fridge, and oxygen unit.
• Symbolism & Legacy:
  • “It’s a serious medical facility...but also symbolic in terms of offering a symbol of hope.” – Alastair Dutton, Caritas [18:40]
• Current Status: Awaiting permission to enter Gaza and start operations.
  • “He...repeatedly called for a ceasefire, but didn’t live to see the truce that’s now taken hold.” [19:16]

4. New Zealand Storage Unit Double Murder Case

[20:10-23:12]

• Crime Discovery: Bodies of two children found in storage unit bought at auction in Auckland; mother Hak Young Lee convicted of murder, sentenced to life imprisonment.
• Trial Details:
  • Lee showed little emotion during sentencing.
  • Non-parole period of 17 years imposed.
    • “This has been really two years in the making in a case that has really shocked the country…” – Aziz Al Safin [20:25]

5. Alleged Wagner Group War Crimes in Mali

[23:12-29:53]

• Testimonies from Refugees: Accounts from Malians in Mauritania’s Mbera camp detail brutal torture and executions by Russian Wagner mercenaries, collaborating with Malian army.
  • “They took us to a hangar. They brought two men and beheaded them in my presence.” – Ahmed [24:50]
• Victims’ Trauma:
  • “I hate the word Wagner because they have brought sadness to me.” – Bintou, refugee [27:39]
  • Psychological and legal assistance being offered by UNHCR.
• Ongoing Situation: Wagner group rebranded as 'African Corps' under Russian Ministry of Defence, but violence and displacement persist.

6. EU Court: Same-Sex Marriages Must Be Recognized Across Bloc

[29:53-33:00]

• Landmark Ruling: In a case involving a couple married in Germany but seeking recognition in Poland, the European Court of Justice states all EU member states must honor same-sex marriages legally performed in other member states.
  • “All EU citizens have the right to live anywhere in the block and lead a normal family life...” [31:37]
• Polish Response:
  • Some see ruling as attack on sovereignty.
  • Poland still does not perform or recognize same-sex marriages domestically, but must now honor those from abroad.

7. Roald Dahl: The Spy and Bond Screenwriter

[33:00-38:01]

• Exhibit & Story: New exhibition (UK) sheds light on Roald Dahl’s underappreciated adult work, notably as screenwriter for James Bond’s You Only Live Twice.
• Spy Past:
  • “He certainly was a spy. He didn’t like the word, but he worked in British intelligence.” – Will Phillips, Roald Dahl Museum [35:22]
• Creative Parallels:
  • Dahl’s real-life RAF experience influenced Bond’s aerial combat scenes.
  • “When I read the first draft...there’s a whiff of Willy Wonka.” – Will Phillips [36:50]
  • Exhibition highlights lesser-known aspects of Dahl’s writing career.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brazilian Demonstrator (Bolsonaro verdict):
  “The left has turned everything upside down. This is political persecution.” [02:00]
• Brazilian Democrat:
  “A democracy that is so young, yet one we refuse to give up.” [02:35]
• Italian Judge Paolo Di Niccola (Femicide law):
  “Talking of such crimes as rooted in exasperated love or strong jealousy is a distortion…This law means we will be the first in Europe to reveal the real motivation of the perpetrators, which are hierarchy and power.” [12:40]
• Gino Ceccatin (Victim’s father, Italy):
  “What happened to Filippo and Giulia is underlining what important is to manage emotion.” [14:00]
• Ahmed (Mali Refugee):
  “They brought the body closer to me to smell the fresh blood and said, if you do not tell us the whereabouts of a shop owner, you will suffer a similar fate.” [25:21]
• Pawel Knut (Lawyer, Poland case):
  “Today’s ruling doesn’t introduce marriage equality in Poland…but it does require recognition of these foreign marriages so that spouses can claim the rights...that under various rulings of international courts already belong to them.” [32:17]
• Will Phillips (Roald Dahl Museum):
  “He certainly was a spy. He didn’t like the word, but he worked in British intelligence.” [35:22]

Timestamps: Important Segments

• Brazil’s Bolsonaro Jailed: [00:55–09:56]
• Italy’s Femicide Law: [09:56–17:12]
• Pope’s Popemobile for Gaza: [17:12–20:10]
• NZ Storage Double Murder: [20:10–23:12]
• Mali/Wagner Atrocities: [23:12–29:53]
• EU Same-Sex Marriage Ruling: [29:53–33:00]
• Roald Dahl: Spy & Screenwriter: [33:00–38:01]

Conclusion

This episode provides nuanced coverage of headline news, balancing hard-hitting political stories with cultural insights and personal testimonies. It underscores not only the global scale of political and social issues but also the profound individual impacts—be it the fate of a deposed president, the fight against femicide, or personal stories from war-torn Mali. The historic changes in Europe’s legal landscape and the surprising espionage legacy of Roald Dahl round out a rich, informative listen.