Evacuation begins of hantavirus ship

Summary

Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)

Episode: Evacuation Begins of Hantavirus Ship

Date: May 11, 2026

Host: Oliver Conway

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of global headlines with expert insights, in-depth reporting, and exclusive interviews. The central story examines the high-stakes evacuation of the MV Hondius cruise ship off Tenerife after a hantavirus outbreak, highlighting the international coordination and uncertainties. Other segments cover significant developments in Middle Eastern geopolitics, Syria’s first high-profile transitional justice trial, a distressing incident involving Palestinian grave desecration, Mexico’s ongoing crisis of cartel violence and disappearances, and the rising soccer buzz in Kansas City ahead of the World Cup.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Evacuation of the Hantavirus-affected Cruise Ship (MV Hondius)

[01:14–07:57]

• Situation Summary:

  • Over 90 passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius, struck by a hantavirus outbreak off Tenerife.

  • Spanish authorities and the WHO oversaw the operation, with strict biosafety protocols. Evacuees transported in small boats, transferred at a sealed airport zone, and flown home or to care facilities.

  • Remaining 60 passengers and crew set to evacuate before weather deteriorates.

  • Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark, now co-chair of an independent pandemic preparedness panel, notes “many questions remain,” but praises the international cooperation and swift action ([03:14]).

    Quote:

    “From 2 May, when the virus was confirmed as hantavirus, WHO has acted very speedily, and there’s been a lot of international cooperation. And that’s the really good news part of the story...”
    — Helen Clark ([03:14])

• Quarantine Protocols & National Differences:

  • WHO recommends 42-day quarantine, but implementation varies by country (e.g. Spain uses military hospitals, UK takes hospital stay + home isolation).

  • The U.S. will not enforce quarantine on repatriated citizens; WHO officials warn this may present risks.

    Quote:

    “The WHO has guidelines, but it can’t enforce them...they say 42 days is the recommended number after exposure or potential exposure to the virus...Different countries will implement different systems.”
    — Sarah Rainsford, BBC correspondent, Tenerife ([06:36])

• Scene on the Ground:

  • Sarah Rainsford describes small boats ferrying masked, distanced passengers to shore, under heavy supervision ([04:03–06:23]).
  • Head of WHO present, emphasizing that hantavirus spreads via close contact, not as easily as COVID-19—general population risk is “low”.

• Developments:

  • One of 17 repatriated Americans tests positive for the Andi strain; another shows mild symptoms ([07:17]).

  • UK medical paratroopers parachute onto the remote island of Tristan da Cunha to aid a suspected hantavirus case that had disembarked before the outbreak ([07:57]).

    Quote:

    “We had to dispatch the parachutists about five kilometres out over the Atlantic...So a really technical, challenging jump, but safely executed by some really professional soldiers.”
    — Brigadier Ed Cartwright, UK Army ([08:22])

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2. Justice and Accountability: First Assad-era Official on Trial in Syria

[09:08–12:42]

• Landmark Trial:

  • Ataf Najib, cousin of Bashar Al Assad, faces charges of murder, torture, and responsibility for massacres during Syria’s 2011 uprising.

  • Seen as a pivotal moment for transitional justice—relatives of victims attend courtroom, which is heavily guarded.

    Quote:

    “He committed the first massacre of the Syrian revolution in Daraa province. My younger brother...was one of Atif Najib's victims. We have faith in the new Syrian judiciary.”
    — Ramzi Abu Nabut, victim’s brother ([10:27])

• International Law Applied:

  • Human Rights Watch observer Heba Zayedin says judge’s application of international law is “inspiring,” in contrast to fears that only Syrian criminal code would be used ([11:21]).

    Quote:

    “What we found most inspiring...is the fact that the judge has decided to apply international law in terms of war crimes, crimes against humanity...”
    — Heba Zayedin, Human Rights Watch ([11:21])

• Frustration and Denial:

  • Victim’s mother, Wardi Abu Nabut, expresses heartbreak at Najib’s denial of all charges and lack of opportunity for victims to speak in court ([11:58]).

• Wider Implications:

  • Many Syrians see justice as incomplete unless it includes current regime officials.

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3. Destruction of a Palestinian Grave by Settlers

[12:42–14:08]

• Incident Recap:

  • Following the burial of 80-year-old Hussein Alasa in the West Bank, Israeli settlers forced the family to exhume the body, wanting the land.

  • Remains were reburied in a neighboring village; the family witnessed settlers already digging up the grave.

    Quote:

    “How can we be safe as Palestinians when our dead relatives aren't even secure in their graves?”
    — Mohammed El Assassa, son ([13:02])

• International Reaction:

  • UN calls the incident “an appalling and emblematic example of the dehumanisation of Palestinians.”
  • Israeli army states it’s investigating, but the family claims soldiers did not intervene.

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4. Mothers March for Mexico's Missing – Cartel Violence and World Cup Spotlight

[19:24–22:16]

• Annual Protest:

  • Thousands march in Mexico City led by mothers of the disappeared; 100,000+ persons missing due to cartel-related violence over decades.

  • Organizers ask FIFA World Cup fans to join, underscoring contrast between sports celebration and ongoing unresolved tragedies.

    Quote:

    “They said there is nothing to celebrate as Mexican mothers play the most difficult match for justice.”
    — Mimi Swaby, BBC Global Affairs reporter ([20:11])

• Scale of the Crisis:

  • Surge in disappearances since the government’s 2006 anti-cartel campaign; 130,000 recorded missing.

  • Recent review suggests over 40,000 “disappeared” could be alive but unaccounted for.

    Quote:

    “Disappearances, one public policy group found that there had been a 200% increase in disappearances over the last decade.”
    — Mimi Swaby ([21:00])

• Critique:

  • Women voice frustration over government prioritizing World Cup preparation over search and support for missing family members.

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5. Tensions in the Gulf: US-Iran Negotiations and Regional Security

[15:36–19:24]

• Diplomatic Deadlock:

  • President Trump rejects Iran’s latest peace proposal as “totally unacceptable,” despite recent optimism about a deal over the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iranian offer reportedly demands ending war “on all fronts,” lifting US sanctions, and Iranian management of the strategic strait.

• Escalating Clashes:

  • Multiple incidents involving drones and missiles: UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait intercept what are presumed to be Iranian drones, raising risk of broader regional conflict.

    Quote:

    “There is a concern that the more we see these clashes...the bigger concern is that the Gulf will start being pulled further and further into those sorts of clashes as well...”
    — Caroline Davis, BBC, Dubai ([17:22])

• Uncertain Path Ahead:

  • Worries about US reverting to military action if diplomacy fails; current ceasefire is fragile.

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6. Kansas City: The ‘Soccer Capital’ of America Ahead of the World Cup

[22:16–26:50]

• Host City Spotlight:

  • Four top national teams—Argentina, England, the Netherlands, and Algeria—choose Kansas City for World Cup training.

  • City positions itself as “the soccer capital of America,” building on its strong support for both American and global football.

    Quote:

    “We have the best teams and we have the most support...We are ready for the World Cup.”
    — Local supporters ([23:12])

• Facilities & Hospitality:

  • England to train at Swope Soccer Village; Argentina at Compass Minerals Performance Center.

  • Locals eager to showcase city’s heritage, hospitality, and especially their famous barbecue.

    Quote:

    “How do we show the world what we already know, which is Kansas City's, you know, a hidden gem. Great place to be, great place to live, plenty to do.”
    — Jake Reed, CEO Sporting Kansas City ([25:14])

• Cultural Emphasis:

  • Report captures excitement, preparations, and culinary pride as Kansas City anticipates a massive influx of international fans and players.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• [03:14] Helen Clark, on outbreak response:
  “The approach through the updated international health regulations appears to be working...But we will need to go through every aspect of this at a national and a global level to see what lessons can be learned from how the outbreak spread beyond that ship.”

• [06:36] Sarah Rainsford, on WHO guidance:
  “Different countries will implement different systems...the WHO guidelines are clear: 42 days quarantine at least.”

• [08:22] Brigadier Ed Cartwright, UK military medical operation:
  “So a really technical, challenging jump, but safely executed by some really professional soldiers.”

• [10:27] Ramzi Abu Nabut, on Syrian justice:
  “We have faith in the new Syrian judiciary. We hope that all criminals, including Atif Najib, will be tried.”

• [13:02] Mohammed El Assassa, on family trauma:
  “How can we be safe as Palestinians when our dead relatives aren't even secure in their graves?”

• [20:11] Mimi Swaby, on Mexico’s mothers:
  “There is nothing to celebrate as Mexican mothers play the most difficult match for justice.”

• [17:22] Caroline Davis, on the Gulf tensions:
  “There is a concern that the more we see these clashes...the bigger concern is that the Gulf will start being pulled further and further into those sorts of clashes as well...”

• [25:14] Jake Reed, on Kansas City’s World Cup moment:
  “How do we show the world what we already know...Kansas City's, you know, a hidden gem?”

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:14] Hantavirus cruise ship evacuation intro
• [03:14] Helen Clark’s interview on pandemic response
• [04:03–06:23] Sarah Rainsford reports from Tenerife
• [06:36] Quarantine guidance and country responses
• [07:57] UK military medical parachute mission, Tristan da Cunha
• [09:08] Syrian regime trial coverage
• [12:42] Palestinian grave incident in the West Bank
• [15:36] Trump rejects Iran proposal; Gulf tensions overview
• [19:24] Mexico’s mothers’ march for the missing
• [22:16] Kansas City and the World Cup build-up

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Tone and Style

The British journalistic tone is brisk, factual, empathetic with direct voices from all sides, and balances breaking news with human stories. Insights are expert-led, quotes are poignant, and reports often set scenes vividly, offering listeners a sense of presence at global flashpoints.

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For listeners seeking to understand the most urgent developments worldwide, this episode details global health responses, international justice, humanitarian crises, diplomatic standoffs, and the cultural resonance of major sporting events—delivered with clarity, authority, and attention to local voices.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

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[Oliver Conway]

You're listening to the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. Hello, I'm Oliver Conway. We're recording this at 4 hours GMT on Monday 11th May. More than half the passengers on the virus hit cruise ship have been evacuated, with the rest due to follow during the day. President Trump has rejected Iran's latest peace talk proposals as totally unacceptable, and a Palestinian family in the occupied west bank has been forced by Israeli settlers to dig up a grave. Also in the podcast we hear from a packed courtroom in Syria where a cousin of the ousted president has gone on trial in the first attempt to bring an Assad era official to justice and goodwill.

[Sports Commentator]

141 doesn't have to be pretty, it

[Oliver Conway]

just has to cross the line to be a goal.

[Sports Commentator]

Okay, that's it.

[Narrator/Host]

But it certainly wasn't pretty.

[Oliver Conway]

We visit the city that four football teams have chosen as their base for the World Cup. Rarely has the arrival of passengers from a cruise ship been so closely monitored, but on Sunday the evacuation of more than 90 people from the MV Hondius was carefully overseen by officials from the Spanish Spanish government and the World Health Organization. The vessel, which had been hit by an outbreak of hantavirus, is currently anchored off the coast of Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands. Passengers were taken off in small boats to a sealed off area of a local airport with teams wearing protective biosuits. They were then flown back to their own countries or health facilities in the Netherlands. The evacuation of the remaining 60 or so passengers and crew is due to be completed on Monday before adverse weather could force the ship to leave. The former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, is co chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness. She says many questions remain about the outbreak and initial response, but she praised the latest efforts to contain it.

[Helen Clark]

From 2 May, when the virus was confirmed as hantavirus, WHO has acted very speedily, and there's been a lot of international cooperation. And that's the really good news part of the story, that the approach through the updated international health regulations appears to be working, and that's good news. But we will need to go through every aspect of this at a national and a global level to see what lessons can be learned from how the outbreak spread beyond that ship.

[Oliver Conway]

Many of the passengers are expected to go into quarantine, although the United States has said it won't force any Americans to isolate something the head of the World Health Organization said may have risks. Our correspondent Sarah Rainsford is in Tenerife and from a windy shore described the scene.

[Sarah Rainsford]

It's been a day of a pretty major and complex evacuation operation that's been really carefully coordinated by the Spanish authorities, but working with the World Health Organization here, and we've been seeing all day on Sunday small boats ferrying passengers from the the Honda Cruise Line to shore because the cruiser itself actually anchored out at sea for extra safety reasons. And then all the passengers were gradually being taken to shore in these little boats and then moved to evacuation planes where they were being flown home. So we know that dozens of people have already been taken off the cruise liner. But we expect further evacuation flights and more of those boats on Monday, particularly for some Australian nationals, because it's taking some time for their plane to reach Tenerife in order to evacuate them.

[Oliver Conway]

And what happens to the passengers once they're on those planes? Are they wearing full hazmat suits, that sort of thing?

[Sarah Rainsford]

Yeah. This whole process has been done with very, very strict security and safety measures in place. So nobody was allowed off the ferry until an evacuation plane was in place on the tarmac at the airport here, basically with the pilots in place and the engines running. In terms of the protective measures, everyone, both the passengers coming off and all of the medics and the officials meeting them were wearing protective clothing. They were all wearing medical face masks. The passengers on the small boats were mainly sitting kind of socially distanced in those boats, and they were all being dealt with in small numbers, both on the buses to take them to the airport and also on those little boats. So it's all being done carefully. The who, the World Health Organization, its head, has been here in Tenerife for the duration. He's been keen to stress that this is a virus, the hantavirus, which is transmitted in a different way, for example, to COVID 19, which of course caused a pandemic. He's saying that the hantavirus is only transmitted through close contact. So for those who are worried about this virus spreading very widely, his message has been all through that this is very different and that the risk of, of the hunter virus spreading to the general population is low.

[Oliver Conway]

And yet at the same time, he said that the U.S. decision not to follow WHO guidance may have risks. So not everyone's completely out of the woods.

[Sarah Rainsford]

The WHO has guidelines, but it can't enforce them. So the guidelines are clear. There should be a fairly long quarantine period for anyone who's come into contact with the virus. They say 42 days is the recommended number after exposure or potential exposure to the virus. Now, of course, for the people who are on this ship, that was back in early April. So I think different countries will implement different systems. Certainly. Spanish passengers are being taken to a military hospital to quarantine. British passengers are expected after a couple of days in hospital in the uk, they will then be allowed to self isolate at home. So different measures for different countries, but yeah, the WHO guidelines are clear. Clear. 42 days quarantine at least.

[Oliver Conway]

Sarah Rainsford in Tenerife. And after he spoke to Sarah, the U.S. department of Health and Human Services announced that One of the 17Americans repatriated from the Hondius had tested positive for the Andi strain of the virus. Another passenger has mild symptoms. Meanwhile, medics from the British army have parachuted onto one of the world's most remote inhabited islands to help a man with suspected hantavirus who disembarked from the Hondius before the outbreak was reported. He was dropped off on Tristan da Cunha in the middle of the South Atlantic, but later developed symptoms of the disease. Simon Jones reports.

[Simon Jones]

In what was described by the Ministry of Defence as a daring mission, six paratroopers, an intensive care doctor and a nurse jumped from an RAF transport aircraft to reach Britain's most remote inhabited overseas territory. It has a population of 221 people, no airstrip, and is normally only accessible by boat. Brigadier Ed Cartwright is the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

[Sports Commentator]

We had to dispatch the parachutists about five kilometres out over the Atlantic. They would then have to get out of the aircraft, turn into wind, be blown backwards over the island and then conduct a landing right on the edge of the island. And obviously the consequence of getting that wrong would up in the Atlantic. So a really technical, challenging jump, but safely executed by some really professional soldiers.

[Simon Jones]

Oxygen supplies which were running critically low were also dropped. The MoD says this is the first time the UK military has parachuted in medical personnel in peacetime to provide humanitarian support. The British man with suspected hantavirus who lives on the island is in a stable condition in isolation. The army team said they received a warm welcome from the locals who had made them cottage pie for their dinner. Once their work is done, the parachutists

[Oliver Conway]

will leave by boat. Simon Jones, the cousin of the former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, has appeared in court on charges including murder, torture and responsibility for massacres. Ataf Najib is accused of overseeing a violent crackdown on anti government protesters in daraa in the 2011 uprising during the so called Arab Spring. The landmark trial is seen as the first attempt towards bringing justice for the countless victim the ousted regime. Our correspondent Lina Sinjab was at the pact hearing in the Syrian capital Damascus.

[Lina Sinjab]

This is where the second hearing for Atif Najeeb's trial is taking place. The courtroom is surrounded by armored men with security. Lots of families are waiting outside. For thousands of Syrians, this is the start of a long road to justice. Atif Najeeb, the cousin of former president Bashar Al Assad and former head of political security in Dara is facing charges for war crimes like torture and massacres. He was responsible for the torture of children in Daraa in southern Syria. It was that that provoked public anger and sparked the uprising in 2011. Ramzi Abu Nabut lost his brother in Daraa.

[Ramzi Abu Nabut]

He committed the first massacre of the Syrian revolution in Daraa province. My younger brother Ahmed Abu Nabut was one of Atif Najib's victims. We have faith in the new Syrian judiciary. We hope that all criminals, including Atif Najib will be tried and that he will receive the verdict he deserves that satisfies the families of the victims killed by this criminal.

[Lina Sinjab]

Art of Najib appeared in a cage wearing a stripped pair prison uniform. He is facing 10 different charges, all of which he denies. Families of his victims attend the hearing as well as members of Syria's National Committee for Transitional justice and some international human rights organizations. Heba Zayedin from Human Rights Watch was attending.

[Heba Zayedin]

I think what we Found most inspiring or heartening is the fact that the judge has decided to apply international law in terms of war crimes. Crimes against humanity, which we had worried and others had worried would not be the case, given the Transitional justice law has not yet been introduced and that they were going to be using Syrian criminal law, which is inadequate in the face of the crimes that these defendants are being accused of.

[Lina Sinjab]

Wardi Abu Nabut was one of the witnesses and she's frustrated with the process.

[Wardi Abu Nabut]

The criminal and murderer Atif Najib lies and denies all the accusations that he did nothing and had no involvement and that he resigned before the massacre and before my son was killed. He denied all the accusations and the people who were present in court today were not allowed to speak or express what happened. We were even more heartbroken than on the day our son was killed. He lied right before our eyes.

[Lina Sinjab]

Cases against members of the Assad regime are still being processed. But for many in Syria, transitional justice must be comprehensive and must include members of this government. And this may put justice out of reach.

[Oliver Conway]

Lina Sinjab in Damascus. When 80 year old Palestinian Hussein Alasa died on Friday, he was laid to rest in his village in the Israeli occupied West Bank. But shortly afterwards, a group of settlers forced his family to exhume the man's body because they wanted the land. Our correspondent Wirra Davis sent this report from the West Bank.

[Sports Commentator]

After being forced to unceremoniously dig up their father's body. Hussein's remains have now been reinterred here in a cemetery in a neighbouring village. It's not ideal, but for his family it's better than what could have happened. Settlers had already started to dig up his grave. We got back to my father's grave just in time. It almost dug down and reached the body, says the eldest son, Mohammed El Assassa. How can we be safe as Palestinians when our dead relatives aren't even secure in their graves? The Israeli army says it's investigating and they say they tried to confiscate tools and the settlers were using to damage his grave. But according to the family, soldiers just stood by and watched as they were forced to take care of their father's body and take it to a place of relative safety. The UN today called this an appalling and emblematic example of the dehumanisation of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

[Oliver Conway]

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[Oliver Conway]

You're listening to the Global News podcast When he paused his short lived attempt to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump said great progress has been made towards a complete and final agreement with Iran. That comment boosted financial markets and sent the oil price back below $100 a barrel. But Iran has now sent its latest response and the US President says it is totally unacceptable. The details haven't been revealed, but the Iranian proposal is reported to stress the need for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, as well as the lifting of US Sanctions and Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz. The month old ceasefire is largely holding, but it's been fraying in recent days with clashes at sea and more drone attacks in the Gulf. So where does this leave everything? Our correspondent Caroline Davis is monitoring developments from Dubai.

[Caroline Davis]

The response that we've now had from President Trump, of course it could be sort of a negotiating position. Again, it's very difficult to know for certain whether or not this is just a complete outright rejection and there's nothing else going on behind the scenes. But it obviously doesn't sound like there's a huge amount of wiggle room or maneuver there. So whether we will see other noises coming out from the US side, we will see a different and change in tone from the US President. That is what we are waiting to see. What happens next? Do they continue to move forward with further diplomatic movements? Do we see further military stances taken from the US what comes after that statement from President Trump?

[Oliver Conway]

Yeah, because it had been sounding optimistic in the past couple of days, hints that a deal was getting closer. What's the view where you are? Because there have been reports of a couple of incidents.

[Caroline Davis]

Yes, we had started the week On Monday, where I am here in the uae, notifications from the Ministry of Defense saying that they were engaging with both missiles and drones. That happened again on Tuesday. And in fact today again there was a notification from the UAE's Ministry of Defense saying that they were dealing with two Iranian drones. But we also heard warnings from Qatar's Ministry of Defense who said that they had also seen a drone that had hit a vessel inside Qatar's waters, 23 nautical miles off Qatar's coast. And we heard from Kuwait's Ministry of Defense who also said that they had around dawn engaged with drones as well. Both Qatar and Kuwait didn't directly say when they announced these, that these were Iranian drones. But of course that was, that's what many people assumed and jumped to. And so I think really across the Gulf there is a concern that the more we see these clashes, particularly between Iran and the US in the straight of Hormuz, the bigger concern is that the Gulf will start being pulled further and further into those sorts of clashes as well, particularly after a period of relative calm that we've seen in the course of the last few weeks since there was a ceasefire agreed between the US And Iran. The concern being that this just becomes deeper and deeper and more of a problem. So obviously a lot of concern that after the sort of positive noises, as you say, that we've been hearing, particularly from the US side, saying that they thought Iran was going to make a deal. Talking a lot about diplomacy, although President Trump has consistently also talked about diplomacy, but at the same time talked about the sort of threats that America would be happy to initiate against Iran. For example, when he said that on the one hand, if Iran agrees to what has already been agreed, was his terminology, then Operation Epic Fury would be finished. However, he said if they did not, that the US would be willing to go back to bombing and with an increased intensity. So of course that is the big concern. Now we have heard from President Trump saying that what has been put forward from Iran is unacceptable. What does President Trump do next?

[Oliver Conway]

Caroline Davis in Dubai. In the UAE, more than 100,000 people have gone missing in Mexico in recent decades, most as a result of drug cartel related violence. On Sunday, thousands of people led by mothers of the missing marched through Mexico City holding pictures of their loved ones. The annual protest against drug violence and impunity received extra attention this year as Mexico prepares to co host the world's biggest sporting event, the World Cup. One banner read on Mother's Day, our children are missing and their killers are free. Organizing World Cups Our global affairs reporter Mimi Swaby told me more.

[Mimi Swaby]

So the mothers of the missing in Mexico March every Mother's Day is an annual event where different kind of collectivos, different groups of these mothers who have made it their life's mission now to find their missing children come together. This year's been a little bit different because in a statement, the mothers called on football fans to join them. And this comes just ahead of the FIFA World cup which Mexico is co hosting. They said there is nothing to celebrate as Mexican mothers play the most difficult match for justice. And they said alongside, chanting that Mexico is a champion in disappearances. They march through kind of the center of Mexico City with banners and slogans with huge pictures and the names of all these people who are missing.

[Oliver Conway]

Now, Mexicans generally are pretty keen on football. Will this march make any difference to how they host the World Cup?

[Mimi Swaby]

I think the short answer is no. This is an issue which has been getting worse. Disappearances. One public policy group called Mexico Evalua Mexico evaluates found that there had been a 200% increase in disappearances over the last decade. And this is due to the growing power of cartels, of organized crime groups. There are more than 130,000 recorded missing people and that number is something that soared after 2006 when the government launched their war on drug cartels. Interestingly though, earlier this year, Mexican authorities said they'd identified that more than 40,000 people who'd been recorded as disappeared actually could be alive. People are very angry that the Mexican government is pouring lots of resources into preparing for this huge event. Whereas those resources could be used to help find these thousands of missing individuals. Some women at the march saying that they're worried that their relative, their disappearance is no longer a priority. It was so many years ago, could be 5, 10, 14 years ago, that the government has largely forgotten them. And that is why these mothers and wives of people who are missing keep demanding justice.

[Oliver Conway]

Mimi Swaby well, Mexico City hosts the opening game of the World cup on 11 June, and there'll be matches in 15 other cities across Mexico, Canada and the US in the following days and weeks. One of the smallest host cities is Kansas City, but it has an outsized influence in sporting terms. Four teams have chosen it as their base for the World Cup. Our correspondent Will Grant went to see what the players and their traveling supporters can expect.

[Narrator/Host]

Kansas City takes its football seriously. For years, that meant the American football team, the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won three out of the last six super bowl finals. Now, though, football in The British sense of the word is starting to break through too. In fact, the city bills itself as the soccer capital of America.

[Caroline Davis]

It is.

[Scott Umscheid]

Yeah.

[Caroline Davis]

We have the best teams and we have the most support for the women and the best leagues.

[Scott Umscheid]

We are ready for the World Cup.

[Jared Beltzer]

Yeah. The fans really embrace soccer here. So football is big, obviously with the Chiefs. The Royals have done well, but yeah, we'd love to see see more soccer. Let's bring it on. Absolutely. Oh, yeah, it was in 94. It'll be bigger this time. It's going to be. People don't know what's coming. It's going to be crazy.

[Narrator/Host]

What's coming are four national teams holders. Argentina, England, the Netherlands and Algeria, who have all chosen Kansas City as their World cup training base.

[Jared Beltzer]

Right out here.

[Narrator/Host]

Oh, wow.

[Sports Commentator]

Yeah.

[Jared Beltzer]

I mean, it really is such a treat to have this level of a facility for our second team and our academy system.

[Narrator/Host]

I was shown around the England camp called Swope Soccer Village by Jared Beltzer of the MLS side Sporting Kansas City.

[Jared Beltzer]

It used to be our first team facility as well. We've hosted the Kansas City women's soccer team here before they moved. So really, you can't tell the story of soccer in Kansas City without Swope Soccer Village in this facility.

[Oliver Conway]

Goodwill 14 1.

[Narrator/Host]

The grass training pitches are off limits, kept pristine for the England players. But the Astroturf was free and fortunately I brought my boots to test it out for Harry Kane and his teammates.

[Oliver Conway]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

[Sports Commentator]

It doesn't have to be pretty.

[Oliver Conway]

It just has to cross the line to be a goal.

[Sports Commentator]

Ok, that's it.

[Narrator/Host]

Well, it certainly wasn't pretty. The facility is undoubtedly world class, even if my football skills are not. The England manager Thomas Tuchel is said to have particularly liked its intimate setting.

[Sports Commentator]

We have one 55 degrees and one is 105, so it's not the cold.

[Narrator/Host]

But Argentina are training in the Compass Minerals Performance center used by Sporting Kansas City's first team. It's one of the top football facilities in the United States, possibly the world. But the hosts insist no one's getting any favoritism.

[Jake Reed]

To get three of the top seven clubs in the world is astonishing and I credit to the facilities.

[Narrator/Host]

Jake Reed is the CEO of Sporting Kansas City and the vice president of the City's World Cup 2026 committee.

[Jake Reed]

For us, it's how do we show the world what we already know, which is Kansas City's, you know, a hidden gem. Great place to be, great place to live, plenty to do. I think when you think of America you think of the coast of LA and New York and we're kind of fly over country as we joke. And how do we change that with the World cup here in a couple of. Couple of weeks?

[Scott Umscheid]

My name is Scott Umschein. We're at Scott's Kitchen in Kansas City, Missouri.

[Narrator/Host]

Kansas City's other big passion is barbecue. Locals are very proud of their brisket ribs and what they call burnt ends, the smoked caramelized cubes of beef.

[Scott Umscheid]

He's grabbing some ribs there.

[Narrator/Host]

If England do venture out of the hotel, Scott Umscheid, the owner of Scott's Kitchen, says he'll prepare the players his signature dishes.

[Scott Umscheid]

I'm sure with the high nutrition diet and everything else that they're doing to play football, that having a sandwich or a rib is probably not going to hurt them. I mean, they came here for a reason, right? They chose Kansas City.

[Narrator/Host]

There's a real buzz growing ahead of the first match. People here are excited to showcase their heritage during this World cup. From sports to jazz. Expect the Midwestern hospitality to be on full show as Kansas City strives to ensure players and fans alike feel that they're in good hands.

[Oliver Conway]

That report by Will Grant, and that is all from us for now, but the Global News podcast will be back very soon. This edition was mixed by Darcy o' Brie and produced by Stephanie Zacharison. Our editors, Karen Martin. I'm Oliver Conway. Until next time. Goodbye.