Gazans 'stockpiling food' in case ceasefire breaks down

Summary

Global News Podcast — October 15, 2025

Episode Summary: "Gazans 'stockpiling food' in case ceasefire breaks down"

Podcast: Global News Podcast
Host: Charlotte Gallagher (BBC World Service)
Date: October 15, 2025

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Overview

This episode covers the volatile situation in Gaza amidst a fragile ceasefire, with residents stockpiling food due to fears the truce between Israel and Hamas may not last. Additional coverage includes the death of Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, rising global carbon dioxide levels, a crackdown on underground churches in China, a major policy shift at OpenAI, and why Donald Trump is being compared to Cyrus the Great in Israel.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gaza: Food, Aid, and Ceasefire Tensions

Segment Start: [02:16]

• Stockpiling and Scarcity:

  • Aid and imported food are becoming more available in Gaza, but prices remain "soaring" due to uncertainty about the ceasefire.
  • Some products (fruits, eggs, snacks, and finally meat and chicken) have returned to markets for the first time in months, but remain expensive.
    • "We couldn't get any kind of fruits like two or three months ago, but now we could find it now also some eggs, some snacks and biscuits."
      — Rushdie Abu Alouf, Gaza correspondent [02:48]

• Aid Logistics:

  • About 600 trucks entered Gaza in the last days, though not all contained humanitarian aid; some were from local vendors.
  • For the first time, fuel and cooking gas were allowed in, easing pressure on hospitals, but totals still fall short.
    • "It's still far from enough and far from what is needed, which is about 600 trucks every day for at least two months according to UN agencies to create some sort of food stability and overcome the crisis."
      — Rushdie Abu Alouf [03:54]

• Ceasefire Fragility:

  • Israel is threatening to reduce aid if Hamas does not expedite the return of Israeli hostages’ bodies.
  • Mixed feelings among Gazans: Celebrations over released Palestinian prisoners, but fear and uncertainty due to potential breakdown of the truce and internal division.
  • 90% of Gaza City is reportedly destroyed.
    • "It’s a mix of feeling, you know, hoping that this ceasefire would bring a permanent end to the war and fear that this obstacle of the second phase might end the ceasefire."
      — Rushdie Abu Alouf [04:46]

• Security & Ongoing Violence:

  • Seven Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire in recent days; both sides accuse the other of ceasefire violations.
  • Ongoing internal tensions as Hamas cracks down on alleged collaborators, sometimes with public executions, raising fear of renewed intra-Palestinian violence.
    • "Many of them also were criticizing Hamas doing the public execution... saying that this will damage the image of the Palestinian internationally and Hamas should be treating people a better way and put them in a prison or give them a fair trial before they kill them in the streets."
      — Rushdie Abu Alouf [07:30]

2. Hostage Exchanges: Delays, Mistaken Identity, and Emotional Fallout

Segment Start: [07:30]

• Israel claims Hamas returned the wrong body for one of the hostages.

• Red Cross and Hamas state it's nearly impossible to account for all bodies in destroyed Gaza.

• Far-right Israeli voices threaten resumption of violence if all hostages are not returned.

  • "I’m not sure that the dead hostages will be the breaking point. I think it’s for disarmament of Hamas, which is really what... the Israeli government is zeroing in on..."
    — Sebastian Usher, Global Affairs reporter [08:50]

• 45 Palestinian bodies returned to Gaza, families seeking identification amid devastation.

3. Climate: Record Carbon Dioxide Levels

Segment Start: [10:30]

• The UN’s climate agency reports CO₂ levels have reached a new high, with the annual rate of increase now over triple what it was in the 1960s.

  • "The most surprising element is that we are surprised that we reach a new peak."
    — Carlo Biantempo, Copernicus Climate Change Service [10:50]

• Causative factors: continued increases in man-made emissions, wildfires in 2024, and Earth’s carbon sinks becoming less effective due to ongoing warming.

  • "The unpleasant conclusion that you can draw from this is that concentrations of [CO₂] are likely to increase... and they describe this as a vicious climate cycle."
    — Justin Rowlett, BBC Climate Editor [11:12]

• Warning: CO₂ persists for centuries, meaning today’s emissions will warm the planet long into the future.

4. Kenya: Mourning Raila Odinga

Segment Start: [13:05]

• Raila Odinga, former Kenyan Prime Minister and a major figure in African politics, has died at 80. A week of national mourning declared.
• He was seen as a defender of democracy and human rights, but his career was also marked by controversy and political alliances.
  • "He inspired a generation of politicians across the continent... but there's also a controversial side of him."
    — Richard Kegoye, Reporter [13:54]
• He was instrumental in reforming Kenya’s constitution and governance post-2007 election crisis.

5. Syria: Assad Under Russian Protection

Segment Start: [17:11]

• Syria’s interim President Ahmed Al Shara visits Moscow to request the extradition of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, now under Russian protection.
• Discussion focuses on Russia's strategic and economic interests in Syria post-Assad.

6. China: Crackdown on Underground Churches and Suppression of Dissent

Segment Start: [18:55]

• Authorities have detained dozens of pastors, including Jin Mingri of the prominent Zion Church.
• His daughter, Grace, describes escalating harassment and surveillance.
  • "The government had made it so that no other place would ever rent out even a small room to the Zion Church or anyone associated with Zion. They had placed facial recognition cameras in the lobby of our church to be able to know every single member was of our church."
    — Grace Jin, daughter of detained pastor [22:22]
• Crackdowns are interpreted as efforts to control organized civil society, especially under domestic pressure or in response to US-China tensions.

7. China: Blocking of ‘Problematic Maps’ Exports

Segment Start: [22:45]

• Chinese customs seized 60,000 exported maps for omitting certain territorial claims, reflecting Beijing’s drive to assert its boundaries especially in the South China Sea.

8. OpenAI: Allowing Erotica and Loosening Content Restrictions

Segment Start: [24:25]

• CEO Sam Altman announces ChatGPT will allow user-verified erotica content as part of broader efforts to personalize the platform.
• Concerns raised about user safety, age verification, and AI’s potential impact on mental health.
  • "A major concern for more personalized or friendly chat bot is the impact it could have on mental health, particularly as more and more people report using it as a best friend or a therapist..."
    — Stephanie Prentice, Reporter [25:36]
• Reference to past harmful cases and ongoing debate about platform accountability and regulation.

9. Who is Cyrus the Great? Trump Banner Phenomenon Explained

Segment Start: [27:24]

• In Israel, banners depict Donald Trump as Cyrus the Great following the hostage releases.
• Cyrus, an ancient Persian emperor, allowed the Jews to return to Israel and rebuild the temple, becoming the only non-Jew named "Messiah" in the Old Testament.
  • "Cyrus is the only non Jew who is named a Messiah... He’s restored the kingdom of Judah."
    — Edith Hall, Professor of Classics [29:13]
• This comparison is seen as a profound compliment for Trump, symbolizing restoration and security for the Jewish people.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We finally found some different food supplies ... but the prices will be high because it would be the first time to have meat and chicken and such products at the market since like six or eight months ago."
  — Rushdie Abu Alouf [02:48]

• "It’s a mix of feeling, you know, hoping that this ceasefire would bring a permanent end to the war and fear that this obstacle of the second phase might end the ceasefire."
  — Rushdie Abu Alouf [04:46]

• "It’s astonishing to me... it could not be a bigger compliment to Donald Trump to be likened to Cyrus the Great, actually savior of the nation."
  — Edith Hall, on the Trump–Cyrus banners in Israel [29:57]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Gaza situation and food: [02:16]
• Hostage and aid negotiations: [07:30]
• Climate change CO₂ report: [10:30]
• Raila Odinga’s legacy: [13:05]
• Syria and Assad/Russia: [17:11]
• Chinese religious crackdown: [18:55]
• China map suppression: [22:45]
• OpenAI policy shift: [24:25]
• Cyrus the Great and Trump: [27:24]

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Conclusion

This episode provides a sweeping overview of major global stories: the tentative hope—and persistent anxiety—in Gaza; the legacy of a pivotal African democrat; the dire warning signs in the climate crisis; China's tight control on civil society and geopolitics; the social impact of AI content policy shifts; and how contemporary leaders are mythically re-cast. The reporting is rich in first-person testimony, historical perspective, and clear articulation of ongoing risks and hopes.

Transcript

[Charlotte Gallagher]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

What do you think makes the perfect snack?

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Hmm.

[Sebastian Usher]

It's gotta be when I'm really craving.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

It and it's convenient. Could you be more specific? When it's cravinient.

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

Okay.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at am, pm.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. pM. I'm seeing a pattern here.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Crave, which is anything from am, pm.

[Sebastian Usher]

What more could you want?

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

Stop by AM pm where the snacks.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

And drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient.

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

That's Cravenians ampm.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Too much Good stuff.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

I'm Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story. Every weekday we'll bring you a story.

[Asma Khalid]

From this intersection where the world and America meet.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Charlotte Gallagher and at 1530 hours GMT, these are our main stories. Palestinians in Gaza are reported to be stockpiling food amid anxiety that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will unravel and and the flow of aid will stop. Kenya has declared a week of national mourning for the former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who's died at the age of 80. Vladimir Putin is hosting Syria's new president in Moscow, who's expected to press for the handover of the former dictator Bashar Al Assad. Also in this podcast, the most surprising.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Element is that we are surprised that.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

We reach a new peak.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

A new high for carbon dioxide levels. China detains the head of one of its biggest underground church networks. We'll hear from his daughter.

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

I think as a Christian like, we believe in miracles. And so I believe, I hope that my dad would be released unconditionally and immediately.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

We begin in Gaza, where humanitarian aid and imported food is becoming available. But prices in the markets are said to be soaring because of fears the fragile ceasefire may not hold. Israel has threatened to reduce the number of aid trucks because of Hamas's delay in locating and returning the bodies of Israeli hostages. We'll have more on that in a moment. But first, let's hear more about what's happening in Gaza. Mahmoud Ahmed Rostam is a student and journalist living in Khan Younis, while Ghada Al Khurd is a journalist in central Gaza.

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

We finally found some different food supplies. We found different products like vegetables and fruits. We couldn't get any kind of fruits like two or three months ago, but now we could find it now also some eggs, some snacks and biscuits. And tomorrow I think we could get access to chicken and meat, but the prices will be high because it would be the first time to have meat and chicken and such products at the market since like six or eight months ago.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

We can see or witness some slight improvement in the poach situation, especially here in central Gaza. And we can see also trucks of humanitarian aid are coming through the crossing. But this amount of trucks are not enough for 2 million people here in Gaza. We need more and more of food and diversity and the kind of food that we, we are eating. I asked our Gaza correspondent, Rushdie Abu Alouf, who's currently based in Istanbul, how much aid is getting through?

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

More aid are getting into Gaza in the last three, four days. Yesterday, up to 600 trucks were transferring to Gaza. Not all of them are aid. Some of them are just local vendors in Gaza bought more food from Israel. So we have seen an increase in the number of trucks coming in. And for the first time fuel and cooking gas was allowed. You know, the hospitals and the other essential operations in Gaza needs fuel and Israel was not allowing fuel for a very long time. So there is some sense of relief. But it's still far from enough and far from what is needed, which is about 600 trucks every day for at least two months according to UN agencies to create some sort of food stability and overcome the crisis.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And what are people in Gaza telling you about the situation now and how they are feeling?

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

Well, it's a mixed feeling and people still, people who received the Palestinian prisoners from jail, they are still in celebrating mood. I've seen a lot of happy videos from the people welcoming their sons. And others were worried about the Hamas delaying the handover of the hostages because they can't locate them, or they're deliberately delaying this process. But this is create some negative mood in Gaza because they believe Israel might respond by force, maybe stopping the plan to open Rafah crossing. And other people are still, you know, in a shock when they see how the scale of destruction in some of the places, about 90% of Gaza City, the main city, was completely destroyed. People keep like posting videos and picture of before and after their homes and even before and after their loved ones died during the so it's a mix of feeling, you know, hoping that this ceasefire would bring a permanent end to the war and fear that this obstacle of the second phase might end the ceasefire.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And what about the security situation? What's that like at the moment? Because we've heard, you know, in the last few days, people are still being killed inside Gaza. And what more do we know about that?

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

Yesterday there was seven Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire in two different places. Israel said that they were trying to approach the yellow area. It's the line that both Hamas and Israel agreed that the Israeli troops would reposition within Gaza. Hamas said that this is a serious violation to the ceasefire. And the mediators will have to talk to Israel to stop any what they called aggression against the people of Gaza. The security situation is a little bit better than during the war, especially after, you know, Hamas militants launched this campaign against what they said, gangs and criminals, criminal activity and people who collaborate with Israel. But this is also trigger a big fear with among Palestinians this internal fighting would be resumed. And they experienced this internal fighting a couple of times, especially 2007, when fighting between Hamas and its rival Fatah was close to a civil war. So people do feel about this. And many of them also were criticizing Hamas doing the public execution of some of the people, saying that this will damage the image of the Palestinian internationally and Hamas should be treating people a bitter way and put them in a prison or give them a fair trail before they kill them in the streets.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

That was Rushdie Abu Aloof. So what do we know about those claims of delays and the wrong body being sent back to Israel? Israel says 1 of 4 returned on Tuesday night definitely wasn't an Israeli hostage. In a statement, it reiterated that Hamas had to make all efforts to return the remains of those taken on October the seventh. Two years ago, this was a key part of Donald Trump's peace deal. Currently, all 20 living hostages and seven bodies have been returned. Our global affairs reporter Sebastian Usher told me more about those who've returned.

[Sebastian Usher]

These are, again, young Israeli men who had been kept since the start of war. Some of them from the Nova Festival, the famous music festival where some of the worst atrocities were committed by Hamas and other factions. We're beginning to hear more and more stories. I think because the hostages were living hostages have now been released. We're hearing both from those who are coming out, but also from those who have been out for some time, much more detail about what they actually went through and the horrific conditions that they were held in.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And what can Hamas do if it, if it can't find all the bodies, obviously the ceasefire is kind of dependent on them returning all the hostages dead and alive. I mean, can they even find all these deceased hostages because Gaza is in ruins.

[Sebastian Usher]

Well, it's not just Hamas. I mean, the Red Cross said that they didn't believe that it was possible to find all the hostages in the situation that Gaza is in. So, I mean, Hamas has made that point. I mean, I'm not sure that the dead hostages will be the breaking point. I think it's for disarmament of Hamas, which is really what President Trump and the Israeli government is zeroing in on. But you will certainly have far right voices like Ben GVIR and Smotrich who will use the fact that those hostages aren't being returned for whatever reason as the impetus for resuming the war. So in a highly combustible situation, that's adding more fuel.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And on the other side, the remains of 45 deceased Palestinians who'd been held in Israel have been returned to Gaza. And what do we know about them?

[Sebastian Usher]

They have. I mean, in Israel, you had the four bodies, as we've seen before, were given forensic tests and it was quite quickly established who they were and that one wasn't a hostage. In Gaza, it's a far more difficult situation. I mean, the bodies have been taken to NASA Hospital, one of the few hospitals that still has the ability to actually do these kind of forensic tests. Families are waiting to find out. I mean, it's not even known quite in what circumstances these Palestinians died. Was it in Palestinian jails or was it that they died on the battlefield? I mean, Israel, in its search for hostages, took bodies, and now these are presumably some of those bodies that are being returned. But it just gives a sense of the difficulties, the emotional issues facing people on both sides. I mean, families are waiting in Gaza to know whether these bodies belong to their relatives or not. And it may take a while for them to find that out.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Sebastian usher reporting. The UN's climate agency says there was a record increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere last year. It says the rate of the increase has tripled since the 1960s. The director of the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service is Carlo Biantempo.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The most surprising element is that we.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Are surprised that we reach a new peak.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

The main factor has been our additional.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Influx of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. If we continue on this path, we are very likely to see the exceedance of the 1.5 degrees.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Well, to tell us more about what that means, here's our climate editor, Justin Rowlett.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

What it means is that the concentration of this really important global warming gas is increasing more rapidly than before. It's a really significant increase in the rate of increase of concentration in the atmosphere. Back in the 60s, it was about 0.8 parts per million. In addition, every year in the last year that the WMO, the World Meteorological Office, has looked at 2023-24, it was 3.5 parts per million. In addition, now what the World Meteorological Organization says it thinks is happening is not only are man made emissions of CO2 continue to increase, but at the same time, there's been an upsurge in emissions from wildfires in 2024. And at the same time the carbon sinks, the processes on Earth that absorb carbon dioxide. So the oceans, the soils, the plants and forests have become less effective. Now they're saying that's a function they think of our warming world. So the unpleasant conclusion that you can draw from this is that concentrations of the gas are likely to increase. The rate of increase of concentration, I should say, is likely to speed up yet further. And they describe this as a vicious climate cycle driving up concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere and thereby increasing global temperature. And one last kind of depressing word of warning, I should say. I mean, this is not just an issue for today or tomorrow. CO2 stays around in the atmosphere for hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. So the gases that we release now, the gases that are concentrating in the atmosphere now, will continue to warm the planet for hundreds, if not thousands of years to come. So fundamental changes in the global climate as a result of this increasing concentration of CO2.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Justin Rowlett Kenya has declared seven days of national mourning for the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who's died at the age of 80. President William Ruto described him as a giant of democracy and a fearless freedom fighter. Mr. Odinga ran for president unsuccessfully five times, but was hugely influential across Sub Saharan Africa. Salim Lone was a confidant and spokesman for Mr. Odinga.

[Edith Hall]

He was an astonishing person.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

He continued to challenge election outcomes, but.

[Edith Hall]

The reality is not that he challenged.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Them for two elections we know for sure.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

Like in 2007, the international community helped.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Make him Prime Minister because they knew he had won. Our reporter Richard Kegoye told me how significant a politician he was.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

One of the most significant political leaders not only in Kenya, but also even as he pointed out, across Sub Saharan Africa, he'd contested the presidency five times and never won. He was also very controversial. At the same time, I should say that because even at one point when he lost one election, he saw himself as the people's president. So he inspired a generation of politicians across the continent, more so those who are really keen on pushing for political reforms, defending human rights and also ensuring that there's equality when it comes to distribution of wealth and basically national resources. So that's largely how people view Raila Odinga. But of course, there's also a controversial side of him because he made political pacts with people that he contested or vied against. About all he said is the basis of this was really just to bring about political stability and just, you know, a semblance of normalcy in some of those very hotly contested elections and post election periods.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Yes, because he was the prime minister, wasn't he, for the president who beat him essentially in the presidential race.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

Yes. And that was between 2008 and 2013. And I think that's one of the most fiercest, you know, political campaigns that we'd experience and really plunged the country near, you know, a situation which would be considered to be civil war. And because of talks which are mediated by the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, he became prime minister in that government. And through that he was able actually to introduce a new constitutional order because we had a new constitution, a new system and electoral governance that really altered Kenya's political landscape since 2013.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And what do you think his legacy will be, not just in Kenyan politics, but obviously the influence he had beyond Kenya as well.

[BBC Reporter / Correspondent]

He had a lot of strong international connections, I should say that. And if you look even at how political governance is done in countries, say like in Zimbabwe, we saw pursuing agreements just after what he did in Kenya, when the courts nullified, you know, the controversial elections in 2017, we saw the same also happening in Malawi. So he has a lot of admiration also abroad because of the way that he was able to conduct himself and just basically his staying power, you know, for years, despite, you know, election setbacks, he was able really to push and just to, you know, inspire and to challenge a lot of people. And that's why we saw him losing at the position of Africa Union chairmanship, because that's what we really wanted to do, to push for a lot of integration across the continent.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

That was Richard Kagoye. Coming up on this podcast, OpenAI plans to allow erotica as part of plans for a wider range of content to treat adult users like adults. As it says.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global story. Every weekday we'll bring you a story.

[Asma Khalid]

From this intersection where the world and America meet.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Syria's interim president is meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow where he's expected to ask the Russian leader to hand over the former dictator Bashar Al Assad. It's the first time since coming to power that Ahmed Al Shara has visited Russia. The Kremlin is a long term supporter of Mr. Assad, who fled to Moscow when his regime was overthrown 10 months ago. Our Middle east correspondent Leena Sinjar reports. This visit marks a turning point in relations between Russia and the new Islamist led government in Syria following the fall of Bashar Al Assad, who is under Moscow's protection. President Shara is expected to call for the handover of Mr. Assad to face prosecution, something that will be difficult for Russia to do. It is thought that hundreds of Syrian officers with blood on their hands are also under the protection of Russia. For its part, the Kremlin will want to discuss the future of the military bases it has in Syria. Russia was also granted investment projects by the Assad regime and wanted to explore how to protect its interest in the country. Lina Sinjab there's been criticism of a mass crackdown on underground churches in China after authorities detained dozens of pastors in one of the larger ones, according to a spokesperson. The US in particular has condemned the move and human rights organizations and advocacy groups are calling for the immediate release of detained pastors and church leaders. One of the most successful of these new partially online churches was the Zion Church, which has thousands of followers across China. Its pastor, Jin Mingri, was reportedly detained by the authorities but hasn't been charged. Celia Hatton spoke with his daughter Grace.

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

Jin My mom had called me to tell me that they were no longer able to contact my dad or anyone around him. So around like Friday morning in D.C. time was probably when they've started to detain or house arrest my father at first, but later on we have confirmation now that he is also detained with the 21 other people in this detention center in Beihai.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Did your father know or sense perhaps that this kind of crackdown was coming?

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

I think so. Around six months prior to this, there's been a level of harassment by the police towards a lot of the members of Our church congregation from all across the country, and they were collecting information on the church, on the leaders of the church, on the organization structure and financial structure. And we also heard from other churches around that there's also a similar uptick of harassment. There was already a sense that this was going to be another wave of persecution that was going to come, that was going to be a widespread across China type of a persecution of churches. And perhaps like Zion Church is now currently looking like is one of the first ones. But I think they were expecting something, but they just weren't sure when it would be. And I think it happened quicker than we all expected. But when Pastor Wanlun was taken, I think other people had already thought it's possible that this would be the beginning of the actual crackdown.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Why is Beijing targeting churches like your dad?

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

First of all, we have to see this as like a bigger wave and it's not just a particular church. So it's not part like, because, like, my dad had said something or someone in the church had like, made a statement that drew like, the anger of a particular person. In the ccp, we see that oftentimes when there are tensions with the US or just in general, or if there are internal economic pressures, then they usually look for some sort of like a tightening of control of everything else that is organized or has a voice in the society.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

I mean, it's interesting, isn't it, because on the one hand, the Chinese Constitution protects freedom of religion for quote, unquote, normal religious activities. And on the other hand, we're seeing this widening crackdown, especially targeting your dad's church, a huge church with. With very well publicized links to the United States. Do you really think it might have something to do with worsening US Chinese relations?

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

My dad's case is now well publicized because he has connections in the U.S. i think part of it is just this tightening of control, especially at a time where they might be going through difficult economic situation.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

The Zion Church is unusual, isn't it? Your dad really pioneered this hybrid model where some prayer sessions are held online, others are held in person. Can you tell me about it?

[Grace (Daughter of Jin Mingri)]

The government had made it so that no other place would ever rent out even a small room to the Zion Church or anyone associated with Zion. They had placed facial recognition cameras in the lobby of our church to be able to know every single member was of our church. Like every single thousand five hundred people who have attended our church were on.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Their list staying in China because 60,000 maps that were being shipped out have been seized by customs officers who claimed the way the documents represented the world threaten China's territorial integrity, particularly their portrayal of areas in the South China Sea, the border with Japan and the labeling of Taiwan. China correspondent Stephen McDonnell has this report from Beijing.

[Charlotte Gallagher]

These were, in the words of China's Customs Administration, problematic maps maps and as such the export of all 60,000 of them has been blocked. According to officials in the eastern province of Shandong, the maps left out important islands in disputed parts of the South China Sea and mislabelled Taiwan Province without explaining just how the self governed island claimed by the mainland was actually labelled. Crucially, the documents omitted the line using nine thick dashes placed on all Beijing approved maps to justify its claims to vast areas of the South China Sea, even shoals and reefs far from its shores. China customs didn't say which country will now not be receiving its maps, but a video of them showed that at least some were published in English. Maps, globes and other documents printed in China have been blocked from export in the past, but not on such a large scale. The Chinese government has tried to strengthen its hand in territorial disputes with neighbours like Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan Japan by pressuring other countries to accept boundaries drawn up on its own maps. But Beijing's claims to nearly all of the South China Sea have not gained much acceptance beyond the Chinese mainland.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Stephen McDonnell, the makers of the advanced chatbot ChatGPT have announced a major policy shift, saying they will soon allow erotica on the platform as part of a wave of tweaks due to land before the end of the year. The AI platform that can answer questions, hold conversations and create IM claims that it has around 800 million weekly users around the world. Stephanie Prentice is following this and told me more.

[Asma Khalid]

Well Charlotte, this has all come from a social media post from San Altman. He's the CEO of OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, and he's saying the platform's safety restrictions are generally being relaxed. So he starts by saying it'll be more personalized, have more personality, be more human, like do things like use more emojis. Then at the end he drops in that it intends to treat adult users like adults, in his words, and allow erotica for people that have verified their age. And he calls that age gating. His general messaging is that the platform is currently less useful or enjoyable than it could be, as they've been cautious with it so far.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

And I guess one of the big concerns will be the safety of users on this platform.

[Asma Khalid]

Absolutely, and safety generally is something OpenAI has been dealing with. So on that adult content side of things, Sam Altman did say that users will have to be age verified. He didn't give any details of how that would be managed. But a major concern for more personalized or friendly chat bot is the impact it could have on mental health, particularly as more and more people report using it as a best friend or a therapist. There's actually already a term called AI sycophancy and that reflects a tendency for chat bots to just agree with users. We have seen a few high profile cases where that has taken a dark turn. So the parents of a teenager sued OpenAI just a few months ago, alleging that it assisted him in taking his own life. In another recent case, a Canadian man became convinced he was a mass genius and he could save the world from the Internet. So OpenAI has indicated its latest model, that's ChatGPT5, shows lower rates of that sort of sycophancy and is better at flagging concerning behavior.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

I mean, a lot of people will say you can't trust tech companies though. They're going to put their business before the safety of their users.

[Asma Khalid]

Yeah. So I think we've come a long way since that famous early meta mantra of move fast and break things. When it comes to the Internet, there is a lot more accountability on a policy level generally. But just like social media suddenly took off and then the negative repercussions became clearer in time, AI is potentially on an even faster track. Major markets are pushing full steam ahead with it, and all of these major tech companies are in a race with each other. So for some people, this does just feel like a giant experiment with potentially extremely high risks for users. Also worth reflecting though, that some users posting online since this OpenAI announcement are saying they're extremely happy with these proposed changes.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

That was Stephanie Prentice. Finally, who is Cyrus the Great? Let's be honest, it's not necessarily a question in the front of our minds normally, but banners in Israel depicting Donald Trump as the ancient Persian emperor have been put up since the Gaza ceasefire and the return of living hostages. So why's the comparison been made? Edith hall, who's the professor of Classics at Durham University in the uk, spoke to my colleague Emma Barnett.

[Edith Hall]

Cyrus the Great was the greatest ever emperor of the Medo Persian Empire. He was born in the early 6th century BCE and he conquered practically every other kingdom from Anatolia, that's the western seaboard of what's now Turkey, all the way to Central Asia and called himself Lord of the Four Kingdoms.

[Asma Khalid]

And why this comparison? Why is there a celebration and A link with Jews and Jewish history.

[Edith Hall]

So Cyrus is huge, if you are Jewish, he is a star of the Old Testament. What he did was he conquered neo Babylon, of which the emperor was Nebuchadnezzar ii. And Nebuchadnezzar had been very nasty. He had all the Jews out of Israel and sent them to Babylon, kept them in captivity and demolished the worst, the first temple of Jews, which actually housed the Ark of the Covenant and stole everything in it. Cyrus said, no, you guys can go back, Please go back. Not only can you go back, you can take a lot of these objects with you and I will give you loads of money to rebuild your temple. So he's regarded as the great restorer, the first return of the Jews to Israel and their whole terrible long history of exile. So in 1947, when the Jewish state, sorry, just after the Second World War, can't remember the precise date when the Jewish state is founded, it was seen as another return. And so Cyrus's name was very current. It's incredible for Donald Trump because Cyrus is the only non Jew who is named a Messiah. Messiah, a savior in the whole Old Testament. He's actually named Messiah because he's restored the kingdom of Judah.

[Asma Khalid]

Oh, it's. It's certainly not. I mean, if people don't understand quite that significance when, when you say it's quite pray, you know, it's quite big.

[Edith Hall]

Praise from those who feel like that. It's astonishing to me.

[Asma Khalid]

Go on, say why it's astonishing.

[Edith Hall]

Well, because it's an emperor two, six hundred years ago. It's got. It could not be a bigger compliment to Donald Trump to be likened to Cyrus the Great, actually savior of the nation. And it's as if it's been shown that the Jews had somehow been displaced again by something and have been restored again as if they'd been in such an incredible exile as they were before. And the other undercurrent, which is, well.

[Asma Khalid]

I suppose it's for those who have.

[Edith Hall]

Made the comparison that the return of.

[Asma Khalid]

Those hostages who are still alive would be.

[Edith Hall]

I haven't interviewed those people who put these banners up, but that would be presumably the link. Yes, exactly. People, individuals have been restored, but the symbolism is far greater than that. It's a restoration of the sort of whole idea of Israel and the Jews right to Jerusalem and to their temple there.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

So now we know who he is, don't we? That was Edith hall speaking to Emma Barnett. And that's all from us for there will be a new edition of the global news podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on XBCWorldService. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. This edition was mixed by Volodymyr Musechka. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Charlotte Gallagher. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing, and so is the world.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

I'm Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story. Every weekday, we'll bring you a story.

[Asma Khalid]

From this inner section where the world and America meet.

[BBC Host / Main Presenter]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.