Global News Podcast – BBC World Service

Episode: Guterres opens UN Assembly accusing countries of 'flouting international law'

Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Nick Marles

Overview

This episode centers on the opening of the 80th UN General Assembly, where Secretary-General António Guterres warned that foundational international laws are being ignored. The podcast covers global reactions to his remarks, developments in Middle Eastern diplomacy—particularly regarding Palestinian statehood—escalating drone threats in Scandinavia, extreme weather in China, controversies over autism claims, NASA’s latest Artemis program updates, changes in African engagement with the International Criminal Court, policies to reverse brain drain, and a viral workplace theft case in South Korea.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. UN General Assembly: Guterres’s Remark and Global Context

• [01:53] António Guterres opened the 80th UN General Assembly with an impassioned critique:

  • Warned that countries are "flouting international law."
  • "We have entered in an age of reckless disruption and relentless human suffering. ... The pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality and indifference."
    – António Guterres [02:05]

• Guterres cited examples: sovereign nations invaded, hunger weaponized, and global conflicts exacerbating instability.

2. Trump's Speech and the Diplomatic Fallout

• [03:05] President Donald Trump followed Guterres, using his UN platform to boast of “American power and success," listing wars he claims to have ended.
• Trump dismissed recent UN efforts as ineffective, notably criticizing Western countries' recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling it "a reward for Hamas."
  – Contrasted by UK, Australia, France, which support statehood as a step for a two-state solution.
• Trump scheduled meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders to present new "alternative plans" for post-war Gaza governance.

Impact and Reactions

• [04:07] Paul Adams (BBC diplomatic correspondent) highlighted the high stakes at the UN:
  • Behind-the-scenes meetings are key, including with President Zelenskyy and EU President Ursula von der Leyen.
  • Trump's new proposals on Gaza governance could redefine US-Arab relations, especially if tied to US guarantees.
  • Arab nations, particularly the UAE, leverage the fate of the Abraham Accords to pressure Trump to restrain Israel from West Bank annexations.
    – "[The Abraham Accords] could undo something which Donald Trump sees as part of his case for... the Nobel Peace Prize." – Paul Adams [05:10]

3. Nordic Drones Incident

• [06:34] Major airports in Copenhagen and Oslo were shut down after unidentified large drones entered restricted airspace.
  • Danish PM Mette Frederiksen called it “the most serious attack on critical Danish infrastructure so far” and did not rule out Russian involvement.
  • [07:34] Risto Pico (BBC): "They were operated by what they called capable actors who were almost showing off what they can get away with."
  • Pattern of similar incidents across Eastern Europe noted; Moscow denies responsibility.

4. Typhoon Ragasa Threatens China and Hong Kong

• [09:05] Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches southern China after lashing the Philippines.
  • Laura Bicker from Zhuhai, Guangdong: “The city just slowly, hour by hour, became a ghost town.”
    – Laura Bicker [09:05]
  • 400,000 evacuated as authorities brace for extreme rain and flooding.

5. Trump’s Autism Claims and Scientific Rebuttal

• Trump made controversial comments linking paracetamol/acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism, contradicting scientific consensus.

  • [13:26] Professor Brian Lee (Swedish study):

    • "We found no good evidence to suggest that acetaminophen use... is associated with risk of autism and ADHD." – Prof. Brian Lee [13:26]
    • Explained the difference between correlation and causation by using the “ice cream and drowning” example.
      – "Autism... [and] other neurodevelopmental disorders... are highly heritable. ... For autism, scientists estimate around 70 to 90% heritability." – Prof. Brian Lee [14:35]

  • [16:52] Stephanie Hanrahan (activist, mother of two autistic children, former labor nurse):

    • Described Trump’s comments as dangerous, especially for new autism families.
    • "What I was really searching for was some kind of science to back those sweeping statements. And that was what was lacking." – Stephanie Hanrahan [16:52]

6. NASA Artemis Astronaut Class Announcement

• [18:11] NASA announces ten new astronaut candidates from 8,000+ applicants for upcoming lunar missions—first step in planned Mars missions.
  • [18:59] Sian Cleaver (Artemis Orion project):
    • "It's the first time that we will have returned astronauts to the moon in over 50 years."
    • Emphasized sustainable lunar presence as a stepping stone to Mars.
  • Delays expected, especially from SpaceX, but safety is prioritized over deadlines. – "They're not going to take any risks... whilst we wait for everything to be perfectly in position." – Sian Cleaver [19:24]

7. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Quit ICC

• [20:55] All three nations announce withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it “a tool for neocolonialist repression.”
  • [21:48] Analyst Beverly Ochieng: Withdrawal is largely symbolic—as with US, Russia, China, Israel—not likely to prevent external legal action.
  • These countries plan to set up their own Sahelian court for war crimes and rights abuses.

8. Brain Drain Reversal: Cyprus and Beyond

• [23:27] Daniel Rosny reports on Cyprus' “Brain Gain Initiative”: tax breaks and incentives to lure back the diaspora.
  • Deputy Minister Irene Pickey: “Nearly the size of our population, the people that live in the country, we have a similar number of people living abroad.” – Irene Pickey [24:08]
  • Similar policies noted in Croatia, Portugal, and various African states.
  • Academic Katja Batista: Low-income countries hardest-hit by brain drain, with fewer policy solutions available.

9. South Korea’s ‘Choco Pie Incident’

• [26:58] Public outrage as a security guard is prosecuted for taking snacks worth less than $1 from an office fridge.
  • Case stirs debate on proportionality of prosecution for trivial workplace incidents.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality and indifference." – António Guterres [02:05]
• "If Israel responds... by annexing parts of the West Bank, that could jeopardize the Abraham Accords, ... undoing something which Donald Trump sees as part of his case for... the Nobel Peace Prize." – Paul Adams [05:10]
• "We found no good evidence to suggest that acetaminophen use... is associated with risk of autism and ADHD." – Prof. Brian Lee [13:26]
• "As a mother of two autistic children and a former labor and delivery nurse, I know how dangerous that rhetoric can be if it’s ... not backed by science." – Stephanie Hanrahan [16:52]
• "It's the first time that we will have returned astronauts to the moon in over 50 years." – Sian Cleaver [18:59]
• "They termed that the ICC is a neocolonial outfit. ... But it is a preemptive step." – Beverly Ochieng [20:55]
• "Nearly the size of our population... we have a similar number of people living abroad." – Irene Pickey [24:08]

Important Timestamps

• [01:53] UN General Assembly: Guterres’s opening statements
• [03:05] Trump’s address & controversy over Palestinian statehood
• [04:07] Paul Adams contextualizes diplomatic meetings at the UN
• [06:34] Copenhagen and Oslo airports drone attacks
• [09:05] Super Typhoon Ragasa updates from Zhuhai, China
• [13:26] Prof. Brian Lee debunks Trump's autism claims
• [16:52] Stephanie Hanrahan expresses concern over autism rhetoric
• [18:11] NASA introduces new astronaut candidates and Artemis updates
• [20:55] Sahel countries withdraw from the ICC
• [23:27] Cyprus offers incentives to return expatriates
• [26:58] South Korea ‘Choco Pie’ workplace theft case

Tone & Style

Consistent with BBC’s hallmark reporting: measured, factual, with occasional pointed commentary from correspondents and interviewees.

For Listeners

This episode offers a panoramic, brisk roundup of urgent world affairs, from global diplomatic tensions to personal stories affected by policy and politics, touching on both high-level summits and everyday dilemmas. Listeners will gain insights into both today’s headlines and their global interconnections.