Heavy clashes along Pakistan-Afghanistan border

Summary

Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)

Episode: Heavy Clashes Along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

Date: October 12, 2025
Host: Julia McFarlane

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Episode Overview

This episode covers the day’s most important headlines, with a primary focus on violent clashes on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after a Taliban attack on Pakistani military outposts. The show also highlights the ongoing Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage negotiations, the European Union’s new travel regulations, remembrance of Diane Keaton’s influential career following her recent passing, Venezuela’s opposition leader calling for more international action against Maduro, the rising trend of cosmetic surgery among young people, and Cape Verde’s historic potential entry into the FIFA World Cup.

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Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fierce Clashes on the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

(Main Segment: 01:52 – 05:36)

• Context & Escalation:

  • Following a Taliban attack on Pakistani military outposts that killed 16 soldiers, intense fighting is reported between Pakistan’s army and Taliban forces from Afghanistan.
  • This escalation follows recent Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul, which Pakistan neither confirmed nor denied.

• Underlying Causes:

  • Pakistani Taliban militants, aligned with the Afghan Taliban, have escalated attacks, with Pakistan accusing them of crossing over from Afghanistan.
  • Afghan Taliban denies these claims, leading to accusation and counter-accusation.
  • Small arms and artillery fire are reported, with more details expected as day breaks.

• Historical Echoes:

  • The situation mirrors past decades when the Afghan Taliban operated from Pakistan against Afghanistan.
  • Pakistani operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a decade ago were deemed successes but have not prevented renewed violence.

• Current Military Challenges:

  • Pakistani military faces security crises not only in the tribal borderlands but also in Balochistan.
  • Guerrilla and suicide attacks are particularly hard for the military to manage.

• Notable Quote:

  • Baran Etarajan: “What we are seeing is intense battle and people are talking about small arms and artillery fire being used... The reason behind this latest round of fighting has been the Pakistani Taliban militants.” (02:36)

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2. Israel-Hamas Hostage Release, Ceasefire, and Aftermath

(Segment: 05:36 – 08:59)

• Ceasefire Holding:

  • Hundreds of thousands of Gazans return home as ceasefire enables some normal activity but devastation remains overwhelming.
  • Over 10,000 Palestinians are still missing under rubble.

• Hostage Situation:

  • Hamas states it will begin releasing Israeli hostages on Monday.
  • President Trump is credited by some with brokering the ceasefire, and his involvement is visible in public rallies.

• Life in Gaza:

  • Displaced Gazans return to find widespread destruction.
  • Hamas mobilizes security forces to reassert authority, raising fears of internal clashes among various armed groups and families.
  • Human rights activists warn of possible internal violence and instability.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Julia McFarlane: “You can't call it peace, not yet. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans are making the journey home, displaced again and again by the war. It's finally safe to return. Finding, though, that there is nothing to go back to.” (07:32)
  • “My house, which I built 40 years ago, was gone in a moment. All my brothers are gone, my nephews too. What's left in the world, even death is better than the struggle we are in.” (08:02, unnamed Gazan)

• Diplomacy and Future:

  • Upcoming peace plan signing in Egypt, with U.S. presidential involvement.
  • Ongoing uncertainty about governance in Gaza and fears of violence from local gangs.

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3. EU’s New Travel Restrictions and Regulations

(Segment: 10:31 – 13:54)

• Introduction of Biometric Checks:

  • New rules require non-EU citizens to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics when entering Schengen-zone countries.

• Purpose:

  • Cracking down on crime, preventing overstaying, and identifying individuals who previously could avoid stay limits with multiple passports.

• Potential Problems:

  • Warnings of significant delays at borders as system is implemented.
  • Expected to be "bumpy and lumpy" through the winter, but hoped to normalize by summer.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Simon Calder: “This is going to be absolutely transformational... At the moment, for example, there's plenty of people who are swerving the three month limit on stays simply by having two passports. That won't be possible in future because... it will have my facial biometric and my fingerprint.” (12:09)
  • “This has the power to foul things up, even for Schengen passport holders...” (13:54, via Danish immigration minister)

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4. Remembering Diane Keaton

(Segment: 13:54 – 18:21)

• Diane Keaton’s Legacy:

  • Acclaimed actress, best known for "The Godfather" and "Annie Hall", has died at 79 years old.
  • Remembered for her unique style, comedic talent, and versatility across drama and comedy.
  • Her career spanned over five decades, marked by resilience and individuality, standing out in an ageist industry.

• Industry Admiration:

  • Colleagues and industry figures admired her originality and personality more than just her iconic fashion.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Jeannie Wolf: “We all wanted to be Annie Hall, didn't we?... But the thing you have to remember, it's her personality more than any wardrobe. That made her Annie Hall and that made her, endeared her with us and made her play a wide range of roles.” (15:09)
  • “There wasn't anybody like Diane Keaton, you know, who could you say was like her, except people who tried to imitate.” (17:11)

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5. Venezuela Opposition Leader's Call for International Pressure

(Segment: 19:22 – 23:22)

• Maria Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize:

  • Leveraging her new platform to call for President Maduro’s resignation and seek more international pressure.

• Support for Trump’s Actions:

  • She supports recent U.S. military actions against suspected Maduro-linked drug cartels in the Caribbean, believing it financially weakens the regime.

• Internal Opposition Challenges:

  • Opposition is in hiding, exile, or prison; skepticism remains about the possibility of a free election.
  • Military remains loyal to Maduro, making a negotiated solution challenging.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Interviewee: “The regime in Venezuela is a criminal structure. It sustains themselves on the criminal flows from their illicit activities. And we need the international community to cut those flows...” (20:27)
  • “His political situation isn't very stable. He's not the strong political figure that he used to be in the past. So she thinks he's got the upper hand to make him negotiate.” (21:22)

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6. The Trend of Young People Undergoing Facelifts

(Segment: 23:22 – 24:57)

• Rise in Cosmetic Surgery:

  • Surge in young adults (20s and 30s) opting for facelifts, often documented on social media.
  • Many travel to countries like Turkey where regulation is lax, raising safety concerns.

• Expert Warnings:

  • Risk of medical complications, including permanent facial paralysis.
  • Lack of long-term benefit since facelifts last 10–15 years, requiring repeat surgeries.

• Notable Quote:

  • Prof. Ash Moussahebi: “It's tragic that people are being offered this at that age. Any surgery has a risk... for that age, I think that really is something that shouldn't be really offered, to be honest.” (23:57)

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7. Cape Verde and the World Cup Dream

(Segment: 24:57 – 27:56)

• Cape Verde’s Rise in Football:

  • The small island nation is on the verge of qualifying for its first-ever FIFA World Cup.

• Interview with Roberto Lopez:

  • Describes team spirit and his unlikely recruitment (via a LinkedIn message he initially ignored).
  • Pride in representing his father’s homeland and the positive impact qualification would have for Cape Verde.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Roberto Lopez: "I’m probably the luckiest man in the world... I apologized 100 times... if the opportunity was still there, I’d love to be a part of the group." (26:23)
  • "It’ll give the country a tremendous lift on the world stage at one of the biggest sporting events in the world..." (27:39)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Baran Etarajan on the border conflict:

  "What we are seeing is intense battle and people are talking about small arms and artillery fire being used..." (02:36)

• Gazan Resident:

  "My house, which I built 40 years ago, was gone in a moment. All my brothers are gone, my nephews too. What's left in the world, even death is better than the struggle we are in." (08:02)

• Jeannie Wolf on Diane Keaton's legacy:

  “But the thing you have to remember, it's her personality more than any wardrobe. That made her Annie Hall and that... endeared her with us…” (15:09)

• Prof. Ash Moussahebi on young facelifts:

  "It's tragic that people are being offered this at that age...” (23:57)

• Roberto Lopez on joining Cape Verde’s team:

  “So I got a message through me LinkedIn account... I just thought it was like a welcome sort of spam... Thankfully enough, he replied to me in English probably nine months later...” (26:23)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes: 01:52 – 05:36
• Israel-Hamas ceasefire & hostage updates: 05:36 – 08:59
• EU Travel Regulations: 10:31 – 13:54
• Diane Keaton’s legacy: 13:54 – 18:21
• Venezuela's opposition and Nobel Peace Prize: 19:22 – 23:22
• Young people and facelifts: 23:22 – 24:57
• Cape Verde nears World Cup qualification: 24:57 – 27:56

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Conclusion

This episode offered an informative, fast-paced roundup of international developments with expert analysis and compelling eyewitness testimony. Coverage included front-line reporting on South Asian border turbulence, Middle East diplomatic hopes and human cost, regulatory changes impacting millions of travellers, an affectionate remembrance of a Hollywood legend, hard political realities in Venezuela, sobering reflections on cosmetic surgery trends, and sports optimism from the Atlantic isles. The podcast maintained its signature tone of sharp, compassionate reportage with clear explanations and a window into the world's top stories.

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For full details or to submit feedback, email [e-mail] or find the team on X at @BBCWorldService (hashtag #GlobalNewspod).

Transcript

[Roberto Lopez]

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[Julia McFarlane]

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[Jeannie Wolf]

You don't look lip, please.

[Julia McFarlane]

I'll take that as a compliment.

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See it differently when you stream the best of British TV with BritBox. Watch with a free trial today. This is the story of the 1. As head of maintenance at a concert hall, he knows the show must always go on. That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the H Vac is humming, and his facility shines with Grainger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces. Plus 24. 7 customer support. His venue never misses a beat. Call quickgranger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Julia McFarlane]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Julia McFarlane and at 05:00 GMT on Sunday 12th October, these are our main stories. Fierce border fighting is reported between Pakistan's army and Taliban forces from Afghanistan. Hamas says it will begin releasing Israeli hostages on Monday as part of the Gaza peace process. And the EU introduces new travel restrictions. Also in this podcast, don't squish it. And after it's dead, flush it down the toilet.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Okay?

[Julia McFarlane]

And flush it a couple of times, darling.

[Baran Etarajan]

I've been killing spiders since I was 30.

[Julia McFarlane]

What are you doing?

[BBC Announcer]

What are you doing?

[Baran Etarajan]

Honey, there's a spider in your bathroom the size of a Buick.

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

Okay?

[Julia McFarlane]

Hollywood icon Diane Keaton dies at the age of 79. We look back at her life and career. Intense clashes are being reported on the Afghanistan border with Pakistan after a Taliban attack on Pakistani military outposts. This latest escalation comes just a few days after a Pakistani airstrike in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Afghanistan is considered a safe haven for separatist Pakistani militants as well as the Pakistani Taliban. Both groups have been increasingly engaged in fighting with the Pakistan military in recent months. Our global affairs reporter and Baran Etarajan explained it all for me.

[Baran Etarajan]

A few days ago, there was a major attack on Pakistani security forces inside Pakistan that was blamed on Pakistan Taliban militants who are aligned ideologically with the Afghan Taliban. Now, 16 soldiers were killed in that attack. And a day after Afghanistan blamed Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes Inside Pakistan. And Pakistan neither confirmed nor denied these airstrikes. The reason behind this latest round of fighting has been the Pakistani Taliban militants. Now, Pakistan says that they are operating from Afghanistan, crossing the border and carrying out attacks on that security forces. So hundreds of soldiers have died in the past few years, and especially their intensity has increased after the Afghan Taliban seized power in Kabul. The Taliban administration, they denied these charges. So that has led to the latest round of accusation and counter accusation. And what we are seeing is intense battle and people are talking about small arms and artillery fire being used. And when the day breaks, probably we will hear more about what happened in these areas.

[Julia McFarlane]

Hearing you explain all this, it seems like it's almost a mirror of what was happening a few years ago when the Afghan Taliban sought refuge in Pakistan to launch attacks on Afghanistan. It now sounds like the opposite is happening.

[Baran Etarajan]

That's what many people would point out. About 10 years ago, Pakistani army launched a major operation against militants and declared victory. And they retained control of many of those tribal areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province at that time. But that was a major operation involving thousands of troops. But now you see this escalation that is forcing especially police posts in remote areas. These are coming under target means militants are getting more and more emboldened. So this is what many Afghan analysts would point out. See, this is what happened to us about five, six years ago, for the last 20 years, until the Taliban seized power, because Pakistan was being used as a base and support and medical support for many of these injured cadres of the Taliban. Now you see the Pakistani Taliban coming from the other side and attacking. And on the one side, you see Pakistan gaining more international attention. The country is now more closer to President Trump. In fact, they recently had a border clash with an aerial battle with India, but now they are. In fact, the Pakistani army chief has met President Trump a couple of times. And at the same time, they're also facing internal security problem, not on one hand, on both sides in Balochistan as well as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. So this is a major concern for the Pakistani military. Even though they are militarily strong. These kind of ground guerrilla attacks or suicide attacks, it's difficult for them to manage at this point.

[Julia McFarlane]

And Barasan Etorajan, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is holding, which has allowed hundreds of thousands of Gazans to return to their homes, or what's left of them. But officials say more than 10,000 Palestinians remain missing under the rubble of the flattened enclave. The IDF has withdrawn from some areas and A top Hamas official has said they will begin to release the remaining 48 hostages, both alive and dead, on Monday. Israel does not allow the BBC to report freely from inside Gaza. Our correspondent Barbara Platasher is monitoring developments on both sides from Tel Aviv. And she was at a rally on Saturday in Hostage Square.

[BBC Announcer]

For two years, they've come here every Saturday night. Now, Hostage Square vibrated with hope that this would be the final rally. President Trump clearly the hero, his daughter taking the stage.

[Julia McFarlane]

And the president wanted me to share, as he has with so many of you personally, that he sees you, he hears you, he stands with you.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Always.

[BBC Announcer]

Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, tried to give the Israeli prime minister some credit for the deal.

[Julia McFarlane]

To Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

[BBC Announcer]

They've accused Netanyahu of sabotaging past ceasefire attempts, aren't ready to forgive him.

[Julia McFarlane]

To Prime Minister Benjamin.

[BBC Announcer]

Mr. Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner, acknowledging the pain on the other side and also to.

[Baran Etarajan]

See the suffering end for the people.

[Julia McFarlane]

In Gaza, who for most of them.

[Baran Etarajan]

Were experiencing this through no fault of their own, other than being born into.

[Interviewer (Sports or general)]

A situation that was horrific.

[BBC Announcer]

In Gaza, the bombing has stopped, but the Israelis created a wasteland. You can't call it peace, not yet. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans are making the journey home, displaced again and again by the war. It's finally safe to return. Finding, though, that there is nothing to go back to. The scale of destruction is hard to take in. For many, everything is lost.

[Baran Etarajan]

My house, which I built 40 years ago, was gone in a moment. All my brothers are gone, my nephews too. What's left in the world, even death is better than the struggle we are in.

[BBC Announcer]

This is the best chance for ending the war. But there are so many questions and obstacles, so much to rebuild for a lasting peace.

[Julia McFarlane]

Barbara Plet, Usher. Well, next in the diplomatic process, President Trump is due to travel to Egypt on Monday for a signing ceremony of the peace plan. In Gaza. Hamas has called up 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control where Israel has withdrawn amid uncertainty over who will govern the territory. Now, our reporter Rushdie Abu Alouf left Gaza during the war and he's now based in Turkey. He said Hamas's positioning has raised fears about internal violence as Palestinians focus on retrieving bodies and rebuilding the territory.

[Rushdie Abu Alouf]

It is very serious and I think talking to people in Gaza today, the people are very angry about this move. And they said we were expecting Hamas to wait for us and help us to clear the rubble and distribute food to the people. Not to show people with guns and masks in the middle of the streets are supporting Hamas. They were appreciating and celebrating this. Derek. Finally we will get rid of the thieves and the chaotic situation in Gaza which everyone rejected, including those who are not in favor of Hamas but they want somebody else to do it. I was speaking to like a human rights activist today, Khalil Abshamala who lives in Gaza and he said this is a great warning that internal fighting might erobate and there is signs Glangor Dougmush family is they have a very long criminal record including kidnapping people and foreigners before they have kidnapped group of Hamas people about seven people. And Hamas claimed the group has contact with the Israelis and they were told by an Israeli officer to kill the two Hamas people. Well, it's very hard to verify this is what Hamas is saying in the media. They were killed within like two hours of their abduction and the others were shooting their legs and they were thrown in the street. Hamas hit back and they killed one of the Dogma family and they kidnapped 30 people. Serious we have seen this back in 2007 where about 300, 400 people were killed in the fighting between Hamas and Fatiha. Now we are talking about five different gangs, group and big clans, big family with, with a lot of guns, you.

[Julia McFarlane]

Know, Rushdie Abu Aloof. European authorities have introduced strict new regulations to crack down on crime and prevent travelers overstaying their welcome. From today, most non EU citizens will have to provide biometric information and answer some questions about their journey when they travel to countries in the Schengen Zone, which includes all EU nations except Ireland, Cyprus, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. I asked travel journalist Simon Caldip why these new rules are necessary to have.

[Simon Calder]

Control over people overstaying. At the moment, there's a strict limit for travelers such as me from the UK to spend no more than 90 days in any 180 days. They also want to identify criminals. The first time you encounter this there is a strict procedure where you provide your four fingers as well as a facial biometric that gets stored in an EU database and subsequent visits. It's just going to be the facial biometric and it basically checks. Is this Julia McFarlane? Yes, it is. She matches our records and also we can tell from our database that she hasn't exceeded her time in Europe and that's going to be happening on your way into the Schengen area and on your way out.

[Julia McFarlane]

Simon, tell me this. How is this any different from the standard passport checks and ID checks that are taken when anyone enters the Schengen zone.

[Simon Calder]

This is going to be absolutely transformational. At the moment, for example, there's plenty of people who are swerving the three month limit on stays simply by having two passports. That won't be possible in future because if I've got two passports, then it will know that I'm the same person because it will have my facial biometric and my fingerprint. They are absolutely keeping tabs at the 1800 crossing points into the Schengen area, airports, but you've also got seaports, international rail routes and road crossings.

[Julia McFarlane]

It's not going to make passing through airports and ports any quicker, is it?

[Simon Calder]

Everybody I have spoken to is warning how difficult it is going to be. I spoke, for example, to the boss of Ryanair, Europe's biggest budget airline. He's Michael o'. Leary.

[Julia McFarlane]

I am pretty certain it's going to go wrong. I am pretty certain that border control here in the UK and also at many European airports will not be able to accommodate the backlog of queues.

[Simon Calder]

But the advantage we have is it's.

[Julia McFarlane]

October and we're moving into the winter.

[Simon Calder]

Period, so there's a lot less pressure on.

[Julia McFarlane]

But I think it will be bumpy and lumpy through the winter and hopefully it will have worked its way out.

[Simon Calder]

Of the system by the time we.

[Julia McFarlane]

Get to next summer.

[Simon Calder]

The Romanian authorities told me we recommend if you're a third country national and remember, that's everybody who isn't a Schengen citizen turn up at the airport early. The Danish immigration minister actually said, this has the power to foul things up, even for Schengen passport holders. But because there's going to be so much as we would say red tape attached.

[Julia McFarlane]

Simon Calder, the American actress Diane Keaton, who is best known for her roles in the Godfather and Woody Allen's early comedies, has died in California. She was 79. Her Hollywood career spanned more than 50 years and included what are widely regarded as some of the best films ever made. Here she is alongside Woody Allen in the romantic comedy Annie Hall, a performance that landed her an Academy Award. Would you like a glass of chocolate milk?

[Professor Ash Moussahebi]

Hey.

[Baran Etarajan]

What am I, your son?

[Simon Calder]

What do you mean?

[Julia McFarlane]

I came over for a. I got the good chocolate.

[Simon Calder]

Yeah.

[Baran Etarajan]

Where's the spider?

[BBC Announcer]

Is it in the bathroom?

[Simon Calder]

Okay.

[Julia McFarlane]

Hey, don't squish it. And after it's dead, flush it down the toilet.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Okay.

[Julia McFarlane]

And flush it a couple of times, darling.

[Baran Etarajan]

I've been killing spiders since I was 30.

[Simon Calder]

Okay.

[BBC Announcer]

It's a very big spider.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Yeah.

[Roberto Lopez]

A lot of trouble.

[Baran Etarajan]

There's two of them.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Two?

[BBC Announcer]

Yep.

[Baran Etarajan]

I didn't think it was that big, but it's a major spider. You got a broom or something? With a snowshoe?

[Julia McFarlane]

It's at your house. I think I left it there. I'm sorry. What are you doing?

[BBC Announcer]

What are you doing?

[Baran Etarajan]

Honey, there's a spider in your bathroom the size of a Buick.

[BBC Announcer]

Okay.

[Julia McFarlane]

Veteran Hollywood reporter Jeannie Wolf, who knew Diane Keaton personally, told me how she will be best remembered.

[Jeannie Wolf]

Look, we all wanted to be Annie hall, didn't we? I mean, gloves, hats, scarves, but really we can talk about the hats and the gloves. But the thing you have to remember, it's her personality more than any wardrobe. That made her Annie hall and that made her, endeared her with us and made her play a wide range of roles. She played many different roles over the years and she said she liked comedy the best. She found comedy relaxing for her, but she certainly did well when she was called upon to play drama. She could do anything. Reds. What an intense movie that was. And Father of the Bride, she was always funny. And First Wives Club, she was very good at being sarcastic.

[Julia McFarlane]

I think that's what's so interesting about this incredible woman is she's had such a long career. Her career has spanned more than five decades. And Jeannie, you will know better than most people what it takes to survive in the Hollywood industry for quite so long and to still be desired and to still be cast in things. I mean, she was still so spunky and such an incredibly vibrant actress well into her, into her older years in an industry that so many people feel is quite ageist.

[Jeannie Wolf]

I know, but you see, she didn't make her career on wearing a push up bra and showing as much skin as she could at the, at the awards. She was just so unique. And what does it take to stay in the business so long? First of all, she and everybody else would tell you it's an enormous amount of luck, but talent and a mutual respect. People would get a good laugh out of her, but they knew that she was some actress.

[Julia McFarlane]

And what about the many tributes to her over the years? I mean, how did the rest of the industry, how did they see Diane Keaton?

[Jeannie Wolf]

Well, I remember the big American Film Institute tribute to her. And one a name after another came up and told. There was always a funny story, but there was always a great acknowledgement of her talent. And that's what people would say, talent, talent, talent. But talent in Hollywood, it means being unique, being something special. A star becomes a star. Partly because of luck, but partly because there wasn't anybody like Diane Keaton, you know, who could you say was like her, except people who tried to imitate.

[Julia McFarlane]

Her in some of her films where she is starring with some incredible female actresses like Goldie Horn or Bette Midler, you can tell they're having such a riot behind the scenes as well as on camera.

[Jeannie Wolf]

It's true. And I was, I would go visit her behind the scenes and they were having a riot and. But then they also took this very seriously. So it's a funny. It's a funny mix, isn't it? She took acting very seriously, but she was always having a ball.

[Julia McFarlane]

Jeannie Wolf on Diane Keaton's legacy still to come. Why are so many young people going under the knife?

[Professor Ash Moussahebi]

The facelift normally lasts about 10 to 15 years. So if they're doing it in their 20s and in the 40s and they're kind of having to potentially do it again.

[Julia McFarlane]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Baran Etarajan]

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.

[Julia McFarlane]

I'm a Smah Khalid in Washington, D.C.

[Baran Etarajan]

I'M Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story.

[Julia McFarlane]

Every weekday, we'll bring you a story.

[BBC Announcer]

From this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Baran Etarajan]

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

[Julia McFarlane]

Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado is using her new platform as Nobel Peace Laureate to call on President Nicolas Maduro to stand down. She told BBC Mundo's Noberto Paredes that after the Nobel Peace Prize announcement on Friday, she phoned US President Donald Trump and thanked him for his support on behalf of all Venezuelans. My colleague Nick Miles asked Noberto what Ms. Machado wants the U.S. and others to do to force Mr. Maduro to relinquish power.

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

Well, she's asking the U.S. and its allies to put more pressure on Maduro. She seems to be supporting Trump's decision to bomb and to attack boats in the Caribbean Sea. Trump says that these are drug cartels, Venezuelan drug cartels controlled by Maduro. She seems to think that this puts pressure on Maduro's regime to cut what she thinks that is how the government finances itself and how Maduro has been able to survive throughout the years with the money from trafficking, drugs and humans.

[BBC Announcer]

The regime in Venezuela is a criminal structure. It sustains themselves on the criminal flows from their illicit activities. And we need the international community to cut those flows. That are not only used for corruption, but also for repression, violence and terror. When you cut the inflows that come from drug trafficking, cold smuggling, arms smuggling, human trafficking or the black market of oil, then the regime, and that's exactly what we're seeing, cracks that are getting deeper and deeper as we talk right now.

[Simon Calder]

So, Noberto, moving away from the economics of this, it seems the opposition movement is either in hiding. A lot of them are in prison. They're not necessarily particularly confident of winning at the ballot box because they would say the election would be fixed. So how do you see this moving forward politically?

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

If we take into consideration all these things, you're saying that she's in hiding. Like most of the opposition leaders, they are either in Miami or Madrid or they are also hiding. Yes, it's difficult to see a change, but when you see Maduro and his support in Venezuela has been eroding throughout the years. I remember when Maduro used to attract hundreds of thousands of people to his rallies in Caracas last year. There were a few thousands and I interviewed a few of them and they would tell me that they had to be there because they worked for the government. We see that his political situation isn't very stable. He's not the strong political figure that he used to be in the past. So she thinks he's got the upper hand to make him negotiate.

[Simon Calder]

But given the amount of support he still has from the military in Venezuela, how likely do you think that will be?

[Interviewee (Venezuelan opposition or related)]

He's got very strong support from the Minister of Defence, Padrino Lopez. He's got the top military. They're tightly close to the government as well. Mario Corina Machado. She thought that she could infiltrate the army as Juan Guaido did when he was the opposition leader in 2018, when he gathered some army officers and they tried to make a coup. She tried that last year. Maria Cornell Machal tried that last year when she was calling the army to rebel and to do something. She was calling the army to do that indirectly. She didn't do it openly, but now it seems further away from happening. And I think that's why she's putting all her bets on Trump and on his decision to fight these boats and drug cartels that are, according to hate, trafficking drugs into the US.

[Julia McFarlane]

Now, gone are the days when facelifts were reserved for the aging wealthy. Now, apparently, an increasing number of younger people are opting to go under the knife. People in their 20s and 30s are happily sharing their before and after pictures and even the very bruised bit in between on social Media and many of them are having their procedures in places where cosmetic surgery is largely unregulated, like Turkey, with potentially dangerous consequences. London based plastic surgeon Professor Ash Moussahebi told us why younger people are now opting for facelifts.

[Professor Ash Moussahebi]

I think there's a pressure of social media and the selfies and what they thought they should look like is pushing them towards this. The facelift normally lasts about 10 to 15 years, so if they're doing it in their 20s and in their 40s and they're kind of having to potentially do it again, it's tragic that people are being offered this at that age. Any surgery has a risk and we always talk about risk ratio, benefit, and for that age, I think that really is something that shouldn't be really offered, to be honest. I've got many, many Turkish colleagues that are very ethical surgeons and very good surgeons. Because of the lack of regulation and heavy advertising, the many people who go there are trapped by these charlatans. To be honest. Sometimes patients can die, particularly for facelift. I mean, one of the biggest danger is that you have end up with facial paralysis, which can be irreversible.

[Julia McFarlane]

Professor Ash Mosehebi and we end this podcast in Cape Verde, the small island nation off the west coast of Africa. It's a collection of 10 islands with a population of just 60. And on Monday, the national men's football team will take on Eswatini in a very important match. If Cape Verde wins, it will qualify for its first ever World Cup, a huge achievement for a country that only really began playing competitive international football just 20 years ago. James Komarasamy spoke to one of the players, Roberto Lopez, after he had finished training and began by asking him what the mood is like in Cape Verde.

[Roberto Lopez]

Yeah, it's good. I have to say, since we've been in Cape Verde, it's been nice and relaxed, the music's been playing, everyone's nice and relaxed, which is when we're at our best, to be honest with you.

[Interviewer (Sports or general)]

But there must be quite a lot of expectation there.

[Roberto Lopez]

Escentino be a difficult team to be. They can cause problems, they're dangerous. And we know we have a good team here and we want to win the game, but I think it's important that we, we prepare. Right. And part of that is enjoying these moments in between.

[Interviewer (Sports or general)]

Now, Eagle eared listeners will be able to tell that you were born in Ireland, you play for an Irish team, Shamrock Rovers. So tell us how you actually came to be involved with Cape Verde, which is where your Father's from. Is that correct? Which is not sort of conventional way of getting signed to a team, I suppose. You actually headhunted, weren't you?

[Roberto Lopez]

Yeah, it was probably a good way to put it. So I got a message through me LinkedIn account that I set up through college. The previous manager messaged me on. On LinkedIn in Portuguese, which I didn't speak at the time. I just thought it was like a welcome sort of spam message that you get a lot with LinkedIn. So I just left it very rudely. But thankfully enough, he replied to me in English probably nine months later, and he asked me again did I have time to think about his proposal. So in that moment, I. I did what I should have done the first time and copied and pasted into Google Translate. And I'm probably the luckiest man in the world. The fact that they. They didn't sort of look El or they didn't say, oh, this fellow's not interested. So I replied, apologized 100 times, I think, and I said, if the opportunity was still there, I'd love to be a part of the group. I think maybe three or four weeks later, I was in Marseille making me debut.

[Interviewer (Sports or general)]

As far as the team's concerned, the football team, it's not that old, is it, in terms of getting international status?

[Roberto Lopez]

Yeah, we. We managed to qualify for an Afghan shortly after iroh, which was. Which was amazing.

[Simon Calder]

Fee.

[Roberto Lopez]

We have a new, younger generation of players from Cape Verde coming through as well and we're in a really good position at the moment.

[Interviewer (Sports or general)]

And what do you think it's going to mean for the country if. I don't want to jinx things, but if you do do get the points you need and get through to the.

[Roberto Lopez]

World cup finals, it'll be amazing. I think it'll be give the country a tremendous lift on the world stage at one of the biggest sporting events in the world and senior country there. Seeing your name and being part of that, it just gives you such a sense of pride and it'll be an amazing feeling for sure.

[Julia McFarlane]

Roberto Lopez from the Cape Verde football team, hoping to make history on Monday. And that's all from us for now, but there will be a new edition of the Global News podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or any of the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk we'd also love to hear from you if you think there's a story we've missed, missed or one you want us to revisit. Please do send us your ideas. You can also find us on XBCWorldService. Use the hashtag GlobalNewspod. This edition was mixed by Nick Randall and the producer was Wendy Urquhart. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Julia McFarlane. Until next time. Goodbye.