Israel attacks Gaza in ground offensive

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary Episode: Israel Attacks Gaza in Ground Offensive
Release Date: March 20, 2025
Host: Oliver Conway
Produced by: BBC World Service

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1. Escalation of the Israel-Gaza Conflict

Ground Offensive and Airstrikes

The episode opens with a detailed analysis of the renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military has intensified its operations in Gaza, specifically targeting the Netzerim Corridor—a strategic buffer zone between northern and southern Gaza. This move has prompted Hamas to resume rocket attacks into Israel, marking a significant breach of the ceasefire established in January.

• Oliver Conway [00:22]: "Israel is once again tightening its grip on Gaza, deploying troops in an area known as the Netzerim Corridor, a buffer between north and south."

Humanitarian Impact

The resumption of hostilities has led to a tragic loss of life and widespread chaos within Gaza. The death toll has surpassed 590 Palestinians since the aerial bombardment recommenced on Tuesday, including 200 children. Medical facilities, such as Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, are overwhelmed with casualties.

• Saqib Rokadia, Dr. at Nasser Hospital [00:22]: "It was just chaos. Bodies and patients alive and dead just on the back of donkey carts pulling up to the hospital and in amidst a few healthcare workers."

Military and Political Dynamics

Danny Eberhard, the regional editor, provides insights into the military strategies and political maneuvers underpinning the conflict. He highlights Israel's expansion of ground operations in Bayt Lahiya, an area heavily affected by prolonged fighting, and Hamas's retaliatory rocket launches aimed at destabilizing the fragile ceasefire.

• Danny Eberhard [02:20]: "Hamas have returned to open fighting for the first time since the ceasefire came into effect in January, claiming these three rockets... in retaliation for what they called Israel's massacres in the past few days."

Ceasefire Prospects

The possibility of reinstating the ceasefire appears bleak as key members of Israel's cabinet, initially opposed to the truce, have rejoined the government to support the renewed military efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces both domestic challenges and escalating external threats, diminishing the chances for an immediate peace resolution.

• Danny Eberhard [04:30]: "Since the war has resumed and Israel has decided to resume hostilities, they have rejoined the government, providing a political boon for Prime Minister Netanyahu."

2. European Union's Defense Strategy Amid Russian Threats

In response to growing concerns over Russian aggression, EU leaders convened in Brussels to discuss enhancing European defense capabilities. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized the existential threat posed by Russia, drawing parallels to pre-World War II strategic dilemmas.

• Gitanas Nauseda [06:09]: "We are standing in front of strategic choice to let the aggressor escalate the violence and fear or to stop it, to paralyze its ability to intimidate us."

Defense Initiatives and Collaboration

The EU is contemplating a comprehensive defense white paper focusing on increased military spending, joint procurement of weapons, and advancements in air defenses and anti-drone technologies. The initiative aims to reduce Europe's reliance on the US security umbrella amidst uncertainties surrounding American foreign policy under President Donald Trump.

• Danny Eberhard [06:38]: "Europe must spend massively on defense. This would help on issues like joint procurement of military weapons and improve joint purchases of weapons for efficiency."

Political Unity and Challenges

While there is a strong consensus within the EU on the urgency of boosting defense, divisions persist regarding military aid to Ukraine. Hungary remains a notable dissenting voice, abstaining from key defense declarations.

• Ad Sponsor [08:35]: "There is a broad consensus that Europe needs to change and change fast. But there is a big division on the provision of military aid to Ukraine."

3. Tribute to Eddie Jordan, Influential Motorsport Figure

The podcast pays heartfelt tributes to Eddie Jordan, the esteemed motor racing team owner who recently passed away at 76. Jordan's legacy in Formula One is celebrated through personal anecdotes and testimonials from notable figures like Damon Hill and BBC correspondent Jonathan Ledyard.

• Damon Hill [08:59]: "There'll never be anyone like Eddie. He was a huge influence on me and many, many people in motorsport and around the world."

Jordan’s Impact on Motorsport

Jonathan Ledyard elaborates on Jordan's unique charisma, resilience, and business acumen that enabled him to compete against established teams like Ferrari and McLaren. Despite not winning a world championship, Jordan's team made significant strides, epitomizing determination and innovation in the highly competitive racing environment.

• Jonathan Ledyard [10:33]: "He always believed the impossible was possible and usually he did that. Eddie Jordan could get away with some of the expedis he came out with and still get their money."

4. Canada Condemns Executions in China

The podcast reports on Canada's strong condemnation of the execution of four Canadian citizens in China, amidst escalating diplomatic tensions. The Chinese Embassy defended the executions, citing legal compliance, while Canadian officials expressed deep distress and called for leniency.

• Melanie Jolie, Canadian Foreign Minister [12:40]: "We will continue to engage with China as we'll continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations."

Diplomatic Strains

The executions are part of a broader context of deteriorating relations between Canada and China, exacerbated by incidents such as the 2018 arrest of a Huawei executive and subsequent detentions of Canadians on espionage charges. Efforts to reset diplomatic ties have been stymied by retaliatory measures and ongoing hostilities.

• Stephanie Prentice [12:40]: "The relationship between China and Canada has been tense in recent years. They're currently locked in a retaliatory battle on tariffs."

5. London Black Cab Drivers and Cognitive Studies

Examining the unique cognitive demands placed on London black cab drivers, the podcast highlights the rigorous training required to pass "The Knowledge," a comprehensive test of the city's intricate road network. Professor Hugo Speirs discusses the long-term brain health benefits observed in cab drivers due to their extensive spatial memory usage.

• Hugo Speirs [14:35]: "About 20 years ago, a key study discovered that there's a particular part of the brain that seems to get larger in London taxi drivers—the hippocampus."

Future of the Profession

With increasing calls to simplify the licensing process, there are concerns that the high demands may lead to a decline in the number of licensed drivers. The think tank's warnings suggest that without maintaining rigorous standards, the cultural and cognitive benefits provided by traditional black cab driving could be lost.

• Hugo Speirs [14:59]: "Keeping your brain active and exactly what London taxi drivers do, having gained the knowledge, is a great example of that."

6. US Sanctions on Russia and Potential Policy Shifts

The podcast delves into the complexities of US sanctions on Russia, particularly under the Trump administration. Maria Chagina of the International Institute for Strategic Studies discusses the breadth and effectiveness of existing sanctions, as well as the potential for new measures to influence Russia's strategic decisions.

• Maria Chagina [17:14]: "Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world with more than 17,000 measures being put in place."

Potential for Escalation

The possibility of both tightening and easing sanctions creates uncertainty. While Trump has indicated a willingness to impose stricter sanctions on sectors like energy, there are simultaneous moves to ease certain restrictions, depending on the progress of peace negotiations.

• Maria Chagina [19:02]: "There is still a lot of room to ramp up sanctions... He can do enforcement sanctions more watertight and put pressure on financial institutions."

7. Innovative Medical Trial in Bangladesh

Highlighting advancements in medical diagnostics, the podcast covers a pioneering trial in Bangladesh aimed at early detection of methanol poisoning. Developed by Professor Knut Erik Hovda, the finger-prick blood test identifies poisoning before the onset of severe symptoms, potentially saving thousands of lives.

• Matthew Hill [20:17]: "Norwegian expert Professor Knut Erik Hovda has developed a finger prick blood test that detects poisoning even before symptoms appear."

Challenges and Solutions

Despite the availability of effective antidotes like ethanol, logistical issues in Bangladesh's healthcare system hinder timely treatment. The new diagnostic tool, coupled with improved access to treatments, represents a significant leap forward in combating methanol-related fatalities.

• Dr. Mohammed Robin Amin [22:44]: "Unfortunately, they came up around two hours or three hours later from that hotel with ethanol. He was having serious trouble. We cannot give any antidote and the patient dies."

8. France's National Survival Manual Initiative

In response to increasing security threats, including potential armed conflicts and natural disasters, France is distributing a comprehensive survival manual to its citizens. This initiative mirrors similar efforts by Nordic countries and aims to bolster public preparedness for a range of emergencies.

• Isabella Jewell [24:28]: "The booklet suggests that everyone has several bottles of water, several tins of non-perishable food, a first aid kit and medicines, batteries and a radio and a torch of course in the case of power outages."

Content and Objectives

The 20-page manual provides actionable guidance on personal safety, emergency response, and community defense. It emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and community involvement in the face of crises, aligning with France's broader security strategy under President Emmanuel Macron.

• Isabella Jewell [25:23]: "The book's got three different sections: advice on protecting yourself, what to do if a threat is imminent, and how to build an emergency survival kit."

9. Blobfish Honored as Fish of the Year

Concluding the episode on a lighter note, the blobfish has been awarded Fish of the Year, celebrating its unique adaptation to deep-sea environments. Marine conservationist Lorna Dugan explains the challenges faced by the species when resurfacing, which often leads to its distinctive, disfigured appearance.

• Lorna Dugan [27:15]: "The blobfish is one of our examples of a deep-sea, perfectly adapted specimen. But they look very sad indeed when we're teaching in schools about marine conservation."

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Notable Quotes

• Danny Eberhard [04:30]: "Since the war has resumed and Israel has decided to resume hostilities, they have rejoined the government, providing a political boon for Prime Minister Netanyahu."

• Damon Hill [08:59]: "There'll never be anyone like Eddie. He was a huge influence on me and many, many people in motorsport and around the world."

• Maria Chagina [19:56]: "Russia doesn't feel the pressure right now to come to negotiating table because sanctions haven't been as effective."

• Hugo Speirs [14:59]: "Having gained the knowledge, is a great example of that."

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Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast provides a comprehensive overview of pressing international issues, from the intensifying Israel-Gaza conflict and EU defense strategies against Russian threats to human-interest stories like the tribute to Eddie Jordan and innovative medical trials in Bangladesh. The diverse range of topics underscores the BBC's commitment to delivering in-depth analysis and exclusive insights on global events.

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Transcript

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[Oliver Conway]

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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 14 hours GMT on Thursday 20th March. The Israeli military tells Palestinians not to use the main road linking north and south Gaza while Hamas fires rockets into Israel. EU leaders meet to discuss how to beef up European defense in the face of Russian threats. And a unique medical trial is being carried out in Bangladesh to identify victims of methanol poisoning. Also in the podcast, the French Survival Manual for Armed Conflict and Natural Disaster. And there'll never be anyone like Eddie Jordan. Eddie was a huge influence on me and many, many people in motorsport and around the world. There'll never be anyone like him. Tributes are paid to motor racing boss Eddie Jordan, who's died at the age of 76. Israel is once again tightening its grip on Gaza, deploying troops in an area known as the Netzerim Corridor, a buffer between north and south. The Israeli army has warned people to avoid the main road through the middle of the Palestinian territor territory. Hamas says the ground operation is a new and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and it's launched rockets at Israel. Hundreds of people have been killed since Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza on Monday night. Saqib Rokadia is a doctor at Nasser Hospital in Harn Yunis, the emergency area. It was just chaos.

[Emi Onada]

So whilst we were there, there were.

[Oliver Conway]

Bodies and patients alive and dead just.

[Jonathan Ledyard]

On the back of donkey carts pulling.

[Oliver Conway]

Up to the hospital and in amidst.

[Emi Onada]

This, a few healthcare workers. There were a couple of nurses who were just calm, resilient, worked hard even through the most atrocious times.

[Oliver Conway]

Just before we came into the studio, I got an update on events in Gaza from our Middle east correspondent, Emi Onada.

[Danny Eberhard]

Yesterday we saw the first resumption of Israel's ground operation since the ceasefire came into effect at the beginning of January. The ground forces had mostly pulled back from Gaza, but had remained on a kind of buffer zone around the perimeter. And then this key corridor that the Israeli army had cut through Gaza during the war called the Net Stream Corridor. As you mentioned, they've begun to return to certain locations along this corridor. It cuts the north and the south of Gaza in two. And today we've had more information from the Israeli military that they are expanding other ground operations in the north of Gaza in an area called Bayt Lahiya, which in that northern part of Gaza has been one of the sites, one of the areas that has witnessed some of the most fierce fighting and the local residents really have suffered the most throughout the year. We've also seen Hamas responding today, firing rockets into Tel Aviv, towards Tel Aviv, as you mentioned.

[Oliver Conway]

Yeah, I mean, tell us more about that rocket attack. The first time, I imagine, since the ceasefire was agreed.

[Danny Eberhard]

That's correct. On Tuesday, when Israel began its aerial bombardment again in the Gaza Strip, shattering the ceasefire, we saw two days really of Hamas saying, no, we intend to return to the negotiations, calling on mediators to intervene. We were waiting to see if that might change. And indeed today it looks like it has. And Hamas have returned to open fighting for the first time since the ceasefire came into effect in January, claiming these three rockets, none of them have claimed any injuries when they entered Israel today. One of them intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti missile defense system, two falling into sort of open land in Israel. But Hamas has said that they have launched these three rockets in retaliation for what they called Israel's massacres in the past few days. And the latest figures we're getting from the local health officials in Gaza is that since the fighting resumed at the beginning of Tuesday morning, over 590 Palestinians in Gaza have been counted dead, of which 200 are children.

[Oliver Conway]

And is there any hope of getting the ceasefire back on track? I understand some key members of the Israeli cabinet aren't keen on it.

[Danny Eberhard]

Indeed, when the ceasefire came into effect in the middle of January, there were a number of politicians, indeed part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. They withdrew their support from the coalition. One Minister, Itamar Ben Gavir, who was the Minister of National Security, stepped down and resigned. And his party withdrew from supporting Prime Minister Netanyahu's party. They wanted to continue fighting the war. Since the war has resumed and Israel has decided to resume hostilities, they have rejoined the government, providing a political boon for Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has other domestic issues at play as well. He's trying to pass a budget. He's fighting a number of domestic political issues and indeed some legal issues. But it does seem like those politicians who've returned to the government are indeed seeing that Israel now intends to pursue the military strategy that they've been calling for throughout.

[Oliver Conway]

Emir Nada in Jerusalem following his phone call with President Trump. Yesterday, the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said a lasting peace can be achieved this year. But so far, Vladimir Putin hasn't even agreed a temporary ceasefire and the Americans appear reluctant to put pressure on him. The shift in US foreign policy under Donald Trump has to soul searching in Europe. And today EU nations are discussing how to provide extra support for Ukraine and to beef up their own security. On his way into the meeting in Brussels, the Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda said Russia posed a real threat like 87.

[Maria Chagina]

Years ago before the Second World War. We are standing in front of strategic choice to let the aggressor escalate the violence and fear or to stop it, to paralyze its ability to intimidate us and to build a credible wall of defense separating Europe and Russian federation.

[Oliver Conway]

Europe regional editor Danny Eberhard in Brussels told me more about the talks.

[Ad Sponsor]

Europe's own defense is one of the main things. As well as bolstering support for Ukraine, there is also efforts to try to bolster Europe's defence. There was a white paper presented by the European foreign policy chief yesterday. It takes on basically the idea that Europe must spend massively on borrowing money heavily to invest in defence. This would help, for example, on issues like joint procurement of military weapons. They've identified a number of priorities, things like air defenses, missiles, anti drone technology, these sort of things. And it will also help to improve joint purchases of weapons for efficiency. So a number of different things that they'll be looking at. The sense there we got from Gitanis Nauseda that Europe really is facing a very different era now and that urgency is very much first and foremost in their minds.

[Oliver Conway]

Yeah. I mean, would they even be discussing this stuff if it wasn't for President Trump's new approach?

[Ad Sponsor]

Good question. It has been on the issue what Donald Trump's second presidency has given. Everything is a very new and urgent focus. So Europe is feeling the chill winds of a Washington that is pulling back some of its European commitments. There are questions as to the reliability of the US as an ally. So what leaders are talking about is Europe needs to look after its own defence in a very, very short frame. Some people are saying three to five years. Other people flag up 20, 30. In the interim period, Europe still depends very much on the security umbrella that's provided by the us so it has to tread a very sensitive diplomatic line. That's why you won't hear outright condemnation of Donald Trump's approach on the peace process. You'll hear European leaders welcome that while expressing their own fears and stressing that this is not just about Ukraine's own security, but Europe's security as well.

[Oliver Conway]

Yeah, briefly, how united are they on.

[Ad Sponsor]

The issue of defense? There's a broad consensus that Europe needs to change and change fast. But there is a big division on the provision of military aid to Ukraine. The main dissenter there is Hungary. It has never provided military aid for Ukraine and it stays away from declarations it pulls out of them. So the declaration gets signed by 26 EU nations on these sort of things rather than 27.

[Oliver Conway]

Danny Aberhard in Brussels. The former motor racing boss Eddie Jordan has died in South Africa at the age of 76. The flamboyant Irish businessman was also a successful television pundit. Retired Formula one star Damon Hill says he was a huge influence. He was gregarious, as you know. He was irreverent. He was crazy. I lived in Ireland when I raced with Eddie and I privileged to have won the Grand Prix with Eddie and he influenced everyone. There isn't a single person in that era and since really has not been affected positively in some way by Eddie. He gave a huge amount to charity. He never stopped, he never wasted a single second of his life. And he energized everyone he was near. Damon Hill. The BBC's former Formula One correspondent Jonathan Ledyard told me why Eddie Jordan was so special.

[Jonathan Ledyard]

He was a one off. He was a unique character. As Damon Hill was saying there, people say that some characters in life, you meet their glasses half full. Eddie's was always overflowing. He brought such a unique charisma, a unique personality, humanity, resilience, but also he knew how to do a deal from selling cars in Dublin. And here was a man who started as a banker, then wanted to go racing, selling cars and so on. He went from the being a wannabe Formula one star in a Silverstone lockup garage to winning the Belgian Grand Prix at the iconic Spa circuit with Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, leading home Ralph Schumacher's Jordan teammate. And an extraordinary one two. He always believed the impossible was possible and usually he did that.

[Oliver Conway]

Yeah. Tell us more about his team and how he challenged the more established teams.

[Jonathan Ledyard]

He took on the big guys. He beat Ferrari, he beat McLaren, he, he beat Williams, he took all comers and actually, were it not for their Star driver in 1999, Heinz Harold Frensen, pressing the wrong buttons which killed his engine, he could well have gone on to have the world champion driver in that year and that would have taken his team, which was A very small beer team from Formula 3 coming up to the junior formulas, getting into Formula 1, designing what was in his first season in 1991, regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever. If he'd won the world Championship with Heinz Harold Frensten in 1999, that could have taken him to another level. As it was, Frenson pressed the wrong buttons. They didn't finish just two points behind the the other two, Hacken and Eddie Irvine, former Eddie Jordan driver, by the way, in that championship. And Jordan sort of tailed off, but he just brought this zing to everything he did. I remember going to various sponsorship dinners and in Monaco Yacht Club, and believe you me, there aren't many more swish venues than that. And he absolutely launched into these sponsorship executives who were sponsoring his team. Only Eddie Jordan could get away with some of the expedis he came out with and still get their money.

[Oliver Conway]

And what was he like behind the scenes? Cause you were the F1 correspondent when he was at his peak.

[Jonathan Ledyard]

Well, I'll tell you a personal story. My Last race for 5 Live was in 2004, and we flew home on a private jet with one of his former designers to Oxford. And my taxi was late. And now many people would have said, right, Jonathan, you just sit here. I'm going to do stuff. He stayed with me and talked for two hours about life, about Formula One, about family, about everything. And he was the most human of Formula One team owners in an environment rightly known as the Piranha Club. A one off, a unique character.

[Oliver Conway]

Jonathan Ledyard on Eddie Jordan, who has died at the age of 76. Canada has condemned the execution of four Canadians in China amid continuing diplomatic tensions. The Chinese Embassy in Canada defended the executions, telling CBC News that, quote, whoever violates the law of China must be held accountable. More details from Stephanie Prentice.

[Stephanie Prentice]

The identities of the Canadians haven't been released and the reasons behind the killings haven't been confirmed. But officials in Canada say the executions went ahead despite their pleas for leniency. Canada's Foreign Minister, Melanie Jolie told reporters in Ottawa that alongside former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, she tried for months to make a deal with Chinese authorities. Now she's turning her focus to other Canadians in detention and facing the same fate.

[Maria Chagina]

We will continue to engage with China as we'll continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations.

[Stephanie Prentice]

China has released a statement claiming the executions were due to drug charges. It's believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, traditionally through gunshots or lethal injection. The relationship between China and Canada has been tense in recent years. They're currently locked in a retaliatory battle on tariffs. And relations have been icy since Canada arrested a prominent Huawei executive in 2018 at Vancouver airport on a US warrant. Beijing then detained two Canadians on espionage charges and moved many countries at the time called hostage politics. They've been trading barbs ever since. And it had been hoped the recent Canadian leadership changes would be an opportunity to reset relations.

[Oliver Conway]

Stephanie Prentice London's black cab drivers are well known for their detailed grasp of the roads in the British capital. In fact, studies have shown their brains actually change due to the amount of information they're storing. But it takes years to memorize all the routes needed to pass the infamous test known as the knowledge. Here's one driver called Billy. Listen, if you're thinking about doing the knowledge, you have got eat, sleep.

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Honestly, there's been people out there have lost their marriages and everything through doing the knowledge.

[Oliver Conway]

I know people that have done that. Well, there are now calls to make the knowledge easier, as a think tank warns that black cabs could vanish from the capital streets within two decades, in part because of the severe demands on the drivers. Hugo Spears is a professor of cognitive science at University College London.

[Emi Onada]

For me, I mean, as a scientist, I'd like it to see it continuing to be rigorous because we're both benefiting from their brains quite literally. So making it a lot easier from a scientific perspective would be a shame. On the other hand, I'm really keen to support the profession. They're absolutely amazing what the London licensed taxi drivers can do. And I think they're up there with the greatest sort of things in London. They're a real cultural phenomenon. I would not want to see that profession pass away. About 20 years ago, a key study discovered that there's a particular part of the brain that seems to get larger in London taxi drivers. There's a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which stores your sort of life's memories and allows you to help you navigate. The London taxi driver is unique in having to remember that vast amount of information and it seems to change part of their brain in a way that no other professions do that have been studied. There was some nice work done at the end of last year published showing that two professions particularly are having low incidence of deaths from Alzheimer's were taxi drivers and ambulance drivers. And considering this is sort of people dying later in life, it's probably people who spent years not using GPS to navigate. A bit like our London taxi drivers. There's a big drive for brain health now across nations and keeping your brain active and exactly what London taxi drivers do, having gained the knowledge, is a great example of that.

[Oliver Conway]

Professor Hugo Speirs still to come on the global news podcast, there was a.

[Lorna Dugan]

Bit of a battle of the deep. We had two contenders for this title this year, the orange roughy and the.

[Oliver Conway]

Blobfish, the ugly creature that's won fish of the year. Returning to the conflict in Ukraine now, and the Ukrainians may have signed up to the American plan for a ceasefire, but Russia has not. So what leaves levers might the US Be able to pull some in? The Republican Party have called for new or tougher sanctions, an idea floated by President Trump himself. Jamie Kumarasamy spoke to Maria Chagina at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, asking first, what type of sanctions has America already imposed on Russia?

[Maria Chagina]

The US Sanctions is part of the broader transatlantic coalition and we have unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia. Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world with more than 17,000 measures being put in place. And we can roughly break them down in three categories, which is energy sanctions, trade related sanctions, including financial sanctions, but also on dual use goods.

[Oliver Conway]

The Trump administration has been critical of the Biden administration, saying it only put, well, I think it said 3 out of 10. It gave it for the level of sanctions that it originally imposed on Russia. What's your assessment?

[Maria Chagina]

Trump has some sort of truth there and I think he's correct in two things, that despite the title that Russia is the most sanctioned country in the world, it doesn't mean it belongs to the category of heavily sanctioned jurisdictions such as Iran, Syria, North Korea. In terms of quality of sanctions, there is still a lot of room to ramp up sanctions. And when Trump was announcing policy towards Russia, he talked about ending the war and using sanctions to bring Russia to the negotiating table.

[Oliver Conway]

So what might that mean then in practice, do you think?

[Maria Chagina]

Well, I think there is a big unpredictability whether Trump is seriously thinking about sanctions as a lever on Russia. His messaging has been very contradictory. On the very same day, he said that he's strongly considering imposing sanctions on Russia, on the energy sector in particular. But also he has instructed the US treasury to come up with a plan about easing sanctions. And a lot of that will depend on how the peace talks will proceed.

[Oliver Conway]

So are there particular sanctions that Donald Trump could impose that might make a difference?

[Maria Chagina]

So in theory, he can do. Well, a couple of things. First of all, enforcement sanctions haven't been enforced as watertight as it could have been. And that concerns not just the US but also other jurisdictions like the EU and uk. Second, financial sanctions imposing any secondary sanctions on financial institutions, in particular based in China and India, because at this moment, Russia doesn't feel the need to come to the negotiating table because it can create parallel supply chains. And finally, there is also pressure on the oil sector that has been lacking.

[Oliver Conway]

And what of easing sanctions, as you say, Donald Trump has spoken about both toughening them up and easing them. Are there ways that could prove effective to get Vladimir Putin to come to the table by easing certain sanctions?

[Maria Chagina]

I don't think so, simply because, as I said, Russia doesn't feel the pressure right now to come to negotiating table because sanctions haven't been as effective, the enforcement hasn't been as watertight. So by sending its signal that there will be no pressure, Russia is actually interested in maximizing its goals.

[Oliver Conway]

Maria Shagina, senior research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. A unique medical trial has been carried out in Bangladesh to try to identify patients suffering from methanol poisoning even before symptoms begin. Experts believe only a tiny fraction of victims of this potentially fatal poisoning are diagnosed and treated in time. But it's hoped this new initiative could change that and save tens of thousands of lives. This report from our health Correspondent Matthew Hill.

[Matthew Hill]

November 2024. And the peace of this waterfront paradise in Ban Dieng in Laos was shattered after a methanol poisoning outbreak. Three shots of supposedly alcoholic drinks containing this toxic substance at a hostel in the town claimed the lives of Simone White from the UK and Australians Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, along with three others. International headlines brought this hidden issue of methanol poisoning to worldwide attention. But for Rajshahi Medical College in the far west of Bangladesh, treating victims is commonplace. The hospital struggles to cope with demand at the best of times. So it was no surprise when eight people were poisoned by methanol in this district, claiming four lives. In Muslim countries like Bangladesh, where alcohol is legal, bootleggers can easily and cheaply get hold of methanol. And there's a huge social stigma associated with methanol, which is why this victim doesn't want to be identified. Sadly, his best friends didn't survive.

[Maria Chagina]

My friends are the only earning member of their families, so their families also feeling very devastated and I'm the strongest one, but I am crying sometimes where I'm holding myself. But their family feels very devastated.

[Matthew Hill]

And believe it or not, treating patients with alcohol is the first form of defence by buying doctors extra time as it prevents patients from metabolizing methanol into their system. The problem is hospitals in Bangladesh are not able to store alcohol, or ethanol, as it's known medically, so doctors have to waste valuable time trying to find it in places like local hotels. It's something Dr. Mohammed Robin Amin, a distinguished professor of medicine who's now working in the Bangladeshi government Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, says he's seen firsthand.

[Oliver Conway]

Unfortunately, they came up, say, around two hours or three hours later from that hotel with ethanol. He was having serious trouble. We cannot give any antidote and the patient dies.

[Matthew Hill]

It normally takes up to 24 hours for symptoms of methanol poisoning to appear. They include stomach pain, vomiting, and frequent breathing, known as hyperventilation. Finally, patients are blinded and brain damaged.

[Jonathan Ledyard]

We will not have to treat our patient with fomepizole if the test is negative.

[Matthew Hill]

But Norwegian expert Professor Knut Erik Hovda has developed a finger prick blood test that detects poisoning even before symptoms appear. He's now training up medics throughout Bangladesh and India as part of a clinical trial for the test, as well as a drug that can be used as a much better alternative treatment to ethanol. Over the past 25 years, there have been over a thousand documented methanol outbreaks across the world, some claiming dozens or even hundreds of lives. But outbreaks are seldom reported in many countries, so the need for better diagnosis and treatment couldn't be greater.

[Oliver Conway]

Matthew Hill reporting. And there's more on this in the documentary what's your poison? The methanol crisis. Wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Do you know what to do in a national emergency? What would you pack if you had time? Well, the French government is distributing a survival manual to every household to help prepare for war and disaster. Last year, Nordic nations, including Finland and Sweden issued millions of updated guides with advice on how to cope with increasing security threats in Europe. So why is France doing this? Isabella Jewell spoke to Bernadette Kehoe.

[Isabella Jewell]

So this survival manual that's been put together by the French government is aimed at encouraging citizens to develop their resilience in the face of different crises that could arise in the future. The Prime Minister's office said that it was particularly focused on natural disasters, technological and cyber incidents, the risk of another COVID 19 style pandemic, and security incidents like terrorist attacks and armed conflict. Now, this last point is particularly important. Earlier this month, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, announced a major overhaul of France's security forces. All of this, of course, in the context of the rising threat of Russia with the war in Ukraine and the United States under President Donald Trump suggesting that it would disengage from Europe and NATO. The 20 page booklets being looked at by the French Prime Minister Francois Beru at the moment and once approved by him, it should be sent out to all French households before the summer.

[Oliver Conway]

Well, tell us about the survival manual. What's in it?

[Isabella Jewell]

So the booklets will build on an already existing French government website that was launched a couple of years ago with advice on how to prepare for emergencies. And the book's got three different sections, the first with advice on how to protect yourself and those around you, then a section on what to do if a threat is imminent. Here there'll be a list of emergency phone numbers, radio channels and a reminder of how to seal your home in the event of a nuclear threat. There's also a section on how to get involved in actively defending your community through signing up as an army reserve, for example, or a volunteer tier firefighter. And there will also be a guide on how to put together an emergency survival kit with a list of suggested items which should help in the first 72 hours of an emergency.

[Oliver Conway]

Well, go on, tell us about the items.

[Isabella Jewell]

So the booklet suggests that everyone has several bottles of water, several tins of non perishable food, a first aid kit and medicines, batteries and a radio and a torch of course in the case of power outages, all things you might bring on a camping trip. But there are also some more unusual a copy of your house and car keys, a spare pair of glasses and copies of your important documents, because who wants to be searching for those down the back of the sofa if an evacuation order comes in. And my personal favourite suggestion is to bring games, for example, a pack of cards to occupy your time, which might not go down quite as well with Gen Z when the Internet connection inevitably drops off.

[Oliver Conway]

Isabella Jewell finally, don't judge a blob by its cover. Once named the world's ugliest animal thanks to its unique appearance, the blobfish is now being celebrated for its differences and has just taken the title of Fish of the Year. Found mainly off the coast of Australia and Tasmania, the creature is known for its misshapen jelly like Silhouette. Marine conservationist Lorna Dugan explained how the blobfish beat off the competition.

[Lorna Dugan]

Its ascent to the surface has been dizzying, not only from the dark depths to be crowned Fish of the year 2025, there was a bit of battle of the deep. We had two deep sea contenders for this title this year. The orange roughy and the blobfish. They've gotten a pretty bad rap because down in the deep, dark ocean where they're perfectly adapted to, they actually look like a normal sort of fish. But once you start to bring them to the surface, that increase in pressure and being trawled up in a big net, their skin sloughs off and their tissue is very jelly like and they pretty much disintegrate, unfortunately, once they get to the surface. And they look very sad indeed when we're teaching in schools about marine conservation. The blobfish is one of our examples of a deep sea, perfectly adapted specimen. But, yeah, the only time that we ever interact with them is when they've been pulled from the depths up to the surface very, very quickly. So they are definitely worse for wear once they hit the surface.

[Oliver Conway]

Lorna Dugan. And that's all from us for now, but the Global News podcast will be back very soon. This edition was mixed by Jack Wilfan and produced by Vanessa Heaney. Our editor's Karen Martin. I'm Oliver Conway. Until next time, goodbye.