Israel delays vote to approve Gaza ceasefire deal

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: Israel Delays Vote to Approve Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Release Date: January 16, 2025

The latest episode of the Global News Podcast by the BBC World Service, hosted by Valerie Sanderson, delves into several critical international issues, with a primary focus on the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict and its implications. This summary captures the episode's key discussions, insights, and conclusions, structured into distinct sections for clarity.

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1. Israel's Cabinet Disagreements Over Gaza Ceasefire Deal

Main Issue:
Israel is facing significant internal conflict regarding the proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal aimed at Gaza. The vote to approve this agreement has been delayed to Friday, a day later than initially expected.

Key Figures:

• Itamar Ben Gvir: Israel's far-right National Security Minister.
• Benjamin Netanyahu: Prime Minister of Israel.
• Seb Usher: BBC's Middle East Regional Editor.

Discussion Highlights:

• Itamar Ben Gvir's Stance:
  Ben Gvir has threatened to resign if the government proceeds with the Gaza ceasefire deal. He characterizes the deal as a "reward for Hamas," asserting that it would empower the militant group.

  "This deal gives Hamas more motivation. It teaches them that they can kidnap, abuse, and ultimately get what they want." (02:17)

• Government Dynamics:
  Despite Ben Gvir's threats, Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to retain sufficient support within the coalition to push the deal forward. In recent developments, six centrist members have joined the coalition, bolstering Netanyahu's position.

  "I don't think this in itself is the thing that will stop the deal going through." — Seb Usher (03:57)

• Implications for the Ceasefire:
  The disagreement underscores the fragility of the ceasefire agreement and highlights the deep divisions within Israel's political landscape. While Netanyahu aims for the total elimination of Hamas, figures like Ben Gvir demand stronger measures.

  "It underlines the different waves of feeling within Israel that are very much in contradiction to each other." — Seb Usher (04:58)

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2. Humanitarian Impact and Ground Realities in Gaza

Reporting by Jeremy Bowen:

• Continued Strikes and Civilian Suffering:
  Despite the ceasefire not yet being in effect, Israel has conducted additional airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in significant civilian casualties.

  "Dozens were killed on Wednesday night, among them many women and children." (06:30)

• Personal Stories:
  Jeremy Bowen shares poignant accounts from Gaza, including that of three-year-old Assad Fadl Khalifa, who survived an Israeli strike despite losing his family.

  "His mouth was full of gravel and dust. He was trying to pull it out himself." (06:30)

• Public Sentiment:
  Residents express a mix of relief and anxiety, celebrating the ceasefire while fearing future uncertainties. Economic and infrastructural devastation, such as the destruction of the Jabali refugee camp, exacerbates their plight.

  "People are relieved and celebrating, but everything went silent this morning following the news from Doha." (09:52)

• Aid and Reconstruction Challenges:
  The ceasefire includes provisions for 600 truckloads of relief supplies daily into Gaza, a significant increase from the restricted numbers earlier in the year. However, the substantial destruction poses enormous challenges for rebuilding.

  "Help is coming down along the valley... but it's the tiniest fraction of what's needed here." — Fergal Keen (12:46)

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3. Release of Cuban Dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer

Key Details:

• Background:
  Jose Daniel Ferrer, a prominent figure among Cuba's dissidents, was released from prison as part of a broader deal between the Cuban government and the Biden administration. This deal involves the release of over 550 prisoners in exchange for Cuba's removal from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

• Insights from Will Grant:
  Will Grant, BBC's Cuba Correspondent, explains the significance of Ferrer's release and the political calculations behind the timing, especially with the transition to the Trump administration.

  "The Cuban government was willing to let out some of the key figures as part of this deal." (15:13)
  "The Vatican has played a very important role in brokering this agreement." (16:12)

• Future Implications:
  The release raises hopes for further negotiations, though there's uncertainty regarding the fate of other political prisoners and the stability of the agreement under the incoming Trump administration.

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4. UK's Commitment to Ukraine Amid Changing U.S. Politics

Key Details:

• British Leadership:
  British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reaffirmed the UK's long-term support for Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv, emphasizing a united front against Russian aggression.

• Meeting Dynamics:
  Starmer's talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the necessity for continued aid and security guarantees, including Ukraine's potential NATO membership.

  "Those security guarantees must include joining NATO." — President Zelenskyy (18:55)

• Concerns Over U.S. Support:
  With Donald Trump poised to return to the White House, there are apprehensions about the continuity of U.S. support for Ukraine.

  "We will continue to work with the US on this. We're working today, we'll work tomorrow, we'll work into the future." — Fergal Keen (18:37)

• Strategic Outlook:
  Both leaders agree that any peace talks with Russia must be approached from a position of strength, necessitating sustained international aid and support.

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5. North Korea Opens Borders to Non-Russian Tourists

Reporting by Celia Hatton:

• Policy Shift:
  After strict border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea is now permitting tourists from countries other than Russia to visit the northeastern city of Lasson for the first time since the pandemic began.

• Economic Motivations:
  North Korea seeks to diversify its income sources beyond its economic ties with Russia, which include supplying weapons and troops.

  "North Korea is looking for smart ways to bring in foreign currency, bring in outside money." — Celia Hatton (28:37)

• Tourist Demographics:
  Visits are expected to be limited, primarily attracting Russian and Chinese tourists due to Lasson's proximity to their borders. The city itself is a modest industrial hub, unlikely to become a major tourist destination.

• Strategic Implications:
  This move indicates a cautious opening by North Korea, balancing economic needs with its historical isolationist policies.

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6. Volunteer Efforts to Address Waste Management Crisis in Kampala, Uganda

Reporting by Agnes Penda:

• Waste Management Challenges:
  Kampala, Uganda's capital, is grappling with a burgeoning population and inadequate waste management systems. The primary dump site, Kitezi, is nearing capacity, with approximately 2,000 tonnes of waste produced daily.

• Volunteer Initiatives:
  Abel Odeke founded the Equal Aqua Uganda group in 2020, mobilizing volunteers to clean the city and mitigate environmental degradation.

  "There is no proper system where we separate the plastic from the food materials and from the metallic kind of stuff." (24:04)

• Environmental and Health Risks:
  Improper waste disposal has led to pollution of rivers and Lake Victoria, posing significant health risks to residents. The collapse of the Kitezi dump site in August 2024, which resulted in over 30 fatalities, underscores the urgent need for systemic solutions.

• City Authorities' Response:
  In response to the crisis, authorities are implementing measures to convert organic waste into compost and launching public awareness campaigns focused on waste separation.

  "Without a nationwide effect to reduce, reuse and recycle, Uganda's waste problems could go from bad to worse." (26:55)

• Future Outlook:
  While volunteer efforts provide immediate relief, long-term strategies involving comprehensive waste management reforms are essential to prevent further environmental and public health emergencies.

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7. Animal Rights Victory: Tame Boar Saved in France

Reporting by Dani Eberhard:

• The Case of Rillette:
  A tame boar named Rillette, raised by Elodie Capet after being found abandoned, was saved from euthanasia following a successful animal rights campaign. The campaign garnered support from prominent figures, including Brigitte Bardot.

• Community and Activist Support:
  The public outcry and advocacy highlighted the importance of compassion towards animals and influenced the court to re-examine the authorities' initial decision to euthanize Rillette.

  "I started partying, I screamed very loud as I was very happy." — Elodie Capet (32:15)

• Impact of the Ruling:
  The court's decision not only preserves Rillette's life but also sets a precedent for how similar cases might be handled in the future, promoting greater empathy and legal protection for animals in distress.

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8. Tribute to David Lynch, Renowned Film Director

Segment by Alice Adderley:

• David Lynch's Legacy:
  The episode pays homage to the late David Lynch, celebrating his contributions to cinema and television through his surrealist works like Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, and Blue Velvet.

• Cultural Impact:
  Lynch's unique style, characterized by dreamlike imagery and unconventional storytelling, has left an indelible mark on contemporary media, influencing numerous filmmakers and garnering a dedicated fan base.

• Personal Reflections:
  Friends and colleagues remember Lynch's enigmatic personality and his dedication to exploring the depths of human consciousness through art.

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Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast offers an in-depth exploration of pressing global issues, from the intricate political dynamics within Israel and the humanitarian crises in Gaza to international diplomatic developments in Cuba and North Korea. Additionally, it sheds light on grassroots initiatives in Uganda and celebrates cultural icons like David Lynch. Through comprehensive reporting and insightful analysis, the podcast provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the complex events shaping our world.

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Notable Quotes:

• "This deal gives Hamas more motivation. It teaches them that they can kidnap, abuse, and ultimately get what they want." — Itamar Ben Gvir (02:17)
• "I don't think this in itself is the thing that will stop the deal going through." — Seb Usher (03:57)
• "We will continue to work with the US on this. We're working today, we'll work tomorrow, we'll work into the future." — Fergal Keen (18:37)
• "North Korea is looking for smart ways to bring in foreign currency, bring in outside money." — Celia Hatton (28:37)
• "I started partying, I screamed very loud as I was very happy." — Elodie Capet (32:15)

For more detailed insights and updates, listen to the full episode here.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker 1]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

World of Secrets is where untold stories are exposed and in this new series we investigate the dark side of the wellness industry, following the story of a woman who joined a yoga school only to uncover a world she never expected. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this where the hope of spiritual breakthroughs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation. You just get sucked in so gradually.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And it's done so skillfully that you don't realize.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

World of Secrets the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

[Valerie Sanderson]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson and in the early hours of Friday 17th January, these are our main stories. Israel's far right National Security Minister Itamir Ben GVIR threatens to resign from the government over the Gaza ceasefire deal. We hear from Israel and Gaza on people's fears for their future with the agreement due to be ratified by Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition on Friday. In Cuba, the jailed dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer is released from prison. Also in this podcast, North Korea opens its borders to tourists from places other than Russia and we meet the volunteers who are working to clean up the Ugandan capital.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

There is no proper system where we separate the plastic from the food materials and from the metallic kind of stuff.

[Valerie Sanderson]

There have been serious disagreements in Israel's cabinet ahead of a vote to approve the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The vote is due to take place on Friday, a day later than expected. But Israel's far right Security Minister Itamir Ben GVIR has said he'll resign if the government approves the deal, describing it as a reward for Hamas. The current deal gives them greater appetite, gives Hamas more motivation. This deal teaches them that they can.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Kidnap and abuse and hurt and finally.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Ultimately get what they want.

[Valerie Sanderson]

I think that the release of the hostages should be done in another way. We should stop completely the humanitarian aid.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

To the Gaza state strip.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Humanitarian only if we get the hostages back. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he's confident the six week truce during which Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are to be freed, would begin on Sunday as planned. I asked our Middle east regional editor Seb Usher for more details on Mr. Ben Gvir's statement and what impact it may have.

[Seb Usher]

I mean, in one sense you could almost say he's not breaking ranks, that this is expected. I mean, Itamar Ben Gir National Security Minister with the fine Minister Bezalel Smotrich they're both very much to the right in the coalition. They have both expressed very strong views about any deal in the past, and they have in the lead up to this deal as well. Essentially, they want to hold Hamas supporters, want to hold the Israeli government to what Benjamin Netanyahu has promised time and time again, which is essentially that his goal is for total elimination, the total destruction of Hamas. And they feel that this deal doesn't do that and that Israel must have have the right again, as Mr. Netanyahu said time and time again. And it's been a big stumbling block in getting a deal that Israel must, after any ceasefire, have the ability, if it needs to, for security reasons, to go back into Gaza and carry out military operations against what's left of Hamas.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And what effect do you think this might have on the ceasefire deal, which has not yet been ratified by the Israeli cabinet?

[Seb Usher]

That's difficult. I mean, I think the general view would be that the deal will still go ahead, certainly in the cabinet. Netanyahu will have the votes. He had six centrist members of a party join the coalition quite recently, and that has strengthened his position. Whereas before, what Ben GVIR and Smotrich might do might bring down the government immediately. That isn't the case at the moment. Other parties have in the past also said that they would join the coalition to ensure that the government didn't collapse if a deal was at stake. So I. I don't think it will stop the deal in itself, but we're still unsure. I mean, we have to wait and see what happens in the coming hours with regard to the cabinet meeting that's due to be convened. I mean, we've heard that the issues that were raised apparently have been sorted, but who knows? But I don't think this in itself is the thing that will stop the deal going through.

[Valerie Sanderson]

But do you think it underlines how fragile the deal is?

[Seb Usher]

Yes, I mean, there's no doubt about that. It underlines the different waves of feeling within Israel that there are that are very much in contradiction to each other. I mean, if you go back before October 7, Mr. Netanyahu was facing a sort of civil uprising almost in huge protests every week over plans that he had to change the standing of the judiciary. And that was very much with the backing of Ben GVIR of Smotrich, who wanted to defang what they saw as the powers of a sort of liberal elite in Israel. I mean, if Ben GVIR and also Smotrich's party, if they both stand by the threats they've made that if a deal goes through, they will withdraw from the cabinet. As I say, I don't think that will bring Mr. Netanyahu down immediately. I think he has the votes, but also other parties might join to keep him going, but it does weaken his position further. Other thing, just very briefly, it might give the centrist elements within the cabinet and within Israel more of a say. It might mean that those more extreme voices, because they're no longer in government, if they do follow through on their threat, won't have as much say in what happens over the coming months, which might have an effect on the way the ceasefire goes and the phases of this deal.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Sebastian Asher well, since the deal was agreed, there have been more Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. People on the ground say dozens were killed on Wednesday night, among them many women and children. Our international editor Jeremy Bowen sent us this report.

[Jeremy Bowen]

Just a few hours after the ceasefire agreement was announced, men in northern Gaza were back digging through the rubble for the dead and wounded after an Israeli strike. The ceasefire is not due to start until Sunday. Then they heard a small voice. He was alive, strong enough to wave for help. His name is Assad FADL Khalifa. His parents, sister, aunt and uncle, we're told, were killed in the strike. He's three years old. His mouth was full of gravel and dust. He was trying to pull it out himself. We went to Nablus on the west bank, the other side of the occupied Palestinian territories, to try to assess the mood. Israel won't let us into Gaza. Nablus is a Palestinian city with a long history of resistance to the Israeli occupation. Amma has a stall selling sweetcom. Peace is difficult because you need to.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Go back to the religion and doctor. But we would love for the bombing.

[Jeremy Bowen]

To stop and for everyone to go.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Back to their homes and family because they suffered a lot in this war.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

May God help them.

[Jeremy Bowen]

At her stall, Amina is desperate for the ceasefire to work.

[Valerie Sanderson]

It affected us a lot here. We, especially women, are affected by what we are seeing, the children who are dying.

[Jeremy Bowen]

Just outside Nablus is the Jewish settlement of Kedumim, home to leaders of the settler movement. Daniela Weiss has lived here for 50 years. Now she's working through her list of right wing connections as she tries to overturn the ceasefire deal she says is treachery. What does all this mean for Israel? What does it add up to?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

In simple words, get ready for another war, cruel, dangerous, with many casualties. This is what it means.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Today.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Donald Trump there in the United States.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Declares that he wants to see the.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

End of wars good for you where you are situated and with us, giving our flesh and blood for you to have a standing in the Middle East.

[Jeremy Bowen]

In Jerusalem, a fake funeral outside the office of Prime Minister Netanyahu by Israelis who want to bury the ceasefire deal. They want the prime Minister to keep his promise to destroy Hamas and rescue all the hostages, not negotiate a swap for Palestinian prisoners they regard as terrorists. Police arrested a few of them. Many Israelis support the ceasefire, but the coffins intended as a warning of danger ahead for Israel, are also assigned to the ceasefire's supporters that making it work will not be easy.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Jeremy Bowen, we heard there from people in Israel and the occupied west bank about the uncertainties ahead. But what about in Gaza itself? Well, there were celebrations when a ceasefire deal was announced, but concerns too about what happens next. Our correspondent Rushdie Abu Alouf has been.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Speaking to people there until the ceasefire goes into effect, which is supposed to be 12 o'clock Sunday morning Gaza time. Will Israel still have the ability to target whatever they want? And we have seen more than 12 or 13 Israeli airstrikes after the announcement of the ceasefire. According to the Civil Defense Department run by Hamas in Gaza, they said 72 people were killed in about 12 or 13 airstrikes since midnight. Well, I mean the reports from Doha this morning that there is a slight problem in the deal overshadowed the celebration that we have seen last night in Gaza. People were relieved and celebrating, but everything like went silent this morning following the news come from Doha. And all Palestinian eyes were focused all day on the Doha to see whether this deal will go ahead or not. Every person that I spoke to in Gaza was expressing this mixed feeling, but they are worried about the future, most of them, I think they will be shocked when they go back to the north and see the scale of destruction we are talking about. For example, for the last hundred days the Israeli army was operating in northern Gaza, destroying the biggest refugee camp in Gaza, Jabali refugee camp. About 250,000 people used to live in this camp. Now 90% of the buildings in the camp have been destroyed. Most of the people in this camp were displaced into the south and some of them into Gaza City. When they go back, they wouldn't find a place to stay, a school to teach their sons, a hospital to treat their people. Sewage system is destroyed, communication is not there, no water, no electricity. Will the journey of moving back from the south into the north is going to be very challenging because Israel want to check every person and every car going back to make sure that no Hamas militants or Other militants are able to go back to the north and also they want to stop Hamas from trying to rearm. I have been moving from this journey from north to south. In the beginning of the war when the road was completely open, not destroyed, it took days for people to, you know, travel south. So imagine now with the Israeli army in place, with the checkpoints and CC cameras.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Rushdie Abu Alouf the ceasefire deal allows for 600 truckloads of relief supplies to cross into Gaza every day. Before the war began, 500 trucks would enter the territory daily. But at the beginning of January, it was averaging just 51 per day. Fergal Keen has been traveling with an aid convoy from Jordan.

[Fergal Keen]

Help is coming down along the valley. The biggest aid convoy since the war began. Solidarity from the Kingdom of Jordan in two deliveries, 120 trucks on the road to Gaza from a country that is home to many Palestinians. We're carrying aid like food and medication for our brothers in Gaza, says Mustafa Al Kadri. This is a good deed. Happy to be part of this operation. We can travel with this convoy as far as the Israeli border. But since the war began, Israel does not allow the foreign media to enter Gaza and report independently. But our BBC colleagues living in Gaza have been filming every day, including today, the first real moment of hope. They're waiting for today's meager charity. Little wonder the tired tempers fray.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

When.

[Fergal Keen]

You'Ve lived this struggle every day. The aid from Jordan is the tiniest fraction of what's needed here. But it does say to the people of Gaza, by your neighbor, at least you're not forgotten.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I used to shop and go to school and my mom used to cook for me.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And when I got back, she would.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Tell me to come eat. I dream every day about the ceasefire.

[Valerie Sanderson]

I want to go home and for my father to return to us that report from Fergal Keen. Other news now. The Cuban opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferra has been freed from jail amid a wave of releases following a deal struck between the Cuban government and President Biden. More than 550 prisoners are to be released in exchange for the island's removal from a US list of states sponsoring terrorism. Ferrer was one of the 75 political prisoners jailed in the 2003 government crackdown on dissidents known as Cuba's Black Spring. Our Cuba correspondent Will Grant told us more.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Jose Daniel Ferrer is definitely one of the most visible faces of the dissidents and of general opposition in Cuba to the one party state, to the Cuban government in general, and to the communist system. So I think that he being released is important certainly to those who follow politics more closely. He might not be very, very well known by everybody on the streets, but it does show that I think the Cuban government was willing to let out some of the kind of key figures as part of this deal. As you say, 553 prisoners slated for release. Only a fraction of those are out. So and arts NGOs and groups are pushing hard or calling certainly for the release of a group called the San Isidro Movement, which is made up of musicians and artists who are lined up against the government.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And what about the timing of this? Why has it happened now?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Well, it is obviously the final days of the Biden administration. It was always quite curious, in a sense, that the Biden administration didn't do this a little earlier. I think the calculation with Cuba is always tied up to votes in Florida. So there may have been some of that going on, a bit of context, that Cuba was taken off the list of states sponsored by terrorism by President Obama, put back on during Trump's first term in office, and only now taken off by President Biden. Quite clearly, the feeling is that the incoming Trump administration are simply going to put them back on again. And we've had indications to that by Marco Rubio during his Senate hearings as prospective secretary of state.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And what could that mean for the prisoners who haven't been released?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Well, I think timing is everything. If they don't get out before the Trump administration does that, does the whole deal fall down? Is there an element in which the Vatican, which has played a very important role in brokering this agreement, there's a certain agreement there with the Roman Catholic Church that no matter what happens, these prisoners will be released. I think if you were in prison in Cuba and you suspect you would be on the list of those who would be let out as a result of this agreement, you are hoping that things move very, very quickly in the coming days, will grant.

[Valerie Sanderson]

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised Ukraine Britain's long term support on his first trip to Kyiv since taking power. His visit and that of the Italian defense Minister was interrupted by explosions and air raid sirens, with the authorities warning of a Russian drone attack. From Kyiv. Our Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford reports.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer hasn't rushed to Kyiv. It took him six months, but he came here today to say Ukraine and Britain were closer than ever, allies against what he called Russia's barbaric invasion. And as he and Volodymyr Zelensky held talks. There was a reminder of the daily danger a Russian drone overhead, then the air defences. The timing of this trip is important. Just before Donald Trump returns to the White House, a man far less clear in his support for Kyiv. I wondered how concerned you are that as Donald Trump returns to the White House, US support for Ukraine is going to stop.

[Fergal Keen]

We will continue to work with the US on this. We're working today, we'll work tomorrow, we'll work into the future. In the end, the steps that we need to take must be robust enough to guarantee Ukraine's security.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

President Zelenskyy stressed today that those security guarantees must include joining NATO. Both men say Ukraine can only consider any peace talks with Russia from a position of strength. That means more time and more aid from its allies, and Donald Trump may not agree with that.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Sarah Rainsford still to come in this podcast, we both play a lot. I learn a lot of things. She knows how to sit, lie down, play with dogs. A tame wild boar is saved from being put down by a campaign to keep the animal with the woman who raised it.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

World of Secrets is where untold stories are exposed. And in this new series we investigate the dark side of the wellness industry, following the story of a woman who joined a yoga school only to uncover a world she never expected. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this, where the hope of spiritual breakthroughs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation. You just get sucked in so gradually.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And it's done so skillfully that you don't realize.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

World of Secrets the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

[Valerie Sanderson]

The American film director David lynch has died at the age of 78. Known for his signature surrealist style on works like Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, David Lynch's family paid homage to him in a statement online saying there's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But as he would say, keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole. Alice Adderley looks back at his life.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

David lynch made a career out of exploring the dark and mysterious aspects of human nature, often delving into the subconscious and the surreal in his films. His breakthrough film in 1977 was Eraserhead, a surreal and nightmarish black and white film that won a cult following. Other films he directed and co wrote include Blue Velvet, Mulholland's Drive and the Elephant Man. He was nominated for an Oscar three times and won a Palme d'or at The Cannes Film Festival for Wild at Heart. Lynch's distinctive style often incorporated dreamlike imagery, juxtaposition of light and darkness and unconventional sound design. In the 1990s, he took this approach into television with the groundbreaking supernatural crime TV series Twin Peaks. At first glance, Twin Peaks simply looked to be a quirky murder mystery, with the coffee loving agent Dale Cooper investigating the murder of the schoolgirl Laura Palmer in a remote logging town in Washington State.

[Celia Hatton]

I've had I can't tell you how many cups of coffee in my life.

[Seb Usher]

And this, this is one of the best.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

But it soon revealed itself to be much, much more. It brought the experimental edge of art house cinema into the living room. And though the series ran for only 15 months, its 30 episodes changed the television landscape and left a lasting mark on popular culture. David lynch was known for his reclusive and mysterious Persona, often avoiding explanations of his work, though he credited Transcendental Meditation as a source of creativity and inspiration. But he had a significant influence on contemporary cinema with a devoted fan base. His last movie was inland empire in 2006. But 25 years after the murder of Laura Palmer in 2017, Twin Peaks was revived to the delight of his fans. Rolling Stone magazine said it was like nothing else on television.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Alice Adaly as the population of Uganda's capital city, Kampala, continues to grow, so does the pressure on public services such as waste management. The city's only major dump site, Kitesi, is running out of space. And with the city producing an estimated 2,000 tonnes of waste every day, it's at risk of collapsing again, as it did in August 2024, killing more than 30 people. The BBC's Agnes Penda meets the volunteers cleaning up Kampala and explores if there are any answers to the city's growing waste crisis.

[Agnes Penda]

Once a month, a group of around a dozen volunteers get together in Uganda's capital, Kampala, with one goal, to clean their city. 3031 year old Abel Odeke started the Equal Aqua uganda group in 2020 because he felt a lot more could be done to manage Kampala's waste.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

There is no proper system where we separate the plastic from the food materials and from the metallic kind of stuff.

[Agnes Penda]

Kampala generates around 2,000 tons of waste every day. City authorities allow private companies to collect the waste, but there are no wide scale recycling or incineration systems. Much of the city's waste ends up in Kampala's rivers and Lake Victoria.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Can I have one sack and one bag? One on one boat, one on the other boat? Then have those volunteers who Jump on the boat.

[Agnes Penda]

Today the volunteers are setting sail on Lake Victoria to clean up the waste floating along the shores. They are picking up plastic bags, clothes, flip flops, whatever they can get their.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

Hands on because of plastic being dumped from the ground leading to itself, to the lake, and all this coming back to human consumption through eating the fish and all that. So all these are the kind of things that we need to avoid because there are a lot of impacts that come with microplastics.

[Agnes Penda]

Kampala's population is growing at a rapid rate of 4% per year, according to the latest national census. And the city's public services are under pressure. Kitezi is one of Uganda's largest dump sites. Situated In Kampala, this 15 hectare wasteland is the final destination for the dump trucks operating across Kampala's seven waste collection zones. Informal workers sift through garbage to find items that can be cleaned and resold. In August 2024, a large section of it collapsed, killing more than 30 people and burying several homes underneath. Okuku survived.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

So suddenly, it was around 8am in the morning. All of a sudden we saw the thing starting to move. I was very quick. I ran away.

[Agnes Penda]

The dam site has been expanding since it was established in 1996. Surrounded by settlements, the dam site has no more space to expand except upwards. Throughout the day, dump trucks arrive and pile on the trash wherever they find space. Urban planner Frank Muramuzi says this is a serious problem.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

All that waste mingled, the degradable and the non degradable, and you take them to one dumping site. No, that's not how we do it.

[Agnes Penda]

And the people of Kampala feel there is room for improvement.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I think the government is overwhelmed.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

We pay taxes here and there. Everything is taxed in Uganda. So I think as give back to the people, we should as well improve their haul by taking the garbage out of the city.

[Agnes Penda]

Kampala city authorities say the collapse of the Kitezi dump site served as a wake up call. They said they are putting mechanisms in place to turn organic waste into compost and launching awareness campaigns to educate the public on the importance of separating waste before disposing it. Without a nationwide effect to reduce, reuse and recycle, Uganda's waste problems could go from bad to worse. Until then, volunteers and citizens would have to clean up the mess wherever they find it.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Agnes Pender North Korea closed its borders in early 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID 19. Now two travel agencies with links to China said they've been told that foreign travelers are being allowed to visit the Northeastern North Korean city of laser. It's the first time travelers from places other than Russia can visit the country since before the pandemic. I heard more from our Asia Pacific regional editor, Celia Hatton.

[Celia Hatton]

It's a city that's in a special economic zone of North Korea. Even North Koreans themselves have to get special permission in order to travel to this city. North Korea famously was the first country in the pandemic to completely seal itself off from the outside world right at the start of 2020. So it's carried that process through. It's really been closed off for such a long period of time that any time they kind of ease their restrictions, they allow more people in. That's when we really need to start pay paying attention and to allow tourists in. On top of that, it really shows that North Korea is changing a little bit in the way it's thinking and the way that it wants to make money.

[Valerie Sanderson]

So what does it tell us about North Korea? I mean, why now?

[Celia Hatton]

I think that North Korea in some ways is in a good place. It's feeling pretty good about things. North Korea has forged quite close ties with Russia as we've been chronicling over the past few months. They're making a lot of money off of Russian ammunitions, supplying weapons to Russia, supplying troops to Russia. So in some ways, the economy is. Is stabilizing a bit. But that doesn't mean that North Korea doesn't need other sources of income, that they don't need to diversify. 45% of North Koreans are undernourished by outside estimates. So the economy is still suffering a lot. And that's why I think the North Koreans are looking for smart ways to try to bring in foreign currency, bring in outside money, so they don't have all their eggs in the Russian ammunitions basket.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And what kind of tourists do they want to visit? Can anyone go?

[Celia Hatton]

No, not anyone. Especially importantly, people from South Korea and the US Even require special permission from their own governments if they wanted to travel to North Korea. So it's closed off to a lot of people. I think primarily we're going to see Russians and Chinese tourists, people who can hop over the border to visit Lasson, because it is just right up in the north of North Korea itself, very close to the Chinese and Russian borders.

[Valerie Sanderson]

And we're talking about quite small figure, aren't we still?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[Celia Hatton]

And I mean, look, Lasson itself is a tiny little city. It's got 200,000 people living there. It's primarily an industrial port hub. It's got shipbuilding. It's got some mines, it's got an oil refinery, so there's not a lot to do. I don't think this is going to be a huge stop on the travel itinerary of many people. But, you know, it's a novel thing, especially if you're in China, you're in Russia, and it's kind of a new place to go.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Celia Hatton and finally, animal rights campaigners in France are celebrating after a tame boar was saved from the threat of being put down. The animal, named Rillette, was raised by a woman who'd found it abandoned as a piglet, but the authorities had refused her permission. Required to keep a wild animal, I hope. Regional editor Dani Eberhard reports the fate.

[Fergal Keen]

Facing Rillette was not something her owner would countenance either the chop in the form of euthanasia or being given to a woman who trains animals for films. Elodie Capet had found the young boar on her horse breeding small holding in central France nearly two years ago. She's since raised her into the substantial, bristly beast she is today. Ms. Capet told the BBC she'd try to release her back into the forest, but the boar came running back. She's happy here in nature, Ms. Capet said, describing Rillette, who she cuddles and strokes, as her best friend.

[Valerie Sanderson]

We both play a lot. I learn a lot of things. She knows how to sit, lie down, play with dogs. She joins us for horse rides.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

She sleeps with the dogs.

[Valerie Sanderson]

She's a clown. She spends her days doing silly things to play.

[Fergal Keen]

The case has gained worldwide attention and comparisons with one in the United States last year, in which a tame squirrel named Peanut that had had a big following on social media was put down by the authorities. Back in France, the animal rights activist and film star Brigitte Bardot joined the campaign to save Rillette. A court has now ruled that the authorities original decision must be re examined. Ms. Capet described her reaction je fait la faite.

[Valerie Sanderson]

I started partying, I screamed very loud as I was very happy. We're going to buy a cake and drink champagne.

[Fergal Keen]

Cake, she explains, along with apples are one of her pet's favourite foods. Distinctly vegetarian, which is good. The name Ms. Capet gave the boar is a reference to a local coarse meat pate. It's led to jokes that Rillette won't now be turned into a terrine, but the boar remains as happy as a pig. Well, she seems to respond brilliantly to her name, Ms. Capet said, remarking that she listens better than my dogs.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Danny Eberhard on a very lucky boar. And that's it from us for now. But there'll be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on X at globalnewspot. This edition was mixed by Holly Palmer. The producer was Stephanie Tillotson. The editor, as ever, is Karen Martin. I'm Valerie Sanderson. Until next time. Bye bye.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Hello, I'm Katya Adler, host of the Global Story podcast from the BBC. Each weekday we break down one big news story with fresh perspectives from journalists around the world. From artificial intelligence to divisive politics tearing our societies apart from the movements of money and markets to the human stories that touch our lives, we bring you in depth insights from across the BBC and beyond. Listen to the Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.