Israeli security cabinet ratifies Gaza ceasefire deal

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Israeli Security Cabinet Ratifies Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Host: Alex Ritson, BBC World Service
Release Date: January 17, 2025

The BBC World Service's Global News Podcast delivered a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing international stories. This summary encapsulates the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, structured into clear sections for ease of understanding.

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1. Israeli Security Cabinet Ratifies Gaza Ceasefire Deal

Overview: The episode opens with a significant development in the Middle East conflict: the Israeli Security Cabinet's approval of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. This agreement is poised to take effect on Sunday, contingent upon final ratification by the full cabinet.

Key Points:

• Ceasefire Details: The deal includes a truce to commence on Sunday and the release of the first three Israeli hostages. Further releases are planned on a weekly basis, contingent upon the return of Palestinians prisoners.

• Violence Continues: Despite the ceasefire announcement, Israeli airstrikes have remained intense, resulting in at least 86 Palestinian deaths on the day the truce was unveiled.

• Internal Cabinet Dynamics: Sebastian Asha, Middle East regional editor, highlighted dissent within the Israeli cabinet, particularly from far-right parties demanding continued action against Hamas.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Lifshitz (Hostage Relative):

  "It is the agreement that it is."
  [02:08]

  "Yeah, we wish everyone come back in one day and all the hostages are back here."
  [02:13]

• David Nasser (Commentator):

  "I mean, it could be better."
  [02:11]

• Huda Matrabi (Palestinian Resident of Gaza):

  "Ceasefire can feel like a fragile moment where we can breathe without the constant sound of bombs..."
  [05:31]

Insights: Huda Matrabi shared her personal hopes and fears, emphasizing the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the enduring uncertainty faced by civilians in Gaza. The potential for the ceasefire to hold hinges not only on the political maneuvering within Israel but also on the cessation of military activities by both Israel and Hamas over the next 42 days.

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2. Imran Khan Sentenced to 14 Years in Pakistan

Overview: The podcast shifts focus to Pakistan, where former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been sentenced to 14 and 7 years in prison respectively. The convictions stem from a land corruption case, heightening political tensions in the country.

Key Points:

• Corruption Charges: Khan and his wife were convicted of accepting land donations to the Al Kadir Trust, which prosecutors argued were bribes.

• Political Repercussions: Khan claims the charges are politically motivated, viewing them as retribution amid ongoing negotiations between his PTI party and the government for his release.

• Legal Process: Azadeh Mashiri, Pakistan correspondent, detailed the trial's timeline, noting multiple postponements before the final verdict.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Lifshitz (Host):

  "He's been given the maximum sentence."
  [08:05]

• Azadeh Mashiri (Pakistan Correspondent):

  "He has been given 14 years... a significant setback for Imran Khan."
  [08:08]

Insights: The sentencing marks a critical juncture in Pakistan's political landscape, potentially undermining Khan's influence and sparking further unrest among his supporters. The case underscores the fragile state of judicial independence in politically charged environments.

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3. The Rise of Tech Oligarchs and Their Influence on Politics

Overview: Exploring the intersection of technology and politics, the podcast examines President Biden's farewell address, which warned against the growing power of tech oligarchs. Historian David Nasser provides a comparative analysis with the Gilded Age tycoons of the early 20th century.

Key Points:

• Historical Parallel: Nasser draws parallels between modern tech magnates like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg with historical figures such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, highlighting similarities in their influence and desire for unregulated growth.

• Political Ambitions: Unlike their predecessors, contemporary tech billionaires seek direct involvement in policy-making and exhibit overt attempts to sway political outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

• David Nasser (Historian):

  "They want government to lay off them... but at the same time, they want huge government grants."
  [12:24]

  "Money plays a much larger role in political events now than it did 50 years ago or 100 years ago."
  [13:13]

• Unknown Speaker:

  "Does that set them apart from what came before in terms of their ability to hold governments to account?"
  [13:36]

Insights: The evolution of influence from industrial magnates to tech oligarchs signifies a shift in how private wealth intersects with public policy. The lack of oversight in the modern digital era presents unique challenges in regulating and balancing the power held by these new-age tycoons.

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4. Conviction of Alexei Navalny’s Lawyers in Russia

Overview: In a grim development for Russian civil society, three of Alexei Navalny's lawyers were convicted on extremism charges. This case reflects the ongoing crackdown on political dissent in Russia.

Key Points:

• Charges and Sentences: Vadim Kobtov, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptse were sentenced to between three and a half and five and a half years in prison for their involvement in Navalny's defense.

• State Suppression: The verdict is part of a broader strategy by Russian authorities to dismantle opposition networks, even posthumously targeting Navalny's legacy.

Notable Quotes:

• Vadim Kobtov (One of the Convicted Lawyers):

  "We are on trial for passing on Navalny's thoughts to other people."
  [15:12]

• Unknown Speaker (After Verdict):

  "These people applauded the three men who were in a sort of metal cage as they heard the verdict."
  [16:15]

Insights: The conviction of Navalny’s lawyers signifies an intensified effort to silence opposition and control political narratives within Russia. The repercussions extend beyond the individuals involved, creating a chilling effect on legal defenders and activists alike.

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5. Record Surge in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levels

Overview: Addressing environmental concerns, the podcast reports on a record increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels, exacerbating global warming and climate change.

Key Points:

• Scientific Findings: Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth systems science, revealed that CO₂ concentrations have surged to 4.26 parts per million, marking a 50% increase over pre-industrial levels.

• Contributing Factors: The rise is attributed not only to fossil fuel emissions but also to natural events like El Niño, which have led to additional wildfires and reduced carbon absorption by plants.

Notable Quotes:

• Rob Jackson (Professor of Earth Systems Science):

  "The Earth is starting to rebel, if you will. And that's deeply troubling."
  [18:42]

  "400 parts per million is about the same proportion as the caffeine in your coffee."
  [19:18]

Insights: The unprecedented rise in CO₂ levels underscores the urgency of implementing drastic measures to curb emissions. The interplay between human activities and natural climate phenomena presents a complex challenge in achieving global climate targets.

---

6. Discovery of a Roman Bathhouse in Pompeii

Overview: Shifting to a lighter yet fascinating topic, archaeologists have uncovered a well-preserved Roman bathhouse in Pompeii, offering a glimpse into ancient luxury and daily life.

Key Points:

• Significance of the Find: This bathhouse is one of the largest ever discovered in Pompeii and the first of its kind in a century, indicating the wealth and status of its owner.

• Architectural Features: Led by Dr. Sophie Hay, the tour revealed intricate designs, including marble floors, hypocaust heating systems, and beautifully preserved structural elements.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Sophie Hay (Archaeologist):

  "It's a really magical space. This is basically the frigidarium of the bath complex."
  [24:33]

  "Bath houses in Pompeii in a private residence are really rare... the owner is super rich."
  [24:16]

Insights: The discovery not only enriches our understanding of Roman architecture and social practices but also highlights the advanced engineering techniques employed in creating comfortable and luxurious living spaces in ancient times.

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7. Study on Favorite Child Among Siblings

Overview: The podcast concludes with a social science study exploring parental favoritism within families and its impact on children's mental health and family dynamics.

Key Points:

• Research Findings: Professor Alex Jensen's study reveals that parents often favor daughters and children who are more responsible and agreeable. Interestingly, extroverted children do not receive preferential treatment, contrary to expectations in extrovert-centric cultures like America.

• Negative Impacts: Children who are less favored tend to experience worse mental health, strained family relationships, and higher instances of substance abuse during adolescence.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Lifshitz (Researcher):

  "Daughters tend to be favored... children who are more compliant and responsible."
  [25:53]

  "Children who get that short end of the stick... tend to have worse family relationships."
  [27:10]

• Daniel Lifshitz (Personal Insight):

  "I'm the youngest of six kids, and so that has driven me to be interested in sibling dynamics."
  [28:31]

Insights: The study emphasizes the unconscious biases parents may hold, consciously or not, and the long-term psychological effects on children who perceive themselves as less favored. It calls for greater self-awareness and intentionality in parenting to foster equitable and supportive family environments.

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Conclusion

The Global News Podcast provided a multifaceted exploration of current global issues, ranging from geopolitical conflicts and political trials to environmental crises and historical discoveries. Each segment was enriched with expert analysis, personal narratives, and thought-provoking discussions, offering listeners a well-rounded understanding of the world's complexities.

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For more updates and detailed stories, visit the BBC News website or follow Global News Podcast on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Alex Ritson]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Unknown]

There's a divide in American politics between those who think democracy is in peril and those who think it's already been subverted, hollowed out from the inside. As President Trump returns to the White House, we go through the looking glass into a world where nothing is as it seems. The coming storm from BBC Radio 4. Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

[Alex Ritson]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Alex Ritson and at 14 hours GMT on Friday 17th January, these are our main stories. Israel's Security Cabinet has approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The full cabinet is meeting to give its verdict, which, if agreed, will likely see it come into force as planned on Sunday. Three of the lawyers for the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny have been convicted of extremism. Also in this podcast, we get a tour of a Roman bathhouse, unseen since lava from Vesuvius covered the Italian city of Pompeii.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

You can kind of start imagining the people in this room and the noises, the sort of splashing of water, people discussing how getting clean or the politics of the day.

[Alex Ritson]

But first, the Israeli Security Cabinet has just ratified a ceasefire deal signed by negotiators from Israel and Hamas. As we record this podcast, the full cabinet is convening to approve the ceasefire deal in Gaza itself. Israeli warplanes kept up intense strikes and Palestinian authorities said at least 86 people had been killed on the day after the truce was unveiled. The ceasefire is meant to begin on Sunday with the release of the first three Israeli hostages. Daniel Lifshitz, whose grandfather remains in captivity, urged the Israeli government to accept the agreement.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

It is the agreement that it is.

[David Nasser]

I mean, it could be better.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

Yeah, we wish everyone come back in one day and all the hostages are back here. But it's not the situation, it's Biden. You know, expose it on the end of May and then they just worked on that proposal. So changing to another agreement will just take a month of administrative issues. So I'm really thankful for President Elect.

[David Nasser]

Trump and President Biden for their cooperation.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

Together to get this deal done.

[Alex Ritson]

Our Middle east regional editor, Sebastian Asha joined me just after the Security Cabinet recommended approving the deal.

[Sebastian Asha]

The news we're just getting from the Israeli Prime Minister's office, but the Security Cabinet, which has been meeting for, I think two or three hours now, has given its ratification, has approved the deal. Now, in the next half hour, the full cabinet, the full government is due to meet and it too has to give its ratification in order for Israel to fully endorse and approve the deal. What we were hearing earlier, again from the Prime Minister's office, was that with these two events happening, there had been speculation, but potentially the full cabinet meeting wouldn't happen till after the Sabbath on Saturday evening, which would potentially affect the schedule of the first release of hostages. We heard from the Prime Minister's office that that now seems unlikely that the schedule should go ahead. So, as you were saying, the first three hostages, Israeli hostages, should be released on Sunday afternoon, as has been scheduled. Now, you, you speak about the momentum and can this still be pushed off course? Yes, certainly. There are very dissenting voices within the Israeli cabinet. We've heard from two far right parties essentially saying that would pull out of the government if they didn't get some commitment from Mr. Netanyahu, that after the first phase of a ceasefire, Israel was not ready to go back and complete what they see as its task to eradicate Hamas. So that's one element right there, and there are many others. I mean, this is going to be releases on a weekly basis, three hostages every week, and depending on whether there are live or dead, 30 Palestinian prisoners released for each one of those hostages. So this is going to be a difficult kind of dance to make sure that it works out. It will be, I think, quite nervous each time this happens. Also, Palestinians will be wanting and be given the opportunity to move back to the areas they've had to move away from. Many displaced many times. But again, questions over what they will find there. And will the absolute key question will the military side of what's been happening in Gaza, will that go quiet for long enough? Both Israel and Hamas, in this next 42 days, will we see an end to the fighting between them?

[Alex Ritson]

I'm Middle east regional editor Sebastian Asha. The World Health Organization says it plans to put up a number of prefabricated hospitals in Gaza within the next two months. Should the current ceasefire plan be implemented? An official said they hoped there would be an acceleration of medical evacuations out of the territory. Gaza's healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed during the conflict with Israel, accusing Hamas of using hospitals as bases. Huda Matrabi, a young Palestinian woman living in Gaza, told us about her hopes and fears for the future.

[Huda Matrabi]

As person living in Gaza, it's difficult to find the right words to describe really, the complex feelings. So after so many years of conflict, after 467 days, after 15 months of destruction, ceasefire can feel like a fragile moment where we can breathe without the constant sound. Of bombs without the sounds of gunfire so far manufacture. It brings a sense of hope, a hope that perhaps returning to a normal life, even if just for a while. So we displace so many times, so many months, we don't have water, we don't have food, we don't have a place to be sheltered on. So with this hope comes fear that this ceasefire could break down. The fear is not just of the immediate danger, but of the emotional toll, the constant uncertainty and the ever present feeling that our lives are not a truly our own. So can you imagine that our lives are not truly our own? We hope for stability, but we know how quickly things can change, how quickly everything can be taken away. And my message is we want to live in peace. We want to live like other people in all the world. We deserve life.

[Alex Ritson]

Huda Matrabi in Pakistan, Imran Khan has been sentenced to a further 14 years in prison in relation to a land corruption case. His wife Bushra Bibi has also been sentenced. The former Prime Minister has been in jail since 2023 and has called all the charges against him politically motivated. Our Pakistan correspondent is Azadeh Mashiri. She told me more about the details of the case.

[Azadeh Mashiri]

Well, they were both indicted nearly a year ago in February. That was shortly after the national elections here in Pakistan. And the verdict had actually been postponed three times. But now we obviously do have a sentence. Prosecutors had alleged that hundreds of hectares worth of land were donated to the Al Kadir Trust, an organization that had only two main trustees, Mr. Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. And the court has ruled in favor of the main allegation that this was a bribe. In return, Imran Khan has been found to have assisted business tycoon Malik Riaz, who is a prominent figure here in Pakistan, of having some connection to money laundering. Now, just to sum up what Mr. Khan's lawyer says about this, he's insisted not a single penny of this alleged scheme went into the pockets of the accused and that this is about, quote, political revenge. But we obviously do now have the court's decision.

[Alex Ritson]

Yeah, he's been given the maximum sentence.

[Azadeh Mashiri]

He has now. He's been given 14 years. As you said, that was the maximum sentence for those charges of corruption. He's also been fined more than $5,000. And Bushra Bibi, his wife, was found to have assisted, aided and abetted in those corruption charges. Which means she received seven years as her sentence and nearly $2,000 as a fine.

[Alex Ritson]

He says the charges are politically motivated. Are they?

[Azadeh Mashiri]

He has questioned the legitimacy of the case. He's questioned why his wife is involved. He's argued for some time now that this is about political revenge. Remember that he has been in jail since August 2023. Many of his sentences have been suspended and yet there, there are many charges against him. The backdrop to all of this is that there are ongoing talks between Mr. Khan's PTI party and the government. And one of the key demands that his party are making is his release, the release of what they those that they're calling political prisoners. But of course, given the news today, if Mr. Khan was hoping for any sort of step towards early release, it's instead another difficult day in custody and a setback for Imran Khan.

[Alex Ritson]

Azadeh Mushiri in Pakistan. Beware the rise of the tech oligarchs and their influence. That was perhaps the most eye catching message of President Biden's farewell address earlier this week. But the involvement of the ultra rich in politics is nothing new. America's golden age was shaped by the likes of Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and J.P. morgan over a century ago. David Nasser specialises in the cultural, social and business history of the early 20th century. Darshini David asked him if the tech barons have replaced the bankers and industrialists, given their wealth and proximity to power.

[David Nasser]

There are so many similarities and there are so many differences that stand out. You know, the generation that we call the robber barons or the Gilded Age or the Wall street tycoons at the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, they went to Washington to defend themselves because they didn't want Washington interfering with them. The railroaders didn't want any congressional committees to set rates for them or set standards for safety. The manufacturers, the steel manufacturers like Andrew Carnegie, wanted to keep up their high tariffs so that American steel could absolutely destroy British steel and French steel and German steel. And then from the 1880s through to the turn of the century and a little bit afterwards, there was a coalition of Americans who wanted some change in the way business was running. There were working class parties, socialists, anarchists, populists, progressives, greenbackers, grangers, the Knights of Labor. I can go on and on. They posed a clear and distinct danger to the railroad tycoons, to the steel manufacturers, to the Wall street bankers. And how do you deal with these people? Because these people had to vote and they were organized. How do you deal with them? You go to Washington, you buy your way in. And it was easy to buy their way in because senators until 1913 were elected by state legislators.

[Unknown]

So it's equivalent to what we'd call lobbying today. And when you get a taste of that, then you start getting ambitions about your role in government. The parallels when we look at Elon Musk, he's got a grand title, but is he set to be ultimately disappointed when it comes to his sphere of influence over government policy?

[David Nasser]

I think he will be a little bit disappointed because he wants the sky, he wants the moon, he wants Mars, and he's not going to get it all. He also wants to be recognized not only as a genius, not only as the richest man in the world, but as the most powerful man in the world, as we're seeing. And that's not going to happen. Trump isn't going to let that happen.

[Unknown]

Because what does history tell us about the experiences of those Gilded Age tycoons?

[David Nasser]

And the reality, yeah, history tells us that they get half a loaf, they don't get the full loaf. Nonetheless, what's going on now is that the Silicon Valley moguls, they want it all. They want two distinct things. They want government to lay off them. Musk does not want anybody interfering with his rocket ships or with his Tesla driverless robot taxis. Facebook doesn't want anybody interfering with them. But at the same time, they want huge government grants. So they want government to serve as a bank, but not as a jailer, not as a regulator. And they're going to get pretty much what they want, I believe.

[Unknown]

In the meantime, though, we know that Elon Musk has this grand ambition to be at the center of policy making, even if he's disappointed when we look at him. Mark Zuckerberg. They have their own sphere of influence. They have these platforms, social media. Does that set them apart from what came before in terms of their ability to hold governments to account?

[David Nasser]

I think so. But more than that, money plays a much larger role in political events now than it did 50 years ago or 100 years ago. And they've got the money, and there's no oversight over how they spend that money. And they have threatened. Musk has made it very clear. You oppose me or you oppose my president, and I'm going to get you defeated in your next election. Carnegie didn't do that. Rockefeller didn't do that, Morgan didn't do that. They stayed in the background, they stayed quiet. And the politicians they supported didn't want the world to know what the connection was between big business, big corporations and politics.

[Alex Ritson]

Historian David Nasser, coming up in this podcast. Do you have a favourite child?

[Daniel Lifshitz]

So you study siblings? So who is the favorite Child. Is it me? Is it you? Is it, Is it your sister? Well, it turns out it is my sister.

[Alex Ritson]

The longtime critic of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, died suddenly in an Arctic penal colony in February last year after being convicted of extremism. Now three of his lawyers have been found guilty in a Russian court of belonging to an extremist group. They've been sentenced to between three and a half and five and a half years in jail. I heard more from our Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, who was in the court. In the town of Petushki outside Moscow.

[Unknown]

These three lawyers, Vadim Kobtov, Igor Sergunin and Alexei Liptse, were. They went on trial last September on extremism charges, a trial that was held behind closed doors. The media were let in today for the, for the verdict. They'd been accused of using their status as lawyers and their access to the late opposition leader in prison to relay messages from him to his associates and to the outside world, allowing Alexei and the violin allegedly to engage in subversive activity while he was behind bars. As one of the lawyers, Vadim Cobbs, have summed it up a few days ago when he addressed the judge, we are on trial for passing on Navalny's thoughts to other people, summed up in one sentence, really. So today the verdict. Guilty, said the judge. And the three lawyers were given between three and a half and five and a half years in prison. Despite the pressure currently on Russian civil society, some of their supporters were in the courtroom today once the, the verdict in the sentence had been read out. These people applauded the three men who were in a sort of metal cage as they heard the verdict. Alexei Navalny's organization, the, the Anti Corruption foundation, had been declared itself extremist back in 2021. And when he died last year, Mr. Navalny himself had been serving a 19 year prison sentence on extremism charges, charges widely viewed as, as politically motivated.

[Alex Ritson]

When opposition figures end up in court, it's going to be pretty hard in future to get anyone to represent them, isn't it? Anyone meaningful?

[Unknown]

Yes. I mean, when you have three defense lawyers actually in the dock, that sends quite a strong message, doesn't it? That in today's Russia it's not only people who are fierce critics of the authorities who potentially can be put in jail, but also people who are ready to stand up and defend them. When he was alive, Mr. Navalny was clearly the Kremlin's fiercest critic. He was the most prominent opposition leader in Russia. Nearly a year after his death. It feels as if the Russian authorities continue to view Mr. Navalny, or at least his memory, as some kind of threat. According to his widow, Yulia, Russia's financial watchdog recently rejected a request to remove her late husband from its list of terrorists and extremists. And she herself has been added to the extremist and terrorist list in Russia. And a warrant issued for her arrest. And individuals connected in some way who were connected to Mr. Navalny have been arrested and put on trial. Not only the three lawyers that I saw today in court, another two of Mr. Navande's lawyers, by the way, were also charged, but they fled the country. Also, some of Mr. Nemany's former associates have come under pressure, and Russian journalists who had reported on his trial have also been arrested and put in the dock. So a lot of pressure being brought upon people who were in some way.

[Alex Ritson]

Connected to the late Russian opposition leader, Steve Rosenberg. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has surged to a new record, according to scientists who monitor the gas that's heating Earth. The concentration of CO2 is up 50% on pre industrial levels, which will accelerate global warming and climate change. Rob Jackson is a professor of Earth systems science and chairs the Global Carbon Project.

[Rob Jackson]

The most troubling thing about the increase this year is that it's not caused primarily by a surge in fossil fuel emissions. The El Nino last year meant thousands of additional fires in the Amazon, record droughts in the Amazon and elsewhere. Plants are not growing as fast and we're seeing forest death in places. So the Earth is starting to rebel, if you will. And that's deeply troubling.

[Alex Ritson]

A study by the British Met Office says that makes it almost impossible to keep climate change within the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. Our climate editor is Justin Rowlatt.

[Rob Jackson]

We measure the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in parts per million, parts per million molecules, that is. And the figures that we've got, these shocking figures that show CO2 level levels increasing more quickly than ever before, show it's up by nearly 3.6 parts per million to 4.26 parts per million. Now, that is 50% higher than pre industrial levels. So before humanity started pumping huge volumes of fossil fuels into the atmosphere. Just to set that in context, records from ice cores show CO2 levels at the highest for at least 2 million years. So we're way out of trend. But people often say, how can such a tiny proportion of gas in the atmosphere make a difference to global Temperatures, parts per million? Well, 400 parts per million is about the same proportion as the caffeine in your coffee. Now, if I increase the amount of caffeine in your coffee by half as much, again, be honest, you probably would notice, wouldn't you, Alec?

[Alex Ritson]

I fear so. And this is really, really bad news in terms of what it's going to do to the climate going forward, isn't it?

[Rob Jackson]

Yeah, absolutely. Now, the rise in CO2 varies year to year, natural kind of fluctuations, it's known as the Keeling curve, a sort of zigzag, a saw shaped curve that was described by a scientist in the US, varies year to year, depending obviously how much CO2 is produced naturally in the world, but also the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the activities of humanity as well as how much the natural world itself absorbs. The kind of balance between emissions and the absorption of natural, we call them carbon sinks. We know emissions from fossil fuels were at record highs last year. And then a combination of climate change, so warming temperatures and the El Nino weather pattern, which is a kind of recurring weather pattern which causes the tropical Pacific to warm and adds a kind of extra blast of heat to the atmosphere. Those two effects combined meant less carbon dioxide. CO2 was taken up by those natural carbon sinks. So we're talking about less additional plant growth, for example, and less CO2 being dissolved in the ocean. So that's why we're seeing this record rise. So it is very worrying if we go through that and the rate of increase in CO2 means we are going to punch through that boundary unless there's a really dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions. So really worrying data coming through from these studies.

[Alex Ritson]

BBC's climate editor, Justin Rowlatt. An extraordinary discovery has been made in the latest excavations in the Roman city of Pompeii, which was buried beneath volcanic rock and ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted 2000 years ago. Archaeologists have unearthed a beautifully preserved bathhouse inside a luxurious private residence. The private spa like complex is the first to be found in 100 years and is one of the largest ever discovered in the city. Our science editor, Rebecca Morell was given exclusive access to the site and she was shown around by Pompeii archaeologist Dr. Sophie Hay.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

We're starting the tour in the hot room. The Calidar is a sort of relatively large room considering it's a private residence. So there's a basin in front of us. It would be filled with water, they would dip in and get clean. You've got what would have had marble floor, marble on the walls, a beautiful niche as well, with potentially a little hole in to let light in. And you can kind of start imagining the people in this room and the noises, the sort of splashing of water, people discussing, you know, how they're getting clean or the politics of the day. It's very, very evocative of that era.

[Alex Ritson]

So you start with the hot room so you get warm, and then we're going to move through to quite a different space. This is the warm room.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

Yes. And underneath our feet, there's a whole other level because we've got hot air coming from the furnace room. So this is a suspended floor, and underneath us there's what is called a hypocaust system. So it's. It's on little pillars, and so hot air would be underneath us, so it would feel a bit like a sauna, essentially. This is probably where you would, you know, put oil on your skin and have your slave sort of scrape it off with a stridgel.

[Alex Ritson]

And we're just going to keep on moving through because it's a sequence of rooms going through a very narrow doorway here.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

So this would be the changing room, essentially. And around us we have these huge red panels of wall plaster, but in them you can see these little holes, and they would be the fixtures for a little shelf. So you can sit down and take your sandals off and then go in for the bath experience.

[Alex Ritson]

The floor's very beautiful as well. Little mosaics and larger. Is it marble?

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

It is. All different colors. Marbles from all around. The Roman Empire. So you can really see Roman Empire on the floor here.

[Alex Ritson]

And, Sophie, we're going to cross this pretty threshold into another room, which is absolutely spectacular. Wow.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

It is. It's a really magical space. This is basically the frigidarium of the bath complex.

[Alex Ritson]

So it's like a plunge pool almost.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

Exactly that deep enough to plunge into, but there's also a little ledge so that the guests who were invited by the owner could come and sit and on a hot day, dangle their legs in the cold water and cool off. Bath houses in Pompeii in a private residence are really rare. We only know of a handful, and so for one to be on this scale must mean the owner is super rich. This is one of the very top of the elite. He had power, he had money, and wanted to show it off to clients and impress people.

[Alex Ritson]

Yeah, Power, money. And a private bathhouse.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

Indeed.

[Alex Ritson]

Dr. Sophie Hay. And if you want to see some pictures from Rebecca Morell's exclusive tour of that bathhouse, they're on the BBC news website now. Do you have siblings? And if so, have you ever felt that one of you gets treated better than all the rest? Well, a new study has found that while parents may claim to love their children equally, they often do have favourites. Professor Alex Jensen from Brigham Young University in Utah led the study and he told Rachel Wright who is most likely to be the favourite.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

There are a few different categories here. First we found that daughters tend to be favored. At least parents see it that way. And then conscientious children. So meaning children are more responsible as well as children who are more agreeable. And those are your children who are more compliant. The gender part and the kind of responsibility part, those really are actually separate, Right. It's girls and then separately it's those who are compliant and responsible.

[Alex Ritson]

What about the part of your research that found that extroverts weren't necessarily rewarded, which you would be surprised at in America, which, you know, people who are extrovert generally tend to get on telly more, for example.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

Exactly. That did surprise me too. Right. As you alluded to, American culture really prioritizes and rewards being extroverted and outgoing. But within families that didn't matter. And some of that might be that not every parent is extroverted themselves. So maybe introverted parents don't prefer their extroverted kids and unfortunately we didn't have the parents own personalities too, which would be a really important piece of that puzzle.

[Alex Ritson]

And what about the children that were not favored? Happens to them?

[Daniel Lifshitz]

Yeah, good question. So this particular study didn't look at that, but I've done a lot of work in that area and the children who get that short end of the stick and the less favored treatment they tend to be, they tend to have worse mental health, they get in more trouble at home and at school, they tend to report having worse family relationships. As teenagers they're more likely to have issues with substance abuse and those types of things.

[Alex Ritson]

I'm sure you didn't study this, but are parents not aware that their behaviour towards different children in a different way is going to affect them?

[Daniel Lifshitz]

I think parents are aware of that. Part of the challenge though is that kids in every family are different, so you do have to parent them differently. But it's maybe that as parents we don't always know when that crosses the line from being appropriate and okay to when it becomes harmful. I hope that parents would take like this and be self reflective and ask themselves, right, where am I treating my kids differently and do I tend right to favor the daughters or people in other situations and be more thoughtful about their parenting.

[Alex Ritson]

Why did you conduct this research? Was it something in your own family.

[Dr. Sophie Hay]

That has been sort of bugging you.

[Alex Ritson]

Or interested you for, you know, and that. And you wanted to find out why.

[Daniel Lifshitz]

You know, to some degree, I'm the youngest of six kids, and so that has driven me to be interested in sibling dynamics and all those processes. But for this question in particular, it's one of those that everybody asks me. They're like, so you study siblings, so who is the favorite child? Is it me? Is it you? Is it, is it your sister? Well, yeah, it turns out it is.

[Alex Ritson]

My sister, Professor Alex Jensen. And that's all 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, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. you can also find us on X@global newspod. This edition was mixed by Chris Kouzaris, and the producers were Tracy Gordon and Ed Horton. I'm Alex Ritson. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Unknown]

There's a divide in American politics between those who think democracy is in peril and those who think it's already been subverted, Hollowed out from the inside. As President Trump returns to the White House, we go through the looking glass into a world where nothing is as it seems. The coming storm from BBC Radio 4. Listen, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. There's a divide in American politics between those who think democracy is in peril and those who think it's already been subverted, hollowed out from the inside. As President Trump returns to the White House, we go through the looking glass into a world where nothing is as it seems. The coming storm from BBC Radio 4. Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.