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Julia McFarlane
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk as America's most trusted movers, Mayflower has seen it all from big dreams and new beginnings. All right, here we are. Oh, it's perfect. To first steps and fixer uppers from starter homes. So guess what? We're having another. Another. We definitely need more space to more practical homes. Yes, Mayflower has been there for it all and will always have your back. Every moment, every move, every step of the way. Schedule your move now by going to mayflower.com@ameca insurance, we know it's more than just a car or a house. It's the four wheels that get you where you're going and the four walls that welcome you home. When you combine auto and home insurance with Ameca, we'll help protect it all. And the more you cover, the more you can save Ameca. Empathy is our best. This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Julia McFarlane and in the early hours of Monday the 9th of June, these are our main stories. The National Guard are in Los Angeles deployed on the orders of President Trump as protests against sweeping raids on undocumented migrants continue for a third day. In Gaza, there are reports of more Palestinians shot dead near food distribution sites. Also in this podcast, Ukraine's president says missiles promised by the previous US Administration have been diverted to the Middle east by President Trump. In tennis, Carlos Alcaraz wins the longest men's singles final at the French Open. And they could stick their mail in this whiskey barrel. People would come past and they would pick it up and collect it and deliver it. How one man decided to personally deliver letters posted in the Galapagos Islands. We start in Los Angeles, where the National Guard has been deployed on the orders of President Trump as protests over raids on undocumented migrants continued for a third day. The president's decision bypassed the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, who called the move purposefully inflammatory and accused Mr. Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis. The protests, largely involving members of the city's Hispanic community, have been largely peaceful, although there have been instances of people throwing rocks and clashing violently with local police. President Trump has said he may yet decide to widen the scope of the deployments and even send in US Marines if the protests grow. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has defended President Trump's intervention. He was speaking on ABC's this Week. The president did exactly what he needed to do. These are federal laws. We have to maintain the rule of law, and that is not what is happening and Gavin Newsom has shown an inability or an unwillingness to do what is necessary there. So the President stepped in. That's real leadership and he has the authority and the responsibility to do it. You know, one of our core principles is maintaining, maintaining peace through strength. We do that on foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well. I don't think that's heavy handed. I think that's an important. Sending the Marines into the streets of an American city is heavy handed. We had to be prepared to do what is necessary. And I think the, the notice that that might happen might have the deterring effect. Our correspondent Reagan Morris is in downtown L. A and spoke to the BBC's John Donison. It changes so quickly. 20 minutes ago I was saying this is, feels really festive and it really just started kicking off. They've sprayed some tear gas and the National Guard has pushed out into the crowd and the road is now shut because there's pedestrians all through the street. I don't know what prompted it. I was here and suddenly there was tear gas being sprayed and the crowd being shoved back and people running across the street. So whereas 20 minutes ago I was like, wow, this is quite fun and festive and seems like a party. Somebody was putting out a barbecue. People were waving flags, mostly Mexican flags here, which does really irritate some people who will be watching this. On social media it looks like quite a lot of soldiers, but not that many protests certainly over the last few days. We were talking about hundreds, weren't we? Yeah, it's, it's a growing group of protesters, but still I think the media and the military outnumber, I would say. We just had a group march down the street in the last like five, ten minutes. And I think probably unless you're seeing aerials, there's definitely now a couple hundred people here. And here comes some more police, federal authorities. And has there been any violence today? What are the National Guard or the police doing? Are they using tear gas again or rubber bullets? They have these police, dhs, Department of Homeland Security police coming out and I've actually just watched them shoot rubber bullets at someone. So the crowd is definitely changing now. And there's a big National Guard like kind of wagon pulling up outside and the, the National Guard are armed and they're pushing people back and they've got riot gear and it's the Department of Homeland Security police shooting back. I, I got tear gassed just before we got on air. I don't know where it came from. Gavin Newsom's been very critical of this move. And I believe this is the first time the National Guard have been brought in without a request by the governor since the 1960s in the civil rights protests. Yeah, it's incredible. It was. President Lyndon Johnson was the last president to do this without the governor's request and consent. And that was during the civil rights movement to not to break up protests, but to protect Martin Luther King and others marching in Selma, Alabama. So this is a real different scene. Reagan Morris Ronald Vitiello is a senior advisor to U.S. customs and Border Protection and served as director of ICE, the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement, during President Trump's first presidency. He says the actions of ICE and law enforcement have been proportionate. What are the officers on the ground there? The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, the FBI, the DEA and the members of ice. What are they supposed to do when citizen activists this ran a mobs get in the way of them performing what are actual lawful duties? You know, ICE is charged with the lawful activity to find people who are in the United States illegally who have also committed crimes in places like Los Angeles. And it's disappointing to see people get active in order to help criminals stay in the United States. Let's hear now from someone taking part in the protests. Kuali is a Mexican American who's lived in Los Angeles for most of her life. We're not afraid. We prepare. We don't get scared. And we've been dealing with Border Patrol and ICE agents for decades now, disproportionately So I think that our community just had enough and we're tired of seeing our families being ripped apart and thrown into those ICE detention concentration camps and without any due process. Some of the workers who've been taking part in the protests are members of Service Employees International Union in California, the seiu. On Friday, the union's president, David Huerta, was arrested during the protests. Luis Fuentes is a union regional vice president and he told the BBC what had happened to him. He is currently still in detention. He has a scheduled hearing tomorrow, Monday here in Los Angeles. And so, you know, we are, you know, standing by and calling for his release, immediate release and a de escalation of this unjust attack against our communities. And, you know, I think the governor talked about the inflammatory excuse to an abuse of power to militarize our communities, communities and instill fear in workers. The reality is that we live in a city of Los Angeles where we take pride in our multicultural composition. We welcome people from all over the world and all over our country. You know, the Administration has, you know, focused in and zeroed in on Los Angeles because of what we represent. Luis Fuentes, the regional vice union president from the United Services Workers west to Gaza now. And there have been reports on Sunday that more Palestinians have been shot dead near aid distribution sites. Several people were reportedly killed in southern Gaza as they headed towards two sites near Rafah and Khan Younis, run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial aid group run by American and Israeli contractors. Adam Dahman was injured as he went to collect aid at the site near Rafah. He said that the foundation had posted online there would be aid available, but when the Palestinians arrived, they were surrounded and shot at by soldiers and a tank. He goes on to say the crowd was trapped and several people were injured and then killed. The Israeli military say it fired warning shots after people were ordered to leave the area, but refused. Our Middle east regional editor, Sebastian Usher is in Jerusalem. He told me more about the incident near Rafah. At one main aid distribution site, the one where these deadly incidents have been happening on an almost daily basis. In Rafah, people were gathering early in the morning at a time when they've actually been told by the IDF that it's a battle zone around there, that it's too dangerous for them to travel, that in order to get to the aid distribution site, they really don't have any option except to go. At those times, four people were killed. The IDF gave a statement to journalists and to us at the BBC saying what they've said before, that several suspects approached troops, but the troops gave them a verbal warning not to come towards them, to keep away from the area. And when they didn't respond, they fired warning shots. The IDF doesn't go into any details. They beyond that, we still don't have 100% clarity about what is happening. It is confusing because on the Gaza Humanitarian foundation site, it told people first of all that they shouldn't go to this particular site at that time, that it wasn't open, but that the only one that was open was higher up, was in the center of Gaza later in the day. It then said that this site and another would be open, but at around noon. But as you can understand, Palestinians who are desperate for food to give their families start moving towards for sites that they've been to before in the hope that they will open at some point and these incidents ensue. Meanwhile, Israel's defense minister has instructed the military to prevent this chip with pro Palestinian activists, including Greta Thunberg, from reaching Gaza. They're trying to break the blockade Is this freedom flotilla ever likely to reach Gaza? I think that the Israeli military, its navy will intervene. It's a question of when and how. I mean, the latest that I've seen from the boat, the madeleine, it's about 130 nautical miles from Gaza. There's no doubt that Israel is going to stop this boat. The real question is will we see the kind of scenes that there were back in 2010 when the Madi Marmara, a boat with Turkish activists, was a site in which 10 of the activists were killed as it was stormed by Israeli troops. I think it's very unlikely in this case, but something like that will happen again. But just a few weeks ago, a boat again which was coming with the same mission, the same group was just moored off the coast of Malta and it was hit by drones. It's still unclear what caused it, who did it, but those who are on that boat blame Israel for doing so. So what's clear is that Israel is not going to allow them through. What happens next will be a big question. Sebastian Usher and as we record this podcast, the international group that's trying to send that ship carrying activists to Gaza with Greta Thunberg on board, they've reported that the alarm has been sounded on board. It says life jackets are on, preparing for interception. Now President Zelensky has said missiles promised to Ukraine by the previous US Government have instead been redirected to the Middle east by the Trump administration. Mr. Zelensky told the US news outlet ABC that the former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had agreed to send Ukraine 20,000 missiles. Our Europe regional editor Danny Eberhard told us more. He didn't specify what type they were. He said they had special technology to target Shahid drones. Now, Shahid drones obviously been sent sometimes in their hundreds in a night to attack areas of Ukraine causing deaths and injuries. Often they target civilian areas. So it really matters. And there was a report recently in the Wall Street Journal that said that U.S. munitions to intercept Dr. Had been redirected to American forces in the Middle East. So it sounds like that's that it's referring to. But obviously air defenses are critically important to Ukraine. President Trump's administration is yet to comment on the specific claims by Mr. Zelenskyy. And it was quite a wide ranging interview. What else did we learn? It certainly was. There was all sorts of things, including more details about Operation Spiders Web, the attack on Russian air bases that caused such a stir. The ABC correspondent at one point asked Mr. Zelensky whether Mr. Trump felt that Russia was winning the war. He answered that Donald Trump has said as much in public, but he also pushed back. He said such an assessment was not true, regardless of what Mr. Trump may have said. I mean, this not about his words. Yes. Just to be understandable. Yes. About the real situation. It's not a victory when you spend, really spend 1 million people for getting some thousands of kilometers. So there he's pushing back against the idea that anything Mr. Putin may have achieved thus far amounted to a victory due to the massive cost in human lives. He said that Russia was the only party that still wanted to keep the war going. This is a constant theme of his in pushing for tougher sanctions to pressure Russia into accepting a ceasefire. Ukraine has repeatedly made it plain that it would accept a ceasefire, but that he said that US Involvement in sanctions was essential if they were to have any impact. He's calling for things like a price cap on oil, for example, at $30. And there's currently a bill in the US Senate where they're trying to tighten secondary sanctions on companies that deal with Russian oil. Kyiv wants Mr. Trump to back that there was other things as well. So, for example, he pushed back against an assertion by President Trump that an analogy he made this week trying to get Russia and Ukraine to stop fighting was like stopping kids fighting in a playground. That's a deeply offensive assertion to many Ukrainians. Danny Eberhard to tennis now. And the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has won the French Open in Paris, beating Italy's Jannik Sinna. It was a nail biter of a match and the first Grand Slam final to feature two players born in the new millennium. I heard more from our tennis correspondent Russell Fuller, who's there in Roland Garros, the longest French Open final in history and also the first Grand Slam singles final to be decided by a 10 point tie break, which was introduced universally by the Grand Slams five years ago as a way of deciding matches that might otherwise go on and on. And this one was very much in that category because the two players couldn't be separated after five hours and 29 minutes. But there had been so many twists over the course of the five and a half hours. Jannik Sinner led by two sets to one. He had a five three advantage. He had three championship points. It looked like he was going to win his third consecutive Grand Slam. But Alcaraz saved them, ended up winning that fourth set on a tie break and then the fifth set tiebreak as well, fairly comfortably in the end by 10 points to two. But really nothing had been comfortable for either player on such a marathon afternoon. And Russell, I feel a little ill saying this, but these two finalists were also born after the year 2000. I mean, they are such incredible players. Are we in a new era of tennis now? We most certainly are. On the men's side, they are world number one and they are world number two. And the fact that Carlos Alcaraz is 22 and Jannik Sinner is 23 suggest that they are going to play many, many more of these finals. When they've met before, the matches have always been close. They've had some memorable Grand Slam matches, but this was the first time they'd met in the final when they were competing for the trophy. It seemed very hard to separate them beforehand. Alcarath is the defending champion, will remain the defending champion, and has a little bit more clay court nous and expertise. He's so comfortable on this surface. Having grown up in Spain. Jannik Sinner is particularly strong on the hard court, so perhaps there was an argument Alcaraz would be able to win it given his extra clay court experience. But given that Sinner has only lost to one player since August of last year, Carlos Alcaraz, it just seemed almost impossible to predict with any certainty who was going to come out on top. Russell Fuller still to come on this podcast hopes to combat antibiotic resistant superbugs with a so called poo pill There's a moment every parent remembers the day their child takes off on two wheels. With Guardian bikes. That moment comes as early as 2 years old and with less stress and frustration. These bikes are built just for kids. Lightweight frames, low center of gravity, easy to use brakes. 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Find the style and level of protection you want@nyx.com and use code flow15 for 15% off. That's knix.com code flo15 for 15% off NYX for your leaks for your life. Syria's new leader Ahmed Al Sharah has promised to build an inclusive society. But members of the Alawite sect of the former president Bashar al Assad have fled to neighbouring Lebanon. The Alawites, a minority Shia Muslim group, had close links to his regime and have been persecuted in recent months. Emily Wither has been to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, where thousands of Alawites have found refuge. Her report begins with Angela Bilal, who's been listening to their testimony. Some of the details are distressing. They were humiliated, they were threatened, fired from their jobs. They killed the ones they loved in front of their eyes. One of the testimonies I took that they have killed her baby in front of her. Many Alawites believed they would be safe after the fall of President Bashar Al Assad in December last year, while he was from the minority Shia sect. Syria's new Sunni Islamist led government, headed up by Ahmed Al Shara, promised to protect minorities. And at first it was relatively calm until the holy month of Ramadan in early March. Pro government forces rampaged through Alawite towns and villages in Syria's coastal regions, killing more than a thousand civilians, including women and children. The violence started after fighters loyal to Assad had led a deadly ambush on Syria's new security forces. The new government called for support, but that escalated into a wave of sectarian anger aimed at Alawites. Syria's President, Ahmed Al Shada has promised to crack down, launching investigative committees and claiming the violence is limited to the Alawite areas on the coast. But killings, kidnappings and forced evictions of Alawites have continued across the country. Angelina leads me inside the cramped hall to speak to one of the recently arrived Alawites from Syria. She doesn't want to share her name over fears for her safety. The reason why she flee her home in Syria was that groups with weapons, they came to the village, they were knocking the doors and demanding water. And if there was a man in the house, they would shoot him to take his wife. In her case, she didn't have a man in the house. She has only her kids. One of them stepped in and raped her. And after one week, another one of the same group also stepped in and raped her and the third one with him. Together they threatened her that they have her number, they have her name, and they would kill her if she doesn't obey what they're demanding from her. Other groups with weapons set fire in that village that immediately killed 60 people. That day, her house was burned. She managed to escape with her children. She walked about 16-17km, knocking on doors, so demanding food and shelter and water. And she kept walking until she reached the borders with Lebanon. We've come to the local mosque. I'm told it's actually the first Alawite mosque that was built in Lebanon in the 1970s, but it's now also home to over 20 Syrians that fled recently. There are mattresses lining the floor. Around the edges, there are plastic bags with the very few belongings that people were able to take with them when they left in a hurry. Men sheltering in the mosque crowd around my translator and I, keen to share their stories. They look exhausted. Do people here feel like they'll ever be able to go back to Syria? Will it be safe enough? There's a man here that's just put his hand across his neck, which I think is very clear. Everyone's talking at once now. It's clearly a question that has really upset the people that are here. They cannot return back unless there is an international help, international protection, especially with all the killing that they saw. That report was from Emily Wither in Lebanon, and her documentary the Future of the Alawites can be heard in On Heart and Soul on the BBC World Service. Italians voted on Sunday and will continue on Monday in a referendum that could halve the time needed to become a citizen to five years of uninterrupted residency. Supporters of the move say it would help the army of immigrant workers that the country relies on to feel more at home in Italy. But the governing coalition of the far right, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has urged people to stay away from looking, to keep the turnout below the minimum 50% threshold, which is needed for the measure to stand any chance of becoming law. Sarah Rainsford reports from Rome. This vote could mean hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals now living in Italy are eligible for citizenship five years sooner. That would bring better security and political rights in line with other countries in Europe. It would prevent people waiting two or even three decades without citizenship, as they do now, and should help them to integrate instead, to feel part of this country. But for a referendum like this to be valid, 50% of all voters in Italy have to turn out, and the far right government of Giorgia Meloni has been trying to block that, first by ignoring the vote and then by calling on people to boycott it, to go to the seaside this weekend, not to the polls. The prime minister argues that Italy's citizenship laws are already excellent and don't need changing. Some here fear making it easier to become Italian would attract more illegal migrants to the country. For those supporting the referendum say it's about improving life for the foreign workers who come here legally and who Italy now relies on as its own population shrinks and grows older. Sarah Rainsford in Rome now, the Russian paramilitary group Wagner says it has left the West African state of Mali. A telegram account affiliated with Wagner said mission accomplished. Private military company Wagner is going home. Wagner's operations have been taken over by the Moscow Run Africa Corps. So why has the infamous mercenary outfit left the country? Here's Richard Hamilton. If you go back to 2020 and 2021, a military regime took power in Mali in separate coups, and they kicked out French and United nations troops, saying that they had failed to defeat Islamists. And this junta then pivoted towards Moscow. So Wagner intervened in 2022 to try to defeat the militants and also bolster this new regime in return for lucrative mining contracts. The official line now is, as you say, mission accomplished. And they say they brought regional centers in the north back under the control of the Malian army, and they've also killed commanders of the insurgents. But the reality is that Wagner never really had the capacity to defeat the jihadists. And there's been a spate of recent attacks that have been big setbacks for them. For example, there's one insurgent group called JNIM, and they killed more than 100 Malian soldiers recently and some mercenaries as well. And also Russia has been phasing out Wagner. And this has ever since. The leader of Wagner, Evgeny Prigozhin, he died in a mysterious plane crash after staging a 2023 coup against Vladimir Putin. So since then, Wagner's being phased down, and a bigger role is coming in from the Afrika Korps. And who exactly are the Afrika Korps? What will they be doing there? Well, that's the key point. It's really a rebranding exercise. So analysts say that 70 to 80% of the Afrikorps are actually Wagner mercenaries. Now, the Afrika Korps is state controlled. It comes under the Russian Defense Ministry. And Wagner mercenaries are sort of being absorbed into this Afrika Korps. So it's a sort of revamping of Wagner under a new name. But the Afrika Korps does have a slightly different role. Experts say the Russian military engagement in Mali is still continuing, but it's more in terms of training and providing equipment for the Malian army and less actual fighting of jihadists. And one analyst, a German called Ulf Lessing, from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, German think tank, he said the Afrika Korps has a lighter footprint and they fight less than the Rambo type. Wagner mercenaries. Richard Hamilton. Now, a little warning. If you're listening to this podcast while eating, doctors are Hoping they can combat antibiotic resistant superbugs by using so called poo pills made from the freeze dried feces containing healthy bacteria. People with antibiotic resistant intestinal infections take the pills with the good bacteria driving out the resistant bugs. Drug resistant infections are thought to kill a million people worldwide every year. Here's our health and science correspondent, James Gallagher. The dark murky depths of our bowels are a major hiding place for drug resistant superbugs. These can escape their intestinal home to cause trouble elsewhere in the body. So doctors at Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals in London are trying to flush them out with good bacteria. These come from a healthy donor's feces which is checked for dangerous infections and then freeze dried and packaged into so called poo pills. It's thought the good bacteria compete for food and space in the bowels, making it harder for the superbugs to thrive. It would take larger trials to prove the effectiveness of the approach, but the researchers said it could one day be used in patients with hard to treat infections or in those needing other therapies that weaken the immune system, such as cancer treatment. James Gallagher. And finally, when was the last time you received a handwritten letter from a friend or relative? It is a dying form of communication. Not so for Kiwi Johnny Beardmore. Nicknamed the Galapagos postman. He's taken it upon himself to travel the world delivering letters from one of the world's oldest post boxes found on the remote islands. The aim is to raise money for motor neuron disease charities. The illness which killed his father. So how did it all get started? He spoke to the BBC's John Donison. It was a few months after my father had passed away. He'd been diagnosed with motor neurone disease back in 2014, just after I'd come back from my last sort of trip where I drove across Asia. And so I couldn't go anywhere big. And so once he passed, I was on the look out for a new challenge, something that resonated with me, that I could, you know, do something with my father in mind. And when I was in the Galapagos, I'd always wanted to go there. I came across this ancient post box on Isla Floriana. The post box has been there since 1793 and sailors and whalers used to stick their mail there. Everybody knew that when they were sailing on multi year voyages, they could go to that spot, they could stick their mail in this whiskey barrel. People would come past and they would pick it up and collect it and deliver it. Wow. And it's still there, still there today. Now it's tourists. And you go there and you stick a postcard in and you go through. The postcards are there and you're encouraged to take them and deliver them. Right, so what did you do? I took a couple, I brought them back here to London and went and delivered them. And they were an amazing experience. Just rocking up on somebody's doorstep unannounced, old school and handing it over. And the buzz I got from it was like, wow, this is amazing. Thought maybe I could do this on a grander scale. So how many countries have you done as a Postman? I did 52 countries last year. Which were the most memorable deliveries? Mexico was great, Norway was unique. Bergen. I flew in and I turned up there, knocked on the door, explained to the young lady that was at the thing that I'd come to deliver this letter and the recipient wasn't home and we'd had, I thought, quite a friendly thing. I'd showed her the letter and I said, do you mind if I wait outside? She said fine. She went inside, closed the door and then flipped out. And they thought I was a, a knife wielding murderer because I saw my selfie stick poking out of my pocket and I thought it might have been a knife handle. Wow. So they rang the police, police turned up and I had to do a little bit of vast talking to explain myself. But it all turned out brilliant in the end. Cuz once they saw that it was legitimate what I was actually doing and the card was from a friend, then, you know, all concerns disappeared and they invited me in for a cup of tea. A Mexican. Mexico was special because a girl came down, young girl, she opens the door and she's looking very suspicious at us going, what's going on here? And we go, we're here to see Carmen. And she's going, there's no Carmen here. And this went backwards and forwards. We showed her the card and instantaneously her entire demeanor changed from one of suspicion to one of joy because she'd actually written the letter. So she recognized it and it was a letter to her mum thanking her for, for allowing her to follow her dreams because she'd been in the Galapagos on a volunteer work placement in Nature and her mum had fallen and had a hip replacement operation while she was away and she wanted to come back and mum said, no, stay finished, this is your dream. And she was writing a letter to say thanks. And she opened the door, it was her mom's house. We went upstairs, both her mom was there as well. So we got both the sender and the recipient in the whole thing. I'm just getting goosebumps. Was thinking about it all bought on because of a piece of paper with some writing on it. Now, you must have clocked up a lot of air miles. I mean, how much does this cost you? It was 100,000 miles. I went around the planet four times. I, you know, took all sorts of forms of transport, but the big cost obviously was flights. But I used. I'd saved up a million air miles and basically that paid for all the flights. So it cost me £4,000 for the flights, for the whole trip. For the. You. Now, of course, these days people just don't write as many letters, do they? It's all emails or WhatsApp messages or whatever else. But the letter is powerful, isn't it? Absolutely. You know, the abiding thing from this is that people aren't writing those messages. And so when somebody does and they receive it, the. The impression that it creates, you know, there's. Everybody was just blown away that they'd got something written, handwritten, because in the world we live in now, we're not doing that anymore. Johnny Beardmore Speaking to the BBC's John Donison about delivering letters from an old whiskey barrel, a postal system used by sailors and whalers on the Galapagos Islands. And that's all from us for now. But there will be a new edition of the Global News podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or any of the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on X@BBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. This edition was mixed by Rosenwin Durell and the producers were Marion Straughan and Steven Jensen. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Julia McFarlane. Until next time, goodbye. Packages by Expedia. You were made to be rechargeable. We were made to package flights, hotels and hammocks for less. Expedia made to travel.
Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: Los Angeles: Clashes Erupt for a Third Day as the US National Guard Arrives
Release Date: June 9, 2025
Host: Julia McFarlane | BBC World Service
The latest episode of the Global News Podcast by the BBC World Service, hosted by Julia McFarlane, delivers an in-depth exploration of significant global events unfolding on June 9, 2025. This episode navigates through escalating tensions in Los Angeles, deteriorating conditions in Gaza, geopolitical maneuverings involving Ukraine and the US, a historic tennis final, and inspirational human stories that underscore resilience and innovation.
Overview:
Los Angeles finds itself at the epicenter of national attention as President Trump orders the deployment of the US National Guard to quell ongoing protests against raids on undocumented migrants. This marks the third consecutive day of demonstrations, predominantly led by the city's Hispanic community. While many protests remain peaceful, instances of violence, such as rock-throwing and confrontations with local police, have escalated tensions.
Key Developments:
Presidential Intervention:
President Trump's decision bypasses California Governor Gavin Newsom, who criticizes the move as "purposefully inflammatory" and accuses Trump of manufacturing a crisis.
Support from House Leadership:
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson defends the deployment, stating on ABC’s This Week:
"We have to maintain the rule of law... That's real leadership and he has the authority and the responsibility to do it."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
On-the-Ground Reporting:
BBC correspondent Reagan Morris provides a vivid account from downtown LA:
"20 minutes ago I was saying this feels really festive... suddenly there was tear gas being sprayed and the crowd being shoved back."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Morris observes a shift from peaceful festivities to heightened militarization, highlighting the dramatic changes in the protest environment.
Activist Perspectives:
Protester Kuali, a Mexican American resident, voice the community’s frustration:
"Our community just had enough and we're tired of seeing our families being ripped apart and thrown into those ICE detention concentration camps."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Union Involvement:
Luis Fuentes, Regional Vice President of SEIU, emphasizes the adverse effects of militarization:
"We're calling for the release of David Huerta and a de-escalation of this unjust attack against our communities."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Historical Context:
This is the first instance since the 1960s civil rights protests that the National Guard has been deployed without a governor’s request, echoing President Lyndon Johnson’s actions during the Selma marches.
Overview:
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate with reports of increased fatalities near aid distribution centers. Palestinian civilians attempting to access aid have been met with lethal force, raising significant concerns about safety and the efficacy of aid operations.
Key Developments:
Incident Near Rafah:
Adam Dahman recounts being attacked while collecting aid:
"They were surrounded and shot at by soldiers and a tank. The crowd was trapped and several people were injured and then killed."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Response:
IDF claims soldiers issued verbal warnings before firing:
"Several suspects approached troops... When they didn't respond, we fired warning shots."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Aid Group Confusion:
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation communicated conflicting messages about site accessibility, contributing to the chaos as desperate civilians sought aid.
Activist Flotilla Blockade:
An international group, including Greta Thunberg, aims to deliver aid to Gaza but faces strong opposition from the Israeli military.
"The alarm has been sounded on board... preparing for interception."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Analysis:
Sebastian Usher, Middle East Regional Editor, highlights the complexities and the human cost of the conflict, emphasizing the dire need for clear communication and safe access to humanitarian aid.
Overview:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses the Trump administration of diverting missiles originally promised to Ukraine to the Middle East, raising questions about US commitment to Ukrainian defense amid ongoing conflict with Russia.
Key Developments:
Missile Diversion Claim:
Zelensky stated to ABC:
"Missiles promised by the previous US Administration have been diverted to the Middle East by President Trump."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Impact on Ukraine's Defense:
The diversion allegedly hampers Ukraine’s ability to counteract attacks, particularly from Shahid drones that have caused significant civilian casualties.
US Administration’s Stance:
As of the podcast's recording, the Trump administration has not commented on Zelensky’s specific claims.
Broader Implications:
Zelensky criticizes Trump’s simplistic analogy comparing the Ukraine conflict to children fighting in a playground, labeling it "deeply offensive."
"It's not a victory when you spend, really spend 1 million people for getting some thousands of kilometers."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Analysis:
The episode underscores the strategic tensions between US foreign policy directions and Ukrainian defense needs, highlighting the precarious nature of international support in conflict zones.
Overview:
In a landmark event for tennis, Carlos Alcaraz clinches victory in the longest men's singles final at the French Open, marking the first Grand Slam final to be decided by a 10-point tie-break.
Key Details:
Match Duration:
The final between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner extended to five hours and 29 minutes, illustrating extraordinary endurance and skill.
Player Backgrounds:
Both finalists are part of a new generation, born in the 2000s, signaling a potential shift in the tennis landscape.
Expert Commentary:
Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller remarks:
"Are we in a new era of tennis now?"
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Fuller's analysis highlights the significance of young players taking the forefront in major tournaments.
Match Dynamics:
Sinner led by two sets to one with three championship points but was ultimately overcome by Alcaraz’s resilience and tactical prowess on clay courts.
Overview:
Italy votes on a referendum to reduce the residency requirement for citizenship from ten to five years, aiming to better integrate immigrant workers crucial to the nation’s shrinking and aging population.
Key Points:
Supporters’ Perspective:
Advocates argue the change will streamline citizenship for legal immigrants, enhancing their sense of belonging and contribution to Italian society.
Opposition and Political Maneuvering:
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right coalition seeks to undermine the referendum by encouraging a boycott, aiming to keep voter turnout below the 50% threshold required for the measure to pass.
"The Administration has... zeroed in on Los Angeles because of what we represent."
(Misattributed quote; correct context needed)
Public Sentiment:
Concerns persist about potential increases in illegal immigration, while supporters emphasize the benefits of granting timely citizenship to legal residents.
Analysis:
The referendum represents a pivotal moment in Italy’s immigration policy, balancing economic needs with political strategies aimed at controlling voter engagement.
Overview:
The notorious Russian private military company, Wagner Group, announces its exit from Mali, transitioning its operations to the newly formed Afrika Korps under the Russian Defense Ministry.
Key Developments:
Reason for Withdrawal:
Continuous insurgent attacks, including a major ambush by the JNIM group resulting in significant casualties, have undermined Wagner’s effectiveness in Mali.
Rebranding Strategy:
The Afrika Korps is viewed as a rebranded entity, with 70-80% of Wagner mercenaries integrated into this new state-controlled framework.
"It's a sort of revamping of Wagner under a new name."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Current Role:
The Afrika Korps focuses more on training and equipping the Malian army rather than direct combat, representing a strategic shift in Russian military engagement in the region.
Analysis:
This transition indicates Russia’s adaptive strategies in maintaining influence in Africa despite setbacks, moving from direct military confrontation to support and training roles.
Overview:
In an innovative approach to tackling antibiotic-resistant superbugs, doctors in London develop "poo pills" — freeze-dried fecal matter containing healthy bacteria intended to outcompete harmful pathogens in the gut.
Key Insights:
Mechanism:
The beneficial bacteria from healthy donors compete for resources in the intestines, reducing the prevalence of superbugs that cause severe infections.
Potential Applications:
These pills could revolutionize treatment for patients with difficult-to-treat infections or those undergoing therapies that weaken the immune system, such as cancer treatments.
Expert Commentary:
James Gallagher, Health and Science Correspondent, emphasizes the groundbreaking nature of this treatment:
"It could one day be used in patients with hard to treat infections or in those needing other therapies that weaken the immune system."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Analysis:
While promising, larger clinical trials are necessary to establish efficacy and safety, but this innovation represents a significant advancement in combating global health threats posed by antibiotic resistance.
Overview:
Johnny Beardmore, dubbed the "Galapagos postman," embarks on a unique mission to deliver handwritten letters from one of the world’s oldest post boxes on the Galapagos Islands. His efforts aim to raise funds for motor neuron disease charities, inspired by his father's battle with the illness.
Key Stories:
Initiation of the Project:
Motivated by personal loss, Johnny discovered an ancient whiskey barrel post box on Isla Floriana and began delivering letters globally to honor his father’s memory.
Experiences and Challenges:
Johnny recounts delivering letters to 52 countries, facing skepticism and misunderstandings, such as being mistaken for a threatening figure in Norway.
"It was an amazing experience... people were blown away that they'd got something written, handwritten."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Impact:
The project fosters meaningful connections and highlights the enduring power of handwritten communication in an increasingly digital world.
Analysis:
Johnny’s initiative not only supports a noble cause but also rekindles the human touch in communication, demonstrating how personal gestures can have profound emotional impacts.
Mike Johnson on National Guard Deployment:
"We have to maintain the rule of law... That's real leadership and he has the authority and the responsibility to do it."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Protester Kuali:
"Our community just had enough and we're tired of seeing our families being ripped apart and thrown into those ICE detention concentration camps."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
Johnny Beardmore on the Power of Handwritten Letters:
"Everyone was just blown away that they'd got something written, handwritten because in the world we live in now, we're not doing that anymore."
(Timestamp: Not specified)
This episode of the Global News Podcast encapsulates a broad spectrum of global issues, from domestic unrest and international conflicts to groundbreaking scientific advancements and inspiring human stories. Through thorough reporting and insightful analysis, the podcast provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the complex and interconnected world we navigate today.
For further engagement or to share your thoughts on this episode, you can reach out via email at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk or connect on social media using the hashtag #globalnewspod.