Global News Podcast – “Mass Shooting Stuns Canada”

BBC World Service | Released: February 11, 2026 | Host: Charlotte Gallagher

Episode Overview

This episode of the Global News Podcast centers on a devastating mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada—a rare and tragic event in a country known for its strict gun laws and tight-knit rural communities. The episode also covers updates on the disappearance of a high-profile U.S. TV presenter's mother, political developments in Ukraine under Donald Trump's renewed administration, the rescue efforts of a heroic Australian teen, the rise of commercial biohacking, new research on urban noise pollution’s effects on birds, and the cultural buzz in Yorkshire ahead of a new “Wuthering Heights” film. The tone is urgent, compassionate, and at times reflective.

1. Mass Shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada

[01:48] – [07:34]

Key Details & Eyewitness Reactions

• Shooting Summary:
  • Nine killed, at least 25 injured.
  • Bodies found in two separate locations.
  • Attacker believed to be female, died from self-inflicted injuries; identity unconfirmed.
  • Community described as rural, “like a big family” where “they don’t lock their doors.”
• National Mourning:
  • Emotional statement by Canadian official Mark Carney at Parliament Hill:
    • “Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you.” [02:25]
    • Announcement: National flags to fly at half-mast for seven days. [02:49]
    • “We will get through this. We will learn from this. But right now, it’s a time to come together as Canadians always do in these terrible situations.” [02:51]

Community Voices

• Student Perspective:

  • 17-year-old Darian Quist:
    • “Our principal goes throughout the halls and she’s saying ‘People close your doors, lockdown, stuff like that’… we all barricaded up the doors with some iron tables and sat in that room for around two hours. I was on my phone with my mother the entire time.” [03:27]

• Local Journalist:

  • Trent Erst describes devastation:
    • “It’s not something you expect to happen in your province, let alone your own town. And it’s been devastating.” [03:57]
  • On rumors circulating about the attacker's identity:
    • “Rumors are rampant… but there has been no confirmation. I’m sort of ignoring that chatter until it’s official.” [04:39]
  • On affected families and GoFundMe initiative for a 12-year-old girl in critical condition:
    • “It’s someone I know… she’s 12 years old and apparently shot in the head and in the neck and is in emergency surgery as of last night.” [04:50]

Gun Laws Context

• Relative Gun Strictness:

  • “If you’re comparing us to the U.S., they’re quite strict. If you’re comparing us to Britain, they’re probably viewed as quite lax... We live in a place where there’s a lot of hunters, so there’s a lot of people out who have firearms—they’re all licensed, all have certificates, all store their guns in safes.” [05:35]

• Reporter Shrushti Gandev (CBC Vancouver):

  • “This kind of thing just doesn’t happen here... I can count on one hand the instances I recall... Gun ownership is a reality because, especially in places like Tumbler Ridge… hunting is a prominent part of the way of life. You pretty much only are able to own hunting rifles and not the kind of assault-style rifles you often hear about in the U.S.” [06:27]

2. Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother

[07:34] – [10:13]

Case Update

• Suspect Detained, Released:
  • Detained at a traffic stop near the border; no charges, maintains innocence.
  • “He said he doesn’t even know who Savannah Guthrie is and has never watched the Today show.” – Bradley Blackburn, CBS News [07:52]
• Doorbell Camera Footage:
  • Shows masked, gloved person outside victim’s home; previously thought deleted, recovered with manufacturer’s help.
  • Police appealing for public assistance; significant progress cited.
• National Attention:
  • “It’s leading newscasts on multiple networks… so much interest in this case, particularly on social media because of the celebrity aspect and the true mystery that exists here.” – Bradley Blackburn [09:36]
    • Savannah Guthrie posted footage online, urging: “We believe that she is still alive. Bring her home.” [09:59]

3. Ukraine Election Pressure Amid War

[10:13] – [14:35]

Political Developments

• US Pressure on Ukraine:

  • Trump administration pressing for Ukrainian presidential elections and a referendum by May (deadline tied to US-Ukraine security guarantees).
  • Exclusive reporting by the Financial Times.

• Legal and Political Challenges:

  • Ukrainian constitution forbids elections under martial law/active conflict.
  • Suggested legislative push to override restrictions.

• Analysis by Christopher Miller (FT):

  • “This timeline would see March and April spent in Ukrainian Parliament… passing the legislation needed to hold these polls in wartime.” [12:38]
  • Zelenskyy yet to declare 2026 candidacy; main rivals named (Valeri Zaluzhny, Kirillo Budanov, former president).

4. Heroic Ocean Rescue in Australia

[17:23] – [19:31]

Dramatic Testimony

• 13-year-old Austin Appleby’s Call:
  • Swam four hours through shark-infested waters to shore to raise the alarm after his mother and siblings disappeared at sea.
  • “We went out on a kayak trip and paddleboard trip and we got took out to sea and we got lost out there... Mum told me to go back to get help and then I haven’t seen them since. I think they’re kilometres out in sea.” [18:11]
  • Police: “It’s a textbook example of what you should do in an emergency.”

5. Biohacking Goes Mainstream

[19:31] – [23:14]

The “Biohack Yourself” Family

• Lifestyle Transformation Story:
  • “The spark was when my husband got diagnosed with morbid obesity. That really hit us hard.” – Teresa Lolly [20:56]
  • Family, including 9- and 7-year-old children, detail supplements and high-tech therapies (PEMF, electric workouts).
  • “I want a biohack for the rest of my life because I want to stay healthy, young.” – Legend, age 7 [21:19]

Industry Insight

• “Industrial Athletes" and High-Tech Therapies:
  • Chuck Morris, Midtown Biohack:
    • “People are no longer accepting that aging and decay are the same thing.” [21:42]
    • On electric workouts: “That was 100 crunches in 10 seconds… That’s the Biohack.” [22:04]

Scientific Criticism

• Expert Doubt:
  • Dr. Nir Bazila, Institute for Aging Research:
    • “What they’re doing is not science, it’s not based on science and it could also be dangerous.” [22:41]
    • “This massive growth is because people want it, people need it, and eventually it'll become scientifically based. For now, it’s a jungle out there.” [22:52]

6. Urban Noise Pollution Harms Birds

[23:14] – [25:54]

Key Findings

• New Global Study (40 Years of Data):
  • Noise pollution in cities disrupts bird communication, affects courtship, parenting, danger warnings, and growth.
  • Ground-dwelling birds suffer reproductive disruptions, while arboreal species experience stunted development.
• Potential Solutions:
  • Electric cars, limiting noisy machinery (e.g., leaf blowers), better insulation—recommendations benefit both humans and birds.

7. Haworth Reacts to Steamy New “Wuthering Heights” Film

[25:54] – [29:54]

Village Life and Bronte Culture

• On-set Realism and Film Buzz:
  • Yorkshire village of Haworth sees a surge of visitors charmed by literary nostalgia and the film’s provocative approach.
  • “Watching that film, I felt like I just wanted to sit and perch by a window and look out and, like, yearn… It still carries that controversy today.” – Katie Kennedy, “history Gossip” [27:34]
  • Rebecca York, Brontë Parsonage Museum:
    • “It was just so exciting and emotional as well, seeing Yorkshire and that beautiful landscape and hearing those words. And I did get really emotional.” [28:11]
  • Local myth-busting:
    • “What really disappoints us sometimes is when people think it’s not real… they think it’s some sort of Disneyland.” – David Pearson [28:43]
    • “No, Haworth is a real place, not a film set.” – David Sillitoe [29:03]

Notable Quotes

• “Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you.”
  – Mark Carney ([02:25])

• “Our principal goes throughout the halls... we all barricaded up the doors… I was on my phone with my mother the entire time.”
  – Darian Quist, student ([03:27])

• “People are no longer accepting that aging and decay are the same thing.”
  – Chuck Morris ([21:42])

• “This massive growth is because people want it, people need it, and eventually it'll become scientifically based. For now, it’s a jungle out there.”
  – Dr. Nir Bazila ([22:52])

• “It’s not something you expect to happen in your province, let alone your own town… It’s been devastating.”
  – Trent Erst ([03:57])

Timestamps for Major Sections

• Mass Shooting in Canada: [01:48] – [07:34]
• Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Missing: [07:34] – [10:13]
• Ukraine Election and War: [10:13] – [14:35]
• Australian Boy’s Sea Rescue: [17:23] – [19:31]
• Biohacking Trend Explored: [19:31] – [23:14]
• Birds & Urban Noise: [23:14] – [25:54]
• Haworth & “Wuthering Heights” Film: [25:54] – [29:54]

This episode delivers a sobering look at a rare tragedy in Canada while weaving in international news, heroism, health fads, environmental science, and cultural insights, maintaining BBC's signature balance of empathy, analysis, and global perspective.