
The measures include the use of a mobile phone panic button
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This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk. World of Secrets is where untold stories are exposed and in this new series we investigate the dark side of the wellness industry, following the story of a woman who joined a yoga school only to uncover a world she never expected. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this where the hope of spiritual breakthroughs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation. You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. World of Secrets the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts, it.
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Nick Mars
No purchase necessary VGW Group Void where prohibited by law 18/ terms and conditions apply. This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Mars and in the early hours of Saturday 28th December, these are our main stories. The Mexican government has unveiled an emergency measure to protect migrants in the United States who might face deportation once Donald Trump takes office. The White House says North Korean troops are experiencing mass casualties in what it calls hopeless assaults against Ukrainian positions in Russia's Kursk region. A senior Houthi official in Yemen has told the BBC the movement will continue attacking Israel despite intensified Israeli airstrikes. Also in this podcast we meet the baboon expert on what they reveal about us.
Robert Sapolsky
They've got nine hours of free time every day and they spend all of it devoted to generating psychological stress for each other.
Nick Mars
Mexico's government has announced an emergency strategy to protect migrants in the United States ahead of the inauguration of the President elect Donald Trump next month. Mr. Trump has threatened to deport millions of illegal migrants. Now one of the measures involves mobile phones and the Mexican Foreign Minister, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, explained how it could work.
Narrator
It's an information and assistance center for Mexican people, a call center that's already operating 24,7 and soon it will also be active through a very simple procedure, an alert button that's already been implemented on a small scale in some places and appears to be working very well, you push the alert button and that sends a signal to the nearest consulate and to the relatives whose contact details you've saved on the app.
Nick Mars
I asked Our America's regional editor, Leonardo Rocha to tell us more about the new measures.
Leonardo Rocha
What the Mexican government is expecting is the worst for millions of Mexicans, an estimated 4.8 million Mexicans who live without a working visa in the US So what they think might happen is people will be at home or they'll be stopped in traffic, or they might be on some government list and immigration officers will just come to their door to their work and just take them to a detention center before they're taken there or before they can ask for a lawyer or anything. This panic button, let's call it that way, it's an app, will alert One of the 53 Mexican consulates in the US or their families or a call center that's already working 24 hours a day to say, look, such person has been taken by the immigration authorities. Then they will get in touch with hundreds of lawyers. They've just hired more than 300 other lawyers, and there are many who have volunteered to basically start the legal process to assist them and if necessary, stop this deportation process. Because once that gets going, if the person doesn't know their rights in the US Especially migrants who are there who don't speak proper English, they might just be taken to a center on the border or taken abroad, and that might be too late for them.
Nick Mars
I mean, these measures from the Mexican government are likely to anger Donald Trump and his supporters because they could be seen as a way of scuppering what Donald Trump wants to do, which is get rid of certain numbers of illegal migrants. And the Mexican government has got to tread a fine line here, hasn't he? Because there are also threats from Donald Trump to put tariffs on Mexican goods.
Leonardo Rocha
I find the beginning of this left wing government of Claudia Sheinbaum taking over from President Lopez Obrado. I find it much more difficult than Lopez Obrador faced in the first administration with Donald Trump, because I think Donald Trump is much more outspoken. He threatened to impose tariffs of 25% if they don't control the influx of fentanyl, which is this synthetic opioid that's causing thousands of deaths in the US but it's something very difficult to do to control the influx of drugs. So I think the language is very inflammatory. I think the Mexican government is feeling that they will have a very difficult time because it involves migration, involves tariffs. And I haven't seen much in terms of building bridges or anything at this stage. Three weeks from the inauguration of Donald Trump, the Mexican government is preparing a strategy to help millions of Mexicans abroad. It's likely that will anger the American government. Something will have to do to build those relations, which are essential for both sides of the border.
Nick Mars
Leonardo Rossa the White House says North Korean troops are suffering mass casualties in what it calls hopeless human wave attacks against Ukrainian forces. According to a national security spokesman, John Kirby, one thousand North Koreans have been killed or wounded in Russia's Kursk region. Here's our State Department correspondent, Tom Bateman.
John Kirby
John Kirby said that North Korean troops.
Narrator
Were highly indoctrinated, pushing attacks even when it was clear they were futile, with.
John Kirby
The generals seeing the troops as expendable. He said there were reports of some.
Narrator
Soldiers even taking their own lives rather.
John Kirby
Than surrendering, likely out of fear of.
Narrator
Reprisal against their families in North Korea.
John Kirby
In the event that they were captured.
Narrator
The BBC is not able to independently verify the claims. The US believes up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, with the two countries this month putting into effect a landmark defense pact.
Nick Mars
Tom Bateman now to the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, where tens of thousands of people have been chanting and holding rifles above their heads as they listen to anti Israeli speeches. It came a day after a series of Israeli airstrikes on sites across the country, including Sanaa's international airport. A UN Humanitarian team was there at the time. The BBC spoke to Mohammed Al Bukheiti, a member of the Houthis political bureau, about how they would respond to the Israel attacks.
Mohammed Al Bukheiti
We are committed to continuing our military operation in support of Gaza and we will not stop until the genocide crimes and the siege on Gaza stop. We are going to escalate our military targeting of Israel. The aggression in Yemen started in 2015 and this aggression has destroyed the infrastructure and caused a lot of suffering for the Yemeni people. This aggression was an American, British, Zionist aggression, but done through tools of these three countries in the region and inside Yemen. What's now happening is that the Yemenis are moving to a direct confrontation. This will only unify the Yemeni people and create more sympathy for the Yemeni cause in the region.
Nick Mars
Shaima Khalil is following developments from Jerusalem. She told us more about the Yemeni reaction.
Mohammed Al Bukheiti
It is difficult to get a handle on exactly how big their firepower is or the capacity, but what we've seen on the ground is a significant rise in the number of attacks that are being launched from Yemen into Israeli territory. This Week alone, for example, we'd seen at least four missile attacks. Some of those were not intercepted. In fact, on Saturday, for example, the Israeli military said that they had failed to intercept a missile coming from Yemen. It fell into Israeli territory, it fell in a public park in Tel Aviv, and more than a dozen people, albeit light injuries from shrapnel and flying glass. But it is, as far as the Israeli government is concerned, this is an escalation. It's an escalation of Houthi aggression as they see it, on Israeli territory. And so this defiance that we're seeing from the Houthi movement, from their leaders is also backed by the fact that we'd seen the sharp rise in their attacks. And if you look at the early months of the war, for example, the Houthis have started their activity, their military activities very early on after the, the beginning of the war. They, for example, they targeted international shipping, if you remember, and that caused a crisis of its own in the beginning. And you're seeing them now with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon having suffered these devastating losses. They're trying to regroup on the ground. There is a ceasefire in Lebanon now between Israel and Hezbollah, albeit fragile. Israel continues with its military campaign against Hamas in northern Gaza, which what you're seeing is the Houthis coming to the fore, if you will, and saying, we're going to intensify, we're going to escalate, and we're going to keep doing that until the war in Gaza ends.
Nick Mars
And Shaima, to what extent does their political legitimacy within Yemen stem from these acts of military defiance?
Mohammed Al Bukheiti
I think it's important to remind our listeners that Yemen is a very divided country. The Houthis do not speak for the whole of the country. The Houthis are an Iran backed movement that has taken over the capital Sana'a, from the Yemeni government that controls the northwest of Yemen. But remember, there's the Yemeni government in parts of Yemen, but also there's the Southern Transitional Council in the country's south. In terms of firepower, in terms of engagement in the regional conflict, in terms of being part of an Iran led axis of resistance against Israel and the United States, the Houthis in Yemen have been quite visible, they've been quite vocal, and if you will, they've made a military mark on the ground with these attacks. But I think what's worrying the United nations, for example, and other aid agencies is that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is quite dire and it's been quite dire for many, many years. Since this conflict that started in 2015.
Nick Mars
El Shaimikh Khalil. So what exactly is the US stance on what is currently happening in Yemen? There's an internal standoff between the Iranian backed Houthis and the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The Houthis have been disrupting shipping moving towards the Suez Canal. The us, UK and Israel have been attacking targets in Yemen with airstrikes. Regarding the Israeli attack on the airport in Sanaa, Julian Harness, the UN Coordinator in Yemen, said the complex had a crucial function for the people of Yemen.
Narrator
It is the location whereby all of the international humanitarian aid workers who work in the north of the country come in and leave by. So if that airport is disabled, it will paralyze the humanitarian operations. It's also the airport by which thousands of Yemenis who are unable to get decent advanced health care in the country leave to go either to Jordan or to Cairo or eventually to Mumbai to get advanced health care.
Nick Mars
Tim Lenderking was appointed US envoy to Yemen in 2021. He gave Owen Bennett Jones his assessment on the current 10 with Israel.
Tim Lenderking
The context here is that the Houthis have been attacking Israel mostly without a response from the Israelis over months and months and months. And I think Israeli patience is clearly wearing thin and that's why they've chosen to, to strike back.
Nick Mars
So you're concerned about that bobbing? I mean, do you think they shouldn't do it?
Tim Lenderking
Well, I do think there's a distinction between military targets and civilian targets. I mean, if you look at the strikes that this coalition is doing, led by the United States, involving the UK and other countries, these are specifically targeted on military targets, those assets that the Houthis use to attack ships in the Red Sea. And we've been very precise about hitting those targets and not other targets outside of that framework with minimal loss of civilian life.
Nick Mars
So does that mean you're asking Israel not to do this?
Tim Lenderking
You know, I think we have to be clear about what is being targeted, why it's being targeted. In this particular instance, obviously was extremely awkward. Awkward that the Director General of the WHO was, was at the airport at the time. My understanding is that the Israelis were not aware of that. I don't think there was any intention to strike near him had they known that he was there. But we don't have all of the details yet. But I think, as Mr. Harness said earlier, the ports of the airport are vital arteries to move humanitarian and commercial supplies into Yemen. So if you take those out or damage them, it is putting, you know, spreading a lot of hurt on the Yemeni people writ large, not just the Houthis.
Nick Mars
Sorry to press you on this, but you. So you, you don't think that should happen?
Tim Lenderking
We think that there should not be attacks on civilian targets. I mean, if there's something that we need to know about those targets, then we should know that.
Nick Mars
The US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking. What can humans learn from baboons? Well, quite a lot, it seems, if you're as observant as the renowned American primatologist Rober Sapolsky. He's become an Internet sensation thanks to his groundbreaking undergraduate lecture series at Stanford University on human behavior, which draws heavily on his baboon research. At a national park in East Africa, Evan Davis spoke to him and began by asking whether the baboons know who he is.
Robert Sapolsky
They do, and they have mixed opinions about me. The only direct interaction I've ever had with a baboon, There's a facial expression a baboon gives. If you're some low ranking baboon and you're clearly about to be just pummeled by some high ranking guy, you look around and you give this facial expression to see if anybody else is willing to come to your defense. And this poor kid was just about to get in, was looking this way and that way, and was having no luck at all. And then he looked at me and he did the facial expression at me. I found it most demeaning that clearly I was the last choice on his team.
Narrator
Baboons, humans, we're not the same thing. But you must obviously find yourself drawing comparisons between the two of us.
Robert Sapolsky
They're actually perfect for what I study because of their human nature. I study what stress does to the brain. So studying stress out in a wild animal, oh my God, all they're going to be doing is like, worrying about predators. Baboons are different. They live in these big troops, 50 to 100 animals. Predators don't mess with them very often, and they can get their days free food from about three hours of foraging. And there's a critical implication to that, which is they've got nine hours of free time every day, and they spent all of it devoted to generating psychological stress for each other. They're perfect models for westernized stress.
Narrator
You've sort of implied they're great to look at, but you don't necessarily admire the social norms, do you? Like human beings?
Robert Sapolsky
If I'm in a movie theater and somebody's walking down the aisle and I'm kind of looking at their butt and trying to figure out how much anesthetic I would need to dart them at a time like that. You know, humans seem like a perfectly appealing primate to study. Humans have their good properties.
Narrator
Yeah, we actually are capable of achieving great things and collaborating and collaborating with each other and great generosity. And indeed, I think all the evidence is that we get a pleasure out of giving to others to be appreciated that way.
Robert Sapolsky
Yes, because we do something no other organism can do. We can have an internal image as to how we think of ourselves. And we could decide, that's not who I am. I'm a better person than that. That's what makes us a very strange species. We're particularly peculiar in that we're simultaneously the most aggressive and compelling, competitive and violent, and we're the most altruistic and cooperative and empathic. And often it's the same person who could generate those two extremes. And often it's the same behavior and which extreme it counts as is in the eye of the beholder. We're a very peculiar primate. We are just emergent biological organisms that are the end product of all the hiccups that came before us.
Nick Mars
Robert Sapolsky still to come, the Netflix blaze craze that's outperforming its top shows at this time of year.
Nicola Coughlan
I'm Nicola Coughlan and for BBC Radio 4, this is History's Youngest Heroes.
Narrator
Rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth.
Nick Mars
She thought, right, I'll just do it. She thought about others rather than herself.
Nicola Coughlan
Twelve stories of extraordinary young people from across history.
Mohammed Al Bukheiti
There's a real sense of urgency in them. That resistance has to be mounted.
Narrator
It has to be mounted now.
Nicola Coughlan
Follow History's Youngest Heroes wherever you get your podcasts.
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Nick Mars
Now to Kazakhstan and investigations continue into what caused the crash of an Azerbaijan Azerbaijani passenger plane in the country on Christmas Day. Representatives of Azerbaijan Airlines speak of external physical and technical interference, but they don't say what that could have been. 38 people died in that crash, but there were some survivors. The plane had originally tried to land at Grozny Airport in southern Russia, but was denied permission and diverted to Kazakhstan, where it crashed near the airport at. Well. The head of Russia's aviation watchdog, Dmitry Yadrov, said the diversion was necessary because of a difficult situation around Grozny Airport.
Narrator
I should note that the situation in the area of Grozny airport that day during those hours was quite difficult. Ukrainian combat drones were mounting terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the cities of Grozny and Vladikavkaz. Because of this, all aircraft had to leave the indicated airspace immediately.
Nick Mars
Our Europe regional editor, Paul Moss, told me more.
John Kirby
It's very interesting, isn't it, to hear that a senior Russian aviation official acknowledge that at the time that plane was supposed to be landing in Grozny, the city was under attack from Ukrainian drones. I mean, first of all, I have to say it makes you wonder why a civilian airline has been regularly flying passengers into what is effectively a war zone. And in fact, Friday has seen several airlines suspend their flights to a lot of southern Russia fly Dubai, El Al and Kazakhr. But more importantly, if drones were attacking Grozny, it seems very likely that the military there would be firing missiles into the sky to stop them. Now, that doesn't provide proof, but it does add weight to the theory that a Russian missile might have accidentally hit the Azerbaijani aircraft. That would explain why it flew away in such a strange fashion. People who've studied its flight path say it looks like a plane flown by a pilot unable to control it. But then we also have the reports from passengers on board who say they heard one or more explosions when the plane was near Grozny. Subunkol Rakimov was one of them. He's now given an interview, and you can hear him mention right at the start a bang, which he heard.
Narrator
When.
Leonardo Rocha
The first bang happened.
Narrator
I looked around, quickly assessed the situation.
Leonardo Rocha
And I thought that the plane was going to fall apart. I thought that I should start praying. I started saying words. I started to remember the Almighty God. I thought that those were probably my last words.
Nick Mars
Meanwhile, Paul, the investigation is ongoing. What do we know?
John Kirby
Well, it seems to be moving rather quickly. Azerbaijan's transport minister has already already said that the plane seems to have suffered external interference. Now, that covers a multitude of possibilities. It could refer to hitting a flock of birds. That's what the Russian authorities claimed right away had happened. But we are also hearing about leaks from the team carrying out the investigation, various people quoting unnamed sources, saying they've already decided that the plane was hit by a Russian missile. Now, now, bear in mind this is a very sensitive issue for the Azerbaijani government. Azerbaijan is an ally of Russia. It really doesn't want trouble with its very large and powerful neighbor. But the media in Azerbaijan is not totally controlled. Everyone there has been able to read these claims about Russia shooting the plane down. The government there will not be able to ignore what's likely to be a lot of public anger. I'm also struck that Russia seems to have gone relatively quiet on this subject. I mean, often when Russia is accused of doing wrong, you get politicians and prefs officers quickly mobilized to issue these stringent denials. Even when it looks like Russia's been caught red handed doing something, though it hasn't been like that this time it is possible that they are preparing the ground for one big mea culpa. This could be one of the few times when Russia is forced to admit that it's made a fatal mistake. But that is far from certain. We'll have to wait and see.
Nick Mars
Paul Moss he is accused of having set a woman on fire on a subway train in New York six days ago. And on on Friday, Sebastian Zepeta was charged with murder. He was not present at the hearing. Lucy Hawkins spoke to the BBC's North America correspondent Rowan Bridge and asked him for the background to the incident.
Rowan Bridge
This was about 7:30 in the morning when police say this woman was apparently asleep on a subway train when as you say, a person went over to her with a lighter and satchel light. They say she was engulfed in flames with a matter of seconds, in part because those flames were fanned by the person holding a shirt. Police became aware of what was happening and rushed to the scene. They used a fire extinguisher to try and put out the flames, but sadly the woman died at the scene. At the moment she hasn't been identified. It's thought she may have been a homeless person. But they are now trying to use DNA and fingerprint, advanced fingerprint techniques to identify who she might be. Sebastian Zapata was arrested soon afterwards because he was caught on surveillance cameras and police body worn camera footage and was recognized by some school children who alerted the authorities. He was arrested soon afterwards and there was a court hearing where he was charged with a number of offenses, including murder one, which is the most serious murder offense you can face. That carries in the state of New York a sentence of life without parole if convicted, convicted. He also faces an arson charge and a number of other murder charges. He is due to appear in court again at the start of the new year.
Nick Mars
Do we know any more details about Humro and about Sebastian Zapita?
Tim Lenderking
Yes.
Rowan Bridge
So he was illegally in the country and had been deported. He was from Central America. He had been deported and had then returned to the country at some point illegally. But it's not clear how exactly he came to be back in the country. And at the moment, the police don't believe he had any relationship with the person that he set alight. But at the moment, the circumstances as to exactly what happened and what the motive was behind this attack still remain uncertain.
Nick Mars
And has this caused further conversations to be had about things like safety on the subway system? At the moment?
Tim Lenderking
Yeah.
Rowan Bridge
I mean, I think it's something that New Yorkers are aware of because millions of them travel on the New York subway system every day. There has been an increase this year in murders on the New York subway trains compared to last year from 5 to 9. But obviously millions of people ride the subway system every day. And murders, thankfully, and deaths of this kind on the subway system are thankfully, very rare.
Nick Mars
Rowan Bridge Homelessness is a growing problem worldwide that many cities are struggling to deal with. But one Canadian city is trying a different approach. Instead of banning tent encampments, the authorities in Halifax are regulating them. But as Nadine used Joseph reports, not everyone is happy about it.
Nicola Coughlan
Surviving, you know, wake up and survive. This is Andrew Goodsell, a homeless man in Halifax, a city on Canada's Atlantic coast. He lives in a small orange tent on a grassy patch downtown nestled between apartment buildings, a hospital and a university. I wake up in an area I.
Narrator
Don'T want to be.
Nicola Coughlan
I'd much rather wake up in a spot where I could take a shower and maybe make myself something to eat. His tent is part of an encampment that was chosen by the city as a place where people without housing can lawfully camp outside. The sites were approved this summer as a temporary but some argue, necessary solution as indoor shelters are constantly full. It is a departure from policies of the past where encampments were instead forcibly removed in so called street sweeps. And potentially a new solution to address persisting homelessness in Canadian cities.
Tim Lenderking
One of the largest groups of homelessness.
Narrator
We see growing is simply people who don't have enough money to pay rent.
Nicola Coughlan
Max Chauvin, Halifax's director of housing and homelessness, says that the number of homeless people in his city has grown more than tenfold since 2018. It became especially visible after the COVID 19 pandemic. He says it is mostly due to how expensive rent has become. What used to be a $700 a month apartment in the city can now run people up to $2,000. Among the city's homeless, he says, are students, senior citizens and even entire families. There are now five designated encampments in the city's public park where people can shelter outside in tents. All are equipped with portable toilets by the city and outreach. Workers come bi weekly to drop off bottled water and check in on residents. The new scheme is designed to buy time for the government while it tries to ramp up housing and shelter construction, but most encampments are already over capacity. But Halifax's approach to designate encampments is not without its critics.
Narrator
This used to be a fun field.
Mohammed Al Bukheiti
Where the kids could come out and play.
Narrator
We played baseball, kickball. Now we can't even do that because.
Nicola Coughlan
We'Re too worried about stepping on a.
Narrator
Needle, stepping on a pipe.
Nicola Coughlan
Clarissa is a mother of three who lives right next to one of Halifax's designated encampment sites. She tells the BBC that she and her neighbors were not consulted prior to the site being set up next to them and that it has since brought crime and litter to her neighborhood. When I spoke to people who lived in those tents, they told me that they are desperate for city officials to come up with a long term solution, one that includes permanent and dignified affordable housing. Despite the opposition, the lawful encampments are here to stay for now.
Nick Mars
Nadine Youssef reporting. In the days between Christmas and New Year, many people are found around their television sets. And in between the new shows and nostalgic films, there might be little to worry about other than what to watch. But this year on Netflix, something has attracted a surprising amount of attention. Alfie Habershin has been investigating.
Narrator
Christmas isn't really a big deal in South Korea, but the creators of Squid Game knew what they were doing when they released the second series on Boxing Day, when the long family lunches are probably over. But a return to working life has not yet begun. Series one is the most watched show ever on Netflix, but it seems the dystopian thriller isn't quite matching the Christmas mood, as this year in the US and the uk Something else was more popular.
Robert Sapolsky
Counting down the Christmas Clock, all young be.
Narrator
But it wasn't any of the Christmas classics either. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus and the Holiday were all beaten by something more appealing and more captivating an hour long video of a crackling fire, or as Netflix calls it, birch logs that set the mood with glowing embers and dancing flames. It may be in demand because it eases Christmas tension when families spend more time together than they might be used to. In fact, the University of Alabama says watching a fire on a screen actually lowers your blood pressure. And after spending tens of millions on Squid Game two, too, Netflix might also be feeling more relaxed after drawing people in with something a little cheaper.
Nick Mars
Alfie Habersham and that's all from us for now. But there will be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later on. 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. this edition was mixed by Mohammad Masoud Ibrahim Khay. The producer was Liam McSheffrey. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Nick Miles and until next time, goodbye.
Narrator
Hello, I'm Katya Adler, host of the Global Story Podcast from the BBC.
John Kirby
Each weekday we break down one big.
Narrator
News story with fresh perspectives from journalists around the world. From artificial intelligence to divisive politics tearing our societies apart from the movements of money and markets to the human stories that touch our lives, we bring you in depth insights from across the BBC and beyond. Listen to the Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Global News Podcast Summary BBC World Service – December 28, 2024
Overview: Ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the Mexican government unveiled an emergency strategy aimed at safeguarding approximately 4.8 million Mexicans residing in the United States without a working visa. This initiative comes in response to Trump's threats to deport millions of illegal migrants.
Key Measures:
Alert System: Implementation of a mobile app featuring an alert button. When activated, it notifies the nearest Mexican consulate and the migrant's designated family contacts, facilitating swift legal assistance.
Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Mexican Foreign Minister [02:45]:
"You push the alert button and that sends a signal to the nearest consulate and to the relatives whose contact details you've saved on the app."
Legal Support: Recruitment of over 300 lawyers to support migrants facing deportation, ensuring they receive legal representation to halt or mitigate the deportation process.
Insights from Leonardo Rocha, Our America's Regional Editor [03:14]:
"The panic button... will alert one of the 53 Mexican consulates in the US or their families... and they will get in touch with hundreds of lawyers."
Challenges:
Political Tensions: The strategy may strain relations with the incoming Trump administration, which seeks to reduce illegal immigration and has threatened tariffs on Mexican goods.
Leonardo Rocha [04:51]:
"The Mexican government is preparing a strategy to help millions of Mexicans abroad. It's likely that will anger the American government."
Government Stability: The transition from President López Obrador to Claudia Sheinbaum's administration adds complexity, as Sheinbaum faces a more outspoken Trump administration.
Overview: The White House reported significant casualties among North Korean troops engaged in fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region. These assaults are described as "hopeless human wave attacks."
Key Details:
Casualty Figures: Up to 12,000 North Korean troops are believed to be involved, with around 1,000 reported killed or wounded.
Robert Sapolsky [02:05]:
"They've got nine hours of free time every day and they spend all of it devoted to generating psychological stress for each other."
Military Strategy: North Korean forces reportedly exhibit high levels of indoctrination, leading to relentless attacks despite minimal success.
John Kirby, National Security Spokesman [06:16]:
"The generals seeing the troops as expendable... soldiers even taking their own lives rather than surrendering."
US Perspective: The US is critical of North Korea's involvement, emphasizing the futility of these attacks and the unnecessary loss of life.
Overview: Tensions escalate in Yemen as Houthi forces pledge to continue their military operations against Israel, despite intensified Israeli airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas.
Key Statements:
Mohammed Al Bukheiti, Houthi Official [07:25]:
"We are committed to continuing our military operation in support of Gaza and we will not stop until the genocide crimes and the siege on Gaza stop."
Shaima Khalil on Houthi Legitimacy [10:10]:
"The Houthis are an Iran-backed movement... they have been quite visible, they've been quite vocal."
Israeli-Houthi Dynamics: Recent missile attacks from Yemen into Israeli territory mark a significant escalation, with some missiles evading interception and causing civilian injuries in Tel Aviv.
US Involvement: The US, alongside the UK, is part of a coalition targeting Houthi military assets to curb their attacks, focusing on minimizing civilian casualties.
Tim Lenderking, US Envoy to Yemen [12:24]:
"We think there should not be attacks on civilian targets... if there's something that we need to know about those targets, then we should know that."
Humanitarian Concerns: UN and aid organizations highlight the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, exacerbated by ongoing conflicts since 2015.
Overview: Renowned primatologist Robert Sapolsky shares his observations on baboon behavior and its implications for understanding human psychology, particularly stress.
Key Observations:
Social Stress Among Baboons: Baboons devote a significant portion of their day to generating psychological stress within their troops, making them ideal models for studying human stress.
Robert Sapolsky [02:05]:
"They spend all of it devoted to generating psychological stress for each other."
Human Nature Comparisons: Sapolsky draws parallels between baboon social structures and human societal behaviors, highlighting both aggressive and altruistic traits inherent in humans.
Robert Sapolsky [16:54]:
"We're simultaneously the most aggressive... and the most altruistic and cooperative and empathic."
Conclusion: Baboons offer valuable insights into the complexities of social stress and its effects on behavior, mirroring many aspects of human societal interactions.
Overview: An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, resulting in 38 fatalities. Initial reports suggest external interference, with suspicions pointing towards possible Russian missile involvement amid regional conflicts.
Key Details:
Flight Diversion: The plane was diverted from Grozny Airport in southern Russia due to a volatile security situation, ultimately crashing near a Kazakhstani airport.
Dmitry Yadrov, Head of Russia's Aviation Watchdog [19:59]:
"The diversion was necessary because of a difficult situation around Grozny Airport."
Possible Causes: Ukrainian drone attacks in the region may have led to mistaken missile targeting by Russian forces.
Subunkol Rakimov, Survivor [21:40]:
"The first bang happened... I thought that the plane was going to fall apart."
Investigative Insights: Azerbaijan's Transport Minister hints at external interference without specifying, while leaks suggest a Russian missile strike might be responsible. Russia remains largely silent on the issue, raising speculation about potential accountability.
Paul Moss, Europe Regional Editor [22:04]:
"Azerbaijan's transport minister has already said that the plane seems to have suffered external interference."
Overview: A tragic incident occurred in New York City's subway system, where a woman was set on fire by Sebastian Zapata, who has since been charged with murder.
Key Details:
Incident Description: At approximately 7:30 AM, the victim, believed to be homeless, was asleep on a train when Zapata attacked her with a lighter, resulting in her death.
Rowan Bridge, BBC North America Correspondent [23:52]:
"Police became aware of what was happening and rushed to the scene... but sadly the woman died at the scene."
Perpetrator Background: Zapata, an illegal immigrant from Central America, had been previously deported and re-entered the country illegally. He was apprehended through surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts.
Rowan Bridge [25:10]:
"He was from Central America... at the moment, the police don't believe he had any relationship with the person that he set alight."
Community Impact: The incident has sparked discussions on subway safety, with a noted increase in subway-related murders this year.
Rowan Bridge [25:41]:
"Millions of people ride the subway system every day. There has been an increase this year in murders on the New York subway trains compared to last year from 5 to 9."
Overview: Halifax authorities have adopted a novel approach to homelessness by regulating tent encampments instead of enforcing bans. This strategy aims to provide temporary shelter while addressing the underlying housing crisis.
Key Measures:
Designated Areas: Five public park encampments equipped with portable toilets and regular outreach services, including bottled water and resident check-ins.
Nicola Coughlan, Reporting [26:32]:
"All are equipped with portable toilets by the city and outreach workers come bi-weekly to drop off bottled water and check in on residents."
Accommodation Diversity: The encampments host a varied population, including students, seniors, and families.
Challenges and Criticism:
Overcapacity Issues: Current encampments are exceeding their intended capacity, raising concerns about sustainability.
Local Opposition: Nearby residents, like Clarissa, express frustration over increased crime and litter, and the lack of prior consultation regarding encampment placements.
Clarissa [28:37]:
"We can't even do that because we're too worried about stepping on a needle, stepping on a pipe."
City's Perspective: Max Chauvin, Halifax's Director of Housing and Homelessness, attributes the rise in homelessness to skyrocketing rents and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Max Chauvin [27:21]:
"The number of homeless people in his city has grown more than tenfold since 2018... now it's a temporary but necessary solution."
Overview: Amidst holiday festivities, Netflix observed unexpected viewing trends, with traditional popular shows like "Squid Game" being outperformed by more subdued content such as virtual fireplace videos.
Key Insights:
Unexpected Popularity: Instead of holiday-themed classics, viewers flocked to hour-long videos of crackling fires to set a cozy ambiance.
Robert Sapolsky [30:09]:
"Counting down the Christmas Clock, all young be."
Health Benefits: Research from the University of Alabama suggests that watching fire videos can lower blood pressure, providing a calming effect during potentially stressful family gatherings.
Economic Considerations: Producing virtual fireplace content proved cost-effective compared to high-budget series like "Squid Game," which viewers also engaged with but did not dominate the holiday viewing preferences.
Conclusion: Netflix's strategy to offer relaxing content resonated with audiences seeking tranquility during the holidays, highlighting a shift in viewer behavior towards simpler, stress-relieving media.
This episode of the Global News Podcast covered a diverse array of international issues, from Mexico's proactive measures to protect migrants amid shifting US policies, to the intricate dynamics of Middle Eastern conflicts involving North Korea and Yemen. Additionally, domestic concerns such as urban safety, homelessness, and evolving media consumption habits were addressed, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of global and local events shaping the world at the close of 2024.
Notable Quotes:
Leonardo Rocha [03:14]:
"This panic button... will alert one of the 53 Mexican consulates in the US or their families... and they will get in touch with hundreds of lawyers."
John Kirby [06:16]:
"The generals seeing the troops as expendable... soldiers even taking their own lives rather than surrendering."
Robert Sapolsky [16:54]:
"We're simultaneously the most aggressive... and the most altruistic and cooperative and empathic."
For more detailed insights and updates, listen to the full episode of the Global News Podcast available on all major podcast platforms.