
he UN pleads for the Burmese military to stop attacking rebels in affected areas
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Ashley Ioneni
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk. This is Ashley Ioneni from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. If you could lose 10.4 pounds in one month, would you try? Well with Future Health? You can find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just 3 minutes at try fh.com that is try fh.com try fh.com results may vary based on start weight and adherence to diet, exercise and program goals. Data based on independent studies sponsored by Future Health. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at provider's discretion. The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Toms of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available. While supplies last. Limits apply us only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit CPR. This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Rachel Wright and in the early hours of Sunday 30th March, these are our main stories. In Myanmar, the search for earthquake survivors continues with hundreds trapped under the rubble while the UN pleads for the Burmese military to halt attacks on rebels in affected areas. In Turkey, hundreds of thousands of pro democracy protesters gathered in Istanbul to support the city's jailed mayor. Also in this podcast we take a look at the incel culture and Mexico tackles its country's obesity problem. The schools are banned from including junk food in fishy drinks and sugary drinks, even juices in the school environment. We start with the earthquake in Myanmar, where the military government there has confirmed more than 1,600 people have died. That figure is expected to rise. Buildings and bridges have been brought down across large waves of the country, with reports of widespread destruction in Myanmar's second city, Mandalay. Aid has arrived from China and India, but the United nations is warning of a severe shortage of medical supplies. Our correspondent Nick Beek has been following developments from Bangkok. The ruins of Mandalay, the Sky Villa condominium was apartments and a wedding venue. A 12 story building reduced to six storeys in seconds. And more than 90 people are still fit to be trapped here. Ye Ong says he felt huge relief when he was told his wife had been found conscious in the rubble. But rescuing her is taking time. He explained. I am losing the hope I had. Some have been using their bare hands and more than 24 hours after the quake, rescuers are freeing some survivors, young and old. But these minor miracles are few and far between and have punctuated an otherwise grim day of recovering bodies amid the destruction. I feel so sad to see this. All temples and pagodas in my village collapsed. We lost everything. Myanmar State TV has been showing damage to the presidential palace in the capital Naypydor. But the military junta of Minon Lai, which seized power four years ago, continues to restrict Internet access, meaning it's hard to get a clear sense of the scale of the devastation. Russia and China, countries that have propped up the regime, have been sending specialist support in a highly unusual move for the insular Burmese military. It says it will accept aid from everyone, but there are fears it will only direct help to areas under its control. Back at the sky Villa condominium, 30 year old Puli Kain pulled out of the rubble alive and reunited with her husband who never gave up hope. Nick Beak. There have also been reports that the Burmese military has continued to carry out airstrikes in areas controlled by ethnic rebels in the Saigong region. In the epicentre of the quake, the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, pleaded for it to stop. First of all, I'm calling upon the junta to just stop, stop any of its military operations. This is complet. Completely outrageous and unacceptable. Many countries that are coming forward, China, ASEAN in the region, the European Union has stepped forward, Japan, Korea, that's the good news. But obviously, if you've got bombs being dropped from the sky while you're trying to rescue people, it's just nothing short of just incredible. But President Trump has said he wants to help and yet, of course, USAID was dismantled in Myanmar. I think really recently. How much of a problem is that? It's a huge problem. I mean, and I've Been traveling on the border. I've been talking to people, physicians, nurses, medical operations that have had to shut down. And it's not just the fact that they've had significant losses of funding from usaid, but it's just the way it's being done. It's just chaotic. They hear one day that things are being shut down, the next day that they hear there's going to be, well, you can continue the most urgent operations. 48 hours later they get another call saying, no, no, all of those have been stopped. Right smack dab in the middle of that, of course, is this earthquake. And so it's a catastrophe on top of a disaster. And remember, you've got half the country in poverty. In the country, you've got 20 million people, more than a third of the country in need of humanitarian aid before the earthquake. Three and a half million people internally displaced before the earthquake. And the conditions that they're living in are spotty at best. So you've got a huge problem even before the earthquake. Now you've got an incredible disaster. The UN's Tom Andrews. Well, for more on those relief efforts, I spoke to the former BBC Asia editor, Rebecca Henchke. Since the Myanmar military staged a coup, it's sort of been plunged into international isolation. But there's been three countries that have kept a fairly close relationship with the military regime. That's India, China and Russia. And we are seeing those countries sending in aid that is starting to arrive. They're also sending rescue teams that have had experience, particularly from China, with earthquakes. Although this is slow. You know, rescue workers talk about a golden period after an earthquake where you need to reach people that are trapped under the rubble. If you're going to be pulling out people alive. And those hours are quickly passing by. So what we are hearing on the ground from rescue workers is the same that we've been hearing from the beginning, is that they're still there digging people out with their hands and they're not getting that heavy equipment that they need to, to try and move big pieces of rubble to really rescue people. And we, we're getting more reports now of, of a whole monastery that's collapsed with a lot of monks who are taking a key exam under the rubble. More and more reports of just the people that could be trapped at this point in a desperate situation. And of course, then there are reports of the generals, the hunter, the army bombing people in the rebel held areas even despite the earthquake. That's right. I mean, the United nations has called this outrageous, an incredible situation to have bombs dropping when you're trying to rescue people after such a devastating earthquake. But the Ministry of Defense of the National Unity Government, or the nug, that basically the opposite group is made up of the elected leaders that were ousted by the coup, has just announced that their forces will implement a two week pause in the fighting. So their forces are the People's Defense Forces. They're a network of civilian militia groups and they're saying this pause will be in earthquake affected areas starting March 30, and it will take place except for defensive actions. And they say that they're doing that in order for those militia groups to concentrate on the relief and rescue work. And what have you heard from the rebel held areas? So that's also a key issue here is, I mean, the National Unity Government, which is the opposition government, they're in exile. So they are saying that they're trying to coordinate relief, they're trying to get funds. But on the ground it's a real patchwork of resistance groups. They all united with one goal of overthrowing the military, but it's not one united coordinated force. And so I think that's what we're seeing here. They're not able to really step up and be effective across the country. It's more a very grassroots level. They're getting their forces to help, you know, pull people from the rubble, but we're not seeing that they're able to fill the gap that the military is leaving. Rebecca Henchke let's cross the border now into neighboring Thailand where the focus is on an unfinished high rise building that collapsed in the capital Bangkok as a result of Friday's earthquake. Rescuers are working around the clock as families of more than 80 people who are missing continue to wait for news. Our correspondent Shaima Khalil is in Bangkok and gave us this update. The area around the collapsed building is a hive of activity with heavy machinery carefully picking through the rubble. Robots and specially trained dogs have been brought in to help. Dozens of construction workers remain missing. Some family members have been waiting for hours hoping for news about their loved ones. Vilaipan Pikleton's 17 year old niece was working at the skyscraper when it collapsed. She hasn't heard anything about her since. I hope that will be a miracle, but deep down I know that it's very unlikely. My hope is just that they fight her so that we can bring her home. What it feared the most is that they will not fight her body at all. Rescuers say they've detected signs of life under the rubble, but Getting closer remains difficult. Large pieces of debris are still dangerously unstable, making the rescue work painfully slow. Shaima Khalil in Bangkok, hundreds of thousands of people have joined a protest rally in the Asian side of Istanbul against the jailing of the city's mayor, Ekrem Imamolu. Aerial footage show a sea of demonstrators waving Turkish flags and chanting pro democracy slogans. It was organized by Osgo Ozel, leader of the main opposition party, the chp. This was his defiant message for the crowd. Erdogan has been caught red handed. And the young people of this country have shown everyone and all of Turkey that they will not bow to fear, they will not kneel to oppression, they will not remain silent. Protests have been going on for 10 days now, ever since Mr. Imamolu's arrest. And they've been met with a repressive government response that has been sharply condemned by rights groups. Our senior international correspondent Ola Guerin is in Istanbul. For us, it was certainly a massive demonstration. And you got that sense when you arrived because it took us a very long time to enter the plaza where the rall was being held because there were simply so many people trying to get through the entrances. And worth pointing out, I saw something today I have not seen before at a demonstration. There was a long line of what appeared to us to be closed circuit TV cameras, and these were trained on every entrance. So it seemed to us as if the faces of all of those who were coming through to attend the protest were actually being recorded by the authorities, presumably for use in the future to identify people who've been at the demonstrations. The demands were very consistent, the same kind of message we heard earlier during the week. On Monday and Tuesday, at the large nighttime demonstrations, people were calling for the freeing of the mayor, saying they would keep protesting as long as it would take to get him out of jail. Now, that could mean a very long fight. The reality is he could be in prison for several years. People were demanding freedom of expression. People were demanding protection for human rights. One young man said to us, look, I've come to try to defend democracy here before it's just too late. You mentioned there were CCTV cameras there. And as we know, the Turkish authority have already been cracking down on protesters and journalists in recent days. Can you give us an update on that? Well, there's certainly a great deal of fear, and we heard that from demonstrators today. Several people said they were afraid of being arrested. Some told us they had friends who had been picked up in these dawn raids that have been going on over the last 10 days. The official figure from the Interior Ministry now is that 1900 people have been detained just in the past 10 days. We know that among those there are seven journalists. And we've had the first indictment handed down by public prosecutors here against some of those who were arrested and all of these people arrested at the protests. And the prosecutor is asking for jail terms of between six months and three years. Now, press freedom groups and media organizations here are pointing out that among the journalists arrested, it were people who were simply doing their job. There were photographers who were taking photographs that have been seen around the world and become famous around the world. And human rights organizations are saying that the legitimate right to freedom of expression to gather peacefully to protest against the government's policies. There is a major attempt here now, they say, to stifle those rights and those freedoms. And it didn't begin 10 days ago with the arrest of Ekrem Mimamolu. It has certainly been a pattern that we've observed here over many years now. Olagarin in Istanbul. One in eight people in the world are living with obesity. That's according to the World Health Organization. Mexico has one of the world's biggest obesity epidemics. And the condition is becoming increasingly common among adults and children. It's an issue that the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has taken on, and from now on, junk food will no longer be available in schools. Dr. Simon Barkera is the president of World Obesity Federation and he's also Mexican. He explained to the BBC's Owen Bennett Jones why obesity is such a problem there. It's the most important public health problem currently in Mexico. It started in the 90s and it has been growing very fast. Right now, 80% of the mortality in Mexico is due to non communicable chronic diseases. And the main risk factor is obesity. And it is very associated to the shift in the food system that we have experience since the Free Trade Agreement started at the end of the 80s. Gosh, that's interesting. The Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Canada and that changed what Mexicans eat. Yes, it definitely changed the diet of the Mexicans, which was basically very rich in basic products like beans, corn, vegetables and fruits. And during a period of maybe 10 years, consumption of fizzy drinks increased more than 40% in the country. For example, the consumption of beans is very low right now. And the consumption of junk food, ultra processed food, is very high. On one hand, these products, in order to be cheap and accessible, need to be like a very low quality. So these are products that are very rich in sugar, fat and salt, which are the cheap ingredients. And then they come with a very heavy marketing campaign that has target usually children and is very aggressive. And it's basically in all the spaces in schools, in tv, in social media. Yeah. And we're talking about this because you've got these new rules coming in about the availability of this kind of junk food in schools. So tell us about that initiative and whether you think, you know, it'll make a difference. Yes, we're very excited because we tried to implement this policy for more than 13 years. However, it was in form of guidelines and recommendations for schools and those were not really enforced. But this time it was included in the law, in the general law for education in Mexico. So now the schools are banned from including junk food in fishy drinks and sugary drinks, even juices in the school environment. Dr. Simon Borkera, President of the World Obesity Federation. Still to come, why the size of the spots on giraffes do matter. Struggling to get out of bed. It might be time for an upgrade. Lisa makes exceptionally comfortable mattresses designed for every body and budget. But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to giving back. Since 2015, they've donated over 41,000 mattresses nationwide. Elevate your sleep and your space with leesa. Go to Lisa.com for 20% off their award winning mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code iHEART. That's L-E-E-S-A.com promo code iHEART for an extra 50 off. This is Jenny Garth from I Do Part 2. If you could lose 10.4 pounds in one month, would you try with Future Health? You can. Future Health gives millions access to affordable weight loss med than three bucks a day. Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just three minutes at try fh.com try fh.com results vary based on start weight and adherence to diet, exercise and program goals. Data based on independent studies sponsored by Future Health. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion. Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty, which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're going to get results and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful Beauty confidence is beautiful. Learn more@meaningful beauty.com the New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive from toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Toms of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to CP Rewards. It's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last, limits apply US only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com Ukraine has accused Russia of damaging a state owned gas facility during recent drone strikes, breaking the agreed ceasefire on energy infrastructure negotiated in Saudi Arabia earlier this week. There are fears that the peace deal will not hold. The BBC's Abdu Jalil Abdurasulov has visited a secret factory in Ukraine that makes the long range drones they use to strike oil refinery and fuel depots deep inside Russia. He sent us this report. At a secret location, Ukrainian engineers work on the development of new long range drones. They drill, glue and assemble parts of a model called Ray Bears. This drone can cover a distance of more than 1000km and stay in the air for up to 28 hours so it can easily reach cities like Moscow. Raybird is effectively a spy aircraft. Roman Knezhenko, the head of Skyton, the company that develops these drones, the idea was to create the system that can control and monitor big areas or extended areas like borders of the country and so on. It's one of the most advanced system in the world right now in terms of reconnaissance. Not too many aircrafts able to work so deep on the enemy territory. Raybird identifies targets and directs fire. Among the targets are Russia's oil refineries and fuel depots. It's estimated that this year alone, Kyiv has carried out more than 30 attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure using long range drones, drones and possibly missiles. As a result, Russia's oil refinery capacity has dropped by 10%. But now these strikes must end. Both Moscow and Kyiv have committed to stop targeting each other's energy infrastructure under a US brokered deal. If it holds, the ceasefire will bring some relief for Ukraine. Russia has been relentlessly targeting its power plants and gas infrastructure across the country, leaving thousands of people without electricity and heating. But Ukrainian drone makers fear that the ceasefire agreement would fail. Oleksiy the test pilot Our enemy just wants to have a break, gather its strength and attack again. Of course the ceasefire is good, good, but we need to remember that they invaded us. The Raybird is now prepared for a test flight. The aircraft, which looks like a miniplane with wings, is placed on a launch pad, stretched like an arrow on a crossbow and then shot into the air. The engineers believe that they need to continue their work and the development of new weapons. They say that the ceasefire will hold only if Ukraine remains strong. Abdu Jalil Abdurasulov the office of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it has received a proposal for a resumption of the ceasefire in Gaza from mediators between Israel and Hamas and submitted its own counter proposal. It comes as Israeli forces have continued airstrikes across Gaza. Sebastian Usher reports from Jerusalem. There's been growing speculation that Israel and Hamas might agree a new limited ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid, which begins tomorrow. Mr. Netanyahu's office says he's held consultations on a proposal from mediators which is said to involve a 50 day truce and the release of five more hostages. Hamas is said to have agreed to the plan. Israel has now submitted a counteroffer. It comes as Israeli forces forces of continued airstrikes across Gaza and a ground operation in Rafah aimed, the IDF says, at expanding its security zone in the south of the territory. As big protests have again been taking place in Israel demanding that the government do all it can to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Hamas has posted a second video of the hostage, Elkanah Bobot, which shows him in clear distress. Sebastian Ashley Denmark has been responding to the criticism directed at it by the United states Vice President J.D. vance on his visit to Greenland on Friday. Mr. Vance said Denmark, which has had territorial control over the island for 300 years, had under invested in its security and this was the reason why President Trump needed Greenland for American and international security. The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Friedrichsen will visit Greenland next week. She has said the United States needs to follow international rules and that is NATO and the Arctic allies that have security control over the area. The foreign minister, Lars Locker Rasmussen, has also posted a response on X. I have a message for our American friends and all others who are listening. Much is being said these days. Many accusations and many allegations have been made. And of course we are open to criticism. But let me be completely honest, we do not appreciate the tone in which it is being delivered. This is not how you speak to your close allies. And I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies. The Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Locke Rasmussen, France's Trade Ministry, has condemned the sending of letters from the American Embassy in Paris to several French firms as unacceptable. The letters obliged companies with U.S. government contracts to comply with a presidential order banning diversity programs. Danny Eberhard reports. Among a flurry of executive orders signed by President Trump when he began his second term was one targeting affirmative action programmes. He sees them as part of a liberal or woke agenda, arguing they undermine appointments based on merit. It's not clear how many French companies have received the letter. It's raising concerns about extraterritorial overreach. A French official quoted by the Reuters news agency said France will remind the US that practices differ in the two countries. Danny Eberhard there's been a lot of talk about the television show Adolescence, the top streaming show on Netflix in 75 countries. In it we learn a 13 year old boy murders a schoolgirl after being influenced by INCEL ideas. Dublin researcher Maeve park has been following a group of men aged 19 to mid-30s subscribing to that INCEL ideology for over a year. They're from the uk, us, Canada, Australia, France and Germany. She's just published her findings in a book called Black pilled. The BBC's Owen Bennett Jones spoke to her first, asking her about the term black pilled and incel. The term black pilled is the name of the ideology we're seeing subscribed to Incels. It's a nihilistic worldview with misogyny as well. And the term INCEL literally means involuntary selling. However, the term is used within this group of people, mostly congregating online, who subscribe to the beliefs of the black pill. So they can believe in the nihilistic version of life or the misogynistic wrapped into one kind of ideological worldview. Very bleak, very much about men being suppressed and very much about if you're not attractive enough, you don't really have a lot of hope in life. So kind of a fatalistic, catastrophic, nihilistic world with misogyny very much attached into it as well. And the basic idea is they've never found a girlfriend and they blame the world for that. Yeah, so they believe that because they haven't had any romantic partners or even gone on dates or had any success in that kind of arena, that they feel that there's something either very much wrong with them or wrong with society. And they're kind of taking that out in a very much a resentment built ideology. We have seen violence coming from this kind of ideology in this world and we've seen some mass shootings and mass homicide coming from it. One of the earliest mass shootings was in the 2014, the Isla Vista shooting in California. That was carried out by a young man called Elliot Roger. He was 21 at the time and he shot and killed six people, including himself. We've seen sexual harassment, stalking, abuse, abuse online. And then some of the violence that we're seeing is also suicide as well. Is this a Western phenomenon? It's not a western phenomenon, but I was going, I was researching the Anglosphere in cell communities, which was an interesting finding to see that there were people who came from non English speaking countries taking part in the English speaking in cell communities. However, we have discovered that there are French communities, Indian communities, South Korean. It spans the world. And now we're seeing even some African communities coming up. So do you think this is one of those things that's happening because of the Internet? People like this have always existed, but they've been isolated and now they're not. They're part of a group. I would say yes, that is definitely true and that is why we're seeing kind of a community build around people who couldn't find community. I often say that the incels online are the most exclusive club. They're very clear about who is incel, who is not incel and who would fit in their criteria. However, there are all a bunch of people who did not find community outside of these groups and incels, not all of them would be misogynistic, not all of them would be violent. Many of them are not nihilistic and would not take their vengeance or resentment out on others. You've used the term nihilistic quite a lot. When you interview one of these young men. How does that manifest itself? That nihilism? Very much a feeling that nothing will ever work out for me, that there is no hope for me, that I may as well drop out of society. Meaning if you're young, dropping out of university, dropping out of school, not attempting to find a child job, not leaving your house, not going outside or having any conversations with anyone and feeling like that is your kind of fate at a very young age, which is I've met many people in their mid-30s who have gone through that in their early 20s and are now kind of seeing the impact of that where they have no social circle, they have no financial, they have no ability to get a job, a salary. So it's a self fulfilling point prophecy anyways. Are there people who are incels who get out of it? Well yeah, well that's always the hope and I speak about it in the book. So I was interviewing them for over a year and during that time a couple of them found ways out of the ideology or out of their situation. One of the best success stories was a man in his later twenties returning to university after initially dropping out. And that has kind of given him a new lease in life, a new goal, a new feeling of self esteem. Other times some incels can just leave because they find potentially a partner or friendships. But we have to be very careful the ideology doesn't go away. You don't become less misogynistic or less nihilistic just because you have a date or had a short term relationship or a girlfriend. That it's a journey and that takes a lot of work and it's very difficult to break free from an ideology as well. Maeve Park Author of the book Black Pill Zoologists have long been fascinated by giraffe spots. These unique markings help the animals regulate their body temperature as well as evade predators. Now, researchers think the size and shape of a giraffe spot could determine their chances of survival during extreme weather. As Shantal Hartle reports, a giraffe's spots are much like human fingerprints. They appear similar, but no two giraffes have exactly the same pattern. Previous studies have indicated that newborn giraffes with larger and more irregular shaped spots are more likely to survive their first few months of life as they can camouflage more easily. But research published in the New Scientist magazine suggests these individual markings can affect how the animals handle temperature too. Teams from the University of Zurich and the University of Bristol studied more than 800 wild Maasai giraffes in Tanzania over an eight year period. They found that calves and adult males with larger spots were more likely to survive when temperatures were unusually low. Each patch of a giraffe's coat contains a network of blood vessels which helps them conserve or release heat depending on their environment. The researchers think this could explain why bigger spots led to better survival in colder temperatures. By contrast, in very hot weather, they found, male giraffes and calves with smaller spots had improved survival chances. Researchers say excess heat absorbed from sunlight might restrict a giraffe's ability to regulate its temperature, which could expose animals with larger spots to hypothermia. When it came to adult females, though, spot patterns had little effect on survival rates. The team found that they were more likely to stay in groups with their calves and not roam around as much as male giraffes, making them less exposed to extreme weather. Chantal Hartle 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 the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. Email. The address is global podcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on X@BBC World Service. Use the hashtag global newspod. This edition was mixed by Kai Perry and the producer was Marion Strawn. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Rachel Wright. Until next time. Goodbye. This is Ashley Akonetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. You could have lost 10 pounds already if you already started one month ago. So are you ready to start today? Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just 3 minutes at try fh.com try fh.com try fH.com results vary based on start weight and adherence to diet, exercise and program goals. Database on independent studies sponsored by Future Health. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discret.
Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: Myanmar Earthquake Deaths Surpass 1600
Release Date: March 30, 2025
Host: Rachel Wright, BBC World Service
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, the death toll has tragically surpassed 1,600, with expectations of this number rising as rescue efforts continue amidst widespread destruction. The earthquake has led to the collapse of numerous buildings and bridges, particularly impacting Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay.
Destruction in Mandalay
Nick Beek, the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, reported from the ruins of the Sky Villa condominium—a 12-story building that collapsed within seconds, reducing to six storeys and trapping over 90 individuals. He shared a poignant account from survivor Ye Ong, who expressed dwindling hope:
“I am losing the hope I had. Some have been using their bare hands... I feel so sad to see this. All temples and pagodas in my village collapsed. We lost everything.”
(02:30)
International Aid and Military Actions
While China and India have dispatched aid, the United Nations has highlighted a severe shortage of medical supplies necessary for the relief efforts. Despite the influx of aid, the Burmese military government continues to restrict internet access, complicating the assessment of the disaster's full impact.
Russian and Chinese support for the military regime has included sending specialized earthquake rescue teams. However, the military's simultaneous airstrikes on rebel-held areas in the Saigong region have drawn condemnation. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews urged the junta to cease military operations to facilitate rescue efforts:
“You've got bombs being dropped from the sky while you're trying to rescue people... it's just nothing short of just incredible.”
(15:45)
Struggles in Coordination and Resources
Rebecca Henchke, former BBC Asia editor, emphasized the challenges in coordination among resistance groups:
“The National Unity Government... is saying they’re trying to coordinate relief, they’re trying to get funds. But on the ground, it's a real patchwork of resistance groups.”
(23:10)
She highlighted the scarcity of heavy equipment vital for rescue operations, leaving many survivors still trapped.
Shifting focus to Thailand, specifically Bangkok, the earthquake has caused the collapse of an unfinished high-rise building, resulting in over 80 missing individuals. Shaima Khalil, the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, detailed the intensive rescue operations:
“Robots and specially trained dogs have been brought in to help. Large pieces of debris are still dangerously unstable, making the rescue work painfully slow.”
(35:20)
Families remain in distress, awaiting news of their loved ones. One heartbreaking account comes from Vilaipan Pikleton, whose niece was employed at the skyscraper and remains unaccounted for:
“I hope that will be a miracle, but deep down I know that it's very unlikely.”
(37:05)
In Turkey, hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters have rallied in Istanbul to demand the release of the city's jailed mayor, Ekrem Erdogan. Organized by Osgo Ozel, leader of the main opposition party CHP, the demonstrations have been met with heightened security measures.
Ola Guerin, the BBC's senior international correspondent in Istanbul, observed:
“There was a long line of... closed-circuit TV cameras... it seemed as if the faces of all... attendees were being recorded by the authorities.”
(50:15)
The protesters' demands remain steadfast: “They will keep protesting as long as it would take to get him out of jail... freedom of expression... protection for human rights.”
(51:30)
Despite fears of further crackdowns, including arrests and detentions, the movement shows resilience. The Interior Ministry reports 1,900 detentions over the past ten days, including seven journalists, sparking outrage among press freedom advocates.
Mexico is tackling one of the world's most severe obesity epidemics, affecting both adults and children. President Claudia Sheinbaum has implemented strict regulations prohibiting junk food in schools, aiming to curb the rising health crisis.
Dr. Simon Barker, President of the World Obesity Federation and a Mexican national, explained:
“Obesity is the most important public health problem currently in Mexico... consumption of fizzy drinks increased more than 40% in the country.”
(62:45)
He attributed the surge to the Free Trade Agreement with the US and Canada, which shifted Mexican diets from traditional staples to ultra-processed foods rich in sugar, fat, and salt. The new legislation now bans such items in schools, a move previously limited to unenforced guidelines.
The podcast also delves into the troubling rise of incel (involuntary celibate) culture, which has been linked to increased misogyny and violence. Maeve Park, a Dublin-based researcher, shared insights from her year-long study on incel communities across the globe.
Park detailed:
“The term incel is used within these groups to describe a nihilistic and misogynistic worldview... they believe there's nothing that can change their situation.”
(75:10)
She highlighted the global nature of the phenomenon, noting participation from non-English speaking countries and the role of the internet in fostering these exclusive communities. Park emphasized the difficulty in dismantling the ingrained ideologies, even when individuals leave the movement.
Concluding with an intriguing scientific segment, the podcast explores how the size and shape of giraffe spots impact their survival during extreme weather conditions. Research from the University of Zurich and the University of Bristol observed over 800 wild Maasai giraffes in Tanzania.
Shantal Hartle reported:
“Calves and adult males with larger spots were more likely to survive unusually low temperatures due to their ability to regulate body heat effectively.”
(88:50)
Conversely, smaller spots provided better survival rates in hot weather by reducing excess heat absorption. Interestingly, adult females showed little variation in survival rates based on spot patterns, attributed to their social behavior of staying in groups with calves.
This episode of the Global News Podcast provides a comprehensive overview of critical global issues, from the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and Turkey's political unrest to Mexico's public health initiatives and the unsettling rise of incel culture. Additionally, it offers a fascinating look into animal adaptation through giraffe research. Each segment is enriched with firsthand reports and expert insights, ensuring listeners are well-informed about the pressing matters shaping our world.
For more detailed information or to share your thoughts on these topics, you can reach out to the BBC World Service at globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #globalnewspodcast.
Produced by Marion Strawn, Mixed by Kai Perry, Edited by Karen Martin.