Netanyahu divides Israelis and allies with plan to occupy Gaza

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary

Title: Netanyahu divides Israelis and allies with plan to occupy Gaza
Host/Author: BBC World Service
Release Date: August 8, 2025

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1. Israel’s Plan to Occupy Gaza

Overview: In the early hours of Friday, August 8, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for the Israeli army to occupy the entirety of Gaza. This controversial proposal has sparked significant opposition both within Israel and internationally, leading to demonstrations outside key security meetings.

Netanyahu’s Interview and Cabinet Discussions: Netanyahu defended his plan in a pre-Cabinet interview with Fox News, asserting that the occupation aims to eliminate Hamas and ensure long-term security for Israel. He emphasized that Israel does not intend to govern Gaza but seeks to transfer control to Arab forces capable of providing stable governance.

“Will Israel take control of all of Gaza? We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza and to pass it to civilian governance.”
(John Achille, [03:07])

Opposition and Criticism: Despite Netanyahu’s assurances, Israel’s military leadership has expressed reservations. The military chief, Ayal Zamir, warned that expanding the conflict could trap Israeli troops and endanger hostages. Additionally, Palestinian observer Riyadh Mansour highlighted that escalation would exacerbate suffering in Gaza.

“More war, more occupation, more killing, more starvation, more genocide against the Palestinian people is not going to accomplish peace or, you know, release of hostages or acceptance and moving in the direction of peace.”
(Jonathan Koernikos, [04:24])

Support from Allies and Critics: Jonathan Koernikos, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracy, supported Netanyahu’s stance, arguing that defeating Hamas is crucial for Israel’s future security. He acknowledged the humanitarian issues but maintained that eliminating Hamas is essential for lasting peace.

“If Israel wants to safeguard the future of Israelis in the south, it needs to defeat Hamas.”
(Jonathan Koernikos, [07:26])

Public Sentiment: Public opinion in Israel appears divided, with polls indicating a majority favoring a negotiated deal with Hamas for hostage releases over continued military action.

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2. Russia-Ukraine-US Diplomatic Developments

Putin’s Stance on Peace Talks: Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the prerequisites for negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have not been met. He is preparing for talks with former US President Donald Trump, suggesting a possible summit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“We have many friends, Vladimir Putin said, ready to help organize such an event.”
(John Achille, [11:28])

Anticipated Summit with Trump: Despite setting a deadline for a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine to avoid severe sanctions, little progress has been made. Putin’s potential meeting with Trump marks a significant diplomatic move, although skepticism remains about its effectiveness in resolving the conflict.

“President Putin was treated as a pariah by the West. With this summit, he can argue he's back where he wants to be, at the top table of global politics.”
(John Achille, [11:28])

Zelenskyy’s Conditions and Concerns: Zelenskyy insists that Ukraine must be included in any negotiations and that Europe should support Ukraine in these talks. He cautions against being sidelined by the US and emphasizes the need for strong sanctions to pressure Russia.

“President Zelensky should not be disposed by Russia in the detail of these negotiations.”
(John Achille, [12:35])

Trump’s Position: Former President Trump remains open to negotiating with Putin without requiring Zelenskyy’s presence. Despite previous expressions of disappointment in Putin, Trump appears optimistic about leveraging incentives to end the war, though doubts persist about Russia’s willingness to compromise.

“President Trump has become more cautious than optimistic.”
(John Achille, [14:09])

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3. UAE Plane Incident in Sudan’s Darfur Region

An incident occurred in Sudan where a plane allegedly carrying UAE weapons and Colombian mercenaries was shot down by the Sudanese army. The Sudanese military claims responsibility, accusing the UAE of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with foreign fighters.

“The Sudanese army said it had shot down the plane with at least 40 mercenaries on board.”
(Janet Jalil, [15:04])

UAE’s Response: The UAE has denied involvement, labeling the attack as a disinformation campaign by Sudan’s military-backed government. Colombia is investigating the loss of its citizens and the possibility of recovering the bodies.

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4. Launch of ChatGPT-5 by OpenAI

Features and Improvements: OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT-5, touted as a more reliable and linguistically adept version with reduced tendencies to generate inaccurate information. The new iteration aims to function as a “PhD-level tool,” offering advanced expertise across various subjects.

“GPT5 has been long anticipated. Sam Altman, the CEO at OpenAI, wants us to think of GPT5 as a PhD level tool.”
(Hugo Bochega, [17:44])

Competitive Landscape and Market Position: Despite ChatGPT-5’s enhancements, it faces stiff competition from other AI chatbots, including Elon Musk’s offerings. With a valuation of $300 billion, OpenAI continues to strive for market dominance amid profitability concerns.

“A lot of people fear that there is a bubble going on, that these systems… haven't been able to be really profitable.”
(John Achille, [17:18])

Environmental Concerns: The development and operation of large language models like ChatGPT-5 raise significant environmental issues due to the massive energy and water consumption required by data centers.

“Do we really need to be training these products, these large language models with the intense amount of energy… and of course Water is also touched by this issue.”
(Hugo Bochega, [19:36])

Expert Opinions: Professor Carissa Viliz expressed concerns about the sustainability of AI advancements, highlighting the economic and environmental costs associated with continuous development.

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5. UK-China Mega Embassy Plan Under Scrutiny

Project Details: China’s proposal to construct a new mega embassy in London has faced increasing opposition from British political parties. Concerns center around potential espionage, given the building’s proximity to sensitive infrastructure like fiber optic cables.

“The site China wants to turn into its mega embassy is just meters from the Tower of London.”
(Hugo Bochega, [22:34])

Political and Security Concerns: Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties argue that the embassy could serve as a hub for espionage activities. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been tasked with making the final decision on the project, amidst pressure to address redacted building plans that raise security alarms.

“The Conservatives say… China could tap into fiber optic cables and eavesdrop on sensitive communications.”
(John Achille, [22:34])

Government’s Position: Rayner must decide whether to approve the embassy plans, questioning the UAE’s compliance with requested alterations and the purpose behind the redacted sections of the building plans.

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6. Japan’s Declining Population

Statistics and Trends: Japan continues to experience a record population decline, with a drop of over 900,000 in the past year. This trend is driven by low birth rates and an aging population, posing significant economic challenges.

“The long standing problem is that essentially Japanese couples are having too few children and there's an aging population and so more deaths.”
(Mickey Bristow, [23:36])

Causes: Factors contributing to the decline include long working hours, gender role expectations, and limited support for families. Despite government efforts to provide subsidies and encourage paternity leave, birth rates remain stubbornly low.

Comparison with China: Similar to Japan, China’s recent relaxation of its one-child policy has not reversed the declining birth rates. Social stigma and economic pressures continue to discourage larger families.

“In China, almost every week they come out with new policies.”
(Mickey Bristow, [23:36])

Government Measures: Japanese authorities have implemented various measures, such as subsidies for childcare and promoting gender equality in the workplace, yet these have not significantly increased the birth rate.

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7. Nationwide Garbage Strike in the United States

Background: A strike by over 2,000 Teamsters union members against Republic Services, a major waste management company, has led to widespread garbage collection disruptions across the United States, particularly affecting Boston.

Impact on Communities: Local businesses and residents are grappling with overflowing trash bins, unpleasant odors, and health hazards. The strike has intensified as solidarity actions extend to additional cities.

“I'm concerned because my dumpster is full, over full.”
(Klasey Dos Santos, Malden, [27:21])

Union and Employer Positions: The union demands higher wages and better health care benefits, arguing that Republic Services can afford to improve worker compensation. Republic Services claims to have made significant offers, but negotiations remain stalled.

“Republic Services have not been budging.”
(Mike Ortiz, Teamsters, [28:08])

Legal and Community Responses: Communities have filed lawsuits against Republic Services for contract breaches, while local governments struggle to manage waste without the contracted services.

“Our DPW workers… have been filling in, but that's not their typical task.”
(Mike Ortiz, Teamsters, [28:49])

Possible Resolution: Signs of a potential agreement are emerging as national pressure mounts, but until both sides reach a consensus, millions will continue to face waste management issues.

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8. New Anti-Obesity Pill Shows Promise in Trials

Drug Details and Trial Results: Eli Lilly has developed an experimental anti-obesity pill, Orphaglipron, which demonstrated an average weight loss of 12% over 72 weeks in clinical trials. The drug works by suppressing appetite and increasing satiety.

“The daily pill called orthoglyprone works by suppressing appetite and making you feel more full.”
(Fergus Walsh, [30:18])

Comparison with Existing Treatments: Orphaglipron offers a needle-free alternative to injectable drugs like Mounjaro, which achieve higher weight loss percentages but may be less accessible due to cost and administration methods.

“There's likely to be a significant market for weight loss pills as a needle free means of cutting obesity levels.”
(John Achille, [17:29])

Safety and Side Effects: Approximately 10% of trial participants discontinued use due to side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Despite lower efficacy compared to injectables, the oral pill’s convenience may enhance its adoption.

Market Implications: Experts hope that Orphaglipron will be more affordable, increasing accessibility for a larger population seeking obesity treatments.

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9. Obituary: Eddie Palmieri, Latin Jazz Legend

Life and Career: Eddie Palmieri, a pioneering Latin jazz pianist and bandleader, passed away at the age of 88. Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Palmieri was renowned for blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms with jazz, funk, and soul, shaping the sound of salsa in New York City.

“Eddie Palmieri won his first Grammy in 1975 for the son of Latin Music and went on to collect eight in total.”
(John Achille, [31:16])

Musical Innovations: In 1961, Palmieri formed LA Perfecta, revolutionizing Latin music with a trombone-centric sound. His genre-defying approach earned him accolades and admiration from fellow musicians like Carlos Santana and Herbie Hancock.

Legacy and Concerns: Despite his achievements, Palmieri expressed concern over the marginalization of Latin music in contemporary media, highlighting the challenges faced by new artists in gaining recognition.

“Our genre, in my opinion, has totally gone away. The great pioneers are all gone.”
(Tom Sanders, [31:41])

Enduring Influence: Palmieri’s career spanned over seven decades, leaving an indelible mark on Latin jazz and continuing to inspire musicians worldwide.

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Conclusion

The August 8th episode of the Global News Podcast covered significant global and domestic issues, from the escalating conflict in Gaza and diplomatic maneuvers in the Russia-Ukraine war to technological advancements in AI and social challenges in Japan and the United States. The episode also paid tribute to Eddie Palmieri, celebrating his monumental contributions to Latin jazz. For comprehensive insights and ongoing updates, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the podcast.

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Contact Information:
For comments and feedback, email [e-mail].

Produced by: Liam McSheffrey and Charles Sanctuary
Mixed by: Pat Sissons
Editor: Karen Martin

Transcript

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[Janet Jalil]

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janet Jalil and in the early hours of Friday 8th August, these are our main stories. Demonstrations have been taking place outside an Israeli Security Cabinet meeting where the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has been discussing plans for Israel's army to occupy the whole of Gaza. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin says the conditions for meeting his Ukrainian counterpart are far from being met as the Russian leader prepares for talks with Donald Trump in the next few days. Japan's already declining population sees a record annual fall of more than 900,000 last year. Also in this podcast, a keenly awaited new version of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT has been launched. So what's new?

[Hugo Bochega]

I typed in should I break up with my boyfriend? And instead of saying yeah, you should do that or no, you shouldn't, it gives you a set of bullet points that are there to sort of help you reason through. What to do.

[Janet Jalil]

We start in Israel, where, despite overwhelming opposition at home and abroad, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he intends to take four full control of Gaza, a territory reduced to ruins where growing numbers of people are starving to death. This has caused anguish not just for Palestinians, but for the families of the remaining hostages in Gaza, who have joined protests outside a key security Cabinet meeting that's been held for hours. With the talks going into the night as ministers debate Whether to back Mr. Netanyahu's plan, he defended it in an interview with Fox News shortly before convening the Cabinet, denying that Israel intended to keep or govern Gaza.

[John Achille]

Will Israel take control of all of Gaza? We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza and to pass it to civilian governance. That is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel. That's got to end. Are you saying today that you will take control of the entire 26 mile Gaza Strip as it was 20 years.

[Janet Jalil]

Ago to this month in 2005?

[John Achille]

Well, we don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That's not possible with Hamas.

[Janet Jalil]

Even Israel's military chief Ayal Zamir has criticized the Prime Minister's plans, saying that widening the war could lead to Israeli troops being trapped in Gaza and lead to the hostages that are still alive being killed. Riyadh Mansour, the permanent observer of Palestine to the United nations, says any escalation would further prolong the suffering in the already devastated territory.

[John Achille]

More war, more occupation, more killing, more starvation, more genocide against the Palestinian people is not going to accomplish peace or, you know, release of hostages or acceptance and moving in the direction of peace.

[Janet Jalil]

Our Middle east correspondent Hugo Bochega told me more about the Israeli Security Cabinet's discussions.

[John Achille]

These are very controversial plans being defended proposed by the Prime Minister who wants an expansion of the military offensive in Gaza and the full occupation. Now, even the leadership of the military opposes parts of the plan, including the idea of fully occupying Gaza. There was a tense meeting on Tuesday in which the chief of staff told the Prime Minister that this would be a trap, that this would endanger the lives of the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive and also the lives of soldiers who he said are exhausted. I mean, we talk about almost two years of war here in Gaza and obviously there is a lot of opposition from the families of the hostages as well, who say that military pressure hasn't really worked and that the only way to guarantee the release of the hostages is through a negotiated deal with Hamas and not more military activity in Gaza.

[Janet Jalil]

And what shall we make of this interview that Benjamin Netanyahu gave to Fox News shortly before the Cabinet meeting began?

[John Achille]

Yeah, I think it was very interesting that the Prime Minister decided to give an interview in English to Fox News, President Trump's favorite news channel. So I think the message here was very clear. I think he wanted to clarify what he was trying to achieve. He rejected the allegations, the claims that Israel was trying to keep Gaza annex Gaza. He said, you know, Israel doesn't want to govern Gaza. But look, he is supported by some radical ministers, ultra nationalist ministers who have been openly talking about the idea of, you know, occupying Gaza, expelling Palestinians from Gaza, resettling Gaza with Jews. So the Prime Minister, I think, you know, trying to reject those claims and also distance himself from these more radical proposals being put forward by some, you know, hardline members of his governing coalition. But again, a lot of people in Israel believe that the Prime Minister is prolonging the conflict to guarantee the survival of his governing coalition. You know, polls in Israel have been very consistent in suggesting that the vast majority of the population want to see a deal with Hamas for the hostages to be freed and they want the end of the war.

[Janet Jalil]

Hugo Bishega in Jerusalem, my colleague Steve Lai spoke to A supporter of Mr. Netanyahu's policy, Jonathan Cornikas, a former Israeli military spokesperson and now a senior fellow at the foundation for Defence of Democracy, a Washington based think tank. He began by asking him, is a full occupation of Gaza by Israel a good idea?

[John Achille]

I definitely understand the fear, the frustration, the anger and all of the tremendously difficult feelings that the families of the hostages have. And I would agree with them from their personal point of view. At the national level, however, things are a bit different. And what Israel still has not achieved, even though it has waited for a long time, negotiated a lot, been extremely flexible, trying to meet Hamas's demands, but so far Israel has failed to actually defeat Hamas or get the hostages back. And Israel hasn't achieved what it needs to do in order to safeguard the future of the State of Israel from the scourge of that is Hamas. And that's what we're talking about. It's not an occupation for the sake of an occupation. It is a military move in order to take out Hamas, the remaining pockets where Hamas is in control. And yes, it has downsides. We speak about the hostages and yes, it has a lot of humanitarian issues connected to it. But at the end of the day, if Israel wants to safeguard the future of Israelis in the south, it needs to defeat Hamas. And defeating Hamas means going in and taking Hamas out where they are. I can see no other way for there to be stability and long term peace, not a truce that will be broken again by Hamas when they see fit. And that is, I think, what Israel is thinking about. We've seen a statement from Hamas saying that Netanyahu is willing to sacrifice hostages with takeover plans. What do you think of that? Well, I think that Hamas are a bunch of murdering cowards who are using the most despicable type of psychological warfare, disseminating videos of starving Israeli hostages digging their own graves in order to apply pressure on the families and through the families on Israeli decision makers. But Jonathan, the question is more directed to about Netanyahu willing to sacrifice hostages. Do you think that's correct? I think that what the obligation of the Israeli government is to think about the future of the state of Israel in its entirety and to defeat an enemy that is a mortal threat to the state of Israel while doing everything feasible in order to get our people home, our brothers and sisters home from Hamas captivity. It's an almost impossible situation to be in. There's no win here. It's various degrees of unsuccessful, not success. And I wouldn't, I don't think that anybody could find a fine solution for it. But at the end of the day, Israel isn't safe as long as Hamas exists. And that is what Israel needs to do.

[Janet Jalil]

Former Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Koernikos. The Russian President Vladimir Putin says the conditions for talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky have not yet been met. Mr. Putin was speaking ahead of an anticipated face to face meeting with the US President Donald Trump in the coming days. No date or venue has yet been confirmed. The Russian leader suggested the summit could take place in the United Arab Emirates. The White House has said its preference would be for a trilateral summit with the US Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Today is the deadline Mr. Trump had set for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine or face severe sanctions, but with little sign so far that the ultimatum has worked. From Moscow, our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg reports.

[John Achille]

In the Kremlin, there was pomp and ceremony and a guest. The President of Russia strode down an exceedingly long red carpet to greet the President of the United Arab Emirates. But the meeting everyone was talking about was a different one and had only just been announced between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Moscow says there'll be a Russia U. S Summit within days, but where.

[Janet Jalil]

We.

[John Achille]

Have many friends, Vladimir Putin said, ready to help organize such an event. The President of the United Arab Emirates is one of them. But the Kremlin leader didn't confirm that as the venue. It's thought that Presidents Putin and Trump haven't met in years, not since Donald Trump's first term. Almost overnight we've gone from talking about American ultimatums and deadlines to let's have a summit. And this Vladimir Putin will consider his diplomatic victory. After his full scale invasion of Ukraine, President Putin was treated as a pariah by the West. With this summit, he can argue he's back where he wants to be, at the top table of global politics. But Vladimir Putin hasn't agreed to meet President Zelenskyy. Despite all the talk of diplomacy, there's no guarantee that a summit with Donald Trump will bring peace in Ukraine any closer.

[Janet Jalil]

Steve Rosenberg for his part, Mr. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine should be involved in any talks between Russia and the United States about the conflict on its soil. From Kyiv, here's Jonathan Beale.

[John Achille]

President Zelenskyy has said he's not afraid to meet President Putin, but we've always known that he wants a meeting with President Putin to talk about ending the war. And it is President Putin who has resisted. Now, the indications from the Kremlin at the moment is there are no plans for a trilateral, but it could happen if conditions are met. The question is what are those conditions? And what we've also from President Zelensky is first of all that he thinks Europe should be represented, in other words, friends to back him up in any negotiations. But also he is warning that he and the US Must not be disposition by Russia in the detail of these negotiations. So in other words, there's no trust between Russia and Ukraine still, and that is because the war is still ongoing. Nothing much has changed apart from the hopes of a bilateral conversation between President Putin and President Trump. Of course, President Zelensky needs the support of President Trump. He wants him to impose more sanctions on Russia to make him feel the cost of cost of the war. And therefore he needs to keep on the side of President Trump.

[Janet Jalil]

Jonathan BEALE In Ukraine, Mr. Trump has recently shown growing frustration with Russia. So what should we make of the fact that he's now ready to meet Mr. Putin without, it seems, any agreement to end the war, and is now even saying that he'll sit down with the Russian leader even if he doesn't meet the Ukrainian president first. Here's our Washington correspondent, Noumiya Iqbal.

[John Achille]

President Trump has become more cautious than optimistic. Last month he told the BBC in an interview that he had been left disappointed many times by President Putin.

[Janet Jalil]

His peace envoy, Steve Wyckoff has been.

[John Achille]

To the Kremlin several times and the meetings have always ended productively and constructively. But of course, that big prize of a ceasefire or a peace deal has never been struck and Mr. Trump cut the deadline to Friday he wants a ceasefire, otherwise Russia will face sweeping sanctions. But President Trump seems to be optimistic. Again, having said that, he has been candid. Back in April, in response to a.

[Janet Jalil]

Reporter, he did say that he wasn't quite sure if Putin was stringing him along.

[John Achille]

And I do think there is a sense here in the US Certainly politically, that Vladimir Putin is far more invested in waging this war than perhaps the Trump administration realized.

[Janet Jalil]

And so it's really up to the.

[John Achille]

President to work out just exactly what incentive could he give to Vladimir Putin to end this war.

[Janet Jalil]

Nomia Iqbal the United Arab Emirates has denied that one of its planes carrying weapons and Colombian mercenaries was shot down in the Sudanese region of Darfur on Wednesday. The Sudanese army said it had shot down the plane with at least 40 mercenaries on board. It accuses the UAE of backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the RSF, and and supplying it with foreign fighters, mainly Colombians. Barbara Pletasa reports.

[Hugo Bochega]

This incident is a new twist on widespread accusations that the United Arab Emirates is providing support to the rsf, and it's drawn attention to allegations that Colombian mercenaries fight alongside the paramilitary group. Sudan State TV said the air force launched a surgical strike on an Emirati plane carrying weapons and mercenaries as it tried to land at an airport controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. A UAE official dismissed the claim. He told the BBC this was yet another unfounded allegation, part of an ongoing campaign of disinformation by Sudan's military backed government. Neither Sudan's army nor the RSF have officially commented on the alleged strike. Colombia's president said in a tweet that his government was trying to confirm how many of its citizens died and if their bodies could be returned. Tensions over the involvement of Colombian foreign fighters have stepped up recently, with the Sudanese army and its allies claiming that dozens took part in a battle at the weekend.

[Janet Jalil]

Barbara Platasha A new version of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT has been launched by its US based parent company OpenAI. Its designers claim ChatGPT 5 is more reliable, has a better grasp of language, and is less prone to inventing facts than its predecessors. The BBC has not been able to verify these claims. Once the front runner among artificial intelligence bots, ChatGPT now has a number of high profile competitors. Despite a $300 billion valuation, OpenAI has yet to turn a profit. Professor Carissa Viliz, an AI expert, says that's a real concern.

[John Achille]

A lot of people fear that there is a bubble going on, that these systems, as impressive as they are, haven't.

[Janet Jalil]

Been able to be really profitable and very, very useful.

[John Achille]

And there is a fear that we.

[Janet Jalil]

Need to keep up the hype or.

[John Achille]

Else the bubble might burst.

[Janet Jalil]

So just how revolutionary really is ChatGPT5? Lily Giamali is our North America Technology Correspondent in San Francisco.

[Hugo Bochega]

Well, I'm not sure I would call it revolutionary, which is certainly how OpenAI wants to frame this, but GPT5 has been long anticipated. Sam Altman, the CEO at OpenAI, wants us to think of GPT5 as a PhD level tool. It can offer that kind of expertise across subjects, whether it's math or physics or writing. And they also want it to come across as more human in our interactions with it, but less personal, which I think is kind of interesting. So if you were to, and I actually did try this, I typed in, should I break up with my boyfriend? And instead of saying, yeah, you should do that, or no, you shouldn't, it gives you a set of bullet points that are there to sort of help you reason through what to do as a personal decision in that case.

[Janet Jalil]

So it just shows how potentially dangerous ChatGPT can be. So I guess the, the makers of this new version are trying to address these concerns.

[Hugo Bochega]

That's right. They get some criticism for the way that people were using it in the past, and I think they're trying to hedge against that. But, you know, I think fundamentally they want to move the conversation away from that and show people that this is a serious tool, it will show its work. And there's so much competition in this space. We've heard Elon Musk say his chat bot is even better than PhD level in terms of its expertise. But fundamentally, GPT5 doesn't change the basic structure of how we use these tools, these AI chat bots. In most cases, we're still asking it questions with text and it's popping out answers back to us. The consensus view seems to be, see that the leap being made here is a little bit less noteworthy than some previous iterations of ChatGPT, which really brought this kind of technology into the mainstream for consumers.

[Janet Jalil]

And there's still that big concern, isn't there, about the huge amount of energy and water data centers used by tech firms such as OpenAI?

[Hugo Bochega]

Absolutely. I've been thinking so much about this issue because I've been looking back at Deep Seek, the Chinese AI chatbot that was released in January, which made a huge splash for about a week, and then kind of no one talks about it anymore. But when that came out, it really shifted the conversation around. Do we really need to be training these products, these large language models with the intense amount of energy, all the chips you can find and of course Water is also touched by this issue. So in this case what we're seeing is a reversion to the mean Sam Altman and these other American AI developers continuing on the course that they charted at the very beginning of the AI revolution and chat GPT5 shows they're not planning to slow down anytime soon.

[Janet Jalil]

Lee Jamali in California still to come on the podcast, we look back on the life of the pioneering Latin jazz pianist and band leader Eddie Palmieri, who has died at the age of 88.

[John Achille]

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[Janet Jalil]

Travis fell in love with the perfect woman.

[Hugo Bochega]

She listened. She cared. There was just one catch.

[Janet Jalil]

She wasn't human.

[Hugo Bochega]

She was an AI companion. But when her behavior takes a disturbing turn, Travis finds himself at the center.

[Janet Jalil]

Of a much darker story.

[Hugo Bochega]

This is Flesh and Code, a true.

[Janet Jalil]

Story of love, loss and the temptations of technology.

[Hugo Bochega]

Listen to Flesh and Code wherever you get your podcasts.

[Janet Jalil]

Here in Britain, the government is coming under increasing pressure to block China's plans to build a new mega embassy in London after it emerged that parts of the building plans had been redacted. The opposition Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties have raised concerns that the building in the heart of the city near the financial district, could be used for espionage. The deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has only a few weeks to decide whether to approve or reject the plans. As our political correspondent Damian Gramaticus reports.

[John Achille]

The site China wants to turn into its mega embassy is just meters from the Tower of London. The skyscrapers of the City of London rise nearby. The Conservatives say the fact there is a telephone exchange built to serve the city right by the proposed embassy means China could tap into fiber optic cables and eavesdrop on sensitive communications. The Liberal Democrats highlight fears that the 200 staff in the new embassy would include agents who would try to silence Beijing's critics abroad. Dissidents who fled the country fear mystery rooms in the plans might be used to hold and interrogate them. Last year, Angela Rayner took the decision on the planning application out of the local council's hands so she would have the final say. She's now given China two weeks to explain why it has not made minor alterations requested by the home Secretary and why some rooms on the plan are greyed out with notes saying that their purpose has been redacted for security reasons.

[Janet Jalil]

Damien Grammaticus the number of people in Japan continues to plummet. Last year saw a record annual fall in the world's third largest economy, with its aging population shrinking by almost a million people as fewer babies were born and more deaths were recorded. And Japan is not alone. Other East Asian countries are also seeing birth rates decline, including China, despite its abolition of its controversial one child policy. Our Asia Pacific editor Mickey Bristow told me why Japan's population was falling so rapidly. The long standing problem is that essentially Japanese couples are having too few children and there's an aging population and so more deaths. That's essentially it. And that's partly because of long working hours, feeling that Japanese men perhaps don't pull their weight and women are forced into a choice between their careers or having a family, but not having both. It's a complex set of reasons, including all of those points. I mean, generally the world over, there's been a fall in, in the birth rate wherever you are. And that's generally associated with when women become more educated, they want fewer children. Of course, in specific countries there are specific reasons. And as you mentioned there in Japan, women traditionally have had the burden of both working and looking after the children, the household. And a lot of people, a lot of women are reacting against that. As you say, this is a long standing problem. So why haven't the authorities been able to do more will? They're doing quite a lot because the consequences are great for the economy. There are going to be fewer workers to support the growing number of older people. So there's going to be a financial crunch. That's why the government has been recognized. It has to do something by giving subsidies to parents to put their children in kindergarten, all kinds of things, encouraging men to take paternity leave, which in Japan hasn't been a traditional thing, but it isn't persuading couples to have any more children. And there's a certain irony in the situation in China because for decades China limited families to having one child. Now it's dropped that requirement. But people aren't having more babies. About a decade ago they ended the one child policy. Now Chinese parents can have three children but once again, like in Japan, the number of babies being born has been falling. There was a slight uptick last year, but that was because it was the year of the dragon and lots of people wanted to have children in the year of the dragon. But in China, almost every week they come out with new policies. Just today, they've come out with a new policy of giving free kindergarten, the final year of kindergarten for preschool children. But once again, none of these policies seem to be working. And lots of people in China in ACT are putting up on social media the fines that their parents were given many years ago for having them. Mickey bristow, in the US Several cities are dealing with a strike by refuse collectors. At one point, more than 2,000 garbage workers walked off the job, affecting millions of Americans coast to coast. The strikers say they deserve a pay rise and better health care benefits. Robin Levinson King reports from Boston, the centre of the nationwide strike on what's being called America's summer of stink.

[Hugo Bochega]

I'm here outside a commercial dumpster where there is just piles of garbage, garbage that hasn't been collected. It's starting to smell. The flies are buzzing. And this is what many businesses and residents have had to deal with in Boston for over three weeks.

[John Achille]

My name is Klasey Dos Santos and I'm a local coffee shop owner here in Malden.

[Hugo Bochega]

Tell me about what the trash strike has been like for local businesses.

[Janet Jalil]

Oh, it's been horrible. I can't describe how frustrating it is.

[John Achille]

And then I call every day because.

[Janet Jalil]

I'm concerned because my dumpster is full, over full.

[Hugo Bochega]

The standoff began a month ago in the Boston area, a fight between Teamsters union members and a private waste management company called Republic Services. The strike has now expanded to other towns across the country, and even more workers have refused to show up in solidarity. That means that during the strike's peak, over 2,000 workers weren't showing up for the job. The union says workers deserve better wages and benefits like health care. They say their employer, a Fortune 500 company partly owned by Bill Gates, can afford to pay better. On the picket line outside of Boston, I spoke to Mike Ortiz, who's worked in the industry for 17 years.

[John Achille]

The strike about right now is wages, health care. Republic Services have not been budging. We've been budging on wages. The impact in the communities is devastating. I walk through my neighborhood and there's just trash all over the place. And I'm from the city of Malden.

[Hugo Bochega]

How, how long are you guys prepared to stay out here?

[John Achille]

Well, we're going to be prepared for as long as it takes. I'd rather die on my feet than beg on my knees.

[Hugo Bochega]

In a statement, Republic Services told the BBC it had made significant offers to improve wages and health care. Meanwhile, several communities in the Boston area have sued the company for breaching their contracts. Gloucester Mayor Greg Varga says that they've been left holding the proverbial garbage bag.

[John Achille]

Negotiations between Republic and Teamsters weren't going so well.

[Hugo Bochega]

They had reached out to the seasoned.

[John Achille]

Towns in early June to indicate there may be an issue. But when they were talking to us before the strike, they said, don't worry about it. We're a national company.

[Hugo Bochega]

We'll have people in place and take care of everything.

[John Achille]

That has not been delivered on since day one. Our DPW workers, as I mentioned, have been filling in, but that's not their typical task. So every second that they're spending picking up trash or recycling is time they're not cutting grass or doing other things they do around the city.

[Hugo Bochega]

And it is summer.

[John Achille]

Yes. I mean if this were going on in, in November, December, it wouldn't be as noticeable. The smell of it. We here on the coast, we also have an issue of seagulls. Bags that lay around even for a day or two beyond the normal pickup are potential targets for seagulls.

[Hugo Bochega]

There are signs that things may soon settle down. Strikers outside of Seattle say that national pressure helped them reach a fair deal with the company offering some signs that the two sides can come to terms. But until then, millions of Americans will be lucky left wondering who's going to take out the trash.

[Janet Jalil]

That report by Robin Levinson King in the US City of Boston, trials of an experimental anti obesity pill that could provide a needle free alternative to weight loss. JABS has found that it helped those who took it to lose around 12% of their body weight over the course of 72 weeks. That's about 16 months. The manufacturer, Eli Lilly, says a drug which is not yet licensed could be available next year. Here's our medical editor, Fergus Walsh.

[John Achille]

The daily pill called orthoglyprone, works by suppressing appetite and making you feel more full. Preliminary results of a major trial show that those on the highest dose lost an average of 12 kilos, nearly two stone over 16 months. But around one in 10 stopped taking the pills due to side effects, which included nausea and vomiting. The 12% weight loss achieved by those taking Orphaglipron compares to 22% weight loss for patients on Mounjaro, a weekly injectable drug. Both are made by Eli Lilly. Despite being less effective, there's likely to be a significant market for weight loss pills as a needle free means of cutting obesity levels. Obesity experts hope the oral drug will be far cheaper than current injectables, which would make it available to many more patients.

[Janet Jalil]

Fergus Walsh the pioneering Latin jazz pianist and band leader Eddie Palmieri, who won eight Grammys including the first given for Best Latin Recording, has died at the age of 88. Tom Sanders looks back at his life.

[John Achille]

Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Eddie Palmieri became known for his genre defying sound, blending Afro Caribbean rhythms with jazz, funk and soul. In 1961, he formed LA Perfecta, a band that swapped out trumpets for trombones, revolutionizing Latin music with its bold, brassy sound. Eddie Palmieri won his first Grammy in 1975 for the son of Latin Music and went on to collect eight in total, helping to define the sound of salsa during its explosive rise in New York City. But in his later years, he expressed concern that Latin music had been sidelined. Our genre, in my opinion, has totally gone away. The great pioneers are all gone. Commercial radio does not play our music, which makes it impossible for the youngsters or the young players to know what we're talking about. You have to give us an equal shot on the radio and we haven't had that for many, many years. Despite those frustrations, Palmieri's influences endured. His career spanned more than seven decades and he continued recording and performing well into his 80s. He was described by his fellow musician Carlos Santana as a visionary and by the jazz great Herbie Hancock as a true architect of Latin jazz.

[Janet Jalil]

Tom Sanders on the life of the Latin jazz pianist and bandleader Eddie Palmieri, who has died at the age of 88. 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, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk this edition was mixed by Pat Sissons. The producers were Liam McSheffrey and Charles Sanctuary. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm John Achille. Until next time. Goodbye.