Global News Podcast: Protests at COP30

Host: BBC World Service (Charlotte Gallagher)
Date: November 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the BBC Global News Podcast covers a broad spectrum of world's top headlines with deep dives into timely topics. The main focus is the large-scale protests outside the COP30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil, where demonstrators—many from indigenous and youth groups—demand urgent, concrete action on the climate crisis. Other key stories include escalating violence and political developments in Mexico and Colombia, legislative changes in Pakistan banning child marriage, threats to the Icelandic language, worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and an intriguing report on cheating at British pub quizzes. The episode features on-the-ground reporting, expert analysis, and powerful firsthand accounts while maintaining the BBC’s balanced and informative tone.

Detailed Breakdown & Key Insights

1. Protests at COP30, Belem, Brazil

[02:04–04:52]

Key Points

• Thousands Protest for Climate Action:
  Demonstrators, including Amazonian indigenous communities, youth, and global climate activists, marched in Belem demanding swifter and bolder climate action from COP30 delegates.

• Indigenous Voices Highlight Stakes:
  Protesters articulate their struggle as fundamentally about survival—of people, nature, rivers, and the planet.

  • Quote:

    “We keep fighting for life. Our struggle is for life, for the life of nature, for the life of the springs, the river sources, so we can have a good planet, a planet that's healthy for everyone.” — Indigenous protester, [02:43]

  • Quote:

    “There is no point in exploiting more oil, more mining because the forests can no longer endure abuse. The climate is not negotiable.” — Activist, [03:00]

• First Major Protests at a COP in Years:
  Previous COP summits in Azerbaijan, Egypt, and the UAE were marked by protesters’ fears of detention. In contrast, Brazilian authorities have allowed and even encouraged civil action.

  • Notable Moment:
    “This kind of civil action has been something that has been encouraged somewhat by the Brazilian authorities… There have been two indigenous protests at the conference center itself, one of which did break through the security line.” — Ione Wells, Correspondent, [03:20]

• Key Issues Protesters Want Addressed:

  • Rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
  • Reparations from wealthy nations or oil/energy companies for climate damages.
  • Implementation (not just promises) of financing for poorer countries’ energy transitions.
  • Enforcing agreed commitments from previous COPs.

• Lingering Questions for Delegates:
  Ione Wells concludes that entering the final week, the pressure is on delegates to explain how previously made promises regarding climate financing and fossil fuel transition will actually be delivered.

2. Ecuador: Potential Return of US Military Bases

[04:52–08:37]

Key Points

• Ecuador votes in a referendum on whether to amend its constitution to allow foreign military bases, banned since 2009.
• Security context: President Daniel Noboa frames this as crucial to combat the massive surge in drug-related violence.
• The US sees Ecuador as strategically vital due to its extensive Pacific coastline, which is a main route for South American cocaine headed for North America and Europe.
• Environmental Concerns: Talk of a base on the Galapagos Islands draws controversy over potential ecological damage.
• Analyst Luis Fajardo highlights uncertainty over both location and the referendum’s likely outcome.

3. Mexico: Youth-Led Protests Against Violence and Corruption

[09:33–11:20]

Key Points

• Protests in Mexico City and nationwide reflect rising anger, especially among youth (“Generation Z”), over escalating violence, insecurity, and corruption.

  • Quote:

    “The state is dying.” — Protester, [09:33]

  • Quote:

    “It's a country where you can be murdered and nothing happens.” — Protester, [09:33]

• Recent high-profile killings, including the assassination of anti-crime mayor Carlos Menso, fuel outrage.

• Government claims that these marches are influenced by foreign digital campaigns and political opponents.

• President Scheinbaum resists calls for a new “war on drugs,” citing bloody results of past crackdowns.

4. Icelandic Language Under Threat

[11:20–13:32]

Key Points & Notable Quote

• Former Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir voices concern that Icelandic is endangered by English's overwhelming digital/social media presence.

  • Quote:

    “When we don’t have the same amount of material in Icelandic, it’s very difficult to compete… We also need to continue to write in Icelandic. You know, I find it more difficult obviously to speak English than Icelandic. We talk differently about weather, and we talk a lot about weather.” — Katrín Jakobsdóttir, [11:55]

• Emphasizes the value of language in identity and the necessity of creating native content to preserve linguistic heritage.

5. Pakistan: Balochistan Bans Child Marriage

[16:48–19:59]

Key Points

• Balochistan passes legislation banning child marriage (<18 years), with potential 3-year imprisonment for offenders, facilitators, or officials registering illegal marriages.

• Law hailed as “landmark,” particularly in this conservative region.

• Sociocultural impact: Greater opportunity for girls’ education, health, and independence.

  • Quote:

    “For ordinary people, especially for young girls, this means they can have access to education, they can have access to better health... once you get married, all your lifetime opportunities come to an end. So this means a lot for the millions of young girls in Pakistan.” — Ambarasan Ethirajan, [18:54]

• Opposition parties claim the law violates Islamic law, but activists and many citizens view it as vital progress.

6. Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: Rain Adds to Misery

[19:59–22:18]

Key Points

• Heavy rain causes severe flooding in Gaza, compounding hardship for displaced families living in tents.
• UN and aid workers highlight the inability to deliver adequate shelter due to Israeli restrictions on aid convoys.
  • Quote:

    “Flood prevention requires equipment that is not available in Gaza, including tools to drain waterways... Millions of urgently needed shelter items remain stuck in Jordan, Egypt, and Israel... awaiting approval to enter Gaza.” — UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, [20:26]

  • Quote:

    “People live in tents and makeshifts. They don’t have anything to protect them... What makes it very difficult is that the situation of people in Gaza is fragile and they are not prepared...” — Yusra Abu Shrek, [21:10]

7. Colombia: Surge in FARC Dissident Attacks

[22:18–25:13]

Key Points

• Over 200 FARC dissidents launch a major attack with drones and explosives on a police station in Mondomo, Cauca province.
• Civilians and infrastructure were caught in the crossfire, police called for reinforcements, and ambulances were blocked.
• Though FARC was officially dissolved, multiple smaller groups remain, conducting operations rooted in drug trafficking and political grievances.
• President Gustavo Petro’s handling of the violence faces criticism; recent airstrikes against rebels resulted in child casualties.

8. Vatican: Pope Leo XIV Hosts Hollywood

[25:13–27:06]

Key Points & Notable Quotes

• Pope Leo XIV meets Hollywood stars (including Cate Blanchett, Spike Lee) to discuss the role of cinema in inspiring hope and reflecting on humanity’s wounds.

  • Quote:

    “Do not be afraid to confront the world’s wounds. Violence, poverty, exile, loneliness, addiction, and forgotten wars are issues that need to be addressed, acknowledged and narrated.” — Pope Leo XIV, [01:50]

  • Quote:

    “Good cinema does not exploit pain. It recognizes and explores it... Giving voice to the complex, contradictory and sometimes dark feelings that dwell in the human heart is an act of love.” — Pope Leo XIV, [26:12]

• The Pope received gifts (including a football jersey and a solidarity bracelet) and emphasized the importance of cinemas as “the beating heart of communities.”

9. British Pub Quiz Cheating Scandal

[27:06–30:03]

Key Points & Notable Quotes

• The Barking Dog pub in Manchester bans a quiz team after staff catch members using smartwatches to cheat.

• The story gains international attention, and the pub’s creative measures to catch the cheaters are recounted.

  • Quote:

    “We started setting some particularly awkward questions and very difficult songs on the music round and stuff and then they were still getting them right.” — Mark Rackham, Pub Owner, [28:50]

  • Quote:

    “We caught them so solidly well and they couldn’t do anything other than accept it and take themselves off into hiding, I think.” — Mark Rackham, [29:15]

• After the ban, regulars return with greater vigilance ("I didn’t wear my smartwatch because I didn't want to be done"), reflecting the quirky, competitive nature of British pub culture.

Memorable Quotes

• Climate Activist (COP30):

  “There is no point in exploiting more oil, more mining because the forests can no longer endure abuse. The climate is not negotiable.” — [03:00]

• Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Icelandic language):

  “It's important that we learn other languages too. But we also need to continue to write in Icelandic… It's based on using verbs. We have a certain tradition of descriptions of people. So there are all sorts of differences between languages which makes it so beautiful to study them.” — [12:40]

• Pope Leo XIV (On cinema):

  “Giving voice to the complex, contradictory and sometimes dark feelings that dwell in the human heart is an act of love.” — [26:12]

Key Timestamps

• COP30 Protests — [02:04–04:52]
• Ecuador Referendum on US Bases — [04:52–08:37]
• Mexico Violence Protests — [09:33–11:20]
• Icelandic Language Threatened — [11:20–13:32]
• Pakistan Child Marriage Law — [16:48–19:59]
• Gaza Flooding Crisis — [19:59–22:18]
• Colombia FARC Violence — [22:18–25:13]
• Vatican & Hollywood — [25:13–27:06]
• Pub Quiz Cheating — [27:06–30:03]

This episode provides a nuanced global snapshot with thoughtful on-the-ground reporting, direct voices from those affected, and a balance of urgent, heavy news with a lighter cultural close.