Putin 'ready' to discuss Ukraine war with Trump

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary: "Putin 'Ready' to Discuss Ukraine War with Trump"
Release Date: January 25, 2025
Host: Oliver Conway, BBC World Service

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1. Introduction

In this episode of the Global News Podcast, host Oliver Conway covers a range of pressing international issues, including the evolving dynamics between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump regarding the Ukraine war, the Gaza ceasefire and hostage releases, advancements in medical technology, escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a significant drug smuggling bust in Spain, unusual cyber incidents in Georgia, and a high-profile spy trial in the UK.

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2. Putin's Readiness for Talks with Trump

Key Discussion:
The episode delves into President Vladimir Putin's recent statements indicating his willingness to discuss ending the war in Ukraine with former U.S. President Donald Trump. This development comes amid Trump's renewed push for a peace deal and his threats to impose further economic sanctions on Russia.

Notable Quotes and Insights:

• Donald Trump (01:37):
  "Now, one way to stop it quickly is for OPEC to stop making so much money and to drop the price of oil because they have it nice and high."
  Trump emphasizes that lowering oil prices could pressure Russia to cease its military actions in Ukraine.

• President Putin's Response (02:09):
  "Both for our and the American economies, prices that are too high are bad because producers within the country using energy resources need to produce other goods within the country. And prices that are too low are also very bad because they undermine the investment opportunities of energy companies."
  Putin rejects Trump's suggestion, arguing that both nations need stable energy prices for their economies.

Vitaly Shevchenko's Analysis (02:30 - 05:46):
Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring, provides an in-depth assessment of Putin's stance. He suggests that while Putin's openness to negotiations aligns with the Kremlin's long-standing position, skepticism remains about Moscow's true intentions. Shevchenko highlights Putin's strategic interest in broader geopolitical discussions beyond Ukraine, hinting at Russia's desire to influence the global order.

Ukraine's Position:
Shevchenko notes that Ukrainian officials, including Andrei Yermak, assert that Putin's proposals exclude Ukraine from the negotiations, making meaningful talks impossible. Ukraine remains firm in its stance to be a central participant in any peace discussions.

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3. Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Releases

Key Discussion:
Hamas has announced the names of four female Israeli hostages scheduled for release as part of a broader Gaza ceasefire deal. This marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.

Details Provided by Nick Beek (07:09):
Nick Beek, BBC correspondent in Jerusalem, reports that the hostages—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were military observers at the Nahal Oz base during the October 7th attacks. Their impending release elicits mixed emotions of relief and trepidation among families who have endured prolonged anguish.

Interview with a Released Palestinian Prisoner (08:57 - 13:24):
An anonymous Palestinian prisoner, exchanged for hostages, discusses harsh detention conditions and disputes reports of atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7th attacks. The prisoner asserts, "No kids were killed," challenging narratives supported by the United Nations that confirmed the deaths of children and adults alike.

Donald Trump's Interaction (Various Timestamps):
Trump engages with the prisoner, questioning the veracity of her claims and highlighting the UN's findings. The exchange underscores the deep-seated mistrust and ongoing tensions between the conflicting parties.

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4. Breakthrough in Medical Technology: Restoring Touch for the Paralyzed

Key Discussion:
A Swedish study from Chalmers University of Technology showcases a groundbreaking advancement where two paralyzed individuals temporarily regained their sense of touch using robotic arms controlled by brain implants.

Interview with Scott Imbry (14:03 - 17:17):
Scott Imbry, a participant in the study, describes the experimental process:

• Robot Control:
  "These electrodes... when I think about moving my fingers or my arm, the robotic arm... I can actually operate an arm just like it was my own real arm."
  Imbry explains how his brain's motor cortex signals are translated into precise movements of the robotic arm.

• Sensation Restoration:
  "Through those channels that they stimulate, they can create different sensations... like dragging my hand across the surface of the table."
  He recounts the emotional and tangible experience of shaking hands with a scientist, highlighting the profound impact of the technology.

Emotional Impact:
Imbry reflects on the significance of touch and human connection, emphasizing the transformative potential of such medical innovations for individuals with paralysis.

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5. Escalating Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Key Discussion:
The Democratic Republic of Congo faces intensified combat as M23 rebels, supported by Rwandan troops, advance towards the eastern city of Goma. The death of Congolese Regional Governor Peter Chirimwami underscores the severity of the situation.

Details Provided by Akhil Imani Saleh Choma Choma (19:19 - 20:31):
Journalist Choma Choma reports on the collapse of defense in Goma, the mass displacement of approximately 400,000 civilians, and the fear of impending humanitarian crises. He notes:

• Military Developments:
  "The governor finally died after being injured in the fight around Kasengesi."
  Indicating the dire state of Congolese defenses against the rebels.

• Humanitarian Impact:
  "Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes since the start of this year," Choma Choma explains, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance.

UN Involvement:
UN peacekeepers are actively engaged in combat operations to support the Congolese army. Raveena Shamdasani, UN Human Rights spokesperson, expresses alarm over the increased risk to civilians.

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6. Major Drug Smuggling Operation Dismantled in Spain

Key Discussion:
Spanish authorities have successfully dismantled a significant international drug smuggling and money laundering ring based in Barcelona, marking one of Europe's most notable counter-narcotics operations in recent decades.

Details from Danny Eberhard (20:47 - 22:31):

• Operation Scale:
  "In total, 25 people have been arrested... authorities have seized more than 7 tons of cocaine."
  The operation spanned three countries, involving complex smuggling tactics, including concealing drugs in shipments of tropical fruit and electric generators.

• International Collaboration:
  Europol's involvement highlights the transnational effort required to combat such extensive criminal networks.

• Financial Seizures:
  Over $6 million in cash, alongside properties, jewelry, luxury cars, and watches, were confiscated, indicating the lucrative nature of the trade.

Implications:
Despite the arrests and seizures, Europol acknowledges that a substantial amount of cocaine likely remains in circulation, underscoring the persistent challenge of drug trafficking.

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7. Cyberattack Disrupts Public Transportation in Tbilisi, Georgia

Key Discussion:
Passengers in Tbilisi experienced an unusual cyberattack on public bus ticket machines, where the Georgian national anthem and recordings of pro-European protests were played, coinciding with ongoing political unrest.

Details from Reyhan Dmitry (22:31 - 25:25):

• Incident Description:
  "There was this rather extraordinary situation... recordings were continuously played through the ticketing machines."
  The cyberattack led to the temporary shutdown of all machines, inadvertently allowing free public transportation.

• Government Response:
  Initial claims of technical faults were later confirmed as a cyberattack by the Ministry of Interior. No perpetrators have been identified.

• Public Reaction:
  In the backdrop of nearly two months of political crisis and widespread protests against the government's decision to halt EU accession talks, the cyber incident exacerbated public frustration and distrust in the ruling Georgian Dream party.

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8. High-Profile Spy Trial in the UK: Bulgarian Woman Denies Russian Spy Allegations

Key Discussion:
In London, 33-year-old Bulgarian national Katrine Ivanova stands accused of being part of a Russian spy cell operating within the UK and Europe. She denies espionage, claiming ignorance of her activities' true purpose.

Details from Daniel DeSimone (25:48 - 27:15):

• Accusations:
  Ivanova is alleged to have targeted a US military base in Germany and surveilled journalists considered adversaries by the Russian state, actions that could have endangered lives.

• Defense Statement:
  "I didn't know the true purpose of the activity... I believed one operation targeting a journalist was itself a form of journalism."
  Ivanova asserts her involvement was misguided and unintentional, influenced by her partner, who has admitted to conspiracy.

• Personal Turmoil:
  The court heard of Ivanova's distress upon discovering her partner's duplicity, as he maintained relationships with multiple women, complicating her defense.

Ongoing Proceedings:
The trial remains active, with Ivanova's defense centered on her lack of awareness and coercion, while prosecutors aim to establish her intent and involvement in espionage activities.

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9. Conclusion

Oliver Conway wraps up the episode by highlighting upcoming topics, including the peculiar sound incidents in Georgian bus machines and updates on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also announces a special Q&A edition focusing on Donald Trump's initial week back in the White House, inviting listeners to submit their questions.

Credits:

• Mixed By: Ricardo McCarthy
• Produced By: Allison Davis
• Editor: Karen Martin

Closing Remark:
"I'm Oliver Conway. Until next time. Goodbye."

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This episode of the Global News Podcast provides a comprehensive overview of significant global events, offering in-depth analysis, firsthand accounts, and expert insights into the complex geopolitical and humanitarian issues shaping our world today.

Transcript

[Oliver Conway]

You're listening to the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. Hello, I'm Oliver Conway. This edition is published in the early hours of Saturday, 25th January. Vladimir Putin says he's ready for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, but dismisses Donald Trump's threat to use economic pressure on Russia. UN peacekeepers in Congo say they're engaged in intense combat with M23 rebels threatening the eastern city of Goma. And Hamas has given Israel the names of four female hostages due to be released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Also in the podcast and I reach.

[Scott Imbry]

Out with the robotic arm in hand and I grab Lisa's hand. I felt this warmth of touch that was just unbelievable.

[Oliver Conway]

The paralyzed man who's discovered new sensations with a robotic arm. Donald Trump has had a complicated relationship with Vladimir Putin, but since his return to the White House, he's been urging the Russian leader to agree a peace deal with Ukraine, saying otherwise the US Would increase sanctions, tariffs and taxes on Russia. On Friday, Mr. Putin gave his first public response, attempting to flatter the US president by repeating the lie that Mr. Trump had actually won the 2020 election and suggesting that Russia's invasion of Ukraine might never have happened if, quote, that victory hadn't been stolen. On a visit to North Carolina, Mr. Trump repeated his call for oil prices to be lowered to force Russia to end the it's crazy. It's a crazy war.

[Donald Trump]

Now, one way to stop it quickly.

[Oliver Conway]

Is for OPEC to stop making so.

[Donald Trump]

Much money and to drop the price.

[Oliver Conway]

Of oil because they have it nice and high.

[Donald Trump]

And if you have it high, that war is not going to end so easily.

[Oliver Conway]

So OPEC ought to get on the ball and they ought to drop the price of oil and that war will stop right away. But President Putin rejected that logic, saying both the US And Russia needed prices that were neither too high nor too low.

[Vitaly Shevchenko]

Both for our and the American economies, prices that are too high are bad because producers within the country using energy resources need to produce other goods within the country. And prices that are too low are also very bad because they undermine the investment opportunities of energy companies. That's a matter for us to discuss.

[Oliver Conway]

Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring, gave me his assessment of President Putin's.

[Vitaly Shevchenko]

Intervention by saying that he is prepared to sit down and talk with Donald Trump, that Russia is all for negotiations. That has been the Kremlin's line for years. We are being reasonable here. You, that is the west, do not want to listen to our concerns. We're ready to sit down and talk, but you won't listen. Now, does he mean it? Vladimir Putin? He was very positive about Donald Trump. He said he is a very smart person, pragmatic. Does he mean it? Well, possibly. But we shouldn't forget that Vladimir Putin is a former Secret Service agent. And Secret Service agents, they're not necessarily known for telling the truth or speaking their minds. Vladimir Putin said that the election was stolen from Donald Trump back in 2020. That is going to be music to Donald Trump's ears. And we know his ego is pretty big, even by most politicians standards.

[Oliver Conway]

Do you think the reason that President Putin has come out in this way is because he might be worried about economic pressure from the Americans?

[Vitaly Shevchenko]

Well, possibly. The question is, though, what sort of pressure can America put on Russia that's not been exerted already? Donald Trump did suggest that oil output needs to be increased globally so that oil and energy prices go down. That will hurt a bit. I don't think it will completely undermine the Russian economy. A few years ago, half of the money in the Russian state coffers it was from the sale of hydrocarbons, that is oil and gas. Now that share is decreasing. So Russia is making energetic efforts to wean itself off oil and gas. It knows that it's dependent on that sort of revenue. So to completely stop this war by dropping energy prices, that will have to be done, A, dramatically and B, very, very cleverly.

[Oliver Conway]

And what is Ukraine's position on all this? Because Vladimir Putin was saying they were the ones refusing to talk.

[Vitaly Shevchenko]

Well, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andrei Yermak, he said on social media that Vladimir Putin wants to discuss Ukraine without Ukraine, and that's not happening. But I think Vladimir Putin is really keen to talk to somebody like Donald Trump. And also importantly, he wants to talk to Donald Trump about other things, not just Ukraine. For Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is a huge chapter, but it's only part of Russia's more global standoff with the West. So for him, this is a chance to discuss the New World Order, if you like, not just Ukraine.

[Oliver Conway]

Vitaly Shevchenko of BBC Monitoring. And a reminder that if there's anything you'd like to ask about Donald Trump's first week as a returning US President, then we'd like to hear from you, whether it's about his moves on cryptocurrencies, pardons, climate change, immigration tariffs or anything else. We're recording a special Q and A edition next week, so please email us your question to globalpodcastbc.co.uk or find us on xlobalnewspod. And if you can record your question as a voice note, then so much the better. Thank you. Hamas has announced the names of four more hostages to be freed as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. A spokesman for the group's military wing said Israeli soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag would be released on Saturday. Hamas has committed to freeing 33 captives in the initial phase, 12 women and children and 21 men who are sick or over 50. The Palestinian group is expected to release living hostages first, but could then hand over bodies. Hamas is also due to provide a status report on the condition of the remaining hostages on the list, including two young children. Our correspondent in Jerusalem, Nick Beek, has more details about the four due to be released.

[Nick Beak]

They're all young women who were working at the Nahal Oz military base on October 7th, and that is a military facility just across the fence from Gaza. And they were part of a team of young women who worked as military observers. And they, it transpired, had been warning that there were clear signs that this sort of attack was imminent. And it seems that those warnings weren't acted upon. So among the women is Naama levy. She was 19 at the time. She was just in the second day on the job and her mum spoke to the BBC last year and was saying how much she was hoping to, to have her back, that all her family were desperate for her to return. She is said to be one of the four to be released with her colleagues Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa and Liri Al Bag. So obviously a degree of relief being expressed, but also trepidation because for 15 months the families are saying that they've been going through this anguish and now the end is in sight, just one more night before they're reunited. But we saw last weekend, broadly, the choreography went to plan. There was an initial delay of a few hours, but the families are saying that they're delighted that their loved ones will be back at the same time, though, of course, many other hostage families are waiting for their loved ones and actually waiting for news of, of their condition.

[Oliver Conway]

Nick Beak in Jerusalem. Well, the four Israeli soldiers will be freed in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Last Sunday, 90 Palestinians were released in exchange for the first three Israeli hostages. One of those prisoners has now spoken to the BBC's Sean Lay. She spent seven months in Israeli detention and asked to remain anonymous for her own safety. So does she know why she was detained by Israel?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

No. They can Put you in jail and tell you there's a secret file against you.

[Donald Trump]

The Israeli documentation says that you were arrested for supporting terrorism. Do you know what that might refer to or could.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

I saw it when I got out of prison. No one have ever asked me about anything.

[Donald Trump]

Have you supported terrorism or is there anything you think you could have said or written that might have been interpreted that way?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

I don't know what I did. They just took me.

[Donald Trump]

Let's talk a bit about the circumstances in which you were held. What was your detention like?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

We were banded from the basic human rights. The food portions were really small. They used to detain us for 23 hours inside our cell rooms and then they would allow us to have one hour. During this hour you have to take a shower and then to go back to your room. The cell had six beds and we were ten in the cell.

[Donald Trump]

How would you describe more generally the conditions in which you were held?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

Brutal, inhuman. We were not feeling safe. They would attack us at any moment. They would do searches at the middle of the night at 3am and male guards would come where we were held while we were sleeping. And you know, most of us are Muslims and they were hijab, so they would see them without their hijab. And this is forbidden in Islam.

[Donald Trump]

Can I put you what the Israeli Defense Forces have told us in a statement not specific to your case? Because obviously we haven't identified you to them, but talking more generally about the conditions. They say mistreatment of detainees during their detention is against the law and the IDF's orders and is therefore strictly prohibited. The IDF rejects allegations of systemic abuse of detainees, including through violence or torture. Specific complaints regarding inappropriate behavior by detention staff or inadequate conditions are referred to relevant authorities for investigation, examination, and are handled accordingly. In certain cases, members of the detention staff have been dismissed for not behaving as expected and in accordance with the facility's procedures. Did you complain?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

Yes, we complained to the lawyers, we complained to the prison administration and we were not hurt. They would handcuff us and drag us to the yard whenever they want.

[Donald Trump]

Have you changed your view in any way over the last, what, 15, 16 months since October 7th of the Hamas attacks?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

No, because the Palestinians are defending their right to live.

[Donald Trump]

Do you feel at all that maybe what hamas did on October 7 in its attacks, in the killings, in the sexual abuse, in the kidnappings and detention of Israelis? Do you feel in any way that explains what happened in Gaza subsequently?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

Don't you think that this is a bit biased? Because after all the investigations There were no sexual abuse. The killings were different. No kids were killed.

[Donald Trump]

Hang on.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

The real story is much different than what really happened, right?

[Donald Trump]

Can you just explain what you mean? The killings were different.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

Children.

[Donald Trump]

Children, Right. So you're saying the killings as reported and the footage that was appeared on social media, you're saying that isn't correct?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

I'm saying that there are many ways to tell the story and we have to be realistic and to tell the truth about what really happened. No kids were killed.

[Donald Trump]

I'm sorry, that is not correct. The United nations has confirmed that children did die in the 7 October attacks by Hamas, as did adults.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

That was not proven.

[Donald Trump]

Who's told you that? No children died?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

As Palestinians, we don't stand with killing the children. But what happened? Why did October 7 happen and how do we view October 7? It's two different things. What happened is that a lot of Palestinians, all the Palestinians in Gaza, were living in a big prison, an open air prison. And then look at what the Zionist side did. How many Palestinian kids were killed?

[Donald Trump]

Large numbers. And that has also been reported by the United Nations.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

Yes.

[Donald Trump]

You're still relatively young. One day, having a family of your own, could you see a situation in which you or your children were able to live in peace with Israel, with Israelis side by side?

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

That's not possible. There will be no peace when the occupation is trying to evacuate our existence.

[Oliver Conway]

One of the Palestinian prisoners who was released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, she was talking to Shaun Lay. Now to a potentially life changing development, a Swedish study that has allowed two people with paralysis to temporarily regain their sense of touch. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology used MRI scans to identify regions of the brain linked to hand movements and sensations in order to mimic a sense of feeling using a robotic arm. Scott Imbry from Chicago was one of two patients with spinal injuries to take part in the study. He spoke to Krupa paddy.

[Scott Imbry]

Back in 1985, I was in a car accident and my seatbelt didn't work. So the part that goes across your waist, that worked just fine. But the shoulder strap didn't work and my chest hit the steering wheel. My head snapped over the top of the steering wheel and I shattered C4, 5 and 6. And like five days later when I woke up, I was unconscious. When I woke up, the doctor was leaning over me in the bed and he's like, scott, you're never going to walk again. You're going to be a quadriplegic the rest of your life.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

What can you explain to us in Layman's terms about how this all works, it sounds wondrous.

[Scott Imbry]

Okay? So the amazing thing is they implanted four electrodes on my brain. The biggest one is about the size of Lincoln's head on a penny here in the United States, okay? And so these electrodes, two of them are placed in my motor cortex, and two of them are placed on the sensory cortex. So what that does is the ones on the motor cortex. When I think about moving my fingers or my arm, the robotic arm, through computer assistance and a decoder, I can actually operate an arm just like it was my own real arm and move the fingers on that robotic hand just like they were my own fingers, okay? And then on the sensory part, they have actually 64 channels that they could stimulate on my brain. And so I feel that stimulation on different parts on my fingertips, from the thumb through the ring finger, okay? And some of them are on the fingertips on the palm side, and some of them are on the backside of the fingers, and some of them are right at the surface, and some of them are deep sensations. So through those channels that they stimulate, they can create different sensations. For instance, they could stimulate multiple channels. And it makes me feel like I'm dragging my hand across the surface of the table. Or like this study that we just did. Giacomo, the scientist, he actually came in the one day, he's like, okay, Scott, what do you feel? And it's like, oh, my God, Jaco, you just drew the letter O on my finger. It's amazing what science could do by stimulating these different neurons in my brain.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

I can hear the smile on your face, Scott. Now you are able to physically touch things, people. Just what that means to you. Talk us through shaking hands with the scientist Lisa.

[Scott Imbry]

When I had the real robotic arm, I was controlling that. And Lisa walks into our. Our lab here, and John, the other scientist, said, scott, reach out and grab Lisa's hand and shake it. So Lisa comes walking up to the robotic arm that was like five feet away from me, and I reach out with the robotic arm in hand and I grabbed Lise's hand and I was like, oh, my God, Lise's hand is in my hand. And it was, it was actually in the robotic hand that it was in. And I was just like, this is like an out of body experience. I felt this warmth of touch that was just unbelievable.

[Oliver Conway]

Scott Embry. And still to come on the global news podcast, the unusual sounds coming out of bus ticket machines in the capital of Georgia, next to an update on the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the M23 rebel group backed by Rwandan troops have been making big gains in recent weeks. In our earlier podcast, we reported that the rebels were nearing the city of Goma in the mineral rich eastern of the country. Since then, we've heard that the Congolese general defending Goma, Regional Governor Peter Chirimwami, has died of wounds sustained in battle. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes since the start of this year.

[Akhil Imani Saleh Choma Choma]

I was fleeing, I was hit by M23 bullets.

[Unnamed Palestinian Prisoner]

It was Wednesday and we were locked in the house with the whole family. Fearing gunfire, a bomb exploded behind the house and injured 12 of us inside.

[Oliver Conway]

Well, the UN peacekeeping force in the region says it's been engaged in intense combat with the rebels while it's been supporting the Congolese army with heavy artillery fire. The UN Human rights spokesperson Raveena Shamdasani said she was deeply alarmed about the increased risk of attacks in Goma.

[Reyhan Dmitry]

Some 400,000 people have been displaced in north and South Kivu since the beginning.

[Oliver Conway]

Of this year alone.

[Reyhan Dmitry]

Any such attack on Goma risks catastrophic impacts on hundreds of thousands of civilians, putting them at heightened exposure to human rights violations and abuses.

[Vitaly Shevchenko]

The High Commissioner appeals to all states.

[Reyhan Dmitry]

With influence on the parties to impress on them the urgent need for an.

[Oliver Conway]

Immediate secession of hostilities. Akhil Imani Saleh Choma Choma is an independent journalist based in Goma. He told us what was known about the military governor's death.

[Akhil Imani Saleh Choma Choma]

So many sources, including some hospital sources in Kinshasa saying that the governor finally died after being inside from yesterday in the fight between the M23 and the fact they say around the area of Kasengesi. But until now there is no more information. People are really afraid about the possibility for the M23 to take Goma. People are trying to go out of Goma, some of them using the border of Rwanda. And also there are other people which are trying to use the boat and to use the lake to reach the town of Bukavu in the South Kivu. So many people are trying to move because of their security, because you have some human rights activists and defenders fly from the zone where the M23 controlled. And right now, when they understood that the M23 will control Goma, there is no way to move. People are really scared about what is going on.

[Oliver Conway]

Journalist Akilimani Saleh Choma Choma in Goma the Spanish authorities say they have dismantled an international drug smuggling and money laundering ring based in Barcelona. It follows a three year multinational operation. Our Europe regional editor Danny Eberhard has The details.

[Danny Eberhard]

Spanish police say it's one of the most significant counter narcotics operations of recent decades. They said the gang was headed by a man using the alias Lucky. Not so much these days, it would seem, although he was already in jail, allegedly running operations from there. In total, 25 people have been arrested in raids in Spain, mainly Spanish nationals, but also two Colombians, plus 15 others in Panama. Over the three years, the authorities have seized more than 7 tons of cocaine, 4 tons of that in Panama. The syndicates tried to smuggle it through ports and airports, concealed in various ways, in shipments of tropical fruit like pineapples, even inside the rotor of an electric generator. The authorities have confiscated weapons and assets, too, including more than $6 million in cash, properties, jewellery and luxury cars and watches. Europol said the complex investigation spanned three Latin America, Europe and the Middle EAS East. Colombian traffickers, it said, handled the cocaine shipments from there, while Spanish, Colombian and Bulgarian nationals oversaw the reception and distribution of the drug. Some gang members hid in containers to sneak into ports, getting the cocaine out at night with the help of corrupt workers. Meanwhile, according to Europol, Albanians in Dubai provided payments for those involved in the shipments. How much escaped the net is not known, but a lot clearly did in this lucrative trade. The agency believes the syndicate could have received up to one ton of cocaine every week.

[Oliver Conway]

Danny Haberhard. Passengers getting on buses in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Friday morning heard rather unusual sounds coming out of the ticket machines. Well, that is a burst of the Georgian national anthem. But there were also recordings of pro European protests, sound bites from speeches and the European Union anthem. It comes after nearly two months of protests over the Georgian government's decision to suspend talks on joining the eu. I heard more from our correspondent in the Georgian capital, Reyhan Dmitry.

[Reyhan Dmitry]

There was this rather extraordinary situation in most of the public buses in Tbilisi on Friday morning, there was this recording was continuously played and it was coming through tiny speakers that are part of the ticketing machine. And very soon that news was kind of distributed quite quickly on social media. People were sharing this information. And then came the reaction from the municipal authorities. First they said that it was some kind of technical fault. They didn't immediately say that it was a cyber attack or hacking. And they disabled all of the machines, which meant that passengers could take public transport for free.

[Oliver Conway]

Do we know how it was done? It seems quite extraordinary.

[Reyhan Dmitry]

The investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Interior and later in the day was stated that it was indeed a cyber attack. And these machines operated with the help of one of the biggest Banks here in Georgia, the Bank of Georgia. And we don't have the answers yet on who might have put these recordings on all of the public buses in the capital, Tbilisi.

[Oliver Conway]

So obviously the authorities unhappy about it. What about ordinary Georgians? How did they react?

[Reyhan Dmitry]

We are talking about the country that has been in a deep political crisis for nearly two months now. And there have been all sorts of protest actions taking place. And one of them, I remember several weeks ago, they were just activists who were getting on public buses and reading some kind of pro European proclamations. On top of that, there have been continuous protests. Today is the 58th day and I'm standing now outside the park. There are hundreds of people here and they're protesting against the government's decision back in November that this government would put EU accession talks on hold for four years. And that anger is not gone anywhere. People are frustrated, but at the same time, the Georgian Dream government, it's the ruling party, they have refused to hear the voices of these people and they have been demanding all along to hold fresh elections.

[Oliver Conway]

Rahan Dimitri in Georgia, a Bulgarian woman charged with being part of a Russian spy cell operating in the UK and Europe has denied knowing the information she gathered would be sent to Russia. 33 year old Katrine Ivanova has been giving evidence in her defense in court here in London, from where our investigations correspondent Daniel Desimone reports.

[Daniel DeSimone]

Catherine Ivanova is accused of spying for Russia in a series of elaborate operations in the UK and Europe, during which she allegedly targeted a US military base in Germany and followed two investigative journalists regarded as enemies of the Russian state, secretly filming them. Jurors have heard there was a risk the journalists could have been kidnapped or assassinated. Giving evidence for the first time, Catherine Ivanova denied being a spy. She accepted following people, but said she didn't know the true purpose of the activity. She told jurors she believed one operation targeting a journalist was itself a form of journalism. She said her then partner, Bisa Janbazov, had asked her to take part in surveillance operations and that they were helping his friend Orlin Rousseff, who assisted the couple financially after they first moved to the UK in 2012. Both Jan Barzov and Rousseff have already admitted conspiracy to spy for Russia. Ms. Ivanovna wiped away tears as she described learning that her partner was arrested in bed with the other alleged female spy. In this trial, the court has heard he was in a relationship with both women. Ms. Ivanova said Janbazov had told her he had a brain tumor, which he now believes was an excuse so he could live a parallel life with the other woman. The case continues.

[Oliver Conway]

Daniel DeSimone. And that is all from us for now. But the Global News podcast will be back at the same time tomorrow. This edition was mixed by Ricardo McCarthy and produced by Allison Davis. Our editor's Karen Martin. I'm Oliver Conway. Until next time. Goodbye.