Global News Podcast (BBC World Service)

Episode Title: Rescue efforts continue in Afghanistan after earthquake kills hundreds
Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Janak Jalil

Overview

This episode covers breaking international news, with a primary focus on the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan’s eastern mountains, as well as significant developments in geopolitics, international law, economics, and culture. Key stories include ground reports from Afghanistan, Russian GPS jamming accused in a high-profile EU incident, genocide allegations against Israel, China’s growing naval power, Guyana’s oil boom and challenges, Anguilla’s economic windfall from .ai domains, a tribute to boxing legend Joe Bugner, and a unique concert experience in London.

Key Stories and Insights

1. Devastating Earthquake in Afghanistan

[00:42 - 09:37]

• Impact & Eyewitnesses:

  • The earthquake struck Sunday night (magnitude 6), killing over 800 people and destroying villages in Kunar and Nangahar provinces.
  • Eyewitness Syed Rahim (Kunar):
    • “I saw some injuries and dead body. A lot of houses are destroyed… They are very afraid and they are destroyed and they lose the parents, the children, the wives.” [01:35]
  • Dr. Rafi Ulla (Asadabad hospital):
    • “Our little hospital has been receiving injured people from nearby towns and villages. We treated over 200 people today, among them pregnant women, children and the elderly. We only have 150 beds… We need tents, we need medicine. It’s a national tragedy.” [02:03]

• Challenges in Rescue:

  • Remote, mountainous terrain and blocked roads prevented rescue teams from reaching hardest-hit areas.
  • Sayed Nizami (BBC Afghan Service):
    • “Entire villages were destroyed… I saw the post in Facebook. They're saying in one village every 10 minutes there is a funeral.” [03:30]

• Relief Efforts & Constraints:

  • Helipads and airlifts were essential; roadblocks and limited infrastructure significantly hampered aid.
  • Yakita Limaye (BBC, Jalalabad):
    • “Ambulances just stuck for hours and hours… The dead are not necessarily all brought back to the hospital; they will just be buried in the area. So we will perhaps never know the true scale of the disaster.” [06:20]
  • Afghanistan faces drought, severe hunger, and massive cuts in international aid due to Taliban policies—especially concerning women's rights. [08:32]

2. EU Plane GPS Incident Accused on Russia

[09:42 - 14:22]

• Incident:

  • Plane carrying EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen lost GPS on approach to Bulgaria. Pilots relied on analog/paper maps to land.
  • “We are, of course, aware and used to the threats and intimidations that are a regular component of Russia's hostile behavior.” — Ariana Podesta, EU spokesperson [11:11]

• Expert Analysis:

  • David Learmount (Aviation expert):
    • “GPS is a luxury. It gives you huge accuracy but if you have to go back to analog, you … don’t have quite the same degree of accuracy, but it's quite good enough.” [12:43]
    • Warns that Eastern European airliners routinely face GPS jamming, which could be dangerous if pilots are overly reliant on GPS systems.

3. Ukraine: Politician’s Killing Linked to Russia

[14:24 - 15:36]

• Ukrainian officials say the assassination of pro-Western politician Andriy Parubiy in Lviv was carried out in coordination with Russia.
• Paul Moss (reporter) describes the connection between the suspect and Russian authorities, and that the case aligns with increased tensions as the Kremlin opposes Ukraine’s Western integration. [14:48]

4. Genocide Scholars: Israel Accused of Genocide in Gaza

[15:37 - 18:59]

• Declaration:

  • The International Association of Genocide Scholars ruled that Israeli actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide, with 86% in favor among voting members.
  • References include the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare and education systems, the deaths/injuries of an estimated 50,000 Palestinian children, and incendiary political language by Israeli leaders. [16:43]

• Official Stances:

  • Israel strongly rejects the finding, dismissing the evidence as “poorly researched” and “based on Hamas lies.”
  • Most governments await a ruling from the International Court of Justice; Israel has until January 2026 to present its defense. [18:45]

5. China’s Military Buildup and National Maritime Pride

[19:00 - 22:36]

• China’s Naval Strength:

  • China now has the world’s largest maritime force—expanding rapidly with substantial shipbuilding in Dalian.
  • “China's shipbuilding capacity is currently 200 times that of the US… It is on a scale that is in many ways eye watering.” — Nick Childs, International Institute of Strategic Studies [20:27]
  • Focus on national pride, job creation, and increasing ability to project power beyond regional waters.

• Showcase:

  • Preparations for a large military parade in Beijing expected to display hypersonic weapons and new underwater drones.

6. Guyana’s Oil Boom: Economic Opportunity and Challenges

[24:54 - 28:00]

• Election Backdrop:

  • Guyana, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies due to offshore oil, debates how to manage its newfound wealth.
  • Citizens express frustration over perceived misuse, corruption, and unequal distribution.
    • “Most of it is being taken out of the country without people paying the due taxes and revenue that they ought to. We need a change for better.” [25:15]
  • President Irfan Ali is seen as a favorite due to infrastructure improvements and direct cash payments, but opposition parties highlight ongoing inequality.

• Risks:

  • Tensions with Venezuela, which claims territory containing oil fields, loom as a security concern.

7. Anguilla’s Unexpected Profit from .ai Domain Boom

[29:24 - 32:00]

• Windfall from Artificial Intelligence:
  • The surge in .ai domains (a country code for Anguilla) has brought the territory millions—nearly a quarter of its GDP.
  • “For Anguilla, they said that this brought in basically about US$40 million, which is almost a quarter of its entire GDP… They expect that to go up again to about $50 million this year.” — Jacob Evans [30:04]
  • The new government is using this income to offset import taxes and invest in infrastructure, though economists warn about future sustainability.

8. Obituary: Joe Bugner, Heavyweight Boxer

[32:01 - 34:28]

• Career Highlights:

  • Joe Bugner, former British, European, and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, has died at age 75.
  • Notable for controversial win over Henry Cooper and later fights against Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Frank Bruno.
  • “I think personally it was one of the most hurtful, painful results a fighter could have had because they chased me out of my beautiful country England, because I beat a legend.” — Joe Bugner [33:00]

• Legacy:

  • Remembered for his skill, resilience, and as a colorful personality in and out of the ring.

9. Concert Feature: Max Richter’s ‘Sleep’ at Alexandra Palace

[34:29 - 37:30]

• Experience:

  • Composer Max Richter discusses his eight-hour composition “Sleep,” performed overnight with audience members invited to sleep.
  • “It’s a piece without any rules… For us as musicians, when we’re playing, we see ourselves as accompanists to something else happening in the room, which is hundreds of people… coming together and deciding to trust one another to go to sleep. It’s very much about a kind of a community.” — Max Richter [36:02]

• Creative Insight:

  • Inspired by the idea of music experienced in semi-conscious states, and explores the interplay between listener and work.

10. US Open Tennis Cap Incident Goes Viral

[37:32 - 38:45]

• Incident:
  • Video captures Piotr Szecherek, a Polish businessman, snatching a cap from a young boy that tennis player Kamil Majchrzak was handing out.
  • Szecherek issued a public apology after heavy online backlash.
  • Majchrzak reunited with the boy, giving him another cap.

Notable Quotes

• Syed Rahim (Afghanistan, Kunar):
  “I saw some injuries and dead body. A lot of houses are destroyed. I prepared my emergency teams for responding for the treatment, for the helping of the people. They are very afraid...” [01:35]

• David Learmount (Aviation Expert):
  “GPS is a luxury... if you have to go back to analog, you may not have quite the same degree of accuracy, but it’s quite good enough.” [12:43]

• Nick Childs (IISS):
  “China's shipbuilding capacity is currently 200 times that of the US... It is on a scale that is in many ways eye watering.” [20:27]

• Max Richter (Composer):
  “It’s a piece without any rules... I’m really fine with [audience members sleeping]. If people are sleeping, then the piece is working on some level.” [36:38]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Afghanistan Earthquake Crisis: 00:42 – 09:37
• Russian GPS Jamming Incident: 09:42 – 14:22
• Ukrainian Politician Assassination: 14:24 – 15:36
• Israel Genocide Allegations: 15:37 – 18:59
• China’s Naval Growth: 19:00 – 22:36
• Guyana Oil Boom and Election: 24:54 – 28:00
• Anguilla and .ai Domain Revenue: 29:24 – 32:00
• Joe Bugner Obituary: 32:01 – 34:28
• Max Richter’s ‘Sleep’: 34:29 – 37:30
• US Open Cap Snatching Incident: 37:32 – 38:45

Tone

The language is direct, authoritative, and empathetic—balanced between hard reporting and human interest. Emotional eyewitness testimonies underscore humanitarian crises, while expert analysis offers context on technical issues and geopolitical developments.

Summary Takeaway

This episode delivers in-depth, first-hand accounts of the Afghanistan earthquake’s devastating aftermath, illuminated by expert voices both on the ground and globally. It weaves in timely developments on European aviation safety, legal accusations of genocide, China's naval ambitions, and economic windfalls and challenges from Guyana to Anguilla. Human stories—tragedy, controversy, and artistic innovation—ground the global scope, making the news both resonant and relevant.