Russia scales back Moscow Victory Day parade

Summary

Global News Podcast – April 29, 2026

Episode Theme: Russia scales back Moscow Victory Day parade
Host: Ankar Desai, BBC World Service

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Global News Podcast delivers a round-up of the biggest headlines of April 29, 2026. Central to today’s edition are the Kremlin’s decision to dramatically reduce Moscow’s Victory Day parade amid security concerns, a landmark modern slavery ruling in the UK, updates on European climate extremes, major developments in Colombia’s drug conflict, and issues surrounding rising antisemitic attacks in the UK. The episode concludes with stories about London Zoo’s new public animal hospital and plans for Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium. There’s also an exploration of “food noise” with the rise of popular weight-loss drugs.

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Key Segments and Insights

1. Russia's Scaled-Back Victory Day Parade

[01:08 - 05:36]

• Kremlin Statement: For the first time in nearly 20 years, Moscow’s iconic Victory Day parade (9 May) will not feature military equipment. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cited a “terrorist threat” from the “Kyiv regime,” accusing Ukraine of “full scale terrorist activity” ([01:29], [03:29]).
• Analysis by Paul Moss:
  • The parade has always been a highly-visible display of Russian military might, making it a “very obvious target” given the ongoing conflict with Ukraine ([02:53]).
  • Ukraine’s recent successful drone and missile attacks deep inside Russia, including an oil refinery in Tuaps and a pumping station in Perm (1,500km from the border), may have heightened security concerns ([03:46]).
  • There’s speculation about another reason for the parade’s scale-back: depletion of military hardware and ready troops—the bulk are deployed to the front ([03:46]).
  • Signs of domestic pressure: Growing boldness among Russian commentators and bloggers criticizing the war, something previously unthinkable ([05:03]).
• Notable Quote:
  • “If you don’t mind me being crass, it’s sort of putting all your eggs in one basket...it seems Russia’s defence people are taking the threat more seriously.” – Paul Moss ([02:53])
  • “There must be a very good reason to make this scaling back, because this parade has always been an excuse to show off.” – Paul Moss ([03:46])

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2. UK Modern Slavery Ruling: Mohamed Al Fayed Case

[05:36 - 11:03]

• Factual Summary: For the first time, the British government has officially recognized a woman (Rachel O) abused by the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed as a victim of modern slavery. Rachel O claims she and others were trafficked by Al Fayed and his brother across the UK and France.
• Rachel O’s Reaction:
  • “It’s a validation and a vindication of a two year struggle to have it confirmed officially...I was a victim of modern slavery.” ([06:17])
  • She emphasizes that the crime involved a broad network of facilitators—not just the direct perpetrators ([07:05]).
• Reporting by Ellie Price:
  • More than 20 former Harrods employees accused Al Fayed of abuse in a high-profile BBC documentary; hundreds have since come forward.
  • The official ruling means legal credibility for victims and could impact criminal investigations ([08:39]).
  • The Met Police have expanded their inquiry (“Operation Corn Poppy”) to include human trafficking; 154 people have reported allegations ([09:20]).
  • Harrods has settled over 70 claims; calls are mounting for a public inquiry into the trafficking network, drawing parallels to the Jeffrey Epstein case ([10:10]).
• Notable Quote:
  • “The lens of a trafficking investigation is much different from just going after a few of the individuals...There were very, very many people that knew and enabled it.” – Rachel O ([07:05])
  • “Official recognition like this from the government only adds to growing calls by some survivors...for a public inquiry into trafficking networks like that.” – Ellie Price ([10:55])

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3. Europe’s Record-Breaking Climate Crisis

[11:03 - 13:00]

• Scientists at the Copernicus Climate Change Service report 95% of Europe has experienced above-average temperatures; the Arctic Circle reached 30°C for three weeks in 2025—unprecedented.
• Wildfires burned over a million hectares; seas are at record warmth for the fourth consecutive year.
• Wind and solar power have outproduced fossil fuels for the third consecutive year, showing positive energy trends ([11:32]).
• Dr. Samantha Burgess (Deputy Director, Copernicus):
  • “Europe is the fastest warming continent on Earth...so the transformation is happening, but so is the climate emergency.” ([11:32])
  • Says Europe’s warming is caused by proximity to the Arctic, changing atmospheric dynamics, reduced albedo from snow and cloud loss (“We’re losing cloud cover… saving lives, but impacting reflectivity”) ([12:03]).
  • Warns Europe is likely to cross the 1.5°C Paris threshold before 2030—over a decade earlier than anticipated ([12:44]).

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4. Colombia: Guerrilla Leader Arrested after Deadliest Civilian Attack in Decades

[13:00 - 14:40]

• Attack Summary: 21 civilians killed in highway bombing in Cajabillo, Colombia’s worst such attack since 2000.
• Jose Vitonco—alleged leader of the Dagoberto Ramos criminal network, linked to top drug trafficker Ivan Mordisco—was captured ([14:00]).
• President Gustavo Petro has praised the operation; concerns persist over security during upcoming presidential elections ([14:10]).

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5. Antisemitic Knife Attack in London

[14:40 - 16:40]

• Two people injured in a knife attack outside a synagogue in the Jewish neighbourhood of Golders Green, London. Police have labeled it a terrorist incident.
• Recent similar attacks have heightened security and fear in Jewish communities.
• On-Scene Reporting:
  • “This really is the hub of the Jewish community in this part of Golders Green...It’s just another example of how they feel that their Jewish community is being targeted.” – Ragini Vaidyanathan ([15:02])
  • Ongoing tension after recent arson attacks on ambulances and synagogues in northwest London ([15:02]).

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6. Iran’s Widening Repression Amidst US-Israel War

[17:13 - 18:03]

• UN says Iran has executed at least 21 individuals and arrested over 4,000 since the Iran-US/Israel war began. Many detainees face forced disappearances, torture, and televised confessions.

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7. Indonesia: Military Intelligence on Trial for Acid Attack

[18:03 - 19:18]

• Four Indonesian military intelligence officers are on trial in a military court for an acid attack against activist Andre Yunus, critic of military involvement in government.
• Human rights groups worry that a military tribunal may lead to leniency.

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8. London Zoo’s New Open-Door Animal Hospital

[19:18 - 22:55]

• The Zoological Society of London, on its 200th anniversary, has announced a new wildlife health center with a public viewing gallery for animal procedures.
• Catherine England (ZSL Chief Executive):
  • “We’re really hoping it will inspire the next generation… perhaps just inspire people of today to actually care that little bit more for wildlife.” ([20:16])
• Justin Rolatt (BBC Climate Editor):
  • Entertaining examples of what visitors might see: “porpoise post mortems and aardvark ultrasounds” ([20:38]).
  • A mystery donation of £20m funds the new health center ([22:20]).
  • Acknowledges criticism of keeping animals in zoos, but ZSL emphasizes education and conservation ([22:55]).

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9. Europe’s First Women’s-Only Football Stadium

[22:55 - 24:49]

• Brighton & Hove Albion to build Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium, targeted for the 2030/31 season, at a cost of $100 million.
• Fran Kirby (Brighton Player, England International):
  • “It’s incredible and I’m really, really proud to be a part of it.” ([23:30])
• Zoe Johnson (Managing Director of Women’s & Girls’ Football, Brighton):
  • Emphasizes the need for a stadium designed “for them,” with facilities, atmosphere, and fan experiences tailored to women and families ([23:56]).
  • “We want to be able to fill the stadium and make them really feel the atmosphere… when they walk in there, it has a real sense of home and purpose for them.” ([24:49])

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10. Food Noise: Explaining the Phenomenon Behind Weight Loss Drugs

[24:49 - 30:10]

• The term "food noise" has gained popularity as GLP1 weight loss injections (Wegovy, Mounjaro) reduce constant, obsessive thoughts about food.
• Fran Fox (Writer and GLP1 Drug User):
  • “Food noise is incessant, constant, obsessive thoughts about food and about eating. It is life changing to be able to switch it off.” ([25:37])
  • Would take the drugs even without weight loss, just for the relief from food noise ([27:15]).
• Professor Giles Yeo (Obesity Expert, Cambridge):
  • Food noise is now better recognized because these drugs remove it, highlighting what many live with ([26:24]).
  • Over 1,000 genes can influence feeding behavior and possibly food noise, making non-chemical intervention challenging ([28:36]).
  • “A thousand genes is complicated...But I guess the first step to solving a problem is enunciating the problem.” ([29:39])

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Russia's Parade:
  • “It’s sort of putting all your eggs in one basket.” – Paul Moss ([02:53])
• On Modern Slavery:
  • “It’s a validation and a vindication of a two year struggle...a significant development.” – Rachel O ([06:17])
• On Europe’s Warming:
  • “At the current rate of warming, we are incredibly likely to reach the 1.5 degree Paris threshold before the end of this decade.” – Dr. Samantha Burgess ([12:44])
• On Women’s Football:
  • “To see the pictures, to see how beautiful the stadium would be, it’s incredible and I’m really, really proud to be a part of it.” – Fran Kirby ([23:30])
• On Food Noise:
  • “It is life changing to be able to switch it off.” – Fran Fox ([25:37])
  • “A thousand genes is complicated…But the first step to solving a problem is enunciating the problem.” – Prof. Giles Yeo ([29:39])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:08] Russia to scale back Moscow Victory Day Parade
• [02:53] Analysis on Russian security & military hardware speculation
• [05:36] UK modern slavery ruling re: Mohamed Al Fayed case
• [11:03] Europe’s climate crisis: Extreme heat, wildfires data
• [13:00] Colombian guerrilla leader arrested
• [14:40] Antisemitic attack in London
• [17:13] UN: Iran’s deadly crackdown
• [18:41] Indonesia: Army on trial for activist acid attack
• [19:18] London Zoo unveils public animal hospital plan
• [22:55] Brighton announces women’s-only football stadium
• [24:49] “Food noise” and weight loss drugs explained

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Tone and Delivery

The episode maintains the BBC’s classic clear, concise, and serious tone, peppered with direct quotes from both major news subjects and BBC correspondents. Analysis is balanced, with editorial care to provide both official sources and independent journalistic context.

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This summary provides a comprehensive overview, capturing all major topics, speaker insights, and memorable moments—perfect for listeners seeking a detailed catch-up on the episode’s content.

Transcript

[Ankar Desai]

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[Ankar Desai]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. Hi, I'm Ankar Desai and on the Afternoon of Wednesday 29th April, these are our main stories. Russia has announced that its annual military parade in Moscow, which commemorates its victory at World War II, will be scaled back this year.

[Dmitry Peskov]

The Kyiv regime is now engaged in full scale terrorist activity and therefore all measures are being taken to minimize the danger.

[Ankar Desai]

The British government rules that a woman abused by the late Harrod's owner Mohamed Al Fayed, was a victim of modern slavery. We'll be hearing from her.

[Fran Kirby]

Also in this podcast, Inspire the next generation, perhaps just inspire the people of today to actually care that little bit more for wildlife. They're so critical to us and we know population are declining.

[Ankar Desai]

London Zoo will for the first time allow visitors to watch live procedures inside a planned state of the art animal hospital. And do women's footballers need their own stadium? One English club have released their plans for Europe's first purpose built women's football stadium. We saw this edition in Moscow, which is gearing up for Russia's annual Victory day parade on 9 May. It's usually an occasion to show off the country's military might with hundreds of tanks and thousands of soldiers parading in step through Red Square. But for the first time in nearly two decades, the Kremlin has announced there will be no military equipment on display this year. I asked our global affairs reporter Paul Moss why they're doing this.

[Paul Moss]

Well I can give you the official reason, which is that there is a threat of a terrorist attack. Now, in some ways, this parade has always presented an obvious target. I mean, you have military kit going down the streets, as you said, tanks, also missiles, some of the country's top troops, not to mention lots of dignitaries, all in one place. And if you don't mind me being crass, it's sort of presenting all your putting all your eggs in one basket. Now, it seems the Russia's defence people are taking the threat of an attack more seriously. This was the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying, speaking on Wednesday.

[Dmitry Peskov]

It's all about the operational situation. The Kyiv regime, which is losing ground on the battlefield every day, is now engaged in full scale terrorist activity. And therefore, against the background of this terrorist threat, of course, all measures are being taken to minimize the danger.

[Paul Moss]

It's an interesting claim there, isn't it, that Ukraine is losing ground on the battlefield, therefore Russia needs to take more precautions protecting this parade. I mean, I'm not quite sure of the logic there, but the context, of course, is Ukraine having a lot more success recently with its drone attacks. I mean, as we speak, there's a fire still burning at an oil refinery in the Russian Black Sea port of Tuaps. So that was hit on Tuesday overnight. Ukraine said it hit a pumping station in the city of Perb. Now, if that's true, it's a major development because Perm is 1500 kilometers inside Russia. And Ukraine's President Zelensky has said that they're going to continue to increase the range. All of this said there could be another reason why this parade is being scaled back. Nothing to do with threat of attack. And that simply as some have speculated, because they don't have spare military kit to parade through the streets or spare numbers of troops because they're all out at the front. But either way, there must be a very good reason to make this scaling back, because as you suggested, this parade has always been an excuse to show off, to show off Russia's military strength, to have dignitaries along from all over the world. Last year they had China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's losing Da Silva. President Putin will not be happy that it's a more modest affair this year.

[Ankar Desai]

So how's this speculation then, Paul, about kit shortage come out of the blue somewhat?

[Paul Moss]

Well, not really. There has been general speculation the last few weeks that Russia and particularly Vladimir Putin are feeling under pressure. One sign of this is there's been a lot more boldness of people criticizing what's going on within Russia. We've seen articles and bloggers suggesting things aren't going well. Bear in mind that at some points that's been a one way ticket to a Russian labor camp for anyone saying anything negative. If people are now feeling they can speak out, say things aren't going well, suggest that there are shortages, I think we can be sure that's a sign that they're not happy on the domestic front.

[Ankar Desai]

Our global affairs reporter Paul Moss reporting. The BBC understands that the British government has for the first time acknowledged that a woman abused by Mohamed Al Fayed, the late owner of the luxury London department store Harrods, was a victim of modern slavery. Rachel O says she was trafficked by the Egyptian businessman and his brother Salah. In the UK and in multiple areas of France over a three year period, hundreds of women have accused Mohamed Al Fayed of rape and sexual assault. He died three years ago aged 94, having never faced charges. Rachel O, who has waived her right to anonymity, has been speaking to Sarah Montagu and about the implications of the British government's decision.

[Rachel O]

It's a validation and a vindication of a two year struggle to have it confirmed officially on the record that I was a victim of modern slavery. And this is a significant development in the survival struggle to have our cases recognized as modern slavery and within that context, victims of human trafficking.

[Ankar Desai]

The fact that you are now recognized

[Fran Fox]

by the state as a victim of

[Ellie Price]

modern slavery and of human trafficking, what difference does it make to your hope of a wider justice? Because Mohamed Al Fayed and his brother

[Fran Fox]

Saleh are both dead.

[Rachel O]

The lens of a trafficking investigation is much different from just going after a few of the individuals. There are layers to this. There were locations that women were moved to. We were flown on airplanes from airport to airport. There were doctors, there were accountants. There were security forces. There were very, very many people that knew and enabled it. And unless this is investigated as trafficking, the true extent and accountability will never be known.

[Ankar Desai]

Rachel Lowe, Our correspondent Ellie Price has been following the story. She gave this update to Owen Bennett Jones.

[Ellie Price]

There had been rumors over the years, but I think the big Moment was that BBC documentary about two years ago which heard from more than 20 female former Harrods employees who said Mohammed Al Fayed had sexually assaulted them or raped them. That became the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of women have now come forward. Muhammad Al Fayed, who owned the iconic luxury department store in London between 1985 and 2010, of course, died in 2023 aged 94. And he never faced any charges or justice. And that's why I think it's so important for many of the survivors I've spoken to to get the next best thing, if you like, when it comes to justice. If not him, then looking into those who may have aided and abetted him.

[Owen Bennett Jones]

Right, so what actually is the significance of the British government's decision?

[Ellie Price]

Well, as you heard from Rachel there, I think, first of all, it's psychological. She said it was validation and vindication. And I've spoken to three other women going through this process, and I think that official recognition is really important to them. They want to look into what they believe was this network of facilitators. And the point they tell me about trafficking is it's more than just about the perpetrators and the victim. It's about the potential network that allowed it and identifying who was in that network. Of course, there are practical implications, too. Legal experts have told me that a decision like this lends credibility to a witness in a criminal court and may have an impact on the way that the police investigate such a case.

[Owen Bennett Jones]

What have the Metropolitan Police, the main police force in the uk, what have they said?

[Ellie Price]

Well, the Metropolitan Police, London's police force, as you said, said it had broadened its fired abuse investigation to include human trafficking. It's understood it's to have strengthened that team of officers by adding extra officers with a background in modern slavery. Met police told me that there is no automatic requirement for them to refer a suspected victim of trafficking to the Home Office. That's the Interior Ministry here in the uk. If the offenses took place before a new law of modern slavery was brought in in 2015. But the force says it will contact victims who it feels it can now refer to the Home Office. The investigation, known as Operation Corn Poppy, was launched in the autumn of 2024. The Met says it's now had 154 people who's reported into that investigation.

[Owen Bennett Jones]

Right. And just sort of bringing all this together. Where are we in this fight for justice for the survivors?

[Ellie Price]

Well, it's a good question, isn't it? In March, the Metropolitan Police announced that three women and a man had been interviewed under caution over offenses including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating rape. Separately, there are ongoing civil cases going on here in the UK. Harrods says it's settled more than 70 claims so far. Harris, by the way, said it welcomed all steps forward in the police investigation. And like I say, I think we'll hear more from the different civil claims. Of course, there's this broader question mark about trafficking networks. We've heard plenty about Jeffrey Epstein and his victims. I think there is now a lot of obvious parallels between rich, well connected men and the potential networks that may have enabled their behavior. And I think a official recognition like this from the government only adds to growing calls by some survivors and even MPs here in the UK for a public inquiry into trafficking networks like that.

[Ankar Desai]

Elly Price reporting. A new report suggests extreme heat, wildfires and record sea temperatures have affected much of the continent of Europe. Scientists at the Copernicus Climate Change Service, which looks at the environment for the benefit of European citizens, says at least 95% of the continent has been experiencing above average temperatures. Dr. Samantha Burgess, the deputy director at the Copernicus Climate Change Service, spoke to Justin Webb about the find.

[Dr. Samantha Burgess]

Europe is the fastest warming continent on Earth and Last year in 2025, the Arctic Circle hit 30 degrees and had a heat wave for over three weeks. This has never happened before. Wildfires across Europe burnt over a million hectares. Our seas are the warmest on record for the fourth year running. But at the same time, wind and solar out produce fossil fuels in Europe for the third year in a row. So the transformation is happening, but so is the climate emergency.

[Dmitry Peskov]

Why is it happening faster in Europe than elsewhere, do you think so?

[Dr. Samantha Burgess]

There's four reasons really. One is our proximity to the Arctic. The second one is our changing weather conditions, so changing atmospheric dynamics. The third one is changing albedo. So how reflective Europe is both in terms of snow loss and cloud loss. And we're losing cloud cover, particularly low level cloud cover, because we've invested a lot of effort in improving our air quality, which is having a direct benefit of saving lives.

[Dmitry Peskov]

What is the longer term balance? And if you're looking ahead, I don't know, five years, 10 years. Can you predict things from the findings that you're talking about this morning?

[Ragini Vaidyanathan]

Yes.

[Dr. Samantha Burgess]

So the trajectory is clear. At the current rate of warming, we are incredibly likely to reach the 1.5 degree Paris threshold before the end of this decade. And that's more than 10 years earlier than was anticipated when the agreement was signed 11 years ago.

[Ankar Desai]

Dr. Samantha Burgess, police in Colombia say they've arrested a guerrilla leader accused of orchestrating the country's deadliest bomb attack on civilians in decades. 21 people were killed in the assault on Saturday. Images posted by the Colombian authorities show Jose Vitonku wearing a bulletproof vest being escorted by heavily armed police. Warren Bull reports.

[Owen Bennett Jones]

Hundreds of mourners accompanied vehicles carrying the coffins of victims of Saturday's bomb attack. Southwest of Colombia. Before they were buried. 21 people died and dozens were injured in the assault on a highway in Cajabillo in the largest loss of civilian life in a single incident in the country since 2000. Three soldiers joined police in the operation to capture its alleged perpetrator, Jose Vitonco, which was announced by the head of the national police, General William Rincon de

[Ankar Desai]

Intelligencia,

[Paul Moss]

in a police intelligence operation. We've captured Jose Vitonco. He's the head of the criminal network, Dagoberto Ramos. The capture of this terrorist was carried out between the town of Palmyra and Palo Alto.

[Owen Bennett Jones]

Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, who came to power vowing to tackle drug gangs with force, has praised the security operation. He said Jose Vitonco was the leader of a cocaine smuggling group with links to Colombia's most wanted criminal, Ivan Mordisco, who rejected the landmark 2016 peace deal signed by the FARC. Ten years on, there's a renewed sense of uncertainty among Colombians as they prepare to elect a new president in May, and insecurity has once again become the country's biggest concern.

[Ankar Desai]

Warren Bull reporting in London. Two people have been injured after a man armed with a knife ran through a Jewish neighborhood, Golders Green, attempting to stab people outside a synagogue. A man has been arrested. The police have called it a terrorist incident. It's the latest in a series of violent attacks on Jewish communities in Britain. Ragini Vadinathan is at the scene.

[Ragini Vaidyanathan]

I'm just looking out at the police cordon here on Golda's Green Road. And Owen, it's usually a very busy, bustling street. I'm looking out at the kosher supermarket, a butcher's, a fruit shop, a baker's. This really is the hub of the Jewish community in this part of Golders Green in northwest London. And in the distance, I can see police officers at the junction of the road where we understand these stabbings took place. Now, police say that they happened just after 11:15 in the morning here. A man with a knife was seen running down the high street attempting to stab Jewish people. Witnesses say that one of the men who is being treated was stabbed outside a shop near the bus stop. Where we understand the stabbings took place is where just a few weeks ago, there was an arson attack on a number of ambulances, you might remember, run by the Jewish medical charity Hatzola. So for people here, this is just another example of how they feel that their Jewish community is being targeted. And there have been in recent weeks as well, other incidents in North West London of arson attacks near a synagogue or at a synagogue. So I think the sense here is there's already heightened security for many people. If they want to get into their worship, they have to go through layers of security. And I think the question again is how much more can people do to try and protect themselves. So I think this definitely is community that's in shock.

[Ankar Desai]

Rajini Vaidyanathan reporting. Still to come in this podcast is

[Fran Fox]

this familiar, incessant, constant, obsessive thoughts about food and about eating. It is the inability to switch that off. It is constantly dominating your thoughts and how you approach everyday life.

[Ankar Desai]

Food, noise. Can we switch it off without using weight loss jabs?

[Justin Rolatt]

Foreign.

[Ankar Desai]

This is the Global News podcast. The United nations says that since the start of the U S. Israel war in Iran, the Iranian regime has executed at least 21 people and arrested more than 4,000. Gabrielle Sungelate has this report. Since the start of the war, the Iranian regime has used the conflict to intensify internal repression, especially against activists and journalists. Many of the detainees had been arrested under Iran's vaguely written national security law. The UN's statement said most prisoners were victims of forced disappearances and torture, as well as televised confessions and mock executions. The UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the rights of Iranian people were being stripped away in harsh and brutal ways.

[Ellie Price]

Rights groups say Iran executes more people

[Ankar Desai]

each year than any country in the world except China. Gabriel Tsungailate and we have more on our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find Global News Podcast in the podcast section. There's a new story available every weekday. Four Indonesian soldiers have been charged with serious premeditated assault for their alleged role in an attack last month on an activist. Andre Yunus, a vocal critic of moves to increase the power of the military in Indonesia's government, suffered serious burns when acid was thrown at him from a scooter. Lisa Tambunan is in Jakarta.

[Fran Kirby]

The four soldiers, dressed in official uniform stood in court as military prosecutors read out the charges against them. They say the accused, all army intelligence officers, were angered when Mr. Yunus stormed a meeting to protest against the decision to allow more military officers to be appointed to government posts. The acid attack on Mr. Yunus last month drew widespread condemnation in Indonesia and abroad. President Prabo Subianto labeled the attack terrorism. But human rights watchdogs continue to criticize the fact that this case is being handled by a military court, saying that it may result in lenient sentencing for the officers.

[Ankar Desai]

Liza Tamboon, reporting from Jakarta, the conservation charity which runs London Zoo, is planning a new wildlife health center with a public viewing gallery so people will be able to see everything from animal health checks to post mortem examinations. The Zoological Society of London, which set up the zoo, is celebrating its 200th anniversary today. Here's an archived clip of a baby elephant arriving at the Zoo's Hospital in 1949.

[Paul Moss]

A mere six months old, this displaced person from the Indian jungle makes the crossing on condensed milk and corn plates. Bound for the London Zoo, Dumbo is first examined for traces of air sickness, but according to her pilot, she was the ideal passenger.

[Ankar Desai]

The zoo says the new health centre will also support research into animal health and serve as a training hub for wildlife vets from around the world. Catherine England, who's the chief executive of the Zoological Society of London, told us the centre would help to demonstrate the value of its conservation work.

[Fran Kirby]

What we're trying to do is bring what is actually quite a hidden discipline to the forefront of people's minds, but at the same time, we're really hoping that it will be able to inspire the next generation and perhaps just inspire the people of today to actually care that little bit more for wildlife. They're so critical to us and we know populations are declining.

[Ankar Desai]

Our climate editor, Justin Rolatt, told us more about the veterinary hospital.

[Justin Rolatt]

I said to the head of the press at the Zoological Society of London Celebrating its 200th birthday today, I said, what sort of things might people be able to see? She said, oh, I don't know, porpoise, post mortems and aardvark ultrasounds. I thought that that's one of those sentences you never expect to hear. So, I mean, the idea is they get a viewing gallery and you see the kind of routine health checks the animals go through. So that could be, I don't know, a giraffe getting its teeth checked or a penguin being weighed, that kind of thing. And then if there is, and they say it's actually quite rare that they need to do surgery, if there is some surgery that's needed, they told me, I said, what sort of surgery have you done recently? They said, oh, we did a gallbladder operation on a, a, a mountain banana frog.

[Ankar Desai]

Was that.

[Justin Rolatt]

No, you know, I mean, it's just sort of utterly bizarre stuff. And they said also, you know, if a, I don't know, a dolphin or a porpoise is washed up in the Thames, we might do an autopsy on that and the public would be able to see that as well. So that is one aspect of the work is drawing the public in. And they say that obviously that's a really intriguing spectacle, isn't it? But also the idea is they say just connect people to the work the vets do and understand better the kind of conservation work they do. But there's a big, much wider purpose, as you heard from Catherine England, the CEO there, about studying research, understanding how animals need to be conserved in the wild, and also about bringing in conservation experts and vets from around the world to train them in the kind of state of the art wildlife medicine. So they see it as the kind of new heart of the zoo and trying to kind of give it a sense of purpose into the future, you know, projecting that message of conservation out into the world.

[Ankar Desai]

And there's been a huge donation as

[Justin Rolatt]

well today, a mystery donation. Everybody seems captivated by the idea that it's a mysterious benefactor has given them 20 million pounds on their 200th birthday. And the idea is that is going to be the basis for this new wildlife health centre. So they're absolutely delighted to get this donation. But look, there are critics, we should say, there are critics who say, look, you know, keeping animals, I mean, I've just been at the penguin beach, the penguin pool. 71 penguins say they shouldn't be, you know, keeping animals in those kind of conditions. The zoo says, look, we're also about connecting people with the wonder, the miracle of nature and they serve an important function is what they say.

[Ankar Desai]

Justin Rolatt do women footballers need their own stadiums? One club in southern England certainly thinks so. Brighton and Hove Albion have released their plans for Europe's first purpose built women's football stadium. The club say the ground will provide a permanent home and identity for the women's team in an attempt to drive long term fan growth. It will cost around $100 million and will open in time for the 203031 season. Former England international and current Brighton player Fran Kirby believes this is a positive and much needed step for the women's game.

[Fran Kirby]

It's another statement in the right direction. It's something that, you know, not many clubs are doing, probably not many clubs are thinking about doing either. And I think it just shows the ambition of the club. We've always known that Brighton want to be ambitious in women's football. It's something that they've spoken about so vocally. But to actually see something down on paper, to see the pictures, to see how beautiful for the stadium would be, it's incredible and I'm really, really proud to be a part of it.

[Ankar Desai]

Zoe Johnson is managing director of women's and girls football at Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club.

[Fran Kirby]

We think it's really important to give the players actual home that's their own, that's built bespoke for them. And it's got the changing facilities which are right for female athletes, but it's also a smaller and tighter stadium. We know the game is in the trajectory that the game is on and it's growing, but we want to be able to fill the stadium and make them really feel the atmosphere to be able to perform. We know the demographic is different to the men's game and we know the female audience is slightly different in terms of what they would like on the concourses when they come. We've done a lot of research into looking at what they would. What they would normally cook. There's not a lot of pints being sold, there's not a lot of pies being sold. So we've got to make sure we cater that to a female fan as well, which isn't easy to do when you're in. In the men's stadium, because everything is catered towards the male demographic. That's why we've come to this decision that we think it's right for the female players to have a stadium that feels like theirs and it doesn't feel like they're just a tenant or they're just being able to borrow the stadium for the day, that actually, when they walk in there, it has a real sense of home and purpose for them.

[Ankar Desai]

Zoe Johnson from Brighton and Hove Albion. Now, do you ever find yourself wondering what is in the fridge when you should be working or thinking about whether you should open that packet of biscuits or resist the temptation? This internal chatter is called food noise. Use of the term has increased significantly when weight loss injections like Wegovy and Mounjaro became widely available back in 2022. Researchers are trying to figure out what exactly is food noise, where does it come from and can we turn it off by other means and find out what causes obesity in the first place? Justin Webb has been speaking to Professor Giles Yeoh, an obesity expert from the University of Cambridge, and Fran Fox, who writes on Substack about her experience of using weight loss drugs.

[Fran Fox]

I would say it's totally different to hunger. Food noise is incessant, constant, obsessive thoughts about food and about eating. It is the inability to switch that off. It is constantly dominating your thoughts and how you approach everyday life. So it's really significant to then be able to turn the volume of that down or turn it off entirely because it changes your life to be able to do that, to go from thinking about something all of the time to then barely giving it a second thought. It is life changing.

[Dmitry Peskov]

And in a sense, professor yeo, then the GLP1s, whether or not people are taking them, they've done us all a favor because we can at least identify and talk about. About this thing, which is a real thing.

[Professor Giles Yeoh]

It is a real thing. But what's interesting is I've never heard of the term food noise till these GLP1 medications have come along. But I think that we certainly within the field of obesity, have been studying sort of a version of it. We've been studying appetitive drive. So the drive, the drive to eat, for a myriad of different reasons, I think what the GLP1s have done is shone a light on this effect. And for some people, such as Franz, you can see it because suddenly it's no longer there. So I think that food noise is a new thing, but yet an old thing.

[Dmitry Peskov]

Does it damage, Fran, your enjoyment of food and indeed of life? Because that's one of the suggestions, isn't it, that this thing, food noise, is part of a noise in people's lives that actually leads them to enjoy life and when you suppress it, you suppress more than just your eating?

[Fran Fox]

Yes, I think that on the balance of whether to have food noise or not, a lot of people who have it would probably rather not have food noise. I think I certainly prefer my life now where I don't have food and eating dominating my thoughts. So it does suppress that, and that's what it's supposed to do. Does it suppress other parts of your life? Well, it's hard to know because I'm not measuring those things in a kind of before and after way as I am with the food noise. But what I would say is that even if I didn't lose weight using Manjaro or Wegovy, which I've also used, even if it just turned off the food noise, I would still do it because the significant difference is so great and is so worthwhile. And that's why I think it's brilliant that they're going to start researching this more and looking into it more, because if other people are out there thinking, oh, that sounds a bit like me, but actually I don't want to lose weight, then to be able to switch that off and have medications that deal with just that would be a brilliant thing for people.

[Dmitry Peskov]

How much hope do you have, professor yo, that they will Be able to identify something and identify causes of noise that are then in a sense treatable, but potentially treatable without drugs, without chemical intervention.

[Professor Giles Yeoh]

Ooh, without chemical intervention. That's a difficult question. I think we within the field, rather than me personally, have been trying to identify genes that influence our feeding behavior. And I think that probably is that food noise. And there are over a thousand genes we now know that influence feeding behavior and hence probably this food noise. The trick now is trying to sort of put which genes influence what type of food noise, because not all food noise is the same. So Fran is talking about not eating more because she's hungry, but because she's obsessing about food. Other people will be eating more because they're more hungry, and that could be their food noise. The question is whether or not we can ascribe specific pathways and genes and mechanisms to specific types of food noise. Because I think if we can do that, then we can begin to say, oh, okay, so for France type of food noise, this is the approach we might take if you chose not to take a GLP1 based drug, for example.

[Dmitry Peskov]

It sounds as if that's quite a long way off actually getting to that position.

[Professor Giles Yeoh]

It is, it is a little while away because, look, a thousand genes is complicated. Some of them, we don't know the biology to how do we target them. But I guess the first step to solving a problem is enunciating the problem. And I think the presence of these GLP1 drugs mean that people can say, oh, wait a minute, this is my food noise. Because now it's no longer there. Whereas previously, how do we know if you never had it not there, how would you actually describe and enunciate what it was to begin with?

[Ankar Desai]

Professor Giles Yeoh from the University of Cambridge and Fran Fox speaking to Justin Webb. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at globalpodcastbc.co.uk. you can also find us on XBCWorldService. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Abby Wier and the producer was Vanessa Heaney. The editor is Karen Martin and I'm on criticide. Until next time. Goodbye.

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