Russia's chemical weapons chief killed in Moscow bomb blast

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: Russia's Chemical Weapons Chief Killed in Moscow Bomb Blast
Release Date: December 17, 2024
Host: Chris Barrow, BBC World Service

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1. Assassination of Russian General Igor Kirillov in Moscow

Main Story:
In a shocking development, Igor Kirillov, a senior Russian general overseeing the nation's chemical weapons program, was killed in a bomb explosion in Moscow. The attack, executed via a remote-controlled device hidden in a scooter, also claimed the life of Kirillov's assistant. Kyiv has alleged responsibility for the assassination, though Ukrainian security forces assert that Ukraine was not involved.

Eyewitness Account:
Local resident Yulia recounted the terrifying moment:
"The explosion was so powerful, I was terribly afraid to look out the window. People started coming out of this house to see what happened. Thankfully, my building wasn't damaged, but it's very scary."
[00:00 - 01:05]

BBC Russia Editor Insights:
Steve Rosenberg provided on-the-ground insights from Moscow:
"When you have a top Russian general being assassinated in a residential district of Moscow... It brings it home, certainly to people living around there that actually the war in Ukraine is not happening a long way away. It's actually very real and very close to home."
[01:34 - 04:35]

Political Repercussions:
Rosenberg further analyzed the impact on Russia's military efforts:
"This is a blow, certainly... something that has dragged on for three years, there have been so many blows. This is the latest in a long line of incidents that Moscow did not prepare for."
[03:38 - 04:35]

Response and Speculation:
There is widespread speculation about Ukraine's involvement, though Russian authorities have hinted at potential Western orchestration. A retaliatory response from Moscow is anticipated, heightening tensions in the region.

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2. Devastating Earthquake in Vanuatu

Event Overview:
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, causing extensive damage to buildings and disrupting communications. The quake, followed by multiple aftershocks, has left the small Pacific nation grappling with immediate relief efforts.

Journalist Testimony:
Dan McGarry described the devastation:
"It was the most violent earthquake I've experienced in my 21 years living in... Never one like this."
[04:54 - 05:21]

On-the-Ground Reporting:
Correspondent Yulia detailed the aftermath:
"Authorities were looking to see whether there were any people trapped. The US Embassy building showed broken windows, as did the UK High Commission and others."
[05:25 - 07:41]

Historical Context and Support:
Yulia elaborated on Vanuatu's vulnerability:
"It's part of a world that's very used to natural disasters, but it's also very vulnerable in terms of getting support."
[06:36 - 07:41]
Australia has pledged immediate assistance to aid recovery and relief operations.

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3. Adele Accused of Plagiarism by Brazilian Composer

Allegations:
Pop superstar Adele faces serious accusations from Brazilian composer Tonin Gerais, who claims her 2015 hit "I Only Want" plagiarizes his earlier samba song "Mulleres."

Detailed Examination:
Dan McGarry provided background on the dispute:
"People have been sending these melodies... Tonin Gerais wrote that song for... Marcino Davila. Adele's song sounds similar, but melodies can sometimes coincidentally align."
[17:17 - 19:43]

Legal Proceedings:
A Brazilian judge has mandated the removal of Adele's track from global platforms, citing copyright infringement under the Berne Convention. This ruling imposes potential fines on Adele's record label worldwide.

Potential Outcomes:
Experts suggest there is room for appeal:
"Adele or her record label can appeal in Brazilian courts. It's going to be decided by the experts or maybe in an agreement."
[19:37 - 20:06]

Implications for the Music Industry:
This case underscores the importance of copyright protection in the global music landscape, highlighting the challenges artists face in protecting their creative works across international borders.

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4. Christian Worship and Political Shifts in Syria

Current Situation:
Ahmed Al Sharar, the de facto leader of Syria post-Assad, is advocating for the lifting of sanctions to facilitate the return of displaced Syrians. Concurrently, some HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) fighters and families are reintegrating into Homs, signaling a shift in control.

Personal Narratives:
Lise Doucet visited the revitalized Church of the Virgin Lady of the Girdle in Homs:
"I feel happy... I hope that even better days are coming."
[08:18 - 09:23]

Challenges Faced:
Residents express concerns over protection and integration:
"I hope that we Christians will be protected. We deserve to be here like all the other religions."
[09:25 - 09:53]

Historical Context:
Doucet reminisced about the church's past devastation:
"The pews shattered, smashed, and scattered across the floor. And now the rebels are back in control of Syria."
[09:08 - 10:10]

Future Prospects:
The narrative paints a picture of cautious optimism amidst lingering fears, emphasizing the need for continued support and assurance for minority communities in the region.

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5. Tragic School Shooting in Madison, Wisconsin

Incident Details:
A 15-year-old female student, Natalie Rupnow (also known as Samantha), opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, resulting in two fatalities and six injuries before taking her own life.

Police Account:
Sean Barnes, Madison Police Chief, provided a somber update:
"Evidence suggests she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. We are still working to determine a motive."
[15:26 - 15:58]

CBS Reporting:
Naomi Ruckham detailed the sequence of events:
"Police arrived minutes after a second grader called to report an active shooter... A substitute teacher was killed."
[16:02 - 17:04]
She highlighted the swift response and the ongoing investigation involving family cooperation.

Community Impact:
The tragedy underscores the persistent issue of school shootings in the United States, raising questions about youth mental health and gun control policies.

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6. International Misdelivery: A Letter's Long Journey

Unusual Incident:
A letter intended for Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, was erroneously delivered to Penarth, South Wales, nearly 17,000 kilometers away.

Recipient's Experience:
Keith Georgie shared his confusion:
"A nice pink envelope... How can anybody from Exeter and sorting office then it's gone to another sorting office?"
[26:01 - 26:43]

Logistical Challenges:
The misdelivery involved multiple sorting stages, ultimately leading to the letter's correct recognition and forwarding to the intended recipient, albeit belatedly approaching Christmas.

Postal Insights:
While Royal Mail acknowledges that such errors are rare, this incident highlights the complexities and occasional fallibility of global postal systems.

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7. Tribute to Spanish Actress Marisa Paredes

Announcement:
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez mourned the loss of renowned actress Marisa Paredes, praising her contributions to cinema.

Career Highlights:
Warren Bull elaborated on Paredes' illustrious career:
"She appeared in major theatre and television roles and more than 70 movies, including 'All About My Mother' and 'Life Is Beautiful'."
[23:35 - 25:30]
She was celebrated for her versatility and received numerous accolades, including an honorary Goya Award in 2018.

Legacy:
Marisa Paredes is remembered as a pillar of Spanish cinema, whose roles in international films have left an indelible mark on the industry.

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8. Unintended Global Reach: A Postal Error

Case Study:
A holiday season mix-up resulted in a letter intended for Australia being delivered to Wales, sparking a humorous yet frustrating response from the recipient, Keith Georgie.

Detailed Account:
Keith recounted the confusion caused by the misaddressed envelope:
"I mean, how can anybody... think about how many hands that went through... I shouldn't need to, should I?"
[26:01 - 26:43]
He ultimately forwarded the letter to its rightful destination, hoping it arrives before Christmas.

Operational Insights:
This incident underscores the challenges faced by postal services during peak seasons, balancing volume with accuracy.

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9. Ending Note: Advertisement and Concluding Remarks

The episode concluded with a brief mention of an upcoming series titled "World of Secrets," exploring the darker aspects of the wellness industry. This segment, while intriguing, serves as a promotional teaser rather than a news report.

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Key Takeaways:

• Geopolitical Tensions: The assassination of a high-ranking Russian general underscores the volatile nature of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its spillover into domestic Russian affairs.

• Natural Disasters: Vanuatu's recent earthquake highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Pacific island nations to seismic activities and the crucial need for international aid.

• Cultural Controversies: The Adele plagiarism case illustrates the complexities of global copyright laws and their enforcement across different jurisdictions.

• Human Stories in Conflict Zones: Reports from Syria shed light on the fragile state of peace and the aspirations of minority communities amidst political transitions.

• Domestic Tragedies: The school shooting in Wisconsin remains a poignant reminder of the urgent issues surrounding gun control and mental health in the United States.

• Administrative Errors: The misdelivered letter case humorously points to the occasional inefficiencies within global postal systems, especially during high-demand periods.

• Cinematic Loss: The passing of Marisa Paredes marks the end of an era for Spanish cinema, celebrating her vast contributions to international film.

This episode of the Global News Podcast encapsulates a wide array of global issues, blending high-stakes geopolitical events with personal human stories, legal disputes in the arts, and even light-hearted tales of postal mishaps. Each segment provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of diverse challenges and triumphs shaping our world today.

Transcript

[Chris Barrow]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk. This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Chris Barrow and at 14 GMT on Tuesday 17th December, these are our main stories. A Russian general sanctioned for using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine has been killed in a bomb blast. Kyiv said they carried it out. We have the latest. A powerful earthquake flattens buildings and cuts communications on the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. And the pop star Adele has been accused of copying a Brazilian composer. Also in the podcast, Christian worship continues in Syria. But how are people feeling after a tumultuous week in the Middle East? We start in Moscow, in an ordinary neighborhood just a few kilometres southeast of the Kremlin, where in the early hours of this morning, a remote controlled bomb hidden in a scooter went off outside the entrance to an apartment block. This local resident, Yulia, was nearby.

[Yulia]

The explosion was so powerful, I was terribly afraid to look out the window. People started coming out of this house to see what happened. Thankfully, my building wasn't damaged, but it's very scary.

[Chris Barrow]

The blast killed a senior Russian general, Igor Kirillov, who was in charge of Russia's chemical weapons, as well as his assistant. The attack comes a day after Ukrainian prosecutors accused the general of using banned chemical weapons. The BBC's Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, is in Moscow and gave me the latest.

[Steve Rosenberg]

I was there earlier this morning and the apartment block had been cordoned off. There were police lines and Russian investigators outside the entrance, still clearing things away and looking for evidence. Quite a bit of damage to that particular entranceway, clearly, and a lot of shock. I mean, we spoke to residents nearby and the sense was that, you know, suddenly this war, which for many people has been a war on television or a war they've looked at on their phones, something that doesn't really concern them. You know, what happened today was a real jolt to the system. When you have a top Russian general being assassinated in a residential district of Moscow. It brings it home, certainly to people living around there that actually the war in Ukraine is not happening a long way away. It's actually very real and very close to home. And one thing the Russian authorities, I think, have been quite successful at to this point, has been to normalize the war so that people think, well, you know, it's going on, but we'll get on with our own lives. As I say, this was a jolt to the system and a reminder that actually it's very close to home is.

[Chris Barrow]

The assumption by residents there that Ukraine did this, because I know there are Claims from within the security forces of Ukraine that this was carried out by the Ukrainian side.

[Steve Rosenberg]

Well, certainly the feeling from Moscow is, yes, Russia is pretty convinced that Ukraine was behind this. Russian officials have been pointing the finger at Ukraine, also at the west, suggesting that somehow Western countries orchestrated this attack. There's almost certain to be a response from Moscow. Retaliation already calls from some quarters for retaliation. It is a very high profile killing in Moscow. A very high ranked lieutenant general. And as I say, we're still trying to piece together exactly what happened and the circumstances here. But, yeah, I think a sense of shock would be the right way to describe things.

[Chris Barrow]

And is this, it sounds like a significant blow to Russia's war effort and organization at the top.

[Steve Rosenberg]

Well, it is a blow, certainly. But I mean, when you look back over the last, what nearly three years of what the Kremlin called originally and still calls the special military operation, something that was only going to last a few days or a few weeks maximum, and has dragged on for three years, there have been so many blows. This is an operation, a war which has not gone at all according to plan for Moscow. And even though Vladimir Putin only yesterday, when he was addressing army chiefs, was very upbeat and saying things were going Russia's way and Russia had the strategic initiative in this war, when you look back at what has happened, and so much has happened and so much has gone wrong for the Kremlin in three years, what happened today, early this morning, this bomb attack is the latest in a long line of incidents that Moscow did not prepare for when Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops across the border into Ukraine nearly three years ago.

[Chris Barrow]

Steve Rosenberg in Moscow. A powerful earthquake has hit the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, damaging and even flattening some buildings in the capital, Port Vila. Communications have also been affected. After the magnitude 7.3 quake, which was followed by tremors, the BBC managed to get through to Dan McGarry, a journalist based in Port Vila.

[Dan McGarry]

It was the most violent earthquake I've experienced in my 21 years living in.

[Katie Watson]

Vanuatu and in the Pacific islands.

[Dan McGarry]

I've seen a lot of large earthquakes.

[Katie Watson]

Never one like this.

[Dan McGarry]

My wife, who was born in Vanuatu.

[Katie Watson]

Said it was the worst that she'd.

[Dan McGarry]

Experienced in her life. The damage that we've seen in the.

[Katie Watson]

Capitol is more extensive than any I've.

[Dan McGarry]

Seen in previous earthquakes.

[Chris Barrow]

Our correspondent Katie Watson is monitoring events from Sydney.

[Yulia]

It struck at 12:47 local time, so just around lunchtime at about 30 kilometers from the capital, Port Villa and depths of up to 57, as we heard just there. Yeah, I Think a lot of people were, you know, shocked by the intensity of the quake. And there have been a series of smaller aftershocks in the hours after the initial quake. But very quickly people were jumping on social media and posting images of one flattened building where you could see authorities were looking to see whether there were any people trapped. And there was also the US Embassy building that showed pictures of broken windows. And that same building, the UK High Commission, the French Embassy, the New Zealand High Commission, they're all in the same building. So the US have said that their people are safe and sound. So if New Zealand that we're able to evacuate safely during the earthquake. But still it is a massive operation and the communications are still very difficult on the ground. It's a small island nation, very much in the middle of the Pacific. So you can imagine the logistics of trying to get help.

[Chris Barrow]

How usual is it for Vanuatu to get extreme weather events? Because it sounds like from what Dan McGarry was, that they do happen, but just not to this extent.

[Yulia]

Absolutely. I mean, it's in an area of seismic activity. It's a part of the world that's not unused to natural disasters. Last year there was a series of cyclones that affected the island. There have been earthquakes in recent years, but the extent that, you know, the size of this earthquake and obviously the distance and the intensity at which it hit took everybody by surprise and is obviously making people nervous with the aftershocks that we have been seen and registered on the islands. But it's a 80 islands, an archipelago of just over 80 islands, very low lying islands. And that's why there was concern initially about a potential tsunami threat. It is a part of the world that is very used to natural disasters, but it's also part of the world that's very vulnerable to them in terms of getting support, getting help. And Australia, which is one of the closest large nations, has said that it stands by ready to assist Vanuatu and no doubt will be one of the first on the ground when they can get there.

[Chris Barrow]

Katie Watson, the leader of the rebel group that toppled the Assad regime, is calling for sanctions against the country to be lifted. Ahmed Al Sharar, who's now Syria's de facto leader, told a visiting British envoy that it was important to end restrictions imposed during the rule of Bashar Al Assad so that displaced Syrians could return home. Some HTS fighters and families are returning to the western city of Homs. Our chief international correspondent, Lise Doucet, made regular trips there throughout the war and has just returned to the city.

[Lise Doucet]

The Church of the Virgin lady of the Girdle in the heart of the old city of Homs, said to be one of the oldest churches in the world. And these streets saw some of the worst of the fighting in Syria's war. We came to this church nearly a decade ago when President Assad's forces pushed the rebels out of the old city of Homs. And then the church was cold and dark, the pews shattered, smashed, and scattered across the floor. And now the rebels are back in control of Syria. How do you feel today?

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

I feel happy.

[Yulia]

I hope that even better days are coming. We are proud of our people. We're all together as one. And I hope there'll always be a place for Christians in Syria.

[Lise Doucet]

You're Syrian, you're a Christian, you're a woman. What is your main worry?

[Yulia]

I hope that we Christians will be protected. We need some reassurance about our place here. We deserve to be here like all the other religions.

[Lise Doucet]

Just listen. The sound of the city. There's a lightness in the air now. It's so different from the darkness of a decade ago, when Syrian forces lay siege to the old city and neighborhoods nearby.

[Katie Watson]

I have a lot of memory about destroyed and explosion. I have some flashback about that.

[Lise Doucet]

Dr. Hayan Alabrash survived the Old City siege two years treating patients under fire, underground. Now he's back for the first time in 10 years. We're going into this empty, charred warehouse now. Dr. Haiyan thinks this is where they had their underground, secret makeshift hospital. Going down the stairs. Oh. Dark, dank, cold, Chilling.

[Katie Watson]

Yes. The patient you see come from there.

[Lise Doucet]

They come down the stairs?

[Katie Watson]

Yes.

[Lise Doucet]

How does it feel?

[Katie Watson]

It's a strange feeling. I remember the people staying here screaming. We don't have a lot of medicine. We don't have blood. A lot of them, you know, injured and need blood to treat.

[Lise Doucet]

Must have been cold.

[Katie Watson]

Yes, was very cold. Very cold. Now it's time to build Syria for everyone, but not who killed us. And have blood in his hand for that we don't forgive. It's impossible for us. Yes.

[Lise Doucet]

And Syrians gather here at the city's most iconic landmark, the new clock tower. It was here in the spring of 2011, that Syrians gathered for peaceful demonstrations to call for greater freedoms. And now a place of pilgrimage. On one side, I can see women, little girls, some in headscarves, some not posing for selfies. And around the corner, there's men with guns. This is a snapshot of a new Syria.

[Chris Barrow]

Lise Doucet researchers in Germany say they've deciphered an inscription which could be the oldest known evidence of Christianity in Europe. The writing is on a scroll in an 1800 year old silver amulet which the archaeologists digitally unrolled.

[Sophie Smith]

Sophie Smith reports, until now it's been hidden inside a silver amulet wrapped in a wafer thin piece of foil that's too fragile for archaeologists to unravel by hand. The message comes from a time when Christianity was still spreading across Europe and was taken from the grave of a man found buried in what is now the German city of Frankfurt in the former Roman city of Nida. Although the amulet itself was found in 2018, researchers have only now been able to decipher the scroll using computer tomography, which are scans similar to X rays. Birzit Svan is one of the conservationists from the Archaeological Museum of Frankfurt and Mainz that deciphered the text.

[Yulia]

Both the capsule and scroll are made of silver. The scroll consists only of a very, very thin silver foil with a thickness of only 63 micrometers, which made further rolling impossible.

[Sophie Smith]

So what does it say? In the name of Jesus Christ, son of God, it says, may this means of salvation protect the man who surrenders himself to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ. The owner of the scripture is thought to have died between 230 and 270 AD when Christians were still persecuted. The researchers have said that evidence of Christianity north of the Alps has never existed before this study. But it's not the first time this year that similar technology has been shown to decipher historical artifacts. In February, researchers used artificial intelligence to digitally unroll charred historical texts in Pompeii, which means that scientific breakthroughs have an important role in helping us understand the past.

[Chris Barrow]

That was Sophie Smith. Still to come in this podcast, a.

[Keith Georgie]

Nice pink envelope and think to myself, right, who's Afron? Because I've got a birthday coming up and obviously you've got Christmas and you look in and then just confused the.

[Chris Barrow]

Letter that was delivered to the wrong address 17,000 kilometres away. Let's turn to Wisconsin now, where at least two people have been killed and six others wounded in the latest school shooting in the United States. A female student opened fire inside a classroom of the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. On Monday morning. The police chief, Sean Barnes, gave details about the suspect.

[Katie Watson]

The shooter has now been identified as 15 year old Natalie Rupnau, who went by the name Samantha. She was a student at the school and evidence suggests she died from a self inflicted gunshot wound. At this time we believe there was only one shooter involved. We are still working to determine a motive. Detectives have talked to her family members this evening as well as conduct a search of the shooter's home here in Madison.

[Chris Barrow]

Naomi Ruckham from our partner broadcaster CBS gave us the latest.

[Naomi Ruckham]

This is what we know so far. Police in Madison, Wisconsin are searching for ANSWERS After a 15 year old female student opened fire at a small private Christian school yesterday morning. One student and one teacher were killed and half a dozen others were injured. The young woman also died after turning the gun on herself. The details are chilling involving so many young lives. Police arrived on scene at the school minutes after a second grader called to report an active shooter. Just before 11am a sixth grader said he heard the gunshots while sitting in English class. The teacher who was killed was a substitute for another teacher who had called out sick. Meanwhile, police have identified that shooter as 15 year old student Natalie Rupnow, who went by the name Samantha. She was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital and police recovered a 9 millimeter handgun from the scene. Investigators have searched her home and say the family is cooperating with the investigation.

[Chris Barrow]

Naomi Rackham from cbs. Now let's see if you can hear the similarity. This is our first song.

[Yulia]

I only want.

[Chris Barrow]

That's Adele's hit from 2015 million years ago. And now listen to this. That's Mulleres, a Brazilian composer who said Adele had ripped off his earlier samba hit. A Brazilian judge seems to agree with him. He's just ordered Adele's song to be pulled from all radio stations and streaming services around the world because he deemed it to be plagiarism. Our America's regional editor, Leonardo Rocha told us more about how it's come to this.

[Dan McGarry]

Well, I've heard about this alleged plagiarism for years. I mean, people have been sending these melodies, even mixed versions of them put together for a few years from Brazil. This songwriter, Tonin Gerais, he wrote that song for probably Brazil's number one samba singer, Marcino Davila. It was launched in 1995 and it was a big hit in the mid-90s. So I imagine many people when they heard Adele's song, they say, oh, that sounds similar. But of course that can happen in music. There are many cases where there's just a coincidence. The melody is similar. It's quite a simple melody. But what this songwriter has been saying is that they approached Adele, they tried to reach Adele for compensation and for some of the copyrights and they didn't get any reply from her or from the label. And that's why they decided to go to court.

[Katie Watson]

So it's been a long time coming, but now it's come and it's a big one. It's a global ban, isn't it? How does Brazil have such a wide jurisdiction in this?

[Dan McGarry]

I was surprised with that and what's been said in Brazil, the local media is that Brazil is a signatory of the Berne Convention that protects copyright. So as one of the signatories I think is 180, 180 countries. If one of the countries issues a ban, a judge, the others have to follow and the way they will try to enforce that is by imposing a fine on the record label, Adele's record label. Every time someone across the world, in New Zealand, in Australia, in Zambia, anywhere, if they hear the song being played or downloaded, they could issue a fine. I don't know how effective that will be, but it's quite strong.

[Katie Watson]

So as far as we know, is there any recourse for Adele or her record label now? Can they appeal?

[Dan McGarry]

They can appeal in Brazilian courts. A judge can issue an injunction and someone else a day later can just void that. But it just highlights the case that many people who are not in Brazil are probably unaware of. I mean, it's a very similar song, but that doesn't mean anything. And it's going to be decided by the experts or maybe in an agreement.

[Chris Barrow]

Leonardo Rocha speaking to Nick Miles. A BBC investigation has found reports of at least 565 children being killed or wounded by crude bombs in the Indian state of West Bengal over the last three decades. The homemade devices have been an issue in the region for years as New Persona reports.

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

When election season arrives in West Bengal, so does the violence.

[Chris Barrow]

Bombs, arson attacks, clashes among political parties.

[Steve Rosenberg]

Seem to be commonplace in West Bengal in election season.

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

And this violence is dominated by crude bombs, homemade explosives packed with shrapnel. Children pick them up, mistaking them for toys. Some breaking news coming in. We're learning that a miner has been killed in an explosion. In fact, children we believe were playing.

[Chris Barrow]

In that area when the bomb hit.

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

There is no publicly available data on crude bomb child casualties in West Bengal. So the BBC went through the archives of two Bengali newspapers since 1996 unearthing reports of 565 children killed, maimed or injured. On average, one child every 18 days. Cases do go unreported, so the actual number is likely to be higher. 14 year old Sabina sits on a wooden stool outside her home. She cradles a small black goat on her lap. Her midnight blue headscarf hides what's left of her right arm. I had taken my goat to the garden, she says, describing how she saw a ball under a tree. She started playing with it, and that's when the explosion happened. Amina Bibi is Sabina's mother. My daughter kept trying, saying she would never get her handbag. I kept consoling her, but she kept on crying. Crude bombs were first used by revolutionaries in West Bengal in the early 1900s to fight the British. They gradually became an accepted feature of the state's politics, most notably in the 1960s as Maoist rebels fought for control of the state. Since then, bomb making skills have been passed down the generations. Pankaj Dutta is West Bengal's former inspector general of police. He passed away last month.

[Dan McGarry]

During any major election here, you will see the rampant use of bombs.

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

The sole purpose of this use is.

[Dan McGarry]

For area dominance and political dominance. If this culture persists, you can never.

[Chris Barrow]

Do good for society.

[Ahmed Al Sharar]

In the middle of the 2024 general election, another West Bengal family mourns a child killed by a crude bomb. My son is gone. Cries the mother of Raj Biswas. The nine year old was playing when he found the explosives. The BBC asked West Bengal's four main political parties whether they commissioned crude bombs for electoral gain. The Communist Party of India, Marxist and the Indian National Congress strongly denied doing so. The All India Trinamool Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party did not respond. As family and friends lay Raj to rest, chanting from a political rally can be heard on the wind. Hail Bengal. The crowd shouts. Hail Bengal.

[Chris Barrow]

Nupa Sonar reporting. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez has said he's devastated by the death of the actor Marisa Paredes, praising her as one of the most important actresses our country has produced. Paredes, who was 78, started acting as a teenager and appeared in dozens of films. She became an international name after she starred in several films by Pedro Amoldovar as well as Roberto Benigni's Oscar winning Life Is Beautiful. Gilles Jacob, former president of the Cannes Film Festival, paid tribute to Paredes for her calm grace and that gentle cheerfulness she ignited with one look of her pale eyes. The Spanish film academy has said Spanish cinema is left without one of its most iconic actresses. Our Europe regional editor Warren Bull has more on her life.

[Katie Watson]

Marisa Paredes in one of her most acclaimed roles, Leo Macias in Pedro Almodova's the Flower of My Secret. It was one of many roles she played in the Spanish director's films that brought her international acclaim. Marisa Paredes was born in Madrid and started acting at the age of 14. Still under the rule of General Franco, Spain in the 1960s was opening up more and Marisa Paredes was able to make the most of the wider variety of acting roles for women. With her distinctive, gravelly madrilenian voice, she appeared in major theatre and television roles and more than 70 movies, including all About My Mother. Her role as the actress u Morocco was one of her most memorable parts in an Alma Duva movie. She also played in Roberto Benigni's Oscar winning dark wartime comedy Life Is Beautiful, which won several Oscars. Marisa Paredes was a true great of Spanish cinema. Her diversity of range and contribution to world cinema was recognized with numerous accolades, including an honorary Goya Award in 2018.

[Chris Barrow]

Warren Ball it's the busiest time of year for many postal services around the world. Presents need to be delivered, Christmas cards sent, and that's alongside all the usual letters and parcels in the uk. Royal Mail says mistakes are rare, but they do happen. But one letter which arrived in Wales was delivered almost 17,000 kilometres away from its intended destination. It arrived in Penarth in South Wales instead of Penrith in New South Wales, Australia. Here's Keith Georgie, who was a bit confused when he'd arrived at his house.

[Keith Georgie]

A nice pink envelope and think to myself, right, who's Afron? Because I've got a birthday coming up and obviously you've got Christmas and you look in and then just confused. I mean, it's got Australia and it's got NSW for New South Wales on there. But it didn't say South Wales. I mean, how can anybody from Exeter and sorting office, then it's gone to another sorting office. Then it gets to penalties and penal sorting office go, oh, of course, that's not for Australia, it's for Glebe street around the corner. Just think about how many hands that went through and even the postman delivering it on the day put a note on it, made it clear that this is supposed supposed to go to Australia. I mean, I shouldn't need to, should I?

[Chris Barrow]

And Keith said he did forward that letter onto its intended recipients. We hope it finds its way there before Christmas. And that's all from us for now. But there will be a new edition of the Global News podcast later on. If you'd like to comment on this podcast, do send us an email. It will arrive, we promise. Our address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on X. We're obalnewspod. This Edition was mixed by Stephen Bailey and the producer was David Lewis. Our editor is Karen Martin. I'm Chris Barrow. And until next time, thanks for listening. Goodbye.

[Yulia]

Yoga is more than just exercise. It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by. And in 2017, Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation. It felt a really safe and welcoming space.

[Chris Barrow]

After the yoga classes, I felt amazing.

[Yulia]

But soon that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker. A journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders. I don't have my passport. I don't have my phone. I don't have my bank cards. I have nothing.

[Chris Barrow]

The passport being taken, the being in.

[Yulia]

A house and not feeling like they can leave. World of Secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed. In this new series, we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry, where the hope of a spiritual breakthrough gives way to disturbing accusations. You just get sucked in so gradually.

[Chris Barrow]

And it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. And it's like this secret that's there.

[Yulia]

I wanted to believe that, you know.

[Chris Barrow]

That whatever they were doing, even if.

[Yulia]

It seemed gross to me, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't understand. Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put.

[Chris Barrow]

My reputation and everything else on the line.

[Yulia]

I want truth and justice and for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future, to bring us into the light and.

[Chris Barrow]

Almost alchemize some of that evil stuff.

[Yulia]

That went on and take back the power. World of Secrets Season 6 the Bad Guru Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.