South Korean president faces impeachment vote

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary BBC World Service | Released: December 4, 2024

The latest episode of the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service covers a range of critical international issues, including political turmoil in South Korea and France, human rights developments in Iran, environmental concerns in Ghana, and significant changes in social media policies. This summary delves into each major story, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes with their respective timestamps.

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1. South Korea's Political Turmoil: President Yoon Suk Nyeol Faces Impeachment

South Korea is currently grappling with significant political instability as President Yoon Suk Nyeol confronts widespread protests following his unsuccessful attempt to declare martial law. This move, which was swiftly defeated by a parliamentary vote, has triggered a series of events leading to an imminent impeachment vote.

Key Developments:

• Martial Law Attempt: President Yoon's declaration of martial law was met with strong opposition in Parliament, leading to its rejection.
• Resignations and Declining Support: Following the failed declaration, the Defense Minister resigned, and several of President Yoon's allies have distanced themselves from his administration.
• Impeachment Vote: With the opposition holding a majority in the National Assembly and even members of Yoon's own party opposing him, the likelihood of the impeachment passing is extremely high.

Notable Quotes:

• Rupert Wingfield Hayes (Seoul Correspondent) [02:21]:
  “The overwhelming emotion here has been shock and surprise that President Yun did what he did last night. Totally unexpected, totally out of keeping with the democratic traditions that have evolved in South Korea over the last three decades.”

• Paul Moss [04:31]:
  “Any political disagreements need to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.”

• Gene H. Lee (Wilson Center Senior Fellow) [05:20]:
  “This will be a defining moment for many young South Koreans who grew up in a democracy.”

Insights:

• Democratic Resilience: Despite the chaos, daily life in Seoul appears largely unaffected, with Christmas lights shining and shops operating normally.
• Historical Context: Commentary highlights that older generations recall South Korea's authoritarian past, making the current events particularly jarring for a nation that has only been a democracy for a few decades.
• Future Stability: While immediate tensions are high, experts like Mickey Bristow suggest that the reinstatement of democratic processes could ultimately strengthen South Korea's political system.

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2. France's Government at a Crossroads: Prime Minister Michel Barnier Faces Confidence Vote

France stands on the brink of political upheaval as Prime Minister Michel Barnier's minority government faces a critical vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. This vote could potentially topple his administration, marking a significant shift in French politics.

Key Developments:

• Minority Government: Barnier leads a fragile coalition, with his decision to push through a budgetary law without sufficient support exacerbating tensions.
• Economic Concerns: Barnier warns that falling victim to the vote could lead to severe economic instability, including the absence of a 2025 budget and increased debt servicing costs.
• Opposition Determination: Despite the looming economic threats, the opposition remains resolute in their efforts to bring down Barnier's government.

Notable Quotes:

• Hugh Schofield (Reporter) [08:02]:
  "He is expected to lose the vote, potentially leading to his ejection from office."

• Paul Moss [06:03]:
  “It's a reminder that politics and world affairs are unpredictable. Something can happen out of the blue.”

Insights:

• Short-Lived Leadership: If Barnier loses the vote, he would become the shortest-serving Prime Minister in the Fifth Republic, intensifying the search for a replacement by President Macron.
• Economic Implications: The failure to secure a stable government could lead to market turbulence and increased national debt, affecting both domestic and international economic landscapes.

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3. Human Rights Spotlight: Temporary Release of Iranian Nobel Laureate Nagest Mohammadi

Nagest Mohammadi, an Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been granted a temporary release from prison due to severe health issues. Her detention has been a focal point of international human rights advocacy.

Key Developments:

• Activism and Imprisonment: Mohammadi has been a vocal advocate for women's rights and opposition to Iran’s use of capital punishment, leading to her 10-year imprisonment.
• Health Concerns: Her temporary release was necessitated by the development of bedsores following a bone grafting operation, highlighting the inadequate medical care in Iranian prisons.
• Support and Criticism: Despite her release, supporters demand her unconditional freedom and extended leave to ensure her well-being.

Notable Quotes:

• Baran Abbasi (BBC Persian Service) [10:11]:
  “Nargis Mohammadi has been advocating for human rights in Iran for three decades, and despite her poor health, she has been imprisoned repeatedly for over a decade.”

• Mohammadi's Supporters [11:31]:
  “They have asked for her unconditional release, but they say that if she has to go back to prison, this current leave has to be extended to at least three months.”

Insights:

• International Pressure: Mohammadi's temporary release reflects growing international and domestic pressure on the Iranian government to address human rights abuses.
• Ongoing Struggles: Her case underscores the broader challenges faced by political prisoners in Iran, emphasizing the need for sustained advocacy and policy changes.

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4. Environmental Crisis: Illegal Gold Mining in Ghana Threatens Health and Ecosystems

Ghana's rich forests and water bodies are under severe threat from illegal gold mining activities, which utilize toxic chemicals like mercury, posing significant risks to both the environment and local communities.

Key Developments:

• Mercury Pollution: Water around the Amada Ancobra River, known locally as Galam Sea, contains mercury levels 500 times higher than the World Health Organization's safe drinking standards.
• Health Impact: The contaminated water has led to congenital deformities and kidney problems among local populations, though no formal studies have conclusively linked mining to these health issues.
• Economic Drivers: Illegal mining offers substantial financial returns, with miners earning up to $4,000 monthly, making it difficult to curtail without viable economic alternatives.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Asante (Water Research Institute) [21:02]:
  “The mercury that we measured was 0.513 milligram per liter and that grossly exceeded the guideline value of 0.001 milligram per liter.”

• Baran Abbasi [23:39]:
  “If I get money to start a provision shop, I will stop illegal mining. The government should give us money to start our own business so that we can stop mining.”

Insights:

• Economic Dependency: The high income potential from illegal mining underscores the need for economic interventions to provide alternative livelihoods for affected communities.
• Environmental Degradation: Continuous mining threatens Ghana's biodiversity and the health of its residents, necessitating urgent environmental and regulatory actions.

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5. Social Media Accountability: Telegram Adopts Internet Watch Foundation Measures

Telegram, a widely used social messaging platform, has announced a policy shift to collaborate with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) for detecting and removing child abuse images. This change follows increased scrutiny and the arrest of Telegram's founder, Pavel Dourov.

Key Developments:

• Previous Policies: Historically, Telegram resisted engaging with the IWF, favoring a "light-touch" moderation approach that limited cooperation with external monitoring bodies.
• Catalyst for Change: The arrest of Pavel Dourov in Paris has pressured Telegram to adopt more stringent measures against illicit content.
• Impact on Users: This policy shift aims to enhance the platform's ability to combat child abuse material, aligning Telegram with broader social media accountability standards.

Notable Quotes:

• Joe Tidy (Cyber Correspondent) [24:51]:
  “Telegram is a bit of like a mix between WhatsApp and Twitter. It's often described as a social messaging platform... They have different policies, for example, on privacy and they won't share too much detail with police.”

• Joe Tidy [26:19]:
  “The arrest of Pavel Durov has got to be a big part of the catalyst for this decision. They previously did not want to engage at all with the IWF or any other organizations like the IWF.”

Insights:

• Policy Transformation: Telegram's cooperation with the IWF marks a significant shift towards greater responsibility in managing harmful content.
• User Trust and Safety: Enhancing content moderation can bolster user trust and ensure a safer online environment, addressing long-standing criticisms of the platform.

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Additional Highlights

• Oldest Albatross Lays Egg:
  Wisdom, the 74-year-old Laysan albatross, has become the oldest known wild bird to lay an egg, symbolizing resilience and longevity in the animal kingdom. (Timestamp: [26:47] – [28:30])

• Fashion Industry Insights:
  Anna Wintour, Vogue's influential editor, discusses the democratization of fashion shows and the importance of diversity in body representation. (Timestamp: [28:30] – [32:26])

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Conclusion

The episode of the Global News Podcast provides an in-depth look at pressing global issues, from political upheavals and human rights struggles to environmental crises and advancements in social media accountability. Through expert interviews and firsthand reports, the podcast offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of these complex topics.

For more detailed coverage and updates, you can listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform or visit the BBC World Service website.

Transcript

[Paul Moss]

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[Jackie Leonard]

Hello, Jackie Leonard here from the Global News Podcast. Did you know there is an easy way to get new episodes automatically? Whether it's the Global News Podcast or indeed any of your other favourite BBC World Service podcasts, just find the show on your podcast app and then just click Follow or Subscribe. And if you switch on notifications, you'll get a reminder too. It's that easy. Follow or subscribe and never miss an episode.

[Paul Moss]

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Paul MOSS and at 14 hours GMT on Wednesday, 4th of December, these are our main stories. Protesters in South Korea demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk Nyeol after his failed declaration of martial law. France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier faces a vote of no confidence which could bring down his minority government. And the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Nagest Mohammadi is given temporary release from her Iranian jail. Also in this podcast.

[Baran Abbasi]

If I get money to start a provision shop, I will stop illegal mining. The government should give us money to start our own business.

[Paul Moss]

We hear how illegal mining in Ghana is putting people, their health and the environment at risk. And the social media company Telegram promises to do more to stop the sharing of child abuse images. We begin this podcast in South Korea. The country is accustomed to international attention these days, but that's usually been because of its impact on global culture, whether through films such as the Oscar winner Parasite or television hits like Squid Game. Now, though, South Korea finds itself in the spotlight for less welcome reasons. The political turmoil began on Tuesday with President Jung Suk Neil's attempt to impose martial law. That was defeated by a vote in Parliament. And now that parliament is set to vote on whether to impeach the President, his Defence Minister has already stepped down. So with martial law now been and gone, I asked our correspondent in Seoul, Rupert Wingfield Hayes, if the situation there had fully calmed down.

[Rupert Wingfield Hayes]

To an extent, Paul, life looks very much back to normal here in Seoul. I'm standing outside Seoul City Hall. There has been a big rally here tonight and a march, and there are currently several thousand angry protesters marching south towards the Presidential building, chanting, president Yoon, resign now. So there are still. There's still a lot of anger here. There's still a lot of shock. I think really the overwhelming emotion here has been shock and surprise that President Yun did what he did last night. Totally unexpected, totally out of keeping with the democratic traditions that have evolved in South Korea over the last three decades. So there's a lot of anger. There's a lot of anger. But, you know, you look around me in the streets here, the Christmas lights are on buses and traffic is flowing as normal shops open. People are going about their business. So it looks like it looks like things are back to normal. But of course, politically, this is still a very strange situation, and it's still a political crisis for the country.

[Paul Moss]

And that political crisis will manifest itself with this impeachment motion, which, as I said, is going before the parliament. What are the chances that will pass?

[Rupert Wingfield Hayes]

Well, I think the chances look extremely good. First of all, the opposition parties have a majority in the national assembly, but even members of President Yoon's own party voted with the opposition to overturn his martial law decree last night. And some of his members of staff have been leaving, you know, fleeing his administration today and saying they want no part of it. So his allies seem to be rapidly declining, and his popularity in the country, already very low before last night's events, I suspect is now even lower.

[Paul Moss]

Rupert Wingfield, Hayes, South Korea is a major ally of the U.S. which has nearly 30,000 troops stationed in the country. And the U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, made clear they are concerned about recent events. We're obviously watching the developments very closely.

[John Plessner]

This is one of our closest partners.

[Paul Moss]

And allies around the world. We welcome President Yoon's statement withdrawing the martial law order, and there was a unanimous vote in the national assembly to reject the decision, and he followed up on that. In our judgment, any political disagreements need to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. Antony Blinken, let me be honest. There were a few of us here who, when we heard about martial law being imposed in South Korea, had the same thought. Is this a mistake? Has some news agency accidentally named the wrong country? It was quite simply something that nobody saw coming. And that includes the experts whose job is to keep tabs on South Korean developments, including Gene H. Lee, a senior fellow at the Wilson center in Washington, D.C. it's astounding.

[Mickey Bristow]

This will be a defining moment for many young South Koreans who grew up in a democracy. I mean, South Korea is a very young democracy. So many young South Koreans have never experienced something like this. That will be very familiar to older South Koreans who remember a time when authoritarianism and military dictatorships were very much.

[Nadia Murad]

A part of their daily lives, a.

[Paul Moss]

Reminder there of South Korea's not so distant past. Well, one person who knows the country's present is our East Asia editor, Mickey Bristow, who spent time in South Korea reporting. With hindsight, I asked him, was There any sign that this kind of thing might happen?

[Mickey Bristow]

Not very much. And I think firstly I'd like to say that it's a reminder that politics and world affairs are unpredictable. Something can happen out of the blue. This is yet another reminder. Getting back to your question, there were some rumors that had reached even some legislators that perhaps this is what the president was considering doing. But even they dismissed these as far fetched conspiracy theories that simply wasn't going to happen in a modern liberal democracy like South Korea. So really unexpected. I don't think anyone seriously believed that this would happen.

[Paul Moss]

It looks like the immediate crisis is over or will be over soon, with this vote of impeachment possibly changing things. But we've seen the army trying to stop MPs entering Parliament. We've had the sight of an opposition lead having to climb the walls of parliament to get to the chamber. I mean, even if this now does die down, has this damaged you think South Korea's image?

[Mickey Bristow]

It's certainly changed South Korea's image over the last decade or so. South Korea has really done an enormous job of projecting itself across the world. Think of culture, TV dramas, films, pop music. The economic prowess of the country is well known. They've got global brands, Samsung phones, Hyundai cars, that kind of thing. So we were used to seeing South Korea as a modern, progressive, liberal democracy, perhaps the most open place in East Asia. So these images, and I've been looking at them myself, of soldiers trying to storm the national assembly, it seems to hark back to a different place and a different time in South Korea's history and one which people would have hoped was long gone.

[Paul Moss]

I mean, I've said that things have all died down. Given your warning that, you know, the unexpected does occur, should we think, well, that's it for now, or is this now going to be a worry about the stability of South Korea's democracy?

[Mickey Bristow]

It's a good question. And you could say that how can a place be so stable if indeed they've just had martial law? But paradoxically and counterintuitively, it might have reassured and solidified democracy. As we heard from the commentator earlier, the procedure is held, the president declared martial law and in the end, normal democracy was resumed.

[Paul Moss]

Mickey Bristow it's not just the South Korean president who's facing a potentially terminal vote in Parliament. Wednesday will see the French national assembly consider a motion of no confidence in the country's Prime Minister. Michel Barnier leads the minority government and is expected to lose the vote, potentially leading to his ejection from office. It follows his decision on Monday to force a budgetary law through the chamber, where his supporters are outnumbered by the combined forces of the left wing bloc and the hard right. From France, Hugh Schofield reports. Prime Minister Banier has warned that if he's voted out of office today, an already worrying social and economic situation in the country will only get worse. There'll be no budget for 2025, so emergency measures will be needed to keep the country solvent. The cost of servicing France's monumental debt will increase as lenders take fright, and turbulence on the markets could too easily be mirrored by turbulence on the street. But none of this seems to have altered the determination of his opponents to bring his government to an end. By early evening, he'll know if he's been voted out of office, becoming the shortest serving prime minister in the Fifth Republic, and if President Macron's search for a replacement is once again underway. Hugh Schofield, she campaigned for a woman's right to choose whether and how to wear the hijab, and she opposed Iran's widespread use of capital punishment. That and other campaigning earned nages Mohammadi a 10 year jail term and subsequently the Nobel Peace Prize. But now the 52 year old activist has been granted three weeks leave from prison for medical reasons. I spoke about this with Barana basi from the BBC's Persian service and asked her first why Nages Mohammadi had become such a prominent figure.

[Baran Abbasi]

Nargis Mohammadi has been advocating for human rights in Iran for three decades, and despite her poor health, she has been imprisoned repeatedly for over a decade. She has been known as one of the bravest and one of the most vocal voices against human rights violations in Iran. And when she received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, her conditions in prison got worse and she was banned from having contact with her family, with his teenage daughter and son who live in Paris.

[Paul Moss]

So given that harsh treatment that you're describing, why do we think Iran is now releasing her, temporarily at least? What are they saying?

[Baran Abbasi]

Her condition in prison was in a way, that it was impossible for her to stay there. She had developed bedsores after a bone grafting operation because, according to her family, she did not receive adequate medical care. And some female prisoners, female political prisoners, had gone on hunger strike inside prison asking for her release. So the pressure on the Iranian government had been increasing.

[Paul Moss]

So the government seems to have succumbed in part to that pressure releasing her temporarily. What are we hearing from Nagest Mohammadi's supporters?

[Baran Abbasi]

Her supporters and her family say that this is not Enough. They have asked for her unconditional release, but they say that if she has to go back to prison, this current leave has to be extended to at least three months. And they say that she's already suffering from harsh conditions in prison and it's her human right to have treatment in a sanitary environment.

[Paul Moss]

Baran Abbasi. And we have another story about a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Nadia Murad is a member of Iraq's Yazidi community. There were many atrocities which took place in Iraq as the country fell apart in the wake of Saddam Hussein's overthrow. Bombings, multiple assassinations and acts of ethnic cleansing. But even by these appalling standards, the treatment of the Yazidi people stood out. Tens of thousands were murder enslaved when the group called Islamic State took over their home territory. A war crime widely recognized as constituting genocide. And yet a United nations investigation into Islamic State in Iraq was shut down last September. That move has been condemned by Nadia Murad. She's been speaking about what it means for justice in the Middle east in an interview with the BBC's Stephanie Hegarty.

[Nadia Murad]

It's 10 years since the Islamic State group took control of vast swathes of Iraq and killed and enslaved tens of thousands of Yazidi people. Despite many countries recognizing this genocide, less than 20 members of IS have been tried for war crimes. Nadia Murad was among the thousands of women captured by IS as a sex slave.

[Baran Abbasi]

Sexual violence and rape. It is something that stays, you know, long after the war is over. It lasts forever and lives in your body, in your mind, and it's hard to fully recover from it.

[Nadia Murad]

Can we stop these horrific crimes from happening? And is there more that international institutions or governments can do to stop sexual violence?

[Baran Abbasi]

Well, first we have to acknowledge it as a war crime. We have to hold perpetrators accountable, we have to respect survivors and listen to them. But at the same time we have to work on stronger protections of women and girls.

[Nadia Murad]

In 2021, a German court proved that it's possible to hold members of the Islamic State group to account for their war crimes. The IS husband and wife who'd enslaved Nadia's neighbor and murdered her five year old daughter were convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity.

[Baran Abbasi]

What people don't know about ISIS and like minded groups is that they don't care about being killed. But they are so scared of facing the women and girls in courtroom.

[Nadia Murad]

Nadia campaigned to set up the UN body UNITAD to investigate the war crimes of is. But after seven years and mountains of evidence collected, UNTAD ended in September. And no one has been charged with war crimes in Iraq. The country has yet to write its war crimes legislation. Thousands of people have been tried on terrorism related charges. But that process hasn't been transparent. And UN experts say it's rife with human rights abuses.

[Baran Abbasi]

A lot of Iraqis joined isis, our neighbors, and a lot of people from the region. But there were also thousands of foreigners who joined ISIS and believed in their ideology. And a lot of them, after ISIS was defeated, men and women were able to come back to their countries of origin. So it's not about evidence, it's just a lack of political will.

[Nadia Murad]

You started telling your story almost as soon as you escaped. And you very clearly refused to feel the shame that the perpetrators wanted you to feel. Was that a conscious choice at the time?

[Baran Abbasi]

The shame and stigma that was attached to being raped? It wasn't just by isis, but also the people that I was like living with. The country, the society. It was something that so many people advised me not to tell. I think the second I was free and I made it to the safety, I felt responsible. I felt some sort of guilt of like surviving while my younger nieces were still in there.

[Nadia Murad]

No one came to rescue Nadia. She escaped from her captors alone. And she has strong words for peacekeeping institutions like the UN who she says failed her people.

[Baran Abbasi]

These international institutions who were meant to protect the most vulnerable, but they have been absent in most of these conflicts, especially in the Middle East. So many people around the world, including myself, feel that these institutions are driven by politics rather than justice.

[Paul Moss]

Nadia Murad, speaking to Stephanie Hegarty, the United nations humanitarian chief, was not pulling his punches. Describing the global situation ahead, Tom Fletcher said, quite simply, the world is on fire. He was referring partly to the sheer number of crises the UN is trying to deal with. Wars in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle east, but also populations already suffering the effects of climate change. And what the UN says it needs in order to tackle these is, of course, more money, $47 billion over the next year. Yet some major donors like Britain and Germany have already said they'll be cutting back their UN funding. While the imminent arrival of Donald Trump poses questions about America's future contributions. Our correspondent Imogen folks, reports from Geneva.

[Nadia Murad]

2024 has seen escalating conflict and growing violence towards aid agencies. A record number of aid workers have been killed. There have been hundreds of attacks on hospitals and ambulances. The UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, fears the once accepted rules of war are being deliberately ignored.

[Paul Moss]

It's not just the ferocity of these conflicts. Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria. It's about that willful neglect of international humanitarian law. And as a result, we seem to have lost our anchor somehow. That scaffolding that we felt was there, international humanitarian law that I was hoping that we'd be taking for granted at this point is shaking.

[Nadia Murad]

But even if aid agencies get the renewed respect they need to work, they also need hard cash. Traditionally, generous donors, Germany or the UK are cutting back. And with the election of Donald Trump and his America first strategy, big questions hang over the commitment of the UN's biggest funder, the United States. Tom Fletcher believes a trend towards isolationism can only compound global problems.

[Paul Moss]

These challenges require a global response and not a withdrawal, a national introspection. We need to move on from this time of national distancing and get back to a system of global cooperation again.

[Nadia Murad]

But UN appeals are never fully funded. This year's HAS in December received less than half what was budgeted, causing cuts to food aid in Syria and Sudan. In 2025, the UN estimates a staggering 305 million people will need help. Its appeal will, even if fully funded, support just 2/3 of them.

[Paul Moss]

Imogen folks still to come in this podcast, she is unique.

[John Plessner]

We don't know of any others that are even close to her age. The next closest that we know of that's here currently of albatrosses in General are about 45 years old.

[Paul Moss]

The tale of the albatross, which laid an egg at the grand old age of 74. I'm Asli Moshiri from the Global Story podcast where we're looking at Joe Biden's final weeks in office. It's often referred to as the lame duck period, but Joe Biden has still.

[Nadia Murad]

Been making big decisions on issues like the war in Ukraine, and he's even.

[Paul Moss]

Made headlines at home by pardoning his son Hunter.

[Jackie Leonard]

So what else might he have up his sleeve?

[Paul Moss]

Find the Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Ghana is one of the world's top 10 gold producers and the biggest in Africa. But mining the precious metal can come at great cost to the environment and to human health. The BBC has discovered that water around an illegal gold mining site in Ghana contains around 500 times more mercury than is accepted for safe drinking water, putting in danger the lives of the communities living there. The BBC's Thomas Nardi reports.

[Thomas Nardi]

Deep in the forest in southwestern Ghana, illegal miners are busy at work. Soil is dug up and gold is sifted with the help of a pumping machine. Toxic chemicals like mercury are also used to help separate the precious metal from dirt. One of the miners who spoke to me anonymously had this to say.

[Rupert Wingfield Hayes]

I am aware of the health issues associated with illegal mining. We spoil most of the rivers and now there is no clean water. But I don't have anything else to.

[Paul Moss]

Do apart from mining.

[Thomas Nardi]

Illegal miners in Ghana can make up to $4,000 a month. They prefer operating on rivers because that's where they find most of the gold. But their activity is now destroying the country's rich forest reserves. Amada Ancobra River. Located in southwestern Ghana, it's been heavily polluted with toxic chemicals like mercury, cyanide and other dangerous chemicals used by illegal miners. Locally known as Galam Sea, the color of the water has completely changed to brown and the state of this river has destroyed livelihoods in this area. The Water Research Institute of Accra found waters around a Galam sea site contained 500 times more mercury than the WHO recommends for human consumption. Dr. Asante is one of the researchers. Where we took the Galam Sea water, the mercury that we measured was 0.513 milligram per liter and that grossly exceeded the guideline value of 0.001 milligram per liter. Now, mercury, when it gets into a system, will affect the internal organs. It affects the lungs, it affects the kidney, and then for children, it affects their developmental process. In southern Ghana, Axim hospital is about 30 minutes drive from where Vancouver empties into the sea. Health workers here are regularly assisting people suffering from symptoms similar to the ones described by Dr. Asante. We've had deliveries that the babies were born with congenital deformities, some without limbs, some with transparent skin. Then we also had children having kidney problems. Then we think that it may have a link with the Galam C. Despite suggestions that the water pollution could be behind the cases of kidney failure and deformity in newborns at Axiom Hospital, no specific studies have been commissioned, so there's no medical evidence linking the two. Military forces are regularly spotted surveying Galamsea spots. Machine guns aimed at equipment in a bid to deter the miners. But the potential of this lucrative trade keeps luring them back.

[Baran Abbasi]

If I get money to start a provision shop, I will stop illegal mining. The government should give us money to start our own business so that we can stop mining.

[Thomas Nardi]

With cost of living still high in Ghana, the potential riches that come from illegal mining are still attractive for some. Until viable alternatives arise, rivers and forests, along with communities that depend on them, will remain at risk of the adverse effects of Galam Sea.

[Paul Moss]

That report by Thomas Nardi Social media companies are often criticised for the content they allow, but Telegram has proved particularly controversial. Until now, it has refused to use the services of the Internet Watch foundation, which helps detect and remove images of child abuse. That may be one of the reasons that Telegram's billionaire owner, Pavel Dourov, was arrested when he arrived in Paris in August and is still unable to leave France while investigations are carried out. Well, now Telegram has changed its mind and said it will use Internet Watch. I spoke about this with our cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy, and asked him first to explain why Telegram had operated differently to other platforms.

[Joe Tidy]

Well, Telegram is a bit of like, if you imagine a mix between WhatsApp and Twitter or now called X. Of course, it's often described as a social messaging platform. So it's not just a peer to peer thing where you message your friends or groups of friends. It's also a place where you can broadcast to lots and lots of people. I think up to about 2 million people can be part of a channel. And Telegram started off as a, as a Russian company. It was founded by a Russian, Pavel Durov, when he was in Dubai and it's since spread all around the world. Very particularly popular in Ukraine, in Russia, in Iran. And it's kind of like an anarchic type of experience, really. You go on there and there's all sorts of emojis and lots of noise and it's very colorful. And you can do lots of things in the app, for example, you can exchange money and buy things, things like that. And that's partly where the problems have come because of course Telegram has been marketed by Doroth and his team as being a light touch moderation platform. They like to brand themselves as different from other social networks, not a sort of Silicon Valley conformist. And they have different policies, for example, on privacy and they won't share too much detail with police or on any activity that's happening on the platform. And that's part of the reason why it's gotten so much hot water.

[Paul Moss]

So why do you think it's now seems to have changed its mind and allowed. It says it will allow this foundation, the Internet Watch foundation, to sort out, to detect child abuse and remove it.

[Joe Tidy]

Well, I think the arrest of Pavledore has got to be a big part of the catalyst for this decision. They previously did not want to engage at all with the IWF or any other organizations like the iwf. And of course if you don't, then you don't get to use their tools and expertise to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material, which has been proven to be an issue on telegram. They didn't reply to messages from this group. They didn't want to sign up to the membership scheme. But now today they have.

[Paul Moss]

And that was Joe Tidy. The eldest known wild bird in the world has just laid an egg. Wisdom, the Laysan albatross is thought to be 74, which would mean she's been cruising around the North Pacific Ocean since the 1950s. Her egg is expected to hatch at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii, a source of delight to John Plisner, a biologist at the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service.

[John Plessner]

She is by far the oldest bird that we have that we know of here at Midway. She is a Laysan albatross, or moli in Hawaiian language, and she is one of about 2 to 3,3 million Laysan albatrosses that come to Midway every year, of which about a million of them breed every year here and then the rest are non breeders. We only know approximately how old she is because she was banded when she was already laying eggs. She was found on a nest and albatrosses do not start breeding until they are at least five years old. And so then since she was banded in 1956, she would have had to have been at least five years old at that point. She is unique. We don't know of any others that are even close to her age. The next closest that we know of that's here currently, of albatrosses in general, are about 45 years old. So it is very rare. Wisdom has probably outlived several mates at this point in time, probably the average age that birds can survive, or probably closer to 30 years, with many of them not lasting even that long. So it's likely that she's had at least three mates over that time and probably several more.

[Paul Moss]

John Plessner. If I told you there was a new exhibition opening called Inventing the Runway, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was something to do with airplanes or airports. In fact, though, we're talking about the world of high fashion. The Runway in question is the catwalk, which models walk down to show off the latest designs. And the exhibition is described as an immersive sound and vision experience curated in part by that giant of the fashion world, Anna Winter. Our culture editor, Katie Razzle, went to meet Anna Winter at the London venue where it's taking place, the Lightroom.

[Anna Wintour]

When you look at the history of the Runway show, it really does put into context everything that was happening. Fashion will always reflect what's happening in a bigger cultural sense. Fashion never, never exists in a vacuum.

[Jackie Leonard]

But what struck me is just how it's democratized.

[Anna Wintour]

Yeah, it started as a very elitist. You had to be invited. And it was a very tight little world. And now everyone can come to the party, which is as it should be.

[Jackie Leonard]

At the helm of Vogue since 1988. Anna Winters backing makes careers. But what most people want to know is, is she like this?

[Anna Wintour]

I don't understand why it's so difficult to confirm the point.

[Jackie Leonard]

I know.

[Paul Moss]

I'm so sorry.

[Jackie Leonard]

Miranda, the tyrannical magazine boss played by Meryl Streep in the Devil Wears Prada, Continue.

[Anna Wintour]

Your incompetence do not interest me. Tell Simone I'm not going to prove.

[Jackie Leonard]

That girl Winter has leant into the portrayal. And true to type for our interview, the sunglasses stayed on.

[Anna Wintour]

I'm horribly punctual. I'm also usually early.

[Jackie Leonard]

People are obsessed with the glasses. You're probably like I board of talking about these glasses.

[Anna Wintour]

That would be, is it a shield?

[Jackie Leonard]

Is it about short sightedness? I just wonder what the glasses are.

[Anna Wintour]

They help me see and they help me not see and they help me be seen and not be seen. So they're a prop.

[Jackie Leonard]

What people always say about you is nobody says no to Anna Winter. That people are.

[Anna Wintour]

Well, unfortunately, that is absolutely untrue. They often often say no. But that's a good thing. No is a wonderful word, I think, because you can, you know, then that helps you think about things differently and you, you look at a problem in a new way and you just think about how do you solve it.

[Jackie Leonard]

But do you think people are frightened of you?

[Anna Wintour]

I hope not.

[Jackie Leonard]

One of the big talking points in fashion is how thin is too thin. Many years back you said, and I know it was jokingly and very gently, you advised Oprah Winfrey to shed a few pounds to get on a cover. And she did and she looked amazing. But would you still suggest that now for a potential cover star or has the world changed?

[Anna Wintour]

Well, I think Ozempic has changed a lot, but I think.

[Jackie Leonard]

Would you tell them to take Ozempic?

[Anna Wintour]

I think that's a personal choice. Vogue stands very much for body diversity today and we've seen some change, certainly not enough.

[Jackie Leonard]

If you put somebody who's a slightly larger size on the COVID does it make a difference to sales? Does it suppress?

[Anna Wintour]

I think our audiences welcome diversity, body diversity, diversity and diversity in all, in all ways. In all our coverage, season after season.

[Paul Moss]

Lagerfeld invited us not just to a.

[Nadia Murad]

Fashion show, but into a Chanel universe.

[Jackie Leonard]

Now we're looking at this rocket. I mean, this is spectacle beyond spectacle.

[Anna Wintour]

You were there, I was there. It was extraordinary.

[Jackie Leonard]

Winter's reliving the moment in 2017 brought to life in this Vogue show when fashion designer Carl Lagerfeld created a space station inspired catwalk set for Chanel, complete with a rocket apparently blasting off. You've turned Vogue into a global brand. You're 75. You're still at the top of your game. Your energy seems undiminished. How much longer do you plan to stay in the job?

[Anna Wintour]

I have no plans to leave my job currently.

[Jackie Leonard]

So does that mean you'd go on till 80?

[Anna Wintour]

I'm worried about today, not tomorrow.

[Paul Moss]

Anna Winter talking to Katie Razzle. And that's all from us for now. But there'll be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk you can also find us on X at Global News Pod. This edition was mixed by Pat Sissons and the producer was Stephanie Tillotson. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Paul Moss. Until next time. Goodbye. I'm Asli Moshiri from the Global Story podcast where we're looking at Joe Biden's final weeks in office. It's often referred to as the lame duck period, but Joe Biden has still.

[Nadia Murad]

Been making big decisions on issues like the war in Ukraine, and he's even.

[Paul Moss]

Made headlines at home by pardoning his son, Hunter.

[Jackie Leonard]

So what else might he have up his sleeve?

[Paul Moss]

Find the Global Story wherever you get your BBC podcasts.