Strong aftershocks hit Afghanistan after quake kills more than a thousand

Summary

Global News Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Strong aftershocks hit Afghanistan after quake kills more than a thousand
Host: Janak Jalil
Date: September 3, 2025
Producer: BBC World Service

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Overview

This episode covers a series of powerful aftershocks in Afghanistan following a catastrophic earthquake that has killed more than 1,400 people, explores the complex aftermath and international response, and investigates pressing global headlines including Brazil's dramatic coup trial, Sudan’s deadly landslide, a major U.S. Space Command relocation, financial worries gripping Western economies, and more. The reporting brings listeners to multiple global hotspots, blending eyewitness accounts, expert interviews, and on-the-ground BBC journalism.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Afghanistan Earthquake Disaster

Timestamps: 01:08–06:10

Summary:

• Afghanistan experienced devastating aftershocks following a major earthquake in its remote eastern region. Over 1,400 have been killed and thousands more injured.
• Humanitarian needs are immense, but international aid remains limited.
• Taliban restrictions, especially limiting medical evacuations for women and girls, are compounding challenges.
• Local doctors and BBC correspondents describe dire conditions, highlighting the logistical obstacles and tragedies facing survivors.

Quotes & Notable Moments:

• Dr. at Jalalabad Hospital:
  “The biggest challenge here is poverty. Many were trapped under debris and since there were no female rescue workers, men had to assist and carry them... Out of those hundred [patients], nearly 50 are women.” (03:04)
• BBC’s Yama Bariz reporting from Konar:
  “We saw people out on the street. They had spent the night in open air... Speaking to a family which had lost seven members, while you were speaking to them, we felt aftershock. It was a very strong aftershock, very scary.” (03:58)
• Eyewitness account:
  “His two sons, his two daughter-in-laws and his grandchildren died in front of him because the house collapsed... This person was literally crying in front of me.” (05:02)

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2. Brazil’s Coup Trial: Bolsonaro in the Dock

Timestamps: 06:10–10:16

Summary:

• Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president, stands trial accused of masterminding a coup after his 2023 election defeat.
• The trial references the infamous assault on Brasília’s government buildings, drawing direct comparisons to the US Capitol riots.
• Allegations include plotting with military commanders and knowledge of assassination plans targeting political opponents.
• The Supreme Court takes a stern view, referencing Brazil’s history with dictatorship.
• Donald Trump labels the trial a "witch hunt," introducing U.S. trade repercussions.

Quotes & Memorable Moments:

• Judge Alexandre de Moraes:
  “The aim... was to establish a true dictatorship, words that are very poignant here in Brazil, which in living memory had a military dictatorship.” (09:12)
• Reporter’s summary:
  “This was the culmination of what prosecutors, the judges and police have described as a much bigger coup proposal that Bolsonaro is alleged to have masterminded.” (07:39)

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3. US Space Command Relocation

Timestamps: 10:16–12:23

Summary:

• President Trump moves US Space Command HQ from Colorado to Alabama, ending a protracted political battle.
• The location is steeped in space history (“Rocket City”) but sparks controversy over perceived political motivations and economic impacts.
• Trump attributes the decision partly to Colorado's mail-in voting (“corrupt,” despite lack of evidence).

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump:
  “This will result in more than 30,000 Alabama jobs... and billions and billions of dollars.” (10:35)
• Anthony Zirka, BBC North America Correspondent:
  “It’s been a bit of a political football... Joe Biden decided to keep it in Colorado... and now Donald Trump’s back in office and is going back to Alabama again.” (11:49)

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4. Sudan Landslide Tragedy

Timestamps: 12:23–13:52

Summary:

• A landslide buries the village of Tarsin in Darfur, reportedly killing up to a thousand.
• Humanitarian access is hampered by ongoing civil war and difficult terrain.
• The international community, led by the African Union and UN, appeals for a ceasefire and access to provide aid.

Quotes:

• Antoine Gerard, UN Deputy Coordinator in Sudan:
  “Everything is on cars in a very bumpy road. It takes time and it is the rainy season...we have to wait a couple of hours, maybe sometime a day or two to cross a wadi valley with water.” (13:20)

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5. Investigation: The Disappearance of Musa al Sadr

Timestamps: 13:52–17:16

Summary:

• BBC investigates the decades-old disappearance of Lebanese cleric Musa al Sadr, possibly uncovering his grave in Libya.
• The report details the arduous and perilous nature of journalistic inquiry in Libya, the role of forensic technology, and the ongoing pain the disappearance causes Sadr’s family and supporters.
• New photographic and algorithmic evidence is compelling, but the family remains unconvinced.

Quotes & Moments:

• Investigator:
  “A gaping hole in the skull suggested a bullet wound or heavy blow.” (15:52)
• Professor Hassan Ogail, University of Bradford:
  “There is a high probability that this could be him.” (17:14)
• Sadreddin Sadr (son):
  “I thank you for what you did... but nothing proves to me that this has anything to do with us.” (17:30)

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6. China’s Grand Military Parade

Timestamps: 19:42–21:54

Summary:

• China hosts an unprecedented military parade marking WWII’s end in Asia, demonstrating its growing diplomatic reach and featuring world leaders such as Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
• The parade is seen as both a display of patriotism and a challenge to Western powers.

Memorable Quotes:

• “The parade will showcase China's strength and let the world know we are a big country and we have power. It will be full of pride and patriotism, but it's also a clear challenge to the west...” (21:30)

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7. Myanmar Civil War Escalates

Timestamps: 21:54–26:24

Summary:

• Myanmar’s brutal civil war continues after the 2021 coup.
• Reporters visit a Thai rehabilitation center for wounded rebel soldiers; new warfare tactics include widespread use of drones and advanced weaponry.
• Criminals and illicit networks thrive amid chaos, making peace elusive.

Quotes:

• Sue Mon Thant, Conflict Researcher:
  “Military also utilize drone tactics, even improvised designs... they can also order a lot of custom made UAV drones from China and other countries.” (23:58)
• Jason Tower, Global Initiative expert:
  “Illicit actors have thrived due to the ongoing conflict... billions of dollars of revenue coming in which further fuels the conflict.” (25:02)

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8. Pakistan: Political Rally Bombing

Timestamps: 26:24–27:40

Summary:

• A suicide bombing at a Balochistan political rally kills at least 11.
• The attack is part of ongoing unrest in the region amidst continued nationalist insurgency.

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9. Global Financial Instability

Timestamps: 27:40–31:41

Summary:

• Financial nervousness spreads from France (facing a vote of no confidence) and the UK (long-term borrowing costs at historical highs) to the US (Trump pressures Federal Reserve for lower rates).
• BBC’s Darshini David offers perspective on debt, inflation, and market reactions.

Quotes:

• Darshini David:
  “The situation is far more stable... but when it comes to inflation, there are some oddities as well... investors are nervous, they're looking for safe places to stash their cash.” (29:26, 30:50)

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10. The Police: Sting Sued by Former Bandmates

Timestamps: 31:41–33:04

Summary:

• Sting faces a lawsuit from Police bandmates Andy Summers and Stuart Copeland over digital royalties and other income from the band’s classic hits.
• Sting claims contracts don’t require new royalty payments related to digital streaming; the dispute underscores how legacy contracts clash with modern music realities.

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Notable Quotes by Timestamp

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Doctor (Jalalabad) | “The biggest challenge here is poverty. Many were trapped under debris…” | | 03:58 | Yama Bariz (BBC correspondent)| “We saw people out on the street. They had spent the night in open air…” | | 09:12 | Reporter (on coup trial) | “The aim... was to establish a true dictatorship, words that are very poignant…” | | 10:35 | Donald Trump | “This will result in more than 30,000 Alabama jobs...and billions and billions…” | | 13:20 | Antoine Gerard (UN) | “Everything is on cars in a very bumpy road. It takes time and it is the rainy season…” | | 15:52 | Investigator | “A gaping hole in the skull suggested a bullet wound or heavy blow.” | | 17:14 | Prof. Hassan Ogail | “There is a high probability that this could be him.” | | 21:30 | Reporter (parade analysis) | “The parade will showcase China's strength and let the world know we are a big country…” | | 23:58 | Sue Mon Thant | “Military also utilize drone tactics, even improvised designs...” | | 25:02 | Jason Tower | “Illicit actors have thrived due to the ongoing conflict...” | | 29:26 | Darshini David | “The situation is far more stable... but when it comes to inflation, there are some oddities as well...” |

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Episode Flow & Tone

The episode maintains an urgent, compassionate, and authoritative tone. Listeners are taken rapidly across global crises, but with a focus on human stories and expert analysis. Quotes from victims and experts add depth and immediacy, while the presenters guide listeners through complex, fast-changing events.

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For Listeners

This episode is essential for anyone following breaking global news, especially developments in Afghanistan, Latin American politics, East Asian diplomacy, ongoing conflicts, and economic turbulence. The firsthand accounts provide powerful context for international headlines, and the BBC’s reporting offers insight beyond simple news summaries.

Transcript

[BBC Announcer]

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[Donald Trump]

This is the story of the One. As a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility, he knows keeping the line up and running is a top priority. That's why he chooses Grainger, because when a drive belt gets damaged, Grainger makes it easy to find the exact specs for the replacement product he needs and next day delivery helps ensure he'll have everything in place and running like clockwork. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by for the ones who get it done.

[BBC Announcer]

At the BBC we go further so you see clearer. With a subscription to BBC.com, you get unlimited articles and videos, hundreds of ad free podcasts and the BBC News Channel streaming live 24. 7 from less than a dollar a week for your first year. Read, watch and listen to trusted independent journalism and storytelling. It all starts with a subscription to BBC.com find out [e-mail] unlimited.

[Janak Jalil]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janak Jalil and in the early hours of Wednesday 3rd September, these are our main stories. Powerful aftershocks hit Afghanistan as the survivors of Sunday's earthquake mourned the hundreds of, possibly even thousands, who have been killed. The Supreme Court in Brazil considers its verdict in the trial of the former president Jaya Bolsonaro, who's accused of plotting a coup. The African Union has called for a ceasefire in Sudan's civil war to allow aid to reach a village that's been buried by a deadly landslide. Also in this podcast.

[Donald Trump]

Most importantly, this decision will help America defend and dominate the high frontier, as they call it.

[Janak Jalil]

President Trump announces he's relocating U.S. space Command from Colorado to Alabama. We'll tell you why the Taliban are appealing for international aid as Afghanistan struggles to deal with the latest disaster to befall one of the poorest countries in the world. They say that an earthquake on Sunday in the remote mountainous east is now known to have killed more than 4, 1400 people, with thousands more injured. Powerful aftershocks continue to be felt even as blocked roads hamper rescue efforts. Only a few countries have offered to help so far as even in the midst of this disaster, the Taliban is not letting up in its restrictive policies on women and girls, with reports that many more men are being evacuated for medical care as the Taliban does not allow male medical staff to treat female patients. This doctor at a hospital in Jalalabad told the BBC about the types of injuries she and her colleagues have been treating.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Today, around 15 patients were brought to us along with their injuries, many of them were pregnant and had obstetric complications and trauma. Some of them had head injuries, others had spinal or other body parts. Seven or eight underwent surgery. One had a fractured leg, another had a broken back. We provided first aid and ultrasound. The biggest challenge here is poverty. Many were trapped under debris and since there were no female rescue workers, men had to assist and carry them. We have four female doctors here, along with nurses across all wards. There are about 100 admitted patients and we have around 12 beds here. Out of those hundred, nearly 50 are women.

[Janak Jalil]

Yama Bariz from the BBC Afghan Service was able to get to the worst hit province, Kuna, and he told us what he'd seen.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

We went to a village and saw that the village had almost 30 houses. They were all destroyed. We saw people out on the street. They had spent the night in open air. We went to another area, Nurgle district. We were speaking to a family which had lost seven members. While you were speaking to them, we felt aftershock. It was a very strong aftershock, very scary. And we could see the RO falling down. But luckily nobody got hurt. Most of the victims and the injured from Konar, they have been moved to the neighboring province Nangrahar, because they have got a well equipped hospital. We went into the hospital because yesterday actually a lot of the victims and the injured were brought there. So I wanted to see that what is the situation like one day after. So today also tens of the victims have been brought there. And when I spoke to a man, his name was Nader Khan, he was also from this Mazardara which is the affected area. This guy was in his 60s. He told me that his two sons, his two daughter in laws and his grandchildren died in front of him because the house collapsed. He was injured himself as well. He managed to save only two grandchildren, but because he was injured, he could not help the others. Then the rescue team got there, they rescued him and his two grandchildren, but he didn't know where they were because they had been taken to different hospitals. And this person was literally crying in front of me. I had to give him time in order to calm down. And then he became able again to tell me more about the tragedy that had happened to him. He was telling me, my house is completely destroyed, my children are dead, they are still under the rebels or not, I'm not sure because I don't know. I do not have anyone to go back to or I do not have any home to go back to.

[Janak Jalil]

Yama Buriz in Afghanistan, the verdict and sentencing Phase in the coup trial of Brazil's former president Jaya Bolsonaro began on Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Brasilia. The far right politician is accused of masterminding an attempt to stay in power after losing his bid for reelection to the left winger Luis Inacio Lula da Silva three years ago. Just days after Mr. Lula's inauguration, Mr. Bolsonaro's supporters stormed several government buildings in Brasilia. One of the Supreme Court justices, Alexandre de Moraes, said that in a country with a history of military rule, the alleged coup plot constituted an attempt to establish a dictatorship.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

The country and the Supreme Court can only lament that in Brazil's republican history.

[Investigator/Expert]

The there has once again been an.

[Janak Jalil]

Attempt at a coup d', etat, an.

[Investigator/Expert]

Attack against the institutions and democracy itself.

[BBC Announcer]

With the intention of installing a state.

[Janak Jalil]

Of exception and a true dictatorship. Mr. Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, and if convicted, he could face more than 40 years in prison. He's always denied any wrongdoing, and he's found an ally in the U.S. president Donald Trump, who's called the trial a witch hunt and used it to justify imposing hefty tariffs of 50% on some of Brazil's goods. Our South America correspondent, Ione Wells, attended the proceedings in Brasilia, and she told us more about what led to this trial.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Well, I think the main event that most people might remember is the day, January 8, 2023, when thousands of Jair Bolsonaro's supporters stormed government buildings here in Brasilia, including the Supreme Court, the Presidential palace and Congress, vandalizing the buildings and essentially calling for him to return to power and for the military to join them, in scenes that were reminiscent to many of the Capitol riots that had taken place in the US After Donald Trump had lost an election there. This, though, was the culmination of what prosecutors, the judges and police have described as a much bigger coup proposal that Bolsonaro is alleged to have masterminded. This includes allegations that he had drafted a coup plan and held a meeting with top military commanders, essentially asking them to back it. There are also allegations that Bolsonaro had full knowledge of a plan to assassinate President Lula da Silva, who was then the president elect, as well as his running mate and one of the Supreme Court judges, Alexander de Moraes. So these allegations stem back before those riots that took place in Brasilia and were the culmination of months and months and months of Bolsonaro sowing doubt on the electoral system system without evidence, which judges and prosecutors say was essentially an incitement for his supporters to rise up and attack government buildings in the way that they did.

[Janak Jalil]

So talk us through what's been happening in court today.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Well, today this panel of five Supreme Court judges has started considering its verdict in the trial. We've heard from some of the judges, including Alexander de Morais, who's leading this case, as well as the Prosecutor General in Brazil. Alexander de Moraes has said it's regrettable that another coup has been attempted in Brazil. He said the aim of it was to establish a true dictatorship, words that are very poignant here in Brazil, which in living memory had a military dictatorship. The prosecutor general said that the only reason that this coup failed was because it didn't have the support of the army and Air Force commanders. This is something that's been reflected in the evidence that's been presented in this trial. Evidence presented by police suggests that while the Navy commander had expressed support for this plan, those other military commanders hadn't. Mr. Bolsonaro has always denied these allegations. We're expected to hear further from his lawyers and his defence as this trial proceeds. But he has accused the trial of being politically motivated.

[Janak Jalil]

President Trump has announced his relocating U.S. space Command from Colorado to Alabama. The decision ends a long running dispute about which state should host the facility, which oversees operations such as satellite navigation and missile launch warnings. Mr. Trump made the announcement at the White House.

[Donald Trump]

We had a lot of competition for this and Alabama is getting it. This will result in more than 30,000 Alabama jobs and probably much more than that, and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. And that's billions, because it can't be millions. It's billions and billions of dollars. Most importantly, this decision will help America defend and dominate the high frontier, as.

[Janak Jalil]

They call it, a North America. Correspondent Anthony Zirka told Katrina Perry why Mr. Trump had made the decision to move US Space Command from Colorado to Alabama.

[Donald Trump]

When asked about Colorado, he blamed the voting systems there, the mail in voting systems. He called it corrupt. There's no evidence of corruption in voting by mail. But that was his explanation in part for why it was moving from a state, Colorado, that is Democratic, supports Democrats, voted against Donald Trump the last three elections to Alabama, a state that has supported him. As he noted, it's going to bring billions of dollars in spending and thousands of jobs to that area at a cost of the jobs there in Colorado. So it's a very clear benefit for a state that has been on his side from the very beginning.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

We should say, though, that this move of Space Command from Colorado to Alabama is something that he tried to do before.

[Donald Trump]

It's been a bit of a political football. At the end of his first term, he did designate Alabama as the location for this space command, the permanent location for space command. And Huntsville actually has a long history, as Donald Trump mentioned Rocket City. It's where NASA had a research laboratory and a missile space command there from the very early days of the US Space program. So it is not a surprising choice. But then Joe Biden decided to keep it in Colorado also, maybe for political reasons. And now Donald Trump's back in office and is going back to Alabama again. We'll see if it sticks there.

[Janak Jalil]

Anthony Zirka, Hundreds of people in Sudan have been killed after a landslide engulfed their village in the western region of Darfur. The African Union has urged the warring side since Sudan's long running civil war to lay down their guns to allow humanitarian aid. Our senior Africa correspondent Anne Soy reports.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Pictures show the point where the village of Tarsin once lay, although it's impossible to tell now as the area is completely covered in mud. A local armed group which controls the mountainous area, the Sudan Liberation Movement, said as many as a thousand people may have been buried alive and that only one person survived. The group, which has largely stayed out of the ongoing war in Sudan, has appealed for help from the international community. The UN Agency in charge of humanitarian affairs has said it may take a while to get to the remote village. Its deputy coordinator in Sudan is Antoine Gerard.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

We do not have helicopters, so everything is on cars in a very bumpy road. It takes time and it is the rainy season. So some of the time we have to wait a couple of hours, maybe sometime a day or two to cross a wadi valley with water. So it is indeed a difficult place to reach.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Humanitarian access would also need to be granted by both the army and its rival in the war, the rapid support forces which controls much of Darfur. Both sides have so far offered support.

[Janak Jalil]

Following the tragedy and Soy A BBC investigation into one of the longest running mysteries in the Middle east, the disappearance of a prominent political and spiritual leader. Musa al Sadr has uncovered a body that killed could belong to the missing cleric. Musa Al Sadh travelled to Libya in 1978, never to be seen again. Mo Sharif reports.

[Investigator/Expert]

In March 2023, a BBC team filming in the Libyan capital Tripoli was seized by Libyan intelligence officers and imprisoned for six days. Freelance journalist Qasem Hamedi was with the team in each interrogation.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

They asked me, who were your sources.

[Janak Jalil]

In Libya who helped you to know.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

About Sadat, to the mosque, to the.

[Investigator/Expert]

Morgue they were investigating the disappearance of one of the most prominent political and spiritual leaders in the Middle East, Musa Sadr. Born in Iran, Sadr came to Lebanon to work with its disadvantaged Shia Muslim community. His message was one of inclusivity. I was striving to serve the Christian.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

Poor in Tyre as much as I.

[Investigator/Expert]

Was working to serve the Muslim poor. In August 1978, Sadr traveled to Libya at the invitation of the former dictator Colonel Gaddafi. After a few days, he disappeared. What happened to him has remained a mystery. The BBC team in Tripoli was eventually released without charges. But their treatment showed just how sensitive this story remains. Almost half a century later. In 2011, Qasem Ahmedi located a secret morgue in Tripoli. He'd been told he'd find the body of Musa Sodr there.

[BBC Announcer]

Two things struck me immediately.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

The look, the color, the head.

[Investigator/Expert]

A gaping hole in the skull suggested a bullet wound or heavy blow. The finding may corroborate an allegation Libya's former Justice Minister had made to Qassim on that same visit.

[Janak Jalil]

On the second or third day, they.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

Forged his papers saying he had gone to Italy.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

They killed him inside a Libyan prison.

[Investigator/Expert]

A former regime insider alleging what many had long suspected, that Al Sadr had never left Libya alive. But was the body that of the missing cleric? Qasim had photographed the face of the body in the morgue. The BBC gave the photo to a team of computer scientists at Bradford University in the uk. They've developed an algorithm designed to identify people from imperfect images like the one taken at the morgue in a human face.

[Janak Jalil]

The way a computer looks at the faces, it looks at various dimensions, if you like.

[Investigator/Expert]

Professor Hassan Ogail leads the team at Bradford.

[Donald Trump]

What I'm going to do is I'm.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Going to run this image against everything.

[Janak Jalil]

Else that we know is him.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Yeah. And see.

[Janak Jalil]

Let's see what happens.

[Investigator/Expert]

The results were compelling.

[Janak Jalil]

60S. They are either siblings, close relatives. So there is a high probability that.

[Investigator/Expert]

This could be him.

[Janak Jalil]

Yeah.

[Investigator/Expert]

The BBC team returned to Lebanon to show their findings to Musa Sadr's son, Sadreddin. He didn't seem convinced.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

I thank you for what you did.

[BBC Announcer]

We've been through a lot of these stories and more than one point I've seen in this film proves to me.

[Investigator/Expert]

That this has nothing to do with us. The Sadr family, along with many of their supporters, have always maintained that he is still alive. They believe he's being held in a prison in Libya and hope one day he will return.

[Janak Jalil]

Mosh Reef reporting there. The BBC has asked the Libyan authorities to comment on the findings of this investigation. It has received no response. Still to come, the songwriter and singer Sting is being sued by his former bandmates over alleged lost royalties.

[BBC Announcer]

In the 1970s and 80s, the band produced some of music's best known songs, and the legal dispute is centered around how the royalties from their hits were distributed between Sting, guitarists Andy Summers and drummer Stuart Copeland.

[Donald Trump]

This is the story of the One As a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility, he knows keeping the line up and running is a top priority. That's why he chooses Grainger, because when a drive belt gets damaged, Grainger makes it easy to find the exact same specs for the replacement product he needs, and next day delivery helps ensure he'll have everything in place and running like clockwork. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[BBC Announcer]

At the BBC, we go further so you see Clearer With a subscription to BBC.com you get unlimited articles and videos, hundreds of ad free podcasts and the BBC News channel streaming live 24. 7 from less than a dollar a week for your first year. Read, watch and listen to trusted independent journalism and storytelling. It all starts with a subscription to BBC.com find out more at BBC.com unlimited.

[Janak Jalil]

As we record this podcast. China is preparing to host a massive military parade in Beijing to mark the eightiet anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Asia, but also to show off its weaponry and growing diplomatic sway. Joining President Xi Jinping will be the Russian and North Korean leaders Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. It's the first time that Mr. Kim, who arrived by armored train, has attended a gathering of world leaders from Beijing. Here's our China correspondent, Laura Bicker.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Kim Jong Un is making his boldest diplomatic move in years. His signature armored train has made its way to Beijing as he prepares to sit shoulder to shoulder with China's President Xi and Russia's Vladimir Putin at a.

[Janak Jalil]

Grand military parade in the Chinese capital to mark the end of the Second World War.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

This will be the reclusive young leader's first major international event alongside more than 20 other world leaders, and it's the first time a North Korean leader has.

[Janak Jalil]

Attended a military parade in Beijing since 1959.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Mr. Xi has already held talks with President Putin, who claimed ties between the.

[Janak Jalil]

Two were at an unprecedented high.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

It's been a big week for Mr. Xi. He's just hosted 20 world leaders for the largest ever meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. But the biggest spectacle has yet to come. Marching troops, air force flyovers and new military technology are expected to be center stage during the parade.

[BBC Announcer]

The parade is important. It will highlight the discipline of our soldiers and their morale will be high.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

The parade will showcase China's strength and let the world know we are a big country and we have power. It will be full of pride and patriotism, but it's also a clear challenge to the west and a chance for Xi Jinping to project his growing power and influence.

[Janak Jalil]

That report by Laura Bicker. Since the military coup overthrew the elected government in 2021, Myanmar has been engaged in an increasingly brutal civil war involving rebel forces from different ethnic groups. Tens of thousands of people are thought to have died in the fighting, which initially saw the rebels make big gains. But now China is giving support to the Burmese military government, those gains are being eroded. Ed Butler has been hearing about the economic forces driving the war and has visited a rehabilitation center inside Thailand where wounded rebel soldiers go to recover.

[BBC Announcer]

The Sunshine Medical facility in Thailand feels like a haunted place, the injuries of 100 or more former service personnel revealing the type of warfare that's driving Myanmar's conflict these days. Kokand, a former soldier and amputee himself, shows me and my translator Yi, some of the injured.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

The military side, they shot a lot of RPG and bomb. They have to go and take back the weapon which didn't explode. And then it explode in my hand.

[BBC Announcer]

A rocket propelled grenade. It exploded in his own hands. He was holding it. There's a man lying in a bed now, his eyes are closed. He's got a drip into his nose, some kind of neck injury. What happened to him.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

In front of the front line here, the motor bomb, he got injured.

[BBC Announcer]

So it was a brain injury?

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Yeah, brain injury. It's common, the military. They use drone, they drop the bomb weapon they got from China and Russia.

[Janak Jalil]

Particularly this year, we've been seeing that.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Military also utilize drone tactics, even improvised designs of drones. And because military has a lot of resources, they can also order a lot of custom made UAV drones from China and other countries.

[BBC Announcer]

At Sue Mon Thant, a researcher on the conflict, she says the military balance has begun to shift in the ruling government's favor as China has become an increasingly major partner. Criminal groups are also playing a role now, she says, in their search for new revenue streams. Both sides in the conflict are being influenced by gangs who are profiting from the chaos. Jason Tower, a senior expert at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, says this makes the prospects for peace ever more distant.

[Donald Trump]

Illicit Actors have thrived due to the ongoing conflict in the country. The pace, right. At which they're able to consolidate extremely lucrative illicit markets.

[BBC Announcer]

It's, it's really picked up, right?

[Donald Trump]

So you've seen the globalization of scam centers. Scam centers are now able to reach.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

The, the whole of the world.

[Donald Trump]

You're seeing billions of dollars of revenue coming in which further fuels the conflict. They also have access to natural resources, access to narcotics trafficking, of drugs smuggling.

[Local Witness/Interviewee]

How are you going to have a.

[Donald Trump]

Peace process in the country when you have all of these armed actors, including the Myanmar military, that are sitting on these massive illicit businesses? These are major questions that there's no clear answer to right now.

[BBC Announcer]

Back at the Sunshine Rehabilitation center, my translator e sits beside another victim, this one practically comatose. It's a trauma injury from a massive aerial explosion. She says the face of future conflict.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Even two weeks ago, three of my friends passed away at the same time because of airstrike. It's common the military now, they are using really high technique system, high technical systems. Yes, yes. So in the near future this revolution starts moving to anti war. You need money to fight.

[Janak Jalil]

Now that report by Ed Butler in Thailand. Police in Pakistan say a suicide bomber has killed at least 11 people at a political rally in the restive province of Balochistan. The Balochistan National Party had been marking the anniversary of their founder's death four years ago at the rally in Quetta. No group has claimed the attack so far. Our Pakistan correspondent Azadeh Mashiri reports from Islamabad.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Police have told the BBC that none of the Balochistan National Party's leaders were killed and that their event had just ended. This is yet another violent episode in a province where multiple militant groups operate. For decades, Balochistan has been home to a nationalist insurgency. Several separatist groups accused the federal government of exploiting the province's natural resources. Some accuse the Balochistan National Party of being complicit by working inside the political system. Yet the party does call for more rights and autonomy. Despite the instability, Pakistan's military and civilian powers still see the province as their ticket to growing the economy and have been encouraging foreign investment. Police have warned the number of casualties from this latest incident could rise.

[Janak Jalil]

Azadeh Mushiri. From Paris to London to Washington, financial jitters are back. There's a vote of no confidence in the French government in a week's time which is expected to lose despite its warnings about excessive debt. In the uk, the cost of long term borrowing has hit its highest level in 27 years. And in the US, Donald Trump has been accused of attempting to bend the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, to his will as he tries to fire one of its governors, Lisa Cook, on unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. I spoke to the BBC's chief economics correspondent, Darshini David, about all this and I started by asking her why British borrowing costs are so high.

[Darshini David]

We've seen an increase in the borrowing costs on these 30 year bonds largely because of concerns across Europe about the levels of government debt. And this really just casts a spotlight on what is going on in the uk, because we've got a situation here where the Chancellor is likely have to find extra money in the autumn budget to stick by her financial rules, financial rules, ironically, which are there to try to keep down borrowing costs. What we're seeing at the moment is markets saying, actually, even though this is a concern, economists think that we're not headed for a crisis by any means. This is not the 1970s. They're saying there shouldn't be talk of, you know, bailouts as we saw in the 1970s from the IMF. We're a long way from a crisis. But it does actually cast that little bit of attention on the fact that this is a conundrum for the UK and other countries as well. How do we try and manage our public debt?

[Janak Jalil]

And the situation in the UK is more stable than say, for instance in neighbouring France, and yet it has the highest inflation of the G7. So why has the UK got so much debt?

[Darshini David]

It's an interesting situation. When you're comparing the countries in Europe as well, there are concerns about the levels of debt. When you look at those bond yields there, they're the highest since the financial crisis. But there too, people are saying, don't panic, we're not looking at a financial crisis by any means. The situation is far more stable. And when it comes to inflation, there are some oddities as well. Different ways of, say, setting energy prices, different ways in which food prices have been impacted. And part of that's got to do with domestic policy as well. Some of the tax rises in the UK have actually added to inflation in a way that means it is higher than an average in Europe. And that too contributes to interest rates being higher and therefore bond yields being higher. You can see how all these things are connected and therefore why there is concern about the UK in particular in some areas when it comes to debt. But ultimately, we've got to remember there is a plan to actually bring debt down. And when you look at these bond markets, even though there have been some pretty alarming sounding headlines. What is interesting is when you look at the sales of these bonds, there's no shortage of appetites. Investors are ready to buy them, which means there isn't a point at which we should be worried, either here or across the eu.

[Janak Jalil]

But beyond Europe, there is also huge debt in the US and concerns there about Donald Trump's attempts to force the central bank, the Federal Reserve, to cut interest rates and how this could erode its independence.

[Darshini David]

There are concerns there about President Trump's relationship with the Federal Reserve, what that could mean at a time when inflation, say, is set to be particularly stubborn in the US not least because of his trade policy and the impact of those tariffs. So those are causing some nerves, too, when you talk about the US markets, in particular for equities, for shares, but also for bonds as well. And also that means that we are seeing some interesting movements in markets elsewhere with the likes of gold and silver, silver and platinum. We've seen sort of those at very high levels in recent months, and those tend to sound alarm bells because it means that investors are nervous, they're looking for safe places to stash their cash. But it's an interesting one because we are looking at the concerns here being largely about debt and inflation, rather than, say, about recession, which has typically been the thing that's got investors spooked in recent years.

[Janak Jalil]

Darshini David, the songwriter and singer Sting is being sued by his former bandmates in the Police over alleged lost royalties for songs they recorded together. Andy Summers and Stuart Copeland have gone to the high court in the UK because they believe they're owed around $2 million. Lawyers for Sting, who wrote all of the band's biggest hits, say the claims are illegitimate. Here's our entertainment correspondent, Lizo mazimba.

[BBC Announcer]

In the 1970s and 80s, the band produced some of music's best known songs.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

Every breath you Take.

[BBC Announcer]

And the legal dispute is centered around how the royalties from their hits were distributed between Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stuart Copeland. Sting was the sole writer for many of the band's most successful singles. The band had an agreement that when he wrote a song for certain categories of those royalties, a percentage, usually 15, would go to each of the other two members. But some of the contractual agreements were reached long before digital downloads and streaming. Summers and Copeland assert that they're entitled to a percentage of the income from those as well. But Sting says that they only are entitled to some of those. The high court case also covers other categories of income, such as the commercial exploitation of songs in other media. Sting has denied that Summers and Copeland are contractually entitled to what they claim and says that in fact, the pair may owe him money that has been overpaid to them.

[Janak Jalil]

These are Mazimpa and that's all from us for now. But there will be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk this edition was mixed by Caroline Driscoll. The producers were Liam McSheffrey and Aran Kochi. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janat Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.

[BBC Announcer]

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