Sudan’s army retakes Khartoum airport from paramilitary RSF

Summary

Global News Podcast – Detailed Summary Episode: Sudan’s army retakes Khartoum airport from paramilitary RSF
Release Date: March 26, 2025
Host: Janak Jalil, BBC World Service

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1. Sudan’s Army Recaptures Khartoum Airport from RSF (00:00 – 02:37)

The episode opens with a significant development in Sudan's protracted civil conflict. Sudan’s army announced the recapture of Khartoum International Airport from the rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This strategic takeover follows the army’s successful operation to seize the presidential palace the previous week, marking a pivotal shift in the battle for control over the capital.

Key Points:

• The conflict has persisted for nearly two years, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and displacing 12 million people.
• The UN describes the situation as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
• The army claims comprehensive control over Khartoum, although RSF forces still dominate significant territories in Western Sudan.

Notable Quotes:

• Will Ross, Africa Regional Editor (01:31):
  "The Sudanese army has taken over the airport... People are just glad to see the RSF leave."

• Will Ross (02:37):
  "Huge relief for the population of Khartoum, but the conflict may continue as the RSF retreats to regions like Darfur."

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2. Devastating Wildfires Ravage South Korea (02:37 – 07:57)

South Korea faces one of its worst wildfire seasons, with at least 24 fatalities, predominantly affecting elderly residents unable to evacuate. The fires have decimated entire neighborhoods, including the destruction of an ancient Buddhist temple, prompting urgent efforts to safeguard historical artifacts.

Key Points:

• Firefighters, supported by military personnel, are battling the rapidly spreading flames exacerbated by dry weather and strong winds.
• A firefighting helicopter crash resulted in the death of a pilot, temporarily grounding aerial firefighting efforts.
• Authorities are considering stricter regulations on illegal burning and enhancing emergency response systems to prevent future tragedies.

Notable Quotes:

• Chiaogoo, Monk at Buddhist Landmark (04:27):
  "I really hoped that nothing would go wrong, but when I heard the news that the temple was on fire, I honestly felt so devastated that I couldn't come to my senses."

• Will Ross (05:08):
  "Despite deploying all available personnel and equipment, the situation remains critical."

• Rachel Lee, BBC Korean Service (06:00):
  "The scale and speed of these recent fires are something we have seen in a long time."

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3. Extended Detention of Gaza Doctor by Israel (07:57 – 10:37)

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyah, a physician from Gaza, has had his detention extended by six months without charge or trial. Israel labels him a member of Hamas, a claim his lawyers vehemently deny, asserting that he was solely providing medical care at the Kamal Adwan Hospital before the Israeli raid.

Key Points:

• Dr. Abu Safiyah was captured during the December raid on his hospital.
• His lawyers report a lack of access to evidence and allege mistreatment, including beatings.
• The broader context includes an intensified Israeli military campaign in Gaza, leading to extensive evacuations and severe shortages of essential supplies.

Notable Quotes:

• Emir Nada, Correspondent in Jerusalem (08:42):
  "Under the law that Israel is holding him, he is not entitled currently to a trial or charge. It's a kind of administrative detention."

• Emir Nada (10:03):
  "We are seeing a real expansion of the Israeli military campaign with new evacuation orders and a difficult humanitarian situation."

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4. Escalating Violence in the West Bank (10:37 – 14:18)

Amidst the Gaza conflict, violence in the West Bank has surged. Palestinian film director Hamdan Balal was attacked by Jewish settlers at his home, leading to his arrest by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Witnesses describe settlers aggressively assaulting protesters and bypassing military intervention.

Key Points:

• The attack on Balal has heightened tensions and highlighted the ongoing instability in the region.
• Witnesses report settlers initiating violence and the IDF's inadequate response to curb the aggression.
• The incident underscores the increasing emboldenment of settlers and the fragile state of peace negotiations.

Notable Quotes:

• Raviv Rose, Center for Jewish Non Violence (11:32):
  "When settlers approached us, they started pushing, shoving, and throwing punches, followed by others throwing stones."

• Chiaogoo (12:53):
  "Settler soldiers pointed their guns at us, and Hamdan was being assaulted while shouting for help."

• Will Ross (13:22):
  "Mr. Balal was released but went to the hospital. Palestinians say Jewish settlers are increasingly emboldened and unaccountable."

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5. Mass Protests in Turkey Against President Erdogan (14:18 – 21:29)

Turkey is witnessing unprecedented protests following the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamolu. The main opposition party, CHP, is calling for early elections, fearing President Erdogan may leverage the unrest to undermine the opposition. Demonstrators, including hundreds of students, demand democratic reforms and express distrust in Erdogan's authoritarian governance.

Key Points:

• Protests have lasted seven nights, with demonstrators setting up camps and organizing rallies.
• Participants express fears of remaining under Erdogan's long-standing rule, advocating for fundamental democratic rights.
• The government’s narrative portrays the opposition and protesters as violent, exacerbating tensions and suppressing dissent.

Notable Quotes:

• Chiaogoo (19:07):
  "We don't want Turkey to be a dictatorship. We want equal rights, equal elections."

• Chiaogoo (21:00):
  "This is not about this or that political party. What is at stake right now is fundamental rights of a democratic society."

• Mark Loewen (21:29):
  "At home, the Turkish strongman is looking weaker, and a polarized nation is crying enough."

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6. Canadian Actress Jasmine Mooney’s Detention in the US (21:59 – 25:59)

Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney recounts her harrowing experience of being detained by US Border Agents over a visa processing error. Detained for twelve days without clear explanation, Mooney was released after media intervention, highlighting systemic issues within privately managed detention facilities funded by government grants.

Key Points:

• Mooney was initially informed of visa denial due to unspecified past issues and was forcibly detained.
• She describes physical intimidation and lack of communication during her detention.
• Her ordeal sheds light on broader problems within the US immigration detention system, emphasizing the need for accountability and reform.

Notable Quotes:

• Jasmine Mooney (22:37):
  "My phone was ripped from my hand. My hand's up against the wall. They started patting me down, and I'm like, what is happening?"

• Jasmine Mooney (25:30):
  "What everyone needs to understand is the system I was put into is a privately owned, publicly traded company given government grants to run these businesses."

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7. Delay in Launch of World’s Longest Non-stop Flight by Qantas (25:59 – 28:02)

Qantas has postponed the launch of its non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York until 2027, citing necessary modifications to aircraft fuel tanks required by regulators. The planned flights promise unprecedented duration, with passengers expected to be airborne for 19 hours straight.

Key Points:

• The delay is due to regulatory requirements and technical adjustments to ensure safety and comfort on such lengthy journeys.
• Qantas CEO emphasizes continued demand for direct routes despite potential passenger discomfort and higher costs.
• The initiative, known as Project Sunrise, aims to revolutionize long-haul travel, though it raises concerns about the impact on transit hubs like Singapore.

Notable Quotes:

• Nick Marsh, Business Reporter (26:35):
  "Qantas says there is demand for this and it's actually a route that's been years in the making. The first test flights started in 2019."

• Nick Marsh:
  "It's going to be interesting to see how many people want to take this and the impact on places that benefit from stopovers."

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8. Correction on Previous Podcast Segment (28:02 – End)

The host extends an apology for an error made in a previous episode regarding the nationality of boxer Lin Yuting, clarifying that she is Taiwanese, not Chinese. The BBC encourages listeners to provide feedback and corrections to maintain accuracy.

Notable Apology:

• Janak Jalil (28:02):
  "We have to apologise for a mistake made in the previous podcast... Boxer Lin Yuting is from Taiwan. Thank you to those who pointed it out."

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Conclusion: This episode of the Global News Podcast provided comprehensive coverage of critical global issues, including political upheavals, humanitarian crises, environmental disasters, and significant developments in international relations and aviation. Through expert analysis and firsthand accounts, the BBC continues to deliver in-depth reporting on events shaping the world.

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For more information or to provide feedback, listeners are encouraged to contact [e-mail].

Transcript

[Janak Jalil]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janak jalil and at 14 hours GMT on Wednesday 26th March, these are our main stories. Sudan's army says it's recaptured the airport in the capital Khartoum from the RSF paramilitary force it's been battling for two years. Wildfires raging in South Korea have killed at least 24 people as firefighters battle to contain the flames. A major South Korean inquiry has found that for decades, governments failed to protect children sent abroad for international adoption. Also in this podcast, a new launch date has been announced by an Australian airline for the world's longest non stop flight. We begin with what looks like a significant development in Sudan's civil war which has caused what the UN calls the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. Sudan's army says it's retaken control of the airport in the Khartoum from the rival paramilitary force, the rsf. This follows the army's recapture of the presidential palace last week as it tries to push the RSF out of Khartoum. Since the conflict began nearly two years ago, tens of thousands of people have been killed and 12 million have been displaced. I asked our Africa regional editor, Will Ross if this claim about the recapture of the airport was credible.

[Will Ross]

Yes, it seems to be true that the army, the Sudanese army has taken over the airport. And it's pretty rapid, this kind of move across the areas of the capital Khartoum that had been under the control of the RSF are rapidly being taken back by the army. Have to remember this is a city that was home to around 6 million people, at least before the war broke out almost two years ago. So there have been some scenes of celebration in parts of the capital, Khartoum. People just glad to see the RSF leave. They've been suffering under the roadblocks they set up, the harassment, the abuses, and the city has been looted a lot. But the army's basically saying the whole of Khartoum is pretty much under its control and we haven't seen an awful lot of fighting. There are videos showing some of these RSF fighters moving pretty rapidly across the Jebel Alwiya dam. There's a bridge there across the River Nile and they're then heading west towards the Darfur region.

[Janak Jalil]

How significant is this? Because the RSF still controls considerable territory in Western Sudan.

[Will Ross]

Well, I think it's a huge moment for the people living in Khartoum and that's why there are the celebrations. Huge relief. But whether this war will rumble on with intense fighting or whether we're moving now towards a situation where you've got the RSF in control of large parts of the country, but mostly the Darfur region and then the army in control of central and southern areas and the east port Sudan. Whether this is now kind of the country split in half and that may possibly move towards a more peaceful time in terms of a lack of fighting between the two sides. But we don't know what the army's plan is as far as Darfur and trying to move on those RSF areas. But just this week we've had, you know, appalling atrocities taking place in Darfur, including the report that we had 24 hours ago of a market being bombed from the air by the army. So the abuses are still going on on both sides, civilians trapped in the middle. But this is a significant moment certainly for the population of Khartoum.

[Janak Jalil]

Will Ross Multiple wildfires continue to ravage South Korea's southeast region, fueled by strong winds and dry weather. At least 24 people been killed as we record this podcast with officials reporting that most of the victims were in their 60s and 70s and unable to flee their homes in time. Entire neighbourhoods have been devastated, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Among the buildings destroyed was an ancient temple. Chiaogoo is a monk at the major Buddhist landmark.

[Will Ross]

I really hoped that nothing would go.

[Mickey Bristow]

Wrong, but when I heard the news.

[Chiaogoo]

That the temple was on fire, I.

[Will Ross]

Honestly felt so devast that I couldn't come to my senses. It was an extremely painful feeling and I wondered how something like this could happen.

[Janak Jalil]

Elsewhere, efforts are being made to relocate valuable historical artifacts and move them to safety. Meanwhile, thousands of firefighters backed up by the military are continuing to battle the flames which began last week. A pilot was killed when his firefighting helicopter crashed in the mountains. Speaking at a news briefing in the capital Seoul, the acting President Han Duksu gave this update.

[Will Ross]

Despite deploying all available personnel and equipment to combat what has become the worst wildfires in the nation's history, the situation remains critical. With the potential for wildfires like we've never experienced before spreading in just a few hours, the remainder of this week must be devoted entirely to suppression efforts.

[Janak Jalil]

I got more from Rachel Lee of the BBC Korean Service.

[Rachel Lee]

The fires have been raging across southern part of the Korean peninsula for days now and they're still not under control. And in some counties, flames are just spreading rapidly toward the main town after firefighters helicopters were grounded due to the crash. But now with the resume of helicopter deployment, we're Hoping to see improvement. And now fires have already burned through large forest areas and even threatened residential zones, wooden temples and even historic treasures as well.

[Janak Jalil]

And why have they been so deadly?

[Rachel Lee]

So fires do happen here, especially during this dry spring season. But the scale and speed of these recent fires are something we have seen in a long time. And what's made this one so intense is the mix of dry air, strong winds and warmer than usual weather. And to give some context, the biggest wildfire on record was in 2000, which burned nearly 24,000 hectares and left two people dead. And now this one ranks third in size, but it's the deadliest. Now the government is talking about tougher rules on things like illegal burning, better emergency alerts and faster response systems so this kind of tragedy doesn't repeat itself.

[Janak Jalil]

And have you been speaking to people who've been caught up in these fires and what have they been saying?

[Rachel Lee]

Actually I have. I have been speaking to some of the people and they're saying it's just so tragic. And mostly in these areas where it was hit by the wildfire, mostly there are elderly people in their 60s and 70s living there and they've been living there for their whole life and they have nowhere to go, which makes it even more tragic. And some people are even providing shelters for firefighters to take a rest. And they're just cooperating more to tame.

[Janak Jalil]

The wildfire because the firefighters are under intense pressure, aren't they?

[Rachel Lee]

They are, they are actually. Earlier in the day one of the helicopters battling the blaze in Uysong county crashed around lunchtime and the pilot, a 73 year old old man, was the only one on board and sadly he didn't survive and it was carrying a water and after the crash the Forest Service made a tough call to ground all firefighting helicopters nationwide until they could figure went wrong. But the authorities decided to resume the deployment from 3:30pm local time and investigators are trying to understand if it was a technical issue or weather related.

[Janak Jalil]

Rachel Lee in Seoul, a doctor from Gaza whom Israel has described as a terrorist has had his detention extended by another six months without charge or trial. According to his lawyers. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyah was taken by the Israeli military during its raid and closure of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in December. He was last seen walking through the ruins of his hospital to give himself up to Israeli troops. Israel says he's a member of Hamas. Dr. Abu Safiyyah's lawyers say they have not been able to get access to any evidence as Israel has a quote secret file which they're not allowed to see. Our correspondent in Jerusalem, Emir Nada told us more about the doctor's incarceration.

[Emir Nada]

His detention has been extended another six months. He's already been detained for three months after the hospital was forcibly evaluated, evacuated at the end of December. Under the law that Israel is holding him under, he is not entitled currently to a trial or charge. It's a kind of administrative detention. And his defence lawyers have been protesting his detention, as has Dr. Abu Sophia who says he is only a doctor and was only ever providing medical treatment to people in the northern areas of Gaza. The Israeli case against him, according to his lawyers, is that he poses is a threat to the state of Israel. This is building on those charges you mentioned, accusing him of being a member of Hamas and indeed the hospital itself being a Hamas terrorist stronghold. When the army raided it, they arrested around 240 people they accused of being Hamas members. And now his lawyers are saying that he's being subjected to maltreatment as well with accusations of beatings, including by sticks and electric batons. So really difficult circumstances. According to his lawyers. The Israeli authorities haven't commented on these particular allegations around abuse against Dr. Abu Safir.

[Janak Jalil]

Briefly, just tell us about the wider situation in Gaza.

[Emir Nada]

Well, we are seeing a real expansion of the Israeli military campaign. We've seen new evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza. According to the UN now there are 100,000 people in New areas that have been identified for evacuation, adding to the already 120,000 people who've been evacuated since the past week. And we're seeing a real difficult situation in terms of access to food and fuel since the beginning of Israel's blockade at the start of the month on 8. So it is indeed a difficult situation as Israel continues to push into the Gaza Strip.

[Janak Jalil]

Emir NADA well, while much of the world's attention has been focused on Gaza, violence in the occupied west bank has been increasing. On Monday, the Oscar winning Palestinian film director Hamdan Balal was attacked at his home in the west bank by Jewish settler. His injuries were bad enough for an ambulance to be called, but then according to the director's friends, the Israeli Defense Force arrived, took the director away from the ambulance and arrested him. The IDF says its soldiers were attacked by rock throwing Palestinians. The details of what happened exactly remain unclear. But since then, a witness to the aftermath has spoken to the BBC. Raviv Rose is Jewish and works for the center for Jewish Non Violence which aims to build reconciliation between Jews and Palestinians. Upon hearing of the incident, Raviv Rose and fellow activists drove to Mr. Bilal's home where they too were attacked by Jewish settlers.

[Raviv Rose]

When we tried to approach the house, three of us got out of the car on foot and that's when settlers basically approached us. At first one person was shouting. He started pushing and shoving, then throwing punches. And then about 15 more settlers, some of whom were armed, appeared over the hill and they started throwing stones at us. We ran back to our car. With us inside the car, they threw stones at us, completely destroying the car, slashing the tire, breaking the front and back windshields and the windows. The army approached and failed to do anything. But eventually the settlers did retreat. We asked them to pursue the settlers and they completely refused. Later on we saw Hamdan and two others, Nasser and Khaled, being arrested and went up to the houses and learned that they had been attacked at their home. I saw a pool of Hamdan's blood in front of his house.

[Janak Jalil]

Hamdan Bilal was later released. Our correspondent Dan Johnson has been to his village of Susia in the West Bank.

[Will Ross]

Three weeks ago, Barziladra was alongside Hamdan Balal in Hollywood, picking up the Oscar for best documentary. Today he was outside his co director's house waiting for news and recounting what he saw here.

[Chiaogoo]

Satler soldiers started to point their guns toward us with a light laser on our eyes and faces while the other group of settlers on the back throwing stones from different directions at us. I ran in that direction. Hamdan came to his home where his wife and children were and he closed the door. The settler recognized Hamdan and know him like from before and attacked Hamdan before start attacking him physically with the soldiers. Hamdan was shouting, I need ambulance, I need help.

[Will Ross]

Mr. Balal was among those arrested and questioned after what the Israeli military said was a violent confrontation between local Israelis and Palestinians. The IDF said the Palestinians were apprehended for hurling rocks. Activists from an anti occupation group said a group of 15 to 20 settlers attacked them before the military ARR. This happened on the dusty hilltops around Susia. And there's a car here with all its windows smashed, its tires slashed and its windscreen wipers torn off. And people living here say this is the sort of violence they're experiencing more.

[Chiaogoo]

And more since the beginning of January. 45 attacks, such as the attack of yesterday, 45 attacks, it just continue. And this is like insane and increasing and raised in crazy numbers.

[Will Ross]

Mr. Balal was released but went to hospital for further treatment. An Israeli was also arrested here last, but Palestinians say Jewish settlers are increasingly.

[Janak Jalil]

Emboldened and unaccountable, Dan Johnson in the West Bank. Still to come in this podcast, My.

[Jasmine Mooney]

Phone was ripped from my hand. My hand's up against the wall. They started patting me down and I'm.

[Janak Jalil]

Like, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Jasmine Mooney]

Like, what is happening?

[Janak Jalil]

We hear from the Canadian actress who tried to renew her visa only to find herself detained in the US for days on end. You're listening to the global news podcast. Let's return to South Korea, a country which since the Korean War ended in the 1950s has sent at least 140,000 children abroad for adoption. But now a three year long investigation has concluded the successive government facilitated a foreign adoption program that was rife with fraud and abuse. Park Sun Young, as chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a government appointed fact finding panel that wrote the report. South Korea had become the world's poorest country after the Korean War and actively.

[Will Ross]

Promoted international adoption for economic reasons.

[Janak Jalil]

The word active coupled with hurry, hurry.

[Rachel Lee]

Culture led to inadequate legislation and a.

[Janak Jalil]

Hasty administration administrative process.

[Will Ross]

International adoption continued into the 90s and.

[Janak Jalil]

The children who were adopted bore the.

[Rachel Lee]

Full brunt of the damage.

[Janak Jalil]

Our Asia Pacific editor, Mickey Bristow has been following the story.

[Mickey Bristow]

I think it's worth reminding listeners that the scale of all of this is huge. We're Talking about across seven decades, 140,000, maybe as many as 200,000 Korean youngsters sent abroad for adoption, most to the United States, but also to Europe, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Australia. Earlier, what this commission was looking into was a small fraction of those adoptions. They had 400 or so complaints and they've managed to only have time in three years to check out about 50 or so. But even so, in that small fraction of complaints, they found so many abuses.

[Janak Jalil]

And tell us about that.

[Mickey Bristow]

We've got a hint there from the chairperson of the Commission. In the 1950s, after the Korean War, South Korea was a poor place. Lots of families had been broken apart, were unwanted children, many fathered by soldiers from the United States who fought in the war. And that began the process. But by the 60s and 70s, it became something of an industry. Lots of demand abroad and Korean private adoption agencies willing to supply that demand. So doing things like falsifying records, coercing single mums into giving up their babies. And all this done with the government turning a blind eye because it meant at least they didn't have to do something. They didn't have to pay money to support these youngsters. They could get them off their hands and send them abroad. So real a patchwork of terrible things happening to these children.

[Janak Jalil]

And what response has there been to this report?

[Mickey Bristow]

Well, the commission itself believes that the government should apologise and bring in some kind of compensation for all those people who have been found to have been treated poorly, the adoptees themselves. Some have welcomed this report. Others say it doesn't go far enough. The government hasn't responded officially yet, but I think this is going to just be the start of this. As I suggested before, only a fraction of cases have been investigated. This ruling has probably lead to a lot of private prosecutions and a lot of unearthing of this past, which the chairperson of this committee said is a shameful episode really, in South Korea's history.

[Janak Jalil]

Mickey Bristow after seven nights of protests across Turkey over the arrest of President Erdogan's main political rival, Ekram Imamolu, the main opposition party in Turkey, the chp, has called for a mass rally on Saturday to demand early elections amid fears that the president could try to use the protests to discredit the opposition after he called them violent and evil. The CHP says it's ending its nightly demonstrations as it looks at how it can best forward its campaign to challenge Mr. Erdogan's decades long grip on power. Our correspondent Mark Lohan has been out on the streets of Istanbul to meet some of those demonstrating.

[Mark Loewen]

I'm outside Istanbul Technical University where hundreds of students have camped out on the steps outside, holding banners and announcing that they're boycotting their classes in solidarity with the massive anti government protests. Every few minutes a car drives past booting their support. There's another one. And that prompts even more cheers from the crowd here.

[Chiaogoo]

We don't want Turkey to be a dictatorship. We want equal rights, equal elections.

[Mark Loewen]

All of you have got your faces covered pretty much. Why is that?

[Chiaogoo]

Our government trying to find us and take us without any warning from our home. And we are trying to prevent, to be visible to them.

[Mark Loewen]

And are you going to carry on coming out here?

[Chiaogoo]

We are not stopping. I'm actually Turkish, but I'm studying in Germany. In Germany I can walk on the streets at night, but here I can't do that. I think it's dangerous. And the laws, they don't work. So if someone like stabs me or something, if they harass me, rape me, they're not going to go into jail.

[Mark Loewen]

What is your message to President Erdogan?

[Chiaogoo]

To listen to us.

[Mark Loewen]

And do you think he will listen?

[Chiaogoo]

I don't think so, but we will make him.

[Mark Loewen]

But the man who has led turkey for 22 years isn't listening. Hitting out at Ekrem Imamolu, the Istanbul mayor whose arrest sparked these protests. Last week, President Erdogan slammed those who, in his words, want to terrorize our streets and turn our country to chaos. And that's the message that the Turkish media, 90% of it controlled by Erdogan and his supporters, hammers home, that Imamolu is guilty as charged, not that he was brought down by the president to neuter a political threat. Several Turkish journalists who have covered the protests have been arrested as the president's clampdown on his critics continues, another sign of the authoritarianism that this movement is rising up against. Come across the city now to Istanbul City hall, where these protests began last Wednesday and where, once again, huge crowds have gathered. The CHP opposition party says this will be the last night that they gather here, that they want this movement now to spread into grassroots protests.

[Janak Jalil]

My name is Bertud.

[Chiaogoo]

This is not about this or that political party. What is at stake right now is fundamental rights of a democratic society. So, Imam Olu, we want to see him as our next president.

[Mark Loewen]

Will you carry on protesting in other parts of the city, other parts of the country?

[Chiaogoo]

If the leaders of the political move decide to carry on, I believe the people of Turkey will support it and will be in these streets at night.

[Mark Loewen]

And that is the question now whether Turkey's largest street protests in over a decade can continue to build momentum, or whether they fizzle out as just another of the challenges that President Erdogan has overcome or crushed. He's emboldened by a new ally in the White House and by a Europe that needs him on everything from from Ukraine to Syria. But at home, the Turkish strongman is looking weaker, and a polarized nation is crying enough.

[Janak Jalil]

That report by Mark Loewen. Many Canadians travel seamlessly across the border with the US for work and travel. But that wasn't the now much publicised experience of the Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney. She found herself detained for nearly two weeks, locked inside a cell without any explanation. It all started with what appeared to be a simple error over her original visa application. She says that while she was eventually released thanks to media pressure, she's met many others who've been detained in similar circumstances. She's been speaking about her ordeal at the hands of border agents to Julian Wariker.

[Jasmine Mooney]

While they were processing my visa and I was waiting, they go, jasmine, can you come talk to us? And she says, so. We were told that we cannot process this visa because you have had two issues in the past. And she goes, you are not in trouble, but because of these issues and because we can't give you this visa here, we have to send you back to Canada. And in my head, that meant, okay, like, I'm booking my flight and I'm going back to Canada and showing them. I sit down and I kid you not. And this man comes out and he says, jasmine, come with me. He brings me downstairs, and all of a sudden, all my things are ripped from. From my hands. My phone was ripped from my hand. My hand's up against the wall. They started patting me down, and I'm.

[Janak Jalil]

Like, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Jasmine Mooney]

Like, what is happening? And they're like, you're being detained. And it took me 12 days to get out, and I went to jail.

[Will Ross]

And when they detained you, did they say why? On what grounds?

[Jasmine Mooney]

So it wasn't until day three that I was allowed a phone call, which I only remembered my best friend's phone number, So I was only able to contact her.

[Raviv Rose]

Who.

[Jasmine Mooney]

I'm like, you need to call my lawyers. You need to call my family. And that was the first time that an officer talked to me, and they said, here's your paperwork. You are being banned from America for five years unless you appeal. It doesn't matter if you sign or not, though, because this is happening regardless.

[Will Ross]

Talk to me about those 12 days in terms of other people that were being held in similar circumstances to you. Did you meet others who had a similar story?

[Jasmine Mooney]

So there was about a hundred, and I would say 140 women in my unit. Everyone was placed in the system for different reasons, but a lot of them had had similar stories. So a lot of women had legal working visas and either overstayed or they were reapplying in an office, and they got denied and thrown in, like me.

[Mark Loewen]

How did you get out in the end?

[Jasmine Mooney]

I had multiple lawyers, and then I was able to get in contact with the media while I was in prison. And the second that my story got launched, ICE officers called my lawyers and said, oh, yes, she's in here. We weren't aware that she would pay for her own flight home. Yep, we'll get her out of here, no problem. And I was released the next day. But that is an absolute lie, because from the second that I was put into that system, I told every single officer that I would pay for my flight home.

[Mark Loewen]

What do you see as being the issue here?

[Will Ross]

Who. Who do you blame for what happened to.

[Jasmine Mooney]

What everyone needs to understand is the system that I was put into is a privately owned, publicly traded company. It is given government grants to run these businesses. But the government isn't running what I was placed into. So I am trying to bring this to light to make change that they do in an investigation of what is actually going on in there. There.

[Janak Jalil]

Jasmine Mooney speaking to Julian Wariker. Now, if you're a keen traveler and you've been wanting to try out the non stop flight from Sydney to London that's been promised for years, you're going to have to wait a bit longer. The Australian Airlines says a launch date for the service, dubbed Project Sunrise, has been delayed again. It's planned Sydney to London or New York flights won't take off until 2027. When it does get off the ground, passengers will be airborne for a straight 19 hours. But will they want to spend so much time trapped in a flying metal tube? Here's our business reporter, Nick Marsh.

[J]

There's going to be people who would relish the prospect. There's also going to be people who couldn't think of anything worse than spending what, 19, 20 hours stuck on a plane. But Qantas says there is demand for this and it's actually a route that's been years and years in the making. The first test flights started in 2019. Qantas had to prove basically that pilots, crew, passengers could physically withstand, psychologically withstand such a long journey. It was actually supposed to be launched this year, but there were delays with the aircraft. Regulators wanted modifications to the fuel tank. So the new launch is going to be in 2027. The CEO of Qantas has confirmed at the moment the world's longest non stop flight is a Singapore Airlines flight from here in Singapore to New York. That's about 18 hours or so. Perth to London is also another very long haul flight that Qantas offers and they are very popular. Qantas says that the data shows that people don't mind putting up with the extra cost or the discomfort if it's a direct flight. So it'll be interesting to see how many people want to take this. Another thing on was thinking though, it's going to be interesting also to see the impact on places that benefit from stopovers. So like Singapore, for example, people like to take a day or two to explore the city and break up the journey. So we're going to have to wait and see for another couple of years to see how all this pans out as well.

[Janak Jalil]

Nick Marsh, before we go, we have to apologise for a mistake made in the previous podcast. It was in the story about World Athletics, approving the introduction of a one time swab test to check whether competitors are eligible to take part in women only events. In in the piece by Jane Dougal, she said the boxer Lin Yuting was from China. She is in fact Taiwanese. So apologies for that mistake and thank you to those of you who got in touch to point it out. Your feedback is always welcome. 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 or point out any other mistakes, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. this edition was mixed by Mark Pickett. The producer was Carla Conti. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janat Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.