The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary BBC World Service | Episode: The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria | Release Date: December 16, 2024

The latest episode of the BBC World Service's Global News Podcast delves into a range of pressing international issues, from the shifting power dynamics in Syria to early elections in Germany, a historic chess victory in India, devastating cyclones in Mayotte, espionage allegations in the UK, and significant biodiversity discoveries in Southeast Asia. Hosted by Alex Ritson, the episode provides in-depth reports, expert analyses, and firsthand accounts to offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of these global events.

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Syria: Rebels Take Control in Latakia

Overview: Nine days following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, rebel groups, specifically Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have assumed control of the Syrian port city of Latakia. While celebrations of newfound freedom permeate the city, underlying tensions and fears persist, especially among the Alawite minority previously supportive of Assad.

Key Developments:

• Public Sentiment: Residents like Mazim express mixed emotions, celebrating liberation while recalling the terror inflicted by the Assad regime. "[...] we feel the freedom after years of terror, no democracy." (03:17)

• Security Measures: HTS fighters patrol the streets to maintain order and prevent sectarian violence. However, incidents like the requisitioning of an Alawite woman's apartment by a Sunni rebel commander underscore ongoing tensions.

• Economic Stability: Despite political changes, Syria's central bank remains a point of stability, retaining nearly 26 tons of gold valued over $2 billion. However, foreign currency reserves have dwindled to a mere $200 million, highlighting the economic strain under the Assad regime. "[...] the vaults had been left unscathed by looters after the overthrow of Bashar al Assad." (06:38)

Notable Quotes:

• Quentin Somerville: "This was a regime that was so venal, so corrupt, that even its supporters suffered." (05:49)
• Noor (Alawite Resident): "Even with HTS intervening to return my apartment, it's impossible for me to live here again." (05:59)

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Germany: Chancellor Scholz Faces Early Elections

Overview: Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a parliamentary confidence vote, triggering early general elections scheduled for February 23, 2025. This unexpected political shift comes amid economic challenges and declining popularity for Scholz's governing coalition.

Key Developments:

• Political Instability: Scholz's minority government struggles to pass legislation without support from opposition parties, primarily the conservative Christian Democrats. "[...] Chancellor Scholz has led a minority government. And what that means in practice is that he can't pass any laws without the support of the opposition conservatives." (08:15)

• Election Prospects: Opinion polls indicate potential gains for opposition conservatives and challenges from emerging parties like the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Despite poor personal ratings, Scholz hopes to leverage the unpopularity of his main rival, Friedrich Merz, to secure votes.

• Constitutional Framework: The early election mechanism, designed post-World War II to prevent instability, is now in effect as Scholz seeks a majority to continue governing effectively.

Notable Quotes:

• Samira Hussain: "His poll ratings are absolutely terrible. His government was unpopular, his personal ratings are really, really poor." (09:01)
• Jurgen Hart (Conservative MP): Discusses the complexities of forming a stable coalition in the current political climate. (07:19)

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India: Gukesh Dhumaraju Becomes Youngest World Chess Champion

Overview: In a historic achievement, 18-year-old Grandmaster Gukesh Dhumaraju has become the youngest ever World Chess Champion, surpassing Garry Kasparov's record set in 1985. His victory has ignited nationwide celebrations, particularly in Chennai, India.

Key Developments:

• Victory Details: Gukesh clinched the title by defeating China's Ding Liren in a closely contested match in Singapore. The final game, pivotal to his victory, saw Ding Liren make a critical blunder. "[...] Gukesh beat the defending champion, China's Ding Liren in Singapore." (11:35)

• Public Reaction: Enthusiastic crowds at Chennai International Airport welcomed Gukesh, highlighting the nation's growing prominence in the chess world. His parents, both doctors, sacrificed their careers to support his journey, reflecting the familial dedication behind his success.

• Future Aspirations: Gukesh expresses ambition to continue his chess career and aims to become the best player globally. "I have a very long career and hopefully one day to become the best player." (12:20)

Notable Quotes:

• Gukesh Dhumaraju: "I know it comes at a very young age, I think that there's still a very, very long way to go and my goal is to keep enjoying chess." (12:20)

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Mayotte: Devastating Cyclone Chido and Relief Efforts

Overview: Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory, with unprecedented winds exceeding 220 km/h. The cyclone wreaked havoc on the island, leading to widespread destruction, loss of life, and severe disruptions to essential services.

Key Developments:

• Immediate Impact: The cyclone obliterated infrastructure, especially in densely populated slums composed of makeshift housing. "Lots of houses and even towns are wiped out, especially the slums." (15:39)

• Humanitarian Crisis: With 84% of Mayotte's population living below the poverty line, the cyclone exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Survivors struggle with the absence of water, electricity, and access to food.

• Government Response: President Emmanuel Macron is personally overseeing relief operations, with French Interior Minister Bruno Retail deploying troops and emergency teams to assist. "[...] the urgency for me today is water and food and then of course is electricity because we are in the dark." (19:23)

Notable Quotes:

• John Ballos (Resident): "I was surprised I wasn't among the dead. It was a complete disaster." (15:39)
• Salama Ramiah (French Senator): "We are a Muslim island and in the religion people must be buried as fast as possible. But we are supposing that […] more than 1,000 [have died]." (18:54)

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UK: Chinese Businessman Accused of Espionage Linked to Prince Andrew

Overview: A Chinese businessman, Yang Tung Bao (previously known as H6 due to an anonymity order), has been publicly named amid allegations of espionage for China. His close ties to Prince Andrew have thrust the British Royal family into the spotlight amidst concerns over Sino-British relations.

Key Developments:

• Espionage Allegations: The UK’s Special Immigration Appeals Commission concluded that Yang had the potential to influence UK politics on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Yang denies all accusations, maintaining his innocence and role in fostering UK-China business relations. "[...] the claim that he was a spy was entirely untrue." (20:38)

• Royal Repercussions: The scandal has marred Prince Andrew's reputation, leading to his decision to abstain from traditional family gatherings, including Christmas events with King Charles. "Prince Andrew wouldn't spend Christmas with the King, as is customary." (20:59)

• Political Implications: The incident complicates the UK’s diplomatic efforts to balance economic engagement with China while addressing security and human rights concerns. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer remains committed to a policy reset, despite opposition criticisms.

Notable Quotes:

• Interior Minister Dan Jarvis: "[...] Yang had been in a position to generate relationships with prominent UK figures." (20:48)
• Rob Watson (Political Correspondent): Highlights the challenges of intertwining royalty with diplomatic roles. (23:07)

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Southeast Asia: Discovery of 234 New Species in the Mekong Region

Overview: Researchers in the Greater Mekong region have unveiled 234 new species of plants and animals, underscoring the area's rich biodiversity. These discoveries highlight both the wonders of unexplored ecosystems and the urgent need for conservation amidst environmental threats.

Key Developments:

• Species Highlights: Among the new discoveries are a rock-dwelling dragon, an eyelash viper, and a tiny bat species. Each exhibits unique adaptations, such as the eyelash viper’s additional scales for camouflage. "[...] the viper is called an eyelash viper because they have an extra set of scales above their eye." (27:59)

• Conservation Concerns: Many of these newly identified species face immediate threats from habitat destruction, deforestation, and mining activities. The Mekong region's limestone habitats, vital for species like the newly discovered dragon, are being exploited for cement production. "[...] limestone is being mined because it's a staple constituent of cement." (28:54)

• Scientific Significance: Mark Wright, a special advisor on conservation science at WWF UK, emphasizes the excitement and importance of these findings, noting that "We find new things every time we look." (27:21)

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Wright: "Every time we look, every time we take the time and patience to peer under a rock, look behind a tree and so on, we find new things." (27:21)
• Giovanni Cecconi (Engineer): "The barrier is helping nature to build up. So how can you say it is a bad…" (25:33)

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Additional Highlights

• Venice Lagoon Revival: Venice's storm surge barriers not only protect against floods but have also facilitated the year-round existence of Bacan, a previously seasonal sandbank. This development enhances biodiversity and provides a new recreational space for locals.

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Conclusion: The episode of the Global News Podcast offers a comprehensive look into significant global events, blending on-the-ground reporting with expert insights. From the fragile post-conflict recovery in Syria to the political upheavals in Germany, the triumph of youth in chess, the humanitarian crisis in Mayotte, espionage tensions in the UK, and the marvels of biodiversity in the Mekong, listeners are provided with a nuanced understanding of each story's complexities and implications.

Notable Contributors:

• Alex Ritson (Host)
• Quentin Somerville (Middle East Correspondent)
• Lipika Pelham
• Damian McGuinness
• Mark Wright (WWF UK Special Advisor)
• Samira Hussain (South Asia Correspondent)
• Rob Watson (Political Correspondent)

Production Credits: Produced by Judy Frankel, mixed by Caroline Driscoll, and edited by Karen Martin.

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For more insights and detailed reports, listen to the Global News Podcast available on all major platforms.

Transcript

[Alex Ritson]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Damian McGuinness]

World of Secrets is where untold stories are exposed. And in this new series, we investigate the dark side of the wellness industry, following the story of a woman who joined a yoga school only to uncover a world she never expected. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this where the hope of spiritual breakthroughs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation. You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. World of Secrets the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

[Alex Ritson]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Alex Ritson and in the early hours of Tuesday 17th December, these are our main stories. We report from the Syrian port city of Latakia, where the rebels who are now the de facto rulers are providing law and order. Germany's embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses a vote of confidence in parliament, triggering the early elections he wants. France's President Macron will fly to Mayotte to oversee the relief operation after Cyclone Chido. Also in this podcast, the businessman and close confidant of Prince Andrew, who's accused of spying for China, has been named. And hundreds of new species have been discovered in the Mekong region in Southeast Asia.

[Mark Wright]

Every time we look, every time we take the time and patience to peer under a rock, look behind a tree and so on, we find new things. And to me, that's part of the excitement, that's part of the joy of living on this planet.

[Alex Ritson]

We start in Syria, where just nine days since the fall of President Bashar al Assad, the people continue to celebrate their newfound freedom. There were celebrations also in the port city of Latakia, but Bashar Bashar al Assad and most of his military and intelligence staff were Alawites. And following recent attacks, some members of Latakia's minority Alawite community say they're now too scared to leave their homes. Hayat Tahrir al Sham, or hts, Syria's new de facto rulers have pledged to protect everyone. Its fighters are patrolling Latakia's streets to try to curb any violence from there. Our Middle east correspondent Quentin Somerville sent this report.

[Quentin Somerville]

It's hard really to do justice to the sense of bewilderment that's being felt about how quickly the Assad regime has fallen and the rebels have taken over this country. And that bewilderment is felt most sharply here in the Alawite heartland, the former Assad stronghold of Latakia I'm walking right now past the statue of Hafe Salazar. It's just his boots remaining. The rest was pulled down by protesters. Where it stands now, there is the new Syrian flag with a green banner and three stars rather than two. It's a transformation. I'm walking along here. Among the crowd with his two sons is Mazim. Hello.

[Alex Ritson]

Hello.

[Lipika Pelham]

Nice to meet you. We feel the freedom after years of terror, no democracy.

[Alex Ritson]

All peoples of Syria dream to reach this day.

[Quentin Somerville]

And what do you think about the Assad family?

[Alex Ritson]

Could you delete this question?

[Quentin Somerville]

When I turned my microphone off, Mazam had more to say. The Assad's were terrible people, he said. But he pointed to his two sons. He said, you don't understand the terror we were under here. I couldn't even tell my sons the truth for fear that they would make a mistake and would be revealed for criticizing them. It's worth remembering the Assads ruled by fear, even over their own supporters. They said there would be massacres here in Latakia if they ever lost power. Well, instead, around me there are celebrations, a big crowd gathering just as prayers end in celebration of this astonishing victory. This was a regime that was so venal, so corrupt, that even its supporters suffered. The Alawites too, are some of the poorest people in Syria. So there's a real sense of joy here today. But there's also an undercurrent of fear. Some haven't even left their homes since the regime change because they worry that there will be a reckoning and that they will have to pay a heavy price for the support of the old regime. This is Latakia's military intelligence branch, perhaps the most feared place in the city. It's in a bit of a state now. The portraits of Bashar Al Assad have been torn down. There's one on the floor. They even removed the eyes. Locals would avoid passing the gates of here. It was so feared. Now, in this courtyard are young men. They're HTS fighters. They're now the law here. A woman's made a complaint to the police. She says that her apartment has been stolen from. We've just arrived at this pretty upscale neighborhood. It's an Alawite neighborhood. The woman who made the complaint is now back inside. Her apartment was requisitioned by one of the Sunni rebel groups. Not hts. A commander. He's now been told to give it back. But that gives you a sense really of the sectarian tensions which are simmering here in Latakia. Nur, the owner, tells me, that while one nightmare has ended in Syria for Alawites, another has just begun. The Alawites feel safe in Latakia.

[Damian McGuinness]

Before, we knew who to be scared of certain people. Now we don't even know who we should be scared of. We knew who to avoid or speak about. Even with HTS intervening to return my apartment, it's impossible for me to live here again. I do have hope, but not in the near future. I don't dare.

[Alex Ritson]

Noor an Alawite in Latakia ending that report. By Quentin Somerville Syria's central bank has reportedly retained nearly 26 tons of gold worth more than $2 billion. The Reuters news agency quoted officials as saying the vaults had been left unscathed by looters after the overthrow of Bashar al Assad. With the details, here's Lipa Cappellam.

[Damian McGuinness]

Before the Syrian civil war began in 2011, the country's central bank held 25.8 tonnes of gold and $14 billion in foreign currency. While the amount of gold remains almost the same, the cash reserves have all but gone. Just $200 million are left. Syrian officials said the Assad regime, which had been under international sanctions, increasingly used the cash to fund food, fuel and fighting. It's also been reported that Bashar al Assad had airlifted into Moscow a quarter of a billion dollars in banknotes.

[Alex Ritson]

Lipika Pelham Germany wasn't scheduled to have its next general election until September 2025, but it's been called early next February after the Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, lost a parliamentary confidence vote. His defeat was expected when his governing coalition collapsed last month after a row overspending in a deepening economic cr. Opinion polls suggest gains for the opposition conservatives in those February elections. Jurgen Hart is an MP from the conservative Christian Democrats. The Chancellor missed the majority in the Deutsche Bundestag, and in Germany, the political system is that a Chancellor always needs a majority in the Deutsche Bundestag, otherwise he is a lame duck. He cannot take decisions he cannot bring through law, and therefore especially the budget for 25, which is a crucial point now. Olaf Scholz had made it clear he wanted to lose the confidence vote. As I heard from our Berlin correspondent.

[Samira Hussain]

Damian McGuiness, it is a bit counterintuitive, but essentially it's the only way, according to the German Constitution, to spark early elections. It's a rule set up after the Second World War, when the modern German constitution was written in order to prevent the sort of instability we saw during the Weimar Republic before the Second World War. So what we've seen so far really since the governing coalition collapsed in November, Chancellor Schultz has led a minority government. And what that means in practice is that he can't pass any laws without the support of the opposition conservatives. So the only way out of that for him is to have early elections, which will now take place ordinarily on February 23rd.

[Alex Ritson]

But is Chancellor Schultz not reading the opinion polls?

[Samira Hussain]

Well, that is a big question. I mean, he appears to believe that he can win a second term as Chancellor. But as you say, Alex, his poll ratings are absolutely terrible. His government was unpopular, his personal ratings are really, really poor. But he does have a few, a few slight chances. One of them is a lot of things can happen over the next month or two. A lot of voters say they don't know who to vote for and a lot of voters are very undecided. Also, the loyalty to particular parties is very weak at the moment. There's a lot of dissatisfaction with politics. There's various upstart parties. The far right AFD is doing pretty well. And there's a new upstart left wing populist party, an anti migrant nativist party, quite a radical party. But that's also creating a bit of uncertainty. So you've got more parties than ever. You've got a more radical debate than ever. You've got more voters who are uncertain than ever about who they're going to choose. And the other saving grace that Olaf Scholz potentially has is that his main rival, the Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, is also frankly pretty unpopular with voters. So I think Olaf Scholz is probably hoping that Friedrich Meertz would say something objectionable which would put off undecided voters.

[Alex Ritson]

And as you indicated, it could go very differently, couldn't it? Because the far right AFD alternative for Deutschland are polling pretty well, it has.

[Samira Hussain]

To be said, with the AfD, they're not going to get into government. No one is going to work with them because they're seen as so toxic. And some parts of the party have been deemed by courts as undemocratic, even anti democratic.

[Alex Ritson]

That annoys some parts of the electorate though, doesn't it?

[Samira Hussain]

Obviously, for AfD voters, yes, they would say, well, it's just the system working against us. But if the AfD do really well, it's going to make it even more difficult to form a stable coalition because you either need more partners who are more likely to disagree with each other or you're going to have very unusual coalitions where people are going to find it hard to agree. And the difficulty is Germany has to make some difficult decisions which are going to be unpopular with people. And to do that you need quite an assertive united government to push through some quite radical measures.

[Alex Ritson]

Damian McGuinness Hundreds of adoring fans gathered at Chennai airport in India to welcome home their teenage chess sensation who last week was crowned world champion. In doing so, the 18 year old grand master Gukesh Domaraju became the youngest person ever to hold the title. From Delhi, our South Asia correspondent Samira Hussain reports.

[Damian McGuinness]

Screaming fans mob Chennai International Airport to welcome home Gukesh dhumaraju. At just 18 years old, he has smashed the record for the youngest world chess champion, set in 1985 by a 22 year old Garry Kasparov. On Thursday, Gukesh beat the defending champion, China's Ding Liren in Singapore. The match was tied with just a game remaining before Ding made a blunder which shocked the chess world. With the title came almost £2 million in prize money, certainly a career high. But the new champion has his sights set on greatness.

[Alex Ritson]

Although this is a big achievement and.

[Lipika Pelham]

I know it comes at a very young age, I think that there's still a very, very long way to go and my goal is to keep enjoying chess and to have a very long career and hopefully one day to become the best player.

[Damian McGuinness]

Gukesh became a grandmaster at 12 years old. His parents, both doctors, put their careers on hold to support their son. India is home to 85 grandmasters, many of whom are not yet old enough.

[Alex Ritson]

To drive Samira Hussain. Still to come, the island in the Venice lagoon reborn by the city's new flood defences.

[Giovanni Cecconi]

The barrier is helping nature to build up. So how can you say it is a bad.

[Damian McGuinness]

World of secrets is where untold stories are exposed. And in this new series we investigate the dark side of the wellness industry, following the story of a woman who joined a yoga school only to uncover a world she never expected. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this where the hope of spiritual breakthroughs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation. You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. World of Secrets the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your. BBC Podcasts.

[Alex Ritson]

President Emmanuel Macron has said he'll travel to the devastated French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte in the coming days after it was hit by winds of over 2220 km an hour. @ the weekend, people living in Mayotte say the French Indian Ocean territory is unrecognizable following Cyclone Chido Rachel Wright compiled this report.

[Damian McGuinness]

A woman with an orange scarf tied around her hair shouts across a car park at a man surrounded by French police. He is Bruno Retail, and he's the French interior minister, because despite being nearly 8,000km away, these islands are actually part of France. He had just arrived on the island with two other French ministers and hundreds of French troops. The woman says a lot of people here are dying, and she expects more from people in authority. The minister replies that's why he is here to help. Despite the woman being upset, she politely thanks the minister as he turns to meet local police, security and emergency teams. The sights that await him are apocalyptic. Saturday's cyclone saw winds of more than 220 kilometers per hour, the worst storm here in 90 years. This man, John Ballos, who lives in the capital Mamadou, said he was surprised he wasn't among the dead.

[Alex Ritson]

It was the wind, the wind blowing, and I was panicked. I screamed, we need help. We need help. I was screaming because I could see the end coming for me. It hit us here straight in the face. And to be honest, it was a complete disaster. Lots of houses and even towns are wiped out, especially the slums, because for the houses made of bricks, it's just.

[Damian McGuinness]

The roofs that went around. 84% of the people on these islands live below the poverty line. Many of them are migrants who have come from the west coast of Africa hoping to get to Europe. The islands are densely populated, and a third of people live in shanty towns which the winds ripped through, destroying buildings and cutting off water, communication and electricity. The island's prefect said it was possible that thousands of people had died, but that it would take days before they knew how many these survivors were queuing up to buy food and water.

[Alex Ritson]

We've come to get something to eat for the kids, for us adults, for everybody. We've got nothing left. The wind's taken it all away. We had stocked up, but the wind took it all away. We've had no water for three days now, so it's starting to be a lot.

[Damian McGuinness]

We're trying to get the bare minimum.

[Alex Ritson]

To live on because we don't know when the water will come back on.

[Damian McGuinness]

Earlier today, Eric Sam Var, the deputy head of the Red Cross in another French island in the Indian Ocean Reunion, told the BBC how difficult it was to bring in help.

[Giovanni Cecconi]

Only military aircraft can land in Mayotte for now, I believe yesterday. Three small flights have been able to take some medical teams and civil protection teams from La Reno to Mayotte. And there is a bigger aircraft that will go today and we hope that the capacity will increase in the coming days.

[Damian McGuinness]

But the French authorities say they're stepping up the search for survivors and mobilizing support and resources to the island.

[Alex Ritson]

Rachel Wright, Julian Marshall spoke to Salama Ramia, herself a native of Mayotte, who represents the territory in the French Senate.

[Salama Ramiah]

In Paris today we don't have no water, no electricity and even no connection. No one in mayor can reach anyone else. The phone is not working, working because I have one from France.

[Alex Ritson]

So what's happened to all those people who were living in those small houses with corrugated iron roofs?

[Mark Wright]

What's happened to them?

[Salama Ramiah]

Yeah, the search just began today. France have sent the plan study coming, so the flight with the help with medicine, with everything. So the searches are just coming today. But we think that there will be many people that we told people before the cyclone that if they were not in safe in their house, they could come to those houses. But most of them didn't come. And so as we don't see them today, we supposing that most of them, unfortunately things happen to them.

[Alex Ritson]

Have you any idea at all how many people have been killed today?

[Salama Ramiah]

The one officially is 11 people. But the problem is that we are a Muslim island and in the religion people must be buried as fast as possible. But we supposing that like you said, the government is supposing more than 1,000, but those are supposition. We're waiting.

[Alex Ritson]

So what is the most pressing need for people in Mayotte at the moment?

[Salama Ramiah]

The urgency for me today is water and food and then of course is electricity because we are in the dark, we don't have any water, water to drink first, but also water for the houses, for everything. So people came from France, so they're helping to open the road security. We the army who started arrived, so those two things are okay.

[Alex Ritson]

Salama Ramiah. The identity has been revealed of a Chinese businessman at the centre of spying allegations in the UK who had links to King Charles's brother, Prince Andrew Yang Tung Bao had previously been known only as H6 because of an anonymity order. On Monday, he gave up his challenge to the lifting of that order, allowing himself to be named. He was banned from the UK last year by a national security court. Mr. Y has denied breaking the law and said the claim that he was a spy was entirely untrue. The row hasn't just embarrassed a royal, but raised questions once again about Chinese state activity in Britain. In Parliament, the Interior Minister, Dan Jarvis gave this statement about Mr. Yang.

[Lipika Pelham]

The special immigration appeals Commission concluded that there was a basis for the conclusion that H6 had been in a position to generate relationships with prominent UK figures.

[Quentin Somerville]

Which could be leveraged for political interference.

[Lipika Pelham]

Purposes by the Chinese Communist Party, including the United Front Work Department and the Chinese State.

[Alex Ritson]

The headlines are especially damaging for the Royal family. They always like to appear together on Christmas Day when they go to church at their Sandringham estate. But after Mr. Yang's name was revealed, royal sources said that Prince Andrew wouldn't spend Christmas with the King, as is customary. Catherine Cracknell heard more about Mr. Yang from our political correspondent, Rob Watson.

[Lipika Pelham]

Well, you know that he's 50 years old. He first came to the UK in 2002 to study English. He then got permanent leave to remain in the uk. In other words, he was living here. And what he says he was doing was promoting business contacts between the UK and between China. But what he was accused of by Britain's intelligence agencies, and this was upheld by a court, that he was in fact part of a broader Chinese espionage effort intended at, if you like, influencing the view of China here in the uk. But he has now come out, as it were, in order to say, that's absolute nonsense. You know, he is a legitimate business and he's just sort of fallen foul of a change in political climate between the UK and China since 2013.

[Damian McGuinness]

So what do you think the implication is for Sino British relations?

[Lipika Pelham]

Well, on the face of it, Catherine, the implication is that it should complicate efforts by the still new ish Labour government government here to improve relations between London and Beijing. But Sakir Starmer, the Prime Minister, seems to be sticking to the idea of a policy reset and has said, yep, while he's concerned about China, he still believes it's perfectly possible to engage with China and cooperate on economics and issues such as climate change, while at the same time challenging it on security and human rights.

[Damian McGuinness]

Because the opposition Conservative Party have accused the government of sort of cozying up to the Chinese government.

[Lipika Pelham]

Yes. So what the Conservatives are saying is that it's just not realistic to say that you can somehow have your cake and eat it with China, that you can have good economic relationship while being the subject of what is nobody is disputing on either side, is a pretty intensive espionage effort by China and there's.

[Damian McGuinness]

An impact on Prince Andrew as well. So what does it mean for him?

[Lipika Pelham]

Well, his reputation, to put it mildly, Catherine, is already pretty much rock bottom, but both within the Royal family and beyond. But it sinks a little further as a result of this, and I think that explains why we're hearing from palace sources that he's going to be making himself pretty scarce at Christmas and not appearing in those sort of royal family public appearances. I guess there's some suggestions that perhaps King Charles should have been a bit more ruthless in how he dealt with his younger brother, Prince Andrew. And I guess it also to some extent raises questions about, you know, just how do you mix royalty with diplomacy and trade promotion without occasionally getting yourself tied in some pretty horrible knots.

[Alex Ritson]

Rob Watson A lot has been said in recent years about the plight of the celebrated Italian city of Venice gradually sinking underwater. But it seems Venice's flood barriers, installed four years ago to protect against storm surges, are also helping to preserve the lowest lying island in the lagoon. Bacan, a sandbank previously only above the waterline in the summer, has sprouted vegetation and now exists year round. It's a favorite spot for locals. Giovanni Cecconi, an engineer who worked on Venice's storm surge barriers, is also a fan.

[Giovanni Cecconi]

Baccana it is very wide because it is 2km by 1. And the Venetian over the last century started to go there because it's a very close beach, is a nice place to go out of the crowd with the family, do the picnic. So it's kind of a central park.

[Alex Ritson]

And why is Bacan now existent all year round? Why is it changed?

[Giovanni Cecconi]

Because of the vegetation. Vegetation has produced an accretion of the shores that now is above the maximum water level. And their business is to make the soil stable. And they are pretty well in doing that. And of course, who made this job is the barrier, the storm surge barrier? Because the storm surge barrier contributed in channeling the flow, making it higher, the increased velocity is able to transport more sand. It make the difference, a huge difference.

[Alex Ritson]

Do scientists think this is a good thing or a bad one?

[Giovanni Cecconi]

For sure it is a nice thing because it increase the biodiversity. If you have an intertidal submerged vegetation with hill grass and then you have a beach and then you have a shore that ends up with an island. We call it island because it's above the maximum water level. Now it's much better because this will also improve the trapping capacity of the system. Now we have to speak about the value of the barrier that in a way has tilted the dice in order to make the accretion more likely to occur.

[Alex Ritson]

But isn't that a problem, that it's not a natural change, it's one partly caused by this man made barrier.

[Giovanni Cecconi]

The barrier is not producing directly. The island is helping nature to build up. Nature is a natural engineer. Life needs soil, soil with a certain property of humidity, nutrients, sun. And in order to get that proper combination, nature is spreading around the plant, in this case, but also the clumps, lot of seeds, thousand, in order to succeed in surviving. So how can you say it is a bed?

[Alex Ritson]

Giovanni Ceccone speaking to Paul Henley. A rock dwelling dragon and a viper with eyelash style scales are among 234 new species of plants and animals discovered by scientists in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Matthew Amroliwola Heard more from Mark Wright, special advisor on conservation science at WWF uk.

[Mark Wright]

Every couple of years we put out a report similar to this. In fact, a week ago we put out another report that showed over 700 new species in the Congo. So for me this is like Christmas has come early. It's a thousand new species, a thousand new ways that animals choose to live on this planet. And what I think it tells us is that despite the fact that we think we know, we know this planet inside out, it simply isn't true. Every time we look, every time we take the time and patience to appear under a rock, look behind a tree and so on, we find new things. And to me that's, that's part of the excitement, that's part of the, the joy of living on this planet.

[Samira Hussain]

Tell me more about some of the things you found. The bat, the viper, for example.

[Mark Wright]

So the viper is called an eyelash viper and it's because they have an extra set of scales above their eye. We think that kind of helps break up their outline when they're moving amongst all the foliage and so on. Yeah, they're venomous, poisonous to people and it lives in Thailand and Malaysia. The bat some. This is a tiny bat. It's the size of a, size of a safety pin and we know nothing about, we don't know where it roosts. It lives in some of these cast environments, these limestone environments. We think it lives in caves, but we really know very, very little about it. And then of course the lizard, that's, I mean, this is fantastic. The dragon named Lizard. It was found by somewhere like an adventure tour guide on a zip wire because these things have never been found on the ground. They're found on these kind of steep, limestone, rugged cliffs, but with fantastic camouflage. I mean, I take my hat off to him because even on the photographs it's really hard to make it out.

[Samira Hussain]

Some of these new species, I'm told, are already under threat.

[Alex Ritson]

Is that right?

[Mark Wright]

I think that's right. Because what we see in the Mekong is no different to what we're seeing everywhere else on the planet. I mean, we are really putting nature under the kosh. And that's for a number of reasons. We're changing their habitat for things like deforestation, for food and so on. Or in the case of the lizard, it's in these limestone habitats. And that limestone is being mined because it's a staple constituent of cement. So as we encroach more and more on these areas, as we take more and more of these resources, so these things are put under stress.

[Alex Ritson]

Mark Wright. 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@globalnewspod. This edition was produced by Judy Frankel and mixed by Caroline Driscoll. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Alex Ritson. Until next time. Goodbye.

[Nicola Coughlan]

When you're young, it feels like anything is possible. Maybe you're a little hot headed, but your optimism lifts you up and your righteous fury can be rocket fuel, propelling you to fight for what's right. You might make choices that put you in danger. You might even make history. I'm Nicola Coughlan. This is history's youngest hero. Rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth.

[Alex Ritson]

Being young, maybe she didn't think too much.

[Quentin Somerville]

She thought, right, I'll just do it.

[Alex Ritson]

She thought about others rather than herself.

[Nicola Coughlan]

Twelve stories of extraordinary young people from across history.

[Samira Hussain]

There's a real sense of urgency in them. That resistance has to be mounted.

[Damian McGuinness]

It has to be mounted now.

[Nicola Coughlan]

Including a young man called Nelson Mandela, a firebrand who led the defiance campaign against apartheid.

[Mark Wright]

Break segregation laws, ignore curfews, enter the door for white people at the post office, stand on the white side of the platform at the train station, and it's decided that black people are going to do this en masse.

[Nicola Coughlan]

And Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jansi, India's warrior queen.

[Damian McGuinness]

She was a small woman, woman leading her troops, astride a horse, sword in.

[Lipika Pelham]

Each hand, taking on the might of.

[Damian McGuinness]

The entire British Empire.

[Nicola Coughlan]

History is lit up by young people who act on instinct and stick to their principles. Like Julian of Norwich, one of the first women to write in the English language. A trailblazer, but at a cost.

[Damian McGuinness]

Why would somebody choose to have themselves.

[Samira Hussain]

Blocked up into a tiny little cell.

[Damian McGuinness]

With limited contact with the outside world, out of choice.

[Nicola Coughlan]

And Lady Jane, Grey Queen for nine days, who refused to give up her faith and chose to face the executioner's acts.

[Damian McGuinness]

You have someone who is knowingly risking.

[Alex Ritson]

Death and then ultimately knowingly taking death because there is something that matters more to them than their life itself.

[Damian McGuinness]

And that's a fundamentally heroic, heroic position.

[Nicola Coughlan]

These are tales of saints, athletes, Hollywood superstars and pioneers. Some heroes are household names. Some have been all but forgotten, like Vasily Arkhipov, a Soviet naval officer whose extraordinary courage helped save the world from nuclear catastrophe.

[Alex Ritson]

Well, sticking to your guns on that.

[Damian McGuinness]

Submarine in that heat, that take good.

[Alex Ritson]

Gods, that really takes guts.

[Nicola Coughlan]

History made by young people. Follow history's youngest heroes wherever you get your podcasts.