← Global News Podcast
Global News Podcast
US launches wave of air strikes on Yemen's Houthis
00:31:41
Washington cites Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping as the reason for the air strikes
Loading summary
Transcript107 lines
- [00:00]
Janet Jalil
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.
- [00:06]
Firaz Maqsad
At Ameca Insurance, we know it's more.
- [00:09]
Emir Nader
Than just a house.
- [00:12]
Firaz Maqsad
It's your home. The place that's filled with memories.
- [00:17]
Mike Thompson
The early days of figuring it out.
- [00:21]
Michael Sobolic
To the later years of still figuring.
- [00:24]
Cindy Crawford
It out.
- [00:27]
Firaz Maqsad
For the place you've put down roots.
- [00:30]
Mike Thompson
Trust Amica Home Insurance Amika Empathy is our best policy.
- [00:36]
Cindy Crawford
The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Toms of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last. Limits apply US only 1125 through 331 25. For full terms and conditions, visit CPR.
- [01:38]
Mike Thompson
This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janet Jalil and in the early hours of Sunday, 16th March, these are our main stories. Donald Trump has ordered what he calls decisive and powerful military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. An aid charity in Gaza says Israeli airstrikes there have killed eight people who are on a relief mission. Israel maintains it targeted terrorists. Huge crowds in the Serbian capital Belgrade have taken part in one of the biggest rallies so far against government corruption. Also in this podcast, Elon Musk says he intends to send a rocket to Mars by the end of next year. But can it be done that soon? Ideally, you need a way of refueling a spacecraft that's capable to take you to Mars, and for that you probably most likely need some sort of infrastructure around the moon. The United States has launched large scale strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. President Donald Trump said he'd ordered what he called a decisive and powerful wave of airstrikes against The Iranian backed group to stop its constant attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, which began after the Israeli military went into Gaza in response to the Hamas October 7th attacks. The US strikes are reported to have targeted air defense and radar systems and missile and drone sites. Images shared online show plumes of black smoke in the area over the airport complex in the capital Sanaa, which includes a sprawling military facility. As we record this podcast, the Houthi run health ministry says at least nine civilians have been killed. Firaz Maqsad is managing director of the Middle east and North Africa section at the Eurasia Group. He told my colleague Anjana Gadgil how this could play out.
- [03:34]
Firaz Maqsad
I think the broader message though here from the Trump administration, which has been planning this for weeks, has coordinated with its allies, the Arab Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and others. There's a dual message here. One is towards Iran. Clearly, President Trump here wants to negotiate from a position of strength and leverage, and this is what he's doing by threatening one of their proxies in the region. The second one is also domestic, very much underscoring that the Biden administration was unable to deal effectively with the Houthi threat to shipping in the Red Sea, that there's a new sheriff in town, there's a new way of doing business. He will be much tougher than his predecessor was.
- [04:10]
Charlotte Simpson
So what reaction do we expect from Iran and how does this strike affect.
- [04:15]
Mike Thompson
Relationships between the US And Iran?
- [04:17]
Firaz Maqsad
The Iranians are generally cautious, and so this will take some time to play out. We will probably see some kind of Houthi retaliation against American bases and assets in the region. Djibouti comes to mind right across from the Red Sea where they are American assets. There is concern about American assets in places like Saudi Arabia and the uae. We'll have to see what kind of response the Houthis will muster.
- [04:40]
Mike Thompson
The group's attacks against ships in the Red Sea has been going on for some time now.
- [04:44]
Charlotte Simpson
How does the Trump approach differ from President Biden's approach before?
- [04:50]
Firaz Maqsad
Well, for one, this is a much broader campaign. This seems to be also much more forceful in terms of the targets that were hit today. My information is that this is not a one off, this will be ongoing. And so this is really a different caliber of message that's being sent to the Houthis. If the question is whether it promises to be more effective in ending Houthi targeting of shipping across the Red Sea, I think the response is less certain to that question.
- [05:19]
Mike Thompson
You're an expert on the politics of this region.
- [05:23]
Charlotte Simpson
Is there an alternative approach that the.
- [05:25]
Mike Thompson
US could have taken that could potentially be more effective than these airstrikes?
- [05:30]
Firaz Maqsad
I don't think so. I think this is the Houthis in Yemen has been a tough nut to crack, so to speak, for, for quite a number of years, certainly since October 7, since Hamas launched its operation against Israel. We had the war in Gaza with these got themselves directly involved in that fighting. It is understandable that coercion be used again as a tool of foreign policy in the hope that would then support the diplomacy that is ongoing. And I think it was very clear that in President Trump's message to the Iranians that he is interested in diplomacy, that he is calling upon them to act quickly and to restrain their Houthi proxy in order to move forward not only in relation to Yemen, the end of the Houthi strikes on shipping, but also in Iran's nuclear program.
- [06:14]
Mike Thompson
Middle east expert Firaz Maqsad and staying in the region. A British based charity that provides aid in Gaza has rejected accusations by Israel that eight people who were killed during airstrikes in Beit Lahir on Saturday were terrorists. The Al Khair foundation said that those who died were volunteers and others who were setting up tents for displaced Palestinians. It said some of those killed were journalists documenting the charity's work for promotional purposes. Israel maintains it targeted terrorists operating drones that threatened its troops. Emir Nader reports from Jerusalem.
- [06:54]
Janet Jalil
A video shows the smouldering wreckage of a car with a number of bodies lying in its burnt shell. Local Gazans crowd around calling out for help. The head of the Al Khair foundation told the BBC that the men had been establishing a new tent city in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, which has suffered some of the worst violence and deprivation throughout the war. One man nearby saw what happened.
- [07:20]
Emir Nader
We were working, then we saw the.
- [07:22]
Janet Jalil
Firing of a rocket.
- [07:23]
Emir Nader
Some people were killed and others were injured and we came to the hospital.
- [07:27]
Firaz Maqsad
We transferred them.
- [07:28]
Janet Jalil
The charity said the eight men who were killed included volunteers, two drivers, journalists and drone operators there to document the foundation's work. It told the BBC a first strike targeted the cameramen before a second attack hit those who went to assist them. In a statement, the Israeli military said it struck what it called two terrorists who were identified operating a drone that posed a threat to Israeli troops, saying it then struck additional terrorists who arrived at the scene. Hamas has called the killings a massacre and a dangerous escalation as negotiations to continue the ceasefire falter. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 140 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the truce came into effect in January.
- [08:10]
Mike Thompson
Emir Nada reporting President Trump has confirmed that one of the Islamic State group's most senior leaders has been killed in Iraq. Mr. Trump said U. S led coalition forces had relentlessly hunted him down in partnership with Iraqi intelligence. With more details, here's our Middle east regional editor, Mike Thompson.
- [08:29]
Janet Jalil
President Trump called Abdullah Naiki Musli Al Rifai a brutal killer who caused much hardship and death. Iraq described ISIS leader in Syria and Iraq as one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. U.S. central Command says he was killed in a precision airstrike in western Iraq on Thursday. His body and that of another is militant are said to have been found wearing unexploded suicide vests. Al Rafai is believed to have led is operational planning across the globe. The US still has more than 2,000 troops in Iraq tasked with countering a resurgence by the jihadist group following repeated requests by the Iraqi government. Most, if not all are to be withdrawn by late next year. The Islamic State group lost its last territory in Syria in 2019, but its sleeper cells have continued to launch deadly attacks across the region.
- [09:27]
Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson at the latest summit to try to secure peace in Ukraine, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the leaders of the 26 countries who took part in the online meeting on Saturday have agreed to move to what he called an operational phase in planning for a multinational force to guarantee a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. Mr. Starmer said the next stage would be a meeting of military chiefs within days.
- [09:54]
Janet Jalil
The group I convened today is more important than ever. It brings together partners from across Europe as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with backing from others too, including Japan. We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening restrictions on Russia's economy to weaken Putin's war machine and bring him to the table.
- [10:21]
Mike Thompson
But with Russia yet to agree to the plan for a 30 day ceasefire that Ukrainian and US officials hammered out last week at talks in Saudi Arabia, Finland's President Alexander Stubb said it was still too early to talk about deploying peacekeeping troops. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, again reiterated his belief that Russia is purposely delaying signing up to a ceasefire deal. He denied reports that Ukraine's forces are surrounded in the Russian region of Kursk, a claim that has been promoted by the US President Donald Trump. The Ukrainian side has a presence in the Kursk region. The encirclement of the Ukrainian military is a Putin lie. There is no encirclement of our military in the Kursk region. What kind of signals are coming from the Russian side? I asked our diplomatic correspondent, Paul Adams, for his assessment of this latest summit.
- [11:17]
Janet Jalil
Held in London, to police a ceasefire along a vast front line by a group of nations who've never really done this before without American support. You get an idea of just how complex this is. The idea has really only been around for a couple of weeks, and we are still seeing a gradual increase in the number of people who seem interested in the idea. But there is clearly still a long way to go, and we won't really have any real sense of how it's beginning to take tangible shape, perhaps until military officials get their teeth into it. At a meeting that's just to take place somewhere in the UK next Thursday, the prime Minister was saying, we are now moving towards an operational phase.
- [11:57]
Mike Thompson
Yes. What does that mean?
- [11:58]
Janet Jalil
I don't think it necessarily means much more than here. We have the kind of political outlines. Now. We're going to give it to our military bosses and chiefs. It'll be up to them to figure out, okay, well, this country is offering that many troops. This country's got aircraft that they might be willing to deploy. Let's try and put all these pieces together. As I say, it's a really complex picture. We're talking about around two dozen countries, not all of whom, of course, are willing to commit troops. In fact, at the moment, we only know of two, Britain and France, who are willing to do that. Interestingly, one thing that Keir Starmer did say was that the issue of an American backstop, that is the kind of support, frankly, without which an operation like this couldn't really get off the ground, perhaps even literally couldn't get off the ground, that that issue had not yet been resolved. European officials were in Washington yesterday. They are going to be going back and forth for the next several days trying to persuade Donald Trump that this is an operation that is going to need American military and logistical support for it to have a chance.
- [13:01]
Mike Thompson
And we're also waiting to see how Russia responds to the ceasefire. So far, it's attached lots of conditions, and the president of Finland has said, given this, it's too soon to talk about peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Does he have a point?
- [13:14]
Janet Jalil
Well, he does. I mean, I think what probably Sakir Starmo would argue is, well, we've got to be ready when the moment comes. That, I think, informs the sense of urgency we are now seeing. But the Finnish president is right. None of this can happen if there isn't a peace to police. And so that has to happen first. There's a clear anxiety that Vladimir Putin is playing for time. We are seeing Russian forces pushing really hard in the Kursk region of Russia. That's the area of Russian territory that was seized by Ukrainian forces in August of last year and where the Ukrainians are clinging on in the hope that that will be a major bargaining ch, the negotiations finally begin. I think it's pretty clear Vladimir Putin wants to see all Ukrainian troops out, ideally before those negotiations. There's been quite a lot of debate about the extent to which Ukrainian forces are on the run in Kursk. Donald Trump got it into his head that Ukrainian forces were encircled. There's no evidence at all, but they are definitely on the retreat. And it may not be that long before Russia is in complete control of Kursk again.
- [14:25]
Mike Thompson
Paul Adams, Japan's hot spring resorts are famous around the world for their relaxing effects and health benefits. But the record number of tourists who have flooded into Japan in recent years, partly to experience the hot springs, or onsen, which are heated naturally underground, has now led to a number of the resorts facing water shortages, with reports some have even shut down. Our Asia Pacific editor, Mickey Bristow told us more.
- [14:51]
Mickey Bristow
Well, hot springs were traditional Japanese pastime, and obviously when foreign visitors go to Japan, they want to experience it. And there's been so many foreign tourists in Japan over the last year or so. Last year there was more than 30 million, a record. They just want to go there and they've been using all the water. And so there's a lot of hot springs just running out of the water, because you've got to remember that this is water that's heated up underneath the ground, brought to the surface. So there's only a limited amount of this water when it's simply being used up.
- [15:25]
Mike Thompson
And given that there's no sign of the tourism boom abating, what can the authorities do to tackle this problem?
- [15:32]
Mickey Bristow
Essentially, what the authorities have tried to do is they're saying, look, you've got to try and limit the amount of water you use if possible. That means, say, hotels are building private onsen in rooms. Don't do that as much. Limit the amount of times you can use this water. Also, I'm sure there's a temptation to drill even further into the bowels of the earth and pump this water up, if possible, to get more of it. There'll also be a temptation to filter some of this water. Now, there are really strict rules about what counts as hot spring water in Japan, as you can imagine. But the temptation will be to filter it, reuse it again if there's a limited supply.
- [16:15]
Mike Thompson
And this is just one symptom of how over tourism is really having a massive impact on Japan.
- [16:21]
Mickey Bristow
Yeah, I mean, tourism is a great thing in many respects. If you get in lots of people coming into the country as you are in Japan, you're getting people spending lots of money. It's boosting the economy. But of course the flip side of that is it brings a lot more people and so a lot more pressure on infrastructure such as trains and buses, hotels, Airbnbs, all booked out. So essentially raises the prices. So of course tourism brings a lot to the economy, but it does bring a problem. And it's something Japanese people are beginning to understand and complain about as well, even though they recognize that tourists bring money and create jobs and wealth.
- [17:00]
Mike Thompson
Mickey Bristow still to come, we had.
- [17:05]
Cindy Crawford
Several vehicles, tractor trailers that were damaged. We've lost all of our food.
- [17:10]
Firaz Maqsad
It looks pretty extensive.
- [17:11]
Mike Thompson
The roof's blown off of it.
- [17:13]
Emir Nader
Everything around it here is really bad.
- [17:15]
Mike Thompson
We hear how tornadoes tearing across central and southern parts of the United States have caused death and destruction. This is Jenny Garth from I do part two. You could have lost 10 pounds already if you started one month ago. So are you ready to start today? Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just 3 minutes@tryfh.com tryfh.com Results vary based on start weight and adherence to diet, exercise and program goals. Data based on independent study sponsored by Future Health. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion.
- [18:01]
Cindy Crawford
Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. Well, I don't know about you, but like, I never liked being told, oh.
- [18:09]
Mike Thompson
Wow, you look so good for your age.
- [18:11]
Cindy Crawford
Like, why even bother saying that? Why don't you just say you look great at any age? Every age. That's what Meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful beauty, beautiful skin at every age. Learn more@meaningbeauty.com.
- [18:36]
Firaz Maqsad
At Ameca Insurance, we know it's more than just a house.
- [18:41]
Cindy Crawford
It's your home.
- [18:43]
Firaz Maqsad
The place that's filled with memories.
- [18:47]
Mike Thompson
The early days of figuring it out.
- [18:50]
Michael Sobolic
To the later years of still figuring.
- [18:53]
Cindy Crawford
It out.
- [18:57]
Mike Thompson
For the place you've put down roots. Trust Amica Home Insurance. Ameca Empathy is our best policy.
- [19:06]
Cindy Crawford
The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palm Olive Olive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last. Limits apply us only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.
- [20:10]
Mike Thompson
You'Re listening to the Global News podcast. It's being described as the biggest mass demonstration in Serbia since the fatal railway station roof collapse last November sparked an anti corruption movement. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people marched through the capital Belgrade in the latest protests at government corruption, which they blame for the Ruth collapse that killed 15 people at a station in Novi Sad that had only recently been renovated. These protesters say they want to see real change from the authorities. I believe that after this people will have a better awareness of what's going on in this country and I'm hoping we will be able to reach out to the people, that all will be good and that we will return to normalcy.
- [20:56]
Janet Jalil
We're expecting to see this society free.
- [20:59]
Mickey Bristow
At last as we've been trapped for.
- [21:01]
Janet Jalil
Years and decades in lies, crime, corruption and injustice. I'm expecting all of that to change after today.
- [21:12]
Mike Thompson
I spoke to our Balkans correspondent Guy Delaunay, who was at the protest in Belgrade.
- [21:17]
Emir Nader
Well, it's been an enormous crowd and if you take the official numbers, and by the official numbers, I mean the numbers that have come from the government, they saying that 107,000 people were at the various locations in Belgrade city centre. Now you know, if you take official figures and estimates of organizers, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Usually we haven't heard from the organizers, we haven't heard from any independent monitors, but 107,000 people in Belgrade is huge by this country's standards. It's certainly the largest protest that I've ever heard of taking place in Serbia. And when you're in the midst of it, it's absolutely staggering. It was quite difficult to make any movement around the city because of it. They actually had to change them location of the rally from in front of the national assembly to Slavia Square, which is a much broader location with fewer obstructions and crucially, none of the counter protesters who were blocking the park in front of the National Assembly. And of course, that was always leading to the possibility that there might have been clashes between the protesters and the counter protesters. It's been generally good humored. No serious incidents have been reported, but once again, people raising their voices and saying that they are unhappy with the way that President Alexander Vucic and the government have been responding to these allegations of corruption and cost cutting, which they believe led to the disaster at Novi Sad railway station last November.
- [22:41]
Mike Thompson
And given that there's no sign of these protests abating, how is President Vucic responding?
- [22:46]
Emir Nader
It's really difficult to see what the end game to this is because the students say they're going to carry on protesting until they've had three full transparency and accountability with regards to this railway station collapse. They want to know why 15 people died at a recently renovated facility that was part of the government's flagship infrastructure project, this high speed railway line from Belgrade to Budapest. Now, President Vucic says the government has already released a lot of the documentation. We've had the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic out, plus the mayor of Novi Sad, the charges being brought against against 16 people, including a former minister. He says he believes the students will never be satisfied whatever he does. And he thinks they're being manipulated or taken advantage of by opposition parties who are trying to use what he calls the street to overthrow a legitimately elected government.
- [23:36]
Mike Thompson
Guy Delaunay. The BBC has heard evidence of atrocities committed by retreating fighters in a battle for control of Sudan's capital, Khartoum. The city has been held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since the civil war erupted in Sudan nearly two years ago. But the Sudanese army has now retaken control of much of Khartoum and believes it's on track to seize arrest. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, which they each deny. Barbara Pletasha reports from Khartoum, where the army has shown her areas it recently recaptured. And just to warn you, you may find parts of her report distressing.
- [24:16]
Sian Cleaver
Sudan's army is preparing the ground for a final push on Khartoum, shelling positions of the rsf. In recent weeks, troops have retaken districts on the outskirts of the city, squeezing the remaining RSF fighters into the center. We're entering an area that was recently recaptured by the army, driving along dusty streets lined by houses that are mostly one story high, made of brick or cement. And as we pass by, there are women who open the doors, look out and wave. People were afraid. They were panicking, this woman tells me. But there's security now that the army's here. We were given the first raw accounts of what happened as RSF forces retreated. It was a shock. They came suddenly, says Intusar Adam Suleiman. They said they'd shoot anyone who's outside. Her son Mozamul is sitting next to the house with neighbors, right where he sat just weeks ago with his brother and his friend. The RSF fighters ordered them inside, then shot them in the back as they entered the gate, killing both of them. A bullet went through Muzamo's leg.
- [25:37]
Janet Jalil
Our friend died instantly.
- [25:39]
Mike Thompson
Then the men wanted to enter the.
- [25:41]
Sian Cleaver
House, and my mother tried to hold the door shut.
- [25:45]
Mike Thompson
My brother died the next morning, a.
- [25:50]
Sian Cleaver
Few blocks away, I meet Asma Mubarak Abdul Karim. She was with a group of women confronted by retreating RSF soldiers who sprayed gunfire around them, then pulled one woman into an empty house and raped her.
- [26:04]
Mike Thompson
He told her to come with us at gunpoint, and he was beating her with his weapon. And then we heard shooting and the man ordering her to take it off. Bullets were falling in the area, so.
- [26:15]
Sian Cleaver
We hid inside the house. The RSF denied these reports, stressing that the army has carried out mass atrocities. Both sides are accused of war crimes. The neighborhood next door is an affluent suburb that was home to senior members of the RSF leadership. It's now eerily empty. We've arrived at the mansion where the deputy commander of the rsf, Abdul Rahim, was living. There's a big empty swimming pool in the yard. There are other empty houses around where RSF commanders were living. None as grand as this one, I don't think, but evidence that the top officials have moved on. The army says it believes that those still fighting for the heart of Khartoum are the junior commanders, the lower ranking soldiers, and possibly foreign fighters. Behind them, the RSF forces left a trail of destruction. Zainab Osman Al Hajj shows me the wreckage of her house. They would come at night and break down the door. They stole everything in my house and then burned it, she says. This was not a war. This was chaos. There was theft in stealing and Robbery. Outside, we meet Hussain Abbas returning even though the area is not completely secured. He's nearly 70 years old, walking with a cane. So how does it feel to come back now after so much has happened?
- [27:44]
Charlotte Simpson
The moment I got off here, I almost cried.
- [27:50]
Mike Thompson
Two years.
- [27:52]
Emir Nader
Two years I haven't seen this place.
- [27:55]
Mike Thompson
Extreme suffering.
- [27:56]
Charlotte Simpson
We suffered a lot.
- [28:00]
Sian Cleaver
Survivors like Hussein are slowly coming back to try and salvage their homes. The army has the upper hand now in this terrible war. But there's much suffering still to come for Sudan's people.
- [28:15]
Mike Thompson
That report by Barbara Plett Asher in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, tornadoes, which have been tearing across central and southern parts of the United States since late on Friday, have killed at least 18 people. Most of the deaths were in Missouri. The state's emergency Management Service reported trees and power lines down, as well as damage to residential and commercial buildings. These Missouri residents described the destruction wreaked by the storm.
- [28:43]
Cindy Crawford
We had several vehicles, tractor trailers that were damaged, the roof tower, storage building. We've lost all of our food, all of the stuff that's in the freezers and refrigerators.
- [28:54]
Mike Thompson
It looks pretty extensive. The roof's blown off of it.
- [28:57]
Emir Nader
Everything around it here is really bad. The trailer park up the street had fatalities.
- [29:02]
Mike Thompson
We don't have nothing compared to anything like that.
- [29:04]
Emir Nader
I still have a home.
- [29:05]
Mike Thompson
They don't. And there's more severe weather forecast to come. Our North America correspondent, Merlin Thomas, gave us this update.
- [29:13]
Charlotte Simpson
There have been dozens of injuries reported, as well as several fatalities related to these thunderstorms and tornadoes which tore their way through central United States and then left there. In their wake, a destruction, a trail of destruction in the U.S. midwest and Southeast. Now, according to the National Weather Service, they've got reports of at least 26 tornadoes in these regions that have torn through and made touchdown. They've been reported but not yet confirmed. And this is really a mix of tornadoes, thunderstorms as well as large hail. Now, the state of Missouri has been in particularly badly hit where they have seen downed power lines and commercial buildings and homes destroyed and damaged as well. And local authorities say that they're working tirelessly to help those in need to recover their belongings and work through the debris of what has been left after the trail of these thunderstorms and tornadoes. And they've also said that they're still assessing the damage to some of those residential areas and some of those areas with those commercial buildings as well. Now, it's important to say that it's not just tornadoes as well that have been triggered by this. There have also been wildfires which have been fueled by these thunderstorms and tornadoes, particularly in states like Oklahoma and Texas. Now, according to the Oklahoma Forestry Service, some wildfires have burned through more than 27,000 acres of forestry, and that fire has been 0% contained. That's according to the Oklahoma National Forestry Service. Now, they've also said that they've issued a risk warning to areas in the Panhandle as well. So this is really a lot more to come. And the worst is yet to come.
- [30:58]
Mike Thompson
Merlin Thomas President Trump has signed yet another executive order to cut the funding of federal agencies, including the global news organization Voice of America, or voa, Radio Free Asia and others media outlets, which aim to increase US soft power by broadcasting truthful, balanced journalism. Mr. Trump also ordered other agencies, including those responsible for preventing homelessness or funding museums and libraries, to scale back operations to the minimum required by the law. Michael Sobolic, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington. Lee Stucet asked him what he made of Mr. Trump's latest executive order.
- [31:39]
Michael Sobolic
On the one hand, it's a gift to autocrats like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. I mean, when you look at Radio Free Asia, the whole model of RFA is surrogate broadcast casting and surrogate journalism, which tries to bring a free press to nations that don't have it into regimes that are terrified of it. And RFA losing its funding is gonna not just be a bad thing for the Chinese people, it's gonna be bad for American policymakers, because a lot of the sources on the ground that RFA has cultivated over the years has helped elected officials make better informed decisions strategically about US China relations. We've seen this with the weaker genocide and with the COVID 19 pandemic a few years ago and the shutter RFA is going to be a huge problem. And for VOA in particular, that's Washington's ability to tell America's story abroad in countries like China and Russia. And losing the ability to do that is going to be a bad thing for American interests.
- [32:36]
Sian Cleaver
Would it be correct to assume that since these moves against the size of the federal government, that the officials at the U.S. agency for Global Media and some of the media outlets were making their case case to President Trump's team? I mean, it's surprising they couldn't make that argument.
- [32:54]
Michael Sobolic
I think what we're seeing in some cases from this administration is a predetermined outcome. My impression is that many in the Trump administration, certainly not all, but several officials in key positions here were not interested in hearing the arguments of the agency of voa, RFA or others. And, and I think the, the knives were out already, which puts them in a very difficult situation. And I think we can probably expect to see a legal fight come up now because the President's executive order is going to be difficult to enforce because not all of U.S. aGM's related entities are codified by the Congress, but many of them are.
- [33:38]
Mike Thompson
Michael Sobolic from the Hudson institute in Washington, D.C. now, could there be humans on Mars as early as 2029? Elon Musk thinks so. The SpaceX founder has announced his Starship rocket will embark on an unmanned mission to the Red Planet at the end of next year. But spacecraft engineers aren't so sure. Sian cleaver works on NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. She says Mars is still a long way off for anyone, even the world's richest man. Really, the Moon is a stepping stone to go onto Mars. Ideally you need a way of refueling a spacecraft that's capable to take you to Mars. And for that you probably most likely need some sort of infrastructure around the moon. And that's the direction that the Artemis program is heading in. We're trying to see if we can build up this infrastructure, prove our capabilities on the moon before we then take the next step onwards to Mars. But Mr. Musk is confident his mission will overcome that problem. Charlotte Simpson has more details. Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket is central to Elon Musk's long term vision of reaching Mars. At around 120 meters tall, it's designed.
- [34:51]
Charlotte Simpson
To eventually be reusable and have refueling.
- [34:54]
Cindy Crawford
Capabilities, key elements to making the 18.
- [34:57]
Mike Thompson
Month round trip to the Red Planet. Announcing the news on his social media platform X, Elon Musk said there would.
- [35:04]
Cindy Crawford
Be no crew on board the initial mission, except for a humanoid robot named.
- [35:08]
Mike Thompson
Optimus, which he's been developing with his company Tesla. If the landings go well, Mr. Musk suggested manned flights could begin by 2029, though 2031 was more likely.
- [35:20]
Charlotte Simpson
But after a test flight of the.
- [35:21]
Mike Thompson
Latest starship prototype ended in a fiery explosion last week, Elon Musk's dream of conquering Mars could still be some way off. Charlotte Simpson 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 the topics we've covered, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. this edition was mixed by Daniel Fox. The producer was Liam McSheffrey the editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janak Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.
- [36:02]
Cindy Crawford
The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back. Rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to 30 $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it spend $20 on their products, get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash. Cashback Rewards with Colgate Palmaolo Rewards available while supplies Last, limit supply us only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.
- [37:02]
Janet Jalil
Com.