US top diplomat holds talks with Turkey on Syria

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: US Top Diplomat Holds Talks with Turkey on Syria
Release Date: December 13, 2024
Host: Rachel Wright, BBC World Service

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1. Syria's New Chapter: US Diplomat Antony Blinken Engages Turkey

In the wake of Bashar Al Assad's flight from Syria, marking the collapse of his two-decade-long regime, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarked on crucial talks in Ankara, Turkey, aiming to establish stability in the war-torn nation.

Key Developments:

• Political Transition: Syria's new administration has suspended parliament and the constitution for three months to facilitate a smooth transfer of power. Efforts are underway to dissolve the existing armed forces and establish new security institutions.
• Airstrikes and Regional Tensions: Despite the transition, Israel has conducted airstrikes in the region, specifically targeting strategic installations in the Syrian-controlled Golan Heights. The Israeli Foreign Ministry justified these actions by citing threats from jihadist groups near the border.

Notable Insights from Lise Doucet, Chief International Correspondent ([02:29]):

"Every day that passes, there are more signs about what kind of new governance is taking shape in Syria... There are mixed signals, but it is gradually, with every day, the new pieces are falling into place."

US-Turkey Relations: Tom Bateman, State Department correspondent, highlighted ongoing tensions between Turkey and the US, particularly regarding the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Blinken's discussions with President Erdogan focus on reconciling these differences to garner support for a future Syrian government aligned with American interests.

Quote from Tom Bateman ([12:06]):

"Antony Blinken here is trying to rally support for what the Americans see as their vision for the future of Syria... The Americans are trying to get Turkey and also their Arab partners in the region to buy into that and agree with those conditions before they would effectively recognize a future government of Syria."

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2. Mourning and Memory: The Funeral of Mazan Al Hamada

The streets of Damascus witnessed a poignant farewell as hundreds marched in the funeral procession of Mazan Al Hamada, a prominent activist and critic of the Assad regime whose body was unearthed from Sednaya Prison.

On the Ground with Yogita Lomai ([05:25]):

"Many have said 2012, 2013, 2015 and they've had absolutely no information. They don't know if they're dead or alive because the bodies were brought here."

Personal Stories: Families continue to search hospitals and prisons for information about missing loved ones, grappling with the trauma of loss and the hope for closure.

Quote from Mazan Al Hamada's Sister Lamia ([07:00]):

"He paid the price for our freedom. I want his killers to be brought to court for justice."

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3. Release of Travis Timmerman: A Symbol of Hope

Travis Timmerman, an 18-year-old American from Missouri, emerged as a symbol of hope after being found wandering the streets of Damascus, recently released from Assad's military intelligence custody.

Report by Yogita Lomai ([08:49]):

"They found him bare foot on the road. We helped him, offered him food, treated him well as a human being without any consideration of his American citizenship."

Travis's Testimony ([09:56]):

"It wasn't too bad... I was never beaten. The only really bad part was that I couldn't go to the bathroom when I wanted to."

Bateman emphasized that Timmerman's release represents one of the many untold stories of individuals affected by Assad's notorious prison system.

Quote from Rachel Wright ([11:06]):

"Travis Timmerman's story is one among tens of thousands from Assad's notorious prison system. Many more brutal will never be told."

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4. Insights from International Correspondents

Antony Blinken's Diplomatic Efforts ([11:21] - [12:00]): Tom Bateman detailed Blinken's strategic discussions with Turkey, addressing long-standing disputes over Kurdish militia support and the broader implications for regional stability. The negotiations aim to align Turkey and other Arab partners with the US vision for Syria's reconstruction and governance.

Quote from Stephen Coates ([11:36]):

"The Israelis have been clear about what they're doing and why they're doing it... It's also really important to make sure that we're not sparking any additional conflicts."

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5. Unveiling Humanity's Ancient Connections: Neanderthals and Modern Humans

New research published in Science and Nature reveals that modern humans interbred with Neanderthals around 48,000 years ago in the Middle East, a pivotal event that may have been crucial for the survival of our species.

Expert Commentary by Palab Ghosh ([14:07]):

"We've got to think again about what makes us so special... The humans that did survive are the ones that are the offspring of those that interbred with Neanderthals."

Genetic Insights ([15:57]):

"There were some genes that were inherited from Neanderthals, such as their immune system and metabolism, that gave our ancestors an evolutionary advantage."

This interbreeding provided modern humans with genetic traits that enhanced their immune responses and metabolic processes, facilitating adaptation to diverse environments.

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6. Defiance and Courage: Iranian Singer Parastou Ahmadi

Parastou Ahmadi, an Iranian singer, made headlines by performing a public concert without the mandatory headscarf, facing immediate prosecution for her bold defiance of restrictive laws.

Report by Nida Tawfique ([19:51]):

"Performing alone as a woman in Iran is illegal. She's risking arrest and prosecution immediately after her extraordinary act of courage."

Reactions from BBC Persian's Parham Gubadi ([20:47]):

"The reaction of the public has been extraordinary. All the singers, actors, activists, you name it, people have lent their support to this Iranian woman who has shown extraordinary courage."

Ahmadi's actions are part of the broader Women Life Freedom movement, challenging decades of oppressive regulations against women's autonomy in Iran.

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7. Technological Advancements: Apple Integrates ChatGPT

Apple is set to integrate ChatGPT into its latest iPhone models, enhancing the device's intelligence functions without compromising user privacy.

Insights from Kate Bevan, Technology Journalist ([23:02] - [25:41]):

"Apple feels it has to be part of that [AI] move. It's kind of bolting on something extra onto Apple Intelligence, which is already built into a few Apple products."

The integration allows Siri to utilize ChatGPT for more nuanced responses, such as describing photographs or assisting with writing emails. Apple emphasizes that the chatbot will act as a firewall, ensuring that personal data remains secure and unexposed to OpenAI servers.

Privacy Assurance ([24:20]):

"Apple says it's going to act effectively as a firewall between you and the OpenAI servers and OpenAI's training data. So it's not going to have access to any identifying data except... the general location for location-appropriate information."

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8. Historic Victory: Damaraju Gukesh Wins World Chess Championship

At just 18 years old, Indian prodigy Damaraju Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest ever World Chess Champion, defeating the reigning champion, China's Ding Liren.

Commentary by Stephen Coates ([26:14] - [27:38]):

"The result has just sent shock waves around the world... What was incredible was to see the reaction of this young man, Damaraju Gukesh, when he won the title. He's been a poker face all the way through the match. 14 games and he won. And then there were just floods of tears of joy."

Reaction from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ([26:14]):

"This victory is historic and exemplary for India."

Chess Expert Tim Wall's Insights ([25:41]):

"It's a very exciting match... Gukesh's secret comes from his mentality... he's worked incredibly hard at the game for the last 10 years."

Gukesh's triumph is seen as a testament to India's burgeoning presence in the global chess arena, inspiring a new generation of players.

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9. Cultural Shift: Kyrgyzstan's National Anthem Update

Kyrgyzstan's president has initiated a process to update the national anthem, aiming to move away from its Soviet-era roots and better reflect the nation's rich 5,000-year history.

Report by Simon Ponsford ([28:55] - [30:11]):

"The current anthem was adopted in 1992... but the president says the words are too fixed on glorifying independence and failed to reflect a nation with 5,000 years of history."

A parliamentary commission has been tasked with creating a new anthem that is easy to sing, carries inspiring new lyrics, and features a tune less reminiscent of Soviet influences.

Cultural Significance ([29:32]):

"Kyrgyzstan is depicted as a land of snowy mountains, steppes, and valleys... now the task is to find an alternative that inspires future generations."

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10. Legal Battles in US Entertainment: Sean Diddy Combs Sued

Sean Diddy Combs faces multiple lawsuits alleging that he drugged and raped three men between 2019 and 2022. These civil cases add to existing criminal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking.

Details from Nida Tawfique ([18:08] - [19:07]):

"The three men allege that Diddy Combs offered them drinks laced with drugs, made them unconscious, and then raped them... The lawsuits were filed anonymously due to fear of retaliation."

Lawyer Thomas Jufra's Statement ([18:37] - [18:53]):

"The complaints were full of lies and they would prove them false. The men's lawyer said he was struck by how similar the described pattern of abuse was."

These allegations highlight ongoing issues of misconduct within the entertainment industry, with victims seeking justice while facing fears of exposure and harassment.

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Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast provided a comprehensive overview of pivotal global events, from the seismic shifts in Syria's political landscape to groundbreaking scientific discoveries and historic achievements in sports. The stories underscored themes of resilience, transformation, and the enduring human spirit amidst challenges.

For more insights and updates, tune into the next edition of the Global News Podcast.

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Produced by Alice Adderley, Mixed by Chris Kouzaris, Edited by Karen Martin.
For comments, email us at globalpodcastbc.co.uk.

Transcript

[Maheen]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Rachel Wright]

Available now on the documentary from the BBC World Service, Stephen Coates takes you to the Morse Code World Championships in.

[Stephen Coates]

An Internet connected world. Morse code, the Alphabet of dots and dashes might now feel from a different era. I'm meeting some of the people who are keeping the code alive.

[Rachel Wright]

Morse code ready to transmit. Listen now by searching the documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts. This is the global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Rachel Wright and in the early hours of Friday 13th December, these are our main stories. Four days after Bashar Al Assad's flight, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding talks in Turkey on establishing stability in Syria. The funeral is held in the capital Damascus of a prominent critic of the former Syrian regime whose body was found in the notorious Sednaya prison. Also in this podcast, new research suggests modern humans may not have survived to populate the world without interbreeding with Neanderthals. An 18 year old Indian man becomes the youngest player ever to win the world chess championship.

[Stephen Coates]

Result has just sent shock waves around the world. When he won the title, he's been a poker face all the way through the match. 14 games and he won. And he there were just floods of tears of joy.

[Rachel Wright]

And Kyrgyzstan wants to update its national anthem because it sounds too Soviet. It's now four days since President Assad fled Syria and the collapse of his brutal and repressive regime. Families are continuing to search prisons and hospitals for news of missing loved ones. Meanwhile, Israel has rejected calls to withdraw its troops from the demilitarized buffer zone it shares with Syria. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the seizure of the Syria Syrian controlled part of the Golan Heights was necessary because of threats posed by jihadist groups operating near the border. Syria's new administration has suspended parliament and the constitution for three months, saying it was necessary to smooth the transfer of power. Our chief international correspondent Lise Doucet gave us the latest from the capital Damascus.

[Lise Doucet]

With every day that passes, there are more signs about what kind of a new governance is taking shape in Syria. After the extraordinary reversal on Sunday when 50 years of the Assad family came crashing down, we, the new government is taking steps to try to reassure Syrians that they're working on stability. They've said they're going to dissolve the armed forces and set up new security institutions. They're going to shut down the prisons. And as I speak to you, you might hear the sounds. We think that's tracer fire in the Air. A few hours ago, there were heavy air strikes around Damascus. One was just 2km south. There was warplanes, a warplane going across the sky, two of them, actually, which we believe have been Israeli airstrikes. They continue to strike what they say are strategic installations. They say they cannot allow the weapons to fall, as they would put it in the wrong hands, in other words, the Islamists who dominate the government. And I've just been trying to explain to you that these new authorities helped, backed by the encouraging statements from regional powers, that they say this is getting in the way of them trying to establish their sovereignty. The United nations regional countries have been saying that this is illegal. Israel should not be attacking inside Syria now at this delicate moment of transition for Syrians now, so many of them, you just feel it is so palpable here that there's this lightness in the air, this heavy weight of repression that is lifted here. I've been coming to Syria for 30 years, and every time I would leave, I would feel, wow, this is really what repression looks like. You can feel it. And some. This, it's like a cork being popping. For some people, they've erupted in celebration. But there are many people we meet this. When you live in a police state, the police state lives in you. And they still are fearful about speaking out, even still fearful now because all Syrians grew up being told, face the wall and don't speak. And you can't get rid of that in a matter of days. And there are, of course, those who are fearful because they're being pursued now for, accused of war crimes, being part of the machinery of torture and repression that was kept in power here for 50 years by the. By the Assad family. So, in other words, mixed signals. But it is gradually, with every day, the new pieces are falling into place.

[Rachel Wright]

Least is set in Damascus. And as you may have heard on our earlier podcast, hundreds of people have marched through the streets of the Syrian capital in the funeral procession of the activist Mazan Al Hamada. The tortured body of the outspoken regime critic was found in the city's Sadnaya Jail on Monday. Yogita Lomai reports now from the prison where many people have been looking for information about their loved ones.

[Yogita Lomai]

We're at a hospital where bodies, the dead bodies that were found in Seydnia Prison, a lot of them have been brought. And just as we were here, we saw a family that was crying. They've just found out that his dead body has been found. As we've been walking around this hospital, more and More people are constantly coming up to us to tell us about family members. Many of them multiple family members who have disappeared. Some have said 2012, 2013, 2015 and they've had absolutely no information. They don't know if they're dead or alive because the bodies were brought here. They have come here to search to see if they can find any information about their loved ones.

[Maheen]

My name is Maheen.

[Yogita Lomai]

Tell me who are you searching for?

[Maheen]

His name is Zahir Muhammad Zahir Khairullah.

[Yogita Lomai]

Do you believe you will find him alive?

[Maheen]

I don't know.

[Kate Bevan]

That's from Ghats.

[Maheen]

I don't know. I hope, but I don't know.

[Yogita Lomai]

Who are you searching for today?

[Unnamed Family Member]

I am searching for my two sons. Were in compliance for 11 years.

[Stephen Coates]

So they told us they died.

[Yogita Lomai]

So have you come here and hoped that you might find their bodies?

[Rachel Wright]

I can't find in many skeletons here. A tragedy. How can you find a person as a skeleton?

[Maheen]

It is a tragedy.

[Yogita Lomai]

One of the bodies identified was that of activist Mazan Al Hamada. Today it was returned to his family for his funeral. A very rousing procession. Funeral procession for activist Mazen Hamada is underway on the streets of Damascus right now. He is someone who participated in the anti regime protests in 2011, was arrested, tortured and when he was released the first time he was able to go to Europe. And while he was there he spoke repeatedly and in detail about the kind of torture he faced. Rape, breaking of ribs, breaking of bones. And it was largely because of testimony of people like him that came out of Syria. The world was able to understand the scale of the brutality that was being inflicted by the regiment on anyone who spoke against Assad. His body was found in the Saydaneya prison along with dozens of other prisoners in a horrific condition. We spoke to a doctor who examined the body and he said it bore the marks of brutal torture. And his family believes that he was killed just shortly before Bashar Assad fled, his regime fell. His sister Lamia told us that she's happy the regime fell, but wishes he was alive to see it. He paid the price for our freedom. I want his killers to be brought to court for justice, she said. This is a country where the people, the families of the missing did not even have the right to come and ask where their loved ones are for fear that they would be arrested and tortured. It is a dramatic turn of events that today you are seeing a funeral freely on the streets. A procession.

[Rachel Wright]

Yagita Lamai at Sadnaya prison near Damascus. Among the People freed from prisons in Syria was a man claiming to be from the US State of Missouri. He was found wandering the streets of Damascus and identified himself as Travis Timmerman, a U.S. citizen who went missing seven months ago. Our correspondent Lucy Williamson reports.

[Travis Timmerman]

Prisoner of the old Syria, poster child for the new one, Travis Timmerman, an American from Missouri released by rebel forces on Monday. As they swept President Assad from power.

[Yogita Lomai]

In the middle of the night or.

[Rachel Wright]

Early morning, they came with a hammer and knocked my door in, and there was two men with guns.

[Maheen]

And then there was another man named Yili.

[Rachel Wright]

And they helped me get out of.

[Yogita Lomai]

Prison and helped me get into Damascus.

[Travis Timmerman]

The men who found him put this video on social media saying he was in safe hands and had been checked by a doctor. After seven months in the custody of Assad's military intelligence.

[Rachel Wright]

It wasn't too bad.

[Yogita Lomai]

It wasn't bad.

[Rachel Wright]

I was never beaten.

[Yogita Lomai]

The only really bad part was that I couldn't go to the bathroom when I wanted to.

[Travis Timmerman]

Timmerman was found wandering through this Damascus suburb today by Syrians celebrating freedom themselves. Locals here in this neighborhood are telling us that they found a foreigner wandering in the street outside. They said he was in fairly good condition, but they brought him here and gave him some food and some water. They said he was very hungry and talking in English, but they couldn't understand what he was saying and they didn't know exactly who he was. They showed us the selfies they'd taken with him. As the militia now in charge here.

[Stephen Coates]

Looked on, they found him bare foot on the road. He kept repeating that he was held by military intelligence in Damascus. We helped him, offered him food, treated him well as a human being without any consideration of his American citizenship.

[Travis Timmerman]

Travis Timmerman's story is one among tens of thousands from Assad's notorious prison system. Many more brutal will never be told, silenced by the man many Syrians see as the biggest criminal of them all.

[Rachel Wright]

Lucy Williamson. The international community is watching the new Syrian leadership with caution because of its former links to Al Qaeda. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who's touring the region, is now in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

[Stephen Coates]

The Israelis have been clear about what.

[Maheen]

They'Re doing and why they're doing it. I think across the board, when it.

[Stephen Coates]

Comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it's also really important.

[Rachel Wright]

At this time that we all try.

[Stephen Coates]

To make sure that we're not sparking any additional conflicts.

[Maheen]

That's also an important objective and goal.

[Rachel Wright]

Our State Department correspondent, Tom Bateman is traveling with Mr. Blinken and sent this report.

[Tom Bateman]

These are crucial discussions between Mr. Blinken and President Erdogan here in Ankara. There have long been tensions between Turkey and the Americans specifically over the role of the Syrian Democratic Forces, what the Americans see as the moderate, mostly Kurdish, but also Arab fighters, particularly in the east and parts of the north of Syria, backed by the Americans, equipped and trained by the Americans, holding territory there in which it is part of the American official American operation there it's counter Islamic State group. There are also camps in which is fighters and their families are held. Now with the sudden change of the situation in Syria, what we've seen over the last week is Turkish backed groups pushing back and fighting some areas, fighting against the SDF in some of the areas held by the sdf, including a strategically important town called Manbij. Now the Americans and the Turks have been talking about this. They've come to some agreements in places, but those tensions are going to continue. President Erdogan regards Kurdish militias close to his border as terrorist organizations has long sought to push them back, has long been unhappy at the American backing of Kurds in parts of Syria. So a lot to work through there. And at the same time, Antony Blinken here is trying to rally support for what the Americans see as their vision for the future of Syria, in effect a set of conditions to try and get a government that would be amenable to American interests in the region. The Americans are trying to get Turkey and also their Arab partners in the region to buy into that and to agree with those conditions before they would effectively recognize a future government of Syria.

[Rachel Wright]

Tom Bateman, other news now, and we've known for some time that Neanderthals and modern humans lived alongside each other and interbred. But what we didn't know was exactly how long ago the two groups came together. Well, according to new research published in the journals Science and Nature, that was around 48,000 years ago. The findings also show that our species was able to survive thanks to key genetic traits inherited from Neanderthals. Our science correspondent Palab Ghosh told me More in 2010.

[Unnamed Family Member]

We were shocked by results that all people who lived outside of Africa had a small amount of Neanderthal DNA in We're all part Neanderthal. And that is only because the human group that left Africa around 60,000 years ago must have at some point interbred with Neanderthals. We didn't know where, when and what the significance of that was. And now we have that result using DNA analysis of ancient bones, which is a remarkable thing in itself to be able to not only extract DNA, but read it with such great precision. They pinned it down to around 48,000 years ago, around the Middle East. And the significance of this finding is that the humans that had left earlier went extinct. And so this idea of humans triumphing overall wherever they went and not having a hard time like many of the other human groups, has to be rewritten. We've got to think again about what makes us so special. In fact, the humans that did survive are the ones that the offspring of those that interbred with Neanderthals. So they may well have given something in their DNA that helped our ancestors survive.

[Rachel Wright]

And what are the characteristics that maybe helped those humans that bred with them survive?

[Unnamed Family Member]

There were some genes that were inherited from Neanderthals, such as their immune system and such as their metabolism that did seem to give alkynes some sort of evolutionary advantage. So for example, our ancestors were used to the diseases in Africa, and the ones that didn't interbreed probably fell prey to things they hadn't come across, whereas the offspring of those that did interbreed were given a quick fix because they inherited their immune systems.

[Rachel Wright]

Palab Ghosh, speaking to me earlier still to a female Iranian singer, is facing prosecution after live streaming a concert where she appeared without the traditional headscarf. Available now on the documentary from the BBC World Service, Stephen Coates takes you to the Morse Code World Championships.

[Stephen Coates]

In an Internet connected world, Morse code, the Alphabet of dots and dashes might now feel from a different era. I'm meeting some of the people who are keeping the code alive.

[Rachel Wright]

Morse code ready to transmit. Listen now by searching the documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts. The US rapper Sean Diddy Combs has been sued by three more men in New York alleging he drugged and raped them. The separate lawsuits were filed anonymously in New York and add to the string of civil cases from both men and women against the music mogul Sean Combs is currently being held in custody while he awaits trial on criminal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Nida Tawfique reports from New York.

[Nida Tawfique]

The three men all allege that between 2019 and 2022, Sean Diddy Combs offered them drinks that were laced with drugs and made them unconscious and then he raped them. Sean Combs lawyers said the complaints were full of lies and they would prove them false. The men's lawyer, Thomas Jufra, said he was struck by how similar the described pattern of abuse was. In their allegations and told the BBC why they wanted to remain anonymous.

[Tom Bateman]

I think the main reason is fear.

[Stephen Coates]

They're afraid that if their identities get out there that they'll find themselves with a target on their back. I think they're concerned that these are very real threats and they're credible threats and they're afraid for their very safety.

[Tom Bateman]

It's not just the, I don't want.

[Stephen Coates]

To say typical, but the usual situation where somebody doesn't want their name out there because it's dealing with such a personal, private issue. This one's different in that there's fear and it's a real scary fear that these men have.

[Nida Tawfique]

One of them was hired by the Bad Boys Records CEO and said the abuse occurred during a meeting to discuss the fact that he hadn't been paid. Afterward, he said he was intimidated, intimidated and threatened into silence. The two others were introduced to the music mogul by men in his orbit. One of them detailed how he allegedly took the offered drink at an after party and then the hotel room started spinning. His mouth became very dry and once he was disoriented, Combs said he was ready to party. During brief moments of consciousness, he said he noticed a man and a woman recording the rape. The next morning, he said he was handed 2500 in cash. Another John Doe said Diddy in his entourage raped him.

[Rachel Wright]

Nida Tawfiq Iranian social media has erupted after a female singer and performer, Parastou Ahmadi, defied the law in Iran and performed a public concert without wearing a traditional headscarf. She livestreamed Wednesday's performance to her YouTube channel and is now facing prosecution. Performing alone as a woman in Iran is also illegal. Let's hear some of her songs. Mark Lohan spoke to Parham Gubadi from BBC Persian who told him this is not the first time Paris Do Ahmadi has defied the law regarding wearing a headscarf and was imprisoned for her part in the woman life Freedom Protestant two years ago.

[Maheen]

What she did last night surprised many people because it's an extraordinary act of courageous act and it takes, you know, huge amount of courage to in Iran to because she's defined three strict rules. First of all, as you mentioned, she's not she's not wearing mandatory hijab. Second of all, she's singing because Iranian women are not allowed to sing alone. They are allowed to sing as a back vocal of a male singer, which is really bizarre. But they are allowed to sing as a back vocal but not alone. So this is the second rule she's defying. And the third rule is that she's singing whatever she wants and she sang the very same song. One of the songs she sang was the song that she was arrested for a few months ago. So what does she risk now? So she's risking prosecution immediately after that. Today morning they said that she's facing prosecution and there has been cases open for her in the court. So she's risking arrest. But the point is that the Iranian regime has failed to stop the Iranian women since 2017, where Vidal Muavahadid, the first Iranian woman who took to the one of the busiest streets in Tehran and took off her headscarf, that was the first Iranian woman. She went on one of these electricity boxes and took off her headscarf. Iranian women have been passing the Batman one by one. Then we had the Woman Life Freedom movement. Now, for example, Taruna Alidousi, a worldwide known Iranian actress, she's been appearing in public without a headscarf. She's been banned from acting. That's, you know, her art. That's her job and that's her career. They're losing their career, but they're not giving up. And Parham, just briefly give us a sense of the reaction both from the regime and from its opponents. I think the regime just had the regular, normal reaction of saying that we're going to take her to court. They didn't, you know, go to her house, you know, break down the door and arrest her because that would infuriate the public even furthermore. So there's a court case for her. We have to see what happens. But the reaction of the public has been extraordinary. All the singers, actors, activists, you name it, people have lent their support to this Iranian woman who has shown extraordinary actors.

[Rachel Wright]

Parham Gobadi from BBC Persian speaking to Mark Lohan. If you are the owner of one of the latest iPhone models, Apple is going to start integrating ChatGPT onto your device in the latest updates to its operating system. This might sound scary or exciting depending on where you stand on AI. What difference is this going to make having a chatbot in our pocket? Someone who can tell us is Kate Bevan, a technology journalist. She told Leila Nathu why Apple has done this.

[Kate Bevan]

I think it's a case of everybody is using AI in all sorts of ways across all sorts of tech companies. And Apple feels it has to be part of that move. So it's catching up as much as anything, I think. Right. You know, it can be useful and interesting that it's gone for chat GPT rather than Trying to develop its own technology. Yeah, that's right. I mean, Apple hasn't got quite the same capabilities of building its own AI technology as say Google has or Amazon has. You know, it's sensibly sort of outsourced. Okay, so what, it's only going to be available, isn't it, to the latest models of iPhones. When the updates come, what will noticeably be different in terms of how the phone is able to function? So what it's doing, it's kind of adding to the existing Apple Intelligence functions. A lot of the time if you ask Siri for something, it can't necessarily reply. What it will do then is say, do you want me to give it ask Chat GPT this? And then it will farm the query out to Chat GPT. So it's kind of bolting on something extra onto Apple Intelligence, which is already built into quite few Apple products. It's also going to offer you things like, you know, the opportunity, the ability to describe photographs to you so you can pass what you're looking at. It'll be able to help you write stuff if you want to help with writing an email or something like that. So it's sort of useful assistant type functions if that kind of thing is important to you. Right. So kind of augmenting what's already there rather than completely revolutionizing. I mean, are there any implications for data? Because ChatGPT obviously sort of learns from what's out there, as it were, and doesn't create its own, you know, original material. Is it going to be learning from our phones, our photos, our messages or our notes? Well, Apple says not. Apple says it's going to act effectively as a firewall between you and the OpenAI servers and OpenAI's training data. So it's not going to have access to any identifying data except, you know, except it'll know. It knows roughly where you are so it can give you location appropriate information, but it's not going to have rampant access to your devices and also it's not going to be uploading and crucially saving what you ask it.

[Rachel Wright]

Kate Bevan. The World Chess Championship has been won by an 18 year old Indian man, Damaraju Gukesh, the youngest player ever to win the title. He won by beating the defending champion, the Chinese player Ding Liren. India's Prime Minister Andra Modi described the victory as historic and exemplary. Tim Wall is a FIDE chess master and chess correspondent for the Newcastle Chronicle in Northern England. He told Mark Lowen, it was a very exciting match this last day.

[Stephen Coates]

Was an absolute emotional roller coaster. And basically this result has just sent shock waves around the world. You know, we've got chess fans are messaging each other. We've all been watching the results in test tournaments around the world. It's really quite something. And what was incredible was to see the reaction of this young man, Damraju Gukesh, when he won the title. He's been a poker faced all the way through the match. 14 games and he won. And there were just floods of tears of joy.

[Maheen]

You sound excited. We've also got an exciting reaction from another fan. My name is Jatinder. I am originally from India but have been living in Yorkshire for last 20 years. I play casual chess. However, my seven and nine year old sons play at the top level in their respective age groups. We have seen steady improvement in Indian chess since days of Vishya Anand. And I believe it is going to continue improving exponentially. We will see not only Indian players, but Indian origin players from rest of the world challenge for the top place. This win for Gukesh will give everyone motivation and hunger to reach for the top place. Tim, what do you think is Gukesh's secret?

[Stephen Coates]

Well, this is very interesting. I think it comes from his mentality. Mentality, his philosophy. He's very, very calm and you know, he, he talked about his religious inspiration. He said that he wanted to, you know, thank God for this, for this result. But also of course it's just he's worked incredibly hard at the game for the last 10 years. He was present at the match where Vishy Anand lost the world title to Magnus Carlsen just over 10 years ago. And he said today that he vowed to retake the world title for Vishyanand and for India. And he's done that.

[Maheen]

He's four years younger than Gary Kasparov was when he was the youngest champion back in 1985, aged 22. So 18 year old Gukesh now that now the champion, I mean is the sky the limit for him do you think?

[Stephen Coates]

I think it really is. I mean he has all the temperament, he's got these fantastic calculating ability and of course youth is on his side. And this is the thing about chess now, it's a young person's game. I mean the ability of young people to absorb all the chess strategies and the tactics is phenomenal these days. I mean I play against young people all the time and it's incredibly difficult to hold them at bay.

[Rachel Wright]

Tim Wall of the Newcastle Chronicle speaking to Mark Lohan. Now, how well do you know your national anthems. There's La Marseillaise, the Star Spangled Ban, and of course, God Save the King. But how about this one? Here's some lyrics for ages. My people open to amity. They are ready to give their hearts to their friends. These are the opening lines to Kyrgyzstan's national anthem, but for how much longer? The Kyrgyz president is seeking a new version to inspire future generations. Simon Ponsford reports.

[Unnamed Family Member]

The current anthem was adopted in 1992, a year after independence. It kept the old Soviet tune, but changed the words. Kyrgyzstan is depicted as a land of snowy mountains, steppes and valleys. The banner of freedom is soaring. But the president says the words are too fixed on glorifying independence and failed to reflect a nation with 5,000 years of history. So the task now is for a parliamentary commission to find an alternative. It needs to be easy to sing with sparkling new words and an inspiring new tune less reminiscent of Soviet times.

[Rachel Wright]

Simon Ponceford reporting. 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 covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk this edition was produced by Alice Adderley and mixed by Chris Kouzaris. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Rachel Wright. Until next time. Goodbye. Available now on the documentary from the BBC World Service, Stephen Coates takes you to the Morse Code World Championships.

[Stephen Coates]

In an Internet connected world. Morse code, the Alphabet of dots and dashes might now feel from a different era. I'm meeting some of the people who are keeping the code alive.

[Rachel Wright]

Morse code ready to transmit. Listen now by searching the documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.