WHO: Hantavirus may have spread between humans

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Global News Podcast
Host: Janak Jalil, BBC World Service
Episode Title: WHO: Hantavirus may have spread between humans
Date: May 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Global News Podcast covers several major global news stories, including a potential human-to-human transmission of the hantavirus on a cruise ship, ongoing tensions and ceasefire developments between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, new evacuation orders in southern Lebanon amid Israeli-Hezbollah clashes, a deadly explosion at a fireworks factory in China, demands for justice following a railway station accident in Serbia, the global crisis of dying languages, and health concerns leading to Dolly Parton's canceled Vegas residency. The episode features frontline updates, expert analysis, and direct witness reports.

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Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. Possible Human-to-Human Spread of Hantavirus on Cruise Ship

[00:53 – 06:38]

• Situation:

  • WHO reports suspected human-to-human transmission of hantavirus on a cruise ship.
  • Three passengers have died, others are ill, and about 150 are confined to cabins.
  • Normally, hantavirus spreads via rodent droppings, not between people.
  • Cape Verde and Spain are both hesitating to accept the ship at port, pending further epidemiological data.

• Passenger Perspective:

  • Jake Rosmarine, a passenger and US travel blogger, posts an emotional video about the uncertainty faced by those trapped onboard.

    "We're not just a story. We're not just headlines. We're people with families ... all we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home."
    (Jake Rosmarine, 02:48)

• WHO Update:

  • WHO is reaching out to passengers who traveled on a flight with an infected individual.
  • Dr. Maria Vanke, acting director of Epidemic and Pandemic Threat Management at WHO, states:

    "We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close contacts ... So again, our assumption is that has happened and that's why we are operating and working with the ship to make sure that anyone who is symptomatic ... is wearing full personal protective equipment."
    (Dr. Maria Vanke, 03:31)

• Expert Analysis:

  • Jim Reid, BBC health correspondent, explains that such transmission is rare and typically requires very close contact. Past cases include the “Andes strain” in South America.
  • Key differences from Covid-19 are highlighted:
    • Hantavirus is not new and is much harder to transmit.
    • General public risk is considered low.
  • Tracking is complicated by unclear incubation periods.

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2. US-Iran Ceasefire Status and Strait of Hormuz Tensions

[07:11 – 10:49]

• Updates:

  • Recent skirmishes between US and Iranian forces; both sides claim to uphold a ceasefire.
  • US launches “Project Freedom,” intended to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait.
  • President Trump and US military leaders frame this as defensive, not escalation.

• Official Statement:

  "Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression."
  (US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, 08:19)

• Analysis:

  • Sebastian Usher, Middle East analyst, notes US is signaling resolve to both allies and Iran; insurance and shipping industries are cautious.
  • The ceasefire is fragile and could unravel with further attacks.

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3. Escalating Israel-Hezbollah Conflict and South Lebanon Evacuations

[10:49 – 13:59]

• Conflict Update:

  • Despite ceasefire claims, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed over 110 Lebanese since Thursday.
  • Israel orders evacuation of more towns, citing Hezbollah threats.

• Impact on Civilians:

  • Nancy Nara, a teacher in southern Lebanon, describes daily dangers, closed schools, and life in displacement.

    "We're living, but it's not safe, of course ... Our schools are closed. We teach now online, but it's not the same."
    (Nancy Nara, 11:35 & 11:51)

• Report from Beirut:

  • Lina Sinjab highlights the ongoing hardship: destroyed homes, widespread displacement, lack of clear end to hostilities.

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4. China Fireworks Factory Explosion

[16:15 – 18:11]

• Incident:

  • Explosion in Hunan province kills 26, injures over 60.
  • Massive evacuation; authorities now inspecting all regional fireworks factories.

• Analysis by Kerry Allen:

  • Incident highlights recurring safety issues in Chinese factories.
  • Environmental and health impacts from chemical contamination are significant public concerns.

    "You do get a lot of anger online about why incidents like this keep happening."
    (Kerry Allen, 17:31)

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5. Serbia Railway Station Roof Collapse and Justice Movement

[18:11 – 22:34]

• Background:

  • 18 months after a deadly railway canopy collapse in Novi Sad (16 killed), protests and demands for accountability continue.
  • No convictions, government accused of repression.

• Personal Stories:

  • Activist and bereaved mother Diana Herke describes harassment for protesting.
  • Professor Jelena Clout, dismissed from university, insists public anger is justified:

    "People are really, really angry about how government handled this crisis."
    (Prof. Jelena Clout, 20:51)

• Public Sentiment:

  • Protesters, including cyclists, continue symbolic actions to seek justice.

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6. The Disappearance of Languages: “Linguicide”

[22:34 – 26:38]

• Global Issue:

  • Half the world’s languages may disappear this century due to war, climate change, migration, and globalization.
  • Author Sophia Smith Gaylor’s new book spotlights this crisis, drawing from the loss of her grandmother’s dialect.

• Key Quotes:

  "Each language speaks to a cultural inheritance, but it speaks to a place, a people, a history, and that people's future in turn."
  (Sophia Smith Gaylor, 24:13)

  "Languages need protection. In some places there is minority language protection, but every time identity politics enters the fray, it's very likely that language follows."
  (Sophia Smith Gaylor, 25:33)

• Technology Effect:

  • AI and digital platforms risk further sidelining marginalized languages, echoing pre-existing social hierarchies.

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7. Dolly Parton Cancels Las Vegas Residency

[26:38 – 28:24]

• News:

  • Dolly Parton, age 80, cancels Las Vegas shows due to health (kidney stones, immune/digestive issues), but reassures fans she expects a full recovery.

• Dolly’s Message to Fans:

  "Some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit sweemy-headed ... I can't be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars ... on 5 inch heels. Not to mention all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big personality, lord, that would make anybody swim-headed."
  (Dolly Parton, 27:29)

  She likens herself to "an old classic car that, once restored, can be better than ever" and mentions ongoing projects including a Broadway musical and a Nashville museum.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Hantavirus Anxiety Onboard

  "There's a lot of uncertainty, and that's the hardest part."
  (Jake Rosmarine, 02:54)

• WHO’s Caution

  "The risk to the wider public is still much lower than it was back in those days of COVID."
  (Jim Reid, 05:34)

• Serbia Protest Movement

  "Eighteen months after that, we still do not have justice for these people. And I would say we still do not have peace for these people. Novi Sad is not the same city."
  (Jelena Bojic, 19:09)

• Language and Identity

  "In an age of seeming sort of impermanence and monoculture, what do we think is worth remembering and protecting? And for me, it's many things."
  (Sophia Smith Gaylor, 24:57)

• Dolly Parton’s Humor Despite Hardships

  "I ain't dead yet ... Think of me like an old classic car that, once restored, can be better than ever."
  (Dolly Parton, 27:54 & 28:24)

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Timestamps & Segment Guide

• [00:53] – Start of Main Stories
• [01:56] – WHO on Hantavirus Outbreak (cruise ship)
• [03:31] – WHO’s Dr. Maria Vanke on possible human-to-human transmission
• [04:06] – Analysis: Rarity of human-Hantavirus transmission (Jim Reid)
• [05:34] – Comparison with Covid-19: Different Threat Levels (Jim Reid)
• [07:11] – US-Iran Ceasefire/Project Freedom (Pete Hegseth, Sebastian Usher)
• [10:49] – Israel-Hezbollah conflict: Evacuations and civilian impact
• [11:35] – On-the-ground: Teacher Nancy Nara in southern Lebanon
• [12:04] – Evacuation realities: Lina Sinjab, Beirut correspondent
• [16:15] – China fireworks factory explosion: Impact and anger
• [18:11] – Serbia railway accident justice movement: Eyewitness and activist reports
• [22:34] – Dying languages crisis: Interview with author Sophia Smith Gaylor
• [26:38] – Dolly Parton cancels Vegas residency: Update for fans

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Summary

This episode blends urgent news reporting (hantavirus on a cruise ship, tensions in the Middle East) with deeper, human-focused stories (language loss, protest movements, a music legend’s health). Notable for its combination of eyewitness accounts, expert analysis, and reflective interviews, it captures pressing global challenges and their personal impact.

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Transcript

[Jim Reid]

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[Janak Jalil]

This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janak Jalil and at 15 hours GMT on Tuesday 5th of May, these are our main stories. The World Health Organization says the hantavirus may have spread between people on a cruise ship where three passengers have died and others are confined to their cabins. The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists a ceasefire with Iran is not over, despite the recent clashes between the two sides in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel issues new evacuation orders for two towns in southern Lebanon after 17 people were killed on Monday. Also in this podcast, I can't be

[Kerry Allen]

easy carrying around banjos, guitars and such. Not to mention all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big personality.

[Janak Jalil]

The country legend Dolly Parton cancels her upcoming Vegas residency over health concerns

[Jake Rosmarine]

the

[Janak Jalil]

global health body the WHO says the suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship may have been transmitted from human to human. Usually the disease is spread by rodents. Three passengers have died and a number of others have fallen ill. Two of the passengers are due to be evacuated. The WHO has stressed that this is not a virus that spreads like flu or Covid and that the risk to the general public is low. But Cape Verde has refused to allow the ship to dock, and Spain, having initially said it could sail to the Canary Islands, now says no decision will be made on which port will receive the ship until epidemiological data on board has been analyzed. About 150 people are trapped on the ship, confined to their cabins. US Travel blogger Jake Rosmarine, who's on the ship, posted this video on social media.

[Jake Rosmarine]

We're not just a story. We're not just headlines.

[Janak Jalil]

We're people.

[Jake Rosmarine]

People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home. There's a lot of uncertainty, and that's the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe to have clarity and to get home.

[Janak Jalil]

The WHO says it's trying to contact passengers on an April 25 flight between St. Helena and Johannesburg, which was taken by one of those who died on board the cruise ship. Dr. Maria Vanke from the WHO, the acting director of Epidemic and Pandemic Threat Management gave this update.

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We do believe that there may be some human to human transmission that's happening among the really close contacts, the husband and wife, people who've shared cabins, et cetera. So again, our assumption is that has happened and that's why we are operating and working with the ship to make sure that anyone who is symptomatic, you know, anyone caring for patients, is wearing full personal protective equipment. The medical personnel who have boarded the boat have brought additional PPE as well.

[Janak Jalil]

So how unusual is it for the virus to spread between humans rather than from rodents to humans? Our health correspondent is Jim Reid.

[Jim Reid]

I mean, it is very rare that that should happen. The vast majority of cases of hantavirus appear to be spread from rodents, as you say, and this isn't particularly nice, but it's mice and rat droppings in urine that then dry and then the dust then blows up into the air and people inhale it. There was a famous case in Yosemite national park in the US in 2012 where 10 people were infected, three died because mice had burrowed into the base of a cabin and made nests. But as you say, it does look like in some cases, person to person transmission is possible, particularly this Andes strain of hantavirus, which is found mainly in South America, which is of course where this, this ship sailed from. There was a case in, in 2018 in Argentina. A party led to a single party led to 34 infections and 11 deaths. And it's thought that was caused by a single infected individual passing on the virus. The only reason we know about these, these cases, though, is because they are so unusual. It's not the kind of thing that happens all the time. The World Health Organization, as you said, sang this morning, it believes that human to human transmission may have taken place. But again, it's stressing this is very uncommon. And maybe it's something about the nature of these cruise ships with quite tight small cabins that increases the risk.

[Janak Jalil]

And the WHO has been keen to reassure people that this is not like Covid, that this is different, but it will reawaken memories of the pandemic. How is this different?

[Jim Reid]

And I think a lot of people listening to this are bound to think that there are some key differences here. Coronavirus, Covid was a brand new disease. People had never been exposed to it before, had the chance to build up any sort of immunity. And that, as we know, we know now, it can spread very easily between people, person to person. You remember that, that R number we talked about all the time. The rate of transmission between people. Hantavirus is very different. It's a family of viruses rather than one disease. And crucially, it's not new. You know, was first isolated, I think back in 1989, a team from South Korea looking at field mice. That's why it's named after, after the Hanta river in South Korea. It does not spread very easily. You normally have to be, as I say, in extremely close contact with another infected, infected person. Which is why the message from the WHO this morning is that the risk to the wider public is still, is still much lower than it was back in those days of COVID and coronavirus.

[Janak Jalil]

And briefly, the WHO is also trying to contact passengers who are on a flight.

[Jim Reid]

That's right, this is a flight that someone who sadly died, later died of the virus apparently took on April 25th. They're going to be doing all this work to contact other potential people who might have been infected. One of the issues here is that the incubation period for this form of the illness is really unclear how long it is. Sometimes it develops between two and four weeks. It can develop in a matter of days though, as little as four days. And that makes it quite difficult for patients, the health authorities, when they're trying to track exactly who else may have been infected in this, in this suspected outbreak.

[Janak Jalil]

Our health correspondent Jim Reid. The U.S. defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U. S Iran ceasefire is not over despite recent attacks by both sides. On the other. In the Strait Of Hormuz, the U.S. says its military and commercial vessels were fired at by Iran. It hit Iranian vessels on Monday as President Trump said the American military would begin guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz around. Around 2,000 are estimated to be stuck there. Only one or two are reported to have got through. On Monday, Mr. Trump called the US plan to break the Iranian blockade Project Freedom. But in a mocking post, the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Iraqchi renamed it Project Deadlock. He warned there was no military solution to the conflict. Iran insists that it still controls the strait and has accused the US of violating the ceasefire. At a briefing in Washington, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Kaine and Pete Hegseth gave an update on the war. Sounding less combative than on previous occasions, the US Defense Secretary said the current ceasefire was still holding.

[Jake Rosmarine]

As you know, President Trump has directed US Central Command to restart the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz under the umbrella of Project Freedom. To be clear, this operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression. American forces won't need to enter Iranian waters or airspace. It's not necessary. We're not looking for a fight. But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway. Iran is the clear aggressor.

[Janak Jalil]

Our Middle east analyst, Sebastian Usher gave us his assessment of what Mr. Hegseth had said.

[Sebastian Usher]

Well, I mean, basically he's out there to sell Project Freedom to say that it is a very strong operation that has just started and that will ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is made safe for merchant vessels. I mean, that obviously those vessels, the insurers of those vessels are waiting to see. There are no rush to go through for obvious reasons. As you say, two vessels, according to the US did get through. One was confirmed by the Maersk shipping giant itself. So we know that that happened. We know also that Iran responded very strongly. We're having the Joint Chief of Staff now giving more detail about the operation. But this is really to bolster up both for Americans, for the rest of the world, and also a message to Iran of the depth of planning and seriousness involved in this operation. So, you know, I mean, telling Iran, as they are trying to, again and again, look, you've got nowhere to go. Your key card is being taken away from you. Either get to a negotiating table now, essentially accept our conditions, or all hell will be unleashed.

[Janak Jalil]

It seems the ceasefire is still holding.

[Sebastian Usher]

Yes, it is, to a degree. I mean, yesterday it was at its most fragile. The word that everybody's using obviously about it, the escalation, because Iran immediately responded and it attacked a Gulf neighbor, the uae, again, quite hard. If that were to continue over the coming days, then the ceasefire would be in real jeopardy at the moment. I think we need to wait and see for that.

[Janak Jalil]

Sebastian Usher. And we have more on this on our YouTube channel. Just search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find Global News Podcast. In the podcast section, there's a new story available every weekday. Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed 110 people since Thursday, despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah that was announced more than two weeks ago. Israel says 17 of its soldiers were killed in the same Period. The Israeli military has told people in two towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate and accused Hezbollah of planning to launch further attacks. The conflict has also disrupted schooling for thousands of students. Nancy Nara is a teacher in a village in southern Lebanon.

[Nancy Nara]

We're living, but it's not safe, of course.

[Janak Jalil]

The occupation is just next to us. We always hear sounds of bomb birds,

[Jelena Bojic]

so it's not safe at all.

[Nancy Nara]

Our schools are closed.

[Janak Jalil]

We teach now online, but it's not the same.

[Nancy Nara]

Many, many schools were destroyed and damaged.

[Janak Jalil]

We heard more about the latest evacuation orders from our correspondent in Beirut, Lina Sinjab.

[Nancy Nara]

These evacuation orders have become the norm for many Lebanese villages and towns in the south. So people get these orders to evacuate and they don't know when and if they will be able to go back to their towns and villages. We're not sure yet if these strikes have started after the evacuation order, but yesterday several villages also got the order of evacuation and more strikes came from the Israeli Defense Forces. Sometimes these evacuation orders are also happening in areas that haven't been declared by the Israelis to be inside the yellow line because they keep on expanding their position on the ground and the areas that they declare as a buffer zone to protect their northern border. The Israelis maintained the same line throughout this war that they are attacking Hezbollah infrastructure, Hezbollah personnel, Hezbollah structures. But actually, if we look at the figures and the government say 2,600 have been killed until today, most of the ones who are killed are civilians, men, women and children, paramedics, journalists even. And you know, there is even mountain anger because villages and homes and towns have been destroyed, demolished completely. The Israelis have warned that no one should be coming back. The Lebanese want to go back. They have nowhere to stay. They've been, you know, staying in schools or at relatives homes or in public areas. Some are still staying in tents here in Beirut. So it's really a dire situation for people. They are worried that this is an occupation that going to last. And these negotiations, that direct negotiations with the Israelis are not able to even imply a lasting ceasefire, let alone the right for people to return to their homes and villages.

[Janak Jalil]

Lina Sinjab. Still to come in this podcast, 18

[Jill McGivering]

months after that, we still do not have justice for these people. And I would say we still do not have peace for these people.

[Janak Jalil]

Relatives of victims of a railway station roof collapse in Serbia are demanding answers from their government.

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[Janak Jalil]

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[Janak Jalil]

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[Janak Jalil]

This is the Global news Podcast. An explosion at a fireworks factory in China has killed 26 people and injured more than 60 others, according to state media. The blast in the central Hunan province was so huge that the authorities were forced to evacuate everyone within a three kilometer radius of the plant. Hundreds of rescue workers were deployed, along with dogs, drones and robots. Our China media analyst Kerry Allen told us more.

[Kerry Allen]

Well, this incident has clearly triggered attention from the very top. President Xi Jinping in China has commented that there needs to be an investigation into hidden dangers and risks at firework factories. And so what's happened now? Across the entire region, all firework and firecracker factories have suspended production and checks are being carried out. So this is the main story at the moment in China today. There was also a press conference earlier today where officials confirmed that search and rescue efforts have basically concluded they took a long time because there was a lot of rubble, part of the factory collapsed and a lot of people were trapped inside. So now the focus is really on treating those who have been injured in hospital, most of whom have bone injuries.

[Janak Jalil]

But this does raise questions about workers that safety and about the impact on the environment.

[Kerry Allen]

It does, absolutely, yes. There have been a lot of incidents like this in the past in factories in China, and they do trigger concerns about the chemicals that spread into the environment and people who live nearby because of close proximity to these regions. So this is partly why the evacuations have been carried out. A lot of people's homes have been affected, the water has been affected in the nearby area, so people have had to carry out checks to see that that's not been contaminated. And you do get a lot of anger online about why incidents like this keep happening. Actually, there was only a similar incident to this in June last year where nine people were killed. Again, it was an explosion related to firecrackers and firework factories.

[Janak Jalil]

Kerry Allen eighteen months ago, the collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station in Serbia's second biggest city, Novi Sad, killed 16 people and sparked mass protests across the country, which carried on for months. The accident happened at a station that had only recently been renovated and still nobody has been brought to justice. Now, critics of the government say they're determined to keep fighting for answers about who was responsible. From NOVI Sad, Jill McGivering reports.

[Jill McGivering]

For me, coming to this place is really emotional. It's always sad. This is like a graveyard.

[Jelena Bojic]

Jelena Bojic is a journalist turned activist who is still haunted by the tragedy of November 1, 2024. I met her outside the now deserted station building where the concrete canopy fell. Giant hearts propped against the barricades commemorate the victims. Jelena is one of many still haunted by what happened.

[Jill McGivering]

This is like a memory that 16 people were killed and 18 months after that, we still do not have justice for these people. And I would say we still do not have peace for these people. Novi Sad is not the Same City. Since 1st of November 2024. Something stole happiness from us. We do not feel this as a happy town anymore.

[Jelena Bojic]

Within days, the shock and grief in Novi Sad had erupted into anger. The city was rocked by mass protests which soon spread to the capital, Belgrade, and across the country. The protesters, led by students, accused the government of lies and corruption and demanded that someone be held accountable. After a year without answers, Diana Herke announced a hunger strike. She'd lost her son Stefan in the disaster. She told me she'd hoped the hunger strike would force the authorities to notice her. But no one did. Things just got worse. She told me I was being harassed and felt under threat. I realised that if I died, there'd be no one left to fight. Eighteen months on, the mass rallies have largely abated Critics of the government accuse it of being increasingly repressive, an allegation echoed recently by the European Union. Supporters of the government say the criticism is unwarranted and politically motivated. In a bustling cafe in Novi Sad, I met Professor Jelena Clout. She has just lost her job at Novisad University. Officially, an old dismissed complaint against her was revived, but she feels it's because she supported the protests and she's defiant about the canopy collapse.

[Jill McGivering]

We are normally not angry people, but when you see that no one is still being punished, when you feel that there are so many loose ends and avenues of interrogation that needs to be finished, all these little things, anger, people are really, really angry about how government handled this crisis.

[Jelena Bojic]

The ruling party does have support. I saw tens of thousands of people gather in central Belgrade for a huge rally addressed by the president Alexander Vucic. He describes the protesters as agents of foreign powers trying to destroy Serbia. But many see the groundswell of anger triggered by the Novi Sad disaster as a continuing threat to his position. Outside Novi Sad station, I came across a group of about 50 cyclists staging a symbolic anti government protest.

[Janak Jalil]

I came to pay respect to these

[Jill McGivering]

people who lost their lives a year

[Janak Jalil]

and a half ago and we still don't have an answer to why that happened.

[Jill McGivering]

I could have been there with my kids. I was three hours late. That was the time when I wanted to go to Belgrade. So I just suppressed it and didn't want to think about it. This is the first time I'm on this spot, so it's horrible.

[Jelena Bojic]

18 months on, there are still no convictions, no official answers about why the station canopy collapsed. Many here say the fight for justice may seem quieter now, but it's far from over.

[Janak Jalil]

That report by Jill McGivering. By the end of this century, it's estimated that half of the world's 7,000 languages will be gone, killed by war, climate breakdown, migration, nationalism or neglect, along with the vital knowledge that they've sustained for centuries. The author Sophia Smith Gaylor calls it an unprecedented mass extinction event, or linguicide. She was alerted to the crisis when her grandmother lay dying and she realized that she was losing not just someone she loved, but the language she spoke to and with it a culture, a history, an inheritance. She told Nick Robinson about the inspiration for her new book, how to Kill a Language.

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

My Nonna came to the UK in her early 20s, and with her she brought standard Italian and she also brought what was always ever referred to as the alert. This was piazzante or piacentino, and it's a variety of Emilian, a dialect of Emilia, often construed as a dialect of actually Italian, which is not true. And it set me on this journey of thinking about if I want to reconnect with the languages of my family, one that's been lost in diaspora and. And dialect which would have been lost regardless of whether I grew up in the UK or Italy, how can I reconnect with them? And it set me on this journey around the world, investigating why languages are disappearing at this seemingly unprecedented rate. And it's because something's disappearing them and

[Nick Robinson]

explain to people why it matters. Clearly, emotionally, it matters to you. That was a connection with someone you love. But you make the argument that it matters for us all.

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

It matters for us all because this is the world's language diversity that we are talking about. Each language speaks to a cultural inheritance, but it speaks to a place, a people, a history, and that people's future in turn. So around the world, there are communities really trying to rally against what is the loss of a language that they never chose to lose. But because of, you know, things you mentioned, globalization, colonialism, they languages have been taken from them that. And they weren't given a chance to say, actually, hang on a minute. We want to keep.

[Nick Robinson]

In a sense, it's a reaction against globalization, a sense that, look, it's great that we're all connected via the Internet and often connected by some knowledge, however hazy, of English. But people want more than that.

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

I ask at the end of the book, in an age of seeming sort of impermanence and monoculture, what do we think is worth remembering and protecting? And for me, it's many things.

[Janak Jalil]

It.

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

But it's also my non nezdealot because

[Nick Robinson]

it's connected so closely with people's identity. It is also often a victim of war, isn't it? When I travel to Ukraine, when I've traveled elsewhere in Eastern Europe, to Estonia, for example, on those border regions, the issue of whether you're speaking Russian, brackets originally forced to speak Russian or now adopt Ukrainian or Estonian or another language is absolutely critical to that argument that's going on.

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

Yes, you've got extensive linguicide happening today in Ukraine, as has happened over many, many years. It was with the Russian empire, the USSR with Russia today. The linguistic component is a major part of it. Ukraine has a state language commissioner to actually help it defend against this linguicide and use examples for the wider sort of genocide case that they hope to make. Languages need protection. In some places there is minority language protection, but you're right that every time identity politics enters the fray, it's very likely that language follows.

[Nick Robinson]

And is there a new threat with technology to language, which is that AI largely trained on the English language, therefore is going to make it much harder to learn not just relatively obscure dialects, but other languages?

[Sophia Smith Gaylor]

Yes, we should always remember with technology, it inherits the hierarchies of the analog world. So already, if a community is without prestige or power and their language has suffered prior to the technological age, of course that's only going to be further exacerbated.

[Janak Jalil]

Sophia Smith Gaylor and now some disappointing news for fans of the country music legend Dolly Parton. The star, who is 80 years old, has already had to postpone her upcoming Las Vegas residency because of health issues. Now she's announced that she's canceling it altogether, but she reassured her fans that everything she has is treatable. She's responding well to the treatment and plans to perform again once she's fully recovered. Chantal Hartle reports.

[Chantal Hartle]

Dolly Parton had originally been due to perform six shows at the Coliseum Theatre at Caesar's palace last December, but moved the dates to September. But in a video update, she announced that she wouldn't be able to perform as planned. The singer sounded upbeat, but said she'd had long time struggles with kidney stones and her immune and digestive system were out of whack.

[Kerry Allen]

Some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit sweemy headed, as my grandma used to say. And of course I can't be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on 5 inch heels. Not to mention all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big personality, lord, that would make anybody swim headed.

[Chantal Hartle]

Last year, Parton joked that she ain't dead yet after her sister caused alarm by asking people to pray for her. Despite the cancellation of her Las Vegas concerts, Dolly confirmed she's still busy with other projects. She's writing a Broadway musical and plans to open a museum and hotel in Nashville in Tennessee later this year. Signing off her latest health update, the singer told fans, think of me like an old classic car that, once restored, can be better than ever.

[Janak Jalil]

Chantal Hartle that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email [e-mail] this edition of the Global News podcast was mixed by Chris Murphy. The producers were Siobhan Leahy and Stephanie Zakrison. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Jonah Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.

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