Zelensky offers exchange of North Korean soldiers

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary
Episode: Zelensky offers exchange of North Korean soldiers
Release Date: January 13, 2025
Host: Valerie Sanderson, BBC World Service

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1. Zelensky Offers Exchange of North Korean Soldiers

Key Points:

• Proposal: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed exchanging two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces for Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) held in Russia.
• Context: Ukraine has alleged that North Korea has deployed at least 10,000 troops to support Russia in the conflict, a claim Russia has neither confirmed nor denied.
• Evidence: Video footage released by Ukraine shows the captured North Korean soldiers appearing injured. One soldier stated, “I didn’t know that I was being sent to fight in a war; I was told my unit was going on a training exercise” (03:36).
• Strategic Implications: Zelensky’s offer may serve as a political statement highlighting Russia's reliance on foreign troops, potentially undermining Russian troop morale and international support.

Notable Quotes:

• Zelensky: “There may be other options, including the men being allowed to remain in Ukraine if they choose to spread the truth about the war” (03:36).
• Sarah Rainsford (Eastern Europe Correspondent): “It seems that Russia is trying to hide the fact that it's using foreign forces for its war with Ukraine” (06:02).

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2. California Implements Emergency Measures Amid Wildfires

Key Points:

• Emergency Actions: California Governor Gavin Newsom has introduced measures to reduce bureaucratic delays for fire victims in Los Angeles, aiming to expedite home rebuilds and prevent fraud.
• Security Concerns: LA County Sheriff Robert Luna reported incidents of looting, including individuals disguising themselves as firefighters to commit burglaries (07:52).
• Firefighting Efforts: Firefighters are making progress in containing major fires, aided by recent calmer weather, though worsening winds are expected to complicate efforts (09:32).

Notable Quotes:

• Governor Gavin Newsom: “We are cutting red tape to help victims rebuild quickly and to prevent scamming” (07:36).
• Eyewitness: “There are tens of thousands of people already evacuated, and the threat of looting is very serious” (10:31).

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3. Saudi Arabia Urges Lifting of Sanctions on Syria

Key Points:

• Diplomatic Efforts: Syria’s interim rulers are engaging with Western diplomats at a conference in Riyadh to advocate for the removal of sanctions imposed on Damascus.
• Saudi Stance: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Fahan supports the lifting of sanctions, emphasizing that they hinder Syria’s recovery from civil war (12:14).
• Western Response: Germany advocates for a cautious approach, maintaining sanctions against Syrian officials involved in war crimes while offering relief for the general population (14:05).
• Humanitarian Impact: The UN reports half of Syria’s population struggles with basic needs, exacerbated by ongoing sanctions and destroyed infrastructure (13:30).

Notable Quotes:

• Prince Faisal bin Fahan: “Lifting sanctions is crucial for the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction” (12:37).
• Annelina Baerbock (Germany’s Foreign Minister): “Sanctions against Assad's henchmen must remain in place” (12:50).

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4. Iran’s Potential Prisoner Swap with Italy

Key Points:

• Prisoner Exchange: Iran has returned Mohammed Abedini, an Iranian national detained in Italy on a US warrant for supplying drone parts to the IRGC, shortly after releasing Italian journalist Cecilia Saleh from Tehran.
• Official Stance: Tehran insists the releases are unrelated, though the timing suggests a possible prisoner swap (20:46).
• Implications: This exchange highlights the use of prisoners as bargaining chips in international diplomacy, raising concerns about the safety of foreign nationals in Iran.

Notable Quotes:

• Valerie Sanderson: “It certainly looks like a prisoner swap... prisoners can be used as bargaining chips” (21:59).

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5. Malala Yousafzai Urges Action Against Taliban in Afghanistan

Key Points:

• Advocacy: Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai addressed a summit of Muslim leaders, condemning the Taliban's treatment of women and urging recognition of their regime as perpetrators of gender apartheid.
• Background: Malala, who survived a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012, continues to campaign for female education rights despite limited visits to Pakistan in recent years (25:32).
• Summit Outcomes: Organizers, including the Muslim World League and Pakistan’s Education Minister, reinforced the importance of not legitimizing the Taliban and supporting women's rights (25:55).

Notable Quotes:

• Malala Yousafzai: “Do not legitimize them. Do not make compromises on our faith” (25:32).

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6. Croatia’s Presidential Election Results

Key Points:

• Election Outcome: Incumbent President Zoran Milanović won re-election in a landslide victory, securing three-quarters of the votes in the runoff against Dragan Primorac from the governing HDZ party.
• Political Significance: Milanović’s decisive win indicates strong public demand for his leadership and anti-corruption stance, departing from Croatia’s long-standing HDZ dominance since independence (27:14).

Notable Quotes:

• Zoran Milanović: “Voters clearly want more of the same” (27:14).

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7. Hong Kong and Southeast Asia Human Trafficking

Key Points:

• Government Action: Hong Kong is dispatching officials to Thailand to investigate the disappearance of approximately two dozen residents, suspected to be victims of criminal gangs involved in telecom fraud scams.
• Regional Impact: The disintegration of law and order in Myanmar has facilitated the rise of Chinese gangs establishing scam and drug centers in border areas, exacerbating human trafficking issues (28:12).
• Preventative Measures: Embassies, including China’s, are warning citizens against suspicious job offers that seem too good to be true, highlighting cases where individuals were coerced into scams (29:10).

Notable Quotes:

• Mickey Bristow (Asia Pacific Editor): “Lawlessness in Myanmar has allowed criminal gangs to proliferate online scams” (29:13).
• Eyewitness: “He had his head shaved and was restricted from moving freely” (31:08).

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8. US Fluoride in Water Debate

Key Points:

• Controversy: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading figure opposing water fluoridation, argues for its removal from US water supplies, citing potential health risks.
• Public Health Perspective: Experts from NYU Dental School emphasize that fluoride reduction could lead to increased dental cavities, especially affecting underserved communities (31:41).
• Regulatory Actions: A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen fluoride regulations, despite the CDC's endorsement of fluoridation as a public health achievement (32:27).
• Opposition Views: The Fluoride Action Network contends that fluoridation is an unwarranted medical intervention, arguing against its mandated addition to public water (34:05).

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Richard Balakovic (NYU Dental School): “Eliminating fluoride would have a dramatic impact and increase levels of cavities” (32:02).
• Stuart Cooper (Fluoride Action Network): “It should have never been started just based on common sense” (34:05).

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9. Space Debris Falls in Kenyan Village

Key Points:

• Incident: A large metal ring, approximately eight feet wide and weighing half a ton, crashed into farmland in the Makuku village of central Kenya. Initial investigations suggest it may be debris from a European Ariane rocket launched in 2008.
• Legal Implications: Under the UN's Outer Space Treaty, the responsible state is liable for damage caused by space debris. The Kenya Space Agency is examining the object to determine its origin (35:35).
• Public Reaction: Villagers reported property damage and are seeking assurances to prevent future incidents amidst concerns over the increasing amount of space debris in Earth's orbit (36:05).

Notable Quotes:

• Brigadier Hilary Kipkosge (Kenya Space Agency): “It's too early to say exactly where it came from” (36:05).

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Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast covered a diverse range of international issues, from high-stakes geopolitical negotiations and environmental crises to public health debates and emerging security threats. The detailed coverage provides listeners with comprehensive insights into the complexities shaping our world today.

For more information or to share your thoughts on this episode, visit globalpodcastbc.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @globalnewspod.

Transcript

[Valerie Sanderson]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

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[News Anchor]

This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson and in the early hours of Monday 13th January, these are our main stories. Ukraine's President Zelensky has offered to return North Korean soldiers captured fighting for Russia in exchange exchange for Ukrainian troops held in Russia. California has introduced emergency measures to cut red tape for fire victims in Los Angeles to help them rebuild their homes quickly and to prevent them from being scammed. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has told a conference of top diplomats that sanctions imposed on Syria should be removed to help it recover from years of civil war. Also in this podcast.

[Eyewitness]

I suddenly heard a loud sound like a bomb. That is when someone told me that something had fallen from the skies.

[News Anchor]

An investigation is taking place in Kenya after a large metal ring Structure landed in a village. So was it from space? Ukraine's President Zelensky has offered to return two North Korean soldiers captured fighting for Russia in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Video footage posted online showed the men apparently injured. One said he didn't know that he was being sent to fight in a war and was told his unit was going on a training exercise. President Zelensky said there may be other options, including the men being allowed to remain in Ukraine if they chose to, as he put it, spread the truth about the war. Last year, Ukraine and South Korea reported that North Korea had sent at least 10,000 troops to Russia. Our Eastern Europe correspondent, Sarah Rainsford told us more about President Zelensky's proposal.

[Sarah Rainsford]

He's offering to swap these two men from North Korea to hand them over to Pyongyang if North Korea can arrange for Ukrainian prisoners of war to be returned to Ukraine from Russia. So essentially a prisoner swap. But of course, this is with a country that doesn't acknowledge deploying its troops to Russia to fight alongside Russian troops against Ukraine. And Russia also has not actually confirmed that North Korean troops are fighting. And in fact, it looks pretty clear now that Ukraine's claim that these North Korean troops are being deployed with fake Russian military ID is actually true. When these two North Koreans were captured, Ukraine presented a Russian military document, and it was in the name of a Russian citizen born in Siberia. But watching a video of the two men who've been taken captive, they are speaking Korean, and they do appear to confirm that they are North Korean professional soldiers. So it does seem that Russia is trying to hide the fact that it's using foreign forces for its war with Ukraine.

[News Anchor]

And is this this new video posted by Kyiv?

[Sarah Rainsford]

That's right. I mean, we have to say, first of all that this is a video that's been filmed by Ukraine's intelligence service. We can't speak to these people freely or independently. They are prisoners of war. One of them, frankly, looks terrified as he's speaking. He winces with pain as he's talking as well. But in that video, as I say, speaking under interrogation, essentially, and being filmed, this soldier says that he was involved in a military offensive on 3 January, that he saw soldiers die, and then he hid, and a couple of days later, he was taken captive. He says he doesn't know where he is right now. And when he's asked if he wants to go back to North Korea, he actually says, no, he wants to stay in Ukraine. And he's speaking all the time through an interpreter, which Ukraine's intelligence agency says has been provided by South Korean intelligence. So rather difficult circumstances for anyone to be speaking in. But that is what he has said so far.

[News Anchor]

So interesting to see if there could be a deal if, as you say, you know, North Korea and Russia have not admitted to deploying these soldiers.

[Sarah Rainsford]

Yeah. And I think in a way, that was kind of somewhat empty words from President Zelenskyy. It was more, I think, a political point he was trying to make because, of course, Ukraine already has a lot of Russian prisoners of war. And Russia and Ukraine do conduct swaps, exchanges of prisoners of war, every few weeks, every few months, fairly regularly. So I guess they don't necessarily need to swap the North Koreans in order to get the Ukrainian soldiers back. I think he was more making a point that he has these men and showing it as proof. And he was also, I think, trying to underline Ukraine's interpretation of the fact that Russia is using North Koreans. Ukraine is saying that this is a sign of weakness by Russia that is having to resort to using foreign forces to plug the gap in its own ranks, that it's not able to get enough Russian soldiers to fight this war because, of course, Ukraine has come under pressure a lot from its own allies, from the United States in particular, to find more soldiers here in Ukraine to fight. You know, Ukraine's struggling with a shortage of soldiers right now and low morale, but Ukraine saying, look, Russia's having problems, too. They're having to ask North Korea to help.

[News Anchor]

Sarah Rainsford. Next to the US State of California, where firefighters are battling the huge wildfires in Los Angeles, and the state's governor has introduced emergency measures to help victims. Gavin Newsom has brought in tougher penalties for price gouging and cut red tape for people to rebuild their homes. The authorities are also having to deal with the constant threat of looters. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said one suspected looter was even dressed as a firefighter.

[Valerie Sanderson]

When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter, and I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn't realize we had him in handcuffs. We were turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home.

[News Anchor]

Our correspondent Emma Vardy is in the Altadena neighbourhood at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It's there that NASA's famed jet propulsion Laboratory is situated and where firefighters are struggling to contain the blaze.

[Sarah Rainsford]

It's burning on Both sides of us up the hill and down into the valley too. There's helicopters flying just above us, just dropping water now, trying to keep those flames at bay. But right here there's this real sense of urgency because down that way there's a huge NASA facility that the flames have been moving towards. So they're trying really hard to protect that. And as well as trying to put these fires out with water and with fire retardant, what they're doing now, they're actually trying to clear lots of this dry vegetation, just trying to saw it down so that the fire has less to rip through. This is normally a beautiful area. I've been hiking to amazing waterfalls up in these hills. But right now looks so different.

[News Anchor]

Well, so far, at least 16 people are known to have been killed. The total number of residents under evacuation orders has dropped to around 100,000 from a peak of almost 180,000. Meanwhile, President elect Donald Trump has repeated criticism of the officials in charge of tackling the fires, calling them incompetent. A correspondent in Los Angeles, Peter Bose, has been covering the crisis since it started last Tuesday.

[Eyewitness]

There is some more positive news and some quite negative information that we've just heard at that news conference. On the positive front, the biggest fires that are still burning are becoming contained. Not entirely contained, far from it, but firefighters are making some progress. They've been helped by the calmer weather conditions over the last 48 hours. Sadly, that isn't going to last. And the winds are whipping up again as I speak and getting stronger, probably peaking Monday or Tuesday. So that's going to mean several more days of really difficult conditions for the firefighters, especially those in the air. The fixed wing aircraft, the helicopters that douse the flames with the fire retardant chemicals and water that we've seen in the last few days can be quite so things are moving, but slowly in the right direction in terms of the firefighting effort right now. In terms of negative things where you just mentioned the looting and we can talk about that, that's really shocking to so many people around this state and this city.

[News Anchor]

And how serious a problem is looting?

[Eyewitness]

It is serious and the authorities are taking it very seriously, saying that the full weight of the law will come down on those who are found guilty of breaking into people's homes after the owners or the residents of those homes have evacuated for fear of engulfing their neighborhoods. But that's the reality, that there are tens of thousands of people who are already evacuated, many more with the possibility that it could happen. And the Authorities say they've arrested several people intent on burglarizing those homes. And we've heard about the small number of individuals who officials say were wearing fire suits. They were wearing the uniforms of firefighters to disguise themselves in an attempt to carry out these crimes. The fire chief talking about seeing one sitting by the side of the road, mistaking him for a firefighter and then realizing he was in handcuffs.

[News Anchor]

And has there been reaction to President elect Donald Trump's comments criticizing the firefighting effort?

[Eyewitness]

Well, we've heard from Gavin Newsom. We haven't actually heard in detail what President elect Trump is claiming. He simply said that he's highlighted what he sees as the incompetence of local officials in fighting this fire. But Governor Newsom has said that spreading misinformation, disinformation isn't doing anyone any good. But clearly the reality is that he and Donald Trump will have to work together in the aftermath of this disaster. And they've, of course, long been at loggerheads, these two politicians, especially over environmental policy. And one fear has been that the president elect may make good on his threats to withhold disaster aid from the state after his inauguration.

[News Anchor]

Peter Bowes, for the first time since Syria's President Bashar al Assad was toppled on 8 December, Syria's new interim rulers have been meeting top Western diplomats at a conference in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Their aim is to get sanctions on Damascus lifted. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Fahan, supports their demands.

[Narrator]

In this context, I stress the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction.

[News Anchor]

But Germany's foreign minister, Annelina Baerbock, said it wouldn't be wise to remove all sanctions immediately.

[Narrator]

Sanctions against Assad's henchmen who committed serious crimes during the civil war must remain in place. But Germany proposes to take a smart approach to sanctions providing repeat relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power, and we continue to help those in Syria who have nothing.

[News Anchor]

Our Middle east regional editor Mike Thompson told me how the sanctions have affected the lives of ordinary Syrians.

[Valerie Sanderson]

The UN estimates that around half the population are struggling to feed themselves. The infrastructure of the country has been wrecked after years of war. Huge numbers of displaced people both inside and outside the country. Winter cold starting to bite, little fuel for heating and cooking. You know, overall, a desperate situation. And of course, the rulers themselves, they can't rebuild the country if these sanctions stay in place.

[News Anchor]

So how much support is there, do you think, among Western leaders to lift sanctions? I mean, we heard there from Germany's foreign minister. What do other Western allies think?

[Valerie Sanderson]

Well, I think her view sums up that of a lot of Western leaders. It's pretty much like encouraged by some of the comments, the promises that have been made by HTS new de facto leader, Ahmed Al Shara. He's promised an inclusive and a tolerant government, but they want to see evidence that he's actually going to keep his word. That's the biggest thing here. And I think if they start to see that, and maybe even I see possibly slightly before we could see these sanctions being lifted. Already, some have, the US has eased, some on humanitarian services and those affecting energy and sanitation and the EU's to discuss this issue at the end of this month.

[News Anchor]

Well, you say that Syria's new rulers are promising an inclusive and tolerant government. I mean, have they given any reassurances about women's rights and human rights?

[Valerie Sanderson]

That's a very good question, Valerie. I mean, there's been very little real clarity on this particular issue. Quite a lot about religious minorities, not so much about women. And we even had a comment last month by a senior HTS official saying that women's biological and psychological nature made them unfit for some government jobs. Now, that of course, sparked widespread alarm. And so since then, there's been a lot of sort of careful words by the new government and no obvious enforcement of Islamic dress codes. But of course, there are requirements here that sanctions can't be lifted without respect for women's rights. And some fear that with some extreme members in the makeup of this new government, that perhaps leopards can't change their spots.

[News Anchor]

Mike Thompson, Staying in Syria and the population there are facing an unprecedented threat from millions of mines and other discarded munitions as they return to their homes. Children are particularly at risk, according to a demining charity, the Halo Trust. It says more than 80 people have been killed in the country since President Assad was toppled in late November due to landmines and explosives left in the ground. Last week, two civilians were killed and 10 others injured after several mines exploded in the northern provinces of Idlib and Aleppo. Julian Warraker spoke to halo's Syria operations manager, Moad Al Nufali, and asked him how big an issue clearing land mines is at the moment.

[Moad Al Nufali]

A lot of people are crossing the lands or using the roads, and there is a huge amount of mines and unexploded ordnance. And unfortunately, a lot of people lost Their life since the Assad fell.

[Narrator]

How many people?

[Eyewitness]

Do we know the numbers?

[Moad Al Nufali]

Hello? Already with others recorded over 80 civilians deaths, including 20 children by unexploded ammunition. Tragically, there have been more cases of entire families being whipped out.

[Narrator]

And this is simply because these things can't be spotted. You don't know where you are putting your feet as you walk across the land.

[Moad Al Nufali]

Exactly, my friend. The problem here is the they are excited to return to their homes with their loved ones. They are not aware of the dangerous areas where the fighting took place, leaving thousands of thousands of unexploded weapons and ordinance.

[Eyewitness]

So what's your priority now in trying to ease this situation?

[Moad Al Nufali]

HALO is used to rabbit expansion and training. For example, in Ukraine we had 400 miners in the Donbass in February 2022. We had to expand quickly and respond to the Russian invasion. We are having over 1500 miners of all Ukraine. This was due to the massive uplift of funding for governments and international donors and private donors as well. We are asking for a huge international effort once again to help the Syrian people recover their country. We are asking about $40 million per year.

[Narrator]

So you want a huge international finance effort to do something similar to work.

[Eyewitness]

You'Ve done in Ukraine, Is that what you're saying?

[Moad Al Nufali]

Exactly.

[Eyewitness]

And that would involve demining experts doing.

[Narrator]

That painstaking work which they have to.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Do to clear whole areas.

[Moad Al Nufali]

There is a lot of unacceptable and unnecessary death for people right now. Halo only has 40 deminers on the ground in northwest Syria, but we need at least 400 if we are going to stop these fatalities. We operate a hotline right now, but we simply don't have enough staff to respond to everyone.

[Eyewitness]

What about training the de miners who.

[Narrator]

Might be able to do the work but aren't currently trained to do it? I mean, is there an effort on.

[Eyewitness]

That front as well?

[Moad Al Nufali]

When we have the fund, we can recruit people, we can train people, we can equip them with the right machines and the right equipment to start doing this. It will not take that much time. It might need like three to four months to establish our new expansion. But as a hello trust, we used to do that rapid expansion and the training in different places around the world.

[Eyewitness]

What about education work? Because clearly it's so important for people.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Living there or returning there to know what they're looking for.

[Moad Al Nufali]

The people start going back or returning back to their homes to be unified with their families. We have right now like 4 education team. They are delivering the safety messages for the communities, but this number is not Enough. And as well, we already started doing a digital campaign to send, using the social media and TVs just to send the safety messages for the community. And we want to increase that capacity at least 10 times in this period.

[Eyewitness]

Because it's so difficult, isn't it?

[Narrator]

Especially for children.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Children want to stray off the path, don't they?

[Eyewitness]

They want to go into the open.

[Narrator]

Land and play and that's when they're most at risk.

[Moad Al Nufali]

Exactly. Definitely. That we are right now is visiting the IDP scams for the people who want to return to their original cities. Our teams is sitting down with the children and explain to them and we are visiting the schools as well. But the problem is that the capacity, we don't have enough staff to do that because this should be in a massive way. It' like just for four teams to work here and here. We will not cover all the people.

[News Anchor]

Moad Anafali, the Halo Trust's Syria operations manager. Iran says one of its nationals who was detained in Italy last month has returned home. Mohammed Abedini had been arrested on a US warrant accused of supplying drone parts to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, or irgc. His release comes just days after an Italian journalist held in Tehran was freed. Tehran insists the two cases aren't connected. Our Europe regional editor, Paul Moss, explained more about the background to the case.

[Valerie Sanderson]

The man released is Mohamed Aberdeeni. He's described as an Iranian businessman. The United States says he supplied drone parts used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which is subject to sanctions. And they say these then were used in an attack on US servicemen based in Jordan near the Syrian border that happened last January, and three American service personnel were killed. So the US had a warrant out for Mr. Aberdeeni's arrest and indeed he was arrested by Italy when he arrived at Milan's Malpensa Airport. Iran was furious. They said the evidence was fabricated, but the United States wanted him extradited.

[News Anchor]

And what about the Italian journalist held in Iran who's been freed?

[Valerie Sanderson]

Cecilia Saleh was in Iran making a podcast about Iranian life. She had accreditation, but she was arrested last month for allegedly free violating the laws of the Islamic Republic. I'm not clear exactly what that was supposed to mean, but she did have a terrible time. She was held in the notorious Evian prison. She slept on the floor. She was kept isolated, she says. But only a few days ago, she was released and allowed to go home.

[News Anchor]

And Iran is saying there's no connection between the two releases, despite happening just days apart.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Yeah, what can I say? I don't think there are many people who are going to believe that this is purely a coincidence. It certainly looks like a prisoner swap. Of course, it suits Iran and Italy to deny the connection because neither wants to look like they gave in to pressure from the other. The trouble is, of course, if prisoners can be used as bargaining chips, then there's an incentive for countries to, you know, randomly arrest foreigners. And of course, we've seen this with Russia. There've been lots of swaps where you had Russians held in the United States and Europe for things like espionage. They were released and then in return, very openly, either foreigners held in Russia or dissidents there were released. Now this does mean, of course, that people will think twice about visiting those countries if they could end up in jail, effectively as a sort of diplomatic currency.

[News Anchor]

Pomos still to come, Floyd is very.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Relevant in New York because many folks in the neighborhoods of New York City and the metropolitan area don't have access to regular dental care.

[News Anchor]

But will fluoride in water supplies in the US Stop when a new Trump administration enters the White House?

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[News Anchor]

The Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has told a summit of Muslim leaders that Afghanistan's Taliban rulers don't see women as human beings. The activist who campaigns for female education rights was shot in the face at the age of 15 by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012. Our Pakistan correspondent Azadeh Mashiri reports from Islamabad.

[Narrator]

She was hailed at the summit as the great daughter of Pakistan. Yet this is but one of a handful of trips Malala Yousafzai has made back to the country in nearly 13 years. In 2012, the Pakistani Taliban shot her on the school bus when she was just 15. She'd been targeted because she'd spoken out about the right of girls to learn. Now 27 years old, she urged Muslim leaders and scholars at a global summit to take action against the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Recognize the Taliban regime as perpetrators of gender apartheid. Do not legitimize them. Do not make compromises on our faith, the summit organizers, the Muslim World League and Pakistan's education minister have told the BBC. The Taliban government were invited, but they did not attend. When asked about engaging with them directly, the head of the Muslim World League said they spoke to everyone. They said there wasn't any solid religious evidence in Islam that girls shouldn't be educated. The Taliban government declined to comment.

[News Anchor]

Azadeh Mushiri, the incumbent president of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, has been re elected in a landslide victory. Mr. Milanovic took three quarters of votes cast in a runoff election against his rival from the governing party, Dragan Primaraza Guidetelloni reports.

[Narrator]

Victory for Zoran Milanovic didn't come as a surprise. After all, he won the first round with 49% of the vote, just short of the mark required to avoid A run off. But the winning margin will certainly raise eyebrows. The governing HDZ has been the dominant party since Croatia gained independence more than 30 years ago, and it chose Dragan Primorac as its representative. By rejecting him so decisively, the electorate have sent a strong message. Mr. Milanovic has gained enormous popularity through his outspoken attacks on the HDZ and government corruption. Voters clearly want more of the same Guy Delaunay.

[News Anchor]

A task force is being sent to Thailand by Hong Kong's government to try to discover what's happened to a number of people who've disappeared in Southeast Asia. Criminal gangs have been luring people from Hong Kong to Myanmar, frequently via Thailand, to work on telecom fraud scams. Our Asia Pacific editor, Mickey Bristow told me more.

[Mickey Bristow]

Well, Hong Kong has decided to send a range of officials to Thailand to meet Thai immigration, judicial officials, police officers, in order to try and track down about two dozen or so cases in which Hong Kong residents have simply disappeared when going to Thailand. And it's suspected that they've been taken by criminal gangs up to the borderlands with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia and they're employed somehow there in online scams, telephone scams, which have really proliferated over recent years. Now it's, this is about Hong Kong, but all over China particularly and other countries have reported that a lot of their citizens are disappearing through Thailand to these unknown border areas where they're getting lured to these areas in order to take part in these scams. So it's more than Hong Kong.

[News Anchor]

Why is it such a big problem now?

[Mickey Bristow]

Well, it's been a big problem for some time and for several years really lots of countries been warning about it, but now it's a particular problem because essentially of the disintegration of law and order in Myanmar, where there's essentially a civil war going on. The government there occupies. The BBC did a survey a few months ago, found out that the government there only occupies about a quarter of the land. The rest is controlled by ethnic groups, pro democracy groups. This lawlessness has allowed mainly Chinese gangs to move in and set up these scam centres. Not just scam centres, but also drug centres as well. So the production of drugs has increased in Myanmar over recent years since the lawlessness began. The UN worked out last year that Myanmar was now the the biggest supply of opium. So all kinds of criminal activity, including scam centres, is taking place in these border areas.

[News Anchor]

And there's been a warning from the un, hasn't there's been a warning for.

[Mickey Bristow]

The UN about this? Been a warning from lots of embassies. Just yesterday, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok issued a warning, essentially saying to people, if you get offered a job and it seems too good to be true, the pay is high, it doesn't require a lot of qualifications, then just ign no, it's probably too good to be true. It probably doesn't exist. Indeed, there was an interesting case which came to light just last week of a Chinese actor who'd thought he was going to Thailand in order to take part in some kind of film. He got to Thailand, ended up being whisked away in a car to Myanmar, head shaved, movements restricted, involved in this online scam operations. Eventually there was an outcry about his disappearance and he was found and he's returned home. But that's just the kind of thing which is going on.

[News Anchor]

Mickey Bristow Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that governments often add to water supplies, including currently in the United States. Experts insist the policy has contributed to vastly reducing cavities in teeth. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Touted as the country's likely new health secretary, is strongly opposed. He wants to remove fluoride from US Tap water water, citing a wide range of potential health risks. So is he right? Our reporter Phoebe Hopson has been finding out.

[Narrator]

NYU Dental School in Manhattan trains around 10% of the country's dentists, and thousands of New Yorkers come for discounted treatment. Dr. Richard Balakovic is a clinical professor and executive director at the school's Centre for Oral Health Policy. He says the busy operation runs at capacity, but it could overflow if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has his way.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Fluid is very relevant in New York because many folks in the neighborhoods of New York City and the metropolitan area don't have access to regular dental care. But if we were to eliminate fluoride, it would have a dramatic impact and increase levels of cavities in particular. That would make it much more difficult for even our ability to respond to the issues.

[Narrator]

The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century by America's center for Disease Control and Prevention. It started in the 1940s and is credited to a dramatic decline in cavities in the population.

[Valerie Sanderson]

I think fluoride is a poison, but.

[Narrator]

Not everyone is convinced.

[Valerie Sanderson]

I think fluoride is on the way up. I think the faster that it goes out, the better.

[Narrator]

RFK Jr posted on X that the naturally occurring mineral was associated with several health problems and the anti fluoride movement in recent years has gained traction. The flames stoked when a federal judge in San Francisco ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen regulations, citing a study that linked the mineral to lower IQ levels in children. The attacks on it are, if anything, a red herring and are bringing up.

[News Anchor]

Old conspiracy theories from the 1940s that.

[Narrator]

Just have no basis in reality. Diana Winters is the deputy director at the Resnick center for Food Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law. None of the studies that have associated potentially lower IQ in children with fluoride intake have looked at the levels of fluoride that children are actually ingesting through drinking water or other sources.

[Colgate Palmolive Advertiser]

What they're looking at are levels of.

[Narrator]

Fluoride that are much higher than the actual levels that fluoride is being ingested. Among the plaintiffs in the San Francisco lawsuit was the Fluoride Action Network, a group that's against water fluoridation. Stuart Cooper is their executive director.

[Valerie Sanderson]

Fluoridation chemicals are the only chemical we add to the water supply that is intended to treat the consumer and does nothing for safety or potability of the drinking water. So it should have never been started just based on common sense. We shouldn't allow our politicians to use our public drinking water to mandate a medication or medical intervention.

[Narrator]

Back at NYU Dental School, there's a feeling that those opposing fluoride have forgotten how harmful cavities can be.

[Valerie Sanderson]

People need to appreciate that the impact not just the teeth of cavities, but then the systemic impact impact of having teeth that have cavities that then result in dental pain. Lost hours in school, lost hours of work, lost hours of sleep. The issues continue to face us.

[Narrator]

The decision to add fluoride is done at a community level. And despite the anti fluoride movement having become a mainstream debate, RFK Jr will have a hard job convincing the country's scientific bodies that the low levels in drinking water opposing any harm when many can't afford dental care.

[News Anchor]

Phoebe Hobson People in central Kenya have been describing how a piece of space debris crashed into their village. An investigation is taking place into where the large metal ring structure came from, with some saying it was part of a European Ariane rocket. Jason Kay reports.

[Eyewitness]

Residents of Makuku described hearing an 8 foot wide metal ring weighing about half a ton crashing into farmland on the edge of their village.

[Mickey Bristow]

Just before the end of the year.

[Eyewitness]

I suddenly heard a loud sound like a bomb. That is when someone told me that something had fallen from the skies.

[Narrator]

We found a big piece of metal that was very red. We waited for it to cool before people could approach it.

[Eyewitness]

Under the UN's Outer Space Treaty, states are liable for any damage caused by their space debris. This object is being examined now by the Kenya Space Agency. Its director, Brigadier Hilary Kipkosge, says it's too early to say exactly where it came from. It is a common item that is in many, many rockets and many space objects, so it is difficult to attribute it to a specific rocket. Some British space experts believe the ring could have come from a European Ariane rocket that launched a satel into space in 2008. America's space agency NASA estimates there are more than 6,000 tons of debris currently in orbit around the Earth. No one was injured when this object fell from the sky, but some villagers claim their properties were damaged and they've asked the Kenyan government for assurances that nothing like this can happen again.

[News Anchor]

Jason Kay, that's it from us for now, but there'll be a new edition of the Global News podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. you can also find us on x@globalnewspod. This edition was mixed by Derek Clark. The producer was Liam McSheffrey. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Valerie Sanderson. Until next time. Bye Bye.

[Narrator]

Yoga is more than just exercise. It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by. And in 2017, Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation. It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After the yoga classes, I felt amazing. But soon that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker. A journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders. I don't have my passport. I don't have my phone. I don't have my bank cards. I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in a house and not feeling like they can leave. World of secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed. In this new series, we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry, where the hope of a spiritual breakthrough gives way to disturbing accusations. You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. And it's like this. The secret that's there. I wanted to believe that, you know, that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand. Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice and for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future, to bring it into the light and almost alchemize some of that evil stuff that went on and take back the power world of secrets. Season 6 the Bad Guru Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.