Global News Podcast - Antony Blinken's push for ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, after more deadly strikes

Episode Date: October 22, 2024

Lebanon says an Israeli strike near a hospital has killed at least 13, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives to push for a ceasefire. Also: We'll hear the latest from the US campaign trail and the giant meteor that hit earth

Hello, this is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service with reports and analysis from across the world. The latest news seven days a week. BBC World Service podcasts are supported by advertising. If you're hearing this, you're probably already listening to BBC's award-winning news podcasts. But did you know that you can listen to them without ads? Get current affairs podcasts like Global News, AmeriCast and The Global Story, plus other great BBC podcasts from history to comedy to true crime, all ad-free. Simply subscribe to BBC Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts or listen to Amazon Music with a Prime membership.

Spend less time on ads and more time with BBC podcasts. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Miles and at 13Hours GMT on Tuesday, the 22nd of October, these are our main stories. The U.S. Secretary of State is in Israel pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. We find out how the conflict in Ukraine is heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula. And we'll hear the latest from Democrats and Republicans out on the campaign trail. Also in this podcast, as Elon Musk visits swing states. I'm absolutely skeptical.

He is part of this like upper 1% echelon of people. At the same time, a lot of what he was saying did seem like it came from a place of care. The controversial business of a billionaire giving away millions of dollars, which critics say is an attempt to influence the US election. We start this podcast with the latest visit by the US Secretary of State to the Middle East. There have been optimistic discussions of a ceasefire over the past 12 months, but

now Anthony Blinken has touched down in Tel Aviv to a much more downbeat dialogue. The chances of a ceasefire in Gaza look slim though. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu says he'll continue waging war until Hamas is crushed. On another of the fronts in the conflict, Lebanon, Israeli military strikes have continued overnight in parts of Beirut. Health officials say 13 people died when a missile hit near the country's largest hospital. This man is still looking for one of his relatives. I have a brother who's still under the rubble. His mobile phone is ringing.

We are trying to search for him, but there is no way for a machine to get here. No one can help us pull him out. We'll hear from our correspondent in Israel next, but first a picture of what's happening in and around Gaza from our international editor, Jeremy Bowen. We, along with other independent journalists, are not allowed into

Gaza to report. So this is what Jeremy managed to gather from Israel. Northern Gaza just after an airstrike from a vantage point a few miles away in Israel. It's a public holiday here. This is a popular place to observe the war. It's a public holiday here. This is a popular place to observe the war Israelis believe the killing and hostage taking by Hamas and the way Palestinians voted for them Makes the war in Gaza and the others that followed Necessary and just if they would return the hostages then I would have what to feel for it in the meantime There's nothing I can feel for them. A short drive away, close to the Gaza border, it was a family day out for Israelis who believe the war has given them the chance to recreate a very different Gaza. They want to restore

Jewish settlements inside the Gaza Strip that the Israeli government removed in 2005. These people know what they want when eventually there's a ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli government has only really said what it doesn't want. It doesn't want any kind of governance that looks like progress towards a Palestinian state. Now, that is a problem for its Western allies, the Americans, the British and others, because they believe a Palestinian state alongside Israel is the only way to stabilize the region and not have perpetual war.

Anita Toker brought her family up on a farming settlement in the Gaza Strip. For her, leaving was a gross injustice. I played her a report I did about her departure 19 years ago. This is an integral part of the State of Israel. Since that day in 2005, they've dreamt about a return, and now they see Palestinians forced out of large areas of Gaza and are pushing to replace them. I think we have an opportunity to build much more than we had before. I think we should build cities in some of the places.

We should bring many, many more of Israel's population into the Gaza Strip. I think those people in the Gaza Strip, and there are a lot, that want to leave. Why is Egypt and Israel not allowing them to leave and go to Europe? The bomb shelters where Israelis fled from Hamas have been made into memorials to the dead and to the hostages This is where many were cornered and killed the war is changing the Middle East in ways no one fully understands yet and it's widening and escalating. Jeremy Bowen, so what is Mr Blinken specifically hoping to achieve and how optimistic is he about succeeding? Our correspondent in Jerusalem is Jonah Fisher.

I think it's important to put this in the context of why this diplomatic mission has taken place and it was to a significant extent because last week after the killing of Yair Yassinwah, it was felt that there might be a window of opportunity, particularly in Western capitals and in the United States, for a renewed push for peace. The last couple of days we've seen pretty clearly from the Israeli military that they still have objectives which they want to achieve both in Gaza and in Lebanon. So that has receded. Obviously, if one is to talk about some sort of ceasefire exchange and an exchange of hostages, that is complicated by the fact that the Hamas

leadership has obviously been largely destroyed in Gaza itself and it's very unclear as to who would be the key people to negotiate with at this point. So I think what Blinken will be looking to do when he meets with the Israeli Prime Minister here will be to perhaps look beyond the immediate desire for something to do with hostages and a ceasefire and to try and progress discussions on what Gaza might look like after some sort of deal, what sort of governance might be in place, who would run Gaza effectively when the war ended, who would be in charge of security arrangements, because Israel has made it very clear that they do not want Hamas to be that administration in Gaza, but we've not

really had it spelled out as to what they would like to be there instead. So that is something which is likely to be discussed. I think probably the most achievable objective that may be on the table when these talks take place is humanitarian access. In the last week or two, we've had repeated calls from the United Nations for more aid to be allowed into Gaza, particularly the northern part of Gaza, where Israel has been focusing some of its efforts. So it may be that that is one deliverable, let's say, that could come out of these talks today between Blinken and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Now, this is Mr Blinken's 11th visit since the Hamas attacks on Israel last year.

Are there any indications, do you think, coming from the government in Israel that they're willing to make some kind of compromise over a ceasefire? It's hard to see it if there is one. One has to be pretty clear about that. The message from the Israeli government is that things are going well and that they have, there's no doubt that they feel that they're on something of a role in terms of killing the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, I think the sense one gets when you hear their public pronouncements at least is that they feel that this is a moment to push harder and to keep on with their Malipci objectives rather than to look for peace at this point

in terms of those negotiations. So if there is any sign that they're looking for a way to stop this at the moment, I haven't seen it. Jonah Fisher. The leaders of the world's top emerging economies have been arriving in the Western Russian city of Kazan for a three-day meeting as President Vladimir Putin hosts a summit for the so-called BRICS countries that include China, India and South Africa. Our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg is covering the meeting in Kazan, east of Moscow. So how important is this event?

I think for the Kremlin leader it's very important. This is about optics. If you go back to February 2022 when Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western leaders vowed to isolate him. They dubbed him a pariah. We saw all those international sanctions that were announced against Russia. This week we're going to see Vladimir Putin shaking hands with more than 20 heads of state sitting around the table. The message he will send, therefore, to his own people and to the wider world is that he's not isolated at all. There are plenty of countries, nations, world leaders who are prepared to sit down and do business with him. So in terms of optics and symbolism it's

important, but substance too. You know the BRICS is a group of countries emerging economies that see themselves as a kind of counterweight to a western-led world, challenging the political and economic dominance of more advanced western economies. And I think Vladimir Putin sees BRICS as a tool, an instrument to help shape a new global order. So I think the Kremlin will be pushing this week BRICS members, BRICS colleagues to try to agree on a new cross-border payment system that doesn't depend on the US dollar. Whether he's successful in doing that is another question. This is not a grouping of like-minded souls, right? If you look at the original BRICS members,

India and China, there are big differences between India and China. Amongst the original BRICS members, India and China, there are big differences between India and China. Amongst the new BRICS members like Egypt and Ethiopia, there are tensions there too. Iran and Saudi Arabia are traditional rivals in that region. Russia is motivated very much by anti-Western sentiment at the moment. Compare that with India, also a BRICS member, but a country that wants to maintain good political and economic relations with the West. So although Vladimir Putin will be keen to put across a show of unity with this group

and declare that this group represents the global majority, after all BRICS members make up about 45% of global population, there are differences of opinion and even animosity amongst the members. Steve Rosenberg. China has confirmed that it's reached an agreement with India about how the two militaries patrol part of their disputed border after decades of tension. Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the two sides would work to implement the solution. China and India have been in close communication recently through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to the China-India border. Now the two sides have reached resolutions on relevant matters which

China speaks highly of. Going forward, China will continue to work with India to implement these resolutions properly. It is now two weeks before the US presidential election with polling suggesting that it is a very tight race. With just a few thousand votes in the swing states expected to decide who wins, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have been ramping up their efforts to reach beyond their party's traditional supporters. Mr. Trump is trying to woo black and Latino voters and Kamala Harris is attempting to distance herself from President Biden's campaign.

Let's hear now from campaigners in two of the swing states. Debbie Patel, who's been on the streets of Wisconsin for Carmela Harris and the Democratic Party. People are just getting to know her and because the vice president doesn't always have as visible a role, people want to know what her positions are. I think the things that the voters are most interested that we hear about is, as you probably know, a woman's freedom over her body is a huge deal in America. That Trump and his MAGA colleagues want to control the bodies of one half of our population.

They're very concerned about healthcare protections. They are concerned about whether they might lose Social Security, there is a concern about whether our families are safe. So those are the issues that we find the voters want to talk about. Meanwhile Melanie Collier, a Republican, has been canvassing for the Trump campaign in the swing state of North Carolina and her home state of Georgia. Here is what she told Michelle Hussein. Right now, the people that I talk with are seeing what has happened with our economy. They see what has been the result of the last four years of the Biden-Harris

administration. And she was very much an active part of what took place during these four years. And we're in some of the worst shape we've been in in years and years and years. And they want Trump back because they want to go back to what his policy stood for and what they basically their way of life while he was in office. So right now, it doesn't take much to talk somebody into voting for Donald Trump right now. The Harris Biden campaign presidency had to bring the economy back from COVID, of course. You can say that, but that's really minor compared to what the things that were in place when they came into office and the orders that Biden did the minute he walked in and just basically rescinded everything that Donald Trump had in place that was working, he destroyed.

And so in the process he and Kamala Harris have destroyed the economy. They're working really hard to destroy the whole country. The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has come out strongly in favor of Donald Trump. And a move he made in swing states has been making headlines around the world. He said he'll give away one million dollars every day until the US election on November the 5th to people in those states who sign his petition supporting Mr. Trump. The move has raised questions about its legality.

From Pennsylvania, a swing state where Kamala Harris has been polling slightly ahead, and Elon Musk recently visited and gave out a million dollar check, our North America correspondent, Neda Taufik reports. It's not often that the world's richest man travels to small town Pennsylvania and gives out a million dollars for signing a petition. In the final sprint of the election, Elon Musk has doubled down on his commitment to get Donald Trump elected, with town halls and these giveaways to turn out voters in this swing state, which is a must-win for both candidates.

This election, I think, is going to decide the fate of America, and along with the fate of America, the fate of Western civilization. His speeches are filled with stark warnings that Trump is the only one who can save democracy. It's inevitably led to two questions. Will it work and why is he doing it? I'm right outside Ridley High School where Elon Musk spoke, and right across the street is a pretty quiet

neighborhood so they don't really discuss politics. They tell me in fact, residents were surprised that Elon Musk chose here of all places to come, but some do believe he could have an impact on this election. And like I said, I'm an undecided voters though Xander Mundy was in

the middle of his typical work day when his boss told him that Elon Musk was speaking at a school nearby in Fulsome, Pennsylvania, and they should all drive by. The 21 year old wasn't even planning on voting, but left the event considering Donald Trump. Someone like that tells you this is the election that's going to decide our future. This is going to decide not only who's president for the next four years, but what our world is going to be like, what the Western world is going to be like. And I think that's pretty huge, you know, that that matters. Are you at all skeptical, though, about Elon Musk's motivations? Yeah, I'm absolutely skeptical.

He is a multi-billionaire. He is a part of this, like, upper 1% echelon of people. And again, I don't agree with all of his views. But at the same time, a lot of what he was saying did seem like it came from a place of care. If former President Donald Trump wins, Elon Musk will have his ear and therefore a potentially strong influence on decision making in the White House. At his town halls here in Pennsylvania, Musk repeated how he will lead a Department of

Government efficiency while targeting government regulations could benefit Musk's businesses. Musk moved Tesla's headquarters from California to Texas in protest of California-style regulation. Eric Gordon is the chair of the Entrepreneurship Department at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. sort of an on the fronte entrepreneur who can bre be bogged down by regulat

in all governments tends 10, 20 years behind the a You know, Musk wants it t He years behi technology. You know, Mus other way. He wants to go a former general counsel Commission is among those the legality of Musk's mi He says the billionaire s

anyone that values safe w consumer protections. We do when left to their own devices. They put profit and stockholder value and CEO compensation above safety, and they kind of write off the safety issues as a cost of doing business. And it's dangerous to have somebody who views business that way and views government that way in charge of safety. Elon Musk relishes being a disruptor and there's no question that he's achieved extraordinary feats in rocket science and EV technology. That's why his mutually beneficial relationship with the US government will continue no matter who

is president. But his brand and reputation is now tied to Donald Trump's. And by his actions, he knows it. Nedatorfik. Still to come in this podcast. Life was not only resilient, but it actually, you know, it bounced back really quickly, and then it thrived. How Earth came back from a meteor strike that boiled the oceans.

If you're hearing this you're probably already listening to BBC's award-winning news podcasts but did you know that you can listen to them without ads? Get current affairs podcasts like Global News, AmeriCast and The Global Story, plus other great BBC podcasts from history to comedy to true crime, all ad free. Simply subscribe to BBC Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts or listen to Amazon Music with a Prime membership. Spend less time on ads and more time with BBC podcasts. The front lines in the Ukraine conflict may well be 7000 kilometres from the Korean peninsula, but that hasn't stopped the two nations there from getting involved. After allegations that

Pyongyang is preparing to send troops to fight alongside Russian forces, Seoul says it will take countermeasures. South Korea's Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo made the announcement at a news conference following a meeting of the National Security Council. The government urges the immediate withdrawal and if this illegal cooperation between North Korea and Russia continues, the government will not stand by and it will respond in a firm manner with the international community. Our Asia Pacific editor, Mickey Bristow, told us more.

North Korea simply denies the fact that it's sending troops to Russia. What we know all comes from South Korea which monitors very closely what goes on in North Korea. South Korea says that North Korea is preparing to send 12,000 elite troops to fight with Russia in Ukraine. 1,500 of those it says are already in the Russian Far East, some might be in Ukraine already. Russia hasn't said anything about this. The Americans haven't added anything either. So we're just relying on what the South Koreans say. They've also in South Korea, news media have kind of published a photograph showing a North Korean flag flying alongside the Russian flag on the battlefront. So little bits of evidence coming out to suggest North Korea sending troops to Ukraine to fight for Russia.

But why would South Korea be so concerned about that? Yeah, it's a really good question because as you mentioned in the introduction there, that it's a long, long way, the Korean Peninsula, from Ukraine. Why would South Korea be bothered? I think two reasons really. One is that over recent years, South Korea has joined what might be termed the Western group of nations in believing international sanctions

and the rule of law should be enforced. And so sanctions imposed on North Korea means this kind of interaction between North Korea and Russia will be illegal. But also I think South Korea mainly is concerned about its own position. It has a very heavily fortified border with North Korea. It will be wondering if North Korea is sending these troops to Ukraine for Russia, what is it getting in return? It already says that North Korea is sending

munitions to help the Russian fight in Ukraine, but what is it getting for all this? And might that tip North Korea's balance in its South Korea's battle or its tension with North Korea? That's its main concern. So what's Seoul's response been? Well, Seoul has said it's going to have a phased response to what North Korea is doing. And interestingly, the most interesting aspect of what it was saying is that it could supply Ukraine with offensive weapons. Now, thus far, it's been supplying it with non-leaf laid things like gas masks, field rations, things that can be used by the army, but essentially at guns and bullets,

that kind of thing. But it's indicated that that might change. So of course, this is a way that a local rivalry between North Korea and South Korea could end up escalating the battlefield in Ukraine. Mickey Bristow. Mozambique suffers from increasingly intense tropical storms. And those storms caused the destruction of many communities. And experts say it's made worse by deforestation because of logging. Now, a Gulf-based company, Blue Forest, says it's secured a contract to plant 200 million trees.

As Jose Tembe reports, the Mozambique government says this will be the start of a much-needed regeneration. This is the sound of strong winds blowing from the Indian Ocean onto Mozambique's coast. The country's 2,500-kilometre coastline is home to an extensive mangrove ecosystem, but in recent years it has been devastated by the twin effects of violent storms and deforestation. The loss of the mangroves is considered so worrying in Mozambique that even local musicians have joined the fight to save them. Musician Rosaliam Boa sings Preservation du Mangal, Preserve the mangroves.

I wrote this song because I observed the devastation of mangroves and I'm asking people to stop. To help improve the situation, the Mozambican government has awarded a license to the Gulf-based company Blue Forest. The company's founder and the chief executive officer is Vaid for Tuli. The core objective is to first restore the degraded areas that exist along that coastline, and which add up to about 30,000 hectares

of degraded mangroves. And secondly, to conserve the standing mangroves that are there, which span across about 120,000 hectares. Mozambican ecologist Carla Mahoman says that projects like this are essential not only to protect the coastline but also the livelihoods of the people who live there. Having a protected, well-maintained mangrove ecosystem means we'll have a rich diversity of trees and plants, as well as marine and river-dwelling creatures. This will benefit us economically, socially and environmentally.

We'll be healthier because the mangrove trees will absorb carbon dioxide and transform it into oxygen, which will give us a purer environment. At the same time the mangroves will act as a nursery for both marine and bird species. According to Mozambique's national director of climate change, Jadbiga Masinga, this is the first of many projects. The government hopes we will not only restore the mangroves, but help coastal communities survive. As a country that experiences the effects of climate change, the project which combines mangrove restoration with social and economic aspects

is very welcome. It is the first project approved for coastal area. There are over 40 other companies that are still in the feasibility stage. As Rosalia Mbowa sings, preserving the mangroves is vital for both the wildlife and the people of Mozambique. The hope is that projects like this one will turn the tide against the loss of habitat and ensure future generations will thrive despite the changing climate on Mozambique's coast. Jose Tembe reporting there. Well, Mozambique's problems have been exacerbated by climate change and ahead of the UN climate change conference, which gets underway next month, we're going to be recording a special edition of the Global News podcast. I'll be putting your questions to two of the BBC's top climate change experts. So if there's anything you

want to know, such as the impact of conflicts on climate change, that was one person's question that has been sent in, another has asked what pressure can be put on companies to meet their emissions targets, all these kind of things. If you want to know the answer, we'll put these questions to our experts. Send us an email to globalpodcast at bbc.co.uk and if you can send it as a voice note. Thanks. Now we know that the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs was very big but now scientists at Harvard University in the US have discovered that there was one much much bigger that hit the earth three billion years ago, 200 times bigger in fact, and it hit the earth in what

is modern day South Africa. Harvard University's Professor Nadja Drabon explains what happened next. Life was not only resilient, but it actually bounced back really quickly, and then it thrived. These big impacts would have been really rich in phosphorus. And phosphorus is an absolutely essential nutrient for life. The tsunami that swept across the globe would have brought a lot of iron-rich deep waters to the surface

and this iron is also really important for early microbes. Our science reporter Georgina Ranard told us more. Carrying backpacks and sledgehammers, these scientists are on their way to peer back in time to our planet's early years. Inside these rocks are the clues about what happened one violent day three billion years ago when a meteorite careened into what is now South Africa. It made some other space rocks in Earth's history look tiny. We don't know the exact shape of these meteorites but the one that wiped out the dinosaurs was about 10 kilometers wide. That's just over the height of Mount Everest. But that was just a baby compared to this one.

It was four to six times as wide and 50 to 200 times more massive. It was like a rock the size of Greater London smashing into Earth. The impact tore up the seafloor, causing a tsunami likely bigger than any seen in human history. The oceans boiled from all the excess energy, and the skies turned black, filled with dust that stopped sunlight reaching life that needed it for energy. But the scientists also found something unexpected. On our young planet, life was still in simple, single cell form. But scientists now know that from the ruins of one fiery crash, life could bounce back and thrive.

Georgina Ranart. Ever since the war in Gaza erupted just over a year ago following Hamas's October 7th attack, hundreds of thousands of children have had little or any access to education. Schools have been shut and many have been turned or any access to education. Schools have been shut and many have been turned into shelters for displaced people. Some have been badly damaged or destroyed by Israel's bombardments. They include Gaza's Edward Said Conservatory for Music. Our former Gaza correspondent John Donason, who visited the conservatory when it was still standing before the war, reports now on a new effort to teach music to young children. In Gaza amidst the mayhem a moment of melody. For children learning music is

not easy at the best of times. And for Mohammed, playing the violin, these are the worst. The 14-year-old lost part of his arm in an Israeli airstrike. It changes the atmosphere of the war, from what has happened to me and from what is happening. It changes the mood when I play the violin. He and his teacher, Sama, have to improvise, carefully tying the violin bow to his elbow with a scarf. He is a child who used to play the aoud

before he lost his hand during the school bombing. I wanted Mohammed to continue his dreams by teaching him music and helping him achieve what he couldn't before. I decided to teach him how to play the violin because it was difficult for him to play the Oud. And that's the instrument, like a Middle Eastern lute, that 10-year-old Abed Al-Rakhman is learning. He had to have part of his leg amputated. We were living a life of bombing and shelling and I was injured in my leg. When the teacher came we started practicing on something new and we learned. When we practice we can express

ourselves and feel relaxed in our hearts. His teacher is 15 year old Salah. The children are very happy to experience something new like musical instruments. They are excited and keep asking us to come every day. We are excited and keep asking us to come every day." Both Salah and Salma were students at the internationally renowned Edward Said Conservatory for Music in Gaza City, but it was bombed earlier in the war. Over the last few months, they've been teaching in three schools now turned into shelters for displaced children and their families. One of them is

11-year-old Lina. It's a beautiful feeling because when the teachers come, they help us escape the state of the war we're living in. After a year of war for these traumatised children, music offers a rare chance to let their hearts sing. John Donnison reporting. And that's all from us for now, but there will be another edition of the programme later. If you want to comment on this podcast, just send us an email to globalpodcast at bbc.co.uk. This edition was mixed by

Nora Hull and the producer was Stephanie Prentiss. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Nick Miles and until next time goodbye. If you're hearing this, you're probably already listening to BBC's award-winning news podcasts. But did you know that you can listen to them without ads? Get current affairs podcasts like Global News, Americast and The Global Story, plus other great BBC podcasts from history to comedy to true crime, all ad free. Simply subscribe to BBC Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts or listen to Amazon Music with a Prime membership. Spend less time on ads and more time with BBC podcasts.