Global News Podcast - Russia warns Ukraine to reach deal or lose more territory

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

The US has handed Ukraine a draft peace plan which reportedly reflects many of Moscow's demands, like giving up land. Ukraine's president has held a call with the leaders of Germany, France and Britain. Berlin says the three leaders welcomed US efforts but stressed the need to safeguard European and Ukrainian interests. Also: officials in Nigeria say dozens of pupils and staff have been abducted from a Catholic school - the third mass kidnapping in a week; The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, says almost seventy children in Gaza have been killed in conflict-related incidents since Israel's US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas took effect last month; A growing number of women in South Africa learn to use guns to protect themselves against gender-based violence; The UN climate summit in Brazil is heading for a showdown over a draft text proposed by the hosts that fails to refer to the phasing out of fossil fuels; In a dramatic development - Mexico's Fatima Bosch, who walked out on organisers after she was publicly berated, is crowned Miss Universe; And how artificial intelligence is helping scientists differentiate between different lion roars.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [e-mail]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janet Jaliel and at 16 hours GMT on Friday the 21st of November. These are our main stories. The Kremlin urges Ukraine to agree quickly to a US peace plan that appears to favour many of Russia's demands. The UN says nearly 70 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire there came into effect last month. Officials in Nigeria say dozens of pupils and staff have been abducted from a Catholic school, the third mass kidnapping in a week. Also in this podcast,

what we've been able to do is use very specific features of these roars and get an AI model to basically say, I think these are full-throated roars, I think these are intermediary roles, I think these are grunts. How artificial intelligence is helping scientists differentiate between different lion roars. Russia has warned that Ukraine will lose more territory on the battlefield

unless it reaches a deal on ending the war immediately. The US handed President Zelensky a draft peace plan on Thursday, which reportedly reflects many of Moscow's demands, such as giving up large tracts of land and substantially reducing the size of the Ukrainian army, demands that Ukraine has long rejected. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said Russian advances have left Mr. Zelensky with less room to negotiate.

The effective work of the Russian armed forces should convince both Zelensky and his regime that it is better to negotiate and do it now, and it is better to do it now than later. The room for freedom of decision-making for him is shrinking, as the territory is lost during the offensive actions of the Russian armed forces. Neither Ukraine nor other European nations were consulted about the draft peace plan. Mr Zelensky has given a guarded response to the proposals, saying he's ready to work with the US on their vision for ending the war. Since being presented with the plan, President Zelensky has held a call with the leaders of Germany, France and Britain, and he's also talked to the US Vice President J.D. Vance.

The EU's top diplomat, Kayakales, said whatever plan was finally agreed, had to safeguard Ukraine and Europe's interests. We are supportive of any plan that brings about just and lasting peace. As for the peace plan, we understand that President Zelensky has been presented with, we have always said that any peace plan to work, it has to be with Ukraine and with the Europeans on board. This comes as a major corruption scandal in the beleaguered energy sector involving a close ally of President Zelensky has rocked the Ukrainian government and weakened support for him. These residents in Kiev gave us their thoughts on the U.S. peace proposals. What they are offering us is not very good for us.

The peace plan generally is good. The two countries should be equal in the long run and no one should give in to this. That is, the issue of resolving the war should be there and the war should end. This is not acceptable. Ukraine is the one who decides, not America. Of course, America helps, but this is our land. And not our war. We have to defend our land.

You see, I really like Trump. I really like him. And I have all my hopes with Trump because Ukraine is no longer able to generate any protest internally because it is very corrupt. Mr Zelensky said Ukraine faced a difficult choice, either losing its dignity or losing its dignity. key partner. Our correspondent in Kiev is Jonathan Beale. In his nightly address, he was

careful not to criticise or reject the US draft of this peace deal, as you say, even though it does appear from what we've seen to heavily reflect many of Moscow's demands. He said he was ready for constructive, honest and efficient work. He said Ukraine wanted peace. And we know that he will be talking to President Trump soon in the coming days. So he is engaging, but I think there is deep concern because some of the demands that have been reported, such as in giving up the entire Dombas region where Ukrainian troops are fighting for and dying, trying to defend at the moment, reducing the size of Ukraine's military, ruling at the presence of international troops in the country, giving up long-range weapons. Those are concessions that they've rejected in the

past. Now, the US is saying that both sides will have to make concessions. And from what we've seen in the draft, there are some demands being made of Moscow, for example, using some of its frozen assets to help rebuild Ukraine, that there will be a commitment in Russian law not to invade Ukraine again. Whether people here believe that's worth the paper, it would be written on, I think is another question. And even though it does rule out NATO membership, it doesn't close the door on EU membership. That said, overall, I think this is, as far as MPs who've been commenting on what they've seen so far, is something that looks one-sided and they feel that they're trying to be forced into a quick piece. And there is clear efforts by the US to get a

quick deal. They say there is an aggressive timeline for this. They want an agreement within weeks. So the pressure really is on President Zelensky at a difficult time for him. There's pressure on President Zelensky, but the Europeans have also been completely left out of this process. And we're hearing today that EU ambassadors will now be briefed by military officials in Ukraine. Yeah, it does seem that Europe has been left in the dark. It wasn't party to the drafting of this peace plan, which seems to have been done by President Trump's special invoice, Dee Wickoff, with his Russian counterpart, and then at the later stage is some input from the Ukrainians, from a former Minister Umarov, who visited Wickoff, didn't have a

hard copy of the document, but relayed the information to President Zelensky, before President Zelensky was presented with the plan. Some of the stuff that Europe's been working on, for example, this coalition of the willing, led by the UK and France, trying to get together an international force that would be ready to go into Ukraine, what they call a reassurance force, to ensure any ceasefire, if that happened. That's not even mentioned. In fact, it's the opposite. There is a specific mention of no international troops. So clearly, Europe, some of its suggestions have been ignored. It is now being consulted. and the Americans have said this is a draft, that things can be changed.

It's not a final document, but they want a final document to take to Moscow within weeks. Jonathan Beal in Kiev. The United Nations Children's Agency says almost 70 children have been killed in conflict-related incidents in Gaza since Israel's US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas took effect last month. Ricardo Piraz is a UNICEF spokesman. He says child deaths had averaged. nearly two a day. Yesterday morning, a baby girl was reportedly killed in Han Yunis by an airstrike,

while the day before seven children were killed in Gaza City and the south. This is during an agreed ceasefire. The pattern is staggering. Israeli troops have withdrawn from the eastern half of Gaza to where they now maintain positions. They've launched several heavy airstrikes against what they say are Hamas fighters opening fire. And Israel is also backing militias in Gaza that are challenging the dominance of Hamas. Now, a senior Palestinian official has rejected claims by a pro-Israel militia leader in Gaza that his fighters will form part of the territory's future

police force. Major General Amwar Rajab, spokesman for the Palestinian Authority's security forces, told the BBC that there could be no blanket integration of men from Gaza's armed groups. Under the next stage of Donald Trump's peace plan, Gaza is to have a newly trained Palestinian police force. But as our Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson reports, details are scarce and militia groups are already receiving weapons and support. Israel's war in Gaza has paused, but Hamas has other enemies there. Men like Hossam al-Astal, head of one of Gaza's new pro-Israel militia groups. the counter-terrorism strike force. In this footage, broadcast live on Facebook,

in a combat vest packed with ammunition, he brandishes a green Hamas flag, before dousing it in petrol and setting it al-a-lite. Hamas is finished, he grows. Al-Astel's group is small, but increasingly confident. His tense city, in Israeli-held territory, Nihar Nunes, well-supplied with food, medicine and weapons, he said, sent from supporters with Israeli coordination.

This week, he told Israeli media that US representatives had assigned his force a role in Gaza's future security forces. When we spoke, I'd asked him if he'd had any contact with the Americans. You're smiling. This is not time. time I'll talk. So that's a yes. Next time, Charlie.

This is not long, not long time. I can talk for all this. Are you happy after the conversations? Yes. Yes, he says, nodding with a big smile. The U.S. deals sets out plans for a newly trained Palestinian police force in Gaza. At his office in Ramallah, the spokesman for the Palestinian Authority security services,

Major General Anwar Rajab, told me there would be no blanket integration of Gaza militia. Israel might demand the integration of these militias due to Israel's specific political and security considerations. But what Israel demands does not necessarily benefit the Palestinians. Israel wants to continue imposing its control in one way or another in the Gaza Strip. A complex patchwork of armed groups has emerged. to fight Hamas in Gaza.

Some are backed by Israel. And elements within the Palestinian authority are also believed to be covertly sending support. But many Gazans, even those disillusioned with Hamas, are unhappy with the power given to these new fragmented groups. Salas Swaydan and Zahadulay, both live in Gaza city. Only a small number of men with no religion faith or ethics have joined these criminals.

Gaza's Hamas government was ruling us, and although there were many burdens on civilians, any government is better than gangs. These groups that cooperate with the occupation are the worst thing that the war has produced. Joining them is not only dangerous. It is a great betrayal. 40 years ago, Israel encouraged an organization of Islamic hard-line

in Gaza to offset the growing power of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. That organisation became Hamas. Lucy Williamson reporting. Well, since the war in Gaza began, we have tried to stay in contact with a lot of different people in the Palestinian territory to follow their lives and daily struggles throughout the conflict. Some of them have managed to leave the territory and go to other countries. Some have not, but all of them have endured some kind of.

of hardship and loss. Since 2023, our outside source program has been following the story of a young woman called Sanabel. She was just 16 when the war started and has found it a struggle to continue her education throughout the ongoing conflict. Sanabel is now 18 and she's done very well in her exams and has received a scholarship to go to university. Christina Volk has kept in regular contact with Sanibel. The first time I've heard from Sannebara, was back in 2023, a couple of days after October the 7th. And this is the first message ever she sent me. This war doesn't look like any wars that happened before.

When people ask me where is my biggest fear, I was always answer, living in wars. I'm terrified to lose my family, my home. A week has passed since the war began, and there are no basic things that we need to continue our lives. She was displaced several times all within Gaza City and then a couple of months in a very sad message came that her Aunt Ola, who was the one who put us in contact in the first time, has been killed.

Every time I try to maintain my calm, every time I try to just focus on my life, something happens and just try everything. I really want to get rid of wars. I really want to get a war. I'm sick of living in wars for my entire life. Even before the war for Sanabel, her goal was to do well in school, go to university. She gets great joy out of studying and learning new things.

So she's always been holding on to studying throughout all of this. For now, she has a scholarship. for a first semester at the Islamic University in Gaza City, although the circumstances are still a bit unclear on how it will start, when it will start, but her big dream is to study abroad, to study journalism in English, to continue her on Ola's legacy, as she says, coming from Gaza, she does not have a passport, and she does not have the means to study abroad. So for now, she is very happy about the Islamic University,

and she also shared with us why. I actually get a full chance to study the first term in the Islamic University for free. And you know that the strongest university here in Gaza is the Islamic University. The student exchange is better and it is more stronger than any university here in Gaza. And the Islamic University, her relationships with universities abroad is very good. And that was Sanabel, a young resident of Gaza. To Nigeria now, where the last few days have seen a renewed wave of attacks and kidnappings by armed groups. Monday saw a group of girls abducted from a boarding school.

Tuesday saw 38 worshippers kidnapped from a church. And now there are reports that nearly 100 pupils and staff may have been taken from a Catholic school in Niger state in central Nigeria. Chris Uuka in the capital Abuja. told me more. What we understand is that armed men known locally as bandits stormed, St. Mary's Catholic primary and secondary school in Papiri. Papiri is in Aguara local government area of Niger state in central Nigeria. And there they abducted number of children really at the moment the number is not known, although residents fear they could be up to 100 alongside some members of staff and left. They also shot someone, not fatally, who's been rushed to the hospital.

What to understand is that they actually came with vehicles, and it was about 2 a.m. local time, very early in the moment where people are already asleep. As they were going, the vehicle reportedly broke down on the road, but help didn't come for the students before they were taking away. The state government of Niger state has issued a statement confirming the incident, but also alleged that there had been information, intelligence about escalating threats in parts of Niger state, which led to his suspension of construction works, as well as ordering temporary closure of schools. But they were wondering why the St. Mary School didn't comply with a closure before this kidnap happened.

Chris Yoko in Nigeria. Still to come. Miss Universe is Mexico. After a scandal-ridden contest, Miss Mexico gets her fairy tale ending. A growing number of women in South Africa are learning to use guns to protect themselves against gender-based violence. On average, 15 women are killed every day in the country, a rise of nearly 34, percent compared to last year. On Friday, women across South Africa protested against what they say is government failure to tackle the issue, and they have asked for it to be declared a national

disaster. Nomsa Maseko has been to a firing range in Johannesburg, and just to warn you that her report contains descriptions of sexual assault. This is what women in South Africa are doing to feel safer. In a kind of country with a staggering level of violence against women. I'm at a firing range in Johannesburg, where a group of nine women are carrying out target practice. With them is Lynette Oxley from the Girls on Fire Organization. What is going on in South Africa?

We need to change the mindset and the women themselves must say, enough. Don't do this to me and I'm not going to let you do this to me. It is legal to own a firearm in South Africa for self-defense if you hold a valid license. And a growing number of women here are choosing to do so to protect themselves, as Lynette explains. We do do firearm training, that is what we are about, but very responsible firearm training.

What we usually train the ladies is situational awareness, avoidance is your first step, absolutely last resort if you do defend yourself with the firearm then also speak up it's not about actually defending yourself with the firearm I want ladies to change with what they think about them stop being silent if you speak up even if you didn't win the fight

but at least you're fighting back and put the front side where you want to shoot it and that's what prudence has been doing for three years she says she went to the police after being raped in 2022 For her, it's not just about speaking up. It's about being heard. Charges against her alleged attacker were dropped

after DNA evidence was lost. I said no, I screamed, I cried, but he didn't take any no for an answer. From then on, it was just an uphill battle. After the rape kit was taken, there was an issue of whether the rape kit was being processed. Then they found it eventually. They then went to one of the case hearings, the court hearings, in Limbopo,

wherein it was provisionally withdrawn because of the fact that DNA had not come back. What is it that you, as a rape victim, think should be done so that victims don't have to go through the same thing that you went through? It's no longer just a police problem. It's a nation problem. So if we take ownership of it because of the fact that this is the generation that my sister is raising, being raised in. As much as it's me that was raped,

but there's many other girls who are being raised in the communities. And how do we make it safer for them? How do we make it safer for victims to rise up and put these people behind bars? Because a rapist doesn't just rape once. He rapes continuously if he's not put behind bombs in time.

Another rape survivor here at the range is Erica. I don't want a woman to ever have to use her firearm, ever. But having it gives you a sense of more control over your own life, which will make you less of a victim. But yeah, it's not about, here's a gun, go shoot somebody. That is not what we are about at all.

It is about, yeah, empowerment. Such is the level of gender-based violence and famicide in South Africa that rights group women for change are calling on the government to declare it a national disaster. Cameron Kasambala is the spokesperson for the group. Fifteen women killed every single day. 117 rape courses reported every day, and that's only 5%. These kind of numbers cannot be ignored.

We've had legislations and policies in place for years. I mean, the National Strategic Plan to tackle gender-based violence and homicide was developed in 2019. You know, we have the Domestic Violence Act, the Protection from Arrasment Act, so many beautiful acts and legislations. And what keeps happening is there's a lack of implementation and transparency. You know, and their biggest excuses that they've got everything, in place. But we are yet to see audits of where money is going, reports on what exactly is happening, details on all of these things they're allegedly doing. Right now we're still

actually in discussions with the government about potentially declares national disaster. Every two and a half hours a woman is being killed. There's also, I think, a minimization and misleading numbers because I don't even think this covers the true magnitude of the issue. The government is hiding under high-level promises. There's this nominal presentation of care. And I think on a grassroots level, we've integrated violence and gender-based violence into our cultures and into social norms. It's become so integrated that trying to shake people out of it is becoming people very defensive of it. And I think it's requiring double efforts. And once the government truly reacts to this issue, I feel like we will already begin to see a proper reaction from on the ground.

Because they set the president and the tone for how the country responds. And if they are not responding with urgency and taking this seriously, would we expect people every day to do that? We reached out to the government for an interview on the claims made in this film. But no one was available. However, previously the government had said it has committed to challenging harmful norms and toxic masculinity, and that it is working to create a South Africa where every woman and girl can live free from fear and violence.

And that's something the women here can only hope for. That report was by Nomsa Maseko. The UN Climate Summit in Brazil is heading for a showdown over a draft text proposed by the hosts that failed to refer to the phasing out of fossil fuels. A group of more than 30 nations have told Brazil they cannot accept a deal that fails to commit to a plan to transition away from oil, gas and coal. Our climate and science reporter, Esme Stalad, says some progress has been made in tackling climate change. Fossil fuel is going to peak. That's what the International Energy Agency has told us in their report last week. They can point to a number of commitments, particularly around committing climate finance,

new emission targets for many countries. So it's certainly that they haven't achieved anything. But certainly I think we can see that there is a real divide at the moment about how we go forward. We're getting to the really difficult areas now. You know, we've moved a lot of the easier parts of our economy away from fossil fuels. This is now the tough areas that are left behind. So there's no surprise that they're going to struggle with this. It's me sad. It's a surprising outcome to a beauty pageant that has had a particularly scandal-filled year.

Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, who at one point had walked out of a Miss Universe event in Thailand after being berated by an official, has in a dramatic turnaround been announced as the winner. Miss Universe is Mexico! So, a fairy tale ending for Miss Mexico, but only after that difficult showdown as Mimi's. Swaybie explains. Chaos has reigned in this 24th Miss Universe contest long before Miss Mexico was crowned. This all started when the 25-year-old made headlines and went viral for walking out of an event after she was publicly criticised and berated by a Thai organizer who allegedly insulted her intelligence and criticised her for not posting about promotional content on her

social media. Let's listen to some of that interaction. I still talking. Listen. I still keep talking to everybody. Why you stand up to talk to me? Because I have a voice and you don't know. No, you have a voice, but you have to respect me as a woman. Well, Mama, why you stand up? I have a gun. Security. So you can hear there other contestants walked out in solidarity with her. And after crowning and getting her title, she said she wanted to be remembered as a Miss Universe who wasn't afraid to be herself and someone who perhaps has changed the stereotype of what

Miss Universe stands for. And that really has come from her standing up for herself and making sure she is respected as a woman like we heard in that interaction there, a heated interaction. Given that heated interaction, what's a reaction been to her now winning the Crown? So this perhaps surprise result has added to this year's controversy. see. Miss Mexico's win instantly divided opinion online. Many Mexicans and foreigners alike applauded the victory and said she was really kind of prolific in standing up for herself, especially with her walkout. Where others have said that maybe she was awarded this crown to make up for the earlier scandal. The favourite, Miss Thailand, came in second, followed by

Venezuela and the Philippines and Côte d'Ivoire. There's been divided reactions. But in her hometown on Villa Hermosa, thousands had gathered at a baseball stadium to watch it live with fireworks exploding at the announcement. There was a real scene of joy there. But again, divided opinion, but really fueling this controversy of what we've seen being a very politically controversial as well as kind of social controversy as well in this year's pageant awards. And this is a very popular event watched by millions around the world. And this hasn't been the only controversy for Miss Universe. No, only about a week later, two judges resigned after this viral walkout. One actually accused organizers of rigging the

competition. They said there was a secret and illegitimate vote. Now, the organisation has denied this, but it really has, again, fueled kind of conspiracy theories around this pageant. And it comes at a time where the pageant and its relevance is being questioned as there is a declining audience. But despite criticism that pageantry in general is outdated, isn't up to date with the world we're living in, this is a thriving global business worth around a billion dollars a year. So despite its controversy, it still has a large audience and making a lot of money. Mimi Swayby. You would think that a roar is a roar, but apparently it's a bit more complicated than that. A study published in ecology and evolution uses artificial intelligence to differentiate between the sounds

an African lion makes, and it's something that might help a lot in the world of conservation. Let's play you two sounds to see if you can tell the difference. Here's the first one. That was the so-called intermediary roar. And now for the full-throated version. Well, to tell us how those two roars are supposed to be distinct from each other and what this all means, Jonathan Grocott, lead author from the University of Exeter in South West England, has been speaking to Justin Webb.

So it's kind of be really important as a monitoring technique, I'd say. So lions roar within what's called a roaring bout. So this famous iconic sound that they produce actually is a part of many different vocalizations within a wider thing. So you start with moans that develop into these roars that we just heard and then it finishes off with a series of grunts. And whenever a lion roars, it roars like that. The full-throated roar has recently been discovered to be an individually identifiable tool.

So like a human fingerprint, a lion's full-throated roar is an acoustic signature. But kind of differentiating and choosing these specific types of roar, which are important for monitoring, because if you can identify lions by their roars, you could possibly use it as a tool to count them, which is a really important conservation metric, then it's a little bit challenging. So we're basically trying to understand how do we determine these full-throated roars when there's an array of other vocalisations within this bout. And it's the AI that helps you do it. Exactly.

So as I said, it's kind of a really subjective process before determining what a full-throated roar was in comparison to other vocalizations. But what we've been able to do is use very specific features of these roars and get an AI model to basically say, I think these are full-throated roars. I think these are intermediary roles. I think these are grunts. And it spits out the ones it thinks a full-throated roars.

throated roars. And then what was really cool is that we then saw that the full-throated wars which the AI predicted meant that we could better differentiate between individual lions compared to when a human selects these roars. Right. And you were hinting earlier on the usefulness of that could be really, really something when it comes to counting and monitoring and protecting this species. Yeah. So traditionally, if you want to try and do a population estimate survey of lions, you would use things like camera traps. So

cameras that are positioned to like trees to take photos as lions go past. Bioacoustics, which the field of research I'm in, is really emerging at the moment and has advantages that you can detect species like a lion from much further than a camera. And if you can identify

a lion by its raw, you can go, oh, I've got Steve lion here. I've got Sandra Lion here. And then you can use that to start to count the number of individuals in a landscape. If you do this, you can identify population trends and identify conservation hotspots, which you need to target for your underground protection services. Jonathan Grocott. And that's all from us for now, but there will be a new edition of the Global News podcast later. If you want to comment on this

podcast, you can send us an email. The address is Global Podcast at BBC.co.com. This edition was mixed by Nora Hul. The producers were Carla Conti and Muzzafa Shakir. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janet Jalil. Until next time. Goodbye.