Suicide bomber kills at least 14 in Pakistan

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0:53This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Nick Miles and in the early hours of Monday the 3rd of August these are our main stories. A deadly attack in Pakistan. We examine who's behind it and what it means for tensions in the wider region. Two people have been killed in Greece after helicopters tackling wildfires crashed into each other mid-air and he was hanging around where the resorts are but also at the casino, at the spa. The authorities said, we don't know him, but local people tell us we do know him and we know he's connected to the president. We're in Sierra Leone on the trail of one of Europe's most wanted drug dealers.

1:37Also in this podcast, the pop star Ariana Grande is withdrawing from public appearances because of what her representatives call endless public scrutiny. And scientists find evidence that Ice Age hunters targeted female woolly mammoths more than males.

2:00For decades, Islamist groups have plagued parts of northwestern Pakistan, abducting civilians, attacking the authorities and destroying infrastructure. Those groups have coalesced into the Tariq-e-Taliban or Pakistani Taliban. It's that group that says it carried out a suicide bomb attack earlier on Sunday that killed at least 15 people in an area called the Swat Valley, north of the capital Islamabad. The attack took place as people were gathered to take part in an anti-militant peace rally. Mohammed Umar Khan is a local police officer. There was a protest going on at the centre of Kabul. The town police station is located directly opposite from it.

2:44There were police lines. The suicide attack took place at the police station. The deceased and injured include police officials as well. Our global affairs reporter Amr Sanitararajan told me more about the Pakistani Taliban. The Tehraki Taliban Pakistan is an alliance of various Islamist militant groups and they have been operating in northwestern part of Pakistan for a long time. They were driven out. Some of them were said to be inside neighboring Afghanistan. In fact, they share the same ideology as the Afghan Taliban, who are currently in power. And several experts pointed out that the TTP, the Pakistani Taliban, helped the Afghan Taliban during the war against the Western-backed government and before the Taliban ceased power in Kabul.

3:31And this has also led to tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan because Pakistan accuses the Taliban administration of providing safe haven to militants who are carrying out attacks on its security forces and civilian targets, an accusation strongly denied by the Afghan Taliban government. And briefly, this group, their overall ideology is to overthrow the Pakistan government? They want an Islamic governance in areas under their control and they were imposing strict controls like this when they were partly controlling this area in Swat Valley itself about 15 years ago. But there have been a number of social media messages about increasing attacks.

4:10And there have been attacks on security forces not at the same level as in other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And that is why people got worried. That's why they were holding this peace rally. And when the final speaker was speaking, this blast took place in one corner. So it's not very clear they were targeting the police officers or the police station or the peace rally or anti-militant rally. So among those dead were several civilians. And in fact, that is exactly the concern of the local people because this is a well-known tourist area. The speakers were talking about, we want to give education to our kids.

4:44We want to live a normal life and do our business. And they were criticising the government for not taking enough action. And why is this militant group increasing its attacks right now? They have been attacking for the past year or so on various targets, and the intensity of the attacks have increased. In fact, in the last few months, both sides have been using drones. And this also led to tensions between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban, and Pakistan carried out several airstrikes and drone attacks on what it said were militant targets inside Afghanistan. The UN said that more than 500 people have been killed so far in these attacks.

5:21And again, Afghan Taliban also launched attacks on Pakistani forces. And this is the latest in a series of attacks. From what you're saying, these attacks in and around the Swat Valley are making life extremely difficult for ordinary people there because attacks aren't necessarily just affecting the military or the police. There are other concerns for the local population. One is, of course, if the attacks are going to increase, that is going to have an impact on business, on tourism. That means loss of jobs. And second, you never know which militant group or armed group can abduct you, ask you for extortion and asking people to come and pay the ransom money.

5:58Or if you want to do business, you have to pay some money to the militant groups there. And then they're worried about women's education, women's safety. So if increasing violence, how can you sit peacefully at home to sending your children to school or nearby? That is why there was quite a substantial amount of people were in this pro-peace rally asking the government to intervene. Ambarasan Etirajan. Just a day after Donald Trump said that he had cancelled further airstrikes on Iran, the US president now says new negotiations with Tehran will begin later on Monday. Earlier, Iran said it was close to a deal with Oman on managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

6:37The two countries control each side of that vital waterway. Sirvaj Adalan from BBC Persian told us what the Iranians have been saying about those talks. The spokesman of the foreign agency was speaking with reporters on the state TV, and he was saying that discussions are taking place. The spokesman, however, stressed that this is not because of U.S. threats. These talks have been ongoing for seven or eight days, and they're just now close to completion on choosing a route for the ships to pass through the Strait of Hormut. Another route close to the northern side, closer to Iran, neither to the south, but some middle route.

7:14but there's been intense diplomatic scrambling behind the scenes now ever since these reports came out that the U.S. and Israel intend to attack Iran's infrastructure. So we don't know whether this is related to those threats or whether, as they say, it just was an ongoing talks and now it's reached almost, as the foreign minister said, its final stages. The memorandum of understanding that they had, which established a ceasefire, and it held up for just a few weeks, that was written with sentences and statements that were open to interpretation. Iran was to decide the arrangements for the passing of the ships, but that could have meant anything.

7:50Apparently, during that time, the Americans tried to establish a route through Oman, and that freaked the Iranians out, and they started attacking those ships. Now, the U.S. is saying, no, Iranian control doesn't mean that they can get tolls and they can charge ships for passing through. So whether they can go back to that memorandum from understanding, given that they've gone at each other's throats again and there's so much distrust, that remains to be seen. But nerves are on edge in Iran. I've heard some people say that, you know, Iranians don't believe Donald Trump anymore when he threatens to destroy their infrastructure.

8:24That may be the case for some. But let's not downplay this, because a lot of people, when they hear Donald Trump saying that they would destroy power plants and electricity, These are hospitals, schools, businesses that rely on electricity. And each time this threat is delivered, as much as they may think it may not happen, it puts an enormous psychological stress on the people involved, not to mention the Gulf countries as well. Sirvash Adlan of BBC Persian. More than 150 firefighters have resumed their battle to contain raging wildfires on mainland Greece and some of its islands. Strong winds had been making their job difficult and dangerous.

9:04Two helicopters collided on Sunday as they were dropping water on the flames. The crew of one helicopter survived after making an emergency landing, but the other crew were killed. The Greek Prime Minister Kayakos Mitsotakis paid tribute to the two men. I would like to begin by expressing our deep sorrow for the loss of the two firefighters who fell while battling the flames, trying to save their fellow citizens and their property. We still have difficult days ahead of us, and the month of August is traditionally a difficult one. I truly want to ask all our fellow citizens to exercise the utmost caution.

9:42Unfortunately, even as we speak today, we have many fires that start due to gross negligence. Our South Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford has more. They were sent to battle the wildfire down below, two helicopters working west of Athens, when one veered towards the other and they collided. Rescuers rushed to the crash site where one helicopter had plunged to the ground, but its two crew were killed. In the other, a British pilot made an emergency landing and he and a Greek colleague survived. Greece is now gripped by wildfires. There is a history of them here. But this time, fierce winds, at times gale force, are making things worse.

10:22They are fanning the flames and they're also making it dangerous for the aircraft that drop water from above. It's not clear yet whether wind was a factor in this crash. Bell helicopters, like the ones that collided, have been grounded for now during an investigation. On the coast, Porto Gimeno and other villages were evacuated on Friday by police going house to house, calling for anyone still left, rescuing their animals. This volunteer fireman says it was like Dante's Inferno Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed trying to stop these flames scaling the mountains and heading for Athens There are fires in Crete to contend with too and on Cephalonia and other islands popular with tourists The wind has dropped a little but it is still complicating this battle Sarah Rainsford One of Europe's most wanted drugs fugitives Jos Leidekes is living freely and with government protection in West Africa.

11:24That's according to the government of the Netherlands. Last year, the Dutch Justice Ministry sent an extradition request to the government of Sierra Leone, who have so far failed to acknowledge his presence in their country or his alleged close links to the country's first family. Leidekes has been convicted in his absence on multiple counts of cocaine trafficking and crimes of violence. Ed Butler has been to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, to find out more about this Dutch fugitive.

11:55May 1st this year, and the head of the Spanish Coast Guard's anti-drug operation, Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Ramacha, receives a tip-off. A cargo boat is travelling across the Atlantic. It's about to transfer a large shipment of cocaine, he's been told, to smaller speedboats off the southern coast of Spain.

12:25Customs officers board the ship.

12:31What they found was no ordinary haul. Some 30 tonnes of cocaine packaged in plain view along a corridor running from bow to stern. It was the biggest seaborne seizure of cocaine ever made. 22 crew members from Europe, Africa and Suriname were arrested. But the suspected mastermind behind the shipment, a Dutch drug dealer called Jos, or Jos Leidekes, who was based in Sierra Leone, well, he remained at large. He controlled all the cocaine from Sierra Leone to other parts of the world. He is putting in big warehouses. He's the boss in Sierra Leone, but he has his fingers in other parts of the world.

13:17This was when the Sierra Leonean public first learned of the mysterious and clearly very wealthy foreigner living in their midst. A violent brawl at a nightclub in the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, caught on camera. Sophie van Leeuwen is a Dutch TV reporter covering Africa for NTL News. There has been a shooting. He was involved. Other people were involved. Mysteriously, despite one man suffering two gunshot wounds to his kneecaps, the Sierra Leonean police dropped all charges. People could hardly help noticing him around town, though, a conspicuous and flamboyant foreigner. He was hanging around where the resorts are, but also at the casino restaurants.

14:03He visits the president's daughter and he gives her presents. Flowers, they also like to go out together. The authorities said we don't know him, but local people tell us we do know him and we know he's connected to the president. The story really gained international attention when a silent video emerged of a church service attended by the president, Julius Marder-Bio, and his wife, Fatima. Just one row behind them sits a clearly identifiable Lideckers alongside the president's eldest daughter. The couple are now rumoured to have a child together. When questioned by the BBC, though, the first lady, Fatima Bio, denied all knowledge of Lideckers.

14:44But the rumours of sightings, of drug shipments arriving on beaches late at night, these persist. I requested an interview with Sierra Leone's president. The request was declined. Julius Marder-Bio has never spoken publicly to the media on the subject. But I did visit the office of the Attorney General, Alpha Cisse, who also serves now as Sierra Leone's Justice Minister. Well, of course, I've been speaking with the Dutch government. We do note that the Dutch government is interested in an individual who is alleged to be based here in Sierra Leone running operations in the drug trade. But, I mean, he's been widely seen.

15:20There are photos and videos of him with the president and the first lady in the last couple of years. Isn't he raising a family with the president's daughter? I mean, I wouldn't know. Look, it's a matter that we take very seriously. If he's confirmed to be the person of interest, that person will be arrested. Well, in the last few weeks, the Dutch Justice Ministry has gone further, calling on Brussels to introduce EU-wide sanctions against Sierra Leone for its perceived refusal to extradite this wanted fugitive. Ed Butler reporting, and you can hear more from Ed's report in a two-part investigation from Business Daily on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

16:02Still to come in this podcast. Obviously aesthetic, a bit naked. I've definitely got some trainers for the bin, they're disgusting. The ultra-marathon runner Sophie Woods there on how she feels after her latest record-breaking race across the Alps.

17:07How to Change to choiceology at schwab.com slash podcast or wherever you listen ready to experience something new all trails helps you find your next hike whether you're looking for something nearby or planning a trip read reviews from real people like you to choose your trail and know what to expect you can also download the map in case service gets spotty plan and experience your next hike with AllTrails, the app for exploring the outdoors. Download it today and find your outside. With the new Schwab Teen Investor account, teens can gain hands-on investing experience and build positive money habits.

17:54It's an account co-owned by you and your teen, so you can monitor and engage with the account while your teen learns how to invest and manage money. Learn more at schwab.com.

18:06This is the Global News Podcast. Security officials in Russia have described an explosion at a restaurant near the centre of Moscow as an act of terrorism. Three people were killed on Saturday and at least 20 others were injured when the device, which state media described as homemade, was detonated. Officials have not yet said who they believe was responsible, although there's speculation about a possible link to the war in Ukraine. Our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg has visited the scene of the explosion. The morning after, you could see some of the detail, some of the signs of what had happened at this Moscow restaurant.

18:44A shattered window, holes in walls, a pair of blood-stained glasses on a table. The authorities say last night a woman had tried to bring a homemade explosive device inside. A courier, perhaps, with a package for a guest at a private function. A security guard stopped her, then the bomb detonated. Today, Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sabiyanin, described the attack as a brutal act of terror. In terms of official information, nothing yet from the authorities on who they think was behind this, and very little official information about who the guests were. But most of the people I spoke to outside the restaurant suspected that what had happened here was connected to the war in Ukraine.

19:30Explosions, the deaths, they frighten me, Lyudmila says. It's probably linked to the war that's going on. This is the work of Britain. This is your work, Galina tells me. Then it gets very personal. I've seen you asking our president nasty questions, Galina says. It makes me want to come up and punch you.

19:57Alexandra heard the bomb explode. It happened right in front of me, she says. It was terrible. I don't know how I'm going to get over this. A mixture of shock and anger and deep concern about what will happen next. Steve Rosenberg. Spain's delegate to its autonomous North African exclave of Ceuta says the number of people who drowned trying to reach the territory from Morocco last week has risen to 72. Miguel Ángel Pérez added that 3 ,000 security personnel deployed to Ceuta will remain there for as long as necessary. Tens of thousands of migrants surged into the territory from Morocco last Thursday, prompting a security and diplomatic crisis for Madrid.

20:44A member of the European Parliament for Spain's governing party, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, had this to say. It's not acceptable that Morocco can simply do away with its responsibility in managing the side of the external border of the European Union. We are ready to stand for Spanish sovereignty and protecting the rights and liberties of the Spanish population living both in Ceuta and Melilla. And of course, we are expecting that with cooperation with Morocco, the situation will be sorted out as it has been sorted out before. Well, the unprecedented surge caused alarm across the European Union and questions have swirled about whether it was staged by the Moroccan authorities.

21:27A Moroccan MP and former tourism minister, Lachan Haddad, defended his country. Everyone should look at their borders. We don't ask Algeria or Mauritania to protect us. We protect ourselves. What do people ask Morocco to do if you have like tens of thousands of people that are coming and swarming towards Fnidak in order to swim to Soutab? I mean, short of shooting at those people, what do you do? The surge of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta on Thursday lasted barely 48 hours. During that time, the Spanish territory, which measures just 18.5 square kilometres, saw its population explode from 80 ,000 to 140 ,000 people.

22:07Many of those arrivals forced their way through the border fence or swam around it from neighbouring Morocco. The vast majority have now been returned to Morocco, but many of the people who tried to enter Ceuta by sea got into difficulties. Susanna, a local nurse, was among those who gave emergency treatment on the beach. We got shocked to see thousands of people crossing through the water. Whole families, father, mother, children, all together, coming out of the water with fear, without shoes. The whole shore was full of shoes. Every once in a while, they were taken out of the water, dead people.

22:49We tried to do the resuscitation, but most of them were all dead. It was absolutely overwhelming. We had to get IVs and get fluids because some of them were dehydrated. Also with hypothermia, also injuries in their arms, in their foot, giving stitches. Some of them had to be taken to the hospital because they seemed that they had hit the rocks badly. Women that were pregnant, one of them was rushed to the hospital and she had two of them. She was pregnant with twins. At first, we felt fear because we didn't know these people what they were going to do. But afterwards, we felt mercy and sadness because all of them, no place to stay, no place to buy water.

23:43In my opinion, people are just looking for a better life in Morocco. They don't have that opportunity. But Teuta doesn't have any opportunities either. This city is very small. Yesterday night, I was crying because I was thinking of all these people, all the disappointment, the dream that they have, that they're going to come to Europe and they're going to have a happy life. Susana, a Spanish nurse in Ceuta, and the European Union will hold emergency talks on Tuesday to discuss the situation. Ariana Grande is one of the most recognisable faces in the entertainment world. The American pop star and actress has been performing before huge crowds on her latest concert tour.

24:27But it's been announced that when that tour ends next month, she will withdraw from public appearances. And the 33-year-old won't now star in an upcoming musical production in London. Grundy's physical appearance and health have been a topic of speculation in recent years. That intensified following the release last week of a video for her latest album, Petal, in which she appears to have lost significant weight. I got more details from our reporter, Greg McKenzie. Well, representative for Ariana Grande says that once her internal shine tour finishes next month, she'll be taking what they've described as a step back from visibility.

25:06Now, they say that's because what they call endless ongoing public scrutiny thought to be surrounding her appearance and personal life. Now, at the same time, she's withdrawn from a planned revival of Stephen Sottenheim's Sunday in the Park with George, which was due to open at London's Barbican in 2027. Now, the production company says that it fully understands and supports her decision, adding that the show will go ahead without her. Is this decision a surprise for many people? It certainly had been growing discussions online around this following the release of her last album, Petal. Now, the level of commentary about her appearance intensified again over the past few days, but there hadn't been any indication that she would step away from public life altogether.