Tanzania: Hundreds feared dead in post-election violence

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. If journalism is the first draft of history, what happens if that draft is flawed? In 1999, four Russian apartment buildings were bombed, hundreds killed. But even now, we still don't know for sure who did it. It's a mystery that sparked chilling theories. I'm Helena Merriman, and in a new BBC series, I'm talking to the reporters who first covered this story. What did they miss the first time? The History Bureau, Putin and the apartment bombs. Listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

0:47Hello, I'm Paul Moss and we're recording this edition in the early hours of Saturday, 1st of November. Diplomats say there's credible evidence that hundreds of people have been killed during post-election violence in Tanzania, an allegation the government denies. U.S. judges have ordered the Trump administration to continue funding a program which feeds millions of poor Americans, despite the government shutdown. Also in this podcast... When the Tutankhamun collection opens, the whole world will come back because this is the most famous king of all antiquity and the most intact tomb. Egypt's long-awaited billion-dollar museum finally opens its doors.

1:35There was a time when Tanzania was seen as a beacon of relative stability in East Africa, indeed on the continent as a whole. While other countries succumbed to bitter ethnic conflict, Tanzania was largely spared. And while it may not have been a perfect democracy, There were elections, results were respected. But when Tanzanians went to the polls this week, several opposition parties had been banned and the announcement that President Samir Hassan was in the lead and likely to be re-elected was greeted by widespread protests, protests which the opposition say were viciously put down.

2:15John Kitoka is a spokesman for the Chadema party and is one of those who's made the claim of widespread deaths at the hands of Tanzania security forces and perhaps others who were helping them. Our own reports indicate that more than 500 people have been killed by the police, but there are also elements that are considered to be mercenaries from a neighboring country who have actually been hired to carry out massacres. Over the past 48 hours, they have been shooting anyone who is protesting. We can provide evidence of dead bodies. We can provide evidence of those perpetrators of human rights violations in the country.

2:59And why is it that they have shut down internet? What are they trying to hide? Tanzania's foreign ministers insisted these claims are hugely exaggerated. But then when Mahmoud Thabit Kombo spoke to the BBC programme Focus on Africa. He seemed to admit that he didn't actually know what had happened, suggesting that no one else did. Nobody can state how many were injured, how many suffered, or how many properties were burned. We are continuing to receive also the reports of the vandalized properties, private properties. I'm struggling to believe that, Minister, because I believe as government you have the capacity, the resources, there are government hospitals that can tell how many people have been brought in injured.

3:42There are security agencies that also carry out these jobs. Have they not given you a rough figure that you can help us with? No, at the moment there is no rough figure. You are very right. The government is very capable. We don't provide the figures today. It's been hard to get any on-the-ground reports from inside Tanzania. But the BBC's Victor Kenani is on the Kenyan border, hoping to get into Tanzania. He gave his reaction to the latest allegations of a crackdown. They are staggering and worrying at the same time. And looking at the protests that were happening in major cities across Tanzania, most of these people are most likely killed during the protests.

4:19But there's talk that then there is a crackdown that happens as soon as the night enters. And we've been speaking to some of the people here, and they're worried that they have seen Tanzanian military, and they're not sure what will become of the night, because the army is said to be going door by door and picking them up, especially young people who are thought to be part of the protests. And people are worried now that what will become, because there's literally very little opposition, and that has been expressed by the different civil societies, expressed by different nations, saying they are worried about what is going on in Tanzania in terms of the high-handedness of the government against critics, against the media and even against the opposition.

5:03Victor Canani. Now here's a statistic for you. One in every eight Americans receives food stamps, government-funded assistance which allows poorer people to access free food from grocery stores and supermarkets. And for the tens of millions dependent on the scheme, it was obviously a blow when the US government announced no more credit could be issued until a budget deal had been reached, something Congress has been arguing about for weeks. Jessica Alisea and Taya Iglesias were both recipients of food stamps and went on to found a food charity. It's important that we remember that humans deserve to have food and water and housing and medical care for free.

5:47This shut down, like there's so many other things that you could have pulled back on, you know, cut off other than people's food source when they have none. Lamonica Jones is a policy expert on hunger in the US. She says any cuts to food stamps, also known as SNAP payments, would affect children especially. We know that households with children are the highest percentage of SNAP recipients in the country. And so you think of the benefit that those SNAP allotments, as we're going through several waves of the pandemic, we're still dealing with price inflation, We were dealing with supply chain shortages.

6:24Food is a basic human right. However you align yourself politically, people still need to eat. It seems the fears of LaMonica Jones and others may turn out to be unnecessary. A federal judge in the US has ordered that the SNAP programme continue using emergency funds if necessary. To find out more, I spoke to the BBC's Pratiksa Gildial and asked, first of all, what the judge actually said. There were actually two different judges who issued their rulings pretty quickly, one after the other, one in Massachusetts and the other in Rhode Island, both responding to lawsuits that sought to block the U.S.

7:02government from suspending this food benefits program, which was brought by cities, non-profits, unions, and even a dozen democratic states. One of the judges called the decision arbitrary. He said that this decision is just going to cause irreparable harm if it hasn't already to many people and the terror it may be causing to some people, the fact that they may not be able to buy groceries. And therefore, the government must release as soon as possible and at least partially some of the contingency funds that it has because the government had argued specifically the Agricultural Department, which is responsible for the rollout of this, had said that it has insufficient funds to pay benefits to over 40 million low American Indians because they cost up to$9 billion per month.

7:58But the judges disagree. So the judges have said that the system must continue even with emergency funds. But Donald Trump's administration has in the past had a reputation for defying court orders or at least delaying implement them. What does it look like this time? That's absolutely correct. There are so many lawsuits. Everybody seems to have lost count. And this is yet another one. Well, in a truth social post, the president did seem to say it would be his honor to go ahead and issue these funds or help in the release of these funds. But he said he needs a little more legal clarity. How are the judges proposing they roll this out?

8:42So he said he's instructed his lawyers to get a little more information about how this can legally be done, because the Department of Agriculture is still saying it has insufficient funds. And there are experts who say that even if the government uses the contingency funds, they might only be able to cover about 60 % of the beneficiaries because it costs about£9 billion per month, like I said. Pratiksha Gildial. There was widespread revulsion and anger when a video was leaked last year which seemed to show Israeli soldiers sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee. It was broadcast on Israeli television and five soldiers were subsequently charged.

9:24Now the country's chief military lawyer has resigned after admitting she leaked it. Yifet Tomei Yeroshami said that this led to her being accused of favouring terrorists over her own troops and that she was threatened for what she said was simply standing by the rule of law. Sebastian Asher in Jerusalem has been following the controversy. A criminal investigation was launched earlier this week into the leaking of the video, very much as far as the Israeli government and ministers were concerned, focusing on her, Major General Yifat Tomah Yeroshami, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz said that she would not be allowed to return to her post.

10:06She had been suspended since her investigation was launched. She then issued a resignation letter in which she said that she took full responsibility for anything that was given to the media from the unit. She didn't specifically say that she was responsible for leaking that video, but she said that it was her responsibility. She said also the reason for allowing the video to go out was to counter those who were attacking the legal apparatus within the army for pursuing this. There'd been big protests against these revelations, and many on that side had essentially said that it was a fabrication.

10:47So that's why she said that this video was released. And Seb, what's the wider reaction been to the resignation but also to this news and the leaking of this footage? If you're on the right and you essentially believe that the gloves should be 100 % off since October 7th, then it's seen as entirely wrong and unpatriotic. And the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, essentially described it as a blood libel against the Israeli army to allow such information to circulate. If you're on the other side, the more leftist side, then you believe that she did the right thing. It again reveals the chasm politically that there is in Israel.

11:34If listeners remember, before the Gaza war, the biggest protests in Israel were about trying to protect, according to those on the streets, the Israeli legal system from what they saw as moves by the Netanyahu government to limit and restrict its ability to act as a kind of guard over potential abuse. And that is essentially what she did. I mean, I've spoken to people who said, you know, she's essentially been dismissed and, you know, treated as a kind of outcast for finally doing her job. I think what is very likely to happen is that the government, the Israeli defence minister, who has the final say in this, will ensure that the person who next takes this position will be someone that they believe is on their side and will not do the same thing.

12:25Sebastian Usher speaking to Ankur Desai. Madrid's regional government says it'll put money into a new movie by the veteran director Woody Allen to the tune of$1.7 million, but on one condition. The word Madrid must be in the film's title. It's a soft advertising move that Spain has used before. It gave money to the American director's 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. But as the newsroom's Stephanie Prentice reports, a lot has changed since then.

12:59Vicky Cristina Barcelona followed two American friends on a summer trip to Barcelona, using the city as a character itself, exploring emotional turbulence amid Gaudi masterpieces and scenic coastal views. I am Juan Antonio and you are Cristina and this is my friend Vicky. The Catalan government gave Woody Allen more than a million dollars of the film's 15 million budget and said it made its money back several times over in tourism revenue. But that was almost two decades ago in a pre-MeToo world. Since then, Woody Allen has faced a resurfacing of sexual abuse allegations, allegations he's always strongly denied and wasn't charged for, but they have impacted his reputation in the industry and made booking talent and financing films harder.

13:54His last project, Coup de Chance, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023, where the red carpet was crashed by protesters chanting slogans about platforming rapists. Then Woody Allen, who's 89, said the romance of filmmaking had gone for him and alluded to retiring. Now it seems he'll go again and is happy to accept Madrid's terms. They include Madrid being used in the title, featuring identifiable locations, and the film having its premiere at an international film festival.

14:32Over in the world of television, stories based around major cities have been praised by tourism boards. Emily in Paris, about an American girl's life in a romanticised version of the city, has been credited with driving younger crowds there. Paris is the most exciting city in the world, and you never know what's going to happen next. And increasing foreign property investment, with President Emmanuel Macron telling Variety he will fight to keep the show there.

15:03Sex and the City, which ran from the late 90s onwards, has been called one of the all-time great commercials for the city of New York. Have you seen the New York Times-style section? You know I can't handle hard news before noon. boosting its reputation as a global fashion capital and driving international interest. When life gets this confusing, sometimes there's only one thing to do, attend a fabulous party. With tour guides still taking hundreds of people a week to visit shooting locations like Carrie Bradshaw's townhouse. Back in Madrid, officials have said in a statement that a Woody Allen project offers excellent potential for impact and called it an ideal channel for promotion.

15:46But it's not clear if any big stars are attached to the project, and it will be audience numbers that decide if Madrid's decision to buy a starring role was worth the money. Stephanie Prentice. Still to come on the Global News Podcast. We have developed a surprisingly simple mixture of particular type of antibodies that work across all copras and mambas and ring-held snakes. The single anti-venom that protects against 17 different snake bites.

16:24If journalism is the first draft of history, what happens if that draft is flawed? In 1999, four Russian apartment buildings were bombed, hundreds killed. But even now, we still don't know for sure who did it. It's a mystery that sparked chilling theories. I'm Helena Merriman, and in a new BBC series, I'm talking to the reporters who first covered this story. What did they miss the first time? The History Bureau, Putin and the apartment bombs. Listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

17:01It's taken two decades to build and cost more than a billion dollars. But now, after countless delays, Egypt's Grand Museum is finally ready to share its treasures, giving visitors a glimpse into life in ancient Egypt. Such is the national pride about the building's official opening on Saturday that the government has made it a public holiday. Yelan Nell has been to the museum for a sneak preview. Not far from where tourists flock to see one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Egypt is officially opening a cultural highlight of the modern age. The vast Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the biggest museums globally, and it's packed with 100 ,000 artefacts.

17:44It's expected to bring millions more tourists and guide Ahmed Sadiq is in no doubt about what's about to become the main highlight. When the Tutankhamun collection opens, then can you imagine the whole world will come back and come back many times because this is the iconic pharaoh, the most famous king of all antiquity and the most intact tomb. Visitors have already been able to go to most other galleries at the museum since last year. Some British tourists have planned their trips around this epic opening. We thought, why not give it a try when we get here? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

18:25The old museum was pretty chaotic, and so hopefully the Grand Museum will be a lot easier to take in. All the Tutankhamun and all the treasures.

18:41It's nearly 20 years since a colossal statue of Ramses II was moved in a complex operation from downtown Cairo in preparation for the new museum. It's been that long in the works. Revolutions, an economic crisis, Covid and regional wars have all added to delays. But now the full opening has brought a sense of national pride. Having been in charge for this project for four and a half years, it's a great moment. It's a great moment to see the Egyptian people happy about it. Egyptologist Dr. Tariq Taufik is a former director general of the Grand Egyptian Museum. He's also overseen important restoration works by Egyptian experts on site and had a hand in designing the new setting for Tudankarmun and all of his more than five and a half thousand treasures discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter.

19:36Tutankhamun puzzled me for a moment because I had to think, how can we show him in a different way? So I had the idea of displaying the complete Tutankhamun, which means nothing remains in storage, nothing remains in other museums in Egypt from the tomb, and you get to have the complete experience. the way Howard Carter had it over 100 years ago. But while Egyptian law ensured that Tutankhamun finds stayed in Egypt, there are key historic artifacts that are missing from national collections. Prominent Egyptian Egyptologists, including Dr. Monica Hanna, say this is the time to demand their return from Europe.

20:22On the occasion of the inauguration, Egypt should start asking officially for the restitution and repatriation of the different objects that were looted in the 20th century and the 19th century as well. Important objects for the history of Egyptology, such as the Rosetta Stone and the bust of Nefertiti, need to be part of the display of museums in Egypt. For now, the British Museum says it's not received a formal request from the Egyptian government for the return or loan of the Rosetta Stone. But with the opening of the Grand Museum, Egyptians have an impressive new attraction to showcase more of their ancient past.

21:04Yelan Nel, and from that grand opening in Egypt to a Berlin institution that is closing its doors for good this weekend. Schvutz is one of the oldest gay nightclubs in Europe, but filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The German capital has long been considered a great party city, so has gay and lesbian culture in Berlin changed, or is it the city itself? We're going to hear from Emiko Gayich, a spokesman for the Union of Berlin Clubs, but first one of Schwutz's most famous residents, the drag queen Gloria Viagra. It's the oldest gay club in Germany.

21:44I had my coming out there. My drag career started there.

21:52and it's always been like the place for subculture for free queer movement so it's it's so sad that it's clothing amika i mean obviously it's been a place for dancing and parties and and gathering but it's also had quite an importance in the activist movement as well for lgbt communities Yes, so all the subcultural spaces that host queer events and are safer spaces for queer and LGBTQ communities are extremely important to Berlin, to the cultural life, to the social life. They have political importance. And in the past years, a lot of clubs in general were closing in Berlin. There's ongoing gentrification and eviction of club spaces.

22:38It's hard to find new spaces. So those spaces are extremely important and it's a big loss when they are closing down. Is it mainly a financial issue, Gloria, or do you think that people are just going out less generally? Has the culture changed? I think time changes because Berlin was always known a little rough, but always lovely. And now people are even attacking or throwing stuff, bottles and cans just over the streets and stuff. So it became rougher, yeah. Is there a hope, though, that there will be a chance that you can rebuild, maybe something smaller again and start again? I hope so. I really hope so.

23:20Because now, yeah, I mean, maybe in a smaller space, because this space was really huge. And maybe that's also has been a problem, especially after the pandemic. And, well, hope is what we live for. Amiko, I mean, something that only becomes fashionable and trendy when trendy, fashionable people say it is. Could this be a spark to maybe start somewhere else? All this issue that we're talking about is not a matter of trend or reputation or being popular. It's really an economic situation. The city has completely changed. Everything has been sold out and commercialized to a massive scale. So the art and culture scene, also the funded art and culture scene, is struggling massively.

24:02So this is also, I think, a bigger political decision to make. What kind of city do we want to live in? Because right now we are building on a massive scale offices and hotels and all art and culture is being evicted. But Berlin relies on that so much, not only just because it's like a social scene and a cultural scene, but also economically. It's the reason why people move to Berlin, why tourism is coming to Berlin. So it's also extremely stupid to let the scene die. Emiko Gayich, and before her, we heard from the drag queen Gloria Viagra, both speaking to Rebecca Kesby. If you get bitten by a venomous black mamba snake, you've probably got just hours to live.

24:44But the problem of snake bites is particularly acute in remote parts of Africa, where even if you can get hold of anti-venom, you need to know exactly which kind of snake bit you. But now, as Terry Egan reports, scientists have found a general antidote, which they hope could save countless lives. Snake bites are a global problem. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, up to 300 ,000 people are bitten every year, and over 7 ,000 die. Even if someone doesn't die, they may need to have a limb cut off. Anti-venoms are crucial, but the trouble is, they're not at all easy to get hold of in remote areas, and even then, you have to know which species of snake you were bitten by, because the treatment will need to match that particular snake.

25:32A team in Denmark, though, has a solution. Here's Dr Andreas Laustsen. We started out listening to which snakes are the medically important ones that need to be neutralized in sub-Saharan Africa. We divided them into different groups and looked at what venoms are there, what toxins are in these venoms, and how can we make the simplest cocktail of antibodies that can neutralise as broadly as possible. Coming up with antivenoms is a long and difficult process. It entails skilfully forcing the venom out of the snakes and giving it in small doses to a big animal, such as a horse, that can withstand the biochemical attack.

26:11The aim is for that animal to produce antibodies, which can fight the effects of the bite. To come up with their cocktail, the team here, though, have used other big animals, an alpaca and a llama, and a variety of snake venoms all at once, from the black mamba, the cape cobra, and the nubian spitting cobra, among others. We have developed a surprisingly simple mixture of a particular type of antibodies called nanobodies that work across all cobras and mambas and ring-hell snakes in Africa. So we used a lot of advanced techniques to study toxicity, to study how venoms varied across species. And then we used methods in the laboratory where we simulated the immune system and developed this small mix of nanobodies.

26:58It's been shown that mice injected with the solution were largely able to withstand otherwise fatal doses of venom. The antivenom also substantially prevented the death of tissues where the bite occurred, something that can lead to amputation. The aim, of course, is to completely get rid of that problem of having to determine which kind of snake has bitten its victim. And the scientists are now much closer. Terry Egan reporting. And that's all 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, you can send us an email.