Rob Watson
Appearances
Global News Podcast
US and Ukraine strike mineral deal
I don't think there's any doubt, although Keir Starmer made the argument that what had really got the ball rolling was Russia's invasion of Ukraine three years ago, that this is all about being able to go to Washington and say to Donald Trump on Thursday, look, we Europeans, including we in the UK, we get it. We get the idea that you think that we should be spending more on our own security.
Global News Podcast
US and Ukraine strike mineral deal
And in return, of course, Sakhir Starmer and other European leaders want Donald Trump to think again about the wisdom of doing a quick deal with President Putin. And of course, they want him to continue to support Ukraine. I thought the tone was fascinating in the sense that he continued to stress on several occasions the importance of the UK's relationship with the United States.
Global News Podcast
US and Ukraine strike mineral deal
Indeed, he said at one point that he hoped to deepen it after seeing President Trump. And what I take from that is this idea, and it doesn't just apply to Keir Starmer, but I think to other European leaders, that they're hoping upon hope upon hope, despite the signals, that somehow they can salvage that post-1945,
Global News Podcast
US and Ukraine strike mineral deal
transatlantic alliance between the United States and European countries, which has essentially dominated European and world security since the end of World War Two. In other words, they haven't given up on it. They don't want to confront Donald Trump. They want to try and somehow, how could I put this, sort of soothe him to persuade him rather than to just give up and say, right, it's all over.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
He did take a big risk and I think for three reasons really, Val. Firstly, that there was always the danger that he'd be seen as a moaner. He couldn't stand the sort of scrutiny that goes with being a royal, being in the public limelight. Second, that actually just by complaining and trying to take the papers to court, it would just encourage... more tabloid coverage.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
And I guess thirdly, the most obvious one is, you know, just massively expensive. I mean, taking big corporations, including newspapers, like newspaper groups like NGN, owned by Rupert Murdoch, is a fabulously expensive enterprise, Val.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
Not necessarily, no. I mean, I guess we'll have to wait and see what Parliament and the police do. But it's clear what Prince Harry and Lord Watson want. I mean, they say that, yes, NGN, the Sun newspaper, has admitted, it hasn't admitted everything. It's admitted that some of its private investigators carried out what they called unlawful activities.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
But in its statement settling this case, it says that it acknowledges, and I'm reading here, Val, without any admission of illegality, that the newspaper group's response to the original arrest of its royal reporter, Clive Goodman, in 2006 on all the hacking inquiry. So it's not, for example, it's not admitting to, if you like, one of the main charges that was going to come up.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
in this case had it gone to trial and that is essentially that that senior executives presumably all the way up to Rupert Murdoch they knew what was going on that they knew that there was massive amounts of illegal activity and that senior executives perjured themselves both in front of the if you remember at the Leveson inquiry and in court when they denied any such thing had happened now whether the police and parliament will take that up we simply don't know
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
I think, again, that depends really on whether there is a police investigation and subsequent trial and whether Parliament gets involved again. I mean, were that to happen, I mean, were senior people at the paper or previously at the paper or its owners involved, to be found guilty of the kind of things that we've heard alleged today on the door, on the footsteps of that court, as it were.
Global News Podcast
Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
I mean, that would present an extremely serious challenge to the newspaper, popular as it remains.
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
It is a big change, Jackie, but in a funny sort of way, it represents a toughening after a softening on the previous government. Let me explain.
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
So the last Conservative government had introduced what many thought was pretty draconian measures in 2023, which they thought might violate UN conventions on refugees, essentially saying if you came to the UK in a small boat, no matter how good your claim was, no matter how deserving you were for refugee asylum status, you would not be considered because you're
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
you had arrived here, as the government thought, illegally. The new Labour government has repealed that, but it's toughening things by saying, look, even if you've got asylum status, even if you've been considered, yes, you're a legitimate refugee, in most cases, you will normally refuse the next step of being considered for citizenship if you came here illegally.
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
Well, I guess you could divide it into two, Jack. There's those more to the left or on the sort of human rights, civil rights side who would say this was terrible. So, for example, you've got several Labour MPs saying this is crazy because it would turn refugees into second class citizens. You've got the Refugee Council saying that's a group that, if you like, promotes the rights of refugees.
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
So it just doesn't make any sense at all. I mean, if people have come here, surely you'd want them to be full participants in society and give them citizenship if they've earned it.
Global News Podcast
Sudan fighters accused of storming famine-hit camp
On the other side, on the right, if you like, you've got the Conservative Party, the former governing party, and Reform, the sort of populist party of the right, saying the Labour government should not have softened the rules in the first place about considering people arriving in small boats. So, if you like, the new Labour government finds itself caught from both sides.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
It will certainly make some difference, Oliver, but I mean clearly ever since the end of the Cold War, at the end of the 1980s, the UK has been spending less and less and its armed forces getting more and more hollowed out. So will it make a difference? Yes. Will it transform them? That's unlikely.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
Again, that will be profoundly regretted by the British government, but also those on the receiving end. And as Sakhir Starmer made clear, it's just not something...
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
In an ideal world that Britain would do, but given that it doesn't want to increase taxes, given that economic growth here is utterly sclerotic, and because of pressure on other spending areas, he sort of takes the view that he didn't have much choice.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
It will, and I don't think it's any great secret, Oliver, is it, that there is timing involved. in all of this. I mean, this is a big statement from Keir Starmer and I think it has a couple of purposes. The first is, before he gets to the White House to say to Donald Trump, hey, look, we are serious, we get that you want the Europeans to spend more on defence.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
I think the second element is that it was interesting that he's clearly not looking for a row with Donald Trump, despite all the provocations, all the divisions over Ukraine. Some of the truly sort of shocking statements as Western Europe would see it over Ukraine and Putin Keir Starmer nimmt die Meinung, dass die Beziehung mit den USA wichtig ist. Das ist der zweite Teil.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
Aber der dritte Teil ist, dass er seinen Betten hängt und sagt, ja, wir wollen nicht zwischen den USA und Europa wählen, aber wir werden mehr auf die Verteidigung investieren. Wir werden unsere Sicherheitsbeziehungen mit Europa stärken. Das ist ein großer Moment. Das ist die UK, die irgendwie hofft, dass das Post-1945-Order,
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
with the US-UK relationship and NATO at the heart of it, can somehow still be salvaged.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
British voters seem relatively on side. I mean, it's helped by the fact that there are no great political divisions in the UK over defence spending and over support for Ukraine. Will British voters like the idea of more spending on defence and maybe squeezes on budgets For domestic spending, no doubt that will be difficult.
Global News Podcast
Britain announces biggest increase in defence spending in decades
But the case that Sir Keir Starmer is sort of beginning to make is to say to the British people, hey, look, you know, we thought when the Berlin Wall came down, we were going to be living in different times. I thought that, he said, as a young man, the shackles of history coming off. But look, Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. We are not living in those times. We need to act differently.
Global News Podcast
Myanmar declares week of mourning as death toll rises following earthquake
It's fantastically well written, filmed and acted. It's incredibly compellingly produced. I mean, I watched it. I binged watched it like lots of other people just in one weekend. And I think because it touches on something that's just of concern to to all of us, whether you're a parent or not.
Global News Podcast
Myanmar declares week of mourning as death toll rises following earthquake
And that is this broad general issue that goes way beyond Britain, which is the influence of social media. What are our children doing with their smartphones, either up in their bedrooms or at school? And how does this affect the rest of us? I think that's why it's so gripping, because you can't get away from it. It's this
Global News Podcast
Myanmar declares week of mourning as death toll rises following earthquake
in the US that suggested something like half of American school kids have experienced cyberbullying. Absolutely stunning. One in the UK that showed that 70% of boys aged 11 to 14 have been exposed to online material promoting misogyny and some UN research across 44 countries suggesting one in six school kids have experienced cyberbullying. So it's massive. Why is it so difficult to deal with?
Global News Podcast
Myanmar declares week of mourning as death toll rises following earthquake
Well, the programme makers in this case have said, you know, It's not just enough for schools and parents. Government should be getting involved. But the government in turn, in the form of Sir Keir Starmer, said, yeah, absolutely, the government should look at this, but it's a broader societal question.
Global News Podcast
Myanmar declares week of mourning as death toll rises following earthquake
And then you have the social media companies themselves who say, you know, our bottom line is always freedom of speech and self-regulation. So everybody can see there's some kind of a problem, but everyone's struggling to find what the solution is.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
Quite an abrupt change, isn't it, that you heard from his previous position. So who is he? As you were saying, he's a I guess you describe him as an elder statesman within the governing Labour Party. I suppose some would say he was a bit of a Svengali figure, someone who just seems to be incredibly good at the dark arts of politics, someone who's very clever, very charming.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
And as you said, has worked for both Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and now, of course, Sakhir Starmer.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
Yes, I mean, not only describing him as a danger to the world, reckless, a bully, but also the fact that Peter Mandelson had previously been a member of the European Union Commission, the EU Commission, and we all know how Donald Trump dislikes the EU. So why chosen? I think just because he is regarded by Sir Keir Starmer as an incredibly skillful operator.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
And if anybody can talk themselves out of the hole he was, he dug himself six years ago by describing the president in that way, then Peter Mandelson is the man. And I guess part of his selling point as well is that unlike a regular diplomat in that role, he'd be able to say, look, I really do have the ear of the British prime minister.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
Yes, absolutely. And he seems pretty confident.
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
He is indeed. I mean, I was thinking about just before him, his boss, David Lammy, Britain's foreign secretary, had previously described Donald Trump as a,
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
neo-nazi sympathizing sociopath but he's now funny friendly and warm with incredible grace according to david lammy and yeah we've seen this pattern in the uk all over the world and of course in the united states itself jeanette with uh the sort of titans of tech who've now changed their tune i suppose the big question for everybody everybody listening and maybe for donald trump as you know with all these people whether it's a peter mandelson david lammy or whoever
Global News Podcast
US senators question Robert F Kennedy Jr at heated confirmation hearing
Were they being sincere then, or are they being sincere now? That's the question, isn't it?
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
What she does is she picks up a baby wombat that's walking with its mother, shows it to the camera. It's hissing in distress, clearly. And in the background, you can see the mother coming towards, trying to find its Joey. And the person filming this whole scene is laughing, saying the mother's really cross. And then she goes and puts the wombat back.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
But clearly, I mean, this has caused a massive outrage on social media. Even the prime minister said, weighing in on this. And the foreign minister has been talking about this. It's been a big discussion point. Australia obviously takes the protection of its animals very seriously. It's got a massive amount of protected and very, very unique animals.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
The wombat itself, this wombat, I don't believe is endangered. But nevertheless, there have been animal protection experts, you know, saying that this is unacceptable. This obviously caused distress. There's a very tight bond with wombat joeys and their mothers.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
And obviously separating them is something that experts say will cause a huge amount of distress for the mother, which obviously we saw in the video. And that's led to a big discussion about, you know, what this means. influencer is doing in Australia.
Global News Podcast
Senior Putin aide against temporary Ukraine ceasefire
She's gotten 90,000 followers on Instagram but that obviously has caused a lot of people to say you know should she be here in Australia in the first place. Of course the Home Affairs Minister has said that they are looking at the conditions of her visa but has also said that he you know wants to see the back of this individual and is hoping that she won't be returning to Australia.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
Australia is no stranger to cyclones but this part of Australia, the last cyclone that hit this particular area was more than 50 years ago. Authorities are talking about the fact that this could be scary, it's a very rare event and certainly people I've spoken to are just not quite sure what to expect in the coming days and the landfall
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
It's expected to make landfall late on Friday, perhaps even early into Saturday. So there's been a window of opportunity, if you like, for people to get more prepared before they have to wait it out. The authorities have been really hot on making sure that people are prepared. They've flown in firefighters from other parts of Queensland to reinforce them.
Global News Podcast
Von der Leyen: 'Europe is at a watershed'
New South Wales as well is likely to be in some of the danger zone. And so the two states are working together. The federal services as well are working on this to make sure that everybody is staying safe. But the general rule is try and stay indoors and just keep away from the strong winds and the concern about flooding.
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
I think he feels that he just has to. I mean, you might characterise the way he's handled it as playing a bad hand as well as he could, because if you think about it, would Keir Starmer have chosen to be holding this summit, which was long planned after Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky had had the most spectacular falling out. Absolutely, no, he would not.
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
But, I mean, he takes the view, and he's articulated this, that it just wouldn't be in Britain's or Europe's interest to put your hands up and say, oh, my goodness, Trump is a monster, what are we going to do? It's all just too important for that. And so, as James was essentially saying...
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
Mr. Starmer and the French and other leaders in Europe are sort of biting their tongue and thinking, right, keep your eye on the main prize. What is the main prize? Getting a sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine and making sure that the United States remains engaged with its European allies and doesn't go drifting off to Vladimir Putin.
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
Yes, absolutely. And I don't think any of that happened by accident. I mean, I think it's partly to show British support continues very strongly for Vladimir Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. And I think partly as well to sort of
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
chip away at perhaps some unease that many voters in Britain will have where they see Donald Trump and think, hang on a minute, you know, why is it that our Prime Minister and other European leaders seem to be, I don't know, looking quite so desperate or undignified in cosying up to a man who's revealed himself to be a bully?
Global News Podcast
UK announces European plan for peace in Ukraine
So I think part of it is setting minds at rest in this country and trying to assess that danger, which of course exists for Keir Starmer and other leaders in continuing to deal with President Trump the way they do in the light of the extraordinary events in the Oval Office on Friday.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Football while fasting -- Egypt's Ramadan pastime
It's a chilly spring morning in the Brdy Protected Nature Reserve, about an hour south of Prague, and I'm getting a much-needed crash course in zoology from Environmental Protection Officer Bohumil Fischer.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Football while fasting -- Egypt's Ramadan pastime
The meadows here are now waterlogged. There are little freshwater pools which will soon be home to hundreds of frogs. And the stream is now pure and free of sediment, creating a haven for the endangered stone crayfish, which Bohemil soon expects to see in these wetlands. In fact, these were the three main goals of a project first conceived in 2018.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Football while fasting -- Egypt's Ramadan pastime
But that got, well, bogged down in a dispute recently. between two state enterprises over which one of them would own the land. Then, two years later, came the beavers and solved the problem for them, saving the Czech taxpayer about a million pounds.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Football while fasting -- Egypt's Ramadan pastime
Bohemil Fisher appears unfazed by the creative embellishments in some of the reporting. One paper claims the beavers had built these 20 dams overnight. For him, the story of the Burdi beavers has been fantastic PR, both for this wild area of forest and rolling hills, and for this industrious nocturnal animal, which many wrongly assume is a pest.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
And secondly, that there's just an awful lot of mistrust between agencies and countries on cooperating on such a sensitive issue. So, People sort of know what to do, but getting it done, it's been called for before, it ain't easy.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
The reason they're there is, you know, that's how the criminal gangs do an awful lot of their advertising, both in terms of getting people to think, yeah, it would be a good idea to try and leave my country, and oh yeah, and I can do it via this particular route. So it's saying to the social media companies, please don't make the job of criminal gangs any easier.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
Very briefly, yes. I mean, slightly less briefly, absolutely. The UK is not a member of the EU. It can no longer return migrants back to the European Union countries. And it's not part of the EU law enforcement agencies like Europol anymore.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
I think the significance, Jackie, is it shows what a major problem both source, transit and destination countries consider irregular or illegal migration to be. But I think it's important to remember, Jackie, that while this is the largest such gathering of its kind, there have been recent EU and G7 summits that focused on this issue.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
So I think it's probably wise to see it as a continuation of a process rather than And what sort of plans are under discussion? So in the nutshell, two things really, more cooperation, international cooperation in two areas. So first of all, just trying to get messages out to source countries where migrants come from, don't do it, don't leave.
Global News Podcast
French far-right leader, Le Pen, banned from politics for five years
And secondly, more cooperation on fighting the gangs of criminal smugglers who take people from one place to another. But it's worth again pointing out, these are just not easy, Jackie. I mean, the UN has pointed out two main problems, that an awful lot of countries, they just don't have the kind of technical legal capacity to cooperate.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Well, you know that he's 50 years old. He first came to the UK in 2002 to study English. He then got permanent leave to remain in the UK. In other words, he was living here. And what he says he was doing was promoting business contacts between the UK and between China.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
But what he was accused of by Britain's intelligence agencies, and this was upheld by a court, that he was, in fact, part of a broader Chinese espionage effort intended at, if you like, influencing China. the view of China here in the UK. But he has now come out, as it were, in order to say that's absolute nonsense.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
You know, he is a legitimate business, and he's just sort of fallen foul of a change in political climate between the UK and China since 2013.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Well, on the face of it, Catherine, the implication is that it should complicate efforts by the still new-ish Labour government here to improve relations between London and Beijing. But Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, seems to be sticking to the idea of a policy reset and has said...
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Yep, while he's concerned about China, he still believes it's perfectly possible to engage with China and cooperate on economics and issues such as climate change, while at the same time challenging it on security and human rights.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Yes. So what the Conservatives are saying is that it's just not realistic to say that you can somehow have your cake and eat it with China, that you can have good economic relationship while being the subject of what nobody is disputing on either side is a pretty intensive espionage effort by China.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Well, his reputation, to put it mildly, Catherine, is already pretty much rock bottom, both within the royal family and beyond. But it sinks a little further as a result of this. And I think that explains why we're hearing from palace sources that he's going to be making himself pretty scarce at Christmas and not appearing in those sort of royal family public appearances.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
I guess there's some suggestions that perhaps King Charles should have been a bit more ruthless in how he dealt with his younger brother, Prince Andrew. And I guess it also to some extent raises questions about, you know, just how do you mix royalty with diplomacy and trade promotion without occasionally getting yourself tied in some pretty horrible knots. Rob Watson.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
So essentially, I think Elon Musk and Nigel Farage saw themselves as being anti-woke, anti-establishment figures, you know, who think that basically a liberal elite has betrayed the majority of ordinary people with the pushing of multiculturalism and high levels of immigration, where they've fallen out is over a man called Tommy Robinson. He's a far-right English activist.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
He's sort of anti-Islam, certainly anti-radical Islam. He's currently in prison for contempt of court. Now, Elon Musk has described him as a political prisoner, whereas Nigel Farage has thought, you know, he's a bit beyond the pale, Tommy Robinson. And so that's what they've fallen out over. He wouldn't call him a political prisoner.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
Four quick theories, right, Oliver? First one, because he can, right? He's fantastically powerful. The second, he has English heritage. The third that I've seen from a friend of his is that he thinks of Britain particularly, but Europe in general, as the birthplace of liberal democracy. He thinks that it's gone wrong in Britain, it's gone wrong in Europe.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
And so now that he's sort of anti-woke, he's keen for that reason. And the fourth theory I've heard is that he's worried about countries like Britain regulating tech companies like his.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
It certainly is, Oliver. As I said at the start, you know, I mean, I've been covering politics here and elsewhere around the world for decades. I've never seen anything like this, sort of the world's richest man, a tech billionaire, you know, having such a direct effect on politics. And absolutely British politicians, politicians around Europe are struggling as to know what to do.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
I mean, their position has been complicated by the fact that Elon Musk is very close to Donald Trump. So maybe if they weren't, they would just say, look, Mr. Musk, shut up. But of course, they don't want to upset Donald Trump. So this is absolutely brand new territory. And let's be frank about it. The politicians here and elsewhere in Europe, they're struggling as to what to do.
Global News Podcast
South Korea: police refuse to arrest impeached President
The first thing to say, Oliver, is that the whole thing is an extraordinary tale. And just the idea of the world's richest man interfering in British and European politics. But anyway, let's get to the specifics.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
I spent 11 years as a reporter for the BBC in the United States. I spent a lot of time covering some pretty powerful rows at the United Nations in New York and in politics here in the UK and across Europe. And I'm showing my age, Jackie. 40 plus years at the BBC. I have never, ever seen anything remotely like that. A row played out in public between two erstwhile allies.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
A row, of course, that could change the course of history. I mean, I don't know that's an overstatement. It could change the course of history in terms of the future of Ukraine as a state. And it could change the course of history in terms of relations between United States and its traditional European allies, a relationship that has dominated security in Europe and the world since 1945.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
I mean, it may just be that big.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
Well, some of it has been coming in already. Numerous European leaders have expressed horror. You will not, I think, you will struggle to find a European politician, apart from those who are pro-Putin, who are just not utterly aghast.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
And I think what is going on in the foreign ministries and chancellories and government offices across Europe, literally, as we speak, Jackie, is to say, what on earth do we do about this? Because it seems to me that it utterly undermines, it almost ridicules those efforts by Sakhir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron earlier in the week to say, yeah, we think President Trump is listening to us.
Global News Podcast
Zelensky told to leave White House after clash with Trump
He's going to stand by Ukraine after this. It looks as though it's right back to square one.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
Mr President, do you still think that Mr Zelensky is a dictator?
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Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
I think it's pretty clear that Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders, whatever reservations they might have, have accepted that Donald Trump is determined to make some kind of a peace agreement on Ukraine involving Vladimir Putin. And that their efforts, if you like, the effort of Keir Starmer is to try and make sure that any peace deal is a reasonable one, that it's not one that...
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
that you would, if you like, give everything away to Vladimir Putin. And for his part, what President Trump was saying is, look, I do think there's going to be a deal. And if there's going to be one, it'll come soon. If not, it might not happen at all. But I mean, there's clearly some kind of distance still. It's obvious that.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
that Donald Trump is prepared to trust Vladimir Putin, according to what he said, in a way that Zakir Starmer and other European leaders aren't. So they're still very nervous about what's lying underneath this. And, of course, the Brits and other Europeans would want a guarantee of security from the United States, which is not forthcoming at this point.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
But I guess the big question is, what kind of deal will be done in the end?
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
In the sense that did he get a firm? They're not going to happen. No, he did not. There were warm words from Donald Trump about the possibility of a trade deal with the UK, which would do away with the need for any tariffs. But trade deals are notoriously difficult. So It's a bit like the whole issue of the deal on Ukraine. It's all a case, Jackie, of what comes next.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
So mood music, yes, it was clearly pretty good. The chemistry between the two men, pretty good. But whether it's on Ukraine, whether it's about the long-term security relationship between the United States and European countries like Britain, whether it's about tariffs, not just on the U.K., but on the European Union.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
I mean, in a way, it all depends on what happens next, because one of the things that's really, if you like, marked out this moment as being different is that the Americans and the Europeans have had their ups and downs over the years over security. One thinks of the Vietnam War or the war in Iraq.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
But what really marks this moment out is disagreements over security, Russia, Ukraine, but also the economics as well with tariffs. So it depends on what happens next.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
Yes, well, it may be that all these kind of complex geopolitical issues, we're not going to know exactly what's going on for several weeks, months, maybe years to come, Jackie. But actually, on that one, you didn't need a crystal ball. Donald Trump was obviously clearly delighted. The Brits knew he was going to be delighted.
Global News Podcast
Trump hosts UK's Keir Starmer at the White House
And he's going to be coming for a state visit, the first person to get two state visits. I mean, he looked like he'd won the lottery.
Global News Podcast
South Korean court upholds impeachment of president
A unanimous decision by the court and a unanimous cheer from Mr Yoon's opponents, some of whom had been waiting hours to hear these words. They wanted to be here for what they saw as a historic day.
Global News Podcast
South Korean court upholds impeachment of president
This decision has been a long time coming. The political crisis started back in December when Mr Yoon tried to impose martial law. He argued he was trying to protect the country from communist forces. His opponents blamed his political setbacks for what was seen as a reckless move, one that stunned South Korea along with the rest of the world. This, a country proud of its democratic values.
Global News Podcast
South Korean court upholds impeachment of president
As the crowd waited for the Constitutional Court to talk, with big screens mounted in the street, they sang along to K-pop, changing the lyrics of a popular song and calling for his removal. 14,000 police officers were put on the streets of Seoul to prepare for this moment, authorities employing a zero-tolerance approach, fearful of backlash after months of sometimes violent protests.
Global News Podcast
South Korean court upholds impeachment of president
Now the country will head to an election to be held within 60 days. For Mr Yoon, though, it's not over. He faces a separate criminal trial on insurrection charges that could mean life imprisonment or even the death penalty. He apologised for his shortcomings and thanked his supporters who are angry at the Constitutional Court's decision.
Global News Podcast
South Korean court upholds impeachment of president
This may mark the end of one chapter of political drama, but it begins another, as South Korea focuses on who to replace him and how to build unity in this increasingly divided country.