Russia to pause attacks on Ukraine as temperatures plummet
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.
I'm Ankur Desai and in the early hours of Friday the 30th of January, these are our main stories. Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed an attempt by President Trump to get Russia to pause attacks on Ukraine for a week because of the extreme cold weather.
Why did President Trump announce a pause in Russian attacks on Ukraine?
But the Kremlin hasn't commented. Venezuela's National Assembly has voted to open the oil sector to foreign investment, one of the Trump administration's key demands after it ousted Nicolas Maduro. Also in this podcast, polar bears in Norway have changed their diets. Eating more reindeer, they are eating more bird eggs. They are likely eating more walruses because there are a lot more walruses around. We found out why those polar bears are becoming fatter and healthier because of it. And why some parts of Germany are being offered free lunches. The only catch is you eat nothing but potatoes. In recent weeks, Russia has been exploiting Ukraine's harsh winter to pummel energy infrastructure across the country.
Repeated strikes have plunged millions into the dark and the freezing cold in their own homes. Some people are even pitching tents inside their flats and heating bricks as makeshift radiators in an effort just to keep warm. But according to President Trump, there's a potential brief reprieve on the cards.
Because of the cold, extreme cold, they have the same that we do. I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kiev and the cities and towns for a week. And he agreed to do that. And I have to tell you, it was very nice. A lot of people said, don't waste the coal, you're not going to get that. And he did it. And we're very happy that they did it. Russia has been relentlessly targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure for weeks and months. They've been targeting power stations and substations. And as a result, just a week ago, about 6,000 buildings in Kyiv alone had no power or heating. And currently that figure is about 500 because emergency responders are working around the clock to restore those facilities and restore the services that they provide.
And currently the situation is exacerbated by the weather because the temperature is forecast to drop early next week. And a lot of people are already living in flats where the temperature is about zero degrees. And as a result of that, some residents in Kyiv are forced to move their families to another place where they can have some heating at least. And President Zelensky has said that he hopes that this deal, this agreement would be implemented. But that's the thing. A lot of Ukrainians are very sceptical about this agreement.
So how much of a breakthrough is this deal? It's a question I put to our chief North America correspondent, Gary O'Donoghue.
Well, I was trying to think and I can't really remember anything significant in sort of military terms that Vladimir Putin has ever sort of given ground on, that he's always sort of pursued the military angle, whatever is happening diplomatically, for example. Last weekend is a prime case. You know, there were these trilateral talks in the Gulf between the US, Ukraine and Russia.
What changes are being made to Venezuela's oil sector?
And Russia hit Ukraine's cities, Kiev included, very, very hard into Saturday morning last week. And so this would, I think, if it plays out, be something significant. It's worth saying it's only a week. It's only seven days if it happens. But clearly the president thinks he got some ground on this. He said he made a personal appeal. He said the Russian president agreed. And his response was that was, quote, very nice.
How crucial is this relationship between President Trump and Vladimir Putin? Because why would Vladimir Putin go along with something like this?
Well, I think, you know, I think the Kremlin has become very good at knowing or noticing when the focus or the pressure is on it rather than on Ukrainians. And as we know, the President Trump, his focus does flip back and forth in terms of who he blames more for this war.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:10
2
Why did President Trump announce a pause in Russian attacks on Ukraine?
1:10–4:18
3
What changes are being made to Venezuela's oil sector?
4:18–6:21
4
How is the Taliban's ban on birth control affecting women in Afghanistan?
6:21–8:15
5
What surprising findings have scientists discovered about polar bears in the Norwegian Arctic?
8:15–10:49
6
How are Iranians coping with the internet blackout and safety concerns for loved ones?
10:49–12:45
7
What did Anthony Joshua say about the tragic car accident involving his friends?
12:45–14:41
8
Why are millions of potatoes being given away in Germany?
14:41–30:54