LA Protests and Donald Trump's crackdown

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 June 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Kate Adie presents stories from the US, DRC, Hungary, Nigeria and Italy.

There's been a heavy crackdown in Los Angeles after more than a week of protests over US immigration raids. Federal police had been targeting undocumented migrants in workplaces across the city. In a marked escalation, President Trump deployed the National Guard and the Marines, which drew sharp criticism from California's governor, Gavin Newsom. John Sudworth followed the story.

Hugh Kinsella Cunningham visits a mental health clinic in South Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo, where he hears from psychotherapists how they are helping people deal with trauma. Earlier this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group took control of Goma and Bukavu, in the latest chapter of a conflict that has blighted the lives of civilians for decades.

Ellie House has visited Hungary's east where a vast Chinese-owned lithium-ion battery plan is under construction. She hears how China's forays into the European EV market are being welcomed by PM Victor Orban, but with trepidation by some locals.

In Nigeria, a small town in Ogun state transforms into a vibrant cultural festival each year, drawing business leaders, traditional rulers and visitors from the diaspora. It celebrates the cultural identity of the Yoruba people. Nkechi Ogbonna went to watch the festivities which had a political undertone.

And finally, Alice Gioia has been in Italy's north, to the town of Pavia, where the Pavese dialect is fast dying out. Across Italy, 90 per cent of the population using these dialects are over seventy. She reflects on what the loss of the Pavese dialect will mean for her.

Series producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Penny Murphy Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Gemma Ashman

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, I'm Manishkima Tandadowity, the presenter of Diddy on trial from BBC Sounds.
0:05.0	Sean Diddy Combs is facing a fight for his freedom as his hugely anticipated trial starts for sex trafficking, racketeering with conspiracy and transportation for prostitution.
0:15.0	He denies all the charges.
0:18.0	I'll be bringing you every twist and turn from the courtroom with the BBC's
0:21.6	correspondence and our expert guests. So make sure you listen, subscribe now on BBC Sounds and turn
0:27.1	your push notifications on so you never miss a thing. Hello, today we're in Democratic
0:35.2	Republic of Congo, where we visit a centre helping people impacted
0:40.3	by relentless attacks from rebel groups to deal with their trauma.
0:44.3	In Hungary, it's boom time for Chinese electric vehicle battery manufacturers, as companies
0:51.3	make inroads into the European market, but not everyone is happy.
0:56.2	We attend a Yoruba festival in Nigeria, where, amid the vibrant festivities, we hear about a deeper push for an independent state.
1:06.0	And finally, we're in Italy, where a centuries-old dialect is at risk of dying out.
1:12.2	Our correspondent reflects on why it's still cherished by her community.
1:17.1	But first to Los Angeles, where there's been a heavy crackdown after more than a week
1:21.8	of protests over U.S. immigration raids.
1:25.2	The protests started after federal agents searched the garment district in Los Angeles
1:30.2	for workers suspected of being undocumented migrants. And in a sharp escalation, Donald Trump
1:37.6	ordered the deployment of a total of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to help quell any unrest.
1:47.0	California's governor, Gavin Newsom, heavily criticised this rare deployment of the U.S. military without a request from state officials,
1:55.8	describing it as a brazen abuse of power, adding that democracy is under assault. It's now being fought out
2:03.7	in the courts. John Sudworth has been in Los Angeles. It was a normal Friday in a very normal
2:10.5	part of America, the parking lot of a hardware store in a Los Angeles suburb. What happened next,
	...

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