Global News Podcast – Summary

Episode Title: BBC in Iran for first time since protest crackdown
Release Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Alex Ritson (BBC World Service)

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Global News Podcast delivers in-depth reporting from Tehran on the first BBC visit since Iran's violent protest crackdown, alongside major stories from across the world. Covered topics include the Iranian revolution anniversary, a rare mass shooting in Canada, the impact of US embargoes on Cuba's tourism, scientific advances in dementia prevention, Russia's clampdown on Telegram, the return of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, and the opening of the Berlin Film Festival.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Iran: 47th Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution Amid Crisis

[03:00 – 12:30]

• On-the-Ground Reporting:

  • Lyse Doucet reports from Revolution Square, Tehran, as the country marks 47 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The occasion is especially tense following last month’s brutal crackdown on unprecedented anti-government protests.
  • The regime has heavily restricted international media, including a ban on using material for the BBC's Persian service.

• Voices from Tehran:

  • A young woman, Dorit (20 years old), describes deep instability, economic hardship, and emotional trauma after internet blackouts and state violence.
    • "Last month was really terrible... We could just know nothing about our country... After the connections, we saw a lot of horrible videos and photos from people who were under attacks... everything was so terrible actually." (Dorit, 05:20)
  • Worries about personal and national future, fear of American attack, and loss in the community after recent deaths.
    • "It is a hard time. The people and we are all upset about the situation. There were lots of people that now they aren't here with us. And we are upset about that because they were killed." (Dorit, 06:40)
    • "I just want to access the basic normal... you know, all of us basic needs." (Dorit, 08:00)
  • Dorit’s message to leaders: listen to the people, not just those in power.

• Doucet’s Synthesis:

  • "This is a deeply worrying time, a painful time, and for the leadership of Iran, a defining moment. Never has the leadership faced a challenge on this scale ... This Islamic revolution anniversary is unlike any this country has known." (Lyse Doucet, 09:30)

2. Canada: Rare Mass Shooting in British Columbia

[12:45 – 20:15]

• Incident Overview:

  • At least 10 people, including the suspected shooter, are dead after a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, BC. Police responded to a threat at a local school; bodies were found at both the school and a nearby home.
  • Community lockdown has since been lifted; no ongoing threat is reported.

• Official Reactions:

  • BC Public Safety Minister, Nina Krieger, underscores the gravity:
    • "This is a devastating day for a close-knit community and the loss being felt is profound. There are truly no words that can adequately describe the pain being carried tonight by parents, families and loved ones of the victims." (Nina Krieger, 15:30)
  • The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, also publicly expressed devastation.

• Investigation Details:

  • The shooter is believed to have died by self-inflicted injury.
  • The connection between the suspect and the school remains unclear.

• Contextual Analysis (Peter Bowes):

  • "Shootings are very rare in that country. If you compare, say to the United States, in terms of the use of firearms and violence, these kinds of incidents, they have happened in the past, but very few and far between." (Peter Bowes, 19:45)

3. Cuba: Aviation Fuel Crisis Hits Tourism

[20:30 – 26:40]

• Air Travel Disruptions:

  • Cuba cannot supply aviation fuel due to ongoing embargoes, particularly from the US. Air Canada and other carriers have suspended flights, impacting tourism.

• Local Impact:

  • Long waits for fuel are reported, both in local transport and tourism logistics.
  • "I've spent two hours waiting for the fuel tanker to arrive and no sign of it. We don't know if it's coming." (Emilio Hernandez, 21:50)
  • "I've been here for five hours. No tanker yet and no idea if it's coming." (Francisco Perez, 22:00)

• Tour Operator Perspective (David Lee):

  • U.S. tour operators adapt by reassuring clients, but the problem is straining the sector.
  • "If this fuel siege continues for too long, it's definitely unsustainable. Something has to give or it could end up being some kind of a humanitarian crisis." (David Lee, 25:50)

4. Science: Training the Brain to Reduce Dementia Risk

[29:20 – 32:00]

• Groundbreaking Cognitive Study:
  • Professor Marilyn S. Albert (Johns Hopkins) discusses a 20-year study showing that processing speed training may reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
  • The technique: challenging computer-based exercises with “booster sessions” over years.
  • "The research shows that you can reduce the risk for Alzheimer's disease by engaging in this particular cognitive task ... It's just reduction of risk on a group level." (Prof. Marilyn S. Albert, 29:50)
  • The task builds neuroplasticity, though direct imaging documentation isn't yet available.

5. Russia: Crackdown on Telegram and Independent Media

[32:20 – 37:35]

• Internet Clampdown:

  • Russia restricts Telegram, a key outlet for independent news, as part of a widening crackdown since the Ukraine invasion.

• Independent Media Perspective (Galina Timchenko, Meduza):

  • "Telegram is vital for us because our website is blocked ... More than 80% of our telegram subscribers live inside Russia. Our information is crucial for them." (Galina Timchenko, 33:10)
  • Timchenko, sentenced in absentia, explains the rise of government surveillance tools like 'Max'.
  • "It's not a messenger, it's a surveillance tool ... and unfortunately, we see apathy and fear among Russian society." (Galina Timchenko, 35:05)
  • Discusses audience risk tolerance and the Kremlin’s rationale for restrictions.

6. Cultural Restitution: Benin Bronzes Returned to Nigeria

[38:00 – 40:30]

• Return of Looted Artifacts:
  • University of Cambridge returns over 100 Benin Bronzes; pressure mounts on other British museums.
  • Expert Context (Barnaby Phillips):
    • "They were looted in 1897, so towards the end of Queen Victoria's reign, in an infamous so-called punitive expedition ... The way they were taken was so shocking, so well documented, so photographed." (Barnaby Phillips, 39:20)
    • Suggests Britain’s largest museums remain hesitant to follow suit.

7. Culture: Berlin Film Festival Preview

[40:40 – 42:55]

• Festival Scope:

  • Over 200 films, diverse international representation.
  • The opening film, "No Good Men," spotlights women in Afghanistan during Taliban resurgence.
  • "It's about fragile democracies, it's about our shared humanity. But I also think cinema fans are going to really respond to it." (Trisha Tuttle, Festival Director, 41:45)

• Significance:

  • The event remains globally influential for fans and industry alike, despite changes in media consumption.
  • "If nothing else, a Berlin Film Festival can bring participants a sense of belonging to a creative film community ... boundary pushing movies that can perhaps help them understand themselves better and the tumultuous times in which we live." (Tom Brook, 42:25)

Notable Quotes

• _"Last month was really terrible ... We went through the blackout of Internet and we could just know nothing about our country ... The pictures were really so disappointing and they just made you cry."
  – Dorit, Tehran resident ([05:20])

• "This kind of unrest and dissatisfaction and anger at home and growing threats from abroad. This Islamic revolution anniversary is unlike any this country has known."
  – Lyse Doucet ([09:20])

• "Shootings are very rare in that country. If you compare to the United States ... these kinds of incidents, they have happened in the past, but very few and far between."
  – Peter Bowes ([19:45])

• "If this fuel siege continues for too long, it's definitely unsustainable. Something has to give or it could end up being some kind of a humanitarian crisis."
  – David Lee ([25:50])

• "Telegram is vital for us because Meduza’s website is blocked in Russia ... Our information is crucial for them ... If the choice is freedom or news, definitely you will choose freedom. Because Kremlin is halfway to criminalize reading."
  – Galina Timchenko ([33:10])

• "They were looted in 1897 ... The way they were taken was so shocking, so well documented, so photographed."
  – Barnaby Phillips ([39:20])

• "It's about fragile democracies, it's about our shared humanity. But I also think cinema fans are going to really respond to it."
  – Trisha Tuttle ([41:45])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Iran protest aftermath & street voices: 03:00 – 12:30
• Canada mass shooting: 12:45 – 20:15
• Cuba fuel crisis: 20:30 – 26:40
• Brain training/dementia reduction: 29:20 – 32:00
• Russia Telegram clampdown: 32:20 – 37:35
• Benin Bronzes restitution: 38:00 – 40:30
• Berlin Film Festival: 40:40 – 42:55

Tone and Language

The podcast maintains a calm, informative, and direct tone, blending on-the-ground emotion (notably from Iran and Cuba) with expert input and journalistic analysis. The voices of ordinary people, as well as high-profile experts, are woven together to create an accessible yet authoritative narrative.

Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast delivers urgent, multifaceted international reporting, with unique insights from inside Iran post-crackdown, and essential updates from around the globe. It’s a vivid, concise snapshot of a world in tumult, highlighting the power of personal testimony and expert commentary in understanding today’s headlines.