Israel says it's killed an Iranian naval commander

Summary

Podcast Summary: Global News Podcast — “Israel says it's killed an Iranian naval commander” Host: Celia Hatton (BBC World Service)
Date: March 26, 2026
Duration: Approx. 32 minutes (content excluding ads, intro, outro)

---

Episode Overview

This episode of the BBC Global News Podcast covers breaking developments in the continuing US-Israel war with Iran—particularly the reported killing of an Iranian naval leader. The episode also explores the ripple effects of the Middle East conflict on global energy supplies, with particular focus on Africa and Southeast Asia. Secondary stories include updates on a political visit between Belarus and North Korea, an Australian sunscreen scandal, and a new London exhibition about aging.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Israel Claims Killing of Iranian Navy Commander (01:38–04:58)

• Main Story: Israel claims to have killed Alireza Tangziri, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy chief, who was central to operations to control and block the Strait of Hormuz—a strategic chokepoint for global oil transportation.
• US Statement: The US military asserts the killing will make the region safer.
• Context: If confirmed, this is another in a series of assassinations of Iranian leaders since the war began.

“The man who is directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz was blown up and neutralized.”
—Frank Gardner, reporting from Doha (03:23)

• Expert Analysis: Frank Gardner explains the IRGC’s structure, noting that its members are replaceable, and Iran’s system is built to withstand losing individual leaders.

“With all these assassinations...these people are replaceable. There is a degree of autonomy and redundancy built into the Iranian system.”
—Frank Gardner (03:51)

---

2. Strait of Hormuz Blockade and Oil Impact (04:58–06:14)

• Current Situation: Iran is selectively allowing some tankers through the Strait, including one from Malaysia. Most international shipments are blocked, with Iran charging up to $2 million per permitted tanker.
• Strategic Shift: Iran, weakened militarily, is leveraging its geographical position to apply economic pressure.

“Iran has become defiant and is in no mood to compromise. They have cleverly and malevolently played the strategic economic card...”
—Frank Gardner (05:40)

---

3. Gulf States’ Reaction (06:14–07:11)

• Changes in Stance: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members—particularly UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait—have hardened their positions after suffering direct drone and missile attacks. While not initial participants or supporters, they now actively desire an end to the Iranian regime.
• Key Insight: The war has shifted regional attitudes and deepened animosity against Iran among its neighbors.

“They didn’t support the war...But...they have been unjustifiably attacked...Some countries...are determined to see an end to the Islamic Republic regime.”
—Frank Gardner (06:41)

---

4. Global Ripple Effects: Fuel Crisis in Africa and Asia

Africa—Interviews with Shingai Nyoka in Zimbabwe (07:11–10:22)

• Widespread Energy Shortage: Countries across Africa are experiencing energy-saving measures and shortages:
  • Mauritius: Restricting electricity for non-essential equipment; fuels stocks dangerously low.
  • Sudan/South Sudan: Electricity rationing.
  • Kenya/South Africa: Panic buying and fuel hoarding; stations running dry.
• Zimbabwe: Fuel prices up over 40% in a month; authorities increase ethanol blending and suspend import taxes to try to lower costs.

“Transport costs have risen by almost double within some of the commuter routes.”
—Shingai Nyoka (08:49)

• Future Projections: Expert warnings that Africa may need to embrace remote work as fuel costs make commuting prohibitively expensive.

The Philippines—Field Report from Siranjana Tawari (10:22–13:25)

• Nationwide Transport Strike: Jeepney and delivery drivers protest surging fuel prices; partial government subsidies are insufficient.
• Structural Vulnerability: Philippines relies almost entirely on Middle East oil and lacks local storage/alternative supplies. Emergency powers enacted, but root causes remain.
• Long-term Solutions: Measures suggested include a four-day workweek, using stairs instead of lifts, and eventual electrification—though infrastructure falls short.

“The government could get more involved and help with limiting those price hikes.”
—Siranjana Tawari (13:35)

---

5. Voices from Iran: Civilian Hardship Amid War (14:40–18:46)

• Eyewitness Testimony: BBC shares anonymized interviews with ordinary Iranians, depicting fear, deprivation, and the psychological toll of the conflict.
  • Basic Needs: Many cannot provide for their families; inflation and food shortages are rampant.
  • Nowruz Sorrow: Iranian New Year, traditionally joyous, is overshadowed by grief for the dead and missing.

“Those people who have been killed came with us for Eid shopping, and now they are gone. There is war. Everywhere is war.”
—Anonymous civilian, Aisha (16:23)

• Repression: Only pro-regime demonstrations are allowed; dissent is impossible in public.
• Daily Survival: Widespread destruction, economic ruin, public terror, satellite/internet disruption, and heavy-handed security presence.

“They are a group of savages with masks, chanting, with loudspeakers, guns and vehicles...Everyone is at home, worried, afraid.”
—Anonymous civilian, Mahmoud (17:59)

---

6. Belarus-North Korea State Visit (21:14–24:06)

• Diplomatic Pageantry: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko’s first official visit to North Korea demonstrates solidarity with Kim Jong Un. The two countries sign a cooperation treaty over a lavish, militaristic ceremony.
• Strategic Realignment: Belarus and North Korea both seek to show they are not isolated; such ties are meant to signal alignment with Russia and China against the West.
• Mutual Benefit: North Korea now enjoys greater trade and aid, partly due to its support of Russia in Ukraine. Belarus cements alliances outside of Putin’s Russia.

---

7. Australia Sunscreen Scandal (24:06–27:08)

• Consumer Shock: Investigations revealed that popular sunscreen brands did not deliver their claimed Sun Protection Factor (SPF). One product labeled “50+ SPF” actually rated only at SPF 4.
• Regulatory Response: Australian authorities plan stricter lab oversight and simplified, reliable labeling.
• Impact: Crisis of confidence among Australians, who are heavily encouraged to use sunscreen in daily life.

“About 2,000 people die from skin cancer...a year. Here we are like a skin cancer hotspot. So we really rely on sun cream in our daily lives.”
—Lana Lam, Sydney (24:43)

---

8. “Coming of Age” Exhibition—Perspectives on Aging (27:08–31:40)

• Exhibition in London: Explores perceptions and experiences of aging, from adolescence to old age, via objects and art.
  • Sake Cups in Japan: Symbol for centenarians (28:00)
  • Darwin’s Walking Stick: Memento mori, a reminder of mortality (28:29)
  • Contemporary Art: Pieces on menopause, old age, and embracing imperfection (Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in Japan)
• Curatorial Insight: Exhibition invites reflection on the value, realities, and challenges of aging.

“What I would really like...is for people to come away kind of just thinking about their own experiences and reflections on aging throughout their life course...”
—Shamita Sharma Charja, curator (31:17)

---

Notable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• “[Tangziri] was directly responsible for this blockade...But he's replaceable.”
  —Frank Gardner (03:51)

• “Iran is effectively acting like a maritime traffic policeman...charging $2 million a time for every tanker.”
  —Frank Gardner (05:06)

• “The impact is being felt across...many of Africa's 50 plus countries...fuel stations have run out completely.”
  —Shingai Nyoka (07:33–08:45)

• “Filipino families are already being deeply affected by the rise in commodity prices...for food, for housing and for transportation.”
  —Siranjana Tawari (11:06)

• “Our economy is ruined and the biggest reason for it is the war.”
  —Anonymous Iranian civilian (16:46)

• “They are chanting, with loudspeakers, guns and vehicles...and everyone is at home, worried, afraid.”
  —Anonymous Iranian civilian (17:59)

• “There were products that in one case said it had a 50 plus SPF, when in fact it only had a SPF of 4.”
  —Lana Lam (25:19)

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:38 – Main headlines and story setup, introduction of Israel’s claim
• 03:11 – Details of the Israeli operation and US military statement
• 03:51 – Frank Gardner’s strategic assessment of the IRGC and blockade
• 04:58 – Effects of the blockade, shipping costs, Iran’s leverage
• 06:27 – Gulf state reactions to war and shifting alliances
• 07:33 – Africa’s fuel crisis (Shingai Nyoka in Zimbabwe)
• 10:22 – Oil impact in the Philippines (Siranjana Tawari)
• 14:40 – Inside Iran: Voices of civilians under war conditions
• 21:14 – Belarus-North Korea summit pageantry and its strategic meaning
• 24:06 – Australian sunscreen product scandal
• 27:08 – London’s “Coming of Age” exhibition—reflections on aging

---

Conclusion

This episode delivers a vivid, global look at how the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran is reshaping geopolitical dynamics, deepening hardship for civilians and unleashing economic aftershocks around the world. Compelling field reporting, expert commentary, and personal testimonies provide depth beyond the headlines, making the episode engaging and informative even for those unfamiliar with the context.

---

Contact & Feedback:
Get in touch at [e-mail] or on X @BBCWorldService, #GlobalNewsPod.
For deep dives, check out their sister show, The Global Story.

Transcript

[Advertisement Voice]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk. Investing with Schwab is like spending a Saturday at a great farmer's market. You can fill your reusable tote with a bit of everything. Maybe you go for some free range self directed investing or perhaps you pick up a few farm fresh trades while you peruse. You can even get help from a dedicated advisor. That's full service wealth management. Mix, match and change your mind whenever you want. Because at Schwab you can invest your way no matter your goals or appetite. For investing, Schwab has everything you need all in one place. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

This podcast is sponsored by Pocket Hose. I gotta tell you, being a homeowner, there's so many things you have to think about all the time. For example, I have to replace my hoses every single year because they're weak, they get tangled and there's kinks. Then I found the pocket hose ballistic. This is the upgrade I've been looking for for a long time, man. It's reinforced with a liquid crystal polyme used in bulletproof vests. You know what that means? No kinks. It's not going to get tangled. It also comes with this pocket pivot which gives you total freedom of movement. And the spigot has like a 360 degree rotation which is pretty cool. There's also this upgraded UV coating they added for free, so your hose basically looks brand new all the time. Right now when you get the new pocket hose ballistic, you'll get a free 360 degree rotating pocket pivot and a free thumb drive nozzle. Go to pockethose.com podcast that's pockethose.com podcast your two free gifts with purchase pockethose.com P O D C A S T

[Celia Hatton]

this is the global News podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Celia Hatton and it's 1600 GMT on Thursday 26th March. These are our main stories. Israel says it's killed an Iranian naval chief who was involved in operations to cut off the Strait of Hormuz. But will it make a difference? Inside Iran, people try to continue with their lives despite daily bombing attacks from the United States and Israel.

[Anonymous Iranian Civilians]

I'm afraid that one day the war will end and something good will not have happened. The problems I have are the same problems as all people basic needs. I cannot provide them.

[Celia Hatton]

And disruption to oil shipments is having an effect on people in countries as far apart as Kenya and the Philippines. Also in this podcast, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko is on his first official visit to North Korea. Both countries are keen to show that they have friends in the world. We begin with the latest from the war in Iran. Israel says it's killed an Iranian Navy chief, Ali Reza Tangziri, who was believed to be overseeing Iran's operations in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the US Military said his death makes the region safer. If confirmed, this would be the latest assassination of an Iranian leader. The death was announced by Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz,

[Frank Gardner]

last night.

[Fergal Keen]

In a precise and lethal operation, the

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

IDF thwarted the commander of the Revolutionary

[Fergal Keen]

Guards Navy, Tang Siri, along with several naval command officials.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

The man who is directly responsible for

[Frank Gardner]

the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz was blown up and neutralized.

[Celia Hatton]

Despite suggestions from President Trump that the Iranians want to make a peace deal with Pakistan, saying it's acting as an intermediary, the war continues. There have been further strikes on Iran, with Tehran also targeting neighboring countries. Our security correspondent, Frank Gardner is in the Qatari capital, Doha. I asked him about Alireza Tangziri.

[Frank Gardner]

According to the Israelis, he was directly responsible for this blockade. The problem is with all these assassinations that have taken place during this war, is that these people are replaceable. Once a policy is laid down, there is a degree of autonomy and redundancy built into the Iranian system. That's what the Revolutionary Guards Corps have done in Iran. It's almost like you've got two parallel militaries. You've got the conventional military, and then you've got the irgc, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. And some years ago, the IRGC kicked out their country's conventional navy from the Gulf and said, we're taking over here. You guys can go and do something else. But we are in charge here. And they've spent the last few years practicing and honing unconventional operations. So things like fast torpedo attack boats, things drone swarms and black ops, sneaking up and attaching limpet mines to tankers, things like that, as well as boarding and hijacking, essentially, tankers. So he will certainly have been involved in much of that, but he's replaceable.

[Celia Hatton]

Malaysia says Iran has let one of its tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Are other ships getting through?

[Frank Gardner]

They are, yes. Not most of them. I mean, this is. The problem is that Iran is effectively acting like a maritime traffic policeman, deciding who gets gets to go through and who doesn't. And they are still exporting their own oil, over a million barrels of oil a day to Customers in China, Pakistan, India. But most of the other stuff isn't getting through. And reportedly Iran is charging $2 million a time for every tanker that goes through. So this is clearly a far worse, a far less satisfactory situation than the one that existed just a month ago when Iran had no say really in who went through the Strait of Hormuz. I mean, it's got a big, long coastline, but there was no question of it choosing who got through. But after nearly a month of being battered by Israeli and US airstrikes, Iran has become defiant and is no mood to compromise. And they have quite cleverly and malevolently played the strategic economic card, knowing that even though they've got the weaker force militarily, they've got geography and time on their side.

[Celia Hatton]

Frank, you're in the Gulf. I mean, as the war continues, are you seeing any shifts in the positions of the Gulf states in terms of what they're willing to do either to reign in Iran or to end the war?

[Frank Gardner]

Yes, I am. I mean, there's a definite hardening of views here in the Gulf, particularly in the uae, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, because those are the countries that are getting hit nightly by drones and ballistic missiles. And this is the attitude of all the Gulf Arab states. They didn't support the war and they certainly didn't give any overt assistance to the US or Israel for this war. But the attitude of the Gulf Arab states is that they have been unjustifiably attacked by their neighbor and they are very cross about it. And some countries on this side of the Gulf really are determined to see an end to the Islamic Republic regime because they're saying we can't live with this regime.

[Celia Hatton]

Frank Gardner in Doha. The impact of the war in the Middle east, which has been raging for almost four weeks now, is being felt not just within the region, but far beyond. Disrupted fuel shipments are beginning to affect several countries on the African continent that have close ties with the Gulf. Earlier I spoke to the BBC's Shingai Nyoka, who's in Zimbabwe.

[Shingai Nyoka]

I think this impact is being felt across the continent in many of Africa's 50 plus countries. So for example, in Mauritius, we've seen the government announce energy saving measures where they are restricting the use of electricity for non essential equipment, such as certain types of lights, swimming pool pumps, as well as heating, because they say that their supplies are running low. And this is after a shipment that was expected over the weekend has failed to arrive. They say that they have less than a month of Fuel in stock. And that really is a picture across the continent. I think a lot of countries were really caught napping when it comes to this. Many of them have lower than the recommended amount of stock. In Sudan, for example, in South Sudan, in the capital of Judah, they've also begun rationing electricity across the capital. But we've also seen in countries like Kenya, these large economies as well as in South Africa, reports of hoarding, of panic buying that have forced authorities to call for calm because at some fuel stations the stocks have run out completely.

[Celia Hatton]

And so what's the situation where you are in Zimbabwe?

[Shingai Nyoka]

It's a very similar picture. Zimbabwe has been one of the hardest hit countries in terms of an increase in fuel prices. Just to give you an example, over the last month the fuel petrol price has risen by over 40%. And so like in many other countries, there's a scramble to try to find solutions. And so Zimbabwe was blending its petrol with ethanol at 5% and now they say that to try to reduce the price of fuel they're going to increase that blend to 20% and also scrap some of the taxes that they detached to fuel imports because the impact of that increase is that transport costs have risen by almost double within some of the commuter routes. And so there really is a lot of concern about what's going to happen if this war continues.

[Celia Hatton]

That's the question. How bad might things get if the war continues to rumble on?

[Shingai Nyoka]

It's anybody's guess. I think the examples that we have with the past experience that we have is linked to the war in Russia and Ukraine where right at the beginning of that war the fuel prices went up. Here in Zimbabwe, the price has breached the $2 a litre mark. Then it had risen to $3 a litre. We've heard some experts, including the oil tycoon Aliko Dangote, warn that perhaps Africa needs to will face the prospects of working from home because the cost of going into the office is just simply too expensive for businesses to sustain.

[Celia Hatton]

Shingai Nyoka in Zimbabwe to Southeast Asia now and another country that's been particularly hard hit by ripple effects of the conflict in the Middle East. Transport workers in the Philippines have launched a nationwide two day strike against surging oil prices. Many of the demonstrators drive delivery trucks and jeepneys, private minibuses that that city residents rely on for transport. The Philippine government has introduced fuel subsidies and free bus rides for affected commuters. But protesters say they need a lot more financial support.

[Shingai Nyoka]

When gas prices are this high, people are going to have a difficult time

[Fergal Keen]

getting from place to place people, no

[Shingai Nyoka]

matter what sector they work in, whether that be health, whether that be education. Filipino families are already being deeply affected by the rise in commodity prices such as for education, for food, for housing and for transportation. Because of that, we're seeing our parents bring home less money for our dinners at the dinner table, as well as we're seeing the rise in the cost of education. And we know that given the precarious situation of Filipino families, they definitely will not be able to absorb that cost.

[Celia Hatton]

So why is the Philippines so vulnerable in this Latest crisis? The BBC's Siranjana Tawari was at the protests in the capital Manila.

[Siranjana Tawari]

These demonstrators have been out since 7 o' clock this morning. We attended one protest in another part of Manila and they were very loud, they were very impassioned. And what they're doing is they've got multiple locations of these protests and they're all on busy roads because they're trying to get their demands met by drawing attention to the disruption caused by them striking. These are jeepney drivers, they're small minivan drivers and other even ride hailing apps were supposed to take part. They're really suffering from the higher cost of fuel and they say that they're not getting enough government support.

[Celia Hatton]

Sharon John, a lot of people listening to this might think, well, I'm also suffering, you know, from higher energy costs. But the Philippines was the first country to declare an energy crisis, wasn't it? Why is the Philippines so vulnerable?

[Siranjana Tawari]

Because it imports the majority of the oil it needs from the Middle east and those supplies have been disrupted. It doesn't really have another source. Now the government has said that it is working to secure supplies from other sources. That's one of the reasons that it implemented emergency powers earlier this week in order to have a bit more flexibility to try and find new suppliers. Having said that though, you know, even if the Philippines had other suppliers, it also has a problem of capacity. It doesn't have the storage so it can buy the oil. That oil will also take time to reach the country. And on top of that, it doesn't have the storage facilities to be able to hold major reserves like other countries like your Japan's and your South Korea's.

[Celia Hatton]

Any discussions for fixing this a problem in the long term, for example, investing in renewables or investing in more public transit?

[Siranjana Tawari]

Yes. The government has suggested a number of measures in order to save electricity, including, you know, moving to a four day working week. And you know, it's even asked government employees to take the stairs instead of the Lift and also, yes, electrification, but remember, electric cars, for example. The charging infrastructure just isn't there. It's nowhere near along that path of having a very comprehensive charging infrastructure in the country. So there are challenges on that side, and that's certainly not going to happen overnight. What these demonstrators are calling for, though, what their main demands are, is things like fuel tax cuts as well as fare hikes, because that's something that they say the government can get involved and try and control. They're also really unhappy with how unregulated the oil market is. It's completely left to private companies to set the oil price. And these demonstrators are saying that the government could get more involved and help with limiting those price hikes.

[Celia Hatton]

Sure. And Janet Hawari, let's get a sense now of what's happening on the ground inside Iran. Footage and interviews obtained by the BBC give a rare insight into the experience of Iranians living through the war. We've protected the identities of the people in this report from our special correspondent Fergal Keen.

[Frank Gardner]

Wow.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

A man feels the shock waves of missiles striking nearby. From his balcony, he sees the tracer fire, bright red against the dark blue of the night sky. Another night under fire in Tehran. We've been able to obtain testimony from several ordinary Iranians in different parts of the country. To protect them from official retaliation. We've changed their names and used other voices to speak their words.

[Anonymous Iranian Civilians]

I'm afraid that one day the war will end and something good will not have happened.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

Mariam is an artist who's long struggled with the lack of freedom as a woman and a painter. But she's decided to stay despite the dangers of war.

[Anonymous Iranian Civilians]

Some of my friends left Iran. I stayed to see what will happen. I didn't want to go far away. I wanted to stay here, observe. And if I can build something and produce something, the problems I have are the same problems as all people. Basic needs. I cannot provide them.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

In another part of the city, Aisha was shopping in the market for food to celebrate Nowruzz, the festival of the Iranian New Year, the arrival of spring. But the war has turned her local market into a place of absences, faces she will never see again.

[Anonymous Iranian Civilians]

Everything is supposed to become new, happy, fresh. I thought about how last year was at this exact time. Those people who have been killed came with us for Eid shopping, and now they are gone. There is war. Everywhere is war.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

There's a deepening economic crisis. The price of foodstuffs has doubled. Families struggle to put food on the table.

[Anonymous Iranian Civilians]

Iran feels very gloomy in the past, in every part of the market, people sold things on the streets. Flower pots, hyacinths, vegetables. They sold fish. Now the streets have nothing. They are all empty. I think people's pockets are empty. Our economy is ruined and the biggest reason for it is the war.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

Each morning brings a ritual of grim transformation. Not just security bases, but homes, shops, offices in rubble, streets filled with shards of steel. Weary civilians cleaning up the mess made in a war they did not choose. Pro regime demonstrations portraying a united nation are the only ones allowed. Any dissenters would be swiftly silenced. But at home, with family, with friends they trust, those who oppose the regime are willing to share their feelings. My father, who until 20 years ago would have given his life for Khamenei

[Advertisement Voice]

after his death, brought sweets home to celebrate.

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

This man, we're calling him Mahmoud, is furious with what's happening to his country.

[Advertisement Voice]

They are a group of savages with

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

masks, chanting, with loudspeakers, guns and vehicles constantly moving through the streets, shouting. And everyone is at home, worried, afraid.

[Advertisement Voice]

With satellite signals full of noise and

[Narrator / Reporter Voice]

disruption and no Internet, they've blocked the roads. They intimidate every car they see and behave however they want. The state has the repressive power, military capability and a strong enough support base to continue fighting. Any ceasefire will likely leave the current rulers in place, at least in the medium term. An escalating war could unleash a far more unpredictable dynamic for the regime and the people of Iran.

[Celia Hatton]

Fergal keen. Still to come in this podcast, a sunscreen scandal in Australia.

[Lana Lam]

There were products that in one case said it had a 50 plus SPF, when in fact it only had a SPF of 4.

[Celia Hatton]

Regulators are calling for big changes to the industry. Allergy season always has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you're listening to your favorite podcast, the next it's non stop sneezing and a runny nose. That's why it's essential to keep Kleenex Ultra Soft Tissues on hand. They're silky soft for up to 100% irritation, free skin and allergist approved so when allergies hit. And they will be ready with Kleenex Ultra Soft Tissues for whatever happens next, Grab Kleenex.

[Advertisement Voice]

Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. Ever Google a money question and end up 12 tabs deep with 12 different answers? This podcast is your shortcut back to clarity. NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast breaks down financial decisions. With a team of trusted journalists, they explain the why behind decisions like investing, home buying and choosing credit cards with clear research backed insights. No jargon, no misinformation. Make your next financial move with confidence. Follow NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast on your favorite podcast app. Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab, is a show about the psychology and economics behind our decisions. Join host Katie Milkman, an award winning behavioral scientist and author of the best selling book how to Change as she shares true stories from Nobel laureates, authors, athletes and everyday people about why we make the choices we do and how to make better ones to help avoid costly mistakes. Listen to Choiceologywab.com podcast or wherever you listen. Puerto Rico is having a moment of global attention. Behind it are decades of execution, preparation and business momentum. Global companies manufacture, innovate and scale here with confidence, not culture or business. Culture and business Puerto Rico. It's not what's next, it's where. Visit investpr.org business.

[Celia Hatton]

This is the global News podcast. Now to North Korea, Where the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has been warmly greeted at a colorful ceremony hosted by the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two men signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. But the visit also seemed to be about optics showing solidarity between nations not aligned to the United States and the West. The Newsroom's Mickey Bristow told me more about the visit.

[Mickey Bristow]

As you said that they signed a treaty. These two leaders agreed to increase cooperation in terms of education, culture, sport, information sharing, increased trade as well. At the moment, trade between these two countries is virtually non existent, measured in the thousands. And when you think the biggest countries in the world have billions of dollars of trade between each other, it's virtually nothing. So there's great room for improvement there. But I think it's about the optics. As you mentioned, we heard a little bit of the ceremony there. It was a really lavish ceremony. Alexander Lukashenko swept into square in Pyongyang in a big black limousine. The two leaders hugged each other. There was a detachment of soldiers on white horses. Another group of soldiers marched past, goose stepping. It was all about showing essentially that these two countries are in solidarity with two other larger nations, Russia and China, and they really are aligned against the United States, against the west. And really to show that they have friends in the world.

[Celia Hatton]

So trade, diplomatic ties being built. I mean North Korea does seem to have more friends and to be in a better economic position than it was just a few years ago.

[Mickey Bristow]

Yeah, during the pandemic, North Korea was really on its uppers. The trade stopped with the outside world. There was a series of natural disasters, less food for people to eat across the country. But essentially since Russia invaded, the full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that offered an opportunity for North Korea. Russia found itself without friends, friends who could supply it with things. And North Korea stepped in. It's given munitions, weapons, even sent soldiers, hundreds who thought to have died fighting the war with Ukraine. And in return, North Korea has received lots of things, military support, food, money. So that's really boosted North Korea's economic position and also given North Korea a bargaining chip in its relations with China. China's now not its only friend.

[Celia Hatton]

So that's North Korea. Just briefly, what does Belarus get out of all this?

[Mickey Bristow]

Something similar, as I said, trades virtually non existent. I think the Belarusian leader got to show that he too has friends in the world. He's itched his wagging with President Putin too. So he needs to show that he has some friends as well as Kim Jong Un.

[Celia Hatton]

Mickey Bristow now let's go to Australia, which is dealing with the effects of a public health scandal. Regulators there are calling for big reforms to the sunscreen industry. That's after public outrage kicked off last year when an investigation found that many popular brands of sun protection cream were not providing the protection that they claimed. The proposed changes will focus on improving the reliability and transparency of what sunscreens promise to customers. I spoke with our reporter Lana Lam, who's in Sydney, and she started by telling me about that initial investigation.

[Lana Lam]

It was quite a shock to the consumers because I guess there's been for decades this sort of inherent trust among Australians that the sun cream just works. And so to know that some of these popular and quite expensive brands weren't providing the protection that they claimed to be sort of sent shockwaves across the Nation, really. About 2,000 people die from skin cancer or melanoma per year. Here we are like a skin cancer hotspot. And so we really rely on sun cream in our daily lives.

[Celia Hatton]

And what did those initial investigations reveal?

[Lana Lam]

That some of these products, for instance, if they're claiming on the packaging we have like a SPF rating, a sun protection factor rating. And so there were products that in one case said it had a 50 plus SPF, when in fact it only had a SPF of 4. And so the sun protection of that product is much lower than the person thinks it is. And so your skin safety is obviously at risk.

[Celia Hatton]

So what are regulators saying now?

[Lana Lam]

That I guess in light of the report that found these sun creams weren't giving the protection that they claim to be in light of that report and subsequent investigations by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, they've decided that they need to overhaul the regulations that are currently in place. So they're looking at greater oversight, basically, for the regulations that currently exist. So having greater scrutiny of the laboratories that test the sun protection factor of these products and also looking at simpler labeling for the products as well.

[Celia Hatton]

What's the effect of this sunscreen scandal overall? I mean, the Australian government has spent so much money and time with these huge public campaigns to convince people to cover up and to wear sunscreen. What have the findings of these investigations done? Are people starting to question that a bit?

[Lana Lam]

Yeah, I mean, it's a very challenging situation for many Australians. You know, since childhood, it's drilled into them that wearing sun cream is important. Staying in the shade, wearing hats, things like that. So being sun smart is part and parcel of growing up in Australia. And so then to have one very key part of that sun awareness be sort of questioned, it's really rattled a lot of people here.

[Celia Hatton]

Lena Lam in Sydney. Now, around the world, people are living longer. That's good news. But how do we view these extra years? A new exhibition explores experiences and perceptions of aging from adolescence to older age, through art, science and popular culture. It's called the Coming of Age and it's on at the welcome Collection in London. My colleague Jane Hill was shown around by its head curator, Shamita Sharma Charja. They began by looking at some beautiful objects from Japan.

[Fergal Keen]

The very first objects when you enter the exhibition are a pair of silver sake cups. And they're kind of object that are given to people in Japan in the year that they turn 100. Now, when this practice first started in 1963, only 153 cups were given out that year. But by 2014, over 29,000 cups were supposed to be given out in that year alone, at the cost of about 1.2 million pounds to the Japanese government. Yeah. So the scheme was stopped and there was a public outcry, so then they reinstated it using a smaller nickel alternative.

[Celia Hatton]

Let's walk around.

[Shingai Nyoka]

Sadly, we can't look at every single thing in a fairly sizable exhibition.

[Celia Hatton]

But explain what we're looking at at

[Shingai Nyoka]

here, because it looks to me like

[Fergal Keen]

a very thin bone, almost like a cane. So we're looking at Charles Darwin's walking stick, and on the top is a skull with bright green eyes. Charles Darwin used to call this his walking maturi or memento mori, meaning it was a reminder that one day we all must die. This walking stick is next to a contemporary artwork by an artist called Daphne Wright. And it's of a Zimmer frame. And the zimmer frame is actually kind of paired all the way back to its core and covered with unfair clay. So it looks incredibly vulnerable. I just thought it was really interesting that in the 19th century, Charles Darwin's walking stick was like a symbol of erudition, whereas Zimmerfrain today is not seen in the same way.

[Shingai Nyoka]

So we're looking at a very unusual artwork here.

[Fergal Keen]

So this is a ceramic series called Wild Apples by the artist Serena Corder. So we're walking into a circular space and all around are scattered apples. And in and amongst the apples, there are three roughly hewn kind of tree trunks that on top of which are three ceramic figures.

[Shingai Nyoka]

Serena, all women.

[Fergal Keen]

All women, yes. So Serena really was looking at experiences of menopause. Serena was very interested in a type of object that we have in our collection here at Wellcome called the anatomical Venuses, which were the 16th century teaching tools that were used to teach men about women's bodies. And so Serena is really turning that medicalized male gaze on its head and her figures are standing up and they are bearing their lived experiences of their bodies.

[Shingai Nyoka]

Well, we started with the beautiful Japanese sake balls. And as we come to the end of the exhibition, something else I can tell clearly from Japan. What is this?

[Fergal Keen]

That's right. So we're looking at a display of objects from the restaurant of Mistaken Orders, which is a social enterprise in Japan where all of the floor staff of this restaurant have dementia. So I think there are idea is about embracing imperfection. So you can see in the logo of the restaurant, this is the English version of it. It says restaurant and mistaken orders. And the K is on its side. Yes, but the idea is that, you know, Japan is this country that is kind of famed for its precision and attitudes towards work and actually thinking maybe not everything has to be perfect. And it's about fostering, understand, understanding.

[Shingai Nyoka]

What would you like people to take away at the end of this exhibition? What are your thoughts about aging?

[Celia Hatton]

How we all view older people? Do we value older people and their experience enough?

[Shingai Nyoka]

Is it throwing up those sort of questions?

[Fergal Keen]

What I would really like for this exhibition is for people to come away kind of just thinking about their own experiences and reflections on aging throughout their life course, from, you know, kind of adolescence to middle age and becoming older, but also kind of having a really realistic view of age and seeing that there are challenges and benefits to each stage of life.

[Celia Hatton]

Jane Hill talking to Shamita Sharma, charger from the Wellcome Collection. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us@Global PodcastBC Co UK UK. You can also find us on X@ BBC World Service. Use the hashtag Global Newspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Sid Dundon. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Celia Hatton. Until next time. Goodbye. Craving the coffee flavor you love but without the caffeine? Cachava's got you covered with their newest coffee flavor. This all in one nutrition shake delivers bold, authentic flavor crafted from premium decaffeinated Brazilian beans with 25 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, greens and so much more. Treat yourself to the flavor and nutrition your body craves. Go to kachava.com and use code news. New customers get 15% off their first order. That's K-A C-H-A-V-A.com code news.