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- [00:00]
Sami
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Bayard Winthrop
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James Landale
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- [01:07]
Celia Hatton
This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Celia Hatton and at 16 hours GMT on Thursday 5th March, these are our main stories. The United States and Israel have stepped up their attacks on Iranian cities and Iran has denied carrying out drone strikes on targets in Azerbaijan as the impact of the conflict continues to spread. Also in this podcast, could Ukraine help? Gulf states facing missile and drone attacks. Thousands move from southern Lebanon to escape strikes there. And we'll take you to Nepal's election, the first since Gen Z protests brought down the last government.
- [01:52]
James Landale
I'm here to vote, hoping to bring new changes in Nepal. That was what all of us are seeking and that was what all the Gen Z revolt was about.
- [02:05]
Celia Hatton
Day six of the US Israel war with Iran and frustration and fatigues being expressed in many parts of the Middle East. In the last 12 hours there have been fresh waves of attacks. The United States and Israel have intensified their joint bombing campaign on Iran. In the last few hours, we've seen images of destruction across the Iranian capital, Tehran. Those verified images, you can see them for yourself on the BBC website, show huge clouds of smoke rising from the center of the city. One video that's circulating online shows Tehran's Azadi football Stadium severely damaged with smoke coming out of a sports hall. Here are some eyewitness reports that have been voiced by our producers.
- [02:49]
Sami
Today I went to the Tehransar and I was there exactly when Azadi was hit. When the first strike hit Azadi, nothing much happened, but when the second one hit, orange smoke rose up from the ammunition depot the situation was really bad last night.
- [03:07]
Rana Hamoud
There were a lot of strikes from about 3 to 5am they were hitting places constantly. When it gets to around nine, people go up onto their rooftops. They sit there waiting for the strikes to happen. If the attacks slow down a bit and all the leaders of the Republic killed, then people will definitely pour into the streets.
- [03:27]
Celia Hatton
Eli Defren is a spokesperson for the Israeli Army.
- [03:32]
Sami
The goal of the operation is to inflict severe damage on the Iranian terror regime until it removes the existential threat to strike and remove that threat. Over time, we continue to deepen the damage to the regime. It's important for me to say that it's already shaken. It was shaken by the first strike on Saturday morning when the leadership was thwarted. And every day we continue to destabilize it more and more to deepen the damage to it until the existential threat is removed.
- [04:03]
Celia Hatton
So what's it like for those living in Iran? I spoke to Siavash Mehdi ardalan from the BBC's Persian service.
- [04:09]
Siavash Mehdi Ardalan
Life in Tehran may be different to life in other cities around Iran because Iran is a vast country, seven times the size of the UK. But in Tehran in particular, the population of 10 million, the mood is very diverse. We haven't seen instances of panic shopping or queues at the petrol station because the government has assured that they have enough foodstuff to sustain the population for a few months. But the mood generally depends on what your political affiliations are. If you're part of that minority of pro government, pro regime supporters, you're probably defiant and a little bit scared that the regime may collapse as a result of this. If you're firmly in the anti regime camp, you might even be cheering on the US and Israeli drones and fighters that are flying at very low altitudes in Iran's virtually defenseless skies. And also there are a lot of people who have disdain for the regime, but who also don't see any good coming out of this. But I guess the common sense is one of fear of what is to come, probably, you know, combined with a bit of hope or with a bit of despair.
- [05:20]
Celia Hatton
In past conflicts, we've seen people try to get out of the cities in Iran. Are we seeing this as well?
- [05:27]
Siavash Mehdi Ardalan
Not so much in Tehran, because so much of the attacks have been, you know, precision targets on military installations. So we have even seen instances where people, when they hear drones or fighter jets flying overhead, they go onto their roofs and they try to film this. But in other cities where you have military industrial installations there, where you have naval assets. For example, in the city of Bushehr, which is in the southern part of Iran, with a population of 250,000, the city is almost deserted because just decimated the entire industrial hub in that city relating to military production, which is one of the objectives of US and Israel. So depending on where it is and which city we're talking about, which part of the country, the moods are different and the people's reaction are different. But obviously the civilians have been impacted by these attacks. Latest toll we had Yesterday was of 1,097 civilian deaths as a result of these attacks in the past five days.
- [06:30]
Celia Hatton
On Wednesday, the funeral ceremonies for the Supreme Leader were postponed. Any news on a potential successor?
- [06:38]
Siavash Mehdi Ardalan
Yes. His son, Mujtaba Khamenei, is tipped to be the successor. The votes have already been cast by a body called assembly of Experts, which is comprised of 87 clerics who decide who the successor to the Supreme Leader should be. But they just haven't announced it yet, perhaps waiting for the funeral to take place before the announcement is made. But the reason why Mujtab Al Khamenei is tipped to be the successor is because he has very good connections with the military and security establishment. And if there is any compromise to be made, or if there's any new policy or change of directions, he is the person who the military will listen to.
- [07:18]
Celia Hatton
Sev Ash Mehdi Erdogan. Israel is fighting on two major fronts in this war, attacking Iran and also Hezbollah targets in Leban. Israeli forces have crossed the border into Lebanese territory in a number of areas, according to the UN peacekeeping contingent in the country. Residents in Beirut's southern suburbs have been attempting to flee en masse, hampered by huge traffic jams following an evacuation warning by Israel. Rana Hamoud is one of those leaving south Lebanon. She's fled before when the Israeli invasion happened in 2023. Along with her family, she's now in say Dun. Further north, she spoke to the BBC's James Koppnel.
- [08:01]
Rana Hamoud
It was a disaster, catastrophic. We stayed 10 hours on the road. We slept in the car on the street for one night with my three children and a cat. It was a nightmare. My friend called me at midnight. She said, they're throwing rockets to Israel. I did not believe that. I was in total denial. In 2023, I did not leave. We stayed like 10 days. And my children are traumatized. We've been going to therapists. Yesterday they sent us to evacuate all the south. This means, like, 60 villages, cities, people. Last time in 2023, this did not happen. We did not evacuate all the south.
- [08:48]
James Waterhouse
And what about with your children? I'm really sorry to hear about their trauma. How are they getting on?
- [08:54]
Rana Hamoud
Well, they know that's the situation. This is our youngest, he's nine. When he went back to school, he was a blank paper. He forgot everything. We had to start all over again with, with the basics, writing and reading. But this time we. We brought the books with us. But now we still did not find a house.
- [09:17]
James Waterhouse
So where are you staying right now?
- [09:19]
Rana Hamoud
Our friend in Sidon, she said we can stay for a couple of days until we find a place. But this is very difficult because this time it's different. Do not want to rent their houses to the southerns, to us, because they say all the people from South Lebanon we are with what is happening.
- [09:42]
James Waterhouse
You're supporting Hezbollah, basically.
- [09:44]
Rana Hamoud
Exactly, yes. If you're from South Lebanon, you're supporting them. So yes, it's very difficult. You need to prove that. No, I'm against war. I do not want this to happen. Any of the prices for a house like a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen, $15,000 and we need to pay one year in advance. I don't have $15,000. I do not want to stay out of South Lebanon for one year. I prefer to leave the country. We're going to collapse one day because this is too much for us. We did not ask for this. We did not want this. We never want this. But it's always happening to us. We're always paying the price.
- [10:29]
Celia Hatton
Rana Hamoud speaking to James Koppenal. As the US and Israel continue their bombing campaigns, the Iranians are still hitting back, launching rockets at Israel and also launching aerial attacks on other countries in the region. Explosions have been reported in Bahrain and in the Qatari capital Doha, with black smoke rising over the horizon. In the seas off the coast of Kuwait, an explosion is reported to have hit an oil tanker. And Azerbaijan has said Iranian drones struck an airport in the west of the country. That's the whine of an approaching drone followed by a blast recorded and posted by an Azeri social media user and verified by our in house Experts at the BBC. Lise Doucet is the BBC's chief international correspondent.
- [11:23]
Lise Doucet
War, once unleashed, has a momentum and a mind of its own. It's being shown to us in stark relief every day. Yesterday you were doing a story about a naval destroyer of Iran being torpedoed by a submarine in just out of Sri Lankan territorial waters. And today came the attack, as you mentioned, that drones went into Azerbaijan, which is on the border. The Northern border of Iran. Iran has now denied that it targeted Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan has reacted with strong criticism. It has close historical and religious links to Iran. It's a Shia majority country and one of the big ethnic minorities in Iran are the Azeris. But in the long disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Iran has sided with Armenia. And of course, Azerbaijan has longstanding relations with the US And Israel, but it doesn't have US Basis. So the big question is if they are targeting it, why? The whole ambition of Iran seems to be, although it denies this, but to increase the price for those close to those fighting the war.
- [12:31]
Celia Hatton
Liz doucet, well, one country that has plenty of experience countering missile and drone activity is Ukraine. And on Wednesday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was prepared to lend his support to Gulf states. He's ordered his government to present options for how it could help those facing Iran's missile and drone attacks. I asked our diplomatic correspondent James Landell in Kyiv what this support might look like.
- [12:58]
James Landale
I think it would come primarily in two forms. One would be actual hardware. In other words, the many forms of interceptor drones that the Ukrainians have developed and are developing that they use to counter the threat of the shahed drones, as they're known from the Russians. In other words, these are relatively slow moving but pretty devastating attack drones that have causing so much devastation across the Gulf at the moment. So there's the hardware which we've been speaking to defense sources here in Kiev today, and they say the Ukrainians have a huge capacity to upscale their production of those. So this they'll be able to get quite a lot to the Gulf quite quickly. The problem is this. The second thing that Ukraine could give the Gulf is expertise and training and that is much harder to provide because the Ukrainians say that at the moment, their training programs at the moment training their own people, both in the military and civilians, to use these interceptor drones. That training program is incredibly full. It is oversubscribed already. And I think Ukraine would be very reluctant to send its own people to the Gulf if that in any way put at risk Ukraine's own defense. And that point is something that President Zelensky has made very, very clear.
- [14:16]
Celia Hatton
Absolutely. I mean, President Zelensky has his own war to fight. What's the strategy here? Is Zelensky seeing an opportunity to win allies?
- [14:25]
James Landale
Yes, absolutely. I think the Ukrainians are not relishing, but they are certainly taking note of the fact that the tables have turned for the last four years. They have been the ones with the begging bowl, asking allies and others around the world to supply them with weapons. Now, it is the other way about. There are teams of people from the Gulf here in Kyiv right now asking the Ukrainians, what can you give us? How soon can you give it to us? And I think that that is certainly something that, not only is that something that the Ukrainians can use, you know, to make money, they can, you know, improve their own defense production to satisfy the, the demand in the Gulf, but also President Zelensky has made it very clear also that this is something that he could use for what he called diplomatic investment. In other words, using it to win more friends and allies around the world say, look, you know, we can do business together. You need to be with us. And so you need to put more pressure on Russia as a result, because this threat of shahed drones is clearly a global threat now. It is not just one for, you know, Ukraine. It is not just one for, for the Gulf.
- [15:32]
Celia Hatton
Our diplomatic correspondent James Landale in Kiev. And for a more in depth look at the military situation in the Middle east with an assessment of the weapons Washington and Tehran are using and how long their stockpiles can last, you can watch our defense correspondent on our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find the Global News podcast in the podcast section. There's a new story available every weekday. Still to come in this podcast, what happens to people's bodies when they stop taking weight loss drugs?
- [16:07]
Professor Antonio Vida Puch
It is expected and known that when you stop these treatments, there will be a rebound in the body weight.
- [16:14]
Celia Hatton
We'll hear the results of a new study. This is the Global News Podcast. Turkey has drawn up plans to deal with a potential influx of people fleeing the war in Iran. But it said so far there hasn't been much change in movement along the border. Our correspondent James Waterhouse is close to one of the crossing points. He's been speaking to people there, some of whom have left Iran and others who are going back
- [16:48]
James Waterhouse
the hour and a half journey from the city of Van to the Kapikoi border crossing. Here is a weaving one through jagged mountainous terrain under a brilliant white snow covering for as far as you can see. It is bitterly cold and the activity here is only increasing. It is a peephole into a country under secular, sustained aerial assaults. Where the Iranian flag used to be, you can now see a black one. In an official sense, at the very least, it is a country mourning the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. There are people taking their suitcases Heading into Iran. And of course there are people looking to escape, going in the other direction.
- [17:38]
Sami
My name is Sami, I come from Mashat and more.
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James Waterhouse
What's the situation like there?
- [17:43]
Sami
The Internet is going out and the situation very bad. We couldn't contact our family in somewhere else on the world, but also telephone. We couldn't reach somebody.
- [17:59]
James Waterhouse
What do you make of what Israel in the US are doing? What do you make of those tactics? You're worried about that? It's interesting someone's exploring expression here. Might tell one story while their words tell another. Not everyone wants to be named. They certainly don't want to criticize the regime openly and they're almost reluctant to give a view on what Israel and the US is doing. This man did, however, tell us what his hometown is going through.
- [18:29]
Sami
It's been bombed rapidly. They are targeted by both regimes, Israel and America. But it's been a really tough situation in Iran for everybody. Every single person is really getting scared and they want to get out of there. You can see in my face how tired I am to get just to get in here.
- [18:48]
James Waterhouse
There is a real nervousness, a hesitation here among Iranians to not just speak ill of the regime, but even to say where they lived. They are fearful of reprisals not just for them for when they return, but their families as well. Still in Iran. Just spoke to one gentleman there, really didn't want to be filmed or recorded. I asked him what it's like and he just turned and said, they can't beat Iran. And you sense he really meant it. Visibly angry, visibly tired by the events of the past few days.
- [19:24]
Rana Hamoud
I kept seeing my mouth, honestly.
- [19:26]
James Waterhouse
And where's your mother?
- [19:28]
Rana Hamoud
My mom is in a city called Nabur.
- [19:31]
James Waterhouse
And, and, and how is it in Nab?
- [19:34]
Rana Hamoud
Oh, it was terrible, honestly. Unbelievable, honestly.
- [19:37]
James Waterhouse
How so?
- [19:38]
Rana Hamoud
I could see just, you know, young people dying. They. It was terrible.
- [19:42]
James Waterhouse
From air strikes?
- [19:44]
Rana Hamoud
No, from.
- [19:44]
Professor Antonio Vida Puch
From me.
- [19:45]
Rana Hamoud
From policing inside Iran.
- [19:48]
James Waterhouse
You can see how difficult it is to. For people to talk openly even once they've crossed the border. But those who talk of change do so out of optimism here rather than pragmatism.
- [20:04]
Celia Hatton
James Waterhouse on the Turkish border with Iran to Nepal now, where the votes are being counted in a general election. It's being seen as a contest between the old guard and a new generation of politicians. Taking place nearly six months after a wave of youth led protests that left scores dead and forced Nepal's then Prime minister to quit. Candidates now include a former rapper and a former prime minister. These are some voters in the Capital Kathmandu.
- [20:35]
James Landale
I'm here to vote, hoping to bring new changes in Nepal. That was what all of us are seeking and that was what all the Gen Z revolt was about.
- [20:44]
Celia Hatton
I felt somehow I'm able to fulfill
- [20:47]
Rana Hamoud
duties and responsibility as a person and a citizen because each of our votes matter.
- [20:53]
Celia Hatton
Our South Asia correspondent, Azadeh Mushiri is in Kathmandu and she's been telling me about the candidates.
- [20:59]
Rana Hamoud
Right now I'm outside of a Hindu temple that's been converted into a polling station here near Kathmandu, and one of the candidates was actually here earlier. I spoke spoke to him. Who is the leader? One of the senior leaders of the Nepali Congress. He is someone who has been part of the long established political system here. Gagan Tapa has been a part of the fragile coalitions that have ruled Nepal for the past three decades. Because what's important to understand here when we talk about a new generation of faces unseating these veteran heavyweight is that since 90s, there hasn't been a coalition government that has completed its full term. And it ends up turning into a round of musical chairs where the same three parties tend to bargain and negotiate about what happens next. After the protests in September, with the rise of other faces like Balan Shah, a former rapper turned politician who became the mayor of Kathmandu only three years ago, people are hoping that these new politicians, these younger ones, he's about 35 years old, could dethrone some of these veteran politicians. That includes the former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who was forced to resign after the protests back in September. Now he also is part of one of these veteran parties. And when I spoke to him earlier today at another polling station, I asked him whether he thought he still had a chance. And he said, of course, that he's confident he will win, that he is confident that his party will win as well. And after the protests, he told me that his party's dedicated and committed to listening to younger generations and understanding their concerns. So the established parties think that they can continue this long political dynasty that they've had. And these new faces like Balin Shah are ready to shake things up. And this result will test whether those Gen Z protesters who are hoping for change have managed to convince the rest of the country that it's time for an untried generation to lead the poll.
- [23:10]
Celia Hatton
So, Hasida, can you paint a picture for us about what these Gen Z protesters really want? You talked about their calls for change and their concerns. What are the big issues for them?
- [23:22]
Rana Hamoud
Number one, and this comes up no matter how old people here in Nepal are is corruption. They feel like after decades of the same parties in charge, corruption hasn't been dealt with. And the reason that they marched in September was initially triggered by a social media ban, but it turned into days of anti corruption marches. The second is unemployment. They really want jobs. Youth unemployment here stands for at about 20%, among the highest in South Asia. And they don't want to have to leave Nepal in search of better opportunities. So those are the two big issues that they're hoping will change after this election.
- [23:58]
Celia Hatton
Azadeh Mushiri and for more from Nepal, check out our BBC news website where we're following the results. One warning it will take time, perhaps a few days for a final vote tally to come in. As you can imagine, it takes time to collect and count all the votes. Across Nepal's mountainous terrain, Conservative Anglicans meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja have pulled back from electing a rival leader to the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. The plan had been seen as a direct challenge to Sarah Mulally's leadership just weeks ahead of her installation. Many churches, mainly in Africa and Asia, oppose liberal shifts in parts of the Anglican Communion. Our global religion correspondent Lebo di Secco reports.
- [24:46]
Rana Hamoud
Gafcon, a conservative group of Anglicans, said that it was leaving behind old structures and as a result was leaving behind old titles. Their new leadership council will be headed by the Archbishop of Rwanda. Laurent Mbanda, a GAFCON spokesperson, said the root cause of the divide with the Church of England was doctrine. But speaking today, he repeated a previous GAFCON statement that the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires an all male episcopacy. And he said her support for same sex blessings was unbiblical. Asked repeatedly if they recognize Sarah Mulally, the spokesperson said that she is the Archbishop of Canterbury, but that GAFCON recognized Archbishop Mbanda as its leader.
- [25:28]
Celia Hatton
Our global religion correspondent Lebo di Secco. And last, some news that might surprise you about weight loss drugs. The latest research into injections such as Mongero or Wegovy suggest most people will regain almost two thirds of the weight they lose within a year of stopping the drugs. The study at Cambridge University included six trials involving more than 3,200 people. Professor Antonio Vida Puch has been speaking to the BBC's Nick Robinson.
- [25:59]
Professor Antonio Vida Puch
I think with respect to the current new treatments for obesity, they are certainly good at helping people to lose weight. But then it is clear that people cannot stay in these treatments forever. So in these treatments can help you to lose around 15 to 20% of your body weight in a very short period of time. But the price that you pay is that it is expected and known that when you stop these treatments there will be a rebound in the body weight simply because the need of restored energy that perceives your body.
- [26:32]
Sami
But as I understand the research is this right? You you still keep off about 25% of the weight loss, so there is some overall gain.
- [26:39]
Professor Antonio Vida Puch
Yes, in principle this is the you only recover around 60%. However, what we don't know at this present moment is that if the way that you recover is exclusively you recover fat or you, for example, don't recover enough muscle during the period that you are taking your drugs is fundamental to use this time to relearn the way you eat, also to maintain a very active lifestyle so that when you are weaned from this type of treatment, you can defend yourself from the natural tendency of your body to regain the body weight.
- [27:17]
Celia Hatton
Professor Antonio Vita Pooch from Cambridge University and that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us@globalpodcastbc.co.uk.com you can also find us on X@BBC World Service. Use the hashtag globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the Global Story, which today takes an in depth look at America's complicated history of interventions in the Middle east and what lessons can be learned in Iran. This edition of the Global News Podcast was mixed by Hannah Montgomery and the producer was Marion Strahan. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Celia Hatton. Until next time. Goodbye.
- [28:06]
Bayard Winthrop
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