Israel's third top-level assassination in two days

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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Andrew Peach and we're recording this podcast at 16 hours GMT on Wednesday,

the 18th of March. Here are our main stories. The Iranian intelligence minister is assassinated

a day after its powerful security chief was killed. Israel also strikes an Iranian

petrochemical complex on the world's largest natural gas field. Tehran continues its retaliation

against Gulf neighbours who are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss their response.

Also in this podcast Disney has a new chief executive we'll find out what's in his inbox

and how Venezuela defeated the U.S. to win the World Baseball Classic.

Just as Iran was preparing to bury the country's security chief Ali Larjani who was killed by

Israel on Tuesday. Israel announced it had assassinated another senior Iranian official.

Iran's president Maazouj Pazeshqyan confirmed the death of the intelligence minister

Esmarkateeb calling it a cowardly assassination. The Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said

the military had been authorized to kill any senior figure of the Islamic Republic in its sites.

The BBC's Persian service has been receiving messages from Iranians reacting to the death.

That words he has spoken by our team. It seems like this killing of Khatib might help the people

since he was among the leadership though more so Larjani. It might be that when people come out

after a call to protest the likelihood of them being killed is lower now. Even though they all

have replacement these were the main figures. Perhaps the IRGC will see the situation and eventually

back down. I've honestly never gone to a protest at all. My family wouldn't let me. They said

it was dangerous. If I decide to go this time I need to wait things up. They could actually act

much more harshly this time if they feel their end is near. I'd be happy for any of the leaders

to be taken out. But at the same time I'd rather America and Israel didn't go after someone

like Pazeshqyan because I feel he's like someone you could ultimately negotiate with and get to

concede. I don't know. It feels like his heart isn't really in it and he's being forced.

Having an official you can deal with and who might eventually give in is a good thing.

In Tehran thousands of mourners gathered at a funeral possession for Ali Larjani as well as

another senior Iranian commander who was killed in Tuesday's Israeli air strike.

Some Iranians kiss the coffins as they pass through the streets. They're also chance of death

to America. Our security correspondent Frank Gardner who's in Doha told me more about the

latest Iranian official to be killed by the Israelis. Islam al-Hatib was one of the

really early adopters as it were of the Islamic Revolution. He joined the Islamic Revolutionary

Guards Corps back in 1980. So just one year after the Islamic Revolution and he is very much kind of

embodied in that. He was very close to the the previous Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hamanei.

He looked after his security. He's been at various times minister of intelligence very highly

placed within the kind of security intelligence apparatus. He's close to the revolutionary

guards as opposed to being close to the kind of conventional ministry of intelligence that these

are two almost rival organizations and he belonged to the more hardcore one. An extraordinary degree

of penetration that Israel's more sad intelligence agency has in Iran. I mean there's no surprises

there. They've been able to assassinate nuclear scientists and various people in the past.

And of course on the very first day of this conflict on February 28th when they were able to

assassinate the Supreme Leader himself Ayatollah Ali Hamanei. They hit him with deep penetration

bunker-busting bombs and that was in broad daylight. So obviously they know where all these people

are. I mean all of these senior members in Iran whether they be in the Revolutionary Guards Corps

or you know in other branches of the military or the regime. Nevertheless there seems to be no

hiding place for them. Still we hear claims that the regime hasn't been significantly weakened

despite these losses. Is that credible? I think it's only half true. I mean look the fact that it is

still functioning and that it's still there is cocking a snook at America. That is a snub to

America because by now President Trump I'm quite certain will have expected the Islamic Republic to

have either capitulated to America's demands saying okay all right yeah let's discuss what you

wanted to discuss in Geneva which we refused back in February or collapsed altogether. But it

hasn't. Now it's possible that when the shooting stops there could be mass protests but I wouldn't

hold your breath for that because look who's got the guns it's not the protesters it's still the

deep state and there are an awful lot of people who've got a vested interest in maintaining that

deep state. That's our security correspondent Frank Gardner with me from Qatar. Meanwhile an

Iranian petrochemical complex on the South Paz gas field has been hit by airstrikes. It's the

world's largest natural gas field shared by Iran and Qatar whose foreign ministry has condemned the

attack as dangerous and irresponsible. The details from our Middle East analysts Sebastian Usher.

The attack on the South Paz gas field which Israel has confirmed it carried out is a significant

new escalation by Israel and the US against Iran's energy infrastructure. Iranian media say there

were a number of explosions in a refinery complex with emergency services trying to contain the

fires Iran immediately threatened a strong response saying that it would target oil facilities

in several countries. Qatar which shares the gas field has expressed its displeasure at the attack

saying it was a threat to global energy security as well as to people in the region and their

environment. In Lebanon the government says more than a million people have been displaced since

Israel renewed its military campaign against the Iran-backed militia group Hezbollah. That's

around one in seven people in Lebanon. Ferras Abiyad is a former Lebanese health minister and now

a surgeon at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. You're seeing a lot of blast

injuries. You're seeing burns. You're also seeing injuries that are resulting from the damaged

buildings as people are trapped. You're seeing much more civilian casualties than, for example,

the last war. They've reported up to now 111 children who have been killed and more than 350

were wounded. In Beirut alone and the greater Beirut there has been five hospitals that were part

of this evacuation order by the IDF and we've had to transfer all of their patients to receive

care to other hospitals and now they're working 24-7. A lot of the healthcare personnel

are displaced themselves and that means that we have less nurses, sometimes doctors,

available for work because at the moment they are trying to find shelters for their families.

We've reported 38 healthcare workers or first responders who have been killed. We have reported

more than 60 direct attacks on whether healthcare facilities or ambulances. Now the situation

in the people who have been displaced, we're talking about more than a million people who have

been displaced. This is almost a quarter of the population. A lot of them are in shelters that

are crowded with not proper access to water and sanitation and from a public health perspective,

this is a disaster waiting to happen. The Israeli army shows no sign of letting up its attacks

in Lebanon, striking not only Hezbollah strongholds in the south but also the center of Beirut.

That was the moment of building crumple to the ground in a neighborhood near downtown Beirut.

Local officials there say two Israeli strikes overnight killed at least 10 people. Israel has

confirmed the director of a Hezbollah affiliated TV network was also killed. The BBC's Hugo

Bishaga is in Beirut. So I lived just 10 minutes from where this attack happened and I was

walking up by the sound of a huge blast and you heard there how powerful this explosion was

and the windows of my flat rattled. So this gives you an idea of the power of this attack which

happened at around 5.30 in the morning. So this happened about an hour after the Israeli military

issued an evacuation order for this building on social media. So obviously this came in the

middle of the night. A lot of people would have been sleeping when that happened. There's no early

warning system here in Beirut in Lebanon. No system to alert people that an attack is imminent.

And for listeners familiar with Beirut, this is not really far from Martyr Square which is the

main square in central Beirut. So you know in the central part of the city and I think this is

adding to this feeling that many Lebanese have that no place is really safe. Because Israel is

obviously targeting Hezbollah fighters and Hezbollah strongholds but what we're seeing here is not

that I guess one justification might be about targeting the funders of Hezbollah.

Yeah I think to be honest what we're seeing here is that any building or facility or organization

that is linked to Hezbollah is now being considered as a legitimate military target by Israel.

So there was a statement from the Israeli military earlier today saying that they had targeted

what they described as assets of the Al-Qadal Hassan which is the financial institution run by

Hezbollah. Israel says this is an institution that is used by Hezbollah to support its operations.

Well some people say that these are civilian facilities not military targets but that

hasn't really stopped these massive Israeli attacks. But I think again this is another example

of Hezbollah's network of institutions here in Lebanon. Hezbollah is more than a militia.

It is also a political party with representation in the government,

in parliament, also social organization that runs hospitals, emergency services, schools and

also this financial institution that is now being targeted by Israel. Well let's go to Israel now

because it too has been targeted by Iranian drones and Hezbollah rockets. Therefore our

correspondent Yola Nell in Jerusalem. After Iran confirmed Israel's killing of its security

chief Ali Larajani it promised a retaliation and that came swiftly in the form of these

missile launches overnight. Particularly targeting Tel Aviv footage shows that there were cluster

munitions used on some of the warheads that were sent across and this couple in their 70s in

Ramadan near Tel Aviv were killed in their apartment building and when it was hit by bomb fragments

a local official said that they were not in the protected room in their apartment after warning

sirens had gone off and there were other impact sites particularly in the center of Israel with

other people with injuries not life threatening. The sirens also went off in Jerusalem this morning

to warn of incoming Iranian missiles that were then intercepted. We heard loud thuds overhead once

again and in the north of Israel there have been something like 40 rockets fired by Hezbollah

there overnight there was a senior military source telling Israel's army radio that

every day Hezbollah is still firing about 150 rockets towards Israel about half of which

make it into Israeli territory. Our correspondent Yola Nell moving away from the Middle East for

now and there's been a big change at the top of on the world's most recognizable entertainment

corporations. The chief executive of Walt Disney Bob Iger is stepping down after two decades

leading the company and the next boss Josh Demaro starts today. So what's in his inbox? Alice

Enders is a media analyst for Enders Analysis. Running a very very large mixed company in terms of

both on the one hand the media experiences you know the Disney Plus the films the TV experiences

and then on the other hand the physical experiences the parks the cruises and of course the merchandise

about 40 60 really so it's a very successful very large conglomerate that stretches across

these media and these physical experiences and Iger stepping down it's a big change at the same time

he's staying until the end of the year so a transition mentorship situation for Josh Demaro.

He has a very ambitious plan to build up the cruise ship side of things

launching new boats and launching more experiences as immersive experiences and of course also

renewing the parks so at this moment you know what you're seeing is of course continued investment

in that side of the business which has been more profitable for Disney. Media analyst Alice Enders

still to come in this podcast how Cubans are struggling without enough fuel. Sometimes the power

comes on at three in the morning and we just have to get up and start cooking rice and beans because

food is the most important. Hey it's Cole Swendell after I give everything I've got to land a

perfect vocal. I usually take five before jumping into the next track and I've learned exactly how

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Ukraine's president, Floddy Mizolensky, has told BBC News he has a very bad feeling about the

impact of the Middle East conflict on the situation in Ukraine. He said Washington's focus had now

shifted and diplomatic meetings with him were being postponed as a result. On a trip to the UK

President Zolensky referred to the Russians and the Iranians as brothers in hatred and said the

Kremlin is benefiting from the war in Iran. He's been speaking to my colleague Laura Koonsberg.

Putin will want a long war. For Putin a long war in Iran is a plus. In addition to energy

prices it means the depletion of US reserves and the depletion of air defense manufacturers.

So we have a depletion of resources. So it is beneficial for Putin that the resources do not go

to Ukraine against whom he has directed his army and is fighting well. He needs to weaken us

and it's a long process. The release is one of the ways to do that.

And indeed as you say there are only so many resources in the world. There are only so many

missiles in the world. There are only so many Patriot missiles in the world that are being used

by Gulf states. Are you worried that those vital Patriot missiles could not be there for you when

you need them? What a touch on the deficit. There will definitely be a deficit and to

understand that absolutely. And I absolutely know that the question now is when will all the

stockpiles in the release be exhausted? And today America produces 65 missiles per month. Imagine

65 missiles per month is about 700 800 missiles per year. Produce each year. Yeah. And on the first

day in the Middle East war 803 missiles were used. So what will that mean for Ukraine if those missiles

are all depleted? A challenge. Another challenge. Ukraine's President

Vladimir Zelensky. The head of the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan has told the BBC that more

than 140 people were killed in Monday's Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation center in

Kabul. Pakistan continues to deny that it targeted civilians and says the operation was aimed at

military installations and terrorist infrastructure. It's the deadliest attack in the recent violence

between the two neighbors. At the time we'll record this podcast rescue teams are still working

at the scene. Georges Gagnon from the UN is in Kabul. What we know at this point is that the

situation is indeed very difficult on the ground. The facility itself was devastated.

At we've been able to verify at this point in time at least 143 people have been killed

and at least 120 wounded. Those are our numbers at this point in time which of course we're continuing

to verify and follow up on. But for families and communities it's been a very very tragic

difficult incident and we certainly condemn it. The Afghan authorities have at least four

different hospitals treating the injured. The situation is escalating and we've called for all parties

to de-escalate. We commit to a ceasefire to prevent further civilian casualties and deaths

to civilians in areas where there are air strikes. We've also urged the parties particularly

goes with military aircraft to take all necessary measures to protect civilians.

And we've urged also both parties to undertake dialogue and try and get a diplomatic resolution

to the underlying political and security issues fueling the conflict. Your listeners may be

aware that at this point in time China has also offered its good offices to provide a

mediation which you know certainly the UN supports any effort on the part of countries to try and

get a de-escalation. And we've also called on the parties themselves to accept mediation.

George Act Canyon, both Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have said their temporarily

suspending military operations ahead of the Muslim festival of Edel Fitter.

A Pakistani minister said that decision followed requests from the governments of Saudi Arabia,

Qatar and Turkey. We've got a Cuba now which continues to struggle a limited three month

fuel blockade by the Trump administration. President Trump has said he could take Cuba soon,

adding he could do anything he wants with the island. The comments come soon after the Cuban

government recognized it is holding talks with the US. And two days ago the Cuban Deputy Prime

Minister announced an apparent economic easing in Cuba saying that US-based Cuban citizens could

own businesses there. Ordinary Cubans though are becoming increasingly desperate,

as our correspondent Will Grant reports from Havana.

After 26 hours without electricity, fraying tempers in the central Cuban town of Mordon

finally snapped. Residents took to the streets on Friday night and descended on the local

headquarters of the Cuban Communist Party. To chance of leap at that meaning freedom,

some in the crowd began to smash windows before attempting to set the building on fire.

After the protests died down, the authorities made numerous arrests.

Even amid the extreme economic and energy crisis, such public outbursts of anger are rare in Cuba.

What stands out is the extent to which the frustration was directed at the Cuban authorities,

rather than the Trump administration, which since January has imposed a near total fuel blockade

on the island. With Cuba experiencing its first nationwide blackout since Washington began its

fuel blockade, much of ordinary life is shut down. All my life I've been hearing about the United

States and Cuba. President Trump seems convinced the end is nigh for the Cuban revolution

and that it will happen on his watch. I do believe I'll be the honor of having the honor of

taking Cuba. That's a big honor. Taking Cuba. Taking Cuba in some form. Yeah, taking Cuba.

I mean, whether I free it, take it, I can do anything I want, whether you want another

truth. For its part, the government has blamed the island's problems on the US fuel blockade.

Yet now, Havana has confirmed its in talks with the Trump administration with a view to

finding a route out of the crisis. Clearly, there are things that Cuba can do in terms of

reducing tensions with the United States. And I would imagine given the pressure that they're

under, they will be willing to make considerable concessions.

Victor Bulma Thomas is the former director of the Chattam House think tank and one of the world's

leading experts on the economies of Latin America. But the Cubans have limits. Let us not forget

that the Cubans have one way or another had to deal with a bullying United States since 1898,

and they have become very adept at doing so. And this is not a people. I'm talking about a

people now who would, I think, tolerate too many concessions to the United States.

Now, Havana has made its first apparent concession. Talking to NBC News, the deputy prime minister

said foreign-based Cuban nationals, whether in Miami or Madrid, will be allowed to own private

businesses on the island. Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with US companies,

as well as with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants, he said.

On the face of it, it sounds like a significant easing of the strict economic rules.

However, the measure still faces major restrictions inside the US.

And in truth, it means little to impoverished Cubans, like retiree Gregorio Madaguerri.

Between his diabetes and related ill health, he is struggling with the new challenges of daily life,

which were already hard enough. Sometimes the power comes on at three in the morning,

and we just have to get up and start cooking rice and beans because food is the most important.

Then we worry about charging our phones and so on, but often the electricity comes back

for such a short period. It's not enough time to cook anything, and the prices,

even simple foods, are so expensive. The feed issue is very serious in this country.

While the demonstration in moron was the most significant, there have been smaller protests,

mainly by the banging of pots and pans, known as casserole assholes in the darkness of the

power cuts. Given the public anger, there's widespread speculation about President Miguel

Diaz-Kennel's future. The New York Times reports his removal is one of Washington's pre-conditions

in the negotiations. That report from our correspondent, Will Grant, in Havana.

It was a thrilling final that went way beyond sports,

Venezuela defeated a star-studied American team to win the World Baseball Classic in Miami,

and become the sports world champions. The victory against the backdrop of the U.S.

is invasion of the country at the start of the year, sent Venezuelans pouring into the streets

of the Capitol Caracas to celebrate as the game ended.

Our Global Affairs reporter Mimi Swaby told me more.

All eyes were on the match. It was a power-packed line-up. The stadium was sold out.

People at home are Venezuelan and abroad. There's a very large diaspora, nearly 8 million

Venezuelans living abroad. We're all united together, regardless of their political views,

watching this match. And beating the U.S. to win the World Baseball Classic for the first time ever

means everything to Venezuelans, their players and the fans. From a state media, the front page

today was saying, from dream to legend, baseball is massive in Venezuela. Much bigger than football,

which is a little bit different to lots of its neighbours in South America. And just to give you an

idea, here are some people who've been celebrating. This is a feeling shared by all Venezuelans,

wherever we may be in the world. All our fellow Venezuelans living abroad are celebrating this

victory by the Venezuelan national team. Long live Venezuela, the best country in the world.

Testing in God and believing that we would do better, showing the world that what they did to

us on January 3rd, we're proving to them today that we are more than victorious. In Venezuela,

we don't want feuds. We've shown them on the field that we're more than just a sovereign

people with character. Here, we're proving it on the playing field. So the last guy there

mentioned the 3rd of January, and that provides an enormous context for this sporting outcome.

Just talk us through the recent events. So this was a moment of unity, celebration, kind of

catharsis for an agent, which has been racked by political upheaval, economic uncertainty,

and isolation on the world stage, way before the 3rd of January. But that uncertainty has only

increased since then. On the 3rd of January, Nicolas Maduro, the former leader of Venezuela,

was seized by the U.S. in a very dramatic operation, which involved the U.S.

is going into Venezuela, extracting him from his home in Caracas and taking him to New York,

where he's now going to face drug trafficking charges. Now, the interim president, which is backed

by the U.S. is one of Nicolas Maduro's inner circle. The former vice-president, Del Thierry Gers.

She's now running the country, heavily influenced by the U.S., but life hasn't changed a huge

amount for Venezuelans on the street. So this has come at a crucial time for Venezuela. It's

been seen by many as reuniting a very fragmented country in a time of huge uncertainty.

Nicolas Maduro's removal gave many who are against the regime a lot of hope, but that hope

has quickly shifted into uncertainty as then, basically, his vice-president took his position

not signifying the change made hoped for, just to put some perspective. My phone this morning has

been going absolutely crazy from people on all sides of the political spectrum enjoying this

victory. You're saying this is the best day in Venezuela since the third of January when

Nicolas Maduro was removed. People who are pro-Nix Maduro saying this is everything we stand for,

someone's social media even kind of from the U.S. saying we took out Nicolas Maduro for you,

and this is how you repay us by beating us in our kind of own game. Remember, U.S. is the founder

of baseball and seen as the favourites, but Venezuela is a big, big day for them and a huge deal.

A global affairs reporter Mimi Swaby.

And that's all from us for now. If you'd like to get in touch, drop us an email,

global podcast at bbc.co.uk. You'll find us on x2 at BBC World Service to use the hashtag

globalnewspod. And don't forget our sister podcast, The Global Story, which goes in-depth

and beyond the headlines on one big story each day. This edition of Global News was mixed by

Charlotte Ahadroy to Himsker that producer was Vanessa Heaney, the editor is Karen Martin.

I'm Andrew Peach, thanks for listening, and until next time, goodbye.

It's 2009 and we're in the German mountains. Amanda straps himself into a car on the world's

most dangerous racetrack. He whispers to himself. It's time to put my balls on the dashboard.

If he starts the engine. In 15 minutes, he's in an ambulance, unconscious, in 15 years,

he's a billionaire. This is Total Wolf, Formula One's most powerful team boss,

and the breakout star of Drive to Survive. This week on Good Bad Billionaire,

how Total Wolf made his billions, listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts.