Recent Entries

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-25 11:02:07

Sen. Wyden Warns of Another Section 702 Abuse

Sen. Ron Wyden is warning us of an abuse of Section 702:

Wyden took to the Senate floor to deliver a lengthy speech, ostensibly about the since approved (with support of many Democrats) nomination of Joshua Rudd to lead the NSA. Wyden was protesting that nomination, but in the context of Rudd being unwilling to agree to basic constitutional limitations on NSA surveillance. But that’s just a jumping off point ahead of Section 702’s upcoming reauthorization deadline. Buried in the speech is a passage that should set off every alarm bell:

There’s another example of secret law related to Section 702, one that directly affects the privacy rights of Americans. For years, I have asked various administrations to declassify this matter. Thus far they have all refused, although I am still waiting for a response from DNI Gabbard. I strongly believe that this matter can and should be declassified and that Congress needs to debate it openly before Section 702 is reauthorized. In fact, ...

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-25 08:00:00

The Petrochemicals Shock That's Already Rippling Through Plastics (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Everyone knows by now that war in Iran is curbing the flow of oil around the world. But oil isn't just a gasoline and jet fuel story, of course. It's also a crucial feedstock for a bunch of petrochemicals, including the building blocks of a variety of plastics. And we're already seeing polyethylene prices start to surge, with some producers in Asia declaring force majeure and curbing their output. So how much of the world's petrochemicals supply is now in danger? And what does it mean for the future of plastics and packaging, which is basically in everything nowadays? On this episode, we're joined by Philip Geurts, chemicals and oil analyst at BloombergNEF, to walk us through the numbers.

Read more:
Oil Crunch Threatens South Korea’s Garbage Bag, Ramen Supply
Israel Says War Isn’t Ending Even as Trump Touts Peace Talks

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From A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry at 2026-03-25 04:04:24

Miscellanea: The War in Iran

This post is a set of my observations on the current war in Iran and my thoughts on the broader strategic implications. I am not, of course, an expert on the region nor do I have access to any special information, so I am going to treat that all with a high degree of uncertainty. … Continue reading Miscellanea: The War in Iran

From The History of Byzantium at 2026-03-24 20:30:10

Episode 346 - What If? (media.mp3)

I tackle your counter factual questions. 


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From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-24 16:59:16

‘Iran thinks it’s winning’: can US peace talks in Pakistan really end the war? (media.mp3)

After four weeks of war with Iran, is Donald Trump calling it quits? 


The US president claims he is in advanced talks with a highly placed regime insider on a peace deal that would end Iran’s nuclear ambitions, reopen the strait of Hormuz, and give the country’s leadership a reason to make up with the rest of the Middle East. 


Pakistan and Egypt say they have brokered a meeting between US Vice President J D Vance and an Iranian delegation in Islamabad later this week. But who is the mystery Iranian negotiator? Does Iran have any reason to stop fighting now? And if peace is about to break out, why is the Iran war on the battlefield accelerating? 


Meanwhile, amid a bruising war with Israel, Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah is on the brink of total collapse. 


Roland Oliphant is joined by David Blair, the Telegraph’s chief foreign affairs commentator, and Lina Khatib, associate fellow for the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House.


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt

Lina Khatib, associate fellow Chatham House @LinaKhatibUK


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Trump may have blinked, but his war of necessity will grind on

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/23/iran-war-no-end-in-sight/


Iran now has a clear path to victory

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/24/iran-now-has-a-clear-pathway-to-victory/


Producer: Elliot Lampitt

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 

► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


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From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-24 12:38:09

Self-propagating malware poisons open source software and wipes Iran-based machines

Development houses: It's time to check your networks for infections.

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-24 11:03:56

Team Mirai and Democracy

Japan’s election last month and the rise of the country’s newest and most innovative political party, Team Mirai, illustrates the viability of a different way to do politics.

In this model, technology is used to make democratic processes stronger, instead of undermining them. It is harnessed to root out corruption, instead of serving as a cash cow for campaign donations.

Imagine an election where every voter has the opportunity to opine directly to politicians on precisely the issues they care about. They’re not expected to spend hours becoming policy experts. Instead, an ...

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-24 08:00:00

David Shor and Byrne Hobart on the Politics of a White-Collar Wipeout (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Nobody knows when or if AI will lead to mass displacement of white-collar work. But the anxiety is clearly here now, and there's very little evidence that our politicians are taking it seriously. Of course, there are at least two questions operating at once here. The first is whether or not AI really poses a significant threat to the existing labor market. And then the second one is about the correct policy response. This was the subject of a recent Odd Lots episode recorded live at SXSW in Austin, Texas. In this conversation, we were joined by David Shor, a political consultant, pollster and founder of Blue Rose Research, as well as Byrne Hobart, the writer of TheDiff newsletter, and a general partner at Anomaly Fund, an early-stage venture capital firm. We discuss the prospects of a labor market disaster, what David's polling says about the public view, and possible policy considerations that could be palatable to both industry and the general public.

Read more:
Fink Says AI Threatens to Leave Masses Behind Unless They Invest
Private Capital Turns to Old Economy as Software Trade Dims

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From School of War at 2026-03-23 20:43:00

Are We About to Send the Marines Into Iran? With Rich Goldberg and Garrett Exner (CBS2821218668.mp3)

Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at FDD, and Garrett Exner, Executive Director of the Public Interest Fellowship, break down what’s really happening behind the headlines — from covert strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites to the fragile possibility of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. How are the U.S., Israel, and Iran navigating the negotiations, and are there any operational knock-on effects? What are the realities and complexities of potential ground invasions, targeted raids, and covert operations that could shape the next phase of conflict? What are the risks of seizing Kharg Island or launching strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities?  How does the Iranian regime’s use of civilian infrastructure complicate precise strikes, and how do intelligence gaps and political signals influence U.S. decisions? What is the strategic significance of Kharg Island, what are the challenges of amphibious operations along Iran’s long coastline, and what are the odds of a ground campaign in the coming weeks?  ▪️ Times 02:42 Negotiations  09:17 U.S. options      15:35 Ground forces 18:53 M.E.U 25:35 Kharg Island 37:53 Silence on the nuclear program 45:13 JSOC 53:02 Acting with speed Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-23 16:52:26

‘A forever mission': US colonel on Trump's Strait of Hormuz quagmire (media.mp3)

Could US Marines seize Kharg Island and reopen the Strait of Hormuz?


President Donald Trump has U-turned on his threat to bomb Iranian energy infrastructure after announcing a five-day moratorium and peace talks underway. But the Strait of Hormuz problem remains. 


Iraq veteran, Ohio State University military historian and former US Colonel Peter Mansoor joins Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant to discuss the hard power options open to Trump, from taking an island in the waterway to invading the mainland coastline. 


He also talks about the option of conducting special raids to seize enriched uranium to hobble Iran’s nuclear programme and explains why the war risks becoming a quagmire for the West akin to what he saw first-hand in Iraq.    


Plus, The Telegraph’s acting defence editor Tom Cotterill explains what we know about the hugely significant Iranian ICBM attack on Britain’s Diego Garcia base and how worried the UK and Europe should be of repeat incidents. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

Tom Cotterill, acting Defence Editor @TomCotterillX

Peter Mansoor, chair military history Ohio State University 


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Telegraph View: Britain must do what it can to open the Strait of Hormuz

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/22/britain-must-do-what-it-can-to-open-the-strait-of-hormuz/


Britain ‘defenceless against Iranian missiles’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/22/britain-defenceless-against-iranian-missiles/


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/



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From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-23 11:01:00

Microsoft Xbox One Hacked

It’s an impressive feat, over a decade after the box was released:

Since reset glitching wasn’t possible, Gaasedelen thought some voltage glitching could do the trick. So, instead of tinkering with the system rest pin(s) the hacker targeted the momentary collapse of the CPU voltage rail. This was quite a feat, as Gaasedelen couldn’t ‘see’ into the Xbox One, so had to develop new hardware introspection tools.

Eventually, the Bliss exploit was formulated, where two precise voltage glitches were made to land in succession. One skipped the loop where the ...

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-23 08:00:00

What the Iran War Means for Dubai's Luxury Boom (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Dubai has become a huge destination for the rich, with an influx of high-net-worth residents driving up property prices and boosting the UAE's tax revenues in recent years. And of course, Gulf countries more broadly have a lot of oil wealth that they've ploughed into everything from real estate to private credit and tech. But the situation with Iran looks set to test that prosperity. In recent weeks, Iran has been attacking Gulf energy infrastructure and even launched drone strikes on residential areas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In this episode, we speak with Hiten Samtani long-time Dubai resident, founder of Ten31 Media, and publisher of The Promote about what's behind Dubai's luxury boom, how Gulf capital has reshaped global finance including private credit, and what life in Dubai feels like amid rising geopolitical risk.

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From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-23 00:05:00

654. The Ku Klux Klan: The Rise of Evil (Part 1) (GLT2601231794.mp3?updated=1774193991)

How did the three iterations of the Ku Klux Klan come into being in 1866, 1915, and the late 1940s? What was the impact of the American Civil War and the Abolition of slavery in 1863 on the rise of this terrifying institution? And, what was the condition of the former slaves in the American South? Join Dominic and Tom as they unfold the history behind the formation of the first Ku Klux Klan, its ideology and structure, and the abominable treatment of freedmen in the Confederacy South, following the American Civil War. This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at Claude.ai/restishistory. Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com Sign up for our free newsletter at therestishistory.com/newsletter Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at the⁠restishistory.com⁠ For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______Twitter:@TheRestHistory@holland_tom@dcsandbrookVideo Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry BaldenProducers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-22 12:00:00

Introducing: Leaders with Francine Lacqua (audio.mp3?t=1773430848&skipAds=true&utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83&accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6IklnczZMaEpobmtHNjU2NG5BRDJNX0EiLCJ0eXAiOiJKV1QifQ.eyJjbGlwIjoiNTY2Yzk1ZTMtNzAzNi00Mjg4LTg4ODUtYjQwYzAxNDQxNzVlIiwiYWRzIjowLCJleHAiOjE3NzY1NzEyMDB9.AawO7GMrXG1he3IKbxPDMIm--hF02h_O344Ft3orhoU)

What makes a leader successful? Francine Lacqua interviews top CEOs and global industry leaders for candid lessons on leadership, management, and the future of work.

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From The Week in Westminster at 2026-03-21 11:00:00

21/03/2026 (p0n7wgr3.mp3)

Isabel Hardman assesses the Iran conflict, three weeks in, with Labour's Dame Emily Thornberry MP who chairs the Foreign Affairs select committee and the former Conservative deputy Foreign Secretary Sir Andrew Mitchell MP.

The chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, Ruth Curtice and the business journalist and crossbench peer Patience Wheatcroft, who sits on the Lords Economic Affiars Committee discuss rising energy costs caused by the conflict and whether the government should intervene.

Legislators in Scotland and Westminster have been debating assisted dying this week. Labour MP Beccy Cooper is a doctor, who supports assisted dying and Robert Lisvane was Clerk of the House of Commons and now sits as a crossbench peer. Is it inevitable that the bill will run out of time in Westminster?

And the Labour MP Naz Shah told Isabel about her childhood shaped by hardship and injustice within a British Pakistani family in Bradford and her journey to become a parliamentarian.

From More or Less at 2026-03-21 06:00:00

Paul Ehrlich: The man who bet England wouldn’t exist by the year 2000 (p0n7xn09.mp3)

Paul Ehrlich’s bestselling book The Population Bomb opens with an apocalyptic paragraph.

“The battle to feed all of humanity is over,” it states. “In the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now. At this late date nothing can prevent a substantial increase in the world death rate.”

Professor Ehrlich, who died last week, made a simple argument. The global population was outrunning our capacity to produce enough food to feed everyone. Famine, disease and nuclear Armageddon would follow if the population was not controlled.

The book made him a celebrity, and he regularly spoke in public, warning of the imminent threat to humanity.

Sometimes his warnings were quite vague in terms of the timescale, but other times not - he was reported as saying in 1968 that if current trends continued, by the year 2000, the UK would be a “small group of impoverished islands, inhabited by some 70 million hungry people". "If I were a gambler," he was quoted as saying, "I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000".

But the UK did not collapse, the global death rate did not increase, and we have more food per person now than when he wrote the book.

So, what went wrong with Paul Ehrlich's predictions of a population apocalypse?

If you’ve seen a number or claim that you think More or Less should look at, email moreorless@bbc.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS

Vincent Geloso, Assistant Professor of economics at George Mason University

Darrell Bricker, global CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs and co-author of Empty Planet, the Shock of Global Population Decline

Peter Alexander, Professor of Global Food Systems at the University of Edinburgh

CREDITS:

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Dave O’Neil Editor: Richard Vadon

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-21 04:05:00

Here's Why The Iran War Is Prompting A Safe Haven Rethink (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Here's Why is Bloomberg’s short explainer podcast, where we take one big news story and break it down in just a few minutes with help from our experts across the newsroom.

We're dropping into your feed with a special episode featuring Joe Weisenthal, who joined us to discuss why the Iran war is prompting a safe haven rethink.

In times of geopolitical turmoil, investors look for somewhere safe to put their money. US President Donald Trump's trade war helped to fuel a record rally for gold in 2025, but the Iran war is pushing investors to shelter in different places.

Like what you hear? Subscribe to the Here’s Why podcast for more quick, expert-driven explainers available via the links below every Friday. 

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From Emperors of Rome at 2026-03-21 00:00:19

How the Tetrarchy Won the East (260322-diocletian05.mp3)

With the tetrarch system still taking shape, Diocletian and his Caesar Galerius come under growing pressure in the East, facing rebellion from Egypt and invasion from the Persian King Naresh. A series of hard campaigns, careful political choices and eventual victory will determine whether this new imperial order can truly secure Rome's frontiers.

Support Emperors of Rome on Patreon: patreon.com/romepodcast

This month's bonus episode on Patreon is with Rhiannon Evans, looking at panegyrics..

Episode CCLIII (253)

Part V of Diocletian

Guest: Professor Caillan Davenport (Centre for Classical Studies, Australian National University)

From Emperors of Rome at 2026-03-20 22:52:24

How the Tetrarchy Won the East (260320-diocletian05.mp3)

With the tetrarch system still taking shape, Diocletian and his Caesar Galerius come under growing pressure in the East, facing rebellion from Egypt and invasion from the Persian King Naresh. A series of hard campaigns, careful political choices and eventual victory will determine whether this new imperial order can truly secure Rome's frontiers.

Support Emperors of Rome on Patreon: patreon.com/romepodcast

This month's bonus episode on Patreon is with Rhiannon Evans, looking at panegyrics..

Episode CCLIII (253)

Part V of Diocletian

Guest: Professor Caillan Davenport (Centre for Classical Studies, Australian National University)

From A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry at 2026-03-20 21:37:51

Gap Week: March 20, 2026

Hey folks! I was traveling this week to give an invited talk at Western Michigan University, so I don’t have a blog post ready for you. That’ll also probably be the case for next week (where I will be at the annual meeting of the Society for Military History), though at least there I will … Continue reading Gap Week: March 20, 2026

From School of War at 2026-03-20 21:31:00

Did Trump Miscalculate on Iran? with Niall Ferguson (CBS6497220388.mp3)

Sir Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and columnist at The Free Press, reveals how geography and choke points have always been pivotal in global conflicts and just like the Dardanelles during WWI, today’s hotspots like the Straits of Hormuz and Taiwan remind us that some strategic challenges never change. What exactly are chokepoints and why do they matter? How do the lessons of Gallipoli and Ukraine apply to the war with Iran? How is the current situation different from the Tanker War and WWI? Can naval and air power alone open the Strait of Hormuz and keep it open? Is there a timeline for success? And what does this all mean for U.S. magazine depth, the economy, and China? ▪️ Times 02:49 Gallipoli 11:08 Unintended consequences      18:10 Ukraine 26:22 A failure of perception 31:36 The right call by Trump?  37:34 Regime alteration 47:05 Timeframes 53:33 China Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-20 21:06:59

Friday Squid Blogging: Jumbo Flying Squid in the South Pacific

The population needs better conservation.

As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven’t covered.

Blog moderation policy.

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-20 20:50:46

Widely used Trivy scanner compromised in ongoing supply-chain attack

Admins: Sorry to say, but it's likely a rotate-your-secrets kind of weekend.

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-20 15:55:33

US sends Marines to Strait of Hormuz & why Iran can still fire missiles (media.mp3)

Thousands of US Marines and sailors are heading towards Iran - does this mean boots on the ground? 


Venetia Rainey is joined by Reuters global defence commentator Peter Apps to discuss the war three weeks in, how to open the Strait of Hormuz and whether as part of it, Trump will order troops to take Kharg Island. 


They also discuss whether this counts as a world war and why this conflict is likely deterring China from taking Taiwan by force for at least another few years. 


Plus, how is Iran still able to inflict so much damage on its neighbours? University of Oslo missiles expert Fabian Hoffman explains why Iran’s launchers may run out before its missiles do and how much longer interceptor stocks in the Gulf and Israel could last. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Peter Apps, Reuters defence columnist @pete_apps

Fabian Hoffman, University of Oslo @FRHoffmann1


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


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From The Incomparable Mothership at 2026-03-20 14:45:00

809: Triple J on 'Jeopardy!' with Jennings (1292ed37-6ff6-42cd-a114-88191e291b8f.mp3)

Jason was on “Jeopardy!” Now he breaks the experience down with the help of two former “Jeopardy!” champions, Glenn Fleishman and Dan Moren....

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-20 08:00:00

Greg Brew on Surging Energy and the 'Strategic Trap' of the War in Iran (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

The war in Iran has already lasted longer than many people might have expected. There was an initial assumption, after oil prices started surging, that President Trump could just declare victory at any moment. But that hasn't happened, and the longer this goes on, the more damage is being done to the region's energy infrastructure. Already a key gas plant in Qatar has been damaged so badly that it's expected to take it years to repair. On this episode, we speak with return guest Gregory Brew, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group who specializes in energy and Iran. Beyond his current work, Greg is the author of two books on the history of oil in Iran. We discuss the logic of the war from both the Iranian and American perspectives, and why the Trump administration may have walked into a "strategic trap" with no easy way to declare victory and get out.

Read more:
Iran Leaves an Isolated Trump Grappling With Historic Oil Crisis
How Iran Has Effectively Closed the Strait of Hormuz

Only Bloomberg - Business News, Stock Markets, Finance, Breaking & World News subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at  bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots

Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter
Join the conversation: discord.gg/oddlots

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From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-19 21:29:53

Cloud service providers ask EU regulator to reinstate VMware partner program

Broadcom says the group is misrepresenting market "realities."

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-19 16:49:38

‘Drunk on assassinations’: What is Israel’s Iran war strategy? (media.mp3)

Has Israel gone rogue with the attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field?


The bombing triggered a furious response from Tehran and led to a further escalation in the energy crisis caused by the US and Israeli war with Iran.


President Donald Trump says the US did not know about it but Israeli officials say it was coordinated. The Telegraph’s Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin joins Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant to explain why the attack is consistent with Israel’s war goals and how tactics are potentially being prioritised over strategy.


Henry also discusses his reporting from northern Israel where troops are readying for an expanded ground invasion of Lebanon to root out Hezbollah and why talk of a buffer zone there may not match up with the threat.


Plus, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan joins to discuss her time on the ground in Iraq and why things there are much worse than being reported. She also shares her thoughts on how Turkey is so far staying out of the conflict and why Iranian Kurds are pushing the US to let them invade.


CONTRIBUTORS:


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

Sophia Yan, Senior Foreign Correspondent @sophia_yan

Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkin


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Trump’s three options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/18/trump-three-options-reopening-strait-hormuz/


Missiles and drones chase Americans out of Iraq

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/15/missiles-and-drones-chase-americans-out-of-iraq/?recomm_id=faf315cd-c56c-4a5d-a833-90e89545db06


Tehran won’t fall without a ground offensive, says Kurdish leader

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/18/tehran-iran-war-ground-offensive-kurdish-leader-khabat/?recomm_id=35c185da-6605-4d40-aa0e-d19bf63781b0


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


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From The Briefing Room at 2026-03-19 13:05:00

What's the current state of the UK's armed forces? (p0n7ktly.mp3)

As contemporary hi-tech wars rage - Russia and Ukraine and the US-Israel war with Iran - The Briefing Room takes a hard look at the UK's armed forces. After telling his allies - including the UK - that he didn’t need them, President Trump called for them to help him open up the Strait of Hormuz, which has raised not just the question of should we, but could the UK do this? David Aaronovitch asks when it comes to big military operations what have we got? In this dangerous 21st century what do we need? Can we get it? And what about closer co-operation with other European countries?

Guests: General Sir Richard Barrons, Senior Consulting fellow with the International Security Programme, Chatham House. Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist Ruth Harris, Executive Director for National Security and Data Science, RAND Europe

Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill and James Beard Editor Richard Vadon

From The Media Show at 2026-03-19 10:41:00

Bonus interview Lisa Nandy MP Culture Secretary (p0n7jdcd.mp3)

Ros Atkins talks to Lisa Nandy MP Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport

From Strong Message Here at 2026-03-19 09:45:00

You Don't Have to Worry (with Marina Hyde) (p0n7d4hj.mp3)

Marina Hyde returns to join Armando for a positive look at some positive language.

Pete Hegseth tells us not to worry about the Strait of Hormuz, Trump tells us the 'war' is 'already won' - is this inspired by The Power of Positive Thinking? Or by Noel Edmonds?

Elsewhere we discuss guessing shoe sizes, tie-dye thinking, and whether we have the stomach for a culture war about badgers on bank notes.

Got a strong message for Armando? Email us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk

Sound editing: Chris Maclean Production Coordinator: Asha Osborne-Grinter Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Recorded at The Sound Company

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios production for Radio 4.

From Breaking History at 2026-03-19 09:00:00

Eli Lake and Andrew Sullivan Debate the Iran War (CBS4145710877.mp3?updated=1773880522)

This week I joined The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan, who has generously agreed to let us share the conversation here. Andrew and I go way back, and few people are as willing as he is to really go toe-to-toe over our disagreements—especially on Israel and America’s role in the world. In our discussion, we cover a broad range of history and politics: from the Iran-Contra affair to the Oslo Accords, and the Second Intifada to Iraq, Iran, Hamas, and the current war in Gaza—along with my bar mitzvah speech about nuclear proliferation and early Zionist influences. Of course we bring it to the present day, debating the political, strategic, and moral stakes shaping Washington’s arguments about the war in Iran today.  Take a listen, and you can find Andrew’s Substack here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-19 08:00:00

How War in Iran Will Squeeze America's Farmers Even Further (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

America’s farmers can’t seem to catch a break. Years of thin margins and rising costs have already stretched them to the limit. And now, war with Iran is making things even harder. The conflict is driving up global energy and fertilizer prices, pushing producers into tough decisions about what to plant and at what price to sell. At the same time, farmers are still dealing with the impact of tariffs, rising land costs, and stiff competition from agricultural powerhouses like Brazil. On this episode, we’re joined again by Jeff Kazin and Mike Rohlfsen, founders of Agris Academy, which advises farmers on managing risk. They walk us through how global turmoil reaches all the way into the US heartland and into the American food supply.

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From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-19 00:05:00

653. London’s Golden Age: The Shadow of the Madhouse (Part 4) (GLT2240052230.mp3?updated=1773761284)

Who did Samuel Johnson fall in love with towards the end of his life, and why did it break his heart? How did it enrage his old friend James Boswell? And, why did he fear imprisonment in an asylum…? Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the fascinating, but devastating conclusion of the life of one of Britain’s greatest men, and the completion of his immortality…  Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan  Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-18 17:36:40

Federal cyber experts called Microsoft's cloud a "pile of shit," approved it anyway

One Microsoft product was approved despite years of concerns about its security.

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-18 17:27:26

America’s biggest mistake in the Iran war so far & Israel's 'Gaza' threat to Lebanon (media.mp3)

When an Iranian primary school was bombed on the first day of the war, killing dozens of children instantly, it spawned a cycle of denials, conspiracy theories and online speculation. 


Nearly three weeks on, it’s clear that an American Tomahawk missile was responsible for the deadliest attack of the conflict so far. The Telegraph’s chief foreign affairs analyst Roland Oliphant and OSINT expert Gareth Corfield join Venetia Rainey and Arthur Scott-Geddes to go through all the evidence and explain why it matters.  


Plus: Israel is upping its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, with strikes on central Beirut, troops invading from the south and flyers invoking the threat of Gaza.  


The Telegraph’s global health security editor Paul Nuki joins from Beirut to discuss the latest news on what’s been targeted, the displacement crisis and attempts at peace talks. He also outlines three scenarios for how the war in Lebanon may unfold in the weeks to come. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Arthur Scott-Geddes, co-host @ascottgeddes 

Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

Gareth Corfield, transport editor @GazTheJourno


CONTENT REFERENCED:


A girls’ school in Iran was blown up. Here’s what locals say happened

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/girls-school-iran-blown-up-locals-say-happened/


The evidence that shows a US missile hit an Iranian girls’ school

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/evidence-shows-us-missile-hit-iranian-girls-school/


The top US intelligence official who turned on Trump over Iran

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/03/17/joe-kent-tulsi-gabbard-right-hand-man/


Producer: Louisa Wells

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Media Show at 2026-03-18 17:25:00

Lisa Nandy on saving local news and the future of the BBC, reporting from inside Iran & behind the scenes at the Oscars (p0n7djbm.mp3)

Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall with some of the week’s biggest media stories: Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy talks about her plans to support local news, the £12 million funding package she’s announced, and what she thinks the future holds for the BBC. CNN Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen explains how he gained access to Iran to report from the ground during the war and how he navigated restrictions, safety, and criticism of his coverage. We also hear from Dr Omar Al Ghazzi of the LSE on how media laws in Gulf states are limiting what journalists and the public can say or share about the conflict. And behind the scenes at the Oscars with the BBC’s Tom Brook and Katey Rich. From falling TV ratings to rising production costs, the move to streaming, and what this year’s ceremony reveals about the state of the film industry.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Assistant Producer: Laura Cain

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-18 08:00:00

War in Iran Is Redrawing the Map for Natural Gas (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Mostly, the world has been watching the price of oil skyrocket amid the war in Iran and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But there's more than just oil that comes out of the region. Qatar is home to the world's largest natural gas field, and for now, it's been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world. Not only has Gulf gas supply been cut off, there's also damage to the core infrastructure, which will take time to repair. Meanwhile, the US is rapidly becoming a natural gas export powerhouse, with volumes having surged since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So, all in all, the world's natural gas map is rapidly being redrawn. On this episode, we turn to the one and only Bob Brackett, managing director and senior research analyst at Bernstein & Co. He explains the impact of the war on global prices, the prospect for further US exports, how the world will adjust to the loss of Gulf supply, as well as the other commodities that are getting squeezed right now.

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From The History of Byzantium at 2026-03-17 20:53:33

Episode 345 - The Immortal Emperor (media.mp3)

Did you hear that Constantine XI didn't die? That he was taken below ground by an angel and will one day return. We explore all the myths which attached themselves to the final Roman Emperor.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-17 17:07:12

Researchers disclose vulnerabilities in IP KVMs from four manufacturers

Internet-exposed devices that give BIOS-level access? What could possibly go wrong?

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-17 17:05:20

‘Huge void’ in Iran regime after security chief 'assassinated' (media.mp3)

Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, is believed to have been assassinated today by Israel in what could be a huge blow to the Iranian regime.


Roland Oliphant is joined by Akhtar Makoii to explain who Larijani was and why his death could be more significant for Tehran than Khamenei’s amid the ongoing US war.


Plus, Roland speaks to opposition figure Ali Safavi, part of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The NCRI is essentially Iran’s anti-monarchy opposition group and is led by the highly controversial People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) - previously designated as terrorists. 


MEK supporter Safavi argues that an armed uprising rather than a war is needed to overthrow the Islamic Republic. He also discusses the MEK’s chequered history, the Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, and the enormous divisions among Iranian diaspora opposition groups. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

Akhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent

Ali Safavi, National Council of Resistance of Iran @amsafavi


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Larijani’s death is more significant than that of supreme leader

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/17/ali-larijani-killing-hits-iran-more-than-ayatollah-death/


Producer: Sophie O'Sullivan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From School of War at 2026-03-17 09:30:00

Can Trump Beat China by Winning In Iran? with Zineb Riboua (CBS5646488783.mp3)

Zineb Riboua, research fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace andSecurity in the Middle East, joins the show to talk about the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, focusing on China's interests and involvement. How dependent is China on the region's energy resources? How does China project power in the Middle East and in Africa? Is China benefiting or suffering from the current war? What are the geopolitical and strategic considerations for both Beijing and D.C.? Times02:19 Going badly for China06:24 Specific military goals07:47 China & the Middle East12:44 Iranian Oil15:34 Layers18:12 Trump and Xi22:54 Conditions in the Strait of Hormuz26:46 Best case/worst case scenarios29:42 Russia and Africa33:36 Strategic revenge

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-16 09:46:09

Possible New Result in Quantum Factorization

I’m skeptical about—and not qualified to review—this new result in factorization with a quantum computer, but if it’s true it’s a theoretical improvement in the speed of factoring large numbers with a quantum computer.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-16 08:00:00

War in Iran is Chewing Through American Missile Stockpiles (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

The war in Iran has been fought almost entirely in the skies, with both offensive missiles, as well as anti-missile defense systems. But the math is brutal. The war in Ukraine has already put a dent in American stockpiles, and now it is proving costly to protect American bases and their allies in the region against Iranian drones. On this episode, we speak with Tom Karako, a senior fellow and director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top defense think tank in Washington DC. We discuss the size and scale of the American arsenal, the supply chain constraints for building more missiles, and the Pentagon's general attempts to ramp up production.

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From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-16 00:05:00

652. London’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3) (GLT2422514848.mp3?updated=1773416285)

What adventures occurred during Samuel Johnson and James Boswell’s journey into the heart of Scotland? How was their trip a gateway to the history of Scotland’s union with England in 1707? And, was Dr Johnson embroiled in the bloody Battle of Culloden…? Join Tom and Dominic as they travel into Scotland’s dark history, alongside Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, and discuss their fascinating and funny adventures in the Highlands. Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From The Incomparable Mothership at 2026-03-14 22:56:31

808: Growing Up Targaryen (b880efbd-b49f-4039-82bc-64e3476bfd4d.mp3)

Have your squire put on your best (and only) set of armor and be sure to re-paint your shield! We’re here to discuss the surprisingly delightful “Game of Thrones” spin-off “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which features characters to root for, humor, and other things in short supply in other installments of the franchise....

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-14 16:02:26

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

This is a current list of where and when I am scheduled to speak:

From The Week in Westminster at 2026-03-14 11:30:00

14/03/2026 (p0n6kd5n.mp3)

Pippa Crerar of The Guardian assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

To discuss the unfolding conflict in the Middle East, and Britain's response, Pippa is joined by Labour peer, Lord West, a former First Sea Lord and Security Minister, and former Conservative MP, Tobias Ellwood, who also served as a minister in the Foreign Office and MoD.

Following the vote on the government's controversial Courts and Tribunals Bill which would restrict jury trials, Pippa speaks to Dame Vera Baird KC, a former Labour minister and Victims' Commissioner who now chairs the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and Cassia Rowland, senior researcher at The Institute for Government who specialises in criminal justice.

Sunder Katwala, Director of the think tank British Future, which focuses on immigration and integration, and crossbench peer Kishwer Falkner, the former chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, debate the government's new strategy on social cohesion.

And, following the release of government documents relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, Pippa speaks to Keir Starmer's former Director of Strategy, Paul Ovenden, and the political editor of the New Statesman, Ailbhe Rea.

From More or Less at 2026-03-14 06:00:00

Transgender women in sport: Does ‘comparable’ mean ‘equal’? (p0n6glh7.mp3)

In most sports, men compete against men and women compete against women. That is generally considered fair, because men are faster, more powerful and have greater endurance.

But there is an ongoing controversy about transgender women - people who were born male and now identify as women. Is it fair for them to compete in the women’s sport category or do they have an advantage?

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine recently added to the debate with an analysis that found the strength and fitness of transgender women is “comparable” with that of women.

More or Less looks into the research to explain what it does, and does not, say.

Contributors:

Professor Alun Williams, Manchester Metropolitan University

Credits:

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Reporter: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon

From A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry at 2026-03-14 01:18:59

Collections: Warfare in Dune, Part II: The Fremen Jihad

This is the second part (I, II) of our somewhat silly look about the plausibility of warfare in Frank Herbert’s Dune. Last week, we looked at the system of warfare that is dominant in the setting when the first book opens: warfare among the Great Houses. While I noted some worldbuilding issues I see – … Continue reading Collections: Warfare in Dune, Part II: The Fremen Jihad

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-13 21:05:22

Friday Squid Blogging: Increased Squid Population in the Falklands

Some good news: squid stocks seem to be recovering in the waters off the Falkland Islands.

As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven’t covered.

Blog moderation policy.

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-13 20:18:08

Supply-chain attack using invisible code hits GitHub and other repositories

Unicode that's invisible to the human eye was largely abandoned—until attackers took notice.

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-13 15:46:22

Two weeks of Iran war: who's winning and losing? (media.mp3)

Two weeks into the American and Israel war with Iran, who is winning?


From Tehran’s perspective, this war is going according to plan. Even though America and Israel have dominated the battlefield, the regime has not collapsed, the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked, and the entire region is under pressure. Yet major questions remain over how many missiles they have left and how long they can stop major protests from erupting once again on the streets. 


Roland Oliphant is joined by The Telegraph’s chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair and foreign correspondent Akhtar Makoii to discuss the conflict so far and answer listeners’ questions. 


Plus, Jonathan Hackett, a former Marine Corps interrogator, counterintelligence agent, and special operations intelligence officer, returns to give his assessment of the past two weeks, discuss the Israeli covert ops taking place on the ground, and look at where things might go from here. 


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt

Akhtar Makoii, foreign correspondent @akhtar_makoii

Jonathan Hackett


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Mojtaba Khamenei has called for Iranian unity – but he may not be alive

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/13/mojtaba-khamenei-uniting-iran-against-trump-may-not-alive/


David Blair: Iran’s leaders have every reason to believe they’re succeeding

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/12/irans-leaders-every-reason-believe-succeeding/


Producer: Sophie O'Sullivan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-13 11:04:50

Academia and the “AI Brain Drain”

In 2025, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta collectively spent US$380 billion on building artificial-intelligence tools. That number is expected to surge still higher this year, to $650 billion, to fund the building of physical infrastructure, such as data centers (see go.nature.com/3lzf79q). Moreover, these firms are spending lavishly on one particular segment: top technical talent.

Meta reportedly offered a single AI researcher, who had cofounded a start-up firm focused on training AI agents to use computers, a compensation package of $250 million over four years (see ...

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-13 08:00:00

What War in Iran Means for China's Teapot Oil Refineries (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

In the wake of the war in Iran, oil prices have shot up for everyone. But not all oil is exactly equal. And, obviously, a lot of Iranian oil goes to China specifically. Furthermore, because Iran’s oil is sanctioned, a lot of it winds up at China’s so-called “teapot” refineries, which tend to be smaller and owned by independent companies. On the other hand, China has famously been building up its strategic petroleum stockpiles for years, and due to the rise of electric vehicles, they may have less economic sensitivity to the price of crude directly. On this episode, we speak with Erica Downs, senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Erica has a long background studying Chinese energy policy and she talks to us about the potential cost that the war is imposing on China’s economy, why the country has built up such a big buffer stock in the first place, and how this global oil shock could ultimately play to its advantage.

Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter
Join the conversation: discord.gg/oddlots

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From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-12 22:18:11

The who, what, and why of the attack that has shut down Stryker's Windows network"

Company says it doesn't know how long it will take to restore its Microsoft environment.

From GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics at 2026-03-12 20:29:20

Dire Straits: Condoleezza Rice on The War with Iran | Hoover Institution (GoodFellows_2026-03-11_-_Condi_Rice_podcast_9lsy3.mp3)

Does the current conflict in the Middle East suggest that America has learned from its recent past wars? Hoover Institution Director and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joins GoodFellows regulars Sir Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane and Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to discuss the prospects of an oil “shock” prompted by a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz as well as a political “shock” back in the US when voters to go the polls in November, China and Russia’s losses in terms of stature and friendly regimes, plus what the Anthropic-Pentagon legal kerfuffle suggests about the role of emerging technology in history’s first AI-enabled war and the problems in being portrayed as a societal menace. Afterwards: the fellows reflect on the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations, billionaires in the crosshairs of the “affordability” debate, and why they won’t be watching the upcoming Academy Awards.   Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today’s biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-12 19:59:54

iPhones and iPads Approved for NATO Classified Data

Apple announcement:

…iPhone and iPad are the first and only consumer devices in compliance with the information assurance requirements of NATO nations. This enables iPhone and iPad to be used with classified information up to the NATO restricted level without requiring special software or settings—a level of government certification no other consumer mobile device has met.

This is out of the box, no modifications required.

Boing Boing post.

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-12 16:02:36

‘Strategically appalling’: Britain’s greatest military expert on Trump’s Iran war (media.mp3)

Does the US war with Iran make strategic sense? No, says Britain’s foremost military expert and strategist, Sir Lawrence Freedman.


Talking to Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey on The Telegraph’s Iran: The Latest podcast, Sir Lawrence shares his damning verdict of Donald Trump’s military operation against the Iranian regime: no proper preparation and no thinking through the risks.


They also discuss the global oil crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, lessons (or not) from the Iraq war, and the impact on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.


Sir Lawrence is the emeritus professor of war studies at King’s College London and has spent half a century looking at wars, national security and defence doctrine. He is new book, On Strategists and Strategy, is a collection of essays covering the Iraq war, the importance of tactics and nuclear deterrence.


CONTRIBUTORS:

Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Affairs Analyst and co-host @RolandOliphant

Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Sir Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies King's College London @LawDavF


CONTENT REFERENCED:


A girls’ school in Iran was blown up. Here’s what locals say happened

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/girls-school-iran-blown-up-locals-say-happened/


The evidence that shows a US missile hit an Iranian girls’ school

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/evidence-shows-us-missile-hit-iranian-girls-school/


Con Coughlin: Putin has been the Iran war’s big winner

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/12/putin-iran-war-big-winner/


Tom Sharpe: The Strait of Hormuz has been opened by force before, and it can be again

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/12/strait-hormuz-us-navy-escort-tanker-war-iran-force-open/


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From The Briefing Room at 2026-03-12 13:30:00

Why does the war with Iran threaten the global economy? (p0n65dy6.mp3)

It could be that the US-Israel war with Iran ends soon. That was the message from Donald Trump this week. But it may not. The longer the war continues the more collateral damage to the world economy. Mostly because of the impact of energy prices. But why are we all so vulnerable still to events in one small part of the world and one tiny channel, the infamous Strait of Hormuz? David Aaronovitch asks what it tells us about the problems of global energy and oil dependency and what could be done to alleviate them.

Guests: Ben Chu, Policy and Analysis Correspondent, BBC Verify Duncan Weldon, Economist and author Bill Farren-Price, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Gas Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Rosemary Kelanic, Director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities

Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From Net Assessment at 2026-03-12 11:14:00

Will U.S. Allies Hedge? Should They? (Net_Assessment_-_12_March_2026_v1.mp3?dest-id=808287)

Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about how America's allies and partners, after decades of relying on the US for security, are derisking from what they view as an increasingly unpredictable and unfriendly power. How much of their hedging is about President Trump, and how much is due to the growing clout of middle powers, world events, or other factors? What should our allies be doing to constructively protect themselves in terms of their economic and national security? And what do the reactions of world leaders to the conflict in Iran tell us about how they view their relationships with the United States?

 

Chris has a grievance for people, especially those with inside information, betting on war, Zack congratulates Congress for exercising its oversight responsibilities, and Melanie wonders what the purpose of the UN even is anymore. 

 

Show Links:

 

From In Our Time: History at 2026-03-12 10:15:00

The Code of Hammurabi (p0n062zj.mp3)

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the laws that Hammurabi (c1810 - c1750 BC), King of Babylon, had carved into a black basalt pillar in present day Iraq and which, since its rediscovery in 1901 in present day Iran, has affirmed Hammurabi's reputation as one of the first great lawmakers. Visitors to the Louvre in Paris can see it on display with almost 300 rules in cuneiform, covering anything from ‘an eye for an eye’ to how to handle murder, divorce, witchcraft, false accusations and more. The Code of Hammurabi, as it became known, made such an impression in Mesopotamia that it was copied and shared for a millennium after his death and, since its reemergence, Hammurabi and his Code have been commemorated in the US Capitol and the International Court of Justice.

With

Martin Worthington Professor in Middle Eastern Studies at Trinity College Dublin

Frances Reynolds Shillito Fellow and Associate Professor of Assyriology at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at The Queen’s College

And

Selena Wisnom Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East at the University of Leicester

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

Zainab Bahrani, Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture (Thames and Hudson, 2017)

Dominique Charpin, Hammurabi of Babylon (I.B. Tauris, 2021)

Prudence O. Harper, Joan Aruz and Françoise Tallon, The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures from the Louvre (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992)

J. Nicholas Postgate (ed.), Languages of Iraq, Ancient and Modern (British School of Archaeology in Iraq, 2007), especially ‘Babylonian and Assyrian: A History of Akkadian’ by Andrew R. George

Martha T. Roth, Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor (2nd edition, Scholars Press, 1997)

Marc Van De Mieroop, King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography (Wiley, 2005)

Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000–323 BC (4th edition (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006)

Selena Wisnom, The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History (Allen Lane, 2025)

Martin Worthington, Complete Babylonian: A Comprehensive Guide to Reading and Understanding Babylonian with Original Texts (Teach Yourself Library, 2012)

In Our Time is a BBC Studios Production

Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

From Strong Message Here at 2026-03-12 09:45:00

I Understand the Anxiety (with Ria Lina and Coco Khan) (p0n5zgzh.mp3)

Armando is joined by Ria Lina and host of Pod Save the UK, Coco Khan, to look at the political language around anxiety.

How do we engage with difficult headlines? Can we switch off an just read about the rugby? Is AI starting to feel as anxious as us? and are we more sympathetic because of the personal language it uses?

We also discuss the origins of international women's day, the death of the public intellectual, and a workplace acronym to watch out for.

Got a strong message for Armando? Email us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk

Sound editing: Chris Maclean Production Coordinator: Asha Osborne-Grinter Executive Producer: James Robinson Recorded at The Sound Company

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios production for Radio 4.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-12 08:00:00

Legendary Hacker Matt Suiche on Cyberwar in the Age of AI (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

We tend to think of warfare in two distinct arenas: the physical and the digital. Increasingly, however, those lines are blurring. Last week, Iran launched drone strikes on data centers in the UAE and Bahrain. Israel has reportedly been hacking traffic lights in Tehran, and this week brought a suspected Iranian cyberattack on US medical device company Stryker, all underscoring long-held fears that hackers could take aim at vital physical infrastructure. On this episode, we speak with Matt Suiche, the legendary French hacker and founder of OnDB, a data infrastructure startup for agentic AI. We discuss what we know of Iran’s cyber capabilities, what digital warfare looks like today, and how AI is transforming coding and hacking.

Read more:
Stryker Remains Offline After Cyberattack Linked to Iran Group
Google to Provide Pentagon With AI Agents for Unclassified Work

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From School of War at 2026-03-12 04:00:00

Did the Iranian Revolution Succeed? And Can It Survive? with Ray Takeyh (CBS7619353481.mp3)

Ray Takeyh, senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty, joins the show to talk about the origins, evolution, and possible future of the Islamic Republic of Iran. What forces produced the 1979 revolution, and how did it reshape Iran’s political and religious order? What are the psychological and sociological impacts of this revolution? How have the regime’s leaders interpreted and sustained the revolutionary project, and what have the major challenges been? As Iran enters a new and uncertain phase under Mojtaba Khamenei, can the Islamic Republic endure, or is there a potential for future revolution in Iran? ▪️ Times 02:07 Living through the Islamic Revolution 04:12 A diverse Iran      05:50 How did the revolution succeed?  14:06 Khomeini & Khamenei 20:46 Too cautious  22:35 Dynastic succession   34:00 Iran vs. Venezuela 38:35 Regime resiliency  44:30 Beginning of the end   50:14 Threshold states Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-12 00:05:00

651. London’s Golden Age: Sex and Scandal in Georgian Britain (Part 2) (GLT1542242808.mp3?updated=1773071086)

Why was London such a cauldron of sexual scandal and political tumult in the 18th century? What licentious escapades did the infamous Scottish nobleman, James Boswell, get up to there? And, how did his legendary first meeting with the renowned wit Samuel Johnson, unfold?   Join Tom and Dominic, as they delve into the tumultuous, salacious life of James Boswell - the ultimate celebrity hunter - his extraordinary adventures in 18th century London, and his encounters with three of the greatest men of the age.  Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan  Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-11 21:27:16

14,000 routers are infected by malware that's highly resistant to takedowns

Most of the devices are made by Asus and are located in the US.

From The Media Show at 2026-03-11 17:01:00

The people shaping American media including Mehdi Hasan, Jeffrey Goldberg, Sarah Smith and Johnny Harris (p0n5yscc.mp3)

This week on The Media Show, Ros Atkins is in Washington DC, speaking to some of the most influential voices in American journalism. He talks to Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in Chief of The Atlantic, Mehdi Hasan, Editor in Chief and CEO of Zeteo, the BBC’s North America Editor Sarah Smith, and filmmaker and YouTube creator Johnny Harris. Together, they reveal how very different media organisations are covering President Trump’s war with Iran and how they see the US media landscape at this moment.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-11 16:13:31

Inside Iran: Why some celebrate Trump bombing their country (media.mp3)

How do Iranians inside Iran feel about Trump’s war?


With no independent reporting allowed, an internet blackout in place and harsh punishments for anyone who speaks out against the regime, it’s hard to tell. But there are some voices getting out - and some are happy about the American-Israeli attack. Sahar Zand, an Iranian-British investigative journalist based in London, shares messages from Iranians in the country who have been speaking to her.


Plus, The Telegraph’s Global Health Security Editor Paul Nuki joins from Beirut to talk about the latest in Israel’s escalating war against Hezbollah and the death, damage and disruption it’s causing on the ground. 


CONTRIBUTORS:

Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Arthur Scott-Geddes, co-host @ascottgeddes 

Sahar Zand, journalist @SaharZand


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


CONTENT REFERENCED:


How Iran’s ‘horizontal warfare’ could trap Trump in another Vietnam

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/iran-horizontal-warfare-trap-trump-another-vietnam/


UN claims 700,000 displaced in Lebanon after Israeli bombings

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/10/un-claims-700000-displaced-in-lebanon-after-israeli-bombing/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-11 08:00:00

War in Iran Is Creating a Fertilizer Crisis Like Never Before (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

We all know that the war with Iran has sent oil prices spiking. But it’s also pushing up the cost of all sorts of chemicals, including fertilizers like urea, ammonia and other nitrogen products that are essential for food production. This is all happening at the worst possible time — just before the spring planting season, when fertilizer is most needed. And while farmers have seen higher spot prices for things like urea before, notably back in 2022, there are already signs that this crisis might be worse. So how is fertilizer actually made? And what do higher fertilizer costs mean for farmers and for food prices? On this episode we speak with Alexis Maxwell, senior analyst on Bloomberg Intelligence's agriculture team.

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From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-10 16:16:35

World War 3? How Iran conflict could pit US against Russia and China (media.mp3)

Is this what the start of World War Three looks like?


On the 11th day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Roland looks at how the conflict is broadening well beyond Iran’s borders. President Donald Trump has hinted the war is nearly over, but ACLED CEO Clionadh Raleigh says it is dangerously close to dragging in Russia and China given they have already openly backed Iran. She also talks through what the data says about this conflict so far, from the high intensity of the military campaign to the surprisingly low casualty rates. 


Plus, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan reports from the Iraqi side of the Iranian border where she has been speaking to Iranian Kurdish separatist leaders who say they have thousands of fighters ready to go. Trump has flip-flopped over whether he would support the separatist groups as a proxy ground force in the US-Israel war against Iran. But they say America cannot topple Tehran’s regime without their help.


CONTRIBUTORS:


Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Affairs Analyst and co-host @RolandOliphant

Sophia Yan, Senior Foreign Correspondent @sophiayan

Clionadh Raleigh, ACLED CEO, @cliona_raleigh


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Trump needs us to win war, says Kurdish opposition commander

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurdish-militia-leader-trump-needs-us-to-win-iran-war/


Kurds desperate to invade Iran... if they get Trump’s jets

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurds-desperate-invade-iran-cover-trump-jets/


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US:

Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:

Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


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From The History of Byzantium at 2026-03-10 14:20:59

Episode 344 - Cold Case: Constantine XI (media.mp3)

I investigate the death of the Emperor Constantine XI. What happened to him on the last day of his life? 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-10 08:00:00

Rory Johnston on How Oil Could Surge to Over $200 a Barrel (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Oil has obviously spiked massively since the start of the war with Iran. And if you look at various end products, such as jet fuel, the surge is even more extreme. And if the war is prolonged, or if the Strait of Hormuz continues to be functionally blocked, then this could just be the start of an even bigger spike. On this episode, we speak with Rory Johnston, the author of the Commodity Context newsletter. Rory is typically a very level headed guy, and not a doomer at all. And even he is quite alarmed. He says that the persistent closure of the Strait of Hormuz is such big disruption to contemplate that it’s typically used as the worse case scenario in industry thought experiments. He walks us through how oil could go to $200 a barrel or beyond, resulting in higher prices at the pump for American consumers, and perhaps significant shortages in the rest of the world.

Read more:
Trump Signals Possible End to War, Floats Removing Oil Sanctions
Venezuela Oil Buyer Says Its Cargo Is Sailing to Caribbean

Only Bloomberg - Business News, Stock Markets, Finance, Breaking & World News subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at  bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots

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From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-09 16:49:03

Why Iran's new supreme leader could intensify the war (media.mp3)

Could Iran’s new leader be worse than the old one? On the 10th day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Roland looks at why IRGC-favourite Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen as the new supreme leader to take over from his assassinated father and what it means for the regime.


Plus, Venetia gets a view from the Gulf about the growing oil crisis, fears over dwindling interceptor missile stocks and how the war is dragging in countries there.


CONTRIBUTORS:


Venetia Rainey, co-host @venetiarainey

Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator and co-host @RolandOliphant

Sascha Bruchmann, IISS Research Fellow for Defence and Military Analysis


CONTENT REFERENCED:


David Blair: New supreme leader shows folly of Trump’s war

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/09/new-iran-supreme-leader-folly-trump-iran-war/


Iran has already made its first big miscalculation of the war

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/09/iran-first-big-miscalculation-war/


Iran war, day ten: Everything you need to know

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/09/iran-war-day-ten-everything-you-need-to-know/


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US:


Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES:


Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-09 08:00:00

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev on Tokenization and Prediction Markets for Everything (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Last year, we had Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev on the podcast to talk to us about his company's plans to tokenize shares of private companies. The idea is that retail investors want to participate in hot names like OpenAI and SpaceX, and that tokenizing private equity would allow this to happen. Right after our episode though, a number of companies expressed frustration at the idea, saying that they were not voluntarily participating in the plan. So where do things stand now? And how is Robinhood thinking about how it will play in the red hot prediction market space? On this episode, Vlad returns to talk about where things stand, and all of the company's new efforts to give retail traders even more instruments to use.

Read more:
Polymarket Bets on Iran War Show Limits of Prediction Markets for Wall Street
Robinhood Adds $695 ‘Actual’ Platinum Card to Compete With Amex

Only http://Bloomberg.com subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at  bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots

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From School of War at 2026-03-09 04:00:00

Mark Montgomery on How the War in Iran Actually Works (CBS5685139143.mp3)

Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, joins the show to provide in-depth analysis of the Iran conflict. Mark gives his thoughts on naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz, including their strategic implications for the progress of the war. He also discusses drone warfare, missile defense, and the broader geopolitical context. Mark also explains how Ukraine and Russia are playing growing parts in the war. ▪️ Times 02:30 A constant menace 07:34 Radar and THAAD      11:06 Hormuz 20:26 Real deterrence  31:36 Russian targeting  38:38 Conservation of resources   46:03 Life at sea Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-09 00:05:00

650. London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (Part 1) (GLT2687128958.mp3?updated=1772814173)

Who was Samuel Johnson, the dominant literary celebrity of 18th century London and the man who wrote the Dictionary? Why did his friendship with James Boswell, a sex and celebrity obsessed, but very talented writer, flourish? And, how does this titanic friendship open a window onto Georgian Britain; from slavery to the politics of the day?  Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of history’s greatest Englishmen, Samuel Johnson, and his infamous friendship with the man who immortalised him forever, in an age that changed Britain’s politics forever…  Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan  Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From The Django weblog at 2026-03-08 06:00:00

DSF member of the month - Theresa Seyram Agbenyegah

For March 2026, we welcome Theresa Seyram Agbenyegah as our DSF member of the month! ⭐

Theresa portrait, a pretty black woman with short hair. She is looking at the camera with a big smile. She wears a white t-shirt with written in green "Django Girls Koforidua". The background is blurry but really colorful with shades of green and orange.

Theresa is a passionate community builder serving in the DSF Events Support Working Group. She has demonstrated strong leadership by taking on roles such as LOC Programmes Lead at PyCon Africa 2024 and Programs Chair for PyCon Ghana 2025. She also organized DjangoGirls events across multiple PyCons, including PyCon Ghana 2022 and PyCon Africa 2024.

You can learn more about Theresa by visiting Theresa's LinkedIn profile and her GitHub Profile.

Let’s spend some time getting to know Theresa better!

Can you tell us a little about yourself (hobbies, education, etc)?

I’m Theresa Seyram Agbenyegah, mostly referred to in the community as Stancy; a backend engineer, social entrepreneur, and an open source advocate/contributor passionate about using technology for impact. My background is in technology, community management, and systems design. Over the years, I have grown into roles that combine engineering, leadership, and ecosystem building.

I know many folks call you Stancy, me included, why specifically this name?

So “Stancy” is my initials 😁, People think it is my nickname.

How did you start using Django?

I was introduced to Django through a Django Girls workshop, and oh i’m a Django girl. I loved how opinionated yet flexible it was. The “batteries-included” philosophy made backend architecture feel structured without being restrictive.

The admin interface especially blew my mind early on; being able to scaffold powerful internal tools so quickly felt magical.

What other frameworks do you know, and if you had magical powers, what would you add to Django?

I have worked with Flask, FastAPI, and explored the Dart framework. Each has strengths, especially FastAPI in performance and modern async patterns.

If I had magical powers, I would:

  • Make async patterns even more seamless across the ecosystem
  • Improve first class support for large scale distributed system
  • Provide even more built-in tooling for observability and performance profiling

But overall, Django’s maturity and ecosystem are hard to beat.

What projects are you working on now?

I’m not working on any big projects at the moment, I'm mostly working on client projects at work.

Which Django libraries are your favorite (core or 3rd party)?

Some of my favorites:

  • Django Rest Framework (it’s practically essential for modern APIs)
  • django-filter
  • django-allauth
  • Celery (for async task processing)
  • Django Debug Toolbar (for development clarity)

The ecosystem really makes Django powerful.

What are the top three things in Django that you like?

  1. The admin interface
  2. The ORM
  3. The strong community and documentation (FYI: it gives me a sense of belonging)
    Django feels stable, mature, and production-ready which builds developer confidence.

You have been in the organization of PyCon Africa and DjangoGirls that happen during this conference in 2024. That's great, do you have any advice for people who would like to join or create their own DjangoGirls event in their city?

Start small and start with intention.

You don’t need a massive budget. What you need is:

  • A committed small team
  • Clear structure
  • Support from the global DjangoGirls organization, Django Software Foundation, and other communities.
  • A safe, welcoming environment

Most importantly, center the participants. The goal isn’t just teaching Django, it’s building confidence and introducing them to the Tech industry.

How did you become a leader of the PyLadies Ghana chapter?

My Leadership journey in the PyLadies Ghana community began with a simple step: attending a Django Girls workshop at Ho while I was in school. At the time, I was just curious and eager to learn more about programming. After the workshop, I was introduced to the PyLadies Ghana community and added to the group. That was my first real connection to a tech community.

I started by simply showing up, participating in conversations, attending events, and learning from others in the community. Over time, I became more involved. I joined the PyLadies Ghana Tema Chapter, where I supported the community lead with organizing activities that are bootcamps, meetups,etc. Through that experience, I had the opportunity to contribute more actively.

Because of my commitment and willingness to help, I was later asked to volunteer as a co-lead of PyLadies Ghana Tema Chapter. I accepted the opportunity and began working more closely with the Lead to organize events, support members, and grow the community. It was a period of learning, collaboration, and service.

As I continued contributing and volunteering, more opportunities opened up. When there was a chance to volunteer with PyLadies Ghana programs and events, I stepped forward again and volunteered as PyLadies Ghana Programs and Events Lead. That experience eventually led to me becoming a lead.

Looking back, my journey with PyLadies Ghana has been shaped by community, consistency, and volunteering. What started as attending a workshop grew into leadership and the chance to help create opportunities for others. It reminds me that sometimes all it takes is showing up, contributing where you can, and being willing to grow with the community.

You have been organizing a lot of events in Africa, especially in Ghana. How do you envision organizing an event? Would you like additional support?

For me, events are ecosystems, not just gatherings.

Focus on:

  • Clear goals and impact
  • Accessibility
  • Diversity of voices
  • Strong logistics planning
  • Follow-up community building

Yes, more funding support, institutional partnerships for internships, and long-term sponsorship pipelines would significantly help African tech communities scale sustainably.

International Women’s Day is a reminder that representation is not a trend, it's a necessity.

We need more women building systems, shaping infrastructure, leading conversations, and owning technical spaces.

And to every woman in tech: your presence is powerful. Keep building. Keep speaking. Keep leading. Keep mentoring and raising the next tech women.

What are your hobbies or what do you do when you’re not working?

When I’m not working, I’m usually reading books/articles, mentoring, watching movies or documentaries, cooking, reflecting, or exploring new ideas around technology and social impact. I also enjoy quiet strategy sessions with myself, thinking about how to build things that outlive me.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Technology is more than code, it's access, power, and possibility.

I hope more people see themselves not just as users of technology, but as architects of it.


Thank you for doing the interview, Stancy !

From The Week in Westminster at 2026-03-07 11:02:00

07/03/2026 (p0n53lmm.mp3)

George Parker discusses Prime Minister Starmer’s decision not to support the US-Israel offensive against Iran, and the pressure he has been under for it, with the crossbench peer Kim Darroch, who was the UK’s Ambassador to the United States during President Trump’s first term, and the Labour peer Cathy Ashton, a former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs who led negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme.

To analyse the Spring Statement that the Chancellor delivered on Tuesday, George is joined by the former Conservative Chancellor, Sir Jeremy Hunt, and the Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, who chairs the Commons Treasury Committee.

MPs debated the Representation of the People Bill in the Commons this week. The Bill would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote at the next general election. To discuss the Bill, George spoke to Labour MP for Kettering, Rosie Wrighting, who is the youngest female MP in the House of Commons, and 19-year-old George Finch from Reform UK, who leads Warwickshire County Council; he is the youngest council leader in Britain.

And Robert Fox, the veteran war correspondent, and Kathleen Burk, Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London, debated the special relationship between the US and the UK in light of Prime Minister Starmer’s decision not to support the US–Israel offensive against Iran, which sparked criticism from the White House.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-07 09:00:00

Henry Blodget on the Software Selloff Hysteria and the Problem for OpenAI (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

A year ago, all of the talk was about how the big AI companies were wildly overvalued. Everyone was calling it a bubble. Fast forward to now, and a dominant idea in the markets is that AI is so powerful that all kinds of legacy businesses — particularly software — could go to zero. So where does the truth lie? And what now for AI valuations? On this episode, recorded live at the On Air podcast festival in Brooklyn on February 25, we catch up again with Henry Blodget, the former Wall Street analyst turned Business Insider CEO, who is now the founder of Regenerator. In a wide-ranging conversation, Henry argues against the software doom scenario, and sees problems for OpenAI as it faces massive spending costs with stiff competition.

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From More or Less at 2026-03-07 06:00:00

US-Israel war with Iran: Do the gulf states have enough interceptor missiles? (p0n54mfc.mp3)

On Saturday 28th February, the US and Israel launched a military attack on Iran, targeting the country's missile infrastructure, military sites and leadership.

In response, Iran launched a wave of strikes across the region, including on Israel and the Gulf states.

Iran has a stockpile of ballistic missiles, which it’s firing at neighbouring countries. These countries in turn are using interceptor missiles to try and shoot them down.

But is it clear who will run out of missiles first?

Contributor:

Kelly Grieco, senior fellow at the Stimson Center

Credits:

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Richard Vadon

From GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics at 2026-03-07 01:27:18

Gulf War III Or Cold War II: Iran Truth And Consequences | Hoover Institution (GoodFellows_2026-03-06_-_Iran_War_podcast_v2avkqa.mp3)

A week into US and Israeli military operations against Iran, where does the conflict stand? GoodFellows regulars Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster discuss the odds of hostilities expanding, what the aftermath of “regime alteration” might resemble, a possible economic backlash should energy prices spike, plus a geopolitical shock felt in Beijing and Moscow. Subscribe to GoodFellows for clarity on today’s biggest social, economic, and geostrategic shifts — only on GoodFellows.

From A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry at 2026-03-06 20:13:51

Fireside Friday, March 6, 2026

Hey everyone, we have a Fireside this week and then next week we’ll get back to our somewhat silly break discussing the mechanics of warfare in Dune. But I did want to stop to chatter a bit about something that came up in that discussion, which is something about the nature of personalist regimes in … Continue reading Fireside Friday, March 6, 2026

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-06 19:41:33

Feds take notice of iOS vulnerabilities exploited under mysterious circumstances

The long, strange trip of a large assembly of advanced iOS exploits.

From The Incomparable Mothership at 2026-03-06 18:00:00

807: Assassin As a Service (aca1526d-0f0b-4c15-8bbe-aa3490e025e6.mp3)

Charge up your cyberspace deck and avoid all slamhounds! It’s time for us to discuss the second book in William Gibson’s famed Sprawl trilogy, “Count Zero.” Of course, Count Zero is the name of a great hacker… wait, it’s this kid? This is a book that defies audience expectations, from the title character to the way it follows up—or doesn’t, really—the events and characters in its famous predecessor. But, as our veteran Gibson readers note, it sets the template for his career to come....

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-06 17:07:40

Anthropic and the Pentagon

OpenAI is in and Anthropic is out as a supplier of AI technology for the US defense department. This news caps a week of bluster by the highest officials in the US government towards some of the wealthiest titans of the big tech industry, and the overhanging specter of the existential risks posed by a new technology powerful enough that the Pentagon claims it is essential to national security. At issue is Anthropic’s insistence that the US Department of Defense (DoD) could not use its models to facilitate “mass surveillance” or “fully autonomous weapons,” provisions the defense secretary Pete Hegseth ...

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-06 16:11:54

‘Shock and awe’ but no regime change: Assessing Trump's Middle East war, one week in (media.mp3)

It’s the seventh day of the US-Israeli war with Iran and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said America is about to dramatically increase the amount of firepower over the country as the military campaign moves into the next phase.


On today’s episode, Venetia takes a step back and looks at what has been achieved so far over one week of war. She is joined by Col. Simon Diggins, a former British Army Officer who has served in the Middle East, and Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute.


They discuss how much progress America has made with its stated objectives, whether Iran is running out of missiles or holding them back, the Shahed drone problem, what’s left of the Iranian navy and why regime change still seems a distant prospect for now.


Plus, two arguments for and against the UK becoming militarily involved - is it Keir Starmer’s moral duty or does Britain have nothing relevant to offer?


Read Iran war, day seven: Everything you need to know: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/06/iran-war-day-seven-everything-you-need-to-know/


Read Trump to use British bases for ‘surge’ in Iran attacks: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/06/trump-to-use-british-bases-for-surge-in-iran-attacks/


Producer: Sophie O'Sullivan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


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From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-06 11:53:27

Claude Used to Hack Mexican Government

An unknown hacker used Anthropic’s LLM to hack the Mexican government:

The unknown Claude user wrote Spanish-language prompts for the chatbot to act as an elite hacker, finding vulnerabilities in government networks, writing computer scripts to exploit them and determining ways to automate data theft, Israeli cybersecurity startup Gambit Security said in research published Wednesday.

[…]

Claude initially warned the unknown user of malicious intent during their conversation about the Mexican government, but eventually complied with the attacker’s requests and executed thousands of commands on government computer networks, the researchers said...

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-06 09:00:00

Lots More on the Seaborne Chaos Around the Strait of Hormuz (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

With war breaking out in Iran, the price of oil is surging, in part due to the destruction of oil energy infrastructure, but also the ability of anything to get through the Strait of Hormuz. But it’s not just oil that moves through this key waterway — there are plenty of other goods, including metals and ingredients for fertilizer getting potentially constrained. It’s also not just the risk of violence itself that’s an issue for shipping companies, there’s also the question of how cargoes get insured. On this episode of the podcast, we speak with return guests Anton Posner and Margo Brock, co-founders of the Mercury Group, which helps dry bunk clients solve issues related to logistics, transportation and insurance. They discuss what’s actually happening on the ground, surging insurance rates, and how shippers and carriers are dealing with the chaos.

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From School of War at 2026-03-06 04:30:00

General Frank McKenzie on the War in Iran (CBS3100265670.mp3)

General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie Jr,  USMC (ret.), commanded US Central Command from 2019-2022. Gen. McKenzie led a distinguished 42 year career in the US Marine Corps, commanding at multiple levels and serving on the Joint Staff. In this in-depth conversation, General McKenzie shares his insights on the recent U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, strategic mistakes by Iran, and the prospects for regime change. He gives a full breakdown of Iran's military capabilities, regional dynamics, and possible future scenarios. ▪️ Times 03:45 Iranian response  07:40 Ballistic missiles      19:06 Defeating drones 22:20 Soleimani 30:31 Iranian miscalculation  32:48 War was never inevitable   36:18 Outcomes Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-05 21:06:05

Amazon appears to be down, with over 20,000 reported problems

Problems viewing products and checking out.

From Biz & IT - Ars Technica at 2026-03-05 18:41:28

Trump gets data center companies to pledge to pay for power generation

With no enforcement and questionable economics, it may not make a difference.

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-05 17:31:53

Israel Hacked Traffic Cameras in Iran

Multiple news outlets are reporting on Israel’s hacking of Iranian traffic cameras and how they assisted with the killing of that country’s leadership.

The New York Times has an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/us/politics/cia-israel-ayatollah-compound.html"<article on the intelligence operation more generally.

From Iran: The Latest at 2026-03-05 16:20:41

Why Iran's navy is not - yet - defeated (media.mp3)

On the sixth day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is remains effectively closed to shipping, despite the US Navy crippling Iran’s surface fleet - including by torpedoing a Frigate off Sri Lanka. 


On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Roland Oliphant speaks to former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe about how Western militaries have prepared for years for a big war with Iran; why Iranian maritime forces are equally well prepared; and the cruel necessities of submarine warfare.


And Nicholas Hopton, a former British ambassador to Iran, explains the three conditions necessary for a regime collapse - and why none of them have yet been met. 


Read: The US submarine which torpedoed the Iranian frigate will soon be flying the Jolly Roger, by Tom Sharpe: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/05/us-submarine-torpedo-iranian-warship-jolly-roger/


Read: Will America betray the Kurds again? by Owen Matthews: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/05/will-america-betray-kurds-again/


Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


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From The Briefing Room at 2026-03-05 15:23:00

Why did the US and Israel launch a war with Iran, and what comes next? (p0n4tspl.mp3)

It's less than a week since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. And it's already spread across the Gulf region as Iran retaliates. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, was killed in US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday. The question now is who is in control in Iran and whether the regime in its current form will remain or if this will trigger major change. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how the US-Israel war with Iran started and what comes next.

Guests: Anshel Pfeffer, Israel Correspondent, The Economist Professor Ali Ansari, founding director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at St Andrews University Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight and Nathan Gower Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From Schneier on Security at 2026-03-05 11:28:48

Hacked App Part of US/Israeli Propaganda Campaign Against Iran

Wired has the story:

Shortly after the first set of explosions, Iranians received bursts of notifications on their phones. They came not from the government advising caution, but from an apparently hacked prayer-timing app called BadeSaba Calendar that has been downloaded more than 5 million times from the Google Play Store.

The messages arrived in quick succession over a period of 30 minutes, starting with the phrase ‘Help has arrived’ at 9:52 am Tehran time, shortly after the first set of explosions. No party has claimed responsibility for the hacks...

From Strong Message Here at 2026-03-05 09:45:00

Get Real (with Hugo Rifkind) (p0n4lvnb.mp3)

Journalist and Times Radio presenter Hugo Rifkind joins Armando this week.

In another breakneck week, we look at the language of reality in politics. Are plumbers more 'real' than economists? Can Trump really 'manipulate reality'? And has he been watching Shrek?

We also look at the parallels between Marco Rubio and the general in Dr Strangelove, Tony Blair powering down when talking to Alan Partridge, and whether 'Epic Fury' really means what Pete Hegseth thinks it does.

Got a strong message for Armando? Email us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk

Sound editing: Chris Maclean Production Coordinator: Asha Osborne-Grinter Executive Producer: Richard Morris Recorded at The Sound Company

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios production for Radio 4.

From Odd Lots at 2026-03-05 09:00:00

Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein on Why He Doesn't Tweet (audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=982f5071-765c-403d-969d-ae27003a8d83)

Lloyd Blankfein was CEO of Goldman Sachs for more than a decade, riding the trading boom to the top of the storied investment bank and steering it through the 2008 financial crisis. In his new memoir, Streetwise: Getting To and Through Goldman Sachs, he writes about his journey from public housing in Brooklyn to the pinnacle of Wall Street. So what's he up to now? And how does he see markets and finance today? In this episode, we talk about deglobalization and Wall Street, the threats AI and tech pose to investment banking, risk management in private credit, and rich people's attitudes towards taxes. Plus, Lloyd shares some of what he left out of the book and he explains why he doesn't tweet more.

Read more:
Goldman’s Solomon Is Watching for ‘Frothiness’ in Private Credit
Private Market Titans Warn of Pain as Credit Cracks Widen

Only http://Bloomberg.com subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at  bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots

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From The Rest Is History at 2026-03-05 00:05:00

649. The Fall of the Incas: The Last Emperor (Part 6) (GLT4505534064.mp3?updated=1772550842)

With the Incan emperor on the run, and the Spanish divided, what atrocities would unfold in the final phase of this brutal conquest? Who would triumph, Francisco Pizarro or his brutal former partner Diego de Almagro? And how would the once mighty Incas, finally fall…? Join Dominic and Tom for the epic conclusion of one of the most epic stories in all of world history: a hunt for gold and glory, drenched in blood and tragedy, in which the collision of two worlds would reverberate across time. _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From The Media Show at 2026-03-04 17:45:00

Media coverage of Middle East conflict, Green Party’s by-election victory chances "missed" by journalists? Nonagenarian podcast (p0n4mgf0.mp3)

Katie Razzall hears how the conflict in the Middle East is being covered across the region with staff from the BBC Monitoring Unit. Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent at the Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani from Novara Media and broadcaster Sir John Tusa discuss whether day to day crisis reporting is crowding out the deeper story of geopolitical realignment. We also discuss whether the were media blind spots behind the Green Party’s shock win in Gorton and Denton. And Sir John Tusa returns to talk about his new podcast The Best Is Yet to Come - why he’s interviewing the over 90s, and what a lifetime in broadcasting has taught him about how the media should evolve.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai