Ed Wilson

Dear Steve Reed,

There is never cause for undue alarm. That's what "undue" means.

#R4Today

Record of the items on BBC Radio 4 Today on 9 March 2026

@bbcr4today #AsItHappened Saturday 9 March 2026

#R4Today

Any comment from the Tories, Reform and all points right on the Great British Balti?

#R4Today

#R4Today

Chris Mason of the BBC: Starmer was fighting to be heard on the economy...

In the face of criticism on all media sides about the UK-US relationship (with no mention of US comments about other European countries, or that Trump said nothing when Gulf countries refused to join the war).

#R4Today

Police officers within airports are all armed?

His implication was: guns.

#R4Today

Five police officers were present at Linehan's arrest.

How many took part in the arrest doesn't seem to be recorded.

#R4Today

Let's talk about a new code on anti-Muslim hatred before it's published.

NO, LET'S WAIT, rather than waste time.

#R4Today

Their purpose is to act on the direction of the government in support of the national interest.

#R4Today

Gulf allies complain US didn't notify them of Iran attacks and ignored their warnings, sources say Officials say Iran’s retaliatory attacks in the Middle East over strikes from Israel and the U.S. have left some of America’s partners in the Gulf frustrated over a lack of notice or adequate defense.

The Trump administration is confronting mounting discontent from allies in the Persian Gulf

White House spokeswoman: President Trump is in close contact with all of our regional partners...

But not slamming them for refusing to join in.

apnews.com/article/iran...

#R4Today

Davey is being "considerate of the monarch", but also wants to refuse a favour to a corrupt president at a time of illegal war.

He also knows the visit won't be cancelled.

#R4Today

Questions yesterday about "masked" football fans. Should the police have used a Section 60 authority to require face coverings to be removed?

#R4Today

#R4Today

Why not ask Trump about causing unnecessary offence, Nick Robinson?

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#R4Today

2/

The Insta replies to this are priceless:

#R4Today

Black clouds over Tehran rain down oil drops after Israel strikes oil facilities IDF says fuel depots served Iran's military infrastructure, as Iranian Red Crescent warns that contaminated precipitation 'is extremely dangerous'

"Iran’s environmental authorities urged Iranians to remain indoors to avoid respiratory problems and other health consequences."

How far will it get into the water system?

#R4Today

Bahrain says water desalination plant damaged in Iranian drone attack 'Iranian aggression randomly bombs civilian targets', Bahrain says, adding three people were injured in latest raids.

Bahraini Ministry of Interor: The Iranian aggression randomly bombs civilian targets and causes material damage to a water desalination plant

Iranian Foreign Minister: The US committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant

#R4Today

Trump Finds He Needs Europe Now That He’s Waging War in Iran For years, Europe has endured President Donald Trump’s complaints that it is a complacent continent hiding under America’s security umbrella. Now, as he launches the first open-ended military campaign...

Starmer: any UK action must have "a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan"

Macron: France couldn’t approve strikes carried out outside international law

Meloni, Carney: the war reflects a "crisis of international law"

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

#R4Today

Things look grim in the markets right now, but at least the U.S. economy wasn’t already being propped up by a massive speculative AI bubble that is highly sensitive to rising energy costs.

Dozens killed as Israeli special forces raid Lebanese village in search of 40-year-old remains Overnight, one Israeli operation saw at least 41 people killed and 40 injured, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Pretty serious allegation here. "Witnesses told the BBC that the Israeli soldiers had arrived disguised in Lebanese military fatigues and used ambulances with signs of Hezbollah's Islamic Health Organization."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

In nearly all countries surveyed, more people say that others in their country have somewhat or very good morals than say their compatriots display somewhat or very bad levels of morality. The United States is the only place we surveyed where more adults (ages 18 and older) describe the morality and ethics of others living in the country as bad (53%) than as good (47%). Because we have never asked this question before, we don’t know whether a majority of Americans have long held a skeptical view of the ethics of fellow Americans, or if it’s something new – and if so, what’s driving it. But partisan politics appear to play a role.

Say people in their own country are morally bad
US 53%
Turkey 49%
Brazil 48%
Greece 44%
France 43%
S Africa 36%
Israel 27%
UK 17%
Japan 16%
India 9%
Canada 7%
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/05/in-25-country-survey-americans-especially-likely-to-view-fellow-citizens-as-morally-bad/

A cartoon by
Michael de Adder

Peter Schrank: We need the grown-ups to step forward... #DonaldTrump #iranwar #PeteHegseth #MarcoRubio #EmmanuelMacron #KeirStarmer #FriedrichMerz #middleeastwar #Iran #IranWar @Encompass – political cartoon gallery in London original-political-cartoon.com

Today we have a double debunk:

1. A debunk of the idea that 67 dog breeds are being banned in Britain

2. A debunk of what the usual suspects are saying online (because they are so tediously predictable!🙄)

🧵1/21

Expert insight: Shading crops with solar panels can improve farming, lower food costs and reduce emissions - Western News This practice of growing crops in the protected shadows of solar panels is called agrivoltaic farming

Expert insight: Shading crops with solar panels can improve farming, lower food costs and reduce emissions
news.westernu.ca/2023/04/expe...

The Agrivoltaic Potential of Canada
www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15...

And...

#BBCPM

#BBCPM

New video footage shows a US Tomahawk missile hitting an IRGC facility in Minab, Iran, on Feb 28, showing for the first time that the US struck the area. The footage also shows smoke already rising from the vicinity of the girls’ school, where 175 people were reportedly killed, including children.