The Monocle Daily The war in Iran’s effect on Ukraine. And: Universal healthcare as a moral imperative
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Mar 18, 2026 Emin Agalarov, developer behind the Seabreeze masterplan in Baku. Tira Schubart, scientist offering policy-minded takes on geopolitics and tech. Ash Badwaj, journalist on travel and international affairs. They discuss Iran’s strikes and leadership uncertainty affecting Ukraine. They debate drones, satellite intelligence, Europe’s support politics, the moral push for universal healthcare, school phone bans, and large-scale urban development plans.
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Hyde Park Geese Predicted An Early Warm Spring
- Tira Schubart described Egyptian geese in Hyde Park producing early goslings, taken as a sign of warm spring.
- A local 'wildlife person' told her early goslings predict an early warm spring for swimmers on the Serpentine.
Precision Strikes Are Reshaping High Command Vulnerability
- Precision reconnaissance and strong human intelligence have enabled targeted strikes that are eliminating multiple Iranian commanders rapidly.
- Tira Schubart notes satellite resolution plus on-the-ground networks explain why so many high-command figures were hit within weeks.
Divergent Goals Are Producing Strategic Confusion
- US and Israeli objectives may diverge: Israel seeks to remove existential threats while the US lacks a clear end-state, creating strategic incoherence.
- Ash Badwaj argues Trump’s administration appears to be improvising narratives rather than declaring a political aim.