Meridian Afternoon Brief — Mar 25
Editor’s note: Today’s mix leans heavily toward platform policy, security, and the kind of geopolitical stress that keeps markets and governments twitchy. The throughline is control: over information, over systems, and over who gets to move fast when things start breaking.
TechCrunch • Tech • DeleteMe acquires social media security tool Block Party
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/25/deleteme-acquires-social-media-security-tool-block-party/
DeleteMe has acquired Block Party, the social media safety company founded by Tracy Chou in 2018 to help users protect themselves from targeted online harassment. Block Party originally focused on Twitter, but later pivoted after changes under Elon Musk made API access too expensive for the startup to sustain its original model. The company evolved into a browser extension that helps users clean up and manage exposure across more than a dozen platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Venmo, and X. Chou said the acquisition joins personal data removal and social media safety tools under one roof. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Verge • Tech • Seiko resurrected a 44-year-old digital watch NASA astronauts wore to space
https://www.theverge.com/tech/900428/seiko-rotocall-digital-watch-retro-nasa-astronauts
Seiko is reissuing the Rotocall digital watch, a model first introduced in 1982 and used by several NASA astronauts, including Sally Ride, through 2002. The updated release keeps the original’s distinctive octagonal bezel and mode-switching design, while using Seiko’s A824 Quartz movement. The new watch will be sold in three color variants beginning next month. Seiko said the retail price will be $550, compared with the original $125 launch price. The company also said the release will not be limited in quantity.
CNBC Top News • Politics • Trump says he could send National Guard to airports 'for more help'
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/25/trump-airport-security-tsa-national-guard.html
President Donald Trump said he is considering deploying the National Guard to U.S. airports as security delays worsen during the partial government shutdown. The administration had already sent ICE agents to several major airports after long passenger lines built up. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 11% of TSA officers called out on Wednesday and more than 450 have quit since the shutdown began. DHS said the ICE agents are supporting airports under the greatest strain, though it did not specify their duties. The shutdown began on February 14 amid a funding fight tied to immigration enforcement policy.
TechCrunch • Tech • Google launches Lyria 3 Pro music generation model
https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/25/google-launches-lyria-3-pro-music-generation-model/
Google has launched Lyria 3 Pro, a new music-generation model that can create tracks up to three minutes long, expanding on the 30-second output limit of Lyria 3. The company said the new version also offers more control over song structure, including prompts for intros, verses, choruses, and bridges. Lyria 3 Pro is rolling out to paid Gemini subscribers and is also being added to Google Vids, ProducerAI, Vertex AI, the Gemini API, and AI Studio. Google said the model was trained on partner data and permissible data from YouTube and Google. Tracks generated with the system will carry SynthID markers identifying them as AI-made.
TechCrunch • Tech • Russia arrests alleged owner of cybercrime forum LeakBase, report says
Russian police have arrested the alleged administrator of LeakBase, according to a report from the state-owned news agency TASS. U.S. authorities and Europol had announced earlier this month that they shut down the forum’s official site and seized a database containing more than 142,000 members and 215,000 messages. The U.S. Justice Department has described LeakBase as one of the world’s largest cybercrime forums for sharing hacking tools and stolen credentials. Europol told TechCrunch it was not involved in the reported arrest and does not cooperate with Russian authorities. LeakBase, launched in 2021, hosted hacked databases containing passwords, banking details, and credit card information.
CNBC Top News • World • Iran rejects U.S. ceasefire offer, demands sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/25/iran-war-us-trump.html
Iranian state media said Tehran rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal and instead presented five conditions for ending the war. According to Press TV, those conditions include recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, a halt to attacks and assassinations, mechanisms to prevent the war from resuming, reparations, and an end to fighting across all involved regional fronts. Another Iranian outlet, Fars News Agency, reported that Iran does not accept a ceasefire under the current circumstances. The conflict began on February 28 with strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Control of the Strait remains a central issue because of its importance to global energy shipping.
The Verge • Tech • Reddit accounts with ‘fishy’ bot-like behavior will soon need to prove they’re human
https://www.theverge.com/tech/900363/reddit-human-verification-bots-crackdown
Reddit says it will begin labeling registered bot accounts and may require suspicious accounts to verify that a human is behind them. CEO Steve Huffman said accounts showing automated or “fishy” behavior could be asked to complete checks such as passkey verification, fingerprint scanning through a device, PIN entry, or possibly third-party biometric or ID-based services. Reddit said it is exploring ways to confirm humanness without necessarily identifying users directly. Accounts that cannot verify may face restrictions. The company also plans to make reporting suspected bots easier as it steps up enforcement against unlabeled automated activity.
BBC World • Politics • South Africa's police chief to appear in court over controversial health contract
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyjpxnzdvyo
South Africa’s police chief, General Fannie Masemola, has been summoned to appear in court on April 21 over his alleged role in a $21 million police health-services contract. Authorities have not yet disclosed the charges he will face. The contract, awarded in 2024 to a company linked to businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, was later cancelled amid corruption allegations. A dozen senior police officers have already been charged over the same tender, and Matlala also faces charges including attempted murder, which he denies. Masemola is the third South African police chief to face a criminal investigation while in office.
The Guardian World • Tech • UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update
Apple is introducing a new age-confirmation requirement for UK iPhone users, requiring adults to verify that they are 18 or older to access certain services and features. Users will be able to confirm their age through a credit card on file or by scanning a driving licence or national ID. Ofcom welcomed the move as part of a broader effort to improve child safety online. Apple did not immediately specify which services or actions would be blocked without age confirmation. The change comes as the UK pushes stronger age-assurance measures across digital platforms under its child-safety agenda.
TechCrunch • Tech • Waymo relies on firefighters and police to bail out stuck robotaxis
TechCrunch reports that Waymo has relied on first responders in at least six identified cases to move or manage robotaxis that became stuck during emergencies. One example involved a California highway fire where a Waymo vehicle could not navigate a police-directed wrong-way traffic reversal, leading the company to call 911. A highway patrol officer eventually drove the robotaxi to a nearby lot, where a Waymo roadside worker later took over. The report says these incidents have raised concerns among public-safety officials that emergency personnel are becoming de facto roadside assistance for autonomous vehicles. Waymo said it has a dedicated roadside assistance team and that it aims to minimize community impact as the fleet expands.
